AN: Thank again to all who read and reviewed my last chapter. I'll respond to you individually soon.

Hope you'll enjoy this next update.

Tanith

Chapter 20

Ben Cartwright's smile as he listened to Mrs. Walters' book review faded and his face blanched when three men armed with pistols sauntered out of the kitchen.

Edith stopped in mid-sentence when she caught the look of apprehension cloud over Ben's handsome face.

"Well, well, look what we have here," the youngest of the three men drawled. "If it ain't the mighty Ben Cartwright." Aaron McCoy circled the table and shoved his hostage back into his seat when he started to rise to his feet. "Na-ah. Don't even think about it. Ya ain't goin' nowhere, old man. Not until we've had a decent meal and enough money to get us far, far away from this wretched town."

Ben felt his stomach plummet as fear over Joe's well-being bubbled its way to the surface. "Where's my son? What have you done with him?"

"Your son? Ah, yes, Joe Cartwright. Last I checked he was still breathing. If you want to keep it that way, then you best do as I say!" Aaron threatened.

"Alright, if it's money, food, water that you want, you'll get it but you bring me my son and let him and the lady leave this house unharmed, right now!" Ben propositioned.

"Oh we'll get what we want, alright. Don't ya worry yourself none 'bout that," Aaron placed his hands on either side of Mrs. Walters' shoulders. A satisfied smirk spread across his face and his steel grey eyes glinted dangerously. "You know the road can be a lonely place for a man. And since we've already been briefly acquainted, I figured we'd get to know each other real well out there." Leaning forward, Aaron nuzzled his face against Mrs. Walters' neck, breathing in the fragrance of her perfume.

Edith turned her face away from the young man and raised her hands to push him away but her attacker enveloped his arms around her and held her tight.

"That's enough! Leave her alone," Ben demanded. He rose to his feet and glared at the cowpoke.

Aaron repositioned his gun and pressed the barrel against the bookstore keeper's temple. "Simmer down, Mr. Cartwright. Now, here's what we're gonna do. We're all gonna go to your office and you're gonna open that safe for us."

"Once you let Joe and the lady go, I'll give you what you want," Ben negotiated.

Aaron's eyes flashed angrily. "Listen, old man, and you listen real good! I give the orders around here!" He motioned for Levi to make his move.

The burly cowboy grabbed Ben Cartwright by his shirt and yanked him roughly out of his chair. He was met with enough resistance that he needed his accomplice to come to his aid. Together they forced the older man to his office with Aaron and his hostage not far behind.

Suddenly, a knock on the front door made everyone freeze in their tracks.

Aaron gestured for Ben to answer the door. "Get rid of whoever's outside or the lady gets it!" He held Mrs. Walters close to his body and held the gun to her temple once again. Dragging her with him, Aaron stood beside the door frame with his back pressed against the wall while his accomplices disappeared in the shadows.

Griff kept pace with Lucas as his friend hurried toward the main house. Lucas rapped his knuckles on the front door and waited, feeling more uneasy by the minute.

The door finally opened revealing the very person they needed to speak to. "Paul? Griff? Is everything alright?"

"We're not sure, Mr. Cartwright," Lucas began, puzzled that his employer had got his name wrong. From the look on the older man's face, it dawned on him that Ben Cartwright was not in the position to speak freely. Clearing his throat he quickly recovered and acted his part. "Actually Griff and I was just wondering if we could take the day off tomorrow. It's my birthday tomorrow so we're gonna ride out to see my ma and pa in Carson City. Is that gonna be a problem?"

"No, of course not. Joe and I are expecting Adam back tomorrow. Go on ahead, Paul. That's fine by me. You can take Griff with you," said Ben as if he were reading a script.

Lucas played along by thanking his employer then pulled Griff by the back of his shirt and turned away. "Nice and slow," he murmured under his breath.

As soon as they heard the door shut behind them, Lucas steered Griff toward the stables. "Let's go!"

The two ranch hands raced toward the stables and didn't look back. Once inside, Lucas wasted no time in saddling his horse. Griff on the other hand, still trying to catch his breath, realized he would be more of a hindrance to Lucas if he rode to town with him.

"Come on, Griff, we gotta get to the Sheriffs office!" Lucas urged.

"Go on, Lucas. I aint coming," Griff replied breathlessly.

For a moment Lucas thought Griff wanted to avoid the jailhouse for obvious reasons but the sight of his friend clutching his side in pain made him realize he was wrong. It was clear Griff was in no shape to ride and that seemed to be the real reason. "I can't leave ya here!"

"You have to. I'd only slow you down and you know it. Go on, get help!" Griff persisted.

Resigned to the fact that Griff was probably right, Lucas reluctantly relented and led his horse out of the stables. "Keep ya head down ya hear?"

"Don't I always?" Griff tried to make light of the situation.

Lucas gave the younger man a lopsided grin then climbed into the saddle.

Ben swallowed hard when he was jerked backward by Aaron.

"Levi, kill 'em!" Aaron ordered, shoving Mrs. Walters into a corner.

Ben was utterly shocked by the young cowboy's cold heartedness. "Now wait a minute. I did what you asked. Those men are just a couple of hired hands. They won't be of any trouble to you."

"Shut up old man!" Aaron pointed his gun in Ben's face then turned to Levi. "Do it."

Levi nodded obediently and left for the stables with his pistol drawn at the ready.

"No! You monster!" Mrs. Walters cried out. She stood shaking from head to toe.

"Shut her up!" Aaron hissed at Troy who had tried to keep his distance by shrinking into the shadows. "What're ya waitin' for?"

Troy hesitated before he moved forward, put a restraining arm around Mrs. Walters' shoulders and covered his hand over her mouth. "Please, be quiet. I don't wanna hurt ya," he said in a low voice.

Ben felt helpless as he stared down the barrel of the young man's gun and listened to Levi rush out through the front door.

Griff stepped out of the stables to watch his friend ride away when from the corner of his eye he saw a figure point his gun at Lucas's retreating back. With no time to warn his friend, he fought the panic rising in his chest and looked for something to use to disarm or distract the outlaw. An old metal bucket sat on the ground by the wall of the stables. He picked it up then hurled it will all his might at the gunman. The bucket found its mark and hit the man squarely in the shoulder. The gun was fired but the shot went wild and missed its intended target. Griff seized the precious moment and made his next move. He lunged forward and barrelled into the shooter.

Lucas instinctively lowered his head when he heard a shot then turned back in time to see Griff grappling with the gunman. Torn between desperately wanting to aid his friend and riding into town to get help, Lucas was forced to make a decision he prayed he would not regret. His gut told him it was what Griff would have wanted him to do but it didn't lessen the pain he felt when he was forced to make that choice. A choice that involved abandoning a friend.