by a twitch of an eyelash did the old man show any sign he recognized the name. Tracker wasn’t surprised. Esperanza was very close to the Mexican border. Not much worry a Texas Ranger’s rep would carry this far.
“Vincente Morales.”
Vincente’s hand was callused and worn from years of work. His grip was lighter than Tracker expected. As soon as he felt swollen knuckles that indicated arthritis he lessened his own grip. Vincente leaned the pitchfork against the outside of the stall.
“This getting old, it is not for a coward.”
“You looked pretty damn intimidating wielding that pitchfork.” Tracker took a step forward and indicated the cow. “Mind if I finish this up?”
“I would be grateful.”
Tracker readjusted the stool near the animal. “She got any preferences?”
“No. Abuelita is a good cow.”
Tracker set his hat down and leaned his forehead against the animal’s side. It’d been a long time since he’d milked a cow. He hated the damn things, but he couldn’t sit by and watch an old man with pained hands struggle with the chore. It took only three seconds to figure out that there were some things a man didn’t forget, no matter how hard he tried. Milking a cow was one of them.
Two tugs and the milk hit the bucket in a hard stream. The old hound moaned and looked hopeful. Tracker smiled and squirted in the dog’s direction. His aim was a bit off but the hound compensated, licking the milk off his whiskers with slow swipes of his big tongue. Vincente chuckled.
Tracker caught his eye. “Hope you don’t mind.”
“No. He can no longer hunt rabbits. It is one of his few pleasures.”
“A body’s got to have his pleasures.”
“Sí.”
The barn fell quiet, the only sounds being the hound scratching and milk splashing into the bucket. Vincente broke the silence.
“The job does not pay much. A room here in the barn and supper.”
Tracker cocked his head so he could see the man. “Your wife a good cook?”
Vincente patted his rounded belly. “Very.”
Tracker bent his head and hid his smile. He could see Caine saying the same thing about Desi forty years down the road. Then he chuckled. It’d be worth living that long to see Caine with a belly. “That’ll do.”
The cow was about dry. She stomped a hoof, signaling the end of her patience. Tucker squirted the last of the milk into the bucket and leaned back. Too late he remembered the other reason he hated cows. Her tail whapped him in the face, the bristly hairs stinging, adding insult to injury.
“Son of a bitch.” He jumped to his feet, barely missing spilling the milk. The cow turned her head and stared at him reproachfully, as if he’d done something wrong.
“Don’t look at me like that!” He rubbed his cheek. “I’m not the one swinging wildly.”
He grabbed the bucket in case she was one of those cows that delighted in making a waste of an unpleasant task by kicking over the container.
Vincente laughed outright and handed him the lid. “There will be danger for you here.”
Tracker laid it in place, fitting the notches between the bucket’s handles. “From the unneighborly sort?”
“No.”
Grabbing his hat, he settled it back on his head. “Nothing new in that.”
“Why do you want this job?”
“My reasons are personal.” Tracker straightened. “Why are you offering it?”
“Who says I am?”
“Me.”
“And who are you that I should care what you say?”
He took a stab in the dark. A sick man with two women to protect had to be nervous. “A man you can trust.”
“I do not know this.”
Tracker shrugged. “Doesn’t change the truth of it.”
Vincente stared at him, squinting to see in the low light of the barn. “But you expect I will learn?”
He shrugged. “Most people find me a right handy man to have around.”
The old man studied him for a few more seconds and then nodded. “Yes. I think I will, too.” He motioned to the door. “We will try you today. You may put that by the back door of the house.” He patted the cow’s flank. “I will get Abuelita settled.”
“Will do.”
“Come right back.”
Tracker nodded, used to men not wanting him around their womenfolk.
He made it to the barn door before Vincente called out, “I tell you not to linger because my wife has been nervous of late, and she is not such a good shot.”
“She the shoot-to-kill type?” Tracker respected that. No one should pick up a gun without being prepared to kill.
“It would be better that she was, but she has a soft heart and bad aim.” Vincente smiled. There was a world of love in that smile. “I am afraid she would aim for your foot and hit your heart. I do not want to be in church so much as it would take for her to repent.”
Tracker chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Gracias.” The lightness left Vincente’s expression. “Later, if I decide you can stay, I will introduce you.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to work today to impress you.”
“Because you don’t want a bullet in your heart?”
Tracker shook his head and called back, “Because it’s been a long time since I had a home-cooked meal.”
The old man shook his head and gathered up Abuelita’s lead rope. “It is lonely for a man as he gets older, sí?”
Not for Tracker. He couldn’t let life get lonely. “For some.”
Vincente slapped the cow’s rope against his boot, punctuating his mocking tone when he said, “For some, huh!”
The last thing Tracker needed was an old man playing matchmaker. It was bad enough that Tia wouldn’t accept reality. “Yes,” he retorted. “For some.”
“But not you?” Vincente asked as he led the placid cow out of the barn.
“No. Not for me.”
“Huh!” Vincente’s snort carried clearly as he led the cow to the fenced
