by Katy Kaylee
I handed Brenda a handful of cash, grabbing my coffees as I ducked outside to see what was going on.
I stepped out onto the street and paused as the noise level ratcheted up another notch. Yep. That was definitely a woman. A pissed off woman, by the sound of it. And the shouting was coming from next door, the little pawn and antique shop that Joe Byers ran. He was a bit of a stick in the mud, but I couldn’t see what he could have done to set off the type of reacting that I could hear echoing down main street.
Curious, and still holding the two cups of coffee, I elbowed the door open. Neither Joe, nor the girl standing in front of him, noticed the little chimes above the door let out their sweet, tinkling music as I stepped inside.
“…I don’t know how you came by that, miss, but I promise you, if you don’t get off these premises right now I’m going to call the cops.”
I rolled my eyes at Joe’s pious tone as he stared down his long beak of a nose at the girl.
“I can’t believe you…you think I stole this?” the girl spluttered, her black hair practically vibrating with anger, but there was a note of something else laced through it. A note that pulled at my heart strings. Desperation.
“Please, you don’t understand. I…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble, I just…I really need to sell this. It’s worth thousands. It’s a real diamond. I’ll take a thousand for it. Hell, I’ll take five hundred, I just need…”
“Enough of this. It’s obviously stolen. Why else would you have a diamond ring worth thousands of dollars?” Joe cast her another look full of suspicion and there were two points of red high up on his narrow cheekbones. Joe was right, with her threadbare jeans with holes in the knees and the oversized rumpled t-shirt, she didn’t look like the type to have expensive jewelry.
“It is…It was my engagement ring.”
Her words caught me off guard and I took a closer look at her. I had assumed she was younger, a teenager, because of her height. She was at least half a foot shorter than my five foot eight, maybe more. But as she turned I could see she was older than I had first thought. Closer to my own age.
I caught something else in her profile, besides the anger, besides the frustration. Fear. The bone deep fear of a wounded animal. I’d seen that look before, and I knew if you backed a wounded animal into a corner, they would fight hard if they had to.
“Hah! An engagement ring,” Joe sneered, giving her a pointed look that had my own ire spiking, “That’s it. I’m calling the cops right now.”
I snorted silently to myself. As if Sheriff Cooper would do anything but hem and haw and probably end up buying the poor girl– woman something to eat instead. She looked like she hadn’t eaten in days. And besides, the town’s sheriff had a soft spot for damsels in distress. And if I had ever seen one, here was one standing right in front of me.
I could see how desperate she was, I could hear the pain in her voice. And I couldn’t help but take a few loud steps forward.
“Shame on you, Joe Byers. You will do no such thing.”
“Beth!” Joe spluttered, looking up at me in surprise, “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“No, you were too busy threatening this poor lady here. Is that any way to welcome someone to Solace?” I shook my head at him and waved to the dark haired woman. “Come on, now. Better get outside before Joe does something and embarrasses himself even more.”
The woman shot me a grateful look, a regretful one for the ring still clutched in her hand, and one full of animosity for Joe.
She didn’t say another word until we got outside, the door shutting firmly behind me. I pulled in a deep breath of the sunshine and warm air, waiting for her to talk first. I’d worked with enough skittish animals, which is what she reminded me of. I knew that you couldn’t rush things.
“Thank you for that. For helping me.”
“Oh, don’t worry. Joe’s a stick in the mud sometimes, but he’s not malicious. He’s just…”
“A pain in the ass.”
“Yeah, exactly.” I said on a laugh, turning to her with a grin but it slid away. There were deep shadows underneath her eyes and she looked too pale, like she was about to pass out. And that fear was there, bigger than ever.
“Here, you like chai tea?” I asked, holding out the tea that was meant for Sammie. Sorry Sam, you’ll just have to forgive me for this one. But this woman looked like she needed it more. Actually, she looked like she needed a hug. And a good meal. And some new clothes. I settled for handing over the chai latte and she took it hesitantly.
