Fingering the small garment, Sue whispered in wonderment, “The clothes are so small. I can’t believe how tiny they are.”

Sue held up the pink gown and smiled, “What if it’s a boy, Charity?”

Charity smiled, “I guess we’d have to save it for the next baby, then.”

“Charity, do you want a boy or a girl?” asked Audra.

“I don’t care what we have as long as the baby’s healthy.” said Charity watching the wistfulness on her friend’s face as she held each garment in her hands and examined them before handing them to Audra. “Suzanne, is something wrong?”

“No, I’m just surprised at the size of the clothes. They could fit a doll.”

Laughing Charity squeezed her hand, “I know I’m going to be glad the baby’s small when it’s born.”

Blushing, Sue stammered, “Charity!”

Audra chuckled and repacked the last of the clothes. “I’ll have to see if Mother has any baby clothes you can use. When we get back to the ranch, let’s check the attic, Sue.”

“Good idea, Audra. We’d best get going if we want to get back in time to help with lunch.” replied Sue giving Charity a hug and kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow before I head out with the guys.”

Walking them to the door, Charity waved as the three riders headed back to the Barkley ranch. Duke and Sue spoke about the improvements she and her crew had made on the ranch over the past three years. Glancing over at his boss’ wife, Duke grabbed her arm when she paled and swayed in the saddle. Audra leaned over and grabbed Amigo’s bridle stopping the horse.

“Sue, you okay?” asked Duke receiving a hesitant nod to his answer. Closing her eyes, she fought to quell the dizziness and nausea that suddenly came over her. Feeling Duke’s hands around her waist, she let the reins fall as he took her out of the saddle and set her on the ground.

“I’m okay.” whispered Sue opening her eyes.

Opening the lid on his canteen, she took a sip of the cool water and handed it back. Audra held the reins of the horses and knelt beside them, “Maybe we should go to town and see Dr. Merar.”

“I’m okay, really.” stated Sue with a small smile. “I just didn’t have enough to eat this morning. I wasn’t all that hungry.”

Frowning, Duke snorted, “If anything happens to you when you’re with me, Nick’ll have me mucking out stalls for a month.”

Chuckling, Sue replied, “Can’t have the foreman of the great Barkley ranch doing that, can we Audra?”

“No, we sure can’t.” agreed Audra watching Duke help a shaky Sue to her feet. “Are you sure we shouldn’t just see Dr. Merar?”

“No. I’ve had enough of doctors to last me a lifetime.” replied Sue climbing back on Amigo. “I’m fine, let’s go home.”

Topping the small hill overlooking the ranch yard, Sue wondered outloud at the people gathered around, “Let’s see what’s going on.”

Galloping the remainder of the way, the three dismounted and Duke took the women’s horses. Walking over, they stopped by Heath and Jarrod. Sue unable to determine the look on their faces, teased, “What’s wrong someone steal your horses?”

Heath shook his head and held onto her shoulders, “No, someone stole your husband.”

The roaring in her ears drowned out all other sounds of the ranch and her vision was reduced to a small tunnel of light. Staring into the blue eyes filled with concern and worry, Sue choked on the dryness of her throat, “Ya’ wanna trot that pony by me again, Heath.”

“Coco came back without Nick. This note was tied into his mane.” said Heath quietly. “It’s addressed to you.”

Feeling the note put in her hand, Sue tore her gaze away and opened it:

Zanie Weston
We have your husband. To get him back, you must pay a ransom of $500,000. Put the money in the tree at the fork of the Barkley and Weston roads. You have til Friday at 6:00 p.m.

Taking a shaky breath, Sue said, “Heath, send someone to get Davey at the ranch for me.”

Duke hearing her words, nodded to Heath and galloped back to the Weston ranch. Watching Duke ride off, Sue said, “Someone may be watching. Let’s go into the house.”

Entering the parlor, Victoria hugged the two returning women. “We’ll get Nick back, Sue. We can raise the ransom.”

Gesturing for the family to sit, Sue paced around the room and spoke quietly. “We can pay the ransom, but, I think they’ve no intention of returning Nick alive.”

