by Olivia Swift
“Does that mean that she was the body?” Magda thought. “He was questioned and released without charge.” She put it to one side and went back to work. They all took turns to go through and look at how the craft exhibition was doing. The stallholders all seemed to be happy and Ava was delighted that she was selling her things.
“Are you going to carry on doing this?” Magda asked her and she said she certainly was.
“There’s a lot of demand for Native American things these days. A far cry from days gone by,” she added and said that her grandparents on one side were Native Americans.
“I wondered where you got the inspiration from,” Magda replied. “I haven’t had time to try the blanket on Jessie yet.”
Jay had the pile of frames at the side ready to take home to decorate and was doing well with his upcycled smaller items and some that had been decoupaged. The decorated bottles with fairy lights inside were proving very popular and certainly gave a glow to his stall.
Magda bought one and took it back to the café to see what effect it had. She popped it on the shelving behind the work area and it gave a sort of pink glow. The afternoon wore on. The stallholders packed away and Jay said that he had sold two more bottles after she put one in the café.
They locked everything up. Magda drove home with Samantha. On entering the house, she noticed Crystal had knocked one of the chocolate horses that she had brought home onto the kitchen floor. It was broken but the package was intact. She shook it at the cat who walked away. The chocolate went into the trash can.
Sam came home and they ate. She told him about going to see Warren and he suggested they just take the baby with them.
“Don’t suppose we will be there long.”
She fed the cats and found another book on the floor in the bedroom. It was about horses.
“Very strange cat,” Magda said to herself out loud. “How does she know that we’re looking at horses and their breeding?” There was no answer and she changed her clothes, changed Samantha and Sam looked at them both and thought how lucky he was.
At Warren’s they apologized for bringing Samantha, but Warren and his daughter were enchanted. Samantha gurgled obligingly and then Warren smacked the top of his head.
“By Jove,” he cried. “What a good job you brought the baby. There was talk that Cody and his woman had a child. I had totally forgotten that.”
“So, there could be descendants somewhere,” Magda exclaimed. “I wonder if they are named Jones or if he changed his name.”
“I never heard anybody say that there were descendants of the people who founded Jonesville. You would think they would have kept in touch.”
“That is something to search for. He was famous for his horse riding and maybe that is a way to find him.”
Warren pulled out some photos and went through them. These are just my family, but those blankets and cushions lasted a long time and were handed down.” He passed the pictures across. “There was an Indian connection of some sort, but I never knew what it was. Sorry I can’t be more specific.”
“You have been great. Thanks,” Sam told him.
“Can I borrow one of the photos of the cushions please?” Magda asked and he said she could take them all if she wanted to.
At home they passed the photos on by cell phone and told everyone that maybe there was a child of Cody Jones and was it possible he had changed his name and there were descendants.
Merle texted back that she got a definite feeling that there was a family.
“We have something to ask him tomorrow.”
Bart said that he would set a search up for talented horse riders of that era and see if anyone else surfaced. Crystal had found the book about horses again.
“An early night. I’m exhausted,” Sam told Magda. “Declan and I have been working hard to finish this job. We should be done there tomorrow.”
“Will you try and fit in Rula’s stable?”
He groaned and pulled the duvet over his head.
The baby had them up bright and early so Sam decided he would make a good start. He roared away in the truck as usual and Magda sat with Samantha on her knee and had ten minutes of baby time. Then she drove them to her other baby, The Chocolate Magic Café, and opened up.
The stallholders had swung into a routine by now and everyone was chatting to everyone else. When she had time, Magda went to see if Ava had time to look at the photos and the girl peered at the faded pictures.
“I would say they were local to this area. If you give me a copy, I will ask my grandparents.”
“That would be great,” Magda said and sent the picture to the girl’s cell phone.
Sam and Declan were later than usual for lunch, but their job was finished and the client happy. They devoured their food and Declan went to help in the gallery. Sam picked up his daughter and Magda called out that the baby needed changing. She smiled as she heard him talking away to Samantha as he carried out the diaper change.
At the end of the day, they closed up. There was only one more day of the craft exhibition and Jay would bring the frames for the gallery display the week after. Magda and Sam, with their daughter, looked around as they closed the café.
“I wonder if I’ll get to ride Jessie on Sunday. I can take the blanket over if Merle doesn’t mind. I bet Branston has been practicing like crazy without letting anyone see what he is doing.”
“If Merle will babysit, I can ride out with you. It’s ages since we just rode out together.”
“You’re just an old romantic at heart,” she smiled as she locked the outer gate and took the baby to put her in the car seat.
“Remember when you saved me from that awful woman. It was just here.” He took her in his arms and kissed her in full view in the street as if they were in the throes of a wonderful love affair. Magda slipped her arms around him and held him close.
“Love ya, handsome,” she whispered. They separated and Mikey shouted to go home. They laughed and climbed into separate vehicles.
The cats had not left any more surprises about horses or anything else. Magda gave a little sigh of relief.
