Follow The Wind

by Janelle Taylor

  “He said no, Mary Louise,” Jessie told her sister, “so don’t pull at him. Miguel loves to kick up his heels, so ask him.”

  Miguel placed his hand on his hip and cocked his elbow at the blonde as he said, “I would be honored to share a dance with you, my lovely señorita.”

  Jessie saw the girl’s look which said, ‘My superior manners prevent me from refusing before others.’ She watched her sister rest her fingers on the Mexican’s arm and walk away with him.

  Gran took Miguel’s and Mary Louise’s place with them. “You two having fun?”

  “It’s wonderful, Gran. You cooked so much delicious food. The boys are really enjoying themselves.” They were eating barbecued beef, dried peas, roasted corn canned from last year’s crop, and a mixture of tomatoes with okra. Jed was even serving a little wine and whiskey.

  “The men deserve a treat, Jessie. They’ve worked so hard. Why aren’t you dancing?”

  “Navarro doesn’t dance, Gran.”

  “Then I’ll keep him company while you toss up your skirts. I know how much you like to dance, child. Go on,” the older woman urged.

  Jessie felt she had to go dance or her grandmother would wonder why she didn’t. She excused herself from Navarro, approached the others, and asked Jimmy Joe to be her partner. The sandy-haired twenty-year-old was delighted. Afterward, friend after friend—Matt twice—claimed her hand for the next dances.

  As they observed the merriment, the white-haired woman remarked to Navarro, “She’s a fine girl.”

  “Yes, ma’am, she is,” he concurred as he watched her do the Texas two step.

  “I don’t know what we’d do without her if she ever left.”

  “Why should Jessie ever leave home, Mrs. Lane?” he asked, pretending not to understand what the older woman was hinting at.

  “Jessie’s twenty-four. Women her age often take off to build their own homes. My son depends on her so much; we all do. Jessie’s our strength and pride.”

  “From what I’ve seen, she doesn’t have a sweetheart, so I wouldn’t worry.”

  “How much longer will you be with us, Navarro?”

  “Until this trouble is settled. If it doesn’t take too much longer, that is. I get restless when I corral my horse and body in the same place for more than a few weeks. I like to keep on the move. When I accepted Jessie’s offer, I didn’t think it would take so long to help her win.”

  “You think Fletcher has given up his fight? You’ve dealt him some hard blows, and he’s been quiet for two weeks.”

  “He’s just biding his time and waiting for us to relax and drop our guard, ma’am. He hasn’t backed down for good. A man like him don’t give up his dream.”

  “Very few people do, Navarro, until they realize it’s futile.”

  They chatted about ranching, breeding, branding, and the hands for a while, as Navarro continued to keep an eye on Jessie.

  Jessie noticed Navarro was looking tense. She went to him and grasped his hand. Laughing, she said, “It’s time you learned to dance, Mr. Jones.” She practically dragged him away from her grandmother to the dance area where Mary Louise was moving around the circle with Carlos, and hands were partnered up with each other. All were laughing and talking—having fun.

  Before they reached the group, Jessie whispered, “Sorry, but it’s the only way I could rescue you, and I need to touch you or scream. I’m much too bold for my own good at times, but you’re too handsome to resist.”

  “I can’t dance, Jessie. I’ll look stupid and embarrass both of us.”

  “Just watch what I do. Stand beside me,” she instructed, and placed him to her left. She laid her open hand on her right shoulder and said, “Take my right hand in yours,” which he did. She extended her left before his waist and said, “Grab this one, too,” which he also did. “Now we step with our right foot, then flick our left foot toward our right knee like this,” she said, and, demonstrated the movements. “Three times. Pause. Repeat. Move with the music. Now, step, step, and switch sides.” She continued the lesson, moving to his left. “Step, step, and switch back. Then, go again. That’s all there is to it. Over and over. By the time the dance ends, you’ll have it down for the next time. That’s right,” she encouraged. “You learn fast, Mr. Jones.”

