When Owen returned home, his mother and McCall were already back from their ride. The horses were calmly munching grass in the stable. After exchanging a greeting with McCall, who was reading on the porch, Owen headed inside.
"You're back alone? Where's Amanda?" his mother asked casually while arranging flowers at the table.
"She spoke with the school and agreed to volunteer half-days. She decided to stay today and get familiar with everyone."
It was clear Park Elementary had given Amanda a lot of freedom. She could volunteer for half a day or more if she wanted. Since it was her first day, Amanda had opted to stay longer, getting to know the environment and the people. She told Owen to pick her up later in the afternoon.
Owen felt bored all morning. He was so used to the nonstop work at CTU that this sudden free time felt a bit unsettling. Now he understood what Ghost meant when he said he was rusting from inactivity.
While Owen was aimlessly bored, things next door at Brock's were lively. Early in the morning, a truckload of lumber had been delivered. From a distance, Owen saw Brock and a young Black man busily working on something.
"That's Bill, a really good kid," his mother said, appearing at his side and handing him a cup of coffee. "He runs a lumber store and sometimes does odd jobs. He helped us build the horse stable."
Owen took a sip and turned to watch. Looked like Brock was building something and had hired Bill to help. This kind of arrangement was common in rural areas—Bill sold lumber, had skills, and could earn a wage for labor. Dedicated Black craftsmen like Bill weren't common, at least not in the cities Owen had lived in.
The sound of chainsaws buzzed steadily as the two worked fast. Before long, a small structure began to take shape. A little while later, Owen realized they were building a horse stable. It clicked immediately—Mandy must've shown interest in horses during her visit yesterday, and her father had clearly noticed. Now, he was preparing a surprise gift for her.
The thought made Owen chuckle. Who would've thought that the same tough guy who handled those punks at the gas station had such a soft spot inside? It reminded him of Bryan—both men of few words, both great fighters, both fiercely devoted to their daughters. Probably shared the same weakness too: their daughters were their Achilles' heel.
The stable was soon finished, and Bill left. Not long after, he returned with a trailer carrying a horse. After unloading it, he left again, only to return with another horse, along with feed and supplies. Horses weren't rare around here, nor expensive. Revell and its surroundings were full of farms and ranches. Buying a few horses was a simple affair.
Owen, unable to contain his curiosity, walked over. When Bill delivered the second horse, Owen was already chatting with Brock.
"Mandy's mother was born here," Brock said as he brushed one of the horses. "That's why we eventually came back."
The two of them chatted casually. Owen now understood why Brock had moved to Revell—it was his wife's hometown. He didn't ask what happened to her. If they were divorced, he likely wouldn't have returned to her birthplace. So something worse must have happened.
"Mr. Brock, everything's been arranged," Bill called out, having organized everything neatly.
"Thanks, Bill. Great job as always. I'll definitely call you again," Brock said, handing over some bills.
Bill accepted the payment happily and greeted Owen. "Hey, you must be Steve. I ran into Susan this morning—she mentioned you. I built your horse stable too. If you need anything or have questions, feel free to ask. I know this town inside out."
Bill was talkative and friendly. After a brief exchange, he drove off.
Owen grabbed a brush and helped groom the second horse. He nodded toward the animal. "So… this a surprise?"
"It is," Brock replied, smiling.
Once they were done brushing, Brock saddled up the horses and handed Owen the reins. "Want to give it a go?"
Without hesitation, Owen mounted. He considered himself a decent rider. The two rode off through the woods.
After a while, Owen realized Brock was an exceptional rider—far beyond anything he could match. Owen was advanced for an amateur, but Brock was a pro. He could scoop up his fallen hat mid-gallop and perform moves straight out of trick-riding shows.
"Your riding's impressive. Where'd you learn?" Owen asked, surprised. His riding instructor had always praised his natural ability, but now he felt like a total novice.
"Heh, I grew up on a farm," Brock said. "Back then, there weren't any video games or computers. Riding was all we had to do."
That explained everything. Natural-born talent combined with a lifetime of practice—it was no contest.
They rode and talked for a while before Owen headed back. Still restless during the day, he called Becky and asked her to dig into the Revell area—specifically looking for gangs, biker groups, or even minor thugs. Becky had no idea Owen's family was living there. She thought he was on a special assignment and promptly sent over a comprehensive batch of intel.
Owen sat with his phone, scrolling through all the data. Time flew by without him noticing—until suddenly, his phone rang.
"Amanda," he muttered, picking up.
"Steve, where are you?" she asked, clearly annoyed.
Only then did Owen realize he was supposed to pick her up after school. He glanced at the clock—he was way late. Damn it, he'd gotten too absorbed in the files.
"Ah, I forgot. Sorry, Amanda. I'll come right now—"
"Forget it. I'm already coming back in someone else's car," she snapped and hung up.
Owen stood there stunned. Someone else's car? Who?
Moments later, a pickup truck honked at the corner and pulled up to the house. Amanda got out, and inside the vehicle, Owen saw Brock and Mandy. Of course.
"Sorry, Amanda, I really—" Owen stepped forward, trying to smile, but she rolled her eyes.
"Thank you, Mr. Brock," she said, turning to the driver's side.
Brock gave a brief wave and looked about ready to drive off when Mandy suddenly asked, "Daddy, can I ride horses at Miss Amanda's house?"
"Uh…" Brock's face visibly darkened. Clearly, the surprise element was ruined. Still, his daughter wanted to ride, so he said, "Mandy, actually, I prepared a surprise for you today. I bought two horses. You can invite Miss Amanda to ride with you. I tried them earlier—they're very gentle."
"Really? That's awesome, Daddy! Miss Amanda, would you like to come ride my horses with me?"
She hadn't even seen the gift yet, and she was already overjoyed. Without missing a beat, she invited Amanda.
"Of course, why not? Though I should warn you—I'm a really good rider," Amanda replied.
"I'm not bad either!" Mandy beamed.
Now it was Owen's turn to frown. Her father grew up on a ranch, and you're bragging about your riding? Just wait till you get embarrassed out there…
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