The Second Hundred Years-Sequel Ch. 03

Alyssa saw the frown that crossed William's face. "That's enough for this evening," she said. "Bed time young man."

James hugged his family and said good night. After the boy climbed the stairs to his room, William turned to Lewis and Alyssa.

"The answer to the boy's question is that Chante disappeared on that trip to the high country," William told them.

"What happened?" Lewis asked.

"Don't rightly know for sure. Her horse came back late that afternoon. He was lame in a front leg and had a deep scratch across his rump. Looked like it was caused by a mountain lion." William had a faraway look in his eyes as he remembered back to that day in September, 1926

"Dad, Mom, me and even the ranch hands looked for her. We back tracked the horse to the mountains on the west border of the ranch but lost the trail on the rocky ground. After a week we had to put the hands back to work, but Dad and I continued to search until the weather turned bad. We never found her or any sign of her." He hung his head for a minute. Lewis and Alyssa remained quiet letting William gather himself.

"It's strange as hell, you know? She disappeared just like Jim. We know now what happened to Jim because he came back to us but I still don't know about Chante."

William took a deep breath and stared at the journal for a few seconds. Alyssa could tell he had something more on his mind and motioned to Lewis.

"What is it Grandpa?" Lewis asked

"I've been thinkin about it. It's not really my call Lewis, but I think you're makin a mistake not telling the boy about Jim."

*********************

Lewis had made a decision. Alyssa, William, and he had discussed, argued, and debated the question. They talked for three weeks after Chante's journal was read, if not every day at least several times a week. It was decided that young James needed or should be told about his Grandpa Jim's return to the modern world.

William had played "devil's advocate" when Alyssa and Lewis pulled him into the debate. After weeks of discussion William said, "The worst thing that could happen is that James tells some of his friends or their parents about Jim's return to life. The other kids will think it's just a good story and the parents won't believe it." Before Lewis or Alyssa could object to his logic he added.

"Even if someone does believe the story, the worst that could happen is that scientific types will want to investigate." William smiled, "And if that happens we'll tell them to stay the hell off our land."

William got serious again. "I think we'll do more damage by not telling the boy. James may never find out on his own but if he does he'll be hurt that we didn't trust him. Besides, he deserves to be as crazy as the rest of the Randals." William gave them a big grin and chuckled.

"How would he ever find out?" Alyssa asked.

Lewis replied, "It may be farfetched but I can see it happening. We usually make sure James isn't around if we talk about Jim. When we have slipped he hasn't paid much attention to it"

"Another problem is Tom and Helen Casey," Lewis continued. "James hasn't spent too much time with them yet, but he will as he gets older and gets more involved in working on the ranch."

"But Tom and Helen don't know the truth. They think Jim is, I mean was, a cousin from another part of the country," Alyssa argued.

"That's right," William agreed. "But Tom and Jim became close friends and Tom's bound to mention that fact. He could talk about things that Jim told him about ranching in the old days or something. Right now James wouldn't put it together but as he gets older he could begin to wonder."

"Wonder what?" Alyssa asked.

"He might wonder how a cousin who'd never been to Eagle's Nest knew so much about it. He might wonder why we've never mentioned this, Jim," William replied. "And if Tom ever describes Jim, especially that white streak in his hair, the boy could put it together with the picture of Jim, Chante, and John."

William stopped talking; he had made his point. Lewis and Alyssa were quiet and thoughtful. After a couple of minutes, Lewis straightened in his chair. "I think we should tell our son. Grandpa's right, James deserves to know about the man he was named for."

Alyssa smiled, remembering the joy and wonder that Jim had when he saw his namesake that evening just before he passed away. "If Jim hadn't come back to us, we would have probably named our son John or Josh or maybe even William," she said smiling at the older man.

"Maybe we should make an early trip up the mountain this year," Lewis suggested. "We could tell James the story then."

"I think that's a fine idea," William agreed.

Alyssa said, "It'll give James time before school starts next month to get used to the idea. Maybe he won't be so inclined to tell his friends.

"Don't really think that'll be a problem," Lewis offered. "James is very mature in some ways and I'll ask him to promise not to talk to outsiders about Jim. I don't think he'll break his word once he's given it"

"Might as well throw everything on him at once," Alyssa suggested. "I think we should tell him he owns Granddad's ranch now."

