The Last Celtic Angel

by Wallace Jan Ecklof

  Feeling competent about herself gets Deanna out of her mood that Katy put her in, so good, in fact, she starts to think about what they could have for dinner to celebrate the new job and landing her first journalistic interview. Deanna knows her son Jonah will be happy for her at least. She’ll call and order Chinese, and they all enjoy that.

  Deanna thanks God Katy is her only worry right now; and of course how to pay for Jonah’s college next year. He feels confident that he’ll win a scholarship for Honors. He’s still toying with the idea of going to a college, where can he complete in the National College Rodeo. She knows he’s pretty good, but she doesn’t want him to throw away a chance at becoming a lawyer either.

  Katy is coming down the walk now, and by her walk, she does not seem to be in a more pleasant mood than when they arrived “Hi Honey, how did it go, feeling better?”

  “No, he is such a dick!”

  “Katy, you know I don’t like that kind of talk.” Deanna says to her sharply.

  “Yeah, I’m sorry, but I talk, he writes and just smiles with that stupid smile of his and then asks me more questions, and he never has any answers. I hate him; I don’t see why I have to go to see him at all.” She sounds depressed.

  “Look Katy, I understand I really do, but when you took all those pills you took it out of our hands. Try to work with the doctor, and then we can get you out of therapy and work on us being a family again.”

  “Are you and Dad going to get back together, because that was when we were a family? Now we are all boarders living under the same roof and not talking, or we’re fighting. You know there are times when I hate you for throwing my father out and ruining my life.” Anger fills her words. Deanna has no answer, so she drives in silence; she’ll order the food when they get home; the least said now the better.

  They pull into the driveway, and she jumps out of the truck crying again, heading to go talk to her horse. Deanna is at her wits end as to what to do with her anymore.

  “Hi Mom, how was your day.” Jonah calls, that would be Deanna’s son by her first marriage.

  “It was great; I’ll tell you after I order some Chinese food. We can sit down, and you can tell me how your day was, then I will fill you in on mine.”

  Watching Katy walk away, Deanna feels not quite as elated as she was before Katy came down from the doctor’s office. Deanna’s shoulder’s slump as she walks in with Jonah, thinking how different they are. He’s upbeat, happy and helpful while she is morose and unhappy most of the time. She thinks Katy feels responsible for the divorce.

  Steve is her father and not Jonah’s. She was too young to tell the truth, unlike Jonah. If Deanna told her the truth now she wouldn’t believe her. She was always so close to her father, she prays to God, that he stops using Katy to get back at her, and she starts to get well.

  “Well Mom what happen with the job interview, did you get it?” He asks her with hopefulness in his voice.

  She looks up and smiles, “Yes, I did, and they gave me a very difficult assignment. My boss gave me a really tough one, trying to get an interview with a reclusive man at a new ranch just outside of the Village.

  “Wow that’s great, what are you going to be writing a story about, the ranch or the man?” Jonah sits down across the table and smiles up at her.

  “No one from the magazine has been successful in getting an interview, guess what…I got one today and I have to be there tomorrow and have lunch with the owner. By the way, if the phone rings tonight it might be my work calling with some research stuff I asked for. Make sure you tell Katy in case I forget.

  Why don’t you call in an order of Chinese food, Katy always gets the same, and I will have spare ribs with pork fried rice? I’m going to change and feed the horses and put up some hay.

  “OK Mom I’ll call than come and help,” Jonah calls after her as she heads up the stairs. “I love you Mom.”

  “Love you too; there are days when I don’t know if I would make it without you.” She blows him a kiss and goes up stairs to get into her ranch clothes.

  CHAPTER 3

  “In Search Of The Truth”

  It’s nine o’clock and Deanna is drinking her coffee when the phone rings, she flips the intercom button. “Hello Deanna here,” she answers casually.

  “Hello Deanna, This is Collins, I have some more stuff that our people dug up at the Hall of Records, but not much more than what we gave you the other day I’m afraid. When you talk to this guy, try to get some background on him and the real purpose of that ranch. His rehab certificate is for children in crisis, so at least it’s not a bunch of drunks moving into the Village. Get back to me after your meeting with him. Oh by the way, do you want Tim to meet you out there as well?”

  “No, let me talk to Doyle and make sure a photographer will be alright, and then we can set up a longer interview time and photo session later. It might scare him off if I show up with a cameraman at the first meeting. If he says “no” there won’t be much of a story anyway.”

  “Alright you got the interview so go with it, but if it blows up Ellsworth is going to have a conniption fit and you and I might be looking for gainful employment, so keep that in mind. I’ll send over by fax the stuff I have, what’s the number?”

  Deanna gives Collins the fax number, and he hangs up. Waiting for the fax, Deanna begins to wonder what to wear. She decides on a simple shirt top and jeans with paddock boots, after all she’s going to a ranch and told him she owned a farm also.

  After lunch, she‘ll ask him to show her around the place. Deanna wonders how old he is, his voice sounded not young, but definitely not as old as Haskell’s. The limited bio she has of him does not indicate if he is married or single, maybe there is a Mrs. Doyle somewhere. The fax may illuminate something new on him and the purpose of the ranch.

