by Sable Hunter
“Oh, that’s okay. Every family has it.”
“Yea, and since you’re going to be family, you might as well be indoctrinated early.”
Apple felt happiness well up in her heart like a mountain spring. “Benjen is every woman’s dream, but I don’t know what will happen.”
“Huh. I saw his face as he watched you tonight. He worships the ground you walk on. Benjen isn’t one to lead a girl on, he’s in this for the long haul.”
As they worked together, the thought of a future with Benjen almost paralyzed Apple with a combination of hope and fear. “I guess it doesn’t cost anything to dream.” Actually, broken dreams could cost dearly. She knew that from experience. Needing to change the subject, she brightened. “So, we’re still on for coffee. Right?”
“Oh, yea, definitely,” Sara agreed as she rinsed off dishes for Apple to put into the dishwasher. “When do you think you could make it?”
“Well…” She blushed anew. “Benjen asked me to reserve this weekend for him.”
“He did, did he?” Sara teased Apple. “So, how about Monday?”
“Sure. Why not? I’d love to. At lunch or after work?”
They finished the dishes, then Apple placed a detergent pod in the washer before setting it to come on. “Uh…at lunch would be good, if that’s okay with you.”
“Sure, and since you’re working, I’ll drive in to Kingsland,” Sara offered, wiping her hands on a dish towel.
“Perfect. Where would you like to meet?” Apple couldn’t help but glance around what she could see of the interior of the house. Her heart beat a little faster knowing Benjen lived here, slept here.
Sara thought a second. “Uh, I think the only place besides the Dairy Queen is the Kingsland Coffee Company at the Antler’s Inn.”
“Sounds good to me, Sara.” Apple clasped her hands together in happiness. Other than Dr. Cleveland and the others at the vet’s office, she hadn’t really made any girlfriends in the area. “It’s a date!”
“Date?” The one word and a kiss on the neck was Apple’s only warning they weren’t alone. “If you’re dating anyone, it’s going to be me, Apple Fritter.”
“Awww, you two are so cute together.” Sara crossed her arms and smiled. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave you alone and go find my husband.”
Benjen leaned against the cabinet and held Apple cradled against him, her back to his front. “Thanks, Sis. We’ll see you soon.”
“Are you taking me home now?” Apple asked, a little surprised.
“No, I’m not ready to let you go. I need to be alone with you. Do you think I could talk my girl into a moonlight ride?”
“I think that can be arranged, cowboy.” As she lifted her face to accept his kiss, a warm feeling of peace and acceptance enveloped her. She knew there were no guarantees in this world, but right now…life was pretty good.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“You never told me you were a natural.” Benjen kept his mount close to Apple’s as they rode across the field nearest to the Rock House. He was proud to see she had a good seat on the horse.
“A neighbor let me exercise her horses when I was a kid. Alan and I stole over to her house every chance we got.” Saying her ex’s name did not bring the pain she was used to feeling.
“So, you grew up with Alan?” Benjen didn’t know why a twinge of jealousy sliced through him. After all, the man was dead.
“Yea, our families were close.” She held out her hand to take his. “Mothers were best friends. My dad worked for his father. We went to the same church. Our folks pushed us together. At the time, it seemed like we were destined to be together. A perfect match.” She laughed bitterly. “Such a perfect match that I gave him a kidney when he needed it.”
“So, you only have one kidney?” Benjen felt alarm spike through his veins. “Are you okay?” The idea that something could happen to her scared the life out of him.
Apple squeezed his hand. “I’m fine. People live normal, healthy lives with one kidney all the time.”
Bristling at the thought, Benjen muttered his disquiet, “Bastard. You gave him everything and he gave you nothing but heartache.”
“Stop. Let the past be past. We’re here tonight. Together. Let’s enjoy it.” She leaned over to give him a kiss and almost slipped out of the saddle. “Whew!” Apple laughed out loud as Benjen caught her up in his strong arms and brought her across to sit in front of him. “Oh, poor horse.”
“Hush, Zeus is as strong as an ox and you’re light as a feather.”
