Come Away To The Meadow

Hi Friends! I hope you are all having a pleasant summer. My husband and I are currently sorting and packing for a move to Panama. I was hesitant to move overseas, since we’re now in our early 70s. We’d plan on staying there for as long as possible. As I prayed about it, I asked God for confirmation. I’d particularly wanted to lease a house we’d stayed in last year—Mozart House. It is perfect for writing and painting, which is what I do. Tim (my husband) called Lorenza, the owner, to see if that would be possible. We were planning on a 5-week visit to check out the area, then return in January to rent a house for a year while we look around for one to buy. But Lorenza said the house was leased through fall of 2027. I was disappointed, but continued praying for a house to lease. I still couldn’t get Mozart House out of my mind, though. A few days ago, Lorenza called us back and said her tenants had decided to leave early, and would we still be interested in the house? I knew at once that God had opened the way for us. We said yes. Then she asked, “Would you be interested in leasing for a year?” We both said yes. Everything had fallen into place. Two hours later, a real estate company called and asked if they could buy our house! We said yes. So now we’re scrambling to get everything ready for the move. We have over a month before we fly south, but there’s a lot to do. That includes working on this story! I hope you will enjoy this next chapter, Blessings to you all, Sheri

Chapter 15

Ramona heard the fire crackle and turned swiftly from where she stood just inside the forest. She saw Sammie standing there by the fire, as though in a daze, Mac's cigarette lighter in one hand, watching the fire take hold.

"No!" Mac screamed. Dropping his tools on the ground by the car, he grabbed the shovel by the garage door and raced over to the rising flames. He pushed Sammie away from the fire and began scooping up earth and throwing it on the fire. But it was too late. The fire couldn't be stopped.

Ramona stepped back behind a young fir tree, its branches hiding her from Mac, who ran to the well for a bucket of water. While his back was turned, she faded into the forest. Conscious that Mac could see any bright colors if he came looking for her, she removed the red and white scarf from her hair and stuffed it into a pocket in her blue jeans. While the scarf kept her long hair from getting tangled in the branches, it was too bright. She had reached the winding road to town and began hurrying along it as fast as she could go at her stage of pregnancy. She was free. She wasn't going back. "Oh, God! Help me! Help me!" she breathed.

The noise of a helicopter grew closer. Suddenly a gunshot echoed through the forest. She stopped. Were the others okay? What was happening back there? She shook her head and continued her trek down the mountain. She didn't know where she was, but she knew the road would lead to more people.

Back at the clearing, Joe raced from the forest. He stopped and took aim with his rifle at the helicopter again. If he could only bring it down! He shot again. He couldn't afford for anyone to know what the pilot saw. But the helicopter was dodging from left to right, up and down. Maybe he had hit someone already. But the helicopter dodged behind some trees and he lost sight of it.

Swearing, Joe rushed toward the cabin, where Mac was trying to put the fire out.

"You fool!" Mac shouted. "Shooting at the helicopter will bring the police up here!
            "Shut up and put the girls in the van. Now!"

Joe and Mac hustled the two remaining girls toward the van.

"Where's Ramona?" Joe shouted.

Sammie and Jenny clung to each other in fear, too frightened to speak.

Joe grabbed Jenny. "Where is she?"

Jenny, shaking with fear, couldn't speak.

He slapped her. "Where'd she go?"

Sammie spoke calmly, knowing Jenny needed her to interfere. "She was at the edge of the forest picking up sticks for the fireplace when the fire started."

Joe swore. "And how did that fire start?"

"I lit it. I thought the trash was piling up, so it needed to be burned."

Joe swore again and shoved her into the van, nearly throwing Jenny in as well. He slammed the door and climbed up behind the wheel. Revving the engine, he headed down the road toward town. "Keep your eyes open, Mac. We can't let her escape."

Ramona heard the van coming and dropped to the ground behind a fallen tree. She lay still until the car's engine had faded away in the distance, then she stood up and began following the road again, this time from enough of a distance to hide quickly if the van returned.

***

"Ethan, there's a fire on one of the mountains. I can see it from here. Aaron and Justin Delaney flew up there with a load of water to put it out. But they couldn't get close. Their helicopter began dodging around, so something is wrong. I think you should be here," I spoke into my phone, Ramie balanced on one hip.

"I'll be right there. My last patient just left."

"Good."

Ethan's car pulled into the driveway just as the helicopter landed safely in the field outside the barn.

As the helicopter blades slowed, Aaron jumped down from the passenger seat and hurried over. Ethan rushed out to meet him.

"Skye said she saw the helicopter dodging around up there. Are you okay?" Ethan asked, looking his brother over.

"Yes. We're both okay. We were about to dump water on the fire when someone shot at us. It hit the windshield just above Justin's head, so we figured we'd better get out of there."

"That's crazy! You were trying to put out a fire. Whoever set it should have known the fire department would send a 'copter with water this time of year."

"Yes, though should have. But obviously, someone doesn't want to be found, and someone else set that fire. It might be the Crow girls. We have to check." Aaron reached inside his patrol car and barked orders into it, telling of the approximate location of the road to the cabin. "Send two or three on horseback too. We might not be able to intercept them with our vehicles. And remember, the kidnapped girls might be with them. So be careful. We don't want any hostage situations."

"Roger that. Wade and John are off duty. I'll see if they can help," the voice crackled over the radio.

"I need to go back up in the 'copter with Justin and see if we can spot them from the air at a safe distance," Aaron said. "Ethan, if the Crow girls are with them, they may need medical attention. So stick around."

"You've got it," Ethan said.

"If we catch them, once they're secured, I'll send the 'copter back for you."

"Okay. I'll be here."

Aaron rushed back to the helicopter where Justin was waiting. A moment later, they were back in the air, headed toward the area surrounding the fire to look for a road.

Ethan walked back to me and lifted Ramie from my arms. "Here. Let me hold him. He's getting too big for you, honey."

"Do you think they've found the girls?" I asked stepping closer.

"They think they may have found them," Ethan said, pulling me close with his free arm. "We should probably let our prayer team know."

"Yes. Of course." I pulled out my phone and stepped away. Quickly dialing Shirley Delaney at the store, I told her what was going on.

"You said someone fired on the helicopter. Is Justin okay?"

"Yes. He's fine. But he and Aaron are headed back to find out what's going on up there.. Don't worry, though. They won't fly too close this time. I just needed to let you know what's happening so you can tell the others in our prayer group. Do you have time to do that?"

"I sure do. Thanks for the call."

"Shirley is going to call everyone," I said, stepping back toward Ethan.

"Daddy, Unco Aaron going  to find the people who shot at them?"

Ethan nodded. "That's what they're trying to do. We can't have people shooting each other out here, can we."

