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The story of when we met (Candira and Kolath)

Candira

Candira

Singularity
Joined
Jan 9, 2009
The western territories were a harsh place to live. Oh, they had mighty fine folk, and the advantage of freedom and large tracts of land, but that didn't make it any easier. Because of this, there were strong men, and strong women. Beauty was often secondary to wealth and to the ability to care for the land and each other, but it was never fully forgotten.

It was because of this that many heads turned when the Saffron sisters were in town. Each woman was beautiful in her own way, and each had valuable talents. Cora, the eldest sister and a widower, was a gifted home-maker. She was resourceful, creative, and very good at handling people. She had married Marcus Lane shortly after the sisters came to live in town. They had planned to start a family, but Marcus had gotten ill and passed away.

After her husband's death, Cora's sisters, Roxanne, Veronica, and Laura can to live with her on the ranch. Roxanne, the youngest, was a veterinarian. She had decided to come and help her sister take care of everything Marcus had left her. Roxanne was a businesswoman and had many contacts in town. She decided to come and help take care of that end of things. Veronica had come to give moral support and help her sister get back on her feet, but she had never really planned to stay. Only after she'd realized her calling as a foreman was she convinced that Cora really could use her. Together, the saffron sisters had the strongest, most successful business in the area, and they did a good job of giving back to the community and spreading the wealth--something that Cora took charge of herself.

Marcus' gift had allowed the sisters to thrive and they gave back in his name. That was why they thought little of hiring on the man who'd seemed down on his luck when he entered town. Neighbors helped each other, right? Besides, he'd been very humble--charming even. He seemed more than happy to be working for the quartet of sisters. When they needed someone to check and herd on the cattle on the northern part of their land, they had sent him, thinking that he was trustworthy enough to do as needed.

This was before any news had come to them about robberies, or any other crimes, so they had really never connected the dates to the man's arrival. So it was that the Saffron sisters had unknowingly welcomed a murderer into their ranks.
--

Cora was just coming into town. Her long red hair was tied back in a braid, stetson pulled down to shade her face from the hot sun. She wore a blue blouse tucked into her long brown skirt. Her blue eyes shimmered in warmth as she smiled at the people on the outskirts. She greeted them happily and slowed her carriage a bit. She was on a supply run, and would soon be going by the train station and the sheriff's office. It was a good day, and she had always enjoyed talking to folks in town to see if there was anything more she and her sisters could do for the community.

When she finally reached the store--her true destination--it was high noon. Trains would be coming in soon. That meant a fresh supply for the store, too. This was just the right day to come to town. Little did she know how lucky it would be for her.
 
The West was a wonderful place full of possibilities, vast open fields, rolling hill and everything a person could need. Yet to some people even this wasn't enough, to some people they just had to take from others to feel like they were getting what they deserved. This is why the Marshals were formed to catch those that used the large open spaces and the lack of communication between towns to get away with things.

Luke Cavanaugh was one of those marshals, two years ago he had been given a list of names of people that had committed many crimes and their last known whereabouts. Given a badge and a pair of guns he was told he had the right to kill if need be but they would prefer most the people brought in alive. So far he had been lucky, the Mason brothers had the misfortune to come across a gambler that didn't like their cheating or their looks. He had killed both in self defense according to the local sheriff and that had been good enough for Luke. Others he had to gun down himself and still more he had put on the train heading for trial and hanging.

He had gotten himself quite the reputation something that often worked for his advantage as many of those that he was hunting simply surrendered when they faced him. Now he was on the trail of a murderer and rapist that had been slowly making his way across the frontier. Coming into the ranching town Luke stepped off the train looking around at the small place. It was really little more then a place for the train to stop, for picking up cattle and dropping off supplies. It was just the place that Duncan Callahan would like, small out of the way and always needing more hands.

