Page 58 of Return to Telegraph Creek

I’d assumed Peter was older than that, simply because he’d acted like he was in charge of things.But he was pretty young, too.

“They’re smart, they looked healthy and they love Cal.You could see it,” Oscar said.

“Sure,” I said.“That’s true.”

Miss June was silent for a long while, gazing at all three of us.

“Well,” she said finally, clasping her hands together.“I’m going to want to pay Cal and the children a visit tomorrow.Do you three want to come with me?”

I glanced at Oscar.“Might be best if you and Trick go.Cal didn’t seem to want Oscar and me in her home.She don’t seem to think you needed to get us to come help.”

“Yeah, because everythin’ is fine and dandy,” Oscar said in a sardonic voice.“’Cept it ain’t.For sure, it ain’t.But she won’t tell us the truth.”

“No, I want you to ride out with me…and Trick.But the three of you can wait outside while I go in and speak to Cal on my own.Perhaps you can entertain the children.”

“Sure,” Trick said.“They like the horses.And Cal seems to trust us with ’em.”

“All right.Gosh.I don’t think I’ll sleep well tonight, but we’ll ride out early tomorrow, and go pay our dear Caliope a visit.I want to get to the bottom of this.”

* * * *

We left The Angel at ten the next morning and rode out to Cal’s place.Miss June borrowed a horse from one of her regular clients, who was given some extra time with his favorite girl as a trade.

“You have a lot of skills, Miss June,” Oscar said, watching her handle the unfamiliar beast with ease.

Miss June smiled at him.She’d kept her skirts on but had hiked them up so we could see her bloomers as she rode astride the black gelding.Her hair was wrapped neatly around her head, although a few tendrils escaped in the breeze.I reckoned she’d been mighty handsome when she was young.

“Yes, I do—more’n you’ll ever know.”

Oscar laughed.“More’n I’d wanna know.Though I figured, since you’re runnin’ a cathouse.”

“I always said, the best two skills a girl could have were how to ride a horse and how to ride a man.”

Trick cackled.

I felt my cheeks heat at the thought of my beloved Miss June spreading her legs for someone, but there was a question I wanted to ask.“You ever work—that way—anymore?”

Miss June snorted.“What?No.The men who come to The Angel want the young ’uns like Trick and Sally.They don’t wanna pay for my old ass.”

“Aw shucks, Miss June.You’re still pretty and allurin’,” Oscar said, waggling his eyebrows.“And you got the experience of many years of tumblin’, I reckon.You could charge a fortune for your services.”He grinned, playing with her.

“I doubt that.Anyway, I’m busy enough running the place and keeping my girls safe.”

Trick was shaking her head at the turn of the conversation.

“Now, I’m not saying I haven’t been propositioned once or twice,” Miss June admitted.“But I always pretend they’re joking and send them one of the younger girls.This old body ain’t up to it no more.”

“But don’t you ever…” Oscar said.“Don’t you ever wanna…get up to somethin’ with a man?You ain’t that old.”

“Well, thank you, Oscar.It’s nice to hear someone say that now and then,” she said.“As to your question, sometimes I do,” she admitted, with a sparkle in her eye.“But I’ve got ways to satisfy that urge all by myself.”

Oscar’s eyes flashed wide, and I gave a hearty laugh.’Twas a good, light conversation, to relieve some of the tension we felt heading into a bad situation.

Miss June’s expression sobered as we rode into the Wildman Creek area, and she took in the state of the homesteads.

“This doesn’t look very promising, now, does it?”she said.

“No, ma’am.It ain’t the best place to be raisin’ children, I don’t think.”