Thunder Mountain Ranch

by McCarthy, G. L.

  Chapter 13

  Having help with her chores gave Sam more time to groom a few of the horses before breakfast. Alex was giving Bruce and Smokey a good currying, while Sam got busy on one of the horses that thought a nice big pee spot was a good place to lay down. The smell was slowly going away as she hosed him off using high pressure to get every speck out of his coat the joys of having horses. She just hoped he dried quickly and that the smell would still be gone by the time they needed to saddle him up.

  The breakfast bell rang just as Sam tied up “Stinky” to the hitching post. She headed for the wash basin, as all she could smell was HPD – Horse Piss Dust. Hopefully Alex would be honest and tell her if she still smelled, before they went into eat. Alex gave her the sniff test and helped brush off the back of her shirt. She was good to go.

  As they entered the dining hall all eyes turned in their direction. Their Halloween adventure was still fresh in everyone’s mind. Whether they liked it or not, they were now part of the story although the next time the story was told they may not make it back to the ranch in one piece. But right now, they were back and ready for breakfast.

  Alex and Sam found themselves surround by kids while they ate. Alex was trying to explain to them that what they had done was stupid, going off alone when they should have had more back up. Sam was just enjoying listening to the younger kids retell the story they’d heard from the older ones. They had vivid imaginations and she and Alex were now superheroes. Sam figured Alex might as well save her breath as none of what she was saying to the kids was sinking in.

  Finishing the last of her coffee, Alex spotted Andy sitting next to a very good looking young man. They were deep in conversation and oblivious to anyone around them. Then she spotted the wranglers watching and knew she better get over there. She walked up behind Andy, wrapped her arms around him, and whispered in his ear. Andy said his goodbye to the young man and got up to walk out with Alex. She hoped the young man would understand when Andy explained it all to him later, but for now she needed to keep up the charade.

  “Thanks, Alex. I was having such a good time talking to Dean; I forgot where I was and who could be watching.” Andy had told Dean a little bit about the problem at the ranch with the other wranglers.

  “No problem. Just keep checking in with me on a regular basis and we should be able to keep them from figuring anything out.” If Alex needed to have Andy spend the night in her casita to keep his secret from those jerks, then spend the night he would.

  “Are you still going with me today?” “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. But can I ask a favor?” Andy hoped she would say yes.

  “You want to bring Dean along, don’t you?” Boys in love were so cute and Alex wanted to help these boys out.

  “Is it that obvious?” Blushing, he looked towards the mountain.

  “Only to me, and probably Sam when she meets him.” Smiling, Alex slapped him on the back and took his arm. She turned to see if Sam was close behind.

  “You know, Alex, I never had a sister, just an older brother. But if I could have picked one I would have wanted her to be just like you.” Andy hugged Alex and kissed her on the forehead.

  “You’re my choice for a little brother although having two gay children would have put my mother in a home at a very early age!” They both started laughing as Sam came out of the dining hall.

  “Hey Sam, we just adopted each other. Now I have a kid brother to pester and Andy has a big sister to annoy.” Making friends with Andy seemed to be bothering Sam and Alex was hoping it wasn’t jealousy. She intended to make as many friends as she could and if Sam had a problem with it, then they had a problem.

  “Great. You two are quite the sight out here on the porch. Needless to say you have several tongues wagging, and not just the wranglers’.” Sam had never thought herself to be the jealous type, but seeing Andy kiss Alex, even on the forehead, sent a jolt through her that didn’t feel like friendship. It felt more like seeing your girlfriend kissed by another woman.

  “Seriously. I love it.” Taking Andy by the hand she led him towards the corral, turning him loose when they reached the tack shed.

  Sam had to walk fast to catch up to Alex. “What are you doing?” She was feeling very insecure right now, with no real reason for it.

  “I’m having a good time. I’m on vacation, remember? What do you think I’m doing?” It was coming, right on schedule. The green eyed monster was now going to make an appearance. Alex really hoped she was wrong.

