Background
Soni Adler owns the Rockin' A ranch. I35 goes through it. Drug & human traffickers use I35 for transportation to other parts of the US. Jacob Blackwood is an ICE agent. Can these two find love?
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ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:
Alex excused himself from the table and answered his cell. "What? How did that happen? Okay." He proceeded to sit, when another call came in. "You too?" Before he could put his phone away, a third call came. He grabbed his hat and faced Soni. "The buffaloes, longhorns, and brahmans are all stampeding. The buffaloes are headed toward the reservation."
"That's not possible. What could have set all the bovines in motion at once? They're miles apart." Soni set her fork down.
Kuruk stood and closed his eyes. "If man's involved, anything is possible."
TODAY'S POST:
Soni jumped to her feet and glared at Jim. He raised his good hand with palm out to his shoulder. "I had nothing to do with this."
"Again, I don't believe in coincidences." Soni ran toward the door. "Goliath, Mack, stay. I'll get the helicopter. Alex, you coming?"
*****
Predawn lit the eastern sky before Soni and Alex returned home. Soni went straight to her room and over her shoulder said, "I need a shower."
"Get some sleep. I'll tell Tatiana to hold breakfast for a few hours." Alex headed for his room.
Jim stepped from the guestroom. "Alex, what happened?"
"Don't know. No wild animal tracks or loud noises were reported. I think Kuruk was right. It seems men came and spooked all three herds at the same time. Since it was dark, there were too many tracks to know anything. We'll get a few hours sleep and then go back and see if we can find anything." Alex glanced at his watch. "We'll leave about 11:00."
"Were many lost?"
"Doesn't look like it. We were able to turn the buffalo away from the reservation. The helicopter was a huge help. I'm glad Soni talked her dad into one. It could've been a disaster if those buffalo ran over the reservation." Alex took his hat off and ran his fingers through his short graying hair. "Thanks for asking."
"Get some rest. You look wiped out. We'll talk later."
"I am." Alex continued to his room.
*****
Soni and Alex returned late afternoon. The two large white dogs and Tatiana met them at the door. Tatiana kissed her husband's cheek and asked, "What did you find out?"
"It seems fire spooked all the herds but was put out before anyone showed up." Soni slapped her hat against her thigh and watched the dust rise, before stepping inside. "Somebody has it out for us or at least for me. I hope it's not an inside job." Her eyes widened as she looked at Alex for assurance.
"I doubt it. The hands have accepted you as the owner and their boss. They were impressed with the way you worked the cattle last night and today."
Tatiana hugged Soni. "Ray always said you were as good a ranch hand as any man."
"Daddy was a little prejudiced."
Jim opened the door to the guest room. "Did I hear fire spooked the cattle?"
"It appears so." Alex walked to him. "At each location, brush had been recently burned. Some was still smoldering. As dry as it is, it was a risky move. This ranch could be covered with wild fires. I wonder if it wasn't some kind of warning."
"Do you have men watching to make sure a spark doesn't ignite anything?" asked Jim.
"We do." Soni studied her watch. "I guess I'd better get a shower. We're due at the reservation in an hour and a half." She went toward her room. "I could use a snack. I'm starved."
"Give me a minute and I'll have something for you." Tatiana headed for the kitchen.
"How big of a buffalo herd do you have?" Jim asked Alex.
"They aren't true buffalo. What we call American buffalo are bison. Theory has it anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 years ago they crossed over the land bridge from Asia to North America, and then traveled southward. There were millions of buffalo back then. They say around the 1830's white man sometimes killed two hundred fifty buffalo a day to help eradicate the Native Americans."
"So there aren't any real buffalo?" Jim scratched his head.
"Yes, but only in zoos in the US. There are African buffalo and Asian water buffalo; American buffalo are really bison." Alex grinned.
"How many head are on this ranch?"
"Last count three hundred." Alex laughed. "Probably two hundred ninety-nine, now."
"True. We're eating one tonight. What are they used for?"
Alex took a drink of water Tatiana had offered. "The bison are sent to the stockyard for butchering. It's leaner meat than beef. A lot of it goes overseas."
Alex set the glass on the table. "Tatiana, I'll be ready in about forty-five minutes." He went to his room.
*****
Soni opened her bedroom door, wearing clean blue jeans and a white T-shirt. "I'm ready."
Tatiana and Jim were seated at the table. Tatiana said, "I set out some cheese and fruit. Jim's bringing both vehicles out front."
"Good and thank you." Soni sat beside Tatiana and helped herself to some cheese and a few grapes. "Anything of importance come in today's mail?"
"Not really, but there was a strange letter." Tatiana went to the hutch holding a basket of mail. "Everything else can wait. This letter was in the mailbox. It doesn't have a stamp or a postage mark. It's addressed to Soni Adler, but no address." She handed it to Soni.
Soni studied the envelope. "That's strange." She carefully opened it and silently read the typed letter. You've been warned. Sell the ranch and leave. We don't want no female ranch owners. Especially, half-breed squaws. LEAVE NOW!! She swallowed and looked at Tatiana. "Nothing important. I think we're ready to leave." She shoved the letter and the envelope in her jean's pocket. I won't allow this to upset Grandfather's Bountiful Harvest Celebration. I'll worry about it later.
