The Bovine Connection (11 page)

They turned off the dirt drive back onto the main road, as she mumbled to herself… “Very interesting.”

S
he breathed appreciatively. “Thank you for today,” she said softly. Matthew turned and smiled at Angelica.

The evening sky was partly cloudy. It had become cobalt blue. Rays of red and pink casted down between the clouds onto the lodge, creating a warm glow. “Just lovely here, don’t you think?” she announced as they pulled back up to the lodge.

“Yes, beautiful place,” Matthew answered. “So, I’ll work on lining up the interview for tomorrow with Ellen McKinney. What time works for you?”

“Anytime is fine with me. I’m feeling jetlagged, so I’ll probably wait to work on my laptop until in the morning. So ten?” Angelica grabbed her satchel and got out of the car.

“I’ll be here in the morning, say, around eleven o’clock to pick you up. That way you’re not rushed. We can grab coffee or lunch with the Sheriff at the diner in town. I’ll work it out and let you know in the morning.”

“That sounds great, thanks Matthew.” Angelica started to shut the car door and then stopped. She leaned down. “Really, thank you for all your help, I’m sure you’re busy. I do appreciate it.”

Matthew grinned, “No problem, I’m enjoying it, actually… gets a little boring around here at times.”

Angelica narrowed her eyes and smiled, “Sounds like things have been anything but boring around here.”

             
A
ngelica’s eyes shot open. She felt panicked as she surveyed the room. She turned and looked at the clock to notice it was three thirty-three in the morning. She slowly lowered her chin and saw the goose down comforter on the floor beside the bed.

Angelica was burning up and drenched in sweat so she quickly peeled the sheets away from her wet body, while at the same time, she noticed a humming sound faintly descending, and then gone. Her nightmare had left her disoriented and immediately depressed. There was an odd heaviness in her uterus. It was that same familiar feeling after a vaginal examination from her doctor.

Angelica rubbed her belly while she got out of the bed, feeling increasingly worried, and found her suitcase. She pulled out an oversize Red Sox t-shirt she had confiscated from an old boyfriend. More comfortable in her own sleepwear, she went into the bathroom.

Angelica noticed the heaviness in her uterus again while she sat on the toilet. She couldn’t ignore the strange and subtle feeling of pressure in her pelvic area. She ran her hand through her hair trying to re-orient her mind. Angelica turned out the light, walked over to the French door leading to the balcony and just stood there in a daze staring at the half moon shining down and reflecting off the Elk Creek stream.

A peaceful feeling began to slowly emerge from her core as she realized she was exhausted. She pulled the heavy curtains shut, and walked over to the bedside table to make sure the alarm was set. She lifted the goose down comforter back onto the bed, and pulled the covers up to her neck, curled around the bedding and fell back sleep.

Angelica awoke to the alarm still buzzing at eight thirty-three. She had set it for eight thirty so she had some time before meeting Matthew out front. Forgetting her macabre dream, she jumped out of the bed and picked up the phone, ordering her usual coffee and bowl of fruit. Angelica walked over and opened the curtains to let in the sunlight.

She slowly turned around and looked for the hotel robe, and noticed it was hanging on the closet door. She stepped quickly across the floor and slipped it on over her Red Sox t-shirt.

She opened the French doors to the balcony where there were two rustic lounge chairs, crafted from cedar. She tilted her head back and took a deep breath. She then closed her eyes, and listened to the rumbling of the river rapids. Angelica’s thoughts drifted to the day before on Michael’s ranch.

His eyes penetrating, his unruly silky black hair, his smile - he was perfection, she thought. He looked like a man from a vintage romance novel when she first noticed him standing by his horse. Angelica let out a sigh and bit down on her lower lip.

Angelica quickly caught herself and decided to let the fantasy go, and with a pouty puff of air she sank deeper into the chair.

After a day filled with dead cattle and handsome men… she was anxious to see where the story was headed next. Angelica couldn’t help but laugh as she recalled some of the details from the interviews the day before. It all sounded so crazy.
“Were these people all nut jobs?”
she wondered.

After a moment, Angelica stood up and went inside. She pulled her pad of notes from her satchel and opened her laptop.

There was a knock at the door. Startled, she rushed through the room and opened the door. The server came in.

“Where would you like your tray?”

“On the desk is fine, thank you.”

“Lovely day isn’t it?”

Angelica didn’t answer, she had glanced back over to the desk, distracted by the notes she was deciphering from the Michael Anderson interview. However, the server didn’t appear to take it personally.

“Enjoy your stay”, he said as he shut the door behind him. Angelica still distracted, poured her coffee and laughed. “Why am I thinking about that cowboy Michael Anderson when there appears to be a lot more interesting men roaming around here in Elberton? … Little green ones…”

             
A
ngelica hovered in the valet area for a moment watching the guests as they loaded luggage into their rental cars, until she noticed Matthew sitting in his car reading a newspaper.

Angelica walked up to Matthew’s window and knocked, causing him to jump in surprise, crumpling the page of the newspaper as he lowered it to see what the noise was.

“You startled me!” He laughed.

Angelica smiled smugly. “Good Morning.”

Matthew leaned over and moved the rest of the newspaper out of the passenger seat by placing it in the backseat.

Angelica put her satchel on the floorboard and got in.