  “You’re right. I’m so sorry.” Realizing she was overreacting big time, Sam put on the brakes before this train went over the cliff.

  Alex gave Sam a light punch in the arm and stuck her tongue out at her as she pulled her into the tack shed. She was flattered that Sam was jealous and of a gay boy, no less. This was priceless and very sweet. She couldn’t remember if anyone else had ever been jealous before.

  As they saddled up the horses, Alex kept talking to Sam hoping to see if she was going to let the whole jealousy bit fade away. Sam was slowly coming back around to the good mood she was in before breakfast. Not as many guests were waiting to go on the ride as usual. More likely the others were still a little leery of the Dark Ones, after last night’s story.

  Alex grabbed a saddle bag and put in several flashlights and a coil of nylon rope, just in case. She was glad that Andy had his rifle with him. It was policy to take one along in case they needed to run off any unwanted varmints, including the human kind. Jessie told the other wranglers that Andy and Sam where taking a couple of guests on a private ride, so they needed to make sure that they watched the other guests and kept them together. As the group rode out, the small band stayed a ways back, so when they veered off they wouldn’t be seen. They didn’t want anyone else joining them in their search for ghosts.

  As they neared the fork in the trail, they stopped for a few minutes before heading towards the opening in the rocks. The horses were a little antsy as they didn’t like being separated from the rest of their group. Walking towards the base of the mountain, Alex started to hear whispers. She looked back at her companions no one was talking. All eyes were on her. She pointed to her ear, and made a talking motion with her hand, hoping someone else might be hearing the same thing all shook their heads no. She smiled and kept moving forward as the voices got louder but then it was just one voice. Only this time the voice wasn’t Anna’s. It was male and sounded angry. She didn’t understand what he was saying and felt uneasy, but remembered what she had been told by Anna that she had nothing to fear. But this voice in her head wasn’t going to be much help if she couldn’t understand a word he said.

  Finding the opening to the small canyon was as easy as it had been last night. Alex wondered if Bruce was on auto pilot, as he marched in like a good little soldier. Seeing the canyon in daylight was a totally different experience, as there were no shadows to hide anything. Entering it was like walking back in time. She wondered how many others knew this was even here, as the opening was not that obvious to the casual passerby. You almost needed to know it was there to see it. It blended in so well with the jagged mountainside and then the path curved to the right and back to the left before it poured into the canyon. Alex stood in the middle, and closed her eyes, trying to hear any other voice besides the one she didn’t understand, but nothing else could be heard. He had begun shouting loudly at her. It seemed like he was saying the same thing over and over. Alex realized she needed to get Anna. Maybe she could tell her what this guy was saying. She must have had a strange look on her face as everyone was looking at her.

  “I hear a voice, but I don’t understand what he’s saying.” Hoping the three of them understood she closed her eyes and tried to block him out, hoping that Anna would start talking to her soon.

  “What is he saying?” Andy moved closer to Alex hoping he might me able to hear what she was talking about.

  “I don’t know, but he’s yelling really loud and sounds very angry.”
Alex hoped he would stop and let Anna talk. Her head was beginning to pound from all the yelling.

  Alex closed her eyes again and pictured the doorway to the crafts room. She could see Anna standing there waving to her, but she was waving her to go on. Go on where? As she moved closer to the door she could hear Anna’s voice.

  “Mi hija, you must go on. You must look for my Ramon.”

  “Anna, I can’t hear anyone but a man yelling at me. I can’t understand what he’s saying. I need your help to block him out.” Alex was now kneeling in front of Anna, who sat in her rocker.

  Anna took Alex’s face in her hands and started to shake as she was now hearing the same voice.

  “Oh no, it can’t be you. You left and never came back. Why are you doing this?” Anna could see the man that was yelling.

  Anna and Alex were now standing in the canyon facing a man Alex had never seen before. As she looked around, she knew the time of day was different.

