When we were last at the Buchanan Ranch, Chet was found snooping around Bo and Nora’s bedroom windows...
Chapter Thirteen Buchanan Ranch
Chet’s thoughts were interrupted when he heard a soft rustling sound in the bushes. Startled, he turned toward the sound. Suddenly, a firm hand grabbed his shirt front and shoved him against the wall of the ranch house.
“Just what do you think you’re doing?!” a voice hissed in the dark.
“Get your hands off me!” Chet snarled at his brother struggling to free himself.
Tate gave Chet another push toward the wall, then let go. “You’re going off the deep end with this obsession you have,” Tate muttered, jaw clenched. “I mean it, Chet, I think you’re losing it again.”
“Shut the hell up!” Chet snapped, then he looked around suddenly realizing he had spoken too loudly. “Let’s get out of here,” he muttered.
Tate followed him to their truck. When both were in the truck cab, Tate turned to him. “I had a suspicion that you were doing something like this. Every time I’m ready to leave, you’re nowhere to be found. Now I know why. You’re down there spying on Mrs. Buchanan. How long have you been doing this?”
Chet didn’t respond.
“You’re crazy,” Tate muttered. “You’re gonna end up right back in the psych ward…”
This time Chet grabbed his brother and slammed him against the inside of the truck. “You take that back!” Chet bellowed. “Don’t EVER say that! I’M FINE! I’M IN CONTROL!”
Suddenly, as Chet had Tate shoved against the truck door in a viselike grip, he realized just how out of control he was. He let go of his brother and moved back to his own place on the seat. “Let’s get out of here,” he murmured.
Tate said no more, just turned the truck into the lane and headed home. But, he made a decision that night. From now on they would be driving separately to work. If Chet got into trouble after hours, Tate didn’t want to be any part of it.
* * * * * * *
“Miss Maggie!” Lilli shouted running into the ranch house kitchen. “I home!”
“There’s my girl! You give Miss Maggie some sugar!” Lilli wrapped her arms tightly around Maggie’s neck giving her a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“MmMmm...that’s sweet!” Maggie said beaming. “I sure did miss you!”
Lilli let go and ran to the cookie jar for a treat.
“And I missed you too,” she said to Bo caressing his cheek, “and my Nora…” she said giving her a warm hug. “Welcome home. Are you hungry?”
“No,” Bo said. “We just ate about an hour ago, but I could use a beer.” He went to the fridge to retrieve one.
“What about you, Miss Nora? Would you like something? I just poured myself some tea and was going to rest on the patio a bit. Let me get you something and you two can join me. I want to hear all about your trip.”
“That tea looks good,” said Nora. “I’ll have a glass of tea with you.”
Maggie poured Nora some tea and the four of them went to the patio, Lilli in the lead. Lilli soon found Sherman and started throwing a ball for him. As the others were getting comfortable, Chet appeared with a tool box in tow. He headed toward the far door.
“Mr. Chet,” shouted Maggie. “It’s not that door, it’s this one here.”
Chet came over toward the group and greeted everyone, “Good to see ya’ll back. Did you have a nice trip?” he said amiably.
“Yes, it went very well,” said Bo. “How have things been around here?” he added.
“Busy considering it’s the winter months. Mr. Buchanan left us a long list of things to do while he’s gone on his trip though. Keeping us busy. So, this is the door that needs work then?” he asked Maggie.
She nodded. “That wind nearly tore it off the hinges the other night. Doesn’t close and fasten right anymore.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Chet said and went to work. While he checked out the door, he could easily hear bits and pieces of the conversation on the patio. He particularly focused on what Nora had to say.
“It’s a two-story house with a big yard and wrap-around porch. Nice neighborhood...not too far from the park and school...only a twelve minute drive to work for Bo…”
“That sounds very nice,” Maggie told her. “but I sure will miss you all around here…still, I know it will help Clint to have you there...I understand the business has been quite a strain on him...”
“It has,” agreed Bo, before shouting over to Chet, “You find the trouble yet, Palmer?” when he saw Chet was just crouched looking at the door. He had gotten absorbed in the conversation on the patio and was just staring at the door as he listened.
“Yes, sir!” Chet replied. “Looks like I need a few more things before I can fix it though. I’ll be back,” he said as he mosied back toward the barn.
As Chet made his way back, he passed Maggie’s son Tom coming from the stables. When Tom spied Bo and Nora on the patio, he burst into a huge smile. “You’re back!” he shouted. “Sure is good to see you!” he said joining them.
* * * * * * *
Chet’s mind was in turmoil...they had just returned after being gone for a couple of weeks...now it sounded as if they were leaving again...permanently...he couldn’t stand it. She looked so beautiful tonight...so good to hear her voice again… he thought. Where was he taking her?...this can’t be happening again...just like Ellie...
