High Desert Detective, A Fiona Marlowe Mystery (Fiona Marlowe Mysteries) (11 page)

Jake didn’t join him in the grin. “I don’t know that she’ll stay.
I worried about her taking off even before the fire happened. This isn’t her
kind of country.”

“Maybe it will grow on her.”

Jake shook his head slowly. “And cows might fly.”

* * * * *

It was late afternoon when they got back to Opal’s ranch. Fiona
went straight to bed in the pretty east facing bedroom that Opal had fixed for
her. At least she was under the same roof, and they could look after her. Jake
went out to feed and check with the ranch hands to make sure the place hadn’t
fallen apart while he was away. They had good hands, and he didn’t expect any
major problems, but the way things were going lately, he was apprehensive.
And edgy.

He was leaning on the corral fence watching Ruben Sweet, their ace
buckaroo, work a young mare when Opal joined him.

“I’m worried,” she said.

“Me, too.
Are we worried about the same
thing?”

“What are you worried about?”

“Fiona for one.
Who is setting fires for
another.
Missing cows for another.”

“I’m worried about the same things. It’s funny all this stuff
happened since Fiona got here.”

Jake didn’t say anything. He thought it over while they watched
Sweet move the mare named Fancy into a trot, then canter, then back again. The
mare was on a twelve foot lead line, and Sweet kept her circling the corral.
The mare was smart and light of foot, and Jake saw in her the makings of a good
cow pony. Sweet had a gentle way with horses that Jake liked. He didn’t try to
beat them up to make them do what he wanted. He invited them.

Jake tilted his cowboy hat up off his forehead head and wiped his
face with the scarf he wore around his neck. The sun was blazing hot even at
this late hour of the day. It had been a hot, dry spring, and range fires might
be real bad this season.
One more thing to worry about.

“I don’t think Fiona being here, and these events are related,”
he said. “I could be wrong, but I don’t see a connection. But it was her place
that got burned.”

“That’s why I brought it up about her being here,” said Opal. “I’ve
been going over and over in my mind why someone would do that. Hoover called
and said they found traces of an accelerant at the scene. Someone set that
fire. I’m worried about Fiona staying here. I don’t know why someone would be
out to get her. Maybe it’d be better she leave for a time.”

“Don’t say that,” Jake said. “She’ll never come back if she leaves
now. Besides she hasn’t started the decorating job for you.”

“I know how you feel about her, but it might be the best. The
decorating job can wait.”

“Her friend is coming. Maybe she’ll cheer Fiona up.”

“It might put her friend in danger if Fiona is in danger.”

Jake shook his head. “Maybe someone isn’t trying to get to Fiona.
Maybe they are saying something to us.”

Opal looked at him with a keen eye. “Who would that be?”

“Same people who are stealing our cows.”

“Jake,” Opal said in a voice so small that he turned to look at
her. “I like the way you say our cows. You love this place as much as I do. Are
you interested in taking over the ranch?”

“Why are you saying that?”

“I got to think about these things. That’s another of my worries.
This place.
Who is going to take it over and keep it
going when I’m gone?”

Jake looked back at the mare. She was standing still now in the
corral. Sweet was talking to her and stroking her neck. He’d be telling her she
was a good horse, and she’d done well for today. Jake liked that mare. She
would be his horse and that made him think about the long term future. He tried
not to think about if the place sold, and he’d have to go somewhere else.

 
“What about the nieces and
nephews? Some of them are itching to sell the ranch and get the money.”

“I don’t want that to happen. I want someone who cares about this
place to get it, and I know you care. You’re a good rancher. I know there’re
things you’d do here, if it were more modern and your own.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m going to leave the ranch to you.”

Jake turned to look at Opal again.

“You are more than generous, but I don’t want to fight your
relatives for it.” He paused. “But I’d be willing to buy it from you, lock stock
and barrel. That would make it easier for everyone.”

Opal smiled at him. “I understand. Let’s see what we can work out.
The sooner the better.
I’m not getting any younger.”

