Tom nodded. “I was taught by the best. I’m taking Jackie and Rick with me so Jackie can clean the cabin of any sign we’ve been there.”
Granny B then hugged her grandson. “I’m fixing to go with Jack over to the north pasture to check on the cattle and horses. Have you given any thought to bringing a few horses down here for transportation?”
“I have, but we’ll need to figure out how to hide them. If we put the stock in the corral or barn, any strangers would know someone’s caring for them,” Tom replied.
Later, Jackie walked up to Tom. “I’m taking Brenda with us so she can help me clean. Let’s go. We’re burning daylight.”
Tom suddenly turned to Jackie. “Wait! This Jack and the barrels thing is bothering me. It looks like they dug up over twenty barrels without Jack knowing. That doesn’t pass the smell test.”
“Grampa always said – fire usually follows smoke or something like that.” Jackie agreed.
Tom frowned. “Who can we trust?”
Jackie answered, “With our lives? You, me, and Granny B. We don’t really know the others.”
*
Chapter 23
Southern Oregon – Corral Creek Road near the Clark ranch.
Tom stopped the truck short of the turn onto Corral Creek Road and switched the engine off to see if the coast was clear. Rick jumped out of the pickup’s bed, walked to the road, looked both ways with the night vision scope, and listened for any traffic before motioning Tom to proceed. Rick jumped back into the back of the truck with Jackie. Tom saw Rick in the back with an arm around his sister and took off down the road.
Tom turned onto an old fire road about a mile from the ranch and worked his way up the hillside on the rough dirt road. There were many washed out ditches across the road from the snowmelt during the spring thaws. No one maintained the roads, so they’d fallen apart over the years. Tom had to crawl along the switchback road most of the way but soon made it to a place to turn off that he and Jackie had ridden horses on many times over the years. One of the bumps threw Brenda into the air, and she landed against Tom. “Sorry about that,” Tom said.
Brenda cringed and felt her side. “Your elbow caught me in the side. That’s no way to treat a lady. I know you don’t like me, but hammering me with your elbow is just plain wrong.”
Tom looked at her with a puzzled look. “It was an accident. I didn’t mean …”
“I was just yanking your chain. I’ve noticed that you seem to avoid me. If you and Sam have hooked up, just let me know.”
Tom had this picture in his mind of a fish with a hook in its mouth. He thought, Damn, what’s a guy have to do to be left alone?
“I hate that phrase, hooked up. I ain’t ready yet and probably in denial about my wife being gone. I miss her so much.” Tom said, and then thought, That will shut her up and make her feel bad enough to leave me alone for a while.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean anything by my comment. I like you, and I hoped you liked me. I’ll shut up from now on.”
She moved away from Tom and pressed herself against the door. Tom heard her sobbing. “Look, I didn’t mean to sound so mean, but I still love my wife, and I’m just not ready to see anyone. Not Sam nor you. Let’s just be friends. Okay?”
Brenda didn’t look at Tom. “Okay.”
“What did you do to Brenda? Tom, look at me. What did you do? She looks like a whipped dog.”
“Look, Jackie, I don’t want anyone playing cupid. I also don’t want women flirting with me right now. What do I have to do to get that across to you?”
Jackie moved closer to face her brother. “Damn it, Tom. I know you’re lonely and need companionship. Remember, we are so much alike. Your heart is broken, but it’s more than time to move on with your life.”
Tom huffed. “At least you didn’t say – ‘get back on the horse.’ When Granny said that last week, I imagined me riding Sam with a saddle on her back.”
Jackie snorted. “That’s funny, but a bit kinky or maybe perverted comes to mind.”
“Sorry for putting that image in your mind. I feel like I’m in a soap opera lately, and everyone is either flirting with me or trying to push a woman at me,” Tom said in frustration.
“Well, don’t worry about Brenda flirting with you, but don’t walk in front of her if she’s driving a car.”
Tom changed the subject as he usually did when he didn’t want to talk about his feelings. “The truck and trailer are loaded. Please go help Brenda finish cleaning up the cabin so we can leave.”
Jackie glared at her brother. Tom grinned. “Pretty please.”
Brenda hopped in the back of the truck when they were ready to leave, and Jackie sent Rick to the cab to ride with Tom. Tom began driving a different path to meet up with Corral Creek Road. Neither Rick nor Tom said a word until Rick loudly cleared his throat. “Tom, what happened to …?”
“Rick, I just don’t want to discuss Brenda, Sam, or my dead wife. I just need to keep my freaking mouth shut. I keep hurting people by trying to be left alone. If we stop this
