A Good Day To Kill (30 page)

“Always, always. Tell me about those two you brought in.”

“Spud is an orphan. Apaches killed his parents. The marshal the Berkley brothers killed was his caretaker. He's ages beyond his real age. He can ride with the Force. Bennie Crews is a ranch-raised young man who's courting Lucie's sister, Fern. He and Reg are good friends and he needed work. He'll make a good man. I'm putting him on the Force, too.”

“He serious about Fern?”

“Serious enough he asked her about going to work for me.”

“That sounds serious. But he'll be miles away from her.”

“There isn't much to do up in the rim country. His father's place is probably small, and he's anxious to prove himself.”

“And my husband needs good men.”

“You're right. Monica, how are you?” he asked, entering the kitchen, heavy with the smell of rich food.

“Oh, busy, like usual. I'm getting to where you can stay gone longer. So these reunions aren't so close.”

Laughing about it, he caught her and hugged her. “You're spoofing me.”

She straightened and shook her head. “You know we love to have you here, and I like reunions, or else I'd get me a new job. Those Danish are on a plate and I have made fresh coffee especially for you. Now sit down. I have work to do.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“I am not your mother, either.”

“Yes, ma'am.” He winked at Marge behind her back.

“Where you running off to next?” Monica asked.

“South, I guess, and help the Force.”

“You ever figure they could run that and you could stay up here and look after all you've got going on up here?”

“How would you ever have reunions, without me coming home?”

She dried her face on her apron and looked up at him. “I bet I could get by without them fine.”

Then they all three laughed.

That afternoon, he went over the books with Marge and bounced Adam on his knees.

“The bank account keeps growing as we settle with the Army for the delivered cattle. We are, of course, paying for the cattle we buy to make the sales to the Navajo, but each drive still makes good money. Besides, Robert's operation is the one that does so well,” Marge reported.

“He has a man to help him now, named Fred Roach. He'll be his foreman. Robert needs more harness that McCully can fix or build at his new shop. I imagine he'll need more teams by springtime. They work them hard up there, but they really care for those horses, and that helps.”

With his first bite of the Danish, his mouth filled with saliva and the rich strawberry filling in the sweet crust, and he felt himself relax. A man could do a lot worse than this.

Folks began to arrive early. Hampt and May in a buckboard with their new baby, and their three older kids rode in on their horses. The youngest girl, Donna, about five, rode like some Apache child, and the two boys would close in any time she looked in trouble on her paint pony.

Ty, the oldest, rode up and reined his horse up short. “Uncle Chet, Hampt says I can drag calves to the branding fire next spring.”

“I'd be proud to see you there, Ty.”

He nodded. “I'll be there. Ray, get sister off that bronc,” he said to his younger brother who dismounted and helped her down.

“Good to see you all here,” Chet said, and moved on to shake Hampt's hand and hug May, whom he'd taken off the buckboard with her baby in her arms.

“Those two.” May meant the older boys. “Now they're full cowhands.”

“I noticed how good they take care of Donna.”

“Oh, they do that well. They'd fight a grizzly to save her. But they want to grow up way too fast.”

“They mean well, is all I can say.”

“You been alright? Chasing down more killers?”

“Yes, we got them in New Mexico. They won't kill any more town marshals.”

“You are a wonder. Glad you're fine.”

“Glad to have you here—always.”

“Thanks, you know I never thought I'd ever have a real life after Dale was killed, but I don't know now what I'd do if I lost Hampt. He treats those other three so good—like they're his and, of course, this one, too. Chet, I'm the luckiest woman in the world, and to think I dreaded coming to Arizona. That's a joke now.”

He hugged her and kissed her cheek. “We've crossed a lot of rivers together and it's always been better on the other side.”

“Amen. Come see us, always love to see you.”

Hampt had put up the buckboard and came back when May went in the house.

“I've been thinking about the Ralston place some more.”

“Are they willing to sell it at a reasonable price?” Hampt asked.

“I think they will. But it's overgrazed and needs some relief. How many cows they have over there?”

“Maybe four hundred?” Hampt guessed.

“We cut that in half, take two hundred up to Reg, and you could get by a lot easier with the rest?”

“Right. But we'd need to move them sometime this fall. You can't move them when they go to calving next spring.”

“You're right, Hampt. Bo will be here today. I'll see what he has going on about that buyout.”

“Whenever you get ready. I think sending half those cows to Reg would be good and let that ranch rest some.”

“Thanks. He has two more hands to help them feed this winter. They're both real hands. They rode with me after those killers. And they needed the work. I better go greet guests.”

“Go on. We can talk later.”

Chet welcomed arriving parties. As host, he wore a white shirt and a suit coat against the cooler fall air. The ranch hands took the guests' rigs and horses to park them. Everyone was dressed up.