"You think?" Lewis asked.

"Yes I do," she answered. "He's got a right to know that too." Lewis nodded.

Two days later on Saturday morning the four Randals saddled their horses, packed their supplies for the picnic, and rode to the trail head leading up to Jim's burial site. Lewis hadn't told James why the trip was being made earlier than usual, just that it was.

This time James had brought along a grouse he'd shot the day before. Lewis watched James put the grouse in his saddle bag and raised an eyebrow in question.

"It's for the eagle guarding Grandpa Jim," James said with a smile. "I wasn't sure if we'd find a grouse on the way up the mountain and I hope I can give it to the eagle again."

William led the way with Alyssa riding beside him. Lewis and James rode side by side, following them. "You and Joshua sure get along good," Lewis said.

"Yes sir. He's my best friend," James answered patting the big black horse on the neck. "We're like partners." Joshua nodded his head up and down as if he agreed.

"Here we are," William called out. "Time to use our own feet for a while."

The Randals dismounted, dropping the reins to the ground. All of their horses were trained to ground tie and wouldn't move far from the spot except to graze a little.

They gathered their picnic supplies and James led the way up the trail. It took them about 30 minutes to get to the big granite bluff. There was no eagle sitting on Jim's burial platform but there were three soaring on the air currents above the butte. William and Alyssa got the food and spread it out on a saddle blanket. James, followed by Lewis, went toward Jim's final resting place.

As James and Lewis got close one of the high soaring eagles dropped out of the sky and landed on one of the upright supports.

"He came back," James said excitedly to Lewis.

"Yep he sure did," Lewis agreed. "Hold the grouse out so he can see and just wait a bit."

In a repeat of their previous meeting the big raptor hopped down and waddled over to James. He slowly reached out and took the offered grouse from the boy's hand. The bird jumped back into the air flapping his great wings. He rose until he caught the air currents over the mountain and soared off to his nest.

"That's so cool," James said as the big predator flew away.

After lunch the four of them walked closer to the burial platform. William and Alyssa took seats on a fallen tree trunk. Lewis leaned back against the tree with James sitting cross legged on the ground facing his parents.

"We came up here to Jim's place early because we wanted to talk to you," Lewis said to his son.

"Did I do something wrong Dad?" James asked looking at his father and then at his mother.

"No son," Lewis replied with a smile. He reached over and ruffled the boy's hair. "You didn't do anything wrong. Your mother and I think you should hear this story before you get much older. So does your Grandpa William."

"Okay Dad," James said.

"This is going to sound pretty strange but it's the truth. Okay?" James nodded and Lewis continued.

"About eleven years before you were born, I was exploring up here on the mountain. I found your Grandpa Jim sleeping in that cave just across that little canyon there." Lewis pointed to the collapsed entrance to the cavern.

"But I thought Grandpa Jim died a long time ago."

"So did we, until I found him in that cave. Doc Samuels said Jim was in a state of suspended animation. You know what that means James?"

"Yes sir. It's like someone sleeping for a long time," James replied. "I read about it in some my science fiction stories."

"That's right, it's like someone sleeping. That's what Jim was doing, sleeping." Lewis paused making sure the boy understood. "We got Jim down to the ranch house where he fully woke up and after a few days he was as good as new."

"That means he was," James said and started counting to himself. "That means Grandpa Jim was over a hundred years old."

"We figured Jim had been asleep for 117 years, give or take a year or two."

"What happened to Grandpa? I mean how did he get put into suspended animation?"

"Remember the medicine man that we read about in Chante's Journal?" Lewis asked.

"Yeah, Spirit Healer she called him."

"Well Spirit Healer tricked Jim into the cave and gave him something that put him to sleep. He pulled Jim into a small room and built a rock wall to close him in. With me so far?"

"Yes sir, but how did Grandpa Jim stay alive for all those years?" James asked.

"We don't really know. There was a flame burning in a niche in one wall and it gave off a funny kind of smoke. Doc Samuels thinks whatever was in that smoke kept Jim alive all those years," Lewis answered. "Anyway I saw a hole in that wall and looked inside. I saw Jim and knocked down some of the wall. He woke up when the fresh air hit him."

"You're not teasing me, are you Dad?"

