2
Zach loved being on the tractor. He supposed that someday the joy of owning and working with it, might diminish, but right now he was having a blast. He glanced up, seeing something out of the corner of his eye, and paused in turning the big monster around. Zach had nearly three more acres to plow before he could call it a night. Turning off the motor when Darin came toward him, he didn’t bother getting down.
“Aunt Georgie said to tell you that you have to eat sometime.” Darin tossed a heavy bag at him. “There’s water in there too. And so you know, I ate two of the cookies she sent you. Think of it as payment for coming out here.”
Zach took out the thick sandwich and bit into it after getting it unwrapped. He was hungry and had really forgotten, again, to bring him out something to eat. The water was cold too, and felt good going down. When he polished off half the sandwich, he asked Darin what else was going on.
“Nothing. Not much anyhow. I did have some news for you on the permits, but I think you know.” Zach said that Ed had been out earlier. “Yeah, thought so. Also, Emma is working on some sting shit that has to do with her office. It’s going to go on a little longer than we had thought. Her and Palmer are working up some kind of thing to get some answers.”
“So long as she keeps safe, I don’t care. That person, Beth, her assistant, she called the house this morning, asking me for money and telling me again that I’m not playing ball with the rest of them. I just let her go on about how I was really losing out by not doing what needed to be done in the first place.” Darin asked him what that meant. “I asked her. She said that I’d learn to play by the rules sooner or later, and she wasn’t into learning curves with me. Also, she told me again that so long as I’m using outside contractors, I am never going to get the permits to finish off Child Like. I think she’s off her rocker.”
Zach handed the cookies to his brother. He’d been eating less sweets lately, not for any reason other than he was trying to watch what he consumed. He could have used the extra calories, he supposed. Working like he was, he was burning more than he was taking in. Darin, of course, simply ate them all without a thought.
“Logan and Charlie aren’t due back from their honeymoon for another week. And Emma is going to go away for a few days too, by the way. A buddy of hers from her childhood has been hurt pretty badly. Her dad, Randall Porter, asked her to come visit him if she could. Do you remember Porter any?” Zach said that he’d heard the name, but no, he’d not met him. “I remember him being around. The only reason we have that nice football stadium at the high school is because of him. And he put in that really nice playground set at the nursery school despite the fact that he has one at his own company. Keeps them both maintained too, I guess.”
“This is his kid then?” Darin nodded. “What happened, do you know? Or has she just broken a nail and needs moral support from another woman?”
The moment the words left his mouth, he wanted to take them back. From the look on his brother’s face, he knew it was bad. And when Darin turned his back to him for a moment, Zach told him he was sorry, it’s just that he’d been so busy of late.
“I know. But I’m glad I told you about this and not Emma. This woman, she’s like her sister without there being blood, you know what I mean?” Zach said that he did. “It’s been all over the news. I’m assuming that you still don’t have a television. A grade school blew up. I mean, from the looks of it, it was a huge fucking bomb. There is a crater now that you could park this sucker in and have plenty of room left over.”
“She was in there?” Darin said that she’d been home, but they thought that her being hurt was connected somehow. “Christ. How bad is it? I mean, she’s going to make it, right?”
“They’re holding out hope that she will. Her name is Tisha. But anyway, she’d been stabbed like fifty times. Shot. Beaten, and then a blunt object, they think perhaps a sledgehammer, was used too. Whoever did this to her, they wanted her to suffer badly.” Zach felt his cat stir over his skin. Women, all of them, were to be taken care of. “Emma leaves in the morning. And she’s taking Emily with her. Mason is going to stay behind until the last of the steer are sold off, then he’ll join her. He’s asked Jace and me to keep an eye on the ranch for him, as well as a few other things. You’ll help out too, right?”
“You know I will. This thing with Child, it’s driving me crazy not to be able to get it finished up. I think some of the men have been going in late and working on it. Nothing where you could see it from the outside, but the interior is looking pretty good.” Darin asked him how the house was doing. “That’s on hold for the moment. Not that it’s bothering Beth, but I need to be there to pick out some carpet and stuff, and I’ve not been able to be there when the foreman is. I’ll get it done eventually.”
Darin left him a bit later. He asked him about the grain and how much longer it would be before it was ready to be taken into the barns, and Zach told him soon. He really wasn’t sure right now. He was still learning. And when his foreman for the fields came out of the barn as he was pulling into it, he asked Billy Taggert the same thing.
