Breaking the Rules (1st in Breaking Series)

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Rene rode up to the ranch and was met by several angry looking men with guns.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" a grizzled old man, with frizzy white hair and sharp blue eyes demanded.

"I'm here to speak with Braxton," Rene replied as he sat relaxed on top of his horse and kept a loose hand on the reigns, "I've got some news about the McCready girl."

"What kinda news?" another middle aged man asked.

Rene's eyes narrowed, "News for Braxton."

"You can tell us just as easy as you can tell him," the grizzled old man replied as he kept his gun sights on Rene.

"What the hells going on?" Rene recognized the huge man named Braxton as he strode from the barn and walked toward them with his muscular arms swinging and his big fists clenched.

"Hello Braxton. We need to have a talk," Rene said calmly.

Braxton's eyes nearly bugged out of his head and he stuttered several times before saying, "Come in the house and we'll talk."

Rene nodded and got off the horse. He hitched it to a rail outside the large two story home and then followed Braxton inside.

Anita raised a brow when she saw the visitor but Braxton shook his head when she tried to follow them into Elizabeth's old room, "You go back to the kitchen and do whatever it was you were doing," he scolded. Anita looked hurt but nodded as she turned around. "What is Ernest doing?" he asked her retreating back.

"Sleeping," Anita replied without turning around. Braxton had become more and more distant the last few days. "That's all he does now. He can't even get out of his bed anymore. He's only hanging on because he thinks Elizabeth might be coming home."

"I'll take care of everything, Anita." Braxton promised and then he threw a threatening glance in Rene's direction. Rene shrugged and picked at his tooth with his dirty fingernail. Anita hurried off to the kitchen and

Braxton was about to shut the bedroom door when Grant appeared and stepped inside, "If this is about my fiancée, I deserve to hear about it." Braxton couldn't very well tell the man no. Not when he could still rat him out to Ernest. Rene walked over to the tidy feather tick bed and sat down on the yellow comforter, "How did you figure out who I was and what in the hell are you here for?" Braxton demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm not foolish, that's how I figured out who you are. and I'm here because I have news about Elizabeth McCready," Rene replied calmly as he wrinkled his nose at the strong smell of rose water in the room.

"What news?" Braxton demanded, struggling to keep his voice down as he clutched onto the edge of the dresser. "She's dead isn't she? That's what you told me. That's what I paid you for!"

"Well see that's the thing. When I talked to you, I thought she was dead. I left two of my guys with her and the man and they were supposed to take care of them. We underestimated Brody, which technically is your fault since you didn't tell us he'd be there."

"What the hell! Does that mean that son of a bitch is coming back and bringing that brat with him?" Braxton demanded slamming his hand on the dresser.

Grant crossed his arms over his chest and rocked back on his heels, enjoying Braxton's discomfort. Either way Grant was okay. If his fiancée came home he could marry her and the ranch would be his. If she didn't, he'd still end up with the only chunk of the land he really cared about having.