TO FIND PEACE 8

cleve was stareing at his coffee cup. it was still dark out. he hadnt been able to sleep the past night tossed and turned. finally got up and built a pot of coffee. he had been working on the coffee for two hours, his mind raceing.a few days before he had been ready to end his lonlyness for ever now here he was knee deeo in a mess with a young blond woman who he had taken a likeing to, like the daughter he never had. he was struggling to justify this whole thing. at his age he should be settling down and relaxing not takeing on new projects. escpecially one that could bankrupt him. but he felt this young woman needed a little backing and he was able to do it.just like if she was a natural born child of his.the only way he could find to justify the whole thing was the fact he was lonely. he poured another cup of coffee. as day light moved in and he could distinguish one thing from another he went out to grain his horses. just as he was finishing the first load of hay arrived. he was going to stack it all here at his ranch as there was no where at the kj to stack that the horde of starveing cattle couldnt get to it and distroy it. he and katey would haul it down to the k j dairly on a flat bed trailer he had. they would have to be careful for the first week or so. the hay was high in protein and those cattle would gorge them selves and poison themselves on the rich hay. their starved bodys wouldnt be able to process the hot hay. when the third truck was unloaded cleve sat on his porch and wrote out a check for it and paid off the trucker. when the trucks had left he went down to his truck and hooked it to the flat bed trailer.he started loading the bales and stacking them on the trailer. it wasnt long he had to stop. he realized it was going to take some one much younger to do this daily. he didnt want katey doing it. he would need to find a day labor soon . he knew katey and he could feed it with no problem but loading it was a different story. late that afternoon katey rolled into the yard. when she saw the hay stack and then the trailer loaded she smiled" hi partner!" she hollered at cleve who was sitting on the porch with a cold drink. " you ready to get in the cow business?" cleve asked " thats why ime here, when do we start?" katey bounced up to the house with a springing step. " right now "cleve stood up " but you cant do it in bermuda shorts. go put some long pants on and meet me at the truck. we got cows to feed." a few minuteslater cleve pulled up to the gate to the kj with a trailer load oof hay and katey in the cab. as katey got the gate open cleve once again stared at the mess that was the kj. the dilapilated buildings the soil trampled to powder. the enormity of the project hit him hard . what had he done?and on top of everything here he had drawen this girl into it. as katey shut the gate cleve could see cattle comming in a long line from out in the pasture. katey jumped up on the hay trailer.cleve yelled back" lets get a long ways away from the gate before you start feeding." katey nodded and flashed a ok sighn . cleve drove up the two track a quarter mile, the cattle were lineing up in droves . katey started dropping leaves of hay as cleve drove slowley along. the cattle pushed and shoved getting to the hay and some still followed the trailer. all the while cleve was looking the cattle over up close . saw some things he liked. when katey had the traile half unloaded cleve turned around and started back toward the gate while katey kept feeding off the opposite side of the trailermore and more cattle were comming out of the brush and lineing up along the road eating the fresh hay. just before they reached the ranch yard katey had fed the last of the hay. cleve pulled up to the house and stopped.he got out and said "lets take a closer look at theis mess." katey hopped down from the trailer and came up to him. " dont you think striking a match would be the best thing for this scrap lumber pile?" " i cant afford that many hot dogs for a fire that big. lets look around." cleve stated. a hour later they pulled back into cleves yard. he parked the trailer next to the hay stack. as they trooped to the house and passed kateys car she pulled out a duffle bag and a folding cot. cleve nodded in approval.

TO FIND PEACE 7

cleve was parked in the DEA parking lot. he had a smile a mile wide. he didnt know if it was katey, the deal or just the great cloudless sky. the sun was shining through his wind sheld and warming him up. a week ago he was continplateing ending his life, today he cant wait for tomorrow. katey rolled her car into the parking slot next to his. when she got out she had a manila folder bulging side by side they headed into the DEA offices. on the way in he told her," this part is yours. your the realestate agent. ill back you all i can make that place sound worse than it is if possible. " katey looked up at him " you sure?" cleve nodded. in watsons office he was bubbling over.he said" so your intrested in out kj property? we are ready to cut a deal the goverment doesnt like holding seized property for very long." katey spread the photos out on watsons desk" i cant sell this , look at it!: watson deflated quick." i had no idea. what do you suggest?" katey tirned to cleve." this man has a proposition its the best i could find." watson turned his gaze to cleve. " what value do you place on the property?" cleve asked. " we thought with the deeded and the cattle permit it would be worth two hundred thousand."watson whimpered. " no way, the ranch is grubbed out, it will take years for it to come back. the buildings and improvements are on the verge of collapse. .i have a agreement to take over the cattle. but they are in such bad condition i cant move them without killing a high percentage. i have a ranch just up the road from the k j. it would be good for me to hold it. ill pay eighty thousand for the place. ill open escrow today with twenty thousand i want a 120 day closeing. i may close sooner than that but i want to have that much time available." cleve put it on the table. katey looked at cleve with disbelief , then back at watson who was studying the photo graphs. " you will put up twenty thousand today" certified funds?"watson sounded hopeful. " ill be back with in the hour. you get the papers drawen up while ime gone." cleve sat there with a confident air about him. watson stared out the window then looked at katey" how much will it take to clean up and make the headquarters presentable?" " at least fifty thousand or more." katey answered matter of factly. turning to cleve watson said" go get the check ill have the paper work done but only 90 days escrow. i cant do more." cleve stood up and stuck his hand out" done!" later that afternoon cleve and katey were sitting in the la cabanna bar. " where did you come up with twenty thousand that quick?" katey asked between sips of beer. cleve had a tall glass of whiskey before him." last years calf crop procedes after i paid the ranch off. i had it and a little more rat holed at the bank. we got just about enough left to put those cows on the mend. then we can start putting the ranch in shape. are you in on the deal or you just want your commission?" " what you mean in on the deal?" katey was shocked. " partners, you brought the deal your intitled to to it. i got one ranch to tend to. . turn your apartment in town back and move to the ranch. " cleve looked to his drink. " i dont sleep around, not even for a ranch!" katey declared. " look girley, thats not what i had in mind. not now not ever. ime old enough to be your daddy. and thats what ime thinking on." cleve looked katey in the eye. "ime sorry, i went to far with that i guess. it will take me a few days to get things together. lets give it a try." katey ducked her head. " good, i got three loads of hay comming to feed those cows. in the mean time ill go see browning and tie up those loose ends. we got to get those cows on the mend. ill see ya at the ranch in a day or so." cleve held his glass up to katey in a salute. she bunped her beer against it" partners!" was all she said.