Ramie shook his head solemnly and said emphatically, "No."

***

Ramona walked down the mountain looking for places where the road looped, places she could cut through and save time. But it was rough traveling through the forest, with dead branches and rocks to dodge. She found a long stick which looked like it would help her keep her balance. She stripped the leaves and smaller branches from it and kept walking downhill.

Suddenly, she heard the helicopter returning. Rushing out to the road, she looked up and waved when she saw it, waving her red and white headscarf over her head.

"Look!" Justin shouted over the noise of the machine and pointed down at the road.

"Let's go down and check it out."

The chopper landed in a wider part of the road beyond the girl. Aaron jumped out and ran back to the girl. "Hi. I'm Sheriff Russell from Chisum. We saw you waving at us. Are you okay?"

Ramona, out of breath from hurrying, nodded.

Aaron unfastened the water bottle at his waist. "Here. Have some water."

Gratefully, Ramona took the bottle and sipped from it as her breathing calmed.

"You must be Ramona White Swan," he said, remembering the photo her uncle had shown him.

'How did you know my name?" she asked in surprise.

"Your uncle Bold Eagle reached out to us for help. He felt in his heart that you were not far from Crow Nation. We've been praying for you and Jenny for some time."

Ramona visibly relaxed. "Thank you! There's another girl captured earlier. Her name's Sammie Grey Coyote. She's expecting her baby any day now. They have her in the black van."

"Okay. We'll find the other girls too. But for now, let's get you into the helicopter. We're wasting time."

Moments later, Justin lifted the copter into the air again and headed back to the ranch to drop off Ramona.

"Ethan!" Aaron called as they landed. "Take the girl!" He helped Ramona down, climbed back into the helicopter, and the two men flew toward the mountain road where they'd found her.

"Will they be in time to save Jenny and Sammie?" Ramona asked, her eyes anxious for her friends.

"Let's hope and pray for that," I said, putting my arm around her shoulder. "For now, you need to come inside with us and let Dr. Russell check to see if you and your baby are okay."

Ethan handed Ramie off to me and turned toward Ramona. "Hi. I'm Dr. Russell. The sheriff who rescued you is my brother Aaron. How are you feeling?"

"Tired, but mostly upset. Joe and Mac have Jenny and Sammie in the van. Sammie's baby is due any day now. The last I saw of them was when Joe was driving them all down the dirt road, which is very bumpy. I'm worried about them!"

"Let's get you inside where you can rest." Ethan helped Ramona up the porch stairs and into the house. I followed with Ramie. "Here. Why don't you lay down on the couch."

"Thanks," Ramona said with a sigh, sinking onto the cushions and lying down.

Ethan knelt next to her and took her hand, feeling for her pulse. "It's a little fast," he said after a few moments. He placed his stethoscope over her abdomen to listen for the baby. "Your baby sounds fine, so don't worry. I'd like you to rest a while. You've been through an ordeal, and your baby needs you to be strong and rested. We have a guest bedroom you can use."

Ramona sat up. "No! I can't rest until my friends are safe!"

"Okay, I understand that," Ethan said with a nod. "How about you drink a glass of milk and just rest until we hear from the sheriff?"

Ramona's eyes lit up at the mention of milk. "I'd love some milk. I haven't had any since we were captured."

Ethan rose and went to the kitchen for milk.

"Down!" Ramie demanded.

I lowered him to the floor, and he walked over to Ramona and stood looking solemnly into her eyes. "My daddy will take care of you," he said with a nod. "So will 'Kye an' me an' Jesus."

Ramona smiled back at him. "And who are you?"

"I'm Ramie. I's almost tree years old." He held up three fingers.

Rachel looked up at me. "You must be 'Kye."

I laughed. "Ramie can't say Skye yet, so he calls me 'Kye."

"Here," Ethan said, handing her a mug filled with cool, fresh milk.

"Thank you!" she said, reaching her hands up eagerly to take the cup. At the first sip, she smiled and sighed. "This is delicious."

"Would you like some milk too, Ramie?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yes pease. An' some cookies."

I walked over to the kitchen where I filled Ramie's cup and put some cookies on a plate for Ramie and Ramona. "Here you go. Ramie, you can share the cookies with our new friend.

Ramie took the plate first and sat it on the couch next to Ramona, climbing up on the other side of the to receive his own cup of milk.

Ethan came over to me and put his arm over my shoulder. "God is good," he said quietly.

"Yes he is," I nodded and rested my head against his chest.

When Ramie finished his milk, he climbed back off the couch and went to his room. A moment later, he returned with his favorite stuffed animal, a bunny. He walked over to Ramona and touched her hand, his big blue eyes solemnly fixed on her face. "Would you like to hold my Bunny Boy? I likes to take naps with him 'cause he's soft."

The tired girl smiled and accepted the toy. "I would like that very much. Thank you."

Ramie's face lit up in a shy smile as he handed the bunny to Ramona. Then he turned and ran back to me.

"That was nice, Ramie," I said, picking him up and kissing his face. "Let's get that mustache off." I picked up a napkin from the counter and wiped the milk from his face.

Ethan smiled at his son, pleased to see signs of his generosity and compassion, and our glances crossed in shared delight.

After finishing the cookies and milk, Ramona lay her head on the couch pillows and stretched out, her eyes drooping.

"We'll be outside if you need us." Ethan picked Ramie and we walked outside together. I could feel his hand at my waist. He pulled the door shut behind him and guided me to the porch swing, where the three of us sat, watching the activity around us as the search continued.

From the air, Aaron spotted the van and the road. He radioed in to request a roadblock where the dirt road met pavement. The pilot followed the van well behind to avoid being shot at again.

When the van turned the final curve in the road and Joe saw the roadblock with police aiming rifles at him, he skidded to a halt for a moment, then tried to turn around to go back up the road.

"We've got them!" Aaron shouted.

Justin sat the helicopter down at a safe distance from the van, but didn't shut the engine down. They might need to get out of there in a hurry if there was a stand-off and shooting began.

The driver in the car saw the roadblock ahead. Would he stop? Or would he challenge the police, who stood there, rifles trained on him….

Come Away To The Meadow

Hi Friends. I hope you all had a good Fourth of July. Our family did.

As I write this fictitious story about the reality happening on the Crow reservation as well as on other native land, I'm hoping the plot will raise awareness about the suffering this scourge brings not only to them, but to other families across our country as well. Maybe the characters in this story will give some of you ideas about how we can help end this suffering, maybe not everywhere, but at least in locations where you live.

Have a blessed summer.

Sheri Schofield

Chapter 14

Ethan walked down the steps to meet his brother, giving me time to pull myself together.

"Hey, Aaron.

