Anna Castle believed in the magic of touch, which was why she greeted every dairy cow after her morning walk. In her mind there was no doubt that those morning pats and gentle rubs of affection were what inspired her cows to produce the finest milk in Colorado. This particular morning felt especially magical. Not only was a calf about to be born to her favorite heifer, Jezebel, but at any moment her daughter would be arriving. Anna could not deny that her heart ached for Rose. Such a wonderful daughter did not deserve to have such a matrimonial mess so early in life. Not to mention, she had a baby to care for now. At Anna’s age she knew that things would work out. God had a way of smoothing things over. She also knew this promise didn’t erase the pain of the present, so no matter what, things would be difficult for Rose.“How is my Jezebel?” Anna asked her husband Clark, who was aiding the massive cow now mooing with the anguish that every mother knows.
“The calf is in a bad position.” Clark shook his head and quickly pounced on Jezebel as she struggled on the ground. Anna hurried over and knelt beside Jezebel’s head.
“Hello precious,” she cooed, stroking the animal gently. “I am here now. We will get through this.”
Clark shook his head. “Might be better, love, to move away. You could get stepped on.”
“Not a chance,” Anna said, placing a quick kiss on Jezebel. “Alright good-looking, let’s pull that baby ou, shall we?”
Clark grinned proudly at his wife while they tied rope around the delicate hooves of the stuck calf. Soon a slippery wet calf was lying in the hay. Anna felt the tears brimming in her eyes. She always cried when a calf was born. They were such beautiful creatures, so sweet and gentle with their velvet noses.
“What will this one be named?”
“Ginger. Why, just look at her face! She has a tuft of ginger color on her forehead.” Anna patted Jezebel. “Well done girl, well done.”
“Boss,” Jeffries, the dairy manager, walked in, “Sheriff Ben is here to talk to you and Miss Anna. He’s at the house waiting. I told him it may be a while.”
“We are actually near finished up here.” Clark smiled fondly. Jeffries was one of the most innocuous and respectable men he knew and had worked on the dairy for years. “Anna, dear, would you go entertain the good sheriff while I finish up here? I should be there soon.”
Anna nodded and gracefully exited the barn. “Did we get those two shipments off to Colorado Springs?” Anna asked Jeffries, taking a deep breath. She loved the dairy. There was nothing quite like the smell of fresh alfalfa. Maybe she was crazy to like it, but she did.
Jeffries nodded. “They are on their way to the storage facilities to be put in the ice banks before delivery.”
“Very good. We cannot afford to fall behind in our deliveries, especially since in another month we will get the summer visitors from the cities. Our dairy is becoming quite the tourist attraction I fear, especially since I’ve hired Kyle Lampton to cater our Summer Ball, and this year I plan on making it even grander.”
Jeffries nodded. “Speaking of cooks, I hear Miss Rose is bringing one.”
“Yes, and what a blessing! This dairy has become so big—and with the twins in the kitchen, I can’t keep up.”
“You know Miss Anna, we could always use those machines for milking. I hear they—”
Anna stopped dead in her tracks. “Jeffries, those things tear the cows’ udders to shreds. Why people were getting blood in their milk, and I will not do that to my babies.”
Jeffries chuckled. “Of course not, Miss Anna, and may I just say that those cows are lucky to have a mama like you.”
Anna grinned and patted her silver hair that still contained flashes of blonde. “Yes, they are.”
Sheriff Ben stood up as Anna Castle walked in. She was a fine looking woman, as was her husband, both tall and fair with their Scandinavian ancestry manifesting in their broad shoulders and stately blue eyes.
“Mrs. Castle, excuse me for coming so early. I have a few places to investigate, but I wished to speak with you first.”
“It is no trouble at all, Ben,” she smiled. I was just about to start a cup of tea—” she looked at the sheriff, “Coffee?”
“As black as you can make it,” he replied.
Anna disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes, returning with a teacup and steaming mug of dark coffee.
“Now, my dear Ben, you look like a man on a mission. Is everything alright?”
He gave a single shoulder shrug. “I am sure you have heard about the cattle rustlers around these parts?”
She nodded her head and leaned back in her favorite red velvet chair. “Strange, if you think about it. Tall Pine has a small ranch community compared to other counties.”
Ben nodded. “I wrote Joseph Silver—you remember him, right? Tall man, married Esther Callen?”
She laughed. “What female could forget him?” She waved her hand as if cooling a flushed face. “No woman forgets that man easily. How are they doing, by the way?”
Ben smiled. “Well, Joseph, although a rancher now, lends a hand to the local detectives every now and then, which does not surprise me one bit.”
“Is it true Abby’s papa plans on giving Will half his ranch? I’m happy for them, especially with Abby missing her family and such, but I’ll miss those two fiercely. I don’t know what Tall Pine will do without Will as their pastor or Abby keeping the town together.”
“I don’t know either, but Joseph said Esther and his parents are over the moon about them coming out.”
“Oh that is so good to hear,” Anna beamed. “Now, why did you write Joseph?”
“Well it seems there is a pipeline of cattle rustling between here and Texas. Joseph says the word from the Rangers is that there is a gang called the Silent Owls running it.”
“I see.”
“Well, to speak bluntly, you and Clark seem to find the finest hands. I sent out word for a deputy several months ago, but most applicants are young ambitious boys who want to work in the cities.”
“So you are thinking of deputizing a local?”
Ben nodded. “Don’t have much choice. I don’t think the thefts are the Silent Owls, but I do think what we have in Tall Pine is a copycat. There has been a wildfire of rustlers since word of the Silent Owls spread. I would like to crush this little outburst of ego before it gets out of hand. However, with Tall Pine growing and being used as both a summer and winter attraction, I have my hands full. I need a deputy fast.”
Anna nodded. “Well, I don’t see any of my workers wanting to be deputized. Still, let me talk to Clark and see if we can come up with some names.”
Ben opened his mouth to speak, but not before he was interrupted by Clark Castle shouting, “Anna, they’re here!”
Anna nearly dropped her teacup as she jumped from her chair. Sheriff Ben chuckled and stood up.
“I heard Rose was returning.” He walked to the door, shaking Clark’s hand. “I’ll take my leave.”
“Stop by anytime, Ben.” Clark grinned. “We’re always pleased at your company.”
Ben promised and headed towards the stables. As he did, he saw a quaint carriage pulling up outside the rose covered gate. Clark had confided in him a year ago about the trouble Rose was having in her marriage, and he’d heard rumors she was returning before Clark himself had told Ben. Anyone who truly knew her would know it was not Rose to blame, no matter what the society pages said. Still, he could not help but cringe as he thought what her life would be like. The world was not always kind to women in any age or position.
That scoundrel Cade Walker, coming to Tall Pine with his swagger and pride. He was a good shot, though. Not only did Cade’s reputation proceed him throughout Colorado, but Ben remembered the rifle contest they’d had during the Autumn Festival. Cade had won without blinking an eye. He’d shot the target clean through, then followed with another shot, hitting in the exact same spot as before. Supposedly, he was quite the athlete as well, and Ben, like others, was grateful for his part in keeping a train track out of Tall Pine. God gives a man too much money, too much talent, and too much good looks—he is bound to lose all decency, Ben thought to himself.