after
breakfast in the morning and we will go over it together.” Stormy
excused herself and headed back to the house. She sat down in the
big rocking chair on the porch that overlooked the front yard,
while soft breezes blew light kisses of fragrances across her
nostrils. The smell of fall was in the air and it was her favorite
season. She thought back to the conversation with Jake. He actually
seemed sincere, so where did that leave her investigation? Hmmm,
better think on this some more, she mused, and just kept
rocking.
Breakfast the next morning didn’t go down
easy for Stormy, knowing Jake would be here soon. She didn’t trust
him, but would hear him out. What if Jed was just trying to throw
suspicion off himself and on to Jake? Could Jed be making her fall
for him to cover things up? She had told herself back in Cedar
Falls that no man would ever pull the wool over her eyes like they
had Jenny Carson, her best friend in school. Turned out Jenny’s
love interest only married her in order to merge two neighboring
ranches. Her mind whirled with possibilities that were soon
interrupted as Jake appeared at the house.
“Morning, let’s go sit at the table if that’s
okay with you.” Jake pointed the way with hat in hand. Stormy
obliged, sat down, and decided to take control of the conversation
right from the beginning.
“Tell me what you know or what you suspect,”
she began.
“I’ve been keeping a headcount on the cattle
since Lucy died and every month we come up short. And I’m not
talking just a few head; I’m talking about 50 head a month. There
is no way we could lose that many unless someone was taking them.”
Jake told her then continued before Stormy could speak.
“I don’t really have any proof but as I said
last night, Jed is acting very strange. He leaves the ranch at all
hours of the day and sometimes at night without telling anyone
where he is going. When I ask him he just says he was out
riding.”
“That’s really not enough evidence to accuse
him of cattle rustling Jake. However, I too have noticed some
irregularities around here. For example, the bills for food and
grain for horses and other animals have been continually rising.
With cattle missing, plus the ones we have been selling, the bills
should be getting lower.” Stormy sighed.
“To be honest, Jake, I was starting to
suspect you because you never give me a straight answer when I want
to go over the books, and in many cases ignore me all together.”
Stormy said as she bravely looked him right in the eyes.
Jake took the hat from his hands and laid it
on the table. “I know, I know, but the truth is I was hoping to
solve this problem before you found out about it. I didn’t want to
lose my job over this and so I just brushed you off when I could,
to give me more time to investigate”. He too sighed. “If you want
to fire me Stormy I’ll understand. But I’m hoping that you will
help me find out who is taking the cattle and the supplies that are
also missing. I’m not as concerned about the supplies, but a thief
is a thief and we need to catch whoever it is.” He added.
“Keep investigating for now and don’t say
anything to Jed. If he is the one we don’t want to tip him off.”
Stormy stood, indicating she was through talking for now. Jake put
his hat back on his head and headed out the door.
Stormy was more confused than ever. Whom
could she believe? Both men had stories that sounded good but one
of them had to be lying. She had to play along with them both and
hope the guilty party slipped up. One thing she was sure about is
that she had to find the answer quickly before the ranch lost all
of its cattle.
Stormy could hardly hold her eyes open the
next morning. No one in the house knew it but after dark she was
sneaking outside, hiding a small distance from the bunk house. She
constantly starred at the bunkhouse door to see if anyone left. In
fact, she had done this for two nights in a row now with nothing
breakfast in the morning and we will go over it together.” Stormy
excused herself and headed back to the house. She sat down in the
big rocking chair on the porch that overlooked the front yard,
while soft breezes blew light kisses of fragrances across her
nostrils. The smell of fall was in the air and it was her favorite
season. She thought back to the conversation with Jake. He actually
seemed sincere, so where did that leave her investigation? Hmmm,
better think on this some more, she mused, and just kept
rocking.
Breakfast the next morning didn’t go down
easy for Stormy, knowing Jake would be here soon. She didn’t trust
him, but would hear him out. What if Jed was just trying to throw
suspicion off himself and on to Jake? Could Jed be making her fall
for him to cover things up? She had told herself back in Cedar
Falls that no man would ever pull the wool over her eyes like they
had Jenny Carson, her best friend in school. Turned out Jenny’s
love interest only married her in order to merge two neighboring
ranches. Her mind whirled with possibilities that were soon
interrupted as Jake appeared at the house.
“Morning, let’s go sit at the table if that’s
okay with you.” Jake pointed the way with hat in hand. Stormy
obliged, sat down, and decided to take control of the conversation
right from the beginning.
“Tell me what you know or what you suspect,”
she began.
“I’ve been keeping a headcount on the cattle
since Lucy died and every month we come up short. And I’m not
talking just a few head; I’m talking about 50 head a month. There
is no way we could lose that many unless someone was taking them.”
Jake told her then continued before Stormy could speak.
“I don’t really have any proof but as I said
last night, Jed is acting very strange. He leaves the ranch at all
hours of the day and sometimes at night without telling anyone
where he is going. When I ask him he just says he was out
riding.”
“That’s really not enough evidence to accuse
him of cattle rustling Jake. However, I too have noticed some
irregularities around here. For example, the bills for food and
grain for horses and other animals have been continually rising.
With cattle missing, plus the ones we have been selling, the bills
should be getting lower.” Stormy sighed.
“To be honest, Jake, I was starting to
suspect you because you never give me a straight answer when I want
to go over the books, and in many cases ignore me all together.”
Stormy said as she bravely looked him right in the eyes.
Jake took the hat from his hands and laid it
on the table. “I know, I know, but the truth is I was hoping to
solve this problem before you found out about it. I didn’t want to
lose my job over this and so I just brushed you off when I could,
to give me more time to investigate”. He too sighed. “If you want
to fire me Stormy I’ll understand. But I’m hoping that you will
help me find out who is taking the cattle and the supplies that are
also missing. I’m not as concerned about the supplies, but a thief
is a thief and we need to catch whoever it is.” He added.
“Keep investigating for now and don’t say
anything to Jed. If he is the one we don’t want to tip him off.”
Stormy stood, indicating she was through talking for now. Jake put
his hat back on his head and headed out the door.
Stormy was more confused than ever. Whom
could she believe? Both men had stories that sounded good but one
of them had to be lying. She had to play along with them both and
hope the guilty party slipped up. One thing she was sure about is
that she had to find the answer quickly before the ranch lost all
of its cattle.
Stormy could hardly hold her eyes open the
next morning. No one in the house knew it but after dark she was
sneaking outside, hiding a small distance from the bunk house. She
constantly starred at the bunkhouse door to see if anyone left. In
fact, she had done this for two nights in a row now with nothing
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