The Horseman

by Anna Jeffrey

  “Dad will soon be leaving the hospital for a rehab center where he’ll stay for the next few weeks. Mom’s with him. We’ve offered to give her a break, but she doesn’t want to leave his side. Don’t yet know the outcome of that.”

  “I know all of you are waiting to learn what’s been going on for the past years. I’m going to try to be brief.

  “A twenty-three-year-old kid named Billy Barrett is the shooter and has been charged with multiple crimes, including attempted murder. Believing Dad had passed away and fearing he faced murder charges, he caved almost immediately.

  “The one person behind all that has happened to the Lockharts and the Double-Barrel Ranch for the past few years is Jordan Palmer. We all know Jordan. He’s been moving in and out of our lives in various ways forever, it seems. Multiple charges have been filed against him.

  “Our dad’s social activities over the years are no secret from any of us. Thirty-four years ago, Dad had an affair with Palmer’s mother. At that time, she worked at a Fort Worth law firm that represented the Lockhart interests. She was a married woman. Palmer was eight years old.”

  Drake went on to tell a story of unexpected consequences, loss and resentment and nefarious schemes of revenge. After he finished, not a sound could be heard around the table.

  Finally, Kate, in tears, spoke up. “Are you saying Jordan thought all of that was Dad’s fault?”

  “He believed that. His dad believed Jordan was not his son. He thought Jordan was our dad’s son and because of that, the man abandoned his family. Jordan spent much of his young life without a father and believing Bill Lockhart was his father. Only after he was grown and had the results of a DNA test did he learn that wasn’t true. For his entire adult life, Palmer hated Dad for a false reason. In fact, Kate, Blake Rafferty thinks his affair with you was all about getting a Lockhart DNA sample.”

  Kate began to wail. “He killed my babies. I can’t believe he did that for such an awful reason. I can’t believe I let a snake like him into our family.”

  Heat crawled up Troy’s neck as sorrow and guilt flooded him. He hated hearing that his association with Jordan and Jordan’s friends might be a contributing factor to all of the family strife over the past three years. He sat quietly.

  “He’s a screwed-up person,” Drake said, “and you were a kid, Kate. We’ll give you that. Billy Barrett is the one who actually set the fire, probably with little regard for the consequences. And he’s the one who shot the three ranch horses, but Jordan paid him. Apparently, Jordan made enough money as a commercial Realtor to support his schemes for revenge.”

  “After you kicked his ass, his resentment probably doubled,” Pic groused at Drake.

  “That might be, but he stopped harassing Kate, didn’t he?”

  “Was Jordan’s mother in on this, too?” Kate asked, sniffling.

  “They don’t know yet,” Drake answered. “She might be.”

  “I heard somebody bonded Johnnie Sue out of jail.” Pic said.

  “Jordan’s mother. Johnnie Sue, too, is facing multiple charges. ... And speaking of Johnnie Sue, my assistant is interviewing possible housekeepers.”

  To Troy, that meant one thing. There would be no more Johnnie Sues. The next housekeeper at the Double-Barrel would be vetted to the max and squeaky clean and she would have to sign one of Drake’s NDAs.

  We made quite a few donations this past year. In honor of Mom’s brother, we’ve given a cash gift of a hundred thousand dollars to Wounded Warriors.”

  Troy had never met his stepmother’s brother, though he knew he had died in Iraq.

  “We’ve given cash gifts to a couple of hospitals in the area—Camden and the hospital in Stephenville. Also the emergency clinic in Drinkwell. In addition, we bought the fire department in Drinkwell a new ambulance. ... Going on down the list, we donated a truckload of canned foods to the Treadway County Food Bank, we also gave them two thousand turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We added to the trust fund Dad maintains for scholarships for Drinkwell High School students.

  After a few beats, Drake said, “Okay, that’s it in a nutshell. Anything further, we’ll have to wait until the investigators are finished. Any questions?”

  No one had questions.

  “Moving on, then. Pic, do you have anything to report about the ranch?”