  Navarro was stiff and reluctant at first, but he obeyed because it felt so good to hold her hands and touch her body. Each time she passed before him, her fragrance—the same one she had dotted on his bandanna during the coyote incident—teased his senses. Her flaming tresses played against his chest and sometimes tickled his chin. Her laughter warmed his ears, and her smile enflamed his heart. Her hands were calloused from hard work like a man’s, but she was as gentle and refined as any woman could be. She could help any man become the best that was in him to be, including him if she was given the chance. He always felt so good, so special, so worthwhile around her. Soon, he was thinking about Jessie so much that he was dancing without difficulty. He was even dipping and swaying at the right times. “I felt foolish at first, but it isn’t so bad,” he finally admitted.

  Jessie glanced up at him with a radiant smile. “You should try new things every so often so you won’t miss so much fun in life.”

  He murmured near her ear, “New things are only fun if I do them with you, Jessie. You make me feel brave and daring. And you don’t make me feel silly.”

  “That’s why you should stick around me for keeps. We’d have a wonderful life together. I know there’s plenty you can teach me. It’s more fun learning with someone you…Sorry,” she murmured when he tensed and faltered. “It slipped out. I won’t say any more.”

  The music halted and Jed announced, “I’m afraid that’s all, boys. It’s late.”

  Jessie was bubbling with happiness and energy with Navarro beside her. “We were just getting started, Papa. Just a few more. Please,” she coaxed.

  “We begin a new week tomorrow, Jess. We all need our rest.”

  “But we’ve worked so hard lately. This is our first party in ages.”

  In a gentle voice, he urged, “No more arguing for tonight, and we’ll have a bigger party after we defeat Fletcher. Is that a bargain?”

  Jessie decided her father was nervous about her being so close to Navarro and was halting the evening’s festivities to end their contact. “All right, Papa,” she said obediently and smiled at him.

  As Mary Louise passed Navarro, she murmured, “I thought you didn’t dance.”

  “Jessie’s stubborn,” Navarro answered. “She wouldn’t let me say no about learning.”

  In a seductive tone, she replied, “Next time, I’ll be as persistent as my older sister.” With a swish of her full skirt, she pranced toward the house.

  “Mary Louise!” Jed called. “Help Ma and Jess with the cleanup back here.”

  The blonde turned and smiled. “Sorry, Father. I’m coming.”

  As the girl and Jed carried things into the kitchen, Mary Louise remarked, “I’m surprised that drifter has stayed around so long, Father. He seems to forget his place at times. Men like that think they can latch on to a wealthy lady and raise their stations in life. I don’t like him being so friendly with me and Jessica. After all, he isn’t one of the regular ranch hands. I hope Jessica isn’t becoming too fond of him. He seems so rough and secretive, don’t you think?”

  Jed gave her a hard look. “What do you mean, girl?”

  “Oh, Father,” she murmured. “You know how Jessica is. She’s so kind-hearted. I fear she doesn’t see the danger in such men. She always wants to help everyone improve. I hope such goodness and generosity don’t get her into trouble with Navarro Jones. There’s something so very strange and frightening about him. I know you all like him, but I fear I don’t trust him. He makes me nervous the way he watches me and Jessica.”

  “Should I say something to him?”

  “Oh, no, Father. He would deny he meant anything bad, and perhaps he doesn’t. I don’t want to cause more trouble. I’ve
been so bad of late, and I’m really trying to change. It’s just that my life here is so different from what I was accustomed to back East. I realize I’ve been petulant and selfish. I’m sorry for giving you a bad time. I’ll try to do better; you’ll see.”

  Martha Lane overheard them and wondered what her youngest granddaughter was up to with her pretty lies, but she kept the curious conversation to herself.

  Wilbur Fletcher visited them again Sunday afternoon. This time, he stood on the porch chatting with Mary Louise while Gran fetched Jessie and Jed. When the two arrived, both frowning, he said, “I thought you would want to know that two dead men were left on my property recently. I turned the bodies over to the sheriff so he can try to discover who they are. Do you know anything about them, Jed? They were put through a cut in my north fence.”

  “We haven’t seen any strangers around here since your man butchered my milk cows and set fire to my hay shed.”

  “Is that why you had your men release my chickens and hogs and fire my coop? This retaliation for things I haven’t done is old, Jed, old and tiring. If we work together, we might solve this mystery and put an end to our troubles.”

