Odd Billy Todd (59 page)

CHAPTER SIXTY

It was the first of May. Billy and Danny were looking over their own herd, which had grown considerably. There was talk of taking some cattle to Franklin for trade, and the two of them were discussing what members of their herd might be suitable for that.

“I don’t think we should take the bull,” Danny said. “He’s young, but he’ll be a good new bloodline.”

“Be hard for us to use ‘im,” Billy shook his head.

“But there’s other cattle,” Danny pointed out. “We can use ‘im in the big herd. Trade ‘im out for one over there.” Billy considered that.

“Good point. New blood for us, and for the big herd,” he finally nodded. “Good idea. We’ll do that.” He looked at his adopted son.

“You know, we’re gonna have to keep good strict records on the breeding,” he noted. “Reckon you can handle that?” Danny looked up at Billy.

“You’d trust me to take care o’ somethin’ like that?” he asked.

“Why shouldn’t I?” Billy countered. “You’re plenty smart.”

“I. . .sure, I can do it!” Danny grinned.

“Might want to get a good notebook from Rhonda, and get started then,” Billy told him. “You need to keep good notes, and make sure they’re accurate. Might not matter right now, but down the road, it’ll be important. We need to keep the herd healthy, and strong.”

“I’ll start today,” Danny promised.

“We got records already for the original herd of ours,” Billy told him. “I’ll get’em for you when we get back. I want you to get Mary to help you. We need everybody able to take care o’ things.”

“Okay.”

“Let’s head over to check. . . .” he stopped as he saw Mary running toward them.

“Pete needs to talk to you!” she shouted before she reached them. “He called on the radio, said he’s on his way over, and it’s important!”

*****

“We maybe got a problem,” Pete said, as he took the offered glass of water. Danny was walking Pete’s horse, which had been winded by the ride.

“What kind o’ problem?”

“There was a small settlement west of Nashville. A town called Weber. More of a community than an actual town, but it was doing pretty well. Kinda like us, with people moving in there to work together.”

“Okay,” Billy nodded. “What about’em.”

“Well, they were on the radio about once a week,” Pete told him. “Just average stuff. Sharing weather info, looking for trades, that kinda thing. Terry or Jerry one have talked to them off and on all winter.” He paused, looking off for a minute, then taking a deep breath.

“We ain’t heard from them in almost three weeks. Not a peep.” Billy frowned.

“Maybe they lost their generator?” he asked. Pete shook his head.

“They’re using a combination of solar and pedal power for their radio,” he told Billy. “They got more than one radio, too,” he added, pensive.

“So you think something happened to’em,” Billy said.

“I think it’s likely,” Pete nodded.

“So what you wanna do?” Billy asked. “You wantin’ to take a ride up there, and see for yourself?”

“I. . .well, I don’t know,” Pete shrugged. “On the one hand, it would be nice to see what’s wrong. To know, you know? If it is radio trouble, we could take them one of the spares we have, maybe get’em back running.”

“On the other hand,” Pete went on, “there’s the possibility that we’d run into trouble ourselves. I don’t know what to do, Billy. I guess I was hoping you’d have an idea.” Billy frowned.

“I don’t know,” he mused. “How far is it?”

“About seventy miles,” Pete admitted. “Maybe a bit more or less. And we don’t know anything about the road conditions between here and there. At least not once we’re out of our area.” Billy pondered that. Finally, he sighed.

“I don’t see how we can help,” he admitted finally. “I mean, that’s a long way, into an unknown area. And we don’t actually know anybody up there. We might wind up walkin’ into somethin’ tryin’ to help.”

“And we can’t really spare anybody from here for a long time,” he added, rising from his seat and beginning to pace slowly. “We can barely cover what we got as it is. Send two or three people that far away, we might be askin’ for trouble here at home.” He looked back at Pete.

“I hate to say it, buddy, but I think it’s too much to risk,” he said finally. Pete nodded slowly.

“That was the decision I came to,” he said sadly. “I guess I just wanted someone to tell me I was right. I feel bad not going, but I’d feel worse if something happened here while I was gone.”

“I know how ya feel,” Billy agreed. “But we got to look out for ourselves first. I’m all for helpin’ anybody we can, so long as it don’t hurt us. Know what I mean?”

“I agree,” Pete nodded firmly. “There’s to much to risk here. Thanks, Billy.

“Anytime.”

*****

“You’re awfully quiet,” Rhonda said, as she and Billy cleaned up after supper.

“Just thinkin’,” he told her.

“What about?”

Billy told her about his conversation with Pete earlier in the day. She listened without comment, but was visibly relieved when she realized that Billy had been against going to Weber.

“I ain’t gonna put us a risk,” Billy told her flatly. “I’d like to be able to help, but it’s just too far. And too risky.”

“I know you want to help, honey,” Rhonda told him. “But I’m glad you won’t be going. I. . .I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“I know. And it ain’t fair to you and the kids to keep runnin’ off. Can’t say we won’t have to some times, but when it’s too much to risk, I just can’t see that it’s worth it.”

“Good,” she hugged him.

*****

Billy woke up abruptly around three in the morning. Something was nagging at him, and he couldn’t figure out what it was. There was something he had missed, somewhere. Taking care not to wake Rhonda, he eased out of their bedroom and started downstairs. Rommel was at the foot of the stairs, keeping guard. He raised his head, looking at his person, and Billy stopped to ruff the great dog’s head, then went into the study.

A map of the area was pinned to the wall, and he walked to it, studying. He soon found Weber on the map. A tiny dot along a state highway. He looked at the area around the small farm community, finally seeing what had bothered him.

A railway. Less than five miles from Weber. Crossing the same highway that bisected the small community.

