At Long Last; Book 4 of the Long Ranch Series

by Michel Prince

  “Of course, it wasn’t. Just his bar card.”

  The two women let out a laugh.

  “Tell me something, Ash, if Miles wasn’t indicted for murder—”

  “I don’t deal in what ifs.” Ashleigh saw Sunshine walking Sierra back to the house. “What ifs lead to dreams and dreams lead to heartbreak. All I can focus on are the facts laid before me.”

  “I bet Sierra has dreams,” Harper reasoned.

  “Sierra can.” Ashleigh leaned against the pillar for the front porch and smiled at her sister. “You ready to head home?”

  “But Sunny says I can stay for supper.”

  “It’s getting late,” Ashleigh reasoned.

  “Your sister’s right,” Sunshine replied and gave both women a nod. “You should be listening to her and not some dumb old cowboy.”

  “You’re not a dumb cowboy,” Sierra said. “But you do need to switch your hat.”

  “Hey now,” he teased. “Don’t be tellin’ a cowboy ‘bout his hat. That’s a sacred talisman.”

  “But black hats are for bad cowboys.”

  “Not always kiddo.” He tussled Sierra’s golden hair and her face lit up. “Then again, you may have somethin’ there. Right Harp?”

  “Maybe, I wouldn’t waste your time in there.” Harper tilted her head to the door. “Family meeting.”

  “Why aren’t you in there then?” he questioned. “You’re legally bound to the family now.”

  “Not enough for voting power.” Her hand circled her belly. “This one though, will be primed to vote by the time they’re eighteen.”

  “If there’s still something to vote about.”

  The mood sobered on the porch and Ashleigh took in her best friend. How hard must it be to become part of a family now caught in a myriad of drama? If not one thing, it is another and no matter how much she wanted to have Miles kiss her into oblivion, she already needed to figure out if she had to recuse herself. When it came to the right and wrong in her world, it was becoming muddled and she couldn’t handle anything but crystal clear. “It’s a long drive back to Las Cruces, Sierra.”

  “Let me drive then.”

  Ashleigh let out a cleansing breath. In theory, she knew her sister probably could handle a car. At the center where she goes a few older Down’s kids had been studying after one of the boys got his license.

  “Not a chance, but you keep asking.”

  “I’m old enough to make my own decisions and live my own life.”

  “As long as you’re living under my roof—”

  “Well maybe, I’ll just move out here and sleep in the barn.”

  “They wouldn’t take you,” Ashleigh spat as their voices raised and she knew she’d need to get her sister under control soon, or she would have a full on meltdown. “Your snoring would keep the horses up all night.”

  “I don’t snore,” her sister retorted. “You fart.”

  “That’s the best you got for me little sister?” Ashleigh crossed her arms and stared her sister down.

  Sierra’s face contorted and twisted in anger.

  “You want to live on your own you have a lot of growing up to do and quick.”

  “At least, they let me here.” Sierra stomped her feet as she marched into the house.

  Ashleigh’s face heated up in embarrassment. “I guess we’re staying for dinner.”

  “I’m sorry Ashleigh,” Sunny said with his thick drawl. “I didn’t mean no harm. I assumed ya’ll were stayin’.”

  “It’s fine, she’s…” Ashleigh walked to the far edge of the porch to avoid being seen crying. Taking in the expanse of the ranch from the side of the porch, she could only imagine the fun that could be had here. On this side of the porch, she could see the pinks, purples and yellows of the sun as it set behind the mountains miles away. The land seemed so peaceful and quiet. Ashleigh rarely had those types of moments. Ones where she could get away from her thoughts and decompress. Turning her head, she looked over her shoulder at Harper. “Would it be okay for me to go in the barn by myself?”

  “Yes, why wouldn’t it be?”

  “Will you watch my sister?”

  “She’s not five, but sure.”

  “I don’t want her to be a burden on the Longs.”

