“There he is,” Cash said as the photographer turned off the main road and drove up the long drive. Jacob stopped his car close to the house and walked toward them. “Hi, Jacob.”
“Hi, Cash. Hi, Tracy. Hi, Dude,” Jacob said as he reached them. “I’m so glad I got in a ride on Chief before the rain falls.”
“You two were a good match from the start,” Cash said.
“Cash, I came by because I wanted to thank you in person for your hospitality. This has been the best ranch assignment I’ve ever had.”
“You’re welcome, Jacob,” Cash said. “Come back again soon. The Labor Day barbecue is always a good time and you’re invited.”
“Thank you,” Jacob said. “But Tracy and I might not be in town.”
“What do you mean?” Cash asked Jacob, with a glance at Tracy.
Jacob looked at Tracy and asked, “Didn’t Devereux tell you about our upcoming travel assignments?”
“Yes,” Tracy replied. Because she’d pictured Cash shrugging and casually moving on when he found out she was leaving, she still hadn’t mentioned the assignments. Too late now. She wished she’d confided in Cash on her own.
“What assignments?” Cash asked.
“Wait ’til you hear this.” Jacob enthusiastically explained, “Between now and the first of the year, Devereux is sending us on ranch and range locations to all four corners of the state.”
“Really? Where?” Cash asked, eerily similar to how Tracy had questioned her boss.
“Our initial stop is on the way to the northwest corner. It will be a range story in Lake County where Mount Elbert isthe highest natural point of the Rocky Mountain range,” Jacob said as the cloud directly overhead darkened.
“How long will you be gone?” Cash asked, looking from Jacob to Tracy.
“A while.” Tracy didn’t want to think about it.
“Right,” Jacob said and nodded. “We’ll have an expense account because Kirk said we may or may not make it back to the Springs after every assignment. Timing and interviews are still being worked out in some of the locations,” Jacob told Cash. “Anyway, from Lake County, our first project of the four corners assignment takes us into Rio Blanco County in the northwest corner of the state where the White River runs smack dab through the middle of a rancher’s land. I can’t wait to try fly fishing in that river.”
“Cool,” Cash said. Tracy detected the chill in Cash’s deep voice.
“Definitely,” Jacob agreed. “From Rio Blanco County, we head down to the southwest corner for another range story. For that second story, in Montezuma County, Tracy will interview a geologist, a paleontologist, and an anthropologist. I’ll photograph the interviews, surroundings, and prehistoric rock carvings called petroglyphs, which are located in Mesa Verde National Park.”
“Sounds interesting,” Cash said. As he raised his coffee mug to his mouth, Cash pulled his hand from Tracy’s grasp and adjusted his mug.
“We just found out,” Tracy said, not knowing what to do with her hands.
“Like this morning?” Cash’s voice sent an icy shiver through Tracy.
“Well, umm…no,” she replied softly.
“After Montezuma County, for our third assignment, we drive due east across the bottom of the state to Baca County for another ranch story,” Jacob said. “Tracy will interview a rancher whose land touches state borders with Kansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.”
“Wow,” Cash said and looked at Tracy. “Is that right?”
“I don’t know.” Tracy felt the tension in Cash’s body without even touching him.
“Yes, that’s right, Cash,” Jacob said, missing the friction. “After that, sometime around Christmas or New Year’s we will have made a full circle of the state. Our fourth and final project is in the northeast corner on a horse ranch in Sedgwick County. Weather permitting, we’re scheduled to ride and hike the Pony Express Trail through the sandstones and visit Fort Sedgwick. That fort was the deserted military post portrayed in the movieDances with Wolves. Devereux wants Tracy to give the story an old West spin.”
“Does he?” Cash asked her.
“I guess,” Tracy replied.
“I guess Dude will become a semi-permanent resident of Dog Party USA,” Cash said and with a spin of his left wrist tossed the remainder of his coffee onto the ground. At the sound of his name, Dude nuzzled up against Cash’s leg and Cash petted his head.
“Cash, thanks again.” Jacob extended his hand and Cash shook with him. “Tracy, I know you said you don’t need a ride today, so I’ll see you back in the office next week. We can work with Devereux on finalizing details of our assignments.”
