She stared at it for a moment. I assumed Mr. Martin would walk me through everything, she said slowly.
Sorry. I thought you knew hed moved to Hawaii. The Realtor laughed at the oversight. Oscar employed a local man by the name of Don Winkleman to help with the birds. I reckon hes been handling things since Oscar skedaddled.
I see. I hope his notes are detailed... She opened the envelope but couldnt focus on all the paperwork she was seeing. This business is all new to me. Everything here is new to me.
Well, now, weve got a right, nice little town. What you see here is our commercial district. You and the little lady, he said, smiling down at Andee, need to visit our museum. It dates back to the 1916 raid by Pancho Villa. Weve even got artifacts from one of the original Harvey Houses that catered to transcontinental railway travelers. Its open now, if youd like to take a tour.
Im afraid I cant. Jenna glanced at her watch. Im to meet our moving van at the house right about now.
She was exhausted from the long drive and the heat. And admittedly unsettled by the news that Oscar Martin was gone and hadnt told her hed be leaving and shed be plunged into ranching straightaway. Thank heaven, hed left her with someone to help.
No problem. Ill mark where youre going on this map. Your property isnt too far off the main highway. Its about four miles out of town.
And theres a rental home? she suddenly thought to ask. If Oscar Martin hadnt told her he was leaving, what else hadnt he told her? Here in town, correct? And its occupied?
Yes.
Well, that was a relief, anyway.
Belonged to Oscars great-aunt, Bud continued. When she passed on, he elected to keep it for added income. The house sits about here. He pointed to a square on the map. The address is on the deeds in your packet. He drew an X approximately two blocks into the square. Its currently rented by a nice young fella who lived here as a boy. He returned a few months ago to open a business.
Bud stood and went to the window to peer out.
I spect you just missed him. Before you came in, I saw his pickup parked outside the bank.
Relieved to hear that her renter was nice, Jenna thanked the Realtor for his help and guided Andee out.
Mommy, Im hot, Andee complained as Jenna unlocked the SUV.
It was a good thing Jenna had stocked a cooler with ice and water at the motel that morning. She opened a bottle and passed it to the girl. We need to remember to drink more, sweetie. Its much drier here.
Why?
I suppose because theres no ocean nearby.
Andee accepted that answer and buckled herself into her kid seat in the back.
After a brief check of the map, Jenna set out.
It took her less than fifteen minutes to find the rutted lane leading to the ranch.
Her first glimpse of the rambling two-story house was a letdown. It wasnt as white as it had looked in the photos. The porch didnt run all the way across the front. And the evergreens, maybe spruce, which she had thought shaded the house, were brown. Covered in dust, she guessed, squinting against the hot wind blowing the dust through her open window.
She shut the window and climbed out of the SUV, taking in the tufts of grass in the yard as she opened Andees door. She couldnt really call the grass a lawn.
She had wanted so much for this life-changing move to New Mexico to be exactly what she and her daughter needed. Her family had told her that she didnt know what she was doing. And shed blithely argued that shed done her research.
Nothing in her research had prepared her for what she was seeing now. And maybe that was why the previous owner had left town on the quiet.
There was more lawn evident in some of the pens that ran parallel to the highway, which was separated from her property by a strip of land and a perimeter road Jenna hoped didnt get much traffic.
Groups of gangly birds were huddled under canvas-topped awnings. Since the dry breeze took her breath away, Jenna didnt blame the ostriches for seeking the least little bit of shade. If Oscar Martin had a manager, there was no sign of himor any living human being, for that matter.
She helped Andee down and they went into the house, where a second wave of fatigue swept over Jenna. It was only marginally cooler inside, and yet the inspector shed hired through the Realtor had said the house had swamp coolers. Of course, she knew swamp coolers werent air conditioners and they worked better if a couple of windows were cracked open. It was at least reassuring that she could hear the sound of a motor running somewhere.
She had promised to call Melody the minute they arrived. But knowing that her sister and Rob insisted she was making a bad decisionand worried they were rightshe decided to wait until she was settled in.
She glanced out the living room window and saw the moving van lumbering toward the house.
Good. A reprieve.
After telling the movers where she wanted her furniture and boxes to go, she and Andee went to unload the SUV. On her second trip, while her daughter remained inside unpacking her stuffed animals, the drone of an airplane directly overhead made Jenna pause. Unable to shade her eyes because she had both arms filled with clothes on hangers, she squinted to scan the sky.
She was surprised to see a small red-and-white plane flying incredibly low. So low, her heart skipped a beat. It swooped over the ostrich pens and for a moment blocked the sun, casting a hulking shadow.
Tearing her eyes from the plane, Jenna saw spindly-legged birds bolt from under the canopies and run awkwardly to the far end of the enclosure. The planes shadow followed, causing birds to bump into fences and one another. Then the plane made a right turn and headed for a low rise Jenna thought probably marked the edge of her property.
She held her breath and waited for the sound of a crash. Nothing.
Mom, Andee called from the doorway.
Ill be there in a minute, honey.
At the fence, she had no idea what she should do to settle the agitated flock. Thankfully, before she could come up with a plan, they calmed themselves and wandered back to the shade.
Since she hadnt heard a boom, Jenna assumed the plane must have landed. She had no idea shed bought property near an airport. That very notion unnerved her.
Mommy, are the ostriches okay? Andee asked, appearing at her side.
I think so. Turning to go into the house, Jenna muttered, That plane shouldnt have flown so low.
She watched her daughter carefully after that close encounter with the small plane.
She knew neighbors on base had discussed Andrews plane crash around their kids. And even though Andrew had been gone too much to be a hands-on dad, their little girl had always tagged after him when he was home. And hed taken her to see his plane. Flying had been his life. Hed even bought her picture books of planes.
But since Andrew had come and gone so often, Jenna was aware that Andee hadnt yet fully comprehend his death.
Up to now theyd only casually mentioned that Andrew was in heaven. But Andee was a bright child and Jennas mom had said there would be an appropriate opening to discuss what death meant.
This wasnt the time, though, Jenna decided.
To distract them both, she toured Andee through the rest of the four-bedroom, two-bath house while two of the movers set up their beds.