Chase The Wind Read online

  “No, we learned the truth later for his greed and evil. He planned to bring a rail line from up north down into Mexico with spurs to Fort Davis and to silver and gold mines in the Chinati Mountains. He needed a route across our land because of its ample wood and water for engines and easy terrain for laying tracks. If his scheme to push us out had worked, he’d have been a powerful and rich man. I still get angry when I think of the blackhearted things he did to us.”

  “What exactly did he do? Navarro rushed over the details.”

  “You could say he started simple: undercutting our prices and scaring off seasonal hands we needed. When those tricks didn’t work, he got dirty and dangerous. He ordered his gang to set fires, stampede herds, lock foxes in the chicken coop, cut fences, destroy windmills, rustle cattle and horses, kill or maim stock and pets. Twice he tried to frame us for crimes, but failed. They shot some of our hands, injured or terrorized others into leaving, and attacked our home with gunfire. He even had my father murdered in cold blood.”

  “That’s horrible, Jessica. I’m so sorry you all had to suffer so much. But why couldn’t or wouldn’t the authorities stop him?”

  “He had everyone fooled but us. He was rich and powerful, well known. He was so cunningly devious he could probably charm a blind man out of his cane. He made sure no clues pointed at him. His men were so scared of him and his other hirelings, jail or a rope looked better than betraying that sidewinder. I hated him and wanted him destroyed. With Navarro’s guns, training, and brains, we did just that.”

  “Why didn’t your father hire an ex-lawman or detectives to obtain evidence against Fletcher, or employ a large band of men to battle such a snake?”

  “Men bound by law wouldn’t do what had to be done—fight back in the same ways he was attacking us, the only talk a man like that understands. Navarro had the guts and know-how to do it and he taught us. He gave us the courage, wits, and aid we needed to win our bloody range war.”

  “But the law finally stepped in. Isn’t that what you told me, dear heart?” Beth asked Navarro, who only nodded.

  Jessica nodded, too, and replied, “Yes, the day that bastard and his men ambushed us and were killed. Pardon my language, Beth, but I’ve lived and worked around rough men so long, their naughty habits have rubbed off on me.”

  As Jessica sipped coffee, Beth queried, “Did you ever have trouble with Indians before they were brought under control?”

  “Not much. Papa made truces with them right after he moved here. Sometimes they rustled a few head but not enough to fight them over. Once in a while, renegades still take a few steers for food. As long as it’s not too many and they don’t do any killing or property damage, we ignore it.”

  What about renegade rustling now that you can’t afford to lose any stock? How far would you two go to protect your dwindled herd? “What if they broke from the reservation and became a threat?”

  Navarro knew Beth’s motive, so he kept silent. He despised this type of questioning but felt, as she must, it was necessary. If Jessica and Matt had fallen prey to Charles’s deceit, he’d have to rescue them. If they weren’t involved, and he didn’t believe they were, he had to clear them of any false charges of collusion and prevent backlash from any foes or the law.

  “We’d let the Army deal with them if the band’s too large for us to defeat,” Matt responded. “Did you see or hear about trouble on the way here?”

  “No, thank goodness. But after I moved to Tucson, I heard frightful tales of past horrors. And Navarro told me about the old Comanche War Trail twenty miles east of here where we’re heading. I hope there aren’t any dangerous renegades around San Antonio.”

  “Don’t worry, love, there aren’t,” Navarro pretended to calm her worries. He was sure the questions coming from her, a female, wouldn’t arouse suspicions; and she’d done a skilled probing job so far.

  “But if any trouble comes, your husband is capable of dealing with it, even singlehanded. We couldn’t have defeated Fletcher without his help. We’ll always be grateful to him and call him friend. After we did in that snake, we tried to get Navarro to stay on, but he couldn’t.”

  “It’s a good thing I didn’t stay, Matt, and you two got me out of prison or I wouldn’t be sitting here with Beth.”

  Jessica smiled and said, “Fate has a way of putting us where we should be for good things to happen to us. We may think a problem is terrible and painful, but it moves us into another place and rewards us for our strength and courage to go on. Never let trouble destroy you.”

