Coming Home to You

Despite my getting to the ranch at a late hour last night, I'm still scheduled to work the next day.

I groan when the light switch is flipped on, it still being dark outside at four forty-five. Jimmy's bright voice invades my dreams.

"Time to get up, sunshine. Matt assigned Johnny to re-teach you the ropes around here today."

"I'm up, I'm up." I nearly roll off of the bed and onto the floor. This was one part of country life I certainly did not miss.

"I suggest you start setting the alarm clock too, you only get one day's grace period and this is it."

Jimmy leaves and I change into an old pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt, an outfit I haven't been able to wear on the job in so long. It feels good.

The warm smell of scrambled eggs and bacon invades my senses when I hit the kitchen after I freshen up. Ten people, including Matt, Jimmy and Johnny crowd around the table. Just by gathering the suspicious and unwanted looks , aside from Matt's of course, I'm going to have Zack running a lot of background checks.

"Guys, this is Brian," Matt finally says. "His family owned the place, now he's back."

The introduction helps somewhat with the suspicion and I sit down at an empty seat next to Johnny, serving myself some food.

I scarf down the whole plate before helping myself to seconds. I hadn't eaten dinner, nor lunch the day before, so it's understandable. Everyone just watches with a laughing interest. Everyone except Matt, who still has the same menace on his face whenever he looks at me.

I sigh sadly, moving to eat my food more slowly. I just leave it alone. I'm here on a job, I remind myself. Not to patch things up with Matt or to please him. I'll do my own thing so he can do his.

Suddenly, in one swift motion, Matt has his empty plate in the sink and is heading out the door.

"Johnny? Make sure Brian doesn't go near Harper. You got that?"

"Sure thing boss," Johnny responds in confusion.

I growl to myself. Time for another plan. If Matt shows outright distrust towards me, whoever at this table who is trafficking will find me out right away. I'm sure they're going to try and scrounge up dirt on me as well.

As Johnny and I walk out of the house after we're finished with breakfast Johnny starts talking immediately.

"I wonder what you did to piss Matt off. Harper is his pride and joy, he's worked for months rehabilitating her. He usually spreads the word quietly when he doesn't want anyone going near her."

"Who is allowed to go near her?" I ask. I can get a better understanding of who Matt trusts fully and who he doesn't, which will make worming out the suspects much faster.

"Just him, me and Jimmy."

"Ah." I thought so, I think to myself as we reach the first barn. "Which one is she?"

Johnny frowns, craning his neck to look at all the stalls. "She's not here. Matt must've taken her out already."

I frown.

"Anyways, first we're going to brush the horses and then take them out to the pasture. While they're out there, we clean the stalls and refill the feed buckets. That usually takes us to lunch. We'll leave it at that for now."

I nod, remembering the routine.

"Here, start with Maverick. He's not too much trouble."

I want to beg to differ when Johnny leads the palomino out of a stall and the horse gives me an evil look, stomping his hoof when he comes close. But surprisingly, he doesn't give me any trouble when I start brushing him down like Johnny promised.

The sound of more hooves clacking into the barn catches my attention. Jimmy stands there, leading a familiar chestnut horse into the barn.

"Epona!" I gasp, dropping what I'm doing, earning a displeased look from Maverick, to see my horse.

Her ears perk up to the sound of my voice and she whinnies in excitement. I can almost imagine her saying my name as I pat her muzzle and she rubs her forehead against my leg roughly, almost making me stagger back. Jimmy and Johnny just look at me in pure amazement.

"Shit, I can't believe it," I smile, paying no attention to them. "What happened to you?" I frown when I look around to see her ribs. "Haven't you been eating?"

"That horse hates everyone's guts... And now she suddenly loves you?!" Jimmy raises his voice. "Who the fuck are you and where did you come from? Are you like, the horse whisperer or something?"

Johnny chuckles as Jimmy stomps off, muttering profanities under his breath. "Don't mind Jim. He doesn't like Epona much. He thinks he gave her a whole world of chances, which is kind of true. She never took any of them, threw them right back in his face. She's more trouble than what she's worth around here, sent Jimmy to the hospital more than once."

Johnny kindly takes over Maverick for me and I start tending to my own horse. "That's my girl," I laugh.

Epona snorts, laughing as well. I can see it in her eyes. At least someone I know is happy to see me.

"So, what's her story?" Johnny asks out of the blue. "Matt never told me. I know every horse around here except for her."

