Daniel's no stranger to my tears. He's the one, or one of the ones, that I would most run to when I was little whenever something happened.

He's perfected his technique over the years. My tears don't distress him the way they do Ford, or Evan.

He took the bucket from my hand, and set it on the back step.

"Come on," he said to me, and, as Evan walked towards us, Daniel added, "Hey, tell Hannah we'll be in to eat after a bit, alright?"

"Sure," Evan said, and thankfully he didn't question what my problem was, or why I was sniveling like a baby.

And before I even really noticed, Daniel had me walking. Down the driveway, and the horses were running over to the fence

to greet us. That's where we ended up, leaning against the fence, and petting the horses thru the spaces in the pickets.

Petra crowded into the front of the group, but when she discovered that neither I nor Daniel had any treats for her, she

tossed her head and went back to eating grass. Old Charley and Dandy stayed close, though, and I touched Charley's velvet nose.

By now I wasn't crying so hard. Daniel hadn't said anything as yet. Just quiet. And waiting.

As my tears tapered off, Daniel asked quietly, "Better?"

"Yeah," I said, but my voice sounded all funny. Raspy like.

Still Daniel didn't press me. He just waited.

"I was trying-to explain to Guthrie," I began.

"About what?"

"About Kenny. Being one of the guys in our fields on the ATVs that night."

"You think that, huh?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Tell me why," Daniel said, and his tone wasn't doubting, or angry, It was more gentle, and open.

"Because of the way he acts. All weird and uncomfortable around us. And because Warrior went after him last

night. Like he remembered him from the night he got hurt."

"Hmm," Daniel said.

"And he has a bandage on his arm. That's where the guy was bit that night. Brian and I heard him yelling that he was bitten

on his arm," I added.

Daniel sighed a little. "Wow," he said. "That's some heavy stuff."

"I just wanted to talk to Guthrie about it," I said, my eyes filling with tears again.

"He's not gonna wanna hear that, squirt. None of it."

I brushed at my cheek. "Yeah. I guess."

"Did you think he would?" Daniel pointed out.

"No," I admitted. "But I didn't think that he'd get so mad at me."

"He'll come around. He may not accept what you're sayin', but he won't stay mad for long."

"I hope not," I said fervently. Then, I studied Daniel closer. "Aren't you going to say what Brian and Adam did? Tell me

that I shouldn't make accusations without clear evidence, and all of that?"

"No. I'm not gonna say any of that," Daniel said.

"How come?" I asked, facing him.

"Well, for you to say somethin' like this, about Kenny, when you've known him your whole life practically, then I don't

think it's somethin' that you'd say lightly, without some thought behind it."

For a long moment, I couldn't speak for the lump in my throat.

"You get me, Daniel," I said. "You really do get me."

"Yeah. I guess I do," he said, and smiled at me.

7

Daniel went on to tell me that he thought I should do what Adam and Brian suggested, about keeping my eyes and ears open

concerning Kenny. Not go off half-cocked.

I felt a little better as we went inside to join everybody else at the table for lunch. But only a little better. And when I had to sit next to

Guthrie, well, that killed my appetite.

I took a piece of turkey and some cantaloupe, and forked some salad onto my plate.

Guthrie was eating, silent and stiff next to me. Hannah kept watching him, and then me, too, her glance traveling between us. Hannah's no

pushover. She can read Guthrie and I both pretty well, and she knew there was trouble brewing between us.

When Guthrie had finished his meal, he stood up, pushing his chair in and taking his plate to the sink.

And then he went out the back door without saying a single, solitary word to anyone.

"What the hell," Brian said, without preamble.

I looked miserably across the table at Daniel, and then stabbed at a piece of lettuce with my fork.

I felt suddenly, too warm, and with the beginnings of another headache.

"Are you alright?" Hannah asked me, her voice quiet.

"Yes," I said, poking at my salad so hard that a cherry tomato flew off my plate.

"Maybe you should rest a little while after lunch," Hannah said.

"I'm supposed to pick the rest of the pears," I reminded her.

"Well-" Hannah began.

"Leave that until later," Evan said. "I'll help you after supper."

"Okay," I said, glad to be talked into waiting.

After lunch was finished, I took my copy of Pride and Prejudice, and went to lay in the hammock in the back yard. I read awhile, and ended of

drifting off to sleep in the shade of the tree.

