Night Vision by Baer Charlton

Author:Baer Charlton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Baer Charlton

Chapter Fourteen

The moon had finally set about the time the 1940 REO Speed Wagon truck barreled its way past Kit Carson Lake. The scenery changed to a slightly drier forest on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, as Willie and Hooker dropped down through the Faith, Hope, and Charity valleys. Even with all the tall pine trees, there was still high-country fall color to entertain the eyes. This beauty was not lost on either male.

Willie mused as he looked across the expanse of Hope valley. “Maybe next summer we should all come up and go camping or something.”

Hooker harrumphed. “Willie, I’ve known you long enough to know that is code for rent a room, and maybe go take a walk around a lake like we did a few summers ago on Echo Lake. As for Maddie, I know she doesn’t want to suffer through our cooking attempts over a fire pit again. We only survived because of the little diner down the road.”

Laughing, Willie shot Hooker a hangdog face as he glanced over. “Well, who knew they had some good steak to offer?”

“Maybe it had something to do with the big-assed sign saying Best Steak West of Kansas City?”

“It was a cute place.”

“I was just afraid you were going to steal some of those red and white checked tablecloths and ask Maddie to sew you up a dress or two.”

Willie flashed a wide-eyed look of mock shock. Both men knew Maddie didn’t even know much more than sewing on a button, and even then she would drive it over to Willie and have him do it for her.

The miles and tall trees disappeared with the teasing and remembering of times gone by. The terrain leveled out, and large ranches became the landscape as the brush was replaced by long stretches of perfectly lined barbwire fences. In the distance, the occasional large hay barn hulked near a smaller three-story farmhouse with deep-set wraparound porches. Most of them were painted red with white trim.

About every mile, a road came out to the highway. Arcing over the end of each driveway, and connecting the fences was an arch made from large old telephone poles. Hanging in the middle the arch, high enough for a stacked hay truck to pass under, was a sculpted brand or the occasional sign.

Willie slowed as he approached each ranch entrance. “It’s along here somewhere. Look for a large R lying on its back followed by a C. The ranch brand is Lazy RC Ranch.”

Hooker frowned. “Isn’t Lazy RC the ranch you get meat shipped from?”

Willie looked over and smiled hugely.

Looking back at the road and the next arch, he recalled, “I served with Steven in Korea. He was a great cook who had a bad habit of burning field rations.”

The Speed Wagon slowed, but the arch revealed only a ranch humorously named Lito Ponderosa, or Little Ponderosa. The two men laughed as Willie asked the crude question, “Who would advertise they only have a little wood?” They drove on.

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