Chapter -Strength Reversed

Strength Reversed 8, The Star Reversed 17, Five of Wands

After the fight with Lloyd, a depressed and worried Tim didn't sleep more than a few hours. He was exhausted from riding hard in the cold weather to find and save the Wallaces but his worry for Beau Wallace kept him awake. By eight, he was standing in the kitchen looking out at the snow and sipping the first cup of the second pot of coffee he had made since waking at 4:00 AM. He couldn't rest in Lloyd's house despite his grandma's encouragement, despite the fact he had spent months living there next door to Molly, while his father's health failed and Lloyd was away in the Marines.

Grieving, Tim's thoughts went back to Ben Wallace and his heart went out to the family of the WW2 veteran. Tim and Lloyd spent two summers working for Beau's grandfather on the Ridgeline. Tim and Beau's close friendship began as children riding the same bus to school, then strengthened in a therapy group for junior high students who lost parents with Lloyd and Selene. Tim allowed all those friendships to be ruined by the girl he thought he loved. A girl who spent those years as Lloyd's girlfriend. Tim knew now that Tonia was exactly who Selene and Beau accused her of being. She used him then Lloyd to try and get a share of the Rocking M Ranch. The local gossip said that Tonia even tried to date Beau Wallace after she divorced him but before she married Alan Patrick until Camille displayed her famous temper and use of words to put an end to Tonia's game. Camille also stopped Tonia's tirades against Garrett Durham being Molly's boyfriend. Tim knew Tonia thought she had the right to interfere with everyone's lives in Pagosa because she was from the city and her uncle was the local judge. Yet, if she couldn't control them or manipulate them then she gossiped about them and as a result, they suffered. His sister Molly had once thought herself one of Tonia's best friends now faced no small number of lost friendships and heartache because of the gossip.

To not think about his exwife, Tim wondered if Molly and Garrett spent the night at the Wallace ranch. or if they had gone home to the Duram farm. The sod farm had been in the Durham family for nearly a century, and they were well known in the area for growing sod and fodder. But only a few years ago it was for the trauma of Garrett's brother Gerald killing their father Gary, a Pagosa County sheriff's deputy. Gerald was in prison for life and no one in Pagosa county felt more relieved than Garrett. Tim thought about how Gerald stalked Tonya then wondered if Tonia had somehow encouraged him before Lloyd's jealousy reared its ugly head for the first time. Gerald is a big guy, but star athlete Lloyd was in better shape and a better fighter. As a result, they had a fight of epic proportions, and both ended up hospitalized with Lloyd the winner just barely. Tim was happy that Gerald was in prison so Molly and Garrett could get married next Labor Day weekend and live a long life without his interference. He already had the vacation days approved to come back for the wedding.

The coffeepot beeped and Tim started on the second cup from the second pot he'd made since 4:00 AM. Staring out at the snow, he saw a delivery truck struggling to make it through the snow past the gate at around to the place where Nick and his boyfriend Erin built a small cottage. Curiously, Tim watched the driver getting out and walking around the stuck vehicle. He couldn't imagine why a delivery driver attempted to go to that part of the ranch because Nick and Erin were at the university until spring break. Tim walked over to his grandfather's Vet clinic. No one had come in and there were no calls, so his grandfather Cordell sat at the front desk with his grandmother Fern playing cards.

"There's a delivery truck stuck on the fence line road. It says Amazon on the side," Tim revealed with a tone of confusion.

"Amazon is some new internet store and delivery service that promises to deliver anything anywhere, even here," Fern explained as she went to the window, then she muttered, "What did that girl order now?"

Tim turned his head to look at his grandmother. "What girl? The one who was singing? The one who bought the box canyon?"

"I'm sorry I lied to you, Tim, that isn't exactly what is going on." Frowning Fern pressed her lips together as Cordell explained, "We told everyone except Sheriff Tanner that it was for Nick and Erin, but they aren't living at the cottage they built because it was always for Erin's sister."

"She wasn't having a hard time because of her grandmother's death... Well, she was, but she's here because she was the victim of a terrible crime and has a murderer stalking her. The CBI and Denver PD wasn't able to find him so Nick asked us if we could help keep her safe for his beau."

Remembering the beautiful voice, Tim blinked in shock. "What happened?"

