Chapter 37

After the trucks had gone, Fred returned to the house, took a quick shower and sat talking to the excited women. Carla and Jessica had waited for him to eat the pizza that Diana had bought. "I don't know any more about this than you two do," he said for the second time. "I imagine that Jeff, or Dave, or maybe some of Dave's people, decided that you weren't going to get all your crops in with the equipment you have, er, had. And Jeff bought a couple more combines and attachments. Hell, they must have bought out the store. There are more cultivating and planting equipment, as well, and another baler and mower."

"But why would he do this?" Carla asked as she refused another piece of pizza that Jessica offered.

"You had better eat that," Fred admonished. "Two little pieces of pizza won't keep up your strength with what you've done today, not to mention doing it again tomorrow."

"But, we don't have people to operate the new equipment..."

Fred laughed, his mouth full. Swallowing, he said, "Jeff, Dave and Evie will take care of that. There's no telling how many people will show up here tomorrow."

Jessica put two more pieces of pizza on Carla's plate. "Eat, Mom. You're going to worry yourself sick about the money Mr. Matthews is spending."

Absently, Carla picked up a piece of the pizza and took a bite. "But he's spending so much money, it will take years to make a profit..."

Fred took a long drink of coke, almost draining the glass. He hadn't realized that he was that thirsty until the cold liquid hit his taste buds. As he set the empty glass down and reached for the two-liter bottle for a refill, he said, "Don't worry about the money end of it. Let Jeff and the accountant do that. I don't see where he's going, either, but Jeff has amazed me time and again."

After pouring the drink, he offered Jessica more. When her glass was full, he set the bottle down and continued, "I went with him once when he talked to the police chief at Macon. The chief was barely civil to him at first, and had only seen Jeff because of the insistence of a mutual acquaintance. Jeff and I walked into this guy's office, and five minutes later, you would have thought that they were old friends. Jeff had catalogues with everything from guns to clothing in them. He walked away with a big order, and it could have been a bigger order, except he told the chief that he couldn't get him good prices on a couple of things that the chief wanted. Jeff also sold him some things that he could get at clearance prices, and passed a big savings on to the chief, who obviously knew what he was getting."

Stopping to swallow another bite of pizza, Fred continued, "Jeff makes friends — real friends. He does them favors, and they do him favors in return. With his sideline business, the favor was usually just the customer passing on a good word to another chief, purchasing agent, or a mayor. Sometimes, he made a killing on stuff; other times, he broke even, but helped a friend. He doesn't even seem to try, and like the old saying, he can sell refrigerators to Eskimos."

Fred took another bite, then said, "Part of it is that he's honest, and somehow he seems to project that. People just tend to do what he suggests."

"But surely he couldn't have made enough money as a salesman to afford that... whatever it is they live in. I thought they said something about an invention."

"He did sell an invention to Mr. Wainwright's company," Fred said, unconsciously waving his piece of pizza to make his point. "Jeff started an electrical engineering company which kept him away from home a lot of the time. He just did his selling mostly when he was home, other than orders that he took on his cell phone wherever he was. All I know about his company is that he helped build new products. Then again, I think he did some selling while he was away, as well, because he's commented on police chiefs in various states."

"But how could he have enough money to spend all this on a couple of strangers?" Jessica asked.

"Well, he has bought an Expedition for himself, an Escalade each for his assistant, teacher and his project manager. Also, he has a new Dodge pickup with a snowplow attachment. He's built a range and has expanded their bedroom suite, plus some other things that are currently going on. Diana said they hadn't even spent the investment earnings that were coming in. Also Jeff is supposed to get a lot of money from royalties when Wainwright produces Jeff's invention."

"Uh, Mom," Jessica said. "I overheard Ann and Jennie talking. I may have heard wrong, but I thought they said something about Jeff making twenty million dollars yesterday. I decided that they were just teasing, and didn't say anything about it, because I just assumed that it couldn't have been that much. I..."

Fred eyed another piece of pizza, but decided that he didn't need it if he was going to continue to lose weight. Quietly sighing, he turned to Jessica, instead, "I suspect that was royalty on his invention. I heard Wainwright kidding him about something to do with money. Seriously, you two need to forget about worrying about Jeff's money. Just get a receipt for everything you buy, like the accountant said, and meet with him once a week until he tells you differently."

