by Carrie Carr
AMANDA WAS SETTING the table for dinner when the sound of little feet pounding into the room caused her to look up. "Hi, Penny."
"Hey, wanna know something? Melly's looking just like Snow White."
"Yes, I know, sweetie." Amanda was about to go back to what she was doing when she noticed a dark smudge on Penny's dress. "Penny? What is that on your dress?"
The girl held the dress out. "I dunno." She danced in place. "Maybe it's from Melly's hair."
"What?" Amanda stopped what she was doing. "Penny, what happened to her hair?"
"I dunno."
Amanda sighed heavily. "Where are the other girls?"
"Upstairs in Melly's room." Penny took Amanda by the hand. "Come on, I'll show you."
Amanda allowed herself to be escorted upstairs. The door to Melanie's room was open and she could hear the children's voices coming from the attached bathroom.
"Hold still," Lorrie commanded.
Allison's voice piped up, "Careful. You're getting it in her ear."
Amanda stood in the doorway to the bathroom and was shocked speechless at the scene.
Melanie was seated on the closed toilet lid, a formerly-white towel around her shoulders and black streaks in her blonde hair. Lorrie and Allison were on either side of her, both with black shoeshine sponges in their hands. Freckles pranced between the girls, hoping for attention.
"What the hell is going on here?" Amanda asked, her voice bouncing off the walls.
Both Lorrie and Allison looked up with the same "oh shit" expression on their faces. Allison was the first one to speak. "We're making Mel more like Snow White." Her brilliant idea was quickly losing its luster, especially with the very angry adult standing so close by. "Um, my mommy puts colors on her hair, so we thought it would be okay."
Amanda closed her eyes and counted silently to ten. When she opened her eyes, she tried to keep her voice calm. "Allison, I want you and Penny to go downstairs to wash up, then sit in the den." After the two left, Amanda knelt beside Melanie. "Sweetie, keep the towel around your shoulders and go to the kitchen. We'll try to wash this stuff off in the sink." She stood and put her hands on her hips. "Lorrie, put your momma's shine kit back where you got it, then go to your room. I'll deal with you when I'm through with your sister."
"Yes, ma'am." Lorrie bowed her head and crept out of the bathroom, Freckles following close behind.
LEX CHECKED THE clock on the dash of the truck and grinned. Traffic had been light coming home, and as she pulled beside the house it wasn't yet five o'clock. She couldn't wait to see the look on her wife's face. After parking next to the picket fence, she whistled a tune as she grabbed her unused overnight bag from the back seat. She jogged up the steps and opened the back door. Hearing noise coming from the kitchen, Lex crossed the threshold with a huge smile on her face. "I'm home!"
Amanda looked up from what she was doing. She had Melanie stretched out along the kitchen counter, her head over the sink. "Good. That means you can go upstairs and talk to your daughter."
"What happened?" Lex crossed the room and stood next to Amanda. She looked down at Melanie. "What's that in her hair?"
"Boot polish," Amanda muttered. She poured more shampoo and started to scrub again.
The phone in the kitchen rang, halting Lex from asking any more questions. She picked up the handset. "Hello?"
"Hey, boss. Could you come up to the corral?" Roy, the ranch foreman asked. "Chet found an injured horse. I think you need to see it."
Never so relieved to be dragged from the house, Lex was more than happy to comply. "Sure, Roy. I'll be right there." She hung up the phone and turned to Amanda. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Something's come up at the corral by the bunkhouse. It's going to be dark soon, so I shouldn't be long. I'll talk to Lorrie as soon as I get back, okay?" Lex kissed Amanda's cheek and left the house before the look she was getting could incinerate her.
LEX PARKED HER truck next to the bunkhouse corral and climbed out. She saw Roy and Chet looking over a gray gelding and walked over to join them. "Hey, fellas. What's up?"
Roy pointed to the horse's hindquarter. "Nothing good, that's for sure. See for yourself." He watched as Lex carefully examined the animal. Several deep gashes were bleeding sluggishly, and the horse kept stomping and dancing anytime someone came near.
"Damn." Lex turned to her foreman. "Did you call the vet?"
