Struck by Thunder

by Taylor Lee

  ~~~

  Chapter 17

  The next morning, Lei sat astride her Arabian outside of the hotel, preparing to ride back to the ranch. Chief, Alono, and four of the Caballeros who had been with them at the dinner were mounted on their horses beside her. Chief held Master’s reins waiting for Wyatt.

  Wyatt came out of the hotel and approached the three hard eyed white men sitting on the porch. He spoke to them in Chinese, acknowledging their unspoken help, and sent his regards to Wan Chang.

  At that moment, Martin, Jesse, and several others involved with Martin’s campaign came out of the hotel. When Martin saw Wyatt, he turned away. Studiously ignoring him, he spoke to the others in a hearty voice.

  Wyatt lit a cigarette and took a drag on it. He watched Jesse and Martin for a moment, then walked over and stood next to Jesse. He looked down at Martin, who was a good four inches shorter than he was. He smiled to himself, seeing Martin’s pale face and shaking hands. Wyatt tipped his cowboy hat at a rakish angle. He knew his tight jeans, open necked plaid shirt and cowboy boots compared well with Martin’s rumpled business suit, dress shoes streaked with dirt, and his chubby neck and face.

  Driving home his advantage, Wyatt spoke in a low voice, clear enough to be heard by Martin’s team. “Martin, a good campaign manager knows when, where, and how the opposing candidate takes a shit. And everything he does in between.” He added with a cold smile. “I’m a hell of a good campaign manager. There isn’t a better one in the business.”

  He tipped his hat to Jesse. “See you soon, honey.”

  Martin stood grim faced, his eyes flashing with fury, and something akin to fear.

  Wyatt tossed his cigarette, mounted Master, and rode off with Lei and Chief at his side, the others following behind.

  ~~~

  Wyatt understood political corruption. That understanding had made him rich. He had seen it at every level of government, from local mayors, county officials, state and territorial legislatures, governors, and federal big wigs. In his more than fifteen years of acquiring land, minerals, cattle, and timber he had never once fallen prey to unscrupulous or illegal practices to build his wealth. He didn’t have to. Instead, he thrived by outwitting the corrupt. Understanding their greed and willingness to skirt the laws, he was able to outmaneuver them by appearing to be one of them, but always with a different end in mind.

  In the early years, he operated as himself underestimated as an upstart half breed by the corrupt politicians and dishonest businessmen he outfoxed. When he was nineteen years old, he borrowed money from Joey and purchased a tract of land he liked in Colorado, only to discover silver two years later. It was a discovery that fueled his purchases from that time forward. He made his biggest land purchase, a huge tract of land at the four corners of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, by out-scamming the scammers in the New Mexico territorial government. He was twenty-three years old and secured the water rights to a good portion of the Colorado River basin.

  As he became better known and less able to disguise his intentions, he built a network of entities that he owned and operated as a silent partner. His partners were respected businessmen who lent their names and prestige, while Wyatt put up the money and controlled the enterprise anonymously.