Aaron climbed out of his patrol car and stood with his back against it, glancing briefly toward the porch. I was sure he couldn't see me, for the swing was in shadow.

"Hey, Ethan. I saw your kitchen light on and figured you were still up." He leaned with his back against the car and his arms crossed. "Chet Tyler made a dead."

Aaron's voice dropped when Ethan reached him, and I heard no more. But I didn't want Aaron to see me, even in the moonlight. He had interrupted a private moment, and I didn't want him asking any questions. He spoke with Ethan briefly, then climbed back into his patrol car and left.

"Chet said they were holding girls from the Crow plus a Northern Cheyenne girl. He thinks the Crow girls are the ones we've been looking for. He's going to check with the other girl's tribe tomorrow."

"Did Chet tell you where they are keeping the girls?" Ethan asked.

"He said Joe and Mac have moved them. He thought they'd be at the Alder's hunting cabin. But the police checked, and the girls aren't there."

"How did the kidnappers get out of the area? You have patrols blocking all the roads out."

 "Aaron doesn't know how they escaped, or where they've hidden out, but it's probably somewhere in our area. I don't think they could have passed the patrol cars without being stopped." He shrugged. "It's possible they have moved to some cabin in the mountains which we just don't know about. At least, that's the most probable answer. We're going to talk about it at the meeting tomorrow night over at your family's house."

I nodded.

Ethan drew me into his arms again. "Skye, you have taken me by surprise. I never thought I'd find love again after Jodie. Yet I find myself drawn to you like a moth to flame. I feel happy when I'm with you." Ethan smiled, "And you are so very kissable."

I felt heat rising in my cheeks. "I never expected to find love here in Chisum. But then, I didn't know you were home again. I think I've always loved you, Ethan. I just didn't think you would ever be more than a friend, so I didn't allow myself to hope."

He rubbed his cheek on my hair. "Let's take this slow. I don't want to make any mistakes this time. Okay?"

I nodded. "I agree."

"Good. I think we both need our love to be solid. Real. It will take some time. But whatever we build together has to last." He sighed. "Which is why I've asked Mom to come home until we've rescued those native girls and captured their kidnappers. You won't be able to go home until it's safe. And we can't share a house indefinitely without casting shadows on our relationship in this town. With Mom here, everything will be okay, and we can take our time learning about each other again."

"It will be good to have Aunt Josie here," I agreed. I'd called his mother Aunt Josie since childhood, just as he'd called my mother Aunt Suzanne, though our families were not related. "When's she coming?"

"Saturday."

"In two days?" I gasped, leaning away and looking up into his face. "This house is a disaster! What will she think!"

"She'll think we are happy and relaxed around each other, Skye. She was never one to put housework ahead of family. Don't worry, honey."

I sighed. "Okay. But tomorrow I'm going to give this house a good scrubbing!"

Ethan laughed and drew me close. "I need to get to bed, Skye. You do too. So give me another kiss and say goodnight."

I lifted my head, and his lips came down on mine in a warm, lingering kiss. "Good night, Ethan," I whispered as his lips lifted from mine.

"Good night, Skye honey."

As I lay in my bed that night, I was sure sleep would evade me as I thought about all that had passed between us that evening. But my head had barely hit the pillow before I fell into a deep, restful sleep.

***

Friday evening came quickly. Once again, our search group met at my parents' home to discuss the progress Aaron was making. He'd invited Sheriff Bold Eagle to join us again, since we now had news of the lost girls.

"Chet Tyler took a plea deal and told us what he and his friends had done. He was part of a ring taking teenage girls from the Crow and Northern Cheyenne tribes, keeping them for themselves for a while, then, when they were tired of them, they trafficked the girls. Any babies born to the girls were also trafficked."

A burst of deep anger swept through the room as we absorbed the information. Those poor children! How could this be happening right under our noses?

"I hope the deal Chet made with you sends him to prison!" Pastor Barrett exclaimed.

Aaron smiled grimly. "Oh yes. He'll see the inside of prison for some time. But it won't be for life I'm afraid. If we catch the other men, they'll be looking at life in prison...or worse...unless a fancy prosecutor gets them off with less. There's murder involved in what they've been doing, not just kidnapping. But I won't say more about the murder right now. Let's keep that under wraps. If you see either Joe Alders or Mac Brown, call the police department at once. Don't try to stop them yourself. They can be deadly."

Shirley Delaney, the storekeeper's wife, spoke. "You said they were also trafficking the babies. I've been asking around about who might be delivering them locally."

"What did you learn?" Deputy John Hawk asked.

"Well, there's an EMT working out of Sheridan who has been known to deliver babies born at home out here in Chisum. Several of our women have used her services. She's become a good midwife. Cecilia Cottrell over at the library has overheard some of the women recommending a woman named Dee Ann Jones. That's the midwife's name."

"I know her," Deputy Sandi McCoy said with surprise. "She lives right next door to me. I've seen her coming and going at odd hours, but I figured it was her EMT schedule. Come to think of it, she just put her house on the market last week. She said she needs to be in a place with better-paying jobs." Sandi shrugged. "That's a common enough remark around here. Pay's never been great for any available jobs."

Aaron wrote the name down on his pad and asked about the house number.

Deputy Wade Martin nodded and spoke. "I've been keeping an eye on Leah McArthur. She's a retired nurse. Used to work in obstetrics up in Billings, Montana.. I've seen her leaving her house late at night sometimes, but I don't know where she's been going. Could be nothing, but she seems well-to-do."

As we talked, Sheriff Bold Eagle nodded. He finally spoke, great emotion filling his voice. "Thank you for all you are doing. This is the first hope we've had in a long time. If you can find and stop this kidnapping ring, our people will be able to live in more safety in the future. Thank you! Thank you for what you've done so far. It's amazing." He tapped his chest. "I've felt in my heart our girls were close. You have proven it. Now we need God to help us rescue them."

"Do you have any trained scouts at Crow Nation who might be able to track for us?" Aaron asked.

Sheriff Bold Eagle nodded. "We do have some. I will see if someone can help you."

Liam Webster spoke up for the first time. "I know a lot about tracking. A friend of mine in Montana taught me. I can help, and I can show your scouts around. We can work together."

"Good." Aaron looked around. "Anything else?"

Pastor Barrett spoke up when it was clear we were finished. "Let's pray."

As we lifted our hearts to God, seeking guidance to the girls, peace settled on us. We knew that God, who sees all, would show us the way to the missing girls.

