Page 4 of On the Land, We Shoot Straight

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hey managed to make the handover the following morning without a near-miss head-on because the dogs belted in front of the high beams of the tractor, tails wagging, barks ringing loudly in the dawn, so Grady knew Cole was coming before he saw him emerge into the circle of light, a blinding grin on his face as he greeted the dogs.

Grady cut the engine. He grabbed his bag and thermos, opened the door and hopped down.

“You get some sleep?” Grady asked as he came around the front just as Cole was heading over.

Cole nodded absently, eyes on the dogs. “What’re their names?”

Grady looked at the dogs.

“That one’s Dog.” He pointed at the mangy old cattle dog he’d inherited after his daddy died and left him the place.

“And that there’s Lady.” He nodded at the Border Collie, a white-and-black specimen of perfection, his six-year-old sheepdog.

Cole tilted his head to the side. Grady barely knew the kid, but he reckoned he wanted to say a whole lot about that. But all he said was “Dog and Lady, cool,” and went to get in the cabin.

Grady noticed Cole had found the other thermos and wondered if he shouldn’t have told him where it was, but he shook his head and watched as the dogs settled back near the wheels. The engine rumbled to life and he figured Cole could take care of himself.

The earth was soft under his boots as Grady made a beeline for the glow of the house on the other side of the front field.

Cole had left the front porch light on, but otherwise the house was dark.

Grady reckoned he must’ve figured that’s what Grady wanted after he’d left it like that himself.

The heat was threatening, an oppressive ball hanging over the land, promising to burst and setting that tension back in Grady’s muscles; the heat should’ve broken months ago.

He went through the gate and walked along the fence line to the house.

He wondered if he shouldn’t set an alarm to go out and tell Cole to come in at noon.

It was too hot to be working all day. But if Cole wanted to do it, well then, Grady might be able to get to moving the sheep sooner.

And he needed to check the dams. The cattle.

The tractor was a soft purr behind Grady as he made his way up the porch steps and went inside.