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Natural Disaster

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.

Natural Disaster

TOP SHELF

An imprint of Torquere Press, Inc. Publishers

PO Box 2545

Round Rock, TX 78680

Copyright © 2006 by Chris Owen

Cover illustration by Pluto

Published with permission

ISBN: 1-934166-62-8, 978-1-934166-62-6

www.torquerepress.com

All rights reserved, which includes the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever except as provided by the U.S. Copyright Law. For information address Torquere Press.

First Torquere Press Printing: January 2007

Printed in the USA

2

Chris Owen

In the pale light of early morning Jake Taggart told himself it was just another day, knowing full

well he was lying. It was far more than an ordinary work day and everyone on the ranch knew it.

He could see it in the smiles, the way all the hands stuck close to the main house and the barn even

after he'd set out the work orders for the day. The men were lingering, and he knew why. He just

wasn't sure that anything was really going to happen.

Tornado was like the rest of them, leaning indolently against the barn door, his arms crossed over

his chest. "Be time for breakfast soon," Tor said as Jake wandered past, restless.

"Yep." As conversations went, it was a non-starter. Jake didn't want to talk about breakfast and Tor never could stop himself from talking when he was nervous. Jake shoved his hat higher on his head

and looked around. "This lot is going to stick close until…" He trailed off, not precisely sure what would make everyone go to work like the good little cowboys they were. He shrugged one shoulder

and kicked at the dirt. "Until."

Tor nodded slowly. "Yep."

"Don't know that anything special is going to happen," Jake said. He was actually pretty sure that nothing momentous was going to happen at all. The legal matters had all been dealt with at the

lawyer's office and he and Tor already had the keys. They'd even moved most of their things over

to their new home from their room in the bunkhouse.

"Don't know that it isn't," Tor said lazily. "And you know they'd hate to miss anything." He looked around, squinting a bit. "Know soon enough, I expect." His jaw lifted, pointing toward the big house, and Jake turned slowly.

Doug Gillian, the man Jake would always think of as The Boss even if he didn't own the ranch

anymore, was standing on the porch of the main house. He was holding a suitcase and quietly look-

ing out over the yard, not saying anything at all, his expression calm and contemplative. One by

one, the hands noticed him and fell silent, then walked up to the railing, heads angled up to better

see his face.

Jake and Tor joined them wordlessly, walking shoulder to shoulder until they were at the front of

the pack.

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"Mornin'," the Boss said with a faint smile. "Big day."

There was a murmur of agreement among the men, but Jake held his tongue. The day had been a

long time coming, filled with negotiations and banks and long talks over the kitchen table. He and

Tor had worked damn hard to get the money together to buy out the Boss, but they'd done it.

Bought the land, the stock, the horses; hell, even the vehicles, bar the one truck waiting in the

drive. Everything connected to the ranch was theirs, had been for a day and half while the Boss ti-

died up a few loose ends. And now it was time for the man to say his piece and drive off, leaving

them to sink or swim.

Before Jake could even feel more than a little dizzy, Tor's hand landed on the small of his back.

"Easy, Taggart," he said softly. "We'll be fine."

He nodded and backed up a few steps, watching as the Boss came down from the porch and tossed

his suitcase into the back of his truck. Jake and Tor hung back as he then made his way through the

group of ranch workers, shaking outstretched hands and saying a few words to each man. Jake

knew that he'd also spent part of the day before talking to everyone and handing out discreet enve-

lopes; it might have only been a few dollars each, but Doug Gillian was the kind of man who

shared his good fortune and rewarded hard work. Some of the hands had worked for him for more

than a dozen years or more, the same as Jake, and they would be rewarded for their friendship.

Finally, though, the Boss was done, save Tor and Jake himself. But instead of going to them, he

grinned and looked at Elias and Bobby. "Do me one last job?" he asked, his voice almost booming in the quiet.

"Yes, sir," Bobby said with a nod. "What do you need?"

The Boss gestured to the truck. "Got something in back I want put up at the end of the drive. Soon as you can manage it."

Elias and Bobby went to the truck and climbed up into the bed, then heaved a large wrought iron

sign out, their grins growing despite its weight. "We'll take care of it," Elias called back, two more hands stepping up to help lift it down.

"Christ," Tor said in a low voice. "That sure is pretty."

Jake nodded, not sure what to say. The sign was big, big enough that he wasn't sure how it fit flat in

the truck. The scrollwork wasn't fancy or elaborate, but the frame of it was arched and elegant.

KaroJet Ranch was spelled out in swooping metal, and there was a flower in the lower right corner.

"Apple blossom?" Jake finally asked, staring at the wrought iron sign.

The Boss nodded. "Arkansas state flower. Seemed right."

"It's right. All of it is right," Jake said, still looking at the sign. Elias and Bobby waited until Tor nodded, then started moving it to one of the ranch trucks. "Thank you," Jake said, turning to the Boss. "It's… it means a lot."

He got a nod and suddenly the three of them were standing alone, the hands backing off to give

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Chris Owen

them their space. Jake noted it, appreciated it, but he had more appreciation of the way the Boss

was shaking his hand.

"I'm glad it's like this," the Boss said quietly. "You've been here a long time, Jake, and I don't think it's going too far to say that it's damn close to leaving the place with family. You grew up here, and

it's right that you and Tor bought it. I feel good leaving this spread in your hands."