  Pic rose and referred to his notes. He discussed the cattle market, the weather and the state of the range. There had been no fires or damaging storms or floods.

  “We’ve suffered substantial losses this past year to rustlers and predators,” he went on. “I’ve been studying the situation. Most of the losses have occurred in the northwest section.”

  This was a distant and remote part of the ranch that wasn’t often visited, testimony to the size and sprawl of the Double-Barrel’s rangeland. Troy had been there only during round-up occasionally.

  “Back in the beginning of the ranch,” Pic continued, the founder kept an outpost out there. “We believe that by having people on-site, some of that loss will be curtailed. I’ve been discussing it with Drake and we’ve decided to build three houses and put cowboys out there permanently. We’ll also build corrals for horses and a barn. There are always fences that need repair, so we’ll have a fence rider. A couple of hands have already asked to go out there.

  “The school bus passes by there, so we can make an arrangement for a stop so that the kids, if there are any, can get to school. There’s no cell phone service available, so I’m still working on getting communication.

  In addition, I’m going to make it a point to go out myself or have Dusty go out and look things over at least once a month.”

  Drake took the floor again. “One more piece of ranch business. I’ve decided to sell the plane. We don’t fly enough to make owning it worthwhile. If I need to, I’ll work through Wings Up or a similar company to fly me where I need to go. We’re going to invest in a chopper and hire a pilot. Dad always resisted that idea, but having an eye in the sky will make keeping abreast of what’s going on here on the ranch easier.

  All of this was news to Troy. He had simply been traveling or too preoccupied with his horses to hear these conversations.

  “Now, I believe Troy has some news.”

  Troy rose and took the floor. “Sarah and I’ve bought the old Ardell place across the highway from mine. As all of you probably know, that section has good grazing and some outbuildings. Sarah and I will be partnering on a new operation there for rescued and abused horses. I’m probably going to doing fewer clinics in the future. I doubt I’ll have time.”

  Light applause traveled around the table and Troy sat down again.

  “Very good, Troy,” Drake said. He spread some notes on the table. “Okay, back to the Double-Barrel’s business. We’re now in the oil business big time. We have a dozen new wells in West Texas, under construction.” Applause traveled around the table again.

  “Given the hundred or so windmills already operating from our Panhandle properties and the successful wells already pumping, we’re in the energy business. I’m recommending that we form a new company. My idea is to call it Double-Barrel Energy Development. I’m open to other suggestions for a name.

  “I’ll be going to West Texas sometime in the next few weeks. After that, I’ll have more thorough information.”

  Murmurs passed back and forth between the siblings.

  “One more thing. I’m negotiating with Redstone Partners about permanent security. I’ll have more to report on that in a couple of weeks as well. After the new fossil fuel find in the Permian Basin, the Double-Bar L’s income has increased substantially. Blake says the days are long gone when we can live with unfettered freedom and total personal safety.”

  “Are you saying we’re still gonna have bodyguards?” Kate asked.

  “Yes. That’s what I’m saying. I think there will be fewer, of course and we’ll have to sort of reconfigure the way we do things. I want to remind all of you to keep your CCLs current.”r />
  Drake concluded by reviewing the financial statement for the year and wishing everybody well. Troy left the meeting with guilt a heavy burden on his shoulders. How would he ever atone for the damage he had unwittingly done to his family?

  He found Sarah hanging on the fence in the arena watching Sergio and Wyatt working with one of Troy’s tamer horses. Wyatt sat astride the new saddle Troy had bought him as a late Christmas present. “Hey, darlin’.”

  She turned and smiled, the brightest spot in his day so far. Her smile could truly light up a room. What Pic had said to him before the meeting hung like a heavy curtain in his chest.

  “Did you just get out of the meeting?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Did you tell them about the Ardell place?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You look awful serious. Were they mad?”

  “No. But we need to talk. I want to tell you something.”

  TOWARD THE END OF FEBRUARY, Mandy called and asked Troy if she could come to his house for a private meeting. They met in the kitchen and Troy helped her out of her coat. He poured coffee for the two of them. “Oh, no coffee for me,” she said. “I really don’t need anything. I’m not going to be here long.”

