Indiana Wild E-Book

S.E. Smith

• Herausgeber: Montana Publishing LLC
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Serie: Spirit Pass
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 374

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

A western romance as wild as they come....
As a 21 year-old woman, Indiana is shocked and furious at the court order giving her oldest brother guardianship over her. He is determined to tame her spirit and bring her to live with him in Los Angeles, where she and the money she is inheriting will be incredibly useful to his plans for his own future. So Indiana turns to the only place she feels at home—the wide-open spaces of Montana... but a trip through Spirit Pass takes Indiana further than she ever expected… by almost a hundred and fifty years.
Jonathan Tucker is tough, but he's fair. He and his twin brother have a successful horse and cattle ranch in the harsh Montana territory. When rustlers try to steal his cattle and shoot one of his men, he is grateful to the young boy named Indy who comes to the rescue, even if the boy does have an attitude, so Jonathan gives him a job. The boy certainly seems to know what he's doin'. The way he's trained his horses and dogs is almost spooky. Secrets will out though, and it isn't long 'til Jonathan finds out the 'boy' is in fact a fully grown, independent female who is not afraid to voice her opinions and stick to 'em! She's as wild as the untamed land around them and he is determined she'll be his wife.
Life can be dangerous though, and when Indiana is taken from him, Jonathan finds he will do whatever it takes to bring Indy home for good, even if it means following her to the future.
Internationally acclaimed S.E. Smith presents a new action-packed story full of romance and adventure. Brimming with her signature humor, vivid scenes, and beloved characters, this book is sure to be another fan favorite!
Main Content: 73,032 words, 198 (6x9) pages
Romance (love, explicit sexual content, western, captured) | Paranormal (Magic, Time Travel) | Contemporary | Historical | Action/Adventure | Fantasy

Leseprobe

Indiana Wild

Spirit Pass Book 1

S.E. Smith

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my husband Steve for believing in me and being proud enough of me to give me the courage to follow my dream. I would also like to give a special thank you to my sister and best friend, Linda, who not only encouraged me to write, but who also read the manuscript. Also to my other friends who believe in me: Julie, Jackie, Christel, Sally, Jolanda, Lisa, Laurelle, Debbie, and Narelle. The girls that keep me going!

And a special thanks to Paul Heitsch, David Brenin, Samantha Cook, Suzanne Elise Freeman, and PJ Ochlan—the awesome voices behind my audiobooks!

—S.E. Smith

INDIANA WILD

Copyright © 2013 by Susan E. Smith

First E-Book Publication April 2013

Cover Design by Melody Simmons

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission from the author.

All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations are strictly coincidental.

Summary: Indiana is avoiding her controlling brothers and their greed at the Montana ranch where she grew up when she takes a trip through the Spirit Pass and winds up a hundred and fifty years in the past.

ISBN: 9781484834619 (kdp paperback)

ISBN: 9781078731102 (BN Paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-942562-18-4 (eBook)

Romance (love, explicit sexual content, western, captured, dubious consent) | Paranormal (Magic, Time Travel) | Contemporary | Historical | Action/Adventure | Fantasy

Published by Montana Publishing, LLC

& SE Smith of Florida Inc. www.sesmithfl.com

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Additional Books

About the Author

Synopsis

Indiana Wild is as wild as the Montana ranch she was raised on. The youngest of four children, she was a delightful surprise for her older parents. She spends her time training horses and cow dogs and loving the freedom of the wide open spaces. When her grandfather dies, she finds her much older brothers have different plans for the ranch she calls home and for Indiana.

Indiana’s oldest brother is determined to tame Indiana and bring her to live with him in Los Angeles, where he can keep an eye on her and the money she is inheriting. He believes with a little taming, he can control the wild spirit of his little sister and find her a good husband who can manage her.

Furious with the court order giving her older brother's guardianship over her, Indiana turns to the only place she feels at home…. the wide-open spaces of Montana. She is determined to avoid her controlling brothers and their greed, even if it means hiding from them until they give up. An unexpected trip through Spirit Pass takes Indiana further than she ever expected…. by almost a hundred and fifty years.

Jonathan Tucker is as tough as they come. He and his twin brother have cut a successful horse and cattle ranch in the harsh Montana territory. When cattle rustlers try to steal his cattle and shoot one of his men, he is grateful to the young boy named Indy who comes to the rescue, even if the boy does have an attitude. The last thing he expects is to find the ‘boy’ is in fact an independent, freethinking, stubborn female who is not afraid to voice her opinions. She is as wild as the untamed land around them and he is determined she is the wife for him.