  “Not that type of family Ash.” Harper pushed up from the rocking chair and headed inside.

  Ashleigh wandered toward the barn. She had too much on her mind right now and even if she were sitting in another room, Miles Long would be too close for her to be able to focus. As long as he didn’t follow her into the barn, she’d be good because right at that moment, all she could think about was hay getting stuck in her hair as Miles explored every inch of her body in an empty horse stall.

  * * * *

  Around the kitchen table, the Long family sat with the stern faces he’d never seen at a family meeting before. How did he miss Melody and his father showing up? They must have come in through the kitchen door. There wasn’t a Long that didn’t shiver when they saw her. Even with her attacker behind bars, since the moment they pulled up on Sunshine giving her CPR, none of them could get the site of her beaten and battered face and body drenched from the stream. Even though she no longer showed a scar on her caramel skin, the men had discussed that it may be years before any of them could see her as they had a year ago.

  When he sat down, he made sure he had a straight view of the front door. Harper came in with a smirk on her face. Sierra had come in a few minutes before. Ashleigh couldn’t be far behind, and yet she didn’t coming in the house. Sunny, Tina and Harper had turned on a kids movie as they all sat well within earshot with his three youngest cousins. He remembered when he hit about sixteen, he started ear hustling on the family meetings. Back then, it was just his dad, uncle and Walt voting. Walt told him to start listening like he did on the votes that happened when he was home from college.

  Technically, you had voting rights when you turned eighteen, but as Miles and Clayton had been complaining about, they tended to have proxy votes done at meetings they weren’t invited to. The ranch was almost a hundred and fifty years old and this was the first generation with so many heirs, his father and uncle had to change from the standard set so many years ago by his too many greats grandfather to count.

  “Tina has been working with Desert Electric Corporation for the last few months,” Walt began. “They’ve offered us three options. It’s all pretty standard from what I can tell. They only want about ten thousand acres.”

  “Ten?” Uncle Clevon asked. “Ten? We have close to sixty thousand and they want ten thousand?”

  “To start with. Cost per acre is about five hundred thousand.”

  “And who pays that?” his father asked. “Are we expected to? That’s over two billion dollars. I’m sorry, I don’t think Federated Gas is going to settle that high.”

  “Federated isn’t going to settle anything in the next ten years,” Monty added. “Not that I want to put a damper on anything.”

  “Do you remember when I said we had options?” Walt’s commanding tone brought the table back in focus. “Option one is for us to pay for everything with DEC paying us for the energy used and created. We maintain the panels and construction costs.”

  “That’s a pretty long term investment,” Monty the business major stated as he reached for the projections in front of Walt who snapped back the papers. “Seriously? How old are you? You know in the corporate world, they make copies for everyone at the meeting.”

  “The corporate world doesn’t have a, ‘save the planet with one less printed document at a time’ for a wife,” Walt retorted. “I’ll get you the numbers. I know that’s your specialty. But can I please continue with my job? Contracts and legalese.”

  If nothing else, having three kids each between his uncle and father, the kids were able to get degrees in every aspect of the ranching. Business degrees, law and his sister, the large animal vet. He was the one who had to go on what he learned growing up. A degree in literat
ure was only good for his escapes from the ranch.

  “Now, Monty is right about something,” Walt continued. “That’s a long term major investment. The positive side of option one is we already have a vendor and could start selling to them after ten acres were set up, but it is a long-term major investment. With tax incentives and grants from the federal government, we would still need a major loan from a bank, probably out of Dallas or something. Now, DEC would be willing to go half on the instillation and supply a workforce that puts these in at a dozen other spots in New Mexico and Arizona.”

  “Well shit,” Uncle Clevon said. “Let me get my checkbook, a billion is a steal.”

  “Actually it is,” Walt snapped. “We’re talking about most if not all of Southeast New Mexico being lit up from a handful of acres that are poisonous. The third option would have them renting our land. They are a hundred percent on the hook for the instillation costs and maintenance. They’d have access to our ranch twenty four seven without notification. We would be lease holders to their land.”

