Struck by Thunder

by Taylor Lee

  Wyatt’s tone and hard eyes startled both children. They stepped back in surprise.

  Chief moved forward and took each of the children’s hands and pulled them close to him. “I know this is a surprise to you both. It is to me as well. I am sad that Lei isn’t coming. She must have had a good reason, so we will have to have a good time even though she won’t be with us.”

  The children looked up at Chief and then over to Wyatt, who was standing to the side piercing Chief with a cold glare.

  Alex moved away from Wyatt. He asked Chief in a tearful voice, “Grandfather, why didn’t Lei say good bye to us?”

  Chief knelt down and put an arm around each of them, hugging them close. “You know Lei loves you. I’m sure if she could have said good-by to you she would have. Your father is correct. Sometimes things happen that we don’t understand. We just have to do the best we can to accept them. Now let’s make sure we have all of our bags so that we are ready to get on the train.”

  Neither one of the children looked at Wyatt. Instead, they hung on tight to Chief’s hands as they prepared to board the train.

  ~~~

  Chapter 24

  The Interior Building in Washington was impressive. Shouting to Wyatt, Chief, and Alono to hurry, Elena and Alex raced each other up the marble steps. They ran inside, eager to see whose shouts echoed the loudest as they charged down the hallway. Alono caught up to them to keep them from dashing through the building. Wyatt and Chief followed behind. Chief mused to himself, this was the pattern of their visit. Alono picked up the role Wyatt usually played with Elena and Alex. He tried to channel their exuberance and answer their endless questions as best he could. Only when Wyatt wanted to impress upon them a particular historical fact or point out a building or monument did he initiate or participate in the conversation. Chief was surprised at his continued reserve. The train ride had been particularly challenging. It hadn’t been much better since they arrived in Washington. The children at first were surprised by Wyatt’s stony silence, but soon were referring all their questions and comments to Alono or Chief. Chief explained to them that their father had many things on his mind, that they should be patient with him. He tried to convince that everything would be all right again soon.

  ~~~

  Tom Caldwell met them at the top of the stairs. Tom was a distinguished almost dapper man dressed in the height of current fashion. He was known around town as a “fixer.” Only the three men on the steps and his Washington crew knew that Tom’s real work was to be Wyatt’s eyes and ears in the legal and financial communities based on the East coast. Everyone attending the ceremony today would think Wyatt was just one more rich client of the exceedingly well-connected Mr. Caldwell. Tom kept his excitement to see Wyatt in check as he came forward, but couldn’t hide the high regard in his eyes. Tom was one of the first members of the Caballeros, and one of the first to see the leader in the young upstart. He never once questioned his decision to put his future in the hands of a nineteen year old half breed kid. His loyalty paid off. He grew wealthy along with Wyatt and only came to admire him more as the years went by.

  Tom nodded to Chief and then moved to grasp Wyatt’s hand. “Christ, Wyatt, it’s not fair. The rest of us get fatter and balder as we get older. You son of a bitch are more handsome than ever. No wonder your reputation with the women is as big as that ego of yours,” he said with a hearty laugh.

  “But the fact that you are hooked up with Lei Chang must mean things have changed. From what I hear, beautiful doesn’t begin to describe her. By the way, where is she? We are all looking forward to adding some female pulchritude to the press pictures at the ceremony. From what I hear, the Secretary has a way with the ladies. He specifically asked if she would be attending. Of course, we all know whose daughter she is. That little behind the scenes nugget has the Washington gossip mill in high gear.”

  Wyatt held up his hand and broke into Tom’s nonstop pleasantries with a grim smile. “Tom, it’s good to see you, my friend. My only questions for you are how the hell you do put up with this town and, Christ, do you really wear that suit everyday?”

  Tom smiled and said in a low voice, “Look, Wyatt. If I am going to be your man in Washington – at least I’m going to look good. How else could I charge you the exorbitant fees that I do if I didn’t look like the rest of the assholes? And, hell, anyone who looks like you do in a three piece suit shouldn’t complain.”