***

Far away in the mountains, Ramona White Swan wiped sweat from her brow with the edge of her shirt and  paused in her work. The day was hotter than usual. She examined the forest around the old log home, looking for more birch branches which might have blown down. Jenny Little Bear, slowly recovering from the beating Chet had inflicted on her, worked with Sammie Grey Coyote preparing the new garden. Mac was working on his truck, which he'd been able to retrieve from a hidden cove along the creek. He was supposed to be keeping watch on the girls, but sometimes he became involved in solving a mechanical issue. It didn't matter, though. They were far up in the mountains, and the girls could never escape on foot.

Ramona found several birch branches laying on the forest floor. She managed to drag them toward the trash pile, which she knew would be burned soon. She was so frustrated Mac and Joe had moved them away just when they were about to burn that trash! The tire in the last trash pile had been a good idea, but there were no tires at the new location. Birch would have to do. It had a lot of pitch in it and would send up a black smoke...if she could manage to put enough of it on the burn pile. She had enough tucked into the trash heap already to make a dark smoke. If she could just find a little more, she could be sure it would draw attention. Maybe people from a local town would see it and think it was a forest fire or a house burning. Maybe the fire trucks would come. Afterall, it was fire season in Wyoming. This might work.

Sammie saw what Ramona was doing. She knew how the birch would burn. Her baby was due soon. She was running out of time. She pulled some crumpled paper and placed it in the burn pile with weeds to cover it. Mac was bent over his truck engine. Reaching into her jeans pocket, she pulled out Mac's cigarette lighter and flicked it on, touching it to the paper.

The paper caught fire. The flame spread rapidly through the brush and trash.

Lord, please let this work! Save us! Save our babies!

The fire reached some greasy rags she had tossed into the trash earlier. With a whoosh, tongues of flame sprang up across the trash pile.

Hearing the sound, Mac jerked his head up. "No!" he yelled. He dashed into the open garage, hunting for the shovel. By the time he found it, the flames were high. He rushed over and began shoveling dirt onto the fire, trying to smother the flames. But it was too late. The fire sent black smoke high into the sky.

***

In the valley below, I was sweeping the front deck while Ramie took his nap. Glancing up at the mountains, I saw a dark column of smoke. I pulled out my phone and called the fire department.

"There's a fire on the mountains. It has black smoke. I can see it from the Russell ranch."

"Thanks! We'll send someone right out to check."

"Okay."

Within a few minutes, the fire truck pulled into the driveway. Dan Gilman, the fire chief, jumped out of the truck and located the smoke. He spoke on his phone, giving the location to their helicopter crew.

I hurried down to the truck and listened to the radio transmissions.

Within minutes, the helicopter was flying toward the fire.

"It's a burn pile by a cabin up here." The pilot's voice reported through the static. "Someone's trying to put the fire out. I'll drop a load of water on it."

I watched the helicopter hover over the fire and drop its load.

"That should do it," the pilot said a few minutes later. "I'm heading back."

"Mark it's location on your map first," Dan said. "The sheriff has been looking for occupied cabins up there in the hills. He should know about this one. Pick me up once you have it."

"Roger that."

Dan called Aaron next. "Our crew just put out a fire--looks like a burn pile in the mountains. We have a lead on a cabin in the mountains. We'd like to check it out. Want to come with us?"

The helicopter hovered a moment more, then turned and flew toward the ranch. Aaron arrived quickly. Together with the pilot and the fire chief, they headed back toward the mountain.

When the roar of the helicopter faded, I could hear Ramie calling for me. I went back into the house and collected him from his room. His face was streaked with tears.

"I called an' called!" he said reproachfully.

"I'm sorry, Ramie. It was just a helicopter.:

"A 'copter?"

"Yes. You want to see it ?"
            "Yes!"

I carried him outside and pointed to the helicopter flying toward the mountain. "Your Uncle Aaron is helping them today."

"Unco Aaron?"

"Yes."

We both fell silent, watching the helicopter in the distance.

I wonder if they've found the missing girls. Lord, let it be so!

I saw the helicopter move quickly away from the area of the fire, flying in an erratic pattern. Something was wrong!

Come Away To The Meadow

Hi friends. I hope you all are having a pleasant summer. Tim and I are enjoying walks around the town lake, watching the geese raise their goslings and listening to songbirds. Sometimes we drive into the nearby Black Hills to view wildlife and spring flowers. In addition to adult writing, I’m working on animal stories for children and hope to have a book featuring trumpeter swans out soon, illustrated with oil paintings I’m currently creating. Summer is a great time to take pictures of all the wildlife, pictures I can then use in my children’s books. I’ll let you all know when the first one is out. In the meantime, enjoy your summer…and this new chapter.

Blessings,

Sheri Schofield

Chapter 13

"What smells so good?" Ethan asked, entering the house after work that evening.

"Oh, I made some potato salad and baked chicken, for starters," I said looking at him over my shoulder. "You look tired. Have a cookie. I made chocolate chip." I nodded toward the plate on the counter. "I had to put them up high because Ramie has figured out how to climb up on the table."

Ethan chuckled. "Thanks." He found the cookies and took two.  "Um. These are good."

"Glad you like them. But don't eat too many. Save room for dinner. It will be ready in about ten minutes."

Ethan's cell phone announced a caller. "Hello." He listened intently. "Did your deputies see anything leaving town? Oh. Do you think they're still around? I hope that produces some answers. Sure. I'll tell her. See you."

Putting the phone back into his pocket, Ethan filled me in on the short conversation. "That was Aaron. Deputy Webster found the location of what we think was the house where some girls were probably held against their will. They've captured one of the men involved, but he's not talking. There's evidence of three women or girls living in the house."

I turned away from the stovetop to listen.

"There were indications that all three are pregnant," he continued. "They think it may be the two missing Crow girls but they aren't sure about the third girl. They'll know more after DNA testing, and that takes a while. The deputies are sorting through an unburned trash pile they found, hoping to find clues."

"Good idea." I nodded.

 "Aaron said to tell you the men didn't go past the two deputies stationed at the main roads to the highway, but we don't know where they went. They're probably still in the area. So be careful."

"Of course. I won't breathe easy until they're captured." I nodded, a slight shiver running down my spine.

"They're going to try to get the man they captured to talk. Aaron's good at that. But so far the guy is just demanding a lawyer."

"There are several old buildings back in the mountains around here. Maybe they found one to use."

Ethan nodded. "Could be."

"Daddy!" Ramie called, coming from his bedroom and running toward Ethan.

Ethan scooped him up and kissed his cheek. "How's my boy today?"

"I maked a big house."

"Want to show me?"

"Yes! It's in there." Ramie pointed to his bedroom where he'd been playing with building blocks.

"Okay. Let's see it." Ethan headed to the bedroom with Ramie.

I smiled and turned back to the counter to finish preparing the salad, listening to their chatter as I thought about those girls. "Lord, keep them safe!" I whispered.

