A Good Day To Kill (21 page)

Tom, foreman from the Verde River Ranch, was there early to talk to him at the kitchen table.

“We're starting a nursery,” Chet said. “Must be something in the water.”

“Could be. Hampt is coming over in an hour or so. He wants to be sure everything is alright.”

“He didn't need to come over. I'll be here for a while.”

“You know Hampt.”

“He's a good man.”

“Oh, yes. He would be hard to replace, and to get as much done as he does.”

“Well, how are things on the Verde River?”

“Good. We'll have enough large cattle to make some of those shipments to the Navajos this coming fall.”

“Great. How's that operation going?”

“This year's calf crop will climb up in the eighty percent range. We aren't feeding a lot of dry cows anymore. Still have more to cull, but we're finding them.”

“Good. We'll need those cattle in the future.”

“I've had to replace three teams up at the mill. They broke down. Robert explained the work in the timber was hard on all of them. Those horses had some age on them, too. But that business is still making us good returns. We hear all the time the lumber market is going down and yet their sales go up.”

“Good. That timber operation alone has paid most all of our ranch expenses. And it's been a good deal while we've been rebuilding the East Verde Ranch, too.”

“Yes, it's a real moneymaker and Robert makes it run smooth. Reg will have a few cattle shipments next year. That's working good up there. He and I put our heads together with Hampt and Sarge a few weeks ago. I think we'll have a good number of cattle to fill the market needs. We don't have many unbranded cattle left on the East Verde. Hampt has several of the Ralston Estate cattle, and he keeps riders working that line.”

“Maybe we can settle that one day. JD is long on bangtail mustangs. To clean them up would make room for lots of cows down there. If we had a market for them in Mexico I'd round them up, or we may simply have to shoot them.”

“What are you doing about it?” Tom asked.

“Ortega is looking for some dealers below the border to buy them, if we round them up.”

“JD likes it down there?” Tom glanced over at him.

“Yes, he's very involved in the operation. They're making adobe bricks for the houses and well drilling, plus windmills.”

“Ever find that guy wanted you shot?”

Chet shook his head. “No. He tried to ambush Shawn and me when we were in the hills going over to the Diablo Ranch. We took out one of his helpers, an ex-ranch employee.”

“Reckon he'll try again?”

“Who knows? I should have just gone after him and captured or shot him, but I didn't want to look like it was just my getting even. We have a good capable law force, and we get enough bad publicity out of some people in our normal operations.”

“I read that woman's letter to the paper. That was stupid. But you're right.”

“Good morning,” Marge said, still looking sleepy and packing Adam into the room. She handed him to Chet and nodded at Tom.

“I was busy feeding Mr. Byrnes Two.” She laughed. “May's doing good with her new son. Tom, your wife, Millie, helped the midwives. May is such a capable woman for all of us. I hated I wasn't there helping her.”

Chet recalled how he always thought his brother, after being widowed, married May to raise his kids. But Chet really loved her for all her efforts for the family over the years. She and Hampt must be very happy. Why, that cowboy probably was higher than a star with his own son to raise, along with her kids.

“Bet Hampt's busting his buttons,” Marge said. She inclined her head toward Tom. “Hey, if Tom is tired from getting up all so early to come up here, we have a bed.”

“No, thanks. I need to get back to the ranch. Things just go better. I have a good crew, but things happen it seems when I'm gone for very long.”

Chet smiled and nodded, rocking his son in his arms. “That's why I have you. We can talk more later.”

“That boy's really growing, Marge,” Tom said, excusing himself.

She agreed, balancing a cup of coffee on a saucer from Monica. “He'll be roping chickens any day.”

They both laughed.

“What are your plans?” Tom asked Chet.

“Spend a few days around here and then go see Reg. How's Sarge's leg doing?”

“Healing. Victor is doing a great job. Sarge may let him take some other drives up there.”

“The cattle drives are one of our most important operations. Assembling them and then driving them up there takes a lot of skills. I'm glad Victor studied it while being cook and took it over when Sarge got laid up. Marge and I are that boy's fans. He was our cook and guide on our honeymoon.”

Marge met Chet's gaze and smiled, then took back the boy when he began to fuss.

“We can talk later.” Tom put on his hat. “Oh, Susie is alright. She came back to the Verde River Ranch for a while, but, according to Millie, she must have overcome her problems and went back home to Sarge at the Windmill.”

“We hope she's alright.”

Marge nodded while bouncing Adam in her arms.

Tom left and Chet went to talk to Raphael. He found his foreman busy braiding a
reata
.

“Oh, how are you, señor?”

“Chet. I'm fine. Don't get up. How are things here?”

“No problems. I want to cull some cows. We have enough hay. Tom has me five new Durham bulls, and we are going to start stacking firewood.”

“You like the shorthorns?”

“Oh,
si
. Those calves are lots better than the longhorns. He said the white face ones are too hard to find, but he will get me some next year from the herd you have down there.”

“We will have a bigger crop of bulls next year. I thought we'd solve the bull shortage buying those cows, but we need so many. Those shorthorns will work good.”

“Tom told me all about it. He is a good man and works real hard for all of us, too.”

“Good. If you need something, tell me.”

He set down his braiding and wiped his sheep-greasy hands on a rag to shake Chet's.

“You be careful,
mi amigo
. There are bad
hombres
out there that would kill you.”

“I know. Raphael, I'm proud of you and your care of this ranch.”

“
Vaya con Dios, mi amigo
. Oh, do you need a horse saddled? Jimenez is busy saddling Mrs. Byrnes's horse, so she can ride him this morning.”

“I can saddle my own.”

