Chapter Five

Kalin shared his list of what had been happening at the ranch and his suspects with Radley, since Radley was in no mood for sleep and wanted to help figure out what was going on despite being injured. Radley frowned as he looked over the list.

"It looks like we need to plan a trip to the City to try talking to Malcolm," he remarked.

"Maybe tomorrow, if you're feeling up to it, and if we don't learn anything tonight when we stake out the ranch," Kalin said.

"It really is weird about Seluga," Radley said. "And about everyone there, really. They all pretty much treat us like the bad guys."

"I wonder how Jake would treat us if we could talk to him alone," Kalin remarked. "Maybe he would just be grateful for any help we could give on why Rick was hurt."

"That's a good point too," Radley said. "Ms. Bennett can't be around all the time; she's gotta go home sometimes."

Kalin nodded. "And that could be when we should try talking to Jake."

"Let's keep track of what happens," Radley said. "The doctor might keep us informed when Ms. Bennett goes home."

"I'll call and talk to him about it," Kalin said. He quickly dialed on his phone.

Radley listened to the ensuing conversation as he rested in the bed. The doctor was willing to let them know when Amanda left to go back to the ranch, but cautioned Kalin that she might decide to stay. She considered all of the ranch hands her family and really wanted to stay until there was some change in Rick's condition.

Kalin sighed as he hung up. "Her attitudereally makes no sense with her behavior," he said. "She should want to do everything possible to find out what happened to Rick and why."

Radley sighed too. "Maybe it really is about not wanting her other hands to fall under suspicion," he said. "That could make it a complicated mess. I know I would probably be upset if one of the Bunch was hurt and the police were acting like the rest of the Bunch was suspicious."

"I suppose," Kalin acknowledged. "Did you know her well before I came along?"

"Not really," Radley said. "She wanted to get her ranch going, but it seemed like things kept going wrong, like the hand who was killed hitting that rock."

"That would be enough to make some superstitious people say the ranch was cursed," Kalin grunted.

"Some people did," Radley said. "But she was determined to keep trying. I think it was only when she could get the former members of Malcolm's Crew to work for her that she really had enough men to start making it work."

"And now that might be starting to fizzle out too," Kalin said.

"Unless she's behind the trouble herself," Radley said. "But somehow I just can't see her setting up accidents that would hurt the hands."

"I really can't either," Kalin said.

"I think it's more likely that some of the hands are betraying her and the others," Radley said. "The problem is proving it . . . and getting her to believe it."

Kalin nodded. Right now both seemed like monumental tasks. He wasn't sure which would be more difficult.

"I guess we should also find out more about that hand who was killed," Radley said. "We know a living person has to be responsible for what's happening, but maybe the ghost is involved too. Or maybe the living person is a loved one of the ghost. Maybe they blame Ms. Bennett or the ranch for what happened."

". . . That's a good point," Kalin admitted. He had mostly ignored the ghost angle once he had found the hole cut in the floor, but maybe it was actually the key to the whole thing. Stranger things had happened.

"You didn't know the hand, did you?" he asked.

"No," Radley said. "He wasn't local. He stood out since most people came to town to duel and he wasn't really interested in that. But like most people in town, he was mysterious about his past. Nobody really knew who he was or anything about him. And they respected that. People came here to escape their pasts, as you well know."

Kalin nodded. "I wonder if Ms. Bennett knew anything about him."

"I'm not sure about that," Radley admitted. "If she did, she never said anything to me. Not that she made a habit of talking to me much."

"Did she like you alright?" Kalin asked. Most people in town did, but there had been a few who hadn't—mostly people who hadn't been able to look beyond Radley's facades to the kind person underneath.

"As far as I know," Radley said. "She always kind of had a soft spot for people who were usually disliked, like motorcycle gangs and wayward kids."

"Let's hope she really is as kind-hearted as she seems," Kalin said.

"I definitely hope," Radley said.

The door opened and the Bunch entered into the living room. Billy soon appeared at the bedroom doorway. "Radley, are you doing okay?" he asked.

Radley smiled at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to rest for a while."

Billy beamed. "That's great!" He came in and allowed the rest of the group to troup in after him.

Scotch definitely perked up to see Radley looking more cheery. "Radley . . . !" He bent down, hugging his friend. Radley smiled and wholeheartedly hugged back.

"See? I'm okay, Scotch," he said. "I hope you can be okay again too."

Scotch just kept hugging him for a moment. "This will help," he said.

Radley smiled and looked up at the others. "Right now we need to think about going back to the ranch tonight when everybody's asleep. We might be more likely to see something then."

"'We'?" Marty repeated. "As in, you're coming too?"

"We'll see," Radley said. "If I feel okay by then, I'm not gonna stay back."

Kalin sighed, but really, he had expected it. He hoped Radley would feel up to going, although at the same time he wondered if it was a good idea.

