"There are about thirty families that I know that have ATVs. That's without even bothering to research it and yesterday was a school holiday for all the high school kids." Deputy Jack Thompson explained.
"So, you are saying they are going to get away with it!" Adam said his voice rising.
"No! I'm saying it might take time. We'll find out. This is Murphys. Sooner or later someone's gonna tell someone else. It is one small town." Jack said patiently.
"Great! She could've lost her eye! You see that cut? They could've been killed! They were right at those rocks!" Adam turned away from the deputy and his brother, his hands in the air in frustration.
"Adam," Crane cautioned him.
"Think about it, Adam. How long did it take until everyone in this whole town knew Hannah and Ford were hurt? Maybe fifteen minutes after you got to the hospital?" Jack said.
"Yeah, I guess. Guthrie heard about it on the school bus." Adam admitted begrudgingly facing them as he listened.
"See. People in this town talk. We are running our investigation, but I'm telling you that right now somewhere is some kid sweating it out - trying to figure if he should turn his friends in."
"I'd sure hate to be him!" Crane grinned. "Everyone knows your temper, Adam. And I can't imagine a person in town who doesn't love Hannah - well except maybe Wheeler."
"Well, Wheeler does have ATVs but I can't imagine Jack Wheeler going out for a joyride!" Jack said to them.
"I'd pay to see that!" Crane laughed with a glance at Adam who had relaxed enough to unclench his jaw.
"You tell Hannah and the boys if they remember anything else to give us a call, okay?" Jack said. The three men stood on the front porch, and Jack turned to head down the steps. "And if you learn anything let us handle it, Adam. I don't want to have to throw you in jail. You can't afford it and your wife has a wicked temper when she's riled."
"Yeah." Adam agreed with a sigh.
"I'm serious. Don't do anything stupid."
"I'll try not too." Adam said. They watched Jack climb into his cruiser and drive away. Crane turned to Adam.
"I can go out and help Brian. Why don't you take it easy."
"No, I shouldn't. We got stuff . . ."
"You're no good to us, Adam. You're distracted worrying over her anyway. Stay put. Do some chores around the house. Hell, climb in bed next to her and sleep - when's the last time you slept anyway? Just don't drag yourself out there. Accidents happen when you are distracted."
"Alright, I guess." Adam went inside and pretended to be straightening up but gave up and almost immediately went upstairs. She was asleep which was good. He'd had to wake her all night long and ask her ridiculous questions:
"What's your name?"
"I'm lying in bed next to you and you don't know?" She'd grinned at him around four that morning. "Does that happen to you often?"
"Knock it off, Hannah." He'd told her.
"Lighten up, Adam. I'm fine! It was an accident."
"They weren't allowed to be there!"
"They didn't know we'd be there! It was just coincidence."
"They hurt you."
"Not on purpose." She tried to reach for him but was hit with a wave of pain for her efforts.
"Stop moving around!" He sounded angry.
"Adam." She said knowing his anger covered his fears. "Hey, Rancher Man, I'm okay. I can take the pain."
"You shouldn't have to! That's protected land! You could've been killed!"
"We weren't!" She said emphasizing each word. "The only reason I'm hurt so badly is I didn't hold on tight enough. If I were a better rider . . ."
"You're a great rider!" He interrupted. "Evan said it was all he could do to hang on and he outweighs you by a good fifty pounds. He said you did great. You tucked and rolled just like you should. It wasn't your fault."
He watched her now. Even with the bruises she was beautiful. He sat beside her on the bed and the image of her on the ground with blood running down her face washed over him.
"My name is Hannah McFadden. I am twenty-three years old. This is the Circle Bar Seven ranch and you are Adam Jackson McFadden, Jr. You have beautiful dark eyes, a fantastic body and a tendancy to get completely hysterical when one of your boys or your girl is hurt. You are very good looking but completely insane." She said without opening her eyes.
