It was time for Coralee to step in, she knew it and Kayce knew it and Rip would come to realize it. She was about to do what she did best, convince a man to talk to her, to tell her what she needed to know.

Her warmth and charm had earned her the nickname "Sweetheart of the Rodeo". She was warm and friendly and could turn on a hundred-watt charm if she needed. She had never been one for beauty pageants and titles, she had never been Rodeo Queen, though she could have if she wanted. Her warmth and the strength of her personality drew people to her. She hoped it could work for her now.

"Rip," she said, "Let's take him to the emergency room. I can't handle him by myself, and Kayce has to go home to Monica—they have an infant now, you know."

Beth is expecting me, he wanted to say, but he knew she wouldn't care. She was the boss's niece, and if she wanted his help, he was expected to give it. She didn't ask him for much, so it was hard to tell her no. If he had his way he'd take this scumbag to the train station, but he knew her well enough to know when she knew what she was doing. And her plan just might work.

"How are you feeling?" she asked the stranger, she still hadn't asked his name and didn't feel inclined to. She didn't want to make things personal. "It's going to be an hour's drive to the hospital in Bozeman, I want you to be as comfortable as possible.

Another wrangler helped Rip load him into the back seat of his truck and strap him in with the seat belts. She got in next Rip and told him, "Take him to the ER in Bozeman, it's closer than Billings. This late at night they won't be asking many questions, and I'm going to register him under a false name."

Coralee was grateful to see the stranger had managed to fall asleep during the hour's drive,. The more relaxed he was, the better. She'd question him until she found out what he knew. What that would be she didn't know, but it was worth a try.

The stranger woke up when they reached the ER and the orderlies put him on a gurney and wheeled him in. The doctor treated his gunshot wound without saying a word. Were they used to it? he wondered.

The doctor was quick and efficient, his hands gentle and effective as he cleaned up and stitched the wound the vet had left behind. Then he gave him a shot for the pain, telling him that he'd fall asleep soon.

Coralee and Rip pulled up chairs and sat by his bed. He looked at her warily, vaguely aware that she had helped save his life. She would want information from him, information that he was afraid of giving. He felt himself warming to her as he would any attractive woman. She did not seem menacing as she looked at him with her lovely blue eyes. Her golden blond hair hung in waves down her back and her soft voice giving him assurances as she asked him questions caught him off guard.

She got right to the point. "This person from Market Equities, the one you say was the brains behind this, do you know his name?"

She had him, she could tell. What Rip and threats could not accomplish, she could with her soft voice and tender looks. Rip always sought the immediate solution, a short-term cure that did not make allowances for the long game. She would have gotten rid of the train station a long time ago, there were better ways to do things.

"No, I don't know his name," he said, "none of us did, but he turned it over to someone else who called himself the Bag Man." I really don't know, his eyes said, please believe me.

"Well," said Coralee, "Who recruited you? Give us the information we need and we'll get you into the hospital under a false name. Don't worry about the bill, we'll take care of it."

"Well, the Bag Man called my brother and asked him to get a few guys together for a job he'd pay well for. All we had to do was light a field on fire and then get the hell out of there. That was it, no killing, nice and simple. Burn a field was all we had to do."

"Tell me, have you been at the ranch before? Someone came here in the middle of the night and cut the fences, turning the cattle loose. We lost a few that were hit by cars because they wandered onto the road." Cattle, in her opinion, were pretty stupid.,

"That wasn't us, but the same man could have set it up. Market Equities is after your ranch. They want to put in a ski resort and an airport, then develop the land surrounding it. I don't think my brother knows any names, he was contacted and asked to put some men together for a job-we need the money. I wish I could be more helpful."

"If you gave me his number would your brother talk to me? Could you call him and tell him we'll pay for any useful information? If they torched the field it could wind up burning the whole ranch. The grass and the trees are dry, there hasn't been any rain for a long time due to the drought. I could really use your help."

"Look, if you'll help me out I'll give you my brother's name and the name of the men he brought with us. Let me do it now before I fall asleep." Coralee had worked her magic.

She handed him a pen and a notebook and he down five names. "The top name is mine," he told her, "Now will you help me out like you said you would?"

"My cousin is a lawyer, I'll ask him to help you, but you've got to tell him everything and tell him the truth. If you try to escape from the hospital, all deals are off, do you understand? We'll send you someplace where they can't find you. I'll come by in the morning to check on you."

"Do you believe him?" Rip asked as they left, "that could have been smoke."

"Yes, I know, but did you see his face? I looked in his eyes and that man was scared. If he agrees to talk to Jamie, then we've got him. I'll search the web for the names, and try to identify him by his photo, and check to see if he has a record. I don't know why he didn't just run with the others, he must have panicked. This is a start, Rip, face it, it's mor than we had before."