Carla finished her last bite and took a swallow of her coke. "Fred, like I said, we planted most of our crops late, but even so, some of it has been too long in the field. A good bit of it will be on the ground. Oh, not the corn, the timing is perfect for it, but the other crops. We're going to have a lot of hay, but it's way past its prime. I'll only get maybe half the wheat, and if I'm lucky, two-thirds of the soybeans. They've just been in the fields too long.

"We usually sell a large portion of the crops, since we didn't have the storage capacity, as we've already discussed. Even if I buy calves that were born this spring, it will be late next year before I can sell any of them. Of course with all we're going to put in the silos, I'll have to buy very little for feed, just some syrup, supplement, and such to mix with the feed."

She took a sip of her drink and thought for a moment. "Still, it bothers me that he's throwing hundreds of thousands of dollars into this place. Usually, we time our plantings so that one crop comes in right after the other. All the extra equipment won't really be needed next year..."

Fred reached over and put his hand on Carla's for a moment. "Never think that Jeff is stupid..."

"I didn't mean..." Carla tried to break in.

"... I know you didn't. And I know that Jeff knows nothing about farming, but when he sets his mind to something, it has a way of working out. And there's power behind the throne," he said, a sparkle in his eye as he looked at the women. "Diana is a force all her own, and in case you haven't noticed," he laughed, "she's one hundred percent behind helping you get your farm going again."

"I still feel bad about them spending all day and all night fixing meals for those workers that Dave and Evie brought in for a second shift, not to say anything about the silo crews, and all the food that she bought." She sighed and pushed her place back. "I've always tried to help people, but it makes me feel... well, I don't know. It makes me feel different being on the receiving end." She sat for a moment, then continued, "I guess we had just given up hope. We were going to move in with my sister in Denver until we could get on our feet again."

They sat talking for a few minutes before Fred excused himself to make a call. A little later, he was almost back to the kitchen when he overheard Carla and Jessica talking. Just before he stepped through the doorway, Jessica said, "Yeah, I know Mom. We're way beyond just lucky to get our farm back. Heck we've got more cash money than I've ever seen, and a checkbook setting on the table with a balance that's unbelievable, but I miss Molly. I would give anything to get my horse back, and I know you feel the same way about Abby..."

Fred stopped, listening.

Carla broke in with, "Baby, I still cry about losing her, and I know you do for Molly, but Mr. Hodkin told us he would have to sell them. He couldn't keep that much money tied up. We haven't seen either of them in the pasture for months. They're gone. Jeff replaced our ATV's. We can move our cattle with them — when we buy the cattle, that is. Those two cutting horses worked better for us than the ATV's will, but that's all we have. You know that Mr. Hodkin carried the horses to the sale. No telling where they wound up. We'll never see them again," Carla choked out.

"Uh, I don't think that was Jeff that bought the ATV's. Ann told me that Mr. Wainwright bought them."

Carla put the last of the few dishes in, poured soap powder in the dishwasher, closed the door and turned it on. Turning to her daughter, wiping tears, she asked, "Why would he do that? I didn't get the impression that he had anything to do with the Matthews' corporation. He didn't act like it at the bank."

Jessica finished cleaning the sink and put the scrubber on the back rim. "I think he just did it. I don't know why."

"Oh, crap. We've got someone else to tell thank you. And with all the money they've spent, thank you just doesn't seem like enough. Mr. Wainwright didn't even say anything."

Fred turned and very quietly walked back down the hall, thinking. He closed the door to his room a little louder than necessary and returned to the kitchen. As he came through the doorway, the women smiled at him as they sat at the table.

"We've got fresh coffee on. It will be ready in a minute," Jessica said.

"Uh, thanks, but maybe later," he answered, then turning to Carla, said, "I hate to ask this, but I've got an errand to run and I don't have a vehicle with me. Would you mind if I borrowed your pickup for a little while?"

Carla looked up at him as he stood near the table. "Of course not. The keys are in it, and I think there's about a half tank of gas."

