ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:

"For once we're on the same sheet of music. I don't have the answer." Soni hesitated and turned her head as Goliath gave a low rumbled growl. She whispered, "I heard it too, boy."

Jim halted his horse, listened, pointed two fingers toward his eyes, and then to his left.

Soni nodded. Butkus brought Midnight's reins to his master and waited for instructions. Soni took the reins and tied them to Jim's saddle horn.

After dismounting, Jim removed his Glock from the holster, but didn't aim it. Soni joined him.


TODAY'S POST:

Soni grabbed her rifle and crept beside Jim. Goliath and Butkus were next to her. Silence filled the air as they both glanced up at the vultures circling overhead.

"Jim pointed above him. "This can't be good."

"I know."

They moved closer to the whimpers and snarls. Jim pushed aside sagebrush and scraggly tree branches. With her rifle aimed, Soni motioned for her two dogs to remain silent. Jim stepped back and whispered, "You have a shot?"

Soni nodded before she fired and took down the wolf-dog as he lunged for a young woman huddled beside a huge rock, clutching an infant to her breast.

Jim ran to the woman. "Are you alright?"

Soni stared at the woman. Her clothes were ragged and dirty. She's been beaten. She can't be much older than eighteen, if that old. Soni motioned for the dogs to lay down but stay alert.

Tears ran down the woman's cheeks as she shied away from Jim.

"I bet she doesn't speak English," Soni moved closer and knelt. "Hablas Ingles?" After the woman shook her head, Soni continued, "Coma te llamas?"

"Isabella," whispered the woman.

Soni nodded. "Cuantos anos tiene tu bebe?"

"Cinco meses de edad."

"The baby's five months old." Soni glanced at Jim.

"I know. I'm fluent in Spanish." Jim knelt beside Soni. As he did the woman flinched. Jim continued, "We need to find out if she's alone and how long she and the baby have been here. They look dehydrated. I'm calling for help."

"Estas solo? Cuanto tiempo llevas en el sierto?" Soni pointed at Jim, who was on his phone. "Mi amigo esta pidiendo ayuda."

"No llamar a las autoridades!" yelled Isabella. She tried to stand, but was too weak.

"She doesn't want you to call anybody." Soni stood beside Jim.

"I know. Tell her that her baby and she'll die out here." Jim continued his phone call.

"Usted y su bebe a morir aqui sin ayuda." Soni pointed in the direction they came from. "Voy enseguida. Dejeme darle comida y agua."

"You might as well bring the horses when you return with food and water." Jim put his phone away. "A helicopter will be here in about twenty minutes."

The vultures were waiting for them to die. I'm surprised the mountain lion hasn't paid them a visit.

After Soni returned with the horses and supplies, she watched Isabella give her child water, before she drank and ate. It wasn't long before the helicopter arrived. Isabella tried to get away. Soni assured her that everything would work out and that she would visit with her in the hospital.


Jim and Soni continued their journey toward the Rockin' A. Soni held Midnight's reins to give Butkus a break.

"Did you find out how old Isabella is and her child's name?"

"Emanuel. Isabella's a sixteen year old single mother. Her birthday'is next week. Her husband's cousin was a member of the Sinaloa Cartel. She said they wanted to recruit her husband so they fled Mexico hoping to get away. Yesterday they murdered him. They figured Isabella and Emanuel would die in the desert."

"What a tortured way to die! So part of the Sinaloa Cartel is in West Texas."

"You've heard of them?"

"I thought everybody had. They have small sectors that answer to a large syndicate. They're very well organized and deadly. If a family member is part of the cartel, then the whole family belongs to them. The helicopter pilot told me they think Isabella's husband's head was found." Jim stared straight ahead.

"His head?" Soni gulped. "Since Isabella's husband refused, they didn't have a chance."

"They sure didn't."

"I'll help them get citizenship and hire them on the ranch. I'm sure Tatiana would like some help. There's a small house south of the garden."

Jim shook his head. "You best stay out of it."