His banker, Andrew Tanner, arrived. One of the boys took his team and buckboard, and Chet sent him in the house for a drink at the bar. Marge had someone working as bartender, so they'd be taken care of. Bo arrived with his lady, and he asked him about the Ralston place.

“I sent them a contract for thirty thousand,” Bo said. “They agreed to it, because I told them there was no hay on their ranch and if we had a tough winter they'd be out a lot of money to keep those thin cows alive.”

“When will we get hold of the ranch? I want to move half those cows up to Reg. He has the feed and the grass. We'd have to rebrand them and move them before the snow comes.”

“I will wire them tomorrow. They've accepted that price, so there should be no problem. But I'll get off a wire first thing. We should know by sundown tomorrow.”

“Do you want to do something?” His lady friend, Shelly, stood aside.

Chet removed his hat and spoke to her. “I'm sorry, you two get inside. It's warm in there.”

She shook her head. “No problem. I hope you two can close the deal.”

“Thanks. We'll get it done.”

Bo took her to the house.

He talked to others arriving in the sundown, and collected kisses on the cheek from Jenn's daughter, Bonnie, and Valerie. Cole had driven them and Jenn out there and came up to shake his hand. “You get any rest?”

“I'm fine. I think Bo has the Ralston place bought worth the money. We'll know tomorrow if we can move part of the cattle up to Reg. He has the feed for them and it will help rest that overgrazed place.”

“Good. Will it be a big job to move them up there?”

“Big enough. Sarge and his crew can't help us. They have a drive of their own each month. But we can round up enough help. It'll take two weeks to get them up there and it needs done before it snows. Hampt reminded me we can't wait till spring, because they'll be calving.”

“Right. I'll herd them inside,” Hampt said, amused, “and we can talk more later.”

He gestured at the women standing around. “Ladies, time to go inside. They have the fireplaces going. I can smell the smoke.”

Chet smiled. Then he went to greet Ben and Kathrin who'd just driven up. Things were fine with them, so he went on to welcome Tom and Millie from the Verde Ranch.

He gave Millie a hug. “Go on inside, Millie. I need to talk to Tom.”

“I'm not standing out here waiting on you two to finish. I know where the party is. Good to see you as always.”

Tom joined him. “Anything wrong?”

“Bo is closing the Ralston. Hampt says they have four hundred cows. We need to send half of them up to Reg. He has the feed and wants them.”

“That'll rest that ranch some. Good idea. Hampt thinks they really hurt it with all those cattle. We need to do it.”

“We'll need to brand those cows—all of them.”

Tom looked serious about it, with them standing in the dimming light. “It will take time to get them up there, too.”

“About two weeks, if we don't hit lots of snow. Bo is going to get us a go-ahead to get to work on the cattle and handle the papers later. I'm sure they don't want them. He dropped the purchase price to thirty thousand and they accepted it.”

“You going to use their men?”

Chet shook his head. “They aren't very industrious ranch hands.”

“That's my opinion of them. But they might not have had any leadership over there.”

“I guess the three of us can look at them. Well, you be thinking on it. You'll have to send help and probably be involved.”

When they came in the kitchen, where the ranch wives and daughters were helping Monica, Hampt met them and they went out on the back porch.

“Bo said we could get the Ralston Ranch cattle to work tomorrow,” Hampt said under his breath.

Chet nodded. “We'll meet tomorrow and make plans.”

“Whew. That will be a challenge. Huh, Tom?”

“Yes, a big one. But we've been in wild deals before.”

“Damn right. I'll be quiet, but you don't know what a relief this will be for me. I have two cowboys turning back their cattle every day. I have the feed to get the rest to spring, and they'll need it.”

“If we get going, how long will it take to get those cattle up and branded?”

“Man.” Hampt clamped his lips tight. “Two weeks.”

Tom shook his head. “There's hundreds of yearlings and two-year-olds all over the place. If there are four hundred mother cows, and we're sure there are, we'll need to cut out two hundred, brand them, and take them to Reg. After we get them up there, we have all winter to get the rest worked.”

Chet agreed. “That's how we do it. Cut that many good cows out and send them before it gets too late.”

“That's what we need to do. Time is our biggest enemy,” Hampt said.

“We better get inside or we'll all three catch hell,” Chet said, and herded them inside.

They joined the seated crowd at the three tables in the dining-living room.

“Excuse us, folks, we've been doing some ranch business,” Chet said.

“You are excused,” his wife said. “Now, you are giving us the prayer.”

“Oh, yes. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we are fixing to share a meal with our friends, family, and others. We thank you for the blessings you have bestowed upon all of us. We ask you to keep everyone in the palm of your hand. Bless the food we are about to eat, and Lord, be in our hearts when we leave here. In Jesus's name, we pray. Amen.”

