"The next couple of days went by fairly slowly as Molly and I continued to piece together some manner of existence," I told Dave, "I was helping you with your vineyard, occasionally visiting the station to see if my application had been accepted, while Molly continued her work as the "tiger lady" at the school..."
"Before you ask I have no real idea where the "tiger lady" came from," Dave cut it, "other then the obvious that she is a lady who happens to be a tiger... but I don't know why the kids still call her that. I've asked Veronica who the "tiger lady" is, and I've never gotten a name. She says that "Molly" is the tiger lady... and that's about it."
"You can relax, " I told him, "Molly's accepted the nickname. She would prefer her name, but since none of the kids have acted like she's going to turn man-eater, she's accepted the nickname. I've told her it' make a good title for a superhero... "Tiger-Lady, scaring the fur off of super villians with her Roar of Justice!"
"And what did she say to that?" Dave wondered.
"Keep my day job," I chuckled, "anyway, in our spare time we were still looking for a place where we could stay without having to mooch off her uncle..."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It was a fairly quiet weekend as Molly and I drove into town to visit one of the few real estate dealers in the area. We were mostly intending to see what places were officially available and see what the price range was to own or rent any property. Our obvious preference was to buy a home, but considering the market, and the low income we were earning at the time, we would have to consider renting a home. And if nothing was available to buy in our price range, we would accept renting.
I pulled my truck into a parking space and let Molly out. She climbed out and stood up, straightening her dress as she did so.
"Here's hoping for some luck," I told her as we began to walk in.
"We've had fairly good luck since coming out here," Molly retorted.
I noticed an odd glance from a passer by on the street aimed at Molly.
"Then here is hoping that good luck continues," I said as I opened the door.
We quietly entered the office to an almost stunned silence. Apparently, the receptionist and two guests had completely missed the news reports on what had happened to Molly... or they simply didn't expect to see a tiger-person there. We ignored the stares and approached the receptionist.
"Hello, my name is George Wayne, this is my girlfriend Molly Rhoer," I introduced myself and Molly, "we're interested in seeing a real estate agent."
The receptionist nervously looked at Molly and then asked, "to buy, sell, rent, or put up for rent?"
"Mostly to scout and see what is "for sale" or "for rent"," I answered.
"Have a seat," she offered us, "one of our Realtors will be right with you."
Molly and I went to a corner of the lobby. I tested one of the chairs. I bent down easily as I pushed on it. The chair wouldn't support Molly's muscle mass.
"I don't think the chair will hold your weight," I said to Molly as receptionist disappeared down a hallway.
"I can stand, George," Molly answered, "Being like this has forced me to stand an awful lot, and if I need to "get down", I can crouch... which might actually bring me down to looking into someone's eyes rather then down at them."
I sighed heavily. It was Molly's size that was one of the major frustrating things with the situation she faced. The buildings we had all been built for humans, and since Molly was the only tiger person in Montana that I knew of, I doubted anyone would be renovating anything to make things comfortable for her. In some buildings, the roof was high enough that she could stand erect, but with her ears rubbing the ceiling. Some were lower, and Molly had to hunch herself over. I privately worried that this would give Molly back problems.
After a few moments, a very business-like looking man came out of his office and approached Molly and I.
"Mr. Wayne," he spoke, "Ms. Rhoer, would you come with me please and we can get started."
We then followed him into his office. He then motioned to a pair of seats on one side of a wooden table.
"I trust you've eaten already?" he asked Molly directly.
"I've had breakfast and lunch, yes," Molly answered in a low voice, sounding annoyed.
"Molly is not in any danger of falling to her instincts," I told him.
"I'm sorry if anything I said seems offensive," he replied, "I must admit that this is all new for us. We all saw the news reports... some of them even showed photographs. It's just that none of us expected to meet one of that guy's victims."
"We came out here for the clean air and open spaces," Molly answered.
And the man went into full salesman mode.
"And do we have plenty of that," the man smiled, "the receptionist tells me you're scouting for homes."
"Yes, to own or to rent," I answered.
"And you two are an item?"
"Yes," Molly nodded.
"And are there any cubs on the way... or plans for cubs in the future?" he asked.
"I'm not pregnant..." Molly began.
"What does our sex lie have to do with getting a home?" I questioned.
"It's a matter of the size of the home," he explained, "if you have a family to provide for, you'll need a bigger house then you would need if you didn't."
"We have no plans, but eventually, I would like to have a family," Molly answered, "but I can wait for that."
"And what sort of home are you looking for?" he asked.
"A good one," I chuckled, "we would prefer a more rural home then one in town, but if none is available, a good home in town will be fine."
