Chapter 13

Monday arrived and so did the Ryders. Tallis had been up since dawn, filling in for Cole. He was even more shorthanded as the two hands who always seemed to be in Cole’s back pocket had collected their pay along with all the belongings and Cole’s and left.

Now Tallis not only needed to work on the problem of Melody’s contract, but he also needed to hire a new foreman and two hands. Tallis sent a prayer to God letting him know he needed good, reliable, godly help that was willing to learn to do things the way Melody was showing them.

As the hands headed out to cover the assignments he gave them, one of them came up to him. “Boss, I just wanted to say I’m sorry about Miss Melody getting attacked. If I’d known that no account Brent was sniffing around her, I’d have stayed close to the stable yesterday instead of going into town. I’m glad you let us know he ain’t coming back no matter what. I tried to tell old man Callahan that Cole was the reason the ranch wasn’t making the money it should and that the guy was bad news, but he just didn’t want to hear it.”

Tallis got it that once again that something important was happening. “You’re Dalton Hayes, right? Sorry, still trying to get everyone straight.”

“It’s alright, Mr. Ryder. You’ve only been owner a couple of months and you’ve been busy with getting things ready for guests. It was brilliant to figure out how to bring in a couple of extra income streams. Seems cattle ranching ain’t as lucrative as it was back in the day your family got into it.”

Tallis was shocked. “You know my family?”

The man nodded. “Yes, sir. Truth be told, my ancestor was from Kentucky. He came west with Nugget Nate and Davy Crockett. He didn’t leave with Nate and go prospecting but he couldn’t get the warning Nugget Nate gave Davey out of his head or so the family story goes.

He left before they got to the Alamo and headed north. Ended up in Colorado and bought a little piece of land. My family ranched it until about ten years ago when my mom got sick. Dad sold the ranch to pay her medical bills.”

“That when you came to work here? For Mr. Callahan?”

“Yes sir, cowboying is the only life I know. Was wandering looking for a steady place to hang my spurs when Callahan offered me a job. The problem was, Brent Cole was already running things and Callahan had bought the ranch on a whim. He was a city fella and Cole talked a big game. Not the right game. Reckon it sounded right to a businessman who knew nothing about ranching besides what he’d seen on TV and Netflix.”

“Walk with me a minute, Hayes.” Tallis headed out to the stable for the ranch’s working horses. “So tell me what you think about the changes I’ve been trying to make.”

The man shrugged. “Don’t seem like that big a deal to me, honestly. Cowboying is cowboying and ranching is ranching. Doing it all from horseback and wagons doesn’t really bother me. You didn’t ask us all to give up our comforts, and you had new upgraded cabins built for us instead of making us live in an open bunk house.

What rope I use or wearing canvas and denim instead of long sleeve t-shirts ain’t a problem with me. Asking us to keep our phones in our saddle bags when guest are with us ain’t that big a deal. As long as you don’t expect us to actually rely on urban cowboy wannabe’s to work the herd for real. Then I ain’t gonna have a problem taking a few greenhorns out and talking about ranching traditions. Don’t reckon any of the boys left do either.”

“Anything you’d do differently?”

“Don’t see anything off-hand. The only suggestion I have is to pick about fifty head and start working them so they’re used to doing what you want when you want. So the guest you have coming will think they’re doing cowboy work when in reality, that small of a herd would be something a couple of hands could work on their own.”

Tallis nodded. “That’s a good idea. You got kin around?”

“Got three brothers that are working around as seasonal hands for any rancher that will take ‘em.”

“Call ‘em up. Ask ‘em if they want permanent jobs at what you’re making if you think they’re worth it.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep, and move yer stuff into the foreman’s cabin. You just got yourself a promotion and a raise. I’ll tell the hands tomorrow and you start right then. Today call your brothers and see if they want the jobs. If not, find me some men who do and who know what they’re doing and will learn how to do the stuff that’s different here.”

“Thanks, Mister Ryder. I appreciate that.”

“What’s your folks doing now?”

“Mom passed a few years ago, Cancer. Dad, he’s working at the feed store.”

“He healthy?”

“Yes sir, getting older and slower but still healthy.”

“Think he’d want a job watching over wannabe cowboys and ramrodding a small herd?”

“Mr. Ryder, are you joking right now?”

“I like to joke around, Dalton, but one thing you’ll learn is this. We Ryders never joke when it comes to family. Call him up, tell him I have a job for him. Let him know a large part of it will be telling those stories about your ancestors and mine to a bunch of pretend cowboys and trying to show ‘em how to cowboy up. Same pay as your brothers, and room and board.”

