CHAPTER 3

Three days later Alissa rode into town with Little Joe on the pretence that she wanted to visit her friend Jessica. Of course she really did want to see Jessie, but not just to visit. She was going to tell Jessie her plans and hopefully between the two of them they could come up with a way of investigating the robberies.

"This sounds rather dangerous, Ali. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Jessica and Alissa were sitting on the front porch sipping some lemonade deciding what plan of action they were going to take to try to solve the robberies.

Ali grinned as she took a bite of cookie. "Don't tell me you are going to chicken out on me, Jessie."

"Never! You know me. I am always up for a new adventure. My life was so dull until you came into town. There has been so much excitement in my life since we became friends. I am always up for taking on something new with you, and I can certainly bet if you are involved…it will definitely be exciting!"

Jessie grinned rather sheepishly as she continued, "Although, our last little adventure sure did get me into a lot of trouble with my father. I couldn't sit a horse comfortably for a week…he was really mad! Was Adam really mad at you?"

Ali grinned as her green eyes twinkled, "Oh he yelled an awful lot while we were in the barn after the march, that is for sure! That man can definitely yell when he gets angry."

Laughing softly she added as she winked mischieviously, "And I do tend to bring out that man's temper… probably more than anybody else he has ever met."

Reaching for her lemonade Ali took a small sip and continued on.

"But after he bailed me out of jail he told me how much he loved me…and then he proposed to me! Can you believe it?"

As Ali set down her glass of lemonade she let out an exasperated sigh, "Men, they can be so hard to figure out sometimes."

Jessica had to stifle a laugh at this comment knowing how much trouble Alissa had given poor Adam over the last year. But she loved being right in the middle of some of Ali's escapades, even if she did feel sorry for Adam sometimes trying to keep up with her. After all, when you went along with Alissa you never knew what was going to happen, but you always knew it would be memorable!

Ali started twisting a curl around her finger as she grinned, "Besides, I know how to handle Adam. I just let him do his yelling and get it all out of his system… then he eventually settles down."

Flicking a crumb that had landed on her lap, Ali wrinkled her nose as she reluctantly added, "Although he did a little bit more than yell the morning after the march. At breakfast he told the family we were engaged and everything was going wonderfully until Sheriff Coffee came over. Then everything hit the fan!"

Jessie looked confused as she asked, "What fan?"

"Oh never mind, Jessie. The point is Ben was fit to be tied once the Sheriff told him everything!"

Ali frowned as she rolled her eyes, "Ben was all ready to warm my backside good for practically starting a riot in town and slugging Mr. Collins. But then my Adam stepped in and told Ben he was my fiancé now and I was his responsibility."

Ali's eyes twinkled as she added with a lopsided grin, "He's my hero!"

"Oh, Ali, that is so romantic," Jessie sighed and smiled dreamily.

"Yeah you would think so, but the little talk we had later after the family left was not romantic in the least. Apparently my romantic hero was not impressed with me at all."

Ali blushed slightly as she took another bite of her cookie.

"Oh, you must tell me everything, Ali."

"Let's put it this way, Adam was not the least bit happy that I had put myself in danger AGAIN, not to mention the little lie I had told him."

Ali Shrugged as she swatted at a fly that flew in front of her face.

"You know he is really big on not being lied to. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think that a person should lie, but I don't think a tiny little lie sometimes is really that big of a deal if it is for a good reason, but apparently he sure does!"

Sighing heavily Ali said, "He decided to take out his displeasure on my backside and informed me that putting myself in danger and even a little lie just won't cut it with him. So now you have the story. Some of it was romantic and some of it…not so much."

"Oh Ali, I had no idea you had finally pushed that poor man to his limits. You know you were very lucky up until then to not have felt his anger. And with all the things you have gotten into, I am surprised he waited that long."

"Hey, don't feel sorry for the guy. After all he is a big boy and can take care of himself…even from me."

Ali giggled as she watched Jessica pour another glass of lemonade. After Jessica set the pitcher of lemonade on the table, she turned to her friend with a very serious expression on her face.

"Ali men are real funny around here and expect women to do what they are told. Especially if they think they might be putting themselves in any danger. They are very protective of the women they love. And I know Adam sure does love you.

"Yeah, I know. But this bit of obeying men is strictly for the birds, and besides, whose side are you on anyway?" Ali asked, as she frowned slightly.

"Why yours of course, but you have to admit that you have done a lot of things that most women around here would never even think of doing. So I am sure you have worn the poor man's patience out."

Jessica laughed and dodged Ali's hand as she tried to pinch her.

"Hey, be nice. Besides, if you are ready to try and find out what went on with the robberies in town, then it looks like he hasn't changed your attitude in the least as far as doing what you want when you get an idea in your head."

