Doc spoke up. “We thought you might need some help and me and the boys have talked it over and Bobby and Mac will be able to fill in for you. Billy here is good with haying so me and him can help with that.”
Jake turned a chair around and sat down straddling it. “You heard about Glory. The situation might be a dangerous, you got to understand. We don’t know what is going on, but it appears someone is trying to run us clear off the ranch. You boys wouldn’t have any ideas about that would you? Heard of anything?”
Bobby said, “I only heard that cattle rustling has been a problem, and we’ve been on the lookout. My boss hasn’t lost any yet, but he has a guard posted now at nights. We have them on pasture close to the house so it’s easier.”
“Our close in pasture is about all chewed down,” said Jake. “We lost some of the cows we had in the little valley beyond the ridge. Brought them in and tried to move them to that BLM lease but I found the stock pond empty, and Glory out cold. We’ll wait till the pond fills to move them there. I don’t want to have to start feeding this early in the year. I’ll need a guard up there. If one or two of you could help with the hay I’d be grateful. I know you got your own ranches to run.”
“A few days won’t make no difference,” said Doc. “Billy here has his own haying operation now. He rents a piece and does his own irrigating and hires out as a baler.”
Jake smiled. “How old are you, Billy?”
“I’m eleven years old. I got my hay up, so I can help you.” Billy was a straight forward little guy, all business.
Doc said, “He’s been changing wheel lines since he was eight years old. He’s a good hay farmer and has three of his own cows for 4-H.”
“That a fact,” said Jake, nodding his head, impressed. Billy was the kind of kid that had ranching success written all over him.
The conversation turned to the drought, hay prices, problems at the other ranches. Fiona served coffee and refills on tea. She found homemade chocolate chip cookies to serve. Jake motioned for her to sit down beside him at the table. It would be good for her to hear what was going on.
Doc said, “I heard that Tillie and Howie are in trouble again.”
Jake nodded, waiting to hear what Doc had to say.
Doc continued. “I heard Howie has been spouting off in town about how they are going to get the ranch when Opal passes.”
Jake raised his eyebrows. “Is that right? I was unaware of that.”
Doc shrugged. “You know Howie. Can’t keep his mouth shut after a few drinks.”
When Jake didn’t say anything, Doc said, “He’s big on this wind power stuff. Seems to think that high ridge line on your west side would make a great wind farm site.”
Jake carefully sipped his coffee. He had heard the controversy over putting wind farms in Harney Valley. The ranchers who had good locations were for it, but the environmental people were up in arms about the wind mills destroying the pristine quality of the landscape and wildlife habitat. He had tried to stay out of it, and he knew wind power was not on Opal’s radar. Now he wondered. If Howie thought the ranch was a good location for wind power, whoever owned the ranch would benefit. If Tillie and Howie owned the ranch, they stood to gain. Could they be paying Glory to set fires, steal cows, try to make life difficult for Opal so she’d throw up her hands and get out? Would they stoop that low? They had misjudged Opal Crawford if that were the case.
Jake finally said, “That ridge isn’t high enough.”
“You’d be surprised where they put those wind mills,” Doc said. “What it depends on is wind, and I’ve been up on the ridge. The wind never quits up there.”
Doc and the boys continued talking about the pros and cons of wind farms. Jake glanced toward Fiona. She was looking at him. She was thinking the same thing. Someone might think the real value in the H Bar O was in that tall northwest ridge. The ranch could be divided and whoever got the ridge would have a sweet set up. Fiona’s knoll was on the south end of that ridge. You didn’t need that old bunk house if a wind farm was going up.
She leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Are you thinking what I am thinking? That we’ve found out why the relations want the ranch.”
He made one slight nod. “Have any more coffee? And maybe some lunch for us? I’m starving.”
Fiona looked at him like he had asked for the moon. “Me? Make lunch for five hungry men?”
“There’s nothing to it. Just drag out some lunch meat for sandwiches. The refrigerator is always packed with sandwich supplies. Chips are in the cupboard.”
“That’s a tall order for a woman who makes popcorn and beer for dinner.”
Jake gave her an encouraging smile. She rolled her eyes and made her way to the coffee pot. He wasn’t sure if he’d get something to eat or not. Maybe she wouldn’t make such a good ranch wife. They might have to hire a cook if things ever got that far.
Doc turned to Jake. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on with Opal and the ranch and everything, but Howie could be a real problem for you. I’m not trying to meddle but the more I think about it, if someone sees this ranch as a money maker wind farm that could spell trouble.”
Doc’s words put a lot on the table.
Jake said, “Opal hasn’t given any thought to the possibility of a wind farm. You know she wants to keep the ranch together. Tillie and Howie want a piece. I’m not sure who else does.” With his eyes he gave each man a sharp appraisal.
Doc shook his head. “I got my own place, and I don’t begrudge Opal any of this.”
Jake looked at Bobby and Mac.
“I’m out of the loop,” said Bobby. “I never thought I’d be on the inheritance list for Henry’s ranch.”
“Me, neither,” said Mac, the man of few words. He rose. “I’m going to step outside for a smoke.”
“I’m right behind you,” said Bobby.
Little Billy rose, too, and said, “I’m going over to the corral and check out your horses, Jake, if you don’t mind.”
Jake smiled and nodded at the boy. “Go right ahead, Billy.”
Fiona busied herself pulling plastic wrapped lunch meat out of the refrigerator. She sat a jar of mayonnaise on the table with the stacks of lunch meat, pulled chips out of the cupboard along with a loaf of bread which she added to the lunch meat in the center of the table. She smiled like she had done her good deed for the day.
“Plates and hard ware?” Jake asked.
“Right,” she said and opened cupboard doors until she found the requested items and sat them in the middle of the table.
Doc, still sitting across the table, cleared his throat and said, “I saw you down at the bank the other day, Jake, talking to the loan officer.”
Jake smiled and nodded. “That you did. I’m looking for a loan to buy a ranch.” He had known Doc for years and always liked the man. He had to know what was going on in the family and with Opal and her illness. He wondered what he was fishing for.
Doc nodded, too. “That right. Going to go out on your own then?”
“That’s what I’m thinking. I haven’t heard one way or another if I’ll get the money.”
“Have a place in mind?”
Jake nodded. “But it doesn’t look like it will go through. Do you know anything for sale around here?”
Doc rubbed his chin. “Actually, I do. Old Jim Lovejoy is thinking to sell out. You might want to talk to him before anyone else gets wind of it. He mentioned something to me yesterday when he stopped by on his way into town. His health isn’t good, and his mind is kind of funny. He hasn’t been well since his wife died. It worries me that he still drives. He’s awfully tottery.”
Jake nodded. “His place is a little rundown, as I recall, but he has some good pasture.”
“Good pasture for a small herd, and he’s got that one section you could put a pivot on. He also has a good size field of meadow hay. He told me he’s head over heels in debt, and if he doesn’t find a buyer the bank might foreclose. I thought I’d mention something to you.” Doc sat there, smiling. “It might be a win, win situation.”