by Frank Hayes
“It’s not really important,” Virgil said. “But it was the belt buckle. That’s how I knew it was you. A lot of guys, ranch hands, guys doing the circuit like you used to, and the wannabes wear big buckles, but damn few of them wear an extra-big commemorative of a PR championship like you. That thing caught the light from the parking lot like a diamond. I knew it was you and I knew you were there. It was actually your mother that reminded me of the belt and your championship win.”
“The first recognition from her and it comes from the grave.” Micah put his hand to his eyes as if he was trying to wipe away a tear. “You know, Virgil, you’re a lot better at your job than people give you credit for, but I tell you, it wasn’t Buddy I was there to see. It was Wade. I wanted to tell him that we had gotten into the black enough that I wanted to pay off the debt.”
“How did he take the news?”
“Not like I expected. He said the people he had the association with wanted to continue the relationship. When Buddy went missing and then you found him in the stock tank, he told me to take it for a warning. He said Buddy had wanted to quit the relationship, too. That’s when I knew that there was something else going on with the business. But honestly, Virgil, I didn’t know what it was. I still don’t. I tried to figure out what was going on when my mother said something a few days later about not recognizing some of the pickers. I started checking.”
“And . . .”
“The foreman told me someone leaned on him. I knew these guys weren’t there for the upcoming harvest as soon as I saw them.”
“They still at Hayward Ranch?”
“Yeah. They’re still there, watching my every move. I was hoping I could work out something with these people, but then when I heard what happened to those young people and then your barn, I knew I had to come and see you and tell you everything. You’ve got to believe me, Virgil. I never meant for any of this to happen. I was always just trying to do the right thing for my family. You have to believe me.”
Virgil didn’t say anything at first. He just looked directly at Micah. Finally, he nodded his head.
They sat in silence for a minute, then Micah got to his feet.
“I’m glad you came,” Virgil said.
“Me, too.”
Virgil extended his left arm and Micah took his hand.
“I’ll take it from here, Mike. Soon as I get out of here. You’ll hear from me. As far as those non-pickers are concerned, just go on as usual. I don’t want to give them a hint that anything is different.”
“Okay, Virgil. Whatever you say.” He looked away, toward the window. “Looks like we’re losing the light.”
Virgil followed his gaze. There was no light coming into the room. The sky was a dark shade of purple, which they both knew was the last gasp of the departing sun.
“Yeah,” Virgil said. “It’s getting late in the day.”
“In more ways than one. You know, life never seems to turn out like you expected it would.”
“No. It never does. That’s what makes it interesting.”
“I guess. Take care, Virgil. And when you get out of here, watch your back.”
He looked at Virgil lying on his stomach and gave a little smile.
“No pun intended.” Then he left the room.
Virgil lay in the quiet, still looking out the window until the last hint of purple had been swallowed by the night.
A new night nurse came into the room. “Well, it’s time for us to get ready for bed.”
“If you say so, but if we’re going to sleep together, I’d like to know your name.”
36
The burnt smell hung heavy in the air, even five days after the fire. The visual was even worse. All that was left of the two barns were a couple of mainframe beams charred black by the fire. Now they stood as a skeletal reminder of what was. Cesar had strung wire to secure the field that had previously been closed off by the barn walls. Amidst the wreckage were a thousand bales of hay that, along with the labor that had made them, were now wasted.
“Not a pretty picture.” Cesar had joined Virgil as he stood looking over the wreckage. “Insurance man was here a couple of days ago. Says he’ll have a check cut by the end of the week. Can’t prove what started it, but says you’re covered. He said maybe spontaneous combustion. I didn’t say anything back. He was a nice young feller, probably thought I’d never heard the term before. I didn’t point out that if that was the case the fire would’ve come from the top down, not the bottom up. No sense confusing the issue.”
Virgil didn’t answer.
“I called Rosario,” Cesar went on. “He says he’ll have it cleaned up in a couple of days now that the insurance man has been here. The cleanup is covered also.”
Cesar saw Virgil’s shoulders sag as he looked over the scene.
“Coulda been worse. Coulda been a lot worse.”
“I know, I know. I see you ran wire to close up the hole.”
“Just temporary. I know you don’t like it, but it’s quick and does the job.”
“Okay,” Virgil said, touching the pencil-thin scar that ran along his jawbone. He turned and headed toward the house. He was surprised at how tired he was. When he stepped into the kitchen, the stored afternoon heat hit him like a wave. He had told Cesar to stay in the house since he had lost his two rooms in the barn, but the dishes in the sink from his last meal and the blast of hot air told him that no one had been inside since the fire. He opened a couple of windows to let the heat escape, immediately feeling the pull of his skin as he did so. Then he headed upstairs. As soon as he got into the bedroom he hit the AC. By the time he came out of the bathroom, the room had cooled. He stood naked with his back to the air conditioner for a couple of minutes, letting the fan finish the drying process from the shower he’d just taken. A soft towel would feel like sandpaper on his slowly healing skin, while the blow from the AC was like a soothing caress. Then he lay down on the bed with the sheet covering him to his waist. He slept like a dead man for the next six hours.
