“Couldn’t hurt. Just wave me left or right if I’m in danger of hitting that post or the picnic area.” He waited until she jumped out, then slowly moved forward.
Megan realized he really didn’t need her help as he expertly fit the trailer into the slot, then turned off the engine. When he began unhooking the RV from the truck, a man appeared, then another, until there were six strangers gathered around offering advice and help. It soon became apparent that these were some of Dr. Wallace’s “cousins” here visiting and to lend her moral support.
“Yes, we’re going to stay until this fracking thing gets settled. I have to say I’ve wanted to check out this model RV from that manufacturer. Let me help you get it stabilized, then would you mind if I took a look around inside?” This from Bert, who hailed from Oklahoma.
“This has got to be right off the lot. I think they just came out with it in August.” Harley from Kansas also wanted “just a peek” inside. He and his wife were RV fanatics and had jumped on the chance to help out Sharon, since they hadn’t hit the Davis Mountains and West Texas yet in their travels.
“It’s brand new. Our company had to replace the one we started out in after ours got totaled. We barely survived a tornado in South Texas a week or so ago.” Rowdy must have realized something was up when everyone went still.
“Your company?” Amos from Orlando, Florida, stepped forward. “That wouldn’t be Calhoun Petroleum, would it?”
“Afraid so.” Rowdy quit fooling with the RV and faced the men. “We’re here to see what we can do to clean up the mess that’s been made at the well site. You can pass that on to Dr. Wallace, if you will.” He smiled. “Megan and I want to be sure the environment is safe from the worst that fracking can do. Isn’t that right, Megan?”
Megan had been walking Lucky away from the men, not sure she was ready to get involved yet. Now she had no choice but to step up. “Rowdy’s right. We’re open to listening to all of Dr. Wallace’s concerns and to seeing that they’re addressed. I’ll be calling on her myself. Probably early next week, as soon as Rowdy has gathered all the facts at the site. Then I’d like to see us hammer out a solution to the problems she’s had.”
“Sharon’s problems are also this beautiful land’s problems.” Art from Arizona waved his hand toward the distant mountains. Too bad the land where they stood was just flat desert with not much to recommend it except a few scraggly bushes and cactus. “Oh, I see your face. Listen. Do you hear birds singing? I don’t because that damn noise from the wells your company is drilling has run them off from their natural habitat. And don’t get me started on the pollution.”
“Now, Artie, didn’t she just say they were here to help?” Amos, who looked just like Art, might have been his twin. “Shut up. I want to see inside this trailer. We’re not here to fight with these folks. Are we, boys?”
“No.” It was a resounding chorus.
“Bully,” Art muttered. “I see you both studying us. Yes, he’s my twin. Born a couple of minutes sooner and always trying to run my business. That’s why I live half a country away from him.”
“No, you live half a country away because your wife has family there and she bosses you around worse than I do.” Amos poked his brother in the ribs. “Doesn’t hurt that Janet is a looker.”
“You always did want her for yourself.” Art grinned. “But I saw her first.”
“How about that tour?” Rowdy moved over to the trailer door. “I’m still learning things about this trailer.” He pulled out a tablet. “Look at this. I just use this app to activate the pop outs.” He touched the screen and parts of the RV began to move. That got the men clustered around him. “If any of you have done research on it, maybe you can help me figure out some of these other features. Did you know we have a washer and dryer?” He gestured, and the men hurried to follow him inside.
“Well, I see you handled the cousins all right.” Raylene was carrying Butch when she walked up next to Megan. “Let’s see if our boys will get along. What’s his name?”
“Lucky.” Megan squatted down and held Lucky, who was growling at Butch. “Now, Lucky, play nice.”
Raylene set Butch on the ground and he trotted over to give Lucky a good sniff. To Megan’s surprise, Lucky let him do it and settled down, finally wagging his tail.
“I do believe they’re going to be just fine. Yours is just a pup, isn’t he?”
