Spirit Horses

by Alan S Evans

  A tired Shane replied, “Tommy, I can help you early, but I have to leave by eleven to pick up a friend of mine at the airport.”

  Shane was looking forward to seeing Megan Tillie. He also knew that seeing her would trigger bittersweet memories of the times she’d spent with him and his family. Nevertheless, he was excited about her visit and her potential for helping to solve the tribe’s problems. But, the way things were rapidly evolving, he knew they were running out of time.

  “How did your hunting trip go this weekend?” Tommy asked. The boy knew nothing about what was going on in the valley.

  Shane smiled, patted him on the back, and answered, “It went fine, bud.” Then he quickly changed the subject. “How is Sloppy doing? Did you have a chance to ride her this weekend?”

  “Yes, sir, I’m keeping her in good shape for when you turn her loose. When are you going to let her go?”

  “Soon—I hope real soon. I’ll be here at the barn by seven.”

  “Yes, sir, I’ll have everyone fed up and ready to go.” The boy’s eagerness to work with the horses every day and learn all he could put a grin on Shane’s face and lightened up his fretful mind.

  Shane was walking back to his shack when he noticed Tara stepping out onto her front porch. As soon as they saw each other, a slow uncontrollable smile came over each of them.

  Tara was standing at the top of the stairs, leaning against the porch upright with her hands in the pockets of her taut-fitting jeans. Shane walked up onto the porch, leaned back against the post on the other side of the threshold, and crossed his arms. For a long moment they stood there with stupid grins plastered on their faces, not saying a word. Finally, Tara spoke.

  “Did you think of me at all while you were out in the valley?”

  Shane hesitated for a second, shyly looked down, then looking back up at her said, “Only when I wasn’t getting shot at.”

  Tara grinned and shook her head. “I guess no one has ever accused Shane Carson of being much of a romantic, have they?”

  “I guess not.”

  “I’ve got a thick cover of trail dust to clean off me,” Shane said. “I’ll pick you up in about an hour, and we’ll go eat.”

  Tara moved over to kiss him on the cheek, and then whispered, “I missed you,” before she turned and went inside. Even though she didn’t give him any time to respond, he knew he should have said something. Instead, he just stood there speechless, like a school boy with his first crush.

  His wife, Jen, used to call him romantically challenged. “I guess she was right,” Shane said aloud, to himself. Then he shook his head, grinned, and walked down the porch stairs.

  Dinner with Tara was a good distraction, but he did have a lot to stress about. Could he expose Nethers in time to save what was left of the mustangs? Was the Arapaho whom JB shot hurt badly? He knew he was making friends out here, but he was also making some pretty dangerous enemies, and these were the kind of people who would love to see him out of the picture. He also carried a guilty, helpless feeling when he thought about having to leave the injured wolf in the valley. Maybe he could hire a vet and take him out to Butch in a Jeep. Hopefully, there would be time for him to look into this tomorrow after he picked up Megan at the airport.

  On top of all this were his thoughts of Jen, Jacob, and Tina that were always just a breath away. Yes, Tara was a powerful distraction for him, but his feelings for her were also confusing. Especially since neither one could say if they had any kind of future. He knew Jen would want him to go on with his life, but he struggled between pursuing his affections for Tara, and the strong feelings he still carried for his wife and kids. Ever since he lost them, his mere survival had depended on dealing with life on a day-to-day basis. For now, he needed to find solace in this philosophy and let destiny run its unpredictable course. So, tonight he would allow himself to enjoy life in the arms of this remarkable woman, who cared for him probably more than he deserved.

  From the moment he picked her up for dinner, the evening was filled with conversation, laughter, and friendship. While out in public they both held in check their consuming desire for the passion that already felt so familiar to them. When they made it home to the privacy of Shane’s cabin, it was a different story.

  The following morning, Shane arrived at the barn by seven as he had promised Tommy. He knew, without a doubt, that all the horses would already be fed and tacked up. The boy had always been dependable. By now he was beginning to feel if Tommy worked hard enough, he could surpass even his own abilities and skills. After all, the Shoshone kid had been born into it. Horses were a part of Tommy’s ancient culture.

