by Lynne Hinton
They never discussed the one moment of intimacy. They never talked about the awkward way the older man leaned in to his employee late on a Friday night after a busload of college students finished a day of riding, the way he smelled of hay and whiskey. There had never been a conversation to explain why John did what he did and how it felt to Aaron, who had quickly jumped up and walked away after the kiss. There had been no discussion between the two about the event, and there had been no more advances between the rancher and his hired hand.
It was late in the month of February, the twenty-second to be exact, when John asked Aaron to take a couple staying in Santa Fe down to Galisteo Creek and over to the dam out along the railroad tracks. Aaron thought it was odd that his boss had asked him to handle the two riders, since he knew that having the chance to talk to a small number of people was what John loved most. With just one or two visitors, the rancher was able to have a real conversation and not have to yell so often to make sure that the line of people behind him could hear. And with fewer riders, John could travel farther and have a greater chance to ride his horse the way he liked, with more gallop than saunter.
Still, it wasn’t completely unheard of for Aaron to be asked to manage the trail rides. He saddled up Molly and Lucy, two of the older mares, since he wasn’t sure of the two guests’ levels of riding experience. Molly and Lucy were gentle and harmless; neither of them had ever bucked or kicked. Whether the guests were beginners or experienced, Aaron knew he couldn’t go wrong with the two easy rides.
“Just take them out to the dam,” John had said as he got into his truck to leave. “And make sure you charge the full amount; that coupon in the magazines expired at the end of the year. That two-for-one special was a stupid move on my part!” And with that, a wave of his hand, and an affectionate nod, he started the engine and left. He didn’t tell Aaron where he was heading.
Aaron was happy to spend his morning on a ride. Snow from the week before still covered the ground. He thought the hills were most beautiful in the winter and was looking forward to heading out past the old mines and up to the dam. It was one of his favorite trail rides.
The couple arrived right on time, and as soon as they stepped out of their SUV, both of them wearing new cowboy boots and designer jeans, Aaron was glad he had saddled the two old horses. He could spot city slickers a mile away.
“For heaven’s sake, William, why did you have to pick a place so far out?” The woman stumbled over a rock and was quickly steadied by her companion walking beside her.
“It’s supposed to have great views,” he explained, still holding her arm. “I saw it on the Internet, and the concierge said this was the best.”
Aaron heard the woman mumble something under her breath, and suddenly he wasn’t as enthusiastic about the morning ride as he had been earlier. It was easy to see that this would be more babysitting than trail riding.
They made their introductions and after collecting their money, Aaron helped them both onto their horses. The woman was noticeably frightened. She began pulling the reins too tightly, causing Molly to struggle against her. Aaron tried to explain that while riding she didn’t have to yank so hard, that the horse knew the trail and could be trusted, but it didn’t matter. The woman squeezed her legs together and held on for dear life even while they were still standing at the stables. The man, Aaron noted, did not fare much better. He kept shifting from side to side so violently Lucy was beginning to act skittish, something the old mare never did.
Aaron mounted his horse, Clover, deciding against the long ride to the dam and choosing instead to lead them on the short trail just up from the ranch to the top of the Cerrillos Hills, out past the old cemetery, and back down on the south side, home by way of the San Marcos wash. The trail was narrow in parts but not dangerous, and once at the top, the scenery always made for a good photo opportunity. Even though the trip was only a few miles long and would take them less than the reserved hour and a half, he would gladly refund their deposit if they weren’t happy. By the way the two were handling their horses, Aaron knew he did not want to extend this ride any longer than he had to.
They had just made the final switchback and were standing at the top of the hill where the views were long and clear. The woman’s horse, Molly, had stopped, and with Aaron’s direction had turned to face the east, offering her rider the vista of blue horizon and the scrub-brush desert floor, still white from the week of snow. Lucy had walked the man over to a small clump of bear grass and was trying to get a bite, and even though Aaron normally would have stopped the horse from grazing, he chose to let the horse do as she wished while he turned toward the south, trying to make out Las Lomas de la Bolsa.
The woman’s scream was so loud and unexpected, Aaron jumped. He pulled on Clover’s reins, and the big horse began backing up, plowing right into Lucy, which caused her to buck and drop the male customer off to the side.
“Whoa! Whoa!” Aaron called out, finally able to grab Lucy’s reins, jump off Clover, take control of both horses, and make sure the man wasn’t hurt. It was a few minutes before he was able to attend to the woman and discover the reason for her scream.
“Jessica, what on earth is wrong with you!” the man yelled as he stood, dusting himself off. “I could have broken my neck!”
“There!” she screamed. “Look, down there!” And she pointed below them to the Gallina Arroyo where some of the snow had melted.
Still holding the reins of both horses and able to assess that the man was not seriously hurt, Aaron could see that the woman had not pulled or yanked her horse and that Molly appeared calm even as the other two horses remained spooked. He followed the woman’s outstretched arm, the point of her finger, and could barely make out what was lying in the wash. A torso and two legs could be seen where the snow was just starting to melt.