***

"Why are we going up the mountain?" Mac demanded.

"I spotted two patrol cars today. One at each entrance to town. We can't leave without passing them. And I heard the cops are looking for a black van. They may be onto us. There's no other way out of this area. They've got us blocked in. But I know of an old, abandoned cabin way up the mountain. Chet doesn't know about it, so if he's been caught, he can't tell them where we might be." Boss clenched his teeth.

"You think he got caught?"

"I do. He was supposed to meet us two hours ago, and he never showed."

"That gate ahead of us looks locked," Mac said.

"It's not. It's just looped so it looks locked." Boss slowed and put the van in park. "Once I drive through to the other side, I want you to wipe out any trace of our going this way. And put the chain back the way it was and put dust on it," Boss said. "I have a bad feeling about Chet. He should have caught up with us in town."

"Yeah," Mac said. "He should have come with us instead of trying to take all his stuff with him. But he never was very bright." He sneered and shook his head.

"We waited long enough. I didn't tell him where we were headed. He was supposed to follow me to Uncle Dan's cabin, but it's no good if they know who we are now. They can look up property ownership at the county courthouse and learn who owns all the property. I was afraid Chet might sell us out if he got caught, so I made a new plan. Nobody else knows about this place. It's been deserted for years. The most Chet can tell anyone now is our names. But we can always change them. I know a guy who does that sort of thing." Boss looked over his shoulder at the girls. "Brace yourselves," he said. "The road is about to get rough."

Ramona, who lay in the back of the van, rolled over next to Jenny to bolster her. The beating Chet had dished out to the younger girl had been brutal. He hadn't touched Ramona. She belonged to Mac, who reserved the right to beat her himself. And nobody ever touched Boss's girl, Sammie.

Boss had secured Sammie Grey Coyote in the back seat with seatbelts, since she was due any day and Boss didn't want her getting roughed up on the ride. She might lose that baby...and he had plans for it.

Ramona had overheard Boss telling Mac how much he could get by selling the newborn through some shady lawyer he knew. But Ramona hadn't told Jenny. She knew it was too much information for the fragile teen to handle.

The van stopped and Mac got out to unlock and open the gate. After Boss drove through, they waited while Mac erased tire tracks with leaves, dribbled dust down on them and rearranged the gate chain, dusting it too.

"That should do it," Mac said, climbing back into the front passenger seat. "It looks like nobody's been here in ages."

"Good," Boss said crisply.

The ride through the mountains was rough and painful for the girls, who found it difficult to protect themselves with their hands duck taped together. They were jolted helplessly from side to side, though they tried to stay close together. The road seemed to go on forever. Two hours later, the van stopped. The two men in the front left for a few minutes.

"Where are we?" Ramona asked softly.

"I think it's an old, abandoned cabin," Sammie said. "I heard Boss talking about it with Mac one time. Seems one of his ancestors built it in the mountains. He used to go there as a boy when he wanted to get away from home. I've never been here before, but that's my best guess."

The door next to Sammie opened.

"We're here. Sit up and I'll take the tape off," Boss said.

The van's back door opened, and Mac stood looking in at the girls. "Okay. Slide this way," he told Ramona.

A few minutes later, all three girls were free of the duct tape. They huddled together, wondering what would happen next. Looking around, Ramona saw a small, dilapidated log cabin surrounded by trees and brush. An antiquated outhouse stood next to it.

"Great," she whispered to Jenny. "No running water."

Mac put a rough hand on Ramona's and Jenny's shoulders. "Follow Boss and Sammie into the house," he ordered.

Ramona put her arm around Jenny to help her as they walked. Chet had beaten Jenny unmercifully. She was in bad shape with bruises all over her arms, legs and face, and a limp from Chet kicking her when she fell onto the floor.

They stepped inside the house. Sunlight filtered from a window through the dust they'd just disturbed. Jenny coughed and covered her mouth and nose with her sweater. Ramona put her forearm over her mouth and looked around. Boss had already led Sammie to a bedroom and returned.

"There's no running water here. We'll have to use the well for drinking and the creek for cleaning." Boss opened two windows then turned to Mac. "You bring our gear inside while I scout the place and see if there's anything useful here."

Mac spun on his heels and went outside. Boss turned toward Jenny. "I don't know what happened to you, but I figure you'll need to rest a while like Sammie. There's a bedroom next to ours you can use." Turning to Ramona, he said, "You and Mac will take the loft. There's an outhouse behind the place. I'll go check it out to make sure there aren't any animals or snakes inside. Then Mac and I will go hunting. Don't you try to leave." He stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

"Jenny, let's go see that room," Ramona said with a shudder, trying to shut out the idea of possible snakes or wildlife in the outhouse. "At least you won't have to worry about Chet anymore."

Silently, the battered girl walked toward the second bedroom, with Ramona's support. The room they entered was coated with dust. Ramona stripped the top blanket and pillowcases from the bed, careful not to raise more dust, and carried them outside, where she hung them over the porch rail. Sighing, she returned to the house and rummaged through the closet, trying to find a clean blanket. There was an old one on the top shelf of the closet. She stood on tiptoe and grabbed the edge of the blanket and pulled it down. She took it outside, shook the dust out and returned to the bed, where Jenny lay shivering in the damp cold.

"Here. This might help," she said, carefully tucking the blanket around Jenny's battered body. "Jenny, you're freezing. I'll see if I can find a pan to heat water. If there's tea, I'll make you some. If not, at least hot water will warm you up."

"Okay," Jenny closed her eyes and gave a little nod. She pulled the blanket pulled up around her head and shoulders.

Returning downstairs, Ramona checked on Sammie. Opening the door a crack, she looked into the room. Sammie was already asleep. Sighing, Ramona turned toward the kitchen and began looking in cupboards. She found a pan. Now what? Where would she find water? Did the stove have propane in it? Or would she have to heat the water over an open fire outside?

She looked in the cupboards, hunting for matches. In the high cupboard over the stove, she found a half-empty box. Lighting one, she tried to turn the stove on, but it did nothing. No propane. She blew out the match and set it on the stove. Outside she found an ancient pit encircled with big rocks. She gathered what sticks there were around the house. Inside, she found an old newspaper to use for starting the fire. She crumpled it up, set it in the middle of the firepit, and built a teepee shaped circle of sticks around it, then lit it with a second match. The fire lit and was soon producing some heat.

There had been no plumbing inside the house. No water. She looked around for a well. It was there, overgrown with brush, between the house and the surrounding forest. She spotted the well surrounded by young aspen trees. A water bucket was fastened to a rope above the well. She lowered it into the water below and drew up enough to make tea for them all.

