Chapter 9

nine

"Am preparing a preliminary paper giving a brief diagnosis of all my new species. Some have been in my collections six or eight years and are yet unknown to science."

~Earl Douglass

T HURSDAY , J ULY 13, 1916 · J ENSEN

"You've hardly said a word. Are you sure you're up for this?" Devin brought his horse a bit closer to Eliza's. The ride into town had been peaceful and quiet so far. Two things he greatly appreciated. But the puffiness around Eliza's eyes told the story she wasn't telling. Usually she started off quiet, and then her emotions would explode out of her. He wanted to be there for her when it happened.

"I am." The emotionless expression she sent him grew into a slight smile. "Don't worry. I don't think I'm ready to pitch a fit. Yet."

He chuckled. "I only called it pitching a fit that once. And you were twelve."

"I know. The memory made me smile though and I needed that."

"But"—better to get it out now rather than in front of people—"everyone needs to vent at some point. I know you, and if you don't go storming up a mountain today ready to lasso the clouds down to earth, I'll be worried."

Her lips curled as she narrowed her eyes. "Devin Schmitt. There is no need for me to storm up a mountain."

"Okay. How about hammer a rock to smithereens?"

"That's more like it." She lifted her chin as she faced forward once again.

Oh, how he loved her. "Good. And if you need to yell and holler at anyone, give me fair warning so that we can go into the wilderness somewhere, and no one can hear us. Then I'll let you yell at me for as long as you want."

Her shoulders shook with a silent laugh. "You're a good friend, Devin."

"I know." As they reached the outskirts of town, he winked at her.

They tied up their mounts in front of the hardware store and then Devin held the door open for Eliza.

Barely five steps into the store, Eliza exclaimed, "Deborah!"

Devin stepped up beside the two women.

Mrs. Hawkins's head snapped up from whatever she was studying on the counter. Her cheeks flushed pink as she gave them a grin. "When I heard that you were ordering yourself tools, I decided that I wanted to have my own as well. So I had Mr. Wayne order the same for me." She gripped Eliza's hand. "This is so exciting!"

Eliza's smile actually reached her eyes as she hugged her friend. "You know, I love that you are so enthusiastic about this. It really helps right now."

"I'm sorry about your grandfather." Mrs. Hawkins leaned in and whispered.

"Thank you." To her credit, Eliza held it together as she walked up to the counter to speak to the proprietor. "Mr. Wayne, I received word you have my order?"

"Yes, Miss Mills." The burly man walked over to a large floor-to-ceiling shelf and pulled down two brown-paper-wrapped packages. "One is for you. One is for Mrs. Hawkins." He peered at the other woman over Eliza's shoulder.

The women paid for their purchases and Devin reached over and grabbed both. "I'm assuming these go into the bag you're going to have me carry?"

Her laughter rang out in the store.

A wiry woman stepped in front of Eliza. "Did I hear you were going out to the Meyer ranch?"

"Yes." Eliza held out her hand. "Miss Eliza Mills."

The woman studied her and then took the offered hand. "Melissa Friedman." She pulled something out of her drawstring purse. "I was going to mail this. Would you mind delivering it for me?"

"Not at all."

"Thank you, Miss Mills. It was a pleasure to meet you." The woman walked to the counter, and Devin escorted his two companions out to their horses.

Eliza sent him a questioning glance and then looked to Mrs. Hawkins.

Once they were on their way, Deborah brought her horse closer. "That was Mr. Meyer's sister."

"Sister?" Devin tugged his hat down a bit lower. "When Eliza told me the story about how the ranch is haunted, no one said anything about a sister. Just the two brothers."

Deborah sighed and her shoulders slumped. "That's because she was disowned by their father."

"Whatever for?" Eliza looked ready to pounce. "She seemed like such a mouse of a woman. Why would any good and decent father do that?"

