Rancho Bonito

Chapter 13

The forest trails were gloomy after our ride here in the bright sunlight. I tried to imagine what it would be like to be a scared teenager fleeing their own actions and wondering what would happen to them if they got caught. Had they expected the fire to move so fast? Had they just wanted a diversion while they fled with the horses they were 'rescuing'?

Don't get me wrong, I was still pissed at what they had done. Nobody endangers my horses and gets excused, but I was beginning to suspect these two hadn't been looking to cause quite so much trouble. They were kids who had been abused by people they should have been able to trust, then further abused by a system that took too long to rescue them. No wonder they didn't want anything else to suffer. Had they transferred their own pain onto our horses and imagined them in a life of enslavement or abuse?

I just wanted to find them and let them know the world hadn't come to an end. But I also needed to find my horses and know they were safe too, or I might find myself never forgiving those two. And I knew that would eat at me the rest of my days.

We kept ourselves roughly one horse length apart. Ralph had said that was optimum -- you could see what lay between you and there was a low probability of missing a human body, no matter how prone it was. Even half buried we'd be close enough to notice the disturbed earth.

Of course talking about burials made us all too aware of another possibility that no one had mentioned so far. Had the kids really gone off on their own? Or had they met someone?

I quietly mentioned something like that to Keith and he winced.

"Don't," he said. "I can't think of those kids back in the hands of pedophiles. That would be too much. God couldn't be so cruel."

I'm not what you'd call a big religious person -- when you're pounded day and night by so called experts who tell you how much God hates you and your kind, it's hard to believe -- but I knew Keith had a quiet faith that sustained him. It had grown stronger since his parents untimely death and often offered him comfort now when things got him down. He didn't try to proselytize but he let me know he prayed for me on occasion, when I would let my temper get the better of me and I would blow up over something stupid. His strength comforted me, so I guess his religion served us both.

Now I just hoped he was right, but then sometimes God seemed pretty far away when it came to abused kids. If He was so great why let the abuse exist in the first place?

Whiskeyjack moved smoothly under me. His spotted neck flexed and swayed as we walked through the bush. I kept my own head moving, swinging from side to side as I scanned the ground on either side. Looking for anything that didn't look right. On my right Keith did the same; Charlie rode Buzz on my left and hunched down in his saddle, his eyes glued to the ground.

The forest was alive with the rustle of passing hooves. Occasionally someone would shout out and we would pause while the ground was searched more thoroughly. We all waited for the signal to move on, since we didn't dare open gaps in our line. I had never actually thought about how thick and huge the Santa Fe National Forest was. One and a half million acres? How could we hope to cover it?

Then I reminded myself we didn't have to cover all of it. Only that part the two teens could realistically have reached in the time they'd been missing. On horse back or on foot, it made little difference. A horse couldn't move at more than a slow walk in here, and frequently had to go around objects a walking human could have climbed over. So no matter how you looked at it those kids were only going to be able to go so far.

Unless of course they had been picked up by someone on wheels.

Which brought us full circle to where we didn't want to go. Good going, Richards.

Above the trees the sun was in its inevitable descent. We had maybe two more hours of reliable light before we had to turn back. We seemed to be moving too slowly. If the kids were ahead of us, moving too, we'd never catch up to them.

Think positively.

Suddenly there was a shout off to our left. I reined Whiskeyjack in and met Keith's gaze. He looked alternately hopeful and afraid. None of us moved. Our orders were to maintain position until told otherwise.

Faron came loping over to us, his roan beginning to sweat and foam with the unfamiliar exertion. "We may have spotted a horse. Does someone want to come look?"

I did, desperately. But I knew who needed to go. Both Keith and I looked for Darrel who came forward at our urging.

"Go see, Darrel."

Darrel nodded, touching the brim of his Stetson. "Wish me luck," he said then wheeled Sweet Dreams around and trotted after Faron.

We waited a restless fifteen minutes, then twenty, watching the shadows lengthen and pool between the endless expanse of trees. Whiskeyjack tossed his spotted head and worried the bit in his mouth. I heard other restless stamping and the occasional muttered 'Easy... whoa'.

Then Darrel was back. His narrow, sun darkened face was split in a large grin.

