Buttes

The living must answer for promises made long before their time.

Chapter One

Mathew Holcomb lingered in the cool shadow of a rocky outcrop, the wind carrying the stench of decay from the carcass below. His grandfather knelt beside a dead cow, unflinching, a faded handkerchief pressed to his face. Matt hesitated, uneasy--not just from the smell, but from the silence that seemed to settle over the canyon, as if the land itself was holding its breath. Jeep beckoned him closer, eyes scanning the hills with a wary intensity that made Matt wonder what else might be watching.

Matt groaned as he moved down the slope to stand behind the now kneeling form of his grandfather. Bile surged, burning the back of his throat as he fought the urge to vomit. "Pops, it's dead. Let the coyotes have it--lets just go!"

Jeep Holcomb looked up into the anxious eyes of his grandson, then nodded to the canyon that stretched below. "Learn to know your surroundings. Pay attention to the shadows. Look for what isn't there."

Matt choked back a laugh and muttered under his breath, "Right-- I'll be sure to look for nothing." His grandfather carried the blood line of two cultures--a mixture of German and Native American. His Native American heritage seemed to be the strongest.

Jeep spoke as he checked the ear tag on the cow. "It's another of ours."

Matt was becoming impatient as his grandfather stated what he already knew. "You think that lion everyone is complaining about got it?"

Jeep stood, removed his hat and raised his face to watch the circling buzzards in the cloudless sky. "Don't know, maybe a cat ..." Jeep looked at the hard packed ground and walked a few feet away from the remains. "It's been here for a while; coyote's and buzzards have ruined any evidence."

Matt couldn't resist stating the obvious. "God, it stinks!"

Jeep shook his head. "Brilliant observation." He looked around. "Have to admit the past week has been full of strangeness."

Matt nodded, uneasiness growing in him the longer they stayed. "It's creepy here. Let's just go."

Jeep stayed quiet for a few minutes, letting his eyes scan the surrounding terrain. Rock outcroppings and stands of wild oaks were scattered about the rock-strewn area, providing plenty of places for someone or something to hide. Slowly shaking his head he spoke quietly. "Something is off..." He turned his attention back to the carcass and surrounding area, giving one last glance to the wall of rocks along the cliff face. "Let's find Henry. He needs to see this and the others." He turned from the cow, replaced his hat, and began the trek back to their truck parked over the rise.

Matt gave one last look to the rotting flesh, and let his eyes scan the hillside, then followed in great relief. He easily caught up to the elderly man as they made the climb to the pickup. "I saw Henry's truck parked in front of the diner on our way out. Maybe he's still there." He hurried ahead and waited to offer a hand to help pull his grandfather up the few remaining feet of the hillside.

The old truck sputtered in protest before finally coughing to life. Jeep urged it along, pressing down hard on the gas pedal, causing dirt devils to swirl in their wake as the pickup bucked and swerved its way over and around rocks and deep ruts in the cow trail they used for a road. Matt fought to keep from hitting his head on the roof of the cab as he bounced around on a seat that had lost its springs long ago. He yelled in frustration, "Pops, slow down."

His grandfather spat a wad of phlegm out his window into the swirling cloud of dust. "Just sit there, quiet like and quit your whining like a gosh darn girl."

Matt gave a snort. "You're going to knock the bottom right out from under us if you don't slow down and try avoiding some of those holes."

Jeep glanced over at him. "Boy, I've been driving this way since before your daddy was born. I ain't never wrecked... didn't then, and sure as hell ain't going to now." He wheezed another wad of phlegm from his throat and spat, as the word 'DINER' in blue neon appeared to float on the horizon. "You sure you saw Henry's rig at the diner?"

As the pickup cleared the last rise of the hill, a white stucco building sitting beneath the neon sign came into view. Matt pointed to where the Game Warden's rig sat in front. "Looks like he's still there."

Jeep parked alongside the green truck with the Fish and Game logo barely visible beneath layers of caked and drying mud. Matt looked at the mud covering the body of the Game Warden's truck and picked off a piece, rubbing it between his hands. "Looks like Henry's been out. Maybe he's got some idea of what's going on."

