Swelter

by D. Jackson Leigh

  August searched her memory to replay their conversation. “You’re referring to when he reminded me that he was the ranch foreman.”

  Teal shook her head. “Before that. He told you to stop by and check this herd for newborns. He should have asked if you would have time to do it. And, even though he knew you as a child, he shouldn’t use those childhood nicknames for you in front of the men.” She gave August a pointed look. “And you shouldn’t respond by calling him Sensei when he refers to you as Grasshopper.”

  “You’re saying I shouldn’t joke around with the men?”

  “No. Not at all. But you should be careful that the men know who’s boss. That’s you. BJ and the rest of us work for you.”

  She was right. August stared at the herd again. Yep, that was a newborn. “You’re right. I’ll talk to him.” But how should she approach BJ about this? She’d think about that later. “Right now, though, we need to tag that baby over there.” She opened her door. “Come on. You can help me catch it.”

  August was impressed as Teal moved calmly among the herd to the other side of the young mama and raised her arms at the right moment to keep the heifer from moving away when August crept up from behind to grab the baby. Damn. It was a bull calf and heavy. She shifted her hold on the struggling little beast and cursed when she realized she hadn’t put the weighing sling into place beforehand. But Teal was a step ahead of her, already fitting the scale’s bracket into the stake slot of the truck’s fender.

  The calf was a lively one, nearly knocking August off her feet with his struggling, while his mother followed behind and bellowed at her baby’s kidnapper. Teal quickly slid the sling around the calf and attached it to the scale’s hook to relieve August of his weight.

  “Whew. Thanks. He’s a big one.” August shook her head. “I’m glad BJ isn’t here. He’d never let me live this down. I was thinking so hard about what we were talking about that I forgot to lay everything out.” She had to almost shout to be heard over the racket of the calf yelling for his mother and the heifer answering. “Can you hold him for a minute?”

  “Sure.” Teal steadied him in the sling, scratching behind his ear and talking to him until he quieted a bit.

  “You’re pretty good at that.”

  “Grew up on a dairy farm, remember?”

  “Right. I have a hard time picturing you as a milkmaid.”

  Teal wrinkled her nose at the term, then shifted a sizzling gaze from August’s boots, slowly up her denim-covered legs, slim hips, long-sleeved T-shirt, and bandana to her Stetson. “I don’t have any problem picturing you as a cowgirl,” Teal said.

  August half-shrugged to wipe the bead of sweat trickling along her jaw on the shoulder of her shirt and quickly laid out the ear tag and other instruments on the tailgate. Wasn’t it unusually hot for June? She hesitated over the scalpel and castration forceps. She’d have to handle her first castration solo. She knew the procedure. She’d watched BJ do it at least twenty times in the past few weeks, but the thought of putting scalpel to flesh still made her queasy. She could feel Teal watching her.

  “You sure you want to castrate this guy? I don’t know much about beef cattle, but he seems pretty big for a newborn. He could be worth keeping for breeding stock.”

  August swallowed down her jumpy stomach but didn’t look at Teal. “No. We’re not breeding to his sire again. He throws big babies, but they don’t grow at the normal rate. So, by the time they go to market, they’re the same weight as the other steers. You run the risk of a small cow having a big baby, with no gain at market time.”

  Teal smiled but didn’t say anything when August swabbed the calf’s skin with a numbing agent before tagging and tattooing his ear. She recorded the calf’s weight and other information while August changed into clean gloves and swabbed the calf’s testicles with a disinfectant. Teal cleared her throat when August pulled a slim syringe from the calving box and injected the top of the scrotum sac with a local numbing agent. “My daddy never bothered with that. He said it was money that didn’t need to be spent when they’d forget the pain in a day or two anyway.”

  August didn’t look at her. “Most ranchers don’t, but like I told BJ, it’s my money to spend.”

  “I’m glad you do. It always bothered me to hurt them.” Teal’s soft words were almost lost among the restless lowing of the calf’s still-hovering mother. She wrapped an arm around the calf still suspended in the sling and held onto its near hind leg so it didn’t kick out at August.

