Rebel Heart

by Barbara McMahon

  Gary hobbled ahead and began cutting the next section. Coughing in the thick air, she ignored discomfort and worked quietly, desperately. Slowly but surely they moved along the fence, destroying all the work that had gone in to stringing the fence in the first place.

  Shannon kept a wary eye on the cattle, noting with relief that some of them were drifting her way, taking advantage of the openings and moving away from the encroaching flames. Their panic was abating now that they had a clear path ahead.

  She heard thundering hooves and looked around. Jase and Dink rode by, mere silhouettes against the fiery glow. Dawn was still an hour or more away. Shannon returned to work, the need to keep her cattle safe uppermost in her mind. Coughing in the thick smoke, she tried to see the next strand. Her eyes watered almost too much to see.

  Afraid to get too far from the truck, she jogged back to it, started it up and moved it ahead. She rejoined Gary, cutting, wrapping the dangerous barbed wire round the posts so cattle wouldn’t get caught in it, moving on to the next section of fence. She moved the truck again.

  When she heard the thunder, she looked up again. It wasn’t caused by lightning this time, but by the sound of cattle as men pushed the steers away from the flames.

  “Gary, come on, run. Head for the truck until they’ve passed.”

  She ran for the limited safety of the pickup. Gary was only a few steps behind her. In seconds they were surrounded by frantic cattle. The noise was fierce, the confusion rampant. Crazed with fear, the cattle ran blindly. Several bumped into the truck, rocking it. Time and time again Shannon held her breath, wondering if the pickup would protect them as the cattle surged past. Swerving around the truck, the cattle continued their frantic pace.

  The line of flames drew steadily closer. Shannon could clearly see Jase and Dink silhouetted in the light of the fire. Her heart caught several times when Jase seemed to head Shadow directly into the flames to try to turn a maddened steer. Each time they turned away unscathed she breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Best be moving away from the fire ourselves, Shannon,” Gary said as the fire drew close.

  She started the engine and turned to the next section. In the distance she could hear the wail of a fire engine, see the flashing lights. Thank God, help at last.

  She pulled up a few yards and stopped, her lights flashing to let the firemen know where they were. The fire engine swerved and headed directly for her. In only moments a dozen men jumped out and headed toward the fire to assess the situation. Shannon ran to join them, Jase rode up on Shadow.

  “You got here fast,” Jase said, dismounting beside the chief.

  “We’re from a substation near this side of town. The others will be along as soon as they can get here. How long’s it been burning?”

  “We don’t know, but figure a few hours. Depending where it started, it’s burned a lot of acreage. The river is over yonder and would have stopped it there.”

  “Yes, and the highway along the north boundary will stop it eventually. That leaves this area and to the south.”

  “If it continues in this direction it’ll get the house and barns.”

  “We’ll stop it before then, but not much before, unless I miss my guess.”

  “Can you put it out?” Shannon asked.

  “Ma’am, the line looks to be over a couple of miles in length. With this wind, and the grass as dry as it is, it’ll take more than what we’ve got to stop it completely anytime soon. Best to just contain what we can and let it burn itself out. We want to keep your livestock safe, keep your buildings. Beyond that…” He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  “You have tractors coming?” Jase asked.

  “Yes, three. Two from our department, one from one of the local ranchers. As soon as they get here, we’ll start to work on the firebreaks.”

  “Start around the house first,” Jase said.

  “Right. Then we’ll pull in between the cattle and the fire line and do what we can.”

  “We’ll try to bunch the herd, keep it tight and as far from the fire line as we can. We need some more help, though.”

  “I’ll get a horse,” Shannon said.

  “No. We’ll need food, coffee. You do that,” Jase said.

  “Forget it. This is my place, in case you’ve forgotten. I’ll help defend it.” She would not be shunted off like some helpless female.

  “God, you’re headstrong.” He reached out to encircle her neck with his hand, drawing her up for a quick, hard kiss. “Stay away from the fire,” he ordered.

