CHAPTER SIX
Penny strode to her parents’ graves, placed side by side near those of her dad’s parents. She stared at the stone marking her own supposed death. Shivers sent goosebumps crawling up her arms. Eerie looking at her own grave, even if it was empty.
Next to her marker, she spotted one for Molly Winfield, dated 1923. Poor Molly, she probably worried over Penny’s disappearance. She bet Earl had seen to Molly’s burying and the knowledge made Penny even sadder she hadn’t accepted one of his proposals.
She laid the roses and chrysanthemums she’d cut on each of the five real graves, saving most of them for Daddy. How she missed him. Of course she missed Molly, and she’d liked to have known the others, but she and her father had made a great team.
She knelt beside his grave. Brushing away her tears, she wondered why she’d turned into such a crybaby. She couldn’t help herself, and sobs soon wracked her body. If only Daddy hadn’t died, everything would have been all right. Now what was to become of her?
In view of what she’d learned today, she didn’t belong anywhere. How could this have happened? People couldn’t fall asleep in one year and wake up over a hundred years later—could they?
Through her sobs she became aware of a shadow falling across the grave. She jumped then used her sleeve to swipe across her face. Jake stood near her, his hat in his hand.
Her eyes were bound to be red and puffy. She couldn’t face him, so she looked at the ground even though she bit out a question, “What do you want? Come to gloat?”
She only saw from his knees down. Jake shifted his weight from one booted foot to the other.
“Just wondered what you were doing here. See you brought flowers.”
She touched a pink rose, moving it a bit to the center of the others. “Sally said it was okay if I cut them.”
“Sure, sure. Anytime.”
From her periphery, she saw him fumble with his hat. Heard pity lace his voice. No Terry ever needed pity from anyone, especially not a man who claimed he owned her ranch.
She stood and gestured around her. “Look at the weeds. How can you let the cemetery go unattended? Don’t you have any respect for the departed?”
Pity left his voice, “I’ve got plenty of respect.”
She looked at the other graves. “Are your parents buried here?”
“No. Dad lives in Austin. Mother’s in Dallas.”
Surprised, Penny asked, “They don’t live together?”
“Mother didn’t like ranch life. She divorced Dad when I was twelve. She’s since remarried and has two sons I’ve never met. Dad moved out when he turned the ranch over to me.”
He used his hat to point to a section. “Everyone from Earl forward is buried over there.”
“Then why isn’t this cemetery taken care of? You should be ashamed of yourself.”
He gazed around at the grounds. “Had a lot of rain this year. Been having some trouble on the ranch that’s upset our usual schedule.”
She bent and yanked up a hand full of weeds. “What kind of trouble?”
He touched her arm then jerked his hand away. “I’ll have one of the hands take care of this. You don’t have to pull weeds. Sally’s probably about ready to serve supper.”
“Then I’ll finish tomorrow. I always kept this place neat. It’s only respectful.” Penny faced him. “I asked you what kind of trouble? You have rustlers, too?”
He looked into the sunset. Clouds on the horizon added purple to the rose, gold and pink. She didn’t think he was going to answer. After a minute, he exhaled heavily and set his hat on his head.
“Someone’s trying to buy me out. Not that that’s a problem, except he won’t take no seriously. There’s been enough mischief to ruin our cattle business. Figure the two are related.”
Hands on her hips, she glared at him. “You’d dang well better not mess around and lose this ranch.”
He clenched his jaw before he answered. “Not likely. Too diversified. It’s in a family trust. Old Earl tied up the land so only our family can own it, see. I couldn’t sell if I was stupid enough to consider it. Whoever wants the land doesn’t believe me.”
“Find out who it is. If you can’t stop him, I’ll tan his hide.”
He gave a dry laugh. “You think I haven’t tried to learn who’s behind all this trouble? He’s concealed behind a corporation with a long list of fake board members and a local troublemaker as front man.”
As he took her arm to steer her out of the cemetery, she noticed the side of his face. “That’s some shiner plumping up above the scrape on your jaw. Front man do that?”
The light had grown too dim to be sure, but she thought he blushed. “Yeah. Lost my cool in town and confronted him. Clip on the jaw and a black eye are all I have to show for it.”
She stopped and touched his chin to judge the damage. “How’s the other guy look?”
He gave her a sheepish grin. “Maybe a little worse.”
They resumed their walk.
She looked at all the changes around them. “This is a damn fine ranch. No wonder someone’s after it.”
“But why this particular one when ranches all over the area are for sale?” He looked at her. “Can’t figure any reason this ranch would become a target. You?”
She shook her head, puzzling over the idea. “I—I’m a little out of touch.” But walking by his side sent stupid thoughts racing. Being part of this man’s life—a real part—would be wonderful.
