Tortoise Soup Read Online Free PDF

sitting out there while she waits to strike it rich. Annie’s counting on some mining company to come in and cut her a deal one day,” Ruby revealed. “In the meantime, she’s dealing in reptiles and every other damn thing to get by.”
    I got directions to the ranch, along with a couple of Cokes to go, and headed out in search of what I hoped would become my own goldmine of information.
    The quickest way to Annie McCarthy’s was across a shaven mountaintop. Turning off the highway, I threw the Blazer into four-wheel drive, the gearshift shrieking in protest as I held my breath. It had given way on me twice before, and I prayed it didn’t happen now. Mountain lions roam the area, and I imagined they might find my diet of candy and chips made for a tasty treat. The Blazer rumbled into gear as I headed up the mountain. Tall steel power line towers guided my way, silent sentinels standing guard over the desert. The wind had picked up, producing a low, mournful moan that trailed close at my heels, prodding me on as it nipped at the back of my Blazer, and the power lines began to hum in the wind. The sound surged its way through me, starting at the soles of my feet and coursing up into my torso, my heart, my head, and my hands until I vibrated in unison with the desert floor.
    Thorny bushes of cat’s claw dotted the landscape, intermingling with patches of buckhorn choya. I’d made the mistake of brushing up against a choya plant once, only to learn how lethal their needles can be. As I drove still higher, the choya was replaced by a thick carpet of teddy bear cholla. Soft and fuzzy on the surface, its spines have been known to pierce an unlucky foot straight through to the bone.
    I reached the summit and looked down over the sheer drop that lay to my left as I rounded a curve. The El Dorado Canyon was spread out before me, surrounded by wedding-cake layers of mountains. The road spiraled down till it touched level ground, where it ran straight as an arrow, crossing the desert floor. A speck emerged in the distance, and soon Annie’s ranch loomed ahead.
    Old and run-down, the ranch consisted of an ancient stable with a galvanized tin roof, a fenced-in corral, and tall wooden posts erected as gallows from which slaughtered cows were hung. The main house stood off to the side, ghoulishly decorated with an array of animal skulls leering down from above the windows and door. A powder-blue Studebaker was parked next to a structure that I suspected was an outdoor shower, judging by the water tank perched on its roof. If Annie was home, she could hear me coming from a mile away.
    I parked my Blazer next to Annie’s car and took a look inside it. In perfect condition, the Studebaker put my clunker of a Blazer to shame. A light cream-colored blanket had been carefully laid across the front seat. Long, black dog hairs clung to its nap on the passenger side. I noticed that the clock still kept perfect time and the gas tank was half full.
    I walked over to the house and tapped on the front door, though I took it for granted that no one was home. Already ajar, the door slid open at my touch. I called out Annie’s name, but received no answer. Hesitating for just a moment, I walked in.
    My footsteps echoed as I entered the hallway and peered into the first room on my left. The kitchen was immaculate, without a pot or pan in sight. I brazenly began to explore, opening the cupboards, where dishes were neatly stacked and glasses lined up as straight as toy solders. The pantry revealed an abundance of canned goods along with large bags of dog food. It was as if Annie was seriously planning for a disaster, either natural or man-made. I swatted away a group of flies that were congregated on top of an open can of dog biscuits and then closed the lid. Walking over to the table, I saw it was set for one, with each utensil in its proper place. A paper napkin was neatly folded alongside a chipped dinner plate gaily decorated with faded blue