He turned starting for the general store knowing it was nearly as good as the tavern to find out about new people in town. His long dark brown duster brushed along the boardwalk his thick black boots sounding hard on the hard woods. His hat was pushed back on his head still shielding him from the sun but allowing for a wider field of vision. Below duster slung low on his hips rode two colt .45s the weapon of choice for lawmen and outlaw alike. He stepped into the general store taking his hat off showing his head of messy brown locks, and sharp blue eyes. Seeing the ladies there he smiled and came over, "Excuse me ladies I wonder if you could help me." He said this showing his badge.
 
Cora was just chatting with the owner of the general store, Emma Carson when the tall stranger arrived. He was a handsome man by any woman's standards, but there was something about him...he had a quality that made him seem at once wholesome and somehow dangerous. It was difficult to explain, but it only increased his magnetism. Emma, a shorter blonde woman with hazel eyes smiled brightly. "Welcome, sir. What can we do for you?"

Cora stood just off to the side to let the newcomer have a little more room to talk to Emma. She stayed, however, since he had addressed her as well. She waited expectantly wondering what the man wanted. Or if he had wanted anything but the pleasure of talking to them. It seemed men were always making excuses to talk to pretty young things these days.

Of course, Cora had forgotten that she, too, was a pretty young thing--still beautiful, still fresh, still as delightfully curvy as she could be. Then again, she wasn't exactly on the market, nor was she what many men were looking for. After all, why go after a widow when there were so many beautiful young girls to choose from? Girls who had never loved and lost another man. Girls that would always be thinking of the present. You'd never have to worry that she was thinking of the past or another man. She could see why there were no suitors, and that was fine with her. Better to have loved and lost, they said.
 
Luke smiled genuinely though there was something that darkened that smile a little. All the loss and pain that he had seen one person inflict on another was slowly taking its toll on the young man. As the women returned his greeting he took a moment to look over the two of them. The shop keeper was pretty and had the hair color that many of his fellow marshals insisted was the best. However there was something about the other woman that let him come up closer to speak to them both, something in her eyes that spoke of knowing things that would be best to left unknown.

He pulled out first his badge and placed it on the table before reaching back into his coat for something. "I hope so ladies, I have been traveling a long time and hope that my journey might be nearing its end." He pulled out a folded sheet of paper. "You see ladies I am a federal marshal for this part of the territory and have the sworn duty to protect all the good folk like yourselves. In doing that I have been sent here because there was a report of this man seen round here." He placed the opened paper next to his badge. It was a wanted poster showing a fairly handsome man with a distinct scar running from above his left eye down to the bridge of his nose. "Goes by the name Duncan Callahan at least sighting, wanted for the murder of at least three people." He looked first at Emma then over to Cora, "Have you happened to see him?"
 
Emma raised her eyebrows as the lawman announced his role and the reason he was in town. She hadn't expected that a marshal would show up here. Granted, it would be an easy place to hide. She took a look at the person on the flyer and frowned. It seemed to her she'd seen the face before, but she couldn't quite place it. The pretty blonde shook her head. "He sure seems familiar, but I can't quite.."

The color had drained from Cora's face. While Emma hadn't spent much time with the man on the poster, she and her sisters had. He hadn't given her the name listed here, but it was definitely him. "I...that man...he works for me," she said, her heart hammering in her chest. She felt weak and the world seemed far away. She leaned on the counter to keep from falling. She took a moment to breathe as Emma held her shoulder and looked at the man.

"Miss Saffron owns one of the bigger ranches around here. Her sisters are probably there now, too."

Cora came back to her senses at that. "I need to hurry back home. I'll leave my list with you and come back later. Sir, if what you say is true, we need to get back to the ranch as quickly as we can. He's out in the northern pastures so it will take awhile to track him down, but I can't let him get to my family again," she said taking the man's hand.

Then she was out the door and headed for her horse. She was a good rider, and fast when she needed to be. She'd never needed it more.
 
Luke watched the changes happening on the woman's face, from interest to worry to shock and then horror. He guessed what she was about to say before she even said anything. "I see..." he started about to ask more questions when she suddenly started for the door. He turned trying to follow her but saw her already out the door. Sighing he headed for the door before looking over his shoulder. "In case I don't catch her where is her ranch?"