"No son. Like I said it's all the truth. Jim lived with us for eleven years. But he started to age real quick after ten and a half years or so. Doc said he thought that whatever that smoke had done to Jim wore off. Jim died three days after you were born. He got to see you before he left us and was real proud that we named you after him. We built this burial platform for Jim, just like the Lakota warriors."

"Wow," James responded.

"I'm going to ask you to promise that you won't tell anyone about this," Lewis said looking the boy in the eye. Doc and his wife Dotty are the only ones outside of the family that know about Jim. "It's really important that no one else knows."

"Okay, I promise," James said solemnly. "But why is it so important to keep it a secret?"

"If people find out about Jim they might want to take his body to study," Lewis replied. "We don't intend to let them take Jim away."

"I promise Dad," James repeated. "Cross my heart."

"Good boy," Lewis said as he hugged his son. "One more thing. Joshua was Jim's horse while he was with us. I bought him for your Grandpa and they become great friends and partners." Lewis smiled adding, "Just like you and Joshua are now."

"Thank you for promising to keep Grandpa Jim's story a secret James," Alyssa said. She sat down next to him and hugged him. "Now there's another thing we have to tell you."

James looked at her with big eyes as if to say, there's more?

"When your Grandpa Josh passed away he left his ranch to you. He asked your dad and me to run the place until you're 21. Then you can do whatever you want. You can sell it, rent it out, or keep running it. Whatever you want."

"You mean all of Grandpa's horses are mine?" James asked with a grin.

"Yeah, the horses, the land, and everything else on the ranch is yours," Lewis answered. "Your mother and I hired Jerry Pace to run the place until you get older."

"Great. Jerry's a cool guy. Every time I'm there he takes me to look at the new foals and work with the horses." James thought for a few seconds and added, "He doesn't treat me like a kid."

"We told you about the ranch because my father isn't very happy that Granddad left it to you instead of to him," Alyssa said to James.

"Why doesn't Grandpa Ed like us Mom? I mean he only visited here two or three times."

Alyssa shook her head and answered, "I don't know. Dad never liked living on the ranch. He and Mother said the place is uncivilized." She looked at her son and asked, "You know what that means?"

"Yes Ma'am. But why would he want Grandpa Josh's ranch if he didn't like it?"

"I think he wants to sell it. He probably wants to buy a bigger home in Los Angeles."

James was quiet for about 30 seconds. "He can't have it. Grandpa's ranch belongs to me and I'll never sell it."

Alyssa and Lewis smiled at James. "Enough about bad things. We'll tell you more about your Grandpa Jim," Lewis said.

William, Lewis, and Alyssa took a couple of hours telling James stories about his Grandpa Jim. They told him how Jim was fascinated by modern technology. How it was his idea to make Eagle's Nest into a working cattle ranch again and invite people to come several times a year to live and work like cowboys.

"Time to get back," Alyssa said. "We need to get some rest. Our last guests of the year will be here tomorrow to drive the cattle down from the high country."

********************

Well that didn't work out the way I planned, Jake Sanders thought. First that damned old man Benson left his ranch to his great grandson. Jake had suggested to Edward Benson that he file a lawsuit to overturn Josh Benson's will in L.A. County. Josh's attorney Sam Reynolds filed a counter motion to move the suit to Prescott. Reynolds' argument was that Josh lived in Yavapai County and the will had been filed there. He stated that the suit should be heard there. Unfortunately for Sanders, the L.A. judge agreed and refused to hear the case.

Now we have to file in a jurisdiction that may not be as favorable to us, Sanders told himself. After a couple of minutes he pushed a button on the intercom. Maybe there's a better way, he thought.

"Yes sir," his secretary Sharon responded.

"Sharon get hold of a Bryce Jenkins and tell him I want to see him right away," he ordered. "His phone number is in the Rolodex under security sub contractors."

An hour later a big, ruddy faced man came into Sanders' office. "Hi ya Boss. You wanted to see me?"

"Hello Bryce, yeah I got a job for you," Sanders told him.

Jake looked at the man and thought, he's just the one for this job. Bryce was 6'6. At 275 pounds, he was as heavy as he was tall. He'd been a pro football player at one time and made a lot of money. But after some bad investments and wild spending habits, Jenkins now lived from job to job. His job was intimidating people to do what the men that hired him wanted done.