When Indiana is taken from him, Jonathan finds he will do whatever it takes to bring his Indiana Wild home for good, even if it means following her to the future.

Chapter One

“How could you? How could you do this to me?” Indy whispered in disbelief, staring at her brothers as if she had never seen them before.

“Indiana, it’s for your own good,” Hayden said sternly. The oldest of the four Wild family kids, he was also a successful attorney in California. “Grandfather was old and senile. A new will needed to be done. It was well within our rights for me to help him draft the new one.”

“Grandfather was not senile! You bullied him into signing the papers making you his legal guardian. We were doing just fine until you came out and stuck your nose in our business,” Indy said angrily.

“Now Indy, you know Hayden is right. We were only thinking of your best interests,” Gus said, leaning forward as if to pat Indy on the knee.

“Touch me Gus and I’ll slice your greedy fingers right off your thieving hands,” Indy said through clenched teeth.

“Indy, there is no need to speak to Gus like that,” Matthew said, moving a little further away from where she was sitting.

“Shut up, Matt. You are nothing but an opportunist gambler who sees another way to support your lifestyle. You’ll blow your inheritance in less than a year and be begging at Hayden’s door for more,” Indy said coldly.

Indiana “Indy” Wild looked at her three older brothers in anger and disbelief. She couldn’t believe they had been so underhanded as to steal the only place she had ever called home from her. Hayden sat looking at her from behind her grandfather’s old desk. The oldest at forty-seven, he was an imposing figure taking over their father’s side of the family. He was six foot one with broad shoulders and a slight pouch around the middle from all the days of sitting in courtrooms making millions. His dark brown eyes stared at her coolly as he waited for her to calm down.

Calm down like hell, Indy thought dispassionately. He just wants me to sign on the dotted line so he can add more millions to his bank account.

Hayden had come to the Wild Ranch in Montana six months ago when their grandfather had a slight stroke. Until then, it had been ten years since he had returned and then only to bury their grandmother and parents who were killed in a car accident. Indy had no idea that during the two weeks he was there he had their grandfather sign a new will and other documents giving him power of attorney.

Indy glared at her brothers, feeling her stomach tighten with nerves. She had been a surprise to her delighted parents when her mother became pregnant unexpectedly in her forties. There was a twenty year difference between her and her youngest brother, Matthew. She was twenty-two to his forty-two.

Her parents raised all of them on the ranch, living in the same house as her grandparents. When her parents died, her grandfather took over raising her since her older brothers had their own lives to live. It had worked out well. Indy had always been close to her grandfather, and after the accident, they had grown even closer. While Indy’s brothers left as soon as they were old enough to live elsewhere, Indy never planned on leaving. She loved every aspect of ranch life from the cattle, to the horses, to the old cowpunchers that came and went each year.

“Indy, accept it. The ranch has already been sold. You will receive a sizable amount of money which should help you. The money will be set up in a trust account and you will receive monthly checks until you reach the age of twenty-five. At that time, you will receive the full amount. The company that purchased the ranch will take over at the end of the month. Everything goes to them except personal belongings, of course. I have made sure you have enough money to cover your first six months of living expenses so you can find a job. I suggest you plan on attending graduate school. You will have a better potential for finding a job with a higher level degree. If you need funds to cover it, I can release them as I have control of your trust fund.”

She just stared at Hayden in disbelief as he continued describing how he was taking over the ranch, her money from the sale, and her life. Gus fidgeted in his seat as he watched the emotions crossing Indy’s face. Out of the three brothers, Gus at forty-five was the most compassionate of the three. He was married to a nice woman and had four kids. He was currently working at Montana State University as a math teacher.

“Indy, you can come live with Marge and me in Billings. Bob and Todd are moving out to go to college and their rooms will be open. You might like it there,” Gus said quietly.

Indy’s eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall. She would be damned if she would give any of them the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Standing and walking over to the window, she stared out over the mountains she loved so much.

“That won’t be necessary,” Indy said quietly.

She kept her shoulders straight. She knew there was nothing she could do. Hayden wasn’t just good as an attorney; he was cut-throat good. He would have made sure he had all his bases covered before he presented the sale of the ranch to her. Her other two brothers didn’t give a damn about the ranch. Gus, though the nicest of the three, needed the money to pay for his kids’ college tuitions. Matthew just wanted the money to live the good life in Vegas and would be broke before the year was out. Hayden, well, he was just greedy.

