A/N My apologies, due to questions asked me privately, I realized I failed to clarify the fact that McColl and Victoria were not taking a trip that lasted only a couple of hours . I know the orphanage was supposed to be close by (or at least I always got the impression it was) only…the muse moved it. As you will see in the first paragraph, the orphanage and church they were helping at took more than a couple of hours to get too. Once again, I'm sorry for failing to clarify that one.

Chapter Four

Audra was standing by the living room window, while Heath was standing in front of the empty fireplace when the front door opened. Audra practically ran to Nick once he'd shut the door. "Where's mother? Where's McColl?" Pure fear showed in her eyes. Their trip was only supposed to be a two day trip, nothing else.

Nick groaned inwardly. He had hoped Audra, who had the misfortune of losing her husband Carl the year before during a stampede while on a cattle drive, had simply gone to bed as he'd asked her too. Well, at least he was relieved to see that his young nephew, Adam Carl Wheeler, was in bed. "They're not home yet." He answered as he looked at Heath, who had moved away from the fireplace. "If I haven't sent word to Jarrod that they've arrived here by six, he'll come over and join the search party."

Heath didn't like what he'd heard. Like the rest of the family he knew how dependable both his stepmother and McColl were. "I'll be ready to join the search." Then, due to the look in their sister's eyes, Heath added, "Don't even think of it sis. You need to stay here with Adam Carl." For whatever reason, Heath seemed to have a habit of calling his young nephew by his full name.

"I'm sure Georgia will need your company too, she's just as concerned." Nick spoke up as he glanced towards the stairs that led up to the bedrooms. "And I'm sure Adam would love playing with Zebulon again." The cousins might be a year apart in age only, when they were in the same room, the two were inseparable.

Heath agreed and then headed up the stairs. He was tired and morning would come too early.

"She'll be okay, sis." Nick did his best to sound sure of himself. After all, he didn't need his sister, who was still in mourning for her late husband, too feel any more stressed that she already was. For that matter, he had to think positive or he just might lose it himself.

"She has to." Audra sat down on the sofa and sighed. "I never told her how sorry I was."

Nick was puzzled. What on earth did Audra have to say sorry to their mother for? Audra had been nothing but a huge help from what he could see. "What do you need to apologize to mother for. What happened?"

"Nothing major only; well," Audra sighed as her shoulders slumped forward ever so slightly. "I haven't exactly been very supportive of her and McColl seeing each other. Oh, I haven't said anything bad, just haven't really backed her up on it. I…I was jealous and….more than a bit afraid for her."

Nick didn't have to ask what his sister had been afraid of. Ever since Carl had been killed in the stampede the year before, Audra had been jumpy anytime anyone went away and did not come home on time. The family hadn't said much to Audra for the simple fact they didn't know what to say. Stampedes happened; maybe not often, still they happened. In all the years their father was alive, or they'd been ranching, they'd only had a few stampedes and they'd been blessed not to have lost anyone. Carl's death had been a stark reminder to everyone just what risks they took when moving the cattle. As far as other trips away from the ranch, those couldn't be stopped either.

"Like I said," Nick put his hand upon his sister's shoulder, "Mother will be fine; they both will. Now, why don't you get to bed? Adam doesn't exactly believe in sleeping in."

Audra chuckled as she stood up and hugged her blond haired brother. "No, he doesn't. Night Nick," she the then let go and headed up to her room leaving Nick alone with his thoughts as he too slowly made it to his room.

~oOo~

The night wind was blowing something fierce as Victoria made her way through the inside of the church. The fact that McColl had gone around making sure any door, or window, to the church was shut tight did not pass her by. It made her nervous, though she did not show it. She couldn't guarantee the children who were finally sleeping might wake up and see her concern.

Victoria walked up to McColl, who was standing off to the side of a window, making sure he had the protection of the wall and yet could still see outside. Victoria positioned herself on the other side of the window. "You think they'll come back?" She asked, not being able to see any other reason for McColl's actions.

"I don't know." McColl shook his head. "I'm just trying to make sense of this. Why shoot the father, why set the orphanage on fire and yet take off without doing what they could to locate the witnesses?" Due to the look of horror that appeared on Victoria's face, he quickly added as he waved his left hand through the air, "Not that I'm not extremely grateful they didn't, I am. Those poor children have definitely done nothing to deserve any of this. I'm just trying to understand." He then let out a slow, somewhat disgusted laugh and said quietly, "I wonder if I'll ever understand the kind of people who would do something like this."

"I know I won't." Victoria too sighed as she looked out the window. She gazed up at the few stars that were shining that night, and couldn't help but think back to the days she and Tom had first come to the valley. They'd spent so many nights under the stars. "Beguiling isn't it? Such a quiet, peaceful night, and we have such a mess on our hands." She couldn't help but stare as McColl started laughing. After he finally quit, Victoria asked quite sharply for him to explain what was so funny.

"Don't you remember?" McColl asked her as he kept his eyes wide open. "More than once Tom, you or I would, basically, say the same thing at the close of the day. I mean, the day's work was over and there was hardly a sound to be heard, yet," McColl said as he turned his head and looked at her, "We'd have some situation on our hands that we knew full well we'd have to face in the morning. It seems as if history's repeating itself."

Victoria stiffened ever so slightly and then sighed; she remembered. She just wished she understood why this had happened. However, McColl was right. They had to deal with the situation they had on their hands. "I think we best get some rest. First thing early in the morning we can look around and see if we can find anything that might tell us who the men were and what they wanted."

When Victoria said 'early', McColl meant as early as four or five. He lay down hear the window and wondered why people said they didn't know where Nick got his spunk from. If those same people had asked him, he could have easily given them the answer. It made him admire her even more than he already did.