“Yes. I found him on the side of the road, but the vet said he was about three months old. We just got him all his shots.” Megan stood and watched the dogs nose each other. “He’s going to be much bigger than he is now.”
“Yep. But he’s fine for Butch to socialize with for now. If you want to leave him with me when you two go to work, I’ll watch him for you. No charge. It’s good for the dogs to have a playmate.” Raylene lit up a cigarette.
“Why, thanks, that will be a big help. I’m supposed to be helping Rowdy at the rigs. And with the Wallace situation.” Megan shook her head. “That was only six of the cousins. And one of them was already pretty worked up about the environment. Is it true the birds left because of the noise?”
“Of course. You said you stopped by there. Would you nest where that racket was going on?” She cocked her head. “It’s very faint, but you can still hear it, when everything else is still. And at night the glow from their flares makes the sky light up on the horizon.” She pointed with her cigarette. “They say when all the wells are done and just pumping, it’ll be better, but I don’t believe it.”
Megan couldn’t deny that her skepticism was probably warranted. “There’s a lot of animosity toward the oil companies. And throwing money at it doesn’t seem to count for much.” Megan took a deep breath of the clean air.
“You’re right, honey. People are glad enough to lease their oil rights and rake in the money from it, but then reality hits. I see you enjoying our fresh air. Where are you from?”
“Houston.” Megan smiled. “Lived there most of my life except for time away at school.”
“Ha. Was there forty years ago. No desire to go back. Houston’s a big city. Too much traffic, so the air’s full of car exhaust. Then there’s those chemical and gasoline plants spewing God knows what near the Ship Channel. Bet you never breathed air quite like this before.” Raylene took her own deep breath, which came out more like a wheeze.
“Well, a lot has changed since you were there. Stricter emission laws have made cars run cleaner, though traffic is still horrible. The Ship Channel isn’t as bad as it used to be, either, from what people tell me. But you’re right.” Megan took another deep breath and almost felt dizzy. “This air is incredible.”
“Imagine growing up with this every day, and then the oil companies come in and send it all to hell.” Raylene took a drag on her cigarette. “I know, I know, I’m pollutin’ my own air, and that’s a damn shame. But it’s my choice. People who’re stuck here with nowhere else to go are miserable about what’s happened and money can’t fix it.”
“Let me do some research on that.” Megan remembered some of the articles she’d read on the Internet. “This well site can be cleaned up. There may be some things that money can help fix, too. They do make sound suppressors, things like that. So, wait and see.” She turned when the trailer door opened. “Here come the men. I hope Rowdy has made them happy. We sure don’t need to come home each night to hostility.”
“That may be inevitable. Sharon Wallace is doing her best to work up a real hate around here for anything to do with Calhoun Petroleum. That’s a new truck you drove in, so I guess they didn’t have time to put the logo on the door. Good thing.” Raylene put out her cigarette, stomped on it, then picked it up. “The super on the job here has had his truck vandalized a couple of times because of his logo. Windows shot out. Tires slashed. People see Calhoun and go crazy.”
“That’s a shame.” Megan wondered what would happen when they found out her last name. She wasn’t in any hurry to announce it, but it was inevitable, too.
“I’ve heard of Marfa. How close are we to it?” Megan wanted to see the mysterious lights it was famous for. They were a twinkling show along the horizon above the mountains that some claimed were alien lights. They’d been seen around the town of Marfa for more than a century.
“Ninety miles. Which is nothing around here.” Raylene put her cigarette butt in her pocket and picked up Butch. “Mark my words. Wallace plans to do something to get the press to notice the situation over here that weekend. So calming her down before then would be the smart play.”
“No pressure. I have a week and a half to take care of a problem that’s been brewing for how long?” Megan patted Lucky when he pawed her leg. He obviously wanted to be picked up, too. She finally gave in, even though he was getting pretty heavy.