“Midnight, Kahlua, Chester, and Tweed are mine. I paid for them out of my own money. They go with me,” Indy said with her back still turned. Midnight and Kahlua were two horses she had bought and trained for rounding. Chester and Tweed were her two cow dogs. “I’ll have my stuff out and be gone within the next two weeks.”

“I took the liberty of looking at several places you might be interested in living at….” Hayden began.

Indy turned sharply, staring coldly into Hayden’s eyes. “Hayden, you can take your liberties and stick them up your ass. I go where I want, when I want. I don’t need your or anyone else’s help. Once I’m out of here, I don’t give a damn if I ever see any of you again. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some packing to do,” Indy said in a stiff voice.

Indy walked out the door of her grandfather’s office. She felt numb inside as she headed toward the stairs and her bedroom. It wouldn’t take her long to pack as she didn’t own much. She had never needed much living on the ranch. Anything she had ever wanted, the ranch had supplied.

“I think that went well. What about you guys?” Matthew said as he watched Indy walk out the door.

“Matt, sometimes you can be such an ass,” Gus said as he stood up. “We shouldn’t have done it this way to Indy. This ranch is all she has ever known. We should have discussed what we planned with her.”

“You are too soft on her, Gus,” Hayden said, pulling all the paperwork together and placing it in a large envelope. “This ranch is worth a fortune and we were lucky to be able to sell it for what we did. Indy will adjust. This is no place for a young girl anyway. Once she calms down, I’ll let her know I took the liberty of purchasing her a condo in Los Angeles. She’ll thank us one day,” Hayden said as he stood up and brushed an imaginary piece of lint from the pants of his expensive Armani suit.

“Los Angeles?” Gus stared in disbelief at Hayden. “You can’t put Indy in the middle of a big city! She hates cities.”

“As I said before, she’ll adjust,” Hayden said grimly before heading out the door. “I have to fly back to L.A. tonight as I have a case on Monday morning. I’ll let Sam know to make sure Indy has everything packed and moved out by the end of the month. I’ll let you know when the final payment for the ranch has been made and make sure it is deposited into your accounts.”

Chapter Two

“Indy, are you sure about this?” Sam Whitewater asked for the third time as he handed her another pack. “Winter is still upon us and it can be brutal out there. What if we get a late winter storm?”

Indy ignored Sam for a moment as she cinched the ties onto the packs she had loaded on Kahlua. She had enough gear to last her a couple months if she was careful. The air was still frigid from the snow that fell last night. It had been a light dusting though and shouldn’t hold her up. The horses and dogs could easily handle it. Staring out at the mountains to the west, she knew her brothers would think she was just being difficult, unreasonable, and immature, but she knew differently. When she had read the letter from Hayden last night, it had taken everything in her not to call him up just to cuss him out. It wouldn’t make any difference anyway. How did you cuss the devil out? He just enjoyed your pain.

“Sam, I’ll come by your place sometime in early spring to visit and resupply. I know how to survive in the mountains so don’t worry. I had the best teacher after all,” Indy said with a slight curve to her lips.

“You’re damn right you did. Now you make me wish I hadn’t taught you so well,” Sam replied sadly. “Your brothers do not understand your heart. Hayden would never have demanded you move to the city if he did.”

Indy had shown Sam and his wife, Claire, the letter she received. Hayden had gone before a judge and had a court order giving him guardianship of Indy until she was twenty-five on the basis she was unable to make clear, rational decisions ensuring her mental and physical health and finances. She had been ordered to live with him at his L.A. home until further notice. A certified copy, delivered by the local sheriff along with an airline ticket, had been enclosed. In addition, the document stated any livestock or animals were to be placed in the care of the new owners of the Wild Ranch until further notice by her guardian.

Indy stared out at the mountains for another moment before she called out to Chester and Tweed. Pulling her gloves on tighter and securing her hat, she mounted Midnight. She reached down, taking the lead rope for Kahlua that Sam held out.

She looked down at Sam with a sad smile. “I would rather live in the mountains for the next couple of months to a year before I live in a city. Hayden might cause a fuss, but they won’t find me. I’ll be moving around a lot, so don’t bother trying to look for me. This way, if Hayden asks, you don’t know anything,” Indy said quietly, looking at the man who understood her better than her own family.