  “You’re right, Jessica; and if one’s lucky, one has good friends to lean on for assistance in hard or dangerous situations. We’re both grateful for all you two did for Navarro, so if you ever need anything, let us know, please.”

  “You’re most kind and generous, Beth, like your husband.”

  She continued her probing. “So what happened to the railroad and Chinati mines?”

  “The railroad used another route, and the Fletcher brothers’ mines supposedly played out almost immediately after Wilbur’s death. They sold out using trickery, but the joke was on them.” She paused to laugh. “New and bigger strikes were made. I wish we’d purchased that property, too; the earnings would be a godsend in hard times. You’ll face some harsh times, too, but don’t let them come between you two or get either of you down. Matt and I don’t; whatever happens, we stick together.”

  “We’ll take your excellent advice, Jessica.”

  Matt changed the subject. “Seems this is a week for surprise visits.”

  Navarro kept his tone light as he asked, “What do you mean?”

  “My younger brother Charlie is coming soon. Haven’t seen him since I left Georgia after the war, twenty-one long years. He wasn’t but fourteen when it started, but he fought to the end. I hear from him every few years, but I can’t write him ‘cause he moves around a lot, like you did, Navarro.”

  “I’m sure you two will have a fine reunion after being apart so long.”

  “I’m sure we will. Why don’t we go in the other room, Navarro, while Jessie clears the table. Beth, you can keep her company if you like.”

  That idea suited the fiery redhead just fine, as it would give her privacy to cull crucial information from Jessica, on several matters.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Matt and Navarro went into the living room to talk about “ranching and old times” as the two women began clean-up tasks.

  Beth was intrigued when Jessica closed the kitchen door. As she helped put away leftovers and empty plates of uneaten bits into a bucket for pigs, the Special Agent wondered if that action was to give the men or them privacy, or was only done to soften the noise of their chores. Beth knew she must establish fast rapport with her target so she would relax enough to speak freely. If she must play a besotted bride who was so in love she couldn’t think straight or control her tongue and so indebted to the people who had made her marriage possible, she would. It was her job to do or say anything necessary to succeed with the important assignment. She was cognizant that victory would save many lives and prevent much property damage for innocents. If the Cordells were involved, despite being Navarro’s friend and lost love, they must be stopped. Those personal connections also meant she must pay extra attention, as her partner might be too distracted by or too loyal to the couple to do so.

  As Jessica washed dishes and Beth dried them, the slightly older woman remarked, “You and Navarro seem very happy and well matched; I’m glad. He deserves every handful of love and happiness he can grasp.”

  “Words like those from a close friend of his warm my heart.”

  “Believe me, Beth, they’re true and sincere.”

  “We appreciate them and your hospitality. Navarro speaks highly of everyone on the ranch and his days here, so I was eager to visit. It didn’t take long for me to grasp why that time in his life is so special to him. From what he’s told me, you and Matt saved his life. If all of you hadn’t turned him around, we
wouldn’t have met and gotten married, so I also owe you a large debt.” Beth put aside a saucer and reached for another one as she chatted. “When Navarro says how grateful he is, you know he would do anything for you two. You and Matt can call on him any time and he’ll come and help; me, too, if necessary.”

  Jessica stopped scrubbing a plate to look at the radiant redhead. “You’re a very special woman yourself, Beth Breed. Too many people are selfish and greedy these days. It’s nice to find somebody who isn’t.”

  Beth twirled the cloth inside a cup. “I’ve learned life can be short and cruel sometimes. I’m fortunate I was given a second chance at love and happiness, especially with a unique man like Navarro.” She gave the dish in her hand a dreamy stare. “When I looked up that day in the Carters’ store and there he stood after all that time and torment, my heart almost leapt from my chest. I must confess,” she murmured with a sparkle in her green eyes, “it was hard not to jump into his arms and cover his handsome face with kisses. I’m sure that brazen behavior would have shocked the Carters and their customers.”

