Authors Note: Another chapter! I think you all have forgotten me! That's all right, I'm posting anyway! Again, I have no knowledge of horses, so please forgive me if my description of getting them saddled and ready to ride is incorrect—please correct me if you know the proper way and I will be sure to change it.

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"A letter?" Cassie asked, confused. "From who?"

"Your Aunt Mae."

"What?" Cassie said incredulous, "that's impossible Aunt Mae's been dead for seven years."

"That's what I thought," Mrs. Weston replied. "Then I thought, obviously whoever sent this letter didn't want to be found out. The letter is inside I figured you'd want to open in private." Cassie followed her Mother up the drive and in the front door. "It's in the kitchen."

Cassie saw it resting on the table, she walked towards it slowly, and she reached out and picked the envelope up. It was light and her name was scrawled across the front but it wasn't Cole's writing. She quickly exited to the front room and settled down on the couch. Mrs. Weston stayed in the kitchen.

Cassie tore open the letter and turned it over, Frank. The letter was from Frank. Cassie's heart dropped somewhere into her stomach.

Don't jump to any conclusions, she told her self as she turned the better over. You haven't even read it yet. She stared at the first word that Frank had written, it was her name, and she took a deep breath before continuing.

Cassie,

You must be surprised, getting this letter, seeing as it's been so long. When you're done reading this I want you to show it to your Father, and then I want you to show it to Doc Mims, and Meg and Andrew—you know, Jack Turner's son, he works in the hardware store. They'll know what to do.

Cassie paused, before reading the rest of the letter. She would have time enough today to show it to her Pa and to Doc Mims, Meg and Andrew would have to wait until the next day. Cassie took another breath and read on.

Something's happened. It happened two days ago, so this is why you'll need to move fast, I put Andrew's address in her Cassie. You need to go to him tonight. We fell into a trap, Jesse was captured.

"Oh Jesus," Cassie murmured.

It happened on their honeymoon, Zee is here with us, I tried to tell her to go home but she refused. It was her idea to use your Aunt Mae, Zee's a smart girl. Anyway, the reason I'm writing this to you is I know I can trust you Cassie, I know that you'll do whatever it takes. I need to you to talk to your Pa and I need to talk to Doc Mims and I need you to go to Andrew and tell him what's happened. A few of the boys in Liberty, they know something like this could happen, they're ready. All they need to know is where we're at. You need to tell them Cassie, and you need to promise me that you and Meg won't get involved with this. You've done more than enough and I know I, we all, could never forgive ourselves if something happened to you both. We need to take action as soon as possible, there are also directions in this letter of how to find us, after you show this letter Cassie you need to burn it.

We'll be seeing you soon, you can bet on it,

Frank.

The words of the letter blurred in front of Cassie's eyes, she bent her head and burst into tears. She took a deep breath, wiping her face with shaking fingers. She stood and tucked the letter into the pocket of her dress.

"Mama," she walked into the kitchen. "I need to visit Andrew Turner and Doc Mims." She went through the kitchen, down the hall and out the backdoor.

She ran to the barn and grabbed Bullet's tack and saddle. She put her thumb and index finger in her mouth and blew a sharp whistle. She heard a loud whinny before Bullet came galloping towards the gate to the pen. Cassie had it open when he got to her, and she laid her hand on his forehead, clipping his rope to his harness. She then closed the gate and latched it shut.

She set a blanket on his back before she put on the saddle. She buckled him tightly and then fitted Bullet with his bite. She gathered her skirt into her hands and fit her foot into the stirrup, pulling herself up; she settled into the saddle and took the reins. She kicked Bullet's haunches and he broke into a gallop, she pushed him harder as they rode down the driveway. The wind ripped through her hair, tearing out the ribbon that held it in place. They raced down the main road toward Doc Mims, she figured she would go to him first and then they could both go to visit Andrew Turner.

Cassie pressed down with her feet on the stirrups before pulling back on the reins, Bullet slowed to a jog as they reached the Mims' front gate. Cassie jumped off the saddle and tied Bullet to a post before rushing up to the front door.

She pounded on the door, praying that Doc Mims was at home. She heard a noise from inside, then the sound of the door unlocking.

"What in the Devil," Doc Mims muttered before seeing Cassie. Her hair was wild and tangled about her face and her cheeks were flushed. "Is everything all right?"

She pulled the letter from her pocket and held it out to him.

Doc Mims opened it and read it, and then he folded it. "Let me get my coat." Cassie stepped inside the Mims house. Doc Mims grabbed his coat and followed Cassie out the door. "The Turner farm is just down the road, we don't need to ride." The two set off together, and when the reached the Turner's front door they were both sweating.

Mrs. Turner opened the door, when she saw Cassie her brow furrowed but then her eyes fell on Doc Mims. She turned, "Andrew!" She called, and then she smiled, ushering Cassie and Doc Mims inside. "Please come in, can I get you a glass of water?"

"Please," Cassie and Doc Mims replied in unison. Just then Andrew walked into the front room; he was a tall boy of seventeen. Doc Mims opened the letter again and read it to Andrew, Mrs. Turner brought out three glasses of water and Cassie took a long drink.

"We need to get moving as soon as possible," Andrew nodded. "I'll talk to the boys tonight, we'll move by tomorrow morning."

"I'm coming." Cassie blurted.

Andrew looked at her like she just sprouted a second head, and Doc Mims lay a hand on her shoulder.

"I know Jesse is your friend Cassie but it's not safe."

"It's no less safe for me than it is for you," she replied.

Doc Mims laughed, "I'm too old, me and your Pa will be staying here, making sure the lawmen don't get word of what's going down."

"You don't understand," Cassie said, "I need to go, I can shoot not well mind you, but I reckon ya'll need all the help you can get." Cassie nodded, "Meg'll come too, I'm sure of it."

Doc Mims shook his head, "your Mama would kill me if anything happened to you."

"I can't just stay here, not with Jesse and Zee and…" Cassie's breath hitched in her throat, Cole, The thought of something happening to him, and the thought of never seeing him again caused something sharp in her chest, something that made it difficult to breath. "I'm coming." She said again.

Andrew looked at her for a moment before shrugging, "make sure you're ready by sunset tomorrow. We'll meet out in the forest; the lawmen stay in town these days and are less likely to find us out there."

Cassie nodded, "I'll be ready."

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Endnote: Like you all didn't see that one coming! I figure since Zee is out there fighting with the men, then why not Cassie and Meg. Also, it was necessary because Cassie and Cole need to meet up, and he wont know she's there because there's no way to tell him until after they recapture Jesse! Also, remember, Jimmy does not die! Let's all rejoice!