At least Radley rested throughout the next hours. The Bunch stayed, watching over him and making plans with Kalin for that night, and when the doctor finally called to say Amanda Bennett had gone home—very reluctantly—for some rest, the Bunch continued to watch over Radley while Kalin went to try to talk to Jake.

He found Jake exhaustedly slumped over the bed. Rick looked terrible, still unconscious and very pale and sad. Jake clearly had no intention of moving, which Kalin could definitely understand and sympathize with.

"I'm sorry about what happened," he said as he approached.

"Me too," Jake said. He didn't seem surprised to see Kalin there. He straightened, leaning back in the chair.

"Nobody else at the ranch will say much to us," Kalin said. "What about you? Surely you want the person who did this stopped."

"Of course I do." Jake gripped his arms. "I don't know why everyone is being such a jerk about it. They should be all over stopping it!"

"Do you think they're involved in something they don't want us to find out about?" Kalin asked.

Jake frowned. "Well, I hadn't, but it is getting pretty weird. Ms. Bennett took us in when we needed work, but if something's happening at the ranch that caused Rick to get hurt, I have no loyalty to her or anyone else there."

Encouraged, Kalin came in further. Finally, a reasonable person. "Can you tell me anything that seems strange?" he asked. "Something that happened or that someone said?"

"Everything really seemed normal for a long time," Jake said. "It really felt like we were a happy family, like you guys are. That's all me and Rick really wanted. But I do remember a couple of times when I came in to Ms. Bennett's office and she suddenly slammed a drawer or her laptop, like she was trying to hide something."

"Could the ranch be in financial trouble?" Kalin wondered. "Maybe she doesn't want to tell any of the hands."

"Yeah, that's definitely possible," Jake said. "She always tells us not to worry, that she'll take care of everything. I really felt like she wanted the ranch to be a safe haven for everyone who'd once been with Malcolm and was having trouble finding their place away from him."

"That was what I thought too," Kalin said. "What did Rick think?"

"He felt the same," Jake said.

Kalin hesitated. "Is there any chance what happened to him was meant for him? Maybe he saw something he wasn't supposed to."

Jake stiffened. "No one knew he was going to be working in the barn," he retorted. "How could it have been meant for him?!"

"Probably not then," Kalin agreed. He hesitated again. "Do you still think Ms. Bennett is working for your good? I noticed you used past tense to describe your feelings."

Jake looked down. "She's so belligerent about the ranch. . . . I think it's almost an obsession for her. I really don't think she's doing anything against us, but if she ever thought any of us was working against the ranch, I'm not sure what she'd do."

"How do you mean?" Kalin asked. "Would she think you're working against it just because you're talking to me?"

". . . Maybe," Jake said. "I don't know. She was really upset about the other hands being under suspicion. That bothered her a lot more than her being under suspicion herself. And that's good and all, but she ranted for a while about how she'd called you for help, not so you could make things worse."

"She was supposed to have sent a message to everyone to cooperate with us," Kalin said, "but could she have actually written the opposite?"

". . . I wondered that myself," Jake said. "I asked Fred what kind of text he'd got from her. It really did say to cooperate . . . unless he was lying, and I don't think he would. He came with me and Rick when we joined up."

Kalin sighed. "So if anything untoward is happening, it's probably among some of the ranch hands and maybe Ms. Bennett doesn't even know about it."

"Yeah, that could be," Jake said. "And maybe anyone really loyal to Ms. Bennett is kept in the dark too."

"Or hurt, like Rick," Kalin said. "Do you have any idea what it could be that they might be doing?"

Jake shrugged. "I know there's that weird tunnel system under the town. . . . I wonder if they're looking for something under there. Maybe they think there's more treasure, like you and the Bunch found."

"Are there any tunnel entrances at the ranch at all?" Kalin asked.

"I haven't found any, but that doesn't mean there aren't any," Jake said.

"If they're looking for something, would they be doing it late at night?"

"Maybe." Jake frowned. "I have heard some weird noises at night. Rick has too. We'd get up and try to see what was happening, but we could never find anything."

Rick stirred in the bed, groaning as he turned his head to the side. Jake immediately perked up and leaned over the bed. "Rick?!"

Rick slowly opened his eyes. "Hey." He managed a weak smile.

"Oh Rick!" Jake bent down, hugging him gently yet close. "How are you, man?! Are you okay?!"

Rick shakily reached up to hug back. "I think 'okay' is a ways off," he mumbled. "But at least I'm still here. Sorry I worried you. . . . How's Ms. Bennett?"

"She's been worried too," Jake said. "And Kalin's trying to find out what happened." He pulled back. "Do you remember anything from before you fell?"

"I don't think so," Rick said. "Wait . . . I did hear a weird sound. . . . Something like . . . drilling. . . ." He frowned.