Jeep nodded as he headed for the entrance. "Come on, only one way to find out."

Matt stopped just inside the door and took a deep breath, relishing the aroma of fry grease and donuts. Red checkered cafcurtains billowed from a breeze furnished by an overworked air conditioner mounted on a far wall. Its hum blended in chorus with the rattles and thrums coming from the air ducts of the fifties style diner. He followed his grandfather, moving past a jukebox that sat in a corner flashing neon-colored light. Chrome and yellow Formica-topped tables and chairs sat around the outside walls. The counter and stools echoed the same detail, while worn blue tiles covered the floor.

Matt nudged his grandfather and pointed to where Henry sat at a far corner table with a plate of half-eaten bacon and eggs in front of him.

Henry saw the duo and smiled. "Jeep, Matt. What are you two up to this early in the day?" He motioned to the chairs on the opposite side of his table. "Jeep, you look like you could use some coffee; take a chair."

Jeep removed his hat and waved a hello to the waitress. "Morning Debi, coffee sounds good and a couple of those donuts if you don't mind. " They moved to join the Game Warden at his table.

Henry poured a refill from the carafe of coffee Debi had left at the table when delivering the donuts.

Jeep cleared his throat after taking a sip of his coffee. "Got a dead cow over on Crows Rock."

Henry looked puzzled.

Matt leaned forward to whisper across the table. "It's not the first one. Something's got it."

"You want me to take a look at it?"

"That would be appreciated." Jeep leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Listen, be careful, something is going on. I can feel it in the air out there."

Henry frowned. "You know I have a lot of respect for you and your knowledge of the range... What has you worried?"

Jeep shook his head. "I don't know what to think. I just feel that there something in those hills that isn't right."

Henry reached for his hat. "Well, I'll go take a look, Crow's Rock you say?"

Matt nodded. "Want me to go with you?"

Henry smiled. "Sure, if Jeep can do without you for a while. Maybe you could show me where the others were found?"

Jeep stood. "You got room in the rig for both of us? I'd like to come too."

"Come on then, let's go for a ride." Henry waved goodbye to Debi as they left the caf "Moneys on the table."

As Henry pulled onto the paved road Jeep asked, "Noticed the mud on your rig. You been out there this morning?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah, over at Ludlow's place. It looks like a cat tried to take down that old mare of his."

Jeep raised his eyebrows as he looked at Matt. "A cat, you say?"

Henry nodded. "The drought is taking its toll everywhere. Not just the farmers are suffering; wildlife is forced to come down in search of water and a food source. Makes it a bad situation for everyone."

Jeep nodded. "You heard from anyone else around here with problems with lost stock?"

Henry looked away from the stretch of road to Jeep. "Now that you mention it, Clayburn said his hound has been gone for a couple of days." He looked back to the road as the truck lurched over a bump.

Jeep sat quietly in thought as Matt directed the Game Warden off the paved main road onto the dirt track that would take them into the mountain range and their land.

Matt smiled as the landscape changed dramatically from the flat farmland of the valley floor. "I love this land." He pointed to a low stacked rock wall barrier that wound its way up and disappeared into a cloud hovering over the mountain. "Those rock walls were built years ago by the first settlers."

Henry nodded. "I like that most of the land is open range."

Matt nodded. "Yup, most of the mountain range is privately owned. Occasionally Pop's will allow some hikers access, but never any hunting."

"Turn in there." Matt pointed to a track between two stands of trees that lead up the mountainside.

"This rig going to get through that?" Henry stopped the truck as he looked at the rock studded switchback in front of him.

"Drive over it all the time. You should be alright getting through." Matt smiled as Henry shifted into four-wheel drive.

"If you say so, kid." Henry gunned the engine and took the first rise of rocks. He couldn't help but smile as the rig tipped left, then right as they traversed the obstacles of nature. After ten minutes of the slow, bumpy climb up the track that switched back and forth over itself, Henry asked; "How much more of this?"