  “And that would just be profit the whole way with no cost to us, makes sense to me,” Melody said.

  “I don’t want another man wandering my land without my knowledge,” their father said. “This is our land. Has been for over a century. Outside of that little plot that your fiancé has to work off, it’s ours.”

  “So spending a few billion dollars makes sense. I’m sorry, but how much did we get per head for our cattle that had to be destroyed? Because I doubt it was that.”

  “It’s not about what we have in the bank now,” Monty added. “It’s about what will be there in the future. Can I see the numbers now?”

  Walt slid the paperwork to Monty and as he reviewed the numbers, Miles’ focus wandered back to the front door that hadn’t been opened. The sun had fully set now and he was beginning to worry about Ashleigh sitting alone outside. A timer dinged and Tina popped up from the couch. The smell of some sort of Italian food had filled the kitchen, but Miles hadn’t noticed until now.

  Taking out three casserole pans of lasagna had the table’s focus turning to the oven.

  Harper came in to help dish up the food to the family. Of course, her husband was the only one to still be looking at the projections. Melody was trying to look over his shoulder but he slapped her away.

  “Food, Montgomery,” Harper said.

  Monty suddenly, perked up.

  Miles covered his lips from the smile. He knew that reaction. His brother was pretty damn transparent. Sprung would be an understatement and when Harper said his brother’s full name, he practically undressed her right there in front of the whole family. Speaking of undressing. “Harper, where’s Ashleigh?”

  “She went to the barn for a little bit.”

  “Why?”

  “Maybe because she’s caught the Long tormenting bug. She needed a little air.”

  “Don’t even think about it son,” his father commanded. “This needs to be settled first.”

  “This is going to need to be tabled and reviewed.” Miles rested his elbows on the table and brought his hands together making sure he looked his father in the eye. “We’re talking about taking on a debt, because we all know the leasing option isn’t going to pass this meeting, so tell me when was the last time you went hat in hand to any banker?”

  Never. Never was the answer. Even their too many greats to count grandfather worked and saved to buy the first part of the acreage. Living like a mountain man with a handful of cattle. Hell, if it wouldn’t have been for him finding a woman, he probably would have died on the land that way. Thankfully, he had and the house his family lived in was the result.

  “He’s probably right about that,” Monty said. “The leasing option should be voted on now, because I wouldn’t recommend it. I don’t care how much the legal defense fund will be for you three criminals—”

  “They are still talking about charging you,” Harper interjected as she set a plate in front of Miles. “So…four criminals.”

  “Right, either way, the leasing option is the poor man’s vision. Not the successful one.”

  “What if Federated builds a solar or wind farm? What are the chances they would get one up before us?” Clayton asked. “Savannah and I went for a ride the other day toward the Winston’s and there’s a lot of equipment on the other side of the river right now.”

  “The government isn’t going to give them the grants they are giving DEC,” Harper said and got a group of looks that told her she didn’t belong. “Hey, I may not be a voting member here, but I’m carrying one. One that the long term plan involves, okay?”

  “Jesus,” Uncle Clevon grumbled to Miles’ dad. “I told you once we let one kid in, they’ll all want a say. Now the unborn?”

  Miles could tell the two patriarchs were having a problem with the failure of the ranch being on their watch. But it wasn’t some infection outbreak or a natural disaster they hadn’t protected the ranch from. This was an outside source that they hadn’t even seen as a danger. Now, the men who’d been ranching for their whole life not only had an empty ranch, but the future wouldn’t include animals. At least not for a long time.

  “At this point, we need all the voices that make sense. If she gets out of line, we’ll kick her out,” the new father-in-law reasoned as if Harper wasn’t standing over him with her arms crossed.