“I’m Beth, by the way. Beth Gallagher.”
“Zoe…Brown.” She said softly, “I’m Zoe Brown.”
“Well, Zoe Brown. I’m sorry your first encounter with my little town was with that asshole,” I nodded towards the pawn shop, “but welcome to Solace.”
“Thanks,” She said with a small smile. A small crack in her armor. She took a sip and exhaled in bliss. “This is delicious.”
“Eh, coffee for me, all the way.” I took a long drink of my own espresso. I needed the extra caffeine. “So, what brought you here? Did you just get in to town?”
“Actually, I’ve been here about a week.” She said with a shrug.
“Really?” I wanted to ask where she was staying, if she knew someone in town, but that suspicious still hung like a cloud in her eyes. I didn’t ask any of my questions. Just nodded. “Well, I really am sorry about Joe. We’re not all like him.”
“I know.” She said, that small sad smile breaking my heart, “well, thanks for this. And for in there.”
“No problem. I’ll see you around.” I turned to walk back to my office.
“Wait!”
“Yeah?”
“Is there anywhere else…Is there another pawn shop in town? Somewhere I could sell this?”
I turned back to find her holding the ring up, desperation and fear scrawled across her face.
“I’m sorry. Nowhere else here. There’s a little antique mall in Gasterville, about forty miles north of here.” I hesitated for a moment, “Can I ask why you’re trying to sell it?”
“I…” she paused, looking at me as if trying to decide how much to say, to reveal. She obviously didn’t trust much. Her and my brother were two peas in a pod. “I need the money. I’m pretty desperate, actually.”
My heart went out to her. This woman had obviously gone through something awful, maybe was still going through something. “I can’t help you with the ring, but maybe I can help with something else.”
I dug through my purse until I found the business card and held it out. “My brother owns a ranch just outside of town, and I know he’s looking for help.” Lies. I knew he needed help, even though he pretended like he could do everything all on his own, but he’d never admit it.
“I don’t know anything about working at a ranch…”
“Just take it.” I held it out again and she finally did, “He needs help with paperwork, phone calls. That sort of thing. No training needed. You can learn everything on the job. You can write, and answer the phone?” I smiled as I asked and she huffed out a little laugh.
“Yeah, I can manage that, but…”
“No buts. You can start today, at least make a little bit of money.”
“I just don’t know…”
“What is there to know? You just got hired.” I smiled again, praying silently that Jake would go along with this.
“I, uh, I don’t have a car.” She confessed softly and I waved it away.
“Come on, I’ve got twenty minutes before my next appointment gets in. I’ll give you a ride over.”
3
Jake
“God damn it, Owen!”
I bit back the rest of what I was going to say, well shout, well probably scream, at the teenager as I stared at the mess in front of me. “I’ve told you a thousand times to make sure you keep the salt lick away from Josie.”
“It wasn’t my fault, Mr. Gallagher! I was putting it away and then
Mrs. Holster came in and she demanded that she see Minnie right away and you told me to always see to the owners no matter what else I was doing. You told me.”
“Okay. Alright. Fine.” I said through gritted teeth, looking at the destroyed tack room. Josie was an ornery old mare that was well past her prime and as grumpy as an old lady but she would kick through walls to get to that damned salt lick. And she had, too. I was still stepping over shards of splintered wood, shelves knocked down, the feed bags spilled out onto the straw covered floor.
“Just, clean this mess up, alright?” I growled, trying to reign in my temper, but it was getting harder and harder to do. “and don’t let it happen again. I’ll get Westley out to fix the damned wall.”
“Okay, Mr. Gallagher, but uh..”
Damn, I really didn’t want to ask.
“But, what?” I said with a resigned sigh.
“It’s Mrs. Holster. She’s still here, out front. She said she, um, wanted a word with you.” Owen leaned forward, suddenly looking younger even than his sixteen years, “She looked pissed.”
“She’s always pissed.”
“I mean real pissed.” Owen said, stressing the word and I shook my head. Of course she was.