"It's a long story." Deborah lifted her canteen and took a sip. "Ford Meyer came out here decades ago when there was nothin' but rocks and dirt... oh, and the river. He built himself the ranch and worked it, adding to it for years. His two sons, Jasper and Lucas, were as different as night and day. Jasper loved the ranch. Lucas didn't. Now Ford and his wife—I've forgotten her name—had a hard life out here. They lost nine babies before Jasper survived. They were going through the alphabet naming their children. Lost another baby after Jasper, and then Lucas survived, then Melissa. Since Jasper wanted to run the ranch, they sent Lucas off to school to do whatever it was he wanted to do. He ended up getting a job in Dallas and stayed out there in the big city. Everyone in town thought of him as the black sheep.

"Then there was Melissa." Deborah paused and licked her lips. "Her family was the wealthiest around, so she couldn't marry just any old ranch hand. There was a large dowry, I've heard as well. But then she had to go and fall in love with Horris Friedman. She begged her parents to allow her to court and marry Horris. But her father said he was nothing but a gold-digger and a bum. The fighting went on for over a year. But her parents wouldn't budge.

"One day, she rode out to the ranch with Horris and informed her parents that they were legally married. It was clear Horris thought that was his ticket. He was married to the daughter of the wealthiest family in all of Utah. But Ford Meyer wasn't about to be swindled. He cut them both off. Disowned his own daughter."

Devin swiped a hand across his jaw. How did people treat their own flesh and blood with such hatred? He glanced at Eliza. She was leaning close to Deborah, her hand on the other woman's arm, completely engaged with this topsy-turvy tale. He had to admit it had captivated him as well.

"Wow." Eliza shook her head. "I can't even imagine."

"Now, I don't know all sides of the story, but I know that every time I see Mrs. Friedman, she looks miserable. She had been so in love that she was willing to go against her parents' wishes, just thinking they would eventually come to love the man too. But he must have put up an awfully good charade for her because her father was correct. He was out for the family's money. Rumor has it that he doesn't allow Melissa to spend any money, but he gambles and carouses all over the place."

Devin puzzled to fit all the pieces together. "So what happened to the family?"

"They just up and disappeared. Vanished into thin air. The senior Mr. Meyer and his wife. Jasper and his wife and all eight of their children. The sheriff and solicitor had to track down Lucas because the will said that he would inherit. Lucas never loved the ranch, but he seemed so devastated once he arrived that he took it over in honor of his family. It hasn't been easy either."

"They never found any trace of the family?" Devin couldn't fathom how all those people could simply disappear.

"Not a one."

"Louise Adams told me that everyone thinks the ranch is haunted—that's why the family disappeared, and why bad things seem to happen out there."

Deborah scratched her nose and weighed her head from side to side. "There are a lot of rumors, but that's the most popular one."

"Do you think the rumor about them finding dinosaur bones is real?" Devin had been raring to ask that.

"I think so. I remember Jasper being so excited about it. It was all he talked about for weeks. But not long after, they all disappeared. That was ... 1908, I believe? Then Earl found the bones out where the monument is now, and no one said anything else about the Meyer ranch. But plenty of people believe the other rumor that Ford came out here with a load of gold. Some of the mishaps out at the ranch have really been just hands that hired on so they could search for hidden treasure." Deborah rolled her eyes.

"What about Melissa? She seems so ... lost." Eliza stopped her horse and Deborah and Devin did the same.

"The only way she inherits anything is if her brother sells. Horris has hounded the man for years to sell it since he doesn't even like ranching. But Lucas refuses. Honestly, Lucas doesn't look any less miserable than Melissa, but most people believe that he feels he's paying penance for not being here for his family." Deborah placed a hand on her hip. "If you ask me, I don't think Melissa cares much about the ranch or the money. But she regrets marrying that man, I can tell you that much."

T HURSDAY , J ULY 13, 1916 · M EYER R ANCH

The morning had passed in the slow and tedious work of surveying every inch of the creek bed. At places, it was only a yard or two wide. Others, it was almost ten yards wide. Those were the places that took a lot more time.

It hadn't been quite ten years since Jasper Meyer had the excitement of finding fossils. A lot could happen in that timeframe, but Eliza had checked and there hadn't been any flash floods that would have greatly changed the landscape. Still, they hadn't found anything yet and it was discouraging.

