Chapter 10 #2
Dodge ignored the mischievous gleam in Jack’s eyes, as well as his musings on women, which the man shared often.
He was known for the wide company of women he kept and, much as Cartwright had just said, they flocked to Jack Daniel like bees to honey.
And no wonder. Rich as King Solomon, always dapperly dressed in a vested suit with tails and customary white hat, Jasper Newton Daniel was quite the catch—who fully intended never to be caught.
But did any of the women chasing after him realize that, Dodge wondered.
“We just had an incident, sir. Up at the stillhouse.”
“Stop calling me sir. Not when it’s just the two of us, anyway.
I’ve known you since you were twelve, and was there when you earned the name Dodge, don’t forget.
Oh do I remember that afternoon. Darn near got yourself killed!
” He chuckled. “I still don’t see how you got out of that one.
” He leaned down and patted Jessie, and the dog promptly dropped to the floor and presented her belly.
Jack laughed, rubbed her good, then reached into the safe and withdrew an envelope.
“I’ve already heard the gist of what happened. But let me hear it from you.”
Dodge filled him in, leaving out nothing. “So my question is, do you agree with my decision for both men? If not, I can—”
“Course, I agree. I taught you everything you know, right?” Jack grinned, striking a match to light a cigar.
He offered one to Dodge, who was tempted, but declined. Another last promise to his sister.
Jack puffed on the end until plumes of smoke rose. “Micah Hackett is the nasty end of a jackass, but he’s a good worker. There’ll be hell to pay from his brothers.”
“As well I know. I’ll watch them.”
“Good man. As for Cartwright—” Jack sat down behind his desk and frowned at the chaos of papers, bills, and receipts before him.
“That kind of behavior can’t be tolerated.
Two weeks is a long time, especially with his folks being older and down in their health, and him being the only breadwinner.
But any less than that and others would have seen it as going too easy.
How many family members are living at the Cartwright place now? ”
Dodge thought for a minute. “Seventeen, if I’m remembering all the spouses and children right.
No, wait. Eighteen. Cartwright’s youngest sister just got married.
She and her husband are living with the family until they get their own place finished this fall.
They’re building nearby to help with the farm. ”
“Such as that farm is. Their piece of land ain’t exactly the cream of the crop.”
“No, sir, it’s—”
Jack eyed him.
“No, Uncle Jack, it’s not. They’ve always struggled.”
“Get one of the hogs out to them, if you would. Maybe go by the mercantile and pick up some other staples. Whatever’s needed. And do it—”
“Quietly, I know. As always.”
Jack shuffled papers from one pile to another, scowling, then finally stopped and propped his feet on the edge of the desk, his black boots polished to a shine. “I hate the business side of business!”
“You actually feed off the business side of business. And you’re good at it. It’s all the paperwork you hate. You ought to hire someone to come in and straighten out all this for you.”
“Give me a name, and I’ll do it! I thought my nephew Lem was gonna step in, but he’s got too much on his plate right now.”
“Miss Mary’s the only one I know of with a mind sharpened for business enough to wade into all this. But she’s got her hands full up.”
“Don’t I know it.” Jack shot him a look. “And with more than just running that inn.”
Dodge nodded but said nothing, aware of Miss Mary’s home situation, mainly due to her and Kathleen having been thick as thieves, the two of them, in recent years.
He doubted things had changed much for Miss Mary over the past seven months since Kathleen’s passing.
Jackson Bobo, Mary’s husband, wasn’t a bad sort, by any means.
He just never seemed quite able to settle down and put his hand to any one thing long enough to make a go of it.
Wanderlust was a dangerous indulgence, and a person didn’t have to wander far to fall prey to it. Always chasing greener pastures or quick riches was its own kind of curse.
“Cattle ready for market?”
Dodge nodded again. “The road to Tullahoma’s muddy but passable. I’ll help load them on the train myself.”
“I bet you will. Seeing as they’re all yours this time.”
Dodge smiled. Having sunk his savings into the land out west, it would feel good to have a little cushion again.
“That was a good deal you made with me all those years ago when you suggested I start a cattle farm.”
“If memory serves, and it does, you were the one who offered the deal.”
“Let’s not muddy the memory with facts, Dodge. Let’s just say it was a good deal for us both. You starting my cattle farm with your family’s herd, then gradually cutting me in for half.” Uncle Jack winked. “I trained you right.”
They laughed, and Uncle Jack looked down at the mess of paperwork on his desk. “Now if I could only find someone to help me with all this.”
“Maybe in the evenings, I could—”
“You’ve got more than you can handle already, Dodge. Especially with young Bethie now. I’ll just buckle down and get it done. But thank you.”
“One last thing, Uncle Jack.” Dodge withdrew the envelope from his pocket. “After a lot of thought . . . and a fair amount of prayer, I’ve decided—”
“You’re selling your Wyoming land,” Jack said, disbelief in his tone.
Dodge hesitated. “It’s the right thing to do. I just need to make sure before mailing this that you’re good with me . . . staying on.”
Jack snuffed out the cigar in an ashtray and rounded the desk. He gripped Dodge around the back of the neck like a father might have done, and looked up. “You know how I feel about you, son. I swear, I see so much of me in you. Always have,” he whispered, his voice going raspy.
Dodge swallowed, not having expected this exchange to be so hard.
“I’m sorry things worked out this way for you.
And for little Bethie. Your ranch in Wyoming would have been the best there was and your cattle the finest. But in the same breath, you know how grateful I am that you’re staying.
You will always have a job at my distillery, Dodge Coburn.
Because you’re the best at what you do, no matter what you put your hand to.
Kind of like me.” Winking, he clapped Dodge on the back.
“But you know the Hackett brothers will take this extra personal. Cole, the oldest, has already been sniffing around here, gunning for your job.”
“I know that, too. I can talk to him.”
“No. Leave that to me. He’ll take it better that way, I think. And if not, I’ll just fire the arrogant ass.”
Jack laughed, and Dodge followed suit, doing his best to cover the profound sadness he felt.
He turned back at the door. “Would you give me a couple of days before making this public? I still need to tell Bethie.”