"I just don't see myself singing "Dashing through the snow", son, when it's so hot out." Rick groused, helping Robbie lug boxes of files to his truck.
"I know, Pop. But the hayride is such a part of Christmas, I'd hate to give it up this year. And with Rob busy with council duties…I just can't handle it and security."
Rick heard a note of sadness in Robbie's voice, and immediately put down the boxes to face his son. Moving Chief Joseph's paperwork to the Cultural Center was hard enough for both of them, he just couldn't disappoint his boy too.
"I didn't say I wouldn't do it, Robbie. Maybe the weather'll break by next week, why don't we go ahead and schedule it."
At once he hugged Rick. "Thanks, Pop. I knew I could depend on you, besides, Mom always likes to go."
That brought a smile to his face, Laurie did love riding in wagons; this would make a nice surprise for her and with a house full of relatives, a great place to give her an early Christmas present.
"Dad, are you sure there's enough room for all of these? I can hang on to his chair and pipe stand." Robbie's voice broke in on his thoughts.
Looking at the full truck bed, Rick nodded. "That would be better, Robbie. Besides, I think Rob will welcome something familiar in his new place."
Just then a loud beep came from the radio on Robbie's belt and he snatched it up. "Silver Rock 1".
"Robbie, we need you at the stables by the Cultural Center, we have a situation." Rob's voice came over calmly enough, but Rick could read a note of tension in his tone.
"I gotta go, Pop…." Robbie started, only for Rick to hold up a hand as the new Tribal Chief spoke again. "Is Rick with you?"
"Yes, Rob, want him to ride along?" Rick smiled and nodded as he answered in the affirmative. "Yes, we need all the manpower we can get. See you ASAP."
"Roger." Robbie turned as his father shut the tailgate then hopped in the pickup truck "Okay, son, let's go. I'll call your mother on the way."
As the two Simons sped down the highway, Rick turned his transmitter on. "Laurie, can you hear me?"
Just as they turned the corner at Rocky Peak, his wife's voice came over his watch's speaker.
"Loud and clear, Rick. Did Rob get hold of you?"
He chuckled as Robbie leaned over. "Yes, Mom, and me too."
"There's my Sheriff, if you guys pull in to the driveway, I've got sandwiches for you guys."
Rick grinned. "Sure, sweetheart. We'll swing around and…"
"No, Mom, thanks, but Rob wants us ASAP." Robbie interrupted him, earning a frown from his father.
"That's okay, son. When you're done, you two can come by. Tell the guys hi for me."
Laurie's tone was understanding, and Rick got it. She knew Robbie was trying extra hard not to appear as if his folks were "helping him" with his job.
"Thanks, Mom." Robbie sounded relieved, and Rick followed his words with "Yeah, thanks, darlin'-we'll be by later."
Ending his transmission, he turned to see Robbie looking upset.
"Son, it's okay. We know people talk, and anytime we come on too strong, you let us know. At the same time…" He fixed him with a serious look. "It's no sign of favoritism if you stop to check on your mom, or let her make you lunch, or keep an eye on the kids."
"I know, Pop. I'm sorry. I just want to be able to do my job without anybody saying you and Uncle A.J. are ….well, that I can't serve the community without you guys backing me up."
"Robbie, nobody who's anybody thinks that, you can't be looking for criticism where it don't exist." Rick exclaimed, then let out a deep breath as his son nodded.
"I know, and I promise not to look for problems before they start….here, Pop." Robbie wheeled into the ranch driveway, and honked. Immediately the gate opened and as he made a u-turn, Laurie came out with a large sack and a cooler.
"There's my girl." Rick leaned out and took the food, then landed a quick kiss on his wife's lips.
"You're welcome, darling. Robbie, there's some cookies in there too, you share now, okay?" Laurie smiled as the young sheriff laughed.
"All right, even Rob will get one. Love you, Mom!" He called, then put the truck in gear as Rick blew her a kiss and they pulled back out onto the highway.
Within minutes they drove through the back drive to the Cultural Center farmland, and stopped outside the stable area, seeing a small group of men surrounding the main barn.
"Go ahead, Robbie, I'll park and be right there." Rick told him, letting him out. As he found a place near the ceremonial arena, he heard excited voices, then looked out his back window at two men fighting, his son and Rob trying to break them up.
Vaulting out of his truck, he ran to the group just in time to see two local ranchers, Mitch Fogel and Ed Nunez being separated by Robbie and the new Chief.
"All right, stop it right there, you two are idiots, accusing each other of stealing horses…." Rob Gamez barked, his voice freezing the men in mid-swing.
Both men wilted under his fury, then Fogel spoke up, seeing Rick in the group.
"Of course if our new sheriff would stop wasting time jailing kids for pranks and go after these rustlers, maybe we wouldn't have to be here, protecting reservation livestock."
Bristling, Rick shot him an angry look and retorted, "The day stealing, running into little kids and throwing ice when caught is a mere prank, I'm the President. Now who had cattle stolen?"
Seeing the former banker turn beet red, Robbie turned his focus onto Nunez as he said,
"I did. I had my hands bringing in some of my herd to ship when 3 masked men with guns intercepted them and took over 2 head of cattle."
"And I had twice that many disappear overnight. I was just going into my office when I saw the gate to my corral open." Fogel added, keeping a nervous eye on the sheriff.
Robbie wrote down his statement, then asked, "Did you check to make sure it was secured last night?"
"I'm not stupid, of course I locked it, and I have a time mechanism on it now." Fogel snapped. Turning to the other men, he said, "If he doesn't get my cattle back, I want another sheriff to handle this." He then stalked over to his SUV and took off. Rob looked at the trail of dust he left behind, then shook his head. "I think someone's brain must have been recalled. Okay, has anyone heard anything, or seen strangers around town."
One or two of the other ranchers and center workers gave information, then Robbie closed his notebook and advanced toward the stables.
"I'm going to see what our security looks like, Pop. Can you cover the other end?"
"Sure, let's use 175.15 on the transmitter just in case." Rick asked, setting his watch.
As the three men went from corral to stable and back to the corrals, a head count revealed that ten cattle were missing. Instantly Rick retraced his steps, then saw scratch marks on each of the four doors to the barns.
Turning on his transmitter, he hailed Rob first. "I've got something, meet me at Barn No. 1".
Signaling his son also, the older Simon was soon joined by the others. Pointing out where each of the locks had been picked, he was gratified when Rob said, "See Robbie, I learn something new everyday. I had no idea how those could be picked up."
"Just a little tape and powder, maybe we can get a print off one or more of them." He replied, bringing a grin to Rick's face.
"That's my boy, come on guys, lets grab a drink and run what we have." Rick began, just as Robbie's radio went off.
"Silver Rock Station to SR 1, come in."
Hearing a note of anger in the normally calm dispatcher's voice, Rick stopped as his son answered back. "Silver Rock 1, over. What is it, Calla?"
"We just had a call into the office, Sheriff. Seems the stables at Starlight Ranch lost 5 boarding horses and a mare last night. All Rodeo mounts."
Rick felt his blood go cold; his nephew Ricky's horse was stabled there for the season. "Calla, do we know whose horses were stolen?" Robbie asked, and Rick waited for the reply.
"Yes, sheriff, one of them was Starboy, your cousin's horse."
