Aftershocks

 Aftershocks

A “The Rivals” WHN

By Sprite

PG

 

 

Johnny had suggested the race back to the ranch, but it tapered off after a half mile or so. Murdoch was let his horse fall behind and Scott and Johnny went on ahead, leaving the man to his thoughts.

 

They unsaddled their horses and turned them out into the meadow. They walked the length of the barn, picking up items that had fallen off the shelves in the earthquake.

 

“Has this door always sagged or is this new?” Johnny mused out loud.

 

“I’d say from the scuffs in the dirt and the damage to the door it’s been like that for a while.”

 

“Best make a note to get it fixed.” Johnny said, knowing that Scott kept a piece of paper in his shirt pocket for just that sort of thing.

 

“You walk down one side; I’ll do the other?” Scott said, digging out his paper and a tiny scrap of a pencil. “Look for any damage?”

 

“Sure.” And slowly they walked around all the outbuildings to look for any quake damage and made note of anything else that looked like it needed mending. There hadn’t been much damage. More than a few things were knocked off the walls, but not much more than broken flowerpots and an overturned water barrel.

 

They saw Murdoch return and give his horse to one of the hands before going inside. The brothers sat on a bench at the far end of the yard, under a pair of black oak trees. It was a busy part of the yard on wash day, but today it was quiet and shady.

 

“So how did you like your first earthquake?” Johnny asked and as if on cue an aftershock rumbled under their feet shaking acorns and dust from the trees and sending squirrels skittering and birds taking wing into a darkening sky.

 

Scott tipped his head and smiled. “I didn’t even know what was happening at first. I,” he paused and pressed his lips together. Looking around to make sure they weren’t overheard he continued softly. “I think, maybe, I…” he hedged again. “I might have caught Murdoch and Aggie in a clinch.”

 

Johnny raised his eyebrows in surprise.

 

“I’m not sure, mind you, I might be all wrong. I came in and they kind of stepped apart and the quake hit, and they were running, and I wasn’t quite sure why, so I just followed after. It all happened very quickly.”

 

Johnny chuckled.

 

“What’s up with them? I mean the whole town has had them together for ages, why hasn’t Murdoch made a move?”

 

Johnny bent down and picked up a fallen twig and stripped off the dry curled leaves. “Maybe cuz he’s still married to my mother?” he said in a soft tone.

 

“Uhm.” Scott frowned. “Is she still alive? I mean,” Scott wasn’t usually one to stammer over his words, but this left him flummoxed. “I guess, I just assumed. You never talk about her.”

 

“Last I heard she left Mexico after Juarez was elected and headed to San Diego. I don’t know for sure. I guess he doesn’t either.”

 

“Do you ever think of going looking for her?”

 

Johnny met his eye then. “No.”

 

Scott knew that look. No more words were needed. There was a rumble and Scott stiffened. “That isn’t?”

 

“Thunder.” Johnny stood up to look past the trees. Great billowing thunderclouds were forming on the horizon. A small splatter of rain dropped here and there making round pockets in the dusty ground.

 

“Do you think Jelly will say his trick knee predicted the rain or the earthquake?” Scott asked.

 

“I think he will use it to whatever advantage he thinks he can, and we won’t hear the end of it.” Johnny smiled, grateful for the change of subject. “Think we’ll actually get rain?”

 

At just that moment the heavens opened, and a downpour began.

 

“Yes!” Scott said as he sprinted for the house, Johnny hot on his.

 

 

Epilogue:

 

The deluge continued for three days, followed by a week of afternoon thunderstorms. The ensuing storms refilled the low water basins all over the ranch. The dam at Wolf Creek, hastily put together by Buck Addison’s crew burst its bank and swept down stream, washing out two bridges. The trestle bridge for the railroad spur was washed away by a landslide a day later, clogging the river. Ensuing lawsuits by ranchers with water rights caused Buck Addison to pay huge fines causing him to put the Mendoza property back on the market for sale to pay the fines and fees. Murdoch Lancer bought the land at a greatly reduced price.

 

Over the coming years, shareholder lawsuits in Addison’s failed railroad endeavor caused him to sell many other pieces of property adjoining Lancer. By the turn of the century Lancer had grown to nearly double. The purchases were a drain on cash resources but ensured that the ranch would never again be boxed in by other land speculators.  Aggie Conway Addison left for Sacramento with her husband and when they struck gold in Calaveras they moved to Paris and never returned to the valley.