The Alpha Chronicles (28 page)

Negotiating a few easy switchbacks, the couple eventually encountered a
fence line and gate blocking the path. Three signs adorned the obstacle, the first stating the reader had indeed arrived at Beltran Ranching, Incorporated. The second warned of trespassing. The third listed instructions on using the phone box to call the main offices.

Bishop exited the truck and walked to the dusty plastic box mounted on a steel pole next to the lane. After opening the shell, he lifted a heavy receiver that look
ed and felt like it had once served in a payphone booth.

Holding the device to his ear, Bishop dialed zero just like the instructions prescribed. It was almost a full minute before someone answered. “Beltran Ranch.”

“Hello, we’re here to see Mr. Beltran. We have an urgent matter to discuss concerning his recent trip to Meraton.”

“Hold on
, please.”

Five minutes later an electrical hum sounded from the
gate, followed quickly by a solid thunk. Bishop walked to the heavy barrier and pushed it open, drove the truck through, and closed the entryway behind them.

Mr. Beltran was waiting on the couple as they followed the signs to the main house. The tall rancher greeted Terri enthusiastically, while Bishop and Slim eyed each other. Bishop remembered Terri’s debriefing on the episode in Meraton and guessed Slim was the fast-handed shooter.

Slim stepped off the porch, his thumbs hooked in his belt, a neutral expression on his face. Bishop realized the approaching bodyguard was probably dying to see inside the cab of the truck, no doubt curious if Bishop harbored any weapons within reach.

Bishop didn’t move as the man took a few steps closer, opting out of accommodating the visual search of his vehicle. Terri interrupted the standoff, her voice calling out, “Now where are my manners? Mr. Beltran, this is my husband, Bishop.”

Bishop and the tall rancher shook hands, the older man’s grip firm, but friendly. “Terri, I believe you’ve already met Slim. Bishop, this is one of my longtime employees, Slim.”

Slim extended his own welcome as he extended his hand, “I’ve heard about you. You shot it out with those bank robbers down in Meraton.”

Bishop replied, “I’ve heard a story about you as well. Rumor has it you’re lightening
quick with that Glock you’ve got in your belt.”

Deciding not to be such a
n ass, Bishop opened the truck doors and waved Slim to have a look.

Terri got right down to business. “Mr. Beltran, I’m sorry to drop in unannounced, but I thought it was critical. Would you be willing to trade
20 sides of beef for a semi-trailer full of deer corn?”

Grunting, the rancher didn’t need to think it over. “
Twenty? Why, young lady, I’d trade 50 sides for that much feed. Where on God’s green earth did you find a truck full of deer corn?”

“Technically, Mr. Beltran, the owners of the feed only want 10 sides. The other 10 are my broker’s fee. The deal requires my fee be delivered to Alpha.”

Terri explained the location and terms to Mr. Beltran, the rancher’s smile growing larger as the conversation wore on. “Don’t forget the white flag. Those lawmen are a little trigger happy.”

“Slim, go get Mack and ask him to come up to the house
, while I offer our guests a cold drink.”

“Yes, sir.”

An hour later Bishop and Terri pulled out of the ranch and headed back toward Meraton. Terri was beaming with the success of their trip, clearly satisfied with her accomplishment.

“You did a good thing today.” Bishop said with pride.

Waving him off, she replied. “I just coordinated two parties to fix a problem. No big deal.”

“I don’t know about that, Terri.
Four of us toured the distribution center. All four knew the ranch needed feed. You were the only one that put two and two together.”

“Maybe I’ve got a future in
brokering? Do you think?”

Laughing, Bishop nodded. “
I am pretty sure you have a head for business, but I think we need to test your instincts further.”

Puzzled, Terri replied, “Go on.”

“I think we should stop on the way home and get a room at The Manor… for a little
monkey
business.”

“Bishop! Is that all you ever think about?”

Her question was answered with a glance, Bishop’s eyebrows going up and down.

“Which arm hurts, Bishop?”

The next morning, a semi branded with the Beltran Ranch logo rolled into Alpha, its trailer full of beef. The driver and supporting ranch hands stopped and quickly unloaded the “finder’s fee” Terri had negotiated for the town.

As Bishop readied to escort the truck to the distribution center, Diana supervised the unloading and storage of the meat. “That will make up for some of the food that was stolen. Thank you so much, Terri.”

Before long, the truck was ready to leave and pulled out behind Bishop’s pickup. “Did you remember the white flag?” Bishop asked.

Terri reached down and showed him a white towel, “I hope this is big enough for them to see at a distance.”

The trip to the distribution center passed without incident, Bishop leading the two-
vehicle convoy through the curvy West Texas highway while listening to vintage Rock ‘n Roll on the pickup’s sound system. He and Terri were both in high spirits, singing along with the music and teasing each other about their lack of vocal talent.

The white flag procedure went smoothly, Bishop’s truck leading the Beltran 18-wheeler to the long row of loading docks
that dominated one side of the huge facility.