Hearing the gasps of the women, Sue knelt in front of Victoria and said quietly, “It’s Ramona. If she wanted to remain anonymous, she wouldn’t have put my name on the note. Only she called me Zanie, no one else.”

Frowning at her logic, Jarrod nodded, “You may be right, Sue.”

“I’m sorry, Victoria. Another way to hurt me is to hurt Nick. I’m sure they’ll keep him alive long enough to ensure they’ll get their ransom, but not much longer after that. Then she’ll probably leave the country, knowing the law will be after her.”

Cupping the cheek of her daughter-in-law, Victoria nodded, “I understand, but we’ll raise the money anyway in the hopes that you are wrong.”

Jarrod asked, “Why do you need Davey?”

Crushing the note in her hand, Sue looked up, her face revealing fury, “I’m gonna need help back tracking Coco. I should’ve realized no one on the ranch was safe from that wretched...”

Putting her hand on the floor as the dizziness hit, Sue closed her eyes. Victoria knelt beside the pale woman, “Sue?”

“Mother, this happened on the way home too.” stated Audra softly. “We wanted her to see Dr. Merar, but she refused.”

“I’m okay.” said Sue opening her eyes.

Victoria helped her into the chair she vacated and felt her forehead. Sonja returned into the room with a damp towel and wiped her face.

Smiling her thanks, Sue looked at Heath, “When Davey gets here, we’ll head out.”

“Okay.” replied Heath. “I’ll be ready.”

“Sue, you should stay here and rest.” suggested Victoria. “Let the men take care of it.”

“No, I won’t stay here while she has her claws on my husband.” whispered Sue. “She’s not taking him from me like she did my father.”

“I’m coming with you and Heath.” stated Jarrod.

“Jarrod, someone needs to stay here at the ranch in case they try something else.” stated Sue softly. “I’ll give you a wire to send and the ransom money can be here in two days.”

Shocked, the family members looked at each other. Victoria squeezed her hand and said, “Sue, are you saying you have that much money?”

Chuckling dryly, Sue smirked, “Nick married into money when he married me.”

Nick wiped his forehead as he and Coco made their way to the Miller ranch. The road was curvy and a mere path in places. Rounding a bend, Nick reined in at the sight of the woman sitting atop a rock on the side of the road.

“Ma’am, you need some help?” asked Nick.

Hearing a sound, Nick caught a brief glimpse of the rope that went over his head. The rope tightened around his arms as he was jerked out of the saddle onto the hard ground. Seeing stars from the impact with the ground that stole his breath away and jarred his ribs, he struggled against the rope that was cutting into his biceps. Forcing himself to his knees, he was propelled backwards as the horse backed up from the slack he created on the rope.

Laying on the ground and gasping for air, Nick cursed the sight of the man standing above him.

“Now that isn’t nice, Mr. Barkley.” stated Eric striking Nick in the jaw with his boot sending him into unconsciousness.

Climbing down, Brad pulled Nick up by the collar, yanked the rope off and dropped him back onto the ground. Nick’s head making a dull thud from the impact with the ground. Tying his hands, Brad brought over another horse and with Eric’s help laid him across the saddle. Taking another rope, he tied it around his ankles and handed it under the horse’s belly to Eric who secured it to his wrists.

Ramona tied the note into the mane of Nick’s horse. Taking the reins of Coco, Eric headed back towards the Barkley ranch while the other headed to the deserted farmhouse. A mile away from the ranch, Eric hit Coco on the rump and yelled, startling the horse into a gallop in the right direction.

Nick winced at the pain in the back of his head and fought a spell of dizziness. Opening his eyes, he looked around the barn where he was. Light filtered in from the missing boards on the sides and holes in the roof. His arms throbbed from the tightness in which they were bound around the post. He was sitting on the filthy floor, his legs were in front of him, bound at the ankles and the smell of rotting hay assaulted his senses making his stomach lurch. Looking up, he tried to see the condition of the post he was tied to.

The door opened and Ramona knelt beside him running her fingernail across his broad chest. “My, what a delicious specimen of a man.”

“What the hell do you want, lady?” snapped Nick angrily.

Standing, she gestured to her brother. Brad walked over and kicked Nick in the ribs. Nick’s head fell onto his chest from the blow and he gasped for air. Kneeling, he sneered “Keep a civil tongue in your mouth, boy.”