“Corn can be used now should you want, but I’d put it in the dryer for a few weeks if you can. Horses and cattle both, they might like it better when it’s damp, but they’re not used to it and might get a belly ache from it. The hay, as you know, needs a few more weeks. While it’s mature now, we want to give it as much time as we can on the stalk to dry out. That way we don’t have any mold issues.” Zach had known this, but it was nice to confirm what he thought. “You’re doing a right fine job there, Zach. You keep this up and in a few more months, you won’t need me.”
“That isn’t even funny. You leave and I’m done.” They both laughed. “Did I tell you that I’m renting some land from Mason? He got those squatters off, and he is giving me a good deal on it to keep the land busy.” Billy said that they might consider another tractor. “Yeah, I’m thinking on that too. But damn, this one nearly took me under. What with the house and stuff with it, I’m not making it too well until the grain is ready.”
“You’ll be doing fine in a couple of years. By then you’ll have the land turned for the first time, and most of this tractor paid off. Buying another one, it’s gonna save you much time in the long run, because two people working them can get you done twice as fast.” It sounded obvious, but Zach knew that he meant that while one of them was plowing or whatever, the other could be readying the ground for the next planting. “You think on it. You got yourself a good deal on this one, and I’m betting the bank won’t have any trouble lending you the money for the second one.”
Going into his house, Zach tried not to think about how broke he was. He had the money in his account for Child Like from his brothers, and donations for the new building downtown, but that wasn’t marked for this business, the farm. He was doing his damnedest to keep the money and what it was for as far apart as he could get them. He didn’t want to get into a situation where he was borrowing from one account to pay the other.
To this day, he thought of that every time he thought he needed something. He left the money alone, never taking from one account to fill the need of the other ventures he had going on.
Dinner was a bunch of leftovers. All his brothers were married now, and Zach was always getting the remainders of this or that. Just two weeks ago, Holly, his sister-in-law, had brought a large casserole and some sealed up desserts. He pulled that from the fridge to reheat as he found the cold cuts that Susie had given him and homemade bread that Charlie had sent. He was having a feast tonight. But when someone knocked at his door just as he was sitting down, he was both glad and disappointed to see Landon there. The man would talk a person’s arm off if he had the chance, and Zach was too tired to listen.
“I figured you’d be heating that dinner up again. Boy, you ever get anything fresh to eat?” Landon handed him a sealed bag of steaks in a dark marinade. “You go and put them on the grill now whilst I get rid of some of this mess. Damn it, boy, that casserole is nearly a week old. Time to toss it, if you ask me.”
“I didn’t. And it’s two weeks old. Holly sent it over to me.” He fired up the grill and talked to Landon while it got hot. “I don’t have a lot of time to be cooking. I’ve about got things ready to go, and slacking now would cost me. Besides, it’s not too bad if I put a lot of catsup on it.”
“You ain’t never slacked at nothing in your life. And that crap don’t fix nothing, just buries the taste a bit.” Zach tossed both steaks on the grill and realized that it had been awhile since he’d had a freshly cooked meal. Landon sat down on the deck chair that Zach had gotten from some estate sale and pulled out some papers. “I got me a proposition for you. Won’t cost you but a little time, and I sure could use the company.”
“Whatever it is, you know that I’d do it for you.” Landon nodded, but didn’t say anything else. “I heard that you’ve been house hunting. Are you having any luck with that?”
“Yeah. A little. Got my eye on this here place, but I’ve been told that it needs some work. Wasn’t really thinking that I’d like to buy me a fixer upper at my age, but I’m thinking that I can find me a few guys to do that heavy work. That’s what I’m here for.” The steaks were done and Zach took them into the house. The picnic basket that he’d not noticed before was open now, and there were all kinds of delights to eat with the meat. “My Katie, she went by that new store there on Main and picked up some of their sides, seeing if they might be fit to eat for her shing-ding she’s having later in the summer. We had us a couple of bites of some, but she was hoping that you’d tell her about these here.”
“Sure.” As he dished up the steaks, Landon got them some water glasses filled with ice. There was always a pitcher of water in the fridge, and he wasn’t surprised when Landon pulled it out too. As the two of them sat down, Zach got them several spoons to do the tasting. “What sort of house is it you’re looking at?”
“Katie, she’s thinking small. I told her with the way you all are having babies, we’d need more than just us a bedroom and one spare. I don’t care for that noodle crap, do you?” Zach tasted it and said it was too picklely for his taste. “So now we’ve changed our tune and we’re looking for something a little bigger. Maybe a few more bedrooms and a bigger yard. You try that bean stuff, and I’ll work on these here deviled eggs.”
The conversation wasn’t difficult to keep up with. Landon had been around them all enough that they knew how to understand the way his mind worked. So each time he asked him a question, then talked about the food, Zach easily answered him.
