Page 25 of Inventions of the Heart

“I can draw up plans tonight,” Jilly said. “If you use the waterpower to run an engine, the irrigation wouldn’t be hard to set up. The windmills will take a little longer, and you’d need to order some parts.”

“Do it.” He turned to his sisters. “I have money set aside from the ranch’s profits for you and Josh. I’d need to spend some of that. But irrigation and windmills are ranch expenses, and they’d pay for themselves over time.”

Annie and Beth Ellen shared a look. Then Annie shrugged. “It’s fine with me.”

“Me too. We can’t have the cows thirsty.” Beth Ellen smiled at Michelle and Jilly. “You two can set up an irrigation system and windmills and ... what else did you say? A water-powered engine?”

“Yes, it’s the same theory as the windmills, but that’s wind power used to pump water,” Michelle explained. “We can use waterpower to pump water, too.”

Then Zane gave Annie a kind look. Michelle braced herself for something bad.

“Before we start on any irrigation, I’m going to ride down toward Lodi tomorrow.”

“Oh, Zane. No, please don’t do that.”

“I’m going to be careful. I’m not going to charge in and demand your ranch back. But I want to know what happened. If you’re right and the man who stole it has powerful connections, then I’ll back off without causing trouble.”

Annie burst into tears. Caroline sat beside her, boosted up by a little wooden box Zane had found in the barn. She burst into tears right along with her mother.

“You know, Annie, I happen to know a few powerful people, too,” Zane said. “I know our state senator well enough to have had dinner in his home. I’m acquainted with the mayor of Sacramento. I’ve got enough connections that I can get some answers without risking my life.”

“How about a US Marshal?” Jilly asked. “You could findout if there’s one in the area and make your accusations to him.”

“And check with the district attorney for Sacramento. Stealing someone’s land isn’t a quiet little crime. It might be hard to prove a murder under the circumstances, but—” Michelle straightened and snapped her fingers. “We know the governor. Uncle Newt came to the house regularly when Papa was alive.”

Zane said quietly, “Uncle Newt?”

“And the state attorney general.” Jilly tapped on the table. “And the man who was mayor of San Francisco at one time. He didn’t run for the last election. His wife and our mama had tea frequently, and there were some other ladies there with plenty of connections. I’m not sure being well connected in San Francisco helps, but the statewide offices do.”

Michelle rested a hand on Jilly’s shoulder. “We’d have to ride to Sacramento, talk to the people we know. Um...” She glanced from Annie to Beth Ellen. “Our whereabouts would be revealed.”

Jilly subsided.

Michelle looked at Zane. “We’ll help. But it will be a delicate thing. Let me write a few letters tonight. I don’t know if Mama’s friends, nor Papa’s, quite realize our situation. We left for the mountains as usual, but we spent the whole winter up there. I have no idea if anyone has noticed or wondered about us yet.”

“And you don’t want your whereabouts to be revealed?” Beth Ellen asked.

Michelle looked at Jilly. Jilly was thinking, Michelle too. All the pros and cons. All the consequences of their actions.

Telling Annie and Beth Ellen what was going on. Did that include the gold? Did that mean their real names, or did it mean coming out of hiding to try to regain control of Annie’s ranch?

She thought of one thing that would make a difference. She turned to Zane and said firmly, “I’ll tell them everything and use all the influence I can gather, if you’ll marry me.”

ANNIE GASPED SO LOUD,so deep, she must’ve inhaled something because she started coughing.

“What?” Beth Ellen shouted and stood so fast she knocked her chair over behind her.

Startled, Caroline knocked over her milk.

Zane gave Michelle a narrow-eyed look and got up to pat Annie on the back.

Jilly grabbed a towel and stopped the milk before it flowed onto Caroline or the floor.

“What is going on here?” Beth Ellen demanded. “Who are you really, and what are you trying to do with my brother?”

“Why do I have to marry you as part of this?” Zane flinched a little at his tone of voice. “Let’s just tell them the truth.”

“Once I go out, make my presence known in Sacramento, Edgar will come after me. If Jilly and I do it together, he’ll come for both of us. As a single woman, I’m worth a fortune to him, and I’m not one bit sure I can avoid the plans he has for me.”

---