He wasn’t what Brody expected, unlike so many of the ranch owners who’d hired him over the years that had their ranches for show more than business. There were a lot of California rich that came out to Montana to buy up land and put up a pretty house that would cost a fortune in LA. Brody had worked on many of those ranches. But those jobs never lasted. Something expensive, perhaps a watch or a piece of pottery in the house, would go missing and the ranch hands would be the first to be blamed and dismissed. Without final pay, of course.
That was never a good day because if the owners had wanted to make a fuss about it and call the police, Brody could have easily ended up back in prison. He could live without the lost wages, but he wasn’t going to go back to prison. Not for anyone.
After a while, Brody wised up to the notion that these big city folks didn’t care much at all about their precious items lost when they could just claim them for insurance money. It made him wonder just how many times a watch or bracelet was “stolen” just for that purpose.
But no matter. It wasn’t his money, his life, or his business.
Brody pulled off his cowboy hat as he stepped into Trip’s office in front of Hunter. Then Hunter made quick introductions.
“Have a seat and we’ll have a talk.”
Brody walked over to the chairs across from the desk, and sat down in the one by the window and then he looked over at Hunter who was still standing by the door.
“I guess I’ll just get back to work. I still have two more horses to shoe before I call it a day,” Hunter said. Then he propped his hat on his head, and strode out the door, closing it behind him.
Trip sat down behind his desk and got comfortable in the large leather chair. “Let’s get right to it and dispense with the things no one ever wants to talk about,” Trip said.
“I appreciate that,” Brody answered as a knot in his stomach began to coil and tighten. He knew what was coming next.
“I know you did time. I also know that it was for something that some people in this town wouldn’t understand because they don’t understand the dark side of life. I won’t pretend to know what truly happened that landed you in prison. But I do know Hunter Williams and I know his past. I’ve known the man a long time, even during his dark days. And despite the troubles he’s had, he’s a fine man. He wouldn’t recommend a ranch hand, much less a ranch manager, to me unless he knew the man was fit for the job, and that he was a man of character.”
Warmth built up inside him until he was sweating. Brody was never been one for being comfortable with compliments. But hearing the words his friend had obviously used with Trip filled him with gratitude.
“Not everyone feels the way Hunter does. You should know that.”
“Hunter is not everyone and neither am I,” Trip said. “But even after he laid out some pretty harsh details, I still wanted him to bring you out so I could meet you.”
“I appreciate that, sir.”
Trip chuckled looking down at the blotter with scribble marks on his desk, and then back up at Brody. “Let’s just dispense with the formalities here. You can call me Trip. All the hands do. I know you’d appreciate this job. I’ll appreciate having you here when I know you can do the job.”
“You’re giving me a chance?”
“So it seems.” Trip sighed and his expression grew dark. “Understand the boots you fill here are big and they’re deep. Levon… He was a good man, and he was with me for a long time. He was a friend. No doubt you heard of his passing last winter.”
Brody could see the wound of losing Levon was still raw in Trip. Hunter had explained how Levon was killed by a disgruntled horse breeder who’d felt Levon had cheated him in a deal. Tenterhook, the barrel racing horse in question, was owned by Tabby Swanson, the daughter of a friend of Trip’s whom Trip had taken in when her parents had died. Tenterhook was boarded at the Lone Creek Ranch and had also been hurt, but was now healing.
Brody could see that Trip was still affected by losing his friend as if he’d lost a brother. Based on what Hunter had told Brody about Trip, he treated his ranch hands more like family than like employees.
“I have a bunk house. A few of the ranch hands live there. But I also have a small house on the property near the bunkhouse that’s meant for the ranch manager. My ranch is not as big as some of these other spreads, so I can’t pay you what some of the bigger operations do. But you’re welcome to live on the ranch in the manager’s house as part of your salary. You won’t find trouble here, and you’ll have room to work in peace without judgment. I can promise you that.”
“I appr… I won’t let you down.” Brody stood and reached out his hand to shake Trip’s hand.
* * *
Brody wasted no time at all gathering his things and packing them into his truck. He’d decided to hold off on moving his belongings into the manager’s house and instead dove right into work. There was a lot to do.
He’d spent the morning getting to know the ranch hands he’d be working with. Buck Jackson, the youngest of the crew took him through his routine working in the barn with the horses and introducing him to the ranch animals and the boarders. All the stalls were labeled, which made it easier to get to know the horses.
He took one of the quarter horses, Desert Rose, out for a ride just after lunch to get a feel
