The next morning I took Hank and Poppy out to the corrals and introduced them to the ten new horses. The two Morgan stallions danced around some, just to show who was in charge. But the lead mare nipped them and they settled down.
The lead mare took a ‘like’ to Poppy. The feeling, I could tell was mutual. I left them to get acquainted and went and seen to the 12 horse gooseneck trailer that we would take to Gardiner. The ranch had just bought a new Diesel 4 door, 1 ton pickup to pull it with. I filled it with fuel from our storage tank. Red seen me, and came over.
“So where are you going now?” He said, a bit truculently.
“Whoa, there old pard,” I said, “by the tone of your voice, you’re getting just a bit out of line. Would you like to tone it down a little?” I said…He swallowed, I could see the gears turning over in his head, he said.
“I’m sorry Clay, it’s just that we have been working our butts off, I guess I’m tired.”
“Right, I understand, if you need more hands, feel free to hire them. How are the Hoeffer boys working out?”
“Good, but I have to keep them separate, they argue so much with each other, that when they work together, it upsets the other hands.” Red said.
“Well, you know how sibling rivalry is. Anyway to answer your question, Faith and I are going to Gardiner, I’m going to buy some pack mules.” I said as I looked at Red, I could see those gears turning over again, he started to say something, but shut his mouth and walked away. I made a mental note to talk to Daisy. You see Daisy was my mother’s cousin, Red was just her husband. Blood is as blood does though….
I hitched the trailer to the pickup and drove over to the house. I went in the house to help with the packing. Faith already had most of it done, she was in our bedroom getting dressed.
She was standing there in her Bra and Panties. She was fixing a holster to her thigh to hold her small pistol. The holster had a sheath for a knife also, the knife was a stiletto. “Where did you get that?” I asked.
“From my Grandmother, when I was a little girl.” She said.
“A stiletto, that’s some what unusual, isn’t it? I haven’t seen it before.”
“I guess, to some it could be. But you see, my Grandmother came from Germany, she was, or is, I guess you could say, a Sinti Gypsy. She taught me how to use it.”
“How are you going to reach them through your jeans?” I asked.
“I’m not, I’m going to put on a skirt and blouse, I don’t need jeans to ride in the truck do I? Can’t I dress frilly once in awhile?” She said, as she put some long Gypsy ear rings in her ears. The skirt was colorful, along with a plain white blouse, she was a knockout.
“I didn’t know you were a Gypsy, but I like it. What’s Alita going to wear?”
“Jeans and tee shirt, what else? Plus Daisy made some moccasins for her, they’re cute. Do you mind changing her big girl diaper, then get her dressed will you? I have some sandwiches in the kitchen, that I want to put in the cooler.”
Alita was standing in her crib, watching us. I went over and took her out and laid her on the bed, I said, “When are you going to start using the potty?”
“Well,” She said back, “when are you going to help me do so. I can anytime you know. Everyone has been so busy, they don’t have time for me.”
I just couldn’t get used to her talking like a grown up, “Okay, young lady, how about right now, I’ll take you, and when you want to go from now on, just pull those pants down and go, how’s that?”
“Alright Daddy, but you have to set me on the toilet, I’m too small to get up there on my own, that is unless you make a step or something for me?”
“Yes, I can do that, when we get home from Montana.”
“Daddy, when are you going to get me a gun like Mommy’s?”
“Oh, I don’t think for awhile yet, you’re not even two years old yet, are you?”
“No, but soon. Will you get me one then?”
“We’ll see, I’ll have to ask Mommy, she’s the boss you know.” I said.
“No she’s not, well over me she is. But you’re the boss Daddy, you know that, don’t you?”
“Sweetheart, you just keep believing that, but I do have mommy’s permission to say that I am.” I said, as I lifted her off of the toilet.
Faith came back into the room, “What’s the hold up, you don’t even have her dressed.” She said.
“Alita says that she wants to use the toilet from now on, but that we have to start paying more attention to her, since she can’t get up there by herself.” I said.
“Yes, Daddy, and don’t forget to ask Mommy if I can have a gun like hers.” Alita said.
