BLACK WIND (PART 2)

            Gray trunks of alder trees cast dancing shadows across the faint deer track leading up Shy Bear Mountain.  Black Wind voluntarily slowed to a fast walk as they started up another steep incline.  “Getting tired, girl?  Whoa.  Let me slide down and walk a bit.” 

           

            By the time they reached the place where the deer trail cut across the abandoned logging road, sweat trickled down Madelaine’s cheeks.  She stopped, wiped the moisture away and drew in a deep breath.  She turned and looked into the horse’s dark eyes. “Think you could carry me some more?” 

           

            Black Wind snuffled the girl’s long hair and Madelaine could almost swear she was saying, “Yes, I can.”  She knew it for a fact when she led the filly to an old stump. Black Wind sidled right up alongside the stump so she could clamber up on the horse’s bare back. 

            The trees were dragging the moon down by the time the pair reached Mrs. Hanson’s backyard up at the backend of Cougar Hollow. 

            A deep-throated growl rumbled from the darker shadows by the back porch.  Black Wind spooked, jumping sideways but Madelaine’s hand stroking her sweaty neck settled the filly. 

            “Who’s there?”  The tone left no doubt that the speaker expected an answer, and quick. 

            “It’s me, Madelaine, Mrs. Hanson.  Mrs. Tyler’s granddaughter.”  She called softly. 

            A flashlight clicked, the beam sweeping over Madelaine and Black Wind as Mrs. Hanson stepped from the cover of the porch and the pines that grew tall on one side of it.  “Madelaine Tyler! What in tarnation are you doin’ out gallivatin’ around at this hour of the night?  Your grandmother’d be worried sick if she knew.”  As Mrs. Hanson drew closer, she exclaimed,  “Why on earth are you ridin’ Black Wind?” 

            Madelaine slid down the horse’s sleek barrel, her legs giving way  as her feet hit the ground.  She stumbled and would have fallen if she hadn’t grabbed hold of Black Wind’s mane. 

            “Why, dear Lord, child, you’re all done in.  Let’s get Black Wind stabled and get us both a hot cup of tea then you can tell me what all this is about.” 

            A half hour later the older woman led the way from a snug barn where Black Wind, after being rubbed down and brushed, was enjoying a very early morning breakfast of hay and fresh water.  The kitchen door opened onto the back porch and Harry the rottweiler led the way into the spacious area.  As Mrs. Hanson flipped on the overhead light, the big black and tan dog flopped out on his side under the square wooden table.  Mrs. Hanson waved a work-roughened hand at one of the chairs.  “Have a sit while I make us that tea.  How about a sandwich to go with it?”  She was already rummaging in the refrigerator and hauling out three different kinds of meat and two different types of cheese, before Madelaine could even say yes.

            Once Madelaine took a bite of the sandwich Mrs. Hanson had fixed, she didn’t stop chewing until she ate the last crumb.  She sipped her tea, set the cup on the scarred, old table and lifted her chin.  Eyes steady on the woman her grandmother considered a best friend, Madelaine told the older woman about Uncle David and the slaughter men. 

            By the time she talked herself out, Mrs. Hanson’s lips had tightened into a bloodless slash.  “That rotten boy!” The old woman huffed.  “How dare him!”

            “I know it isn’t right to steal, but I couldn’t let that slaughter man keep Black Wind.  I just couldn’t!” Tears spilled from Madelaine’s eyes. 

            Mrs. Hanson reached out a wrinkled, calloused hand and patted Madelaine’s forearm.  “You didn’t steal nothin’, child.  You just went about recoverin’ your grandmother’s property.” 

            “But what are we going to do?  Uncle David’ll be really angry when he finds out.”  Madelaine chewed her bottom lip. 

            “Do?”  Mrs. Hanson echoed as she got up and refilled their teacups then she settled back on the soft cushion covering the hard wood chair bottom.  She gave Madelaine a smile.  “Why you and Black Wind will stay right here with me and Harry.  When it gets a bit later in the mornin’, I’ll phone my Billy.  He’ll have some words to say about what David Tyler’s done!”  Mrs. Hanson gave Madelaine a gentle look.  “You’re all done in, child.  Come on and I’ll fix up the guest room for you.” 

            It was close to noon by the time Madelaine woke to sun streaming across the room.  For a moment, she laid there staring up at the white ceiling then glancing around the room.  The bed was soft and the pillow plump.  A pretty room, she thought.  Not as nice as her room at Grandmother’s house but clean and neat.  The walls were painted a bright, cheerful yellow that went nicely with the light colored wood dresser, bed and nightstand.  Frilly white curtains framed the only window.  Through the window, she could see a rolling green pasture with several horses grazing.  Black Wind’s midnight color stood out among the two bays and the golden palomino.

            She pushed aside the lightweight, handmade quilt and got out of bed. The borrowed t-shirt and baggy sweats that Mrs. Hanson said belonged to her son, felt hot.  A shower’s what she needed.  As she started across the room, she noticed her clothes, washed and folded and stacked on a chair by the door.  Mrs. Hanson must’ve sneaked in after she fell asleep.  

