by Ken Farmer
Sophia screamed and fainted in the hallway next to Vernon who was still on his knees.
SKEANS BOARDING HOUSE
I’ll go downtown and send a telegram, reserving two suites at the villa and I’ll check on the train schedules…Should be a straight shot through Ft. Worth,” said Mason.
“I’ll go with you. Miz De La Vega knows me. I’ll tell her ya’ll ain’t gonna trash the place…You’re house broke.”
“Are you speaking from experience, Bodie?” asked Loraine.
“Me?”
“I don’t see anyone else in here from San Antonio, Ranger,” said Fiona.
Mason grinned and glanced at the others. “We takin’ our mounts?”
“I don’t think we’ll be chasing outlaws on the scout. Let’s leave them home. We can rent a carriage there to get around,” commented Fiona. “Besides Doctor Mosier would frown on it in my condition.”
“Do believe I’m taking my hand cannon and a box of ammo, though. Like I always say…never leave home without it…and plenty ammo,” said Bone.
“Gotta agree with that,” added Mason.
“Better to be safe than sorry,” commented Loraine.
“We’d have been up the creek if you hadn’t had it at my funeral,” said Flynn.
“True,” added Fiona.
PALO PINTO, TEXAS
2018
Stella and Peach are scouring Bone’s Thing in the county impound yard.
“Find anything, Peach,” asked Stella.
“Nothing out of the norm for Bone, bless his heart. His prints and Loraine’s…Gum and candy wrappers. Sonic sacks and left over fries…you know?…My goodness, a couple of these fries are petrified.” She held one up and tapped it on the dash. It sounded like a limb from a tree.
“Yeah. doesn’t surprise me…I suspect they were goin’ fishin’ at Possum Kingdom.”
“With Loraine? I declare, honey, figured the only way she liked fish was from Tom Thumb’s…The last time he took her out to show her how to hunt squirrels, she got madder’n a wet hen.”
“Why?” asked Stella.
“Got mud on her shoes.”
“Shut up.”
Peach giggled. “Bone’s funny as all get out…Think he led her through a bog on account she wore shoes instead of boots.”
“Why didn’t she just talk to him about it, instead of gettin’ mad and all.”
“She’d be better off talkin’ to a fence post. Bone listens worst than anybody I know…She knows him. They been workin’ together for four years.”
“You’d think she had him figured out by now,” said Stella as she packed up her kit.
“Bone could confuse the horns off a billy goat,” replied Peach as she snapped her case shut.
“Ask me, I think they’re in love…Just don’t know it.”
“Hush your mouth, girl.”
“Let’s head on out to the lake…Bring your bathin’ suit?” asked Stella.
Peach tilted her head forward toward Stella and arched her brows. “Do what?…I figured we’d just go skinny dippin’, if the water wadn’t too cold when we’re done. Honey, that water’s clear as a bell, you know?”
“Works for me.”
Thirty minutes later they drove up to the location where the deputy found Bone’s Thing and parked the black squad car.
“Any idea what we’re lookin’ for?” asked Peach.
“Anything that doesn’t belong an’ looks like Bone or Loraine.”
“Easy for you to say.”
They worked their way over to the cliff edge overlooking the water.
“This would be a good spot to cast out in the channel,” said Stella.
Peach nodded. “Bone doesn’t strike me as the type to go fishin’ with a cane pole an’ a bobber.”
“You think?”
“I’ll betcha a storm came up and they took cover somewhere because there’s no top on his Thing, uh, Volkswagen,” said Peach. “Can’t believe Bone likes it…it’s so tee-niny.”
“You are talkin’ about the Volkswagen aren’t you?”
“Lord have mercy, honey, I hope so.” Peach giggled.
“Isn’t that a cave up there on that ridge?” asked Stella.
“Let’s go up there an’ take a looky-see,” suggested Peach.
“Thought you’d never bring it up.”
“I’m gonna slap the mess out of you.” Peach grinned at her best friend.