  Wyatt shook his head and as though Tom didn’t know Chief introduced him, Alono, and the children.

  Tom greeted the group, with a knowing nod to Chief, welcoming them to what he assured them was an auspicious event even in Washington, a town known for special events.

  Wyatt again broke in. He said almost as an aside, “I regret that Lei won’t be joining us.”

  Tom looked up from his conversation with Chief. “Really? I understood from our conversations that she was instrumental in developing the conservatorship concept….” He stopped in midsentence, seeing Wyatt’s face.

  “Yes, it was her idea and as I said, I regret she won’t be joining us.”

  In the style of a true Washington insider, Tom pasted what he hoped was a reasonably sincere smile on his face. He had heard from the Wyoming Caballeros that Wyatt was involved with a beautiful woman. He was disappointed that she hadn’t come. Like everyone who knew and cared about Wyatt, Tom knew the pain he had been through and was delighted to hear he was in love with a wonderful woman. He hid his thoughts and said instead, “Well, I guess we’ll make the best of it. We’ll have to use your handsome face instead to get that extra copy I am looking for.”

  After the Secretary of the Interior made a flowery speech and awarded Wyatt a medal of commendation, he asked if Wyatt would like to say a few words. To his surprise, Wyatt bowed slightly and stepped up to the front of the room. He delivered spontaneous remarks that had the sophisticated, easily bored Washington elite sitting up and taking notice. No one could miss the impact of this handsome, articulate man. It was well known he was the wealthiest landowner in the state of Wyoming three times over. According to the gossip, Wyoming was only one of the states in which he owned properties. In simple, elegant language, Wyatt described the importance of business and government working together to usher in genuine reforms in the new century for the good of the citizens. His sincerity and powerful presence captured the crowd.

  Tom whispered to Chief, “I am telling you this guy is going to be governor some day. If I could get him to agree, I know I could get him appointed to head up the New Mexico territory tomorrow. Christ he has everything going for him.”

  “Yes, it would seem that he does,” Chief said with a sigh.

  The next morning, Tom called up from the lobby inviting Wyatt and the others to the dining room for breakfast. The children were allowed to come after strict instructions from Wyatt that they were to be quiet and polite or Alono would take them back to their room. At each place setting, Tom put the front page of the Washington Post. At the top of the fold down the left hand side of the paper was a three column story on Wyatt, titled, “The New Face of the West.” In addition to a story that was unabashedly positive about the conservatorship and about Wyatt in general, the Post’s photographer had managed to capture the wry grin that most people in Wyoming associated with their handsome hero. The photo filled the top left hand corner of the page.

  Tom was beaming. Wyatt nodded with a good natured grin. “Good work, Tom. You know how to make a guy feel good.”

  “It’s more than that, Wyatt. I told Chief yesterday, you are going to be governor someday. I’m telling you, I could make you territorial governor of any of the four territories next week if you are willing.”

  “No, Tom, I’m not. What I am interested in is how this puff piece will bring new business to San Francisco Partners, Inc..

  “Are you kidding, Wyatt? I have had seven telegrams since yesterday asking if I have connections to you. This kind of newspaper publicity is the wave of the future. It will
make or break men.

  “Speaking of broken men – or about to be broken – I have it on good authority, since I am their source, that the Washington Post cover story tomorrow will be of great interest. The story is all about the five men who tried to steal four million acres of public land in Wyoming while their ringleader was running for governor.”

  “Whew! Now, Tom that is a story I am looking forward to reading.”

  “I imagine you will recognize many of the quotes, attributions, and facts since you are the one who fed them to me wholesale.”

  Wyatt grinned. “I might start to like this town. You guys are as vicious as I am. Only sneakier.”

  “Wyatt, you can see the impact that handsome face of yours has on today’s story. Just wait until you see the photos of Martin and his cronies being dragged out of the Cheyenne Hotel after the news broke and they were all arrested. Every one of them has his head in his hands trying to block the photographers. Talk about a sorry looking bunch of thieves.