  His special skill was to ferret out political thievery in the making and beat the perpetrators at their own game. He had done it countless times in New Mexico, where politics and corruption were the law of the land. As the election for governor of Wyoming loomed, he smelled a rat. When he discovered that one of the candidates for governor was involved in a far reaching land fraud, he immediately signed on as chair for the opposing candidate. Given that nobody ever beat the candidate Wyatt supported, Martin Kendrick’s candidacy was doomed. But Wyatt wasn’t content with destroying Martin’s political ambitions; he was determined to bring down the corrupt enterprise fueling his campaign and make a little money for himself in the process.

  ~~~

  Martin watched Wyatt ride off with a hatred so intense the people around him felt it physically and stepped back. Only when he saw everyone in the group looking from him to Jesse, did he realize that Jesse was speaking to him. He hadn’t spoken to her since the day he discovered her with Wyatt. His fury had only grown.

  “What is he talking about, Martin?”

  Martin glared at her with open scorn.

  “I would think if anyone could expose the intentions of Wyatt McManus, it would be you. Tell us, Jesse, what have you learned besides what its like to be fucked by a half breed who has fucked three quarters of the women in Wyoming? Learned anything that might be helpful to our campaign?”

  “Martin, please.” Jesse flushed a rosy pink and looked down, shaking with embarrassment.

  Martin snarled, “What? You want me to stop? Be quiet? Pretend that everyone working with me doesn’t know what a whore you are?”

  John Thereon stepped over to Martin and put his hand on his arm. He pointed to bystanders who were looking over at them. “Martin, don’t make it any worse than it is. Let’s go inside where we can have privacy.”

  As John motioned the group back into the hotel, Martin followed reluctantly. He turned to see Jesse behind him. His face was contorted with contempt.

  “Go home.”

  “Martin, please. I need to know what is happening.”

  “You need to know nothing. Go home and be glad that, for the time being, you have a home to go to.”

  Jesse’s face was white, her eyes wide with fear. She watched helplessly as Martin and his friends walked into the hotel and closed the door behind them. She was embarrassed, but mostly she was afraid. She was horrified by what Wyatt said last night at the dinner. Was it true? Did Martin do things like that? The idea made her sick. But she was more frightened by what Wyatt said as he left this morning. What did he mean? What was Martin doing and why was Wyatt threatening him? Martin was right, she did know Wyatt. In addition to being arrogant, the best word to describe him was “ruthless.” In a contest between Martin and Wyatt, the outcome wasn’t even close.

  ~~~

  Inside the hotel, the manager was honored to respond to a request from the next governor of Wyoming. He directed Martin and his group to a private meeting room with a fully stocked bar. He urged them to help themselves and to ring if they needed anything.

  Martin did his best to regain his composure. Although he and John were the only ones in the group who heard what Wyatt said last night at the dinner, he didn’t kid himself knowing that the salacious gossip had quickly spread. He prayed to god that was all Wyatt knew. God damn those whores. Someone’s ass would burn when he found out who was talking. He was embarrassed, but, hell, people eventually overlooked sexual peccadilloes. He would have to live with people laughing at him behind his back. He had more than pride at stake. He needed to recover and recover quickly or not only was he going to lose this campaign, but his entire family’s fortune was at risk.

  He turned to the four men in the room. All of whom were as implicated as he was in the financial venture they had initiated. Thank God, their risk was as great as his. The only difference was that the other four were putting up their own money to seed the venture. He was using Frank’s.

  “All right, gentlemen. Let’s get down to business,” he said, trying to project confidence. “What does McManus know or think he knows?”

  The four men stared at him, seemingly surprised at his equanimity, given Wyatt’s not so veiled threat.

  John spoke first. “The only person outside of the four of us who knows the totality of our venture is Stan Freson. He has a hell of a lot more to lose than his position at Interior if this comes out. All of our investors think they are investing in the front organization we have created. Furthermore, every one of them has been vetted by our Eastern backers. They’re clean.”

  Peter Morgan agreed. “Listen, Martin, I hate to say this, but it needs to be said. I think Wyatt is shitting you. He is trying to get under your skin because he’s after
your wife. I don’t think he knows a damn thing. The guy is a cocky bastard who has decided to play in the political game. He is taking you on at your weakest level – the home front.”

  The third person in the group, Paul Creighton, was an older man who had been a lifelong resident of Wyoming and a long time rancher. He’d had more run-ins with Wyatt than he could count. Although he never came out on top, he had a grudging admiration for the man who always bested him.

  He shook his head. “Sorry, Peter, couldn’t disagree more. Look, I can tell you from every experience I’ve had with Wyatt over the years that anyone who underestimates him is fucked before he starts. I’d like to think he’s just after Jesse. Hell, he could have her by looking at her. Sorry, Martin, but the guy’s prick has gotta be a national treasure, the way the women run after him. No, he’s onto something. We gotta figure out where the hole is and plug it. Or this little adventure of ours is going to come crashing down and take every goddamn one of us with it.”