"Yeah. Dr. Hernandez should be here soon." He moved closer to Lex and lowered his voice. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Lex nodded. "Big cat of some kind. Probably hanging around one of the new wells." She turned to Chet. "Where did you find him?"
"That's the weird thing, Lex. Mac wasn't off in the brush somewhere. He was with the work horses down by the creek."
It wasn't what Lex wanted to hear. Having a predator so close to their home made her nervous. "I want everyone to keep a gun close by until we catch this cat. Roy, talk to the vet about setting up traps. Maybe we can work with the wildlife service and relocate this thing. It's probably come down from the hills looking for water."
Roy scratched his chin. "Sounds about right. This damned drought has thrown everything out of whack."
All three turned when the door of the bunkhouse opened. A slender, middle-aged woman stepped out and brushed off her apron. She came over to the corral, but kept outside of it. "There you are. I came to tell you dinner's ready," she told the men. "Hello, Lex."
Lex ducked her head in greeting. "Hi, Helen. I see you're still putting up with Roy and the boys."
Helen laughed. "Someone has to. Are you staying for dinner?" She brushed one hand along her pinned up blonde hair. "It's fried chicken."
"No, I'm afraid I can't. I just came up to check out this horse." Lex joined Helen at the fence. "Besides, Amanda's got me on a diet. You're too good of a cook, and I'd end up weighing three hundred pounds if I stayed up here."
Roy ducked through the corral fence and put an arm around his wife. "Why do you think I walk to the main house?" He kissed her head. "Speaking of walking, I'd like you to stay close to home unless you're in a vehicle."
"Why?"
Lex crossed her arms and wished she'd have thought to wear her coat. "We've got a big cat somewhere nearby, Helen. Please be careful going to the bunkhouse. And take one of the trucks if you decide to come up to the main house. It's not safe for anyone to be out on foot right now."
LORRIE SAT ON her bed, sniffling to keep the tears at bay. Freckles jumped up beside her and started to lick her face. "Thanks, Freckles. At least you love me." She hugged the dog to her chest and closed her eyes. Lately she felt as if she could do nothing right. "It's not my fault," she muttered to the dog. "And I bet I'll get into more trouble when Momma comes home." She cried into the soft fur.
The sound of the back door slamming caused her to look up. When it slammed again, she shook her head. "Mommy doesn't want to even see me. All I do is cause trouble."
Freckles licked Lorrie's face again in an attempt to soothe her best friend.
"They'd be happier if I wasn't here, Freckles." Lorrie slipped off the bed and went to her closet. She took out a backpack and tossed it on the bed. "Maybe if I went and stayed with Gramma and Grandpa Jake, Jerry's mom would leave Mommy and Momma alone." She gathered a couple of books, a pair of socks, and her favorite pajamas and stuffed them in the pack.
After changing into her jeans and denim shirt, Lorrie put on her jacket. She took the emergency ladder out of her closet and opened her window. Having been coached by Lex on its use, Lorrie had no trouble attaching the ladder to the sill. Freckles danced around her, wanting to play. "You be good, Freckles." She kissed the dog on the head then put her backpack over her shoulders. With a last wistful glance at her room, Lorrie climbed out the window and down the ladder.
Freckles barked at the open window. She stood on her hind legs and propped her front legs on the sill, trying to find a way to get down to Lorrie. Unable to bring Lorrie back, she ran to the closed bedroom door an
d barked. Not getting any attention, she started to scratch at the wood, and continued to bark.
LEX LOOKED ON as Dr. Hernandez and his assistant took care of the injured horse.
The vet watched his colleague carefully stitch the wound. Ronnie Bristol had recently returned from veterinary school. As he had interned with Dr. Hernandez, he had been thrilled by the prospect of joining the vet's already established farm animal practice.
Roy stood beside Lex. His wife had gone into the house, gently threatening him if he didn't follow soon. "He's turned into a fine young man," he remarked. "Hard to believe he's old enough to be doing that."
"I know what you mean. I still think of him as that kid who followed me all over the ranch. Being adopted by Martha and Charlie was the best thing in the world for him." The cell phone on Lex's belt vibrated, causing her to jump. "Damn." She glanced at the display before opening the phone. "Hi, sweetheart."
