Rocky Mountain Die by Jake Bible Read Free Book Online Page B

voice in my head. Fucking tell me about it.
     
    ***
     
    Elsbeth obviously heard us coming because she’s was just standing there with a rifle in her hands, pretending to show Charlie how to load it. It was possibly the most pitiful rouse I had ever seen.
    “Oh, hey, uh, Mom, and, uh, Dad,” Charlie stammered. “What’s up?”
    I take it back. That was the most pitiful rouse I had ever heard.
    “You tell us,” Stella said. “What is going on with you two?”
    “Nothing,” Elsbeth said. “Training. And nothing. Only training.”
    “Training and nothing,” Charlie added.
    “Really?” Stella asked, her hands on her hips. “Is that the story you want to stick with?”
    “It is,” Elsbeth said. “Training and nothing. Showing Charlie how to fuck shit up with rifles and shit. Bang bang, shit gets fucked. Fucking shit. All the shit. Totally fucked.”
    “Bang bang,” Charlie said, patting the rifle.
    They were lying to you! Tell me what they really said!
    That is what they said! I swear to shit!
    Hold on. Why am I afraid of the voice in my head? It’s just me.
    No, it’s not. Pay attention! Why won’t he pay attention?
    “Brain surgery,” Stella says.
    “What?” I asked, looking at Stella. But she’s talking to Charlie.
    Wa s talking to Charlie. This all happened before. This happened a few days ago.
    Tell me what Elsbeth said!
    “I am not pleased with either of you right now,” Stella scolded, her finger out and jabbing back and forth between Elsbeth and Charlie. “You are plotting something and it is dangerous and probably going to get you killed.” She said that last part with her finger aimed at Charlie. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be lying to me.” Finger was back at Elsbeth for that. “You get my son killed, El, and there is nothing in this world that will stop me from kicking your ass.”
    “I know,” Elsbeth said, her face very serious. “I won’t get Charlie killed, Stella. I promise.  He’s family. I don’t get family killed. I help family.”
    Elsbeth stepped up to Stella and wrapped her in a big hug. To say my wife was surprised would be a massive understatement.
    “I want you to trust me, please, please,” Elsbeth said. “Trust me that I won’t get Charlie killed and have you kick my ass. Trust me that family means more than anything to me.”
    “Then tell me what is going on,” Stella said as she pushed back and took Elsbeth by the upper arms. “I need to know.”
    “That wouldn’t be good,” Elsbeth said. “You have a duty. I tell you and you have to tell the others. If you don’t and they find out then they’ll be mad. I can’t have the others mad at the Stanfords.”
    “They’re going to get mad at Charlie,” Stella argued.
    “No, they won’t,” Elsbeth laughed. “Nobody gets mad at Charlie. He’s golden.”
    “Stay golden, Ponyboy,” Charlie laughed.
    Stella did not laugh. “No Outsiders references, boy,” Stella snapped. “You are way past Outsiders references now.”
    “Sorry,” Charlie said. “Just trying to lighten the mood.”
    “You are riding with us,” Stella said. “Elsbeth can ride in a different RV.”
    “He rides with me,” Elsbeth said.
    Yeah, Charlie and I each took a couple of steps back. If shit was about to go down, neither of us wanted to catch collateral damage.
    “El, I love you, and you are family, but Charlie is my son and I am saying he rides with us,” Stella said. “You two can talk about whatever you are talking about when we stop next. Until then,it’ s m y turn to talk with him. Understood?”
    “I understand,” Elsbeth said.
    “Good. Because—”
    “But he rides with me,” Elsbeth said. “Sorry. You can’t win this one. Nope. Too close. Almost done. I need him with me.”
    You know how there are like a billion shades of red in one of those giant crayon boxes you used to get as a kid? Yeah, well, Stella’s face turned all of those shades at once. People may have been worried about my head calling it