Chapter Eight
The wind started to blow as Steve finished setting another fence post; he had two more to go. At Heath's orders, Steve had been working on mending fences on the south end of the ranch. McColl had been working with him for a few hours, but he'd been pulled away. "Unless Heath or I personally tell you different, finish this job before you come in." McColl said as he mounted his horse. "I really don't want either one of us to have to deal with it tomorrow." Steve had not argued as he happened to wholeheartedly agreed with the foreman. As he began setting another post, Steve saw twenty-five-year-old Kyle Jensen headed towards him. The man was another Barkley ranch hand, the one Steve had seen talking to Heath, McColl and the others when he, Steve, had first arrived at the Barkley ranch. Inwardly, Steve groaned. He didn't have time to stop and try to be polite, and he would have to try to be polite. Mr. Jensen wasn't very friendly, to the point of wondering why the Barkleys put up with the man.
Kyle, who had actually wanted more hours on the ranch as it would have meant more money, was upset Steve had been hired. He blamed the newcomer for 'taking work away that should be his'. With that being the case, he had gotten it into his head to try and get Steve to believe their foreman had sent him to tell Steve that his help was needed urgently on another part of the ranch. Naturally, he'd deny it later and-as he'd been working for the Barkleys for longer than Steve had, Kyle was sure they'd believe him. "McColl sent me; you're needed in the north pasture, now."
Steve, who had never really liked Kyle, raised one eyebrow and continued working. He wasn't surprised when his co-worker got upset.
"Did you hear what I said?" Kyle grabbed Steve's arm and pulled it away from the post. "McColl isn't going to like if his orders are disobeyed."
Steve didn't know what Kyle was expecting, but he didn't really care. "Let go of my arm." He glared at the man.
Kyle let go, but he was stupid enough to keep pressing the issue. "Do you really want to lose your job? Mr. Barkley will fire you if he finds out you didn't do as McColl said."
"So," Steve snapped as he started to work again. "Let McColl come and give me the orders, or tell me you're in charge. Now, leave me alone."
Kyle, who was used to getting his way when he pressed the issue, raised his voice. "I told you Mr. Bar…" He was stunned when Steve whirled around and gave him a hard right hook, sending him down to the ground.
"I told you to leave me alone! I have work to do!" Steve stood as tall as he could as he folded his arms across his chest. "Now go bother someone else!"
Angry at actually being stood up to, Kyle rose and made the mistake of his life…he charged Steve. Before he knew it, Steve had picked him up and thrown him back down to the ground. Kyle cursed and tried again, getting the same results. The fight might have continued on but Heath, who had been told by Lily that Steve wanted to talk to him when he had a chance, rode up. "What is going on!" He barked as he dismounted his horse.
"He tried giving me a message that contradicted what McColl told me." Steve answered as Kyle scrambled to his feet, looking as if he wanted to hide.
"What was it?" Heath asked as he looked at the two employees. When Steve told him, fire filled Heath's eyes.
"I don't know why you tried that and I don't care." Heath, who had one too many problems with Kyle, snapped as he pulled out some money from his pocket, "But, here's your pay. Gather up your things and get off this ranch!"
Kyle's eyes widened. He had never been fired from any job before. Then again, if he'd have been honest with himself, it was only because he'd quit them just before his boss got ready to let him go. "You can't fire me!"
"Since when? Now get out of here!" Heath said firmly.
Kyle glared at Steve and then turned and stormed away.
"I'd be careful if I were you. I fear he may make trouble for you." Heath said as he surveyed the work Steve had been doing and then asked what he needed. "When Audra stopped by your house a little while ago, Lily said you wanted to talk to me about something."
Steve hesitated and then slid his right hand into his pocket and pulled out two small, rusty pocket knives. They were plain with nothing that stood out.
"Qu'est ce qui ne va pas ma chérie?" Lily stood in the second bedroom looking at Steve as he knelt near the corner of the room and removed a loose board, one he intended to fix before he went to work, only to let out a gasp. His actions and the gasping had unsettled Lily…and she slipped into speaking French. She often did that when she was not expecting something.
Steve reached down and pulled out the two items, staring at them as he did so. Once again, Lily repeated her words.
It was finding the knives that jogged Steve's memory; he could see a scene that held three dark haired boys arguing about how old a boy should be when he got a pocket knife…ending with the oldest one saying he had two extra ones and that he hid them. However, the older one told the younger boys they could have them if they found them. It had changed Steve's mind about keeping his mouth shut. After telling Lily what he'd remembered and what he'd decided to do, he'd asked her to get word to Heath as soon as she could as he had to get to work and didn't have time to go to the main house at the moment. He might have had her send for Jarrod only he had left a few days before and Steve wasn't sure what time the eldest Barkley brother would be home.
Steve held the knives out to Heath. Steve then stunned Heath beyond measure when he told Heath where the knives were found and said, "They're Jarrod's, and no I didn't steal them."
Heath felt his heart skip a beat as he took the knives from Steve. He couldn't believe the items had been under a bedroom floorboard all this time. However, as he went to thank Steve for giving him the pocketknives Heath felt as if someone had reached out and literally shook him. His eyes narrowed slightly and he asked, "How did you know they belonged to Jarrod?"
Translation to Lily's question: * What's wrong my love?