not possible. I know, because it's happening to me too. I don't know what Gordon told you, but I would guess it’s pure bullshit. You don't have to tell me, it's probably best left buried with him."
"But―"
"Know one thing, Willow Howling Moon. I won't ever hurt you. I won't force myself on you. I won't ever hit you. You have my promise on that." He wiped a tear from her cheek with the tip of his finger.
"Look over there." Willow pointed and strained to distinguish the movement. "What do you make of it?"
"I'm not sure, but why don't we skedaddle under those trees, so we're not spotted. That's my land they're on. If I had my truck I'd have a pair of binocs."
"Whirlwind is tied in the shade. I have a pair in my saddlebag.” She slid down the boulder and rushed to her horse. “I wonder what they're up to. Could be treasure hunters, with all those caves."
"It could be the first glimpse I get of my saboteur." He brushed a buzzing bee from his face.
"Maybe we should restrict our movements. We spotted them, we don't want them to notice us." She handed him the binoculars, then sat on the ground, closed her eyes, and raised her face to the sun. "See anything?"
"Not yet. I'm not giving up until I do."
She glanced around, listening for anything unusual, but found none. As always, scrub pines in the area offered a break in the rolling hills. Overhead, the spread V of honking Canada geese flew with stately dignity over the land. She found the early hatch of flies more annoying than a joyful indication spring had sprung. But in Montana , the weather could change from sixty degrees to twelve below with just one strangling front from Canada .
"I've spotted them," Brett whispered.
Willow bolted to his side. "Anyone you recognize?"
"You tell me," he said, handing the binocs over to her. "Look just to the right of that bare boulder on the left."
Willow closed in fast and stared in disbelief at Lance and Sean, laden with heavy backpacks, hiking across the ridge. "What on earth are they doing? You give them permission?"
"Hell, no, not this time of year. I'm sure Mother wouldn't have, either. How about your parents?"
Willow shook her head. "They're out of town. When you think about it, it doesn't make sense."
"What doesn't make sense?"
"They haven't left their new buddies since they were born. What could possibly make them go off like this?" she asked."
"Does Lance have any great hideouts that you know of?"
"He knows a few. What about Sean?"
"Yeah, a few. Damn. I have cattle to water and a mother who watched me leave in a huff. I'm sure she's worried that I'm at some bar getting shit-faced. Not that I usually do, but things have been piling up."
"We need to go back and check with your mother, then go to my place and get a couple horses and supplies. You know as well as I do, going after them unprepared won't help them any more than us."
"You're right, but we'll lose some valuable time. Why don't you take the truck back, and I'll go on ahead with Whirlwind. I might even catch up with them before dark."
"Even if you rode fast and furious, you wouldn't catch up with them. There's no way up that ridge except the old logging road. We can check in with your mother, have her call the authorities, just in case. We'll get supplies, a couple of horses, and drive as far as we can, then we'll ride after them. They're on foot; we'll catch up to them by morning."
Brett thought over her plan, then nodded. "What about Whirlwind?"
"I'll take my saddle and bags, then give him a good slap on the rump. He knows the way home." She eased the cinch strap and accepted Brett's help without comment. Within minutes they were on the road, racing against time.
* * *
"When I get my hands on Sean, he'll know the meaning of self-discipline. I wouldn't have believed he'd pull something like this," Brett grumbled, slipping his foot into the stirrup.
"Don't be so hard on him. I'm angry at Lance’s behavior, too, but boys are boys, something I
"But―"
"Know one thing, Willow Howling Moon. I won't ever hurt you. I won't force myself on you. I won't ever hit you. You have my promise on that." He wiped a tear from her cheek with the tip of his finger.
"Look over there." Willow pointed and strained to distinguish the movement. "What do you make of it?"
"I'm not sure, but why don't we skedaddle under those trees, so we're not spotted. That's my land they're on. If I had my truck I'd have a pair of binocs."
"Whirlwind is tied in the shade. I have a pair in my saddlebag.” She slid down the boulder and rushed to her horse. “I wonder what they're up to. Could be treasure hunters, with all those caves."
"It could be the first glimpse I get of my saboteur." He brushed a buzzing bee from his face.
"Maybe we should restrict our movements. We spotted them, we don't want them to notice us." She handed him the binoculars, then sat on the ground, closed her eyes, and raised her face to the sun. "See anything?"
"Not yet. I'm not giving up until I do."
She glanced around, listening for anything unusual, but found none. As always, scrub pines in the area offered a break in the rolling hills. Overhead, the spread V of honking Canada geese flew with stately dignity over the land. She found the early hatch of flies more annoying than a joyful indication spring had sprung. But in Montana , the weather could change from sixty degrees to twelve below with just one strangling front from Canada .
"I've spotted them," Brett whispered.
Willow bolted to his side. "Anyone you recognize?"
"You tell me," he said, handing the binocs over to her. "Look just to the right of that bare boulder on the left."
Willow closed in fast and stared in disbelief at Lance and Sean, laden with heavy backpacks, hiking across the ridge. "What on earth are they doing? You give them permission?"
"Hell, no, not this time of year. I'm sure Mother wouldn't have, either. How about your parents?"
Willow shook her head. "They're out of town. When you think about it, it doesn't make sense."
"What doesn't make sense?"
"They haven't left their new buddies since they were born. What could possibly make them go off like this?" she asked."
"Does Lance have any great hideouts that you know of?"
"He knows a few. What about Sean?"
"Yeah, a few. Damn. I have cattle to water and a mother who watched me leave in a huff. I'm sure she's worried that I'm at some bar getting shit-faced. Not that I usually do, but things have been piling up."
"We need to go back and check with your mother, then go to my place and get a couple horses and supplies. You know as well as I do, going after them unprepared won't help them any more than us."
"You're right, but we'll lose some valuable time. Why don't you take the truck back, and I'll go on ahead with Whirlwind. I might even catch up with them before dark."
"Even if you rode fast and furious, you wouldn't catch up with them. There's no way up that ridge except the old logging road. We can check in with your mother, have her call the authorities, just in case. We'll get supplies, a couple of horses, and drive as far as we can, then we'll ride after them. They're on foot; we'll catch up to them by morning."
Brett thought over her plan, then nodded. "What about Whirlwind?"
"I'll take my saddle and bags, then give him a good slap on the rump. He knows the way home." She eased the cinch strap and accepted Brett's help without comment. Within minutes they were on the road, racing against time.
* * *
"When I get my hands on Sean, he'll know the meaning of self-discipline. I wouldn't have believed he'd pull something like this," Brett grumbled, slipping his foot into the stirrup.
"Don't be so hard on him. I'm angry at Lance’s behavior, too, but boys are boys, something I
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