“What’s this, you want a gun like mine?” Well, not for awhile yet, but I do have a small stiletto like mine, but you have to be careful with it, it’s very sharp. And it’s only to be used as a last resort, to save a life.” Then Faith went to a drawer and took a small knife and sheath out, “I’ll put it in your diaper bag for now. When we get home I’ll spend some time showing you how to use it.”
“Mommy, I’m not going to need the diaper bag anymore, didn’t you hear, I want to use the toilet from now on.”
“Well, be that as it may, we’ll just take it along anyway, Okay?” Faith said.
“Alright, I’ll play like it’s my purse and keep my private things in there. Just like you do your purse.” Alita said.
“Honey, my purse isn’t all that private.”
“I heard Daddy say it was, he said that it was against the laws of nature for a man to get in a woman’s purse.”
“When did Daddy say that?”
“One time when we were still at Grandma’s house.” Alita said.
“Do you remember everything from long ago?” Faith asked.
“Yes, what do you want to know?” Alita said.
“Nothing right now, you just don’t tell other people, besides Mommy and Daddy anything that you may remember or see or hear, they are family secrets, Okay?” Faith said.
“What about Rosie, can I tell her?”
“Yes, Rosie is your sister, she is family.” I said.
“Alright, come you two, Rosie and Tiff have everything in the truck.” Faith said. We went downstairs. Rosie was a little misty eyed, she hadn’t been away from us since we first got her. I told her, “don’t worry, we won’t be gone long. I’m going to have the Hoeffer boys keep a close watch on the house, so if they seem to be hanging around a lot, that’s what their supposed to do. Don’t kill them, Okay?”
“Alright, as long as they know their place, I don’t want them peeking in our windows.” Rosie said.
It was almost lunch time, most of the hands were just coming in for lunch, I went over to the cook shack. I corralled Chip and Dale and told them what I wanted them to do. They were more than happy to do so. Turns out they had been eyeing Tiff, I told them to watch out for them, not to get too familiar. That Rosie might take exception and shoot their ears off. Dale said, “Yeah, that Rosie, she’s a pistol, sometimes I get a chill, when she levels her eyes at a person. We know our place, don’t worry.”
I pulled Red aside and told him as much, told him to give the boys chores close to home, so they could keep an eye on the house. “You mean I’m going to lose two more hands from the branding?”
“Yep, I guess so. Why don’t you go to town and hire some temporary hands, I am sure there are some cowboys who would like some day work. Pay them over the going wage. But make sure you know them, don’t hire any strangers, okay?” He said he would.
Rosie told us later when we got home, that they couldn’t go anywhere without those two brothers right on their heels. Even when they rode out to the drilling rigs, the boys would saddle their horses for them and never let them out of their sight. When she got on them about it, they told her that they were more scared of me, than her.
We finally got underway about one that afternoon. We headed over to Basin and then over to Cody, went north from there, till we got to the Sunlight Basin road, then up through the mountains to the Cooke City highway. Then into the Park, we always called Yellowstone National Park, just the Park. Then over to Mammoth and then the few miles out the North Gate to Gardiner. We got a room at the Best Western, they had a place we could park our horse trailer. From there we went to the Town Café for supper. A lot of the locals ate there. Didn’t take me long to find out about some mules; turns out one of the Outfitters up the North Fork, out of Jardine, had some mules for sale. I got his cell phone number and gave him a call. Told him I would buy twelve of them if he had that many. He did, I made arrangements to meet him there in the morning.
I had got the Honeymoon sweet at the Best Western, it had a heart shaped hot tub and a heart shaped bed. But what I liked best, it had a separate room for Alita. Alita liked that hot tub. We didn’t let her stay in it very long, about five minutes. It’s not too good for little kids. The hot water made her sleepy though, she went right to sleep when we put her to bed. You can bet that Faith and I did not go right to sleep though….
The next morning it was raining a light mist, the clouds were hanging low. We went to the restaurant right here at the Motel. There were a few tourists already eating. We sat by the wood fireplace, the warmth felt good.
While we were waiting for our food, I used my cell phone to call the Brand Inspector and a local vet. When you hauled stock over the state line, you had to have a current brand inspection and a clean bill of health for the livestock. I made arrangements to meet them both at the local fair grounds after I got down the road from Jardine.
Faith had hiked her skirt up a little bit, to let the heat in better. The bottom part of her holster was showing, just a tad bit. There was a little girl of eight or ten watching us. She had leaned over to her mother and whispered something, the woman looked at Faith and got up and came over to our table.