  Deanna goes downstairs and looks over the fax, just two pages not much in there mostly tax records and permits. Here’s something interesting he’s sponsored three Mexican Nationals for work visas and two Argentineans. She wonders why, unless he has some Spanish heritage he would bother to help get visas for South Americans with so many Hispanics looking for work in the county. Is there a connection, maybe something else for her to note down for the interview?

  Deanna looks up in her Spanish Dictionary, to find out exactly what the name of his ranch means, she puts each word together and finds that in English it translates to mean “Ranch of the Angels.” A strange name for a piece of property Deanna muses. More questions for her to ask him, she has to start writing these things down so she’ll remember to ask about them.

  Continuing to work for two additional hours on the topics that she wants to pursue today, Deanna must keep in mind that she wants a more in depth interview after working out an outline for the piece. She must remember to try keeping the more pointed ones for this one and save the others for possibly afterward in the week if he agrees to let her do the story.

  It’s almost twelve thirty, she checks herself in the mirror and thinks she’ll get high marks, makeup is neat not too much, shirt is perky and the jeans look pretty good. The hair is her only concern; she thinks it will look good in a pony tail…… Yup, the country look, that looks much better she decides. Heading for her car she hesitates, thinking the truck would be better, more down to earth. Putting the tape recorder and notes in the truck, she takes inventory once more before starting out.

  Arriving at the entrance to the access road to the ranch, she stops by the intercom and announces herself and the gate swings open. Coming to a Bougainvillea covered entrance gate she pulls the truck through and parks. Deanna sees a tall man standing in front of a Spanish style hacienda home. She notices his physical characteristics right away; he has blondish hair and broad shoulders that taper down to a narrow work hardened waist. He’s wearing jeans and a shirt with pearl button down pockets and boots with run down heals. Deanna takes him for one of the cowboys who work at the ranch.

  He walks up and opens the truck door, a smile
on his face and the deepest blue eyes she’s ever seen, warm and piercing. His age she would put somewhere in the mid forties, his looks are rugged but very handsome.

  “Ms. Quinn, I’m Jamie Doyle, it’s a pleasure to welcome you to my home, won’t you, please come in.” His voice, it’s different than the other day on the phone it falls gently on her ear.

  Deanna is taken off guard, she was expecting him to look quite different, and taking her by the arm Jamie escorts Deanna into the hacienda. The front entrances are double dark oak and hand carved, the foyer is cool and lightly lit with several areas extending from it.

  “I asked Rosa to serve us lunch on the rear patio if you don’t mind. The view of the lake is very tranquil, and the western breeze today is delightful, but we can also eat in the dining area under air if you prefer.” He has an easy and comfortable manner. Deanna is impressed with his style.

  “Wherever you would be more comfortable is fine with me Mr. Doyle.” Deanna says to him in her most courteous manner. She can’t help but admire the interior decorating as they proceed to the patio; it’s Southwestern and very Spanish, with pictures of people Deanna assumes are his family.

  “I was not sure as to what you might prefer so I left it up to Rosa; she felt you would like something light, and easy. I’ve found Rosa is usually right, so I never contradict her judgment.” Deanna wonders who Rosa is, his wife perhaps.

  Pulling out a chair and holding it for her, Deanna can’t help but notice that his mannerisms are different than any man she’s ever met, except for Roberto. Almost nineteenth century, his every movement is natural and his touch puts her at ease immediately.

  “May I suggest a glass of wine if that would be alright, some fine Pinot Grigio perhaps? If not, I have many other excellent wines if you prefer.”

  “That would be wonderful; it will go marvelously with this setting. It’s so gorgeous here and your home is beautiful. Who did your decorating; I have never seen anything like it?” She remarks, trying to make small conversation.

  “Actually Rosa and Dyon are the masterminds of all this. I would have something more like a tack room if it were left to me” His smile reflects a sense of humor but with a lot of honesty. She decides to be very careful with this man, she likes him already and the magazine expects her stay objective.

  “Ed told me that he knew you as a young girl and your family back in Virginia. Are they there now?”

  “My mother is, my Dad and first husband passed away some years ago. I settled here with my second husband after we were married.” A look crosses his face, than it’s gone.

  “Oh, you’re married that must be a very full life? Running a farm and working for the magazine, plus taking care of a home must keep you very busy, do you have any children?”

  She suddenly senses he is interviewing her instead of the other way around. Deanna realizes that if he’s put on the defensive, than she may not get the interview the magazine was hoping for. So she answers his questions.

  “It is, but I must confess something Mr. Doyle, My name is Gaynor, and I’m divorced. I allowed Mr. Haskell to assume that I still went by the name of Quinn in the hope that he would help me get this interview with you. It’s very hard raising two children, a boy and a girl, running the farm and trying to work.

  He stares at her for what seems like a long time, his hands clasped together under his chin. He’s looking at her with those piercing eyes, as though he were looking deep into her. Deanna wonders if she has just shot herself in the foot.