He was not sure whether he was asleep or in that in-between world where reality and unconscious meet, or if he was just in the grip of an erotic dream. He felt the touch of a hand smoothing the gel. It moved across his shoulders and the back of his neck so lightly, it was almost a whisper. Then, it traced his spine up and down on either side, until his new skin was covered. His eyes were half open, staring into the dark, when he felt her lips brush his ear.
“I let myself in after I spoke to Cesar. I saw the lotion on your nightstand.”
“I’m really glad you did. I didn’t really want to ask Cesar to put it on my back. He doesn’t quite have your touch. What time is it?”
“A little after nine.”
“How come you’re not at the Black Bull?”
“Things were quiet after dinner so I figured I could steal a little time. Besides, I wanted to practice my massage technique. It might come in handy if I ever need a part-time job.”
“If you ever need a reference . . . On the other hand, why don’t I just hire you as your only client?”
“Well, you haven’t experienced all I have to offer.”
“You say you have some time now. I’m ready for a complete treatment.”
Virgil slid over in the bed and Ruby slipped in next to him.
“Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“Good choice of words. One part of me is. We’ll just have to chance the rest. I have a feeling the destination is going to be worth the journey, even if a little discomfort is involved.”
Virgil reached out and drew her close.
* * *
When he woke the next morning, she was gone. He went downstairs and stood on the porch, trying to visualize what he would do after the mess he was looking at got cleaned up, and what he would replace it with, when he heard the phone. He got it on the third
ring.
“Virgil, how are you? I heard . . .”
“I’m fine, Kyle. Really. Just a little tender.”
“I can imagine. Listen, I knew you’d want to hear this. We got that semi back from Juárez. I double-checked the ID numbers you gave me, because it seems like a pretty quick turnaround. It’s only about a week since it crossed the river. We pulled it out and are getting ready to check it, but you know, as I told you when we went over it last week, the dogs never got a hit.”
“I got a feeling they’re going to come up just as empty today,” Virgil said. “I think we might be dealing with something different here, something they’re not trained to pick up.”
“What are you saying, Virgil?”
“Listen, Kyle. I hate to ask, but I think you’ve got to empty that trailer.”
There was a moment of silence.
“Are you serious, Virgil?”
“I am, Kyle.”
“That box is loaded. I mean, we are talking about a big job here. If we come up empty, there will be hell to pay.”
“I get that. I understand, but there is a false wall at the back of that trailer. I told you that. It’s got to be concealing something. Something worth killing people over.”
“A few inches,” Kyle said. “You want me to have that whole trailer unloaded for a couple of inches? Virgil, that’s crazy. That so-called false wall might just be a structural reinforcement and have nothing to do with contraband. Remember, the dogs got nothing. What could possibly be hidden in that small a space?”
“I know it sounds crazy, but trust me on this. Three people have gotten killed, my barns are in ashes, and it all in some way is connected to that trailer. It might sound crazy, like you said, but I’m sure there’s something worth killing people over in back of that wall.”
“Okay, Virgil, you got it. Where will you be later? This is going to take some time.”
“I should be in the office. If I have to leave, Rosie can patch you through.”
* * *
“Lately you’ve been gone more than you’re here,” Rosie said.
“Thanks, good to see you, too. I keep hitting these little snags. Dead bodies, barns burning down . . . But I know you’re here, so I don’t worry.”
“With that vote of confidence, you earned a cup of coffee.”
Virgil walked to his desk, sat down, and gingerly leaned back in his chair.
“Guess you gotta look on the bright side,” she said. “Those burns a little lower, you’d be drinking this coffee standing up.”
“Thanks for the coffee and the perspective,” he said as he took the coffee from Rosie’s outstretched hand. Over the course of the next couple of hours, he looked over and signed some purchase orders, went online to catch up with county events, and generally got up to speed.
A little after two, Jimmy showed up with a bruise under his left eye.
“Somebody forgot to duck,” Rosie said to him.
“No. The bull got me.”
“I don’t believe it. You actually got on that thing.”
“Rode him on my second try.”
“Great line for your headstone. I’ll try to remember it.”
Virgil sat back, happy to see Rosie working on a new target.
“You still sparking that Jessup girl?” she said.
“How do you know about that?”
“Well, if you’re trying to keep it a secret I wouldn’t be hanging out in the Black Bull. Was she impressed with your riding ability?”
“She said I was nuts. When I tripped getting off and hit that chair, she said she knew that bull would get me one way or the other.”
“That girl’s smarter than I thought. I dated her uncle back in the day. He was a caution. A lot of fun, but he didn’t have enough sense to turn on a light in the dark.”
“I bet he found you,” Virgil said, unable to resist, “even without the light.”
“Let’s not get personal unless you’re ready to talk about that lady that runs that place.”