“Oh, yea right.” She settled against his chest, her head leaning on Benjen’s shoulder. “What about my horse?”
“Misty will go back to the barn. She knows there’s sweet hay waiting for her.” He rubbed his nose in her hair, breathing in the sweet smell. “You just worry about how good it feels for me to hold you tight.”
“It does feel good,” she admitted on a long breath that seemed to alleviate a mountain of care. “Is Easy okay?”
“Yea, he will be. I didn’t realize he held so much guilt in his soul over our father’s death.” He rubbed his lips over the soft skin of Apple’s cheek. “We were kids. Kids make mistakes.”
“What do you mean?”
He told her about their father’s accident and how it came about, ending with a sigh of regret. “He blames himself, which is useless. Yuma wouldn’t have blamed him. The drunk driver of the truck who ran the red light was the one who was at fault.”
“It’s not uncommon for people to blame themselves, I should know. I’ve questioned myself many times about Jenny and Alan. Did I do something wrong to cause my baby’s death? If I’d been a better wife would Alan still be alive today?”
“I wasn’t there, but I’d stake my life that neither of those things were your fault. I know how it is to have regrets. For a time, I wondered if there were warning signs I missed with Kelli and her aneurysm – but that’s not the way it works. Sometimes things are beyond our control.”
“I know.” She held onto his forearm where it rested beneath her breasts, her thumbs lightly caressing his skin. “It’s beautiful out here, isn’t it? The stars almost seem close enough to touch.” She lifted her other hand to the vast blackness of the sky, lit by the twinkling lights in the heavens.
“I’m more interested in touching you.” He bent to kiss her neck, his hands coming up to cup her breasts. “You’re so perfect.”
She lifted her arms to place them around his neck, a movement which thrust her breasts out even farther. “I love your hands on me.” Apple tilted her head to find his mouth and they kissed softly, deeply. The horse they were riding came to a standstill when it realized the humans on its back were otherwise occupied.
A sharp yip in the distance forced them to ease apart. “What was that?” Apple asked. “A coyote?”
“Sounded more like a dog.”
“Oh, my goodness. I wonder where our two are? Have you seen them?” she asked, a bit of concern clouding her good mood. “Do you think one of them is in trouble?”
“Damn. So much happened so fast with Easy. I didn’t realize how long it had been since I’ve seen them.” Benjen whistled loudly. “Hope! Rose!”
Apple joined in. “Hope! Rose! Where are you?”
After calling out, they rode silently…listening. The moon was almost full and hanging high in the sky. Apple let her gaze scan the horizon, watching for any movement. “I hope they’re okay. Now, all I can think about are coyotes.”
“They probably wouldn’t bother two dogs together.” He hoped to hell he was right. “Rose! Hope!”
“What’s that?” Apple pointed to a glowing in the foothills at the base of Packsaddle. “It looks like what we saw at Enchanted Rock.”
“Yes, but I’ve never seen it anywhere but on top of the mountain.” He wanted to go check out the odd light, but he wanted to find the dogs more. “Keep your eye on the fire while you keep your ears open for the dogs.”
Apple did as he said, bu
t even after calling another time for the dogs, they heard nothing more.
“I’m getting worried,” Apple admitted.
“Yea, I don’t like it either.” Benjen whistled again and his efforts brought forth another distant bark. “Hell, I can’t tell where it’s coming from. With all the canyons, caves, and arroyos, sound tends to echo and bounce off the rock walls.”
He stopped Zeus and turned him slowly in a circle. When they once again faced the mountain, Apple exclaimed, “Look the light has moved. It’s closer.”
As they watched for the strange will o’ the wisp, both were mesmerized by the mysterious orb of light appearing suddenly above the foliage. The ball of fire would remain stationary at times, then pulse on and off with an intensity varying from barely there to almost blinding. Sometimes the color was a yellow-orange and the next moment there appeared to be flecks of green, blue and red mixed in.
“It almost seems beckoning, doesn’t it?” she whispered in a subdued tone.
“Maybe.” He didn’t know what to think.
“Ride closer,” she urged him.
