Read Online Red Fox by Karina Halle - Free Book Online Page B

flat desert, scrubby valleys
grazed by muddy-looking sheep and horses, low hills dotted with
pine building to a crooked mountain range topped with high alpine
plants. It was beautiful, sprawling and a hundred shades of sienna.
Fences of gnarled wood framed it all with a poetic bow.
    Past the gates with the
stereotypical overhanging ranch sign (“The Lancasters”) and open
cattle grate there were two barns and various sheep related chutes
and shelters, plus the main house. The farm looked deserted and
down at its heels, but given the rest of the town, and the harsh
surroundings, that didn’t really surprise me. I looked over at Dex
as he drove our car over beside Maximus’s and parked it at the side
of the house. His eyes were alert and searching, probably thrilled
that the location was so photogenic and charismatic.
    We stepped out of the car
into the dust and walked over to Maximus. He gave us a cautionary
look and glanced up at the house. There was a woman standing at the
second story A-frame window. I couldn’t see her clearly from our
angle but it seemed she wasn’t actually looking at us, rather, past
us at the farm. If that was the blind woman, Sarah, then it made
perfect sense. It also gave me the creeps.
    “ Hello there,” a deep voice
called out from behind us. We turned to see a lumbering native
fellow coming towards us from across the paddock, wiping his dusty
hands on the sides of his faded jeans.
    Maximus gave the man a
quick wave and spoke to us out of the side of his mouth, “That’s
Bird, the main rancher.”
    Bird stopped in front of
us, greeted Maximus like he was an old friend and set his eyes on
Dex and I. He was about the same height as Maximus but despite
Maximus’s breadth, Bird made him appear tiny. He was built like an
ox but with sincere dark eyes, and when he said he was glad to
finally meet the “famous duo,” I could tell he meant it. My hand
disappeared into his when he shook it, but it left me feeling safe,
something I hadn’t felt yet on this trip.
    Bird eyed the house and
smiled at us. “I think Sarah is having her afternoon nap. This is
usually the time that Will does some work around the house, you
know, time to himself. I can give you a tour of the ranch first.
There will be plenty of time to unpack after.”
    I looked at Dex. “Should we
bring the camera?”
    He looked at Maximus, who
in turn looked at Bird.
    Bird laughed. “She’s an
eager one! It’s probably best to leave that for afterwards, some
folk here can be a bit, er, picky.”
    His expression on the word
picky made me pause. Hesitation noted.
    We followed Bird across the
dusty paddock and around the side of the larger barn. In the shade
of the roof’s overhang, a diminutive man of Latino descent was bent
over a bench, hammering some nails into the horn of a western
saddle. He didn’t look up, even when we had all stopped in front of
him.
    Bird cleared his throat.
“Miguel.”
    Miguel paused ever so
slightly, but kept working for a minute. Either to finish the job
or to make us wait.
    He eventually looked up.
His eyes were narrow, as if he prepared to hate us off the bat, his
lips set in a dry, straight line that a crowbar couldn’t have pried
open. This must be the “picky” one. I’m sure if we did have the
camera out, we would have gotten a good Cameron Diaz-style
paparazzi beat-down.
    “ Miguel.” Bird cleared his
throat again. Even though he was three times the size of Miguel, it
seemed like Bird was a little afraid of him.
    Miguel looked straight into
Bird’s eyes.
    “ What do you
want?”
    I’m not sure if was my
imagination or not but I could have sworn Miguel gripped the hammer
tighter.
    “ These are Maximus’s
friends, Perry and Dex,” Bird said quickly, with a loud, forced
friendliness.
    “ The ghost hunters, yes?”
Miguel said with a trace of amusement. Not the funny kind. He gave
Maximus and Dex a quick, dismissive glance then set his sights on
me. His expression changed from annoyed