Valley of Bones Read online

  “Thanks. Oh and I have been thinking I could fix that house up like new.”

  “Get going.”

  “Yes sir, soon as I get Stormy put up.”

  “He’s a grand horse.”

  “I thought so, too.”

  An hour later, cleaned up, Fred took the number two buckboard to town. Chet had told him Talley and Toby had the number one reserved for them for their honeymoon. Fred laughed and agreed they needed one, hard as they worked.

  After lunch it was cool enough to sit on the front porch and explain to Liz about the next arrival that might come to the ranch.

  “Did you even catch her name?”

  Chet shook his head. “Fred wasn’t even sure she’d come out here. But he felt guilty in his own flight not to have brought her out of there.”

  “Were they having an affair?”

  “I suspect they may have been living together under those unrespected conditions.”

  “He never said?”

  “Fred was very closemouthed. He did say Lisa and Talley told him about their journeys here and Ben’s wife did, too.”

  “If she’ll comes back with him, I will request she sees a doctor and be certain she’s healthy.”

  “That is up to you. I have no idea about her except she is what they call part of the street people.”

  “Was Val the first one you helped?”

  “Yes, Cole’s wife, Valerie, wanted out. She hated the role and immediately went to being a waitress and she guided us to Jenn’s daughter, Bonnie, who would not leave that life at the time.”

  “But in the end you got her back from the kidnappers by paying a powerful man in Mexico with golden horses.”

  “Yes. Had I not done that you and I may have never met.”

  “How true. I thought about my checking on this big rancher at his office—a rough ranch place, but there he was hat in hand. The most gorgeous man I had ever seen and he took me wading. God wanted us together. That is the only answer.”

  Chet smiled at the memory, then frowned. “I think you had better warn Lisa that sometime in the next twenty-four hours Fred will probably be bringing back another lost girl. I have no doubts about that.”

  “He’s grown up a lot in the few months he has been here. I am anxious to see his woman. We will welcome her, but she may not want to stay here.”

  “He knows that. He never spoke at the foremen’s meeting, but I went and found him working a new horse. He noticed the wind vane on the house was all shot up. I never saw that. He also noticed that all the roses had died from not being watered. He even asked Jesus why the chickens had no feathers. Jesus told him they had the wrong diet. That was his picture of the place.”

  “He was observant.”

  “I could tell he’s been worrying about it for a while. No use talking more about this until we see what happens.”

  “Okay. Will you buy the ranch?”

  “I will only bid so much.”

  “I understand. There was lots of talk at the party, and some big buyers are supposedly coming in for the sale. I think your other young foreman, Toby, has certainly learned a lesson or two. This honeymoon trip they are taking is very nice for them, but I still remember Talley not at all certain she should marry him. I think she thought she had no other prospects and didn’t want to be an old maid. She’s curbed lots of her mouthy ways and found this man she married was a real worker and he matched her better than she even dreamed he could. I am just pleased they have not killed one another and are really taking a honeymoon.”

  “They have done a miracle job amid Indian attacks and all. Those were simple boys he took up there to clear his meadow, yet they put up an enormous amount of feed. We will get him the cows he needs. That will be a great ranch when all is said and done. We are damn lucky.”

  “No. You can pick people who lead and want the same goals you want. You have money set aside to pay more than all your bills and debts. You make my head spin at times, but I am so pleased to be your wife and see this empire expand. You are an amazing man.”

  * * *

  Fred didn’t return that night, and while eating breakfast, Chet worried if his man was all right. He and Lisa had the kitchen to themselves while he ate and she sipped coffee.

  “Do we know her name?” Chet asked breaking from his eating to drink some of his own coffee.

  “Josey. I think. He never talked much about her, but it was eating him up how he escaped and left her behind.”

  “He’s talked some about living like that. But yesterday was the first time he mentioned he left a girl behind.”

  “We talked pretty frankly about my life. I told him my past was soiled and I came here and started anew. No one has shunned me, and Miguel knows all about it and accepts me. Val, too. Bonnie with JD. And even Talley. I am so happy those two are really going to make it, and that they went to have a honeymoon to make up for the one they didn’t have.”

  “Happy times are here again.”

  “I hope so for Fred and Josey, if that is her name, too.”

  Chet went about his bookwork. The day passed quickly and close to suppertime someone was ringing the yard bell. Liz came in the office. “Is there a fire?”

  They both rushed out on the porch and there stood Fred holding a girl in a deep blue dress in his arms. She was laughing, kicking her feet and legs while he waltzed her around in circles.

  “This is Josey. My wife,” he said to a vaquero’s wife who was standing the closest.

  “Welcome to the Prescott Valley ranch, Mrs. Taylor,” Chet said as he and Liz reached them.

  “You must be Chet Byrnes, his boss.”

  “And you are his wife, I hear.”

  “And you are even prettier than he described,” Josey said, turning to Liz. “Put me down. I won’t run away, Fred, I promise.”

  “I ain’t so sure. You tried to, a few times.”

  “You crazy guy. Put me down.”

  He did and laughed—she did, too, and hugged Liz.

  “When were you married?” Liz asked.