"It's not our place to say," Grandma Fern chided him.

But Cordell answered, "Tim should know the truth. Someday, it'll be his job to run the ranch and watch out for her. A man murdered her roommate and Cassandra was lucky to escape with her life. She suffered that terrible trauma and now she has PTSD which causes her to have a terrible fear of people.

"She is terrified he'll come back. She is certain he knows she survived and is trying to find her," Fern announced from the window as she watched the delivery driver holding up his cell phone trying to find a signal. "He's not getting out. Tim, bring the tractor and the snowplow blade." She shook her head. "You'll have to pull him out to the road then I'll have to drive Cassandra's parcels up to the house for her. Remember, if the driver asks, the packages are for C.E. King or Erin King."

"Yes, ma'am." Tim nodded.

Heading out to the barn, Tim took the keys out of the lock box inside the tool and tack room then went to hook up the battery of the tractor. He drove ahead of his grandma Fern out to where are the delivery truck was stranded. The driver from Durango was grateful for the help and explained that he did not realize the road he delivered so many packages to over the summer was not plowed in the winter. Fern kindly offered him a thermos of warm coffee as Tim hooked up the tractor to pull the large delivery van out of the axle deep snow. The delivery driver unloaded two bales of shrink-wrapped alfalfa and four bags of expensive cattle feed into fern's old truck.

As she looked at it, Fern muttered to herself, "Land sakes, what did that child order now?"

Tim helped the driver get back to the main road while Fern drove to the canyon. Instead of going straight back to the farmhouses and barn, Tim plowed the fence line road between the canyon gate and the main gate of the Rocking M Ranch. then he began using the tractor to plow the road to the eight miles highway before coming back and snow plowing around the buildings of the rocking M. Almost two hours later, he noticed his grandmother had come back to the main ranch, but instead of parking by the clinic, she parked by the barns. Leaving the tractor in its place, Tim disconnected the battery and hung the key inside the lock box in the tack and tool room. He stopped at the small bathroom and then went to the livestock part. There were several pregnant cows in pens.

"Grandma?"

"Over here." His grandmother had saddled two horses and tied them in the corral. Almost prancing, Chester was excited to be ridden, but Thor shifted his feet unhappily, pawing at the snow.

"What is going on?" Tim asked.

"You're having lunch in the saddle. We have to go get Molly's bull and his three favorite cows." Grandma Fern signaled for him to get on Thor, so he did, then she handed him a thermal mug filled with coffee and a sandwich wrapped in parchment paper.

"Thank you." Tim slipped the mug into a leather strap ring Fern made to hold the travel mugs beside his saddle horn. He peeled back the parchment paper, taking a bite before he reined Thor to follow his grandmother riding Chester.

"It seems Cassandra is teaching Audie and his girls how to glamp," Fern explained with a laugh, "That girl is one after my own heart, with the way she loves animals." She stopped at the Vet office, and leaned down to get a parcel from Cordell.

Tim's grandfather was frowning as he stated, "I don't like vaccinating wild animals but if it is going to be around Miss Priss then it needs one now and one in a month."

"I'll tell her." Fern grinned, reminding, "It's not the first time the ranch had a pet bobcat."

Cordell looked up at her with such love that Tim looked away. It hurt his heart that he would never have what his grandparents did. He ate his sandwich so he wouldn't be expected to comment as they rode down the snow-plowed main drive.

"Tim, there are a few things you need to know about her condition," Fern announced, "First never try to approach her or touch her. If you have to go up to the house, ring the bell on the gate and give her time to get inside. There is a call box on the deck and she will talk to you through the tempered glass door of the sunroom."

"She thinks a glass door will keep her safe?" Tim asked, wondering about this Cassandra's sanity.

"It is tempered, high strength plexi-composite glass. It's bullet proof and a man swinging a sledgehammer can't break it. Her home is a mini-fortress, nothing and no one can get in if she doesn't let them." Fern revealed. "She is as safe as Erin could make her. She works as a professional voice actor through several different services and agencies, but she is extremely paranoid. A few months ago, she told me she was certain Shivonne's killer was pretending to be some novelist interested in hiring her to make audiobooks. He used a voice changer to try to sound like a woman, but Cassandra is smart and figured it out. She also thinks he killed the detective on her case and maybe her grandmother's heart attack wasn't an accident. Erin said the deaths were accidental, so we don't know if Cassandra is right or just paranoid. She needs a real soft hand and a gentle voice. Talk to her like you would a wounded animal, if you have to speak to her, but I would prefer if you let me do the talking."

