Deadly Is the Night (6 page)

“That was a lie, but he married us. And we have been man and wife for fourteen years now.”

“No children?” Chet asked.

“Not one ever lived.”

“My wife lost one before I left Preskitt. She was married before, but her husband was killed and they never had any children.”

“That is a shame but nothing you could do,” she said, motioning for them to sit at the table. “The
frijoles
are hot.”

“And we're hungry,” Jesus said, then bowed his head and crossed himself.

“You have a wife?”

“A new one, Anita, yes, and she lives in Preskitt.”

“I bet you men have pictures of them. After supper show me them.”

“I don't have one of mine but she is a nice lady,” Spencer said.

Chet showed her his wife's photo and she oh'd and ah'd. “My, such a beautiful woman. Where did you meet her?”

“Tubac. She came by our camp looking to buy a horse, and after that we were married.”

“And your wife?” she asked Jesus.

“Anita was her maid.”

“Wonderful stories. And yours?” she asked Spencer.

“We met on a stagecoach going to Preskitt.”

“Oh, my, not one she-lived-next-door stories among you three.” She laughed and took a seat.

“See, she has no one to talk to out here but me,” Frisco said. “And she knows all my stories.”

“Hey, she's a great cook and a sweet lady, you better appreciate her while you have her,” Spencer said. “Good women are hard to find.”

They all laughed.

He offered them hammocks set up in the yard and they accepted. She promised she'd have breakfast ready at daylight.

They woke early, saddled the horses, washed up, and ate her breakfast of oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar. Chet had a plan that three of Frisco's
vaqueros
joined them.

Chet told Frisco he wanted each of his men to ride with a ranch hand and see as much as they could. He and Frisco would go to the springs Rosa had talked about. She cheered at that announcement. The hands laughed.

For a while, there was nothing but some hills. Chet and Frisco rode side by side until, all of a sudden, they rode up a canyon lined with huge gnarled cottonwoods. There were lots of places for a big house and a spring-fed lake in the middle. Most would've called it a cow tank, but it was natural and maybe covered an acre or more. The water spilled from the spring into a real long man-made rock and mortar trough that could be accessed from either side for animals to drink. The water went out the end of the structure and disappeared in the ground.

Yes, this cove would make a great headquarters. It would need a road cut into it and some arranging, but it would be so much better than that dust bowl where they built the original, where Frisco's jackal stood.

“Did Nye ever see this?”

Frisco shook his head. “He was not interested in spending a nickel more on this place.”

“How much to build a road into here from the current one?”

“Five hundred dollars.”

“Do it. Rosa will have her wish.”

He shook his head. “She will be hard to live with until it is built.”

Chet laughed and clapped him on the back, returning to their horses. “Ah, a good wife. We are lucky we both have great ones.”

“You are a much different man than I expected to meet. I have heard about the big ranches you own and how tough you are. I don't doubt you could be tough, but you didn't come up here and insult me, push me away, or swagger around like Weeks always did.”

“Why do that? If I take on a business I want it to make money—fair enough?”

“I see that. You listened to my wife. Most men would have scoffed at her words. You turned your ears up to hear her part. But you knew women many times will make their men do what they want. The present ranch headquarters looks like a place in Sonora you'd find in the desert. This looks like Fort Huachuca.”

Chet nodded. “The cottonwoods and with a large two-story house with sleeping porches.”

“What will you do now?” Frisco asked.

“Tell Nye to spend some money. Build a headquarters to show people and buy three hundred mother cows to stock it along with a dozen good bulls. Cull the barren cows. In two years he can sell this place for a fortune to a real rancher.”

“If you believe that, then why not buy it yourself and I'll do the rest for you here.”

“Where will you get the cows?” Chet asked.

“Socorro, New Mexico. I can buy half to three quarter Hereford and Shorthorn cows up there next fall. Cost twenty-five dollars apiece. None over five years old and bred to a good bull. Now, the road will cost you five hundred dollars or less. How big a house?”