“Would you mind pulling your skirt down just a little, your gun holster is showing, my daughter was wondering what it was. I’m a Detective from Los Angeles, I knew what it was. I also seen the tip of the stiletto, I am a Gypsy also, I knew right away you were one too. My name is Mary Jane Hunter.” She said, as she held her hand out to Faith. Faith took it and shook it. Faith told her our names. While they were talking Faith had pulled her skirt down to cover her thighs.
Anyway, they hit it off. Her and her daughter were traveling alone. We pulled up a couple of more chairs so they could set with us.
“So Mary Jane,” I said, “are you on vacation or what?”
“Well, sort of. My husband was a police officer and he got killed in a shoot out.”
“Oh, we’re so sorry!” Faith said, holding her hands.
I was looking into her past, she glanced up sharply, looking at me. “You, you’re one of them aren’t you?” She said to me.
Faith said, “One of whom, my dear?” as she glanced back and forth between Mary Jane and me.
“Your husband, he’s been there and back hasn’t he?”
“Been where?” Faith asked.
“He’s been dead and then came back, he can see places that most people cannot. I know, because so have I.”
“Well, he’s been shot and in a coma for six months. Plus he blanks out every now and then. So I guess you could say that he’s been there and back. You say that you’ve been there also?”
“Yes, three years ago, I was shot in the head, but my coma only lasted for three months and I don’t blank out, I’m fine now. But for awhile I was having all kinds of hallucinations. Did you have them?”
I looked at Faith, she nodded, “Yes, but mine are more than figments of my imagination. They are just as real as we are talking right now. What were yours about,” I asked.
“The future mostly, ghastly stuff, I don’t even like to think about them. Yours, what were they about?” She asked.
“Some of the same. What’s your daughter’s name again, I’m afraid I didn’t quite catch it?” I said, just to change the subject.
“Iris, I’ve always liked Iris’s, so when she came along I named her that. Hunter is my maiden name, I went back to it, when John got killed. I hate LA, we sold everything, including our old car, we just rented this one. We are just sort of driving aimlessly, just stopping here and there.” She said, still looking at me.
Damn, I could get right in her mind, but she couldn’t quite get in mine. They were like lost souls, hunting for a home. Alita looked at me, then said, “Mary Jane, can Iris take me over to the curio shop, I would like to look at the souvenirs.”
Mary Jane gasped, “What? What was that?” Faith spoke up, “Oh, I’m sorry, she’s somewhat of a prodigy. She surprises us also.”
Mary Jane said, “Let me take her over there, Iris can come too, I want to talk to her some more.” Mary Jane picked Alita up and the three of them went to the curio counter.
I said to Faith, “I can get in her mind. They are sort of lost souls, what do you say, do you want to help them?”
“Help them, how?”
“Well, they could come with us, being that she is a Gypsy too, she didn’t say what kind, Sinti or Roma though did she?” I said.
“How do you know there are two different kinds?” Faith said.
“You told me, didn’t you?”
“No, have you been in my mind?”
“Well, aren’t I always, we are one flesh, you know.”
“Yes, I want to help them, while you go get your mules, I’ll talk to them.” Faith said. With that, they came back to the table.
“My but Alita is smart, did you know she knows her alphabet?” Mary Jane said.
“No, not really, but it doesn’t surprise me, our other daughter Rosie, has been teaching her all kinds of things. I wouldn’t be surprised if she knew how to read.” Faith said.
“She does, she knows how to read,” Iris said. “she was reading labels to me.”
“Well, that’s good, Iris.” I said, “Since we are done eating, I’m going to go get some mules that I have bought. Perhaps, Mary Jane, you and Iris would like to go back to our room, where you and Faith can get better acquainted?”
“Yes, I would like that. Being that we are both Sinti Gypsy’s.” Mary Jane said. “How did you know I was a Sinti?” Faith said.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Didn’t you tell me? Or did I just assume as much?”
“It seems that all of us have more in common than we realize.” I said.
