Calvin dug in. He ate well in Denver. But there was nothing like Rosa’s tacos and her homemade salsa and pork stew. Her food made him feel like a boy again.
“I hear Sissy had twins,” Rosa said.
“She did.” Calvin helped himself to another soft corn taco.
“How did Amber do?” the cook asked.
“Pretty good. No. Better than good. She was right there every time I needed anything. And she spotted something in Bluefield’s record keeping that needs looking into.”
“Yeah?” Carlos put a spoonful of vegetables on his taco and added a scoop of salsa.
“Yeah. Some half-wit at Bluefield’s has been doing a cut and paste instead of transcribing the actual foaling notes. Amber noticed that every mare that’s given birth there has precisely the same set of notes.”
“For the love of Mike,” spluttered Carlos. “That’s plumb loco.”
“Loco is the word. Amber has been reading and re-reading the records on the clipboards. Some lazy son of a beardless goat at Bluefield’s is going to get his,” Cal shot Rosa a glance and bit his tongue, “Comeuppance.”
Carlos shook his head in disbelief. “Bluefield’s has seventy to eighty mares go through their place every year. Even if only some of the records are compromised.” His voice trailed off.
“Yup. No wonder Laura is so obsessive about her records.”
“More stew, Cal?” asked Rosa.
“No, thank you. It was delicious, but I’m done,” he responded. “I’ll just have coffee and head back to the stables. I told Amber we’d go through all the records after lunch and make a list of the corrupted ones.”
“You show me that list when you’re done, son,” Carlos said heavily. “I don’t know what the world is coming to.”
“There’s coconut cake for dessert,” Rosa informed Cal.
Cal groaned aloud. “Twist my arm.”
She beamed. “I know what you like.”
Cal’s phone burbled in his hip pocket. The hum of the staff and the clank of pots being scrubbed stopped instantly. “Hi, Dad,” he said.
“Laura’s had her babies,” Freddie said. “Boy and a girl.”
“I know.”
“There’s many a slip between the ultrasound and childbirth,” Freddie returned dryly. Which given Sissy’s foals was quite true. “Kenneth Luther and Lucy Brenda.”
Kenneth was Steve’s birth father’s name. Luther was Cal and Laura’s brother. Brenda was their mom. “Who’s Lucy?” Cal asked.
“I think they just liked the name. Anyway, the babies are six pounds apiece and they are coming home tonight.”
“Is that safe?”
“It’s normal. Tell Rosa that Laura will be home for supper.”
“Give Laura my love. I won’t come to the hospital if they will be here in a couple of hours.”
“Best not. I’m sure you have plenty to do right there.”
“Tell Laura that Sissy’s foals need call names.”
“I’ll tell Laura when she gets her breath back.”
Rosa and Carlos were wreathed in smiles. Rosa stood up to hug him again and he spun her in a circle. “I’m an uncle,” he cried.
Carlos clapped him on the shoulder. “Who’s Lucy?” he asked.
“My niece. Lucy Brenda. The boy is Kenneth Luther.” His eyes were moist.
“It’s a banner day for the Double B for durned sure,” declared Carlos. “Did we hear right? Is Laura coming home tonight?”
“She sure is. The babies are six pounders. Dad said to tell you they’ll be back for supper.”
It was another half hour before they finished celebrating both the birth and the fact that Laura’s inheritance was at last secure. The birth of Laura’s children had fulfilled the last of the conditions of her great-grandfather’s will. Clive Bascom’s meanness had been thwarted once and for all.
Carlos and Cal headed back to the stud together. They found Amber propped against the wall outside Goldie’s stall reading the mare’s chart. Goldie was twelve years old and had been bred many times.
“Hey,” she said looking between them.
“I’m an uncle,” he told her.
“Congratulations.” Her pretty face was prettier when it was wholeheartedly smiling. “How’s Laura?”
“Fine. She and the babies will be home for dinner.”
“So soon? You must be relieved.”
