Murder at Bear Ranch
Page 8
Chapter 8
Marlowe finished up a motion to suppress evidence, put it on Joan’s desk and called to see if Summer needed anything from town before heading out. Joan finished up the stuff in her in box and left early for her square dance class. Marlowe looked out the windows onto the street and pondered how much Prescott had grown in the last 20 years. She considered opening the cabinet and pouring a drink, but rejected the idea because of the crack down on drinking and driving and also because the cops would dearly love to pull her over and haul her off to jail. Gathering up her briefcase and several legal journals, she turned out the lights, locked the door and drove home.
Sitting in the driveway was Fred’s truck. Marlowe felt a surge of excitement at the thought of seeing him and didn’t quite understand the emotion. It had been years since she allowed personal needs or feelings to surface, raising Oriole, helping with Chalcey, working the ranch, it had all taken its toll on time and energy. In the last few weeks, seeing Fred hang out with Chalcey and Oriole had opened new vistas for Marlowe in terms of life. Marlowe walked up the steps to the large wraparound porch to find Summer sitting in one of the four rocking chairs.
“Fred’s here again? Fancy that.” Marlowe greeted the family matriarch.
“He seems to be blending in here. Part of that has to be due to Marvelle’s passing, but part of that has to be cause he is comfortable with us. Chalcey likes him, he cares about her, he’s a good influence on her. Not to mention how well he and Oriole work together. He brought us a salmon for dinner tonight. Haven’t had salmon in a long time. Dinner in 30 minutes. Everybody’s out at the barn. Why don’t you run up and change, I’ll fix a drink and you go out to check on progress with the critters.” Summer was encouraging Marlowe to get in the middle of the activity with Fred.
Oriole and Chalcey watched Fred work Red in the round pen, using a longe rope. “Why does Fred run him in a circle like that?” Chalcey’s curiosity over came politeness.
“He’s teaching Red some manners. Horses are like kids they need to be reminded of how they are supposed to act.” Marlowe had joined the two younger generations on the rails.
“Marlowe!” Chalcey jumped down from her perch to join her grandmother and put her arms around her squeezing tight. “We get salmon tonight. Fred’s staying for supper and then maybe do you think we can all go for a ride?”
Marlowe looked over at her daughter for agreement, then out in the round pen, but Fred was busy working Red. “We’ll see Chalcey. Are the animals fed?”
“Everyone of them but Red. We can’t feed him if he’s going to work. We have to brush him down then put out his Timothy hay. See I remember.” Chalcey proudly recited the proper procedures for her horse.
“Looks like Red is just about to graduate. Let’s get his stuff ready, brush him down, don’t feed him just yet. Let him settle down first. Then we’ll see about a ride depending on everybody’s schedule. I’m going up to help Summer with supper. Be sure and put everything away when you’re done.” Marlowe climbed down from the rails and walked to the kitchen.
“Summer, how’s about I make that Cesar salad for supper? I can set the table if you like. If we use every day stuff, it can go in the dishwasher and maybe we can all go on a ride after dinner.” Marlowe’s offer was double pronged.
“We got four horses and five people, Marlowe. Who gets left behind?”
“We could get John’s Appy. He always said anytime we wanted to we could ride. Then we’d have enough. When’s the last time you been out? It’d be good for you too.” Marlowe was scheming and knew Summer knew it.
During supper, talk centered on Red’s progress, the after dinner ride, Chalcey’s school work. Obvious avoidance of Fred and Oriole’s cases and Marlowe’s clients didn’t dampen the mood. Marlowe and Summer cleaned up the kitchen while everybody else saddled up. John rode his Appy over and drove Summer’s truck back home. The five of them left the ranch in single file, following the trail up Knob Hill onto the forest land. The ranch was positioned perfectly for unlimited access to countless acres of government land.
Chalcey and Oriole moved in beside Summer, while Marlowe and Fred lagged behind.
Fred worked at small talk until the party made the loop back to the ranch. “There’s a new movie out, been out about a week. I hear it’s supposed to be pretty good.” The normally composed fearless detective found himself flummoxed.
“What’s it about?” Marlowe had to smile to herself at his lack of composure.
“It’s a western. Think you might want to see it?” Sweat broke out on his forehead.
“Fred O’Neill. Are you asking me out on a date?” Marlowe had been jockeying for closer contact with Fred and was enjoying his predicament too much to just say yes.
“Well, not a date. I mean we could just see a movie. You know. You don’t have to label it a date. I mean what if we did go on a date and you found out I stunk. I don’t mean stunk like stink. I mean like you didn’t like me. Then where would we be and would I be cut off from Chalcey. So, no not a date. Just a movie. Just to do something adult like. Not adult movie. I mean you know just without kids. Oh, shit, Marlowe do you want to go to the movie or not?” Fred’s size 10.5 couldn’t fit any further down his throat.
Marlowe rode on ahead to keep Fred from seeing her laughter. “So this isn’t a real date. It’s just friends going to a movie cause neither of us has anything better to do? Right?”
Fred felt himself getting in deeper in the quagmire of this relationship stuff. “Oh, forget it. I should never have brought it up. It wasn’t a good idea. You know I just figured we’ve known each other for 20 years, what harm could there be. Well, that’s not what I meant. I mean we’re into the same things, same philosophy, even though you bust them out when I put them in. But, oh, never mind. Just never mind.”
“Fred, I’d love to take in a movie with you. When?” Her capitulation came as a surprise to him and he was still in the process of pulling his foot out of his mouth.
“When. You said when. You really want to go. You know we don’t have to go to a movie, I mean we could go anywhere, dinner, or 4 wheeling or on a ride. I mean whatever.” Fred tried to shut his mouth to keep quiet, but the words kept tumbling over his former silver tongue.
That evening after Fred left the four generations were discussing the day’s events and Marlowe let drop that she was going to the movies Saturday.
Oriole sing-songed, “Marlowe’s got a date, Marlowe’s got a date.”
“Can I come too?” Chalcey asked, unfamiliar with any of the women in her life actually having a date.
“No, sweetie. We’ll do something else.” Summer suggested in an effort to divert Chalcey.
“What? I haven’t been to a movie in forever. I never get to do anything fun.”
“Chalcey, enough.” Oriole’s motherly reaction left no doubt Chalcey was not to continue.
“What say you and Oriole and I go to the zoo?” Summer suggested.
“How about Out of Africa instead?” Chalcey had cheered up.
“Oriole whadda you think?” Summer decided she might need to get an OK from her granddaughter for the excursion.
“Ok. On one condition. I get to drive and we get to stop for dinner at Antigua Cantina.” Oriole knew if left to Chalcey lunch would be some fast food place.