When I went out to my truck, I heard a rustling in the back, my pistol came into my hand of its own volition. Sticking its head out from under the tool box was a Border Collie pup, about six months old. He whined at me. “Well boy, where did you come from? Are you hungry?” I knew he was, I remembered that lunch that Faith had packed, we hadn’t eaten any of it, it was in the cooler in the back seat. I reached in and got a couple of liverwurst sandwiches, they were a favorite of mine, the dog liked them too. He was a little wet, so I got some rags out of the toolbox, and dried him off, then I let him jump in the front seat with me. Of course he smelled like a wet dog, but that was Okay with me.
The road up to Jardine was paved, I was glad of that, cause the first part of it was sort of steep. The town of Jardine used to be an old gold mine, the buildings were right up to the road. The outfitters place was about a mile further, at the end of the road. He met me at the gate.
I asked him how things were going, he said, “How do you think? Those damn wolves are going to bankrupt me. I have about thirty head of mules, I don’t need that many anymore. How many did you say you needed?”
“Twelve, that’s all. Can I take my pick?”
“Sure, I saved the ones I’m going to keep, they’re in a different corral. Just take your pick out of the bunch over there.” He said, gesturing to a corral with a stream running through it.
Dog and I, ambled over to it. The mules turned to face me. The outfitter called after me, “Watch out, some of them are right down mean.” I crawled through the rails, they watched me with their ears in the alert position. I walked among them, silently talking to them, “so who wants to go with me, it’ll be an easy life,” I said. I got a question in return, “how many do you want?” they asked.
“Twelve,” I said. They put their heads together, then twelve of them walked toward me. That left two of them. I heard another question, “are you sure you can’t take all of us?”
“Well,” I said, “yeah, probably could, it might be a little tight, is that okay with all of you?” They nodded their heads. “Okay then, just follow Dog and me, we’ll load you up, we have to stop at the brand inspector and the vet has to check you over.” I said, silently….
“I thought you wanted twelve, not fourteen?” The outfitter said. “Do you have a certified check?” He asked.
“How about cash, is that good enough?” I said. I counted out 57,000 in cash, “three thousand apiece, is that right?” I said. He was licking his lips, “I’ll need a bill of sale on each one.” I said.
“Sure,” come to the house, I have them all made out, all I have to do is sign them.”
“Why don’t you go get them as Dog and I load them up, how’s that?” He went to get them.
As they got in the trailer, I assessed their overall health, I asked each one how they were as they jumped in. They were all fine, except for a few aches and pains and scratches. When he got back I took the papers and looked them over, then handed him the money.
As we headed down the mountain, I asked Dog, “did any of them seem mean to you?”
He went “Arf, Arf,” I said, “you’re going to have to speak English, I don’t speak dog.” He gave me a big smile. “Well Okay then, we’ll work on that.” I said.
I drove to the fair grounds, it was small, but they had a good Rodeo every spring, it was big enough. The Brand Inspector and the Vet, met me there. All I had to do was open the trailer rear door and they backed out on their own. I paid extra for a permanent brand inspection on all fourteen head. They all checked out, vet wise. I paid the vet his fee. “Can I leave them here till I get my family, we might want to stay another day, would that be Okay?” I asked the Brand Inspector.
“Sure, they’ll be alright here, there’s hay and water, we won’t even charge you for it.”
I went around to all of the mules, telling them to just rest and take it easy, that we’ll leave in the morning. Dog followed my every step. When I got back to the Motel, they were all gathered in our room.
Faith and Mary Jane were setting there sipping coffee in their bras and panties. “Uh, what’s going on?” I said.
“We were comparing our sheaths, you know for our stilettos. Look at the bra Mary Jane gave me.” Faith stood up and walked over to me. There were two handles sticking out each side of the bra, where the under wire should be. “Isn’t it neat, now I can carry them even when I wear jeans.”
“Uh, yeah, but what about?” I gestured to the neither regions. “Oh, we were trying on each other’s thigh holsters. Clothes just get in the way.”
“You don’t mind that Mary Jane is standing there in a thong. Do you?” Faith said.
“No, I don’t, that is if you don’t?” I said.
“Honey, we’re both Sinti Gypsy’s, we’re sisters in the hood, you might say. We look at nudity different than some people.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” I said, Mary Jane spoke up, “If it makes you uncomfortable, we can put clothes on?”