“You’re not afraid?”
“No.” She placed a hand on his thigh as it framed hers. “I’m with you. Why should I be afraid?”
With that vote of confidence, Benjen urged Zeus closer. He gathered the reins tighter in his fist, halfway expecting the horse to balk or try to bolt. His mount did neither as they headed toward the ghost fire. “Odd,” he spoke softly in her ear, “I can’t seem to catch up to it. No matter how far we go, it seems to be the same distance away.”
Yip! Yip!
“That’s Hope, Benjen.” Apple tensed, straining to see in the darkness. “You don’t think the light hurt them, do you?”
“No.” He felt very certain of this. “There’s a lot of caves in that area. They might have chased a rabbit into one.” Hearing his dog’s voice made him feel better, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t as it should be. Benjen just hoped neither animal was injured.
“You know this area though, huh?” Apple asked, seeking reassurance. “I bet you played a lot here as a kid.”
“We did, yes. Although, I know we didn’t explore it all. Some areas were off limits to us. Father always warned us about bottomless caves and rattlesnake dens. Anytime a storm cloud blew in, he cautioned us about flash floods. These normally placid creeks and rivers can turn into raging torrents from one minute to the next. Cars and even houses have been washed away…”
“Benjen.”
“What, baby?”
“You’re not helping my nervousness.” She squeezed his knee. “Look!”
The light that had been dancing along the foothills, now seemed to be floating toward them.
“What the hell?” he breathed, pulling Zeus up short. As soon as he did, the unearthly fire shot backwards.
“I think it wants you to follow it,” Apple whispered in awe.
He growled low in his chest, “I’m tempted to leave you here and go on by myself.”
“Not a chance. We’re a team. If you get spirited off to never-never land, I want to go with you,” she told him with conviction.
“And that’s why I am so taken with you, sweet one.” He urged his mount forward, venturing deeper into the shadows cast by Packsaddle. As they drew nearer, the light dancing in front of them, he held Apple tightly in a protective embrace. “Do you hear that?” he whispered as the whine of a dog came drifting to them over the way.
“It’s Rose,” she whispered. “I’m so afraid she’s in trouble.”
Apple wiggled in his arms and he stilled her. “You’re not getting down. Not until I know for sure it’s safe.”
“This is so weird,” she breathed. Apple wasn’t scared for herself, she was nervous for the dogs – and she was undeniably fascinated by the phenomenon in front of them.
And then the light stopped, grew larger – and poof! It disappeared. And when it did, Hope came dashing out of the darkness right toward them.
“Hope! Girl! What’s going on?” Benjen dismounted, his hand coming to rest on Apple’s knee. “You sit still until I figure this out.”
“Okay. Be careful.”
She waited while Benjen followed Hope into the deeper shadows. She could see the light from his phone shining as he illuminated his path into the mouth of a cave. Apple was afraid for Rose. She didn’t understand what had just happened, but obviously something was wrong.
Meanwhile…Benjen trailed Hope as she scampered deeper into the cave. Periodically, she would bark and stop to look behind her, making sure her master was following. “Where are we going? Is Rose in trouble?” His sinking feeling only increased when he heard another whimper deeper in the darkness. “Oh, hell.” He hoped to high heaven the dog wasn’t seriously injured. Apple would be devastated.
As he made his way into the cave, the path grew narrower, and the grade of descent became steeper. He placed a hand on the wall to his right to brace his steps. After traveling what seemed like a hundred or more yards, Hope stopped, and the bright beam from his phone revealed a sudden drop-off. “Shit.” He steadied himself against a huge boulder covering at least half of the path. Aiming his light down, he saw Rose standing on a ledge about fifteen feet below him. To his immense relief, she seemed to be unhurt. “What happened, girl? How did you get down there?” Behind him, the chattering of a ground squirrel explained a lot. “Ah, someone led you a merry chase, didn’t they? Well, don’t worry. I’ll get you out.”
After testing the stability of the boulder, he found it too loose to use as an anchor for his rope. “Oh, well. We’ll go to plan B.” Retracing his steps, Hope danced at his feet, showing her worry the best she could. As he walked, his studied the cave. If he’d ever been in here before, he couldn’t remember it.