“The beans have sausage in them. I’m not sure I care for that. There is the pack lawn service that you could use for the yard, you know. Some of the high school kids are going to try and use it each summer to build up money for their senior trips.” Landon asked him to get him information. “I will. What about the eggs? Keeper?”
“I like my Katie’s better, but these will do in a pinch. You try them, tell me what you think.” Zach ate one of them and said they were okay. But he did like the cole slaw…both of them did, as a matter of fact. “This here thing, what is that?”
“I think it’s called bacon broccoli salad.” Landon asked him if he was kidding. “No. I saw it on a menu once but didn’t try it.”
“Waste of good bacon if you ask me.” Landon laughed. “Why would someone in their right mind want to go mixing broccoli, of all things, with bacon? Boggles the mind, I tell you, just boggles the mind.”
He knew that eventually Landon would get back to the reason he was here. With his brother leaving, Zach was pretty sure that Landon would be over a little more. The man was a hoot as far as he was concerned, and Zach owed him more than he’d ever be able to pay back in friendship and kindness.
“I got me an eye on this house in town. Not in the best of shape, mind, but it’s a big old mansion of a place that I’d like to be in for a spell.” Zach asked him how much he’d paid for it. After a glare then a smile, Landon laughed. “We’ve been hanging out too much, I’m thinking. Yes, I bought it. Got it for a song and dance too. Needs some work on it. I had me this friend go over the foundation and all, and he said it’s built solid. I’m needing a crew to come on in and pretty it up before I show it to my Katie. If that’s what I end up doing with it. I got me an idea that I wanna run by you on that too.”
“The crew I’ve been working with is Paddy’s men. They’re certified, most of them are anyway, and they do a good job. You should hire them.” Landon nodded. “What else? As you said, I’ve been hanging around you enough to know when there’s more to it than just you needing a renovation on a house.”
“Want some pie? I’d like to get some pie.” Landon stood up and started for the door. Zach followed, not sure what was going on, but again, figured they’d get to it. As they got in Landon’s truck, Zach driving, he was worried about the old man. He loved him to pieces, but lately he seemed sort of distracted. “I think we’ll head on over to the house when we’ve had us some pie.”
The drive was made mostly in silence. Landon would say something that didn’t require any kind of feedback from him, but he did try. Finally, they both gave up and parked in front of the diner. The sign out front proclaimed they had hot coffee and fresh pie. When Landon got out, he did as well. But instead of going in the diner, they moved down Main Street.
“This house, it’s got all kinds of character.” If it was the one they were standing in, Zach could see it was indeed a beauty. “I don’t need the money, you see. I just have to have me something to do. A place I can putter around in and feel like I’ve done something that day.”
“I’m sure that Mason loves having you around the ranch, Landon. If not, you can come on over and help me out. I’d even let you drive the tractor.” Landon’s excitement was there briefly, then gone, replaced by a profound sadness. “Tell me what it is, Landon. You’re scaring me.”
“Did I do the right thing, Zach? Do you think that I might should have done something different? Maybe been a little less...I don’t know, done something to make it so that Dirk loved us?” Zach’s heart broke for the man. “He wasn’t ever like other kids. I mean, he’d have his good days, I guess, but mostly, he was just bad. Like something was so screwed up in his head that he just couldn’t see what he was doing to the very people that gave him life.”
“You remember what the doctor said, Landon. There was nothing you could have done differently to have helped him. He was that way because of something in his mind.” Landon nodded and stared at the big house again. “Landon, tell me what’s brought this on.”
“You. Not that you’ve done a darn thing to hurt me. Nothing but a wonderful young man, you are. But I’m thinking that had I a son even half like you and your brothers, I might have died a happy man.” Zach thanked him. “No need for that. Just telling you. But it got me to thinking, a dangerous thing for me, but I was thinking that I’ve no mark in this here world. I got me my little Emma, pride of my life she is, but she’s not going to carry on my name. And at one time, the McBride name, it was something.”
“It still is to a great many people.” Landon asked him what would happen to it when he was gone. “You’re thinking that once you pass on no one will remember you? Hell, Landon, you’re like a father to me. I don’t know what I would have done had you not taken me under your wing. But with that help, love grew. The kind I never got to have with my own dad. And there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of you and Katie. Wonder what you’d think of what I was taking on. And none of that will change when you pass on. Which, I’m hoping, will be a long way off.”