"It's Mistral. He's okay! Faron's got someone coming to pick him up."

I wanted to cheer, but I knew it would be premature. We were a long way from celebrating just yet. But it was a start.

Keith glanced at his watch. He frowned. "We only have another hour and a half of full light. Where's Faron? We need to move out before we lose any more time --"

Then the shout came to move on. I kneed Whiskeyjack around and got him moving again. Our spirits lifting, we peered even closer at the ground and off into the growing shadows, more determined than ever to find the others.

But no other shouts came that fading day. At last we were forced to turn back, though there were the inevitable arguments to go on just a 'bit more'. It was Faron who quashed those firmly.

"You want to kill your horses, or waste our time forcing us to launch a search party for you, do it on your own time. We'll fan the walkers out with their flashlights, but that's about all we can do." He sighed and wiped his brow with a sweat- soaked arm. "I don't like giving up any more than you do, people, but we aren't doing them any favors if we start hurting ourselves. We'll reconvene back at Keith's at first light. Get an early start -- I'll work on bringing a helicopter in tomorrow to extend the search. Go home, people."

There were a few grumbles but most saw the wisdom in his words. Me, I was too tired to feel much of anything.

Back in the ranch yard Keith and I climbed wearily off our horses and led them into the stable. The other horses would be left here for the night, either outside in one of the paddocks of in the few empty stalls we had. I stopped at Mistral's stall and fed him an apple when he stuck his nose over the door, looking him over while he ate. He didn't look any the worse for wear and Darrel confirmed that when he showed up minutes later.

"He looks good, Todd. A couple of scratches, nothing major. Keith can check him out in the morning, if he wants."

Arm in arm Keith and I climbed the steps to our front door. I reached for the door knob when the voice came out of the darkness.

"Has anyone ever stopped to think that those two deviants might have done something to those kids?"

Chapter 14

Keith and I froze on the porch. I didn't recognize the speaker, I had no trouble recognizing Faron's answering voice.

"You got something to say, Roddy, say it. I'm too damned tired to play games."

Roddy. Had to be Roderick, a rancher who had a spread on the other side of Santa Fe. We never had much contact with him. I think the avoidance was mutual.

"Come on, Simon," Roderick said. "Look at them. Bunch of queers running a queer hotel out here. Maybe it's part of the services they provide. They got places like that in other countries. I heard about them. Sex holidays." Roderick spat into the bushes. "Maybe they did something to those kids and then tried to cover it up. They could hide those bodies anywhere on this pissant spread and laugh while they got us running wild goose chases all over those mountains."

"Like I said, you got something to back that up, you give it to me, otherwise I got no call to harass anyone here."

"Bunch o' God-damned queers, what other proof you need?"

I don't know where he got the balls from, but Keith never backed down from anyone and now was no exception. Keeping my hand firmly in his he marched up to the two men and planted himself between Roderick and a startled Faron.

"Is there a problem here, Sergeant?" he asked. "If there is maybe we need to clear this up right now."

"No, no problem," Faron said and I could have sworn he suppressed a grin.

Roderick looked ready to have a stroke. He stared at Keith's hand entwined in mine and gaped like a fish out of water.

"Then everything is all right?" Keith pressed. He edged closer to Roderick, clearly aware his presence had the other man on edge.

"Everything's just fine, Mr. Anderson." Faron tipped his hat at us. "And I do want to thank you for your hospitality tonight. Sure hope we can resolve this tomorrow."

"So do I, Sergeant," I said. My gaze fastened on Roderick. "I hate to think of those two kids out there all alone."

Roderick suddenly snorted and stomped off the porch, vanishing into the darkness toward the parking lot. Moments later we heard a truck engine roar and gears complain as the vehicle was hurried back out to the county road.

Faron met my gaze briefly before settling on Keith. "Sorry about that. He's a bit of a hothead."

"I just hope he doesn't decide to share his theories with half the town." Keith sighed. "He won't be the only one willing to believe it."

"Most folks know better."

"I just don't need any trouble from the few who might want to believe him."

Keith sounded wearier than I'd heard him in a long time. I squeezed his hand and wished I was strong enough to put my arm around him but couldn't bring myself to do it in front of Faron.

