His Ranch

Chapter 27 A Woman in Danger

"Yeah everything's fine, Connor. No, he's been really helpful. He even covered my shift for the next few days."

Robbie anxiously bounced his leg up and down listening to Connor go on and on about the all the fencing repairs they were doing on the far end of the ranch.

He was still slightly miffed that Coult hadn't asked him to help the other ranch hands repair parts of the fencing and the new barn. Frank had been bothering Coult about it for months and apparently now was as good a time as any.

Robbie was happy about that Nolan man showing up and at least having someone to talk to. Besides Flannery, the only one he really talked to was Nolan. When he wasn't talking to Nolan or Flannery, he was spending his time in the barn with the horses.

He said his goodbye's to Connor and lit up a smoke. He was standing behind the ranch house where Flannery was living, just relaxing on the bench in the sun. It was still early and he realized that he had nothing to do the entire day, When Nolan had offered to cover his shift he had jumped at the opportunity to rest. But now, he realized he had no one to spend his time with.

As much as he enjoyed having someone to talk to, Nolan was a strange fellow. He would come and go at strange times. Robbie even caught him spending a lot of time with Flannery. Not that it was any of his business, but she was Coult's woman. Robbie had no respect for a man who tried to steal a man's woman away from him when he wasn't even here.

Robbie flicked his still burning cigarette to the ground and crushed it into the ground with his booted foot. He stood up from the bench and decided to drag Flannery out of the house and bring her into town. Maybe they could plan a welcome home party for the men. They were due here in  few days anyway.

As Robbie began to make his way around the house, he thought about how Coult would want him to keep Flannery company. Lately, she had been moody and tired and downright depressed looking.

He turned the last corner of the house and saw Flannery with a few of her friends.

"Where are you headed, sweet heart?" he called out in a ridiculous drawn out voice that sounded like an old southern crooner.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Robbie realized what he was looking at wasn't Flannery gossiping with her friends as he supposed. Flannery and Mrs. Sheridan were dragging a badly beaten woman to the small green bug a few feet away.

"Jesus H. Christ," he whispered. The woman was almost unrecognizable. The only tell he had was the red hair.

"Robbie," Flannery called, twisting her head around. "Help us!"

Robbie ran to the ladies and quickly scooped Emma up in his arms and gently closed the distance between them and the car.

"What the fuck happened?" Robbie asked in disbelief. Who did this? Who could do such a thing?

"Nolan," Emma whimpered before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and fell limp against Robbie's arm.

"We need to get her to a hospital!" Mrs. Sheridan shrieked.

Flannery opened the back door of the car and gently placed Emma in the back seat. Mrs. Sheridan hurried to the drivers side.

"Get her to the hospital and then call the police, alright?" Flannery said. Before waiting for an answer, she shut the door and started running towards the ranch house.

"Where are you going?!" Robbie called after her. His blood began to pump with fear. Nolan was behind Emma's horrific physical state? How was that possible?

Robbie's brain was scrambling attempting to figure out how to deal with the situation. First things first.

He tapped the hood of Mrs. Sheridan's car and gestured for her to go to the hospital. Then he ran after Flannery.