“It’s a body,” the woman said softly and then fainted, falling backward, letting go of the reins, and dropping to the ground right into a fresh pile of Molly’s manure.
FIVE
“Why are you driving so slow?” Evangeline was in the front seat with Daniel and had closed the car door on the hem of her habit. She yanked and pulled as Megan Flint watched from her seat in the back.
“I am driving the speed limit,” Daniel said. “Put your seat belt on.” He turned and noticed Eve as she struggled with her clothes. “What is wrong with you?”
Eve blew out a long breath and buckled herself in. “I’m caught in the door. I hate these stupid, long things.” She pulled once more, finally freeing herself. “At least I can still wear the boots.” She smiled as Daniel looked down at her cowboy boots.
He shook his head. “I thought the mother in charge told you not to wear those.”
“She’s mother superior, and she told me I could wear them when I ride. I was out this morning and didn’t have a chance to change into the sensible nun shoes.”
“You wear your habit on the bike?”
She shook her head and pulled up the bottom of the garment. Jeans were stuffed into her boots. “I’ll take this off when we get there.”
“I don’t know, maybe dressed like a nun you’ll get better treatment at the hospital.” Daniel grinned.
“The habit is not meant to garner better treatment,” she replied.
Megan piped up from the backseat. “Right, a habit reveals that the nuns are women who have dedicated themselves to a life of prayer, sacrifice, and penance. The habit is a visible manifestation for people to know and see that nuns are giving their lives for others, for the salvation of the world, and for God’s glory.”
Eve turned around in her seat. “You learned all that for the part in a movie?”
Megan looked up. “No, I just googled it.”
Eve stared at her for a minute and then turned back to face the front. She decided not to comment further about the habit or the movie star’s answer. She cleared her throat. “You know, he always said you drove like an old woman.”
Daniel gripped th
e steering wheel. “Because he has the same problem with a heavy foot that you have.” When he realized what he had said and the irony of it, he shook his head. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. We both know that even a plastic foot isn’t going to slow him down,” she responded.
There was a pause.
“I’m taking care of Trooper,” Daniel said. “I’ll pick her up tonight.”
Eve nodded. “Thanks,” she said. “I know that means a lot to him. We all know he loves dogs better than he loves people.”
“I would say that’s something else the two of you have in common.” He reached over and gently elbowed Eve in the side.
She didn’t respond because as much as she didn’t want to admit it, the statement was closer to the truth than not. She did love animals and believed that they were easier to get along with than people.
They drove along in silence, and then Eve turned around in her seat. “Why didn’t you call the police about your missing boyfriend?”
Megan looked up, surprised that she was being spoken to. She was still doing something on her cell phone, looking up other interesting details on the Internet, Eve figured, or maybe texting. She had seen some of the visitors at the monastery typing on their phones. They had explained the unfamiliar mode of communication to her when she asked about it. In the end, she thought it seemed like a waste of time.
“Oh, I did,” she answered. “They claimed he hadn’t been missing long enough to file a report.”
“Earlier you called him your fiancé,” Eve observed as the young woman took a small compact out of her purse, opened it, and blotted her nose with the sponge.
“Well, it isn’t actually official,” she replied, reaching back into the purse and taking out a tube of lipstick.
Eve waited.
“His divorce isn’t exactly finalized.” She opened the tube and slid it across her lips. They were stained a dark red.
Eve was fascinated. She hadn’t watched a woman put on makeup since she was a girl watching her younger sister. Unlike Eve, who had never used any products on her face, Dorisanne loved wearing makeup.
“He’s still married then?” she asked, watching as Megan blotted her lips with a tissue.
The young woman stopped what she was doing. There was a long sigh from her. “Officially, he is still married, but that marriage has been dead a long time.”
Eve turned to Daniel, who gave a slight shrug.
“How old are you, Megan?” Eve asked.
“Twenty-three,” came the reply.
“And how old is Chaz?”
“Forty-eight or forty-nine,” she answered.
“Actually, Mr. Cheston is fifty-three,” Daniel interjected, watching her in the rearview mirror.
Eve looked at Megan to catch her reaction, but she didn’t seem to care about her mistake.
“What’s a Hollywood director doing in New Mexico anyway?” she asked.
Daniel answered, “Haven’t you heard that we’re the new favorite movie location? All the young actors are buying up land around St. John’s and Tesuque. Everybody here thinks they can be a star. Shoot, I was even going to see if I could stand in for Denzel Washington when he was here making that movie last summer.”
Evangeline laughed.
“Why you laughing? Don’t you think I look like Denzel?”
“Daniel, I told you, I’m a nun. We don’t have movie night at the monastery. I don’t know what Denzel Washington looks like anymore.”
He sat up, facing straight ahead, giving Evangeline a good view of his profile. “Looks just like this.” He held his head high, pointed at his chin, and grinned.
Evangeline rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“He was here because he’s supposed to be finishing up some details for a feature they’re planning to film over in Madrid,” Megan piped up.
“And exactly how long has he been missing?” Eve wanted to know.