They climbed up to the entrance, each took out their tac lights and shined them around the opening.
“Look, see those tracks just inside the entrance? Big ones an’ little ones.” Stella glanced at Peach. “Bone and Loraine?”
“If it’s not, they’re gonna miss a dang good chance.”
“Notice one thing about ‘em though?” asked Stella.
“What do you mean?”
“There are tracks goin’ in…” Stella looked at Peach. “…but none leavin’.”
“Well, well, now, don’t that beat all?”
They cast their beams to the back and saw the cave closed down to nothing.
“Not very deep an’ no openin’ in the back,” commented Peach.
“Uh-huh…Shine your light all over, especially in the corners and around rocks for rattlesnakes,” said Stella.
“Ooo…I hate spiders an’ snakes.”
“All the more reason to look closely. Gettin’ a little late in the year…’Magine most of them are already denned up underground somewhere.”
“Isn’t this underground?…Oh, look, somebody built a fire next to the wall over there. Doesn’t look too old, either.” Peach knelt down and stirred the ashes with her finger. “Still loose.” She looked around. I’d say they burned up all the available wood.”
“Looks like they were in here for a spell…Both sat down there.” Stella pointed.
“Uh-huh…” Peach rubbed her arms. “My goodness, look at the hairs on my arms…They’re standin’ straight up.”
“Mine too…What’s that on the wall there?”
Peach shined her flashlight up about head high.
“Petroglyphs…Ancient Native American, my guess…Let’s get some pictures and take them to Bone’s godfather, Padrino. If anyone knows what they mean…he will,” commented Stella.
§§§
CHAPTER FOUR
SANTA FE DEPOT
GAINESVILLE, TEXAS
1898
Bodie and Mason walked inside the Western Union Telegraph and Cable office in the Santa Fe Depot. They approached the clerk on the other side of the counter.
“Need to send a couple of telegrams, pard,” said Mason.
“Yes, sir,” replied the young clerk that had replaced Percy Gilhooley who had been killed by Calvin Mankiller when he and other outlaws robbed the horse race taking place at the Cooke County Fair Grounds a couple of years earlier.
“Let’s just send one, Sheriff, I’ll write a note to Sophia, tellin’ her ya’ll are comin’ down and need two suites…plus say howdie,” said Bodie.
“Ya’ll sheriff deputies?” asked the slight built agent with awe.
“He’s the County Sheriff of Jack County and I’m a Texas Ranger,” replied Bodie.
“Gollygee whizbang! A High Sheriff an’ a Texas Ranger in here. My girlfriend ain’t gonna believe it.” He slid the note pad over to Bodie. “Just put what you need to say, Ranger, an’ I’ll get it right out…My name’s Marvin Clearwater.”
“That the latest train schedule south through Ft. Worth to San Antonio?” Mason pointed to a slate board with the train times.
“Yes, sir, Sheriff. The train that goes through here, the Gulf and Colorado, on the way to Corpus Christi, stops in San Antonio. No need to change trains atall.”
“Thanks for the information, Marvin…What’s the arrival time in San Antonio if the train leaves Gainesville on time?”
“It’s a eighteen hour trip, Sheriff…countin’ stops an’ all.” He looked back at the board. “She’s scheduled to get here
at four ten this afternoon from Oklahoma City, so, all goes well, she should pull in to San Antonio at ten tomorrow mornin’.”
Mason nodded at Bodie. “Put that in your message, Bodie.”
“Right.”
He filled out the text for the telegram and pushed the pad back over when he was finished. “There you go, Marvin.”
“Are you goin’ to wait for a reply, Ranger?”
“Nope, just send it over to Miz Skeans Boardin’ House, if you would,” said Bodie.
“Yes, sir, I can handle that. The messenger is on a run right now, but should be back any minute. Send him right over with any reply.”
“Thank you, Marvin.” Bodie laid a Morgan silver dollar on the counter.
Bodie and Mason both tipped their hats as they opened the door and headed back to their horses tied up to iron hitching posts at the curb.