Devin rode back toward her from the quadrant she'd assigned him to search. He shook his head as he came near. "I double-checked the whole area and don't see anything."

"Same here." Eliza released a sigh. "Let's cross the creek and check in with Deborah."

"Sounds good."

Though the other woman had been within sight and probably earshot as well, they crossed the creek and dismounted.

Deborah was crouched over something. Using a small hand shovel, she was carefully displacing dirt. "What do you think, Eliza? Is this something?"

A little thrill shot up Eliza's spine as she crouched down next to her friend and studied what she'd found. Then she stood and surveyed the creek bed around them. There was a good-sized rock layer under several inches of mud and dirt. Probably at least twenty feet by forty feet long.

Devin stepped over next to her. "I know that look. You're thinking there's something under all this mud."

"Yep." She continued to scan the area. She held back her excitement. It was Deborah's first dig—she didn't want to get her hopes up just yet. "While the slope isn't as steep as down closer to the ranch house, it intrigues me. Obviously when the creek swells, its depth covers this whole area, thus the mud."

"What do you think?" Deborah called from where she'd been digging to get to the rock layer.

Eliza made her way over and leaned in close. "That, my friend, looks like a fossil." She waved at Devin. "Quick, bring me my shovel, you should grab yours too." Her heart lifted. Thank You, God. I needed this little bit of encouragement today .

Devin ran over with the shovels.

Eliza stood and marched about twenty feet down the creek bed where it narrowed. "Devin, you start down here. The goal is to get all the mud and dirt off this rock layer so we can examine it. Go all the way up the slope until you reach the grass line. That should be the end of the rock layer. Deborah and I will work from up there and make our way to you."

"On it, boss." He winked at her again, his smile stretching wide.

It warmed her heart and gave her a bounce in her step as she walked back.

For the next hour, they shoveled in relative quiet since it took a lot of energy to heft the mud and throw it away from their site. The more of the stone layer they uncovered, the more excited Eliza became. She leaned on her shovel at one point to catch her breath and couldn't believe what was before her eyes. Fossilized bones for certain. But they'd have to wait until they removed all the mud before she could analyze it for size and species.

"Go find me a dinosaur." Instead of producing massive tears like they had last night, this time Grandfather's words made her smile.

Devin looked up and caught her eye. He grinned and nodded. He knew. How wonderful to have him here to share this discovery. No matter what it was, she would be happy. Hopefully, Mr. Meyer would allow them to continue digging. They might have to temporarily reroute the creek, which he might not like. But she wouldn't know for sure until she saw what was here and then asked his permission.

Another hour later, they all stood back huffing and puffing and surveying their work.

"That, my friends, has got to be a dinosaur. It's larger than any other animal."

Deborah clapped her hands together and jumped up and down. "I knew it, I just could feel it in my bones! Pardon the expression." She giggled. "I'm so excited!" She ran over to Eliza and grabbed her hands.

After they hugged and rejoiced together, Eliza went over to Devin and hugged him.

"What? No spinning or twirling? I'm disappointed."

"We're standing on a thirty-five-to-forty-degree slope, silly. If I started twirling around, I'd surely end up in the creek." She hugged him again, and he beamed at her.

What would she do when he had to go back to Pittsburgh? It wasn't the same without him. Could she ask him to stay? Probably not. Not with his job. And she'd never want to put that at risk. But that would mean weeks without him. The thought didn't settle well.

"What now, boss?" Devin stood next to her as they stared at the layer of rock together.

"Well, I should speak to Mr. Meyer and get his full permission now that we've found this. Then, tomorrow, that means we can divert the creek and start excavating the bones."

Deborah reached over and hugged her around the waist. "Thank you, Eliza. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart." She put her hand to her throat. "I never knew true joy could come from this."

Her friend was correct. There was nothing like a new find. The excitement of the dig. The hope for what they might uncover. The eagerness to see if it was an intact skeleton and what species. It was the reward of days and months of what often seemed like fruitless labor.

"Miss Mills."

