Page 64 of Shattered Melodies

Fifty thousand dollars. It might as well have been the moon, for all the chance we had of reaching it.

But we had to try. Had to fight, had to claw and scrape and bleed for every last inch of ground. Because this was our home. Our land, our legacy.

Elijah Greene looked up from his desk, his eyebrows raising in surprise as he saw me.

“Caleb Winchester,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

I pulled out a chair and sat down, fixing him with a hard stare. “Cut the crap, Greene. You know exactly why I’m here.”

He sighed, rubbing his temple. “I assume this is about the loan, then.”

“Damn right it is,” I said, my voice tight. “I want to know exactly what the situation is, and what our options are.”

Elijah opened a drawer and pulled out a file, flipping it open on the desk. “As I explained to your father, the terms of the loan were very clear. The ranch was put up as collateral, and the payments were supposed to be made on a strict schedule.”

I leaned forward, my elbows on my knees. “I get that. But there has to be something we can do. Some way to extend the deadline, or work out a new payment plan.”

He shook his head, a look of genuine regret on his face. “I’m sorry, Caleb. But we’ve already given your father more leniency than we normally would. The interest has been piling up for months now, and the higher-ups are breathing down my neck.”

I felt my temper rising, my hands clenching into fists. “So that’s it, then? You’re just going to take our home, our livelihood? Just like that?”

Elijah held up a hand, his expression pained. “Believe me, this isn’t easy for me either. I’ve known your family for years, and I don’t want to see you lose the ranch.”

“Then help us,” I pleaded, hating the desperation in my voice. “There has to be something you can do, some string you can pull.”

He was quiet for a long moment, his eyes distant. Then he sighed, leaning forward on his elbows.

“Listen, Caleb. I like you, and I respect your family. So I’m going to give you some advice, off the record.”

I nodded, my heart pounding. “I’m listening.”

“You need to come up with the money, and fast. Sell off some assets, call in some favors, do whatever you have to do. Because if you don’t pay by the deadline, the bank will have no choice but to foreclose.”

I swallowed hard, the reality of the situation sinking in like a lead weight. “And there’s no other way? No other option?”

He shook his head, his expression grim. “I’m afraid not. The terms of the loan are ironclad, and my hands are tied. If I make an exception for you, I’d have to do it for everyone.”

I sat back in my chair, feeling like I’d been punched in the gut. This was really happening. We were really going to lose everything, unless we could come up with a miracle.

Elijah stood up, coming around the desk to put a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Caleb. Truly. I wish there was more I could do.”

I looked up at him, seeing the genuine sympathy in his eyes. He was just doing his job, following the rules. I couldn’t blame him for that.

“I understand,” I said, my voice rough. “Thank you for your time.”??I stood up, shaking his hand. Then I turned and walked out of the bank, my head spinning and my heart heavy.??I squared my shoulders, a new determination filling me. We would find a way. We had to.

When I got back to the ranch, I headed straight for the stables. I needed to clear my head, needed the peace and solitude that only Drumstick and the wide-open sky could provide.

I saddled him up and rode out to my favorite spot, a quiet little grove of trees by the edge of our property. It was my sanctuary, the place I always went when the world got too loud and my thoughts got too tangled.

But even as I sat there, even as I tried to let the beauty of the day soak into my bones and calm my racing heart I couldn’t escape the fear, the sickening dread that coiled in my gut like a snake.

“Thought I might find you out here.”

I jumped at the sound of Hank’s voice, my heart slamming against my ribs. I hadn’t even heard him approach, lost as I was in my own dark musings.

He was leaning against a tree, his weathered face creased in a look of concern. “You alright, son? You look like you just saw a ghost.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Not a ghost. Just the specter of our imminent doom.”

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