  Before Beth continued in a serious tone, she laughed, as did Jessica. “Stephen’s loss and two distant moves in less than a year were difficult. Being reunited with Navarro made me come alive again; to be frank, more alive than I’d ever been. Some mornings when I wake up, I can hardly believe he’s lying beside me, he’s my husband.” She furtively observed Jessica as she spoke. “It’s amazing how life and people can change so fast under certain circumstances. My feelings are different: they seem so much stronger and deeper. It’s as if Navarro was meant to be my true and lasting love. Second chances like this don’t happen often. I hope I’m not sounding silly and girlishly romantic.”

  “Not at all, Beth; I understand and agree. It’s rare for a woman to find two wonderful men at different times in her life. When we’re young, we don’t know much about those kinds of feelings. First love chooses us and carries us away like a captor, and we sort of lose ourselves in that person. The next time, with good luck, we choose it and travel side-by-side; we become a half of a perfect whole; we find ourselves.”

  Beth halted her chore, widened her gaze, and looked at her target. “That’s a perfect way to describe it, Jessica. You’re smart and intuitive. With Stephen, it was like …a fire that burned fast, hard, and consuming. He ruled me and our roost, and I never said or did anything to alter the situation. That was how I was reared, to be an obedient wife. After being on my own for almost a year, I couldn’t have stepped back into those slippers. I didn’t have to with Navarro. He’s my other half, a partner. I’d known him for years. But that day in Tucson, it was like I was really seeing him for the first time as a man, if that makes sense.”

  As Jessica finished washing the utensils, she said, “I know what you mean. Matt lived under my nose from the time I was seven, except for two years when he went off to war in the South. Papa hired him when he was eighteen and made him foreman in ‘66. We became friends and family. He helped raise and train me. But I grew up as a tomboy, as Jed’s son; I was taught and did everything he and the hands knew and did. I was Papa’s heir and had to be ready to take over when he was gone, so I lived as a boy, then a man. I’ve worked as hard on this spread as Papa and Matt and all our hands.” Jessica paused to add hot water and more soap to the dishpan before attacking greasy pots.

  Beth smiled at Jessica and coaxed, “So how did you two get together?”

  Blue eyes glistened with joy and love as she answered, “I was twenty-four when I realized I was a woman and decided I wanted to look, act, and live as one. Most folks considered me a spinster, but it hadn’t mattered until I started thinking about love and marriage, a home and children. I had to work on my appearance and behavior to let people know I was a female.”

  As Jessica laughed softly, Beth subtracted dates to confirm the timing of Jessica’s enlightenment: Seventy-six when Navarro came…

  “Thank goodness Matt hung around all those years and gave me time to grow up, to clear my head.”

  Beth mused, Of Navarro’s pull and magic?

  “We spent thousands of days and nights together working and laughing, sharing and learning, drawing closer and closer without my awareness. I’d come to see Matt as my best friend, my older brother. Somewhere along the trail, our friendship bloomed into love. He’s been the most wonderful thing that’s happened to me, the rock of my existence.”

  “It must have stunned you when you realized you loved him as a man.”

  “It did, and it didn’t. When I was a young girl, I was infatuated with him. I guess he became familiar, comfortable, and I took him for granted. Matt used to be so soft-spoken and serious, and he still is but in a different way. He was always easygoing and hardworking, always there like the next day. He’s the most unselfish, gentle, tender person I know. Some people think a man with such traits is weak, but Mathew Cordell is as strong and tough and brave as they come. He can stand shoulder to shoulder with any man, and heads above most. He’s a man who’d never run out on his family and friends even at the cost of his life. He’s as honest as the day’s long, as near to perfect as possible, an expert rancher, devoted father, and priceless husband. If necessary, I could support myself and the children and defend us and this ranch, but I wouldn’t be complete and happy without him. His loss would be the worst agony I’d have to endure.”

