A/N: Okay, ending the cliffy!! Read it and REVIEW!!!

Long Lost Lover

Chapter Five

Carlos's breathing increased. His heart pounded, half from anger, half from fear. There was no possible way they could hide Raquel on such short notice. Collier would find her.

This answered a million questions, especially since it was highly unlikely that there was another mysterious woman on the run through the Ponderosa. Carlos's long lost sweetheart was a bandit.

That was why she had been dressed in dark, men's clothing. That's why she'd been injured. And that was why she had had a gun hidden in her boot.

Carlos watched Ben. Surely the man wouldn't allow the Marshall in his home. Then again, what could he do to stop it?

Ben's eyes widened at the Marshall's words, then they narrowed as he stared at the paper. "Let me see that." He snatched it before Collier could say yes or no. He scanned the writing, then looked up, eyes meeting with Adam's over Collier's shoulder.

"See there? I got orders." Collier took the paper and folded, sliding it back into his pocket.

Carlos didn't like the helpless look Ben gave him.

"Well, Collier…I guess there's nothing I can do to stop you." Ben sighed. Collier gave an unpleasant smile and strode toward the front door. Carlos stiffened, and Ben scowled at him, warning him to just let the Marshall get into the house.

Carlos couldn't let this man in the house. He wasn't welcome, he never would be. He'd wanted to hang Isabella, and along the road to capturing her, he'd said awful things about her as well. Carlos wouldn't forget the way Collier had insulted her.

Now, the man was here all over again. And this time, he was after the woman Carlos loved who was Mexican as well. And if all was true, Raquel had no excuses. All the more reason to hang her in Collier's mind.

"Carlos, let the man through. There's nothing we can do about this." Ben ordered in a tone most people wouldn't mess with.

The three Cartwright boys watched, each one a bit on the nervous side. If Carlos lost control, there'd be more than one hanging coming at them.

PONDEROSA

Raquel's heart pounded. With ears trained to hear a jackrabbit in a thunderstorm, she'd heard every word from the Marshall and Ben, and she knew these could very well be her last moments of freedom.

She knew the Chinese cook was still in the house; she'd heard him walking around, evidently listening as well.

She had to hide. She'd lost this Marshall the day before, but not before he'd managed to get a couple of shots at her. One of which had hit its target.

Raquel could tell by the way he rode and shot that he was a Mexican hater. If she'd been white, he would have hesitated with the shooting. But Marshall Collier didn't have much mercy when it came to tracking Mexican outlaws, even the woman ones.

She had been leaning hard against the bedroom door. The walls were pretty thin, and with her practiced ears, she'd heard it all. And now, as she debated on what to do, she heard the front door open.

Collier was in the house.

PONDEROSA

Carlos had his jaw clenched and back stiff as Collier walked through the front door. Carlos followed with Ben on his heels, who was determined to keep Carlos and the Marshall apart.

Adam stayed in front of the house, not wanting any part of the struggle that was about to take place. He waved at Hoss when he started for the door.

"It's not going to be pretty." He explained as he looped Collier's horse's reins around the hitching post. "It'd probably be best if we stayed out of the way."

Hoss sighed and nodded, plopping down on the bench that sat on the porch. Little Joe jogged up to the porch as well, then sat on the edge and kicked his feet, but with the way his head was cocked, Adam and Hoss both knew he was listening.

They all heard lots of footsteps, a couple of doors opening and closing, a loud crash, and a yell of, "I said you could search the place, not tear it apart!" from Ben.

Another door opened and there was nothing but silence for a few minutes. Finally, the door closed and there were more footsteps, and a few more noises that sounded like some of the furniture being moved around.

Suddenly the front door opened and Collier stepped out first, then Ben, and then Carlos, who glanced back into the house with a confused look, but he erased it quickly.

Adam raised his eyebrows at Ben, who gave a short shake of his head.

Collier stopped next to his horse, rubbed the back of his neck, then glanced at the barn. He stared at it for a moment, then nodded to himself and began in that direction.

Ben followed him, but Carlos stayed on the porch.

As soon as Collier disappeared inside the barn, Adam looked at Carlos. "She wasn't in there?"

Carlos shrugged. "The bed was made and there was no sign of her. I do not know what happened to her."

Little Joe's face portrayed what they were all thinking: how the heck did that work?

Collier and Ben returned from the barn. Alone. Collier shook his head and untied his horse. "Well, I was wrong…this time. She ain't here, but I'll still find her. Good day now." He swung into the saddle and trotted his horse in the direction of the woods.

Adam looked at Ben. "Where is she?"

"I have no idea." Ben turned back to the front door and went inside with everyone else following him. Hop Sing stood next to the table, looking just as bewildered as the rest of them.

Ben walked to his bedroom door and opened it. He and Carlos stepped inside, while the boys stood in the doorway. One quick look would tell you that she wasn't in the room, unless she was under the bed. And if Collier had searched the room, she wasn't under the bed.

The window suddenly slid open from the outside, causing them all to stare at it with rather surprised expressions.

Raquel, wounds and all, pulled herself up and through the window, turned, slammed it shut, then faced them and leaned against it with a triumphant smile.

Questions exploded from everyone, and even Ben slipped and asked, "How did you do that?"

However, Raquel was as white as a sheet and breathing hard. As she took a step forward, her legs gave out and she would have fallen if Carlos had reached out to catch her.

Ben waved a hand at the boys. "We'll ask questions later. Right now, she needs to rest. Let's get to work and make sure Collier doesn't come back."

Please review…I hate people who don't review. And do you know what I do to people I hate? Don't stick around to find out. Hit the button!