At the fire pit, Ramona set the heavy iron pot next to the flames and sat down on the surrounding weeds to wait for it to heat. She was so tired. She wanted to sleep, like Jenny and Sammie, to shut out the pain and fear. But the others needed her help. Looking around, she saw only tall pine and fir trees. The house was in a slight depression, so there was no view of the mountain below. If only she could see the valley! She might be able to determine where they were. Maybe plot a way out. The road had been long, but surely there would be a more direct path or creek she could follow...if she got the chance.

Alone, she whispered her prayer aloud to God. "Lord, rescue us! Our hearts and bodies are sore. I don't know where we are or how to escape, for we were laying down in the bed of the van with no windows, and we drove for such a long time. We miss our families. Please keep us safe!"

"I am with you. Do not be afraid. I have plans for you, plans for a future and a hope, not for the evil your captors intend. Let you heart be at rest, child."

Though she could not see him, Ramona knew she had heard from Jesus. Her heart found peace in his promise. Matthew 10:27 came into her mind. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

"Thank you, Jesus," she whispered.

***

"Aaron called a meeting tomorrow night. Can we still use your parents' home?" Ethan asked, coming back into the kitchen carrying Ramie on his arm.

"Sure. But I'll need to vacuum and dust first." I turned back to the stove and removed a ham and potato casserole from the oven. Setting it on a hot pad in the middle of the table, I went back for the green salad, then the milk.

"Okay. The meeting's at seven tomorrow evening. We can go over early and dust together. You'll like that, won't you, Ramie?"

The little boy's face lit up and he nodded. "I wike to dust. I helped Mommie."

Looking down at his son's face, Ethan's eyes misted a little. "Good. Then you can be my special helper tomorrow." He put Ramie into the highchair and came over to help me serve the food.

"It's a feast, Skye." He smiled, searching my eyes. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Ethan. I've enjoyed cooking for the two of you. It keeps me busy."

Later, while Ethan put Ramie in bed, I went out to the front porch and sat on the swing. Below me, my parents' house lay outlined by the moonlight. We'd put the horses in the barn earlier. The cattle were taking a short nap in the meadow. They'd stir soon and go back to grazing. But for now, all was quiet except for the comforting sound of crickets.

"Mind if I join you?" Ethan asked softly from the doorway.

I patted the seat next to me.

Ethan signed as he sat on the swing. "It's so peaceful here. It's hard to imagine that somewhere in these mountains three girls are being held captive." He shook his head. "I haven't been able to get them out of my mind. I keep thinking how I'd feel if someone stole my Ramie." He buried his face in his hands for a moment. Raising his head, he said fiercely, "I'd comb these mountains every day to rescue him!" He sighed again. "It's a lot of land to cover, but we'll find them. I'm sure of it in my heart."

I looked at the mountains rising behind our homes. "There just has to be an old barn or cabin out there somewhere, Ethan. If they couldn't escape the area because of our patrols, they have to be up there. Somewhere. God will help us find them."

Ethan nodded. "Yes. I believe he will." He sat back in the swing and slowly began to relax. Moonlight touched his face making him look younger, like the teenage neighbor boy of our shared childhood.

"Remember the time Aaron and Chuck were lost in those mountains?" I studied the Big Horn Mountains lying silver beneath the moon. "Dad took our hunting dog, Rusty, and gave him the scent. And Rusty found them. But it took hours."

"Yes, I remember that. Dad grounded Aaron for two weeks." He sat up straighter, staring at the mountains himself. "That's it!" he said. "Deputy Hawk has a hound for tracking! We might be able to find the girls, if Aaron has anything he could use to put the dog on a scent. He said he found a lot of evidence. The people in the house had left in a hurry." Ethan's eyes gleamed with hope.

I leaned against his shoulder like I had often

done many times in childhood after a tiring adventure. I felt Ethan start in surprise, but I didn't move away. I wanted him to see me as a woman, not as a childhood playmate.

After a moment, he lifted his arm and draped it over my shoulder, leaning toward me, like in the old days. Only this time there was a different feel to the air. The feeling between us was almost tangible. I sensed he saw me as a woman, not just as a childhood friend.

He laid his cheek on my head. "I'm glad you came home, Skye."

"Me too." I lifted my face and smiled up at him.

Hesitantly, Ethan lowered his head, and his lips met mine. His hand came up and drew me closer. His lips moved across my cheek and below my ear.

Passion ignited a fire in my veins. I'd never felt like this before. "Ethan...Ethan..." I whispered.

            The sound of a vehicle turning into the driveway interrupted the spell Ethan was weaving around me. He groaned and reluctantly moved away then stood.

            It was Aaron's patrol car.

Come Away To The Meadow

Hi Friends! The writing juices are flowing again, so here’s the next chapter. Enjoy!

Sheri Schofield

Chapter 12

Rain poured and thunder rumbled in the late hours on Friday night. A cool breeze flowed through the room, touching my cheek as I lay curled up in Aaron's old bedroom. It took a minute to remember where I was and why Ethan had brought me to his home. I pulled the homemade quilt up to my chin and lay looking out the window at the flashes of lightning, glad for the storm which brought water to our town.

Boom! Thunder and lightning came at the same time. It must have hit a nearby tree, I thought, sitting up in bed.

In the next room, I heard Ramie cry out in fear. I slipped out of bed, reached for my robe, and donned it as I hurried toward his cry.

"Mommy! Mommy!" he cried when I opened the door.

"Ramie, it's me, Skye." I went to the child and sat on the edge of his bed. Ethan had moved the child into a room adjoining his own, with toys and space to play.

"'Kye!" Ramie whimpered, clutching me tightly.

"It's okay, honey. It's just a storm. God is watering the grass tonight so it will grow tall and feed the horses and cows. The lightning makes the grass green."

Lightning flashed through the sky again, followed by a crash of thunder. I stroked Ramie's hair. "It's okay. The storm is going away."

"It is?"

"Yes. You can tell how many miles away it is by counting the seconds between the lightning and the thunder."

"What's a mile?"

"It's the distance between this house and your daddy's office."

"Oh! That's a long way."

Lightning flashed again. "One, two, three," I said, measuring the time. Thunder crashed. "It's still close, but not over us. When the lightning and thunder crash at the same time, it's very close. But when there's some time between the lightning flash and the thunder, it means the storm is moving away."

Another flash filled the sky. "One, two, three, four, five, six..." Ramie listened as I counted. Thunder rumbled on six.

"It sis! It sis!" Ramie said.

"Yes. Now, we cut the number in half, and that tells us how many miles away it is. Half of six is three. That means the lightning was three miles away."

Ethan moved silently into the room and sat at the foot of Ramie's bed.