“I am. Poor old Patrick.” His cousin must feel caught in limbo.
“Stella, Hope, and Bethany are doing as well as can be expected. They’ll go home as soon as they’ve gained a few more ounces.” But her blue eyes glistened.
“They will. I’ll take you back to French Town as soon as they go home,” he promised.
“Thank you.” She swallowed.
“What made you read Goldie’s records?” He patted her shoulder and felt a jolt as he connected with firm round muscles.
“I’m reading them all,” she said. “Starting with the oldest mares.”
“And for why?” demanded Carlos.
“Because they had the highest probability of having been to Bluefield’s multiple times,” she replied. “Goldie’s been five times.”
“And what have you found?” asked Carlos looking pleased.
“Bluefield’s problem started in 2011. Goldie’s 2015 labor reads like her 2012 labor.” Amber flipped through the thick wad of papers. “See. In 2006 her contractions were sluggish and they put her on an oxytocin drip. In 2009, she caught them by surprise. Labor lasted twelve minutes.”
Carlos took the clipboard out of her hand. “And what do you make of that?”
“Bluefield’s problem is clerical,” she said promptly. “Someone in the office is doing that cut and paste thing instead of taking the time to transcribe the actual foaling notes. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“I agree,” Cal said. “I want you to keep reading and make notes as you go. I’m afraid it will take a long while and be very tedious.”
She shook her head. “I won’t find it tedious. It’s pretty exciting. Not twins exciting, but still.” She obviously meant every word because her smile got broader.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Amber~
“How was your first foaling?” Lance asked over her shoulder.
Amber jumped to her feet. She had begun sitting on the floor after the fifth chart. “It was wonderful. Not that Sissy appreciated my help. And I can’t believe that it was twins, and nobody suspected!”
“They fool us sometimes. Don’t mind her skittishness, it takes some of them like that – they get suspicious.” His deep voice was sympathetic.
“She seemed happy enough with Calvin,” Amber complained.
“Yeah? Maybe he has the Bascom touch.” Was it her imagination or was Lance’s face stiffer than usual?
“Maybe. Anyway, I loved the whole experience and I can’t wait until the next time.”
“Is that why you’re reading those charts over?” He gave her a puzzled sideways glance.
“Didn’t Carlos tell you? I’m checking the records. The Bluefield’s notes are not to be trusted. They’re mostly the same after 2011.”
“Is that a fact?” Lance took the clipboard from her. He flipped through the pages and looked at the pink stickies she had placed on the relevant entries. He whistled. “Carlos caught this?”
“Not exactly. I noticed that the records seemed to be blending together and finally the penny dropped that I was reading the exact same words.”
“Is that why we have Dusty doing evening stables?”
“Yeah, my job is to read every document on every clipboard and make notes. We have to tell Bluefield’s about this.”
“We sure do. Pretty boring for you though.”
“Not really. I find it kind of restful – even though whoever is doing this is nothing short of criminal. Falsifying veterinary records is deplorable. I don’t know how it can have been going on for six years without anyone at Bluefield’s noticing. To
say nothing of all the other studs!”
Lance shook his head. “Better you than me. I don’t understand people like that, myself.”
Of course he didn’t. Lance was no shirker.
“I better get on, seeing as we’re down a hand. May I drop by to see you this evening?” His drawl was intimate and his crooked smile uncertain.
“I’d like that.”
Lance went away and Amber returned to her reading. She only looked up when a shadow blocked her light. Calvin was frowning down at her.
“How are you getting on?” he asked gruffly.
“Fine. It started slow in 2011 and then gradually more and more of the paperwork got corrupted.” She showed him her notes.
He squatted beside her. “These are really organized,” he said.
“You don’t have to sound surprised. I’m no dummy.”
“No, you’re not. But these are exemplary. We have dates, names, owners, etc. All the info we need. Nice and neat too. You have a systematic mind.”
“Thank you,” she said primly. Calvin made her feel crowded, even though all he was doing was looking at her notes.