The woman smiled, "It's hard to miss just ride southeast out of town and you will see the buildings about five miles out."

He nodded tipping his hat in thanks before rushing after Cora. His mind was racing with the things that needed done and quickly. However this wasn't the time for rash action which is what he guessed was on Cora's mind. "Mrs Saffron!" he called heading down the boardwalk as fast as he could. "Mrs Saffron wait please!"
 
Cora hadn't been called Mrs. Saffron since her husband had been alive. It was jarring to hear it again after so long from a stranger's mouth. She stopped in her tracks and then spun to face him. It was the marshal who'd just told her that her family was in grave danger. She supposed that she probably shouldn't have taken off without him, seeing as she had no idea what to do once she got home, but she felt that she had to get there immediately. A warning was in order, at the very least. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, marshal. I'm just so worried. He didn't seem like the type of man to hurt anybody, but criminals are always smooth when they want something, aren't they? We were all fooled and my sisters...they don't know yet how much danger they're in..." she bit her lip and wrung her hands, not sure what to do first.

"Please, come with me and tell me what needs to be done. We need to catch him before it's too late!" Panic clawed at her stomach, but she tried her hardest to keep it in check, her eyes tearing up just a bit. How was she supposed to have taken the news that she had harbored a murderer and a thief? Money and possessions she could do without, but not her sisters. They were all she had left in this world. She wished he would just hurry up and go with her.
 
Luke could see the worry on her face and sighed before smiling trying to be reassuring. He knew deep down that if Callahan had any plans on hurting these women then rushing off to their ranch would be the worst thing he could do. He was sure that he meant them harm and the only reason he hadn't done anything yet was a opportunity hadn't come up yet.

"Mrs Saffron I understand you're worry and honestly I am worried also. However we need to make sure that we are ready for him when we meet him. There are a few things I need to get before we head off just so that we are as prepared as we can be. I promise you that I will protect you and your sisters with my life I will make sure no harm comes to them." He nodded slowly making sure she understood how serious he was about this. As he had spoken his hand had come up and rested on her upper arms in a reassuring gesture rubbing them softly.

As soon as he realized what he was doing he dropped his hands and cleared his throat. "Now Mrs Saffron I need to collect my horse from the..." as he was speaking the sound of the train whistle signaling that it was about to leave. "...train. I had better find him unloaded from the train as I told them that I was stopping here and needed..." he turned around heading for the depot his words having dropped to mumbling under his breath. He stopped suddenly and turned to face her, "if my horse was unloaded with all my belongings we will be leaving shortly if not we will be leaving in even less time." He sighed and continued for the depot.
 
Though she hadn't felt the touch of a man in a long while, she hadn't realized that he was touching her until he pulled his hands away. Still, it had been something of a comfort to have the pressure of his reassurance on her body instead of empty words. She nodded as he ran to the station to get his horse. In the meantime, the curvy redhead took deep breaths and tried to stay calm as she moved to retrieve her own horse.

He was right. They needed to think and be calm. There was no good that she could do if she was panicking. She might just hurt herself if she did a thing like that. Still, they should hurry. The faster she got home to her sisters, the better. They needed to be warned.

"I hope he comes back soon," she muttered under her breath, playing with her hair.
 
He wasn't gone very long. The people at the station had his horse all saddled and ready for him. It was something they did for lawmen that came through and he was grateful for it. He checked all the gear himself to see that nothing was missing and when he was satisfied he quickly mounted. Trotting his horse back over to where he had left her, he had to pause a moment looking over at her on her horse playing with her long red hair.

His horse kept moving but he could only stare for a long moment as he came up to her. She looked beautiful sitting there even with the nervousness showing through her body. Quickly clearing any of those thoughts from his mind he rode up to her and tipped his hat. "Mrs. Saffron are you ready to go? Which way is it to your ranch?" he would turn and follow her any way that she led.
 
Cora was so relieved when he came back that she very nearly forgot she had her hair caught up in her fingers when she reached for the reigns. When she was up, she nodded. "I'm ready when you are," she said, her voice fully of urgency. "Follow me, please. It's a ways off to the west of here. I know we need a plan, but I can't stand the idea of them being cornered."