A few hours later the beef was unloaded, the meat stored in one of the huge commercial freeze
rs. While the Beltran crew began transferring pallet after pallet of deer corn to their truck, Sheriff Watts motioned for Bishop and Terri to follow.

“Ca
n you deliver a message to Diana Brown for me?” he asked Terri.

“Happy to
.”

The sheriff reached into his pocket and produced a multi-page letter. “These are our terms for joining the communities of Alpha and Meraton. Really,
it’s more of a plan. It’s signed by every single person living here at the center.”

Terri hadn’t expected anything so formal. With a slight grimace
of concern, she glanced up and asked, “Do you care if I read it?”

“Be my guest.”

Taking a seat at the conference table, Terri began to scan the pages. “This is fair - you want housing for each family,” was her initial remark. “This is reasonable – compensation for duties performed.”

After finish
ing, she beamed at the elder officer. “I don’t see anything in here that should be a problem, Sheriff. I think your idea of keeping some men stationed here at the center to protect all of these goods is wise as well.”

Nodding
at the paper in Terri’s hands, Watts remarked, “We argued over the evaluation period mentioned in there. If things don’t work out, our people want to keep the option of moving back here to the center. We thought 60 days was an equitable period for both sides to evaluate our job performance and for us to determine that the relationship is working for everyone.”

“I’ll hand this to Diana immediately. I’m sure she’ll
respond quickly.”

Two days
later, the first officers began moving their families to Alpha, Texas.

The mis
communication over the HAM radio and resulting waste of resources didn’t sit well with Pete or Diana. For the men who had dropped everything and rushed to the rescue, the false alarm left a bitter taste. It was difficult enough putting food on the table and accomplishing the daily activities needed to survive without wasting an entire day on an unnecessary trip to Meraton.

The fact that a potentially dangerous situation ha
d narrowly been avoided in the market wasn’t lost on either of the elected mayors. If Alpha’s men had invaded the small town, there was no way to predict the outcome. Meraton’s citizens were well armed, and the legacy of bank robbers and rogue gangs was still at the forefront of an edgy populace’s mind. A full-fledged firefight could have easily broken out.

The raid on Alpha’s courthouse added another level of frustration. Many residents were questioning what would have happened if Nick and the men of Alpha had been present
when T-Bone’s crew rolled into town. Could the extreme loss of food have been avoided? There was no obvious answer, but human nature kept the topic alive and hotly debated throughout the town.

Adding yet another layer of frustration, the Beltran Ranch debacle had been narrowly avoided, and everyone knew it. Terri’s creati
vity and sharp eye received due credit for heading that problem off at the pass.

Diana looked at Pete and said, “I just can’t keep up. How do you do it?”

“My problems are on a much smaller scale than yours, Diana. We don’t have the immigration issues, and our town is a quarter of Alpha’s size. That, and my moonshine mellows everyone out quite a bit,” Pete added with a grin.

“I’m going to need some of that white lightening if things keep piling up around here. If I could focus on just Alpha’s problems, I would be just fine. It’s all the outside crap that drives me nuts.”

Pete nodded his understanding, adding, “If Terri hadn’t figured out how to feed Mr. Beltran’s cattle, I would have probably tried any number of crazy schemes. She’s got free drinks at Pete’s Place for a month.”

Di
ana waved off the silly comment. “She’s pregnant Pete; she can’t drink.”

The bartender chuckled for a bit and then brightened with an idea. “You know what we need is a
n ambassador. Someone to coordinate our two towns and take care of all the outside stuff.”

Diana’s expression signaled she found merit in the idea, but then a frown crossed her face. “And who could do that job? You and I both ran unopposed.”

Pete thought for a minute before suggesting Nick. “No way,” Diana responded, “He’s complaining constantly about not having enough time with Kevin. Besides, he’d be like a bull in a china shop. Nick thinks the only thing people respect is blunt force. While he’s right far too often these days, we need someone who will try to resolve issues without violence as the first option. ”

“Bishop?” Pete suggested.

“Same irk as Nick – a little too quick on the trigger. While I think this last wound has mellowed him a little, we need someone with both a little fire in the belly and a healthy dose of diplomacy as well. What about Terri?”

Pete blurted out, “She’s pregnant. Isn’t she du
e in less than four months?”

Di
ana crossed her arms, a defiant look on her face. “I know lots of women who had multiple children and still had a career. I don’t think we should take her off the list just because she’s with child.”

Pete was skeptical. “I know that used to be the case, but times have changed. You’re right, that would be Terri’s decision. She handled the Beltran ranch thing like a UN Ambassador. I think she would be perfect if she would take the job.”

Diana’s gaze wandered off for a moment. “You should have seen her the first time we visited Sheriff Watts. She did a great job there, too. I was scared to death, convinced we were all going to be shot right on the spot. Terri hopped right out of the car and started negotiating.”