Shifting Calder Wind (Calder Saga 7)

“How’s he doing?” Cat asked anxiously. “Has he had any problems?”

“How could he have any when Jake and Angel know the routine better than he does,” he said, referring to the two Clydesdales. “How did your meeting go with Jessy?”

“It couldn’t have gone better,” Cat admitted. “In fact, I wish now that I hadn’t kept putting off getting together with her, but I dreaded the thought of arguing with her again.”

As the team neared the end of the field, Logan called, “Set them up to make the turn, Quint. And don’t forget to raise the blade.”

“I won’t,” Quint called back and beamed at Cat. “Hi, Mom.”

“Good job, Quint.” She smiled, pride swelling within her. “Keep it up.” The turn was made without incident, due, in no small part, to the well-trained horse team. “He’s doing really well, isn’t he?” she murmured to Logan.

“He is.” His gray eyes echoed the pride she felt in their son’s accomplishment.

“So what did Jessy have t’ tell you?” Culley asked. Cat related Jessy’s decision not to renew the feedlot lease, which would ultimately result in laying off Laredo. “She more than met me halfway,” she concluded. “How could I continue to object under those circumstances?”

“Assumin’ she does what she says she’ll do,” Culley said, remaining skeptical.

“I have to give her the benefit of the doubt, Uncle Culley,” Cat insisted. “It’s what Dad would want me to do.”

“It’s fer sure nothin’s been the same at the Triple C since he got himself killed. An’ I don’t see that changin’, neither,” he concluded. “If she ain’t slippin’ off to see that Laredo character, then she’s hangin’ around with that English guy.”

Cat had never known her uncle to say anything without a reason. “Have you seen Jessy with Laredo again?”

“I saw her drivin’ away from that old line shack where he’s been livin’ on Sunday afternoon. It musta been before she swung by here an’ left that note fer you. It could be just a coincidence that she talked t’ that Laredo fella’ afore she came here. An’ it could be they’re both mighty anxious to keep you from raisin’ a bigger fuss.”

“I think you are making something out of nothing, Uncle Culley.” But his doubts made her wonder.

“Maybe. But there’s somethin’ about this whole business with that Laredo guy that ain’ right. I just haven’t figured out what it is,” he concluded and glanced down the lane, catching the sound of an approaching vehicle. “Sounds like ya got company a-comin’.”

The minute Culley recognized the Land Rover he knew it was Tara. Unhurried, he swung his leg back over the saddle and slipped a boot into the stirrup. A turn of the reins aimed the brown horse in the opposite direction. He rode off, leaving Logan and Cat to greet their arriving guest. As usual, he didn’t travel any farther than his usual watching post.

Drawing level with the gate, Tara stopped and rolled the window down. “Is that Quint in the field?”

“Yes. It’s his first time to drive the team without Logan riding with him,” Cat explained with considerable pride.

“He seems to be doing well.”

“He’s doing very well,” Cat stressed.

“Isn’t that wonderful,” Tara declared with a show of enthusiasm.

“Yes, it is.” Knowing Tara, Cat doubted that this was a social visit. “So what brings you here?”

“I’ll tell you all about it at the house,” Tara replied and sent the Land Rover rolling forward.

“I think you are supposed to follow her,” Logan murmured dryly.

“I know.” Cat sighed in annoyance. “For two cents I’d stay right here, but she would simply wait until I showed up. So I might as well find out what she wants.”

“Quint has only one more sweep of the field to make to finish the mowing. I’ll stay here until he’s done . . .” He paused, shooting her a questioning look. “Unless you think you’ll need me.”

“No. More than likely she wants me to talk to her lawyer about Jessy. And there is no reason to do that now,” Cat told him.

She turned out to be only partially right about the purpose of Tara’s visit. It was indirectly about Jessy. But Tara chose a different approach.

“Do you still have that note Jessy gave you? The one that was supposedly written by your father??

? Tara asked the minute they walked into the house.