Whisperer (3 page)

Amanda took
several shots of Donner Lake and its surroundings before climbing
down and getting back into her car. She had been out exploring her
new environs before the new job started on Monday. Being a
counselor at a camp for troubled kids would certainly bring
challenges, so she found a small wooden cabin on the west end of
Donner Lake. It was only about five miles from her job, but would
give her the much-needed distance to get away from it too. The
cabin fit her to a tee—a small, one bedroom log cabin with an
A-frame roof, stone fireplace and bits and pieces of furniture.
Amanda wasn’t that picky about furniture anyway. As long as the
place was clean and had a decent bed, it would be fine. The front
window was almost as high as the roofline and had a window seat by
it. She envisioned snowy nights by the fire, reading a good book.
She sighed and pulled her car up beside it. Tomorrow she would find
a place to rent a horse. Amanda needed to get back in the saddle—in
more ways than one.

The first week
in Sonoma, Colt helped with the eternal grape harvest. He just had
to smile remembering how many harvests he and his family had helped
with over the years. Fun times with a big, loving family. Miles and
Joey would, of course, throw the grapes they picked at each other.
Dad would be trying to get them to behave. Mother, sisters Meg and
Janie were all good grape-pickers, but Janie would get a
stomachache from eating as many as she picked. Colt wasn’t that old
at twenty-four, but he recognized the speedy passage of time with
his memories. He also realized what a stable foundation he had with
the Johnson family and felt grateful.

The next few
weeks were taken up with horse training. Sam had acquired a few
feral mustangs, the ones that are wild on the range and asked Colt
to see what he could do with them. Communicating with horses was
the equestrian gift Colt had and people would come around to watch
him work. His process didn’t vary too much. Today Sam brought in a
new mustang that was acting aggressively. It had been caught in a
Bureau of Land Management roundup in Nevada and someone in town had
bought it. A few cowboys stood by the corral to watch and to
protect Colt, if needed.

Colt walked
into the corral and just looked the horse over. The horse was
skittish if he got too close and ran around the corral looking for
a way out. Colt stood in the middle of the corral and let the horse
run. Crouching down in a submissive position allowed Colt to check
the horse for physical problems. Finding nothing obvious, he
straightened up.

“Throw me that
rope,” said Colt quietly to one of the cowboys. He coiled the rope
and then threw up his arms to get the horse to stop running. Time
and patience were the keys. Colt could wait any horse out. When the
horse finally stopped to stare at him, Colt reached out to pat his
head. If the horse reared up or again acted aggressively, he would
start all over getting the horse used to him. Sometimes this would
take a day or two—depending on the horse. Today the horse let him
get close. Colt was able to get a rope on and lead him to the gate
in the corral. Another horse was saddled for Colt, so he opened the
gate, mounted the new horse and led the mustang out into the meadow
out back on Sam’s ranch. He and the mustang rode around and around.
They just continued walking and trotting in circles, as the mustang
came to trust him more. When the horse began chewing, Colt knew he
was getting where he wanted the horse to go. The next few days he
would try to saddle and ride him.

Sam and some
other men watched Colt work and marveled at his technique. Not many
cowboys could do this kind of horse training and Sam was beginning
to get a lot of calls for Colt’s expertise. Jeanne volunteered to
be his manager.

After an hour
or so, Colt brought the mustang back into the corral and took the
rope off. The mustang was much calmer than before and could be led
to another area with other horses. Colt was walking back to the
house when Jeanne came up with his cell phone.

“It’s your
mother, sweetie.”

“Mom. How are
you?” Colt wiped the sweat off his forehead with his bandanna.

“We miss you.
How’s the horse training going?” Lily smiled at the sound of his
voice.

“I’ve only been
here a few weeks, but Grandma is fielding calls for me to go around
the state working with horses. I’m thinking about it. Is Dad
there?”

“Sure, he’s
waiting to talk to you.” She handed the phone to Sandy.

“Son, how are
things? Got any good horses?” His father too was pleased to hear
his voice.

Colt smiled.
“Dad, I may have a business brewing. I’ve got several appointments
around California and Nevada to work with problem horses. I’m going
to travel for a while and see how it goes. What do you think?” His
father’s opinion was important to him for lots of reasons. Mostly,
his father was an astute businessman, as well as rancher.