  “Wyatt, that isn’t all. You see this nice profile of you I got placed? Martin is getting a full page profile, as well. Only his is the story of an insufferable good for nothing patrician prick that never worked a day in his life. Yet he still thought he had the right to steal from his elderly uncle and the state he wanted to elect him governor. Once again, Wyatt, thanks for the suggested copy. The editors loved it. Nothing they like better than political scandal, especially if it brings down one of their own.”

  Wyatt grinned for the second time that morning. He asked, “I’m curious, Tom, how the hell do you get a story like that run in the paper? Do you have to know the reporter, editor, or the owner, or who?”

  “Well, it depends. On a story like the one on Martin that will ruin a man, you need all three in your pocket. If it is a good juicy gossip piece then one of the muckrakers usually puts it in his scandal sheet. If it gets enough attention the Post will run it as real news the next day. Why?”

  “Just curious how your world works.”

  Two days later, Tom pounded on Wyatt’s hotel room door. When he opened it, Tom was standing there with a scandal sheet in hand and the biggest grin Wyatt had seen on the understated man’s face.

  “You ruthless son of a bitch! Just curious how my world works, huh? You wouldn’t happen to know a Miss Bonnie Blue who works at the Back Door Saloon and Brothel in Cheyenne, Wyoming?” He added with an insincere groan, “Tell me that’s not the real name of the saloon, Wyatt!”

  The headline with a full frontal photo of Martin read: Former Candidate for Wyoming Governor Awaiting Punishment gets SPANKED in the Back Door.

  What followed were three days of salacious headlines. Equally salacious stories detailed Martin’s various sexual proclivities. According to Miss Blue, those proclivities included diapered spankings over the knee of a whore to bare assed whippings from the in-house dominatrix.

  The morning Wyatt was leaving to go back to Wyoming. Tom met him for breakfast. His eyes were dancing. “Remember how I told you there is nothing this town likes better than a political scandal? Well there is one thing; that is a sex scandal. I guarantee you; this will follow Martin for life.” With that, Tom opened to the editorial page of the Post to a classic political cartoon.

  Lady Justice was dressed in a dominatrix outfit. One side of her blindfold was rakishly lifted to allow her to smack the bloated backside of poor naked Martin, who was sprawled across her knee. The caption spoken by Martin read, “Harder, please. Harder!”

  Wyatt took a drag off his cigarette and shook his head. “Christ, Tom, I just cut off their balls, stick em in their mouth, and tie them to a post in the public square. You guys go for the whole package, don’t you? At least there’s no blood. Guess that is why you are considered the civilized part of the country.”

  ~~~

  When Wyatt, the children, Alono, and Chief returned from Washington, Joey walked out to the barn to greet them. The children jumped off their horses and ran to him.

  “Uncle Joey, we saw the White House and the president! And we had ice cream every night!” Elena shouted in excitement.

  Alex added, “We got to ride on a street car and the train engineer let me sit by him. It was fun.”

  “He let me, too!” said Elena.

  They babbled and chatted. Their excited sentences ran over each others. Wyatt, Alono, and Chief stood behind them. From the somber looks on their faces, Joey knew that it had been a challenging ten days.

  Elena looked sad. “One bad thing, Uncle Joey. Lei didn’t come. I miss her. I wanted her to come. She wanted to come. I know she did! She was excited like me. Daddy said she had to go home, but I still don’t know why she didn’t come.”

  Alex added in his somber way. “She didn’t say good bye to us either. I wish she had.”

  Elena perked up. “Maybe she came back here. Is she here, Uncle Joey?”

  Before Joey could answer, Wyatt broke in. “That’s enough Elena. I told you Lei is not here. You know that. Please pick up your travel bag and go to the cottage. Theresa will be excited to see you. You too, Alex. Please take your bag and put your new things away. You can tell Uncle Joey all the news after you eat dinner. Now go!”

  Joey saw from the children’s faces that they had become accustomed to this strict tone Wyatt rarely used with them. Joey waited until the children left and then said, “Welcome home. How was Washington?”

  “Crowded,” said Wyatt as he turned and followed the children to the cottage.

  Joey said to the Chief, “Is this how it’s been the whole time?”

  Chief responded with a sigh, “Pretty much.”

  That evening, Joey was outside the dojo and saw Wyatt walk by heading to Lei’s room. With a sigh, Joey followed him.

  Wyatt stood in the doorway of the empty room and stared as if in shock. Joey stood behind him without speaking.

  Wyatt turned and saw him there. “I would like to be alone, please.”

  Joey nodded and went back to the dojo. He was in his office late and heard fists smashing the punching bag. He walked out to see Wyatt driving fierce punches into the bag in a way that he had not seen him do for many months. He saw his face and knew the pattern well. This was the Wyatt he had known as a boy, then a young man, and then the man he knew today. Why it surprised Joey, he didn’t know. Of course this was where Wyatt would come to blast against his anger, his rage. Even after all these years, the fearsome anger that drove him as a child was as close to the surface as it had ever been. Joey knew there were long nights ahead in the dojo.