“Almost a year, hon. Sharon Wallace retired from Baylor a year ago May, bought the old Weimer place, and settled in right before the first well was started.” Raylene cursed when Butch bit her hand. “Damn it, you’re not getting down. We need to get home, and these folks need to eat supper.” She dug in her pocket and pulled out Rowdy’s credit card and receipt. “Give this to your fella, Megan, and good luck. I heard Wallace sank her retirement savings into buying her place. Big mistake. Now no one will want it, and she was stupid enough not to check to see if she got the mineral rights in her deal. She didn’t. So someone could come on her land to drill and she couldn’t stop them.” Raylene cursed again. “Damn dog, quit biting or I’ll put you in your crate. Anyway, guess who owns her mineral rights?”
“Not Calhoun?” Megan felt Rowdy’s hand slide around her waist. For once it didn’t give her ideas. She was too worried about what was coming.
“Nope. But the people who do own them worked out a deal to let Calhoun lease them. No one knows who the owners are, so Calhoun is the easy target. Ow!” Raylene popped Butch on his butt. “That’s it. Time-out for you.”
Lucky barked and strained toward Raylene and Butch as they walked off.
“Lucky made a friend.” Rowdy rubbed Megan’s back. “And the guys loved our RV. Seems like you and Raylene had quite a talk.”
“You have no idea.” Megan turned in his arms and buried her face in his shirt. God, he smelled good. “Where can we buy a bulletproof vest? Because I may have to start wearing one when these people find out my last name.”
“We’ll check online. I asked the guys. Raylene’s Wi-Fi is high speed and rock solid. I know you’re anxious to research the situation here.” He raised Megan’s face until he was looking into her eyes. “Can I get a smile?”
“No.” She dragged him toward the trailer. “But I’ll let you take my mind off my troubles. Which bedroom would you like to do first?” She jerked open the trailer door. “Fore or aft?”
* * *
Rowdy kissed her until he felt like he was in danger of losing himself. Yet he couldn’t get enough. They’d come together fast, the bunk under them not nearly big enough or long enough to give them the room they needed to play the games Megan liked. She finally just laughed and braced her feet on the ceiling. When she shouted his name and came apart in his arms, Rowdy let himself go, too. What was it about this woman that turned him into some kind of superstud?
“Wow. I’d heard that phrase ‘the earth moved,’ but I never believed it before.” She smiled lazily up at him.
“No, this is serious.” The bed trembled and Rowdy could hear the dishes in the cabinets rattling. Cabinet doors popped open, and the one above them released a load of sheets on their heads. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
“What? We’re naked.” Megan grabbed the sheet when he jumped up and picked his jeans up from the floor.
“Wrap yourself in that sheet and come on. The trailer could roll.” He managed to get into his pants, hopping down the aisle while making sure Megan was behind him. He had to dodge pots, pans, and food cartons that kept falling in front and on top of him. “Be careful!”
“It’s an earthquake?” Megan had made a toga out of the sheet and ran into his back as he struggled to get the outside door open. It was jammed.
Lucky was barking, and she dashed forward to let him out of the front bedroom. They’d closed the door when he’d tried to make it a threesome. So not in their wheelhouse.
Rowdy put his shoulder to the door and it screeched open. An awning above the door had come loose and fallen in front of it, blocking their way. Once he ripped it off, they ran outside. Other people were standing in the middle of the road, trying to keep their balance as the earth continued to shake for another minute or two. He kept his arm around Megan, who trembled beside him.
Finally everything was quiet.
“Are you two all right?” Amos hurried over to them.
“Yes, we were trapped by that awning. I’ll have to get it fixed.” Rowdy looked around. No one was going back inside their RVs. “How about you?”
“We’re okay. This isn’t the first time this has happened.” He waved at his brother.
“Is it over?” Megan adjusted the sheet, which Rowdy could see was embarrassing her. It wasn’t late. In fact, it wasn’t quite dark.
“Not yet. There might be aftershocks. That’s what we’re waiting for. It’s smart to wait for about thirty minutes or so.” Amos smiled. “Guess you two skipped dinner.” He glanced over at his own trailer. “Young love. I remember those days.” He walked back to his wife and whispered in her ear, then gave her a kiss. She laughed and hit his arm.
