Owned (6 page)

“Hell, I’m not stupid enough to refuse help, but I was calling you in your official capacity. I wanted to report it and see if you could head out, take pictures or whatever as proof before I have the fences mended.”

“I can do both, I’ll make some phone calls and head out that way. You’ve got some horses ready?”

“I set Nick to that task a few minutes ago, we’ll have them ready. Thanks, Sheriff, I owe you one for this,” I said, letting the relief show in my voice.

“We’ll fix this, Kate,” he replied before he hung up. Guess he wasn’t a man who said good-bye or hello on the phone.

I dialed Nate’s and Jamie’s numbers and got both their voicemails. I knew they were both on the same flight, coming in for the funeral and to help me out. I left messages to call me when they landed, but I didn’t think I could get them from the airport as originally planned. Also, I told them I’d have a rental car waiting for them that I’d pay for. After hanging up, I set that up as well. Luckily they had a sedan available.

I started to think about the fence again. How would someone know the cattle would be on the west side of the ranch today? I guessed if they got on the property, they could have checked. But searching eight hundred acres of land would take a long time, unless they knew the seven spots we rotated the cattle through. Or if they knew the schedule of where the cattle would be.

Shit, that meant someone who worked for me, or someone Sean sent. I’d have to change the schedule tonight, along with setting up a locksmith to come out and start changing locks. It seemed a good idea for future precaution. Just then the Sheriff pulled up with a trail of four trucks behind him.

“We’ve got some more help coming,” Sheriff Swick said as he got out of his car. “A lot of these guys were friends of your grandpa’s or work for friends of his.”

“Wow, this is way more than I expected! Thanks so much, Sheriff,” I said, genuinely touched.

“We take care of our own around here,” he informed me, his sincerity in his tone. “You have some of those GPS locators?”

“Yeah, I’ve got a few more, and a bunch more radios. I was thinking my guys could do most of the rounding up if your crew could do most of the escorting from the west fence to the cattle paddock. That way we don’t have to worry about any lost volunteers, and taking the time to explain how the locators work. If you’re not used to using them, they can be a little tricky,” I explained.

“Makes sense.” He nodded as he took off his work gear and locked it in his trunk. “Your grandpa explained them to me, so let me have one, and I’ll team up everyone else with a radio.”

He turned back to the group as I ran into the barn’s office to get two locators and as many radios as I could carry. When I got back to the group, Nick was already bringing up saddled horses.

“Nick, when everyone’s got a horse, I want you at the paddock to keep count of our progress. Sheriff Swick is going to handle the west fence, and our guys are going to bring the cattle back to there. These guys are going to bring them to the paddock. We’ve got about an hour until dark. I want as many of the high-power flashlights as possible at the west fences to give to the groups.”

“You got it, Kate,” he said and then ran back to get more horses. I handed one of the locators and a radio to the Sheriff, keeping one of each for myself. I also handed out some of the other radios. Noticing some other trucks had pulled in, I saw we had about fifteen or so volunteers.

“Kate, you should make the house command central,” Sheriff Swick said. “I know some of the women brought over some food for their condolences, but I know there’s a bunch more to come. It would be wise to keep the coffee coming as well. It’s not going to get cold tonight, but most of these guys have already put in a full day.”

“Will do. Good call, thanks, Sheriff,” I replied. He just tipped his hat at me and the first of the volunteers headed out to the west fence. I headed in the house and found the big coffee urn my grandparents had for parties. While that was going, I pulled out as many thermoses as I could find. As the Sheriff predicted, people started showing up with loads of food. Most of them thought ahead to foods we could take out to the guys or stuff that was easy to reheat.

After introductions were made, I didn’t have to say anything before some of them started making sandwiches. They were packing them up with some of the thermoses filled with coffee I put together. A nice gal about my age volunteered to head on over to the west fence and take a load out to the guys.

