deer. When he dumped the guts in a tub, she took the liver and the heart out. She also cut out the kidneys and put them in a pan with the other parts.
Cole had come back twice with fuel on the end of his lariat, while Jesus was busy chopping it up.
Chet rinsed off the carcass. Mrs. Talburt took the parts to the cooking area, and came back with an ax.
âHow do you want him cut up?â he asked her.
âChop his ribs out, and Iâll slow-cook them all night. Theyâll be good in the morning.â
âI can do that.â
âWe can use the quarters for jerky, and eat the back strap. Do you have a wife?â she asked.
âI lost my wife a short time ago. She had a horse wreck.â
âI wasnât prying.â She had the big pan ready to go up the hill.
âHave I acted like I wasnât married?â
âOh, no.â
âThere is a special lady at my ranch now, waiting for us to close our business here so we can make plans for the future.â
âIâll write a letter and thank her for letting you come. Oh, and call me Easter. Weâve dressed a deer together today, so we can call one another by our first names.â
Chet, amused by her comments, concealed a smile and agreed he would.
Jesus had some onions to fry with the liver. The frijoles , he complained, were slow to get cooked, so he fried some German potatoes. They sat around the table, sipping his fresh coffee.
âHow do we stand?â Cole asked.
âWe still need to close the grave this evening. I want us to take a look at the Burris place. They may have some hides that donât belong to them. If we canât hang a murder charge on them, a rustling one will do the job.â
âThey dumb enough to keep a hide with another brand on it?â Cole asked.
âIf they think theyâre tough enough, yes.â
âHow will we do that?â
âRide up and search their buildings.â
âYou have a warrant?â
âWeâll get their permission.â
Cole laughed. âThat should work huh, Jesus?â
âSure. We have searched lots of folks. It should work. The food is done. Come fill your plates.â
âI think a surprise visit, early in the morning, might be good.â
The two men agreed with him.
âWhat if there are no hides?â she asked.
âI intend to put the fear of God in them.â
âYou three do this all the time?â Mrs. Talburt asked.
âWhen we arenât helping folks like you, we ranch,â Chet said.
The men sat on the ground with their plates of food and she occupied the rocker. A bloody sunset showed off in the west and the temperature began to fall.
âLeave the grave until tomorrow. We didnât get it filled, but weâll be back and complete it for you.â
âThanks, youâve been most kind.â
âDo you have any relatives you can go live with when this is over?â
She shook her head.
âYour brother-in-law?â
âI donât get along with his wife, or she would not get along with me.â
âOh.â
âYou donât know her then.â
âNo, I never knew him until he came and asked for my help,â Chet said.
âIâm amazed she let him do that.â
âHe came and asked me to help you.â
âWhen the law would not budge, I had no one to ask anymore. So I wrote him.â
âWell, I am trying to think where we could take you and youâd be safe. Obviously, this location is for some tough brush popper to run cattle. This bunch wonât be the last bullies to come here.â
âYouâre saying I shouldnât stay here alone.â
âThat sums it up.â
âBut I have no money to leave.â
âIâll think of someone who needs you or needs a house kept.â
âThank you. And thank you for the deer and the firewood.â
âWe arenât done yet.â
She smiled for the first
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