Jake swallowed hard. There really wasn't anything he could say to that, to the man who'd helped

him put his life back on track and given him a home when he most needed it. "Thank you, Doug,"

he finally said, his voice tight. "We'll do our best here."

"Know you will." The Boss turned to Tor and shook his hand as well, smiling. "Keep him out of trouble, yeah? And make sure he doesn't work too hard."

Tor laughed quietly and nodded. "Set me an easy task, why don’t you?"

"Hey, you picked him." The Boss's smile grew wider and he stepped back. "You got a ranch to run here. No more standing around now, you hear?"

Jake nodded and followed him to the cab of the truck. "Back to work, boys," he called, trying to keep his smile open and easy, though it was hard. "Don't make me regret this whole thing."

"Yes, sir, Boss," someone yelled, laughing, and Jake felt himself start to blush. Boss. Christ.

Doug Gillian got in his truck and looked around once more before starting it up. "Gonna miss this

place, Jake," he said as Jake leaned on the truck. "Stay in touch."

"You know it," Jake assured him. "Got your number on the wall by the phone."

"Don't worry about using it."

Jake nodded and stepped back, thumping the door of the truck. "Drive safe."

"Ride safe," Doug said with a nod. Then he pulled away and Jake watched as he drove down the

long lane and out to the road.

Gillian's spread was now KaroJet Ranch, and Jake stood blinking in the morning sun, his fingers

crossed in his pocket.

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Natural Disaster

The Calm

"You think you can get the fencing done in the next week or so?" Jake asked Tommy as they

loaded up the truck. They'd spent the better part of two days searching for breaks in the fence that

needed fixing. Jake knew that while Tommy and Tor could easily get it all done, Tor wasn't going

to be around for the next few days, as he was sneaking a peek at some breeding stock a few towns

away.

"Should do," Tommy said thoughtfully as he wiped his brow. He squinted into the sun for a mo-

ment and added, "Give me Elias or Fred for a day early on and that'll help."

Jake nodded and opened the cooler they had stashed in the cab. He grabbed a bottle of juice. "That should work. I'll check the sheet when we get back--"

"Who's that?" Tommy interrupted, pointing to a pickup truck coming their way, dust billowing

around it in the sunshine. They were only three or four miles from the barns and were due back

within the hour; there was no real reason for anyone to come out there for them instead of waiting

or using the radio.

Jake squinted and shielded his eyes, then made out a flash of red. "Tor's truck. Can't tell who's driving, though."

They sat on the tailgate and watched the truck rumble nearer, conversation drying up in their curi-

osity as they waited.

"What's up?" Jake called as Tor pulled up next to them, his window rolled down.

Tor didn't shut off the engine, though he did put the truck in park. "Got a situation, Jake. Need you back at the house." His voice was quiet and serious and he was holding onto the steering wheel

with a white-knuckle grip.

"Ah, shit," Jake breathed. He stood up and handed his bottle to Tommy. "See you in a bit."

"Sure, man. Hope it's nothing you can't fix."

"Me, too." Jake walked around the back of Tor's truck, his heart starting to beat a little faster. The sun went behind a cloud that hadn't been there a few moments before and he shivered, sweat sud-6

Chris Owen

denly cold and clammy on his skin as he climbed up into the cab. "What's up?"

Tor wouldn't look at him. He put the truck in gear and started driving, carefully doing a three-point

turn to head them home. "Cath called," he said in that same tired,
old
voice.

"Fuck. She's not canceling, is she?" Jake demanded, throwing his head back on the headrest. He'd been trying not to get too worked up about his sisters' upcoming trip, but damn it, it was hard not

to. It would be the first time he'd have his family on his land, and it had taken ages to arrange, be-

tween Cath and 'Lissa getting time off from work, Jacob's schooling, and getting the guestrooms

redecorated. They'd owned the ranch for almost a year now, and he'd been eager for his family to

finally visit.

"No." Tor shook his head. "I mean, it wasn't about that." He took a deep breath and Jake looked at him, looked hard, and started shaking his own head. "Jake, there's been an accident."

Tor was slowing down, stopping the truck.

Jake shook his head harder. "She called, so she's okay, right? But she can't come, which sucks, but there'll be other times--" He knew he was talking too fast but he had to, it was the only way he

could stop Tor from speaking. He could drown Tor out with his own voice and then Tor would

never ever say what Jake knew he was trying to.

"Cath's fine," Tor said in a soothing tone Jake had never heard before and didn't want to hear right then. "'Lissa was taking Jacob to--"

"No."

It was too hot in the cab of the truck and there was a fly trying to get out through the windshield,

buzzing and fighting against the glass in a start and stop that had no rhythm.

"--with his friends and they were--"

"I said 'no.'"

The fly buzzed too loudly but not loud enough, and Jake's words were dry in his throat and he

couldn't get them past his tongue.

"--didn't feel anything--"

"No, no, no--" It was possible to implode from repetitions of a single word, Jake discovered.

"--got a broken arm and Cath's there--"

"Please, no. Stop, Tor, just stop." And then there wasn't any air in the truck and Tor was wrapped around him, keeping his arms from lashing out, and Jesus Christ but Jake thought his chest would

explode from the wrongness of it all.

"Baby, she needs you. Jacob needs you."

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Natural Disaster

Jake wondered how he could hear the whisper of Tor's words when he was screaming so loudly. He

opened his mouth only to find that the shrieks were in his head, that he hadn't said anything, hadn't