  “You, too,” she said, turning back to the truck.

  “Gary, I’m getting a horse, can you stay here and help however they need it?”

  He nodded.

  “I’ll give you a ride back, if you like, ma’am.” The fire chief caught up with her. “I need your phone and that’ll leave the truck with your man.”

  “Thanks.”

  As they drove to the ranch house, two more tanker trucks passed them. Shannon was relieved at the quick response, she only wished they had known about the fire earlier. How much of her range land had been destroyed? Had any cattle been burned?

  The first trailer with a tractor pulled into the yard just as they arrived. The fire chief jumped out and went to give directions to the crew while Shannon hurried to the barn to saddle Bugle. She couldn’t believe what had happened in the short time since Jase had wakened her. Dawn was beginning to break in the eastern sky. It would help to have light to see what they were doing. How long before the blaze could be extinguished?

  Her heart pounded with fear. What would she do if she lost everything. Surely they could protect the house. The fire was still a ways away.

  No time to worry about that now. What happened, happened. Now she was anxious to get back to help. She rode out of the yard at a gallop.

  The wind blew, fed by the heat of the flames. After a while a fire generated its own wind; how much stronger would it become? She rode toward the fire line. The hot, acrid air burned her lungs, her eyes. She wished she'd remembered to get a bandanna. She used one at branding time, it would help now. But she didn't want to take the time to ride back home to find one.

  The cacophony of sound was awful, worse than any roundup she’d attended, worse than the branding and notching she’d worked. The cattle were frantic, milling around, bawling and snorting, thundering first this way then that. It was impossible to contain them with only two men. Even with her help, they wouldn't be able to do much but keep them away from the fire.

  The horses whinnied their protest, their hooves rumbling. The snap and spit of the fire, the hoarse shouts of the fire fighters all blended to add to the chaos.

  Jase and Shadow worked tirelessly, constantly turning the cattle from the fire line when the steers tried to break toward it in their panic. Shannon joined him and Dink. They needed a dozen men to do the job right. Maybe more would come. She had asked the fire chief to send any volunteers as they arrived. But she didn’t have time to think about that now, she had to keep those steers away from the fire. She kicked her horse in front of one recalcitrant animal and headed him back.

  The tanker truck had moved to her left, spreading down a line of water in an effort to stop a portion of the fire. With the wind gusting behind them, and the heat of the flames as it consumed the raw grass, it was a futile effort at best.

  Where were the dozers? That's what they needed.

  Shannon felt the intensity of the heat, heard the crackling as the grass flashed into flame. Her own mount was uneasy and no wonder. Skittish cattle on one hand, a threatening fire behind it, it was a wonder Bugle responded as well as he did.

  Time seemed to stand still. Again and again she moved the cattle, again and again breaking left or right to head a recalcitrant steer back. They were moving steadily closer to the house. It seemed as if she played the same scene over and over.

  A roar behind her caused her to turn in the saddle. Her truck had been engulfed in flames. For one panicked moment
she wondered if Gary were in it. But he would have no reason to be in it. He was working with the firefighters.

  Sparing only a brief regret for the loss of her vehicle, she moved closer, crowding the cattle, urging them away from the confusion and danger .

  In the distance she saw the tractors. The wide swath they plowed would be the firebreak. They needed to cut a path the entire length for containment. If the fire jumped at any point, they would have the situation all over again.

  Smoke blew thicker now, low along the ground, choking everyone. The wind gusted, swirled around, feeding the fire even as the dry grass fed it. Shannon kept rubbing her eyes, they watered in the smoky air, her vision blurred. How much longer would they have to keep it up? The sun shone overhead, its heat exacerbating the fiery air generated by the fire. She had long since given up any hope of knowing what time it was, of wondering if she could get a cold drink somewhere. It felt as if her whole being revolved around driving the cattle away from the fire. She almost couldn’t remember doing anything else.

