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Garvey answered him just the same. “He never said one word.”
“Good.” Chase nodded in satisfaction and smiled. “Thanks for coming out tonight, boys. We appreciate it.” As soon as the two men had left the den, he switched his attention to Ty. “Did Tara say anything outside?”
“Just the usual small talk.” Ty settled back in his chair and draped a bent leg across his knee. “But you can bet she was confused and annoyed that we didn’t accept the deal. She’ll be back. Probably not for a few days, but she will be in touch.”
“I’m sure she will,” Chase agreed absently, a slight frown creasing his forehead. “There was one thing she said tonight that rang true. Outside of our own men, no one knows the Triple C better than Buck Haskell. He has ridden every hill and gully on this ranch—and can tell you every back trail and which one is the quickest or shortest way to anywhere.” He swiveled the leather chair around to stare at the framed map. “And she has him planted damned near in the middle of it all.”
Ty studied the map as well. “I still can’t believe he would be fool enough to try anything.”
“Maybe. Then again, maybe not.” Chase swung his chair back around. “The smart thing is to play it safe and pass the word tomorrow for everyone to keep an eye out for any strange vehicles traveling over the ranch roads.”
“Consider it done.” Ty idly adjusted the hem of his jeans, smoothing its line over his boots.
But Chase wasn’t finished. “Does O’Rourke still prowl around?”
“Not as much as he used to. Every now and then, you’ll catch sight of him, usually if Cat’s in the vicinity. Why?”
Chase reached for the telephone. “I think I’ll have Cat ask O’Rourke to keep his eyes peeled for anything unusual or suspicious. He is one man who could teach you, me, and Buck a few things about moving from one end of this ranch to the other without being seen.”
“Do you think that’s wise?” Ty questioned the decision. “Buck used him once before. And O’Rourke has never had any love for either one of us. He only tolerates us for Cat’s sake.”
“Good point. Just the same, I think Cat can handle him and make sure nothing like that happens again.” Chase slipped on his reading glasses again to punch his daughter’s telephone number.
The next morning Ty spread the word for everyone to keep a lookout for any strange vehicle traveling within the Triple C boundaries. He also made a point of mentioning that Tara had offered to lease them the Wolf Meadow range—and they had refused.
Each time the reaction was the same. After a moment or two of stunned disbelief came the smile and the wry shake of the head. The message was clear to all—the Calders would not be dancing to whatever tune Tara chose to call, as many had feared. Just how Chase and Ty intended to get the land back, no one knew. But they were confident that the Calders would find a way—their way.
Within days after the word went out, the telephone at The Homestead was ringing off the wall—not with reports of unknown vehicles being sighted, but with complaints over the marked increase of air traffic over the ranch’s north and east quadrants.
Shortly after lunch on Thursday, longtime ranchhand Jasper Karlsen stomped into the dining room, each heavy step punctuated by the harsh chank of his spurs. He walked straight to Chase’s chair, the angry scowl on his face was as black as a thundercloud.
He didn’t waste time coming to the point, exploding, “Dammit, Chase, you’ve gotta do somethin’ about those damned choppers! They’re flying in and out of Wolf Meadow in swarms now. The cattle over on Long Creek pasture are flighty as hell from bein’ spooked all the time. In the last couple days they must have dropped nearly a hundred pounds just from runnin’ when those damned choppers fly over.”
Ty spoke up. “I have already left a message for Tara to call me right away. When she does, hopefully I’ll be able to convince her to have the pilots fly at a higher altitude.”
“In the event he doesn’t succeed,” Chase inserted, “I already have Stumpy checking to see if he can handle any
more cattle at South Branch in case we have to move them.”
“If you do, you’ll play hell roundin’ them up,” Jasper warned. “About the time you get ’em bunched together, the helicopters fly over and scatter them to hell an’ gone. What the hell is she doin’ over there anyway?”
“Ferrying in equipment and supplies for the house she’s building, I guess.” That was Ty’s supposition.
“More’n likely she’s flying in her own damned army,” Jasper retorted, then sprang to his own defense. “You think I’m exaggeratin’, but if you were out there with me, you’d swear, too, that the military must be holdin’ war maneuvers.”
“Until we get this handled, just do the best you can,” Chase advised.
The cowboy snorted in disgust. “I might as well piss up a rope. At least I’d stand a chance of accomplishin’ that,” he grumbled and stalked out of the room.
He passed Cat on her way in, grunting a response when she greeted him. “What’s wrong with Jasper?” she asked curiously. “He looked as grouchy as an old bear.”
“He’s having trouble over at Long Creek with the helicopters spooking the cattle,” Ty explained as the twins clamored for Cat’s attention.
“Uncle Culley mentioned last night that he had seen a bunch of them flying toward Blue Moon.” Cat paused by the highchairs to give each child a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Hi, sweeties.”
Jessy frowned. “I don’t understand why she needs so many.”
“Presumably, to haul all the construction workers she has hired.” Cat picked up the insulated coffee carafe and gave it a shake, checking for the telltale slosh of liquid within. There was none. “Do you have more coffee made, Sally? I could use a cup.”
