Thunder Rolls

As always, thanks for your patience.

Chapter Eleven

Ben and Adam sat at the table and waited until Hoss and Little Joe had gone outside to work before they moved into the living room and started talking. With Callie laid up with a bad cold, there was no one to interrupt their conversation. Adam had just finished explaining to his father why he didn't have to "start investigating" Mr. Mitchell. "She told you the truth, but why didn't she tell someone he'd assaulted her?" Adam felt the same disgust and anger towards Mr. Mitchell that his father had. Adam had a few opinions on how men like that should be punished, unfortunately they were all illegal.

Ben sat in the big red chair and turned up the palms of his hands up and answered, "She was blaming herself, telling herself she shouldn't have been out there in the first place. Maybe it's not right, but I fear too many women have had this happen to them in the past. Maybe, someday, they won't have to feel shame by speaking up over such matters. For now, I've asked her if she could stay on longer than expected." He held up the letter that he'd been holding in his hands. "Hop Sing's closest cousin has passed away, the arrangements and traditional Chinese ceremonies requires he spend some extra time with his family."

Adam rubbed his chin. "Did Callie say she'd do it?" He might have asked that question with his mouth, but his manner asked "Are you really going to get involved with her?" Adam had seen not just compassion in his father's eyes, when he talked of Callie or sought her company. He figured that's why his father, not knowing of Adam's inquiries, had asked him to check into Mr. Mitchell…to see if the woman was as honest as her father had been.

Ben knew his son well enough to hear the hidden question. He laid the letter down in his lap and answered. "She accepted and yes, if it's any of your concern, I'm looking to get better acquainted with her. Am I going to find myself at odds with my own family?"

Adam shook his head. "No, but do you know what you're setting yourself up for if Mitchell finds out you're alive and she's here, don't you?" Adam figured it was a pretty stupid question, but he still asked it. He wasn't surprised when his father told typical response was to tell him not to worry about things that hadn't happened yet and then left the room.

Adam was about to stand up and leave when he saw Callie standing at the top of the stairs looking down at him; she was holding a shirt that needed to be mended though Adam couldn't tell whose it was. The expression on her face had a thousand questions running across her face. Her confusion transformed into a frown as she searched Adams expression for an answer to her unspoken question; do you really object to the growing relationship between your father and me?

"I don't bite." Adam leaned against the arm of the couch and continued looking up at Callie.

The short, simple sentence put a smile upon Callie's face as she walked down the stairs, picked up the sewing kit that sat nearby and sat down. "I believe you," Callie chuckled as she sat down and began mending what turned out to be one of Little Joe's shirts. The young man had torn it as he jumped over a fence. During the past two months Callie swore she'd mended more of Little Joe's shirts than anyone else's. "Even if you did, I carry a mean right hook, and you'd have to deal with your father." She threw a wink his way.

Adam laughed, "I'm sure I would." He then stood up and excused himself, as he had work to do.

Adam was no sooner out of the door than Ben was back in the room. He watched as Callie sewed his son's shirt. He was shocked to find himself unable to take his eyes off her. She was a picture of an angel as far as he was concerned. He realized he'd been so caught up thinking about Mitchell, what he'd done and what he might still do that he hadn't noticed cupid sneaking up behind him. Now he surprised himself by wondering if there was actually a chance of getting to know Callie even better; that is, if she'd let him court her.

Callie felt someone's eyes upon her. Without looking up, she knew who it was. "Little Joe needs to stay away from charging bulls. What was he doing in that field anyway?" she asked as she lifted up the shirt and poked her fingers through the hole yet kept her eyes fixed on Ben.

Her casual comments shook Ben out of his thoughts and he picked up a newspaper and sat down. "You'd have to ask him. He's forever getting into trouble. I'm amazed he's made it to adulthood." While he put his eyes on the newspaper, his mind went to Callie and how to get her to stay on the ranch once Hop Sing returned without ruining her reputation. After all, if she stayed on after the Chinaman returned people would gossip about her. There were a few who already had the nerve to speculate as it was, though their need for a cook and housekeeper kept that bit down to a dull roar.

"What is it, Ben?" Callie could tell Ben wasn't reading and that something was troubling him…And that troubled her.

Ben turned his head and smiled. "There's a dance in town tomorrow night. Would you allow me to escort you to it?" All right, taking her to it might only add fire to the few gossipers tongues, but he and the boys were going to it and with Mitchell still out there somewhere. He wasn't about to leave Callie, alone at the house…Well that was a good as an excuse as any to get the woman to allow him to take her.

Callie started beaming. She loved the idea of dancing with Ben Cartwright. "I'd be more than happy too."

00000000

Thunder could be heard ringing through the night sky and lightning lit up the sky. In Order to get out of the storm, Tyler Mitchell had to duck into the opening of a cave, hoping to find no unwanted companions. He was cussing as he did so. His horse had been spooked by a couple of simple rabbits and thrown him. Unable to catch his horse, the man had no choice but to travel on foot. That's the only reason he'd been caught in the out in the storm, blasted rabbits!

With nothing to do but to wait out the storm, Tyler sat on the floor of the cave with his back up against the wall. He could see the rain fall upon the thirsty ground from the small opening. Again he cursed, thinking, this time, about the wanted posted he'd seen nailed to a tree out on the road. He'd also discovered,, through a gambler who had passed through Virginia City, that Ben Cartwright was very much alive. On top of all that he was absolutely gob smacked to find out Callie Adams was working for him. No one man could have so much bad luck, he thought. He chastised himself, not for his sins or even for thinking that the Gods almighty may have had a hand in this retribution; no instead he blamed himself for not doing both jobs correctly in the first place. In between the thought of Ben being able to send him to prison and the anger he still had towards Callie for sending him there in the first place, he was slowly getting close to the edge of insanity. "That bullet was supposed to kill that man! Now the law is lookin' for me! I've got to silence the man and while I'm at I'll have me another little talk with Miss Adams!" He rolled his eyes and yelled in an insane manner, even though he knew no one was listening. If anyone had seen him at that moment, they'd have known his sanity had just stepped over the edge and disappeared.