“There was no reason to report it. It blew itself out when the propane tank exploded,” she explained.
“Were you mixing meth?”
“What?”
“Were you cooking meth? I've read of that blowing up on people.”
She gasped. “Am I now being accused of being a drug dealer?”
“I'll leave that to the police.”
Develyn rubbed her temples. She rubbed her fingers across the oak table, then looked at the dust on them. “I want to talk to my credit card company.”
“They are checking out reports of stolen cards. The police will be here soon.”
She shook her head at the framed “Employee of the Month” certificate. “Mr. Donnelly, how long have you worked at Simpson's Department Store?”
He straightened his crisp, tight shirt collar. “Twenty-one years. Why?”
Develyn tried to soften her voice. “Where would you find a job if you were fired from this one?”
He threw his narrow shoulders back. “That's not something I think about.”
“You should start. You have left me no alternative but to file suit against you for harassment, discrimination, and unlawful detainment. When that hits the newspapers, I believe sales will dip a tad, don't you?”
He paced around the room. “Lady, don't threaten me. I get lawsuits threatened all the time. Nothing ever happens.”
“Would you please contact my credit card company again? I would like to talk to them.”
“Do you have any local references?”
“None in Casper, but you can phone Cooper Tallon in Argenta. I have his cell phone number.”
“Cell phones are not used for calling references. Anyone can be on the other end of the line.”
Develyn pulled out her cell phone.
“What do you think you are doing?”
“I'm phoning my attorney.”
“Yeah, right. Play all you want. I won't go along with it.”
A lady in a dark blue suit and heels strutted into the room. “The credit card company said they cannot reach Ms. Worrell in Indiana.”
“Probably lost her wallet on vacation,” the man replied. “That's OK. The police can handle all of that.”
Lord, I do not understand what you are trying to teach me here. I just want to get my purchases and leave the store.
“What is the charge against me?”
“Trespassing and failure to pay. When you fail to leave the store, when requested, it's called trespassing.”
“Is unlawful detainment called kidnapping?” She shot back. “I believe that's a felony.”
“What?”
The woman started toward the door. “I'll go out and wait for the police.”
“Quint Burdett,” Develyn barked. “Do either of you know Quint Burdett?”
“Everyone knows Mr. Burdett.”
“Call him,” she insisted.
“Are you telling me he can verify your identity?”
Develyn stomped across the room. “Arnold Schwatzeneggar can verify my identity, but I doubt if you want to call him. Call Quint.”
The man in the suit motioned to the lady. “See if you can get Mr. Burdett on the line. This had better be on the level. I've wasted too much time with this charade.”
“As have I.”
The woman in the suit handed the phone to the store manager. “Mr. Burdett's on line one.”
After a muted conversation, he shoved the phone at Develyn. “He wants to talk to you.”
“Hi, Quint.”
“Miss Dev, what's this all about?”
“Simpson's Department Store decided not to believe my credit card or my driver's license. But don't worry, I'm going to sue them for every penny they have. I've always wanted to own a department store.”
“He said you looked like a homeless person.”
Develyn explained the previous evening and the present shopping trip. Then she handed the phone back to the manager. “He wants to talk to you.”
Develyn arrived at the cabin in Wrangler jeans, a lavender knit blouse with lace at the sleeve, collar, and hem, and fresh Dusty Rose lipstick.
Delaney and Casey jumped up from sitting in lawn chairs on Cooper Tallon's porch and helped her unload.
“You took longer than expected,” Delaney said.
“I had an interesting time.”
“How much did this set us back?” Casey asked.
“It was free.”
Casey choked. “What?”
“The nice manager at that department store decided to give the merchandise to us.”
“Out of sympathy for our plight?” Delaney asked.
“Out of sheer fright. When Quint Burdett threatened to buy the store and fire every employee, the manager became quite generous.”
“You saw Quint?” Casey inquired.
Develyn shook her head. “You won't believe what happened in Casper.”
“You won't believe what happened right here,” Delaney replied.
“That's a cowboy grin if I ever saw one. What's his name?” Develyn quizzed.
“Hunter.”
“Mr. Hunter?”
“No, Hunter Burke.”
“Casey?”
“Don't look at me like that, Dev. I never saw him before in my life.”
Mom, I'm sort of getting scared.”
Develyn turned in the saddle and stared back at her daughter. “Coop's buckskin is a steady horse; but, if you'd rather, you can ride My Maria.”
“Shoot!” Casey yelled from the rear, her long black braid hung across her chest like a bullet belt. “If you really want something scary, ride Popcorn. There is no telling when he will blow up. Did I ever tell you what he did at the parade down in Rawlins?”
Develyn studied Delaney's eyes while answering Casey. “I don't think so.”
“He bucked me off when the black-powder boys fired off their salute to the flag. I landed right in the cotton candy machine. I was sticky for a month, but I was tasty.”
Delaney shook her head. “I don't know what to believe when Casey talks like that.”