I frown, looking back all those years and remembering. I was twelve. I tell Johnny as much. "I had kept begging my dad for my own horse for a long time. We had tons that we rescued, but I wanted one that was all my own. We later found out that one of the horses we rescued, Farrah, was pregnant. My dad promised me that I could have the foal when it came. I was so excited." I smile back at the memory. Then things get dark. "There were so many complications during Farrah's labor, it took all night. And when Epona finally came, the cord was wrapped around her neck." I shake my head, not wanting to think of what would have happened if I had listened to my father. Epona wouldn't be here at all. "My dad told me we couldn't do anything, that the foal was already dead. I didn't care, I cut the cord from her neck myself. Farrah never made it though. I basically became Epona's mom, she followed me everywhere and I spoiled her to death." Johnny smiles as I finish the story.

"How does Matt know about it though?"

"He was with me the entire night with Farrah. He coached me while I coached her," I laugh.

"That's crazy."

"It was."

"Sorry, I didn't get to introduce myself properly earlier. Matt wasn't in the best of moods. I'm Johnathan Seward and Jimmy Sullivan is my boyfriend," Johnny says after we lock all of the horses in the pasture. Epona isn't happy one bit and whinnies pitifully for me. Even though I coaxed her into the pasture.

"Shh, I'm right here, girl," I rub her mane. "I'm Brian Haner." Getting names for Zack will make his job much easier. "Who are the others?"

Johnny frowns, shaking his head. "Dunno, we know them by a first name basis. They keep to themselves most of the time. Between you and me, I don't trust them." I nod. This is easier than I thought, but I just need to be sure. And I need to find out how they're actually trafficking the drugs and weapons first.

"C'mon Brian. Let's clean out the stalls and refill the buckets. Then lunch."

"Thank God," I groan, the thought of food making my stomach growl.

Johnny smirks. "You'll be dead by the end of the day."

"I don't doubt it." I can already use a nap because I got up so early.

Johnny and I start walking back to the barn until a louder, more defiant whinny makes us turn around just in time to witness Epona clear the pasture fence, cantering over to me. I can't keep the smile off my face as Johnny stares in disbelief.

"She fucking adores you," he states in the same tone.

"She can walk around with me while we do the chores, she always did."

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Matt on the other side of the fence, smiling to himself as he looks on at Epona and me, riding one of the horses. It's the same horse I never saw before. It must be that Harper one. I smile as well, but as soon as Matt notices me staring, he gives me the same hard glare. I sigh, walking back to the barn in defeat with Johnny and Epona.

"You sound beat," Zack comments, laughter ringing in his voice when I call him later that night.

"I am," I croak, wincing as I lay my back down onto my bed. "I'm sore, tired-"

"I don't need a sob story, Bri. I need info. Speaking of which, I was actually getting worried when you didn't call yesterday. You could've died in a plane crash."

"Well I didn't. And I'm sorry mom, I won't forget again."

"Better. Alright, what do you have for me?"

"Two names."

"That's it?"

"It's been a day, Zack. I haven't even talked to most of the people. Johnathan Seward."

I listen silently as Zack's fingers fly across his keyboard. He was always way better with computers than me.

"Johnathan Lewis Seward," Zack repeats. "Five-seven. Shit, he sounds short."

I laugh. "You should see him in person."

"So he's our guy? Blond hair? Brown eyes?"

"Yep."

"Okay... Nothing major is coming up except if you count juvie for defacing school property and robbing a liquor store. He totally sounds like our guy, Brian," Zack says sarcastically.

"Just checking. That's why it's called a background check. There's also James Sullivan."

More speed typing.

"Black hair, naturally auburn, blue, holy shit, really blue eyes. Six-four?"

"That's him."

"Same as the Seward kid. Nothing major that could link them to the investigation."

"Alright, thanks man. I'm tired and the wake-up call is in a few hours."

Zack chuckles. "Ouch."

Suddenly, a loud whinny, probably Epona, startles me.

"What the fuck was that?" Zack asks.

"My horse," I groan.

"Wait, you have a horse? Since when? You've only been there a day."

Another loud whinny. "Look, I'll get back to you soon with something good, okay?"

"Fine."

I hang up, searching through my bag for my gun. If the criminals were going to dig for information, what better way than to go through my stuff? Thankfully, the wooden board under my bed was never fixed. I lift it up and store my gun under it. My clothes can wait.

Knowing that Epona won't let me leave once I enter the barn, I take a pillow. I'm more welcome in the barn than I am in the house anyway.

She neighs happily, kneeling down in her stall so I can lie my pillow against her. "Fuck," I groan, knowing my back is going to hate me for this in the morning. "Don't expect me to sleep with you every night. We're not as small as we used to be, especially you. And don't you dare get up or go to the bathroom with me here," I warn.

The last thing I recall is Epona snorting, laughing, before I fall asleep against her.