Brothers in Blood

by Dusty Richards

“That’s what I’m here for.” He kissed her. “Then I’ll go to town and take care of business. Anything going on in there I need to know?”

  “Nothing I can think of. Susie and I paid all the bills while you were gone. Tom and the two of us did payroll, too.”

  “You all are sure handy. Thanks. I’ll get the boys off firewood duty and we’ll go see the bright lights.”

  She frowned. “Is Raphael using them?”

  “No, they’re just helping him.”

  “That’s fine, then.”

  He kissed her, then sent word for the two to saddle some horses—and not to pick the broncy one for him. On a cold morning like this, some of their horses used that as an excuse to buck.

  In a short while they were saddled and on their way to town. Chet’s horse, Chug, a big bay, walked on eggs until he passed under the crossbar at the open gate, then he calmed down. They trotted their mounts to town and stopped at Jenn’s café to warm up.

  “Where is the man of the hour?” she asked, looking for JD.

  “He went home with Susie to the Verde last night. They had lots to tell each other.”

  “I see.”

  “How are things going here?”

  “Oh, fine,” Jenn said. “I can meet the payroll and pay for my groceries and the rent. That’s all I need to do.”

  “I’m going to see my banker and Bo and talk to the machinery man—the new man that runs the mercantile. He has mowers, rakes, and stackers coming for us—I hope.”

  “You know his wife left him? The woman you brought back from Utah is doing his housekeeping.”

  “Yes, Kathrin Arnold. She came to welcome me home last night. I bet she’s handling that job just fine.”

  Jenn nodded, but made no further comment.

  He wanted to laugh. It was obvious Jenn didn’t think Kathrin was a respectable enough lady, but she needed someone, too.

  He and his two shadows visited the bank next.

  “Good to see you,” the banker said. The two went into Tanner’s office and he showed Chet a chair. “Well, I got the telegram today. They are going to pay for two cattle deliveries. You know that’s over a hundred thousand dollars?”

  “Yes, I’ve known that all along. Kinda worried me at the start, but they had to pay someone for their cattle. Glad it was my outfit.”

  “Oh, you’ve helped a lot of local folks, buying their cattle, as well.”

  “I aim to do more of that. And when that family settles the Rankin estate, I plan to add that place to the rest of our holdings.”

  Tanner nodded. “Their lawyers here are very interested in you stepping in to manage it until it is settled. Would you do that?”

  “I think that would be like shooting myself in the foot. The way it’s run now is going to make that place less desirable, say to someone like me, who wants to buy it. What would I gain by fixing it and then buying it at some inflated price?”

  “I don’t blame you. But how have you managed to make your holdings work, as large as it has grown?”

  “Damn good people I managed to hire.”

  “You willing to manage some more? I have some folks that could use you.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t need any more. Thanks.”

  “I’m keeping informed about any changes regarding the Rankin place, so you will get a chance to buy it.”

  “Good.”

  “Your land man is on the lookout, too. My, he is busy. I know you sobered him up. He was so deep in the bottle, I told my wife he’d never make it. But it worked.” He rose to shake Chet’s hand. “Good doing business with you, as always.”

  Chet left Tanner’s office feeling good. He was back on his feet, financially, and that situation would only get better. He buttoned his coat before setting out for the Palace Saloon to have lunch with his two men.

  They usually went to Jenn’s, but today their destination was the watering hole across from the courthouse. When he joined Cole and Jesus, they were already seated at a side table. All three ordered beer and a lunch of chicken-fried steak, German potatoes, and sourdough bread.

  “What’s new in town?”

  “Frye at the livery wants to see you about some draft horses,” Cole said.

  “Good. We’ll need lots of them.”

  “Did Tom tell you that John’s really making barbed wire at the Verde ranch?” Jesus asked.

  “Yes. That should make Hampt and Tom happy.”

  “How many years ’till you have all your places fenced?” Cole asked, setting down his beer mug and wiping foam off his upper lip with his kerchief.