With that, she turned to the west and started for the ranch at a canter. "Forgive me if I go too fast." With that, she started into a gallop when they got out of town.
 
He nods turning his stallion to follow you and then move up beside you on the broader streets. We quickly are out of the main town and heading west toward your ranch. I follow you speed but know that you are just acting out of fear, but I don't think I can stop you at this point, the horses will tire out before they get to the ranch at his pace. There was nothing to forgive her for in his mind, he hadn't told the ladies everything, leaving out that he had raped both the mother and daughter several times before killing the mother and taken the daughter with him till she had escaped and thrown herself off a cliff to escape. Duncan Cunningham was the worst type of monster in his mind, and it only hurt that he hadn't been able to save that little girl.
 
Her mind was not at all focused or clear. Despite being aware of the need for clarity, despite knowing that she needed to calm down, her heart would not stop racing and she could not keep herself from imagining the worst possible scenario upon her return. All that he needed to do was get one of the girls alone. He just needed to offer to help them with something or ask them for help. Her sisters looked after everyone on the ranch--it wouldn't take a great deal of convincing.

There would be a struggle--certainly, none of the women in her family would go down without a fight--but if she was any judge of strength, it wouldn't take a long time for him to overpower them one by one. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes as she rode like a bat out of hell. If anything happened to them...

She wouldn't be able to go on living. All that was left of her would die and she would simply be the shell of a woman who had once had everything, only to be brought down because she'd grown too trusting and comfortable. She had not been vigilant.

She slowed her horse, suddenly weak, knowing that she needed to get herself together or the animal would be frightened, too. Hopefully, the law man wouldn't be angry with her. She frowned and breathed deeply, each one a little bit ragged as she fought off tears. They didn't have a plan yet--hadn't she been waiting in town so they could come up with one?

What good could she possibly be if she came charging in with no plan? What if her frenzied state set off alarms in the fugitive and he turned on them all? Yes, she needed a plan. So she came to a stop and waited for Luke to catch up to her.
 
He rode behind her as she continued her frenzied pace just keeping up with her letting his horse rest as was needed but kept pushing him to stay close. He wasn't far behind when she slowed down clearly waiting for him and he kicked his horse to catch up with hers. Settling in beside her he said nothing for a long time just watching the trail ahead of them. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tailor made cigarette and put it into his mouth, he didn't lit it just held it there.

After a long moment he finally looked over at her smiling. "Better? I need you cooled down Mrs. Saffron or he will know something is up before we even make it to your home." He kept looking at her seeing that she had a least calmed down at little. "Now I would say that most likely Duncan is just using you and your family to hide out with keep himself hidden." He pulled the tailor made out of his teeth and then tossed it far to one side of the trail, never having lit it but kept it there about the time it would have taken to burn if he had.

"If we are lucky we arrive and find that Duncan is still out tending the cows. You said you had men that went out to tend them most the time due to the size of your herd right?" he wasn't really asking just making sure she was thinking along the same track he was. He didn't go into what would happen if they weren't lucky but the scene of death and massacre that they would find...he shuddered to think what it would be like.
 
As he caught up and laid out the scenarios for her, she did her best to get a grip. They had time. Surely, they wouldn't dawdle, but rushing wouldn't do anyone any good. She had already impressed on him the importance of her family, of her home. He needn't be reminded of that fact--pressuring him wouldn't help. They needed a plan, and they needed to work together. And they needed to be calm.

She sighed and closed her eyes, stroking the horse's mane. "He should still be in the fields with the herd. Other hands will be in the area as well, so they'd know if he'd moved." Her eyes opened as she thought over what would need to be done about that. "If he wanted to return it would be at least a day's ride. He wasn't back this morning when I left, so he wouldn't be back until evening at best...there's time, unless he didn't actually go out there."

The very idea that he was anywhere near her sisters made her stomach turn, but she kept herself in check. "I'm sorry I panicked. I'm sure you understand how startling that information is, and I'm sure I don't need to tell you how important family is," she said, looking at him. "What I need to know is exactly what you need from me. If you can tell me that, I can focus on that instead of the 'what if' scenarios that are making me sick to my stomach."
 
