Wayne Gray

It's a good question concerning the law. It certainly seems like Taggert was assaulted in some way, after all. But also consider: A man owning 200,000 acres of productive cattle ranch is... well, powerful. And up until now, Taggert has been running away from that life. It's unlikely he'd have explored such an avenue. Even if he had, you can discern from the conversation he had with Bert that the effort went nowhere. I won't spell out why that's likely, but I've already built it into the story's lore (background information I know is true). It is out there. Ash literally felt the skin. The place Taggert strives to hide from everyone. Of course, he has questions. But he's going to wait. Because that's what Taggert needs from him. Thanks for reading, commenting, and rating. I appreciate it.

I don't know. You keep coming back. I'm not judging, but it does seem you enjoy yourself. I know I am. 😈

Chapter 13: Black Hats Morning came slowly to the ranch. Not because the work had stopped. It never really did. But there was a heaviness hanging over the compound now that hadn’t been there before. Grief and worry both vied for attention. Everyone knew about the auction. Nobody was saying it aloud, but it sat underneath everything anyway. Ash stepped into the kitchen just after sunrise and immediately smelled coffee, bacon, and biscuits. It was normal, soothing, and nee

I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment on it. Ash has been a really patient guy, and Tag finally let himself trust someone. What will that look like tomorrow? Well, the next chapter is posted, so you can find out!

Now that would be quite the twist, wouldn’t it? Was granddad that worried about Zane that he’d intentionally hobble him? Hmm.

He passed away. I'm not sure if it was explicitly stated as such, but he has been referred to in the past tense for a few chapters. More is coming on him, though. So hang on to your cowboy hat.

He might be into that.⚡

Yep. As Bert said, it'd not cripple Nasser if Yoder bought Flemming. But it would cost them $ in fuel and time every time they took cattle to market. And that'd be a slow drain on Nasser. That'd mean less expansion, less investment back into operations, fewer hands hired, etc. A snowball effect that'd be felt forever after. So yes. They do need to see if they can stop Yoder from purchasing Flemming. How? Well, Bert's a smart guy. But even he can't conjure money from the air. So, it may take something special, if it can be done at all. Thanks for reading and commenting, Chris.

They might. If Bert has worries about that, then they absolutely might. And Bert would be crazy not to at least ask the question, even if he's just keeping that to himself. Is Tag an asset or a threat? That needs to be answered before Bert can really plan his next move. Thanks for the comment and for reading. More coming soon.

I feel that you and @weinerdogare running in the same gutter. I suppose it's good to have company. 😛

YES. You're beginning to see it. You're seeing who Taggert really is: a man trained from his teenage years by a titan of the industry. Someone groomed not only to run Yoder Ranch but also to make it better than it'd ever been. That was Taggert's destiny. At least, it was. Yet now, we find him living a simple, hard-working life as a ranch hand. What can he do now? He has only what he has been taught, what he knows, and not much more than that. Maybe. Thanks for reading and commenting. More to come.

Good points here. It's one thing to do the daily work. It's quite another to give a competing ranch information they can use to, essentially, screw your home ranch out of a huge purchase. Or potentially, at least. It'd take something immense to cost that kind of loyalty. To burn a bridge that strong. So... what do we think? Would Taggert side with Nasser if it'd cost Yoder something as lucrative as Flemming Ranch? We may just find out. Good comments. Thanks for them, and thanks for reading.

Nope. They don't have any kind of financial capability to do such a thing. Flemming is opening at $40 million. OPENING. The property itself is worth a lot more (probably about $120 million). But anyone interested in purchasing it won't have that kind of money available. I've explained how ranch finances work before, but pulling or borrowing that kind of money would essentially destroy operations on a fully functional ranch. So it'll sell for less than it's worth. That's just how it'll be. How much less? Well, that depends on Nasser and Yoder. Flemming was owned completely by the family. They'd not sold off any rights (water, mineral, or right-of-way). Though they did have agreements for Right of Way, particularly with Nasser. They had conducted some exploratory assessments for oil but hadn't found anything yet. Then their whole lives blew up after a cancer diagnosis, and everything not absolutely required for daily operations ceased. And you're likely right about the trailer. If Taggert doesn't ask, it probably won't happen, because Ash won't push him. You know these guys pretty well now. That's good. Thanks for reading and commenting, Dave. More to come.