Sam observed the young woman sitting upon the solid black horse with a mixture of sorrow and respect. She had chosen a hard path most men couldn’t survive. He knew she could. She had been raised to be a part of the land and would die anywhere else.

Lifting a beaded necklace from around his neck, he handed it to Indy. “Okoblaya icimani. Peaceful journey, little one,” Sam said sadly, gazing up at his slender goddaughter.

Indy grasped the necklace tightly in her fist before sliding it into her pocket. “Wowahwa.Atewaye ki. Peace, my father,” Indy replied with a tight smile.

With a click of her heels, Indy moved off slowly, heading for the mountains looming far to the west. She knew she could die, but figured she had a choice this way. She could die on the land she loved, doing what she was born to do or let her spirit die a slower, more painful death at the hands of her brother in a city. She had a much better chance of surviving in the mountains.

It had taken her two days to reach the mountains. She had to keep moving, using as many different methods as possible so she couldn’t be tracked. She had headed out through the lower cattle pastures first, making sure her tracks were mixed in with those of the cattle. It hadn’t snowed again so she couldn’t use it to help her.

Once she was closer to the mountains, she moved along the river where the ground was harder and didn’t leave as many tracks. She crossed over the river and headed up the mountain following little used trails Sam had taught her about when she was younger. There were a number of caves and shallow rock overhangs she could use for shelter in the higher regions.

She would head north now. There was a huge ranch on the other side of the mountain range. Maybe she could hire on as a cowpuncher in the spring. If she kept a low profile, she should be alright. By then, Hayden should have given up looking for her.

The snow had gotten deeper as she moved further up, and light snow flurries mixed with the heavy snow that was falling. Tweed and Chester ran ahead, bouncing up and down. If it became too difficult for them, she would have to make a sled to pull them on. For now, though, they acted like the two year old Australian Cattle dogs they were.

Days turned into weeks and before Indy knew it almost a month had passed. It was getting to be late March. She was close to a hundred miles from her grandfather’s ranch from her calculations. She had to stop a few times for several days as late winter storms blew through the upper elevations.

Luckily, she had purchased specialized camping gear several years ago made just for the cold Montana winters. The arctic tent and sheet metal stove had kept her, Tweed, and Chester nice and warm. She had extra tarps she had strung up to make a portable lean-to for the horses.

She had supplemented her food supplies with small animals she had trapped or the dogs had run down. The first two weeks had been the worst. She had heard the sound of planes making a crisscrossing pattern and knew Hayden had discovered her missing. She had to travel mostly at night during that time until she moved out of their search field. Once, she heard dogs far off in the distance. She had put Tweed and Chester up onto Midnight and Kahlua and used a small stream to help hide their scent. After the third week, she figured she was far enough away to be safe and had been able to gain more ground during the daylight hours.

It wasn’t until she reached Spirit Pass that she felt totally safe. Sam had told Indy about it when she was little. He had brought her up here only once and told her of the legend of Spirit Pass.

It is said those who travel through the sacred ground would complete a journey that would change their lives. When Indy asked what type of journey, Sam had told her he once had traveled through the Pass only to find himself in another world. There he had met Claire and fallen in love. The world he found himself in had been a dangerous place, for red man and white man did not like each other.

Claire had been traveling with her family when her parents and little brother had taken ill. Her parents had died, leaving Claire and her little brother alone. Sam had come upon them lost and frightened on the other side of the mountains. He helped Claire nurse her brother back to health.

During that time, Claire and Sam had fallen in love, and Sam had convinced Claire to come back with him over the mountains where he owned the ranch next to her grandfather. Indy had always liked Claire. She had always acted like a second mother to Indy, teaching her stuff like how to cook using ingredients not found in a box. Those lessons had come in very handy over the last couple of weeks.

“Come on guys. Once we get through the pass we should be safe. We’ll head down to the lower elevations where it shouldn’t be so cold. Maybe we can find work on a ranch,” Indy said, suddenly excited. Tweed and Chester wagged their tails as if to agree and took off ahead of her.

Laughing, Indy nudged Midnight on with Kahlua following behind. The cut through the pass was long and narrow. Indy looked up as small rocks and bits of snow fell off the sides. She vaguely wondered what world she would end up in. She hoped it was one with wide open spaces, no big cities, and no big brothers.

