Page 34 of Cherry Tree Ranch

Dear Mama,

I promise we’ll be home in time to harvest the honey. We are on to the Prescott, Arizona Frontier Days, Elk City, Oklahoma and then to the famous Pendleton Round Up in Oregon. You’ll never guess who is on the publicity poster for Prescott. Me and Dottie! I’ll mail a copy as soon as we get there.

Have you paid Earl yet?

Daisy

July 27, 1924

Daisy,

Things aren’t good here. Sheep are being poached all over the county. I haven’t paid Earl yet. I had to repair the sheep wagon, and now I need more money. If it suits you, I’ll sell the ring. He’ll never know, but I want you to understand. Even the people who’ve paid him are losing sheep and he’s increasing his demands. He and his masked vigilantes have earned themselves a new name – the Night Riders.

The only reason we’re being spared is because of the obsession he’s had with you since you were a kid, Daisy. He still believes he’ll marry you and join our ranches. We have to keep it that way.

Love,

Mama

My eyes widen. “That’s really messed up,” I whisper to myself.

I pull my phone out once again and type in night riders next to grazing wars. The images tab shows men with guns on their hips and white masks over their faces. My vision snags on the name “Earl” in a photo caption.

Lani sends a message back. It’s four hours earlier for her, so she’s still up. Don’t keep a girl waiting…

I take a picture of Joaquin’s letter.

I’m so jealous. I want to be there reading old love letters with you.

Is it a love letter exactly?

Her photo keeps him warm at night?? Come on. Love letter for sure. Did she love him back?

Definitely. She wrote love on the photo she gave him. It’s not all love letters in here though. You know that Earl guy I told you wanted to marry Daisy? He was one sick dude. Look at this:

I send the old photo of Earl and his men. In the caption it tells about Earl W. Drake’s gang, how they killed sheep by driving them off cliffs, and the herders they tied to trees.

Damn. That’s dark. And this guy lived next to Daisy and Dottie?

Yeah. Pretty scary. On a positive note, how’s Maui?

Hot. How was picking cherries with Cash?

Hot.

For real??

Yeah. The weather’s hot here too!

I sigh. What am I doing out here in the middle of the night? If I don’t get back to bed, I won’t have energy to pick and preserve cherries tomorrow. I tidy the letters and close the barn door firmly on the way out. The wind has calmed.

When I settle in bed and close my eyes, ready to finally get some rest, my phone vibrates again.

Same time tomorrow?

It takes a moment for my brain to register – it’s Cash.

What are you doing up at this time? I say.