  Bugle stumbled. She caught him up. Two steers brushed into him. He stumbled again and she fell over his shoulder, hitting the ground in a numbing jar. Scrambling to her feet, she was relieved to notice that she’d kept the reins in her hand.

  “Easy, fellow. We’re fine.” She patted his neck, trying to calm him. When he took a step, he favored his offside foreleg.

  “No! Not now, Bugle. I need you.” She ran her hand down his foreleg. There was already swelling near the hoof. She couldn’t ride him if he were injured. Two steers ran by, blinded by the smoke, bellowing long and loud.

  “Yes, you stupid animals, I feel that way myself.” She’d give anything to awaken in her bed and find out this was a nightmare.

  Knowing it wasn’t, she started for home, leading her injured horse.

  Behind her the heat grew more intense, the crackling louder. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the fire line only yards away. Fear swamped her. Could she outrun it? Could she force her horse to run with them both?

  Just then Jase thundered up, bandanna across his nose and mouth, his hat pulled low. He looked like a bandit.

  He looked like a knight in shining armor.

  “What the hell are you doing? Don’t you see how close the fire is?” He leaned over and swept her up before him.

  “Bugle’s injured. I took a spill. And yes, dammit, I see the fire.” Even as she gasped out the words, he headed Shadow away from the fire. They mingled with the cattle, Bugle straining to keep up. Shannon held his reins in a tight grip, not going to lose one of her best horses if she could help it.

  “God, Jase, it’s awful. I’ve never lived through anything like this.” She wanted to cry, wanted to turn back the clock, wanted the fire to be out!

  “Yeah, it’s bad. But we’ve got a lot more men helping now. You take Bugle back to the barn and see to him. They should have the firebreak completed around the house. If we can keep the fire from jumping it, we’ll be home-free.”

  “If I have a home.”

  “They’ll save your home, darlin’. Go on.” He dropped her well beyond the fire line. She wanted him to go with her, but before she could say a word, he headed back to the thick of things. With a frustrated sigh, she turned and started walking toward the barn, leading her limping horse.

  The last of the fire fighters left just after sundown. The firebreak the tractors plowed held. Deprived of its fuel, the greedy flames gradually died down. The cattle were all contained in sections of the range nearest the house. Dozens of women and men from neighboring ranches had come to help, with the cattle, the fire fighting, or bringing food to feed the army of workers. Everyone had been fed and sent home.

  Shannon was numb, so tired she could scarcely see, too tired to even get up and go to bed. She sat on the back steps, having waved off the last of the volunteers. She was so grateful for the volunteers who had worked hard to save her home.

  Would she ever be able to move again?

  “Go to bed, darlin’,” Jase said, coming in from the barn.

  “How are the horses?” she asked listlessly. She should have seen to some of them. Jase was recovering from injuries. Dink and Gary were too old to be doing all they'd done today.

  “All doing fine. The vet looked at Bugle, wrapped the leg, gave him something for the swelling. Shadow got a couple of burns, nothing major. The horses the Johnsons used were burned a little, they’re fine, too.” He sank beside her. They both smelled of smoke.

  “Did this destroy the ranch?” she asked, voicing her deepest fear.

  “Nope. Might have set you back a bit.”

  “A bit? I was set back a bit when Rod stole all the money. This is more than a bit.”

  “From what we can tell, you have most of your herd, you still have your land, once the rains come, the grass will grow.”

  “Sure, but you know what, Jase? It’s been a long time since we've had much rain. Then there’s the winter. I have no feed for this herd. Where am I going to get the money to carry me over the winter?”

  “My offer as partner still stands,” he said slowly.

  She sighed and slowly rose. She ached all over. She was so tired she could scarcely breathe and so dirty and smelly she could hardly stand herself.

  “I’m going to bed, after I take a long, hot shower.”

  “Shannon, think on it.” Jase stood, as well. He brushed his thumb across one of her cheeks, studying the soot he wiped off.

  “I have some insurance, I don’t need a partner,” she said, turning to go into the house.

