by Merri Hiatt
“Not enough to clean stables first thing in the morning,” Bob said. “Are you thinking about making this your vocation?”
“Just curious. We’re paying to be here, but the real workers get a paycheck. If we weren’t here, more people would have jobs.”
“It probably helps the ranch out, though,” Meg said. “We’re not the most skilled work force, but maybe because we’ve paid a fee, it supplements the income of the workers.”
“I didn’t mind feeding and watering the sheep,” Courtney said. “Some of those rams were giving me the eye, though. Made me nervous. I was afraid I might piss one of them off and they’d take off a runnin’ and head butt me into the next paddock.”
“That would have been funny,” Jeremy said with a giggle.
“You think so, huh?” Courtney began to tickle him. “I’ll show you funny.”
“Stop!” Jeremy cried between fits of laughter.
“You’re going to make him choke. Let him swallow his food,” Meg said.
“He’s yelling, he’s fine.” She gave him one last tickle under his armpit. Jeremy squirmed and wiggled, then shoved the biscuit in his mouth.
“You don’t like those do you?” Brad asked.
“No, I don’t like ‘em. I love ‘em!” Jeremy said enthusiastically.
“I’ll take Diego for a walk, if you want,” Jacob said.
“I took him for one when we got back, but I’m sure he wouldn’t object to another one,” Brad said.
Jacob got up from the table and collected Diego’s leash. That was the only invitation he needed as he jumped from his comfortable seat on the sofa immediately, tail wagging in anticipation. Once the leash was hooked to his collar, they headed out the door.
Diego stopped every two feet to sniff and explore his new surroundings.
“Sure doesn’t smell like the city, does it?”
They meandered their way around the oak tree off to the right. It was surrounded by benches on all sides, making an octagon shape. Names had been carved into the aged wood. Jacob felt the indentions with his fingertip.
The ranch had history. He could feel it in his bones. He’d spent the better part of his life trying to escape his history. Jacob wondered how Red and the others could sing during the drought. He’d said they didn’t have any money, just food and shelter. That didn’t sound like much of a reason to live for.
Diego laid down, placing one paw on Jacob’s foot and then resting his head on it, almost as if he wanted to be sure he didn’t get up and leave when he wasn’t looking.
“I ain’t goin’ nowhere.” Jacob sighed. “Not right now anyway.”
Chapter Fourteen
“You’re feet are swollen. Why don’t you lay down for a bit,” Alex said.
“They’re not swollen that much. They were worse yesterday from sitting in the car,” Purity said.
“There’s a gazebo down by the orchard,” Courtney said. “We could all head down there. You could put your feet up and rest for a bit while the rest of us look around the ranch.”
“I want to look around the ranch, too,” Purity said.
“You can,” Alex said. “Just rest for half an hour, first.”
Purity frowned. “All right. I’m not an invalid.”
“Never said you were.”
Pure gave him a look that clearly said he may not have used those words, but he had implied them nonetheless.
After their leisurely breakfast, they all made their way down to the orchard gazebo. The ranch seemed much larger in the light of day.
“I had no idea there were so many outbuildings,” Meg said.
“How many acres do the Peterman’s own?” Court asked.
“Thirty. A lot of it hasn’t been cleared, though. I remember the brochure saying something about ten miles of fence that needs checking every day.”
“Ten miles?” Jeremy said. “That’s a lot. I don’t think I could even walk ten miles in a day.”
“I think they ride on horseback,” Brad said.
Jacob watched the group and decided to join them. Diego greeted Brad with a wet kiss.
“It’s good to see you, too,” Brad said.
“That dog is all tongue,” Courtney said.
“Kind of like someone else I know.”
“Are you complaining?”
“Absolutely not.” He grinned and pulled her close for a searing mid-morning kiss.
“Gross!” Jeremy said.
Jacob watched Courtney’s face flush and noticed her hand balled up tight with Brad’s shirt inside her fingers. She liked a man who wasn’t afraid to take charge. Not in an aggressive way, more like a passionate, you’re so hot you drive me crazy kind of way. He wondered if a girl would ever look at him that way.
Diego pulled on the leash, taking the lead as if he knew exactly where they were heading. Jacob had to run to catch up to him or be dragged behind.
“Take control,” Brad said. “You have to let him know who’s boss or he’ll pull you around the whole ranch.”
“Diego, stop!” Jacob hollered. “Stop!”
Diego ignored him.
“Diego, come.” Brad’s voice was firm and strong with a bite just under the surface that let anyone within earshot know he was the dominant one in their relationship.
Diego turned and ran back to the group, sitting directly at Brad’s feet.
“Good dog.” Brad praised him and rubbed his head. “If you shorten the leash and keep him by your side, it’ll be easier to keep control.”
“I thought he’d like it better if he could just go wherever he wanted,” Jacob said.
“That’s the thing about freedom, too much of it can make you a wanderer, drifting around aimlessly. If you have some limits and boundaries, you become more focused. Things are clearer.