"That is true. You know I hate to admit it, but it's kind of fun to get Adam all riled up sometimes. He is awfully sexy looking when he is angry," Ali grinned wickedly and winked at her friend.

"He gets all macho and those beautiful eyes of his start getting dark. It really is quite the turn on."

"Oh Ali, the things that you say. What does macho mean? And what do you mean by turn on?"

Al couldn't help but laugh out loud when she realized her friend probably wouldn't have heard those expressions before.

"It means he gets all masculine and full of himself. And turn on means he makes me swoon."

"Huh?"

"Oh never mind, it is hard to explain. Let's just say to me he looks very handsome and appealing, alright?"

"Yes, that I understand. I hope to look at a man like that some day too."

With a determined set of her chin Ali declared, "Bottom line though is that no matter how attractive and how much I love that man, I still have to do the things that I feel are important to me whether he wants me to or not. Sometimes he just worries too much I think. After all, I have been telling me what to do for a long time now and I am still in one piece. So I guess I have been giving myself some good advice so far, right?"

"I guess so."

"And now that we are engaged, I have Adam wrapped around my little finger and know just what to do when he gets too angry."

Both girls burst into a fit of giggles and didn't hear Joe ride up in front of the house.

"Really, Ali…does Adam know this?"

Joe was just quietly sitting on his horse listening until he heard Ali's latest comment and then he just had to respond to it.

Looking a little uncomfortable Ali exclaimed, "Oh, Joe, you weren't suppose to hear that."

Joe pushed his hat back on his head as he laughed, "Obviously! So are you about ready to go, Ali?"

"Yes, but you are early and Jessie and I still have a lot to talk about. Couldn't you wait a little longer to head back to the ranch?"

"Yeah, I guess I could go and have a beer over at the saloon. I'll be about an hour, but then you better be ready because I need to get back to the ranch."

Joe grinned and tipped his hat, "Ladies."

"Thanks, Joe. I promise to be ready then."

As Alissa was sitting there watching Joe ride off, she suddenly turned and grabbed Jessie's hands in excitement. "This gives me the best idea, Jessie."

Jessie looked puzzled, "What does?"

"Joe going to the saloon. That is the first place I need to ask questions. I will go and interview the bartender. I will tell him I am from the paper and I need to ask him a few questions?"

Jessica just shook her head and smiled.

"Right, Ali. Proper women can't even go into the saloon. And even if you got in, I doubt that the bartender would even talk to you."

Alissa grinned smugly as she said, "Well, maybe Alissa and Jessica can't go into the saloon… but Sam and Frank sure can!"

"Who are Sam and Frank?" Jessie asked, as she looked totally confused at where this whole conversation was going and was beginning to think her friend was a little crazy.

Alissa stood up and shook Jessie's hand. "Glad to meet you, Frank…my name is Sam!"

Jessica started laughing till tears started to run down her face.

"Oh, Ali, I don't think we could ever pull off being men. We have too much up here to pass as men." Jessie pointed to her chest as she made her last comment.

"Don't worry, Jessie, I got it all figured out. We will bind our chest and then we can borrow some of your brother's clothes. He is out on the range with Adam right now and he won't even know they are gone. Well, my friend, what do you say? Are you in or out?"

Alissa put out her hand to her friend as she waited to see what she would do. A broad grin came to Jessica's face as she grabbed her friend's hand in a firm grip shaking it up and down.

"You have a partner in crime, Alissa! Let's go solve this case!"

Later that evening Jessie and Alissa were in Jessie's room putting on her brother's clothes. Alissa had told Joe she was spending the night with Jessie so she was covered as far as being in town. Adam was out on the range with Jessie's brother Tom and wasn't expected back until tomorrow. And with Ben visiting a friend, all of her bases were covered and she and Jessica could start to put their plan into action tonight!

"My brother's clothes are swimming on you, Ali. You look more like a little boy than a man," Jessie laughed, as she was trying to roll up the sleeves on her brother's shirt.

"That's all right, I will just be your young side kick. You are a lot taller than me and with your dark hair; we can make a mustache for you. We couldn't do a whole lot for my face to look older so that will work out even better."

Soon both girls got finished and looked in the mirror to admire their handy work.

"Well, Jessie, what do you think? Do we look like men?"

Jessie giggled as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. "All I got to say is… it is a good thing it's really dark in the saloon, because we sure don't look like any men I have ever seen!"

Both girls laughed as they pulled their hats down low on their heads and headed out the door. A few minutes later they stood outside The Bucket of Blood Saloon trying to get the courage to go inside.

"Well, Frank, are you ready? I have my pencil and pad here to take down any notes that I get from the bartender."

Alissa pulled her shoulders back and stood up straighter, hoping to try and look taller as both girls headed into the saloon.

TBC

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Thank you all so much (guests and members) for all the reviews on the last two chapters. I am so tickled you are enjoying this! Please keep them coming as I love to hear from you.