After a while he stood up and handed her back the clip board. “Make sure you take breaks,” he said. “This isn’t an emergency. No need for you to wear yourself out.”
“Okay.” She went back to her scrutiny.
Suddenly he returned with a three-legged stool. “This will make it easier to sit and read.”
“Thanks.”
He vanished.
The stool did make the job easier, yet somehow Calvin’s unexpected kindness made her feel peculiar.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Calvin~
“Laura and Steve had their twins this afternoon,” Cal said.
“Yeah? That’s great. How is she?” Patrick asked.
“Fine. She’s home. Ate a hearty dinner and retired to nurse her babies. Steve went with her.”
Patrick laughed. “That’s wonderful. How much did they weigh?”
“Six pounds plus each.”
“Yeah. Same as Heather, but of course divided over three infants.” Pat sighed.
“How are they doing?”
“Good. Bethany weighs just under five pounds now, but the doctors don’t want to send her home without her sisters. But Hope lost an ounce today and Stella didn’t gain at all. So we’ll probably be spending another week in Yakima City.”
“Well, that sucks. I’m sorry to hear that, Pat.”
“You bet. Did Steve and Laura pick names yet?”
“Kenneth Luther and Lucy Brenda.”
“Kenny and Lucy. I like that.” In Pat’s twang it came out Kinny.
“So do I. Dad’s over the moon. Carlos and Rosa are acting like they’ve got another set of grandbabies.”
“Well it’s a red-letter day at the Double B! You give Laura my love.” Patrick paused. “By the way, Cal, are you guys aware that the guy who attacked Amber is a snake shifter? I got the feeling from what Heather said that Amber hadn’t mentioned it to anyone in Colorado.”
Cal felt his heart rate pick up. “For fuck’s sake! That girl is a Grade A goose.”
“Nothing wrong with her brains,” Pat defended his sister-in-law.
“She’s smart enough, I’ll give you that. But she doesn’t have a lick of common sense. Why the hell didn’t she tell me or Freddie or even Steve? A snake shifter! I wonder if that sonofabitch is actually still in jail. It would be damned hard to keep any snake penned up.”
“Amber says he is. But I don’t know that for a fact.”
Cal swore again. Long and imaginatively. Patrick coughed.
“You might want to keep that down, Cal. Little Kenny and Lucy are a mite young for that kind of language.”
“Yeah. Listen, Pat, I gotta go check on Amber. Snake-fucking-shifter.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Amber~
“Laura had her twins this afternoon,” Amber said.
“I know. Girl and a boy.” Heather laughed. “Calvin just got off the phone with Patrick, and Uncle Freddie called hours ago. They’re all relieved and excited.”
“Yeah. The babies coming early threw everyone for a loop. When he told me Laura was in labor, Calvin sure sounded worried.”
“He told you?”
“Sure. He’s helping out at the stables while Laura is taking her maternity leave. We delivered Sissy’s foals this morning.” Amber chuckled. “Or at least Calvin delivered, I mostly watched.”
“Twins? Really?”
“Really. A boy and a girl – just like Laura. It was a blast! A bit worrying a first, but really exciting too.”
“I thought that was kind of a messy job,” Heather said.
“You bet. But Calvin didn’t seem to mind. Of course he had left his three-piece suit at home. And Laura is his sister. At a time like this, it’s his duty to give her a hand.”
“Hmm. Well, I think better of him for doing it.”
“Me too,” admitted Amber.
“How did last night’s shift with Lance Prescott go?”
“It was lovely. Even though we only watched the mares and none of them went into labor. We talked quite a bit. He’s from Tennessee and he was career military before his medical discharge.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Marines. Anyway, you might as well hear it from me, Heather. Lance has some pretty extensive injuries. He wears a patch over his left eye – but I’ve seen the eye and he’s badly scarred as well as legally blind.”
“If his scars don’t bother you, they won’t bother me,” Heather said firmly.