After awhile I woke up, because the hammock was being given a push to start it swinging again. Evan stood on one side and Ford stood

on the other. "Hey, sleeping beauty," Evan said. "You've been asleep all afternoon."

"No way," I protested. "What time is it?"

"Almost four o'clock," Evan said.

"It can't be," I said, feeling sort of groggy.

"Must be nice," Evan went on. "Sleepin' while the rest of us are sweating our butts off around here."

When he grinned at me, I reached my foot out as if to kick him.

"Looks like you still have your butt to me," I said. "You must not have worked as hard as you think."

"Ha," Evan said, and gave me another push.

I had been trying to sit up so I could get out of the hammock, but when it began swaying again, I sank back.

Ford gave me another push, swinging me back over to Evan's side.

"Seriously, guys, stop," I said. "You're making me dizzy."

"We're goin' out tonight," Evan said. "You want to ask Steven and come along?"

"You and Nancy?" I asked him. "Where to?"

"Me and Nancy," Evan said. "And Ford and Valerie. To the movies, maybe out to eat."

"Oh," I said, sitting up as the hammock slowed to a stop, and leaning on my elbows. "That sounds fun."

Ford held out a hand to help me out of the hammock, and I took it, letting him pull me up.

"Yeah. I'd like to go," I said, actually estatic about getting to go somewhere for a change. "I'll call Steven."

"Okay," Evan said. "Or you can come by yourself. You don't have to ask anybody."

"No, it's okay. I'd like Steven to go," I said. "Thanks, Ev."

"No problem," he said. "I'm gonna go get cleaned up, and we'll leave in about an hour. Make sure you get the okay

from Adam to go."

"Okay," I said, and as Evan walked away, heading towards the back door, I looked at Ford.

He gave me a slow smile, and I said, "How was your day at work?"

"Not bad. It's interesting work. Sort of a change."

"That's good." I hesitated, thinking. "So, I have something to say to you."

"Okay," Ford said, looking at me.

"I shouldn't have gotten mouthy with you last night, about putting Warrior up. I know you were just trying to help, and I was

wrong to get so bratty about it," I said.

Ford nodded in response to my apology. "I just didn't want it to go bad, with the dog, and Kenny," he said.

"I know. I'm sorry." I looked up to meet his eyes.

"It's alright," he said, regarding me with a serious expression. "What were you talking about this morning? When you said that

about there being a reason for Warrior to bite Kenny?"

I bit at my lip, and then briefly told Ford what I believed, or suspected, about Kenny.

Ford's expression didn't change much. He maintained his serious demeanor.

I finished by telling Ford that Brian had warned me off of jumping to conclusions, and that Adam had, also, been reticent, and cautioned

me to keep myself in check.

When Ford didn't say anything still, I asked him if he agreed with Adam and Brian.

"I guess I agree with them, mostly," Ford said. "I mean, you have to be careful about accusing somebody of something. And, this would

be a really serious accusation."

"I know."

"If Kenny is involved, then it will come out eventually," Ford went on.

I had the thought that with our sheriff's department on the case, it could be years before anyone was caught. But I didn't say that. I did tell

Ford about Guthrie, though, and how he'd yelled at me, and gotten so angry.

"He's not all that happy with me, either," Ford said. "He didn't want me telling Evan about Kenny drinking last night."

I felt a lump in my stomach at the thought of Guthrie continuing to be mad at me for any period of time. Even when we were

really little our fights didn't ever last all that long. If I was totally honest, I would have to admit that was because Guthrie had usually given

in to me, and let me have my way.

"I wish I hadn't said anything to him about Kenny," I sighed. "I should have kept my mouth shut. I just thought maybe if I told him,

then he could notice if something with Kenny seemed off."

After that we didn't talk about Guthrie anymore. Ford went inside, and I went to find Adam. He wasn't hard to find. I followed the

sound of hammering, and looked up. He was on the roof of the tool shed. I went to the side of the shed where the ladder was leaning,

and climbed up until I could look out over the roof.

"Hey, Adam," I said, and he flinched, visibly startled, not having heard me coming up.

"Harlie," he said, turning to look at me, and letting out a deep sigh. "Good Lord."

