ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:

"Are you sure?" She paused for effect. "I guess being a Marine taught you a few things." Her arm went over his shoulder as she pointed. "Another shooting star."

Their eyes met. As their gaze continued, they moved slowly toward each other until their lips met.

The glancing high beam of headlights interrupted the couple's kiss as the vehicle preceded to the ranch house.


TODAY'S POST:

Soni quickly stepped back. "I'd better see who just drove up."

"Yeah, I guess we'd better." Jim took her hand, and they walked toward the house.

Each person avoided the other's eyes.

That wasn't really a kiss, was it? Soni glanced at her hand in Jim's. I guess it was. Probably the stress we've been under and the magical harvest moon and shooting stars caused it. It didn't mean anything, did it?

"Who do you think drove up?" Jim continued to look forward.

"I don't know." Soni laughed. "Maybe Grandfather got fed up in the hospital and took a taxi home."

"Jack would've called." Jim looked at his cell phone, making sure he didn't miss a call. "Nope."

As they got closer, Goliath ran to greet Soni. "Of course. I knew Alex and Gus were returning tonight." She continued to pet the Great Pyrenees. "Hello Mack. How you feeling?" She knelt down and rubbed his massive head.

At the house, Jim opened the door for Soni. She whispered, "Thank you," and then said, "Alex, did Midnight get settled?"

"He sure did. I left Diego there. They seemed to want to be together."

"Has his wound healed enough?"

"I explained how to care for it and told Dale Marshal to call if he had any questions." Alex smiled at Soni. "They'll be all right."

"I'm sure they will. Is Dale Marshal the owner of The 7 Lobos Ranch or the foreman?"

"He's the owner. I also spoke to the foreman and gave him very detailed instructions for both." Alex set his hat on a table. "Tatiana, get us some coffee. I need to hear about everything that's been going on around here."

"Coffee will keep you up. We all need a good night's sleep. I'll make hot cocoa and there are fresh cookies." Tatiana went into the kitchen. "Sit at the table. It won't take long."

The three sat around the table and discussed the weather and other non-important subjects. Jim and Soni ignored each other.

Finally, Alex placed both hands on the table. "What all has happened? Tatiana gave me a brief run down on the phone."

Jim relayed the information, as Tatiana placed cups of hot cocoa and a plate of cookies on the table.

"So what I'm hearing is we don't have problems with just one drug cartel, but three. Is that right?" Alex took a sip from his cup.

"As hard as it is to believe, it looks like it's true." Soni fingered cookie crumbs on her plate, and then her eyes met Alex's. "One of the men who broke into the house said I know his boss very well and stole something from him. Do you know anything about that?"

"Who's his boss?"

"He wouldn't share that information." Jim stood. "Is there more cocoa in the kitchen?"

Tatiana stood. "I'll get it."

Jim motioned for her to sit. "I can. Anybody else want more?"

Both Alex and Soni held their cups up. Jim acknowledged them with a nod.

Alex placed his hand on Soni's. "Sorry, I can't help unless I know who his boss is." He took a deep breath. "Where are our new house guests?"

"They're in the left back guest bedrooms. I didn't want them in the cottage until I'm sure it's safe."

After Jim set the hot cocoa cups down, he asked, "I was wondering about Midnight. There have been two attempts at horse stealing. Could somebody think he's theirs?"

"No way." Alex pointed toward the office. "In the safe, there are legal papers. Ray paid a fortune for that scoundrel."

"Did anybody want to buy him besides Soni's dad?"

"Not that I'm aware of. Who else would want that horse? He's ornery and only Soni can ride him." Alex held up his cup. "Thanks for the refill."

"I'm just trying to figure out who would have a grudge." Jim adjusted himself in the chair. "Did anybody besides Soni expect to inherit the ranch? Could Ray have had somebody you don't know about?"

Soni stared at Alex. "Please don't tell me Daddy wasn't who I thought he was."

Alex and Tatiana placed their hands on Soni's arm.

"No. Your dad was completely faithful to Jacali. When she died, part of Ray died with her. There could be nobody else." Tatiana's arm went around Soni's shoulder.

"She's right. If your dad had somebody on the side, I'd have known it." Alex thought for a while. "It's probably nothing, but it seems there was a struggle over the ownership of the ranch back in the 1830s. But this is 2015, and nobody's alive to know anything about it. It would have been cleared up by now."

"I never heard anything about that." Soni's eyes opened wider.

"That's because it's nonsense." Alex took a long drink of cocoa and a bite of cookie. "What's going on with you two? You've been avoiding each other like one of you has the plague. It's more than your usual banter. So what's the elephant in the room?"

Soni plopped a handful of marshmallows into her cocoa, and it over flowed. "I don't know what you're talking about."