"I'll see to it personally that nothing happens, Keith. You have my word on that."

I tugged at Keith's hand. "Let's get inside. We need to rest before tomorrow."

Faron took his leave and I shut the door behind us before releasing a volley of curses. Keith smiled tiredly at my rage.

"Don't let it get to you, hon. The world is full of guys like him. You can't let them upset you."

"Easy for you to say."

Keith suddenly swung around and hugged me to him. "No, it's not easy. But I won't let assholes like him diminish my life. We have a right to be here, Todd. Nobody will ever convince me otherwise." He leaned down and spoke with his lips less than an inch from mine. "Come on, let's go to bed. I bet I can make you forget even that jerk."

I felt my body respond to his nearness just as it always did. His lips teased mine for an interminable amount of time.

"I'll bet you can," I whispered.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

He led me into our suite of rooms and firmly shut the door behind us. Then he back me up until my thighs were against the edge of our bed.

He began to undress me.

I helped him by skimming out of my jeans and boxers, tossing them into the clothes hamper for wash day. Then I went to work on him. When we were both naked we tumbled into bed and lay pressed together, neither one of us rushing into anything.

Our lovemaking was leisurely, but no less powerful than when we went at it hot and heavy. I lay on top and we kissed, our cocks sliding over each other, smearing our swollen poles with pre-cum. Eventually he opened his legs and I moved between them. I entered him slowly and we began a dance of thrust and perry. He groaned against my mouth and I sucked on his lower lip, nipping at his chin and running my tongue over his teeth and gums, exploring the inside of his mouth.

The intensity grew and he began writhing under me, rotating his hips to take me in deeper. I responded by increasing my tempo.

I came, gasping his name as I blew my load deep into his hot, tight channel. Before he could do the same I pulled out of him and slithered down to engulf his swollen cock in my wet mouth. His fingers clutched my head and he exploded down my throat, sending blast after blast of thick cum across my tongue where I swallowed it and reached for more.

Finally I collapsed on top of him. He murmured soft endearments against my damp skin and pulled the comforter up over both of us.

I don't know about him, but I slept like the proverbial baby.

Dawn found us back in the stable yard, suppressing yawns and sipping Styrofoam cups of coffee as we waited for the others to arrive. The horses were all saddled -- thanks to the combined efforts of Darrel, Charlie, Ty, Keith and me. Mistral would not be used today. Keith had looked him over quickly and determined he was healthy, but exhausted. He needed rest more than anything else.

Finally Faron and the others began arriving. When everyone was there I noticed Roderick was back. He threw one baleful look at Keith's back, ignored me and kept to himself. He refused the offer of coffee.

He pulled his horse out of the line and walked it over to the edge of the yard. I made a mental note to keep an eye on him during the ride. I wanted to see who he talked to and what he did. Maybe I'm the suspicious type, and Keith wouldn't have approved, but I suddenly didn't trust Mr. 'Roddy' Roderick.

Just as the sun topped the eastern trees we mounted up and headed out. Our saddlebags were filled with water and high energy snack foods. Several of us carried first aid kits and everyone with a cell phone carried it, even if there was a good chance we'd lose the signal further in.

As we wound our way along the path we had taken yesterday, I heard the distant whap-whap of an approaching helicopter. Faron trotted over to Keith and me.

"Got the search and rescue team down at the air base to loan us a bird for the day. They'll keep an eye out further up the Pecos Wilderness, see if they can spot any fires or other activity." He patted the walkie-talkie strapped to the front of his saddle. "They spot anything, we can be on it like the sizzle on a steak. Don't know if you noticed. We got twenty more walkers going up in the trucks."

"I noticed," Keith said. "They said they saw the clip on the news last night. It paid off to call in the news team."

Faron grimaced. "Sometimes even those boys earn their stripes. I noticed Roderick came back. He give you boys any trouble this morning?"

"No, not me." I looked at Keith. "You?"

"Not a word. Eye daggers, but no words."

"Well, if he forgets himself, you let me know."

Keith nodded but I said nothing. If Roddy gave us any flack I intended to take care of it myself.

I just hoped he didn't make that necessary.

[More to come]

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