“Six bedrooms.”

“I can get some good carpenters up here from Mexico. Cheap but I really would need a
gringo
to buy the material. If I tried, they would rob me. Do you have one like that works for you?”

Chet nodded. “We can talk to Spencer. He could do it and knows building. Tonight we will ask him.”

Frisco grinned. “
Gracias
. I came here because I love this ranch. My family has run this ranch for many years. I would like to run it when it is stocked and a real ranch.”

“If I buy it, you will have that chance to make it work.”

“Gracias.”
They shook hands to seal the deal.

That evening he spoke to Spencer and Jesus. “Frisco wants to run the ranch if I buy it. But I would need a construction supervisor for about a year to build the headquarters over at Apache Springs. Frisco is afraid they would cheat him buying material and the like. He can get all the help we need from Mexico.”

“Who will ride with you?” Spencer asked.

“Jesus and I will pick up a hand if we need one. Get the house up and you can come back to us. What about Rebecca?”

“She can marry me and be my wife or go her own way. What was this springs place like?”

“A cottonwood tree canyon with maybe an acre or more of natural lake in the center, spring fed, and has a hundred-foot-long watering trough below it someone built years ago. It is a place where the headquarters should have been built.”

“Can I go home and ask her first?”

“We have time. I can get a construction man if you don't want it. We can ride by and see the springs place on the way going back.”

“I damn sure want to see it. And Frisco wants to be the foreman here I bet?”

Chet nodded. “I don't figure you want to sit up here and simply be the boss.”

Spencer chuckled. “You know me too well now.”

“If I can make a deal with Nye when we get back to Tucson, then you decide after we get home. I think this ranch can be a really damn good one.”

“Those cows that I have seen are all old. That is no problem. We will buy three hundred cows in the fall over at Socorro, New Mexico. Frisco knows how and when. Meanwhile you put up the headquarters building and we can sell it if we want, or keep it and make it bigger.”

“It is damn sure a real grassy place.”

“I think the same. Jesus, what do you think?”

“I like it. More water development would help, but we can do that in time, too.”

“Good. We will look at things on the way out. Next day see what Nye will take for it. Then we'll know what to do?”

“What is it worth today?”

“I think anywhere from ten to twenty thousand for the land.”

Jesus nodded in agreement.

Rosa made them breakfast early and told them to come back and bring their women. She wanted to meet them.

Chet shook the men's hands and thanked them for their help. He told Frisco to look for a yes or no answer at the Oracle post office. The man smiled. “Good to meet you,
hombre
. I will look for it.”

They rode off but didn't make it back to Tucson that day, due to delays like looking around and stopping at the springs. His men agreed that the spring's site would make a real salable ranch headquarters. The next day they rode into Tucson, put their horses in the livery, and had lunch. Then Chet went to find the banker.

“Well.” Nye closed the office door. “What did you think?”

“Tell me the bottom dollar you'd take for the ranch?”

“Twenty-five thousand.”

Chet shook his head. “Too high.”

“Twenty?”

“No.”

“Fifteen?”

“Twelve thousand,” Chet said.

Nye shook his head. “You are a man that I know makes money and I know you can operate ranches. What will you do with it?”

“It is going to require lots of money. Frisco said you didn't want to spend any more money on it.”

Nye nodded. “But I can't give it away.”

“I'll leave you with an offer of ten thousand dollars for thirty days, clear title and the cattle.”

“You offered me twelve once. You are getting cheaper?”

“I'd pay twelve today like this—-three thousand now and three thousand every year on January first until the twelve is paid off.”

“I'd do that on fifteen thousand. No interest, huh?”

“Thirteen?”

“No. Fourteen and the way you break it down—your deal. You know you are robbing me now.”

“Draw up the papers. I will be here in the morning to sign them for fourteen at that same payment schedule.”

“What in the hell are you going to do with it?”

“Make it a working ranch.”

“Can I have your ranch bank account on it, so I can make some money?”

