by Nancy Howard
“Look kids I don't want to spoil your mood, but could you tell me your professional opinions of Mr. Jones.”
They both looked at each other with raised eyebrows and smiled wryly at each other. Logan says,” he's trouble. Pure and simple.”
“Can you elaborate?”
“Well let's put it this way John, he ain't here to do security work.” Gavin says.
“I agree. He's a thug. Some sort of enforcer, or thief, or all of the above take your pick,” Logan says. “He's the kind of guy Gavin and I would go after. I bet he has a bounty on his head someplace. Don't you?” She says, looking at Gavin.
Gavin agrees, “She's right we've seen hundreds like him. Rest assured folks he doesn't scare us in anyway.”
Logan shakes her head, in agreement and says, “for sure.”
“You know Logan as you and I said some time back, the rustling has stopped because word had gotten out that I'd hired you two. If your description of him is true, and I know it is. Henry may have hired him to start the rustling again.”
“Yeah and maybe other stuff. I wouldn't worry to much about him though,” Logan says. “We'll keep our eyes and ears open, and if he starts anything that tries to harm the ranch, we'll finish it for him. Right Gavin?”
She's looking directly at Gavin as she says this.
“We will,” he says, smiling at her.
Neither of them seem concerned about the presence of Tass Jones in the area, they're just into each other.
Catherine who has been listening to Logan and Gavin says, “You know we could hear some of the conversations this evening, from some of those present, that doubt we've done the right thing in putting the two of you in charge of our property. They sounded like Henry, though these people thought I couldn't hear them, or wasn't listening to what they were saying. But I could hear them, and I know they're wrong, very wrong.”
Logan listens and after Catherine finishes she uses a very serious tone and says, “I want you both to know this right here, and right now. I will never, ever let any harm come to either of you, or this ranch, in anyway. I promise you that. I will, if I have too defend you and this ranch with my life. If necessary. Okay? So not to worry.”
“She's right,” Gavin puts in. “We are a formidable pair to challenge, for sure.”
The Sandersons set there for a few seconds and look at her and Gavin, shaking their heads, taking all of this in, knowing that they've done the right thing by letting her mange their ranch, and him be their foreman. They also learned something from Logan as she spoke. They learned about her loyalty, to them, and to what she's been charged to do. They heard her say something else, very important. They heard her speak about defending them with her life. To them, only someone as close as a daughter would say something as determined, and forceful as that. They both know that she is that close to them, as close as any daughter could be.
Later that night after Logan has gone of to bed, John and Catherine are in their room readying for bed themselves when they begin to talk about Logan. It's a discussion they've had before, but now they seem serious about it. They've been talking about adopting her over the past couple of months.
“You know Cath after hearing what she said this evening, out on th porch, I think it's time to have Jordan draw up the legal papers for us to adopt her. What do you think?”
“Yes John I do. I want us to do it for her. We don't have Jenn anymore, but we do have a someone who has become a daughter to us.”
“Yes I agree with that, I was also wonderin' how you felt about us changing our wills too. Since we plan on adopting her, we should have Jordan change our wills to make her the heir to this ranch.”
“Yes John, since Jenn died we have no one to leave the place to.”
“Yes we don't want it to fall into receivership after we're gone. It's settled then I'll have Jordan start to work on the legal documents when I go into town tomorrow.
“Do you think we should talk to her about all of this first,” Catherine asks?
“No, I think we should tell her at the appropriate time, and show her the papers, and let her make up her mind right then and there. She a smart girl and I doubt she'll say no.”
CHAPTER TWENTY- FOUR
Two more months pass and still no rustling, causing Logan and Gavin to wonder what has become of Tass Jones. Life has been very quiet and scerene on the ranch. Logan and Gavin are busy in preparation for the huge round-up, scheduled for later in the month. Gavin also makes trips out to the mesa and does a head count of the herd. Today was one of those days, and he knows that a week ago there were about a two hundred and fifty head out here. Up form one hundred, because Logan told him to move some of the cows there for grazing. She didn't want to over graze other areas, and since that herd was down in numbers, she moved hundred or so head. Today though Gavin heads back to the ranch house in a hurry, his count was down and it wasn't because they've wandered off. That might me true of a few strays, but not fifty head.
It's late afternoon as he opens the door to the house and walks into the office, where Logan is working.
“Hey,” she greets him.
“Hey to you. I think the rustlers are back,” he says, setting down.
“Yeah how so?” She asks, looking up from what she's doing.
“Well I went out to the mesa today to do a head count, and the herd is down fifty head out there.”
Logan leans back in her chair and says, “well it sounds as though Mr. Tass Jones has started his security work for Henry.”
“Yeah that's what I'm thinkin' too.”
“Okay. We gotta stop this once and for all, so tomorrow morning you and I need to ride out there and stay, so we can catch these guys red handed stealing our cows.”
“You think John will want to go along?”
“Nooo!” She says, then laughs. “Whatever gave you that idea? I'm sure he will, we'll ask him tonight at dinner. Make it like it's his idea to go along with us.”
