ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:

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's 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."

TODAY'S POST:

"How can I? Somehow, I ended smack dab in the middle." Soni glanced at Midnight's reins in her right hand. "If this crazy horse hadn't been stolen, I wouldn't be involved." She studied Jim. "Since I rescued you from Big Grizzly, my life has been one disaster after another. Let's see, this Hughes guy's checking my employees for illegal workers and drugs, I was accused of using them, and then my horse was stolen and Diego was stabbed. What else will be next?"

"All of this is a coincidence, just coincidence," Jim said without emotion.

"Grandfather says there's no such thing as a coincidence. He's a very wise man."

"How much farther to your ranch?" Jim asked.

"We still have a solid day's ride. It doesn't seem like we're making much headway." Soni answered her phone. "All I did was get my horse back. Did you tell him I'd be home tonight?" She listened for a moment and then said good-bye.

"What's going on?" Jim studied Soni's expression, before he continued, "You're face says it isn't good."

"Robert Hughes heard I'd left the ranch. He's going to the reservation to see if Grandfather knows where to find me."

"Is the peyote test back?"

"Probably not. Nobody knows I left but my family and you. Who's feeding this man information?" Soni's eyes met Jim's.

"Don't get any ideas in your head. I've been with you. When have I had time to call anybody?"

"You called for people to pick up those thieves and you called for a helicopter to get Isabella and her child."

"Both of those were legitimate calls."

"But you could have made other calls before or after making them. I never knew I needed to monitor your calls. Dad always said I was too trusting."

Butkus and Goliath ran in front of both horses, sat, and glared. Both large dogs refused to move. Soni and Jim were forced to halt their horses.


"What's going on?" Jim asked. "Tell your dogs to move."

Soni released a deep breath. "I think they're tired of our conversation."

"What?"

"They don't want us arguing anymore."

"You have to be kidding?" Jim said under his breath, "I've never heard of such a thing."

"It's fine with me. I prefer silence anyway." When the dogs moved, Soni preceded forward.

"Suits me." Jim motioned for his horse to walk.

*****
After about a half mile, Jim asked, "What motive would I have to cause you trouble?"

Before Soni would respond, Goliath and Butkus stood in front of them again.

"If I reported anything, it would be those two." Jim pointed at the large breed dogs. "They're nuisances."

"The trick's to be smarter than the dogs." Soni smiled.

*****
As the sun started descending in the western sky, Soni dismounted Smokey and stretched. "Let's eat."

"Is there any way our two nannies could catch some rabbits? I'm starving."

Soni laughed. "I've heard these two called a lot of things, but nanny is new." She petted the heads of both dogs. "Go get dinner." She pointed, and both dogs left.

"I'll get some firewood." Jim turned, but when Soni placed her hand on his arm, he paused and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. We need to leave, now!" As Soni mounted her horse, she whistled for the dogs to return. They came running.

Jim followed. "Care to fill me in?"

"I can't. I don't know. It's a gut feeling." Soni hesitated. "Something isn't right, but I don't know who or where."