  August picked up the scalpel and held it next to the skin. Just cut the scrotum open, pull out the testes, apply the forceps to crush the…Just a quick slice. Right through the skin. She swallowed. One quick slice. Damn it. She closed her eyes and swallowed again. She couldn’t do it. She was going to throw up.

  “Since he’s numb and all, would you mind if I tried it?”

  August looked up, sure that her face must be all shades of green. Teal held tightly to the calf but gave no indication that she’d noticed August faltering in her task.

  “I’ve banded goats and pigs before. I know it’s not the same thing, but I’ve watched my dad castrate surgically—like you’re about to do—a million times. You could walk me through it. I mean, if you don’t mind.”

  They stared at each other for a long moment. “Glove up. I’ll hold the calf.”

  Teal smiled and donned a pair of latex gloves from the tailgate. She took the scalpel, and then August took hold of the calf and they began. August verbally walked her through the procedure. She had no problem watching. She just couldn’t put the blade to skin and cut. Teal was quick and her cuts so sure that August suspected this wasn’t the first time she’d done the procedure. The calf barely indicated any discomfort at all and was soon released back to his mother.

  Neither spoke once they were back in the truck, until August pulled up to the ranch house and cut the engine.

  “Thanks.”

  “I should be thanking you for the practice.”

  “Come on, Teal. I’m not stupid. You’ve castrated a calf before.”

  Teal’s mouth curled in a small smile as she ducked her head and looked up through thick lashes. “Not precisely. First time on a beef calf.”

  August shook her head but returned the smile. “Ah. A lawyer should know to read the fine print.”

  Teal’s smile grew. “Exactly.”

  When August parked in front of the ranch house, she noticed the box left by the front door. She turned back to Teal. “You up for a ride after dinner? We can go check on your calf to make sure he’s still okay.”

  “I’d love that.”

  “Okay. Let’s get these coolers inside.”

  *

  “Corrine put it off as long as she could, but she’s not the only one in the Register of Deed’s Office, you know. She had to go ahead and file the deed to close out the probate on Julio’s will.”

  “Okay. Thanks, John.”

  “Maybe you’re giving this guy Reyes too much credit. Why would he be looking for new property in your name? People trying to hide don’t go around buying property.”

  “Reyes is a typical drug lord. They only have to hire brilliant people and be ruthless enough that the smart people are too afraid to double-cross them. Someone has advised him how to launder drug money through nonprofits and stash it in offshore banks, so I have to anticipate one of his security minions knows how to set up a computer search that will ping him any time my name hits the digital network, whether I’ve used a credit card or a health-insurance card or gotten a traffic ticket.”

  “Well, for your sake, I hope not. Maybe you should hire some security for the ranch.”

  She sighed and sat back in Julio’s high-backed leather office chair. “I’m living off my trust fund from Gus right now because all my other assets were shared with Christine and they’re frozen until this investigation is over. I’m a long way from being poor, but security is expensive, and I don’t know how long it will take to untangle financially
from her. I want to put Gus’s money to work upgrading The White Paw.”

  “Julio was right to leave the ranch to you, August, but your plans won’t be worth a nickel if you aren’t alive to see them through. At least let me talk to the sheriff. I won’t give him any details, but I’ll ask him to watch for any tough-looking strangers asking a lot of questions. It’s a small town. Someone like that’ll stick out like a bowtie on a pig.”

  “Okay.” August stared up at the ceiling. It couldn’t hurt. “I’ll call you in a few days to see what he said.”

  “Fine. Talk to BJ. I think y’all should at least let Hawk know what’s up.”

  “If I get a hint that Reyes has found me, I’ll take off. I’m not going to put the men here in danger.” She and BJ had argued long and bitterly over that.

  “I’m saying just in case he catches you by surprise.”

  It wasn’t something she wanted to consider. If she really cared that much about BJ, Pops, and the rest, she’d pack up and leave now. But she didn’t want to. This was her one safe place. They were her real family, her only family now that Gus and Julio were gone and Christine had betrayed her. When Julio left the ranch to her, he left BJ and Pops in her care.

