You Can Have My Heart, but Don't Touch My Dog

by Dixie Cash

Chapter 17

  Nick followed Sandi, her aunt, Debbie Sue and the short woman with pink-tipped hair out of the courtroom. Outside on the sidewalk, they met Mrs. Porter and one of Sandi’s employees Nick recognized from LaBarkery. Buster, wagging his tail, looked toward him longingly. Nick walked over to the group. Though tightly held in check by Mrs. Porter, Buster barked and danced.

  Nick touched his hat brim to the women. “Ladies.”

  Silence.

  Purse-mouthed, the aunt glared at him. Mouth curved in a horseshoe scowl, Mrs. Porter handed him Buster’s leash.

  “Thank you, ma’am. I know that right now, you ladies think I’m an ogre, but—”

  “That would be the kinder of our thoughts,” the aunt said.

  “No.” Sandi shook her head. “We don’t. Or at least, I don’t. The important thing is that Waffle will have a good, safe place to live and will be loved and—”

  “Sandi!” A tall guy wearing a suit and tie strode up, clasped Sandi’s shoulders and looked into her face. “Sandi. Is everything okay?”

  Who the hell is he? Nick wondered

  Scowling, Sandi peeled his hands away from her shoulders. “Richard, I asked you to stay out of this. I told you I didn’t want your help.”

  “I know that. But in case you needed me, I came as soon as I got out of court.”

  “Even if I had, you’re too late. That’s the problem we’ve always had, Richard. You’re too preoccupied with your career to worry about what I’m doing except to criticize me and my animals. And by the way, just like you said, I lost Waffle.”

  “That’s a good thing, Sandi. You’ve got too many critters.”

  He turned to Nick with a toothpaste commercial smile and put out his hand. “I’m Richard L. Townsend, Sandi’s boyfriend. I’m an attorney. You’re the lucky winner, I presume?”

  Though Nick had never seen Richard Townsend, he instantly detected arrogance and he felt an immediate dislike for the man and didn’t like seeing him. Furthermore, he had put his hands on Sandi when she didn’t want them there.

  “Uh, yeah, I guess so.” Nick shook the guy’s hand, but didn’t offer his own name.

  Townsend made a sheepish titter, possessively looped an arm around Sandi’s shoulders and pulled her against his side. She tried to step sideways, but his grip was too tight. “Sandi and I had a little spat over this dog,” he said. “Personally, I think it’s a good thing she’s gotten rid of him. A few weeks ago, she got rid of a parrot. Now if I can only persuade her to relieve herself of her other dogs and cats, the chickens and who knows what else might crop up, everything will be just fine.”

  The aunt stepped up, her fists still jammed against her hips. “Who the hell are you to tell her she can or can’t have pets?”

  Townsend turned to the aunt whose jaw was clenched, her bright red lips pursed. Wearing tall high-heels, she looked Townsend eye-to-eye.

  He moved backward a couple of steps. “Madam, may I ask what your interest is in this?”

  “You bet, you can ask. And I’ll damn sure tell you. I’m Sandi’s aunt. And I’ll have you know a person who loves unwanted animals has a special place in heaven. Do you believe in heaven?”

  “Well, yes. I—“

  Debbie Sue stepped toward the newcomer, fire in her eye, her chin thrust out. Towsend backed up a few more steps and Nick didn’t blame him.

  “I’ve got three rescue animals myself and an old horse,” Debbie Sue said. “We’re friends. I’m their whole world. Without me, someone would kill them. Kill them! Do you hear me? Have you ever thought about that?”

  Townsend opened his palms, obviously nervous. “Madam, please. I just came here to—”

  “You should go, Richard,” Sandi said. “All of us are already stressed and you’re only adding to it. You’re no longer my boyfriend. We already settled that.”

  “But I know you didn’t mean it.”

  “I did mean it. I’m tired of us, Richard. Please. I want you to leave me alone.”

  This Richard was starting to get on Nick’s nerves. How many times did a man have to hear a woman say she didn’t want him around? “I think the lady has made a point, Mr. Townsend. She doesn’t want your company.”

  The fucker had the nerve to bristle up. “Butt out, mister. This is none of your business.”

