If you have not read a copy of Secure the Ranch, here's a little taste of what Josephine is up against. She arrives at the Munger Mansion ready for work, only to find that someone has spray-painted serious threats across the newly painted walls.
“You must be one ah them mural painters they
brought in,” Stan said. “Nice tah meet ya. Guess you folks can go home now.
I'll be here until tomorrow mornin', keepin' watch.”
I couldn't resist asking a couple
questions.
“Have you seen the perpetrator ... I
mean, do you know who wrote on the walls?”
“Oh yeah, Chester called in about
some mischief up here. Too bad.” Stan lowered his thick eyebrows and shook his
head slowly. “Kids!”
“It's a little nerve wracking if you know what
I mean. Have you seen any strangers up here, or a Mastiff? What do you think is
going on?”
“Ma'am, I don't know what's goin’ on, as you
say, but I did see a truck come up here in the middle of the night last week.
Them boys saw me and took off in a hurry. Didn't see no dog.”
“Do you happen to know the former owners of
this property?”
“I never met old man Herman, but I did have a
few run-ins with those crazy grandsons of his. Years back, I was a deputy
sheriff and them boys was always in trouble.
Not big trouble, they was just light fingered, pot smokin'
troublemakers. Think I saw Damon's truck parked in front of Mac's Bar the other
day. Hard to miss a pickup with that much rust.”
My blood moved a little faster as my
heart pounded and my brain strained to connect the dots. “What color is the
truck? Could it be the same one you saw here, in the middle of the night?”
“Damon's truck is mostly spots of gray primer,
except for all that rust.” Stan scratched his bristly chins. “It's a big ol'
Dodge. By the sound of the engine, might be the same truck. Maybe, maybe not. Couldn't
say, bein' it was dark and all.”
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