Wild Horses

Box N-204 West Bay Street

Nassau, Bahamas

Mrs. Carolyn Trent

Circle T Ranch RR 1

Claro County, Texas 78624, USA

Dear Mrs. Trent:

I regret to inform you that your uncle, Enoch K. Randolph, died in his sleep one week ago on the night of April 30. It was peaceful.

As executor of his will, I am charged with settling the part of his estate involving his lands. Mr. Randolph left specific instructions that I am to do this in person.

I will arrive in Claro County on May 19, the Wednesday afternoon after next. Time is of the essence, and your full cooperation is necessary so matters can be settled by Friday. I can stay no longer.

Please reply immediately. You may leave a message at 424-555-1411.

Sincerely,

Adam Duran

P.S. Your uncle was cremated and his ashes scattered in the Caribbean without ceremony, as per his request.

“Uh-oh,” Mickey murmured. Whoever Adam Duran was, he seemed to have the tact and sympathy of a constipated rhinoceros.

Not only that, his letter must have been delayed. Good grief, May 19th was the day after tomorrow. The rhinoceros was practically on their doorstep.

Mickey hoped that news of Enoch’s death and the brusqueness of the message wouldn’t upset Carolyn. Concerned, she rose from her desk and hurried to find her.

Mickey was brisk, efficient and fiercely loyal to her employers, Vern and Carolyn Trent. She kept their lives organized and running smoothly; she liked this job and excelled at it. Officially she was Carolyn’s secretary; unofficially she was family, almost like a second daughter.

The Circle T was not only Mickey’s workplace, but her home and sanctuary. To her, it was like dwelling in a castle at the heart of a benevolent kingdom. Her growing-up had been harsh, but here she felt privileged, fulfilled—and grateful.

So it pained her to bring bad news to Carolyn, especially since Carolyn was so happy of late. And she was due. Caro had traveled a long stretch of hard times. But now she was giddy, almost girlish, and blooming like a Texas rose.

Carolyn’s only child, Beverly, who lived in Denver, was about to make her a grandmother. It was a miracle, pure and simple. Beverly and her husband, Sonny, had tried nine years for this baby. The baby was a girl and she would arrive in three weeks by C-section. She would be named for Carolyn and called Carrie.

As the due date neared, Carolyn’s excitement had quickened into intoxication. She and Vern were to fly to Denver to welcome the baby like the little princess she was. The trip was eclipsing almost everything else at the ranch.

Mickey was certain where Carolyn would be—in the spare bedroom she was transforming into a nursery for the baby’s visits. Mickey followed the scent of fresh paint down the hall.

She found Carolyn humming as she coated a window frame a rosier shade of pink. She was so intent on her work that she barely glanced up. “What do you think, Mick? Looks better than that pale pastel, doesn’t it? Cheerier?”

It’s the third time you’ve switched the color, Mickey wanted to tease. Carolyn had changed her mind about the wallpaper four times, the curtains three times, and the crib twice.

But the news of Enoch Randolph hung like a dark cloud over Mickey, so she could make no joke. “Carolyn,” she said uneasily. “You got a letter from Nassau this morning. I think you’d better read it.”

Carolyn kept painting, a small, puzzled smile crossing her face. “I don’t know anybody in Nassau.” Then suddenly her smile died, and her brush went still. “Wait. Uncle Enoch—he could be there. Is it about him?”

“I’m afraid so.”

Carolyn saw it then, the envelope in Mickey’s grip. She set the brush aside, her face wary. She knows, Mickey thought. She’s guessed.

Carolyn turned from the window frame, her face pale. “I don’t think I want to read it here.”

Mickey didn’t blame her. The nursery was meant to be a happy room, a place to celebrate life, not think about death.

She took Carolyn’s arm. “Maybe we should go into the den.”

Carolyn nodded, her lips pressed together. Mickey led the way, and when Carolyn sat on the leather couch Mickey settled beside her and handed her the envelope.

For a moment Carolyn only gazed down at it. She smoothed her blond hair, a nervous gesture. “He’s gone, isn’t he?” She kept her face severely controlled. “He’s dead.”

“I’m sorry.” Mickey felt the illogical guilt of the bearer of bad news.

Carolyn squared her shoulders, withdrew the letter and read it. Tears sprang to her eyes. She wiped them away. Mickey suspected they would be the only tears shed in the whole state of Texas for the old man, perhaps the only ones in the world.

“I’m glad he didn’t suffer,” Carolyn said in a shaky voice. “I’m glad it was peaceful.”

Mickey nodded.

“He had a long life,” Carolyn said in the same tone. “And he lived it the way he wanted. But I wish that this—this Duran man had phoned when it happened. This is so impersonal. Enoch and I didn’t have much of a relationship. Oh, hell, to tell the truth, he didn’t really even like me. But he was family.”

Mickey put her arm around Carolyn’s shoulder. “You always treated him well. You never forgot his birthday. You remembered him at Christmas. Whenever there was news about the land, you wrote him.”

“And he never answered.” Carolyn’s sigh was rueful. “My God, it’s the end of an era. He’s the last of my father’s generation of that family. And now I’m the last of my generation—the oldest living one. It gives me a shiver. Like a goose walking over my grave.”

She waved the letter unhappily. “But this really is cold. Hard-hearted, almost.” She frowned and reread it. “Who is this man?”

Mickey shrugged. “Nobody uses a typewriter like that anymore. He must be an old man, sticking to old ways.”

“Why is he the executor? And why does he have to come here?”

“I don’t know. Maybe your uncle wanted him to hand over the deed in person. That was the agreement, wasn’t it? The lease land’s yours now.”

Carolyn stared at the dates, frowning harder still. “Yes…but he’s coming tomorrow? Good God—tomorrow?”

“He wrote the letter more than a week ago,” Mickey said, pointing to its date. “It must have got misrouted.”

“Great. Just peachy. He doesn’t sound like Mr. Charm, does he? But I should invite him to stay with us. Especially since he’s coming all this way.”

Inwardly Mickey flinched. Things were frantic enough without an unbidden houseguest, and a stranger at that. Carolyn was trying to be gracious, but Mickey could tell it cost her effort.

“Do you want me to phone him for you? I’ll be glad to.”

Carolyn grimaced. “I’d love you to. But no, it’s something I should do myself. He’s probably wondering why I haven’t answered.”