“I can't move the Diablo one over here. Those folks have been good to me, but I will put this place to bank here.”

“What will you call it?”

“Apache Springs Ranch.”

Nye shook his head. “We can do all that paperwork tomorrow. I think a master of the arts of finance has scalded me. And I went to college to learn all that.”

“Just think, you won't have owning it on your mind anymore?”

“How many men do you have with you?”

“Two of my men who always ride with me.”

“Meet me and my wife Helena at the Bull's Head Restaurant at seven thirty. I am buying supper for you and your men.”

“We can't dress up. We have no dress clothes with us.”

“Tell them you are my guests. It will get you in.”

“I heard it was a real fancy place?”

“They take money like the rest of the places. Enough said, see you then.”

Chet joined his men. “We have a ranch.”

“How much?” Jesus asked.

“Fourteen thousand.”

“Wow. You did good.”

“I told him to accept it or my next offer was ten.”

“And he did,” Jesus said. “Well, Spencer, the job building the house is in your pocket.”

Spencer looked concerned. “I don't know what Rebecca will say.”

“Guess we will learn that later,” Jesus said. “Where are we eating?”

“With him and his wife in the Bull's Head Restaurant, seven thirty.”

“In our clothing?” Jesus asked in shock.

“We are his guests. He has the money to pay for us he told me.”

“I always wanted to eat in there. Tonight I will,” Jesus said. “No one I know will ever believe that I ate there.”

“I will,” Chet said, and they laughed.

Two days later the ranch deal was settled and they rode the stage home. Chet sent Frisco a letter—telling him they'd bought it. A boy was hired to take the horses back to Tubac. The day presented some light rain and cooler weather in their travels. But moisture was a treat to ranch people. So little fell on the territory every drop was appreciated.

He wired from Hayden's Mill about their return. Three buckboards met them. Anita on one for Jesus, Rebecca on another for Spencer, and his own wife, Liz, on the seat of the third one. All were dressed up for the cold spitting snow.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, climbing aboard.

She held the reins. “Very good. Better now you are back. Your things loaded. I can drive. You can tell me about what happened and how Ortega is doing.”

He kissed her on the mouth. “Drive on. He is healing fine and they are setting up some guards on the south end to stop any rustling there. We are waiting to see if news of those rustlers' deaths will stop further cattle thieving. And I bought another ranch.”

“I expected that. Tell me about it.” They rode on under the stars back to the ranch.

Liz said she was interested in seeing it. He agreed to show it to her. “It is a grassy desert ranch, and has a great foreman to run it. His wife, Rosa, asked me to bring you down there. She is a lot younger than he is. Bandits slaughtered her family but she survived the attack. He found her in Mexico and wanted her to go, I guess, to a church shelter. She told him no, she was going with him. He said then she had to marry him. They asked a priest who said at first she was too young. Thirteen I think. She told him that was no problem that she'd live with him anyway. So the priest married them.”

“She sounds like a good woman.” Liz chuckled.

“Oh, she is very nice and funny, too, despite her isolation. She even told me where to build the new headquarters.”

“More money.” She shook her head. “I understand you spend money to make money. You also have two long letters from Hannagen at the house, but I did not open them.”

“Why not open it?”

“I figured you'd be home sometime and you had to answer them, not me.”

“How is Monica?”

“My usual mother, she didn't want me driving into town without a guard.”

“You should listen to her.”

She elbowed him, but their thick clothing kept it from doing much but making them laugh as she hurried the team through the night to get home. The piney smell in the air made him grateful to be back. That and a small amount of her perfume had caught his nose. Home would be great. Having his wife to sleep with again would be, too.

Monica greeted him and turned on her heels. “Food is in the oven. I will have breakfast early for you.”

He ate a portion of the beef and potatoes; then they went to bed with his whiskers and all. She told him he could fix that in the morning.

Next morning he was up before dawn, leaving her sleeping. Monica had breakfast ready along with a thousand questions. He stopped her with a question of his own.