"Daddy! I'm countin' the lightnin'!" he exclaimed, tumbling over the covers to reach Ethan, who scooped him into his arms.

Another lightning strike slashed the night sky.

Ramie counted with me nodding with each word. "One, two, fwee, foe, fite, sis, sebben, eight..." Boom!

"Eight!" Ramie exclaimed, smiling up at Ethan.

"And half of eight is four. The lightning was four miles away," I said.

Ethan's face lit up in a sweet smile as his eyes met mine. "Thanks, Skye," he said softly.

"Maybe we should have some hot chocolate to help us get back to sleep." I said and moved toward the bedroom door.

"Yay!" Ramie said, staying right where he was in Ethan's arms.

"Good idea." Ethan stood and followed me, a cheerful Ramie in his arms.

"Daddy, I knows how to count lightnin’ smiles!" he announced.

Ethan and I laughed, our gaze meeting over Ramie's head.

I touched the kitchen light switch, but nothing happened. "No electricity."

"There's candles in the cupboard." Ethan reached up with his free hand and retrieved a box of candles. Setting Ramie in his highchair, he went back for candle holders and matches. He lit three candles, set two on the counter and one on the table, then walked over to the refrigerator and retrieved milk.

A few minutes later, I lifted a kettle of warm milk from the flames of the gas stove. Adding chocolate, I poured it into the cups Ethan had lifted down from the cupboard and carried them to the table.

While lightning flashed and thunder roared, Ramie lost his fear as he counted the seconds, sitting safely on his father's lap. The hot chocolate soon worked its charm, and the child's eyelids began to droop.

Ethan looked at me, smiled and stood. He carried Ramie to his room, tucked him into bed, and returned to the kitchen, where I was washing dishes by candlelight.

"Well done, Skye," he said softly, reaching for a towel to dry the dishes. "I never would have thought of counting the time between lightning strikes and thunder to help calm Ramie's fear. That was a good distraction."

His words of approval filled my heart as I returned to bed. I remembered how Ethan had always watched out for me when we were kids. He was still watching out for me now. And approving.

I'd forgotten just how safe I'd always felt when I was with Ethan. How safe I feel now. But is that all I want from him? A protector? No. I need true love. Not the love of a good friend, but the passion of romance. I don't want the conditional, uncommitted love Dale gave me. But will Ethan ever feel true love for me? I think he still sees me as the young girl next door whom he played with as a child. When he kissed me in front of Dale, I remembered the times he’d kissed my cheek when I'd skinned a knee or when I'd been hurt playing. He's always been sweet and kind toward me. When he kissed me in the park, I knew it was to discourage Dale, to make him go away and leave me alone. But it didn't mean anything between us. Or did it?

 I sighed and closed my eyes.

***

The next morning dawned over fields and trees freshly washed by the storm. Deputy Liam Webster couldn't resist the call of the mountain rising between the Big Horns and the town. Walking out to the corral behind his garage, he opened the gate and walked toward his horse. Seeing his master, the dapple-gray gelding ambled toward Liam and nuzzled his shoulder.

"Here you go, Dapple." He held the apple on the palm of his hand. The horse's soft muzzle brushed Liam's palm as he accepted the treat. "Let's go for a ride up the mountain," Liam said, stroking the horse's neck.

Twenty minutes later, Liam was riding through the trees up a rutted dirt road. "I wonder where this goes," he spoke softly into the restful silence. He'd been checking out all the roads into the mountains on his days off, getting to know the terrain in his new home.

After following the winding road up the mountain for what he thought was probably three miles, he said softly, "Let's go back home, boy." He reined up and was about to turn back, when he heard a car door slam not far ahead followed by an engine coming to life. "Okay, maybe not." He nudged the horse forward, guiding it into the trees alongside the road where they wouldn't be seen.

A Chevy Silverado pickup roared past. Liam caught a glimpse of a dark-haired, unshaven man in the driver's seat. Once the dust settled, he turned Dapple back to the road and followed it further up the mountain. A clearing came into view with an old log house, gray with the years. Next to the house, the garage door remained open.

Liam moved the horse back into the trees, reached down and pulled his binoculars from his saddlebag. He saw a jeep in the shadow of the garage. Behind it was another large vehicle, but he couldn't make out what it was. An SUV? A van? Could this be what they were looking for?

The door of the house opened again. A well-muscled man with brown hair stepped out, stopped, and called back into the house...something about a garden.

Liam studied his face as he strode out to the garage and climbed into the jeep. The engine roared to life. The jeep zipped out of the garage, blocking Liam's view of the other vehicle. The driver climbed out of the jeep and closed the door. Liam waited for him to drive past him before he moved his horse out into the open and headed for the house.

A rifle appeared at a window.

"Get outta here! This is private land!" The rifle barked. The bullet hit dirt in front of the horse, which began to struggle.

Holding tightly to the reins, Liam steered Dapple back to the forest road and raced away. "I'll be back," he promised himself. "There's something fishy there."

Inside the house, Chet swore and kicked a chair across the room.

Ramona, Jenny and Sammie crowded together in fear on the other side of the room, hoping Chet's fury would not affect them.

Seeing the girls huddled together, Chet stomped over, grabbed Jenny and threw her to the floor. It was just the beginning.

Meanwhile, Liam galloped into town, slowing to watch for cars, and went straight to the police station. Dismounting, he tied Dapple to a pole outside the front door, then went inside.

Aaron, sitting at his desk with his first coffee of the day, came to his feet when he saw Liam enter, hair in disarray, in civilian clothes.

"What's up?"

"I went out for a ride on my horse and checked out another road. This one led up the mountain a few miles. Maybe three or four miles. I hid in the forest and watched a pickup go by. The driver had dark hair. Unshaven. Grubby. Afterward, I kept going. There's an old log cabin up there. A man with light brown hair and beard came out to the garage and got into a jeep. I thought I saw a dark SUV or van in the garage, but couldn't tell for sure, because he closed the door. So I rode closer. Some man in the house ordered me off the property and fired a shot that almost hit Dapple. I came straight here to let you know."

"Show me where this was on the map." Aaron led the way to a large map on the wall.

"I took this road," Liam said, his finger tracing it. "The cabin was here at the end of it."

"Hm. That's old man Alders' place. He died about two years ago. I didn't keep track of who moved in there afterward. It was a busy time. Let's look up the property over at the courthouse."

"I need to take Dapple home first," Liam said. "I'll need to brush him down. Can you wait a few minutes?"

"Sure. I'll drive over to your place and meet you there."

"Thanks."

Half an hour later, Aaron and Liam were headed toward the courthouse in Sheridan.

"Maybe we'll catch a break," Aaron said.

"I hope so."

Once at the courthouse, it didn't take long to locate the deed.