"Okay, great," Fred answered walking toward the door. "I should be back by bedtime, but if I'm not, six in the morning, right?"

"Yeah, that would be great Fred, and again, thanks for helping us. We would never..."

Fred stopped for a moment, turning back to the women. "Bullshit. You would have gotten it done. It would have just taken a little longer. And remember. I'm having a ball. See you in a little while," he finished, going on out the screen door, headed for Carla's pickup.

A few minutes later, about five miles down the road, Fred slowed as he tried to see the next mailbox under the truck headlights. I know I saw a mailbox with Hodkin on the side of it. There was a little wooden statue of a horse on top of it. The horse had its tail arched and looked like it was prancing. There it is. This has got to be the place.

Turning into the long gravel drive, he made his way toward the house, barely seen in the distance. Ah, they still have lights on. Farmers and ranchers tend to go to bed early because they have to get up so early, but there are still lights on in the house.

As he turned in, the yard lights came on before the truck stopped. Getting out of the vehicle, he hesitated as a Black and Tan hound bayed and came streaking toward him. Fred stood rock still. I've never seen a hound that would bite — well other than a biscuit, as they say — but this fucker is moving, he thought, as the hound came barreling up, slid to a halt, sat down and offered his left paw.

Laughing, Fred reached down and shook with the dog, who immediately began bouncing around like he was on springs.

"Never could teach the damn dog to shake with his right hand," a voice said from the porch. "He's got more energy than a Jack Russell terrier. I keep telling him that hounds are supposed to be lazy, but I can't keep him still long enough to do any good," a male voice said, chuckling.

The porch light came on and Fred was able to get a better look at the owner of the voice. A big man, about sixty, gray haired, wearing well-worn jeans, western boots, and a pullover shirt, walked down the short steps, then over to Fred. Putting out his hand he said, "I'm Ray Hodkin. What can I do for you?"

They shook hands, then Fred said, "Mr. Hodkin, I guess it's a long story. It concerns Carla Chalmers and a couple of horses that you bought from her. I've been helping Carla and Jessica out at their place and..."

"Whoa. Hold that thought a minute. Allison will kick my butt if I leave a visitor standing in the yard talking. Come on in and let's get something to drink in front of us first."

Later as the three sat at the living room after Fred finished bringing Ray and Allison up to date about Carla, the rancher looked over at his wife and a silent communication happened. Leaning back a little, Hodkin looked at Fred, "So you came looking to find out if I knew where their horses were?"

Sighing, Fred said, "Yeah, I heard them say that you were going to carry the horses to the sale, but I was hoping that you might know the person who bought them. If I can, I'm going to try to buy them back for those two. They've had enough bad things to happen to them. When I heard them say that they still cried for their horses, well, it was all I could do to not bawl with them. I've got a little money put back..."

"They're standing out in the corral behind the barn," Hodkin said, grinning at his wife who was grinning bigger than he was.

Fred just looked at them. As he started to ask, Allison picked up the conversation, "We bought twenty-eight horses from Carla — all that she had. We kept Molly and Abby, plus ten of the best mares. Eight of the ten are pregnant now. But we didn't breed their two cutting horses."

"Would you..." Fred started to say.

"That damned banker has foreclosed on other folks besides Carla. We kept those horses in case she ever got on her feet again. I'd give them back to her if I could, but our money is tight, too. But we will sell them to Carla for the same thing that we paid her for them. In a few months, she'll have eight more additions, and if you leave the other two mares with us for a while, old Dan will take care of them the next time they come in heat."

"How much," Fred said, pulling out his checkbook.

"Whoa, Mister," Hodkin said. "I said I would sell them to Carla. In all due respect, all I know about you is what you told me..."

Fred sat back and laughed, "Can't blame you there. How 'bout you make out the bill of sale to Carla, and deliver Molly and Abby tomorrow morning. I suspect those two horses can get by just fine in this weather without a barn, and I think they will brighten a couple of people's lives. If you will, I'll pay you to board the others until the barn is built, or until Carla says she's ready to get the others back. I, of course, will pay the delivery fee, but I would like to surprise those two women."