"Got a ticklish little chore for you up in Prescott." Sanders informed Jenkins. He quickly explained the situation concerning Eagle's Nest and now the Benson ranch.

"I don't know what the outcome of this lawsuit will be but I want you to suggest strongly to young James Randal and his parents that it would be in their best interest to sell the Benson place to us. Understand?" Sanders finished.

"Yeah," Jenkins replied and asked, "How strong do you want this suggestion to be?"

Jake Sanders stood with his back toward Jenkins, looking at the view out of his corner office for almost a minute before he answered. Turning back to Jenkins he said, "Just don't kill anyone. I expect to hear from you or the Randals in ten days. Now get going."

********************

Young James Randal was excited at being back in school. He liked school, his teachers, and his friends but he was a little sad to be away from Eagle's Nest, his parents, and Joshua for eight hours each school day. But it's Friday and I'll take Joshua on a long ride this weekend, he thought. "There's Grandpa," he muttered when he saw William's truck parked in front of the school.

"Hi Grandpa. You come to pick me up?"

"Hi son. Yeah I had some business at the bank. Come on we'll get on the road home," William answered.

Back at Eagle's Nest, as William parked the truck, James ran down to the corral to see Joshua. He stroked the big horse's neck and saw his father in the attached barn. He was mucking out a horse stall and James picked up a pitchfork to help him. Lewis smiled at his son and continued to work.

They quickly finished their chore and went up to the ranch house. "I think we deserve some milk and cookies for working so hard," Lewis said.

"I think you're right Dad," James replied in a put on solemn voice. Then he laughed. He took a bite of his first cookie and asked, "Where's Mom?"

"She's over to Cole's Trading Post picking up a few things. I don't think we really need anything, she just wanted to get out of the house for a bit."

Lewis cocked his head at a noise from outside. A truck, driven much too fast, slid to a stop on the graveled parking area next to the house. A truck door slammed shut and someone stomped onto the porch. Alyssa came into the kitchen and threw her purse on the table.

Her cheeks were red, her lips were a thin white angry line, and her eyes blazed like lightning. Lewis had never seen her this worked up.

"Hi Mom," James greeted his mother. "Dad and me had cookies and milk because we cleaned out the horse stalls in the barn."

"That's nice Baby," Alyssa replied. "Would you go get the packages in the bed of the truck please?" The boy took off at a run.

"You alright Honey?" Lewis asked. "You look like you could chew nails and spit out thumb tacks."

"I'm so mad I probably could." Alyssa took a deep breath and got better control of herself. "A man named Jenkins made a 5 million dollar offer for Eagle's Nest. I told him it wasn't for sale at any price."

She walked to the sink and got a glass of water. "Then this Jenkins said it would be a shame if one of us got so badly hurt we couldn't stay on the ranch. Can you believe that? He threatened us. Said he'd be at the Hotel St. Michael in Prescott when we changed our minds. Said he expected to hear from us within the week."

"Do you know who he is working for?"

"I'm sure he works for Center Corp. That weasel Sid Collier from Center Corp was sitting in a car out front of Cole's.

William came into the kitchen and felt the mood. "What's all the fuss about?" Alyssa repeated her story.

"I'm going to call the police," Alyssa said. "Maybe they can do something about this thug."

"Call Jasper Dempsey too," William suggested.

"The Sheriff?" Alyssa asked. "If I report Jenkins to the police why should I call Sheriff Dempsey?"

"I'm not saying don't call the police," William replied. "But they may not be able to do anything. From what you said, Jenkins didn't come right out and threaten you. All he did was make an offer to buy the ranch."

"But he said...." Alyssa began.

"Your word against his," William broke in. "J D is an old family friend and he's, what's the word y'all use now? Oh yeah, He's an old school type of lawman."

Lewis nodded and said, "Grandpa's right. We should talk to J D."

"Old school?" Alyssa asked.

William smiled. "J D doesn't think like the police. There might not be anything the police can do legally and they will let it drop there. But J D knows what's right; never mind the legalities. He'll have a word or two with this Jenkins. J D probably can't arrest him but he'll let Jenkins know that the Sheriff's Department has their eye on him."

Alyssa looked at William for a few seconds and then walked over and picked up the phone. When someone answered she said, "Sheriff Dempsey please. This is Alyssa Randal."