The two guys did get into their truck, but they didn't leave. They just sat there.

"It looks as though they're just sitting and staring at the house," Nancy observed, lifting the curtain just slightly.

"I don't think they've even started the motor," I said.

"Well," Hannah said, stepping back a bit, and looking as though she was thinking. "At least they're not trying to insist on

talking, or coming in-it's good that they got into the truck. Maybe they'll leave soon."

"They won't," Jill said, from her spot at the other window, where she stood alone, looking out. She sounded definite. Certain.

"You know that for sure, do you?" Nancy asked.

"Yes. I do."

"Then you'd better figure out what you're going to do," Nancy muttered.

Jill was silent, and then abruptly, she left her position at the window, and hurried up the stairs.

We all wondered what the heck she was doing, but none of us said anything.

"I'll check the telephone again," Clare said, and went to lift the receiver off the hook.

"Still out?" Hannah asked, and I could tell she was hoping that Clare would say no.

"Yes. It is," Clare said, regretfully, sounding worried.

"Let's sit down, and just think this thru," Hannah said. She went to the couch and sat, perched on the edge. Clare came to sit down, too,

and Hannah said, "Harlie. Come sit with me."

I came over and sat down beside Hannah, while Nancy kept looking out the window.

"I think one of us should keep an eye on them," she said.

"Good idea," Hannah said. She reached for my hand, and hers was cold. I realized that she was really scared. Not just worried. But

frightened.

A thought occurred to me. "Evan left his four-wheeler out back, parked in the orchard," I remembered. "I could go out the back and

get it, and ride up to the pastures where the cows have been-that's where at least one of the guys will be-"

"No," Hannah said, immediately. "They might see you, and I don't want them going after you."

I squeezed her hand. "Please let me, Hannah. I can do it-"

"No."

I was going to keep arguing, no matter what, but Jill reappeared at that moment. She went to the front door, and put her hand

on the doorknob, and paused, to turn and look at us.

"What are you doing?" Hannah asked.

"I'm going out to talk to them again."

"Jill-" Hannah said, releasing my hand, and beginning to stand up.

Before she could protest further, Jill said, "I know what's best to do, Hannah. I'll talk to them-and I may go with them for a

bit-"

"What?! No!" Hannah said, on her feet, and going to clutch Jill's wrist. "You mustn't-"

"It's be okay," Jill said. "They'll probably leave after I talk to them again, and give them some money."

"Money-" Hannah began, sounding shocked.

"It's fine. They're not going to do anything," Jill said, and pulled herself free from Hannah's grasp.

And, then, she was opening the front door and going down the steps. We all four crowded at the door, watching, as the

bigger man, the one Jill had called Chess, got out, and they talked for a couple of minutes, and then, Jill slid into the seat and Chess

took back his seat behind the wheel.

"No, no, no," Hannah was muttering.

And then, the truck backed up, and drove down the driveway, throwing gravel.

"I don't believe this," Hannah said.

"What is she even thinking?" Clare said.

"The girl is crazy," Nancy said, with spirit.

"Daniel's going to go ballistic," I said, and Hannah gave me a worried look.

"He will," she agreed.

"I'm going after Evan, or Brian, or-one or more of them," Nancy said. "I'll take the four-wheeler."

"Alright," Hannah said, in agreement. "That's probably best now, for sure."

"I should go, too," I spoke up. "Take Petra or Charlie and ride a different way-in case one of us has trouble locating them."

"I think that's a good plan," Nancy said, and I was glad to have her say so, and support my idea.

"Alright," Hannah said, surprisingly. "Now that they're not sitting out front and can't see you both, then it's good we try to get

the guys here, in case something else happens."

So, Nancy went out, firing up the four-wheeler and roared off in one direction. I went to saddle Charlie, as fast as I was able to, and was about

to ride off when I saw Hannah standing on the front porch, holding Isaac.

"Come back if you don't find anybody within the first little while," she called to me.

"Okay," I called back.

As I rode off, though, in the opposite way of Nancy, I had no intention of coming back to the house without one or more of my

brothers.

Seven

I rode west, thru the pastures and up to where the cattle had been grazing, the week before. I'd ridden fast, and I slowed Charlie down now,

letting him take it a bit easier. There were a small group of our cattle gathered here.

I leaned forward, patting Charlie, and telling him he was a good boy. I looked around, hoping to see riders, but all I did see was some of our

cattle. I picked another direction and cantered off. I don't know how much time passed, but I finally spotted two riders in the

distance. With relief, I urged Charlie into a gallop, heading that way. Part of me hoped it wasn't Daniel. I felt bad for feeling that way, but-I didn't want to

be the one to tell him about those two guys, and how they knew Jill so well, and how Jill had just gone off with them-

So, I gave a small sigh of relief when I saw that it wasn't Daniel, but Brian. And Guthrie.

They had seen me, too, and Brian rode towards me, and both of us pulled our horses to a halt.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, without preamble.

I began talking, so fast, my words came tumbling out, and Brian held up a hand, as Guthrie rode up.

"Slow up, slow up," Brian said. "Two guys-and what?"

"Two guys drove up, and at first they were asking directions or whatever, but then they saw Jill-and they knew each other-"

"Okay," Brian said, obviously not getting it. "So?"

"They came all the way from Georgia to find Jill, and she said she owes them money, and then they wouldn't leave, and Jill went off

with them!"