  Anna spoke first, obviously recognizing the man.

  “Why are you here, Juan? You left and never said goodbye to anyone. No one ever heard from you after that.” Juan had been a family friend and one day had just disappeared. Everyone figured he left because the woman he was in love with had married someone else. That woman was Anna.

  “I loved you more than life itself but you married him.” Juan was pointing in Alex’s direction and suddenly she could understand what he was saying.

  It was then that both women realized who he meant. He thought Alex was Ramon. No wonder he was yelling. He then looked closer, and his eyes opened wide as he realized she wasn’t Ramon. Juan turned back to Anna.

  “You were promised to me by your father. Just because he died when you were young didn’t mean that promise was broken.” Juan was waving furiously as he explained.

  “I made that hole in your fence and led your goats up here to get Ramon alone so I could kill him. I knew no one would come looking for him, not here. No one would ever know who did it.” He paused. “Then I would be able to have you, and the ranch.” Juan was calming down a little bit as he retold his story.

  “Juan, I never would have married you. I would have known you killed Ramon. I would have known the minute I looked in your eyes.” Anna had not been able to see that part of her husband’s death.

  “I waited for Ramon and when he came into this little valley and saw his goats eating a pile of hay he must have known something was wrong. I came out from behind the rocks and told him why I was going to kill him. He just smiled at me and said you would never marry me. That’s when I shot him. I buried his body in a small cave. I was on my way out when I heard a crack of thunder and then saw the lightning flash. The mountain started to rumble as I came out of the cave. Part of the mountain came down and crushed me under the rocks.” Juan took a deep breath and continued speaking more softly. “I hated Ramon so much, and yet envied him at the same time. And then what I wanted most in life was still out of my reach. I can’t leave this place until I make my peace with you and Ramon, but he isn’t here so I can tell him face to face. I just hope he can hear me too as I ask you to please forgive me. I never realized two people could love each other so much. Having all this time watching the seasons change has taught me that true love lives forever even beyond the grave.” Juan had tears in his eyes as he looked at the ground waiting for Anna’s response.

  “I can only give you my forgiveness, Juan, but I know Ramon would have forgiven you too. He and I both know what it is to love someone so much you can see no other.” Anna looked at Alex and brushed her hand against her face.

  “Juan, can you show me where this cave is?” Alex found her voice and the courage to talk.

  “Who are you? I didn’t know Ramon had a sister.” He recognized the look in Alex’s eyes as the same look he saw in Ramon’s.

  “I am Ramon, just in a different body for this lifetime.” She looked at Anna who nodded to her. “And I do forgive you, Juan, as I am sure you have suffered enough here all alone all these years.” Alex realized it must have been Juan who she saw in her dream standing at the entrance to the canyon, and not Ramon.

  “Thank you, Ramon, Anna.” Juan smiled and turned to show them where the cave was.

  He walked several yards away to a pile of rocks. He told them his body was there and that Ramon was about fifteen feet inside, then he disappeared. Alex felt her headache go away. She looked at Anna who smiled and kissed her on the lips.

  “We are almost home my beloved. I will be waiting for you.” Anna brushed Alex’s cheek and then she was gone too.

  Alex looked at the pile of rocks and its proximity to the entrance of the canyon so she would be able to find it again. She looked around and found the spot where they had been standing. She closed her eyes and told Anna she would see her soon. When she opened them again she was sitting on Bruce and Andy was holding her hand.

  “Alex, did you hear me. What is he saying?” Andy was worried as she’d been silent for several minutes almost asleep in a way.

  “I saw where he is.” Alex looked back at the entrance and then followed the mountain walls until she saw the same pile of rocks.

  She walked over to the spot and dismounted. Andy followed. She handed him her reins and then started to pick up rocks and throw them to the side. It wasn’t long before she came across the skeletal remains of a crushed hand and arm. As she looked up at Andy the look on his face was priceless. He was awe struck, and waved to Sam and Dean to come closer. When they saw the arm both turned away. Alex remounted without saying a word. They needed the police, as this was a crime scene a very old crime scene, but one just the same.