  As much as he wanted to work with the boy this morning, he couldn’t get his mind off his many concerns. Tommy was aware that he was distracted, but respectfully didn’t question Shane about his mood. When they finished, Shane patted the boy affectionately on the back and told him, “I’m going to be pretty tied up for the next couple of days, Tommy, but I’ll check out the horses at the end of the week and see how you’re doing. You keep Sloppy legged up for me.”

  “Thanks, Mr. Shane.”

  “No problem, son, you have a real knack for this. You promise me you’ll keep after it, okay?”

  “Yes, sir, I will.”

  Megan’s flight would be arriving at one. He planned to bring her and the photographer back to the reservation this afternoon and put them up for the night. This would give him the evening and all day tomorrow to get her up to speed on the current events and introduce her to Tigee for an interview. He also planned to take her to Fort Washakie so she could gather more background information on the history of the mustangs.

  Tomorrow evening they would stay in the town of Reddick at the local, upscale hotel. In town they could rent a car, and Megan would be able to work on the article without interruptions. He also wanted her to interview some of the locals on their views of the situation. This would get the word circulating around town about the article, and he knew this would quickly work its way back to Nethers. Getting Megan and her photographer deep into the valley to see the mustangs might prove to be a bit more challenging.

  The herd was getting pretty spooked now, and it was getting harder, even for the Shoshones, who were guarding them, to keep up with their position. Even though Shane had plenty of pictures of the mustangs, Megan would want to see the herd for herself. He would just have to cross that bridge when he came to it.

  Kate O’Hanson with her group of activists had left a message at Tigee’s. She said there would be about a dozen of them driving into town on Tuesday afternoon. Shane figured the large group would draw a lot of attention in such a small town. He wasn’t sure what they were planning, but he knew whatever Kate had up her sleeve would be loud and very visible. Good ole Kate would definitely stir up a big pot of publicity over what was happening to the mustangs in the valley. Shane chuckled to himself as he thought about the look on Vince Nethers’s face when all this got back to him.

  Megan’s plane was on time, and she hurried over to Shane as soon as she laid eyes on him, greeting him with a big hug. “It’s been way too long,” she said as she turned him loose and looked him in the face.

  “It certainly has,” he said with a big smile.

  “This is Brett, my assistant and camera man.” After claiming their baggage and equipment, Shane took them to a restaurant and bought them lunch. Brett sat quietly while Megan and Shane talked about old friends and times they shared. Megan was a considerate and classy woman and didn’t mention Jen and the kids. There would be a time and place for that.

  During the drive to the reservation, the conversation finally turned to business. Megan listened intensely as Shane filled her in on all the latest details, which included the killing of the mustangs on Saturday morning.

  “My gosh,” Megan exclaimed, “do these guys really feel they have to eliminate the horses to gain control of the land?”

  “Yes, they do. Once you talk to the Shoshone and realize the importance of
the horses to their heritage, you’ll understand.

  “Nethers has been smart; he’s covered his tracks well. Without any hard evidence against him, there’s no way we would be able to get outside authorities to help stop him before it’s too late. Because of the financial pressure he’s putting on the tribe, along with his aggressive attempts to kill the herd, we’re really working against the clock.”

  “I understand you can’t point fingers or name names in your article, but I do need you to know I have pictures that prove someone has been actively testing for oil in the valley. We also have pictures of the horses that were shot down in cold blood.”

  Megan sat quietly and thought about what she’d just heard. “I can’t write about any connection between the illegal oil testing and the dead horses without some kind of evidence or witness to support the theory. Our biggest problem now, is that you and I are working against the clock. You’re trying to ward off any more attempts on the herd, and I have a deadline to meet. My editor needs this article done by the end of this week. If he approves it, it will be in our subscribers’ mailboxes in about fifteen days.”