Eliza whirled around and spotted a group of ... one, two, three, four, five people walking toward them. All of them dressed in their finery—probably wealthy tourists. The man in front looked familiar. He'd been out at the quarry multiple times, if she wasn't mistaken. "Yes? How may I help you?" Her brow dipped low under her wide hat as she studied the approaching group.

The man out in front stepped down the creek bank toward her and held out a hand. "I'm Dr. Finley Masterson." His British accent was strong. "And these two lovely couples are the Stansons and the Bufords. We all must get back to New York and since the quarry was closed, I've hunted you down. I hope we're not intruding?"

She held her breath and stared at the man. "The Dr. Masterson?"

"One and the same, I'm afraid." He removed his hat, folding the well-worn brim back and forth.

"Forgive me." She extended her hand in greeting and shook his. "Mr. Carnegie told me you were coming. You'll have to excuse our appearance." She glanced down at her attire. "We're in the middle of a dig."

"Not a problem." Dr. Masterson smiled. "Again, we don't wish to interrupt, but there were a few more questions we wanted to ask before we headed back East, and we simply had to find our knowledgeable guide."

T HURSDAY , J ULY 13, 1916 · M EYER R ANCH

Devin clasped his hands behind his back as he followed along with the small group listening to Eliza.

After the past few days, she'd lost a bit of her confidence. That spark of exuberance that always came out when she talked about what she loved hadn't been there. Then he'd made it worse by sharing the news of her grandfather's passing.

Devin let out a breath. Their time out at the ranch today had been good for her, but she was subdued. Grief colored every smile. Every glance. Not that he blamed her. Not at all. He just wanted to help her, soothe her sorrow, comfort her.

The thought of leaving her now, when she was vulnerable in her mourning and struggling out at the dig was almost too much to bear.

He hated even thinking the thought, but selfishly, it was true. Even during the cleanup and emotional aftermath it had been so wonderful to just be with her again. In a couple days, he'd have to say good-bye.

He shook his head. This habit of getting lost in his morose thoughts needed to stop. Right now, Eliza needed him. Dr. Masterson and his friends had taken them by surprise. And while Eliza usually handled these types of situations with grace and humor, today, she looked a bit lost.

The panic that crossed her features as the group closed in was unmistakable. Not only was she unprepared for guests, but she was out here in her men's shirt and denims.

Devin eyed Dr. Masterson's friends. Their clothes, while practical, spoke of finery and wealth. He prayed they would not be offended by Eliza's clothing and would understand how necessary what she wore was to digging out fossils.

Thus far, no one had commented. They were fully focused on Eliza and her work at the quarry. He made his way toward the group and found a place just off to the side, next to Deborah, who was taking in the conversation with wide eyes.

He couldn't blame her. Dr. Masterson's friends were asking some intriguing questions. Things he'd never thought of before. And he'd been hanging out with Eliza for two decades.

Amazing how much he still had to learn about her work.

The woman up front twirled her parasol and raised a hand. "Might I ask what you believe about the age of the dinosaurs? My father is a preacher back East and doesn't like the fact that we donate to the Hall of Dinosaurs exhibit at Mr. Carnegie's museum. I keep thinking that there must be an explanation that will appease my father and help me to understand these things as well."

The woman had obviously married well, since just the hat her husband wore probably cost more than every suit Devin owned.

Eliza gave the woman a small smile and cleared her throat. Her gaze flickered to Devin, and he gave her an encouraging nod. Her grin grew and she straightened her shoulders a bit more. "There was a paper written several years ago that talked about the Iguanodons found in Belgium."

The husband piped up. "I remember reading about that. More than thirty were found, correct? Almost completely intact?"

"Yes!" Eliza's face lit up with genuine delight for the first time in a few days. "More than one thousand feet deep on a coal bed." She stepped a bit closer. "Coal, as we know, comes from plant matter. But something has to happen for the vegetation to not decay back into the soil. This kind of event, along with time, and with heat and pressure, turns that vegetation into coal." She clasped her hands in front of her, eyes bright as she warmed to her subject. "Now what would address your question is the fact that these dinosaurs were fossilized and an integral part of the coal and surrounding sediment. Had they simply died after the coal was already there, they would have decayed—not fossilized. For them to be in the midst of the coal bed the way they were found seems to imply that they were in the same kind of event that also caused the vegetation to turn into the coal seam."