“Six and a half days,” Megan replied.
“Where was he before he came to Madrid?” Eve had turned and was looking over her shoulder at the passenger in the backseat.
“He was at the Betty Ford Center.”
Eve eyed Daniel.
“Chaz sometimes has problems with a few substances.”
Eve nodded. “Could he be having one of those problems again?”
“No, he was clean this time for sure.”
Daniel glanced over at Eve and lifted his eyebrows.
“So when did you get involved in this?” she asked the driver.
“The Captain called me a couple of days ago to see if there had been any news at the station.”
“Like whether or not anybody else was looking for him too?”
“That and to check out a few things.” He glanced once more in the rearview mirror at Megan, and Eve understood that he had been asked to do some research on the young starlet.
“Anybody remember seeing him around Madrid lately?”
Megan seemed to be studying Evangeline. “You know, you sound just like your dad,” she noted. “He asked all these questions too.”
Eve turned back around in her seat and gazed out the windshield.
“She’s right, you know,” Daniel added. “He’s always thought you had good instincts, thought you should have given law enforcement a chance.” Daniel turned on his signal, taking the ramp off the interstate to St. Francis Street.
“He said you had a good nose for crime,” Megan noted. “He said when you were little, you were always asking him about his cases, wanting to know how murders happened, who the suspects were. He thought you would be a police officer.”
Evangeline looked first at Daniel and then back at Megan. It was unnerving hearing first a family friend and then a stranger tell her something that had been said about her that she didn’t know. In all her years growing up under the thumb of Captain Jack Divine, he had never told her what he had apparently told his partner and a virtual stranger.
“Of course, he’s happy you became a nun,” Megan said.
Eve made no reply. She was clearly uncomfortable talking about her vocation choices with these two. Besides, she knew that wasn’t completely true. The Captain had not argued with his daughter when she made her announcement to join the order, but he obviously was not happy about it.
They stopped at the traffic light and could see the hospital just ahead.
“What are all those news vans and police cars doing at St. Vincent’s?” Eve asked.
Daniel made the turn and started into the hospital parking lot.
“Oh, dear God! Stop the car! It’s them!” came the cry from the backseat.
Daniel hit the brakes.
“It’s who?” Eve yelled, bracing herself against the dashboard.
Once the car came to a complete stop, Daniel and Eve both turned to the passenger in the back.
“Victoria and Charles Jr.,” she replied.
The two in the front waited. These were not names they knew.
“His family,” she added. “Chaz’s wife and son.”
And they turned back to look ahead at the woman and young man being escorted into the hospital through the emergency-room doors.
SIX
“You get hold of Dorisanne?” Daniel had gotten a cup of coffee from the refreshment cart that was pushed against the wall in the surgical waiting area. He had taken Megan back to her hotel and then joined Eve in the waiting room. She was out of her habit and dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a leather jacket, although she did still keep a rosary in her front pocket that she fidgets with.
She nodded.
“Is she coming home?” he asked, taking a seat beside Eve.
She shook her head, recalling the conversation she had with her younger sister. “She said she just got a new job at the Rio, doesn’t have any time off yet.”
Daniel didn’t respond. Dorisanne hadn’t been back to New Mexico since her mother’s funeral. She had stayed in Madrid for almost a year, serving as
the primary caregiver while Eve was in Pecos and Jackson worked on the force. It hadn’t been an easy time for anyone.
“She still dancing?” he asked, knowing the young woman’s dream.
Eve shook her head. “Cocktail waitress,” she answered. “Apparently, there’s some marriage trouble.” She paused, thinking about Dorisanne’s husband, Robbie, and the stories she had heard of gambling debts and an unsavory group of friends.
“Jackson tried to warn her,” Daniel commented. His jaw tightened.
Eve turned to the man and made no response. They both knew how that conversation went. Captain Jack and his youngest daughter hadn’t spoken to each other in years.
“She says it’s my time to take care of a parent,” she said. “Claims I’m the only one he’ll listen to anyway.”
Daniel smiled. “Well, you do seem to get more out of him than your sister ever did.” He leaned in to her. “You up for the task?”
“Taking care of the Captain?” She shook her head. “That’s not a task, that’s a calling.” She glanced around the waiting room. Family members and friends of surgical patients filled the seats. How many of them were not just hoping for good news but were also making plans for the changes about to take place in their lives?
She studied the faces of the people her age and wondered if any of them were in shock about a parent’s need for surgery, if they felt the way she did when she got the news that the Captain was losing his leg. She wondered if they were facing the same struggle of how to provide care for an aging parent.
She decided to change the subject. “How did Megan take the news?”
Eve had heard that the missing director was found dead, and she was curious about the young starlet’s state of mind. It had been confirmed that Charles Cheston’s body was found earlier in the day up around Cerrillos, near the old mines. His family was already in town, having filed their own missing person’s report. They were downstairs viewing the body, confirming the identity of the victim. Somehow the news had been leaked, and every media outlet from across the state had taken up residence in the hospital parking lot.