“I’ll go take care of Mrs. Holster. You take care of this tack room.” I turned on my boots and walked out, giving Josie a dirty glare as I passed but she just snorted at me, shaking her grey striped mane, a look of total unrepentance glowing in her large, doe eyes.
“Don’t you start with me too. You’re already in enough trouble.” I grumbled at the old mare as I passed and she just snorted again, uncaring.
As if this day wasn’t bad enough already. I had woken up to a leak in the roof of the old farmhouse I lived in. I’d put all the money I had in savings into renovating the stables and the barn. There hadn’t been much left over for the house, but I didn’t mind. Normally. When there wasn’t a waterfall pouring into the kitchen at six o’clock in the morning.
I drew in a deep breath. But none of that even came close to having to deal with a pissed off Mrs. Holster. But I didn’t have a choice. Not really.
When I took over the ranch a year and a half ago after my father passed away, I had been shocked to realize just how much in debt the place was. It was drowning in an ocean of red. So I had scrambled to get any income coming in, starting by opening up the ranch and stables for boarding.
Now, I realize why my dad had always refused to house and board other people’s animals. It wasn’t the animals that were the problem. It was the people.
And Mrs. Holster was one of the worst of them.
She was from up closer to Salt Lake, from some rich upper-class suburb. But she drove down here at least two or three times a week to check on her prize possession, a three year old brown and white mare named Minnie.
She was stubborn as a mule, ungrateful, demanding, and stuck her nose up every time I tried to talk to her. Mrs. Holster, that was. Minnie was about as sweet as could be, even though I had my doubts that her pedigree was as exclusive as Mrs. Holster claimed.
I shook my head, trying to keep my thoughts to myself and off of my face as I walked out of the stable and saw her standing there. I forced a smile to my face, wondering silently who would wear heels and pearls to a ranch.
“Hi, Mrs. Holster.” I said, reaching out my hand even though I knew she’d never take it. After her pointed look, I let it drop, “Owen said you wanted to speak to me.”
“Did he?” She said, somehow managing to stare down her nose at me even though I was at least a foot and some change taller than her. My dad had been a giant of a man, and I took after him in that respect. I had the height, the shoulders, even the same big barrel chest that he had. Not that it did me any good going toe to toe with Mrs. Holster here. She seemed to resent that fact that she had to look up at all to glare at me.
“Well, you can’t be too sure around him, Mr. Gallagher.” Her tone had a bite to it that I didn’t understand.
“I’m sorry? Did Owen say something to you?” The boy had his own troubles, I knew that. I knew he’d been going through a hell of a time at home which is why I bit back my curses at him more often than not. It was hard enough just being a teenaged boy, with having to deal with all his family mess on top of it.
“No, not…him.” She gave a delicate, over-exaggerated shudder and I shook my head again.
“Listed, if you have something to say, just come on out and say it. I’ve got work to get back to.”
“Fine. I’ve heard some disturbing rumors.”
“Disturbing rumors.” I said, dead pan, “What kind of rumors, Mrs. Holster?”
“I heard that he’s been stealing. And that he had been deliberately hurting the animals. My animals! My Minnie! I paid a lot of money for that horse and I won’t have it mistreated.”
“She.”
“Excuse me?”
“She. The horse is a she, not and it. And I know for a fact that Owen would rather cut off his hand than hurt one of those animals.” My hands were shaking with anger at the accusation. Sure, the boy had an attitude and was sarcastic as hell but he truly wasn’t capable of hurting the horses. He loved those damned horses.
I still remember coming out lock up the barn one evening and seeing him, sixteen and still gangly with it, curled up next to a horse that had come down with a summer sickness. No. The boy wouldn’t hurt the animals, but someone obviously wanted to hurt him. Or me.
“Who told you this?” I demanded and Mrs. Holster jerked back in affront at my sharp tone. Frankly, I didn’t give a damn. This was why I preferred working with the horses than with people.