“Do it, son.
Get all the experience you can. When you’re ready, we can talk
about giving you some acreage to start your own business here at
our ranch. When you’re tired of traveling, people can bring their
horses to you.”

“Wow. Thanks—I
hadn’t thought of that angle, but it sounds great.” Colt spoke to
his mother again and promised to visit them as soon as he could. He
knew it would be a while, though, before he could get back.
Finishing the call, Colt smiled. Life was getting interesting all
right.

“Sam, got any
beer?” He brushed the dust off his chaps and kicked the mud off his
boots before entering the house.

Amanda had been
working with a young boy for about two weeks now. They had been
talking quietly, when suddenly he started shrieking and running
around her office. Her job as camp counselor seemed fraught with
peril, as she worked through problems with various kids. She kept
quiet and watched him for a while. Amanda knew he wasn’t physically
hurt, so she held out her hands to keep him from bumping into
furniture. The boy finally plopped exhausted into one of her
comfortable chairs. Like one of Colt’s horses, she had to give him
time to get used to her and begin to trust her. Patience was the
key to where she wanted to go with this boy.

His breathing
became normal again, signaling he was calm. Amanda quietly
suggested that they go for a walk. Walking around and around her
building, the boy let Amanda hold his hand. While walking, he
finally told her a few of his fears—father beatings, mother
abandonment, drug use in the home.

It never failed
to amaze her how many bad parents were out there and continuing to
have children. The camp was trying to straighten out damaged
children after their parents had put the kinks there. They talked a
while longer and then she told him when they could meet again.

Taking him back
to the recreation area, she walked over to the lunchroom to grab a
bite. Going into the bathroom to wash her hands, she glanced at her
reflection in the mirror. A different Amanda looked back at her.
Sure, her eyes were still green and her hair a pretty auburn color,
but it was someone more confident—happier…An improved version of
the old Amanda. She liked what she saw.

Her new friend,
another counselor named Kim, called to her, “Over here, Amanda.”
Kim was a petite blonde who used a lot of physical therapy with her
clients. You could generally find her in the pool with a child or
two. She sat down with Kim and waited for the onslaught. It wasn’t
long in coming.

“So how about
that movie tonight? It’s the new Johnny Depp one where he plays
Tonto. I know the critics hated it, but what do they know? Have
they ever tried to make a movie? No, so we won’t listen to the
critics.” She seldom paused for breath.

“Kim...”

“Or, I know,
there’s a cool new bar in Truckee I’ve been dying to try. How about
it? Maybe we’ll meet a few cute cowboys.”

“My turn to
talk, Kim. Take a bite of your sandwich.” Amanda winked at her. Kim
happily began to eat.

“I wouldn’t
mind going to Truckee some time, but not after work today. I want
to try out that new horse at the stable in town.”

“That’s all you
do anymore, Amanda. You’ve been here a month and must be an expert
horsewoman by now. Or is it equestrian-person? What is the
politically correct term anyway?”

“I guess
‘cowgirl’ would do.”

“That doesn’t
sound politically correct.”

“Horses and
this camp are changing me, Kim. I feel so much better getting out
of the polluted city air.”

“You can’t take
a horse to bed, Amanda. I suppose you could, but I never figured
you for a Catherine the Great type of person.” Kim laughed.

“I’ve read
Russian history and I think Catherine’s reputation has been
tarnished by that lie. Don’t perpetrate it…” Amanda smiled when
Kim’s mouth dropped open.

“What were we
talking about?”

“I’m going
riding after work today, but I promise to come out with you Friday.
How would that be?”

“You’re a
boring woman, Amanda, preferring a horse to a guy.”

“I know I’m
hopeless. Finish your sandwich, Kim.”

For several
months, Colt traveled around northern California, working with
people and their horses. Sometimes it seemed more like people
problems than horse problems, meaning the owners seemed to cause
the problems with their horses. He would always come back to
Sonoma, get his mail and the news from his grandparents. He had
just returned from St. Helena and an agitated Appaloosa when Jeanne
caught up with him at dinner.