  “We woke up a preacher about midnight to marry us.” She began to cry. “He found me yesterday. I thought he would never come back, and here he came all dolled up.” She wiped her eyes with Liz’s handkerchief. “When I shook my head at his request he got real demanding—how he had a good job with you and we could live on the ranch—I still was shaking my head—he did not understand. I told him I was with child. He asked whose. I told him his. He said good, good I was going to have a baby, and then he said we needed to get married. I demanded to know why he was even back here, that he’d left me. He told me he was back and was going to marry me and bring me back here. A nice preacher married us, we slept in the same hotel as Toby and Talley, and today he bought me two new dresses. I am so glad to meet you and that you have not yet ran us off the place.”

  “Nobody is going to run you off. Are they, Chet?”

  “No one will do that. Welcome to the Byrnes Ranch family.”

  She hugged him. “It is pretty serious being in a family way without anything but your wits. God answered my prayers. He really did.”

  Liz shooed the crowd away. “You all will meet Fred’s wife Josey in time. Now we need to feed her and find her a room in the house to rest. She has had an exciting time coming here.”

  After the newlyweds went off to their bedroom, Chet and Liz were in the living room visiting about her.

  “She doesn’t talk tough, does she?”

  “I don’t believe she is tough.”

  “She sounds religious.”

  “I think she has a story that she may tell when she knows us better.”

  “I agree.”

  “Well, matchmaker and boss man, should we go to bed?”

  “Yes, I am glad the suspense is over.”

  “Yes.”

  They went upstairs to bed.

  Chet lay there for a long time thinking about how every couple got together. Finally he slipped off.

  Chapter 11<
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  They fixed Josey’s hair. The doctor found no signs of disease, and she was healthy, as was the baby. She fit into the house as Lisa’s shadow and looked and acted like a very happily married young woman.

  Two men came by to meet Chet. His business partner, Hannagen, had sent the men, who wanted his opinion on what the Three V’s needed if they bought it. Ruben Coleman and Arthur Regis were from St. Louis and both told him they wanted to be in on the western expansion with a large ranch operation.

  “Before I tell you what I think,” Chet began. “I have been running a ranch since I was sixteen. Here and earlier in Texas. For now, there is no railroad to export cattle from up here. That shortens the market. From Texas we drove cattle to Abilene. There was grass and water all the way there. We drive cattle from near here to Gallup using water the Navajos allow us to use. At times we must freight hay just to get them there. There aren’t any nearby packing plants who slaughter cattle.”

  Coleman leaned in close to Chet. “Mr. Hannagen says you are a doer. He doubts there would ever have been a stage line or telegraph if you hadn’t gotten it done.”

  “My men do good work.” Chet said.

  “Obviously they do. This place looks like a storybook deal.”

  “I have a ranch I am setting up fifty miles from a new railroad track coming to Tucson.” Chet answered. “It will have a good set of cattle on it shortly. A new quality headquarters that will be finished and a real ranch superintendent who knows how to run a ranch and will stay.”

  “What do you want for it?” Regis asked

  “Finished. Three hundred fifty thousand.”

  “When will it be ready?” Regis asked.

  “It will all be done by the first of the year.”

  “Why sell it?”

  “I can part with it for a profit.”

  “How many acres?”

  “Forty sections deeded land.”

  “It is ready to go?” Coleman asked.

  “In my opinion, yes.”

  Regis chuckled. “You sell us a ranch and we won’t bid against you here.”

  “No, you can still buy another.”

  Regis shook his head. “When can we see it?”

  “I will check with my men and have an answer in the morning.”

  “Is it this cool down there?”

  “It is. It’s on Mount Lemon.”

  When they left for the day he told Liz he might have sold Oracle Ranch.

  “For how much?”

  “Three hundred fifty thousand dollars.”

  She blinked her lashes. “Really.”

  “I priced it. We can show it.”

  “Do they want Mitch’s place, too?”

  “I told them selling cattle without a railroad here would be tough.”

  “That was the truth.”

  He hugged her and laughed. “If I can sell the Oracle place, it will be a nice cushion for the rest of our businesses.”

  Spencer and Jesus took the two men, by stage, to Tucson and then by buckboard to examine the property. In four days Regis wired that they wanted the ranch. For Chet to hold it for them while they arranged the money.

  He and Liz danced around the room.

  Josey came in and looked bug-eyed at them.

  “We are celebrating,” Liz said. “We sold our first ranch.”

  “Did it sell good?”

  “Yes,” Liz said. “It sold very well.”

  “Lisa called from the kitchen. Lunch is ready.”

  “We are coming,” he said, herding the women into the dining room.

  After lunch a boy on horseback brought a telegram from Spencer and Jesus asking if they should remain down there and move the cattle to the ranch.

  He replied.

  HIRE ENOUGH DAY HELP TO GET THEM THERE. TAKE YOUR TIME. THANKS FOR YOUR TAKING CHARGE. THEY WANT THE RANCH. CHET BYRNES

  Fred and Josey were living in the house. Both were quiet but very much honeymooners. Lisa and Miguel had been residents for almost a year and they, too, were nearly invisible. Chet informed them he wanted to go up to Flagstaff to talk to Cole about a letter he received from Hannagen in Gallup.