  “A hundred, maybe? I don’t know, but it will become more and more a problem. Folks keep turning cattle loose ’cause they have no place or hay to winter them.”

  “Tom mentioned that lots of years the cattle didn’t need hay up here. But after a dry fall like we had, hay’s important.”

  “Lots of things to think about, ain’t they?” Cole looked at him with a grim nod.

  “Lots to learn. This country is much drier than Texas. And I thought Texas was bad enough.”

  “Not tomorrow,” Cole said, “but some day, I’d like to know enough to be in a job like Tom or Hampt has. So I need to ask you lots of questions, when you have time to answer them.”

  “I’d love to do that. Ask me anytime, Cole. I sure don’t have all the answers, but we can work on them.”

  “Mrs. Carmichael asked us about the Barbarossa stallion. I guess she never had a chance to ask you about him?”

  “No, she didn’t.”

  “She knew all about those horses and the place they came from. We were so busy with JD and everything happening, I guess she never had time to talk to you about breeding some mares to him.”

  “It’s a long ways to bring mares, and he’s busy now.”

  “Did those men ever come from Mexico and get the Barb last fall?”

  “Yes, kinda like the wind. They swept in here, got their reward, and left. I wasn’t there, but they impressed Susie. I’d almost forgot all about that.”

  “How many colts will we have next year?” Cole asked.

  “I hope twenty of our own.”

  Jesus nodded and smiled at the bar girl who served their lunch. “We may be on the way to having many great horses.”

  “At one time in Texas, we produced about that many every year. That damn Reynolds killed several of my best mares for no damn good reason but hatred nd jealousy.”

  “That must have been hard on you.”

  “Jesus, I hate to even think about it. Those were such bad days in my life.”

  With that, they fell silent and paid attention to their lunch. After eating, they went by to see Bo at his land office.

  “Still got those guys that keep you sober, I see,” Bo said, indicating Chet’s sidekicks.

  “Still have them.”

  “News all over town is you got your nephew back.”

  “We did. Any information I need to know?”

  “The Atlantic Pacific Railroad has sections of land for sale that go back and forth across the tracks. You know the pattern, like your land east of Hackberry.”

  “How much?”

  “Couple million, I guess. They need money now.”

  “Could we buy what we want?”

  Bo shook his head. “No, it’s all one big package.”

  “We could never use that much land, or pay for it. Some of it over east isn’t much, and I haven’t been to the border over there on the west.”

  “Okay. Oh, I bought a homestead in the canyon north of you. It straddles the Oak Creek stream. Has several fruit trees and a log house.”

  “My young nephews will love you. They fish.”

  “The papers are about through. You want to go look at it?”

  “I trust you. After we go check it out, I’ll find a man to run it.”

  “It’ll be yours in thirty days, but you can go look whenever you want.”

  “Make me a map. Jesus can wait for it. I need to see Ben
Ivor at the mercantile.”

  He and Cole cut across the courthouse yard and soon were inside the large store. The place, heavy with smells of spices and leather, bustled with business. He shook hands with a few familiar ranchers while making his way back to Ben’s office in the rear.

  The door was open and Ben welcomed him.

  “I heard you’d settled with them in New Mexico and was back. You are a wide traveler—Grand Canyon one time, the next New Mexico.”

  “Throw in Utah, too.”

  “Yes, there, too. Close that door. I need to talk to you.” He pointed at a chair in front of his desk. “Have a seat.”

  After Chet was settled, the storekeeper spoke in a confidential way. “You know my fancy wife up and left me a while back. Did Kathrin tell you she’s taking care of my house?”

  “She mentioned it.”

  “Will you tell me what you think of her? She speaks very highly of you.”

  “Kathrin was in a fix-up in Utah. But she was very ladylike. When I heard her story about her husband marrying two sisters, and how she made such a big effort to care for Leroy Sipes when he was their prisoner, I knew she was a good woman.”

  Ben looked at his crowded desk and nodded. “Don’t say a word, but I plan to marry her when my divorce is final.”