He was impressed by her strength and ability to control her emotions in a terrible situation. He nodded as she spoke and he listened to what she had to say about Duncan. From what he had learned about the man he wasn't one to take on a man that could best him in a fight which most cowboys that Luke had met were more than Duncan's equal. He much preferred attacking women and girls a lot. It was a trend with him and something that Luke had been able to trace back to his home town.

Luke shook his head as he realized that she had asked him a question rather than just continuing with her talking. Most women he knew would have been talking their heads off at this point let alone his, it was something that they did when they were nervous. But few took the time to push past that and ask how they could help. He smiled at her nodding slowly as he thought over what he wanted from her. "Mrs. Saffron I need two things from you right now I need you to show me to your ranch and then try and seem like I'm nothing but an old friend coming to visit. Once we are there we will see if there is more riding or what happens after that. Alright?"
 
She nodded as he told her to show him around and pretend he was a friend. She could very easily do both of those things. Her sisters might not believe it right away, but she could say that he was a friend of her husband's who had come to pay his respects and visit her. If that were true, she would need to work out some details with him.

"My sisters know all of my friends, but they didn't meet all of my late husband's friends. I can be calm and pretend as much as you need, but we will need to get our stories straight." The woman handled people and ranch operations for a living--that didn't come without some experience in acting and gentle manipulation, nor without pressure or organizational skills. If she was going to worry anyway, it was much better, in her opinion, to worry about something useful.

"First, what's your full name?" She asked. This opened the way for a barrage of questions, so that she knew as much as a wife's friend would know. Questions of marital status, hometown, family members, his job in general and any other paths he'd considered. If she knew that, she could make a story fit their needs better. Plus, it made her more comfortable with Luke. She would tell him everything he really needed to know, but in the meantime, she could get her thoughts in order. Hopefully he wouldn't mind...
 
Luke could see the sense in what she was saying. There was no doubt that he would need a bit of a cover if by some chance they ran into Duncan. He reached up pulling the star from his jacket and slipping it into his vest pocket. The long gun in the sheath on his horse shouldn't be a problem and there were many men that carried guns like his. The only thing that gave him at all away would have been the badge.

He thought over what she asking before starting into some of the details. "Luke Cavanaugh, no middle name to speak of. I have never been married and don't think I ever will as most women don't want a man that travels a lot. Hmmm suppose that should be part of the cover story too shouldn't it. Let's say that I am a cattle buyer from up Nebraska way and did a lot of business with your husband in the past. That gives me a reason to travel and isn't near from the truth if my father had his way. I was born in Omaha Nebraska, two brothers that are still in the cattle trade one of the largest slaughter houses in the state." He hadn't thought about it before but she might actually know his family if not personally then at least by reputation.

"I think if you don't mind Mrs. Saffron that I might need to know a bit about you and your husband also." If she was willing he would ask some questions starting with his name and then hers, asking permission to use her name, and any other things that a business partner and family friend might know such as if there were any children.
 
Cora took a mental note of everything he told her. It made sense to her that a lawman--a marshal no less--would be unmarried at this point. He must have traveled quite a bit--plus he risked himself daily. he said so himself. Still, she couldn't imagine no one had ever grown attached to him--such a lonely life to lead...but she was focusing on the wrong thing. She committed his place of origin to memory, as well as the job he'd invented for himself. Something seemed familiar about all this information, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it at the moment. For now, though, she had details she could work with. They hadn't met before, but her husband had met him.

When it came to be her turn she nodded. "My name is Cora Lane Saffron. My husband was Marcus Lane. He came from a family of ranchers, so it makes sense that you would have done business with him in the past...we have no children. Before we could really start our family...he passed."