* * * * *

Tired as she was, Fiona was unable to sleep. Thoughts chased
around in her head like so many crazy dogs on the hunt. Strangely enough, her
mind kept going back to her childhood on the farm in southern Virginia where
she grew up. This place reminded her of those early years. She couldn’t wait to
leave the farm, go to college, and live in the city. And that was what she did.
She went to design school then moved to the Washington, D.C. metro area, drawn
to its glamour and glitz. She’d visit her folks on the farm from time to time,
and in the back of her mind she entertained the dream of having a home in the
country some day. But then her father had died when his tractor overturned on him.
He’d been plowing at night on a hillside and somehow misjudged where he was
going. When he didn’t come home, her mother went out looking and found him under
the tractor. After his death, unable to keep the farm going alone, her mother had
sold it. But Fiona’s dream of a country home lived on.

Something like your house burning down around your ears could
make a person pause and reflect about life.
 

Fiona rose from the soft, fluffy bed and went to the east facing
window. The light from the setting sun reflected on the rim rock. Through the
open window she could hear cows bawling in the distance. She could have had
something like this. Her mother wanted her to marry a nice farmer and take over
the farm. Being an only child, it would have been hers. It was a pretty farm,
too. Corn growing tall in the summer, tassels waving in the hot sun, apples
falling like rain from the orchard trees, chickens busy digging, a vegetable
garden. She was beginning to see what her parents loved about that farm. And
maybe what she had missed because she was too young to appreciate what she had
had.

She shook her head. Why now? Why these thoughts? She should leave
and get away while she could. She didn’t know what was going on, but it was
weird. They said that someone set the fire. Those noises she heard were someone
outside her door getting ready to torch her ramshackle little bunkhouse. The
thought made chills run up and down her spine. Someone knew who she was, that
she was in there. They hadn’t cared if she lived or died.

The doctor said she’d be fine. That her throat would hurt for a
few days, but her lungs didn’t appear to be damaged. If she was still having
problems in a week, come back and see him. She hadn’t bothered with the pain
killers. Maybe later if she had trouble sleeping. A hot toddy would taste good.
The honey and lemon would soothe her throat, and the whiskey would calm her
nerves. Her mother always swore by a hot toddy for a sore throat.

She left the bedroom and walked to the kitchen, wearing old sweat
pants and hooded sweat shirt that Rosemary had brought that morning. The house
was all one level. The great room was in the middle and bedrooms and all
purpose rooms were on either end. Her room was on the end with Opal’s and two other
guest rooms. Jake’s room, the office, a study and a sewing room were on the
other side. As she walked through the great room she couldn’t help but
visualize it with new area rugs, drapes, and furniture.

She found Jake and Opal sitting at the kitchen table, having a
drink and talking. Jake stood and smiled.

“You look better,” he said.

“Were you able to rest?” asked Opal.

“I couldn’t. I’m too keyed up. I was wondering if I could make a
hot toddy for my throat.”

Opal jumped up. “You bet. I’ll put water on to boil and get you a
big mug. I have fresh lemons and our own honey, of course. That is just the
thing you need for your throat. Sit down. I’ll fix it for you.”

Jake stood and held out the kitchen chair beside him, and she
sank into it. He touched her hair. “I sure am glad there wasn’t permanent
damage.”

Fiona smiled.
“You and me both.
What do
you make of all this?”

He sat down again. “Opal and I were talking about it. I think it
is linked to whoever is stealing our cows.”

“Why would someone burn my house down over your cows?”

“To create a diversion.
You know that
valley I took you to yesterday? We moved some of the cows there last week. I
wanted to check on them. That’s the reason we went. I didn’t think anyone could
get a truck in there. Then again they might be using horses and loading the
cows somewhere else. I sent Sweet and Glory out to check on them this morning.
They haven’t gotten back yet. If we are missing more cows, it might be because
your house burned while the rustlers went in and hauled them off.”