Apple waited, holding tight to the saddle horn. When she saw Benjen emerge with Hope, she breathed a sigh of relief mixed with worry. “Did you see Rose?”
“Yes, she doesn’t appear to be hurt,” he reported as he came alongside Zeus, untying a rope from his saddle. “She fell or jumped down a shaft. I can see her about fifteen feet down on a ledge.”
“You’ll get her out,” Apple said with full assurance as she scrambled to dismount. “I’ll help.”
Benjen gave her a hand, placing Apple gently on her feet. “I’m going to go down after her and you and Zeus will pull us back up.”
“Okay, I’ll try.” Her heart was beating fast.
“That’s my girl.” He bussed her on the cheek, making Apple giggle. “No worries. Zeus knows what to do. He’s pulled cattle free of bogs before.”
After tying one end of the rope to the saddle horn, they made their way into the cave. Hope jumped up on Apple’s leg and she made time to pet and reassure her. “This is a little creepy.”
“Watch your step,” Benjen warned her as they moved deeper into the blackness, alleviated only by the light from his phone. “I hope my battery doesn’t give out.”
“Is it low?”
“Yea.”
“Let’s hurry.” She grabbed him by the hand and picked up the pace, knowing he was going slow because of her.
At the sound of her voice, Rose whined.
“I hear her.” The noise made Apple feel better. “We’re coming, sweetheart,” she called out.
When they neared the edge of the drop-off, Benjen put his hand out to insure Apple didn’t get too close. After giving her the phone, he took the rope and tied a knot in it, then yelled out to Zeus, “Hold!” Immediately the tension on the rope increased, giving Benjen the ability to rappel down to the Shepherd.
“Be careful.” Apple held her breath as he began his descent.
Once he was on the ledge, he looped the rope around his waist, then around the dog. When he tried to pick up Rose, she squirmed. “Easy, girl.”
“I’m here, Rose. Be still for Benjen.”
As if she knew the humans were trying to help, the big dog relaxed in her rescuer’s hold.
&nbs
p; “Okay, love. Go to Zeus, hold his halter, and tell him to ‘Back’.”
“All right, I will. You call out when you’re near the top.” She turned to go. “Stay, Hope. Stay with Daddy.”
“We’ll be fine. Don’t run,” Benjen called out, smiling at the fact that she’d referred to him as the dog’s daddy.
Apple shone the light on the cave floor ahead of her as she hurried out. Even though she was focused on her task, she couldn’t help notice something lying just off their path. The dirt was disturbed, as if the dogs had been digging. And what had been uncovered, took her breath away. “Not now, you have something important to do.”
When she reached Zeus, Apple kissed him on the nose. “Good, boy. Now, Back!”
The horse lifted its head, snorted, then began to back up as requested. As the horse proceeded to pull slowly and steadily, she looked over her shoulder, awaiting Benjen’s call. The night was oddly quiet, there was no noise other than the horse’s breathing and their measured steps.
“Apple!”
“Whoa.” She pulled on the horse’s cheek strap to reinforce the command. “Stay,” she ordered, then frowned at the canine command. “Whoa or whatever,” she added for good measure. Returning to the cave, Apple called out, “I’m coming!” When she arrived, shining the light ahead of her, she saw Benjen loosening the rope from around them. “Oh, thank God, you’re both okay.” She hugged him, then inspected the dog for cuts or injuries. “Rose seems to be fine.”
“Yea, she was lucky.” He didn’t say so, but the ledge hadn’t been very wide, and he had no idea the depth of the shaft. Taking the phone from her, he checked the battery. “Come on, let’s get out of here while we have a little light to walk by.”
“I want to show you something as we leave.” Apple led him to the spot in the cave she’d noticed earlier. “Look.”
Benjen knelt down to look at what appeared to be a bone. “Glory be. That’s a human femur.”
“I thought so. And look at the coin lying next to it.”
He left the bone alone but picked up the other object. “This looks like gold to me.”