The air around her swirled and a cold shiver ran down her spine as she passed the halfway mark. Turning on Midnight’s back, Indy looked behind her. She was surprised to see a mist of snow so thick she couldn’t see the entrance to the Pass any longer. Shrugging her shoulders, she turned back around and focused on the path ahead of her.

Yeah, she thought to herself, it would be nice to find a world where I can be who I am and not have to worry about my brothers anymore.

Indy made good time after she made it through the Pass down to the lower elevation. She stopped on a ridge about half way down to take a break and give the horses and dogs time to rest. She sank down, sitting on the ledge looking out over the valley below. It was beautiful. There were patches of snow dotting the landscape and probably a hundred head or more of cattle grazing.

She would make camp down near the timberline and scope things out before she approached the ranch. She wanted to make sure it was safe. She hoped her brothers hadn’t sent notices out to all the ranches.

She decided she would take it slow and see if she could find a cowpuncher or two alone. She would approach them and make polite conversation, checking to see if they said anything. If they didn’t, she would see if there were any positions open. If they did say something or acted strange, she would head back up into the mountains to hide.

Chapter Three

Indy set up her tent and just a top covering for the horses’ lean-to. It was warmer down here and she could keep their blankets on them to help keep them warm at night. She spent the next three days enjoying the peace and quiet of the woods.

She took the opportunity to wash some of her clothes out in the nearby river and even warmed up enough water to take a nice shower using the portable solar shower she had. It felt good to wash her hair out and feel clean again.

“Come on boys; let’s go see if we can find us any cowpunchers to talk to,” Indy said as she saddled Midnight. She looped the lead rope over Kahlua’s neck, knowing the mare would follow Midnight anywhere.

Riding down to the lower region, she was almost to the stream crossing over to the cattle when she heard gunfire. Pulling in the reins, she listened carefully as the gunfire continued. Moving across the stream to a low rise on the hill above them, she slipped off Midnight’s back and motioned for the dogs to lie down.

Pulling out a pair of binoculars from a saddlebag, she lay down on the cold ground and looked to see what was going on. It was downright stupid to be shooting guns around that many cattle. It wouldn’t take much to start a stampede.

Indy watched as three men on horseback charged at another two who had been sitting around a fire under one of the few trees dotting the landscape. One of the men on horseback fired a gun, hitting the old man in the chest.

Oh shit, Indy thought, stunned as she watched the man fall backwards onto the ground.

The young man who had been sitting moved to grab the injured man and dragged him behind the tree, firing his own gun at the masked man on horseback. Indy turned her binoculars towards the other two men. They were trying to round the cattle up.

Rustlers? In broad daylight? That took some balls, she couldn’t help thinking silently to herself.

Swinging her binoculars back to the two men who had been sitting under the tree, she could tell they were in a world of hurt. The scene playing out below her had to be real, she thought in dismay as she watched bark flying from the tree and the trail of blood on the ground.

Getting up, Indy motioned for the dogs to go after the cattle. “Round ‘em up, boys,” she said grimly.

Indy swung up onto Midnight’s back and pulled her Ruger semi-automatic rifle from her saddle. Laying it across her lap, she kicked Midnight into a full run, knowing Kahlua would be right behind her. Charging at the masked man shooting at the two men behind the tree, she stood up in the stirrups to get a steadier ride, clutching the saddle with her knees to keep her balance.

Raising the rifle, she let out a series of shots close enough in front of him to let him know she meant business. The masked man on the horse swung around, startled to find someone shooting at him from behind. The young man behind the tree took advantage of the rustler’s sudden distraction. He stepped out from behind the tree and fired a shot, hitting the man in the arm and causing him to drop his gun.

The masked gunman yelled out in pain, clutching his wounded limb against his chest. Unarmed now, the man pulled back on the reins and headed after the other two men who had tried to take the cattle. He rode through the herd, which was heading back towards the camp, the two dogs barking and nipping at their heels.

Indy pulled her jacket up higher around her neck and pulled her hat further down. She needed to check on the two cowpunchers to make sure they were okay, but didn’t want to take the chance of them recognizing her. She would play it safe for now by keeping her face covered as much as she could. Hopefully, if her brothers put out posters looking for her, they didn’t include anything about her traveling companions.

Midnight slowed to a walk with Kahlua right on his hind quarters as Indy approached the tree. The last thing she wanted was to get shot. Stowing her rifle back into the gun harness attached to her saddle, she held up her hands to show she was unarmed.