“Well, I don’t know…”
“Who told you?” I stared down at her, refusing to look away and I could practically see her wither in front of my eyes.
“It was Howard. Howard Calhoun.” Her hands fluttered as she spoke, practically grasping her pearls, “I ran into him in town at the diner and he told me everything.”
“Told you everything, did he?” My vision blurred for a minute as temper flare through me. God damn that man. Howard Calhoun had been trying to get my father’s land since the ranch was first started over thirty years ago, and now, he thought that I would just roll over and let him have it. Hah! That man still new nothing about just how stubborn the Gallagher’s really were. It was in their blood. Stubbornness in their bones.
“I hate to break it to you, Mrs. Holster, but Howard lied to you.” I tried to put as much patience into my voice as I could must. If I was being honest, it wasn’t a whole hell of a lot. “Owen’s not a thief, and he doesn’t hurt the animals. Not sure where Howard got such an idea.” Of course I did. He was a bastard, that’s where he got it from. He was a bastard, who wanted what wasn’t his and he didn’t care how he got his dirty little hands on it.
“I’m not sure I want…him around my Minnie.” Mrs. Holster tossed back her shoulder length blond bob and I knew whatever she said next was going to be trouble. “I want you to fire him. Fire him, or I’ll take Minnie, and my money, somewhere else.”
I stared at her for five long seconds, then ten, replaying her words in my head just to make sure I’d heard them right.
“No.”
“What did you just say?”
“You heard me just fine, ma’am. I said no.”
“But…But I’ll take Minnie. I’ll take her somewhere else.”
“And where is that again?” I drawled, my voice soft but that should have been a warning to her. There was pure steel underneath. Steel and temper. “Because I know there isn’t another stable in the area that will board her for the price I’m charging, or take good care of her. You know it too.”
Mrs. Holster spluttered for a long moment, her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment. “I’m sure it was just some sort of…misunderstanding.”
“I’m sure it was.” I said on a sigh, suddenly exhausted. “The Calhoun’s aren’t exactly friendly towards me at the moment, Mrs. Holster. You have to take whatever t
hey say with a grain of salt.”
I wasn’t about to try and explain the whole convoluted mess to the woman. I doubted she would even care. I was proved right when she nodded a moment later, already looking bored as she made a hasty retreat back to her white convertible.
She drove away with the top still down in a cloud of dust and it gave me at least a little bit of pleasure imaging her perfectly done hair getting tangled and her choking on the red Utah dust.
“Damn that man!” I said fiercely to myself again as I stormed into my office. It was a small, ramshackle building that had used to be the old gardening shed before I converted it. Well, it was still pretty much the gardening shed, spades and shovels and a wheelbarrow pushed into one corner. I’d just moved a desk into it and called it my office.
“He just won’t fucking give up!” The temper that had been bubbling inside me since this morning when I woke up to the leak in the kitchen boiled out of me in a torrent. “Who the hell does he think he is? This isn’t his land! I don’t owe him one god damned thing!”
My grandfather had bought this land long before the Calhoun’s moved into the acreage next to ours, but they’d been trying to get it out from under us one way or another ever since the first. Why? What the hell was the difference between these forty acres, and theirs?
Nothing, I knew. Howard Calhoun was just a greedy bastard, and his three sons weren’t any better.
I ranted to myself as I slammed open the office door and then slammed it shut behind me, even though it just bounced open. The lock was long gone, and it wouldn’t latch unless you closed it just so. It was just one more thing I had to fix, one more thing to add to the already mile long list of things that were fucked up in my life. One last thing to tip me over the edge.
With a grunt of rage, I knocked a stack of papers off my desk. Most of them were bills that were overdue, accounts that were already drawn as thin as they could go. Why? Why hadn’t my dad told me how bad things had gotten? Why hadn’t he asked for help? It was too late now. The ranch was mine, along with all of its problems.
I slashed my fingers through my hair, trying to reign my temper back in. And that’s when I realized. There was someone else in the office. I wasn’t alone.