  “First, please call me Jamie as we will be working very closely on what I can assure you, will be an incredible story. Over the next couple of weeks, you will learn about this ranch, and me, and what we hope to accomplish here. It’s one that can’t be told nor seen in only a few days’ times. Secondly, I promised Ed that I would help you, and he has been a devoted friend for a very long time.

  Ah, I see that Rosa is bringing the wine and some lunch. Rosa this is Senora Deanna, I would appreciate if you and the vaqueros would answer any questions she may have, as I have decided to be interviewed for her magazine.

  Deanna please allow me to introduce the woman who runs Rancho de Los Angeles”

  “I am very pleased to meet you Senora, the Patron is very much like an errant child and needs a Mamacita[2].” She looks at him and scowls. Rosa is young, I would have thought the way he spoke of her that she would be much older. The lunch consists of a delicious looking salad some cheese and flat bread that look like a pita and a bowl of salsa.

  “I hope you will like your lunch Senora Deanna, I thought if you were to take a tour of the Rancho with the Patron it might be better if you had nothing heavy sometimes he forgets that we are not all like him”

  Jamie looks up and smiles affectionately and says “Thank You Mama” and he chuckles.

  The lunch and the conversation are light and wonderful. She feels that they are connecting and coming to know each other better. Waiting for an opportunity to ask if he has any children, she observes a wedding band, but it’s on the wrong hand.

  “By the way, is Mrs. Doyle as involved in the ranch as you are?” He looks at her with that searching look again, not answering right away, just looking. Seeing a pained look upon his face and his eyes change, sadness comes over them for only a moment, then change back as Jamie answers.

  “She would have been very much involved, but sadly she passed away about three years ago, this was very much a part of her dream. In a way it has become somewhat like a memorial to her. We had talked about doing this for quite a number of years. I had to put it off when she became so ill, it took me awhile to start to dream again. I guess it was Dyon that got me back on track. You’ll like her; she is very honest also, like you.”

  “Dyon, is she your daughter?”

  “No she’s my ward and my student. One of the things we hope to do here is providing a place where children in crisis can belong, a place where they feel safe and can learn to cope with their problems.

  Dyon was involved in a car thief and was a tough street kid; no family except a gangster brother heading for God knows what. She was the first child the State placed here a little over a year ago. Now she’s an accomplished equestrian, honor student and quite a young woman who is going to rock this world of ours.”

  “Do you have any other children here?”

  “We now have a total of four students here all girls. Having Rosa living at the ranch is kind of like a mother, it has been better to accept girls. Next year we hope to bring in some boys and try that, but for this year the state has placed three girls in addition to Dyon”

  “Do they live here at the ranch or are they dropped off for therapy?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact they do. T.J. stays here five days a week and visits her mother most weekends, and she’s ten. Tia and Marianna have their own rooms, unfortunately they have no visits and very little parental time and then only under proper supervision.”

  “Could you explain how your program works? How do you handle their treatment, are they each required to have their own therapist?” She asks that because of Katy’s required treatment.

  “No we use equine therapy and a healthy home environment, instead of doctors and questions. Eduardo, that’s Rosa’s husband, picks them all up from school and brings them home for their chores, homework and riding lessons. One of the things that we use, are horses and all these girls have one thing in common, they love horses. It calms them down being around the big animals. They all are given their own animal to take care of it gives them a sense of responsibility.” Jamie explains.

  “What kind of equestrian training are they doing?” Deanna moves the recorder over toward him. “Do you mind?”

  “No, not at all,” He replies.

  “Today you can plug recorders into laptops, and they will print the conversation to the hard drive.” She comments to him.

  He nods his head, “They are training for Hunters and Jumpers; in fact, we hope to be ready for this month’s Hor
se Show in Wellington.” He beams and his eye’s light with a fire and his smile is infectious even as he speaks of them.

  “What kind of problems do these girls have, emotional or mental?”

  Jamie stiffens before he answers, “Can we hold off on the problems for awhile until you meet them, I don’t want to embarrass them with people getting the wrong idea. I am aware of the concern that many of the blue bloods are having and the rumors are flying faster than winter geese. That’s why I said it was going to take you more than a few days to write this story, because I am using you to further their cause. Any of the motives that are in the back of your mind about me or the reason I bought this place will be made known to you. I hope that I will be able to prove to you that there is no fraud going on or schemes either, fair enough” he sits back and waits for her to respond.

  “You are direct I’ll give you that, You intrigue me Jamie, but I will promise this, I will hold nothing back, if I find something going on that’s not right I will print it.”

  He smiles and asks if she would like to see the ranch and the girl’s rooms.

  “Yes I would, thank you.” He surprises her with a natural ease of manners not seen too often in twentieth century American men, like getting up and pulling out her chair for her.

  “We can begin at the barns if you like, we raise Corriente[3] cattle and train Hunter and Jumper horses here at the ranch. Mostly, the vaqueros take care of the cattle. I train the horses with some help from Dyon. She has a gentle hand with them and will make a fine trainer someday if that is what she wants to pursue.” His comments again hold that sense of pride, when he talks about them.

  “Corriente, aren’t they the ones used in Bull Fighting?” She asks him not quite sure if she’s correct.