“We’ve got us a problem,” said Nason.
Embry laughed short, nervous.
No matter.
Everybody ignored Embry anyway.
Nason and Embry took their usual chairs under the windows and nodded their hellos.
“Ja . . .” Olen blew invisible dust off his fingernails. “We need to do something ‘bout that Gilpin, by golly.”
Embry laughed and shook his head.
Everybody ignored him.
Nason said, “I’m not talking about Gilpin. I’m talking about the new Potter woman.”
All but Embry leaned forward, suddenly interested.
“She took the calf last night and put it into her barn.”
“What?” Ralston jumped up and stepped closer to Nason.
“Yeah. It came down and tried to break into their house and their dog chewed off one of its front legs.”
Wasn’t supposed to mention that.
That brought Whatling and Olen to their feet. Everybody but Embry circled like vultures.
Feeling trapped, Nason stood and said, “She brought it to my office today, and I and Embry just got back from taking it up to the Perch. She owes me a new pair of tires and some chains.”
Whatling wagged his fat head, obviously doubting that would happen. “How am I supposed to charge her for your tires? What happened?”
“I didn’t have time to stop and take the chains off.” You idiot. “Just take it out of her account.” He lowered his head and glared, making sure Whatling knew he was serious.
Whatling looked down at his wife’s desk like he was reading a tally sheet. He sat.
“What about my calf,” asked Ralston, nearly standing on top of Nason’s boots.
“We took it out of her barn on our way and left it in the upper meadow, like always.” Nason pushed past Ralston and stood in the center of the room.
Whatling said, “So, what’s the problem?” He folded his hands behind his neck and leaned back, officiating again.
“Didn’t she come in to see you this afternoon?” Nason looked out the high windows at the full moon, some circling birds. He shook off the strangeness and looked back at Whatling.
“Yes, she did. I gave her a copy of the trust deed. Don’t worry, it’ll hold up.” He leaned over Bell’s desk and shrugged, matter of fact, not nervous.
“We’ve never had Potters standing outside this group,” said Nason, pacing in front of Bell’s desk. He’d thought about it all afternoon and they needed to understand. “If she gets a lawyer on this, there could be a lot of snooping around.”
The room grew still everybody finally listening.
“Jethro knew the right politicians. They kept this business local.”
“Someone’s got to explain things.” Embry stood and sauntered to the center of the room as if he’d suddenly realized some profound truth. He swaggered with confidence and self-imposed brilliance.
Everybody waited.
“That’s all.” He shrugged, crossed his arms and looked out the high window at the moon, the swirling birds. “Jesus teats! Look at those birds.”
Ignoring the birds, Ralston stepped in front of Embry and braced him with a stare. “You going to be the one to explain things?” Ralston chuckled and shook his head. No, not Embry. “You even know what brings that thing out? Do you?”
“The moon,” said Embry, matter of fact.
“Yeah?” Ralston glared angrily at Nason, frustrated with Embry. “Which month and in what year?” Ralston grabbed Embry’s arm, making sure Embry understood the question. “That first night, years ago, when it attacked the Potter place, that was the first time in about six years, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Nason stepped between Ralston and Embry, facing Ralston down. “A month later, it came out and took that first bull calf. So what?”
“Doesn’t even do that every month.” Ralston seemed frustrated, not angry.
“Let’s all calm down,” said Olen, trying to work through it. “Until Gilpin moved his calf that night, it hadn’t come down for over a year.” This old man knew more than he was saying, the look in his eye, the wry grin at Nason. He knew how to keep it to himself, too.
Ralston turned on Olen. “Is that what brought it down? How did it know the calf was gone? I mean, what in hell brings it down?”
Nason chipped away at his still budding theory. “Kidro was talking about opening one of the mines.”
That grabbed their attention.
“Okay,” said Olen, putting up his hands, motioning the others to listen, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. “I’m going to say what we all know deep down. This thing was put here by God or the devil. Who knows? Maybe some ancient Indian ghost put here to protect this place.” He waited for a comment from somebody else.
It ever came.
They all needed to let it sink in.
“We all got pretty good life here. Nobody ever gets sick. Nobody ever has a sick steer. Bea’s chickens always lay good eggs and plenty of ‘em. We never saw a dentist in our life.”
“Okay, Olen.” Whatling sounded open-minded for once. “So, what brings it out now?”
Olen had no answer.
Nason said, “We’ve got some new people in the valley. Who knows?” He looked questioningly at Olen, hoping for support.
Nothing there.
Nason suddenly felt very tired, no food or rest in two long days.
“Ja, by golly.” Olen grinned at Nason, sensing an opening to close their meeting and go home. “It’s gonna be okay. I know it. I think these new Potters gonna be okay, by golly.”
“Olen . . .” Ralston, shrill with frustration, had not been satisfied. “That night when it killed Kidro’s wife and oldest boy, they’d cut off its paw with an axe and nailed it to a tree. Whatever happened to that paw?” He lowered his voice and stepped close to Olen again. "Did you forget how it came back for Gus?” Ralston immediately looked like he regretted saying that. He shook his head, turned and watched the toe of his boot sweep the floor.
Olen’s voice shook. “That was an awful night.”
Yeah. Nason flashed on images of Kidro, that rolled rug brought in by Carolyn Potter, the bloody human hand.
A queer sound snapped him back. “Quiet,” he whispered through a tightness in his throat. He looked out the