“The thing is we're gonna have to stay out there, so we make sure we catch these clowns in the act. Who knows Gavin, if Jones has a price on his head we may make some extra money.”
He laughs, “that would be nice.”
THAT EVENING AT DINNER, Logan and Gavin told John that the rustling had started again. They told him they were sure that Tass Jones has something to do with it, and what they're planning on doing to stop the rustling, once and for all. They said to John that they'd like to have him come along, but only if he wanted too.
He responds without hesitation, saying that he definitely wants to go with them, and would have been greatly disappointed if they hadn't ask him. He also said that once they catch the rustlers, and find that Jones is doing it at Henry's bidding. He'll make damn sure that Henry gets punished for this misdeed.
“Missy do you remember that first night you were here, and you, me and Bill Chatfield, were out on the porch after dinner talking about Henry being behind the rustling.”
“Yes I do.”
“Well we'll get these damn rustlers, and Jones, and we'll prove our theory right, that Henry is behind the rustling.”
“But why is he doin' this Mr. Sanderson? Isn't the Running 'B' a big enough spread for Henry? What does he have to gain from stealing a few of your cows,” Gavin asks?
“Greed Gavin. He wants to put us out of business. He wants it all. As Missy here'll tell you, it costs us a lot of money every time someone steals our cattle. After a while it begins to take it's toll. You know now after working here for sometime, that Sanderson's Hill is prime grazing land, the Running 'B' is not. He wants this ranch for his own, so he can have this prime land, and have control over this part of the territory.”
“And he's shown his true colors by hiring Jones,” Logan says. “He figures that by having Jones do this dirty work, it'll put enough of a squeeze on us, that we'll be begging him to take over our ranch. Plus as you saw him, when he stopped by the party a couple of months ago. He hates me for some reason, and he can't wait
for me to fail. Though I've never done anything to the man.”
Logan pauses, then says, “you know though, I can't help but think that there may be more to Henry Baker than meets the eye”
“What do you mean,” John asks?
“Well remember at the party, you questioned him about paying for land, and he told you to mind your own business. I'm not sure, but I bet he's working some sort of scheme. I bet we'll find that out in the long run,” she says. “I also think he ain't as rich as everyone thinks, and he stealing our cattle, because he wants Sanderson's Hill.”
“You know I think you're probably right, but we gotta prove all of this by catching the rustlers,” John says.
Gavin shakes his head in agreement.
“Then it's settled we'll head out at first light. I'll have George and Timmins pack our provisions tonight,” Logan says.
Then Catherine, who has been listening to all of this asks, “how long do you think it'll take?”
Logan says, “as long as we have to be out there.”
“You'll be careful won't you,” she asks? Looking directly at Logan.
“Yes I, we will. Don't worry.” Logan assures her, correcting herself in mid sentence, realizing that Catherine's concern was directed at her.
AFTER FOUR DAYS OUT by on the mesa and their provisions beginning to run low, Logan, Gavin, and John wonder where the rustlers are. Logan wonders if they aren't working some other area of the ranch. They haven't heard anything that would indicate that. Before she left for the Mesa, with Gavin and John. Logan left instructions with their ramrod Brock, to come and tell her immediately if there was any cows missing, other than stays that have wandered off to someplace else on the ranch.
But all this waiting around makes Logan restless. She's not very good at it, as a matter of fact she hates it. Logan is a doer, and likes to stay busy.
“What's wrong with you girl,” John asks? “You been fidgety as hell all day.”
“I have?”
“Yeah you have. Hasn't she?” John says, looking at Gavin
Gavin is shaking his head yes, that he agrees.
“What's the problem? You don't like our company Missy?” John teases.
“No, its not that at all,” she says. “I got a ranch to run. Remember? I been out here for four days now and no rustlers. You two don't need my help anyway, I'm gonna have to get back and get to work. I got a round up to get into high gear and cattle drive to plan for, if we're gonna eat this winter.”
Then she adds, “Besides I'm tired of bein' cold, and sleepin' on this hard ground again, and eating nothing but that damn beef jerky. If I eat another piece of it I'll puke.”
The both men laughed out loud.
“And here all this time we thought you was tougher 'n' other girls,” John chides her.
“Yeah well it's your fault,” she says, teasing John back.
“My fault!”
“Yep you and Catherine along with him,” she says looking at Gavin. “You've all spoiled me.”
Then she smiles at John and Gavin with a big wide grin on her face.
“Seriously guys, I need to get back.”
“Yeah you're right,” John says, and pauses looking at her. “Well go dammit! What are you standin' around here waitin' for? My permission? Which you don't need at all. You know that.”
She smiles at him gets up and kisses Gavin on the cheek, then mounts Warrior, and rides off, turning to wave at them as she leaves.
Both men wave back, and watch her ride off and over a rise and out of sight. Each with his own thoughts about Logan. John shakes his head then looks at Gavin and says, “you know I love that girl, but she can be so damn...”
“Stubborn. One headed,” Gavin says, with a chuckle. Finishing John's sentence for him, as they both laugh.
“Yeah. And you otta know better 'n' anybody else, cause you're closer to her than anybody else.”