  Shannon slept twelve hours straight. It was late morning when she awoke. For a long moment she lay in bed, mustering the energy to get up and face all the work needed to recover from the fire.

  She’d had a hard time when Bobby left, then died. A hard time when Rod had absconded with her funds.

  But this just might be more than she could manage.

  Yet the ranch was her responsibility. She had only herself to depend upon.

  And Jase.

  Could she depend upon him? He had done so much yesterday. He knew what was needed. She could rely on him. She knew it. Yet reliance could be dangerous. She must not learn to depend upon him. They both knew he’d be leaving in a few weeks. She’d learn what she could from him, knowing she had to stand on her own in the end.

  There was so much to do, she couldn’t afford the luxury of lying in bed.

  Two hours later Shannon wished desperately she had stayed in bed. Slowly she replaced the receiver. She felt lost. Totally numb. She didn’t have any idea where to turn. Slowly her eyes raised to gaze out the window. She remembered the dreams she'd had when she and Bobby first bought the ranch. How those dreams had slowly changed when he’d left to resume the rodeo circuit.

  Her whole life had been tied up in this ranch for the last four years.

  Tears welled, spilled over. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t think. She felt cold deep inside, cold and sick and afraid. What was she going to do?

  “Shannon, did you tell Dink to—” Jase came into the study and stopped dead, stunned by the tears coursing down her cheeks.

  “Shannon, what’s the matter?” He crossed the room in firm strides, going around the desk to her. Leaning over, he brushed away the tears. They kept falling.

  “Darlin’, what’s the matter?” His voice was soft, crooning. He lifted her up and sat in the chair, holding her in his lap.

  The tight control Shannon had tried to hold on to broke. Burying her face in his chest, she let the tears fall. All her hard work and efforts were for naught. She was going to lose her ranch.

  “He didn’t pay the insurance premium,” she said finally.

  “What?”

  “Rod didn’t pay the insurance premium. He stole that money, too. I’m not covered for the fire. Oh, Jase, what am I going to do?” Her hand clutched a fistful of his shirt, as if that small reality could hold her together.

  “The insurance lapsed?” he asked to clarify.


  She nodded, the ache in her heart growing. She felt sick.

  “If Rod were here I’d strangle him,” she said bitterly.

  “You’d have to get in line, darlin’. I’m not feeling too friendly toward the man myself,” Jase said, rubbing his good hand across her back, soothing her with his touch.

  “How bad is it?” she asked.

  Jase had left her a note that morning telling her he’d gone out to inspect the damage with the fire marshal.

  “Over sixty percent of the range is burned, including all the land near the river. Water for the cattle is going to be a problem since there isn’t any grazing near it.”

  “Figures, what’s one more problem.” She didn’t want to move. Somehow being held by Jase made the problems seem almost manageable. She’d have to push away soon, but for the time being, she relished being held as if she were cherished.

  “And the cattle?” she asked, conscious of his steady heartbeat beneath her fingers. Taking comfort in it.

  “We lost about ninety head.”

  She sat up and stared at him. “No! Ninety?”

  He shrugged, tugging her back against his chest. “It could have been worse. Most of them were steers, but a few were calves.”

  “Do I have any cattle left? After you bought so many, and now I’ve lost so many, am I still in business?”

  “I’ll take a proportional share of the loss,” he murmured.

  “No, I can’t let you do that.”

  “You can’t stop me, Shannon. Let’s not argue about this now. We’ve got to start making plans for the next six or eight months. The way I see it, we need to get feed to the section near the river. Then they’ll have food and water all in the same area.”

  “And just who do you think is going to extend me enough credit to get food for all those steers for months on end?”

  “Let’s think this through logically. You need an extensive influx of capital. Enough to tide you over until next spring at the earliest. Taking out a loan will set you back for even longer.”

  She sighed and sat up, resting her hands on his shoulders. “So, we’re back to the partnership thing, are we?”