  “I’d say you did well, Ben.” Chet was pleased she’d have a good place with the storekeeper.

  “Thanks. Now, I have six mowers and rakes, plus the hardware for several beaverboards. They should be here by March. You want them all?”

  “If you can’t sell them, I do. But I have those two you delivered from Kay’s place. They’re going to Hampt’s. Two are going to the Windmill Ranch, and two are going to Reg and Lucie up on top. So, you have two to sell. My blacksmith has the used ones on the Verde place all fixed to mow next year.”

  “Good. I have buyers for them, and some more if I can get them here. But you were first on my list.”

  “Thanks.”

  “No, I have to thank you. Your cattle buying around here is sure helping folks pay me off. I think that’s great for them.”

  Ben sounded real pleased over the debt settling folks were doing with him.

  “If they don’t hijack the freighters, we should be in good shape on mowers then.”

  “Without rails up here, it’s a big operation to get them up here. They have to come to Deming, New Mexico, then the freighters haul them on to here.”

  “I just came back from there, so I know all about that.”

  “Need anything else, you holler.” Ben shook his hand. “Thanks for Kathrin, too. You thought enough of her to bring her here, so I’m in your debt.”

  Chet headed for Frye’s livery where Jesus joined him and handed him the Oak Creek place map. They’d have to make time to go see it. Marge might like to go, too.

  When they walked into the livery office, Frye’s wife Gloria smiled and stood up—and she was pregnant, too.

  “You made it back, stranger. He’s been wondering when you’d show up. I heard all went well over there?”

  “Yes, ma’am, we got it settled.”

  “Well, he’s coming right back. You men have seats. I keep this office hot, so you may cook in here.”

  Gloria was a nice-looking woman in her late twenties. Marge knew her well and had told him her story. Her first husband only did day work for ranchers, so when he died, he left her with three small children and no way to make a living. Out of need, she was forced to turn to working in a brothel. When Frye learned of it, he got her out of the business and married her. Gloria could do books, so they hired a housekeeper to keep the kids. It worked out all right for them, and for her children, too.

  Frye came in unbuttoning his wool coat. “Hey, you made it back and never got your nose skinned.” When they laughed with him, he went on. “Oh, yeah. I have a man coming from California by the name of Rose. You met him. He’s bringing a hundred head of good horses over here and said you could pick choice. Thanked you, too, for getting him to a dentist to fix his tooth.”

  “Crazy guy. He needed to see one bad. He was headed for Utah and there wouldn’t be no dentist for days. I’m sure in the market for some draft horses. Just send me word.”

  “Was that a big deal in New Mexico?” Frye asked, walking him and his men out into the sunshine.

  “Naw, we got it settled.”

  “He can say that now,” Cole said. “But it was a big deal and he handled it.”

  Frye laughed. “He does that all the time.”

  They went for their horses, then stopped by Jenn’s and had a cup of coffee with her. Everything was all right and she had no news to share.

  By the time they made it back to the ranch, the winter sun was setting.

  “How was your day?” Marge asked when she met him on the enclosed back porch.

  He hung up his great coat and hugged her tight. “Over a hundred thousand dollars better.”

  She squeezed him in return. “Your cattle plan has worked.”

  “It worked fine. What else?”

  “I think you better go see Hoot tomorrow. He’s failing, Susie said. But we’ve all been so busy.”

  “I’ll do that. That grand old man really helped me at the start and he got all these boys, along with Jenn. Or she found him for me. Anyway, he helped, and found Tom, Hampt, and Sarge, just to name a few.”

  “You’ve got part of your cattle money then?”

  “Yes. The first two shipments are paid. And Bo has bought us a place in Oak Creek Canyon that straddles the creek. Has apple trees and fruit orchards.”

  “What happened to the old owner, Mr. Kemp?”

  “I don’t know. But I’ll need a man to look after it and I plan to build some cabins up there.”

  “That would be wonderful.”