  ~~~

  An uneasy pattern settled over the ranch. The work of the ranch continued as usual as did the training of the kung fu students. What changed was Wyatt. His usual easy going banter and pleasantries were gone. He spent most of the day in his office working or riding with the children or many times riding by himself.

  Every evening around midnight, he went to the dojo and practiced until dawn. His body already strong and powerful became the fighting machine that Joey had watched him build nearly six years ago after Vivian died. As then, no one went near him when he practiced. Sparring was out of the question. He would have destroyed his opponents. Joey wondered if Wyatt understood how similar his actions were to that earlier time. He also wondered if Wyatt appreciated the fact that unlike Vivian, Lei was not dead.

  ~~~

  Chapter 25

  At first the scene with Jesse at the Cheyenne Hotel that precipitated Lei’s rage made Wyatt reluctant to see Jesse. Then almost as if he could rub Lei’s nose in it, he started going to Jesse again. With Lei gone, sex with Jesse was what he wanted and needed. She wanted it hard and fast and didn’t care if he spoke during the encounter. He could act out his anger and she didn’t seem to care. It was impersonal in the way it was with good whores. Wyatt used them as well to deaden his loss.

  Martin fled back to Boston, abandoning his campaign. He frantically sought legal help as both the state and federal government prepared to bring legal action against him and hi
s co-conspirators. That left Jesse alone at Frank’s ranch, which made it convenient for Wyatt to stop by when he felt the need. Over time, Jesse was emboldened. If he hadn’t been by for a while she came to Blue Canyon looking for him. Wyatt ignored the looks from Chief and Alono, daring them to confront him. Joey was openly angry with Wyatt and didn’t seem to notice Jesse or care if he did.

  Wyatt and Alono were in the training ring breaking a new filly when Jesse rode up and climbed up on the railing to watch them.

  Wyatt nodded to her. “Hi, Jesse. Be with you in a minute. We’re getting this filly used to being ground tied. First, she’s got to learn how to deal with these hobbles.

  “Don’t know if you use hobbles to train, but I’ve found I can cut the time to break a horse in half. Granted it can scare the shit out of them, but they soon learn who’s boss. I don’t have to use the lunge whip once they get accustomed to being restrained.”

  Jesse watched as Wyatt attached the hobbles to the front legs of the filly and gave them a tug to let the horse know she was restrained. The horse was skittish and seemed like she might panic. Wyatt patiently tugged and released the lead rope, speaking in continuous soft whispers. Soon the filly stood patiently waiting for the next command.

  Wyatt murmured, “Good, Girl. See that wasn’t so bad. It’s a lot easier, isn’t it, honey, when you do as you’re told.”

  When they finished he turned to Alono. “I’ll put this stuff in the barn. Will you put the filly back and keep an eye on things for me?”

  Alono nodded. He didn’t meet Wyatt’s eyes or look at Jesse.

  Wyatt motioned to Jesse to follow him and led her to the barn with the empty stalls. They walked to the back of the barn and Wyatt started to put the equipment away. Then he turned and looked at Jesse with a sly grin.