"Yes, Grandma," Tim agreed. There were a lot of things Tim didn't understand about why his grandparents wouldn't let a woman who could be crazy live on the ranch. His family had help law enforcement for generations. He knew someday his cousin Lloyd would probably be the 8th McConnell sheriff Pagosa County had had since Colorado became a state. "What does Lloyd think about her?"

"Your cousin doesn't know she lives here. He thinks it's Nick's place. We couldn't take the risk he might say something to Tonia while they were married. Now that his divorce is final, he has too much on his plate to worry about Nick's future sister-in-law."

"Wait here," Fern stopped him at the gate and Tim could see her truck tracks going up to the garage and backing back out. A snow-covered jeep sat buried up to the top of the tires. Through the trees he could see the garage door was open and the four red angus were laying on cushions. Fern rode ahead and dismounted in front of the garage. she disappeared from sight for a few minutes then came back into view with someone bundled in a puffy-quilted, yellow coat. "Tim, come up here."

Tim road forward slowly not wanting to startle the nervous-looking woman. "Cassandra, this is my grandson Tim. Someday he will be the manager of the Rocking M, but right now he works on an oil platform in the Pacific Ocean and just comes home to visit twice a year."

Cassandra held her place next to Fern but it was obvious she was shaking from the bobbing of the pom pom on her fluffy yellow and white stocking cap. "It... It. ... Is nice to m-meet you," she stammered.

Tim tipped his head and tapped the brim of his hat, "Yes ma'am, it's nice to meet you too."

"Cassandra sweetheart, can you wait by the house while Tim moves the cattle away? I'll have Tim close the gate behind us so they don't come back up the drive. Tomorrow, we'll find where the fence is broke."

"I... I... d-don't mind. They a-are sweet. Miss Priss and Nico don't m-mind the company."

Grandma Fern nodded and patted her on the hand. "You're a brave and sweet girl. Don't forget to give Niko her shots."

"Niko is a girl?" Cassandra asked in surprise with her tense attention completely on Fern. It was obvious she was trying not to look at Tim.

Fern guided her back to the house, so Tim dismounted and shooed the cows out of the warm garage. Curiously, he picked up a pinch of the livestock feed and tasted it. He thought he could probably eat a bowl of it with milk like granola cereal and he wondered how much the alfalfa and feed had cost the meek songstress. Pushing the button, he ducked under the door as it closed behind him. Audie the bull watched it come down with disappointment if ever Tim'd seen such an expression on a bull's face.

"Come on Audie, Ladies, time to go home."

The bull bellowed and looked back at the small cottage where Cassandra and Fern were watching them through the glass. Tim raised his hand to wave, then reached down and unfastened the lasso from the saddle. he slapped it on the leg of his winter pants, getting the bull's attention.

"Move it, Audie, or I'll have Thor drag you back," Tim threatened.

