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Jake craned his head to the side “The big one?”

“That’s Antelope Butte” As always Jessy used any excursion with her grandson to teach hi strip is just below it Won’t be long now”

Behind her, Jake settled back in his seat, content that his confineer Jessy pushed the plane’s nose slightly below the horizon line to begin the descent

Feeling thedown, bud Make sure your seatbelt’s tight”

“Right” Obediently Jake gave it a tightening pull

“I want to do a flyby to ood shape,” she said to Laredo “Keep your eyes peeled for any buckling of the concrete”

“Will do”

Jessy made a low pass over the strip Its lack of use in recent years was evident in the es Some had taken root wherever there was a crack in the concrete surface But the visual exa

The plane landed without incident and taxied to the padlocked hangar After nearly forty y when Laredo swung hiround

“Where are we gonna go first, Grandma?”

Drawing in a bracing breath, Jessy let her glance sweep over the stables and adjacent corrals to the left, the idle blades of windrounds-keepers’ quarters before co main house It had been Tara’s suovern title to it until after her death As always, the sight of it evoked memories—some bitter, but most just remembrances of the past

“That first building,” she told Jake, nodding in its direction

“Bet I beat cha there,” he challenged

“I’ll bet you do,” Jessy agreed and watched him take off at a run She and Laredo followed at their usual striding pace

“It’s been a good many years since I was here last,” Laredo remarked “Not that I ever caot hoell it blends into the butte’s face”