She flinched. “But it beat the stuffing out of me in a different way.” Looking puzzled, she shook her head. “What do you mean, tied here? Is that how you feel? You’ve worked on this ranch since you were sixteen. I thought you loved it as much as Mom did. As much as I do.”
“I did when I was younger.” He glanced around. “Before it got so...hard. Now, I guess, obligated might be a better word. Ninety-five years of obligation. It weighs on you after a while, and I don’t want it to be such a heavy burden on you. That’s why we need an investor. I asked around about Gallagher and his family. They have a solid background in business. I’ve told him he’s free to explore other moneymaking options.”
“Forget Gallagher,” she said, waving that aside. “I understand what you’re saying, but I’m...mystified about why you didn’t tell me this before, as soon as I came back home, or at least when I took over the books.”
Gus avoided her gaze, wishing he could have kept all of this to himself. “In for a penny, in for a pound,” he murmured.
“What?”
“I talked to Lucas Fordham about buying Eaglecrest.”
“Fordham? Seriously?” Zannah’s voice fell to a whisper, and the color drained from her face.
Miserably, Gus nodded. “I was only considering my options, but he didn’t offer fair market value for the place—not even close.”
“Because he’s not interested in the ranch itself, only the river access where he can stage watersports and tear up the environment.” She shook her head, her gaze never leaving his face. “I can’t believe you’d even consider Fordham. He’s ruined his own family’s property with his motocross racing course and all-terrain vehicles chewing up the ground. The fact that it’s all on private land is the only thing that’s kept him from endless violations of environmental laws—but to turn him loose on the river. That would affect the whole valley and everyone in it.”
Gus held up his hands, palms out. “I know. I know, and that’s one reason I started talking to Gallagher, and...”
“Why did you talk to Fordham about it, and Gallagher, before telling me? And you didn’t even tell me. I found out completely by accident.”
“I wanted things to be settled, before I told you.”
“But why? Why now? Taking on a partner? I thought you and I were partners.”
He took a deep breath. “I had an—episode last winter.”
As he’d feared, concern, bordering on terror, filled her face as she asked, “What kind of episode?”
Gus jerked a thumb toward his chest. “I thought it was my ticker—heart attack.”
“Oh, no. Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t Sharlene tell me?”
His gaze darted away from her pale face. “She didn’t know. No one does. I was out in the truck, pulling the stock trailer, coming back from delivering a couple of heifers to a man over in Kenner. I felt like I had a bull sitting on my chest. Drove straight to the hospital. It wasn’t my heart, though, only stress. I decided right then I needed to make some changes.” He gave her a cautious look. “Didn’t tell you or your brother because I didn’t want you to worry—after everything that happened with your mom and all. It’s the same reason I didn’t tell you about the ranch finances and Gallagher and everything. Didn’t want you to worry ’cause it seems like you’re just now getting your feet under you...”
She waved her hand to stop him. “Never mind that. Are you okay now?”
“Yeah. Doc said I’ll be fine. Need to take it easier.”
“Which is why you decided to take on a partner.”
“To make things easier on you, too. I told Gallagher that I’ll only agree to the deal with him if he’ll be here throughout the summer, at least, to help you run the place...”
“Run the place? He knows nothing about the ranch.”
“It’s a business. He’s run businesses before. He’ll learn.”
Zannah stared at him. He knew she was having a hard time taking this in, but he was wound up now, eager to tell her all about his plan—the one that was going to make them rich, richer than either of them could imagine.
“And what are you going to be doing while I run Eaglecrest, with the help of a man who knows absolutely nothing about the place?”
This was the moment he’d been waiting for. His eyes were shining as he said, “I’m going to find the Lost Teamsters Mine.”
CHAPTER THREE
ZANNAH COULDN’T HAVE been more surprised if Gus had whipped out a top hat and pulled a rabbit from it. She expected him to laugh at the shock he’d caused, but he only stared at her, wide-eyed and smiling as if he’d said something brilliant.
“The...the Lost Teamsters Mine? That’s a myth!”
“I used to think that, too, but now I’m sure I know how to find it. Come on, look at this.” He gestured for her to come to his side of the desk. “See? I’ve got proof.”
As if she was in a dream, she walked around and looked at the yellowing map.
“This is a geological survey map from the 1930s. See?” He ran his finger up between two ridges. “This is Two Horse Canyon.”
“Yes, so?”
“Look at the elevation of the ridge on the west side.” He flipped to the next map, a much newer one. “Now, look at the elevation of the same ridge on this map.”
Zannah studied them for a few seconds, placing a finger at the designated spot on each map. “What am I looking at?”
“The ridge is ten feet shorter since the first map was drawn. How do you account for that?”
“Erosion? The ground settling? Rock slides?”
“Or maybe a cave-in of a mine entrance.” He looked at her in triumph, all but dancing in place.
“And you think it could be the Lost Teamsters Mine?” She shook her head. “Isn’t that a little far-fetched?”
His jaw set defensively, Gus said, “Legend says it’s in Two Horse Canyon.”