Enjoying the pain on his face, Ramona lifted his chin with her hand. “My stepdaughter certainly picked a handsome husband.”

Hazel eyes glared at her with hatred and Nick’s voice was thick with contempt, “So, you’re the worthless bitch, my wife told me about!”

Brad growled with rage at the words used to describe his sister and the pain flared in Nick’s ribs, stomach and face from the blows. His head bounced against the back of the post and blackness once again gathered around him.

Arriving at the farmhouse, Eric pulled the furious brother away and shouted, “We gotta keep him alive! You kill him and we don’t have anything to bargain with!”

Mason snorted, “He’s a dead man anyway. Let’s get it over with.”

“We all understand he’s a dead man, Mason.” nodded Eric in agreement, “What if the Barkleys want to see and talk to him before they deliver the ransom money? Dead man don’t walk and they certainly don’t talk.”

“Eric’s right, brother. We can have our fun later.” smiled Ramona taking his arm and leading him outside to the house

Eric knelt beside Nick and grinned at the bruises forming on the tanned face. Taking a cloth, he wiped the blood off his face and felt along his ribcage receiving a groan in response. Seeing the hazel eyes open, Eric walked to his horse and grabbed the canteen. Holding it to Nick’s lips, he tilted it offering the condemned man a drink of the cool water.

“Thanks.” whispered Nick closing his eyes against the pain.

Snorting, Eric put the cap back on and retorted, “I’m only keeping you alive til I get the ransom money. You’re only good to me for that long, dead man.”

Eric stared as Nick chuckled and gasped when his ribs protested, “You sure got that wrong, Benson. I’m not the dead man. When my wife gets ahold of you, you’re all gonna wish you’d never known her.”

Eric walked out of the barn with a chill running up his spine from the laughter that followed him.

Victoria and Sonja, ensuring Sue ate a sandwich, convinced her to rest until Davey arrived. Reluctantly, Sue made her way to the bedroom she shared with her husband. The knowledge that he was in the hands of that woman caused fear to grip her heart and hold onto it.

Laying on the bed, she wrapped her arms around his pillow. Closing her eyes, she drank in the smell of him that lingered on the soft fabric and let his face fill the images in her mind. Knowing she’d need all the strength she could muster, she tried to relax and let sleep come.

Duke arrived back at the ranch with Jack and the other members of her crew. Shrugging his shoulder at Jarrod’s look, Duke said, “They wouldn’t stay behind when they found out about Nick.”

Heath knocked on the bedroom door and called out, “Sue, Davey’s here.”

Opening the door, Sue looked into the concerned eyes and smiled slightly, “We’re off to track your brother again, Heath. I’m gonna have to put a cowbell or something on that man to keep track of him.”

Chuckling, Heath wrapped his friend in a hug, “I’ll buy it for you.”

Patting him on the back, Sue returned his hug and said quietly, “You ready to go?”

“Yep.” replied Heath releasing her and walking beside her down the hallway. Buckling her belt as they walked, Sue stopped at the bottom of the stairs in front of Victoria, Audra and Jarrod.

“I don’t know when we’ll return, but we’ll get word back to ya’.” stated Sue kissing Victoria on the cheek.

“Be careful.” replied Victoria. Handing Jarrod the wire to be sent, Sue walked outside.

Heath kissed Sonja tenderly. “Be home as soon as I can, darlin’”

Hugging him tightly, Sonja whispered, “Be careful.”

“I will. I love ya’.” said Heath softly caressing her cheek. The rest of the family walked with Heath to the door and said their good-byes. Opening the door, Sue was standing in front of an angry crew.

“Boys, you can’t all come. Jack, you are definitely not going.”

“Why not?” asked Jack angrily.

Sue retorted, “Because you’re gonna be a father and I’m not taking the chance of Charity’s baby growing up without one. That’s why!”

“Boss..”

“NO! Davey, Bill, Hank and Heath will come with me. The rest of you have to go back to the ranch.” stated Sue.