"We would also prefer a good neighborhood if it is in town" Molly added, "one of the local ranchers asked me to work for him as a hired cat to kill wild animals for him, and I refused. If attacked, I'll defend myself, but I don't want to go out of my way to start a fight."
"You might have to deal with wildlife outside of town" he pointed out.
"I don't want to START a fight," Molly answered, "the rancher wanted me to go out and actively HUNT wild animals."
"Specifically predators," I added.
"I see," he nodded, "and what financial status are the two of you in?"
"That can be tough to explain," I said slowly.
"How so?"
"Well at present our earnings aren't too much above minimum wage, but in a couple of months I'll be going into a police training program, and when that is done, I'll likely be earning more," I explained.
"We also have a lot of stuff saved up from childhood through high school," Molly added...
"A lot of that will be going to paying for college," I whispered to her.
"And I trust you still have various student loans to pay off?" the Realtor asked.
We both nodded.
"If the houses for sale are too expensive, we'll rent," Molly added, "but for right now this is only a scouting mission to see what is available."
"That's where things generally start," the man nodded with a smile, "let me make a few notes, and I'll take you around town."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"We ended up staying in town looking at properties for rent in mostly bad neighborhoods," I sighed, "Molly and I both protested, but he told us that because of the market as it was and with our financial situation as it was, rural property was completely out of the question, and owning was questionable, but none of the houses for sale were affordable to us, and the only ones for rent were on the bad part of town. He also said quite bluntly, that stupid "youngsters" like Molly and I were the reason the housing market is down and that we would have to accept being poor and live within our means."
"But you aren't poor... and once you get your badge, you'll be doing fairly well," Dave protested.
"But that will take time," I sighed, "and since buying a home requires a down payment that is higher then the monthly payment, and would also require a large loan, which Molly and I did not have the means to pay at the time."
"But as a salesman, wouldn't he want you to do something stupid with your money" Dave joked.
"Probably, but I also think he was a friend of Beauregard's," I shrugged, "and since we didn't fall in line with him, he tapped into his connections to insure that Molly and I would not succeed."
"So the Realtor knew you were coming?" Dave gasped.
"That is my guess," I nodded, "but I can't prove it, so do not tell anyone."
Dave nodded, "Greedy miser."
"Yes," I nodded, catching the reference to Beauregard, "but thanks to you, I would learn that not all ranchers are like him."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I might have some good news in your housing search," Dave said to me as we continued to plant grape vine plants, although we were beginning to near the end of the rows.
"Oh?" I asked to him, and remained silent on the adventure with the real estate agent. It had been a couple of days since then, and I was starting to calm down.
"Do you know Michael York?" Dave asked.
I shook my head.
"He's actually the rancher who has provided me with the help in laying the irrigation pipes for my vines," Dave explained, "and he's one of the few people I've met here that has been supportive of my vineyard."
"And he has a home I could buy or rent?" I asked.
"He didn't really say," Dave answered, "I was talking with him about how you and your girlfriend were looking for a place to live, and when he heard your name he seemed to brighten at something."
I repeated my question.
"He didn't say," Dave sighed, "he said he'd like to meet you and Molly this evening."
"This evening?" I asked.
Dave nodded, "hopefully what he has for you is good."
+++++++++++++++++++
"I don't like this," Molly grumbled as we drove out to Michael York's home that evening, "he's going to be just like Beauregard."
It turned out the man lived fairly close to Dave, though much further down in elevation and away from the trees that seemed to cover the mountains around Columbia Falls. As we drove closer to the home I noticed a small dirt road running in front of a small pasture that was fenced with barbed wire.
"Maybe, maybe not," I told her, "but Dave thinks he can help. And you know your uncle won't let us stay with him forever... and if we don't take the chance... we'll end up renting in a bad neighborhood and getting shot when they have a domestic disturbance."
Molly only sighed. She seemed to concede the point, but it was obvious that she didn't like the situation. I wasn't all that comfortable about it either, but we didn't have much of a choice. I parked my truck next to a beat up Chevrolet that had to have been built in the seventies and then helped Molly out. As we began to approach the home that Dave had given me directions to, I noticed there were quite a few differences between it and Mr. Beauregard's home. It was smaller, and did not look like it was in as good repair. The yard that was fairly well manicured was also fairly small, but I could not tell how much pasture he owned.
I knocked on the door and waited quietly. To my surprise, a very elderly man answered the door. He squinted at me first.
"You are George Wayne?" he asked.
"Yes," I nodded.
"And you must be the "tiger-lady" I've read about in the paper, congratulations on the post with the school," the man answered, "I'm sure you'll make a great teacher."
"Call me Molly," Molly told him, "and I'm only an aide."
"I am Michael York," the man said in a friendly voice, "come in, come in."