“Legend,” she said faintly. “No one has ever found a speck of proof that it even exists.”
“And they wouldn’t, either, not if the cave entrance had collapsed soon after the teamsters left there. So many rock falls have changed the landscape that people didn’t know what to look for.”
“People have wandered around in those canyons for more than a hundred years, followed every possible lead, no matter how crazy it sounded. No one found any credible proof of the mine’s existence.”
Obviously disappointed that she wasn’t as excited as he was, Gus began folding up the maps. “They quit too soon.”
“Or they came to their senses.”
Zannah didn’t know what else to say. Her head buzzed with all of today’s surprises. It took her a few seconds to focus on what her father was doing. When she did, she saw a familiar name in faded ink on the back of one of the papers.
“Henry Stackhouse,” she said, pointing. “He didn’t quit too soon. He spent his whole life—wasted his whole life—looking for that mine. Even when he was sick, knew he was dying, he kept at it.”
With sadness, she thought about the man who had once been a fixture around the ranch. Gus had let him stay in a cabin on the place and do odd jobs. He was an excellent carpenter and a licensed electrician who had brought all of the electrics on the ranch up to code, but whenever he’d saved up a little money, he’d disappear for weeks at a time, all his supplies packed onto his faithful old donkey, Kayetta. He’d been like a figure straight out of the 1800s, always glad to pose for tourists, or to spin yarns about the lost treasure, though his tales were carefully crafted to throw off anyone who was actually interested in looking for the teamsters’ mine. Whenever he was at Eaglecrest, he and Gus spent a great deal of time together. Now Zannah knew what they’d been talking about.
“He was on the right track, though.”
“He died last winter, and—”
“Left me all his papers.
”
She threw her hands in the air. “But if Henry’s maps and notes and papers had been worth anything, wouldn’t he have found the treasure years ago? And seriously,” she went on before he could answer, “it’s a far-fetched story every treasure hunter tells. Five teamsters with their string of mules laden with supplies getting caught in a storm and taking refuge in a cave where they happened upon a gold strike. A cave and a gold strike no one else has ever been able to locate. Even the two teamsters who survived the fight over the gold couldn’t find it again. Doesn’t that all sound oh-so-convenient, and just plain crazy?”
“Maybe, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.” Gus held up one of the folded maps. “It only takes someone with time and patience to figure this out.”
“Henry certainly had time, he had patience...” Horror washed over her. “Oh, my gosh. You’ve got gold fever.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Only naive fantasists get gold fever.”
She gave him a pointed look, and he answered with a frown. “I’m interested, and I want a change from what I’ve been doing. I probably don’t have enough time left to spend years on this, but I can...”
“Don’t have enough time left. What...what do you mean?” Zannah’s voice began to shake. “Is that why you’ve been thinking about Mom, and...and medical care? Are you sick?”
“Nah, I’m fine. I told you, that episode was nothing but stress.” He finally seemed to focus on her dismay, and his tone softened. “But I’m almost seventy, and I see time passing by without me doing all the things I planned to do. The things your mom and I talked about that we never did.”
“So looking for the Lost Teamsters Mine is on your bucket list?”
“Right at the top.”
“I didn’t even know you had a bucket list.”
“Well, I haven’t written things down, but this is what I want to do, and I’ve earned the right to do it. I’ve worked hard all my life. Don’t you think I should be able to do what I want?”
“Well, yes, of course I do, but...”
“I know it’s a lot to take in, and I was going to tell you all about it sooner, but the time was never right, and then Gallagher wanted to come this week, and I didn’t get the chance to talk to you.”
“Gallagher,” Zannah said, her thoughts circling back to their potential new partner. “Exactly what is he offering?”
“Capital. You’ve been doing the books, so you know how badly we need the money.”
“Oh, how can I know that? I haven’t seen all the receipts or paperwork.” She gestured to the pile of receipts she’d unearthed in his desk earlier. “Are there any more I need to know about?”
He squinted at the stack and tilted his head to one side. “I don’t think so, but you don’t need to worry about that right now. You’ve got guests to see to, and I want to get back to work.” He glanced at Henry’s maps.
“So, when are you planning to go looking for the gold?”
“Soon as I can get this deal done with Gallagher. Then I’m outta here. Don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”
Zannah stared at him for a long moment. “Who are you?” she finally asked.
That brought his head up. He met her gaze straight on. “A man who wants to do something different, something that...matters.”
She threw her arms wide. “Eaglecrest matters. The family business matters. I matter.”
“And I’ve spent nearly fifty years taking care of all those things. Taking care of everything. Now I want to do something else.”
Zannah’s mind spun as she tried to follow his thinking. “I know you’ve always been the rock everyone on the ranch depended on, the one with all the responsibility. When was the last time you took a vacation? Maybe you need a rest.”
“Nah, that’s not it. I’m going to do this, so drop it, will you?”
Zannah started to argue but realized she wouldn’t get anywhere by pushing him further. She needed a break from him and the many surprises he had revealed today. Frustrated and feeling dismissed, she took a deep breath. “Don’t forget that Casey is bringing your granddaughters soon.”