“Yeah your right about that,” Gavin says, with a laugh.
Then they are both quiet, as they think about Logan in different ways. For Gavin she is his love, his lover. She is his close companion, and now after a year apart, they finally seem to be ready to settle down with each other. Gavin knows that spite of all her toughness and tenacity, she is a beautiful soul of a girl inside.
For John as he thinks of her riding away back to the ranch. She is a daughter to him and to Catherine now. Jennifer who died, was their born daughter. But John thinks about the one that may have been, the one he and Catherine lost at birth, still born, two years before they had Jennifer. That child was a girl too, and John thinks, she may have turned out like Logan, had she been allowed to live.
CHAPTER TWENTY- FIVE
Meanwhile at the Running 'B', Tass Jones rides up in front of the Baker ranch accompanied by four other riders.
“Wait here,” he tells them, and dismounts.
He walks up to the front door and starts to knock, and again is met by Brittany first. Henry is right behind her, he saw Jones and his men ride up, he's been expecting them.
“Tass, come in. I've been waiting for you to stop by.”
Brittany has gone off toward the stairway to go up to her room, where she's packing her belongings to leave. She and her father have been having strong disagreements lately, as to how he's been conducting his business ventures in the area. She and Jay are preparing to leave, together, unbeknownst to her father.
Jay has quickly become disgruntled at his new position. He has learned from the cowhands what Henry is up too. He heard from all of them, that Jones approached each of them about helping him rustle cattle from Sanderson's Hill. They all refused telling Jones that they signed on to be cowhands, not cow thieves. As a matter of fact from the few men remaining at the Running 'B,' Jay has quickly learned that the Running 'B' is a rip-off and con. He has learned that there are no European investors, as Henry claims, to pay for the recent purchases of land in the area. As a matter of fact, Baker really only had enough money to mortage the house he's living in.
Now rather than get involved in a con game that he wants no part of. He and Brittany have decided that they would be better off, leaving the area, rather than having to defend her father, and his criminal associate, Tass Jones.
When Jay was told about Jones, he again had the same sick feeling about his job as he did before at Sanderson's Hill, but for a different reasons. He's not a criminal, and will not steal from good people that he knows. Nor does he want Brittany to be involved in any of Henry's schemes either. So they're leaving as soon as she's packed. They're leaving the Rio Doso area, and getting as far away as possible.
Jones is in Henry's office, again the door is closed. Henry doesn't want anyone to hear their conversation.
“I see you finally got some reliable help. What took you so long Tass? You've been in the area for almost two months now.”
“Well Mr. Baker, it's like this. Those first three men quit after one time, cause they didn't want anymore of rustling cows from the Sandersons. Everyone around here has too much respect for them. Besides, they all fear Logan and Gavin, and those guys knew about those two. It's a tough sell, so I had to do some travelin' to find more men willing to help me. Who didn't know that much about Sanderson's Hill ranch, or the fact that Logan is runnin' the place. I didn't tell them about her, cause I wasn't sure they'd heard of her or Gavin. Is that a good enough reason Henry? Cause if you don't want me to still do this, then.”
Henry listened and accepted Jones's explanation as to why it took him so long to find men who were will to rustle cows. He too knows how much the Sandersons are respected in the area. That's why he's been as indiscreet as he possibly could, about being behind the rustling at the Sanderson ranch.
“Alright Tass I believe you,” he pauses. “Now here's what I want you and your men to do.”
Baker told Tass to go back out to the mesa, to start the rustling of John's cows again. He told him to be extra careful this time, because he was sure that Gavin has found out about the orig
inal fifty head he'd stolen earlier. He's also sure he's told Logan about it, so he tells Tass that they could be waiting for him. Jones being the wily criminal that he is, tells Henry he's aware of this.
“You promised me an advance so I can pay my men.”
“Yes, yes I did,” Henry responds, and then goes over to his safe and unlocks it, and hands Jones a fist full of cash.
“Two thousand? Jones questions.
“Yes you'll get the rest as soon as you finish the job.”
Jones doesn't like it, but takes what he's been given and leaves the house. He mounts up and he and his men leave, but he doesn't pay them either, keeping the cash he just got from Henry for himself.
Brittany is watching them from the stairway landing. Jones gives her the creeps, and she knows what her father has hired him for. She has in fact been suspicious for a longtime about her father's business activities, and those suspicions have been confirmed in her conversations with Jay.
Henry turns and sees her standing at the top of the stairs, “Brittany would you come down here please,” He says, sternly.
She comes slowly down, he's waiting for her at the bottom.
“From here on in Brittany I will answer the door when Mr. Jones comes here. Understand?”
She looks at her father with a leery look on her face, and shakes her head. There's a knock on the door. Brittany knows it's Jay. So she quickly runs back up the stairs to retrieve her bag, to take with her what she could carry.
Henry opens the door, “Jay,” he says. “What is it you want?”
“Brittany.”
He motions Jay in. They say nothing to each other. There is ice between the two men, because Jay knows about Henry's illegal activities, stealing cows from Sanderson's Hill.