“My wife acts like she is over the matter of the baby. She looks much better. Is she really okay with everything?”

“Yes. She said it had to be behind her. You two had a life to live and she would not miss any of that.”

“Thanks.” He sipped on his coffee. “I thought so. Hoped so, but wanted to be sure. And I appreciate all you do for her while I am gone, and for us when I am here. Now I need a bath and a shave.”

“You need clothes up there?”

“No, I've got some out. I'll be fine. It is good to be home.”

“Better to have you here.” She poured him more coffee.

“The ranch all right?”

“Fine. Raphael says it is a mild winter. I agree.”

“Oh, we will get some big snows, but for now that is holding off.”

“Are you off on another wild goose chase soon?”

He laughed. “None that are planned right now.”

“Good.”

He took the bath, shaved, and regretted his too long hair as he was drying it. Maybe he'd get his wife to cut it. She was better than most barbers. Dressed and in his chair he read the two letters from his stage line partner in Gallup.

Letter one explained the action congress was taking on all telegraph lines proposed nationally. They wanted more of them to connect the U.S. from coast to coast. Many lines were too crowded with messages to really be effective. Others like their project needed to be funded by the government to ever get them affordable for ordinary people's usage. The rest of the letter contained reports from further hearings on the proposed law in both houses of congress.

Hannagen pointed out that since they planned to follow the railroad's eventual route it was an even more feasible project than most that would be used for years.

Letter two contained a bill to be introduced in both houses of congress for ten such projects in the west. Their own route was listed as number three in importance in the list of needed lines, a fact he was excited about, especially with them funding it. This did not mean ready to go. Funding was still needed. That would come from the budget committees. They had nothing until the bill was passed by both sides. Hannagen felt it was going to pass through both houses, so they better be ready to move on everything. Fast.

Meanwhile Chet needed a money account set up at Nye's bank in Tucson to run his new ranch. He also needed an answer from Spencer Horne about him taking the superintendent of building job.

Liz was dressed and came by to kiss him. “Any news, good I mean?”

“Hannagen thinks the bill will pass in this session. The bill to sponsor the telegraph line.”

“More work?”

“Yes, more work.”

“What happens today?”

“I need to see Tanner at the bank about setting up another account in Tucson for the new ranch project.”

“Who is going to run the deal down there?”

“I asked Spencer to build the headquarters, but he is going to ask Rebecca, first, if she'll go along. Yes or no he might decide to do it anyway.”

“I tried to talk to her, and she told me she couldn't talk it out. It was too complicated and she said she would simply need to figure it out. Figure out what she really wanted to do with her life. But she did thank me for asking.”

“I guess that may be her way.”

“I could not believe she would even want to go back to her old life. But I am not her, nor will I ever be that mixed up.”

“Obviously it is something that really bothers her.”

“She said when her husband was killed that she had no money and felt it was the only way to go. Spencer talked her into quitting before she even started working, but now she feels perhaps she should not have done that.”

“He's going to find out what she intends to do before he gives me his answer about the ranch headquarters building. This man Frisco wants to be the foreman but thought they might skin him on buying supplies to build it. They won't touch Spencer. But it may all lie in her answers if she'd go along or not.”

“Then who would ride with you besides Jesus?”

“I can get someone until he gets the place built. It was provisional. He'd come back with me if he wanted to after the job was completed.”

“I think you sure need a good second man to back Jesus. Let's run into town. Eat lunch at Jenn's. She will want to hear about the baby and what you can tell her about her daughter who is expecting again.”

“She really is. And she laughs about it if you can imagine that.”

Liz nodded she knew. “I can. She is very dedicated to JD and their life.”

“Absolutely so. That ranch has turned the corner financially. Finally.”

“I will get dressed. Has Raphael been here?”

“Not yet. But he must be busy.”

“I know he wants to talk to you.”

“I can catch him later.”

“I am going to get dressed for the cold.”

The weather had warmed up some by then. Solar heat on their left side going in made their clothes seem much too warm as they got to town.

