Chapter 5

We cleaned up the windmill site and stacked the tools so we could come back and get them tomorrow. We rode back to the barn, took care of the horses and were headed into the bunkhouse when Todd came out.

“You two so lazy that you’re only working a four-day week now,” he said with distaste in his voice.

“Nope,” Slim said. “Got her done. Finished up about noon. We’ll be head’in out to pick up the equipment and leftover supplies tomorrow morn’in.”

“Finished,” Todd asked astonished. “You mean you, as lazy as you are, and that snot nose kid finished in just four days? By the way, Slim. How many times did you have to change his diaper,” he gave a laugh causing a sickening feeling in my gut.

Slim said I could shower first. It felt good to stand under the hot spray. I thought of soaking in a tub of hot water but knew Slim would want to clean up also. When I finished my shower I saw Slim sitting on the front porch drinking a soda. I grabbed a soda and went out to join him.

“A nice hot shower would be something I’d miss if we were back in the cowboy days,” I told Slim as I took a seat in the empty chair.

“Know what you mean,” he laughed. “I’ll be enjoy’in mine soon as I finish this.”

As we were talking we watched Todd come out of his house and get into his truck. He drove up to the bunkhouse porch and said out the window, “You boys have the weekend barn duty. I’ve been stuck here all week so it’s only fair. See ya’ll Sunday night.” He drove away before either of us could reply.

We just looked at each other in disbelief. Slim had told me of his lady friend on the other side of Marfa he wanted to go see.

“I’ll take care of the barn,” I told Slim. “Ain’t no need for both of us to be stuck here.

I saw Slim’s eyes brighten up a little. “You sure you don’t mind,” he asked.

“Not at all,” I told him. “Go enjoy yourself.”

Slim took off to shower and I grabbed my cell phone from the nightstand. I knew I wouldn’t be able to charge it on the trail and had left it behind. When it booted up, there were three missed calls from Mr. Naylor. His office would already be closed for the day so I closed the phone and put it in my shirt pocket.

I went to the barn and fed the horses and threw some hay to the cattle in the pen. I was walking back up onto the porch when Slim stepped out looking dejected.

“What’s up,” I asked him.

“I can’t leave yet,” he said. “We still got supplies to go pick up in the morning”

“I’ll take care of it,” I told him.

“But I’ll have the truck,” he added.

“I’ve got my truck,” I said. “Now go on and get. Go put a smile on that pretty woman’s face.”

His eyes lit up with that and was heading back inside when he stopped and said, “You sure?”

“I’m sure,” I said. “Now get.”

He gave one of his laughs and disappeared inside the bunkhouse.

The next morning, I fed the barn animals and jumped into my truck to go pick up the supplies left over at the windmill site. I was driving back into the yard when I noticed Mr. Holland’s car parked near the barn. I pulled up beside him and rolled down my window.

“Good morning, Mr. Holland,” I said.

“Morn’in, Jake. Where’s everybody at,” he asked.

“Slim and I finished up the windmill early and I was just picking up the leftover supplies,” I told him. “Slim had a friend he needed to go see so I told him I’d cover the chores. Todd left yesterday right after we got in. Not sure where he went.”

“Yeah, I know Slim’s friend,” he chuckled, leaning against the door of the truck. “If he doesn’t go see her every couple weeks, he’s got hell to pay. As for Todd, I can imagine where he’s at. A trip to the doctor in about a week will confirm he drove across the border and caught a little something ... and I’m not talk’in about fish’in.

“So, how are you lik’in ranch life,” he asked me.

“I love it,” I said honestly. “This is what I’ve always wanted to do. My parents and I had always talked about owning a ranch of our own.”

He laughed at that and said, “Well son, start sav’in your money and I’ll let you buy this one.”

“Are you serious, Mr. Holland,” I asked, surprised.

He laughed again. “You’d probably have to save a while, but yeah, I wouldn’t mind sell’in this place. When I started it, the cattle were better fed and the meat was better quality. With the drought, the meat quality has dropped and I have to buy meat for the restaurants through a wholesale company. On top of that, I have to ship in hay to feed the cattle. I’m losing on both sides of the fence. Hell, this place is cost’in me more than it’s worth.”

“Well, sir,” I said. “I’ve got a little money put away. What would you be asking for the place?”

He thought for a minutes and said, “Land, equipment, livestock, everything,” he paused. “Someone could have it for $2 million. Another million would get them the south ranch also.”

I stuck my hand through the window at him and he gave me a puzzled look.

“I’ll take it, sir,” I told him. “I’ll take them both. I don’t know much about the south ranch but I’ll take it if that’s all you’re asking.”

“All I’m ask’in. Hell, son. That’s $3 million.”

“Yes sir,” I said. “I can give you a deposit now, if you like. Or I can pay you in full by the middle of next week. They told me it may take a few days to arrange large sums of cash.”

“Cash,” he exclaimed. “Damn, son. You don’t pay that kind of money in cash. You’d need an armor car just to haul that kind of money.”

“Well, how do you want me to pay you then?”

“Most people pay that kind of money with a cashier’s check from the bank or make a bank transfer.” He looked at me a little funny and said, “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

“Yes sir,” I told him. “But I want you to make me a promise.”

“What’s that,” he asked.

“When I get the quality of beef your restaurants expect, you start buying your meat from me.”

“That’s a promise,” he said, taking my hand and giving it a shake.

“If you’ll let me make a quick phone call, I can arrange to have the money available,” I told him.

He agreed and I made a call to Mr. Naylor.

“Jake,” he said. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”

“Yes sir,” I told him. “I didn’t have my phone with me.”

“Well, we’ve had someone make an offer on the house,” he said. “It’s six grand below the appraisal but considering they haven’t asked for fresh paint or other improvements, it’s a pretty good offer.”

“Then go ahead and accept it,” I told him.

“Great,” he said. “We should be able to close the middle of next week. That’s all I really needed, Jake. Thanks for calling back.”

“Mr. Naylor,” I said, trying to catch him before he hung up. “There’s something I need you to do for me. Please transfer three and a half million from the trust into my bank account.”

There was a pause. I thought for a moment I had actually missed him and he had hung up. Then the silence was broken.