“I take it you all have done this before?” I asked the woman who introduced herself to me as Sue. It turned out she was married to Harry, the bank manager.

“Not quite like this, but there have been times when we’ve pulled together to help each other out. Last year one of the other ranches across the way had a missing child. We mounted up and did about the same thing,” Sue told me. “Ended up we found the kid, he just wandered off too far, got turned around, and headed away from home. He was fine, not a scratch on him, he was just tired and scared.”

“I think it’s great that everyone helps out like that,” I replied. “When Sheriff Swick said he’d get help, I had no idea it would be this many people. Means a lot that this many people would help out because they liked Gramp.”

“Your grandpa was one of the kindest men I’ve ever known. He was the first one to volunteer to help out in any way he could. Lots of people around here won’t forget that, and loved him dearly. You’re his kin and you made him happy as could be, we all know that. If you need it, you’ll have all the support you’ll need and more, Kate,” she said, giving me a smile and a pat on the shoulder.

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” I replied, looking at the floor. “Just a lot to take in, you know? I’m used to doing everything on my own.”

“Well that’s fine if that’s how you’re used to things, no one will intrude. But just know you have help if you need it.” She smiled at me before she walked back to where the food was laid out. I think she got that I’d have a hard time accepting help, since I was trusting strangers to locate and take care of the cattle. Sue was handling most everything in the kitchen, and it’s not easy to let others take charge when you’re used to being in charge.

Just then, Adam Rose, Gramp’s lawyer, walked in and I was grateful for the distraction. Also to do something useful, because it seemed everyone else was handling things, which left me with nothing to do but think. And after the loss of Gramp, that was the last thing I wanted to do.

“Mr. Rose,” I said, extending my hand, “I appreciate you coming out here, but I was more than willing to come to your office.”

“Your grandfather was a dear friend of mine, and he gave specific instructions that when this day came, I would come out here and speak with you in person,” he replied, shaking my hand.

“I don’t understand, I know what the will says. Gramp made sure I had a copy.”

“There were a few addendums he didn’t want you to know about,” Mr. Rose said, lowering his voice. “Is there a place we could speak in private?”

“Of course,” I agreed, grabbing a radio. “Sue, we’ll be in the study if you need anything,” I yelled back over my shoulder. When we were in the study with the door closed, I turned back to Mr. Rose. “What is this all about?”

“Please, Ms. Boyle, have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chair next to him. I raised an eyebrow at him, hesitated, but finally sat down. “I’m sure you know your grandfather had life insurance?”

“Yes, he had a veterans survivor policy through the military.” I shrugged, not seeing what was the big deal. “He never told me how much it was for, he just made sure I knew about it and what Kyle and I would both inherit.”

“He did have that policy, but he also had another policy,” he explained, handing over copies of the policy. Just then the radio beeped and Nick came across the line.

“Kate, we’ve got the first seventy-five cattle in, so far we’re making good time, over.”

“Okay, Nick, thanks for letting me know.” I was still reading the policies and my eyes went wide as I glanced at the lawyer. “What the fuck? Are you fucking kidding me? This can’t be right!” I exclaimed, reading the total amounts of the policies.

“Ms. Boyle, you’re still holding down the button to talk on the radio,” Mr. Rose said patiently.

“Oh, right. Shit. Okay, Nick, read you loud and clear, over.” I released the talk button.

“Everything okay, Kate?” Sheriff Swick’s voice said over the radio.

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine, Sheriff,” I replied, taking a deep breath. “Just keep me in the loop, please.”

“Will do,” he said in his cautious voice.

“This can’t be right, can it?” I asked Mr. Rose as I put the radio aside.

“I assure you, it is. Your grandfather wanted you and your grandmother to be taken care of in case something happened to you.”

“Taken care of?” I said with a start. “This is more money than we would have needed to take care of both of us for a couple lifetimes. I am reading this right, aren’t I? It really says 5.2 million dollars?”

“Yes, it really does say that.” He had to have known how big of a shock this was going to be.