“That’s far enough!” a young voice called out from behind the tree.

“I’m unarmed. I just wanted to make sure you two cowpunchers were okay,” Indy called out, trying to deepen her voice. “Looked like one of you might have been hurt.”

A gruff voice murmured something to the young man. “Get down off your horse and keep your hands up,” the younger man called out.

Indy slowly lowered her hands long enough to get down without falling before raising them again and taking a step toward the young man.

“Do you need some help?” Indy asked.

A young boy of about fourteen slowly emerged from behind the tree. He looked scared and the gun in his hands shook as he pointed it towards Indy’s chest. He took a deep breath as he studied Indy for a moment.

“Jake took a bullet to the shoulder. You know anything about bullets?” the boy asked.

Indy tried not to smile. “I know if you keep pointing that gun at me, I might be learning more about them than I want to.”

The boy flushed as he lowered the gun in his hand. “Sorry about that. Didn’t know if you were with them others or not.”

“’Not’ is the correct answer,” Indy said. “Let me take a look at your friend. The boys will bring your cattle back.” Indy walked slowly towards the boy and around the tree where she saw an older man in maybe his early fifties leaning up against the tree. Blood soaked one shoulder and he held a gun in his other hand.

“Hey, looks like you’ve had a rotten morning,” Indy said huskily. Bending down, she carefully looked at the man’s shoulder.

“Hell, that’s an understatement if I ever heard one,” Jake replied in a deep, pain-filled voice.

“Looks like the bullet went all the way through. I’ve got some first aid stuff to patch you up with until we can get you to a doctor,” Indy said, rising and moving over to the pack on Midnight.

“Did you know any of those men who came at you?” Indy asked as she gently unbuttoned Jake’s shirt.

Pushing the shirt down, Indy cleaned the area around the wound carefully before pulling out a bottle of Novocain and a small syringe with a hypodermic needle attached. Filling the needle with a small amount, she gently numbed the area on the front and the back so she could sew up the wound. Taking an extra fine needle, she wiped it with an alcohol swab before threading it with stitching thread. Sam had taught her how to take care of cuts and other wounds while out on the range. Most of the time if you were going to get hurt, there wouldn’t be a doctor around, so it was common sense to learn advanced first aid. Indy had taken it a step further and had gone to college for nursing. She had finished her bachelor’s degree in a record two years because she hated being away from home for so long.

She quickly sewed up both wounds and wiped them down with another alcohol swab. Cleaning up the used material, she walked over to the fire and dumped everything but the hypodermic and suture needles into it. She would put it in a container to dispose of later.

“Shit, I didn’t feel a thing but a few pinches after you stuck me with that needle. What the hell did you do?” Jake asked in astonishment.

Indy laughed. “I thought you might prefer a less painful way of getting stitched up. I could have opted for the old fashioned stick between the teeth and hope you passed out if you would have preferred.”

“Hell no,” Jake grumbled. “My name’s Jake Turner. The boy here is Calhoun Tanner. We’re much obliged for your help.”

“No problem. I’m Indy.” Indy looked over to see if there was a flash of recognition on either man’s face. Not seeing anything, she turned to look out over the cattle. Tweed and Chester were barking madly, pushing the cattle into a tight circle. She let out a loud whistle, causing both dogs to stop and look towards her. With a flick of her hand, both dogs trotted away from the cattle and moved towards her.

“Cal, you did a good job. I owe you my life, pulling me out of the line of fire like that,” Jake growled out.

Cal turned red at the old man’s compliment. “Thanks, Jake. I hit one of ‘em, the one that shot you. I hit him,” he said excitedly.

“Know you did, boy. Good shooting. Boss men will be proud of you,” Jake said, turning to Indy. “Those are some dogs of yours. You train them?”

“Yes, sir. The one with the black patch around his eye is Tweed. The one with the brown face is called Chester. I’ve had both of them since they were born. They are the best cattle dogs in the country.” Indy knew that for a fact after the last rounding competition she had participated in a year ago when they had still been pups.

“The boss men are always looking for new hands. You need a job or you just passing through?” Jake asked curiously, looking a little closer at the kid in front of him. It was hard to see the kid’s face as he kept it turned slightly away and had his hat pulled down and collar pulled up. He didn’t look much older than Cal did. Still soft in the face like Cal was.

“Looking for a job. You think your bosses will hire me and the boys on?” Indy asked, nodding towards Tweed and Chester.