  Shane thought for a second. “If all you can do right now is write about the mustangs, their unique history, and the fact that someone is killing them off, that should get us the exposure we need to save them. Maybe you can sell the idea for a possible follow-up article about the rest of all this to your bosses, once the truth does come out.”

  “Okay, then we’ve got our angle for now. But, like I said before, I’ll need to go see the surviving herd, as well as the carcasses. We’ll need pictures of our own, along with whatever photos you have.” Megan noticed the grimace on Shane’s face and asked him what was wrong.

  “Well, it’s pretty rough country out there, and the herd isn’t always easy to locate.”

  “No problem,” she answered. “I anticipated this, and I’ve already got the okay from my boss to rent a helicopter and pilot for a couple of days. The people at the airport said they had a five-seater available. Normally my magazine wouldn’t allow me to be quite so frivolous with my budget, but after my preliminary research on the story, we realized just how big the Wind River Reservation is. I convinced my editor a helicopter was the only way we could put this together in the limited time I have. I was hoping one of the Shoshone would be available to guide us on Tuesday. Today I hope to gather as much information as I can from the Indians. Then we can go to the Fort Washakie museum for some research and fact-finding on the herd’s background.”

  As usual, Megan was well organized and in charge. Shane reached over from the driver’s seat and patted her on the knee.

  “Megan,” he said with a grin, “I’m just damn glad you’re on our side.”

  She laughed and replied, “To tell the truth, I’m really excited about writing this story.”

  Shane planned to take Megan to speak to Tigee as soon as they arrived at the ranch. He wanted her to learn from the old man first-hand about the spiritual ties the Shoshone shared with these horses. He also knew Tigee would be concerned that the public might laugh at or mock these ancient beliefs. He would need to convince him that Megan could depict this in a way that would gain the respect and admiration from her readers for the Shoshone and the relationship they had shared for so long with these unique horses.

  Earlier in the morning Shane had asked Tara to come home from work in time to drive over to Fort Washakie with them. Her knowledge and connections at the museum would come in handy.

  The interview with Tigee went well, and Megan left the house excited. While they were at Tigee’s, Shane made arrangements for JB to go with them as a guide tomorrow in the helicopter.

  As usual, Tara was on time, and the four of them spent the rest of the afternoon at the museum. Tara was able to get copies of some of the old pictures for Megan to take with her, along with copies of the records showing the herd’s bloodlines.

  They stopped for dinner on the way back to the ranch. “I have a favor to ask of you, Megan,” Shane said.

  “What do you need?”

  “I need your helicopter pilot to take JB and me into the valley before the trip out with you. It shouldn’t take more than a half hour. I can do it first thing in the morning, and I’ll pay for the helicopter’s time. As soon as we’re back, we’ll take you in and show you everything you need to see.”

  “Can you tell me what you’re doing?”

  Shane told her about the two wolves and how Butch had been injured.

  “These dogs have saved my life more than once. While you and Tara were gathering the materials you needed at the museum, I contacted a veterinarian and asked him to meet me at the ranch in the morning. I need to fly him out to check on Butch and, if necessary, transport the wolves back with us. Tara’s brothers, who are out guarding the horses, checked on him this morning. They radioed in and said he didn’t look too good. I’m worried if I don’t get him help soon, he may die. Your helicopter could be his only chance of surviving.”

  “Sure, you go and get him. I’m supposed to call the pilot at seven a.m. I thought if the people at the ranch didn’t mind, I’d have him land and pick us up in that big field just west of the compound.”

  “Thanks, Megan”

  Later that evening, Shane and Megan relaxed on his porch. Megan’s photographer, Brett, had already crashed in a sleeping bag inside on the floor.

  Megan looked over at Shane with a smile and said, “I couldn’t help but notice the way you and that Shoshone girl look at each other.”

  This was very awkward for Shane. After all, it was Megan who had introduced Shane to Jen. Shane sighed, looking out into the dark night. Megan put her hand on Shane’s shoulder and said, “You know how much I cared for Jen and the kids, but I’d be happy for you if you found someone. It’s been two years. You need to go on with your life.”