13
There was an air of excitement in the stable as the group gathered. Shelby and Chloe had brought Diana as well. She was curious about her great-grandfather and decided to see what was going on. Rula was taking the chance to explain to Sam and Declan what she needed designed, built, and remodeled in the stable and said she had arranged to have electricity and water run down from the house.
“When that’s done, we can level the floor with concrete and build three stalls. Branston tells me that if you had two horses, you might still need an extra stall sometimes,” Sam said.
“Pegs for the saddles and a small sink for rinsing out,” Rula added.
“Katie’s dad can come and lay the floor and we’ll do the rest when that’s ready,” Declan told her.
They went to make a circle as Merle was ready to start.
Samantha was sleeping in her carriage and Magda rocked it back and forth to keep her that way.
Merle went through her protection routine to let Diana know what they did and finally called out if anyone was there.
“There’s a light at the top of the stairs,” Bart said, and Declan said that he could see a pair of cowboy boots.
“He’s coming forward,” Declan added and looked at Chloe. She smiled and said that she could see Cody Jones appearing as well. Diana gripped her daughter’s hand, but Chloe was enjoying herself. Magda was on the other side of Diana and could feel the tension.
“Relax,” she whispered to Diana.
“Hello, Mr. Jones,” Merle said. “I can feel you’re happy to see everyone, but I can’t see you. Declan and Chloe can see you. Are you happy to talk to us? One tap for yes and two for no.” The instant response was a loud bang on the wooden wall and Diana jumped.
“Sorry, Diana. I should have warned you,” Merle said.
“Hello, Cody,” Magda joined in. “I talked to a man
called Warren whose grandfather remembered your friends that you owned the ranch with.”
“And bred the horses,” Chloe added. “I have a picture of the painted ponies and I love it.” She held the picture in the white frame in front of her and seemed totally unconcerned that the conversation was with a ghost. A slender beam of light that everyone could see caused a few indrawn breaths. It moved across the stable and bathed the picture in a glow.
“Do you recognize it?” Branston asked and the loud bang told him the answer was yes. “I’m going to find out where I can buy some good stock to do the same as yourself.”
“And I have a grey gelding,” Mikey put in. “The stable will be ready soon.”
“I suddenly want to ask if you ever married, Mr. Jones?” Merle softly asked. “I feel that there is a woman with you, but I cannot feel any more than that.”
“There is a faint outline at the top of the steps,” Declan said and saw the cowboy turn his head.
“Oh Lord,” Chloe said and gripped her mother’s hand. “She’s beautiful and she’s Native American.”
“Yes, I can see her as well, Chloe,” Declan said.
“I don’t know if this is correct,” Merle said, “But Maiya comes into my head.” There was a super loud knock on the wooden wall and the woman came to stand beside him.
“Hello, Maiya,” Chloe said. “Did the painted ponies come from your family?” Another bang but less loud.
“Is Maiya your wife?” Magda asked and she heard the one bang in reply. “And did the beautiful cushions and rugs come to the Bentleys from your family?
“We have pictures of them,” Diana found a voice. It quavered but she found the courage. “Did my great-grandfather know where you lived but never said anything?”
There was a definite chuckle that everyone heard and looked at each other. They asked if anyone in the room had made the noise and shook their heads.
“You and our great-grandfather kept in touch even though you went away. I’m glad about that,” Shelby added to the conversation. “I think he always missed the ranch, and you, and the horse breeding.” There was a knock that told them that Cody Jones agreed.
“I hate to ask something awful, but did you leave because of the bones they found?” Bart asked There was no sound in reply.
“So, the bones had nothing to do with it?” Merle asked and there was a knock in response to that.
“Did the people think you had something to do with it?” Magda asked and there was another bang.
“Maiya, did they think the bones were you?” There was a pause and then a faint knock on the wall.
“So, you and Maiya went away and started a new life?” Sam asked.
“And did you still ride, and did you still breed horses?” Chloe asked and was rewarded with a definite bang in reply.
“They are starting to fade,” Declan said. Then Bart said that the ball of light was moving. Chloe held out her hands. The ball of light moved around the twelve-year-old and then went to the carriage and momentarily bathed the baby in a golden glow. Magda gasped and then felt the reassuring wisp of warm air across her face.
“Love you Uncle Cody,” Chloe called out and Magda suddenly shouted loudly.
“Did you have children?” There was a very loud noise in response and then the two figures were gone. Chloe was crying. Diana hugged her daughter and found a few tears on her own cheeks.
“I wish I could see them as well.”
“But we might be able to find his descendants and they might still be riding and breeding horses,” Magda told them. Then she mentioned that Ava had looked at the photos and her grandparents might be able to say where they originated. “We have more leads to follow.”
“I can look into the newspaper archives again, but I think you all will need to search because it might be a wider area. They obviously moved some distance away,” Bart told them.
“Maybe he went with her to a reservation,” Sam suggested.
“Ancestry websites are pretty good now,” Magda said. “Mixed marriages and horse breeding of that date might show up some clues.”