“Well perhaps. But no, don’t. I’m not so shallow that lack of clothes will turn me into a raving sex maniac.” I said, as I did my best not to look at Mary Jane. “But to get back to what’s important, did you two talk?”
“Yes, we did. Mary Jane and Iris do not want to go back to LA, they would like to go with us. Did you get the Mules alright?”
“Yes, they’re at the fair grounds, uh, there is someone else I’d like to introduce you guys to.” I opened the door, Dog came into the room and sat looking at everybody. He gave a small bark, Iris and Alita were in the other bedroom, they came running. All four of them were gushing all over him.
“What’s his name?” Iris asked. “I haven’t given him one. How would you and Alita like to pick one together? You two talk it over and come to one mind, then tell us what it will be.”
They and Dog went into the other bedroom. I said, “Well then, what about your rental car, can you turn it in here?”
“I think they have a rental office at the Hotel in Mammoth. I can turn it in there.” Mary Jane said.
“Good, that’s on our way. We have enough room in our truck for everyone and their luggage. It’s almost lunch time, we have enough lunch in our cooler that we forgot about, I’ll go get the cooler and we can eat lunch right here.” I said. I went to do just that. When I got back, the women were in the hot tub. I took some lunch into the children and the dog.
“Are you going to join us Honey?” Faith said. I looked at them. “I will if I can leave my shorts on.” I said.
“I guess so, it’s usually not done, but for you we’ll make an exception.” Faith said.
I skinned out of my clothes and made sure I kept Faith between Mary Jane and me. As I settled into the water, I noticed that both Faith and Mary Jane were equally endowed, as they endowments were floating on top of the water.
I said, “This really doesn’t bother you two, being naked in front of me?”
“No, of course not. Like I told you, we both think a little differently than you. We were raised that way.” Faith said.
“Alright, I won’t mention it again. Mary Jane, you said that your husband was killed, how did that happen?”
“He was one of a team who was investigating a porn film outfit, that was somehow connected to the price fixing in the oil industry. He was killed from ambush by a single rifle shot, they never did find out who did it. But I think I know who was behind it.” Mary Jane said.
I looked at Faith, she made a sharp intake of her breath. Mary Jane said, “What? Did that ring a bell or something?”
“Yes,” I said, “have you ever heard of a man named Dipper Tick?”
It was her turn to be surprised, “Yes, how did you know about him?”
“It was him that was behind Clay getting shot and spending six months in a coma. Plus we had run ins with him in New Mexico. Clay could of killed him just a week or so ago. Instead he just broke his arm and severed some tendons in his right arm with his knife. We just heard he made bail while waiting for trial.”
“Damn, I was sure he was behind me getting shot, also.” Mary Jane said, with great agitation, she stood up and stepping out she started pacing around the room. “Where is he? I would enjoy killing him slowly.”
I jerked my head toward Mary Jane, signaling Faith, Faith stood up and grabbed a towel and put it around Mary Jane’s shoulders. I said, “That doesn’t help much, it’s her bottom I was talking about.” Faith stuck her tongue out at me, and took the towel from Mary Jane’s shoulder. Then she gave me a look that said, how do you like that now?
Crap, I couldn’t win for losing. I stood up. What I didn’t know was those new silk boxer shorts that Faith had bought me, were clingers. I got up and went and got me a beer from the fridge. I turned to look at them, they were both staring at me. “What?” I said.
“Those white silk boxers, leave nothing to the imagination, you might just as well take them off.” Faith said.
I looked down, I bent and took them off and threw them at my wife, they landed on her head. Then I ran for the bathroom. I heard them laughing like mad. I got in the shower, just to cool off.
When I came out of the bathroom, they were both dressed, Mary Jane said, “We’re sorry for teasing you, are you mad at us?”
“No, of course not. I’m just not used to your openness. Don’t worry about me, I’ll get used to it. I love my wife very much and would never cheat on her.” I said.
“And you had better not, or you will get shot somewhere else, a lot lower.” Faith said. I finished getting dressed. I showed Mary Jane my knife, she had never seen one like it. I told her about the Tinker. She said, “I wonder if he was a Gypsy?”
“I don’t know, could have been. He was dressed funny. He sure knew his business. Say, does Iris have knives also?”
“Yes, of course. I taught her a long time ago. She’s pretty good.” Mary Jane said.