“You still think you’re Penny Terry?”
“I know I am.”
“So that’s one dilemma that hasn’t changed.”
She didn’t want to talk about her personal puzzle right now. She needed time to think. Besides, walking with him was too nice to spoil it by arguing. She wished she could take his arm or hold his hand. “When did your Dad leave?”
“When I turned twenty-five. Before you ask, I’m thirty now.”
She almost laughed that he’d guessed her response. “I sure can’t imagine anyone voluntarily leaving this place.”
He shrugged. “It’s complicated. He comes back every couple of months and spends a week or two.”
Complicated? She’d bet that whatever kept him away was nothing as complicated as her life had become. “Saw you’d added on to the house, put up new barns and such. Guess you’ve kept the pastures in good shape, have you?”
“With the rain we had this year, the barns are filled with hay for the cattle and there’s still good grazing. We buy hay from New Mexico for the horses, but the cattle have all they can eat this winter grown right here.”
“Why buy out of state for the horses? Seems expensive.”
“Blister beetles have moved into Texas. Even a tiny part of the bug is fatal for horses but doesn’t bother cattle.”
“I’ll be darned. Noticed the windmill’s gone. Sally said you have electric wells now.” She still didn’t understand how electricity could deliver water from the ground, but she’d take Sally’s word for now until she learned more.
“Need more water than one windmill delivers for an operation like ours.”
“Miss hearing the windmill. I used to let the sound sing me to sleep. Nothing sounds better on a summer night.”
“Still have them several places on the range,”
“Oh?” Why would they need them with all the access to the river?
As if he read her mind, Jake said, “We’ve bought more land over the years as neighbors put it up for sale.”
“Good. Daddy always planned to. After we built the house and furnished it and all, we were cash poor for a bit. But we’d started putting cash aside and planned to make an offer on the Staggs property that joined ours on the river.”
Jake pulled at his ear. “We own that now.”
“Well, that’s good. So what’s that make acreage wise—close to five thousand?”
“Little over eight thousand acres.”
Penny fought to take in the information. Her ranch had prospered beyond even her dreams. Now someone unknown wanted it, threatened it. She’d never let those threats fulfill their purpose. Whether Jake Knight admitted it or not, this was still her ranch. She’d never let anyone steal it—not even a handsome-as-sin cowboy who thought he had a right to it.
She had to admit talking to him about the ranch as they walked along was nice. More than nice—pleasant. Jake was a gentleman, she’d give him that. Even with a black eye he was better looking than any man she’d ever seen.
Not that she cared, of course.
All she cared about was getting her ranch back. Couldn’t hurt to look at him in the process, though, could it? And talk to him. And walk along as if they belonged together.
Since the death of her father, she’d had no one to speak to about important decisions. Her old Jake hadn’t been much for talking. She hadn’t trusted her foreman enough to ask his opinion. Charlie would have deliberately tried to lead her astray—if he’d even known good advice from bad. Earl did most of the chatting when he courted her.
Jake held open the mudroom door for her and they went through to the kitchen. Bart was already there and teasing Sally. Penny envied the companionship Sally, Jake, and Bart shared.
The family gathered around the big kitchen table for supper. Penny wondered if they ever used the dining room. She’d always preferred the kitchen herself. Now she kept her silence when the brothers joked with one another and Sally.
Though only three, they functioned as a family. Penny had always wanted a big family, but she’d had only her father and old Jake. Unless she counted Charlie, and she sure didn’t, especially now she knew what a traitor he’d been. And for the last year she hadn’t even had Daddy.
She pushed her food around on her plate but her appetite had disappeared. How could she concentrate on food after all she’d learned today? As soon as the food was put away and she helped finish the dishes, she excused herself. She had some serious planning to work out.
Jake waited until Penny had left the room and he heard her tread on the stairs. “She still thinks she’s Penny Terry. What should we do? Get her to a doctor or put her in jail?”
Bart pushed his chair back and crossed his legs. “Can’t lock her up for being confused. At least not in my jail. Maybe you should take her into the hospital tomorrow and have that lump on her head checked out.”
Sally looked from Jake to Bart. “It’s not my place to interfere, but have you considered she might really be Penny Terry?”
Jake slapped the table. “Are you crazy, too? How could Penny Terry—who disappeared in 1896—suddenly show up here?”
Holding up a hand to stop him, Sally said, “I’m not saying it’s logical or that I can explain it. But she knows things that aren’t in those newspaper clippings or the pamphlet you showed her. And she knew just where the cemetery was when she asked if she could cut some flowers to take there.”
Bart shook his head. “That doesn’t prove anything. She could have researched the place.”