  Dear Chet,

  I want to warn you but this is secret. The railroad officials have approached me regarding them purchasing the telegraph company. They want nothing said about it and are offering a very top price for it.

  I am inquiring as to your opinion since you are part owner and a very good friend of mine. We have done considerable work and we hold the keys to controlling it. They can’t get a competing line built with government money as we did so their costs will be very high. Keep this in mind. I won’t do anything unless we talk face-to-face. But understand if we want top price we need to move on it.

  Your Partner

  Chet sent him a wire that told him to make them buy the stagecoach line as well. It would close when they completed the track across the territory, so let them own it until then if they want the telegraph bad enough.

  He was convinced that if the railroad wanted the wire they’d pay for the stagecoach line as well. Better than them having to have a closing sale and dealing with it all. That was why he wanted to go see Cole, to see what he wanted to do if it all took place. He could understand Cole leaving him if he was offered a job to stay. But that was to be his decision.

  Chet left with Miguel and Fred plus two packhorses, bedrolls, and camping gear and some food for along the way to Flagstaff. The horses were calm and they jogged off. This was Fred’s first turn at being an actual guard for Chet.

  Chet had to reassure Liz he would be safe with those two. Both men were extremely loyal and while they were new at the task, the trip to Flagstaff would not have much exposure to ambush. They rode off the mountain for the Verde ranch. That would give Chet an hour with his son Adam at the big house with Rhea and Victor before they pushed on toward the rim.

  Tom came over as he played with Adam and they visited.

  “You decided about the ranch?” Tom asked.

  “No but I sold the Oracle place to two men who came to look at the Three V’s.”

  “You sold a ranch?”

  “I priced it for three hundred fifty thousand dollars and they took it.”

  “Wow. That is a good price.”

  “I thought so, but we have to finish the place. Jesus and Spencer are settling the Slaughter cows up there while they are there. If the sale backs out, we will still be all right.”

  “I wondered about that.”

  “No problem. How are the Herefords?”

  “Good calf crop on the ground. Ninety-seven percent. I have some good hands and they make sure the cows have milk and everything else when the calf hits the ground. They baby some who may be born early but it works. We have two hundred purebred cows now.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “You be careful. I can send a hand or two if you need extra.”

  “I will be fine. Thanks.”

  Chet waved good-bye to his son and they forded the shallow Verde and began to cross the valley and, in the sundown, climbed the steep Military Road. They made camp and had some jerky and coffee that had boiled on their fire before turning in. The morning was cool and they hustled to get repacked and on the road. Chet liked the two men’s eagerness. He had no qualms about his others, but these two were really on the ball. Loaded and mounted, they rode north. In the early afternoon they checked in with Betty, Robert’s wife. She came out to greet them with her baby girl Caroline in her arms.

  “Robert will be sorry he missed you.”

  “Tell him not to worry. He does great work. We may catch him going home.”

  They waved and rode on.

  * * *

  They were almost there. They stopped at the Pine Flats store/bar, and Chet started toward the door ready to buy some hard candy for the kids in the stagecoach compound.

  There were several people coming and going through the entrance. He read anger in a man’s face and eyes when he saw Chet, and he went for hi
s gun. A woman screamed and everyone tried to get out of the way, which impeded him from drawing his own gun. Jammed back to the wall by a big man rushing to escape, Chet finally had the gun in his hand.

  The man had his gun up at arm’s length aiming, when Chet shot him in the chest. He went over backward and his bullet went in the ceiling. The store boiled with gun smoke and coming through that veil, guns drawn, were both his men.

  “Who is he?” Chet asked the room.

  People going by to escape the burning fumes shook their heads about his identity and hurried out with their purchases.

  Both of his men stood there with their guns drawn.

  “Who is he?” Miguel asked as he knelt down beside his boss.

  “He’s dead.” Chet holstered his gun.

  “You ever see him before?”

  “Not that I recall, but he recognized me and went for his gun. Folks stampeded over us though I still managed to get off the first shot.”

  “I want to know why he wanted to kill you,” Fred said, angry as all hell.

  A man in an apron came from behind the counter. “He don’t live around here. I never seen him before. You guys going to haul him outside?”

  “Damn right.” Miguel handed the letters he removed from the dead man’s vest to Chet, then he and Fred carried him out the door and laid him on the ground. The curious crowded around to see the corpse while Chet read the name on the envelope. Phillip Jordan. Meant nothing to him.

  Why in the hell would he want him dead? The address was general delivery Camp Verde, Arizona Territory.

  Had he been waiting around there to ambush him? He read the letters content.

  Phil,

  Be very careful he has many employees in that area who will defend him. The thousand-dollar reward for his death is only if he is dead. I know you are capable, but he is a very deadly man with handguns. He will be traveling through there at different times. He has several guardsmen who ride with him. Kill them, too.

  Frank

  This guy was a hired killer? Who in the hell was Frank? It was mailed from Tombstone. Who wanted him dead? Damn, this incident was one more unexplained attempt like the street shoot-out.