"Drilling?" Kalin frowned too.

"Maybe there really is a tunnel entrance somewhere around the barn," Jake said. "Maybe they were in the tunnels drilling for something!"

"Who's 'they'?" Rick mumbled.

"We don't know yet," Jake sighed. "We're wondering if some of the guys are mixed up in something they don't want us to know about."

"Maybe," Rick said. "I don't feel like thinking about it right now."

"You just rest," Jake agreed. "I'll go tell the doctor you're awake!" He leaped up and headed out of the room, leaving Kalin alone with Rick.

"I hope you find out what's going on," Rick said. "I don't want Jake or anyone else to get hurt."

"I'll do my best," Kalin said. "Is there anyone at the ranch besides Jake that you trust completely? Someone who might help us?"

Rick pondered, staring up at the ceiling. "I thought there were people I trusted, but now I don't know anymore. Someone deliberately broke the floor and made me fall. . . . I'm worried about Jake. I thought the ranch was our hope, but now it seems more like a nightmare. I don't really want to go back."

Kalin frowned a bit. "Do you really not remember anything else? From the way you're talking, it sounds like you're thinking of something besides what happened to you. There's no proof anyone at the ranch broke the floor. Why would that make you feel like you can't trust anyone there?"

"I don't know," Rick frowned. "I wonder if I remember something subconsciously. I don't think I remember it now. I just have this awful feeling of doom when I think about the ranch. I don't want to go back!"

". . . Well, you'll probably need to be here for a while," Kalin said, realizing he had to calm the boy down. "By the time you're better, I hope the mystery will be solved."

"I hope so too," Rick said. "And I hope Jake will just stay here with me. I don't want him to go back either."

Before Kalin could reply, the door opened and Jake returned with the doctor. "Alright, Rick, let's see how you're doing today," the doctor said. "It's wonderful that you're awake! Let's hope for more improvements down the line."

Kalin stepped into the hall to allow for privacy. Somewhat to his surprise, Jake followed him.

"What did Rick say?" Jake asked.

"He's really worried about you," Kalin said. "I think he remembers something subconsciously that he may have seen or heard right before or right after he fell. He keeps insisting he doesn't want to go back to the ranch, and he doesn't want you to go back either."

Jake frowned. "That's all he said? No mention of people to watch out for or anything?"

"No," Kalin said. "But he's pretty shaken up."

"I'll try to get him to remember," Jake said. "And I'll stay away from the ranch as long as I can. I'd rather be with him."

Kalin nodded. "He could even still be in danger. If the culprit has any thought that Rick might remember something about him and tell it . . ."

Jake looked at him in horror. "What can I do?!"

Kalin sighed. "This is a small town or I'd suggest not even letting word get out that Rick is awake. I doubt we could really keep the lid on that news. I'll have one or two of the Bunch watch over you at all times. How's that?"

"That's great," Jake said. "Thanks."

"I'll let you know of anything else we find out," Kalin promised.

He had a lot to think about as he drove back home. Why was Rick so afraid? Would he remember later? Would Jake remember something? Was it a good idea to let Amanda Bennett know Rick was awake? Not that the news could really be kept from her. And Radley didn't think she was involved in what was happening. Could Kalin trust that was likely true?

Radley was awake again when Kalin returned. He pushed himself up in the bed, regarding his friend with concerned eyes. "The Bunch told me where you went," he said. "What happened?"

They spent the next thirty minutes or more discussing Kalin's visit to the hospital and arranging shifts at Rick's room for the Bunch. Barney and Johnny left to take the first shift. Radley definitely agreed that something was very strange and concerning about Rick's behavior, and he was all the more determined to join the Bunch for the trip to the ranch that night.

"Hey, how are we getting to the ranch, though?" Clint wondered. "Our motorcycles would make too much noise. We don't want anyone to know we're coming."

"We'll mostly walk," Kalin said. "Only if Radley comes, we'll need to borrow Klaus's truck most of the way so he won't strain himself."

"We'll need to borrow Klaus too, since neither of us have a license for a car," Radley remarked. "Or a car."

"I've been thinking we need to look into that," Kalin said as he took out his phone to dial Klaus.

"I think so too," Radley said.

xxxx

Radley was definitely even more perked up by the time they decided to leave around midnight, so despite lingering concerns, Kalin didn't try to insist on him not coming. He did, however, plead that Radley move as little as possible unless he had to. Radley was willing, especially since he knew Kalin was just worried about him and didn't want his friend hurt worse.

Klaus talked a blue streak on their way to the ranch. "You should still be resting, you know?!" he exclaimed to Radley. "You just got clocked on the head earlier today! Anyplace else, you'd be in the hospital right now!"

"The doctor did let me go, you know," Radley remarked. "The X-Ray showed I'm really alright. I just needed to rest, and I did that. Now I want to help."