"Looks like he left his house and property to his grandson, Joseph Alders," Liam commented.

"Joe's got dark hair. He usually looks scruffy. He could be the man you saw in the pickup."

"I haven't met him yet."

"You sure? He tanks up at the bar on Saturday nights and often causes a ruckus."

"Ooooh. That Joe." Liam nodded his head. "He's a handful. Tough guy."

"That's Joe. He has a job somewhere in Sheridan, but I'm not sure where." Aaron paused then nodded. "Okay. We should ask the Sheridan police department for backup.”

"Do you think the Crow girls might be at that location?" Liam asked as they drove back to Chisum.

"It's hard to say at this point. We don't know enough. But it's a possibility."

Liam sighed. "I'm asking God to help us rescue them."

"Me too. We do know someone tried to kidnap Skye. It may be the same man. Or men. We don't know if he's working alone or with others. But the danger is real. And it's our town." Aaron fell silent thinking of his own children and how devastated he would feel if they were taken. "We need to catch these men, and we'll need backup." He reached for the phone. "I'll call the Sheridan office now." He reached for the car's mobile phone.

Forty-five minutes later, four police from Sheridan joined them back in Chisum.

"Here's where we're going," Aaron told them, showing the location on the wall map. "I'll lead. Someone in the house fired a shot at Deputy Webster this morning. We are hoping to locate the men who have been kidnapping girls. A few months ago, they took two teenage girls from the Crow reservation. Recently, someone tried to kidnap a young local woman. It could well be the same man or men."

"What do they look like?" a Sheridan deputy asked.

"Liam, tell what you saw this morning." Aaron nodded toward him.

"I saw one man--unshaven, dark hair-- driving a green Chevy Silverado truck, and another man with brown hair driving a gray and black jeep. There was a third man inside the house I didn't see. And I saw what looked like a dark van in the garage before the brown-haired man closed the garage door. I didn't see the man who shot the rifle at me. All I saw was the gun barrel and a tan cowboy hat on the man's head."

"Okay. Let's head up there. Lights and sirens off. Turn your lights on when you see mine turn on." Aaron led the way outside to the three police cars. Once they were all ready, he led the way up the mountain as far as the paved road went, then followed a dirt road that angled upward into the forest following Liam's directions.

"There's the house," Liam said, pointing through the trees.

A man with bright red hair came out of the house and threw what looked like a basketful of things into an idling jeep.

Aaron drove the patrol car up behind the jeep and skidded to a halt. He hit the siren briefly and the lights. The following patrol cars turned their lights on as well.

Seeing the police, the man dashed into the house and slammed the door shut.

Aaron opened his door and dropped to one knee behind it, pointing his gun at the house.

 As soon as the other patrol cars pulled up and the additional deputies were in position, he held the bullhorn to his mouth and shouted, "This is the police. Come out with your hands up!"

The door to the house opened slowly. Seeing he was outnumbered, the redheaded man came out, his hands raised. Liam and one of the Sheridan deputies rushed forward and cuffed his hands behind his back.

"You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have him present with you while you are being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before any questioning if you wish," Liam said as he and the other deputy hauled the man to the car.

"I don't know what this is all about!" the man whined. "Would somebody please enlighten me?"

"I'd be glad to," Liam said. "I was riding up here this morning, and you fired at me from a window."

"That wasn't me! I wasn't even here this morning. It was probably Joe."

"No, it wasn't," Liam said. "I saw Joe drive off before I approached the house."

"Well, this is private property! We've had problems with people trying to break in! We--I--have the right to protect my property!" the man protested.

"Tell it to the judge," Liam said, pulling out his pad. "Name?"

"Chet Tyler." The man scowled and stared at Liam and began cussing.

While Aaron put Chet into the back of the police car and stood guard, Liam and the other deputies searched the house and garage.

"There's nobody else in the house," the lead deputy from Sheridan reported.

"Okay. You stay with the prisoner, and I'll do a walk-through." Aaron headed toward the garage first. No van. But there were oil spots where two vehicles had been parked. He knelt and touched them. Fresh, but it was impossible to tell what kind vehicles had been there.

He walked into the house, pulling on a fresh pair of thin rubber gloves. The house was neatly kept. There were three bedrooms. Two had queen-sized beds, one had a king. He stripped the sheets off and folded them, put them into bags, and set them by the bedroom door. Searching the drawers, he found some clothing jumbled together as though rifled through in a hurry. Prenatal vitamins lay in the jumble of clothing. There were two bathrooms with six towels total. Toothbrushes for six. In the back of one closet, he found a pair of girls' tennis shoes. In the kitchen were six coffee cups. He put all the items into plastic evidence bags, sealed and labeled them. There would be plenty of DNA evidence. He handed them off to the two deputies who had followed him. "Put these in the trunk of my car, if you would. Thanks."

"Sure thing." The deputies nodded and took the bags out.

Looking back to see if there might be something else he should take, he noticed a fiction book on an end table by the couch. Walking over, he picked it up and thumbed through the pages. A folded piece of paper lodged in the middle of the book. A bookmark? He opened the folds of the paper. Inside was a note. It was a prayer:

Dear Father in heaven, please hear me! I am a captive in this house. My baby is due soon. I'm afraid! After what happened to Sammie's baby, I suspect Joe will take mine away, too. Please help me! Please save us! I ask in Jesus's name, amen. I, Ramona, trust you.

Ramona! So the girls were here!
 Aaron motioned to the deputies to gather in the garage, out of earshot from their prisoner. "Thank you for your help. I think we struck gold. Ramona White Swan was one of the teenage girls taken from the Crow reservation. She was here!" He passed the note around. "I'll have to send out an all-points bulletin. We will find her and the others, I'm sure. We don't know where the men took the girls. But we'll have one suspect to question. In the meantime, we'll post one of our own deputies as a guard in the woods near this house to see if the others return. I don't think they will, but you never know."

"Glad we could help," the lead Sheridan deputy nodded. He turned along with the other deputies and headed toward the cars.

Aaron and Liam were silent on the way back to the police station, not willing to let anything slip to their passenger in the back seat, who grumbled and cussed under his breath all the way back. Once he was locked up, they compared notes.

"It looks like there were six people living in that house. Three couples. Ramona was one of the girls. Jenny Little Bear was probably there, too. There were prenatal vitamins in each room. The girls were all pregnant," Aaron told Liam. "But we need to keep this information to ourselves until we get further evidence. We need to find Joe and whoever the other man is, too."

"Okay, boss."

"I'm going to try talking to our prisoner. He might give us some answers."

"What if he demands an attorney?"

"Then I'll get him one. But I'm hoping he will want to make a deal."

"I wonder who the third girl in the house was?"