She cleared her throat and shook her head. "He came from Iowa territory. He was competitive, but he knew when to hold back. He was charming and had a head for business, and he knew exactly what he wanted and how to get it. If he didn't know, he found out. He was persistent and friendly. He was a much better judge of character than me." She shook her head. "I learned a lot from him when he was alive, but I never thought I would have to use so much of it. Anyway, if you need to know more about me, I have three little sisters, and my best friend is the woman from the shop you met in town. But you probably wouldn't need to know any of that since we're meeting for the first time. You would have just found out that Marcus is dead. He passed after catching pneumonia."

She turned to look at him and asked, "Is there anything I'm forgetting?"
 
Luke also listened carefully nodding slowly as he built the concept of his relationship with her husband in his mind. It sounded to him like he would have liked Marcus had they ever met and it was a shame that such good men had to die. Even more so when men such as Duncan lived on, the world at time seemed so unjust he just shook his head before coming to a few thoughts. "First off I think that is everything we need to know, we don't need to be intimate friends but at least some details about each other. But if I might ask. Would you be alright with me using your first name Mrs. Saffron? It just seems the thing to do rather than continue with the formal titles." They were only a short distance from the ranch now and the large building at the center of the complex was able to be seen from where they were. The truth was they had been on her land most of the way from town but the ranch house was about at the center of her land.
 
At the question of her name, she found herself thinking it strange that two adults on friendly terms would do such a thing, especially since she preferred informal relationships on the ranch. "Of course. You may call me Cora," she said, nodding. "I suppose that makes you Luke, then. Nice to meet you," she said, a small smile. It was really more of a comfort to herself than anything, though.

The ranch was coming up fast. If he needed a tour, then she would be his guide. She remembered that her hands would find it odd that she was back so soon, and without the supplies. It would be easy enough to explain that she had met Luke at the store and hadn't wanted him to wait. One of the other hands could ride in for the order with the money.

"This coming up is the central area. We keep our horses and dairy cows in this area. All the rest are scattered in different meadows on the property. Duncan should be to the north unless he came home early." Her blue eyes gazed over at him, still a little worried. "Are you sure the tour is all you need from me?"
 
His eyes scanned over the ranch as they got close and he nodded listing to her as she was talking about how it was set up. It was rather normal for the way that a large cattle ranch worked. He wasn't expecting much more from her but he worried what would they find at the ranch. They were nearing the main house as he finally spoke. "Cora, I don't know what I need from you yet. If Duncan is here then we will be done shortly but if he is out in your meadows I may need more of your help."

Part of him hoped that Duncan had come back into the main house, it would make things easier. He would be able to lay hands on him and quickly either confine him or shot him whichever it came down too. However being at the main house would put other people in danger and that was the last thing that Luke wanted to do. "We will just have to wait and see where people are and then go from there. I would prefer if you didn't tell anyone anything till we have him captured...it could put them in danger." They rode to the front of the main house and Luke slipped from the back of his horse before coming over to help her down as well. Though he knew she didn't need the help his mother had raised him to always offer.
 
She nodded as he told her he wasn't sure what he needed. For now, remembering the story and showing him around was enough. Cora took a deep breath and calmed her body one limb at a time until they reached the ranch, smiling brightly when it was time for her to move. Calm, cool, and collected. She needed to stay that way until they could enact some sort of plan. Luke seemed to think that letting her sisters know would put them in danger somehow if she let on before the man was captured, but if they didn't know who to watch out for, wouldn't they be in more danger?

Still, he was the professional. Best to trust in his experience. She had already started to get off her horse when he arrived at her side to offer her help. It wasn't fair to say the no one offered her help anymore--the hands still did so now and then--but most just let her do it herself. After all, Cora was a skilled rider--probably one of the best on the ranch--and they had things to do. It was nice, though, when Luke offered. She took it gratefully, oddly comforted by his presence and his strong hands guiding her.

"Thank you. Please, bring your horse to the stables." She smiled and then led her own by the reigns into the barn for her hand to take care of. She introduced Luke when he arrived as well. It all felt natural. The hands were none the wiser.
 