When Landon pulled out his hanky and blew his nose, Zach felt his heart twist up. He surely did love this man. As he dealt with his emotions, Zach made his way to the porch of the house. Giving the man time seemed the best thing right now, and he looked at the wide open wrap-around that needed a good scrubbing. When Landon joined him, he could see the man was in better spirits.
“Needs one of them swings. Not the plastic kind, but a good solid oak one. Might even work on that myself. I used to be handy with a saw or two.” Zach asked him about the bushes out front. “Those have got to go. They can be mowed off, I’m thinking, and some pretty flowers for my Katie to fuss with put in out there. I’m picturing a nicer sidewalk too, I’m thinking.”
“I love the gingerbread work here. Some of it might need to be replenished, but I know that there’s this man in the pack that can take a good piece and make you a copy to do some replacements. And his brother does stained glass work.” He looked at the broken but pretty mural over the front picture window. “I’m betting that at one time this would shine all through the front parlor.”
They made their way into the house and Zach marveled at the knotty pine floors. The fireplace was solid marble, and the mantel was big enough to sit a person on it. A chandelier in the middle of the room looked like it had been there since the house was built. There were pocket doors, too, that still slid easily into the wall like they’d only just been built. But someone had painted them, making the oak that he knew was there look cheap and dirty.
“The kitchen is gonna need the most working over, I’m thinking. There is a big old stove in there that can probably be sold off as scrap, and maybe finance the whole darn thing for me.” Zach looked at the stove and cautiously turned one of the gas burners on. “Well, I’ll be hog washed and called pretty. It still works. Who would have thunk it?” Zach laughed.
“I’m betting you can get a pretty penny for this, Landon. And you’re right, maybe enough to pay for at least some of the renovations in this place.” The inspection on the house took a big turn when they surveyed the dining room. “Christ. You could feed all of us in this room and not have to worry about overcrowding. And look at the crown molding.”
“You call that man, Paddy, up. You call him and ask him to have his crew come on out here and have a look-see at this here place.” Zach nodded and pulled out his phone. To be honest, he was kind of excited too. When Jacob said he could be there in ten minutes, he and Landon waited, exploring the built-in cabinets in the oversized dining room. They were surprised to find china in them.
It took them nearly two hours to go over the house after Paddy and Jacob Welsh arrived. And at nearly midnight, Jacob looked to be as interested in starting on the project as they were. They had not only found the china, which after a quick check on the internet turned out to be quite valuable, but they unearthed another fireplace, two stain glassed windows at the back of the house, and a room that, for whatever reason, had been boarded up and left untouched for years.
“You thinking that with these fix-ups, we can get more than we paid for it?” Zach asked him what he meant. “You know, flip it. I’ve been watching them shows on the idiot box, the television, and I see them people doing this all the time. Don’t care for all the drama, but I’m thinking you and I can go into that.”
“I think you could do really well at it. And Jacob’s men could use the extra cash as well.” Landon was shaking his head. “Or not. I don’t know of a lot of construction crews around here, but I’m betting you can find one.”
“Nah, that’s not what I meant. I mean you and I go into business doing this. You being my partner in crime, so to speak. And my friend too. I know you got yourself a tidy little thing going with the feed and all, but I’m thinking you and I can have some fun at this.” Zach wanted to, but there wasn’t any way he could do this. “You and me, we could make these houses sure shine up.”
“As much as I’d love to help you out with this, I don’t have any investment money for this, Landon. I mean, I’ll help you in any way I can, but being your partner, I just can’t swing that.” Landon only laughed. “Seriously. I’m in debt up to my eyeballs. I have more money going out than coming in at the moment, and to be honest, I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon.”
“You leave that part to me.” Zach was afraid to ask him what that meant. “As of this here moment in time, you and me, we’re going to do this. As partners. And if you turn me down, like I’m thinking you think you should, then you’re going to have this old man sad as a man that has just found out that he has to eat that broccoli bacon crap for the rest of his life.”
“That is a compelling argument, Landon, but I still don’t have the money to invest with you.” Landon said he wasn’t worried about that, he’d do the investing, and over time, Zach could pay him back, just a bit at a time. “What if it fails?”
“Won’t. Can’t. I’m a McBride. You’re a Douglas. It’s written in the stars, my boy. This is going to be a great money maker.” Another convincing argument, but it seemed that Landon wasn’t finished just yet. “You need to go on and get you a realtor’s license. That way, we don’t have to pay them buzzards when we’re ready to buy or sell.”
“I’d be one of those buzzards, Landon.” He smiled and said he was only joshing. “Okay, do you know how to get a license like this?”
The smile should have warned him. Zach should have run in the other direction fast and far. He just knew this was going to be trouble.