As Chet stormed into the barn, he ran directly into his brother making him drop a box of supplies. “Man, what’s your hurry? Slow down!” Tate reprimanded. “Did you finish that door?”
Chet searched the supply room tossing things to and fro.
Tate nodded knowingly. “Oh...you must have heard the news...Bo Buchanan and family are moving…”
Chet turned on Tate. “How did you know? Why didn’t you say anything?!”
“Old Man Buchanan told me this morning before he left for his trip. Asked if I knew anyone else that would make a good ranch hand.”
“Well...I don’t care what Bo Buchanan does, but he can’t take her that far away...I can’t lose her again…” Chet muttered.
“Will you listen to yourself? She’s not yours to lose!” Tate responded.
“She can be...I’ve seen the way she looks at me...I can have her if I try...I just haven’t tried...I need to pursue her…” Chet said exploring the supply cabinet.
Tate looked at his brother with a mingle of shock and disgust. “There you go again...always thinking women are gonna fall at your feet. You’ve always been like this...what makes you think….”
But Chet cut him off, “They have fallen at my feet! Not just my girls, but yours too, as I recall...you never could hang onto a girl after they met me! That’s what bugs you, isn’t it? That you could never hang onto a woman because your baby brother could charm her away from you!”
Chet’s words angered Tate. He hated to admit it, but his words were very true. Chet had always been better with women than he had been...Chet was better-looking, more confident, more fun, more outgoing...he always had the upper hand socially. It made Tate seethe inside.
“You need to leave Mrs. Buchanan alone,” Tate said in a low, warning voice.
Chet laughed. “Or what, Big Brother...what are you going to do?”
When Tate didn’t respond, Chet laughed again. “That’s what I thought. You’ll do nothing...just like all the other times. You’re pathetic.”
Tate knew his brother was baiting him, trying to get more of an argument out of him or even a physical fight. I won’t give him the satisfaction, Tate thought. Instead he walked away.
* * * * * * *
THUMP
The ball hit a booted leg. Sherman, the clumsy pup, ran after it. As he tried to get the ball, he slobbered on the cowboy boot in his path angering it’s owner.
“GET OUTA HERE, YA DAMN MUTT!” he shouted pushing the dog with his leg sending him yelping and rolling for a few feet. Then he picked up the slimy ball to give it a toss.
“Stop it!” Lilli shouted. “Don’t hurt Shermy! Leave ‘im alone!” Then she spied the ball in his hand. “Dat’s Shermy’s ball,” she said looking up. She couldn’t see the man’s face. It was shaded by his downturned cowboy hat. “Can I have it?”
“Sure! Take it! And get that dog outa here too!” he shouted. But instead of placing the ball in her tiny outstretched hand, he gave it a hard throw. It landed with a thump...inside Samson’s corral. Shermy darted after it.
Lilli saw Sherman squeeze himself under the fence to retrieve the ball and shouted, “Shermy, no!”
She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her to rescue the pup, but it was too late. By the time she reached the fence, Shermy was inside the bull’s pen rolling the ball around in the mud and manure to retrieve it. Lilli saw the big bull on the other side of the corral. He would hurt Shermy!
“Shermy, come! Come on, Shermy! Shermy!” she pleaded standing on the bottom rung of the fence. “Shermy, get out of dere!” She looked up at the bull with scared eyes.
The bull started puffing and scraping his feet.
Wide-eyed Lilli pleaded again. “SHERMY! COME ON, SHERMY! PWEASE!”
She looked at the bull again. She couldn’t wait any longer. Lilli scrambled up the fence and was throwing her leg over the other side when Bo spied her. His face went white...
“LILLI! NO!” He jumped to his feet and took off at a full run. Shocked, Nora, Maggie, and Thomas stood and looked in the direction he was running. Nora’s hand went to her throat and she took off at a full run too.
“NOOOO! LILLI, STOP!” Bo shouted again as Lilli dropped to the inside of Samson’s pen. “LILLI!”
The bull, who had been scraping his feet, finally took off at a full run.
Lilli stood with the squirming puppy in her arms, now too frightened to move.
“LILLI! RUN! RUN TO THE FENCE BABY! RUNNNN!” Bo screamed as he approached the fence at full throttle himself.
Nora, Maggie, and Thomas were right on his heels. Bo reached the fence first, grabbed it and threw himself over the other side. Samson was fast approaching Lilli, snorting and puffing all the way. Bo reached her first, snatched her into his arms and scrambled, slipping and sliding, toward the fence. He heard a loud snort and felt the hot breath of Samson right behind him. God help me! Help my Lilli!
He was just a couple of feet from the fence and safety when he felt a strong lurch as the 2,000 pound beast rammed against his body. Before he was knocked off his feet and hurdled to the ground, he tossed Lilli to the other side of the fence and to safety. He felt the pounding of the bull as he rammed and trampled his body. He heard the terrified cries of his baby girl and Nora shouting his name…