Farrin crept out of his campsite before daylight the next morning and rode quickly but cautiously towards the farmhouse. Eyes roaming for a sight of that big buckskin and his lauded rider, he tried not to dwell on what he'd do if that meddling redhead tried to stop him. If there was one thing he wanted as much as his son it was to get even with Kitty Russell, but relishing those thoughts now could knock him off his game if he had to face Matt Dillon.

Dismounting behind the barn, he expected to hear the Marshal's shotgun blast at any moment. Years of being on the run had inbred a certain arrogance within him but Dillon's reputation proceeded itself. If it wasn't for his son, he wouldn't even try it. Not even to get even with Kitty.

Providence, for once, though was on his side. As he looped his horse's reins around the back fence, Thad burst into view and dashed past him in a fit of giggles, carrying a basket of fresh eggs. Kitty appeared a moment later, calling admonishments about being careful with their breakfast.

"Well, now…ain't this a pretty picture…"

The voice stopped her in her tracks and the color drained from her face.

"Who is it, Aunt Kitty?" Thad read her reaction in a moment.

"Is that any way to greet your Pa, boy?"

His sneering tone brought Kitty to her senses. "You were never—" she hissed, blood boiling.

"Keep your mouth shut, Kitty." he whirled on her. "I liked you at one point, thought you were a real gal, but now I've had about enough." He raised his hand about her head, fingers curled in a fist.

"Don't!" Thad yelled.

Leaping between them, the contents of his basket spilled into the soil. "Aunt Kitty is—"

"She's a slut, boy." the outlaw's arm unexpectedly dropped, suddenly preferring verbal humiliation to physical abuse. "A dirty little slut."

"I met her in a saloon." he continued taunting, "You know what saloon gals do, don't ya, boy?"

"Is everything—" Mattie Kelk suddenly appeared around the corner. Skidding to a stop, a hand flew to her mouth.

"Well, now we're getting somewhere." Farrin's smile reappeared and he audaciously tipped his hat. "Where's your husband, ma'am?"

"Well, that's not very friendly." he continued when she didn't speak, moving towards her, "What makes you think you're fit to raise my boy if you don't even have proper manners, woman?"

"Tucker!" Kitty wasn't having that. "You leave the Kelks alone. This is between—"

"Don't you tell me what to do!"

She was still within striking distance and he was happy to remind her of that, smirking when she spun into the barn and crumbled to her knees holding her head.

"Aunt Kitty!" Thad tried to go to her but Farrin caught him around the waist. "Where do you think you're going, boy?"

Mattie let out a shriek when the outlaw tossed the youngster backwards into the grass but before anything else happened Horace appeared.

"What's goin' on here?" The quizzical look on his face disappeared in a heartbeat as comprehension came. What a time to be unarmed!

"Well, I don't rightly think I owe you any explanation, ole man…" Farrin snorted. "But you and your wife have a lotta balls stealing my boy. I think you owe me!" He finally pulled his gun. "Go to the house. Get movin'!"

"Tucker!" Kitty lurched unsteadily to her feet; all she could think was how stupid it was to suggest Matt ride back to town today. "Leave them alone. It's me you want."

"Wrong, sweetheart." Farrin grabbed her arm and shoved her forward. "I want my boy." Pulling her back, he put his mouth close to her ear. "There was a time, of course, but now… " He pushed her forward again, still holding his gun on the others. "Get to the house. All of you. I need a few things—call it payment for keeping my boy all these years, if you like—then he and I are gonna ride outta here together. Just like a father and son oughta be."

"You ain't my Pa!" Thad was almost in tears. "You're a murderer and theif and a—"

"I'm also your Pa, boy. You got my blood in ya!" Farrin's eyes widened with insane delight. "My bad blood, boy!"

"When Marshal Dillon gets back, he's gonna fix you good!" Thad continued yelling, "You won't get away with this. And I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"So your man ain't here, is he?" Farrin turned back to Kitty. Pulling her close again, he snickered in her ear. "Well, ain't that funny? How long have you been out here, waiting for me? But I just slipped right on through his dragnet, pretty as you please." He snickered again. "Maybe Dillon isn't so fast, after all."

Bristling with fury, the redhead made no reply. She wasn't in the habit of daring someone to draw on her big beau and she definitely wasn't going to start now. She didn't doubt Matt's ability but she wasn't a fool either.

Besides, they were coming up to the front door now and thought of what Farrin was planning terrified her.

To her surprise though, once inside he separated them. Foring Horace into the rocking chair on the front porch, he told the older man that if he heard footsteps, talking, or the door opening he'd shoot both women without a second thought. Then he went back in the house and ordered Mattie and Kitty to replenish his supplies. Thad was to sit at the table and watch.

As she worked beside her matronly old friend, Kitty couldn't quite look the youngster in the eye but she couldn't look away either. He looked lost watching her driven into submission by fear and she hated Farrin even more for ending his childhood before it should.

She also wondered where her big beau was. Years of strong connection with him had given her a sixth sense about his welfare and somehow she knew he was coming to their rescue, even though, logistically, he couldn't have even made it all the way back to Dodge at this point. Eyeing Farrin, she was almost grateful that he was stupid enough to hang around.

She also wondered if there was a way that she could somehow help Matt get the jump on Farrin. At this point, the iron skillet that was cooking their breakfast was scalding. So were the coals underneath. Maybe if she threw the contents on him, that would distract him when Matt came.

Glancing at Mattie, she bit her lip hard. If her scheme didn't work, her friends would be the first to pay the price. Farrin wasn't likely to hurt Thad and she figured he'd want to keep her alive because he knew, for her, living with the guilt would be more torture than death.

If she could only time things for the perfect moment. But, dammit, from this angle, she didn't have the best vantage point in the direction Matt was likely to ride up from.

Closing her eyes, she tried to send a telepathic message to him. Then they flew open when a cold hand seized her arm.

"What are you thinking about, Kitty?" Farrin pulled her close,. "I thought I told you to get our things packed…"

As he spoke his hand glided up her arm and began massaging her shoulder. She had to will herself not to ram her elbow into his gut or give him a ferocious kick below the belt. Embarrassed heat filled her face and spread throughout her body as he stroked her in front of her friends.

Giving Thad a quick glance, she felt a wave of nausea run through her body at the horrified look on his face and she silently pleaded that he not react. She couldn't even look at Mattie.

"You thinking about that Marshal, Kitty?" Farrin's low growling voice recalled her attention. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if I beat him today. I've got quite an advantage here."

She eyed the oven again. She was a couple steps away and she'd have to get it open and get the hot pan out before she could dump it on him. She wondered if she could do it fast and carefully enough to do any good. More than likely, she'd spill it on herself and get all her friends killed.

"Whatcha thinking, Kitty?" Farrin teased her again.

He knew she was up to something. He could feel it in his bones.