  “I’ll think about it,” she said. “By the way, how are you coming on that new will for me? God knows, the last thing I want is for Reyes to kill me and Christine to inherit this ranch along with all my other assets.”

  “Well, I should have all the information I need in a couple of days.”

  “What’s the delay?”

  “Your daddy’s lawyer has added some stipulations to the family trust that you’ll inherit upon the death of your parents.”

  “Ah, yes. I’m sure they wouldn’t want my lesbian partner to get any of the family money.”

  “More like, your daddy didn’t want Julio or The White Paw to get any of that money. I’ve asked a probate judge to give me an opinion on it, so I can be specific in the way I write your will. He might advise that you go ahead and challenge it now, but it shouldn’t keep us from putting together a will for you in the meantime.”

  “Okay. Well, thanks for letting me know about the deed.”

  “August.”

  “Yes?”

  “If you’ve got a gun, load it and keep it with you.”

  “I do, and I will.”

  But she didn’t have to think about that today. She stood and closed the office door, then found the stiletto Julio kept in the desk drawer. Damn, she missed him. Dark and handsome, Julio was the stereotype of a Latino prince. And, the man loved fancy knives. She chuckled to herself. Who else would keep a stiletto in his desk to open mail? She looked at the box. Or a special gift?

  August slit the tape carefully and flipped back the flaps to reveal the smooth, soft, latte-colored felt. She lifted the Stetson from the box. It would be the perfect complement to certain beautiful dark-brown eyes.

  Chapter Ten

  Teal ran cold water into her bathroom sink while she stripped off her shirt and bra. She felt sticky with sweat even after the past few hours cooking and eating dinner in the house’s air-conditioning. She soaked a bath cloth in the water and washed the dried perspiration from her face, neck, and breasts. God, that felt good.

  Even though the sun was sagging toward the distant mountain peaks, the afternoon had cooled only a little. She had to keep the boots and jeans since they were going riding, but she put on a clean bra and a sleeveless V-neck cotton pullover. She stared at her reflection, then went back to her bureau and dug through a set of bandanas that’d been there when she moved into the room. One of them matched the blue-green of her shirt perfectly.

  She returned to the bathroom to tie her hair back with it, then changed her mind as she stared into the mirror. She tied the bandana around her neck in a jaunty knot instead. She’d leave her hair down. August seemed to like it that way. Not that silent and sexy would do anything about it. But, God, she wanted her to. Damn that ex-law partner. She’d left August as skittish as a newborn colt. When something wasn’t working in her life, Teal always found it best to cut her losses and put it behind her. Just like she’d left that mousy farm girl behind when she drove off to college. Just like she was going to put Senator Lauren Abbott behind her. Teal winked at her reflection. Maybe August needed a little push to dump her baggage, too. They both deserved something fun in their lives.

  Teal found August waiting for her on the porch. She had changed into a sleeveless shirt, too, since the sun was low enough that sunburn wasn’t likely. White with Western pockets and pearl snaps instead of buttons. She looked good. Teal licked her lips. Tasty. August was watching her with a question in her eyes. Surely she hadn’t been out of circulation so long she didn’t know when she was being cruised.

  August was wearing her usual weathered, dark-brown Stetson but held another, lighter-brown one that looked new. “Thinking of breaking in a new hat?” Maybe that had caused August’s pensive expression.

  August smiled and held out the one in her hands. “Nope. This one’s for you. Try it on.”

  “Really? For me?”

  “Yep. Those ears of yours are getting crispy. I can’t have you suing the ranch if they wither and fall off because you’ve been wearing a ball cap to deliver lunch to the wranglers every day.”

  “I’ve been using sunscreen, but I think I sweat it off after about ten minutes in this heat.”

  “It’s never this hot so early in the year. The past month has been a record for the Panhandle.” August gestured at the hat. “See if it fits.”