“That’s not all.” Sally leaned forward. “She used the chamber pot. When I checked to see if her bed needed to be made up, she’d tidied it, but the chamber pot set by the door waiting to be emptied. She’d also used one up in the attic. I had to show her where the bathrooms are and tell her how to use a toilet.”
“You telling us she’d never seen one before?” Bart asked. “Yeah, right. You don’t expect us to believe that?”
“I believe her, boys. Said she’d heard of them and she’d seen one pictured in a catalog once, but she hadn’t known anyone who actually had indoor plumbing. Said she and her father couldn’t figure out how to install a toilet here when they built this house.”
Jake crossed his arms and glared at Sally. “I’m still not convinced. She’s just a good actress.”
“Jake’s right. Can’t happen, Sally.” said Bart.
“Boys, if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, then you can be pretty sure it’s a duck.” Sally ticked off on her fingers. “She looks like that portrait. She knows things no one else does. The clothes fit her perfectly.”
She lowered her hand to her hip. “I don’t know how it’s possible, but I think this Penny is definitely the Penny Terry that old Earl Knight adored.”
“And how do you explain her traveling from her time to ours? Her fairy godmother show up and wave a magic wand?” Jake swirled his hand like he held a wand. “Woo woo, abracadabra? Or do you have a better answer?”
“There’s no easy answer.” Sally stood and laid her hand on Jake’s shoulder. “You boys just give her a chance, you hear?” Sally hung her apron on the pantry hook and left the room heading toward her apartment off the kitchen.
Jake loved and respected Sally more than any woman alive, but no way did he believe she was right. No way in hell.
Bart leaned forward with his hand on the table. “What do you think, Jake?”
“Aw, you know how soft-hearted Sally is. She’s just feeling sorry for this nut job who claims she’s Penny Terry.” He pretended to fluff his hair and raised a pinky. “I just fell off my little ol’e horse and landed 120 years later.”
Pounding a fist on the table, he said, “Fat chance of that being true.”
Bart appeared pensive. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. She sure does look like that portrait, though. And her clothes fit perfectly. Say, remember when you had to undress her? Those underclothes were plenty weird.”
Hell, yes, he remembered. He’d been trying to forget, but her naked image just kept popping up in his brain. “That doesn’t prove anything. I tell you she’s researched and rehearsed this role. What she has to gain from it is what worries me.”
“You think she’s working for Tolbert?”
“Naw, but maybe whoever Tolbert works for.” Jake leaned forward. “She could be a plant to pass information to this guy who’s trying to ruin us. What better way to know our plans than to live right here in our house?”
“Don’t forget that Winchester and her Colt. They’re not listed as stolen. I sent a fax off to each manufacturer to see who they’re registered to. Takes a few days to hear back.”
“I don’t believe we’ll hear anything that helps us. She could have picked those up anywhere. Just because they don’t show up as stolen doesn’t mean they aren’t.”
Bart scratched at his jaw. “You considered she really is who she says she is?”
“Hell, Bart, have you gone nuts, too?”
“Whoa, man, I just asked. So, you chucking her out?”
Jake frowned and toyed with the idea. “I want her here where we can watch her. Someone has gone to a lot of trouble to set her up with this story.”
“Did you hear the Gibson spread is up for sale now? It’s almost as good as this one, but no one’s trying to snap it up.”
Jake wanted to tear out his hair. “What is it about this ranch? Bart, we’ve ridden every inch of this place but there’s something going on here that we don’t know.”
“Can’t figure that out. And I’ve searched and come up dry on the would-be buyer. This guy must be so imbedded in false corporations that he’ll never show up.”
“There has to be something we can do.” Jake pounded a fist on the table. “Hell, you have access to all those official sites. You haven’t turned up a damn thing. Can’t you do anything to help?”
Bart’s face reddened at the insult. “Like punch Tolbert? That was helpful, wasn’t it, big brother? You put on quite a show.”
Jake held up a hand to stop Bart from saying more. “You’re right, you’re right. I know you’re helping. The strain is messing with my mind.”
“I’ve talked to a guy in Austin who’s a whiz on computer searches. So far he has nothing. But if this can be unraveled, he’ll do it.” Bart stood. “It’s been a long day. I’m turning in.”
“Yeah. See you in the morning.”
Bart paused at the doorway. “Don’t sit there all night and worry. Get some sleep.”
Jake pushed back his chair. “Guess I’d better. No telling what kind of hell will break loose tomorrow.”
Bart slapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll lock up. You head for bed.”
Fatigue pressed in on Jake, nerves so taut he knew he’d snap at one more incident. Climbing the stairs consumed his remaining energy. He paused by the so-called Penny’s door, and then went to his room. What if she was who she said? He shook his head. Naw, impossible.
But why was she here in his house?