The woman nodded. "Like the flood?"

Eliza smiled. "A flood is definitely what I was thinking and what this paper spoke about." She lifted a finger. "Now, many different religions and cultural histories speak of a global flood. That could be the explanation for it. Which would also help us to understand many of the mysteries we face when we find these fossils."

Devin nodded along. She was doing a great job at explaining, while not making anyone feel that he or she was wrong. It must be incredibly difficult to do such a thing. Especially when it was such a divisive topic.

"She's remarkable," Deborah whispered, and Devin smiled.

"I think so too. I've always admired her ability to help someone understand a challenging subject such as this without making them feel small."

Deborah looked up at him, her wide-brimmed hat shield ing her eyes from the blazing July sun. "Exactly! I've learned so much in such a short time."

The other woman in Dr. Masterson's party spoke up, cutting off their conversation. "I have had a hard time believing that the earth is millions of years old. Especially since we only have record of man for not even ten thousand years."

"Then I take it you don't believe in evolution?" the man next to Devin asked.

The woman turned and studied him. "I don't believe we came from monkeys, if that's what you're asking. No. But I would like to understand this at a greater depth."

In that instant, an argument broke out. With the evolution-question man throwing insults at anyone who believed like the woman did. Then that woman's husband joined in and threw insults back.

What rude behavior! He'd had the impression when they arrived that they were all friends. But the way they were bickering was more like enemies. And it was getting out of hand.

Dr. Masterson put two fingers to his lips and whistled.

The crowd stilled.

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't believe this is the way civilized human beings should be behaving. Personally, I'd like to thank Miss Mills for the lovely tour and for answering our questions."

"Yes, thank you." Parasol woman nodded primly.

"As to your questions about the age of the dinosaurs, I would like to say that it is something we are still working on." The tall man looked at each person in his small group. "There are many things we don't have answers to yet. But that is why we dig and why we study, is it not?"

Several nodded.

"What you, my friends, are hearing from Miss Mills today is history in the making. The Carnegie Quarry is one of the most magnificent I have ever seen. We should be commending our fine teacher, Miss Mills, not starting quarrels."

The two men who were the most outspoken appeared thoroughly chastised. Devin couldn't help but grin.

Dr. Masterson stepped a bit closer to Eliza. "Miss Mills, I would love to have your insights on that paper. It sounded to me as if you were well-acquainted with it. Would you perhaps know the author?"

Eliza's face turned pink and then a deeper shade of red. She blinked several times. "I—that is—I..."

"Are you the author?" Dr. Masterson sounded captivated. "I've been wanting to meet the author ever since I first read the paper."

Eliza's eyes flashed to Devin. Sending him that silent plea for help. He grinned at her and mouthed, "Go on. Tell him." She'd looked up to Dr. Masterson for so long, this would be wonderful for her.

"I..." She licked her lips. "That is..." She bit her lip and then held a hand out. "You remember my dear friend Devin Schmitt. He's the author of the paper."

Every head there did a swift jerk in his direction.

His face flushed as quickly as his heart sank. He'd told her plain and clear that he wouldn't play any part for her. And then she pulled this.

Dr. Masterson glanced at Eliza, then at Devin, the expression on his face unreadable. Finally, he stepped up beside Devin and shook his hand. "What an unexpected pleasure, Mr. Schmitt. I would love to speak with you in more detail about the paper. Perhaps we could have dinner together? Or lunch?"

Devin opened his mouth to respond and quickly correct Eliza's fib. There had to be a way to fix this mess. Then he noticed the pleading and shimmer of tears in Eliza's eyes. No matter what she did, he couldn't expose her deception right now. So he snapped his mouth shut, pulled his thoughts together, and met the paleontologist's gaze. "Perhaps. Feel free to settle the details with Miss Mills. I've got to go. Excuse me."

He turned on his heel and marched away. To where, he didn't know. But at this point, he had enough fire in him to walk all the way home to Pittsburgh.