"Haven't trusted doctors in a long time," Klaus grumped. "Now I've got another reason not to!"

"Don't blame the doctor in town for that," Radley said calmly. "Remember, I was under his care before and I recovered very well."

"That was probably more because of Kalin and the Bunch," Klaus grunted. "You couldn't even start to get better until you knew they still cared about you!"

"Yes, but then I rallied quite favorably under our doctor's care," Radley said.

Kalin just shook his head in amusement as he listened to Klaus's ranting. The old man was very fond of Radley. Of course, so was Kalin. They both wanted to be protective of him in their own ways.

Klaus pulled up about a block away from the ranch so they could travel the last bit of space in silence. "You're both crazy," he grumped, "but I'll be here waitin' for you to finish this dad-blamed mission."

"Hopefully we won't be long," Radley said.

"And hopefully you won't be a short time because you completely flagged trying to do this!" Klaus retorted.

Kalin got out first and waited to make sure Radley could get out without wobbling. "I'll make sure he doesn't," he said.

Radley chuckled as he walked alongside Kalin the last stretch of the way to the ranch. "Klaus is certainly vocal and opinionated," he remarked.

"It's hard to imagine him not being like that," Kalin deadpanned.

"Yes, he always has been," Radley acknowledged. "But he's a good man. I trust him with my life."

"And you have more than once," Kalin said. "Probably every day."

"Yes," Radley said.

"Of course he has a point that you probably shouldn't be out," Kalin said.

"I won't endanger anyone here," Radley said. "I'll stop moving the moment I feel I can't do it anymore."

"Good," Kalin said. "Although I hope you really are well enough to do this and you won't have to stop moving."

Radley smiled. "I promise I'm alright."

"Is Scotch feeling any better?" Kalin wondered.

"He's overjoyed that I'm alright, but I have this feeling he's not going to be as outgoing as usual for a while," Radley said. "Maybe this will make him more cautious. That wouldn't be a bad thing, but I hope he'll still be happy and cheery."

Kalin nodded. "It's a bittersweet thing when life experiences change one's personality permanently," he said quietly.

Radley gave a sad smile. Kalin was of course speaking from personal experience. "Somehow I can't imagine Scotch ever changing to one personality permanently," he remarked. "Although I really hope he'll decide he still wants to be extroverted."

"I hope so too," Kalin said. "We'll just have to wait and see."

"Yeah," Radley said.

By now they were up by the fence. Some of the Bunch was already there, staring off into the darkness of the ranch. Everything seemed peaceful, and yet under the circumstances, that seemed ominous.

"Anything?" Radley asked in greeting as he and Kalin approached.

"Nothing," Billy frowned. "Everything's so quiet . . . wait." He froze, leaning forward over the fence. "Do you see that? There's a guy."

Everyone squinted into the darkness. A faint silhouette moved against the night, glancing furtively over a thick shoulder.

"That might be Dave," Kalin said.

"It's either him or Seluga," Radley said. "I don't think any of the other hands are that broad."

"So what's he doing?" Virgil wondered. "It looks like he doesn't want anyone to see."

"He sure doesn't, and why?" Radley watched as the man vanished around a corner of the barn.

Virgil leaped over the fence. "I'm going to follow him and find out."

"Virgil, wait!" Radley hissed.

But it was too late. The impulsive boy was darting ahead, hiding among the trees and then running out again, until he was around the same corner. Radley slapped his forehead.

"Let's move farther along the fence and try to see them," he said after a moment of pondering the situation.

Everyone followed him down the fence until silhouettes could be seen again. One definitely seemed to be the broad man from before. Others looked like other hands from the ranch.

"What are they doing?" Billy wondered. "It looks like they're coming up from the ground and going back down."

"Obviously there's a tunnel entrance after all," Kalin said.

"It looks like they're gathering something," Radley said. "They're filling buckets and then dumping the buckets in that wheelbarrow over there."

"But why?" Billy leaned farther over the fence. "What are they getting? And why are they doing it in the dark?"

"Right now I'm more worried about Virgil," Radley said. "I don't see him at all. Where is he?!"

Suddenly Virgil was there, emerging from a bush near the fence. "Dyne!" he hissed, shoving a nugget in Radley's face. "They're getting dyne out of the tunnels!"

Radley jumped. "Where did you get this?" he demanded as he took it.

"It fell out of one of the buckets," Virgil said.

"Did they see you?" Kalin asked.

"No, I don't think so," Virgil said.

"Did you see any of them?" Radley countered.

"Not close enough to tell who they are," Virgil said.

A shout from the men brought all of the Bunch to attention. The work had stopped; all the hands were looking towards the fence.

"Well," Kalin intoned, "they've seen us now."

Notes: Pondering in an RP with XenoEmblemFTW about how long the dyne might last in the mountain inspired this last twist.