"Lex, it's about Lorrie." Amanda sounded frantic.
"Tell her I'll be there soon. We're just finishing up here, and--"
"She's missing."
"What? I thought you told me she was in her room."
"She was. But I heard Freckles going nuts, and I went upstairs to see what was going on. Lorrie used the emergency ladder and took off."
"Damn it!" Forgetting all about the injured horse, Lex jogged to her truck. "Roy, give me a call when the vet's done. Lorrie's left the house by herself," she yelled over one shoulder. She jumped into the truck and took off, still talking to Amanda on the phone. "I'm on my way. It's not quite dark yet, so I should be able to find her pretty quickly."
It took Lex less than three minutes to get to the house. The truck skidded to a stop next to the picket fence and Lex was out before the engine completely died. She leapt over the three foot fence and ran into the house.
Amanda met her in the hall. "I looked around outside, but couldn't tell which way she went." Her voice cracked as Lex put her arms around her. "It's my fault."
"No, sweetheart. She's ten. It's just something that kids do." Lex kissed Amanda on the forehead. "I'm going to run to the barn and saddle up. It'll be easier to find her if I'm on horseback. Call Roy and tell him I'll head toward the main road."
Amanda helped Lex with her duster. "You'll find her soon, right?"
"Yeah." Lex's hands shook as she tried to fasten the duster closed.
"Amanda, Roy called me earlier because a big cat attacked one of the
horses."
"But we've never had any problems with them before. Why now?"
"I think the drought caused it to come down from the hills. Whatever you do, keep the kids inside. The horse was near the creek when it was attacked." Lex crammed her black Stetson on her head. She was about to leave when she remembered something. "Take the girls upstairs for a minute, will you? I want to get a gun out of the office."
Amanda's eyes widened. Lex was not fond of guns, and only brought them out when absolutely necessary. She took Lex by the hand and led her down the hall. "No, I think they need to know how serious this is."
Three quiet little girls sat on the sofa, staring at the television. Melanie was the first to see Lex and jumped to her feet. "Momma!" She intercepted Lex before she could get to the office. "Lorrie's runned away."
"I know, sweetheart. But I'm going to go out and find her, okay?" Lex pulled Melanie into her arms and held her close. "You be good for your mommy while I'm gone."
"'kay." Melanie kissed Lex on the cheek and giggled as she was spun down to the floor. Freckles danced along beside her, wanting in on the fun. They both returned to the sofa as the draw of the animated program was too strong for the little girl.
Lex opened the closet door in the office. She took the key that hung above the door and unlocked the gun safe inside. After she checked to make certain the gun was loaded, she felt a tug on her hip.
"Thought you'd want a radio, too." Amanda attached the handheld to Lex's belt.
"Thanks."
Amanda nodded. "I wish I were going with you." Over the years, Amanda had become an accomplished rider in her own right. "Please find her, Lex. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to her."
"I will." Lex kissed her wife one last time before leaving the house.
After saddling Thunder, Lex stopped by the house again. She took a length of rope from her saddle and met Amanda at the front door. She had called ahead to have Freckles on a leash. "Thanks. I think Freckles can find Lorrie just about anywhere."
Amanda tied the rope to the end of the dog's leash. "I hope so. It's starting to get dark."
THE SUN WAS setting, and dark shadows covered most of the road. The wind was getting colder and stronger. Unaware of the drama at the house, Lorrie kicked at the rocks along the road. She was tired, and hadn't even made it to the bridge. "Wish I would have brought Freckles with me," she muttered. "I'm bored."
Her great adventure had quickly dulled, and she also wished she would have thought to bring along her horse. "Mine would like this. But I'm still grounded from riding," she sniffled. "Stupid Jerry."
The shadows unnerved Lorrie. Tired of walking, she spied an opening in the brush. "Maybe if I go through here I can get to Gramma's faster." She left the road, pulling her jacket up closer to her body as the chill settled in.
Small trees and heavy scrub made the faint trail hard to navigate. Within minutes, Lorrie stopped and looked around. Nothing looked familiar. With the sun barely above the horizon she couldn't see but a few feet in front of her. Tears welled up in her eyes when she realized she was lost.