It’d be like us trying to get to the orchard by heading toward the chicken coop. It would take us three times as long because we’d have to follow the trail all the way around the cow paddock and then the sheep paddock. But if we know where all the paths lead, we can choose the one that’s most efficient.”
“All you have to do is walk faster. I bet if I went the long way around and you guys took the efficient route, we’d get there at the same time.”
“Want to bet?”
“Sure. What’re the odds?”
“Loser has to do the winners’ chores tomorrow morning.”
“Brad, that’s not fair. You know our way is shorter,” Court said.
“Jacob’s the one who wants to prove a point. Let’s see if he can beat us.”
“No walking faster than you are right now,” Jacob said.
“Deal.” Brad and Jacob shook hands.
Jacob took off running.
“Wait! You can’t run!” Courtney cried.
“Let him run. He’ll never beat us. The gazebo’s right over there.” Brad pointed to the white structure in the middle of the apple orchard.
They kept their pace steady, making sure not to slow down or speed up so the bet would be fair. When they passed by the cow paddock, String and Jessica were standing over five downed cows.
“Something wrong?” Alex asked.
“Something’s wrong all right, but we have no idea what. They look lethargic and their eyes are glazing over. The calves are having trouble breathing,” Jessica said.
“First it was just one, but as time passed, all of ‘em seem to have caught something,” String said.
“It won’t affect humans, right?” Purity ran a hand over her belly.
“You’re probably fine, but just to be sure, I wouldn’t get too close. And, don’t work the cow paddock, even if you get assigned to it. Not until we find out what’s goin’ on here.”
They continued on the path to the orchard.
“They were fine this morning,” Courtney said. “Whatever it was acted fast. That’s weird. And scary.”
When they reached the gazebo steps, Brad scanned the area for signs of Jacob. “Guess I’m not doin’ chores tomorrow mornin�
��. Think I’ll sleep in.”
“I’m waking you up anyway. If I’m up, you’re up,” Court said.
“I think I’ll be the one sleepin’ in.” Jacob rolled out from under a bench inside the gazebo. “What took you guys so long? I was about to send out a search party.”
“How’d you get here so fast?” Meg asked.
“Did you cheat?” Bobby said.
“I didn’t cheat.” He turned to Brad. “You assumed I’d stay on the path because that’s what you were doing, but there were little connecting trails all over the place. I took those. And, I walked through the sheep paddock. That saved a lot of steps.”
“Very clever. My hat’s off to you,” Brad said.
Courtney leaned over and whapped the back of his cowboy hat so it fell of his head. “Now you’re hat’s off to him.”
Brad chuckled as he bent to retrieve it. “Look for a woman like Courtney, Jacob. Your life will not be boring.” He grabbed her around the waist, picked her up into the air and spun her around in circles as she squealed with surprise and delight.
Bobby got a mischievous glint in his eye.
“Don’t you dare, Bobby Zyetta.”
That was all the invitation Bob needed as he mimicked Brad’s motions until Meg was laughing and declaring if he didn’t stop she’d end up losing her breakfast.
Alex held Purity’s hand as he led her up the gazebo steps. When she was seated, he lifted her feet into his lap and removed her shoes and socks. He rubbed her feet gently as she leaned her head against the wooden backrest.
“You’re so beautiful.”
“I am not. I haven’t even had a shower yet. My hair’s a mess. I’ve got no make-up on. And, in about four seconds, I think the top button on my pants is going to go flying across the orchard.”
Alex smiled warmly. “You’re beautiful.”
“I see how he gets the women now,” Bobby said as he and Meg joined them on an opposite bench. “He woos them with compliments and rubs their toes.”
“You can woo me and rub my toes,” Meg said.
“But I already have you.”
“If you want to keep me, you’ll woo and rub.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Bobby tipped his hat, then removed Meg’s shoes and socks.
“I want some of this action,” Court said. “Except I hate when someone touches my feet. Take your boots off, Brad, and I’ll rub your feet.”
“It took me half an hour to get ‘em on.”
“Boots are easier to get off than put on.” Courtney grabbed the loops on either side of the boots and yanked with all her might. She and the boot went tumbling down the stairs.
“Holy crap! I don’t know my own strength.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Just injured my pride once again. Nothing new.”
“I sure wish I knew what was wrong with those cows,” Purity said. “You don’t really think it’s anything serious do you?” she asked Alex.
“What’s wrong with the cows?” Jacob asked.
“They’ve all come down with something,” Bobby said.
“Does anybody know what?”
“No. That’s the scary part,” Pure said. “I don’t want the baby catching anything.”
Jacob turned and began running toward the cow paddock.
“Where you goin’?” Meg asked.
“Look around.”
“If he’s just goin’ to look around, why is he running?” Court said.
Everyone looked at each other, but no one had an answer.
Chapter Fifteen
Jacob watched as six ranch hands discussed the symptoms the cows were experiencing. An older man with a black duffel bag was with them. He had a stethoscope and was putting something in the animals’ butt.