“Unbelievable. So I lose my house because someone is stealing
cows?”

Jake nodded.

“That hardly seems fair,” she said.

The tea kettle whistled, and Opal fixed Fiona’s drink.

“We’re hoping, of course, that we are wrong about the cows. But then
that wouldn’t solve the mystery of why your house burned.”

“This is discouraging,” said Fiona.

“You need rest,” Jake said.
“Doctor’s orders.
Everything looks more discouraging when you’re tired.”

“Yes,” said Opal. “Your outlook will be much better when you feel
better.”

“I can’t get the smell of smoke out of my nose,” said Fiona. “I
can’t get the sound of the fire and the roar of it out of my head. My mind
keeps playing the fire scene over and over.”

“Here’s your toddy,” said Opal. “A few of these and your outlook
will improve immensely.”

“Thank you. You both have been so kind. I hope I’m not the cause
of this.”

“It’s not your fault, so don’t think like that,” said Jake. “Have
you heard from your friend?”

“Olympia? No, I haven’t. She said she’d be here tomorrow, but
she’s notoriously unreliable. Her driving here from Portland might take several
days. She has a terrible sense of direction, but she does love to drive. She
could end up on the Pacific coast. I’ll give her a call.
Maybe
tomorrow.”

“She is more than welcome to stay here,” said Opal. “We have
plenty of room.”

“I was going to call that cute B & B in town and see if they
have a room. She loves to do stuff like that. I’ll call them tomorrow.”

“No, really,” said Opal, “I insist. She should stay here. It will
do you a world of good to have a friend at a time like this.”

“She’s one of my closest friends,” said Fiona, “but she is best
served in small doses. When we travel, I make sure we have separate rooms so I
can have a break from her non-stop talking. You may regret having her as a
guest.”

“We have enough work to do that we aren’t around most of the
time,” said Opal. “You two can have the run of the place.” She put down her
whiskey and water and looked Fiona dead in the eye. “Fiona, don’t think you have
to stay. If you want to leave, I won’t fault you for it. The decorating job can
wait. It has waited this long. You and your friend should visit and sightsee
and have a good time. You can come back another time.”

Fiona savored the toddy and felt its soothing warmth in her
throat. She looked from Opal to Jake and back. “I wasn’t sure what I was going
to do, but sitting here talking to you, I realize a deal is a deal and I said I
would do your house, so I will. I appreciate your concern, Opal. Working on
your house will give me something to do and think about besides all that has
happened. At the same time, I don’t want to cause you any more problems.
Something strange is going on, and I don’t know what to do about that. If you
think I should leave because I’m a problem, I’ll go.”

“You aren’t a problem,” said Jake. “You don’t have to go. You stay
here with us so I can keep an eye on you.”

“No,” said Opal. “You aren’t a problem. It’s just I’m worried what
could happen to you, if you stay. I’ll fix you another toddy while you think
about it.”

Fiona could feel Opal’s concern. She knew Jake would protect her,
if he could. After all, he had saved her life. If Jake was right and someone
had burned the bunkhouse as diversion then she wasn’t the problem. She didn’t
have another job lined up until the fall, figuring she would spend the summer
out here. Olympia was coming. Jake was very attentive. But the main reason she
didn’t want to go was that she was more than a little curious to find out what
was going on with the bones, the rustlers, and the fire. Things were getting
complicated.

Jake rose and found another tall one for himself in the refrigerator,
opened it, brought it back to the table and sat again facing Fiona. They looked
at each other.

Fiona smiled. “You got your way, Jake. I’ve come to stay in the
big house.”

He returned the smile. “Then you’ll stay.”

“I’ll stay till Olympia comes. That will give me time to rest up,
think things over, and see what transpires.”

* * * * *

Fiona spent the better part of the next day resting in bed. Opal
checked on her from time to time. Jake looked in that evening to make sure she
was still alive. She lay curled up in deep sleep, a light cover thrown over
her. Her legs lay bare and beautiful. Jake didn’t linger. It was too hard on
his hormones to watch Fiona Marlowe in bed. He closed the door as quietly as he
had opened it.