"Sorry. I wasn't trying to sneak up on you," I said.

He shook his head and went back to hammering down a loose shingle.

I went to the top rung and eased up onto the roof, crawling on my knees.

"Girl, what do you think you're doin'?" Adam asked, as I crept over to his side.

"I can help you," I said.

"I don't like you being up here," he said.

"Let me help," I coaxed. "Are you ready for another shingle?"

"Almost."

I inched over a bit, and pulled a couple more shingles from the package, and lifted them, flapping, scooting back over to

him.

"Stop crawling around up here," Adam said. "Just sit in one spot."

"Okay," I said, and sat on my knees, watching him nail the shingles.

After a couple of moments, when he paused in his hammering, I said, "Evan and Ford are taking Nancy and Valerie out tonight. Evan said

I could come along if I wanted to."

He hammered again, not saying anything immediately.

"Evan said I could ask Steven," I added.

Adam paused, looking at me. "Well, what's the plan?"

"Evan said maybe the movies, and out to eat," I said.

"Hmm," he said. He took one of the shingles and laid it, nailing it into place.

"Is it alright if I go?" I asked him.

"Yeah. It's fine."

"Thanks," I said. "I'll go down and try to call Steven."

Adam paused, looking at me thoughtfully. "You've seen quite a bit of him this summer." That's all he said, but I could hear the unspoken

questions behind the few words. He thought I was getting involved in a serious dating relationship with Steven.

I had to smile a little at his concern.

"What's funny?" he asked, looking puzzled.

"Steven and I are just friends," I told him.

"Really?" he asked, and I didn't miss the relief that passed over his face at my statement about Steven and I being

only friends.

"Really," I assured him.

"Does he know that?" Adam asked.

"Yes. He knows. We talked about it."

"Well, then." He paused. "That's good." He began gathering up his tools. "You've got a lot of time to worry about all of that stuff."

I smiled again and said, "It will happen someday. I mean, it's bound to, right?"

"I guess so," Adam said, putting his hammer back into the tool belt. "But the longer it takes, the better."

"I can't be your baby forever," I told him. "I do have to grow up."

He looked at me, and our eyes sort of smiled at one another. "Grow up," he said. "That's okay. But, being my baby? I hate to break it

to you, but that is a forever thing."

"Okay," I said.

He took the package of shingles that was left, and tossed it to the ground, and then said, "Let me go down first, and then you can come down."

So I waited while he descended the ladder, and then he paused at the bottom, holding it steady with one hand, and holding the other hand out

in order to catch me if I should begin to fall.

I thought then of the confusing kiss that Seth and I had shared, and the information that he'd given me, about being paid to 'scout out' fences

by unknown men. That was important information. I knew I should tell somebody. Then the sheriff could question that friend of Seth's that had

been at our line cabin, and maybe that would provide some clarity in this whole mystery. Obviously, though, I was reluctant to do so.

It would lead, more than likely, to Adam being angry with me for talking to Seth at all. And, of course I didn't want that. Plus, I tried to convince myself

that it wasn't a guarantee that it would help solve the case.

My conscience had been prickling ever since Seth had told me, though. And I didn't like that feeling. I'd promised Adam that

I would be honest with him, and that he would hear things from me personally, and not have to hear about it thru anyone else. Of course, there was

always the chance that he wouldn't hear about my talking with Seth at all.

I studied Adam out of the corner of my eye, as he began to walk into the tool shed, and I followed him. He began to unbuckle the

tool belt that he was wearing.

"Guthrie's mad at me," I said, without any ceremony.

"How come?" he asked.

"Because. I said something to him about Kenny."

Adam hung up the tool belt on a hook, and paused to look at me. "Mmmm," he said, in a way that suggested that I'd done

the wrong thing.

"I know," I said with a sigh. "I should have kept my mouth shut."

"I don't think Guthrie wants to hear that about a friend, sugar. And, coming from you, it probably shook him up."

"I know," I said again. "I might as well forget about him talking to me the rest of the summer."

Adam shook his head a little. "I wouldn't go that far." He went out of the shed into the sunshine.

I followed him, still debating about whether I should share the information about somebody paying to have fences 'scouted'.

I took a glance up at Adam's face. He looked tired. I mean really tired. I would, I decided, find a better time to talk to him.

7