“If it could happen, it probably has happened to Ms. Cree-Ryder,” Develyn laughed. “She delights in living an adventuresome life. Did you want to change horses?”
Delaney pushed back her brown bangs. “No, that's not what I'm scared about.”
This time Develyn didn't look back. “Is it about going to the doctor tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Mom, what if I'm pregnant?”
“Then your baby needs a good mama and daddy.”
“What if the daddy doesn't want to be around me or any baby?”
“Then, at the least, the baby needs a good mother.”
“I'm sorry, Mom.”
“Dee, I'm sorry too. You didn't fail me. You failed yourself. My love for you doesn't change. You should know that. But it will change your life forever, that's for sure.”
Develyn waited for her daughter to ride up closer to her. “What does the father say about this?”
“I just hinted to him.” Her voice dropped lower. “I mean, I can't tell him I'm pregnant until I know for sure.”
Develyn raised her thin, light brown eyebrows. “And how did he react to the hint?”
“He said I should have thought about that before I flew off without saying good-bye.”
“You dumped him?” Casey rode up beside them.
“He was too nice,” Delaney said.
Casey tugged her sunglasses down on her nose and peered over the top. “That's a new one.”
“Mom knows what I mean.”
“He was boring?” Develyn asked.
“He was the kind of guy Grandma would pick out for me.”
“Oh, like Raymond LaFines?”
“Exactly.”
Casey waved her braid like a wand. “Wait, wait,
wait. Who is Raymond LaFines? I've never heard that name before.”
“He was the first boy to propose to Dee.”
“When was that?”
“In the sixth grade.”
Delaney's freckles pinched together when she grinned. “No, I was in the seventh; he was in the sixth.”
“Oh, one of those. Drey Miller asked me to marry him in junior high. He said I could break all of his horses and live in the bunkhouse for free if I married him.”
“But you turned him down?” Delaney asked.
“No. I told him, heck, yes, I would do it. I thought he would pee in his pants trying to backtrack. Every day for a month I'd tell him that I was coming over to his ranch with my suitcase and tell his mother I was ready to marry him.”
“What did he do?” Delaney asked.
Casey shrugged. “He cried a lot.”
“He cried?”
“Yeah, I have that effect on men. When they think of marrying me, they cry.”
“Twelve years old is hardly a man,” Develyn said.
“That might be, but he's the last one to ask.”
Casey reached over and tapped Delaney's knee. “So, what happened with you and little Raymond?”
The west wind blew Delaney's brunette bangs into her eyes. “I told him he was too boring. I said for him to go do something adventurous; then I might reconsider.”
“Did he do something?”
“He jumped off the roof of his house with a kite and broke his leg.”
“Yeah, well, who hasn't?” Casey said.
“Mom, you know when I knew Brian wasn't the right one?”
“When, honey?”
“Right after we, you know, did it.”
“I don't know if I want to hear this,” Develyn said.
“I do,” Casey called out.
“It wasn't just the guilt. But I got to thinking about how you always told me that the right one to marry was the one who brought out the best in me.”
When Popcorn started to buck, Casey slapped his rump. “She told me the same thing.”
“Right at that moment I knew I was not behaving my best. I'm better than that, Mother. But after that…”
Casey spun the Appaloosa around to the left. “He wanted seconds?” Casey blurted out.
“Yeah, something like that. Anyway, that's when I began to realize what kind of mistake I had made.”
Casey spun her horse to the right. “I think Jackson brings out the best in me. But sometimes I wish he didn't. He has the cutest…”
Develyn cleared her throat. “Hmmm. I think it's time to change the subject. I can't believe Uncle Henry would run off like that.”
“He was scared in the storm,” Casey suggested.
“If he was scared, he would come and find me.”
“Not necessarily,” Delaney remarked. “Maybe he didn't want his mama to know he was scared.”
“Are you talkin' daughters or burros?” Casey quizzed.
“Burros, of course.”
“Well, he ran off. And he's probably in these trees.”
Delaney stood in the stirrup and stretched her back. “Let me get this straight. You have a burro you didn't want. You have no idea what you are going to do with him in three weeks when we go back to Indiana. He's a wild burro and just ran off into the wilderness. Yet you want to go find him and bring him back?”
Develyn laughed. “That's about it.”
“Why?”
“Because he'd do the same for me if I were lost.”
Casey rode up ahead of them. “She's right about that.”
“What do we do when we hit the cedars?” Delaney asked.
“We spread out and comb through the chaparral to the east, looking for Uncle Henry,” Develyn reported.
“What do we do if we find him?” Delaney called out.
“Tell him Mama wants him to go home,” Casey said.
Develyn picked up the gait. “And if we don't find him, we'll meet at Sweetwater Creek.”
It took an hour to comb the scrub cedars north of Argenta. Delaney and Casey waited for Develyn at the creek as she emerged from the chaparral.
“Where now, Mama?” Casey called out.
“He is a very naughty boy. Where do you think a burro goes when he's scared?”