  “It’s damn sure my business,” the aunt said, her face thrust forward, her fists jammed against her skinny hips. “I’m family, hotshot.”

  Nick had never seen a more venomous look than the one in the aunt’s eye. Oh, boy! This could go south in a hurry. These women might pounce on poor Richard and beat the shit out of him. Nick moved between them and Townsend. “Ladies, ladies. Let’s calm—”

  Before he could finish the sentence, the aunt drew back a fist and with a roundhouse swing, slugged Townsend square on the nose.

  His head snapped back. “Aargh!” Blood gushed from his nose, staining his tie and spattering the front of his shirt. He looked down at himself and gasped. “Jesus Christ! I’m bleeding!”

  Mrs. Porter thrust a tissue toward him. He grabbed it and pressed it to his nose. “Are you crazy?” he said to the aunt through the tissue, his voice a nasally whine. “You are crazy. Sandi’s told me how batty her family thinks you are.”

  “Did you say batty? I’ll show you batty, you smartass!” The aunt cocked her arm and made another fist.

  Before she could slug Townsend again, Debbie Sue stepped between them. “Wait a minute, Ed. Calm down.”

  “I don’t wanna calm down. I’m gonna whip his ass.”

  “You can’t. You’ll get us arrested. And the next thing you know, I’ll be the one in court. Divorce court.” She turned her attention back to Townsend. “Listen, Richard, Ed’s my friend. She’s not—”

  “Richard, do you need a doctor?” Sandi asked.

  “No,” he barked.

  “Then please go. You’re causing trouble. Please.”

  Just then, the cop who had been hanging around the courthouse steps walked over. “Everything okay here?”

  “Yessir,” the women chorused.

  He gave Townsend an intense look, as if he were assessing his injury. “Do you need medical attention, sir?”

  “I’m fine, officer. Just suffering a nosebleed. Happens often. Allergies, you know. But you might want to keep an eye on the one in the red dress.”

  The cop looked at each of them as if he didn’t believe what Richard had said. Finally, he said, “Have a good day then,” and walked away.

  He might have walked away, but Nick could see he was standing close by, his hands resting on his utility belt. And he was watching them.

  “Okay, Sandi, I’ll go,” Richard said, his voice now both thick and nasally. “But I’m warning you. I won’t be back. This was your last chance to come to your senses.”

  Nick’s sense of chivalry kicked in. This Townsend dude was a bully. “Mr. Townsend, I say again, I think the lady has made her point. It’d be wise for you to go. When a woman tells you she doesn’t want you around, she usually means it.”

  Richard glared above the wadded tissue he held to his nose. “What are you implying?”

  Nick was hardly intimidated by a man who didn’t have a muscle anywhere and who was already suffering a punch to his nose by a woman. “Just what I said. Leave her alone.”

  “Yeah,” the aunt said.

  Townsend straightened his jacket and stalked off.

  “Well, that was cute,” Aunt Ed said, staring after him and pacing back and forth. “Arrogant fucker. That was Richard, huh? The one who’s defending a man who tortures and murders old women?”

  “He’s a defense lawyer, Aunt Ed,” Sandi said. “Someone has to do it.”

  The aunt was still loaded for bear. “Oh, I don’t know. Why does someone have to do it? And what does doing it say about the someone doing it? Personally, I don’t think a lynch mob is out of the question for that John Wilson ass. And maybe they oughtta string up his lawyer with him.”

&
nbsp; Debbie Sue gave an exaggerated gasp. “Good grief, Ed. You’ve certainly found your violent streak today.”

  “You know how I am. I refuse to tolerate rude behavior. Especially from a self-centered butthole who’s trying to order my niece around like he’s smarter than she is.”

  Debbie Sue turned to the group and explained. “She’s seen Lonesome Dove two dozen times.”

  “I’m glad you punched him,” the short woman with pink-tipped hair said. “He had it coming. If I wasn’t so short, I would’ve hit him myself.”

  Mrs. Porter’s head was shaking slowly. “My goodness, Sandi. I never dreamed all of this would come to violence. How could you take up with such an awful man?”

  “Ladies, Debbie Sue’s right,” Nick said. “We need to break this up. That cop has got his eye on us.” He looked down at Sandi. “I’m gonna go, but can I speak to you in private for a minute?”