We then followed him in. The inside of his home was full of photographs, some black and white, some in color. All of the photographs were apparently of members of his family.
"I have to say I've heard a lot about you," Michael spoke, "some of it conflicting."
"What do you mean, sir?" I asked back politely.
"Well, Mr. Pierre Beauregard's been telling everyone that you hate the ranching industry and Ms. Molly here intends to eat everyone's cattle," Michael explained, "while my neighbor has described you as a nice guy with a girlfriend looking for a home."
"I wouldn't trust ANYTHING that prick Beauregard says," Molly growled.
Michael looked back to her and gave a sort of half smile.
"I don't ma'am," Michael replied, "Beauregard's a bit of a greedy miser that's been trying to buy up all the ranches around. I've been ranching here longer then he has, and I've watched him come in from Miles City with a ton of money from ranching over a higher acreage there and has been buying up all the small ranchers around here, many of them were friends of mine."
"I take it you don't like him," I commented.
"That's putting it mildly," Michael answered, "and there seems to be no end to his greed."
I glanced at Molly, who looked just as confused as I was.
"I don't want to sound rude, but where do we fit into this?" I asked.
"Inheritance," Michael answered...
"I don't think we can inherit anything from you, sir," I said slowly.
"Oh, I can change my Will," Michael answered, "let me explain, I'm an old man, and I know I'm an old man. I've married, raised a family, had grandchildren and seen them go to high school. My ranch has been a family affair as long as my family has been in Montana. I've ranched here, as has his father, as has my grandfather, and so on..."
"And you have no heir?" Molly wondered.
"Oh, I have an heir," Michael replied, "a daughter, and she is interested in ranching, and so is her husband, but they can not leave Billings. When I die, my cattle will be shipped there, allowing her to inherit the ranch... but the land will be left without an owner."
"Oh," Molly and I said together.
"Beauregard knows this and has been pressuring me to sell my land to him," Michael then continued, "which will only let him to continue to build his empire... which I won't tolerate. And then David Choir told me you were looking for a place to live."
"You're friends with Dave?" I asked.
"It's nice to have something besides ranchers out here," Michael nodded, "and he's promising a good discount when his first bottles are ready. I'm hoping to live long enough taste some of it... anyway, David told me you needed a place to stay and that jogged my memory on how you stood up to Beauregard, and that has opened up the only hope the free ranchers around Columbia Falls have of avoiding being bought out by Beauregard..."
Molly and I followed him into a den where he produced a map of his lands. I recognized the ranch home we were in and the lands around it. All of it was colored light green in colored pencil.
"What is this cabin here in northeast corner?" Molly asked as she looked at the map.
"Originally it was supposed to be for my daughter when she came back here..." Michael began, "but the best laid plans of mice and men, eh? She's in Billings forever... so I've rented the cabin out as a vacation home for people during the summer. No one has come out this summer, so it's empty. So, it's yours."
"You're giving it to us?" Molly asked.
"Any friend of David Choir's is a friend of mine," Michael answered, "and anyone who stands up to Beauregard has my respect. The cabin is yours now, and the land of my ranch will go to you when I die. You can do whatever you wish with it... if you want to ranch, you'll have the land to start your own herd."
"You're very generous, sir," I told him.
"Come on now," Michael urged, "I'll show you the cabin."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
About twelve minutes later Molly and I stood behind Micheal looking at a fairly modest one story cabin, nestled among some pine trees.
"It looks nice," Molly admitted.
"It's not much, but it will be big enough for the two of you to start a family in," Michael answered, "and will give you both sanctuary when you need your time again."
"Thank you again for your kindness," I told him.
"You're welcome," Michael nodded, and then paused for a moment, "most ranches out here have their own name... usually related to the owner of the rancher. Since my ranch will one day be yours, what will be your name for it?"
"My hope for a place like this would be for a preserve to give Molly space," I said softly, "she is a tigress... she isn't enslaved to her instincts... but I had thought that a place like this would let her feel more comfortable the being packed in with people who will fear her."
"Your boyfriend seems to care for you quite a bit," Michael said to Molly, "to do all this for you."
"He always has," Molly said, "he saved me from the freak show that did this to me."
"Very courageous," Michael nodded, "and what would the hero name his castle?"
I tried to think of something. I wasn't a rancher. I tried to think back over some things.
"Bandhavgarh," Molly spoke.
"Pardon?" Michael spoke, turning to Molly.
"It's a national park in central India," Molly explained, "and is part of a system of parks that the Indian government has put together to try and save the Bengal Tiger. It's tiger population density is one of the highest in India... and I figured that since I am a tiger... this can be MY Bandhavgarh."
"Bandhavgarh it is," I shrugged.