“To his real mother?” Delaney suggested.
“Maybe he headed back to LaSage Canyon,” Casey said. “He seemed to like that.”
“What do we do now?” Delaney pressed.
“I want to head back,” Casey said. “Jackson said he'd come by. I don't want him to show up and see the cabin burnt like that with me not around.”
“Maybe Hunter Burke will come back. He said he was looking for Jackson.”
“You two go on back,” Develyn said. “I'll swing out by Soda Springs.”
Casey rode up to her. “Here, you might need this.”
“What will I do with a rope?”
“Lead him home. If he's scared of the cabin now, he might need some encouragement.”
“I'll be back in an hour or so.”
“And if you aren't, we'll get the posse out after you…again.”
“I'll be back this time. I can follow Coyote Gulch all the way to town.”
“I'm still not used to calling Argenta a town,” Delaney said.
Develyn chuckled. “It takes time.”
“How long?”
“About three days,” Casey laughed.
Develyn rode east across rolling dry prairie toward trees thick enough to look black on the horizon.
The girls are right, Lord. I don't know why I want to find Uncle Henry. He's used to living in the wilderness. I have to find him a home in three weeks. I just don't want to let him go. He's been the one male that I could figure out in Wyoming. But this is crazy.
I should have gone back and spent some time talking with Delaney. I know she's scared. I'm scared too. I don't know what to tell her. Some part of me, from my mother no doubt, wants to yell out, “This is exactly what I told you would happen.” I'm not sure what that accomplishes.
If she's pregnant, that little one deserves a lot of love. That's what I want to give. I want to love that baby and give it the best it can have under these awkward circumstances.
Lord, you hold Delaney responsible for any sin she committed.
I'll hold the baby and make up for any love it will miss.
Mother will be petrified.
I wish Dewayne lived close. Dee would do anything for Uncle Dewayne.
The bray was distant but distinct.
Develyn stood in the stirrups. “Uncle Henry?”
She prodded My Maria to a canter on the second bray. When she crested the rise near Soda Springs, she spied the burro in the mud.
“What are you doing out there, baby? Get out of the mud and come here.”
The burro brayed again and tugged at its front legs.
“Are you stuck? Oh, Uncle Henry, no wonder you couldn't come home. You got scared, ran out here, and sank in the clay gumbo. You have more mud than Cooper Tallon last week. I could hardly tell it was you.”
Let's see…rope him and pull him out.
That is, if I knew how to rope.
What did Renny say? Either “tie the rope to the saddle horn first,” or “never tie the rope to the saddle horn first.” I can't remember.
She rode the paint mare up to the water's edge.
“Your face looks funny all covered with mud, baby. When we get home, I'm going to give you a bath.”
Develyn slipped the rawhide hondo back until she had a large loop in the blue nylon rope. Then she tied the other end to the saddle horn.
“OK, so far so good.”
My Maria turned her head and stared at Develyn.
“Don't you laugh at me, young lady. Let's see, how do they do it in the rodeos? Ho
ld the coil in my left hand, twirl the rope in my right and…”
The medium-hard 5/16th rope slapped against her head and dropped around Develyn's neck. “OK, I proved that I can rope me. Now I'll just try that again.”
The second loop tumbled across My Maria's neck.
The third dangled off the stirrup. The fourth hit the water two feet away.
The burro brayed again.
“Don't hurry me, young man. You are the reason I'm here. If you had walked out of there, I wouldn't have to make a fool of myself.”
I could ride down and get Casey, but what if she has gone off with Jackson?
Maybe Coop is at home.
But I am a Wyoming cowboy girl. I have it in my soul. I can do this.
Six more tosses and all she had was a muddy rope.
My Maria pranced.
The burro brayed.
Develyn fumed.
“I'm not going back without you. I need to get closer, but I'm afraid My Maria will get stuck. And if I hike out there, I might get stuck. I do not want to be rescued again.”
If I hold onto the rope…then I can pull myself out. I just need a few steps in that direction.
“Uncle Henry, you are a pill today.”
Develyn pulled her feet out of the stirrups and reached down and untied her tennis shoes. She pulled them off and shoved the socks inside. After she tied the laces together, she draped them over the saddle horn.
She slid down from the saddle to the muddy ground next to the spring. Cool clay squished between her toes as she rolled up the legs of her jeans.
If it gets halfway up my calves, that's deep enough.
Holding the tethered coil in her left hand and a big loop in her right, she inched closer.
The burro stared off to the north.
“You could show a little more enthusiasm in your rescue, young man.”
My Maria looked bored on the other end of the rope.
“Do you have a better idea?” Develyn called out to the paint mare. “I didn't think so.”
Of the first five tosses, two splashed in the water in front of the muddy donkey. The other two bounced on its back. Each time the animal flinched, but remained planted in the mud.
Stephen Bly's Horse Dreams Trilogy: Memories of a Dirt Road, the Mustang Breaker, Wish I'd Known You Tears Ago Page 49