  Riding back to the ranch, no one spoke. Sam rode up along side of Alex and reached for her hand. She gave it a squeeze and smiled at her, noticing she had a distant look in her eye. Alex was deep in thought. This had been quite the adventure, but was it really over. She felt relieved and sad at the same time, knowing she may not see Anna again. But she and Ramon would be together and that is what mattered most.

  They rode up to the hitching posts. Jessie was standing on the porch to the office and headed their way with Dawson and Winston right behind. Sam took Bruce from Alex and told her she needed to tell them everything that had happened. She would see that Bruce was taken care of.

  Alex walked towards her friend and wrapped her arms around her.

  “We found him. We need to call the police. There are two bodies up there that need to be laid to rest.” Alex felt exhausted as she hugged Jessie.

  They walked back to the office to make the call to the local police. By the time they arrived, Alex had already told Jessie and Dawson everything that had happened. Jessie stayed with Alex as she retold the story from beginning to end. Jessie had called her friend who was also the Sheriff, Rodrigo Chavez who was also Ashiwi, and he never hesitated for a moment. He said he would send a forensic team up there, but they would like Alex to lead the way. She told him she would be ready and willing whenever they got there. He thanked her and promised to get back to them as soon as he could. Alex knew it would be a little while and turned to Jessie.

  “Jess, I need a nap. I feel like all the life has been sucked out of me.” Mental exhaustion was something Alex only felt after long emotional sessions and this was definitely one.

  Chapter 14

  Alex awoke to a gentle shaking from Jessie, who informed her the police were there and ready to follow her. Sam had Bruce all saddled and waiting. There would be a helicopter standing by to airlift the bodies out of the tiny canyon. The team that followed her up to the site consisted of the sheriff, several able-bodied deputies, a coroner’s assistant and a shaman who would give the remains their last rites before they were moved.

  It took the men several hours to move all the rocks, along with one large boulder that covered Juan’s remains, and unblock the opening to the small cave. Ramon’s grave was easy to find as the loose dirt had settled leaving a depression. During the time it took the coroner’s ass
istant to place Juan’s skeletal remains in the body bag and have the shaman perform the last rites, the team had uncovered Ramon’s body. While the helicopter took Juan back to where the coroner’s vehicle was waiting, the team was able to exhume Ramon and had him ready for its return. Alex felt a sudden chill as she watched the men carry him out of the small cave.

  The sheriff walked over to where she was standing and told her it was obviously murder, as he had been shot in the face. He put his arm around her and thanked her for her help. He informed her that Ramon was his uncle, and he knew how happy his family would be to know the truth of how he died and also to have his remains. He looked at Alex and told her that she did remind him of his uncle it was something about the eyes and understood why Anna had contacted her.

  Prior to each body being placed in the basket for transportation, the shaman gave the last rites and placed a small totem pouch inside each body bag. Before Ramon’s body was airlifted out, Alex walked over to the basket and placed her hand on the black bag. She said the only prayer she knew, and asked him to kiss Anna goodbye and tell her she would miss her. Now that he had been found Anna would no longer need to contact her. Alex could only hope to see her again in her dreams.

  As the sun was setting, the group headed out of the canyon. There was no crime to solve. The killer himself had been killed at the scene. Many would wonder if it was the spirits of the mountain claiming another victim, when the lightning struck the spot above the cave, or just bad karma. But it would add to the legend either way, as it had been a spirit that came back from the grave to solve the mystery that surrounded the death of Ramon Arroyo.

  Bruce was in a hurry to get back to the ranch for his dinner and Alex needed a hug and a good cry. She was a bundle of emotions and not wanting to break down in front of all those strangers, wished that Jessie or Sam would have been allowed to go with her. The Sheriff had requested only she come along, as the less people he was responsible for the better.