  “May’s boys will love it.”

  “Oh, yes, the fishermen. I’m so amazed to think about how you come up with so many good ideas.”

  “Or they come floating downstream to me.”

  He hugged and kissed her. Damn, he was lucky to have her. He’d had affairs, knew some good women in his past, but a wife like Marge exceeded his sweetest dreams.

  CHAPTER 7

  Chet and his two men had their horses saddled and ready at dawn. A cold north wind blew, and their breath looked like steam locomotives as they moved about in their heavy clothes ready to ride for the Verde.

  When he put his boot in the stirrup he felt the hump in Sagebrush’s back. His leg thrown over the cantle and boot barely in the other stirrup, the big bay horse broke in two. His legs were on springs and he shot sky high grunting like a mad hog. Then he leaped out in a space wide enough to cover the Grand Canyon.

  Came down in a head-shaking stomp that about jarred Chet out of the saddle, but instead he stuck spurs to hide. That caused another explosion, but Chet could tell they were getting weaker by the hop. But the pony was still a quarter of a mile from being over it.

  On the road, Jesus and Cole caught up with him on some high-headed horses of their own.

  “Nice romp,” Cole said, and drew a laugh from his companions.

  “You ever been thrown off?” Jesus asked.

  “A few times, but that ground out here is too damn hard to land on.”

  He wasn’t satisfied the boys hadn’t picked that horse on purpose as a joke, but he didn’t really care—in his book, they were great guys. The three made the lower place by mid-morning and Susie bundled in a coat waved in greeting from the porch.

  “We here for long?” Cole asked.

  “I imagine so.”

  “Give us your horse then and we’ll go out where they’re feeding hay.”

  “I’ll just hitch him. I may want to see them, too.”

  “Fine.” The pair rode on.

  By then Susie had him by the waist and they were headed for her kitchen.

  “How is Marge?”

  “Wonderful. No, she’s a little stiff, she says. Hey, I have some news. We bought a farm with an or
chard in Oak Creek Canyon right astraddle on Oak Creek.”

  “We did? That’s such a sweet place. I went by that orchard. Will that be our place?”

  “I figure to build some cabins up there for all of us to use. I need to hire a man to farm it soon.”

  Susie beamed with the news. “Wait until those boys hear it’s ours. They’ll want to live up there.”

  “Keep it under your hat until we sign the final papers.”

  “I will. You know my husband will be back here in a week.”

  “If he rides a good horse to death. We’ve received payment for our first two deliveries. So we’re in line to get more. This one makes three they owe us for.”

  “This reminds me of when you used to return from Kansas bringing money home to Texas.”

  “Same effect as those sales. It’s a big financial help to the ranch operation. We won’t make as much money sending our neighbors’ cattle over there, but it’ll make money for everyone. It’s going to help the area’s economy too. Our mowers and rakes are coming for all three places as well. Delivery should be April.”

  “You never cease to amaze me. We are flying high, aren’t we?”

  “The move here is going better than I thought, and making places for all of us. The Rankin lawyers want me to step in and manage that place, but that would only cost me money.”

  “Oh, yes, Lucie sent me a letter. Do you want to read it?”

  “Sure.”

  The message was close to Marge’s, except some notes for Susie. His sister spoke up, “Lucie is a great lady for being such a cowgirl and ranch hand.”

  “A grand gal for him.”

  “Yes, I never expected—well, for Reg to pick her out after his last wife was so pretty.”

  “Lucie is more than pretty. I think she is so real and so damn good at it.”

  “She is. Next summer, we can all have a baby convention, huh?”

  “Sure enough. There’ll be a lot of us then.”

  Susie frowned before she said, “JD hasn’t figured out what he wants to do yet. I hope he does soon. But he’s still acting like he’s not certain of his future. I think he wanted to strike out and do something himself.”

  “Perhaps. He’s never talked much to me about anything since I offered to help him down at Kay’s. And she turned it down. But since then he’s sure not been the person we raised.”