You're so right about losing land. You take a young man who tried his best to hold onto his legacy, while watching his idol waste away, and you have an idea of what Eric went through. No, the bank had no sympathy. They saw a chance to knock the legs out from under a wobbling ranch, and they did it. The way Taggert reacted to the news was a glimpse of who he really is. When he's not running, or worried, or under threat, we get to see what he's capable of, and what he has been trained to do. Up until now, he has been a frightened boy, looking for safety. And he has found it in Nasser and Ash. What will a man do to protect that? What won't he do? And now you're thinking like a strategist. Future-proofing life is a funny game. And if Bill was the "legend" he's been credited with being, maybe you're on to something. Time will tell. Thanks for the comment and for reading.

That's the thing... Yoder probably doesn't know where Taggert is. Not yet. Taggert seems the type to be very careful. And Nasser was a competing ranch. It's likely the last place Zane Yoder would look for his son, if he was looking for him at all. He simply couldn't imagine that Nasser would accept the son of their biggest competitor as a ranch hand. Bill Yoder (granddad) was well known and respected. He ran things far differently than his son does. We'll get more into that down the line, but you'll get to see what I mean. And Bill saw this difference. Which is why he began investing time, money, and effort into training his grandson. How do you think that made good ole Zane feel? I'll just leave ya with that. Thanks for the comment and for reading.

Yep. We do. Eric was in line to inherit his own ranch (Flemming), while Taggert was chosen by his grandfather to take over for him. But... the cruelty of nature and our financial system stole Eric's legacy, while a different kind of cruelty stole Taggert's. Taggert is far more advanced on the path of running a ranch than Eric. Eric and his father thought they had more time. That there wasn't a rush to teach him all of the details he'd need to know, and that he could just be a cowboy (which is what Eric loves). Well, we can see how that turned out. That doesn't change the fact that he'd always assumed he'd be running the place. And that means his disappointment and pain at losing it are tremendous. How could they not be? We'll have to see how it all plays out. And we shall. Thanks for commenting and reading. And you're welcome. 🤠

From Bert's perspective, Nasser ranch has one of two things in Taggert. Either they've got someone who was sent to spy on them (despite Branford's instinct that that's not the case), or they've got an asset. One who was being trained by his grandfather to eventually take over operations at Yoder Ranch. That means he's someone with deep knowledge of financials, assets, liquidation potential, and operations. Which is it? To Bert, he genuinely doesn't know. Not yet. And now it matters. Now it matters a LOT. Thanks for reading and commenting. More to come.

The Yoders are far larger than Nasser. So it'd take both luck and balls to do it. Size doesn't mean liquid capital, exactly, but it's just more likely that Nasser would have more available. I suppose we'll see. Thanks for reading and commenting, Parker.

@kboiswas right. You ARE a bad pup!

Ash seems to be doing fine with the teasing. And, if you notice, they mostly tease Ash, not Taggert. They can sense where the line is and won't heap anything on the guy that he can't take. But Ash? Well, he's fair game. LOL Ash and Taggert are growing closer, working better together, and learning the little ways to give each other what they need. Though now, we've got this external event approaching in the background. Yes. Taggert knows what is coming. He has seen it before. Not with such a big ranch, but he has seen Yoder take over other ranching operations, and he knows what that brings. Disruption, adjustment, tightening the belt as the new expense filters through the everyday operations of ranch life... he has seen and lived it. But first, Yoder or Nasser have to win the bid. And that'll take some work. Thanks for reading and for the comment. More to come.

Unfortunately, I'm stone cold sober. No excuse!

Chapter 12: Opening Move The kitchen smelled like coffee, bacon grease, toast, and leather. Morning sunlight spilled gold through the windows, catching steam rising from mugs and turning dust motes bright in the air. Outside, the ranch had already started moving. Trucks. Horses. Boots on gravel. Another day. Inside, though, things felt slower. Calmer. Ash sat at the long table with his knee pressed lightly against Taggert’s beneath it. It wasn't intentional. It simply happene

Filthy, eh? Are you paying this man to advertise for you @Krista?

@chris191070, this conversation in no way detracts from my excitement for your trip. I know it'll be amazing. Take pictures, but mostly, be in the moment and enjoy it. Just be prepared for a debrief when you return!

The funnelweb. Yes. And those little bastards are aggressive! 🕷️