“I’ll do it.”

“You let me know tomorrow what they say and when they can all get here. Until then, just try to keep my cattle alive and the rest of my hands happy.”

“Yes sir, thank you, sir.”

“Oh and Hayes, in case you didn’t figure it out, honor, respect, and old-fashioned values are important to me and mine. Make sure all the men know I mean it when I say we treat women on this ranch with respect and all cowboys will act like gentlemen. Along with that, I ain’t opposed to married hands. If any of the men or you or your brothers find Mrs. Right, your jobs are secure and so is housing. I can always call the contractor and build more cabins.”

“Boss, you know you’re gonna end up with a line of cowboys looking to work here, don’t ya?”

Tallis smiled at his new foreman. “That’s good, means we can hire the best of the best. Those we can’t hire, if they’re willing to move to New Mexico, might get work with my Dad or Uncle.”

The two men shook hands and Tallis headed to the stable to check on Melody just as his phone rang. It was Sara, back up at the welcome center. “Hey kiddo, what’s up?”

“The family is on their way. Mom wants to know if we have enough food, and should they swing by the supercenter on the way in?”

“Tell her no, we got a delivery coming in tomorrow and we’re stocked until then. I just need everyone here so we can get started on the plan.”

“You gonna let us in on the plan?”

“Yep, after I tell everyone Melody’s secret and explain why they can’t talk to her about it.”

“You going to let her in on the plan?”

“She already knows it and she’ll have Cynthia to keep her busy; the two of them were looking at the two-year-olds dad brought last time. Trying to find the one Cynthia was gonna learn on.”

“Alright, you might want to warn them both though that the entire clan is coming. Might have to put the boys up in the bunkhouse. Mom and Dad and Uncle Sam and Aunt Debbie in the old foreman’s cabin, none of them will complain about the lack of modern conveniences.”

“You’re guest services, you know what’s open; do what ya need to.”

“Oh, and Tallis. Reed’s with Nate. His summer job fell through. Thought you might like to know that the college heartthrob is in town with a young lady around.”

“Well, he’s a Ryder, he’ll behave himself.”

“Says the man who keeps sending his trainer to bed with swollen lips.”

Tallis laughed. “Your day’s coming, sis.”

“Your lips to God’s ear, big brother.”

It wasn’t long before the Ryder clan arrived on the ranch. Tallis watched as Sara drove them all down in the wagon they’d use to bring guests onto the historic part of the ranch. She dropped the guys off at the bunkhouse and their parents and aunt and uncle at the old foreman’s house. Finally, she brought Hannah up to the main house. Hannah found Tallis. “Hey cousin, where’s your lady love?”

“She’s working, you slacker. Some of us have to work for a living. We don’t have cushy government jobs where we can just take vacations whenever we want. You know what your dad and mine always said, ‘A rancher’s work is never done’.”

Hannah laughed. “Then what are you doing slacking off, college boy?”

“I had to take the day off to welcome your sorry butt to my ranch.”

They hugged. “Okay, there are two options open for you here. The room next to mine which is downstairs here or the room next to Sara’s upstairs. There’s a room next to Melody’s but her new assistant is moving in there.”

Hannah looked at him. “Seriously Tall, I know you’ve got trouble coming; do you need me upstairs in a defensible position or down here in a preemptive one.”

“I didn’t call you all here for the fight, yet. Just to tell you what’s coming, when it’s coming, and get help with the plan to stop the fight before it can even start.”

“Then mostly a vacation for me, sweet! I’ll take the room upstairs so I can corrupt your girl. With Sara’s help, of course.”

Tallis laughed. “Good luck with that.”

One by one the entire clan wandered in except for Nate’s son Reed. “Where’s Reed?”

“He brought his bike with him. Wanted to go check out the University. Said it would give him some independence, yet be close enough to family if he needs a good meal or someplace to crash for a weekend.”

Tallis nodded. “If he decides to go here, I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“Appreciate it.”

Once they were all seated at the table and his mom and aunt had put out sandwiches and pitchers of tea, Tallis started. “I want to start by thanking you all for coming so quickly. I know it was a lot to ask. Yes, I know family is important, but I still want you to know I appreciate it. I wanted you to meet Melody and you will at supper, but I needed to tell you what’s going on and explain a few things and ask a few things. First things first, let me tell you what’s going on.”

He told the entire story. How he was stuck and needed a historical expert on ranching. How Johnson had shown up and how his Calling had kicked in. He talked about dreaming about a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl and children the night before Melody arrived. How shocked he’d been when the expert Johnson brought him was the spitting image of the woman from his dream.