  Shane nodded and sighed again. “I still miss them so much.” This caused a few quiet tears for Megan as she bit her lip. The two sat there for a long time, neither one knowing what to say next.

  Finally Megan spoke her mind. “I need you to know that I didn’t find out about the accident until the day of the funeral. You realize I would have come, if I’d known.”

  “I know you would have. I’m sorry I didn’t return any of your calls. The whole thing was such a nightmare. Shortly after, I jumped head first into a bottle of whiskey and stayed there for about a year. If I hadn’t found the school paper Jacob had written about Sloppy, I’d still be back at the farm, struggling to find a reason to get up every morning.”

  Megan interrupted, “There’s no need for you to apologize. I knew eventually we’d get a chance to talk, and now we have.” It felt good for both of them to clear the air.

  The next morning JB was nervously waiting at Tigee’s when Shane arrived. “I want you to know I’m not happy about this.”

  “About what?”

  “Helicopters. I hated flying in those freakin’ things when I was in Desert Storm, and I’m going to hate it today. If I get sick, I’m going to do it on you, damn it!”

  Shane laughed and said, “Sorry man, if I had known I would have asked someone else.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” JB answered. “Let’s just get it over with. Tara told me we were going out to get the dog first. I’m glad about that, anyway. We need to either help him, or put him out of his misery. He’s a good dog.”

  The veterinarian’s name was Dr. Burrows. He owned a mobile vet service in the area. Shane had called several small-animal hospitals in town, and they all recommended Dr. Burrows for the job. He arrived at the ranch at eight, and after Shane described the dog’s injury, he quickly grabbed some meds and equipment from his truck. Shane asked him to bring two crates, figuring if Butch did need to be transported, they would also bring Jessie back. He knew Jessie could survive on his own, but he’d feel better if the wolf was at home.

  JB directed the pilot to an open area about a hundred yards from the creek where Butch was. They were afraid if they landed
the chopper too close, they might spook the dogs. If the two slipped off into the woods, they may never find them. The pilot stayed with the helicopter, while his three passengers carried the crates and equipment to the creek. As they approached, Butch appeared to lay motionless, Jessie sitting at his side.

  “Hey, buddy, we’re going to get you some help now,” he told the wolf as he slipped a muzzle on him, then motioned for Dr. Burrows to come over. Butch yelped in pain at the vet’s slightest touch. “What do you think, Doc?”

  “I suspect he has multiple broken ribs, but my main concern is a possible diaphragmatic hernia.”

  “What’s that?” Shane asked.

  “Basically, it’s when there is a tear in the lining of the chest cavity, allowing the intestines to push through. Hopefully, if the hernia is small enough we can repair it, but I’ll be honest, I think his chances are slim. I won’t know for sure till I get him to the hospital for some X-rays. Hold his head while I sedate him. Let’s get him in the crate and start running some fluids during the return flight.” Shane looked over in time to see JB coaxing Jessie into the other crate with some raw meat. Soon they were all back at the ranch.

  Chapter 24

  The flight shook up Jessie, but Butch was heavily sedated and too badly hurt to care. They unloaded the crates and the vet’s equipment into Shane’s truck and drove the dogs across the field to the compound. As soon as Jessie was let out of his crate, he hightailed it straight to Shane’s porch. The dog nervously watched as the vet loaded the crate, with Butch still inside, and drove off to the animal hospital. As he watched the truck leave the ranch, Shane stood there with a helpless feeling, hoping his friend would make it. He turned to check on Jessie and smiled as he noticed JB on the porch, petting him and calming him down.

  Megan, Brett, Tara, and Tigee, came walking out of the house and asked, “How is he?”

  “I don’t know. At least he has a chance now. The vet has your phone number and is supposed to call when he knows more. I’ve told him I’ll pay for whatever they need to do to try to save him.” Tigee nodded, gave him a pat on his back, then went into his house.