  Teal finger-combed her hair behind her ears the way she’d seen August do and settled the hat on her head. It fit firmly over her brow. She grinned at August. “How do I look?”

  August stared.

  “August?”

  “Uh, great.” Her response was a little hoarse, and she cleared her throat. “You’re a natural cowgirl.”

  “I love it. Thank you.” She was mindful to tilt her head so the brims of their hats didn’t collide and gave August a quick peck on the cheek. “My ears thank you, too.”

  August’s neck and ears reddened, but she smiled. “Let’s go check on that calf.”

  *

  The wind that rippled the pasture grass was hot, but at least the air was moving. The grazing herd had left the shade near the creek. Teal spotted her calf, napping in the grass near his mama. They dismounted and dropped the reins of the horses. Trained to ground tie, they’d stay while Teal and August walked closer to make sure the calf was only sleeping. The heifer stopped feeding and watched as they approached. She bellowed, then positioned herself between them and her calf as he roused and stood.

  “She’s a good mama,” Teal said. Cows that were not successful breeders or failed to nurture their babies properly would go to the auction yard along with the steers or cows too old to breed.

  August nodded, her eyes roaming across the open pasture.

  “Now what are you thinking about?” Teal kept her voice soft, hoping a gentle probe would finally entice August to talk. She watched August scan the clouds building in the distance. She already could feel the air thickening with humidity. Thunderstorms were a near-daily occurrence this time of year.

  August’s eyes stayed on the horizon. “I was thinking how I’m going to change things around here.”

  “Change things? Oh. You mean like using a local anesthetic when you castrate babies?” She smiled when August ducked her head and blushed.

  “That calf would still have his balls if you hadn’t been with me.”

  Teal took a chance and stepped close to hook her arm around August’s. “Yeah. I know.” When August didn’t pull away, she slid her hand down August’s tanned forearm and entwined their fingers, giving August’s hand a slight squeeze.

  “I’ve done a lot of things. I shot a drugged-out guy in the leg once when he came in our law office, threatening one of my paralegals. They’d been dating, and she dumped him when she found out he was a druggie. When he pulled a k
nife and started for her, I didn’t think twice about pulling that trigger.” She shot a sideways glance at Teal. “But I just can’t slice through warm skin with a razor.” She didn’t release Teal’s hand but turned to face her. “Hell, my only grade in college below an ‘A’ was in biology lab. They wanted us to dissect fetal pigs, and I just couldn’t do it. I flunked that part of lab and didn’t flunk the entire course only because I aced the written test from studying drawings. Stupid, huh?”

  “I think that’s incredibly sweet.” She held August’s gaze, watching as her expression went from shy to serious. Teal gently disengaged her hand from August’s to give her breathing room. “So, what other things are you planning to change as ranch boss?”

  August’s expression lightened as her gaze wandered the open pasture again. “Normally, that little guy we tagged this afternoon would stay on the ranch until after he was weaned from his mother. He’d be about a year old, give or take a month. Then he’d be sold to the finishers, who would fatten him the last few months of his short life.”

  Teal liked a good steak as well as the next person, but she didn’t like to think about why animals were raised on a farm or a ranch. Even on a dairy farm, the youngsters unfortunate enough to be born bullocks had a ninety-nine percent chance of ending up in butcher wrap. “You’re going to make a pet out of him?”

  August barked a short laugh, then spread her arms toward the open field. “This ranch can support a lot more cattle than Julio’s been keeping.” She put her hands on her hips and faced Teal again, her eyes bright. “I’m going to tap into the growing demand for grass-fed beef.” She shrugged. “I am a rancher, and people are always going to eat meat. But my cows won’t go to a crowded feedlot when they’re a year old, where they’re stuffed with high-calorie meals without room to exercise, then slaughtered at fourteen to sixteen months old.” She shook her head. “My cows will spend three years roaming my lush pastures. Then they’ll only be sold to a packing house that I’m satisfied is set up so their last hours aren’t spent in fear, and they’ll be killed quick and humanely.”