Chet arranged to set up an account for the Apache Springs Ranch and for a money transfer to Nye's bank to start it.

Tanner was excited to talk about his own news. “Confidentially, Kay and I were married quietly by the JP, and I really appreciate having a wife as good as she is. Marriage is a great experience.”

“Well, best of luck to you both.” Chet didn't approve of her and the things in her past but it was not his choice, and he really liked Tanner. Poor man probably never had a woman in his life before her.

“Thanks. I saw how happy you are with your wife. I never believed I'd ever find one, so I am sure pleased to have her.”

“Good. I'll tell you more about the new ranch later. Liz is waiting.”

“I will be anxious to hear about it. Thanks for all your business, Chet.”

Back in the buckboard he went by Bo's land office and they both went inside.

“How are you, Liz? And I see you finally made it back?” he said, appraising Chet.

“I sure did.” He shook the tall man's hand. “How are the wife and boy?”

“Amazing. Absolutely amazing. He is growing like a weed. He'll be walking soon I'd bet.”

“Well, I bought thirty sections of grassy range north of Mount Lemon last week.”

“Did you get it cheap?”

“Fourteen thousand.”

“You stole it. Need anything from me?”

“No, it has a good deed and I think it was a bargain. What else?”

“I bought five more homesteads all complete by the new east place. What's wrong with that country?”

“Too isolated. No place to earn a dime.”

“I guess you're right. Three more for Sarge and two for Shawn up there.”

“They've been notified?”

“Oh, I don't buy them unless I have one of them look at the place first. Then I send them a letter so they know they have been purchased.”

“My checkerboard ranches.”

“Hey, some day they will all be worth much more than I pay for them. Having this deed land wouldn't be a bad idea.”

“I am in full agreement. Keep up the good work.”

“Tell me what the place ailed from that you bought down there?”

“No headquarters and isolated but it has grass and water.”

“Show me on the wall map where it is at.”

He went over and traced the line of the road out of Oracle. “See this place?”

“That is deeded land. You must've done well. Boy it is all in one block, too.”

“I call it the Apache Springs Ranch.”

“Come have supper with us one evening. I know my wife wants to talk to Liz.”

“Set a time and date with her and we will do that.”

“I sure will.”

“We better get back home.” His wife agreed and they left for the ranch.

When they got back one of the boys put the team up and Raphael joined them. Chet invited him in to talk with him. A chill was beginning to set in as the sun slipped down.

“Is anything wrong?” Chet asked his man.

“No. But you one time said I should pick a man to learn my place. I have such a man now who could do that job. He is young but he will learn how. My bones are getting tired. I get up sore and maybe in my mind I forget some things. I feel it is time to start turning my job over to that man, but before I do, I want him to learn by riding for a time with you.”

“Who is he?”

“Miguel Costa who is married to the woman Lisa Foster that you brought back here. She already has settled enough to lead the other women. He and she make a good team together.”

“Will it make the others unhappy? He is younger than most of them.”

“Some but they are not foreman material. You have to tell them how to do it every time. That is not a foreman. They need to be helpers.”

“Proceed with your project. If you think he would be good, then I agree.”

“
Gracias
. I will prepare him for it and tell him he will be riding with you.”

Good. With that matter settled, he went back to look at his books. They needed to be brought up to date. More money had shown up from the Navajo Cattle Sales script redemption. The government was shortening the time they must wait for their money. That was all right as well.

He ate supper with Liz and then worked a few hours more. She filed the papers he recorded until she finally coaxed him to quit and go to bed.

“Everything is fine so far.”

“Biggest thing happening is the Diablo cattle sales that are covering their costs down there at last.”

“So now we will have a new ranch to drain us.”

“Not drain but grow into another paying operation.”

“I understand that, too. You do well at this business and all the traveling, but I like you home with me, too.”

“I try.”

“I know.”

Now all he needed was to hear from Spencer and his decision, so he could move on it and get to cut out a real ranch down there.

They went off to sleep in each other's arms.