Ruben Sweet and Mortimer Glory had brought bad news when they had
finally ridden in after dark the night before. More cows and calves were
missing.

“We counted three times,” said Sweet. “We figure five pair
are
missing. We rode up and down the canyons and ridges. No
sign of them. But we found traces of tracks.”

“How did they get it in there?” said Jake. He was beyond baffled.
He had thought it over long and hard about a safe place for the herd.

“You know the old cattle lane that passes the east side of the
valley?”

“That’s way, way off and you have to navigate that rock strewn
canyon.”

“Near as we can figure that’s what they did, because there were
signs of horses and cattle going that way. We didn’t follow it to the end. We
thought we should come back to report in.”

“I guess you’re going to tell me they cut the fence that
stretches across that rocky canyon.”

They both nodded.

Jake had ridden out with them early this morning. He had seen the
cut fence, the faint signs and an occasional track of cows and horses that had
passed along that rocky canyon that led away from the little green valley.
Horse prints and cut fence were the keys. Cows could sometimes breakthrough
barbed wire, but there were no horses with the herd. The soil through that
stretch was nothing but gravel and rock, hard to navigate. But someone greedy
enough to want prime cows and calves had done it.

Jake had sat back in his saddle and studied the landscape. They
would have to move the cows to other pasture or post a watch. Putting a couple
of hands here would short him. They were ready for the first cutting of hay,
and he needed all three men they employed. He could come up here himself. Maybe
invite Fiona to come with him. But that attractive thought didn’t stay with him
long. That was wishful thinking. He had a ranch to run for Opal. He called the
shots, and he couldn’t be out here for an extended length of time mooning over
Fiona. Ranching was a practical business. Hay was the winter lifeblood of
cattle ranching, and it was ready to cut.

The only alternative was to move the cattle to pasture closer to
the ranch, which meant that he’d have to figure out which pasture that would
be. The dry spring weather was causing problems already with where to find
water and pasture.
 

 
“Okay, boys,” Jake had said.
“I doubt they’ll be back tonight but I want you two to spend the night out
here. In the morning, I’ll come back with help, and we’ll move the herd.”

They had nodded, already equipped with gear for an overnight
stay, anticipating the need before they left the ranch.

Jake sat on the porch for a spell after dinner and watched the
play of light over the valley. He had called Rosemary and Esme to help move cows
in the morning. They were available and filled in when needed. He went over in
his mind again which pasture they could move the herd to when Opal came out to
join him.

“How’s Fiona?” Jake asked since she hadn’t come to dinner.

“I just checked. She’s still sleeping. Didn’t touch the food I
left on a tray for her.”

“Do you think she’s all right?”

Opal nodded. “She needs the sleep. Best thing for her after what
she’s been through.”

They were silent for a time. Then Opal said, “I’ve been thinking
about those cows we got to move. Why don’t we sell some off?”

Jake thought that one over. “Prices are decent now but we might get
a better price in the fall.”

“You know as well as I that you can never tell in this business.
We run a gambling operation.”

“You’re right on that one.” Opal had a good sense of when to hold
and when to fold. “It would solve the problem of the shortage of feed and water.
How many are you thinking?”

“I’ve been debating that one. Let’s go through the records and
see who doesn’t fit our breeding program and who’s on the sell list for the
fall. We need some operating capital, and there are bank notes coming due.
We’ll total up debt obligations and sale possibilities and see how close they
come.”

 
“There’s a tractor needing
major repairs.”

“All the more reason to sell off some of the
herd.
What do you say?”

“It’s worth a look. I’ll call the broker in the morning to see
who’s buying this time of year. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”

Opal was pensive for a spell then said, “I talked to my lawyer
today about selling the ranch to you. After we agree on a price, I’d be willing
to finance it for you.”

