Convincing Landon

Chapter One

Riverside, Texas

Thursday, June 6, 1991

“No!” The ragged scream tore into the mid-afternoon silence, brutally ending the peaceful quiet time just before the day’s chores were done.

Landon’s head jerked up, his eyes rising from the dusty ground he’d mindlessly been staring at as he was walking towards the very building that the pain-filled sound had come from. The barn they kept the horses in was just as ramshackle as most of the other buildings on their run-down farm, but it pretty much served its purpose most of the time.

Who was even in there right now? Most of the hands hadn’t returned from the fields yet, wouldn’t be expected back for at least another hour. Hell, he wasn’t supposed to be here, either. But the dress rehearsal for tomorrow’s graduation ceremony at Riverside High had gone so well, they’d all been sent home early.

Another scream, more muffled than the first one, spurred him into action. He ran the rest of the way, pushing the heavy wooden doors open with enough force to bruise his hands. It took his eyes a few seconds to adjust from the glaring sunshine to the half-dark of the barn’s interior. He scanned the mostly empty stalls, quickly walking past them towards the tack room, searching for anything out of order.

“Please. Please don’t.” The voice sounded small and scared, and undeniably belonged to his younger brother, Greg.

“Shut up.” Ray was five years older than Landon and nobody would call him soft. Or even nice. But the venom dripping from his short utterance just now was chilling.

Landon almost ran to the last stall, stumbling in his haste to reach Greg. He gripped the wooden separation for support, only vaguely noticing the splinters penetrating his skin. What he saw not only confirmed his suspicions from hearing the screams, but made the blood freeze in his veins.

Greg was curled up in the foetal position on the floor, straw sticking to his jeans and the T-shirt that had slipped up, exposing several bruises on his sides. His hands covered his head as Ray kicked him brutally in the back with the heavy cowboy boots their eldest brother preferred to wear.

“Stop it!” Landon stepped farther into the stall, attempting to get between Ray and Greg to stop this madness.

Greg whimpered.

Ray looked up, the anger in his eyes quickly giving way to shock.

“What are you doing here?” Ray staggered, supporting himself by placing a hand on the back wall when he reached it. “You…you’re not supposed to be back yet.”

“I’m glad I returned earlier.” Landon went on his knees to place a supporting hand on Greg’s head, not taking his eyes off Ray for a second. “What the hell is going on here?”

“Just a little much-needed discipline.” Ray sneered at Greg’s cowering form. “Let the little shit here know that his easy days are over, now that you’re graduating and moving away. It’s about time he starts pulling his weight around here.”

Landon’s mouth dropped open.

“What? You didn’t think I’m going to stand by when you leave to go to that fancy college of yours after the summer and do nothing?” Ray snorted, pulling himself up to his full height. “This place doesn’t run itself, so Greg here is going to have to pick up the pieces and start helping out. He didn’t do a very good job of it today, so I just helped him understand what happens when he’s lazy.”

“Wasn’t lazy.” Greg’s voice was barely audible since he hadn’t moved a muscle and was pretty much speaking into his own chest. “Just can’t lift those heavy bales of hay as fast as you want me to.”

“You’re going to have to learn.” Ray’s face was a hard mask of anger.

“Look, Greg is only sixteen. You can’t expect him to be as strong as you are. He’s still in high school, for heaven’s sake.” Landon shook his head. Greg was strong for his age—a very good football player—but he was no match for Ray’s towering six-foot-four frame and muscles honed by years of hard labour on the ranch. “Come on, Greg, try to get up. I’ll take you to the house to check you out. Let’s just hope we don’t have to go to the hospital.”

“Hospital? Don’t make me laugh, that would be just like the little weakling. Showing off on the football field is all you’re good for, isn’t it? As soon as you’re asked to do a man’s job, you collapse.” The glance Ray gave Greg was full of hatred.

How had Landon missed the bad vibes before now? This was clearly not a sudden outpouring of feelings. Whatever Ray’s problem was must have built for a long time for him to be so vicious now. Was it because he was the eldest and their father expected him to take over one day? Dad was strict and demanding, but was that any reason for Ray to be so mean to their youngest brother?

Greg struggled to untangle himself, but he finally managed to get onto his knees. With a last wary look at Ray, he turned towards Landon and took his outstretched hand. Landon pulled him up, ready to support him as he hobbled out of the stall.

“This isn’t the last of it!” Ray had followed them but stayed in the barn when they left. “You hear me, Greg? Just because Landon is here to protect you—for now—doesn’t mean you’ll get away with it once he’s gone. Someone has to do the chores, and I’m telling you, you’re it.”

Landon ignored that for now and focused on walking back to the house.

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry about this.” Greg was looking anywhere but at Landon.

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry about.” Landon could have kicked himself for not noticing. They needed some shade and the first aid kit. Then he would deal with the rest. But he couldn’t stop himself from asking. “How long has this been going on?”

“Just a few days.” Greg entered the kitchen and sat on one of the chairs, supporting his head in his hands.

“A few
days
?” Landon shook his head as he got what he needed from the cabinet in the utility room. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Was going to handle it myself.” Greg looked up, his lips pressed together. “Didn’t do a very good job of it, did I?”

“No.” Landon worked hard to suppress the laugh that wanted out, despite the awfulness of the situation. He wetted down a cloth to clean up Greg’s face. “But this is not something you can handle on your own.”

“Why not?” Greg didn’t even flinch when Landon started washing the scratches.

“Because Ray apparently has an issue about running this place once I’m gone, and you’re the person he’s taking it out on. He won’t listen to anything you might have to say.” Landon sighed as he put aside the cloth and picked up the antibiotic ointment they used for smaller injuries, dabbing it onto the many small surface wounds, careful not to hurt Greg more than he needed to. “I’ll need to find out what his problem is then try to find a solution. We can’t let him get away with this.”