Ch 13

Lou sat with Rachel at her table the next day while the kids were napping. She had told Rachel everything that had happened. Rachel just sat and listened, crying when Lou cried.

"What am I going to do?"

"You will stay right here with us. I love helping with the kids. It will work out."

"I ain't pulling my weight around here. I am broke. I need to find a job but what would I do with the kids."

"Can you still ride as good as you used to?" Teaspoon asked from behind them.

Lou jumped and turned around.

"Maybe, why?"

"Well since Buck and Ike have bought their land, they have doubled in the amount of horses that they have. They were looking at hiring two hands to help out here. I'm thinking we already found one."

"I don't know if I can. I mean, the kids."

"The kids are already taken care of." Smiled Rachel.

"Buck and Ike might not agree with that."

"They already have. You've been hired, you just didn't know it yet. I mean, you know how to ride, you can mend tack, and reshoe a horse better than anybody. Why let that go to waste."

"Plus, you will be right here with the kids if I need help. You won't miss any time with them." Said Rachel.

Lou started crying as she stood to hug Teaspoon. He rubbed her back.

"Ike just got back with some new stock. Maybe you can help him put them away." Said Teaspoon winking at Rachel.

"I'd love to." Lou said as she turned to walk outside.

She saw Ike standing next to the corral with Buck. She walked over smiling. As she got closer, the two boys stepped apart. Lou almost fell to her knees. Lightning and Katy were standing in the corral.

"How?"

"We went to buy a few horses from a trading barn. Overheard a man there trying to sell two horses saying no one could ride them. Ike saw those two right there so I bought them for you."

"Oh my God. I don't have words." Lou cried.

"You will never lose them again Lou."

Lou ran and hugged Buck then Ike.

"We love you Louise. You will always have a place here." Said Teaspoon.

Lou nodded her head and looked at her family, smiling through the tears. If only one more horse would make it's way back to this corral.

Buck kissed Lynn goodbye to ready for his trip.

"I'll be back soon. Maybe a few weeks."

"Just be careful and find him. Come on back."

"You know I will."

Buck rode away without telling Lou that he was going. She would try to stop him but this thing was killing him inside and either Jimmy would see the light or he would drag him home. Buck rode out to Lou's old house. He looked at the house where she and Kid had lived now empty.

Buck rode for three days until he came to the next town. He asked around about Jimmy but no one had seen or heard of him. Buck checked three more towns with nothing. He knew it was a lost cause. Without any direction, he didn't know where to start looking. He had to get back to the ranch and Lynn. He stopped in a small town for a few supplies on his way home. The man that ran the store recognized him from before.

"That friend of yours that you were asking about, I think it was him that came through here yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Buck said getting excited.

"I think so. He had two guns like you said and long brown hair. Black hat and riding a palomino."

"That sure sounds like him. Did you see where he went?"

"Rode east out of town. I tried to ask but all he said was he was trying to get back home. He didn't look too good if ya ask me but he wouldn't take any help I offered."

"Was he hurt?"

"Something was wrong. He bought a few things and left. Didn't get much but he looked like he could hardly go. He didn't say nothing else, just paid and left."

"East, you say?"

"Yeah east toward Nebraska."