Jake shook his head. “Thanks, but it’ll be a lot cleaner if I go
through the bank. I’ll talk to the lady in the lending office, and see what
kind of terms I can get. We’ll need to draw up a list of assets and land and
exactly what I’m buying. If I can’t get financing for the whole spread, you
could maybe sell me the core part, take the cash from the sale and put it in a
trust for your nieces and nephews. At least, they’ll be getting something.”

“I hate to do that.”

“Sometimes reality and our wishes don’t coincide.”

“You can say that again.”

“I called Hoover about the missing cows. I can’t figure out how
these guys are working this. It has to be an inside job.”

Opal shook her head. “It will be a sad day at the H Bar O, if it
is one of our employees.”

“It might not be a full time guy. Might be a part-timer we hired
years ago that knows the ranch and the lay out and how we operate.”

“I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking about Cody and
those two boys that talked him into helping them.”

Jake nodded. “I’m wondering where those two are now. Nothing was
ever proven. Our cattle disappeared and were never found. That was quite a loss
we took.”

 
Opal didn’t say anything
for a while. Then quietly she said, “Cody never displayed a lick of sense when
it came to the company he kept.”

“He sure could ride and rope though,” said Jake. “I hated to lose
him. Have you heard from him lately?”

She shook her head. “Not a word. It’s like he’s dropped off the
face of the earth. Then again, he never was much of a correspondent. I don’t
expect he’ll bother unless I call the prison.”

The screen door opened, and Fiona walked out on the porch. “May I
join you?” she asked, looking like she had just showered. Her hair was wet and
slicked back. She wore another sweat suit one of the girls loaned her. It had
OSU Beavers
blazoned across the front.

“Have a chair,” said Jake. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, much better. What day is this?”

“You slept most of a whole day,” said Opal. “It’s after dinner
and we are enjoying the evening. Did you eat anything?”

“Not yet. I saw the food you left and drank some tea.” She held
up the glass. “You make the best iced tea I’ve ever had.”

“Go on,” said Opal. “You’re just thirsty. My secret recipe is
five tea bags to two quarts boiled water, one cup of sugar and one lemon. I
make it up three gallons at a time.”

“Thanks for sharing the secret with me. Maybe someday I’ll learn
to cook,” said Fiona. She sat down next to Jake on the juniper loveseat. “Olympia
called and left a million messages. She’s still in Portland. She’s found some
writer friends, and they’re showing her the town. She gushed over the great
restaurants and live music they have. She might not show up for a while.”

“All in good time,” said Opal. “She gets here when she gets
here.”

“What’s been going on?” asked Fiona. “I feel like I’ve been to
Mars.”

“We’re missing more cows,” said Jake. “There’s no rain in the
forecast. We start cutting hay day after tomorrow. In the morning we move cows
to another pasture. It’s the usual ranch life.”

“What can I do to help?” asked Fiona.

“That a girl,” said Opal. “You can’t keep a good woman down.”

“You need to rest,” said Jake.

“I feel one hundred percent better,” said Fiona. “If I’m going to
stay, I need to help.”

Jake allowed himself an inner smile on that pronouncement. He
didn’t want to scare his hope away though.

“We’re moving cows tomorrow,” said Opal. “Rosemary and Esme are
coming to help. We’ll have extra meals to prepare. You can help me, if you
want.”

“Or you can ride with the herd,” said Jake.

Fiona winced. “I’m not sure I’m ready to get back on a horse. My
muscles still remember the experience.”

Opal laughed. “Then help me. We can talk about what’s to be done
to spruce up the house.”

“It’s a deal. Has anything developed on who set the fire?”

“Hoover is on the case. Nothing new on who might have done it,”
said Jake.

Fiona shook her head. “The next question is why.
Any new ideas?”

“Same ones as before.
They are trying to
get to us, not you.”

“How about the bones at the hot springs?”

Jake smiled. Fiona was back in the saddle. She was feeling
better. “No new developments that we’ve heard.” He checked his watch. “I’ve got
an early start in the morning. If you ladies will excuse me, I’ll turn in for
the night.”