Perfect for a train borne convoy.

*****

Billy shared his revelation with Pete the next day, but both agreed there was still too much risk for them to go and see for themselves. Both hated that fact, but realized there was nothing they could do to change that. The two of them decided they would make a circuit of the Farms, making sure of their own security. It was early, and they packed food and water for the whole day.

It was a chance for Billy to show Pete more of the back country, too. The Native American ex-soldier had an uncanny ability to remember terrain, and once Billy showed him something, it remained Pete’s knowledge from then on. So he spent the bulk of the day showing his friend various fire and game trails all over the valley, as well as ‘shortcuts’ that allowed much faster travel from point to point.

“This is great country, Billy,” Pete noted, as they sat on the rim of the valley, looking out over the Farms.

“Yeah,” Billy nodded. “I ain’t never lived no where but here. Ain’t never really been nowhere but here, and a few places around. It’s always been home.”

The two of them rode back by a different route, taking their time, watching for anything out of place or suspicious. They checked on a number of places that seemed to offer natural lookout posts, but found nothing anywhere to indicate they were being watched.

“Well, reckon it’s gettin’ on for five or so,” Billy looked at the sky as they approached the house where Pete lived with the Blaine’s. “Reckon I better be gettin’ on back.” Pete looked at his watch, shaking his head. It was ten till.

“You’re gonna have to tell me how you do that, sometime.”

“Do what?” Billy asked, puzzled.

“Never mind,” Pete sighed. “I’ll see ya tomorrow, Billy.”

“Take it easy,” Billy waved, and headed home.

*****

Two days later, Billy was working in his shop when his his radio crackled. They didn’t use the little GRMS radio’s except in an emergency, to avoid anyone monitoring frequencies to overhear them, and come looking for the Farms.

“Billy, Pete, Terry, we got visitors,” Howie’s voice came through clear. He was obviously excited, but he kept his voice as calm as he could. “There’s a group on foot, looks like ten adults and maybe that many kids, on Cedar Bend Road. They’re east of the crossroads. Less than half a mile from it.” Cedar Bend Road was the road into town from the Farms. The intersection he spoke of was where the road to the Clifton Home, and to Terry Blaine’s house, crossed the main road.

“Are they armed?” Blaine’s voice came back almost at once. The group had decided that when there was a ‘tactical’ matter, Terry or Pete one would be in charge if they were available.

“It’s hard to tell from this distance,” Howie admitted. “But at least three of the men are carrying long guns. Two of the males are out front by fifty yards or so. They’re already at the intersection. Waiting for the rest, looks like.”

“Billy, I want you and Toby to take the blind east of the intersection. You should be able to get into it unseen. Pete and I will make contact. You back us up.”

“Got it,” Billy agreed at once, already heading for the house.

When he exited the house, rifle in hand, Toby was standing in front of the porch, trying to get his breath back.

“F. . .further than I re. . .remembered it b. . .bein’. . .on foot,” he gasped.

“We done got lazy,” Billy grinned. Rhonda came out behind him.

“Please be careful,” she said softly. “Both of you,” she shot a look at the gasping Toby.

“We will,” Billy promised, giving her a quick peck. “Let’s go, Toby.”

The two of them set out at a run for the blind, a small hunting blind built twenty-five yards from the intersection. The two of them made good time, slowing slightly to avoid making noise as they entered the blind.

Billy could clearly see the two armed men at the intersection. One was holding a police style shotgun, while the other was carrying an AR-15. Both were ragged looking, and appeared malnourished.

“We’re in position, both men in sight,” he whispered into his radio. He had taken time to insert his ear mike, and Terry’s voice came back clearly.

“We’re on our way. Approaching from our place, on horseback. You should see us in less than a minute.”

“Toby, you take the one with the shotgun,” Billy ordered. “I’ll get the one with the rifle.”

“Are we gonna have to shoot’em?” Toby whispered back.

“Hope not,” Billy replied. “They look about done in. I’d say they’re on the run from somethin’. Maybe they’ll be friendly if they need help, and we can help’em.”

“This is George,” another voice came over the radio. “I’m in position about thirty yards up the Clifton Road. I have them in sight as well.”

“Okay, we see them,” Terry called. “And they see us. I’m switching to Vox so you can hear what’s said. Here we go.”

*****

Terry and Pete rode abreast, but were separated so that no one move on their visitor’s part could get both of them at once. Both were wearing body armor.

“Terry, the rest of the party has halted, they’re still about fifty yards or so back. They’ve huddled around the children, looks like, with one man to their front, another to the rear. Both are armed.”

“Roger that,” Terry answered quickly, grateful for the information. Howie was doing a good job. He surveyed the scene to their front. He saw one of the men look their way, stiffen, and grab his companion’s arm.

“Hold up, there,” Terry shouted, raising an empty hand. “We aren’t unfriendly unless you are. And there are three rifles pointed at you right now!” The two men looked around them in panic, but could not see the threatening rifles.

“Don’t raise your guns!” Pete called. “We want to talk, and see why you’re in our area. If you raise your weapons, you’ll be fired on. Let’s all just be peaceable, and maybe we can settle all this without anyone being hurt.”

The two men hesitated, looking at one another. Finally one shrugged, and lowered his gun. The other followed suit after another few seconds.

“We’re just passin’ through,” the first called. “You got no call to be comin’ on us like this.”

“We’ve got plenty of ‘call’,” Terry informed him. “Our families live here. We’re responsible for their safety and well being. Seeing armed men in the neighborhood is ‘call’ enough for us to see what’s what.” He dismounted.

“I’m Terry Blaine. This is my friend Pete. This is our home,” he waved his arm around the valley. “And it’s not exactly on the beaten path. What brings you this way?”