His mom and aunt smiled at each other when he said that. He told them he knew right then she was the one meant for him. He explained the strange things Johnson said about Melody’s contract and the warning to Melody about keeping the rules of the contract without fail.

He went on to lay out how he’d tried several times last week to let her know he wanted her to stay and marry him. How she was adamant that her contract had her leaving in six months and was unbreakable. She finally relented to allow him to court her Saturday.

He explained how she’d not known anything about modern clothes and how at dinner she’d said something, and he jokingly said that maybe she was actually an expert on the 1800s because she was from the 1800s. When he’d explained that his Calling jolted him then his family except for his dad had all exclaimed in surprise. He explained what he realized about Melody’s side of the contract. That she couldn’t tell anyone or even admit that she was from the past. That she had to get his ranch running like an 1800s one. He told about how she finally admitted that she was his and he was hers. He stopped for a drink and his cousin Hannah spoke up. “So why are we here, Tall? How can we help you fight this time-traveling bureaucrat?”

Tallis nodded. “Some of you can’t directly. But you are all here for a reason. First off, you’re family and we stick together. Second, I wanted you all to know what’s going on. None of you can mention any of this to Melody. She knows I called you all here to tell you everything, but she can’t confirm or admit to any of it. We have to be very careful, so not even using your roundabout interrogation tricks, Hannah? Nothing can jeopardize the plan we think God gave us.”

“What plan?”

“Yesterday at church Pastor Henderson read Matthew 19 and preached on faithfulness and divorce, but what jumped off the page at both me and Melody was verses five and six. We know the plan is this. We have to be married before the contract ends on December 31. I mean truly, without a doubt before God, married. Mom, that’s why you’re here. I need a wedding and I need it by Christmas. I’ll leave most of the details up to you and Melody, but there are a few things that aren’t negotiable. It needs to be in a church that worships God through Christ. The officiant needs to be a God-ordained minister And absolutely the preacher has to use the following phrase, ‘By the authority given to me by God through Jesus Christ I now pronounce you husband and wife. What God has joined together let no man separate. None of that is negotiable it has to happen. It’s important.

The rest of fulfilling that part of the plan is between me and Melody, but we have to be husband and wife in body mind, and spirit. The mind part we know has already happened.” Everyone started to exclaim in excitement, asking him how he knew.

Tallis explained how she was already exhibiting a Ryder Calling and explained about Cynthia and what he and Sara had figured out last night. “The spirit part, that’s why I’m adamant about the wedding wording and who and where. As for the body part, well, Melody and I will take care of that part. But that isn’t all we need.

Nate, I need you to keep digging into both Johnson and Melody. Only I want you to change your focus. Find me historical proof of what I know. Look for birth records for Melody. I know her ID here says she’s twenty-three. I figure age-wise that’s about right plus 147 years. I know she came here from around 1870 because of something Johnson said to me in passing. So I figure check 1869, 70, 71 for a ranch run by a man named Hughes who died, and then his daughter disappeared a few weeks later. Look for her birth record around 1847.

I want any and everything you can find from Penny’s mention to the present day about Reverend Johnson. Try to get me some photos if you can. Also on a wider scale, anything that feels real about time travelers either past or present. See if you can find any other displaced in time people.”

His dad spoke up. “Talk to me before you start that part, Nate. I have a couple of names in Wyoming for you.”

Tallis looked at his dad. “You knew, didn’t you; this is what you wanted to talk to me about.”

“Wasn’t positive, but when I saw that Reverend fella a week ago, I knew I’d read a report on him.”

“You mean Penny and Grace’s journal entries?”

“No, an official report by Cindy Cody to Bill Pinkerton in the early 1900s on a time traveler named Johnson.”

“Do you still have it?”

“Of course, it’s in the archives.”

“Nate, I need paper trails too. Of everything, every step you take to get me the answers. I need to be able to prove my sources aren’t coming from Melody.”

“You got it.”

“Hannah, from you I need your contacts in the Marshal service. I need to know if the current identity Melody has is legal and if it will hold up if she needs it too.”

“I can do that. Anything else?”

“If it is, can you see how he got it?”

“Yep.”

“For the rest of you. Here’s what I need. Welcome my future wife to the family. Help around here so we can get everything ready for our first guest in September. Oh, and plan to be at Fazio’s Saturday night ready to celebrate my engagement. That’s when I’ll propose. Then save the date for our wedding and plan to be here from Christmas to New Year. I wouldn’t be surprised if Johnson shows up a few days early to declare the contract complete.”