* * * * *

Hoover showed up the next day around noon time as Fiona was
helping Opal load lunch coolers on Old Faithful to take up the road for the
buckaroos. Jake, Rosemary, and Esme had left on horseback to move the cows.

“Hello, ladies,” Hoover said, a big grin on his face. “I see I’m in
time for lunch.”

“You’ll have to ride with us,” said Opal. “It’s all packed in
these coolers. Don’t just stand there. Help me lift these heavy coolers into
the bed of the rig.”

“Are you sure this fine vehicle will make it?” Hoover asked.

“Of course it will. Jake charged the battery.”

They squeezed into the front of Old Faithful, Fiona in the middle.
She looked to the top of the knoll where the heap of ruins that once was her
bunk house lay black and forlorn, and she sighed.

Hoover caught her looking. “That’s a big sigh, Fiona. There’ll be
more bunkhouses. Are you going to re-build?”

“I haven’t decided,” she said.

 
Opal turned the ignition
key. Old Faithful started up with a growl and then settled into an unhappy
idle. They bucked into motion.

“What brings you out here?” Opal asked Hoover. “What are you
investigating this time?”

“Cattle rustling is on the agenda today. I wanted to check in
with you folks. I thought I might ride out to the valley and take a look around.”

“You’ll need a horse,” said Opal.

“Jake will loan me one. How far back is the canyon the rustlers
used?”

Opal screwed up her face. She expertly steered the truck down the
road and tuned onto another dirt road that was more cow path than road.

“This road goes most of the way. We’ll meet the cows coming along
here. At the end of the road, you have to walk or ride horseback the rest of
the way.
Can’t use ATVs because it’s about a mile over rocky
ground.”

“And that opens up into that sweet little valley?”

Opal nodded. “That sweet little valley we thought would deter
anyone else from stealing more of our cows. They came in on horseback and
probably drove the cows quite a way to an old cattle lane where they parked a
trailer.”

Opal glanced over at Hoover who sat at the passenger door. “We
might be out that ten head. We got to put a stop to this, Hoover.”

“You know how hard that is to do. It’s isolated out here. We’d
have to post an army of sentinels, and we don’t have an army. We’re lucky to
have me and two deputies on a good day.”

“There they are up ahead.” Opal pointed to the dust cloud in the
distance.

Fiona heard the cows before she saw them. Cows and calves alike
were bawling a cacophonous symphony.

“They don’t sound happy,” she said.

“They are going to be unhappy until they get water. That’s what the
bawling is about. They’ll stop at the stock tank up ahead. That’s where we’ll
have lunch,” said Opal.

Fiona could barely see the riders for the dust and the bobbing
heads of cattle. She saw Jake toward the front of the herd, calling and whistling
to the cows, his horse expertly turning them toward the well. The lead cow
caught the scent of water and went into a trot, her calf leaping and dancing
beside her. The rest of the girls and little ones followed, and they were soon
jostling for position at the stock tank.

Rosemary, Esme, Sweet and Glory fanned across the back of the
herd, moving them into the area of the stock tank. Rosemary and Esme looked
like an outlaws with bandanas drawn up over their noses. Jake dismounted and
came over to Old Faithful where Opal and Fiona worked on setting out the food
on the tailgate of the truck. He took off his hat and beat it against leg,
raising a small dust storm.

“I never liked this part of cattle ranching,” he said, using a
red neck scarf to wipe his face. His dark, curly hair was plastered against his
head and a line of dark ran across his forehead where the dust and sun stopped.

Fiona handed him a glass of iced tea, and he took a long draw.

Hoover walked over to stand by Jake.

“How many did you lose?”

“I count five pair.”

“These boys know their cattle.”

“You bet,” said Jake, grim-faced. “I think it might be those guys
that Cody teamed up with a while back.”

“You have any proof of that?”

“Not yet.”