“I told the sheriff,” Jimmy said, “she’s putting that place on the map. We even met a couple there that came over from way on the other side of Las Cruces. Yessir, I sure wish old Bob could see it now.”
“Who’s old Bob?” Rosie asked.
“He was the feller who started doing the work to bring it back, till that beam knocked the sense out of him. Didn’t you know him?”
“Not really,” Rosie said. “I knew someone was trying to reconstruct the place. My granddaddy told me a lot of history was connected with that old building. Used to be a stage stop. Seemed like that guy was working on it forever.”
“That’s ’cause he was doing it all himself. Wanted it to be exact. He was doing it, up until the accident. He lived there another two years. My mother used to take care of him till Mr. Talbot put him in the home. I used to help her with him sometimes. Mr. Talbot said it didn’t look like he was ever going to get any better, so he put him in the home. They were distantly related and since he didn’t have anybody . . . Well, I guess he figured that was best.”
Virgil was still working on the last of his paperwork when Rosie looked over at him.
“What’s the matter?” she said. “You look like Dave when he hands me the crossword because he can’t go any further.”
Before Virgil could reply, the phones on both their desks started ringing.
“You going to take that?”
Virgil said nothing.
“Virgil?”
Still nothing.
“Virgil!” She started to reach for her phone when Virgil finally put down his paperwork and picked up his phone.
“How did you know, Virgil?”
“I didn’t for sure, Kyle. I had to have you prove me right or wrong.”
“Do you know what we found?”
“I got an idea it’s something that had to be kept on ice.”
“You got that right, but it’s a first for us. I’m guessing you want to move on this right away.”
“Does that work for you?”
“Absolutely. My next call is to bring the people in Juárez up to speed so we can coordinate our moves. I’ll see you in a couple of hours. Other federal agencies will be involved.”
“I figured as much. See you later.”
“Virgil, this was good police work.”
“Well, we’ve still got a ways to go.”
“What’s up, Sheriff?”
Virgil had gotten to his feet as he finished his conversation with Kyle Harrison.
“Rosie, get ahold of Dave and Alex and get both of them up here from Redbud. This is going to be a busy day. Jimmy, you’re coming with me out to Hayward Ranch.”
Virgil was heading for the door as he spoke. Ten minutes later, he and Jimmy were flying down the road in the direction of the ranch.
“Jimmy, there’s a good chance I’ll be leaving you there, and I’ll tell Dave. There’s at least two felons there. I want you to bring them in, but I want you to wait for the backup from Redbud. Don’t take any chances. These guys are hard cases. You make a mistake, you are not going to get a second chance. And if you have to use your sidearm, don’t hesitate, because they won’t. I’ll make sure Micah Hayward is there to identify your targets for you.”
Virgil could see the concern on Jimmy’s face.
“Jimmy, I know you’re ready for this. That’s why you’re here and why I’m leaving you in charge.”
“Where are you going, Sheriff?”
“I’m going to see a man about an ice cream truck.”
37
Jimmy was anxious. There was no denying it. But more than that he was aware of a sea change in Virgil. He had seen him in all kinds of confrontations, from breaking up barroom brawls, stepping in the middle of outrageous domestic situations, and getting loade
d guns away from felons who wouldn’t hesitate to use them. Yet there was a difference here. There was a darkness that had come into Virgil’s eyes that he had not seen before.
“Why are we both going to Hayward Ranch, Sheriff? I could have taken my car and waited there for Dave and his partner. I mean, if you have to be somewhere else . . .”
Jimmy felt a little uncomfortable questioning Virgil. Virgil looked back at him in a way that did little to relieve his discomfort.
“I need to ask Micah Hayward something,” Virgil said.
Then he stopped talking. They rode the rest of the way in silence. When they turned into the driveway that led to the house, before they passed the second row of pecan trees, Virgil veered to the left so they were riding on the ground, between two of the rows.
“Gets a little rough,” Virgil said, “but it will get us to the house unseen.”
Jimmy saw that the trees were heavy with pecans, but he knew it would be another few weeks before they would begin the harvest. At the end of the long row, Virgil turned right onto a slightly wider tractor road which started a vertical climb toward the house. A few minutes later, they came out of the orchard on the side of the house. He stopped the car and turned off the engine.
“Real quiet now. We’re going around back.”
They closed the doors quietly. Then Virgil made his way around the side of the house to the back patio, with Jimmy following. The patio ran the entire length of the rear of the house and offered an astounding view, an endless vision of pecan trees covering the rolling hills. The patio was divided into two sections, with the far end enclosed by screens while the open half nearest them surrounded a large free-form inground swimming pool with a waterfall in a far corner. The perimeter of the entire area was a border of vivid, lush flowering trees and bushes.
“Wow!” Jimmy said, unable to help himself.
“Can I help you?”
The girl rose from a chaise facing away from them. She was wearing a two-piece dark blue bathing suit, randomly covered with small white flowers. Her rust-red hair fell to her shoulders as she stood.