  “Federated isn’t going to qualify for any of the grants Desert Electric is. They are under indictments. It’s not the legal fees that will preclude them from competing. All they do is move imaginary money around. Without those funds from the government and the sanctions in place they are still paying, it will be a decade before they can start making a profit without Tender Root, the Winston’s or us taking a big chunk.” Harper stepped behind Monty and began rubbing his shoulders. “Also, if you take on at least part of the building costs, you can sell the energy to who you want.”

  “There are going to be people on the ranch either way,” Melody reasoned. “The set up alone will take a year. What are we supposed to use for income between now and then? With all the cattle getting slaughtered, Doc Carlisle is going to retire early. He offered me his practice, but what am I taking over? Zero patients and a building.”

  “Since when has this family had a problem with delayed gratification,” Miles spoke up finally. “Ranching has never been a short term, get rich quick scheme. We know what we have in the bank. Mel, you don’t need a ton of animals to keep that practice going until the ranching can come back. And those south of town haven’t been affected yet. I agree that we need to vote down option three. I want to die on the same ranch where I was born. I need this here for me if I do get locked up. No one will hire a murderer and I know it’s selfish, but if we can get the loans and grants, I’m voting for that because this is my home. Right now, I need that to keep going.”

  The room stilled. Longs weren’t known for expressing emotion or showing weakness. Especially, not to each other. Their women maybe, Miles wouldn’t know because it’s not like he would see it growing up. Right now, Miles needed to get out of the kitchen. He needed to get away. It was time for him to step away before the quiet child of the family ended up sharing too much and adding to the burden on his family.

  Chapter Seven

  After spending over a half hour watching the sunset until even a sliver of pink had disappeared from the sky Ashleigh finally went into the barn with a sigh. Sadly, she hadn’t come to any great conclusion when it came to what to do with her life. Then again, people who come to epiphanies in the middle of the desert would spend days in seclusion. Ashleigh didn’t have even an hour to herself most days.

  “Hey there, Gideon,” Ashleigh said as she rested her arms on the half door of his stall. He struggled to get up and come over to her. She stroked the old horse’s nose. He snuffed a bit before bowing his head so she could scratched between his ears. “You okay?”

  There was something in his eyes that worried her. Ashleigh had never been allowed an
animal growing up, even though she had a sixth sense when it came to them. When she was younger and ran across an injured or sick animal, she couldn’t just leave it to its own resources. She’d scoop them up and take them home.

  Gideon seemed to be up to please her and not because he wanted to.

  “You can go lay back down.”

  Gideon’s obsidian eyes seemed grateful as he went back to his bedding and curled his legs underneath himself.

  Unlatching the hook for his stall, Ashleigh stepped in and sat by the animal who rested his head on her lap. Her fingers brushed through his mane as his eyelids became heavy and closed. His breathing became even and as she closed her own eyes, she found herself drifting as her breathing soon matched his, even and slow.

  Her mind drifted and slid as she found her thoughts dropping her in the pictures she’d reviewed as evidence. Not the ones for the vigilante murder case against the Longs, but the ones that took her on a journey of the ranch. Thousands of acres with a stream that if the conditions were right, could be reclassified as a river. Those images were from the murder and attempted murder charges brought against Julio Vasquez. The Longs had spent years not being affected by the outside world. Then a family who had ranched quietly were disrupted by the greed of another. How could people be like that? She shifted and Gideon let out a little snort that woke her from her slumber.

  Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Miles leaning on the half door of the stall watching her.

  “What time is it?” she asked.

  “A little after ten. Guess you’re good people too.” He nodded his head to Gideon slumbering in her lap. “Hate to tell you this, but you’re going to have to sleep like that tonight.”

  “He’s heavy, but I’m pretty sure I can scoot out.”

  “I don’t know about that,” he replied with a smirk. “Never knew a snuggly horse until that one. You’d think he was part dog. If he could, he’d curl up on your lap like he was a damn purse dog.”