"Well, at least you think I'm good looking. Can you even see out of that eye?"
Opening her eyes, she sat up. "You look terrible. Did you sleep at all?"
"Oh, for pity's sake! Why does everyone keep asking me that?"
"It might be because you look like you haven't slept since Carter was in office. Lay down and go to sleep."
"You? You're saying something about how I look?" His eyes grew wide. "You had twenty-four stitches! Half your face is black and blue."
He saw her eyes well with tears. "No, that's not what I meant! Damn it, Hannah! You're beautiful! That's not what I'm saying!"
"Are we gonna fight? Because if we are, can I have my next pain pill first?"
"I don't want to fight! What are we fighting about anyway? Are you mad at me because I'm mad that you nearly got killed? That doesn't seem fair." He rose and got her pain pills and a glass of water. She reached out taking one pill and he frowned at her. "Take 'em both."
"Adam!"
"We can fight about this if you want." He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Fine." She swallowed down both pills.
He sat down beside her. "It just pisses . . ."
"Hey!" She turned toward him.
"It just makes me angry!"
"They didn't do it on purpose. Adam, they were probably just kids."
"I know that! But that doesn't mean they shouldn't have consequences! What if if had been Ford? What if he was the one with twenty-four stitches?"
"Adam . . ."
"What if it had been Guthrie?"
"Don't even say that!"
"See! You'd be mad!" He sat back down facing her. He rubbed his face with his hand, sighing.
"Adam, Guthrie's a child. I'm an adult and being angry or punishing folks won't change anything. Would you please just lie down and sleep?"
"Sleeping won't change how angry I feel."
"No, but it was scary and it would be nice to have you near me." She looked up at him.
"Hey," He said his tone immediately softening. He sat down beside her on the bed gently, sliding an arm around her. "Hey, you're okay. The boys were okay."
"I couldn't check on them." She said softly. "If they'd been really hurt, I wouldn't have been able to help them. I keep thinking of that."
"They weren't though and you did help Ford. He said so. I imagine if he had been hurt no broken arm would have stopped you."
"But I couldn't have lifted them or climbed up on that horse. It would've been so . . ." She swallowed down tears.
"Remember what the doc said? He said you'd been through a trauma, right? That emotions surface after the fact and that your meds will make it worse."
"Yeah. That's right." She sighed. "I just, I," She looked up into his face, her good eye holding his steadily. "I didn't know I'd worry over them so much. I didn't understand." Adam's dark eyes filled with tears.
"Honey," He said softly.
"I didn't know I'd love them so much. I do, Adam. All of them - even Brian." Her words slowed as her pain meds kicked in and her eyes slowly fluttered. She moved closer, resting her head on Adam's chest.
"They love you too." He said as she drifted back to sleep. "Even Brian - although I'm not sure he's realized it yet." He closed his own eyes, holding her gently in his arms. He was so tired. It had been the longest day - two days now. He felt his anger slide away, replaced with thankfulness - that his brothers were alright, that her injuries were relatively minor but mostly that she lay in his arms; his girl for keeps.
***7***
Daniel paced outside the feedstore. He wanted to go in but realized it would be better to wait until her shift ended. He looked at his watch again. 3:45. She'd be off at 4:00. He sighed and leaned against the building. He hadn't really spoken to her since . . .what a jerk he'd been! He hadn't understood until now what a colossal jackass he'd been. And now, so much depended on a stupid mistake from his past! It had been nearly a year now and still it haunted him! He should've just come clean then! Brian and Adam could've . . . No! A year ago was before Hannah's mellowing influence on Adam. His big brother would have screamed and screamed at him, and then he would've tanned his hide.
Daniel wiped his sweaty palms against his t-shirt just as Megan stepped out into the sunlight, her eyes wide with surprise at seeing him there.
Here goes nothing. He thought as he braced himself. No, here goes everything. He corrected and stepping towards her timidly, he opened his mouth to speak at long last.