“I know,” he responded.
“And I still need your help with the guests. Tomorrow is the long trail ride. Phoebe and I will need your help, since Juan will still be gone.”
“I know that, too.” He met her eyes. “Zannah, one more thing.”
“What?” she asked, reluctance dragging the word from her.
“If Brady Gallagher is going to invest, he’ll have to know everything that’s going on here, all about our money situation, how it comes in and where it goes.”
“Too bad you didn’t let me in on all that,” she snapped.
Her father’s face hardened into stubborn lines. “And he needs to have free rein so he can make any changes and improvements he thinks are necessary. After all, it’s his money.”
So hurt and angry she could barely speak, Zannah whispered, “We don’t need a stranger to—”
“My mind’s made up.”
Mystified and hurt, Zannah watched him for a few seconds longer. “All right, then, I’ll see you later.”
A grunt of assent was her only answer as she left the office and closed the door behind her. It was doubtful that she would see her father for the rest of the day. While she and Phoebe and the rest of the staff worked with the guests, she guessed he would spend his time studying his treasure trove of documents.
Her head spinning with all of the shocks she had received so far today, she stood for a moment, lifted her face to the sun and let the warmth soak into her skin. She listened to the sounds of the ranch—horses whinnying; the two border collies, Rounder and Coco, barking to make sure everyone knew they were on guard duty before they collapsed on the front porch of the main lodge and fell fast asleep; the soft breeze that picked up the whump, whump, whump of the windmill that pumped water into the stock tanks.
She had missed all of this so much when she had gone to college, starting later than her peers because she’d wanted to be home for her mother. Watching vibrant, beautiful Esther waste away had been unbelievably hard, especially since she’d felt so alone for so much of it. Sharlene had helped, but she’d been busy with the housekeeping duties and taking up the kinds of responsibilities with the guests that Esther had once handled. Gus had simply been absent. Her mother seemed to understand, saying Gus didn’t handle illness and death very well, and he was better with animals than he was with people.
Still, Zannah knew it must have hurt her mother to know that Gus wasn’t there for her when she needed him most. To his credit, he had been in the sickroom every spare minute during Esther’s last week of life, but he and Zannah had never really talked about his thoughts and feelings during that time. They were a family that didn’t really get into the deeper emotions.
It had taken Zannah years of reflection to admit that when she had finally left Eaglecrest to go to the university in Las Vegas, she had been escaping from the memories, from her anger at her father, her grief for her mother. She’d pursued a degree in social work because she’d wanted to help people. After five years, she’d known that even though she loved her job, she wasn’t cut out for it. She had worked with so many families in distress but felt she was never quite up to the task. A series of tough situations and a near tragedy had made her long for the peace and stability of Eaglecrest. She finally admitted to herself that she had to go home. The ranch was the family business, and her heritage.
Eaglecrest had been founded by her mother’s family in the early days of the twentieth century. The Graingers’ last surviving member had been Esther. When she had married Gus, who had come to Eaglecrest as a ranch hand, Esther had gladly shared ownership of the ranch with him. Since Casey’s interest was in science, Zannah had expected to inherit it fully someday. Now everything had changed.
Confusion and anger were onl
y two of the emotions buffeting her. She had to calm down and think about this.
Brady had obviously done some research on the place, and on the two businesses they ran. He had also done research on her. It was only fair that she return the favor. She knew she wouldn’t get those answers from her father.
Zannah glanced up when she heard riders approaching. The group was back, and she knew Phoebe would need her help. It was the perfect distraction for now. After the guests had eaten lunch, rested for a while and were settled into new activities, she would talk to Brady Gallagher. He’d better have some answers for her.
* * *
BRADY EASED OFF his boots and socks, then ruefully examined the blisters and sore spots on his feet.
“Tenderfoot,” he muttered, the old-fashioned description fitting him perfectly. From past experience, he knew the best treatment was to let air get to his feet. In a little while, he’d go looking for a first aid kit, but for now, he propped his feet up on an a well-worn ottoman and looked around at the decor. He had stayed in many hotel rooms over the years on family vacations, college trips with the baseball team, then for work when he’d started his first job in one of the family businesses.
All those rooms had been specifically designed and decorated so that the occupants couldn’t possibly make a lasting impact on them. This place was different. Besides the usual queen-size bed, there was an old desk and dresser that looked as though they had been restored with great attention to detail and a desk chair with a cushion that matched both the leaf-patterned drapes and the chair where he was sitting. It felt as if it had lovingly cradled many weary bodies.
Instead of stark white walls dotted with dings and scratches, this room was painted a soft green that invited the occupant to relax. Instead of generic prints of forgettable landscapes, there was original artwork on the walls. They were colorful paintings and drawings with a Western theme. Some of them were amateurish, but two of the paintings were views of the multihued mountains and were of excellent quality. He had been unable to locate a signature on them, but the unknown artist had real talent. He knew his own refined mother would have been honored to hang them in her home.
Rancher to the Rescue Page 4