  She took a few steps away from the group. He followed. “I want you to know I intend to honor what the judge ordered. We won’t have any disputes over your coming out to visit Buster or taking him to spend time with you.”

  Looking down, she nodded. She looked defeated and he hated knowing he had caused her to feel that way. Somehow, he had to compensate for her losing Buster. “I know he means a lot to you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody fight so hard for an animal.”

  She looked up at him then. Her pretty green eyes held a glister of tears. She lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “It’s what I do.”

  “Like your aunt said, that says something about your character.”

  “I don’t know, maybe. Is that all?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I guess it is. Except that I’d like to trade phone numbers with you. So we can get in touch with each other about visits. As you already know, I’m down in Salt Like during the week, but I’m usually up here in Midland on the weekends.”

  She nodded and gave him her phone number and address. He did likewise.

  “I’ll be wanting to buy some of your homemade dog food,” he said. “I’ve analyzed it and it’s nutritious stuff. I’m sure that by now, it’s an integral part of Buster’s diet. Probably why he looks so good and has so much energy. It’ll be good for the puppy, too.”

  She shrugged again. “Just come into my store. It’s available every day.”

  He touched his hat to her. “I’ll be seeing you then.” With nothing left to be said, he led Buster away.

  ***

  As Edwina maneuvered herself into her Mustang with her spike heels and tight skirt, Debbie Sue agilely scooted into the passenger seat. “Ed, I thought I’d die when you slugged Sandi’s boyfriend. And with a cop only a dozen steps away. I could see myself having to call Buddy to get us out of jail.”

  Edwina turned the key in the ignition and revved the Mustang’s big engine to life. “The sonofabitch had it coming. Everybody said so.”

  “That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t get arrested.”

  “Well, we didn’t.”

  “I just hope Buddy doesn’t hear about us making a scene in front of the courthouse.”

  Edwina pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the highway. “You’re too uptight about Buddy. No matter what happens, all you worry about is what Buddy is gonna think. You didn’t used to be like that.”

  “He didn’t used to have the job he’s got now. How would it look if a Texas Ranger captain’s wife constantly embarrassed him in public?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I get it. So the court thing didn’t go very well for my niece, did it?”

  “I’m not surprised. Ed, the dog belongs to Nick. It’s obvious to everyone. Sandi was fighting an uphill battle.”

  “I know, I know.

  “What will she do now?”

  “Hell, I don’t know. It’s just a dog. She can get another one, although I don’t know why she would. It ain’t like she needs one. Listen, I just thought of something. Do you realize where we are and what time of day it is?”

  “I wonder if I dare answer.”

  “We are in Midland, Texas, and it’s damn near suppertime. I’m thinking we haven’t had real good barbecue in a long time. We should stop by Tag Freeman’s joint.” She laughed impishly. “You never know, girlfriend. We might run into Quint Matthews.”

  “Hah. That’s all I need to wind up an insane day. The last person in the whole wide world I want to run into is Quint.”

  “I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.” Edwina made a U-turn in the middle of the street and headed for Tag Freeman’s Double-Kicker Barbecue & Beer. “You haven’t mentioned that horny little fucker lately. Do you know where he is?”

  “Bandera, the last I heard.”

  “That’s good. A helluva long way from here. How long has it been since you’ve heard from him?”

  “Couple of years. An old rodeo friend told me he got married again. The daughter of some super-rich rancher from South Texas. But it only lasted for a little while.”

  “That’s the way it is when a guy can’t have the one he wants. He’s like a honey bee, flitting from flower to flower. Never settles down. And all the money in Texas wouldn’t make a difference.”

  “Don’t start, Ed. It wasn’t especially me that Quint wanted. He wanted what he couldn’t have.”

  “Hello, Scarlett. You just keep telling yourself that, but don’t try to make me believe it.”

  “Whatever. I hardly ever think of him anymore and his name hasn’t come up between Buddy and me in a long time. That’s the best way to keep it.”

  “Oh, I know. But wasn’t it exciting when the little bastard was constantly trying to stick his nose under the tent and Buddy got madder than a peeled rattler every time he heard his name?”

  “Ed, no. Those days were hard on Buddy and me both.”

  “I thought for sure Buddy would end up shooting him. I even hoped for it.”