            Within minutes she was showered, hair combed and dressed and headed for the kitchen.  The smell of frying bacon made her stomach growl. 

            When she walked in, Mrs. Hanson glanced up from her cooking.  “OJ’s in the frig.  Grab both of us some, please.  Glasses in the cupboard.  You remember where from the time your grandmother brought you up for a visit?”

            “Yes, ma’m.”  While she was getting glasses for the juice, she got down a couple of plates and dug out the silverware.  The table was set by the time the bacon, eggs, gravy and toast were ready. 

            As they ate, Mrs. Hanson said,  “I figured we’d visit your grandmother about three this afternoon. Billy said he’d meet us for dinner at Famous Dave’s in Everett Mall.  Hope you like ribs?”

            “Yes, ma’m but I don’t have much money so could we just go to McDonald’s?”

            Mrs. Hanson stopped in mid-chew and stared at her.  Then she blinked hard like there was something in her eyes.  In a voice that sounded like she might’ve swallowed something wrong, she said,  “You don’t need to be frettin’ about money.  I surely appreciate your thoughts, but Billy and me’ll be takin’ care of all that until your grandmother’s well enough to come home.”

            Stubbornly, Madelaine gave a slow shake of her head.  “I can’t take charity, ma’m.  Me and Grandmother, we don’t do that.” 

            The older woman watched Madelaine for a long moment then sighed.  “I can tell you’re ever’ bit as pigheaded as Josie ever was.  All right then.  This is how we’ll do this.  You’re a strong girl and know about farm work.  I can use a helper, especially with it being summer and everything growin’ wild.  Long’s you don’t mind gettin’ your hands dirty.”

            Madelaine smiled for the first time since Grandmother got sick.  “I’m not afraid of getting dirty.  And, I’m a good worker.  You can ask my grandmother.”

            It took Mrs. Hanson and Madelaine an hour and a half to drive down the mountain then all the way into Arlington to the Regency Care Center.  Madelaine knew her grandmother needed to be there but she hated it.  She hated everything from having to ring a bell to get through the heavy glass door to the hospital smells that made her want to gag to having to watch the old folks in wheelchairs and on walkers trying to make it down the hall.  Grandmother would get well.  She wasn’t going to be one of these old folks, Madelaine angrily thought.  

            They were almost to the reception desk when Uncle David charged around the corner of the hallway.  “There you are!”  He stormed over to Madelaine and, with a ham-sized hand, he grabbed a fistful of her denim shirt front.  “What did you do with that damn horse?” 

            Madelaine’s heart hammered in her chest and all she wanted to do was disappear right there but she made herself to look up at his face.  Red blotches flamed on his cheeks, a sure sign that Uncle David was furious.  “What do you care?”  She forced  the words up her dry throat and out of a mouth that felt full of dust.  For a moment, she wondered if she was going to puke she was so scared. 

            He shook her.  “I care that Smitty wants his money back. He thinks this was some kind of scam and that I’m part of it.” 

            “David Tyler! You take your hands off that child this very minute!”  Madelaine heard Mrs. Hanson’s indignant voice cut through the growing hubbub around them as residents gathered. 

            Uncle David shook her harder.  “Listen, brat….”  Suddenly his howl of pain cut off his words.  “Owwwww!”  He let go of her shirt so fast that Madelaine stumbled back several steps before she caught her balance.  She watched as Uncle David clutched the side of his knee, ungracefully hopping in circles.  Finally, he put his foot down and turned to face Mrs. Hanson who stood to one side holding someone’s wooden cane, the knobby handhold on the top now rested against the tile floor.  Underneath his dirty blonde hair, his face turned beet red.  His pale blue eyes squinched almost shut as he stared at Mrs. Hanson.  “Old woman, you don’t know who you’re fooling with.”  He took a slow, deliberate step towards her.  “I am going to show you what a bad idea that was.” 

Madelaine saw him clench his fists and raise them partway up.  Until Grandmother had gone to the hospital, Uncle David had never touched her but since then….well, she knew real well how hard he could hit.  As he took another step towards her grandmother’s elderly friend, Madelaine cannonballed into his side.   They both went sprawling to the faded gray floor.  Madelaine rolled quickly out of Uncle David’s reach and bounded to her feet. 

Before he could regain his feet, two big shouldered security men grabbed his arms.  “Ma’m,”  they said to Mrs. Hanson,  “do you want us to call the police so you can press charges?” 

Mrs. Hanson’s face looked awful sad to Madelaine as the woman shook her head.  “No.” Madelaine thought even with the security men she wished Mrs. Hanson wouldn’t step so close to Uncle David.  She moved in closer, too, just in case.   “I talked to your mother before we came down here.”  Madelaine heard Mrs. Hanson tell Uncle David.  “You did not have the authority to sell anything, including Black Wind.  I hold Josie Tyler’s Power of Attorney.  And, I want you out of her house within the next twenty-four hours.  As for Madelaine and Black Wind, they are none of your concern.”  Mrs. Hanson turned to look at Madelaine.  “Come along, child, we need to visit your grandmother.” 

Even as they walked away from Uncle David, he shouted at them.  “You’re both gonna be sorry you did this to me!”