Meanwhile on The River Ranch cattle were being loaded into the stock trailers to go home to their new owners. Charlie, the assistant lead rancher shook his head in dismay, he didn't think he would ever live to see this day come.
He stroked his long white beard and looked around at the ol' homestead. Some cowboys were let go and were packing their bags to move on to another ranch or to no telling elsewhere. It didn't make any sense to him. River Ranch was the largest property and biggest booming land in town, yet the day was taking place.
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Ava placed her tip on the table and left promptly after Arlo left the bar. She jumped into the unmarked car and followed him through town, down back roads, and wondered where the Sheriff was going for a while until she realized they had made two circles. She looked up to see Arlo had pulled over around the bend, out of the truck with his arms crossed and eyeing her down.
"Shoot." She stopped the car and got out herself.
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"Patricia Bradshaw River." Patty stated her full name to the officials in the court house. She had a meeting with the county clerk at noon and though she looked stern - on the inside she felt depressed. And, a whole lot pissed off at her sister, Savannah.
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Willie Mae had to sit down and not because she had been on her feet since four a.m. but because a vision hit her so hard it almost took her feet out from under her. She snuck off to the back of the restaurant to her office and sat down behind the computer. The nearing sixty year old pulled up Google and typed in the word "Euphoria" - a word that flashed several times in the quake of the vision.
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"Why are you following me, Ava?"
She leaned against the hood of the car and folded her arms, too. She said nothing but looked at the man that she would have gladly taken a bullet for him. She blinked.
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Charlie watched as the trucks drove away with the ranchers' livelihoods. Not all of them but enough to cut back six cowboys and leave only five behind, including himself, Arlo, Ronnie, Taylor and John. Fifty head of cattle wouldn't be enough to keep the ranch on the high end. They would make it but nothing like before. Charlie wasn't sure why it bothered him so much. It would be a lot easier of work - well he knew why it bothered him - the land.
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"Right this way, Ma'am." The clerk's assistant showed Patty where the meeting would take place and she forced her legs to move in the direction. Hoping the meeting was a success.
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"Ava?" Arlo looked at his deputy with slight concern.
"What?"
She was stalling and he knew it. He stepped closer to her to shorten the distance between them. He could get in the truck and drive off but he also knew she would just follow him, again.
He stood a foot from her and she raised her chin, locked her jaw, she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her tears.
He toned his voice down to be more gentle. "Why are you following me?"
Ava swallowed. She didn't have an answer she could give him. She held his gaze and stayed strong. Stall him for as long as she possibly could.
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Frank got Sam's text message and loaded up his truck with his camping gear. He jumped in the old white ford and headed south away from Silver Valley Ranch to camp out in the woods for a few days.
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Willie Mae scratched her old noggin' reading the meaning of the word.
"a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness."
That couldn't be true. The vision was dark and filled with sadness. Darkness swarmed them all. She leaned back in the cushioned chair and remembered the details of the fragmented vision. Who's happiness would be ruining them all?
….The darkness?
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"Ava…?"
ΔΙΑΒΑΖΕΙΣ
The River Ranch
ΤυχαίοA little history, snippets (aka short scences), random nonsense of a family living in Wimberely Texas -- one day, it might turn into a full novel but, I don't know. Copyrighted.