  “I swear, Ed, where did this violent streak come from?”

  They reached the barbecue restaurant and found a parking slot in front. Debbie Sue hadn’t been here in months, but nothing appeared to have changed. People still gathered around to watch and ride the mechanical bull near the front entrance. Food was still served on long picnic tables covered with red and white checked cloths. Loud country music still pounded from the sound system. At the moment, Carrie Underwood was belting out “Two Black Cadillacs.”

  With the food served cafeteria-style, she and Edwina picked up trays and started through the line. They each ordered a rack of ribs, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes and plenty of pickled jalapeno peppers on the side, topped off by peach cobbler. As they took their seats at one of the long tables, a server met them with little ceramic pots of honey and real butter and a basket of steaming yeast rolls as soft as pillows. They dug in.

  “Far as I’m concerned, this is the best barbecue in Texas,” Edwina said, chomping on a rib.

  “Austin says it has the best barbecue in Texas,” Debbie Sue said.

  “What does Austin know? There’s so many Yankees and West Coasters down there, they wouldn’t know good barbecue if a rack of ribs smacked ’em upside the head.” She pushed a pile of rib bones to the side of her plate.

  “Jesus, Ed. That plate looks like you ate a baby dinosaur.”

  Just then, the thick hand of a man set a mug of beer on the table in front of the empty space beside Debbie Sue. A large diamond winked from a gold horseshoe on his ring finger. Debbie Sue looked up and nearly swallowed a rib. “Quint! Where did you come from?”

  Three-time world champion professional bull rider and multi-millionaire stock contractor Quint Matthews, stepped over the wooden bench seat and sat down. He tipped his head toward Edwina. “Edwina. How’re you?”

  “Why, I’m just fine, Quint. What a shock. I thought you might be dead.”

  Quint gave a deep huh-huh-huh. “Not yet, darlin’. Not yet.”

  Debbie Sue sat still as a mouse, but her heartbeat had zoomed into the stratosphere and she was having trouble breathing. She had no explanation for this
rush of adrenaline. Her memories of her mercurial relationship with Quint had been filed away long ago.

  He turned to her. “I was at the bar when you came in. I couldn’t believe it was you. It’s been so damn long.” He picked up a sheaf of her long hair and pushed it behind her shoulder. “That pretty hair I used to love to bury my nose in gave you away, darlin’.”

  “Wha—what are you doing in Midland, Quint? I heard you were living down south.”

  “I was. But I bought a little place up here a couple of months ago and moved back. Tag and I are still partnering on some bulls. Life in the rodeo business is easier when he and I live closer together.”

  Debbie Sue gave a nervous titter. “Still making money off Double-Trouble, huh?”

  “Nah. He’s getting old. After he bucked off every cowboy in the business, we put him out to pasture. All he does these days is graze and make new winners. Tag and I’ve got a couple of real good new ones right now.”

  Debbie Sue returned to her food, stealing a glance at Edwina who was sitting as if she had turned to stone.

  “You’re lookin’ awful pretty, darlin’. Never did see you in a dress much. You should wear one more often, show off those pretty legs and that perfect body. Looks to me like you haven’t changed any in that department. Whatcha been up to?”

  Edwina cleared her throat.

  Suddenly Debbie Sue’s supper roiled in her stomach as if it might come back up. She swallowed a big gulp of iced tea. “Ed’s niece had a court hearing today. Ed and I went along for support.”

  “I’d like to buy you something a little stronger than tea. At some place a little quieter where we could talk. Catch up on the good ol’ days.”

  Hah. Buddy Overstreet would kill you and me both. “I can’t take the time, Quint. Got to get back to Salt Lick.”

  “That busy, huh?” He picked up his mug and sipped his beer, then with a chuckle, set it back on the table. “You know, moving back to Midland has brought back a lot of memories, Debbie Sue. Know what I was thinking about just the other day?”

  I’m afraid to guess. Debbie Sue bit into her ear of corn.

  “The National Finals. You ever think about that?”

  “I have nothing to do with rodeo anymore, especially rodeo in Las Vegas.” Debbie Sue dabbed at her mouth with her napkin. “It’s almost that time of year though. I suppose, if you’ve got two good bulls, you should be thinking about a big rodeo.”