Mother always told him she’d be there to help him be good. Maybe someone could take her place now and help him. Someone like Anna.
As he drove his wagon through Walker Creek on his way back from Green River, he dipped his hat to the women and said a brief hello to the men.
Everyone seemed to believe his story that his father died of a sudden fit with his heart. No surprise there.
Julian had built the casket himself and filled it with several heavy rocks and then nailed it shut. What was buried out at the cemetery was as real as his father’s love.
Every time he saw the church and the graveyard, he cringed. But his lie to the reverend and everyone else was necessary.
He looked over his shoulder and surveyed all the plants and flowers. Whatever the hothouse in Green River didn’t have, they’d sent for from the hothouse in Rock Springs and even from Cheyenne. The prices had been exorbitant, but he didn’t care. Amazing what he could buy nowadays.
Several men in Green River had scoffed at a man planting flowers. But it didn’t matter. They didn’t live here. He could do whatever he wanted. His garden would be beautiful once again.
Six hours later, he dunked his hands in a bucket of waterand worked all the dirt out from under his nails. The sun had been brutal and hot on his arms, but it was worth it. It would probably take him another few days to get everything planted and watered, but that was fine. It kept his hands busy and the clock moving.
Two horses approached from the east.
Julian squinted. Looked like one of the riders could be Anna. The other was a fella he didn’t know.
He kept scrubbing at his hands and arms, hoping that the smell of manure wouldn’t be too strong for a lady like Anna.
When she rode up, her face beamed like the sun. “Good evening, Julian.”
“Evening, Miss Lakeman.” He tipped his hat at her.
She dismounted her horse while the man rode up and did the same.
“Allow me to introduce Mr. Gilbert to you.” She stepped closer to Julian then looked back at the other man. “Mr. Gilbert, this is Julian Walker.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Walker.”
Anna clasped her hands in front of her. “Is there a place we could look at all the paperwork? Mr. Gilbert would like to explain everything to you about our paleontological dig.”
“Sure.” He led them to the house. Thankfully, he’d spent the last few days clearing out everything that was his father’s and burning it out behind the barn. Furnishings could be bought or built. The few things he kept were hidden in a box. Things of his mother’s.
It had taken all of his anger to scrub down the house. As if he was trying to scrub the sin from his own life. The house was sparse now and he’d started over. Fresh.
Exactly what he needed.
Julian held the door open for his guests. “I guess we could go into the kitchen. There’s a table with a couple chairs.” Other than his bed, they were the few things he’d purchased.
Once his guests were situated, he leaned up against the sideboard.
Anna smiled at him again. “Julian, I’d like to thank you again for granting us the permission to dig out the fossils on your land.”
“You’re welcome.” He’d do anything for her. Especially when she smiled at him like that.
“Mr. Gilbert, could you explain the papers we need him to sign?”
The older man cleared his throat and laid out several sheets of paper. “As the sole owner of the Walker Ranch, your signature here will give Miss Anna Lakeman and her father, Mr. Peter Lakeman, permission to head up a scientific expedition. This states that you’ve given them—and their trusted team of workers—permission to not only be on your land, but to dig fossils out of your land for the next three years. The fossils will then belong to Mr. Peter Lakeman and he will cite your property as the location of find in any scientific documentation.” He pointed to a line at the bottom. “Are you in agreement?”
“Yes, sir.” The idea of workers wasn’t his favorite, but if Anna trusted them, so would he.
“Then please sign on the line at the bottom.”
Julian did so and looked back up at them.
Mr. Gilbert moved another paper in front of Julian. “This other document states that you are granting only the Lakemans and their work crew access to these fossils and that you will not—in no uncertain terms—allowanyoneelse to dig for them or any other fossils on your property.”