As they rode over to California Street on the way to Lindsey Street, Mason turned to Bodie just before they made the corner
“Where’s the nearest livery where we can rent a carriage?”
“Would you believe right next door to the villa,” replied Bodie. “Got some nice baroques there.”
BONE’S RANCH
COOKE COUNTY, TEXAS
2018
Stella put the plain black squad car in park after she stopped in front of Bone’s period ranch house. The house and surrounding section of land was deeded to Bone by Lucy when she was rescued in 2014, for saving her life.
Lucy had inherited it from her adoptive parents, Mason Flynn’s sister, Mary Lou and her husband, Cletus Wilson.
Bone’s godfather, Padrino, was sitting on the wide wraparound porch of the white, shiplap, late 1800s, dog-run style ranch house, in a slat-backed rocking chair. The house had a new standing-seam green metal roof. Lucy’s dog, Tyrin, sat beside him.
“Get out, ladies,” the seventy year old ‘Nam’ vet, Marine welcomed them, getting up from the chair.
The muscular blond and white pit bull jumped up and down, wiggling all over in joy at seeing the girls again.
“Hi, Padrino,” Stella said as she gave the wiry, white-haired man a hug.
Peach followed suit.
They both knelt down and hugged Tyrin and were rewarded with kisses.
“How am I so blessed to have such lovely ladies come all the way out here to see an old man?”
“It’s about Bone, Padrino,” Stella replied.
“I know…I mean, I don’t know where he is either…Come on inside, I put the coffee pot on just before I came out. Should be ready by now.”
“Bless your sweet heart, Padrino, that sounds wonderful,” said Peach.
“You ladies had lunch?”
They exchanged looks.
“No, but it’s all right,” responded Stella.
“Nonsense, I smoked a ham out in the smoker yesterday. It’s so tender, you don’t need a knife, I just pull the meat off with a fork…Let’s make some sandwiches. What do you say?”
“That’s so sweet, Padrino, I could sit still for that,” said Peach.
“You can tell me what it was about Bone that brought ya’ll all the way out here while I make the sandwiches…Got some fresh bone bread I made yesterday.”
“Bone has his own bread?” asked Stella.
Padrino chuckled. “No, honey, it’s a New York deli, Italian type bun…hard crust, real flavorful and chewy. Great for po-boys.”
“Sounds scrumptious,” said Peach.
Padrino pulled a large Tupperware container that was full of smoked ham chunks, mustard, stacker pickles and muenster cheese from the fridge and got three of the bone bread buns from the keeper. He set it all on the counter and got his bread knife out to slice the buns in half.
“Well, it all started when the captain tried to reach Bone on his cell for the umpteenth time this morning…and would you believe it…Bone answered,” said Stella.
Padrino looked up and cocked his head. “Go on.” He pitched Tyrin a chunk of ham that he caught before it hit the original hardwood floor…
Ten minutes later, Stella and Peach had filled Padrino in and he had just set the huge po-boys, piled high with ham and two slices of cheese, in front of them on napkins.
Why don’t we take these sandwiches, go into the office, plug your phone into the computer and take a good look at those petroglyphs, while we eat…Shall we?”
“Works for me,” said Stella as she and Peach followed Padrino into his office carrying their sandwiches and coffee.
They didn’t know that it was Lucy’s bedroom when Mary Lou and Cletus were still alive.
He plugged Stella’s smart phone into his computer with a USB cord and pulled up her photo gallery while they ate.
“That’s a bison. That symbol there means a river…most likely the Brazos and that’s an electrical storm…See the lightning?…Umm, interesting.” He glanced over at the girls. “These petroglyphs are at least ten thousand years old maybe closer to fifteen,” he said.
“My goodness, how on earth can you tell?” asked Peach.
He pointed at one of the carvings. “This is a petroglyph of a Mammut Americanum, the American mastodon…a distant relative of the elephant. They roamed the North American continent during the last ice age, which ended about ten thousand years ago.”
“Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit…So this was their stompin’ grounds?” asked Peach.
Padrino nodded. “All the way down to central Mexico…It’s believed that they were hunted to their extinction by the Amerindians.”
“What’s that?” asked Stella as she pointed to a human-like figure with a large head.
“That, my dear, is, in my opinion…an alien.”
“No way,” said Peach.
“Well, we all met Lucy, so we know they do, in fact, exist and have been visiting our world for eons…In that petroglyph, however, the alien, while similar to what Lucy looks like in her space suit…you know the gray alien look…is different.”
“Yes, we saw her, or a hologram of her in it after she was rescued,” commented Stella.
“Uh-huh…But, see, this one is much taller than her race,” added Padrino.
“I swani, it’s a different race of aliens then?” asked Peach.
“In my opinion.”
“What is that spiral?” inquired Stella.
“Well, that, according to the ancient alien theorists, is a symbol for a portal.”
“Portal?” questioned Peach.
“An opening to another world, dimension…or time.”
“Get out of town!” exclaimed Stella jumping to her feet. “No, wait, that’s the only answer.”
Padrino nodded. “Also, according to certain physicists as well as the ancient alien theorists, traveling to other worlds, dimensions or times is possible, and was done, through portals…It is believed that the open-ended spiral signifies the location of one of these ancient portals.
“They are known to be located all over the world. This theory was first promulgated by Nicola Tesla when he explained that an electromagnetic vortex wave anchored by certain gravitational anomalies can create a warp, or hole, in the folds of the fabric of time and space.”
“Kinda like a star-gate on SG-1,” said Stella.
Padrino grinned. “Something like that…and if they took refuge in that cave because of a storm…let’s look at the lightning carving and the open-ended spiral along with no other exit…I’m afraid the inescapable conclusion is the vortex was activated by a lightning strike close by. Drawn there by the gravitational anomaly, and they were whisked away to another time…sort of like Edgar Rice Burroughs’ character, John Carter, in a Princess of Mars…He was transported to another world…as well as another time.”
“Oh, Lordy, Lordy, this is deeper’n granny’s well,” muttered Peach.
“According to a quote by Sherlock Holmes, or actually Author Conan Doyle…‘Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.’,” ad
ded Padrino.
Stella and Peach exchanged glances.
“The captain will pitch a hissy fit with a tail on it if we go back and tell him that,” said Peach as she held her head in both hands.
Tyrin put one paw on her knee, and then his chin.
“Maybe not. How about I go back into town with you and explain it to him?…He knows me and Lucy, so it shouldn’t be so hard…There really is no other explanation,” said Padrino.
“It’s just like a crime scene…We lay out the facts, show the captain the pictures, Padrino tells him that physics stuff…let him draw his own conclusion…and keep our butts out of the meat grinder,” added Stella.
Tyrin looked at Padrino and cocked his head.
§§§
CHAPTER FIVE
SKEANS BOARDING HOUSE
1898
Bone, Mason and Bodie were in the parlor having an afternoon touch of sour mash. The ladies were upstairs packing for the trip.
“Anyone need a freshen?” Bodie asked, holding up the amber cut glass decanter.
“Just a touch,” said Mason, holding out his glass.
“I’m good,” added Bone. “That Cactus Wine spoiled me. Got to see if I can find some down in San Antonio.”
“Shouldn’t be a problem there,” commented Bodie. “Didn’t you say it was tequila and peyote tea?”
“I did and believe me…”
A knock sounded from the front door. Mason, already standing near the roaring fireplace, set his glass on the mantle.
“I got it.” He strode over to the foyer and the front door.
He opened it and greeted the Western Union messenger on the front porch. “Come on in, son, where it’s warm.”
“Thank you, sir.” The teenager snatched the Western Union short-billed cap from his head. “Got a telegram here for Ranger Hickman,” he said as he entered the foyer.
“He’s in there…The big ugly redheaded one,” said Mason.
“I heard that,” came Bodie’s voice from the parlor.