Manny’s Mission (Broken Wheel Ranch #7)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Manny Sanchez looked up at the knock on the door, calling out for the person to come in. He stood there with a cup of steaming coffee in his hand as the door slowly opened and Mr. Ducky shuffled in. Manny smiled and automatically filled a second cup, which he placed on the table.

“You know, you don’t have to knock since you live here.”

“I know, I didn’t want you or Scott to get startled if the door opened without giving you a warning.” The older gentleman looked at him with a grin. “I don’t think my heart could take it if you and Scott pointed your guns at me again.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Scott said as he came down the stairs and joined them.

Several days ago, when Mr. Ducky had returned from helping Pru feed her chickens, he hadn’t announced his return and both younger men had almost taken him out with K-bars and guns. Since then, he always knocked before he entered. Mr. Ducky knew they had a story, and he would love to listen to it, but he also knew it wasn’t his right to push them, or to even ask without their permission. He figured as long as he kept being a steady person while in their presence, then maybe, eventually, they would open up to him and tell him the horrors they went through when they were captured right along with Ryan Carter. He knew he could only wait and be there for them if they decided to unload on someone. He based his assumptions on his own horrors after returning from his second tour of the Vietnam war.

“What has you so spry this morning?” Scott Gould asked as he fixed himself a cup of coffee before taking the eggs Mr. Ducky had set on the table and began cracking them open. In minutes he had scrambled eggs and toast fixed for the three of them. Later that day, he was heading to town to pick up groceries. Since working the mission that had taken Rudolph Royal, the Firths, and Paul Miller down, Scott and Manny had been living on The Broken Wheel Ranch for the last ten days, and it was time to get more supplies. They liked that Erin had not only hired them, but also told them not to report to work until they could get some rest. It wasn’t like they lounged around in their cabin all day, they didn’t because they weren’t built that way. However, when they could, they would go over to the barn and learn what Broken was all about, how to work with horses, and the different tack they used on the horses. To change things up, they would go over and observe Clark as he oversaw the construction of what everyone was referring to as Broken Two, the second half of Erin’s dream. Manny had been suitably impressed with her vision.

“I’d like to talk to the two of you,” Mr. Ducky said in all seriousness when he’d finished his meal. Since moving to Broken himself, he’d found that his appetite had returned, he also found himself not as slumped over when he walked, and he had been able to ditch his walker, but still used a cane to help with his balance. Living among the younger generation made him feel younger himself. Though in his mind, eighty-six wasn’t that old.

“About?” Manny asked as he gathered the plates to take to the sink and returned with the pot of coffee to refill their cups. He returned the carafe to the machine, and resumed his seat. He sipped his coffee and waited for the older man to speak.

“Please don’t be offended by what I’m about to ask, because I know the two of you, along with Ryan, have been through hell and back, but you lived to be able to talk about it. If that was too blunt, I’m sorry.”

“Okay, yes, we did go through hell, but what does that have to do with anything?” Manny asked in utter confusion as to where this conversation might be headed. As he looked at Scott with a raised brow, he didn’t think the old man was losing his mind yet, but listened when the older man, a man old enough to be their grandfather, or even great-grandfather closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath, then let it out slowly.

“I want to propose something to the two of you before I go to the others with this.”

“What is it?” Manny asked, again in confusion.

“I may be speaking out of turn here, but I think something should be done. We’ve talked briefly since we’ve all come to share this cabin, but I want you to know that I know some of what the three of you went through. Hell.” Mr. Ducky shook his head sadly, but refused to look at the two men seated at the table with him. “I don’t know if you know this, but I did two tours in ‘Nam. I was only eighteen when I went there the first time, and twenty when I returned. My first tour, I was fresh out of boot camp and scared shitless.” He looked up and saw respect in their expressions and nodded his head, the boulder on his chest began to slowly lift.

“Because of the treatment we received when we returned, I never talked about my time over there. As I’m sure you can imagine, it was pure hell. As I said, that first time I was barely eighteen and fresh out of boot camp, so I followed orders and did as I was told, and I was there for eighteen months the first time, but the second time I went over, I held the position of what Clark did on your SEAL team.”

“Damn, that’s a fast promotion,” Manny said in shock and awe.

“Yeah, well, when everyone around you are dropping like flies from enemy fire, you can go up through the ranks fast. Anyway, I wanted you to know that I know what you went through. For the last three months of my last tour, I was a POW.”

