Who's Your Boss? (Original Version) Revised version available in eBook/paperback

Chapter 25

"I'm doing alright." He winked at me. "Don't let these wrinkles and gray hair fool you. Inside is a young man raring to go. How are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm a little sore." I opened the bottle of water and took a drink. "It's been a while since I've spent so much time in the saddle. I take Clancy for a ride every chance I get, but that's a picnic compared to this."

"I don't want you to overdo it and hurt yourself," he said. "If it gets to be too much let me know."

"I'll be fine, but thank you for looking out for me."

Dad touched my cheek with callused fingers. "You're my daughter, and even though you're a grown woman, it's still my job to look out for you. When you get married it will be your husband's job." He arched an eyebrow. "This beau of yours, is it serious between you two?"

"Yeah, Dad, it is," I responded. "Do you have any advice for me?"

"Be good to each other." He gave my arm a pat. "And above all, be honest and open with each other. Now eat your food. You're going to need to keep up your strength. After lunch we're mending fences."

I groaned inwardly. I hated mending fences.

Moaning softly, I climbed the back porch steps and let myself into the house. Cassie, who was standing at the stove, turned around. She grinned when she saw me.

"Dad worked you hard, I see. Go take a shower and then come keep me company while I make supper. Tylenol is in the medicine cabinet."

"Ah, drugs." I shuffled upstairs, cursing the whole way, to my room. Taking a change of clothes out of my suitcase, I went into the adjoining bathroom. I took two Tylenol, shed my filthy clothes, and turned on the shower. Once the water was warm enough I stepped inside.

Ten minutes later, I walked into the kitchen, feeling more like myself. "What can I do to help?"

"You can set the table," Cassie said, smashing potatoes with a masher. "Pete and the boys will be here soon and we'll eat."

"I can't wait." I took plates down from the cabinet and carried them to the table. "I'm starving. What are we having?"

"Meat loaf, mashed potatoes with gravy, and green beans."

"Sounds delicious." I placed the plates around the table and then moved to the utensil drawer, taking out forks. "You always made the best meat-" My cell phone rang, cutting into what I was going to say next. I put the forks down and retrieved my phone from my pocket. Glancing at the screen, I saw it was Reed. "I need to take this."

"Go ahead," Cassie said. "Tell Reed I said hello."

"How did you know-?"

"Your face lit up," she explained. "That's how I knew it was him."

Laughing, I hurried into the living room, answering my phone on the way. "Hello, handsome."

"Sweetheart, am I calling at a bad time?" Reed asked.

"No." I sat down on the couch. "I'm glad you called. How are you?"

"I'm fine," he answered. "How are you doing?"

"Just fine," I said. "What's new?"

"A lot," he told me. "I've got something to tell you."

"I'm listening," I said, my heart skipping a beat.

"The warden called me a little while ago with some interesting news. He told me Mark has been paying a guard named Jacobs to do his dirty work for him. When my tires were slashed it was Jacobs that did it. When Mark would call me or you and make threats Jacobs would make sure he was the one monitoring the calls. When you or I would visit Mark at the prison, again Jacobs would be monitoring our conversations."

"I wondered how Mark was getting away with threatening us," I said. "I know when a prisoner makes threats against someone, he or she would have their phone and visiting privileges revoked. How did the warden find out what Mark and Jacobs were doing?"

"Another guard overheard them talking," Reed told me. "It seems Mark wanted Jacobs to rough me up, not kill me, but put me in the hospital."

"Oh, Reed," I gasped, my head filling with horrible images.

"It's alright, sweetheart," he said. "It's not going to happen. The guard went to the warden right away and repeated what he heard. The warden confronted Jacobs and got the whole story out of him. Let's just say Jacobs won't be working at the prison anymore. He'll be living there."

"What about Mark?" I asked.

"The warden had him moved to solitary confinement, where he will stay until the transfer," Reed replied. "He promised me he would share everything with the warden in Shreveport. I have a feeling we won't be hearing from Mark anymore."

Feeling as though the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders, I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness the guard overheard their conversation. I guess it pays to eavesdrop."

"I guess so."

"Anything else?" I inquired.

"No, that's it," he said.

"How's my replacement doing?"

"She's not you, Winnie, but she'll do until you get back," Reed said. "Go spend time with your family. I'll call you tonight at nine."

"I'll be waiting." We said goodbye and I ended the call. Slipping my phone back into my pocket, I returned to the kitchen, my steps lighter. Pete and the boys were taking turns washing their hands at the sink. "Good, you're here," I said. "We can eat now."

"Is everything alright with Reed?" Cassie asked, putting the platter of meat loaf on the table.

"Everything is fine." I grabbed Tyler as he was walking past me and kissed him on the cheek.

"Aunt Win, let go," he whined.

"Never," I growled, kissing him again. "I'm taking you home with me."

"Do you want all three of them?" Pete asked. "That can be arranged."

I smirked at my brother-in-law. "I'll get back to you on that."

"Let's eat," Cassie declared.

We sat down at the table and passed around the platters of food.