  “Okay,” Troy replied. “Let’s sit down then.” They took seats at the eating bar.

  “You haven’t been to the ranch house lately, even to eat with us,” she said.

  “Been busy. New babies coming. New mamas needing tending. Lots of work going on with the rescue farm. Sarah’s great with the horses. The ones that have been injured seem to naturally relate to her.”

  “So who’s feeding you?”

  “Sarah. She’s a heck of a good cook. Between her and Tania and some occasional help from me, we’re getting along just fine here.”

  “I heard she’s flying up to Dallas for physical therapy.”

  “Twice a week. Drake called some people and found a retired guy who worked for the Dallas Cowboys. He’s got those connections, you know.”

  “Oh, I’m sure. The great Drake is connected to everything.”

  Mandy would probably never like Drake. She resented the relationship between her husband and his older brother. Troy chose to ignore her sarcasm. “He’s an outstanding physical therapist and she’s coming along. Her leg’s getting better every day.”

  Mandy nodded. “So, uh, listen ... I’m thinking about taking over management of the household and the bunkhouse. What do you think?”

  “Why not. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders. Dad doesn’t have people coming and going like he used to, even to hunt. And those cowboys who live in the bunkhouse more or less take care of themselves.”

  “I gave the school notice that I won’t be returning in the fall. I’ll have time on my hands and I’ll need something to do. I’ve already talked to Drake about it. He says we’ll hire a cook and a couple of full-time maids to do the housework. I’m not helpless. I can cook and I can do housework, although I doubt if I could keep that huge house polished and shining.

  “The two women from town who used to help Johnnie Sue have begged for their jobs back. All they have to do is pass Drake’s scrutiny. And you know how he is. They’ll be trustworthy or else.”

  Mandy was already in charge of the household and had been since Johnnie Sue’s arrest. Juggling that task and coaching the high school swim team couldn’t be easy.

  “I’m also going to try to learn more about running the ranch and being more of a helper to Pic,” she added. “I might even learn to ride a horse. I haven’t told him yet.”

  “I’ll bet that’ll be good news to him,” Troy said. “You’re sure you’re ready to give up the swim team, huh?”

  “I might as well. Pretty soon, I don’t think I’m going to have a choice. Sadly, Drinkwell’s enrollment is shrinking every year and so is the swim team. Even if I stayed, this coming fall, I might not even have enough girls to make a team.”

  Troy shook his head. “That’s too bad. The swim team is important to the school.”

  “I know. But unless something positive happens here, it looks likely sooner or later that the whole thing collapses. ...Anyway, I have some more news. Drake and Betty are talking to each other again. She and Shannon are getting acquainted and she’s spending time with Drake and Shannon’s kids. She’s really going to move back to the ranch. She and Bill Junior are working out the logistics now.”

  Mandy scooted off her stool and walked over to the fireplace and warmed her hands. “I’m even going to try to make up with Betty myself. If Shannon can do it, so can I.”

  “That’ll be a chore,” Troy said. “I figured a reconciliation might be coming between Mom and Dad. After we almost lost him, she and he came to their senses.”

  “She isn’t moving back into the ranch house. Drake is going to have one of his contractors build a smaller house up on the ridge for her and Bill Junior. Pic thinks it unfair to expect me to live in the house with her when she and I don’t respect each other. And I appreciate that. They’ll stay at her house in Fort Worth until the place on the ridge is finished.

  “When Bill Junior’s well enough, they’re going to do some traveling. She’s always wanted to travel, if you recall, and he never would agree to it. She says traveling will be easier without worrying about taking care of that mausoleum of a house.”

  Troy pictured the scattered hundred-year-old oaks and the surrounding rolling pastures on the long ridge in view of the ranch house. He chuckled. “Well, that’s a pretty spot up there on the ridge. But I wouldn’t call the ranch house a mausoleum exactly.”

