36

Jack drove down the street to the Hopper and telegraph office to see if Eugene Harris, who ran the place, was still there. Unfortunately, the office was closed.

He groaned, turned his hopper and headed back the other way, slowing only enough to turn down another street that would take him to the main road out of town and home.

How could she leave?

Had Gray driven her to town?

No, how could he? Gray probably couldn't even get out of bed – he was still sleeping when Jack had gotten up, and he didn't look so good. He had meant to ride straight to Owen's as soon as he got to town.

But the moment Jack saw Ianto sitting at the kitchen table peeling apples, everything changed. The brutality of what he'd seen the last few weeks flooded his mind.

Two entire families slaughtered, not fifty miles from Heaven. The women, the children … what sort of evil possessed a man to do such things? Now he knew how Red Ranger got his name – he left a trail of blood wherever he went, and all for a few hoppers and supplies.

Why didn't the man just take what he needed and leave the settlers alone? But no, he had to leave his mark behind.

Jack vowed that he would retire as sheriff and go back to farming.

But before he did, he'd make sure Red Ranger was brought to justice.

He didn't have to go out with every posse – he could make do in town and wire a few U.S. Marshals to widen the search. From the looks of it, Red Ranger had headed south. He decided to also wire his Uncle Freddie in Clear Creek, it being the largest town south of Heaven.

Besides, Uncle Freddie would have his hide if he didn't give him the heads-up that a murdering varmint was heading back his way.

By the time Jack made it home, it had started to snow. He put his hopper in the barn but didn't shut it down, just in case he needed to leave right away. He headed into the house to find his mother and see what she knew about Ianto.

She was sitting at the kitchen table, her face puffy, eyes red from crying. "Ma? What happened?"

His mother looked up at him. "Jack! Oh Jack, is Ianto with you?"

"No, I was hoping she was with you …"

"I can't find her anywhere! And Gray's been sick all day – I've been afraid to leave him!"

Jack stormed across the kitchen to the small office Ianto used as her bedroom. Nothing seemed out of place, except that she wasn't in it. But as he looked around he noticed some of her things were gone: the hair ribbons he'd bought for her, the book of poetry she liked, even that ragged dress she'd arrived in town wearing.

He'd swear it was hanging up on a hook near the window last night after she'd put her nightdress on. He closed his eyes as his hands clenched at his sides.

"Ianto …," he groaned.

"I looked everywhere for her," his mother said from behind him. "The barn, the orchards, I found no trace! And what's worse, her satchel's gone! I know she kept it under the bed, and it's gone, Jack! Gone!"

He turned to his mother and quickly took her in his arms as she wept anew. How could that girl have done such a thing? What could have possibly happened to make her leave so suddenly?

Surely his behaviour that morning hadn't been enough to drive her away?

Or was it?

She was an orphan, and he knew her biggest fear was rejection, abandonment. Had she misinterpreted his actions? Did she think he didn't want to marry her anymore? He and Gray had been gone for quite a spell, but the job required it. In fact, it was part of the reason he'd decided to go back to apple farming ...

"Jack, what are we going to do?" his mother cried.

"First, I need to figure out how she got herself off this farm. Someone had to have helped her."

His mother sniffed back her tears, looked up and studied him a moment. "Yes, you're right. None of our hoppers are missing, and the wagon's still here. But who?"

"You didn't hear anything? See anyone?"

She shook her head as she sniffed back more tears. "I was in the barn for quite a while after you left. You'd upset me so ..."

He drew her back into his chest and held her there. "Ah, Ma, I'm sorry. But during this last search, me and the posse found things no man ought to lay eyes on, not even a lawman. It made me think, and I decided to make some changes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about them before I left in such a hurry."

He loosened his grip to let him look her in the eye. "Old Man Davison's agreed to give the orchards back once the lease is up. It's become too much for him, and I'm ready to get back to farming. But I don't have time to explain now – I've got to find Ianto! If she left on the two o'clock Hopper, she's got half a day's head start on me."

"Oh, Jack, do you really think she left town?"

He pulled the note from his pocket and handed it to her. His mother gasped when she read it. "You can't let her leave, Jack!"

"I don't plan to, even if I have to chase that Hopper all night. They had to have stopped over at the Gundersons'. I'll saddle Gray's hopper and head out right away."

He took the note back and stuffed it in his pocket.

"Fix me a sandwich or something, will you?"

His mother nodded as she wiped her tears. "There's no good reason why Ianto would have left – none. She seemed so happy here!"

"Don't worry, Ma. I'll bring her back if it's the last thing I do."

Of course, he had to find her first.