Fool's Puzzle Earlene Fowler (microsoft ebook reader TXT) 📖

to see a movie. First time she’s been off the ranch in a month.”

“What are you working on?”

She held up the sampler. It was an elaborate pattern with hearts, houses and three types of alphabets—“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life,” it said.

“I like it,” I said. “Looks hard, though.”

She shrugged and concentrated on the sampler, counting under her breath.

“It looks funny having all those kids playing around the old house,” I said. “You painted it, I see.”

“They’re a nice family,” Sandra said. “She’s teaching me Spanish. Arturo’s a big help to Wade.”

“How’re the herds looking so far?”

She shrugged again. The running of the ranch had never interested her like it had me. She was a town girl; she lived on the ranch for the love of her man, not the lifestyle.

“You need any help on the computer?” I asked. “Wade said you were having some trouble with the calf weights.”

“Not anymore,” she said sharply. Her face had an odd, strained look.

“Oh, you figured it out, then.”

“No. I’m just not doing it anymore. Wade’s doing the books the old way. We only use the computer for the kids’ Nintendo these days.”

“Wade’s managing the books? How’s the ranch doing?”

“Who knows? He never tells me anything. I’m just here to have babies and cook, didn’t you know that?” She stabbed her needle into the fabric and gave an ironic laugh. “Keep the Harper dynasty in heirs, so to speak.”

“You must have some idea about how things are going. What does Mom Harper say about Wade doing the books?”

“Benni, since Jack died, all she does is watch soap operas, call her sister in Abilene and talk about moving back there. As for the money, all I know is when I ask for it, Wade gives it to me. He was looking at new trucks last week and talking about paying cash, so we can’t be doing that bad, can we?” She set the sampler down on the table next to her. “I don’t know what’s going on with him, but I’m telling you, if it doesn’t stop soon, I’m taking the kids and moving back to town with my mom.” Her face flushed in anger.

“Where is he?”

“Out in the north pasture repairing some fencing.” She gave a sarcastic snort. “Or so he says.”

“Want me to try talking to him again?”

“Do what you want, but don’t hold your breath waiting for him to tell you anything.”

You’re crazy, I told myself as I bumped across the dirt roads. Stay out of it. But it wasn’t just Wade and Sandra’s marriage I was concerned about. The fact that he was doing the books and he was thinking about paying cash for a new truck made me suspicious. I knew better than anyone that there was no way the ranch could afford a new truck. As with most cattle ranches these days, the Harper Ranch was land-rich and cash-poor. I wanted to know what had changed.

Wade and Arturo, a wiry, bandy-legged man in ankle-skimming Wranglers, were repairing boards on an old corral. Wade raised his head when I drove up, took off his John Deere cap, and wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve. He said something low to Arturo, who picked up a hammer and moved to the other side of the corral.

He walked over as I stepped down from the truck. “What do you want?” he asked.

“To talk.”

“I’m done talking to you.”

“Wade ...”

“I mean it, Benni. Unless you want to discuss the weather or the price of beef, you can just get back up in that truck and drive on out of here.”

“I will as soon as you tell me what’s going on with the ranch.”

A tense look flitted across his face. “Nothing.”

“Don’t give me that. I just talked to Sandra. Why aren’t you using the computer anymore? I can’t believe you went back to the old way. It’s so inefficient. After all the money we spent on getting it set up.”

“That’s just it,” he said. “After all the money we spent, we still can’t make this place earn a plugged nickel.”

It was just the opening I wanted.

“Sandra says you have plenty of money coming in,” I said, looking at him intently. He avoided my eyes. “Wade, you know and I know that’s impossible. I did the books for ten years. Where are you getting the money to buy a new truck?”

“I was just looking at them. Doesn’t cost nothing to look.”

“Wade, don’t screw around with me. I know you were involved with Marla and I suspect she had some kind of blackmail scheme going on. Have you stepped into her shoes? Is that where you’re getting your money?”

His face twisted in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“That napkin with Marla’s number on it. The nights you’re gone until two or three in the morning. Was it just an affair or were you working on this blackmail thing too?”

“I’m not blackmailing nobody. Marla and I had something going, but not for long. She knew I needed money, so she put me in touch with some guy who needed some delivery work done. Shit, then she got pissed because I wouldn’t give her a cut. Some people.” He spit a stream of tobacco juice.

“What are you delivering?” I asked, my stomach rolling. He couldn’t possibly be that stupid.

He wiped his forehead again. “I meet this guy in Trigger’s twice a week. He gives me a package. I deliver it to another guy in some bar up the coast. That’s it.”

“And how much are you paid to do this?”

He mumbled under his breath.

“What?”

“I said, a thousand.”

“Each time?”

He nodded.

“How long have you been doing this?” Without thinking, I hit the side of the truck with my bandaged hand. A sharp stab of pain made me regret it.

“Couple of months. Look, it’s not what you think.”

“You’re an idiot, Wade Harper. I’m not stupid and I thought you weren’t, either. Those have to be drugs you’re delivering. You could