  Al Beaverton spoke last. “Martin, I’m with Paul. The men who are sure to lose are those who underestimate Wyatt. The ones who have a fighting chance are those who know he’s the smartest, luckiest son of a bitch you’ll ever run up against. The worst part of it is that most of the time you don’t know you’re up against him until it’s too late. He works in the shadows now, ninety percent of the time. He knows that way he can fool the competition. I think the only reason we have a shot at this is that he is showing his hand. He may—hope to God—be too late to keep the transfer from going through.”

  Martin felt his gut twist. He wasn’t stupid. He knew Paul and Al were right. They had to find out what Wyatt knew and cut his legs out from underneath him.

  “You’re right Paul, and you, too, Al. We can’t underestimate the son of a bitch. We can’t overestimate him either. I know he is a big deal in these fucking backwaters here in the West. But the guys we’re working with back East would eat him for breakfast and not even belch. The last thing they’re gonna do is let some cocky half breed – an Indian for Christ sakes -- get the best of them. And no gang of cowboys on horseback carrying a bunch of guns are gonna scare away our backers. They’re men with real power. Wyatt’s playing out of his league this time. Goddamn, he’s going to know it soon enough.”

  John and Peter nodded in agreement, relieved that Martin seemed to have regained his confidence. Martin was the one with the Eastern connections. He should know if the Eastern bigwigs were up to Wyatt.