The bull snorted like it understood then turned to follow the cows as Tim herded them down the drive. He stopped and pulled the gate closed but didn't latch it so his grandmother could open it without dismounting in the deep snow. As he drove the cows down the road and toward the main corral behind the barns and vet clinic, he wondered about the strange, meek woman who seemed to love the color yellow and sang like an angel.

~~~~

Fern watched Tim riding away behind the cattle before she turned to Cassandra. The terrified trauma victim had shown immense courage to stand and speak to a stranger for the first time in almost a year.

"You did very well, Cassandra. How do you feel?"

Cassie laughed nervously pressing her hand over her heart. "Like I'm going to have a heart attack or pass out." She glanced after the horse rider and cattle moving down her driveway. "Tim seems nice. Does he always look like Thor?"

Fern laughed as she shook her head. "Only when he comes home in the winter, usually he is very clean shaven." As Tim rode from view, Fern offered, "Would you like to come meet Chester, he is my best gelding, and can run as fast as the wind. He's part Arabian, but from the way he loves the snow, I think he's part sled dog too."

That made Cassandra giggle as she followed Grandma Fern back out to where the horse was tied. Petting the brown horse's soft neck, Cassandra let it smell her face then it tried to steal her cap.

Fern scolded Chester affectionately as she took it from him. "Don't eat that, you fool horse, it's not hay or daffodils. I swear this horse will put anything yellow in its mouth, he's worse than a 3-year-old."

Scratching his cheek, Cassandra declared, "I think he's lovely. He can visit me anytime."

"Speaking of visiting, the next time Audie the bull wanders up, just give us a call at the clinic to retrieve him so he won't be any trouble. He was Molly's last show bull and he's as entitled and spoiled as any lapdog." Fern said as she climbed into Chester's saddle. "How much do we owe you for the hay and livestock feed and the frozen vegetables from your freezer?"

"Oh, nothing," Cassandra answered glancing sheepishly at the garage turned barn, "I was just happy to have a visitor."

"Would you like me to bring Miss Elizabeth out to visit you?" Fern asked, feeling bad that she was the only visitor Cassandra had and only once a month through the winter.

"No," Cassandra responded, "I would hate to get her out in this bad weather. Maybe I'll go visit her when the weather warms up, I would love to stay at the bed and breakfast again."

Fern side realizing how out of touch Cassandra was from the things going on in Pagosa Cliffs. "The Wild Anemone may not be a bed and breakfast for very much longer. Miss Elizabeth's niece is a famous cake decorator and is thinking about opening a bakery here in Pagosa Cliffs. Her name is Millie Haywood and she does those Bake War cake decorating contest shows on the Foodie Channel. I think you would like her she is a very nice young lady and the two of you may have a lot in common. She is baking for Ben Wallace's funeral this week, but perhaps next week after the Valentine's Day carnival at the school. I can take you and make the introduction."

"Uhm," Cassie hesitated trying to think of a way out of going then her eyes landed on the birdfeeder Erin put in by the deck. "I can't then, Erin might visit. Can I call you?"

"Of course," Fern looked at her with grandmotherly concern, "Cassandra, you can't spend all your time hiding in your little valley. When you feel up to it, I would like it very much if you would come to the house and have lunch with me sometimes. I want to know all the stories about when you and Erin were youngsters."

Smiling up at her, Cassie nodded, then lied, "Yes, Mrs. McConnell. I think that would be fun." She watched as the matriarch of the McConnell-Ballard clan rode away, knowing that she would not take her up on the invitation to have lunch at the busy Rocking M Ranch.

Later that night, after cleaning her garage and digging out her Jeep to park it back in the garage, Cassie sat in her house drinking a glass of wine and petting Miss Priss. Niko had gone out to hunt. Being told that her stray kitten was actually an orphaned bobcat, terrified and thrilled her because she had been so certain she was a Maine Coon Cat like Priss. She felt tired and lonely as she wondered how long she would remain hopeless and fearful. With Hjalm screening her clients, she had no more contact with the person claiming to be Mayibe Chained.

~~~~

Arriving back at the ranch, Tim was not surprised that Lloyd had not come home. Putting Audie and the cows back with the herd, Tim led Thor to his stall the unsaddled him and covered his cousin's horse with a horse coat and waited on his grandmother to get back so he could take care of her horse.

"Tim?"

"Grandpa."

"Did you meet Cassandra?" He asked as Tim carried the saddle, saddle blanker and bridle to the tack room.

"She's a timid thing." Tim commented then asked, "Is she... I mean, is she getting therapy because she seems a little... crazy."

"She's been traumatized. That's not the same as a being mentally ill." Doc lectured then ordered, "I need you to call Lloyd and ask him to come home for a family dinner."

Trying not to groan, Tim declared, "Grandpa, Lloyd won't come as long as I am here. He doesn't want to talk to me. It's my fault what happened when we were eighteen, and him marrying Tonia was my fault too."

"Lloyd made his own choice to marry Tonia, now he needs to let go of his wounded pride and stop fighting with the world," Grandma Fern insisted as she rode Chester into his stall. "You two need to talk."

"I don't want to fight. Lloyd hates me with good reason. If he won't come home while I'm in his house, then I'll leave until I can see my daughter again." Tim stormed out.

"Timothy!" Fern called after him using the biblical name she always used when she was scolding him.

Cordell helped Fern down then hugged her. "I want the boys to make up too, darlin', but pushing them together isn't working. We'll think of something else before Molly's wedding."