Wild Country (The World of the Others #2)- Anne Bishop Page 0,25
hand on her shoulder. “You all right?”
She patted his hand. “I’m tired. I’m glad tomorrow is Earthday and we can stay home and rest.”
“You don’t have to do this.”
“Yes, I do.” Her right hand reached for her left wrist. She stopped the movement, but she knew Tobias had seen her tell. “If for no other reason, I need to figure out the most sensible way to stock the shelves in my own store.”
“You’re meeting Tolya Sanguinati?” Tobias asked. “Do you want me to stay with you?”
Surprised, she turned to look at him. Tobias’s intuitive gift primarily had to do with animals and with people only in relation to animals. It made him a good rancher—and it helped him deal with the terra indigene.
“I’m not looking forward to discussing what I strongly feel we need to discuss, but I’m not worried about being alone with him if that’s what you’re asking under the offer to stay.”
Tobias studied her. “Okay. But I’d like to talk to him too about how to distribute the new hands, assuming the Lakeside Courtyard finds any to hire, and who should be the foreman of each ranch we’re going to try to keep going.”
“I’ll tell him. Where will you be?”
“The livery stable. I want to look at the horses there, want to make sure the people working there actually know something about horses.” He hesitated. “And then I thought I’d take a look at the saloon. It’s not open for business yet, but people are welcome to come in and take a look.”
It didn’t surprise her that the first business in Bennett to be fully staffed and truly operational would be the saloon. There had been more than one “watering hole” in the town, and someone might eventually open one of the other ones, but for now the Bird Cage Saloon would be an important gathering place.
“Go on, then.” When he turned to leave, she added, “Tobias? I’d like to know about the people working there—and the person Tolya Sanguinati chose to run the place.”
“You think that will be important?”
“Yes, I do.”
They studied each other. Intuits did not dismiss the feelings that had helped them escape the persecution of humans who feared their gifts and had helped them bargain with the terra indigene to establish communities that were well hidden in the wild country.
“Anything in particular I should look for?” Tobias asked.
Jesse shook her head.
The door opened and Tolya walked in with a long roll of papers. “Mr. Walker.”
“Mr. Sanguinati.” Tobias touched the brim of his hat and left.
Jesse went behind the counter. No reason to except she felt easier.
“We can’t keep doing this.” She hadn’t meant to say it so bluntly, but she was tired—and she was scared for herself, for her son, for the people of Prairie Gold, and for the newcomers, who, she was sure, weren’t prepared for the daunting truth about Bennett no matter what pictures they had seen on the TV or in newspapers. Picking through the lives of so many people, realizing that what had eliminated the entire population was out there, watching, waiting …
Bennett was a carcass. Sooner or later, the scavengers would start arriving to pick at the spoils. And then more people would die.
She jerked when Tolya’s hand closed over her right hand, which had a tight hold on her left wrist.
“I know your tell, Jesse Walker, and I know the scent of fear. Why are you afraid?”
“Outlaws, scavengers, squatters,” she whispered. “They’ll be coming too. Maybe not on the same trains that bring the people we want, but they’ll be coming close behind. They’ll find a way to get here because this place is ripe for the picking, and there’s nothing we can do.”
She felt surprised when a tear rolled down her cheek. Felt even more surprised when Tolya gently brushed it aside.
“We can’t keep doing this,” she said again.
“Doing this being clearing out the houses? I know. That’s why I brought these maps of the streets. I had some thoughts about … prioritizing.”
She moved her hands to indicate she wanted to be released. Tolya immediately raised his hand.
Taking a tissue from the open box she had placed near the cash register, she blew her nose and considered priorities.
“Jewelry, money, bank information, and legal documents are the important items that might be in each home, yes?” Tolya asked. “Those are the things that should be set aside for any potential heirs, if the attorneys who settle here can find anyone. These items are more important than clothing,