The anger on the remaining men’s faces dissolved from the heartfelt plea she added, “I know how ya’all feel about Nick, but please go back to the ranch. I can’t be worrying about the ranch, Maria, Jose and Charity while I’m trying to track. I need ya’ to take care of them for me.”

Mounting the two groups headed their separate ways. Davey and Sue led the small calvacade south following Coco’s clear tracks on the path. Reaching the point where the tracks merged with another, they dismounted and handed the reins of their horses off. Walking around in a circle, kneeling and checking the ground, they met up on the other side. The other three watched from their hoses, unable to hear the discussion taking place. Walking back over, Sue and Davey stopped in front of the group.

“This is the place that someone led Coco back to the ranch with the note. Whoever it was came from the south and now is headed north.” explained Davey.

Nodding, Sue gestured, “Only Coco and his horse, which means he’s only the delivery boy and didn’t have Nick with him.”

“So, Nick was taken somewhere else?” asked Heath.

“Looks that way.” stated Davey. “We figure our best chances of getting Nick back is to split up. When we find where they took Nick, we can track them from there.”

“The other group can track the delivery boy. Chances are the two trails will meet and we’ll find Nick at the end. I know if I was delivering a ransom note, I wouldn’t want to take the chance on missing the payoff at the end.” said Sue.

Taking the reins of their horses, they mounted as Sue spoke. “Hank and I will track the delivery boy. The rest of you go with Davey.”

“Sue, I’m coming with you.” stated Heath firmly.

Shaking her head, Sue smiled, “Heath, you’re familiar with this area. Davey’s not. It makes more sense for you to go with him.”

Departing, the two groups separated but remained steadfast in their common goal. The welfare of a brother, friend, husband and lover lay in their hands.

Turning his neck and peering upwards, Nick squinted with his one eye trying to see the condition of the post. Moving his legs towards him, his spur caught in a hole on the floor and lodged into the wood. Staring at the lodged spur, he worked his right foot free of the boot. Sweat ran down his face from his exertions and his breath was coming in gasps. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he mumbled to himself, “This’ll be the only time I’d ever pray for a rotting post.”

Pushing himself upwards on numbed legs, he felt the slivers from the post dig into the skin on his forearms and his back. Standing, he pushed back using the strength of his legs and felt the post give a little. Taking a shallow breath, he bent his knees and pushed again, his body shaking from the strain. The post broke sending him falling backwards onto it, the movement jarring his ribs and blackening the outer edges of his vision.

Laying on top of the broken piece, he took shallow breaths and closed his eyes to stem the dizziness that was making his vision waiver. Rolling to the side, he struggled to his knees. The broken piece of post held between his hands. Taking a breath, he groaned as he stood and opened his hands letting the post fall to the floor behind him.

Leaning his head against the wall, he worked his other boot off and listened for sounds of his captors while looking around the dilapidated dwelling. Going out the front door with his hands tied behind his back was not an option. If he ran into Mason and Benson, he’d be unable to defend himself.

Catching a glimpse of two missing boards on the backside of the barn, he stumbled to it and peered cautiously out the hole. Seeing nothing but trees, he put his leg outside and then squeezed his upper body through. Falling on his side, he dragged his right leg through, struggled back onto his feet and ran to the trees as the door of the barn opened and a shrill scream of anger was heard.

His lungs fiercely protesting, his ribs throwing shock waves of pain through him each time a socked foot hit the ground. His face was black and blue from the beating Mason had given him, his left eye swollen shut and blood was running from the cut that had reopened when he had leaned against the wall. Making his way west using the setting sun as a guide, he prayed that was where the ranch lay and where safety could be found.

Stopping in the trees on the edge of a meadow, Nick couldn’t hear anything over his gasps for air. His legs shook from the exertion he was putting on them, his arms and back burned from the woods parts that were embedded in them. His head throbbed unmercifully. Deciding he needed to put more space between himself and his captors, he started out.

Halfway across the meadow, his ears heard the pounding of horses behind him and the report of a rifle. Keeping his eyes forward, he urged his legs to pump faster as he zigzagged across the meadow. His heart leaped in his throat at the sight of two riders galloping towards him as a red hot poker struck him in the back. Falling onto the lush grass of the meadow, he was unaware of the scream of anger and outrage one of the riders let out.

....Continued