“Faith just gave Alita her first ones, they’re in her diaper bag.”
“I wondered why she always kept it closed, she’s going to be a good one.” Mary Jane said.
“One what?” I asked.
“A Gypsy, of course.”
“Oh, I thought you meant like an assassin.” I said.
“We can all do that, but that isn’t what we are.” Faith said.
I went to the cooler and got some sandwiches out, then to the fridge and got three beers out and opened them. We three sat around the table and ate lunch. The kids and the dog came out and joined us.
“Have you seen any of the park yet?” I asked Mary Jane.
“No, we just got here this morning we didn’t even get a room yet.”
“Well now you don’t need to, you can stay with us.” Faith said, then turning to me she said, “And as far as the Park goes, I’ve only seen it from the Cooke City gate to here. Can we go in the Park this afternoon?”
“Yeah, of course we can. We have to turn in Mary Jane’s car at Mammoth anyway. It won’t hurt us to play tourist for awhile.” I said.
We all trooped out to the truck, Mary Jane got in the back seat with Alita in her car seat in the middle of the back seat and Iris on the other side. Dog got in the front seat between Faith and I. I said to the kids in the back, “have you thought of a name for the dog yet?”
“No,” Iris said, “we want it to be a good one, not just a run of the mill name like Rover or something.”
“Alright, you both keep thinking. He answers to Dog, in the meantime.”
Mary Jane spoke up, “Oh, we almost forgot, my car, we have to take it to Mammoth. It’s setting in the upper parking lot by the Café.” I started the truck and pulled into the other lot. Mary Jane got out with her keys in her hand. She was about to open the door, when I yelled at her- “Stop! Don’t touch the car!” She stopped in mid-stride.
I got out and went around the truck, the hood on her car wasn’t quite closed all of the way. I told Mary Jane to get back in the truck and said to Faith, “Pull the truck away from here.” “What are you doing?” Faith said.
“The hood’s not closed all of the way, either someone swiped the battery or something else is going on. Just in case, pull over there a ways.” She did so….
I opened the hood, slowly. The first place I looked was the battery. There was a wire running from the positive post down under the firewall and disappeared under the car. And it wasn’t original equipment on this model. I got down and looked under the car. Sure enough, there was a home made explosive device strapped to the frame. It had another wire going up through the body under the dash. I bet it was hooked to the ignition switch. I stood back up and disconnected the wire from the battery.
I stood there thinking, that hood being cracked open like that was a mistake only an amateur would make. Now if I was doing it, that’s what I would do, leave a glaring clue, so a dummy would think he had it disarmed. In this case, whoever did this thought I was the dummy. They weren’t necessarily after Mary Jane, they were after me.
They must be watching right now, they knew I would spot it. And when I thought it was disarmed and got in the car, maybe just opening the door would set it off? I didn’t know for sure. I wasn’t a demolition expert.
I took out my cell phone and called the Brand Inspector, I bet he would know if there was a bomb expert around here. Turned out a friend of his had just got back from Iraq. He had spent his time over there defusing road side bombs. He was here in ten minutes.
He said as he stepped out of his jeep. “Having a problem are we?”
“Yeah, somewhat. Someone either wants Mary Jane dead or me dead, I think it was me.” He looked everything over.
“Yep, it was set to kill whoever thought they had it disarmed.” He jerked a few wires loose here and there, then slid under the edge of the car and took the bomb out. He laid it on the hood and took the outside wrapping off, “Wow! C-4, this is really uptown stuff. They were professionals alright.”
“Yeah, I suspected as much. How much do I owe you for saving my life?”
“Nothing, I suppose I had better tell the FBI about this, maybe even Home Land Security. Are you staying here at the Motel?”
“Yeah, do you think we can turn this car in to the rental agency?”
“Nope, I wouldn’t even touch it; anymore than we have. They’ll probably go over it with a fine tooth comb. I’ll call them for you, what’s your name?”
“Clay Bronson, the woman who rented this car is Mary Jane Hunter, from LA. We’re all staying in room 204. But we’re going to the Park this afternoon, we’ll be back before dark.” He shook my hand and said, “My names Pete Frank, I was raised around here, see you when you get back.”