"She did what?" Brian demanded.

"She did, even though Hannah didn't want her to-and the phone's still out from the storm." I paused to catch my breath, and

then I said, in honesty, "They were scary, Bri-one of them is huge. Hannah and Clare are really scared."

Brian's jaw tightened. "Did they try to get in? Threaten any of you?"

"They didn't try to get in-they just sat outside and wouldn't leave, until Jill went with them-"

I could nearly see Brian thinking, considering, and he leaned forward a bit in his saddle, and said, "Alright, I'm going-" He looked towards Guthrie.

"Guth, you keep on with what we were doin', alright? See if you can round up some more."

"Shouldn't I oughta go with?" Guthrie protested. "In case they're back and lookin' for trouble?"

"No, I'll be alright," Brian said. "We've got cattle to locate-more stuff goin' on than just Jill deciding to take leave of her senses."

Wow. Okay. That was pointed.

Obviously, Brian wasn't happy about the situation, and was concerned, but I was still surprised that he was so free with his

criticism of Jill.

"Okay," Guthrie said, in agreement.

"Want that I should stay and help Guthrie?" I asked Brian.

"Yeah, sure, that's good," Brian said, and I could tell his thoughts were already back at the house, and on those men.

He began to ride off, then turned and came back. "Listen-maybe you ought to see if you can find Daniel-let him know what's happening-"

"Okay," Guthrie said, again.

Guthrie and I worked on rounding up some of the stray cattle for the next while, and I was glad that it wasn't pouring down rain

any more. The ground was really muddy, though. We'd managed to find six more cows, when we paused to talk.

"Think you can get them down with the others by yourself?" Guthrie asked me. "I'll go see if I can find Daniel."

"Yeah, I can," I agreed immediately.

"You agreed quick," Guthrie pointed out, knowingly.

"I don't wanna tell Daniel," I admitted.

"Stick me with the worst job," Guthrie muttered.

After Guthrie had ridden off, I concentrated on the job in front of me-herding the six that Guthrie and I had located, and the two that Brian

and he had found-down to where I'd first see the others while I was riding up.

It took me awhile, I wasn't sure how long, and I was glad when I finally had the small herd back together. After that, I sat on Charlie for

awhile, just keeping an eye on the cattle, and rubbing my hands on my jeans to warm them up. I wished I'd brought gloves. There was a chill

after the heavy rain. I wondered what was happening at the house. If Jill had come back, and if Brian was going to get into it with those

guys.

I was fretting, with nerves, about it, and about how upset Daniel was going to be. The thought of Daniel being hurt that way hurt me.

I was glad when I finally saw more cattle with riders coming. Adam and Evan were the riders. I was so glad to see them, especially Adam.

That they were surprised to see me there, at all, when I'd supposedly stayed back at the house, let alone being the one monitoring

the herd, was evident.

"What are you doin' up here?" Adam asked.

I explained briefly how Brian had gone back to the house, and about the two men, and all of it.

"Guthrie went to try and find Daniel," I said.

Adam looked grim, and Evan looked as though he was trying to control his rage.

"Nanc is at the house?" he demanded.

When I told Evan no, that Nancy had taken the four-wheeler in the opposite way to try and locate any of the guys, Evan said,

immediately, "I've gotta go, Adam. I wanna be there when those baboons came back."

Adam gave a brief nod, apparently aware that Evan wasn't going to listen to any disagreement. He did, however, caution

Evan before he took off, "Keep your head. Call the sheriff if you need to. We don't need you or Brian ending up in jail."

Adam and I began herding the cattle back towards the lower part of the ranch, to the pastures closer to the house.

"Do you think the storm scared them?" I asked Adam, as we rode, nodding towards the cattle moving ahead of us. "That's why they

jumped fence and took off?"

"I think that's what happened," he said.

Since the cattle were cooperating for the time being, he took the opportunity to ask me more questions.

Like what the men had looked like, what their names were, how Jill knew them, what they had said, exactly, all of that.

I answered everything, trying not to be dramatic about it, but I did admit, "It was sort of scary."

He was watching me, and I added, "Hannah was a real badass, though. You would have been proud."

He gave a brief nod, but said, "I don't want her to have to be a badass, though."

I knew what he meant-that he didn't want Hannah to have to deal with anything like that, anything that might frighten her.

"I know," I said. "But it's good that she can be, when she has to be."

"That's right," he said, in agreement.

"Nancy and Jill got in a sort of a fight," I confided.

"They did?"

"Uh huh."

"We'll get everything straightened out," Adam said.

He sounded confident and calm, and it made me feel better. But, I still had my doubts. I'd seen those men. And I'd seen how they'd behaved

around Jill, and to Jill. Adam hadn't.

"Do you think Jill has a gambling problem, or something?" I asked him. "I mean-they came a really long way to find her, and get

money from her."

"Let's not borrow trouble, until we know more, alright?" Adam said.

"Okay," I said, in agreement. After a few minutes of silence, I said, "Daniel's gonna be so hurt and upset."

"He might know more than you think he does."

"You mean about her gambling?" I asked.

Adam paused, as if he thought he might have misspoken, and then he said, "Possibly. No doubt he is gonna be real upset, though. And worried. Hopefully

she's back at the house by now."

"Yeah. And hopefully Brian and Evan aren't going to jail for assault," I added, mostly seriously.

"Right," Adam said.

Seven