“Abe, Wilder will be in one of the milking parlors with you and Joel today. Hal, Bernie, since you two are working later tonight, if you have things to do, either do them or get some sleep. Duane, Buster will give you your chores.” She looked at Buster. “Please show Wilder the bunkhouse before you all get started, so he can stow his gear.”
“Will do. Wilder, come with me, then I’ll get you back here to work with the cows.”
“Yes, sir.”
“No need to call me sir. Buster is fine. C’mon.”
Rory looked at Wilder. He gave her a nod, then followed Buster out of the barn. None of the other men questioned her. She just hoped she was right about them.
****
Wilder followed Buster out of the barn, walked to his truck to get his duffle bag, then walked back to where Buster stood. Buster stared at him for a few seconds but never said a word. He nodded his head, and Wilder followed him as they walked along. Buster seemed like a loyal employee, and Wilder didn’t get any bad vibes from the other men. He knew he had his work cut out for him.
Once inside the bunkhouse, Buster pointed out a bunk, and Wilder set his bag on top of it, then looked at Buster to see him staring at him.
“Something wrong?”
“Not really. It’s just that Rory never mentioned hiring anyone new to me.”
“I don’t have an answer for that.”
“I’m sure you don’t. Come with me, and I’ll get you together with Joel.”
“All right.” Wilder knew Buster was suspicious of him.
“You can get your truck at lunchtime. Just park it here by the others.”
“All right.”
Later in the afternoon, the men sat in the bunkhouse eating sandwiches. It had been a long time since breakfast, and Wilder was starving.
“Where are you from, Wilder?” Hal asked him as he picked up his sandwich.
“Clifton. Born and raised here.”
“I’m originally from Idaho. Bernie, Abe, and Joel are from Wyoming. Duane is from Virginia.”
Wilder looked at Duane.
“How the hell did you end up here?”
Duane grinned. “I just took off after high school to travel across the states. Once I got here, I stayed. Montana is beautiful. I’ve worked for Rory for three years. Since I was nineteen. I love it.”
“It’s nice to have a job you love,” Wilder said after he swallowed a bite of his sandwich.
“Have you ever worked on a dairy farm?” Joel asked him.
“Nope. I have worked at a ranch, though. This is harder than it sounded.”
The men laughed, then they all got back to eating. It baffled Wilder. Just as Rory had said, the men all seemed like good men, but someone had to know something.
“It’s busier than a ranch, I think,” Duane said.
“I didn’t know you guys worked nights too.”
“Twenty-four seven, three hundred sixty-five days operation,” Abe told him.
A week later, he wondered if he’d ever figure this out. None of the men seemed like the type who would be involved in rustling.