Jeep pointed up ahead. "Almost there. See that rock shelf and that stand of Oaks? Park right below it. There is enough space where you can turn around to head back down the same way we came up."

Henry sighed. "I was afraid you were going to say that."

Jeep lifted his hat and ran his fingers through his gray flecked hair as he stepped out of the truck. "You could try to go down the other side, but I don't think you'd want to take this rig that way."

Henry stepped out and shut his door. "Is it shorter?"

Jeep had moved over to the rock shelf and stood looking out. "Oh yeah, shorter and faster." He wheezed a laugh as Henry stopped beside him and saw the sheer drop to the rocks several hundred feet below.

Henry laughed as he patted Jeep's shoulder; "Yeah, we'll go back the way we came up." He took a moment to take in the panoramic view of the interior of the range. Before him lay the hidden beauty of the Buttes few had the privilege of seeing. Reminders that the range was once an active volcano lay everywhere. Oaks grew alongside scrub brush and wild berries. Below them, a small trickle of water made its way down the mountainside to form a pool in the grassy area. "You are blessed to call this land yours." He looked at Jeep. "I'm glad you are wise enough to keep the developers out of this."

Jeep shook his head. "Not in my lifetime, or anyone else's. I got it all down on paper with the government, all legal like. This is protected land and may never be developed upon, for any reason."

Henry smiled as he looked back at Matt, who was leaning against the front fender of the truck. "So, what did you want to show me here?"

"Down there." Matt moved with the ease of youth as he followed a well-worn path. "Watch your step along here, ground's uneven and loose rock in spots."

Henry watched Matt disappear around a ledge, then heaving a loud sigh, followed. "Son, in these hills there is no such thing as even ground. Although I would be happy if you could prove me wrong right now."

Matt could hear Jeep chuckle from somewhere behind him.

It was a short distance when Henry found the boy stopped and waiting. "This is what's left of it."

Henry stopped a short distance from the remains. "Whew, that's ripe!" He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and held it over his face as he approached the downed cow. "Any idea what happened?" He knelt looking at the surrounding earth that was covered in scat and the footprints of feral animals, that probably feasted on the downed cow.

"Nah, she was pretty chewed up by the time I came across her. All of them pretty much looked the same." Matt frowned. "Except for the cow and calf, they were different."

Henry looked up at Matt. "How so?"

The boy paused and looked at Jeep who had followed them down the path. Jeep nodded. "Go ahead, tell him."

"I couldn't see anything wrong with them. They just died." He looked uncomfortable as he continued. "I was afraid they were diseased, so I burned them."

Jeep looked at Henry and shrugged. "The kid thought he was doing the right thing. By the time I heard about it, it was too late." Jeep squeezed his grandson's shoulder. "I gave Fredericks a call and let him know what had happened. He came out and checked the herd. He couldn't find anything wrong."

Henry slowly nodded. He looked at Matt. "You should have called the vet to check out the cause of death before disposing of the bodies. But it's good Fredericks checked the herd; that eliminates disease for now."

Jeep leaned against the trunk of a tree as he watched Henry continue to inspect the area.

Henry shook his head as he walked, scrutinizing the ground. "Damn ground is tore up pretty good." He kicked at a pile of scat. "Looks like wild boar."

Jeep nodded. "Yup, berry bushes down yonder. Pigs gorge on them when they are in season." He looked at Henry. "They've been known to eat carrion if they're hungry... suppose they had their fair share of that carcass."

Henry stopped and looked up at the sky. The sun was at its midpoint. "Getting close to noon. So, Matt, where are the other two?"

"Pearce Ridge." He pointed towards one of the adjacent mountains. "Over there."

Henry gave a grunt. "Let's get down off this mound of rocks and head over." He scoffed as he started the truck. "Don't suppose the road over there is any better?"

Jeep and Matt answered in unison. "Nope."

Henry threw the truck into gear and began their slow descent. "Swell."