I got back in the truck and told the women, “Looks like we’ll probably have to stay not only tonight, but maybe longer. Pete Frank, the guy who dismantled the bomb, said he’d have to call the FBI. So let’s just play the tourist and enjoy ourselves, Okay?”
Mary Jane looked over her shoulder at Pete, “He’s cute, did he say whether he’s married or not?”
“Nope, he didn’t. But he said he would see us when we got back. If you can contain yourself that long.” I said. She looked at me and stuck her tongue at me. Then she added, “I want to thank you Clay for saving our lives. We could have been killed if you hadn’t noticed that hood.”
“Oh, they weren’t after you per se, they were after me, I’m pretty sure it was Dipper Tick.”
“What makes you think he doesn’t want me dead too?” Mary Jane said.
“Why? You’re not working that case anymore, but he has a score to settle with me. No, I’m pretty sure you would have been just collateral damage. He left that hood cracked on purpose, he knew I would see it.”
We had been driving while we were talking, I pulled up to the entrance gate and showed them the annual pass that I had purchased at the North East gate. They waved us on thru. We stopped at the General Store at Mammoth and got some ice cream cones. Then drove up the hill toward Norris. At Mammoth there must have been 50 or 60 head of Elk grazing on the lawns. Alita said, “Can we ride them like Horses?”
“No sweetheart, we can’t.” Faith said, “They are wild, not tame like horses.”
“Not even if we asked them?” Alita said.
“No, not even then. Why don’t you count the number of Bison and Elk that you see along the road?
“Alright Daddy, how many are there?” Alita said.
“Well, I don’t know for sure, but I will after you count them.” I said. We spent the rest of the day just sight seeing. This was the first time either one of the women had been to the park. Of course I spent a lot of time here as a kid.
When we got back to the Motel, guess who was waiting for us? That’s right Harry Silver, my personal FBI agent. They were still processing the rental car when we pulled up. Pete Frank was still there.
I got out of the pickup, “Well Harry, how did you get here so fast?”
“They have a small airport here, I brought a helicopter. Who do you think did this?” He said.
“Well, the car belongs to Mary Jane Hunter, turns out she has had run-ins with our old friend Dipper Tick, but I suppose Pete here has told you how I think it was a trap for me. And if it didn’t get me, at least it would get Mary Jane. Mary Jane had come over and was listening. Harry looked at her and said, “Is that right Miss?”
“Yes, pretty much. If it wasn’t for Clay being very observant, me and my daughter would be part of the scenery around here.”
“Harry has any of your agents asked around, did anybody see who messed with this car?” I asked.
“Yes, of course. Turns out a couple of guys were seen, one of them had his right arm in a sling. I have an APB out on Dipper. Even if he was just here and didn’t do anything, he has violated his bail, he was supposed to stay away from you.”
“Well, I’ve always given a rattler an opportunity to pull in his fangs and run. But I guess next time, I won’t.” I said.
“I didn’t hear that. It seems the older I get, the less I hear.” Harry said.
All of this time Pete Frank and Mary Jane had been giving sideways glances at each other. “Well,” I said, “it’s supper time. Do you want to join us for dinner, Harry?”
“No, I’ve got some calls to make, maybe later.” He said. I turned to Pete, “Well Pete, I guess that leaves you, I owe you the biggest steak that you can hold. How about it?”
“Sure, I would be glad to.” He said, talking to me but looking at Mary Jane. She smiled at him. That made him beam. They both walked into the restaurant, together. Faith was standing there with Alita on her hip, and Iris holding her hand on the other side. I took Alita. Iris looked up at Faith and said, “Mom forgot me.”
“No she didn’t, she knew you was with us, don’t worry.” Faith said, as she still held Iris’ hand as they walked in the Café, in front of Alita and I.
They found a table for us that would seat six. I made sure that Mary Jane and Pete didn’t set beside each other. They both gave me a dirty look. Why did I do that? Maybe because Mary Jane did walk off without thinking about Iris? Or maybe just because I was ornery at times. Faith had told me that at times I had a mean streak. I didn’t think I did, but just maybe I do.
Faith kicked me under the table. She jerked her head toward Mary Jane. I knew what she meant. “Okay, okay. Trade seats with me Pete. It seems my wife wants to let you set beside Mary Jane. She thinks I’m some kind of big meanie, or something.”