“Earthquakes. Aftershocks.” Megan looked at Rowdy with big eyes. “It’s because of the fracking, isn’t it?”
“Afraid it could be. Check your research, but I don’t think they had any earthquakes out here until the fracking started.” Rowdy looked back at the trailer, then at Lucky, who was headed down the road toward Raylene’s trailer. “I’d better catch the dog. You want to go get his leash?”
“Go back in the trailer now?” She looked horrified.
“Never mind. I’ll get it. You stay put.” He glanced at his watch. “We’ve got twenty-five minutes before the all clear. You okay alone while I take care of the dog?”
“Yeah. Go ahead.” She sat on the ground. “If you’re going inside, would you bring me a blanket? And get yourself a shirt and jacket. It’s cold out here.”
“Good idea.” Rowdy leaned down and gave her a long kiss. “For the record? The earth did move for me.”
“Aw, shit.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Don’t you dare be nice, Rowdy Baker. Not when I feel like things are going to hell around me.”
“You can handle it, Megan.” He ran inside, got what he needed, and came out again, buttoning his shirt and sliding into a jacket. He’d stuffed his feet into tennis shoes, too, not willing to hit gravel barefoot. He carefully wrapped a blanket around Megan, then headed down the road. He was almost to Raylene’s when the earth did move again. He ran full tilt back to Megan’s side and got there in time to hold on to her until it was over.
Chapter 13
“I heard on the news that the earthquake last night was about a 3.1.” Clint Stephens greeted them with stacks of papers and a smile. If he had something to hide, he sure didn’t seem worried about it. “No big deal.”
“Felt like a big deal to me. Scared me to death. Do those things hit often around here?” Megan had lost her appetite after they’d run for their lives. She’d wanted nothing more than to go to bed with the covers over her head. That had left Rowdy to clean up the mess in the RV and fix himself a sandwich for dinner. She couldn’t even work up any guilt over that. She’d been pretty sure it was late when he’d finally slid into bed next to her and taken her into his arms. He’d obviously been exhausted and had just kissed her on the cheek before falling asleep.
“About once a month or so. Of course, they’re blaming it on the wells.” Clint shook his head. “A car has a blowout around here, Calhoun caused it. Doesn’t matter that the truck had bald tires.” He pulled a can of tobacco out of his back pocket and stuck some in his cheek behind his lip. “I’m damn sick of it.”
“Science shows we could be responsible if we’ve got disposal wells that are on a fault line. Where are you injecting your wastewater?” Rowdy held his hard hat. “How far away is it from the site?”
“Far enough. But I’m sure you’re gonna want to ‘inspect’ it, so let’s go.” Clint opened the door to the outside. “We need to drag Ms. Calhoun out to the desert while I show you the site or can she stay here in comfort?”
Rowdy stood in the doorway. He looked like he was considering it.
“If you think I need to see this, I’ll go. But I just started on these reports.” Megan waved at the pile of papers in front of her. It was chilly this morning, and she’d hoped to stay in the trailer with the heat on while Rowdy did what he needed to do on the well site with Clint Stephens. Rowdy had told her he wanted her to examine accident reports to look for a pattern. She’d already noticed there was no big board posted outside the trailer with the number of days since the last accident.
“Stick with what you’re doing. We shouldn’t be gone long.” Rowdy let the door bang closed behind them.
Megan worked her way through what looked like a pretty serious number of accidents. She couldn’t forget that Vince Claypool’s site on the Rocking S had made almost a year without a single mishap. It seemed like hardly a week went by here without one. Yes, some of them seemed minor. A man had smashed his finger with a hammer while trying to get a bolt loose from a pipe fitting. That had resulted in a trip to town for a doctor’s visit, an X-ray, and a hand broken in three places. Maybe not so minor. Could a hammer really cause a broken hand? She put that report aside. She’d like to talk to the man involved. Or the doctor. Things didn’t add up on that report.
Texas Fire Page 20