  She laughed. “It’ll be easier for Pic and me, too, if Bill Junior’s no longer sitting at the breakfast table telling Pic what to do every day. Also, the swimming pool is at the ranch house and someone has to use it. It’s too beautiful to turn into a frog pond.”

  Troy laughed, too. “I agree.”

  “And I have one more piece of news. Drake and Shannon are going to be spending more time at the ranch. Drake wants his kids to grow up being familiar with ranching. When they come down for branding June, he’s going to bring his assistant with him and they’re going to set up an office for him in one of the back bedrooms.”

  “Cool,” Troy said.

  “He’s hired a professional sommelier. He and Shannon are developing a new line of wines from San Gabriel. They’re naming it after Shannon.”

  “I saw that coming,” Troy replied.

  All of this was idle information and none of it was what she came to talk to him about in a private meeting.

  She hesitated. “Have you been up to see your dad?”

  “A couple of times. He looks so drawn, I could barely stand to see him.”

  “Pic and I went to visit him last week. He’s so thin. And he looks so old. I wonder if he’ll ever be the same.”

  “I don’t know, Mandy. He’s been through a lot.”

  She ducked her chin and gazed into the fire. “It’s haunted me all of the mean things I’ve thought and said about him. In my heart, I’ve asked for forgiveness.”

  A burn passed through Troy’s eyes and he sniffed. “We can all use some forgiveness, Mandy. I imagine his drinking days are over.”

  She nodded.

  “So,” Troy said on an upbeat note. “You and Pic are going to rattle around alone in that ranch house?”

  She heaved a great breath. “Not exactly. It won’t be just him and me living there.”

  Finally. The news she came to share. “Oh, yeah? Who’s moving in? Y’all gonna take in boarders or what?”

  She cocked her head and gave him a grin. “I’m pregnant.”

  A visual of Chris Taylor formed in Troy’s mind. “Whoa!”

  She shrugged. “I know what you’re thinking. I’m telling you first because I want you to know this. Last month, without my being aware of it, Pic got the name of a Fort Worth urology clinic from Drake and made an appointment. They did some tests and they say he suffers from low and slow sperm count. Fatherho
od for him is most likely possible only by a miracle or some artificial technique.”

  “Wow,” Troy said. “I suppose he was upset about that.”

  “He’s embarrassed. You know Pic. He has this macho image of himself. They gave him a drug to try, but I don’t think they expect much from it. Don’t say anything. He isn’t ready for everyone to know.”

  “Drake must know. I mean if Drake is where he got the name of the clinic, Pic must’ve told him.”

  She nodded. “You know how those two are. On pain of death, Drake would never say a word. Pic wasn’t going to tell me at first, but then he felt guilty not letting me know he went to a doctor.”

  She gave a great sigh. “Anyway, most likely, the baby isn’t Pic’s. You probably already believe that. I’m asking you not to say anything to anyone. I haven’t heard from Chris since he left.”

  “You think Pic won’t figure it out?”

  “There’s no reason for him not to believe the drug worked or to accept it as the miracle the doctors mentioned.”

  “Does Chris get a say in this?”

  “There’s no reason for that either. He knew it was possible and he walked away.”

  “You don’t have to worry, Mandy. I’m not gonna rock the boat. I’m just trying to enjoy every day and mind my own business.”

  She came over to the eating bar and placed both hands on his forearm, a beseeching looking in her brown eyes. “If it becomes important, I promise I’ll tell him, Troy. As it is, he and I are getting along better than ever. We’re starting our lives over with a clearer understanding of who we both are. Neither of us wants another divorce. When I tell him I’m expecting, that’s when I’ll also tell him also that I’ve told the school this is my last semester. ... I’m hoping those things will make him happy.”

  He looped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “I’m glad for you, Mandy. You and Pic have been a part of each other’s lives for so many years. Honestly, I can’t see either one of you without the other.”

  She heaved a breath and let out another sigh. “Okay then. Are we good?”

  “Absolutely.”

  She made a fist and offered a fist bump. He complied.