Iris cleared her throat and said, “I don’t think you are, Uncle Clay, I think you’re nice.” Then she looked at her mother….
Mary Jane looked at Pete, then said, “I don’t know what everybody is so upset about. Yes, I was, or am, interested in Pete. As I can see that he is in me. We seem to be attracted to each other. But we’re not going to fall all over each other. I have a Master’s Degree, and I think I’m smart enough to control my feelings.”
“Being smart, Mother, has nothing to do with feelings. Anyway that was what you told me last year.” Iris said. Mary Jane looked down at her hands, than sideways at Pete, then she said, “Yes Dear, I did tell you that, and you’re right. Sometimes the smartest people are quite dumb. Thank you, for bringing me down to the ground.”
“Look Mary Jane, there is nothing wrong in love at first sight, that was how Faith and I fell in love. She was sound asleep in bed when I first seen her. I knew right away that this was the one. I was just being a jerk.” I said.
Pete took Mary Jane’s hand, “I felt the same the second I seen you, but I know we have to get to know each other. And also Iris and I need to get acquainted. I live here, but you don’t. Are you going home, or what are your plans?”
Mary Jane looked at Faith and I. Faith spoke up, “They are going with us, to the Big Horn Basin. Are you working here, or what?” She said to Pete.
“No, I just got back last month, I’ve sort of been just hanging loose, spending my mustering out money.” Pete said.
“Then you’re completely out of the service?” I said.
“Yep, footloose and fancy free, that’s me.”
“Well then, perhaps you would like a job? I know that Dipper Tick won’t stop till one of us is dead, you might come in pretty handy.”
“Sure, what would I be doing?”
“Can you ride? Do you know cattle? Can you fix fence? How are you with a hammer and saw? In other words are you a hand?” I said.
“Yes, I’m pretty handy, I’d do most anything to stay close to Mary Jane and Iris.”
“Okay then, you’re hired. The first thing I want you to do is, after supper, go over to the fair grounds and check on the mules, make sure they have feed and water. Okay?”
“Sure, no problem. When do you plan on leaving for home?”
“I don’t know for sure, but hopefully tomorrow or the next day, can you get your affairs in order that quick?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I’ll try.” Pete said. While talking to me, but looking at Mary Jane.
We got our food and the conversation lapsed, first things first, you know. We were just finishing up when Harry Silver came in. He wanted to talk to me. I paid our bill and left a generous tip, after all it’s no easy task waiting on a table of six people. Pete left to check on the mules, said he would see us in the morning. The women went to our room. Harry and I, went outside, where we could talk without anyone hearing.
“Clay, we finished up on the car, like I told you. But I also wanted to let you know that I did a quick background check on Pete Frank and Mary Jane Hunter. And before you split a gut, it’s just routine in a national security case, like any bomb related cases are anymore. But anyway, Pete checks out alright, so far he is what he says he is. As to Mary Jane, she also is. But have you ever heard of the Carmel Foundation?”
“Yeah, I think I have. It’s some kind of a philanthropist organization, they give scholarships and stuff don’t they?”
“Yes, and a lot more. Their net worth is probably more than the U.S. Government. They have bases all over the world on every continent. They are top secret conclaves. The founder of them is one ‘Wolf Hunter’. That’s his name, plus maybe his vocation. He’s in his late eighties now. His wife’s maiden name was Carmel. She was a Sinti Gypsy. They met in Germany at the end of world war two. The rumor is that they found Hitler’s hidden wealth. That’s just the rumor, no one has ever known for sure. But I’m getting away from my point. Mary Jane Hunter, is a Great Grand Daughter to them. Now I’m going to tell you one more thing, I’m not prying it just came up on the research on Mary Jane. Your wife, she is a cousin to Mary Jane. Did you know that?”
“No, I did not. I don’t think Faith did either. They aren’t in any kind of trouble are they?” I said.
“No, heavens no. I just wanted you to know. Even if they were, we have a hands off policy on the Carmel Foundation. They help us out all of the time. If the FBI needs anything and we can’t get it from our government, the foundation helps us.” Harry said.
“You say they have bases all over, where is the closest one?”
“In Central Montana, up close to Lewistown. On Hunter’s ancestral ranch.”
“Fine, so we can return that car tomorrow?” Harry nodded, then left.