“Hell yeah, after what you saved them today. Those thieving butchers would have killed the two of us and took damn near a hundred head of cattle if it hadn’t been for you.” Jake spit into the dirt next to the tree.

“I’ve got to break camp. I can be back before nightfall if you think you can get me a job. This way it will also even out the odds if those men decide to come back,” Indy said, rising and moving towards Midnight.

“You wanted by the law, boy?” Jake asked suddenly, watching Indy carefully.

Indy jerked to a stop, not turning around at first. “Maybe.” Indy turned to look Jake in the eye. She never lied if she could help it and she wasn’t about to start because of her brothers. “I don’t lie, steal, or hurt other people. I just want to be left alone. There are some men looking for me. I would prefer it if they didn’t find me. Why they are looking is between me and them. If you have a problem with that I’ll head out now and keep going.”

Jake studied Indy for a moment, seeing the truth and pride in the kid’s stance. He believed Indy didn’t lie, steal, or hurt other people, not after the help he had been to them. He was of the mind if it wasn’t any of his business he stayed out of it. He just didn’t want to make a mistake that would cost his bosses.

“I don’t have any problems. Go get your stuff,” Jake replied with a nod.

Indy let out the breath she had been holding. She meant what she had said. If Jake had had a problem with what she had told him, then she would have gotten on Midnight and left, never to return. Now she was riding back to break camp. She knew instinctively she could trust Jake and Cal. They were good men.

It didn’t take Indy long to break camp as she had been doing it so much over the past month or so. In no time at all, she was heading back down the trail out of the timberline and towards the camp by the tree. It was just getting dark when she rode up. Cal was riding around the herd, making sure they were okay. He nodded as Indy rode by followed by her band of misfits. Pulling up near the fire, Indy slid from the saddle. She moved with quick, efficient steps, pulling her remaining supplies off of Kahlua’s back and removing the lead rope. Next, she pulled her saddle and bridle off of Midnight. Giving them both a hand signal, she watched as they moved off to join the cattle and graze.

“You train them too?” Jake asked as he stirred a thick stew in a pot over the fire with one hand. He had the other in a sling.

“Yes. I have something that will help you with the pain if you like,” Indy said, reaching for her saddlebag. She had noticed the tight lines around Jake’s mouth as he moved. She removed a couple of tablets, holding them out to him. “They won’t make you sleepy or anything, just cut the pain. You’ll feel a difference in about fifteen to thirty minutes,” she explained.

Jake took the two green gel tablets. He looked at them with a puzzled expression on his face. He didn’t question Indy about them, though he looked like he would have liked to. He swallowed both of them down with a swig of water from his canteen.

“How’d you learn so much about doctoring?” Jake asked.

“School and a friend,” Indy replied shortly, not wanting to say too much. “Tell me about the ranch and who you work for. You said ‘boss men’. How many own the ranch?”

Jake swallowed back the grin. He could tell an evasive move when he saw one. The lad didn’t want to talk about hisself. “Twin Rivers is the name of the ranch. It’s owned by twin brothers, Jacob and Jonathon Tucker. They mostly raise horses, but keep a nice stock of cattle for their own food supply. They have one of the largest ranches in the area.”

“How many men do they employ?” Indy asked, pouring a cup of coffee. She wrapped her gloved hands around it for warmth. It had cooled off considerably after the sun went down.

“About fifty at any given time,” Jake responded quietly. “Sometimes more, sometimes less. It’s hard to find good help out here. Most men are either passing through, looking to make a little money, or not cut out for the life,” he added, scooping up a bowl of thick stew and handing it to Indy.

Both of them turned when they heard Cal ride up. He quickly dismounted and pulled his saddle off. “Smells good, Jake. How you feelin’?” Cal asked as he grabbed a bowl and filled it with stew.

Jake looked up in surprise at Indy. “Good. Damn, lad, those pills you gave me took the pain away like you said. If’n I didn’t know better I would never have guessed I’d been shot this morning.”

Indy just grinned before taking another bite of the stew. She hadn’t missed the use of the word ‘lad’ again. Maybe his thinking her a boy would help her establish herself and give her time to make sure she was safe. “You said the Tuckers raised mostly horses. What type of horses?”

“Mostly Mustangs for the army and local ranches. They have a few race horses they breed and send back east,” Jake replied before letting out a loud belch.