  As if realizing she hadn’t replied to Beth’s question, Jessica added, “It was that trouble with Fletcher and inheriting the ranch that changed me, made me see life, the future, and Matt differently. The same is true for him; he’d always loved me and wanted me but never let on. Coming so close to death and losing me showed him he had to speak up and take a chance I’d accept, which I did, of course. Amidst an evil mess, we found each other, found something wonderful. So did Navarro. And my brother and sister, too. Lots of good came from that snake’s wickedness.”

  Beth had no doubt Navarro’s disappearance was a crucial factor in opening Jessica and Matt’s eyes and pushing them together. “Fletcher affected many lives in ways he never intended. I’m glad everything worked out for all of you.”

  “Matt and I have been blessed. You and Navarro will be, too. He’s a special man, Beth, and I’m glad he found you to share his life.”

  “Thank you. I have to admit he’s totally irresistible and perfect, just as Matt is to you. We’re two lucky women to have husbands like them.”

  “And they’re two lucky men to have wives like us,” Jessica quipped.

  They exchanged smiles and shared laughter.

  While putting aside the last pot, Beth knew she was being studied. She kept her body relaxed and expression genial. She pondered the auburn-haired beauty’s praise of Matt and words about Navarro. She wondered if Jessica was so in love with Matt and so disarmed by her, a stranger, that she could be this open about her love and marriage. Or was Jessica only trying to paint a pretty and innocent picture of Matt, herself, and their existence? Was she trying to prove the past with Navarro was over and hoping she’d share that fact with him? Beth had worked many assignments, involving many people. It was her opinion that Jessica was being honest. Until Mrs. Cordell gave her a reason to think otherwise, the agent decided, she’d labor under that premise. She’d do her best to protect these people who had helped Navarro so much. If they were entangled in some mess, she’d try to extricate them as repayment.

  Beth watched Jessica wipe the counters and kitchen table, then dump the used water. “Where do the children attend school?” she asked. “Is it far away?”

  Jessica dried the dishpan and hung up wet cloths as she responded, “No. We and some neighbors built and funded a small school where our ranches meet and hired a wonderful teacher. Hands’ children also go there. Jefferson used to drive ours over in the buggy and pick them up in the afternoon: Big John does it now because Jefferson is needed more on the range. That’s a romance to tickle the heart: Jefferson fell in love with our schoolmarm and they got married. He and Maria st
ill work for us. Maria’s Mexican, but she was born and raised in Texas. She’s as smart and nice as folks come, and the children love her. She has a special and clever way of getting them to do their best work. I’ve had to fill in for her twice when she had her babies; let me tell you, Beth, educating youngsters isn’t an easy job.”

  “I’ve learned that no task that’s done right is easy.”

  “True. Well, that’s it. Thanks for the help and company. I enjoyed our chat, even if I did most of the talking. It’s been too quiet around here lately.”

  “I enjoyed it, too. I hope you’ll tell me more about Navarro and old times while I’m here. And teach me all you can about the challenges and work I’m facing. I’d appreciate any advice and guidance you can give.”

  “I’ll be delighted to share anything I know about ranching. I haven’t had someone like you to talk with since Annie moved. Blazes, I miss her. I think we’ll become good friends and have fun during your visit.”

  “That would please me greatly, Jessica. I didn’t know many people in St. Louis because Stephen and I lived so far from town and were so busy with the farm after moving there. When I was in Tucson, I didn’t get close enough to anyone to relax and talk like this. It feels good.”

  “Yes, it does. We’d better join our men or they’ll wonder what’s taking so long in here.”

  Matt looked up as they entered the room. “I was about to poke my nose in there and see if you two needed help. I hope Jessie didn’t talk your ears off, Beth,” he joked as his wife sat down on the oversize arm of his chair, leaned against his shoulder, and nudged him playfully.

  Beth took a seat close to Navarro on the couch and he rested his hand on her thigh. “She didn’t. We had a wonderful time. She’s promised to educate me on becoming a rancher’s wife. It sounds like a big job.”

  Matt wrapped an arm around Jessie’s hips and tucked a thumb in her dress pocket. “Can’t round up a smarter teacher in that pasture. There’s nothing my little woman can’t do and do it better than most of us cowpokes.”