FRECKLES DANCED ALONG the gravel road, enjoying the new adventure. Lex watched as the dog flitted from one side of the road to the other. "I sure hope you know where you're going, you crazy dog." She had tied the rope to her saddle horn and held up a battery-powered lantern to light the way.
Suddenly Freckles left the road and tried to go into the brush.
Lex stopped Thunder and groaned. "Damn. I was afraid of that." She raised the lantern and looked into the wooded area. "Thunder, I don't think you'll be able to get through there."
It only took Lex a few minutes to gather what she needed from the horse. She strapped the rifle across her back and tied the reins to the saddle. "Might as well head back to the barn. No sense in you hanging around here." She swatted his rear and watched as the horse trotted up the road. Lex took out her phone and called Amanda. "Hey."
"Did you find her?"
"Not yet. Freckles thinks she's left the road westward 'bout two hundred yards before the bridge. I've sent Thunder back to the house so if you could watch out for him, I'd appreciate it."
"All right." Amanda lowered her voice. "Any sign of anything else?"
Lex ducked to avoid a tree branch as she followed the dog into the brush. "Not that I can tell. Have Roy and the guys gotten there yet?"
"They're at the barn. Helen's here and is going to watch the kids, while I ride out with the guys. Ronnie's coming, too."
Knowing better than to tell her no, Lex kept silent. She was having trouble holding onto Freckles and the lantern with the same hand, so she pulled the dog close. "Amanda? I've got to hang up now. The damned dog is going nuts."
"Maybe Lorrie's close by. Call me as soon as you find her."
"I will." Lex put the phone back on her belt and squatted next to Freckles. "Since we're both on foot, I'm going to let you loose. Go find your buddy." Lex unhooked the leash and watched as Freckles took off down a small trail. "Sure, don't make it easy on me." She pulled her hat down tighter and struggled to follow.
THE SUN HAD set and the moonlight wasn't enough to break through the dense brush. Lorrie kept wading deeper into the trees, hopelessly lost.
She stumbled across a fallen branch and fell to her knees. She was cold, hungry and scared. Tired of walking, she huddled against a tree, wrapping her arms around her legs. She laid her head on her knees and started to cry. "I want to go home."
Wind blew through the trees, bringing a distin
ct chill. The dried branches rubbed together, making a frightful sound.
A twig breaking to her right caused Lorrie to raise her head and look around. "Momma?"
Through the darkness, the rustling sound came closer. Unable to see, Lorrie cried out as an animal broke through the dense brush.
"Momma!"
LEX GRUMBLED AS another tree branch scratched at her face. She was practically running to keep up with Freckles and more than once wished she'd kept the dog on her leash. "Damn it, dog. Would you slow down?"
Freckles came back to Lex and barked, loving the game. She bowed to Lex and wagged her stubby tail. Her sharp bark pierced the evening and she took off again.
"You crazy little beast," Lex growled, doing her best to follow along. She stumbled over a dead tree. Hearing a different noise, Lex stilled and listened. "Lorrie?" She hurried to her feet.
Twigs poked at her as Lex ran through the brush. Breathing heavily, she heard the sound again. "Lorrie!" She broke through to a small clearing and heard her child scream.
"Momma!" Lorrie saw the apparition come at her and squealed as an animal charged. "Help, Momma!"
Lex landed on her knees and spun the rifle around, but kept it pointed at the sky. She used one hand to wave the lantern toward the scream. She saw a white blur leap toward Lorrie. "Freckles, down!"
Lorrie's screams turned to giggles as her four-legged friend licked her face clean. She hugged the dog close. "I'm so glad to see you, Freckles."
Lex's relief made her weak. She checked to make certain the safety was on the rifle and propped it against the nearest tree before getting to her feet and crossing the clearing. She pulled Lorrie into her arms. "Lil' bit, don't you ever do this again."
"I'm sorry, Momma." Lorrie snuggled close. "But Mommy was mad, and I got into trouble at school, and then we messed up Mel's hair, and--"
"Sssh." Without releasing her hold, Lex took the phone from her belt and hit the speed dial.