“Hey, Jacob,” Red said, joining him at the fence.
“What’s goin’ on?”
“Doc Williams is checkin’ their temperatures.”
“Does he have any idea what’s wrong with ‘em?”
“Not yet. Near as he can tell, it was something they ate, since all the cows were affected.”
“Could it be something in the water?”
“I don’t think so. We use the same water source for all the animals and none of the other ones are sick.”
“You said last night that you thought you saw someone down here at the paddock. Maybe whoever it was did something to ‘em.”
“I thought you were the person I saw down here last night.”
Jacob knew it was the moment of truth. If he told Red what happened, Purity and the baby might get hurt, but if he didn’t tell, and there was something in the water that could harm someone, the baby might catch it.
He felt trapped. Which decision would be the right one?
“Did you see someone down here last night?” Red asked.
Jacob made a fist with his right hand, trying to will himself to make a choice.
“Well?”
His lips felt dry, like they were made of dust.
“Did you?”
He glanced at his family and friends back at the gazebo.
“Yeah. I saw two guys. They put something in the water. I don’t know what.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this last night?”
“I didn’t think it was important.”
“You knew damn well it was important.” Red scowled, then headed toward the doctor. When he glanced back over at Jacob and pointed toward him, he felt about two inches tall.
The group walked over to Jacob.
“Tell me everything you saw and heard,” the doctor said.
“There wasn’t much. Just two tall guys. They were older than me.”
“How old?”
“I don’t know. They had families.”
“How’d you know that?”
“They said something about it later.”
“Did you have an entire conversation with these guys?”
“Sort of. Later. I mean, I saw them and heard them and then Red and Bart came down the path. The guys took off just before that. They said they heard someone comin’. Bart started countin’ cows and Red took off to look around. I headed down to the orchard. They caught up with me there and warned me not to say anything or they’d hurt my friends and family.
I ain’t proud of keepin’ quiet, but I felt I had to. You ain’t gonna tell my family, are you?”
“No,” Red said. “But you are.”
Red headed for the gazebo with Jacob following behind him at a slower pace. He wasn’t quite sure why he followed him. He could just as easily have headed the other direction and ran back to the barracks.
He respected Red. He had a quiet way about him that demanded it.
Red reached the gazebo first, then waited for Jacob without saying a word.
“What’s going on?” Bobby asked.
Red looked at Jacob.
Jacob met Bobby’s gaze directly. “I saw two guys puttin’ something in the water trough at the cow paddock last night and didn’t tell no one.”
“Jacob,” Meg said, disappointment encircling his name as she said it.
“Tell ‘em the rest,” Red said.
“That’s all there is.”
“Tell ‘em why you didn’t say nothin’.”
Jacob looked at the ground, their boot and shoe prints had left tracks in the dirt. “They warned me not to. Said they’d hurt you if I told anyone.”
“Oh, Jacob.” Meg flew from her spot in the gazebo and hugged him tightly. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. You did the right thing by telling about what happened.”
Bobby stood next to Meg. “You know how people say that you’re only as strong as your weakest link?”
Jacob nodded. He really didn’t want to hear about how he was the weakest link, but he took a deep breath and braced himself for his Dad’s words.
“You’re the strongest link in this chain.”
“What?” Jacob said.
“Yeah, what?” Courtney said.
“He’s right,” Meg said. “We should be able to talk about anything – good, bad or ugly. I’m sorry you didn’t believe we would have your back.”
“I get what you’re saying, but it’s a two-way street,” Courtney said. “I’ve tried a bunch of times to talk with you and you just shut me down. You’re one of my favorite people in the world, Jacob, but sometimes you look at me like I’m your worst enemy. I’m not. And I don’t want to be. I love you.” She felt the tears prick her eyes. “Damn it! You know how I hate to cry!” Court got up from the gazebo steps and wrapped her arms around Jacob. “I’ll always be here for you. Always.”
“That goes double for us,” Purity said.
Alex nodded.
“We’re in this together,” Brad said. “All for one…”
“And one for all,” they all said together.
It was Jeremy who noticed Jacob hadn’t joined in with the others.
Later that afternoon Jacob and Jeremy were paired together to ride the fences looking for repairs that needed to be made. It wasn’t a horse they were riding, though. It was a golf cart that whisked them down the dirt path parallel to the fence.
“Who’d have thought they’d use a golf cart on a ranch?” Jeremy said. “This is awesome!”
“Faster, too,” Jacob said.
The pace was a bit slow, but necessary, as they were looking for signs of wear and tear as well as places where the wood was rotting away or a post had become unsteady.
“You still plannin’ on leavin’?” Jeremy asked.
“I don’t know.”
“You didn’t say it.”
“What?”
“And one for all. You mouthed the words. I don’t think nobody else saw, but I did.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“I get more than you think I do. I grew up in that house, too, you know.”
“It was different for you. You had me to protect you. I didn’t have nobody.”
“If I’d a been older, I would have protected you.”