“This can’t all be mine, right? I mean there’s still Kyle—” I started to say, but I was having trouble making complete thoughts.

“Actually, this is all yours.” He paused, letting it sink in. “Your grandfather set up a special trust for Kyle. He didn’t want a lump sum of money to be handed over directly to him. He was aware of Kyle’s tendencies towards improper spending of money.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” I said mildly. “I never realized Gramp knew about all his schemes. He always seemed to have a blind spot where Kyle was concerned.”

“No, he knew. Your grandfather was a very sharp man, but no matter Kyle’s faults, he loved his son.”

“I know, I didn’t mean to imply—” I replied but he cut me off.

“You didn’t imply any such thing. I was just stating clearly why your grandfather set up a trust for his son.” Mr. Rose took in a deep breath, so I knew to brace myself. “He set up the trust to give Kyle fifty thousand dollars a year for thirty years. At the end of the thirty years, he’ll be given any interest in one lump sum. You will be in charge of this trust.” He held up his hand to stop my protests. “Your grandfather trusted you, he also knew you would be around to help Kyle and keep up the trust.

“You have sole discretion to allow any changes to the trust. Say, letting Kyle have more money early so he can purchase a house, or if he needs a new car, that sort of thing.”

“Oh, Kyle’s going to fucking love that,” I grumbled, rolling my eyes and feeling the migraine starting to form. “Please tell me that Gramp at least set it up where you get to explain this to him and not me?” I knew it was chicken of me to not want to explain it. But I so did not want to have to tell my uncle/brother that I got the ranch and millions of dollars and was in charge of his trust.

“I will be informing Kyle.” He smiled when I let out a sigh of relief. “Kyle will only be told about the trust and your retaining the ranch. I must also tell you that your grandfather stipulated in his will that you must keep the ranch for at least a year before you are allowed to sell it. If you don’t want it, try to sell it, or if something happens to you in that year, the ranch will revert to Kyle.”

“That’s fine, I have no plans to sell the ranch and I want it very much,” I told him. “So Kyle won’t know about the insurance money?”

“No, not unless you want to tell him,” he replied with a smile.

“Fuck no!” I snickered. “Are there any stipulations about my being allowed to travel? I do have another business and need to be able to leave the ranch.”

“There are no other stipulations. The money is yours whether you keep the ranch or not. You don’t even have to live at the ranch if you don’t want to. It just says you can’t sell until you’ve had it for a year.”

“Wow, this really is a lot to take in. I need a drink,” I mumbled as I stood. I headed over to the sideboard where my gramp always left a few bottles of liquor and glasses. I poured myself a double of whiskey and gulped it. Refilling my glass and pouring another one, I turned and handed it to Mr. Rose.

“You drink like your grandfather too, I see,” he chuckled.

“Not really, and I’m not a big fan of whiskey,” I replied. “But if there was ever a time for a few shots of it, it would be today.”

“Yes, I heard about what happened with the foreman and the fences. I’m sorry, Kate, I don’t believe your grandfather ever thought there would be a problem with your owning the ranch.” I could see the worry in his eyes as he took a drink of the whiskey.

“I know. Gramp thought the best of people,” I said, putting on a brave smile. “Isn’t anything I can’t handle. Shit happens, you deal with it, and move on. I’m just glad to have the help of his friends right now.”

“Are you? Are you really?” he asked, giving me a disbelieving look.

“Yes, I am. I’m not comfortable with it, by any means, but I’m out of my depth on this one. I might not like needing help, but I’m secure enough to ask and accept it when I need it.”

“Good. I’m glad to know that’s how you feel,” he said, finishing off his whiskey and standing. “Well, Ms. Boyle, I think your grandfather made a wise decision on leaving things to you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Rose,” I replied, shaking his hand again, “I’ll let you know when I hear from Kyle.” I opened the door to the study and heard the voice shouting that I’d been dreading to hear.