“Damn,” Scott said as he reached out, and placed his hand gently on Mr. Ducky’s arm. “We understand.”

“Good, because I know some of what you might have gone through, and I know you probably have both nightmares, and what I call daymares. You’re fine one moment, then you zone out and you’re right back there again. Hell, I’m eighty-six years old and I still have freaking nightmares about my time over there.” He looked at them intently. “I know this isn’t my story to tell, but after hearing what Pru went through, I believe she has the daymares when she zones out on everyone.” He shook his head when it looked like the two of them would start to ask questions. “Sorry, not my story to tell. I respect all of you enough not to spread rumors. If you want to know, ask Pru. If you do, you need to respect her privacy if she turns you down. It’s my understanding that only Ryan and I know the entire story. Erin only knows part of it.” He shook his head sadly. “I only know because she freaked out one night, and both Ryan and I had to talk her down.”

The three of them sat in silence as they thought back to the time they had been held captive while serving their country.

“So,” Manny said gently, so he didn’t startle the older man. “What are you asking of us?”

“I’m asking if you’re ready to go on another mission.”

“What type of mission?” both younger men asked as one, wary of where this conversation might lead. Not that they wouldn’t do it, but they wanted all of the information before accepting anything. From past experience, it was best to know everything before accepting.

“Before I get into that, I have one question for you, and I expect your honest answer.”

“Okay.”

“What do you know of Naomi’s situation?”

“Clark’s girl?” Manny asked in shock. “What’s wrong with her? Other than she’s still learning to walk again?”

“Yeah, what’s up with that?” Scott asked.

Mr. Ducky took the next thirty minutes to tell them what he knew, and he started at the beginning from when she’d been injured all those years ago during a rodeo. When he finished, he looked at the two men and waited for them to process what he had said. It didn’t take long for them to respond, and he nodded when they did.

“Holy shit, what do you want us to do?” The two younger men exchanged looks before turning back to Mr. Ducky. There was no hesitation in their response. “We’ll help in any way we can.”

“Well, I know that Naomi owns the ranch she grew up on. She told me, and she even showed me the paperwork. I know that she trusts the man she left in charge of that ranch, and there was another man that helped her train for the rodeo. Not only did he train her, but he also trained her horse. He was the one that hunted her down to tell her what her father was going to do to her.”

“Okay, what do you want us to do?”

“I’ll back you up, as a matter of fact, I think I should go to Naomi with what I’m about to suggest to you. I do not run this ranch, nor do I have any claim on it, however, do you remember the ranch Royal and his goons took over? The ones you arrived at before they were taken down?”

“Yes. What about it? It’s a little outdated, but when I was bored, I walked around it. The foundation on the house is solid, and I don’t know what type of barns are there, but they seem solid also.”

“That is my ranch. Well, technically Erin and Clark own it, but I have living rights to it.” He then went on to explain what had happened and how Erin had come to own it, and why Paul Miller was after Erin.

“Holy shit, we knew there was some hatred there, but we didn’t know it went that far back. I’m not placating anyone by saying this, but it was nice of Erin to step in and do what she did.”

“Yes, she didn’t have to, but see, the fence you crossed from my ranch onto her property goes for miles. We border each other, it would only make sense that she would purchase it, because though I love my grandchildren, they openly admitted to me that they don’t want the ranch once I am gone. They are each successful in their own careers and they don’t even care that they won’t get any money from what would have been the sale of the ranch. They only wanted to make sure I could continue to live there until I left this earth.” He looked at his coffee cup, not wanting to see any pity on the younger males’ faces for his plight. He looked up when they didn’t comment. He nodded when he saw nothing but respect in their gazes.

“Anyway, I still have a few good years left in me. I know that Erin’s Way is into stallions, which helps with her on-line business where Erin sells sperm to horse breeders that can’t bring their mares here, which is a brilliant thing to do in my book. Then there’s Broken, where she took in abused animals and brought them back to health, and they are now thriving.”

“Okay, we understand all this,” Manny said as he looked at Scott, and got a nod of approval from him before he turned back to Ducky. “What do you want us to do?”

“I thought that if you’re up to it, that one of you could go over to Wyoming to Naomi’s spread and check out the situation. I don’t know all the details, but I know they are working with someone from something called Brotherhood Protectors.”

“We know a few of those guys,” Scott spoke for the first time since Ducky had started talking.

“Good, but I thought that maybe one of you could volunteer to go there, work with Brotherhood Protectors, get the lay of the land, and if it’s feasible, then transport Naomi’s horses here. Or rather over to my ranch. I’ve talked it over with Ryan, and I know that my chicken barns can be converted into stables for the horses.”