“Good Morning, lovely lady! How did you sleep?”

“Same as usual, thank you. Were you waiting long?” Angelica smiled sincerely.

“No, just a few minutes.”

“Good! So, what’s on the agenda for today?”

Matthew started the engine and pulled out of the valet area. “We are meeting Sheriff Taylor at the town diner, and then we’ll head over to Ellen McKinney’s place.”

“Perfect!” Angelica leaned back, shifted in her seat, and looked out the window as they drove off.

Coming off the mountain and onto the main road, Angelica glanced over to notice Matthew was fidgeting.

“So how’d you like Michael? Great guy, huh?” Matthew asked. Matthew was curious. He wanted to observe Angelica’s reaction as he teased her about Michael.

Angelica looked back out her window. “He was nice,” she said, trying to cover up any indication that she might be interested in him.

“Nice?” Matthew laughed sarcastically. “Hum, he was nice?” Matthew laughed again with less sarcasm. “Sure looked like you two had a connection.”

“Really, it did?” Angelica swung her head around and looked at Matthew surprised, and then slowly turned back around to look out the window.

“Interesting,” she said softly.

Matthew shook his head. “Nice… Interesting… You’re interesting.” He chuckled. Angelica flashed him a quick smile.

“Okay, so changing the subject… What are you thinking about all this UFO stuff so far?” Matthew asked in western slang.

Angelica pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. She needed time to think. “I don’t know, Matthew. Michael was convincing… He appeared to be telling the truth yesterday. He seemed very sincere.” Angelica frowned and pursed her lips. “And Jack Keller was obviously trying to hide something from Elizabeth… and then there was the carcass. There just has to be a more believable explanation.”

Matthew nodded. “Yeah, it will get stranger after you meet with Ellen McKinney, for sure.”

Angelica looked at Matthew. “So what keeps you in this small town? Oh, by the way, do you mind stopping by the liquor store later? I need something for the room.”

Matthew nodded. “Sure don’t… can’t blame you.”

Angelica inserted… “Trouble sleeping, you know.”

“To answer your question… it is a small town, and not a lot to do, but it’s home.”

Angelica looked over at Matthew, observing his side profile. An average build, he was geeky, but handsome, she thought. He had an all-American look.

“So, why aren’t you a cowboy?” Angelica giggled sarcastically.

Matthew turned and looked at Angelica, caught off guard by the question. “Thought we covered the cowboy thing.” He laughed.

“Well, my father was a rancher. His ancestry went all the way back to when his family first settled in Montana, about the time the cattle industry first started here.” His voice was deep as he shot a glance at Angelica.

There was something in Matthew’s tone when he spoke about his father, almost bitter, she thought. Angelica was curious. She analyzed him closely as he continued to speak about his past.

“The rancher lifestyle has been in our family for generations. It just wasn’t for me,” he said dryly as he glanced back over at Angelica. “I had my head in books, an inconvenient hobby for someone growing up in Elberton, Montana.” He shook his head as he reflected back on his childhood.

“I wanted to write, dreamed of writing since the day I discovered my passion for it. I didn’t get along with my father. He was a hard man.” Matthew’s tone became even more bitter

Angelica frowned. “Oh.”

“He didn’t like my interest in the page, thought I was an embarrassment. He was disappointed.” Matthew’s eyes grew grave.

Angelica looked down… “How difficult.”

Matthew looked over at Angelica clearly moved by her sympathy. “Anyway, how’d I get started on this conversation?” He laughed, “Oh, I forgot, I’m with an investigative journalist.”

Angelica looked sincerely into his eyes. Matthew did a double take and then looked ahead at the road.

“You don’t have to talk about it. I find you fascinating--that’s all.”

Matthew nodded and smiled. “I’m fascinating--that’s good to know. Thank you for saying that. Well, when I was growing up, I’d hear my father in his bedroom, right beside mine, loudly stumbling around as he did each morning, bumping into furniture all pissed off from the hangover he had brought upon himself from the night before. I wasn’t much of a morning person myself, so I tried to stay out of his way. Not to mention, I definitely wasn’t eager to be up at dawn to shovel horse shit.” Matthew looked irritated. “My father would push my door wide open and with red, bloodshot eyes, and a rage in his voice, he’d say … ‘Ranchers don’t have the luxury of sleeping in, boy. You better get used to the dawn.’ Those are my childhood memories.” He laughed sarcastically.

Angelica wrinkled her forehead. She felt sorry for him. “Was it all bad?” she asked softly.

“Not really, I had my grandparents, you know, my mother’s folks. They encouraged me to continue with my writing. Grandfather told me, ‘You don’t have to feel guilty for not following in your father’s footsteps. The rancher’s way of living is not for everyone.’ He’d say, ‘Stay true to yourself and follow your own path.’ So, I did. I was the first male on my father’s side to go to college. Besides, my older brother has always been my father’s favorite. Anyhow, I’m happy.” Matthew peered over at Angelica suspiciously. “How’d you get all that out of me?” He chuckled.

“Have you ever thought about leaving Elberton?” Angelica tilted her head inquisitively.

“
You know, Angelica, some of us have no desire to live a fast-paced lifestyle, and look around you at this view.” Matthew took his hand off the steering wheel and waved it around. “So many people come here to escape and take their vacation. Hell, I get to see this every day.”