“I wish he hadn’t been hurt, of course. But he’s still very much a man. He acts like our cousins and that makes me feel right at home.”
“Don’t let your heart run away with your head,” Heather advised.
“I only said he put me in mind of Joey and Lenny,” Amber protested.
“Just keep in mind that he’s not a bear.” Heather warned. “How do you go about telling someone who is not a shifter that you are? Tell me that.”
“I purely do not know,” Amber sighed. “But it’s putting the cart before the horse to worry about that. We’re just starting to get to know one another.”
Was Heather correct? Was the fact that she was a bear shifter going to be a deal-breaker for Lance? Should she cut her losses before she got her heart broken again? It seemed foolhardy to risk the pain of falling in love with the wrong person. But equally cowardly not to give whatever was blossoming between her and Lance a chance.
“You take your time.” Heather broke into Amber’s ruminations. “Get to know him.”
“Lance walked me home last night when our shift was over. He looked all around. On guard. He was probably expecting that snake’s friend Dog will come looking for the gal who got his buddy imprisoned.”
Heather snorted. “That’s the least I would expect of any man if he’s interested in a woman. But you be careful, sis. That snake will for sure be looking for revenge. That’s what snakes do. You better keep a sharp eye out. And maybe you should think about telling Laura or Steve that Blondie is a rattlesnake. If he means you harm, cell bars won’t keep you safe.”
“I don’t know he’s a rattlesnake for sure,” Amber objected. “I just knew when I smelled Blondie he was a snake shifter. And that’s all I know. Anyway, if he does break out of jail, he’ll have a hard time sneaking up on me in the snow. Either in human or as a serpent. There are still mountains of snow here. Even the paths are just packed snow. He’d leave tracks for sure.”
“Snakes are sneaky. You make sure he can’t just slither along the electric wires and come down your chimney.”
“Heather, it’s twelve below this evening. My stove is blazing away, and I have to keep it going all night. Any snake that tried to slither down my stove pipe would come to the same end as the Big Bad Wolf.”
As she had intended, Heather laughed. “I guess so. I’ll try not to worry. But it’s hard when you’re so far away. I r
eally miss you.”
“I miss you too, twin. But I’ll bet you don’t have a lot of time to miss me, not with three babies to feed and a commute to the hospital.”
“It’s not much of a commute from the hotel to the hospital, but I’ll admit I’m tired. Although Patrick does his part too. I can only nurse two and the third has to be formula fed.” Heather sighed. “We’re both at the hospital day and night – we take turns feeding them and sleeping on the cot beside the incubators.”
“It’s only right that Patrick should suffer too, Heather. They’re his responsibility.”
“He’s taken to being a daddy like a duck to water. Turned into a proper bear,” Heather said proudly. “He insists that we go to the hotel for a real meal twice a day, and that I nap whenever I can.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Privately, Amber doubted that Patrick Bascom had really changed. But she didn’t want an open breach with her only sister and her twin, so she kept her suspicions to herself.
“You need a bear, Amber Dupré. I don’t care how much of a man you think Lance Prescott is. He’s likely to take to his heels the second he finds out you’re a black bear.”
Amber sighed. Part of her felt that Heather was correct. The other part was hopeful that a sincere affection would make it possible for Lance to accept her for who she was. But all she said was, “Chance would be a fine thing. But aside from Steve Holden – and he’s taken – there aren’t any bears to speak of around here.”
“There’s Calvin.”
“Calvin has a way of making me feel about a smart as a day-old chick. Besides, he lives in Denver. We don’t see him except once in a while here in Success.”
“Didn’t you just tell me you spent the day helping him with a mare in labor?”
“That’s hardly permanent.”
“It’s a chance to get to know him a bit better. Patrick thinks the world of his cousin. Under all that gloss, Calvin is a good man. He’s a captain in the reserves like Patrick – like Gideon.” Their cousin Gideon Bascom* was in the Air Guard.
Bear Fate: A Billionaire Oil Bearons Romance (Bear Fursuits Book 8) Page 10