“I think we need to find out about the bones as well. I wonder if the mystery was solved at a later date and his name could be cleared,” Declan suggested. They agreed on that one and Merle talked them out of the circle. Rula said that coffee and beer were available in the house.
Sam mentioned to Rula that the floor could be laid that week in the stable. They went over everything that they had learned, and Katie asked Chloe and Declan to tell her about Maiya. She found a sketch pad and pencil and Shelby followed suit. The rest looked on in amazement as the two artists produced more or less the same woman without looking at what the other was doing.
Shelby finished first in his very quick style of drawing and Katie took a little longer with detail. Then they held the two pictures up together.
“That is absolutely stunning,” Rula told them. “We definitely know what Maiya looked like.”
“And she was so outstandingly beautiful,” Merle added.
“And they loved each other,” Diana said. “I bet there was a lot said about it at the time. Things were not enlightened like they are now.”
“Maybe Ava can point us in the direction of the tribe that Maiya came from. They probably went there,” Sam suggested.
“It would be great to find out that he has descendants still living. I wonder if they ride,” Chloe said.
“How is the rodeo practice going?” Branston asked the girl and they dropped into a separate conversation about the various tricks they were trying to perfect.
“Sam and I are coming out to ride on Sunday. Is that okay with you, Merle?” Magda asked.
“Sure is,” Merle said. “If Chloe would like to practice with Branston, that would leave me free to enjoy having Samantha in the afternoon.”
Chloe looked at her mom who said she would drive her over. The girl clapped her hands and the group started to make a move to the door.
“By the way, Mikey,” Branston said, “Would you like to look at your grey gelding? He’s in our stable.”
“Can I say hello to Jessie as well?” Magda asked.
Branston led the way to the ranch. He beckoned to Chloe as well.
“Won’t be long, Diana. Chloe will enjoy this.”
The stables were quiet except for a few nickers from contented horses and that lovely smell of warm hay. The heads of the residents looked out over the stall doors and Branston spoke to all of them. Chloe did the same with a natural aptitude for the animals. He stopped at a stall with a gentle grey head looking out.
“This is Baron,” he said to Mikey. “What do you think?”
“He looks just about right,” Mikey answered. Branston opened the stall and brought out the gelding. Rula put her arms around the horse’s neck.
“You can tell he’s gentle. Thank you Branston.” They walked Baron down to the end and Branston left Rula holding the head halter as he went back up the row of stalls. The one at the end had a pretty mare with a cream tail and mane and a twinkle in her eye. Chloe was at Branston’s heels and she gasped as he opened the door and took out the mare.
“She’s gorgeous, Branston,” Chloe said.
“Let’s surprise Rula.” He walked back holding the head halter and told them that this was Beryl. “She’s six years old and I wondered if Rula would like her.”
Rula’s face was an absolute picture as she looked at the mare. Magda stepped over and stroked the nose of the new arrival and Rula found her voice.
“Oh, Branston. She’s just stunning.” She kissed his cheek and patted Beryl on the neck. “Well little one, I wonder if you will like your new stable.” She turned to Sam. “Need the stable finished,” she grinned.
“She’s quite lively, but she gets on well with Baron,” Branston told her.
“We’re coming out at the weekend,” Magda added. “Try them both out.”
“That would be great,” Rula answered. Mikey said that he would settle
up with Branston on Sunday as well. They led Beryl and Baron back to their stalls. Rula was almost skipping with excitement. Magda went to speak to Jessie. As they went back to the vehicles, Sam told Mikey that he would see if Katie’s dad could manage the floor at the weekend.
“That would mean we could try and sort the rest out about four days later when the concrete has cured.”
They all parted company saying they would meet up on Sunday afternoon.
Magda wondered about what the cats had been up to, but all was quiet and there were no books, magazines or photos on the floor. Samantha was fed and played with for a few minutes and then put to bed.
“I’m guessing that little girl is going to learn to ride as soon as she can sit on a pony,” Sam smiled at his wife as he handed her a beer from the fridge. They sank back on the sofa and went over the séance.
“I hope Ava can point us to the right tribe or reservation. It would be wonderful to find the descendants of Cody Jones.”
“I wonder what he called himself after they went away. He must have still been a noted rider wherever he was,” Sam added. “That Chloe is something else, isn’t she? Nothing bothers her at all, and she talks to him as if her Uncle Cody was still here.”
“Very grown up for twelve and a superb rider. Her great-great-granddad must have been good as well. What a pity the partnership had to split up. Warren’s dad always said that the best stock in the area was descended from the Jones and Bentley breeding,” Magda said. “We surely can trace back the breeding on some of them. Branston must know every horseman in the county.”
“If we see what Ava can find out and also ask Branston to find people with good stock that might be related. We can then look at their breeding records and we search ancestry sites to see if we can find a name,” Sam suggested.
Magda smiled at the fur babies all sound asleep in a heap on the sofa.
The next morning was the last day of the craft exhibition and the stallholders were early and ready to go.
“No doubt,” Magda said as she set up the café, “these exhibitions bring more customer traffic to the café. I hope all the trade vendors made a decent profit.”