“No. No. Which one you want saddled?”

“Pick one. I'll go back and tell them where I'm going.”

“He will be saddled.”

“Thanks.” No sense arguing with him about it. He walked briskly to the back porch and Marge opened the door.

“I'm sorry. Is something wrong?”

“No, I'm going to town and see Bo, Jenn, and Tanner at the bank.”

“I can cancel riding my horse.”

“No, I'm just checking on things, and I know how important getting back to jumping is to you. Who has Adam?”

“Oh, you have not met Rhea. She's his nanny.”

“Oh, that's fine. Have fun and be careful. I can meet her later.” He kissed her. “We can have some private time in the next two weeks.”

“I am counting on it. Tell everyone in town hi.”

“I will.”

He strapped on his gun and holster, then reset his hat and went to mount the horse Raphael saddled for him. Jimenez had Marge's horse ready and was down by the course with him.

He swung up, thanked his man, and rode into town. He went by Bo's office first and found his land man busy with a desk full of papers.

“Hello, stranger. I read about you in the Tucson paper. Rancho Diablo is all yours. And I've bought a dozen homesteads in northern Arizona adjacent to your other property. I'll send both Reg and Sarge all the information about them.”

“The Ralston property?”

“They're still asking too much for it.”

“What do they want for it?”

“Fifty thousand. I offered them thirty-five.”

“I'd give forty to get it straight. Hampt is tired of range riding to keep their cattle off his range.”

“I'll try then.”

“Oh, did you know he and May have a new boy?”

“Good for them. I'm courting a nice lady. It may be too soon, but she is a nice young lady and we get along.”

“It isn't too soon. I'll be pleased to meet her.”

“Thanks. I will arrange it when you get some time.”

“Thanks. I better get around.”

“See you. I have plenty of work to do.”

“That's good.” He left and went by to see Ben at the store.

Ben was out, but his pregnant wife, Kathrin, met him. “He's gone to Mayer to collect an overdue invoice.”

“Part of the business. Tell him I was by and needed nothing.”

“How is your new son?”

“Growing. His name is Adam.”

She nodded. “I know. I was there when he was born. Always good to see you. Tell your deputies, Cole and Jesus, I still appreciate my rescue from Utah.”

“No problem. I'll tell them.”

He left the store and went to the bank. Tanner must have seen him come inside the lobby and came out of his office to greet him. The tall banker shook his hand.

“How is that new boy?”

“Fine.”

“We keep redeeming those warrants from the treasury. You're piling up a lot of money.”

“We closed the Rancho Diablo purchase and it will require some improvements, but we're moving forward. Our ranch programs will start showing up next year. We've been lucky the timber business has worked so well.”

“Yes, that business is so speculative. I don't finance much of it, but they sell a lot of lumber and timbers up there.”

“We're staying busy hauling logs for them.”

“Oh, your man at Oak Creek brought me two bushels of apples. He and his wife are so happy to have that garden operation up there. I had meant to tell you. He's been generous with me. I love his strawberries.”

“They provide lots of produce to my ranches. I knew he was the man I needed up there. It's a Garden of Eden.”

“I don't know anything else, unless you have something?”

“No, simply came by to check with you.”

“I've read a lot about your law efforts in the southern part of the state. I think you are winning that war.”

“Win some and lose some. We'll have to see.”

Tanner shook his head. “How you manage all that is beyond me.”

“I have good help.”

He left the bank and rode over to Jenn's Café. Her daughter, Bonnie, greeted him. “I heard about May's boy already. How are you?”

“Fine, and your husband is busy putting up windmills, water systems, and making adobe bricks for your house.”

“He wrote he was busy. That sounds good.”

“Hey.” Jenn arrived and hugged him.

“Hampt has a boy of his own.”

“I got the news, too. It traveled fast. How is your wife?”

“Back to riding again. So that tells you how well she's doing.”

“Her jumper, huh?”

“Yes, she's done that for years. When she was pregnant, though, she feared losing the baby and quit, but she's back in the saddle.”

“I know she talked a lot about it when we were together. I'm glad she's back riding again.”

“So am I.”

“Bonnie is getting you a plate lunch. I'll get you some coffee. Have a seat. Cole and his wife went to Oak Creek for a few days, if you need him. They have two cabins ready up there.”

“Good. That'll give them some time to be together.”

He slid into the booth and she seated herself opposite him.

“Everything alright here?” he asked, considering his hot coffee.

“I know you're busy as hell, but I have a situation. You don't know them, but Martin McCully's daughter, Petal, rode off with some no-account guy. Martin's on crutches, lives here in town, and mends saddles and harness. He wondered if you had time to find her.”

“How old is she?”

“Underage. McCully's wife died a few years ago and he's had a tough time. We all try to help him. He's tried to raise her but, well, you know the story. I tried to raise Bonnie and tried to stop her, too.”

“Where did they go?”

“He's not sure and has no transportation. But I figured you might have someone could find her and maybe bring her back home.”

“Where does he live?”

“A small house down there on Bayard Lane. I know how busy you are and all.”

“I can look into it. What's her name, again?”

“Petal McCully.”

“If Cole was back, I could use him to find her. But I'll go by and talk to him. If he's good, I might find him more work.”

“He does real good work. Folks say he made the best saddles, but I think that's too hard for him now. He can't do much getting around.”

“I understand. I'll go by and check.”

He left the café and rode over to the man's shack. The front door was open and he stuck his head inside. He saw the bent-backed man raise up from his stool where he had a harness spread over a frame.

“Stay there, McCully. I'm Chet Byrnes and came by to see you. Jenn down at the café said you had a problem.”