Chapter 3

Michael and Pat crested the hill and looked over at the town of Clearwater. It was an average size town, larger than Round Rock, which is where they were traveling from. Michael’s sister, Toni, had recently married, and he was staying on. He liked his new brother-in-law, Conrad. In fact, he was in Clearwater now because of Conrad.

Inside his vest pocket was a letter promising the sale of a purebred Angus bull. All Michael had to do was locate the Banks ranch, collect the bull, pay Mr. Banks, then with Pat’s help, drive the bull back to Round Rock.

He expected to be back home in less than a week.

Riding next to him, Pat looked at the town below. “Where’s the Banks ranch from here?”

Michael pulled out the letter from Jason Banks and studied the crude map drawn. “I think it’s that way,” he said as he pointed to the west. “Maybe an hour ride.”

“Want to head into town first, or just head over to the ranch?”

Pat was a good friend of Michael’s. Being the middle child of triplets, Pat was the risk taker, the man who went out on a limb. He was the one who liked to enjoy life. Every day of it!

“If you don’t mind, I would like to get the bull and head back home.”

Pat made a face. “I had a feeling you would say that!”

Michael smiled as he turned his horse west. “I know you. If you get too close to town, I’ll never get you away from any pretty gal you set your eyes on.”

Pat smiled. “There’s no reason why a man can’t have a decent conversation with a pretty lady,” Pat replied as he followed his friend.

“Conversation is not the problem.”

Pat rode up beside him. “Are you trying to say something?”

“Yeah. I think I need to put up a poster in town warning all single females about you.”

Pat smiled again. “It’s not my fault the women find me alluring.”

Michael turned in his saddle. “Alluring? Is that another word your mother learned?”

“Yeah. She read it in newspaper. She’s been using it a lot this week. I thought it sounded about right.”

Michael laughed as he rode on. “One day, you’re going to meet your match.”

“You mean meet some gal who’ll make me either weak in the knees or unable to say one complete sentence?” Pat slapped his hand on his heart, his face looking shocked.“Or worse, both?”

“Yep. And when you do, I plan to watch.”

Pat slowly shook his head. “Friend, you have been sorely misinformed. Those are the feelings that women have when they meet a man with considerable charm.”

“Charm?”

“Yes, charm. It’s something you would do well to work on yourself.”

Even as Michael snorted, he had to admit: when Pat was around, women seemed to be drawn to him for some reason. He had thought it was his smile, or his stature.

But charm?

Michael gently kicked his horse to speed up. Pat kept up beside him with no problem.

Penny let her eyes adjust to the semi-darkness inside the barn. The mare gave a soft whinny as she approached.

“How you feeling?” she asked,giving the horse a soft pat on the rump as she walked around her, then set the buckets and rags she carried down in the stall. “Well Maggie, let’s see if we can fix your foot.”

Maggie gave a snort as she watched Penny set things around her.

“I know, I should have done this last week, but things have been busy,” she absently talked to her horse. For the past few months, the animals were the only ones she had to talk to.

If you did not count Baxter’s men!

Maggie’s ears perked up when Penny slammed the bucket down with more force than necessary.

“Sorry,” Penny softly cooed as she stroked Maggie’s neck.

“I’ll try to keep my temper in line.”

Maggie shook her head, as if to say, Just don’t let it happen again.

“Baxter has become a thorn in the flesh lately.” Penny did not seem to mind that no one answered her. She had become used to it.

“Can you believe the nerve of that man! Thinking he can just ride up to the front door and take over Jason’s place!”

She laid her make-shift bandages out, then retrieved the milking stool.

“Just because he owns so much land doesn’t give him the right to take from others. Or force them to sell!” Without meaning to, she smiled. “But you had to see him last week, all dressed up in his Sunday best.”

She put the stool next to the front leg. “Guess he decided to change his tactics. If he couldn’t push me off, he thought he could be sweet on me and get the ranch another way. Ha!! I much prefer it when he’s mean. At least his true colors were showing. Let me look at your foot.”

Maggie did not object when Penny lifted her front leg.

“Any idiot could see what he was doing. He must think me something of a fool. Maggie, will you stop leaning on me?”

Penny smiled as she pushed the mare’s weight off her shoulder. “You’re supposed to carry me, not the other way around.”

Penny located a small stick and began to remove the mud from the hock.

“I should have watched Jason do this more often,” she observed. She abruptly stopped, then let the foot down as she looked around. “I think Jason has a tool for this.”

The sound of horses approaching made her reach for the shotgun she constantly carried with her.

Baxter’s men again!

The man was persistent.

Michael and Pat stood before the small house, wondering if anyone was about.

“Maybe everyone’s on the range,” Pat commented as he turned to look behind him.

“Could be,” Michael agreed.

“Sure we’re at the right home?”

“According to his map, this is Banks’ ranch.”

Handing his reins to Pat, Michael walked up to the door and knocked. He waited several moments, then returned to Pat and the horses.

“All the men must be out riding.”

“Guess we wait,” Pat observed.

Both men turned and looked around.

Behind the house was a small creek, a milk cow lazily grazing on the grass growing nearby.

Michael turned his attention to the barn. The shiny new hinge drew his attention to the barn door He noticed one wall had been fixed with new planks. The owner had not yet painted the new boards.

He looked toward the corral. It was empty.

“Don’t see any extra horses,” Pat observed.

“Yeah, I noticed too.”

He looked back toward the house, willing the owner to answer.

Neither man heard anyone approach, but they heard the hammer of a shotgun being pulled back.

Michael slowly turned and saw a young woman standing in front of the water trough, aiming the shotgun at him.