  “How would we do that, Fletcher?” Jed asked in a sarcastic tone.

  “Join our men into small groups and let them ride both ranges. That way, you and I will know for certain the other isn’t behind anything that happens.”

  “Get my men separate and alone so you can kill them or try to scare them off like you did to Roy, Smokey, Davy, and Pete?” he scoffed.

  “If you’ve lost four men, I’m sorry. It sounds as if you can use my help.”

  “You haven’t lost any hands to accidents like I have?” Jed hinted for a slip.

  “No, I still have all twenty-five, strong and healthy.”

  “Why do you need so many hands for such a small spread?” Jessie asked, aware Navarro was standing nearby sizing up the enemy.

  “So I’ll be well protected during times of trouble, Miss Jessie, and so I’ll be covered if no seasonal help comes around—like this year.”

  “Yeah, that was strange, wasn’t it?” Jed said in the same accusatory tone.

  “If you’d bothered to check around as I did, Jed, you’d have learned all of the ranchers in our area had the same problem. Perhaps this section is too hard to reach for them to keep heading our way each spring and fall.”

  “Covering your tracks in every direction, aren’t you?”

  “You’re a stubborn and foolish man, Jed. I didn’t prevent any wranglers from coming here, and I haven’t harmed any of your men or animals. When are you going to see the truth and accept it?”

  “I already have, Fletcher. You won’t win. I’ll fight as long as you do.”

  Wilbur shook his brown head and scowled. “But I’m not fighting you, Jed, not yet.”

  “We’ve had enough of your lies,” Jessie said angrily. “You’ll make a slip soon and we’ll catch it. You’re going to pay for all the evil you’ve done to us. I swear it.”

  Fletcher eyed her intently, then frowned. “I hope you aren’t the one putting these crazy ideas into your father’s head, Miss Jessie. I wouldn’t want you to be responsible for getting innocent people hurt or even killed.”

  “The only crazy person around here is you, Mr. Fletcher. Papa doesn’t need me to point out the truth to him. But I would fight you even if he yielded, which he won’t. This is Lane land, and it will remain Lane land until we all die.”

  “I beg you, Miss Jessie, don’t encourage his misconceptions. I’m innocent. Someday I’ll expect apologies from both of you. Good-bye.”

  Jessie watched their enemy climb into his buggy. Another man was waiting for him, a well-dressed gentleman who had a pad on his knees and was writing or sketching upon it. She wondered who the stranger was. She didn’t like the way he kept glancing at Navarro as he worked.

  After Fletcher left, Mary Louise remarked, “He certainly knows how to control his temper, doesn’t he? I’m certain he was furious inside. What do you think he’ll do?” she asked them.

  “I can’t imagine. Nothing seems too brutal and daring for him.”

  “Father, if you believe he’s truly that dangerous, why are you resisting his offer? What if he kills us all to get what you think he wants?”

  “That’s a risk we have to take, girl. This is our home. We can’t give up.”

  Monday morning, May first, Jed and Matt left for Fort Stockton for a few days to set up cattle and horse sales for the fall roundup. Jed left Jessie in charge of the ranch, but asked her to avoid as much trouble as possible until their return.

  While they were away, Jessie couldn’t seem to get a few minutes alone with Navarro because someone always interrupted them. She began to feel as if her father had left orders to keep them apart! Then she scolded herself for being so suspicious of everyone.

  She returned to Tom’s daily lessons, but it seemed difficult for him to concentrate. He wanted to finish quickly so he could join Navarro and the hands, as he was allowed to ride with them on many occasions. The clever moccasin that Navarro had made for Tom gave him confidence and a more level walk, and Navarro had fixed the boy’s left stirrup so his bad foot wouldn’t slip through it. Tom also tied his glasses in place every day as Navarro had shown him weeks ago. The youth had come to think of Jessie and Navarro as his best friends, and that pleased her. Yet she worried about how Tom would react when Navarro had to go.

  On Wednesday, Jessie had a quarrel with her sister. Mary Louise accused her and Navarro of creating more trouble and danger than they prevented.