"When are you going to have time to do that? Don't you have to go to the hospital today and find out when you can bring your baby home?" Rip gave her a malicious grin.

"Oh, you buzz killer! I've barely got time for sleep before I go to the hospital to check on her. I guess I'll check the internet while she's taking a nap, fortunately she's in the stage where she sleeps a lot. Rip, do you ever regret that you and Beth can't have kids?"

"Sometimes, but I don't know if I want to bring any more of me into the world."

"Oh, you're not so bad, Rip, most of the time. Sometimes you drive me crazy but you're a good guy. Sometimes I think things are just meant to be. I never dreamed I'd wind up marrying Travis." She patted him on the thigh.''

He let her off at the front of the lodge, and she went straight to bed and fell asleep. Four hours later someone shook her awake.

"Coralee, come on, we've got to get to the hospital. Today's the day you find out if you can bring Lucy home." Katie was standing over her, a disapproving look on her face.

"All right, all right," Coralee moaned, "Let me take a shower. I'm not going to have time for breakfast and you're going to have to drive. I need to drink some coffee." She got out of bed and moaned, "My body isn't up to this."

"What was going on last night?" Katie was behind the wheel, driving faster than she knew she should, "What were you and Ryan up to? Why was he so secretive?"

"Someone was on the ranch who shouldn't have been," Coralee replied, "Ryan hoped to use Shelley's size and that bark of hers to intimidate them. Someone has cut the fence and turned cattle loose before. Last night they were going to burn the pasture, you know what would happen if a fire got started, don't you?"

"The ranch would burn. The trees would go up like torches. This damn drought is causing all sorts of trouble, and not just for us. We're lucky we haven't had a lightning storm." Katie looked at her sister.

"I don't know what Uncle John is going to do. This valley should be left alone, it's too close to the park for a development. I'm almost going to be glad to go back to Texas with Travis. No one wants his ranch, there's no need to fight." How many times have I thought this, I shouldn't be leaving, I should stay here and help them fight, not run away. Coralee wiped a tear from her eye.

The hospital in Bozeman had a large parking garage and they pulled up onto the floor where the nursery was located. They went in through the double doors, encountering nurses, orderlies, and doctors, as well as patient's families.

"I hate hospitals," said Coralee, "I hope we haven't missed the doctor."

The doctor in charge of the NICU that day was young, but he had a magic way with babies and their parents. This was the hardest part of a parent's life, having a critically ill infant that may or may not survive.

Dr. Bennett looked up at Coralee, noting the shadows under her eyes. "I was beginning to doubt you'd make it," he said, in a half teasing, half comforting voice.

"Cowboy shit," she muttered, then asked him, "Can I take my baby home today?"

"Well, where's your car seat and do you have any clothes to take her home in?" asked the doctor.

"Well, I'm here to save the day, there's a a car seat, baby clothes, and diapers in the back of the truck, she just didn't bother to look!" Katie's voice was smug and triumphant.

"Well, let's have a look at this young lady," the doctor went to the incubator where Lucy had spent the first two weeks of her life. He picked her up carefully, and took a good look at her. "Would you like to go home, young lady?" he asked her, but all she did to reply was yawn. "Here, mom," he said and handed her to Coralee, if your breasts are full, nurse her, then we'll check her out. Your sister can go get the stuff she brought and she'll be ready to go."

"Oh, thank you," Coralee said, "I just wish her dad wasn't on the road, he'll be thrilled to know we got to take her home, at last."

She opened her shirt and began to nurse her while Katie retrieved her things. She wished Travis were here, he should have been here and he'd regret that he wasn't. Didn't matter, though, she thought, Lucy was coming home. As soon as Travis returned and had a chance to rest, they'd be on their way to Texas.

He hadn't expected to be handcuffed to the bed, but he couldn't blame them. The more he thought about what he'd been prepared to do, the more ashamed he felt. If the ranch had caught fire both people and animals could have been hurt. Desperation had made him agree to help his brother, but now he felt he could have found another way.

A man of medium height entered the room. He had the steel blue eyes of the woman but his hair was jet black. He was handsome in the peculiar way of the Dutton's, good looks seemed to be a family heritage.

"My name is James Dutton, I'm the attorney general of the state of Montana. My cousin told me that you're willing to give us information about the attempted arson of the ranch. I don't what she told you but any assistance we give you will be contingent on the truthfulness of the information you give us."

I bet you had the scare of your life, thought Jamie, I like Rip but he can be bloodthirsty, especially when it comes to the affairs of the ranch. He must have been pissed when Coralee decided to spare you.