  Paul just shook his head. “Martin, I sure as hell hope you’re right. I suggest you get your big boys focused on this and let’s get this fuckin’ thing wrapped up before Wyatt does figure out what’s going on.”

  ~~~

  Wyatt’s brain trust convened that afternoon. It included the two men who had raised him, Chief and Joey, and Alono, their new member. Alono was the Apache orphan that Wyatt took under his wing ten years earlier, in much the way Chief had taken him.

  Those who knew each of the men in their capacities around the ranch would never know that Chief, who raised him and had ridden with him for seventeen years, and Joey, who ran his dojo, and Alono, head of his security operations, were the only people along with Wyatt who knew the extent of Wyatt’s holdings.

  Chief watched this man he had raised build exponentially on the survival skills and intuitive wisdom that Chief blessed him with. He was repaid with the gift of his life; he was Wyatt’s best friend and spiritual father and now grandfather to Elena and Alex. Joey, the cunning Chinaman, always underestimated by his adversaries, taught him the real secrets of business. He taught him how to make money and grow it. He was the first to back Wyatt’s many ventures. And it was Joey who taught him the disciplined warrior art that had saved his life.

  Alono became the younger brother Wyatt never had. Wyatt found him when he was eight years old. He saw the same things written on Alono’s face and body that had been written on his when Chief found him. He knew Alono faced what he and other orphan boys did until they were big enough and strong enough to make the men who abused them wish they were dead. Wyatt recognized the intelligence of this silent boy and was teaching him everything Chief and Joey had taught him. Alono was his personal protector and would have killed his mother if he had one if he thought she would endanger Wyatt.

  But it was Wyatt who created Wyatt. The two older men never stopped marveling at his intelligence, uncanny insights, and courage. His special gift was his ability to read people and treat them accordingly. Depending on who you were, he was charming, principled, and kind -- or ruthless and cruel. Unscrupulous men despised and feared him. Smart, honest men admired him. They gave him loyalty that was never misplaced.

  His Caballeros that Martin dismissed as a bunch of cowboys with guns were chosen for their fighting skills as well as their brains and entrepreneurial spirits. Their loyalty to Wyatt was unquestioned, as was his to them. Everyone in his inner circle was paid handsomely. As Wyatt grew wealthy, so did they. He’d created a loyal band of followers who could infiltrate an outlaw gang of cattle rustlers or an investment firm in San Francisco. His tentacles were everywhere-- from Canada to Mexico, from California to New York. No one but Joey, Chief, and now Alono, knew their extent.

  Wyatt puffed on his cigar and mused aloud, “Wonder if Martin is smart enough to heed my warning and pull back?” He answered his own question with a grin.

  “But the greedy fuckers never do, do they? You can hit them in the head with an anvil like I did Martin this morning and they brush it off as an annoying mosquito. Is it arrogance or stupidity that they think they can pull this off?”

  Chief puffed on his cigar. “What’s frightening is that if it wasn’t for you, they probably would.”

  The others nodded in agreement.

  Joey added, “They have been warned, Wyatt. Most of the thieves you take down don’t know you were involved and never knew who or what hit them. But when this one goes down, there will be no question about who blew it up.”

  “Yeah, if it wasn’t for Frank, I would have stayed incognito. Wouldn’t you think Martin would be content just living off the old guy? But, no, he’s willing to ruin him if necessary. Christ, that fucking greedy bastard,” Wyatt said with a grimace.

  At that moment, Theresa knocked on the door. “Wyatt, I’m sorry to bother you, but Mrs. Kendrick is here. Says she needs to see you.”

  “Hmm,” Wyatt sighed. “Well, hell, send her in.”

  A moment later Jesse walked in. She backed away when she saw Chief, Joey, and Alono. Her face was pale. She was shaking.

  “I’m sorry. I, I thought you were alone.”

  “Nope, I’m not,” Wyatt said. “But if it is business – you can talk in front of my partners. If it’s not, I won’t be available for another twenty minutes or so.”

  Jesse flushed, looking as if she would cry. She shook her head. “No, it’s personal.”

  “Okay, I’ll meet you out at the training ring in twenty minutes.”

  There was a heavy silence when she left. Wyatt continued to puff on his cigar while the other three looked down. Chief was the first to speak.

  “Wyatt….”

  “Chief, save your breath. On some things you’re all going to have to defer to my judgment.”

  “That is what I am asking for,” Chief continued. “Your judgment.”

  Wyatt gave him an annoyed shrug, then returned to the discussion they were having before Jesse interrupted them. “Is Tom in place? The Boston crew is key to pulling this off as I’m sure we all agree.”

  Chief nodded.

  Joey added, “Tom said there won’t be any heavy hearts in Boston when Martin goes down. Apparently, we’re not the only ones who think he is an asshole. Even his society buddies find him insufferable.”

  “Okay, this next month or so is going to be interesting. We need to meet daily to ensure that all the cogs are engaged and the wheels turning,” Wyatt said, standing up and moving toward the door.

  Alono stood to follow him out.


  Wyatt gave him a cocky grin. “That won’t be necessary, Alono.”

  When Alono just shook his head and continued to walk behind him, Wyatt said with a wry smile. “Gotta protect me from myself, huh?”

  He groaned. “Okay. C’mon. Let’s go see what the lady wants.”

  When they left Chief and Joey sighed in unison.

  Chief said, “Goddamn cocks!”

  Joey nodded in agreement.

  ~~~

  Chapter 18

  Wyatt and Alono walked out to the training ring. Jesse was standing with her back to them as they came up. She whirled in anticipation. When she saw Alono, her face fell.

  Wyatt stepped up to her and took hold of her arm.

  “C’mon, Jesse, let’s go for a walk. I have a small office in the horse barn. We can talk there, but Alono here can still keep an eye on us. He is feeling the need to protect me. See how powerful you are?” he said with a grin.

  Neither Jesse nor Alono smiled in return.

  They went in to the small office and Jesse turned to him. “Wyatt I need to talk to you. I am scared.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know what Martin is doing, but I know it must be bad if you are threatening him.”

  Wyatt shrugged. “Yeah, honey, it’s bad.”

  “What’s going to happen to me, Wyatt?”

  “Don’t you have family, anywhere?”

  “Yes, but they are poor. They can’t help me. Don’t you see? I am totally dependent on Martin and he knows it. He threatened me today.”