“Those big barns with the rounded roofs?” Manny asked in shock. “They were chicken barns?”

“Yes, when I was in business, each barn held fifty thousand chickens at one time. It wouldn’t take anything to add some stalls, all the electrical and water lines are still intact. We could even add a top floor so hay could be stored there. My ranch is a little over thirteen hundred acres, and I’m sure when the time comes, Erin can just have her people go over there and use my fields for more hay.”

“And you’re going to have Carter work with you on this?”

“Yes.” Mr. Ducky sat up straighter and looked at them with a grin. “It’s not that he can’t work at Broken or at Erin’s Way, it’s just that there’s really not much for him to do because the ladies have Broken running like a well-oiled machine. I thought with the two of you going out on this mission, Ryan can oversee the building of the stables. It will give him something to do.” He shook his head, then looked at them with a grin. “I know I’m probably overstepping here, because Erin doesn’t know about what I’m suggesting. I’m only coming to you first because I want to see if the two of you would be willing to take on the mission of helping Naomi get her ranch moved over to here.”

“Okay, would you want both of us to go over to Naomi’s ranch? What’s the name of it again?”

“The Double A. Her grandfather started it, and since their last name is Alcott, he used The Double A for his and his wife’s last names.”

The others nodded and grinned. “To answer your question, I was thinking of maybe one of you go over to The Double A and check out the situation. I’m not being mean or petty, but there’s not much for the two of you, or even me for that matter, to do around here right now. Erin runs a tight ship, and I know she wants you to wait until you are completely healed from your injuries before you start working for her. What better way to fill in your time than to help with the Naomi situation.”

“Okay, I agree, but what would the other one of us do if you think only one person should go over to The Double A?” Scott asked.

“Find a man by the name of Clem. That’s all I know. I’m sure once the three of us work out any bugs you might have, we can go to Clark with the proposal of the two of you going out to The Double A and to find this Clem person. I only know that he’s the person that warned Naomi, and he helped train her and her horse. After she left the state after her accident, this Clem guy left The Double A. I think Naomi has some contact information for him.”

“What exactly would we tell him once we find him?”

“Tell him what we plan, you know, bring the horses from The Double A here, or rather over to my spread, and that the current ranch manager at The Double A will be coming along with the animals. See if this Clem person wants to come and work for Naomi again, except in this state instead of Wyoming.”

“Okay, I can see that, but why keep the horses separate?” Manny asked with a furrowed brow. “Why not take them to Erin’s Way, or house them here at Broken?”

“It’s my understanding that The Double A Ranch is known for breeding racehorses. If not racehorses, then maybe horses for the rodeo.”

“Ah, got it, and you want to keep those stallions away from the ones Erin has now. I understand.”

They sat there in silence for a long time before Manny looked at Scott and they exchanged subtle hand gestures, and then turned to the older man. Manny was the one to speak.

“Okay, we agree, but you’re going to have to approach Clark and Naomi about what you have planned.” Both men laughed at Ducky’s dour look. “And Erin.”

“Thanks.” Ducky wrinkled his nose at the two. They shared a laugh before they rose to finish cleaning up from breakfast, and thirty minutes later, Ducky led the way to the door. “One of you are going to have to drive me,” he said as he opened the door and stepped out. He stopped in his tracks when he saw one of the women approaching them in a golf cart. He laughed when she slammed on her brakes and grinned at him.

“What do you have there?” Ducky asked in excitement as he saw the glee on her face.

“Your transportation. I know you can’t drive a real vehicle. When I came here, oh, I’m Adele, by the way, but when I came here, I couldn’t sit in the cab of a vehicle without having a panic attack. I bought this to get around the ranch. Since I overcame that phobia, I thought I’d offer you the use of this cart.”

Ducky laughed as he shuffled down the ramp, and the four of them inspected the vehicle, and Adele rode with Ducky as they headed to the barn there on Broken. They hadn’t gone a hundred feet when the old man threw his head back and laughed with glee from his position behind the wheel. He looked at Adele and had tears streaming down his face.

“Thank you! I love it!” he yelled as they continued onto the barn, both of them laughing, and leaving Scott and Manny to follow behind them. Both younger men shook their heads at the couple ahead of them.

“I like that old man,” Manny said at one point.

“Yeah, me too,” Scott answered on a grin as they continued to follow the people before them.