Page 40 of When the Smoke Clears

“Yeah, I’ve got one.”

“Okay. Toss that over her head to calm her down. I’ll grab the cutting torch and head that way. I need to put Johnny back in the pasture. Call Kelly on the radio and have him call the vet. We’ll have them check her out after she’s loose.” There are a few vets in town, but only one that handles cattle. They’re familiar with us, and we don’t usually have trouble getting them out the same day to check on animals when it’s needed.

“Yes, sir.”

I move as quickly as possible, removing Johnny Walker’s saddle and tack, and put him out to pasture. He paws at the ground and swishes his tail at me in annoyance. Unfortunately, I understand all too well that he was craving this ride.

“Sorry, big guy. Duty calls.” I reach for him, but he grunts and takes off before I can pat him. I don’t have time to deal with a moody horse, too, so I focus on the task at hand, hurrying to grab the welding torch and get into the truck.

The ride to the south pasture is bumpy, especially after the caliche road ends. By the time I make it to the gate in question, Kelly has also arrived. The cow seems reasonably settled with Jason’s Carhartt jacket draped over her head.

I set my hat on its crown in the passenger seat, exchanging it for the welding helmet.

Cody and Jason turn to me as I approach with the torch in hand. Cody grins. “I got a photo in case you want to turn this moment into a meme later.”

My brows pull together. “A what?”

Kelly, on the other side of the fence, drops his head and shakes it slowly. I think the reaction is directed at Cody, not me. “Not the time,” he mutters, but there’s no anger in his tone.

Cody’s smile turns sheepish.

I blink and shake my head. “Alright, I’m gonna start cutting. Just try to keep her calm, but watch out for legs.” I’m preaching to the choir; these guys know what to expect from the cattle, but it doesn’t stop me from reminding them.

When the torch is ready to go, I flip the helmet down, after clocking Kelly once more. I won’t have much visibility aside from what I’m doing, so hopefully he’s ready. The cow has a soft disposition and stands mostly still while I work. I lift the lid to find her back feet dancing.

Once she’s loose, Jason pulls the jacket off her head quickly and she runs the opposite direction of us, finding some shade to settle in.

“You get her earring number?” I ask, referencing her ear tag. We spend quite a bit of time with the cows, giving us a chance to learn their varied personalities. But having the number ensures we know we’re handling the right one.

“Yep.” Kelly nods. He turns to Jason. “You did good. She was settled. That went better than it could have.”

He’s right. Once, before this crew, we had a cow get herself stuck in one of the paddock fences and she was as mad as a bull, whipping back and forth. She tore the entire panel down to free herself from it, shaking wildly. It was a risk not only to herself, but all the cattle and ranch hands in the area. Everything turned out okay, but it’s better all the way around when things go smoothly, like today, if it has to happen at all.

“Alright, I’m gonna load this up. You guys need any more help down here?”

Kelly looks to Jason and Cody. They all shake their heads.

I nod. “I’m going to head up to The Big House for a bit, after I drop this off.”

“We’re headed up to the stables.” Jason follows behind me. Kelly climbs into the Defender while Jason and Cody mount Dusty and Boots.

Despite our varied modes of transportation, we make it back to the parking area in front of the stables and barn about the same time. I climb out of the truck, replacing my hat. A loud moo greets me, which wouldn’t be that extraordinary if it didn’t sound close and high.

My eyes rise to the open hay loft of the barn, where Daisy stares out at us.

“Sonofabitch!” I yell. I whip around as Jason and Cody jump down from their respective horses, running up behind me, and Kelly pulls to a stop, cutting the Defender’s engine.

Cody’s eyes are the widest I’ve ever seen, and his face turns a bright red.

“Who left the damn barn door open?” I don’t bother hiding my annoyance.

Cody doesn’t need to say anything. His grimace, which turns from red to green, says it all. “That’d be me.”

I press a hand against my forehead, which is beginning to throb.

The barn has entrances on both sides of the building like the stables. The front doors are shut, but it’s clear the back door must have been left open for Daisy to enter from the pasture side. Although, it’s Daisy. I wouldn’t put it past her to open the front damn door and walk right in.

Kelly speaks up. “Jason, go grab some oats and we’ll lead her back down the same way she went up,” he says.

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