HE smiled nodding at her as she thanked him for helping her down. Moving back to his horse he took the reins and followed her toward the stables. His eyes traveled over the ranch nodding his head as he saw the newness of the house and stable. They weren't brand new but he could tell they were well cared for and had nothing falling apart in them or would bring any shame to their occupants. As he looked around he caught sight of at least two other women in the ranch house and assumed those were most likely her sisters that she had mentioned.

They came into the stables and were met by a stable hand and a older man in his late forties. "Good afternoon miss Cora, you are back rather soon." The older man had the look of someone that had been doing this type of work since before he could shave. His eyes were sharp and his hands strong all of which spoke to him being the foremen of the ranch that handled most the daily affairs that didn't need direct attention. "Did something go wrong at the shop?"
 
The questions were to be expected. It was rare that she left any job incomplete. And it wasn't as though she easily made it to and from town without being called in to talk to everyone, it seemed. Really, she should have been gone for hours, not just the short time it had taken to get to and from the shop and meet up with her new "customer." Her assistant foreman was no fool. It was part of the reason she'd hired him on in the first place.

"No, all is well. Mr. Cavanaugh arrived in town somewhat unexpectedly. He was in need of a place to stay and he's interested in our livestock. Emma said that she would fill the order while I got our guest settled. It didn't seem right to leave him to wander town while I finished my errands. I'll send someone back to get everything soon," she said with a smile.

"Please take care of our horses." With that, she took her leave and guided her guest happily, professionally, warmly toward the house where at least two of her sisters were waiting. Roxanne, the young woman who kept their paperwork, records, and banking in order sat at the table with Veronica, the foreman of the ranch. They were drinking some coffee talking about when they might next go into town.

"Oh! Hello, Cora. You're back awfully soon," Veronica said, pushing a tendril of her chestnut locks back into her bun. "Did you run into some trouble?"

Roxanne sat quietly, her green eyes sizing up the stranger with her older sister. "Hmm, looks like you brought a guest, too. Please introduce us," she said, affecting a smile. The warmth didn't quite reach her eyes, however, and it appeared that she was the most calculating of the group. Most likely, she was one who always kept track of the whereabouts of the workers.

The relief that flooded through her at seeing at least two of her sisters alive and well was nigh indescribable. It must have shown on her face, but she collected herself quickly. "Of course. Roxie, Ronnie, this is Marcus' friend, Luke. He's a cattle buyer and he wanted to throw some business our way. I figured I should get him back here so you could show him around instead of letting him wander while I did the errands. Emma's filling the order so someone else can go pick it up in awhile. She said she'd take care of everything."

Roxanne's face softened a bit at the mention of her sister's late husband and she nodded, understandingly. "Well, it's nice to meet you Luke," she said smiling genuinely this time around. "We'll be happy to take care of you. I'll get the guest room set up for you so you can stay awhile. I'm sure you must be tired from the ride in--we're so far out from everything."

With that, she took her leave, her green cotton dress swishing as she walked past.

Veronica for her part, offered her hand, and smiled. "It's nice to have you here. I can tell you about our cattle when you're all ready. Cora likes to give the tours, though, so I'll let her have at it. In the mean time, I need to get back to the corral. I'll be there if you need me."

"Oh, Veronica, wait. Where's Laura?"

"Oh, she's helping out with a calving in the barn. I expect she'll be back in soon to get in an early lunch. She's got a big day ahead of her--check ups and all that."

"Right. Thanks." Well, all of them were safe. As long as they weren't alone, the sisters would be just fine. She felt better already. That meant that their new hand was still out in the fields where he was supposed to be. And it was about a day's ride. She could find reasons to have the hands helping her sisters at all times, or even to send her sisters away if need be. But until they had the man in hand, it was best to keep them in the dark, according the Luke.

When they were alone, she let all the worry and relief show in her face and took a deep breath. It seemed her sisters had taken her word. And why wouldn't they? Still, it seemed as though things were a little too easy. Something wasn't quite right, and it wouldn't be until that man was captured.

"Alright, what would you like to see first, Luke?" she asked, knowing that someone could walk in any moment. She chose to let her questions be casual, just like her tone. But for the moment, she let herself show a little more concern than she might.
 
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