“I just got a
call from some children’s camp in the Soda Springs area. Over by
Donner, I think. They have a donated horse they can’t do anything
with and would like to hire you. Know the place?” she asked
him.

“Yeah, by
Truckee?”

“Better get out
the GPS. Sam would know, but he’s working on a new wine concoction
tonight. We’re eating solo, sweetie.” Jeanne smiled.

“Grandpa is not
joining us?”

Jeanne’s
antenna went up. “Ah, no. Why?”

He folded his
hands on the kitchen table, then unfolded them and pulled at his
napkin. He was clearly nervous. Colt swallowed. For some time now
he had wanted to talk to her about something. She could smell the
tension.

“Listen,
Grandma. If I tell you something, could it please not get back to
the whole family? This is private.”

“You have my
word.”

He took a deep
breath. “I saw a woman at a restaurant in Old Town Sac that I just
can’t seem to forget. It’s stupid, really. I mean, it must have
been six months ago, but the scene plays over and over in my
head.”

“Tell me.” And
he did, from entering the restaurant to her last lingering look. He
sounded almost wistful.

“My darling
grandson, there are no accidents. You’re right in deducing this was
a sneak preview – how sweet of you to phrase it like that – and I
think Act One is right around the corner.”

“Act One?”

“Act One,
sweetie. That’s when boy meets girl and they fall for each
other.

In Act Two,
there are problems to sort out, but by Act Three, wedding bells are
peeling. It’s in the stars, you know. Think of it like Cary Grant
and Deborah Kerr in ‘
Affair to Remember’
. Oh, that was a
doozy.”

Colt looked
confused. “I get as confused as Dad or Grandpa when you start your
movie talk, Grandma.” He sighed. “Mother would understand though,
right?”

“Absolutely.
She’s a serious movie lover, like me, but she also believes in fate
– as I know you do. That’s the stars part. You met this girl once,
and you’ll meet her again. Trust me.” Jeanne put her hand on top of
Colt’s.

“So then, I’m
Cary Grant? Wasn’t he British? And the yet-to-be-discovered ingénue
is Deborah Kerr? Don’t think I remember her.”

“Deborah Kerr
had lovely red hair like this new girl. And you are as charming as
Cary Grant any day of the week.”

Colt was
amused. “A western Cary Grant…”

“My boy, you’re
in for some wonderful times and difficult times, but it’s a really
neat roller coaster. Buy a ticket.”

“I sure will,
when I figure out what you just said.” Colt grabbed a cookie and
kissed his grandmother on the cheek. “I’m off to bed. Thanks.”

Jeanne watched
him walk to his bedroom. “ ‘Good night, sweet Prince. And flights
of angels sing thee to thy rest.’ Hold onto your hats, everyone.
This is going to be fun.”

“No, Mom, I
really don’t want you to come up here. It’s peaceful and I like it.
I don’t need whatever problem you want to impose upon me.” Amanda
listened a little more and then had had enough. “I have to go, Mom.
I’ll be down to Sacramento when I can.” She hung up.

“Your mom is
incessant, isn’t she?” asked Kim over lunch.

“She’s
relentless. I’m exhausted from trying to fight her off.” Amanda
took one more bite of her sandwich and then put it down. “Tell me
something happy, Kim.”

“Well,” Kim’s
eyes sparkled. “Have you seen the cowboy hired to train the new
mustang? Tall, dark and handsome probably sums him up nicely. I
watched him train yesterday and he’s got muscles in places I didn’t
know a man had muscles.”

“I knew it
would be about a guy. Haven’t I told you a thousand times that I’m
not interested right now? I’ve had six months of peace from
masculine problems and I don’t need to start any up.”

“Amanda, I’m
getting worried about you,” Kim said. “Sex isn’t a bad thing. I
think a little might smooth you out a bit.” She smiled and Amanda
laughed.

“Sure, it
might, but, I do declare, Miss Kim,” Amanda kidded her in a
southern accent. “I have no room on my dance card at present.
Please tell him to leave his card with my maid and I’ll get to him
when I can.” Amanda pretended to fan herself. “Quick! Get me my
vapors. This has been so excitin’ that I think I’m going to faint!”
She slumped over in her chair.