Indy smothered a grin. She remembered having belching contests with Sam’s boys. She never seemed to win as she could never eat as much as they did.

They used to call her the runt because they all towered over her. Sam was tall for a Lakota. He stood at six foot one. All his boys were at least six two or three. Claire used to say it was from all the milk they used to drink.

Indy’s own five foot four was not nearly as impressive. She was small boned on top of that and it made her seem even smaller than she was. She had inherited her mother’s features. She had large dark green eyes framed by dark lashes. Her face was heart-shaped leading to the impression she was more feminine than she really was.

She had braided and covered her light brown hair streaked with sun-bleached blonde with a black bandana before covering that with her large Stetson. Her figure was hidden in layers of clothing. She wore a pair of light-weight thermal long Johns covered by her jeans and a pair of leather chaps. Her dark brown coat covered her almost to her knees and had a thick wool lining. She finished out her outfit with a thick scarf she kept tucked into the collar of her coat. She figured she probably looked about the same age as Cal.

Cal looked at Indy, then at Jake. “Do you think those men will be back tonight, Jake?”

“Might, though I doubt it.” Jake scratched his chin, the whiskers making a sound similar to someone rubbing sandpaper on a piece of wood. “Might want to take turns keeping watch.”

Indy nodded. “Jake, why don’t you take the first watch? Cal, I’ll take the second if you don’t mind. The boys will help out as well. I’ll set them to making the rounds and keeping an ear out.” Indy looked over at Tweed and Chester, with a flip of her hand they took off like ghosts in the night.

Cal looked at Indy in awe. “How’d you do that?”

“I trained them to protect me as well as the cattle. I studied guard dog training videos and read books, then spent hours and hours working with them on hand signals. Not all dogs are as good as those two. The boys and I have been together since they were born so there is a large amount of trust built into our relationship,” Indy replied.

It’s a shame that same thing can’t be said about my own brothers, she thought sadly.

Jake poured the remains of his cup into the fire before he stood up. “You two get some shut-eye. I’ll wake you at midnight, Indy.”

Indy nodded. She cleaned up the dirty dishes, stacking them neatly back into the box next to the tree. Pulling her sleeping bag out, she laid it near the fire. She would leave her boots on tonight. She didn’t need any surprise visitors in them when she went to put them on. Unzipping the thick bag, she pulled her coat off and rolled it up to use as a pillow before she slid in and zipped it back up. She hadn’t realized Cal was watching her with wide eyes until she had laid back down.

“What type of bed roll is that?” he asked, looking at her thick sleeping bag before glancing down at his thin wool blanket.

“It’s a thermal sleeping bag designed especially for cold weather country. I can zip myself in this puppy and stay warm in sub-zero temperatures if I have to. The worst part is getting out of it. It keeps you so warm, you don’t want to get up in the morning,” Indy said. “It also has a little extra padding so you don’t feel the ground as much,” she couldn’t help adding with a grin before rolling over. She might be a softy, but she had learned a long time ago never to give up her sleeping bag.

Jake woke Indy up at midnight, eyeing her sleeping bag with envy as he threw another log on the fire. Indy unzipped the bag and softly whistled for Midnight. The black horse was impossible to see at night. A moment later the sound of hooves could be heard.

Indy quickly saddled Midnight and led him out of the firelight before mounting him. She rode down toward the stream first to take care of her personal business. One thing she desperately missed about home was indoor plumbing. She would kill for a hot soak in a tub and a real toilet.

She spent the next four hours making the rounds. She motioned for Tweed and Chester to return to camp to stay near the men. If she was right, the two dogs would snuggle up next to each one of them. They loved to snuggle with her at night. At four she woke Cal to take over and crawled back into her sleeping bag. Chester quickly resumed his snuggling duty next to her since he’d lost Cal.

Indy rose early the next morning. She was just coming back from the stream again when she heard the sound of horses approaching. She pulled her toiletry bag closer to her and felt for the nine millimeter semi-automatic pistol she kept under her coat.

She quickly motioned for the dogs to go on alert. If they were expecting trouble, she would need the element of surprise. When she topped the rise, she could see a group of about six men. One of the men climbed down off his horse and shook hands with Jake and clapped Cal on the back. It looked like the men knew each other.

Indy rose and slid the nine millimeter handgun back into its holster. Pulling her hat further down to cover her face and pulling up her scarf so the lower half of her face was covered fairly well, she moved cautiously toward the group of men now standing around the fire.