Marjorie Thelen - High Desert Detective

Fiona appeared at the screen door. “Opal said to tell you to come in and have a seat in the living room. She’ll be out as soon as she gets presentable.”

Reese stood, flicking ashes from his cigarette. “I’m sorry to be a bother to her.”

If you didn’t want to bother her, why did you come?

“And,” said Reese, “please tell her, I’d like to talk to her in private.”

“I’ll tell her,” Fiona said as she opened the screen door for Reese to enter. “You’ll have to put out the cigarette. Opal doesn’t allow smoking in the house.”

He went down the steps and stomped the cigarette out in the dirt and left it there.

He must think we have a grounds keeper that picks up fancy men’s cigarette butts.

Jake stayed standing on the porch, and Fiona joined him there after she had seen Reese to the living room.

“Let’s go for a walk,” said Jake.

“Good idea,” said the love of his life.

“The stars are coming out,” said Fiona. “Look. See that big bright one above the setting sun?”

Jake reached over and took her hand as they walked out the lane. “I hate to get technical on you, but that is a planet, not a star, even though it is called the evening star.”

“You’re right. I get my stars and planets mixed up. But it sure is pretty glowing bright surrounded by the rose of the setting sun.” She stopped and he did, and they watched the western horizon.

“What is going to happen now?” asked Fiona.

Jake shrugged. “I don’t know. If I don’t get this ranch, I find another.”

Fiona faced him. “But this is the one you love.”

“Yes, it is. Opal and I have come to an agreement, but I don’t know what kind of offer or pressure Reese is going to apply. So we leave it to fate.”

“Jake?”

He smiled. “Yes?”

“I love you.”

His smile doubled in size. “I like the sound of that. You know I love you.”

“I’m sorry it has taken me so long to say it.”

“Some people need more time to decide than others. Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she said with a smile to match his.

He picked her up into a big hug and swung her around. She laughed and said to put her down. He eased her onto the ground and put his hands on her shoulders.

“Are you sure you’re going to like being a rancher’s wife?”

She pursed her lips and looked very serious. “I think so. I’d like to give it a try.”

Jake frowned. “You’re supposed to say I’ll stand by you till death us do part. It’s got to be more than trying. Marriage is a commitment.”

Fiona sighed. “You sound like a preacher. This is all pretty new for me. I’ve thought about marriage a lot since you proposed. I think in the space of a few short weeks we’ve run the gamut of most of the things that can happen on a ranch.”

Jake shook his head. “The cattle rustling and the arson aren’t normal. Mostly it is hard, dirty work, and uncertainty. I’m the kind that thrives on it.”

Fiona said, “Hard work I don’t mind, dirt I can wash off, and as for uncertainty, that is life, isn’t it?”

“You bet,” said Jake. “You’ll make it then, and with a little luck we’ll live out our days together on this ranch.”

“I’m with you.”

“Let’s treat ourselves to a roll in the hay.”

Fiona raised an eyebrow. “You mean that literally?”

Jake gave a devilish grin. “You bet. There’s some fluffy loose hay in the back shed, and if you are going to be a rancher’s wife, you need to experience a real roll in the hay.”

Jake and Fiona returned from the hay barn later that night to a silent, dark house. The doors to the ladies’ bedrooms were closed. Olympia’s car was parked in front. Reese’s car was gone. They turned in without knowing the outcome of the meeting between Reese and Opal.

The next morning Jake and Fiona were the first ones up. A cool breeze blew through the screen door in the kitchen. Birds argued in the trees outside. The plants on the kitchen window sill smiled happily in the sun.

Jake was frying bacon when Samantha came into the kitchen, looking for coffee. She sat down at the kitchen table wearing a pastel pink hoodie over her pajamas.

“Coffee’s brewing,” said Fiona. “Should be ready in a minute.” She was dying to know the outcome of the meeting with Reese. “Did you hear any of the conversation Opal had with Reese?” she asked Samantha.

Sammie shook her head. “Opal talked to him alone. I went to my room to read and later heard her go into her room and shut the door. I don’t know what time Olympia got back.”

Fiona poured coffee for the three of them. Jake pushed bacon around on the griddle.

“Should I make pancakes?” he asked the women.

“Sure, why not?” said Sammie. “Where are the guys?”

“They’re on watch or baling hay,” said Jake. “They made themselves breakfast by the looks of the dirty dishes in the sink.” He got out the pancake mix and set to mixing up a batch.

Fiona was setting the table when Olympia walked into the kitchen, hair askew, yawning and blinking and attired in the same clothes she had worn last evening.

“You’re up early,” said Fiona to her.

“I’ve not been to bed. I was up all night writing. I dropped Paul off in town and came back because the muse was clobbering me over the head with ideas. I’ll have some of that coffee and yum that bacon smells good.”

Fiona slid a mug of coffee in front of her.

“Okay,” said short order cook Jake, “we now have four for breakfast. Is that correct?”

“Make that five,” said Hoover, as he came through the kitchen door. He helped himself to coffee and sat down at the table with the ladies.

“You’re becoming a regular,” said Jake. “Taking the day off?”

“As a matter of fact, I am,” said Hoover. “I came by to see if you wanted to do a little fishing, Jake.”

“In haying season? You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Then maybe Fiona and Sammie and Olympia will go with me.”

Olympia shook her head. “I have to write. But I’ll take a rain check.”

“Not me,” said Fiona. “I’m helping with haying.”

Hoover looked at Sammie.

“I’ll need to check with Opal. Even though she doesn’t have a treatment today, she might need help.”

With that Opal waltzed into the kitchen. “It’s a great day for fishing. You go on, Sammie. Go fishing with Hoover. I’ll be fine.” She was dressed in cowgirl attire and looked like she was ready for the state rodeo. She was humming a song that sounded like Oh, What a Beautiful Morning .

The assembled company looked at each other.

“Care for anything to eat?” said Jake to Opal. “We’re feeding half the valley this morning. Are you feeling up to it?”

Opal stopped beside a chair at the table and grasped the back of it. “I feel great this morning. I could eat a horse, but I’ll settle for toast and tea.”

Whatever had happened last evening had put Opal in an extremely good mood. Fiona took that as a hopeful sign.

“Coming right up,” said Jake.

“I am most grateful,” said Opal. She pulled out the chair and sat down.

Fiona set water on to boil and placed a mug with tea bag before Opal. Jake put two slices of whole wheat bread in the toaster.

Opal started humming again then burst into the words of the song and smiled around the table at them as she sang.

Jake and Fiona looked at each other. Jake shrugged his shoulders. They had steeled themselves for the inevitable. If Reese made a better offer, they’d find another ranch. If they got this one all the better, but they were going to get married and live in Harney Valley where Jake could ranch and do what he liked doing best. Fiona would be by his side. She’d learn to drive a tractor and a swather and a baler and who knows what else. The possibilities were endless. And she’d get to decorate her very own ranch house.