"Okay, I've got your water and snacks packed, Chrissy….Do you have a blanket?" Laurie asked, seeing Chrystal peering out the front window.
"Oh…yes, Aunt Laurie." She smiled, then blushed as Laurie teased, "It's only a quarter of, honey. He'll be here, unless Dad scared him off."
"Oh, you…" Chrystal hugged her "associate" aunt. "Thanks for being so welcoming of Jack, Auntie. It means the world to me."
"It's our pleasure, honey. Besides, it's very selfish of your Uncle Rick and I. We want to see you happy…because it makes us happy." Laurie told her, returning the embrace.
Almost at once a car horn sounded, and Laurie went to the window to see Jack's red convertible pull up to the gate. Pressing a button, the driveway gate swung open and the young man drove into the parking area.
"There he is, honey….I like that in a man-on time." She started, then giggled as Rick snuck up behind her and kissed her neck.
"Well, if that's all it takes.." he kidded, then chuckled as Chrystal went past them to meet Jack.
"Darlin', somebody's glad to see him."
"I know…oh…" Laurie was suddenly seized with a cold feeling, and for a moment she could hardly breathe. "Rick…..help me…..something's going to happen."
Seeing her distress, Rick picked her up and carried her to the sofa, panic-stricken.
"Laurie, sweetheart, just take a breath, that's it….I'm here." He watched her, rubbing her back the whole time. Within a few moments she felt the cold leave her, and Laurie was able to breathe normally. "What did you see?"
"Aunt Laurie? Uncle Rick…what happened?" Chrystal had come into the house with Rick, and saw her holding onto Rick's hand.
"I'm all right now, honey….just had a little premonition..that's all. Hello, Jack." She managed.
"Mrs. Simon, Mr. Simon, I hope this isn't a bad time to come." Calla told them politely, his offhand tone catching Chrystal's ear.
"Uh, no, no, son. She's okay, can you stand, darlin'?" Rick asked, then was relieved as she got to her feet.
"I'm fine, you guys. Just be careful, Chrissy, you and Jack stay close to the creek, okay?"
"Okay, Aunt Laurie. We'll only be gone a couple of hours, then we'll come back for lunch." She responded, then hugged the two Simons.
"Just enjoy yourselves, honey. Don't forget your snacks." Laurie added, leading them out to the kitchen, where Jack picked up the basket.
"Thanks, Mrs. Simon. Don't worry, Chrystal's in good hands." He smiled, then took Chrystal by the hand and the two of them left the house.
As soon as Chrystal and Jack rode away, Rick picked Laurie up and carried her to their room. "I want you to rest, sweetheart. I'm going to call Rudy..you really scared me." He exclaimed, setting her down on the bed. At once she caught his hand in hers, trembling.
"I'm scared, darling….something's going to happen….I don't know what, but..I was so cold…..just hold me for a moment."
Wrapping her in his arms, Rick held her tightly, whispering soothingly to her. Once she relaxed, he reached over and picked up the cordless phone, then dialed the Silver Rock Clinic.
As he alerted their friend to Laurie's premonition, Chrystal was riding along the back of the ranch, laughing at Jack's insistence that "Jackalopes" were following them.
Passing the cabin that Oscar and Rudy used during the warmer weather, she pointed it out to her companion. "After they retired, my uncle and aunt surprised Uncle Oscar and Uncle Rudy with the land, then Uncle AJ and Robbie helped them build it. They did the same for Towne and Temple, then my folks. It's so beautiful out here, only the bad weather during the winter keeps us in Phoenix."
"That's nice of them to do that…..kind of keeps you tied to the apron strings though, doesn't it?" he said. Astonished, Chrystal looked at him.
"Apron strings? What are you talking about? I love my family, especially my parents. They have always trusted my judgment, and backed me up in whatever I wanted to do!"
Hastily Calla backtracked. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to sound like that! I guess I'm not used to anyone having so many people care about me….it's always just been my mother and I."
Seeing a sincere look in his eyes, Chrystal softened. "It's okay…I guess I am pretty lucky. When my grandparents died, I felt so sad, but at least I had my aunts and uncles to support us. Look.." she pointed to a rock outcropping at the edge of the ranch land.
"Why don't we stop there and have a snack….Aunt Laurie packed some munchies, including some for the horses!"
"Sounds good to me…I even have something for us to drink." He offered eagerly.
As they arrived at the Rocky Point rock formations, Chrystal let Jack help her off Vally, then led both horses to the shade trees close to the highway.
As she returned to where she'd left Calla, Chrystal found he had spread a blanket, then put out some pretzels and containers of nuts and chips.
"I hope you like sparkling cider, Chrystal….I thought it might make a great thirst quencher." Jack offered her a glass as she sat down, and she smiled.
"I love it…ever since I was a kid and wanted to do what my folks did. This way I could pretend it was Champaign." Taking a sip, she wondered why there wasn't much fizz. Thirsty, she took one more drink, then set the glass down and picked up her water bottle.
"Would you like a cookie?" she offered the plate of treats to him, then was surprised when he shook his head. "No, I'm not much for sweets….you're so thin I didn't think you were either."
At that Chrystal tried not to frown; that was kind of a backhanded compliment. Suddenly she didn't feel so good, but brushed it off to Jack's comment.
"We ought to start back in a few minutes, Jack. Aunt Laurie's making us soup and sandwiches." She started, then at once felt dizzy.
"Come now, Chrystal, what's your hurry?" Jack's voice sounded far away, then a panicky thought crossed her mind.
"What was in that cider, that made it flat?"
Taking a deep breath, Chrystal managed to steady herself. "I don't feel very good, Jack. Please take me home."
Instantly she saw his face come into clear focus. "Must have been something you ate…or drank." He replied, in almost a sarcastic tone. At once she knew something was wrong.
"Well, if you won't take me home, I'll go myself." She lurched to her feet, then felt an iron hand take her arm.
"No, you're coming with me, Chrystal. I have to pay my respects to your parents, and you're part of that payment…now, hold still!"
At once she wrenched her arm out of his grasp, then stumbled toward the horses. Before Jack could catch up with her, she jerked Val's reins loose, then slapped her rear and yelled, "Get help, Vally!"
As she started to stumble toward the other horse, rough arms were around her, and she fought in vain as Calla tied her wrists together. Sobbing, "No!" Chrystal twisted away from the man as he grabbed her face in his hand, then forced some of the cider into her mouth. Coughing and sputtering, she nearly choked as the liquid went down her throat.
"There you go, it wasn't so bad, was it?" Again her companions voice started to fade, as she was forcibly lifted on to Jack's mount. Swaying alarmingly in the saddle, Chrystal felt him get in back of her, then they were moving.
Suddenly they stopped, then Jack's voice changed.
"I don't know, Mr. Goldman….something must have bit her, she just passed out."
"Uncle Oscar…no…"Forcing her eyes open, she saw a worried look on the older man's face, then she cried out, "Uncle Oscar, help me.."
From far away he spoke…"Honey, I'm here…wait a minute…."
Then there was silence.