“Thanks, everyone, for coming. Monica has made lots of great food. Give her some applause. Thanks. Let's eat.”

He took his seat.

Marge passed him a platter of sliced beef. “What is happening?”

“The Ralston place is going to be ours—Hampt's, anyway.”

“Isn't that ranch a big mess?”

“Yes.”

She looked to the ceiling for help.

He elbowed her and laughed. “We about have it figured out.”

At dawn, Chet led his three foremen on hand over to Hampt's place. Raphael from the home ranch—Prescott Valley, Hampt from East Verde, and Tom from the Verde River Ranch. A cold morning for men or beasts, all were breathing out fog. Hampt's roan gave him a high-flying ride until he finally drew his horse's head up and settled him down. Everyone applauded his ability to remain in his saddle, and they all laughed.

Chet rode in among them. “Now that Hampt has his horse in hand, let's use all our skills today to figure out how to cut two hundred cows, with no calves, out of the Ralston herd, cross out their brand, and put the Quarter Circle Z on them. Then drive them up to Reg's ranch on the rim.”

“You know, we could take them out through Chino Valley, then across country, then up on the rim out west,” Hampt said.

“There's a way through there?” Chet asked.

Tom nodded. “It's more a stock trail than a road, but I bet it would cut several days off trailing them up by the military road to the San Francisco Peaks.”

“Can we get a chuckwagon up there on the rim using that trail?”

“Hell, we can get a chuckwagon about anywhere we want to put it,” Hampt said.

“Tom, when we get back home, you go look it over. Take someone with you; that's tough country. I crossed it once when I was chasing down Ryan and his crooks.”

“No problem.”

Hampt nodded. “I bet that would cut fifty miles off the other way.”

“That could cut three or four days that we need to save off our drive.” Chet was pleased as his men began to come up with solutions.

He turned his attention to Raphael. “How many of your men can you send us to help cut out and brand these cows?”

“Four men. Count me as one of them. That would leave two to be certain the stock are fattening and the horses are fed and all goes well, huh?”

“That's great. Hampt, who else?”

“I have four hands and me. Kenny, who's kinda busted up from a horse wreck, and your nephews can do all there is at the ranch and handle it with May's directions.”

“Thanks. Tom, how many can you send?”

“Is five enough?”

“I hope so. A dozen boys and I handled two thousand steers on my first drive north.”

“Cole's been up that trail, too.”

“I'm counting him, and maybe use Jesus as the cook. Once we get on the trail, we won't need but a handful. These cows aren't the crazy Texas brush busters we drove to Kansas.”

Hampt nodded. “Hell, boys, those cows've been worked. They won't run off if we handle them right.”

“Let's draw a map, send Spud with it back up to Reg's, and have him show it to Reg, then he can meet us. He and the boy can scout that end of the trail and meet us when we start into that country.”

Tom agreed, and so did his other two bosses.

“Let's look at some of the cattle on their range, now that they're ours.”

“Who's going to inform that crew they don't work here anymore?” Tom asked.

“We may have to,” Chet said.

“You expecting any trouble?”

“I guess I was born in trouble, Tom. If you three don't want those men to work on your ranches, I'll have to settle with them and pay them their wages owed.”

“Don't go over there by yourself,” Tom said.

“Hell, no. I damn sure want to back you,” Hampt said. “I have a few bones to pick. They've dogged my turn-back boys, who've tried to keep their cattle over where they belonged.”

“I'll take you along, Hampt.”

“Better bring three hands along to stay and guard the place, too,” Hampt said. “Or they'll be back and rob us.”

“Oh, I hope not, but I better get Jesus to set up to start cooking for a crew over there. Have your men bring their bedrolls, warm coats, gloves, and scarfs. It may be a cold trip.”

The band of grazing cows moved away at their approach, but not in panic. Typical longhorn cows without calves, they moved away, looking back to check occasionally to see if they might be threatened. A dark brown cow bossed them, and she hooked a few stragglers with her longhorns to herd them together and away from these men on horseback.

Chet had known lots like her. A bossy ruler in a small group, banded together for their own security against grizzlies and wolves. Coyotes in bands were dangerous threats to newborn calves left unprotected, but no match against such a band of cows. In cases of extreme hunger, wolves could pull one of them down by cutting apart the tendons in their back legs, but not without tasting some sharp horns. And many times the combined force of the herd won those tussles with the killers, throwing wolves in the air and piercing them with their horns. Chet knew about the full-blood longhorns, which came originally from Africa to Spain by the Moors who for a few centuries ruled Spain. These cattle survived a long boat ride from Spain to Mexico to eventually migrate up from Mexico and establish themselves in the Texas brush like deer and multiply.