  “If you two hadn’t done all those terrible things to Mr. Fletcher, he wouldn’t be so mad at us. You have no proof he’s to blame, Jessica. Have you ever considered you and Father might be wrong? What if he is innocent?”

  “He isn’t.”

  “How do you know?” the blonde persisted.

  “I know.”

  “How? Wanting to buy our ranch just isn’t convincing enough.”

  “It is for us.”

  “Why?”

  Jessie glared at her sister. “Darn it, Mary Louise! It’s just a feeling. By now we’ve all learned to trust our instincts.”

  Mary Louise moved before her again when she turned away. “Feelings and instincts can be wrong. What if you’re battling the wrong enemy?”

  Jessie tossed aside the laundry she was folding. “We aren’t.”

  “Prove it to me. Show me any shred of evidence, any clue,” she challenged.

  The redhead picked up a shirt again. “I can’t. He’s too clever.”

  “Or he’s innocent.”

  Thursday, her father and the foreman returned with shocking news. Jessie was furious when she heard what had happened.

  “Not one contract, Papa? He blocked all sales? How can he do that?”

  “He undercut every price I made, Jess. Read the telegrams for yourself. I can’t sell for the same or less than the deal he’s offering them. That would be giving away my steers. We’ll have to wait until fall, herd them to market and hope for the best.”

  “But he doesn’t have that many mature steers, Papa. How can he fill those contracts?” she asked in confusion and dismay.

  “It’s my guess he’s buying out some of the other ranchers. He’s paying top dollar and keeping them from having to make the cattle drive. He can afford to do that, Jess, but we can’t. What’s worse is if he stops us from getting to market on time or floods it before we get there. I don’t know what to do,” he admitted.

  “Go to the Cattleman’s Association, Papa.”

  “I wired them, Jess. He’s already taken that precaution. He’s made charges against us that have to be investigated and cleared before I can join and get their help. They won’t meet again until after fall roundup; that’s too late to do us any good. We’ll need money by fall, Jess, and I’m doubtful I can raise it.”

  “The bank will see us through, Papa. We have good collateral.”

  “I’m afraid
not, Jess. I already tried them. Fletcher has big deposits in both banks. He’s threatened to withdraw and get his friends to do the same if they loan us money. That snake has thought of everything!”

  “He can’t do that, Papa! Surely it can’t be legal.”

  “He has done it, Jess. He has blocked every path.”

  “Then we’ll find a new one.”

  “I hope so. We have plenty of everything but cash and credit. We can’t make it without one or the other. Fletcher was in town, watching and gloating.”

  “He was there?”

  “Yep, like he knew I would be. Maybe we do have a traitor here.”

  That remark surprised her. “I doubt it, but I’ll ask Navarro if any of the men acted strange or vanished for a while.”

  “Don’t ask him, Jessie; ask Miguel.”

  “Navarro can be trusted, Papa; I’d stake my life on it.”

  “We have, Jess, many times.”

  “And we haven’t been wrong.”

  “He’s been getting us to attack Fletcher, not just defend ourselves. What if Fletcher’s trick to win is using our retaliation to get us into trouble with the law? Navarro could make sure we’re trapped and exposed one night. When he was over here, Fletcher said we’d defeat ourselves. Maybe that was a slip.”

  “He could hurt us only if he works for Fletcher, Papa, and he doesn’t!”

  “You’ve become mighty defensive of him, Jess. You spend more time with him than with your old friends here. Are you letting that drifter charm you?”

  “Papa! I’m not a foolish young girl.”

  “No, you’re quite a beautiful woman, Jessica.”

  He so rarely called her by her full name, Jessie almost shot back, So, you’ve finally noticed I’m not a son! She calmed herself and said, “If you’re worried about my friendship with Navarro, don’t be. He’s leaving when this is over.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked, sounding hopeful.

  “Positive, Papa. He’s been very clear about it from the start. He only agreed to work for us for a while. It’s taking longer than he planned, but I convinced him to stay on until the conflict is resolved. The only reason he’s remained is because everyone’s been so nice to him. If you and Matt start throwing around doubts about him, I’m sure he’ll pull out. You know how much help he’s been. We need him. With the branding over, we can concentrate more on Fletcher.”