That Which Was Lost -Part 4

Part 4 word count 17,150

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Short Cut To: Part 1…Part 2…Part 3…Part 4…Part 5…Part 6

Tucson, Arizona Territory
October 6th, 1857

It had taken four long, hard weeks to make the 1,400-mile trip from Mexico City.  Traveling during every daylight hour and changing horses five times, Val and Cipriano entered Tucson a few minutes after noon.   

Going straight to the telegraph office, Cipriano waited while Val sent a telegram to Murdoch.

Val walked out ten minutes later and gave Cipriano a nod.  “It’s done.”

“Bueno,” Cipriano laughed.  “So, Val, where do you go now?”

Val put his right hand on the butt of his Colt and looked at the ground.  When he looked up, he was smiling.

“Well, I guess Murdoch Lancer’s gonna have to get used to having me around.  At least for a while.” 

“You told Senor Lancer you were coming with me to the rancho?”

Val huffed.  “Nope.  I’m gonna let that be a surprise.”

“But you sent the telegram.”

“I signed your name to it.”

Cipriano laughed.  “I will buy the tickets for the stagecoach.  You, mi amigo, can arrange to sell the horses and get a room for us.”

“Deal, and then, my friend, I’m buying you a drink.”

.

Lancer Ranch
October 7th, 1857

Murdoch whistled as he made his way down the back stairs to the kitchen. It was 5:30 a.m., and although the sun wouldn’t rise for another thirty minutes, it felt good to be back in a familiar routine. There was a lot to do and catch up on. 

The first thing, though, was to ride into Morro Coyo to talk to the teacher at the local school about enrolling both boys.  He knew Johnny would be placed in the first grade, but had no idea what year Scott was in.

Paul was to give the morning orders and get the crews going before coming back to the ranch at noon to update him on what had been happening in his absence. 

Then, this afternoon, he wanted to take Scott for a ride to tour the ranch.  Truth be told, that was what he was looking forward to the most.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Murdoch heard Maria humming. 

“Good morning.”

 “Buenos días, Patron.  I will have café ready in a minute.”  Turning to the stove, Maria slid a pan of biscuits into the oven.  “I am glad you are home.  The house has been too quiet with you away.”

“Maria, with both boys here, I think the days of peace and quiet are behind us.”

“That is good, Patron.  There have been too many years of quiet.” Maria smiled and picked up the coffee pot. “The café is ready.”

Murdoch slid into his seat at the table as Maria poured a cup of the strong, dark brew. Taking a sip, Murdoch closed his eyes and sighed.  “I’ve missed your coffee, Maria.”

“They do not have café in Boston?”

“Oh, they have coffee, but it’s as weak as tea.”

“Do you want me to wake the ninos, Patron?”

“No.”  Murdoch shook his head.  “Let them sleep.  They’ve had a rough few weeks.”

“Juanito looks thinner than when you left.”

Murdoch nodded.  “He doesn’t do well on ships.  I’m counting on you to put some meat on his bones.”

“That I can do,” Maria laughed.  “Do you want your breakfast now, or do you want to wait for the ninos?”

“I’ll wait.  If they aren’t up by seven, I’ll wake them.”

“Bueno.”

“Good morning, sir.”

Murdoch and Maria turned to see Scott standing at the kitchen door.

“Good morning, Scott.  You’re up early.  I was going to let you sleep in this morning.”

“I heard your door close and thought I would join you.”

“Is your brother still sleeping?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Sit down, son.  Maria was going to hold off on breakfast until you were both down, but she can fix yours now if you’d like.”

Scott took the seat to Murdoch’s right at the table.  “We can wait for Johnny.” 

Maria smiled at the newest member of the Lancer family.  “Señor Scott, what would you like to drink?  I think you are too young for café.  We have chocolate caliente.”

Scott gave his father a questioning look.

“She said hot chocolate.”

Scott smiled.  “That would be nice.  Thank you.  I mean gracias.”

“De nada, Señor Scott.”

Within a few minutes, Maria set a cup in front of Scott.  He lifted it to his lips and took a cautious sip.

.

---

Johnny rolled over and squinted at the light flooding his room.  Sitting up, he looked around and smiled, knowing that for the first time in weeks, he was in his own bed, in his room.  

For as long as he could remember, nothing lasted.  Every time he thought he and Mama were settling into a new place, she’d pick up and leave, dragging him away from everything he thought was his.  He’d never had something that was his and his alone.  Now, he had a room that was his, a home, a Papa, and especially a big brother.

What had Papa said last night when he tucked him in?  “Get some rest, son.  Tomorrow, we’re starting fresh, a new life for the three of us.”

Thinking of his new brother, Johnny jumped out of bed.  Opening his bedroom door, he ran across the hall and opened Scott’s door.  Peeking inside, Johnny was ready to pounce on the bed when he found the room empty.

Frowning, Johnny went back to his room and quickly dressed.

As Johnny hurried down the hallway toward the back stairs, he heard laughter coming from the kitchen. Taking each step slowly, he paused midway to observe his father and brother together. For a brief moment, he felt a twinge of jealousy, but he quickly pushed it aside, reminding himself that he should be happy for Scott, who was getting to spend time with their father.

Johnny announced himself, “Morning,” and bounded into the room.

Murdoch turned in his chair and smiled.  “There you are, sleepyhead.  I thought you were going to sleep all day.  Come and sit down.”

Johnny took a seat at the table, realizing it wasn’t the one he usually sat at.  Scott had taken the chair to their father’s right.

“No one woke me.” Johnny quickly glanced around the table as Maria placed a cup of hot chocolate in front of him.  They were all smiling as if nothing was wrong.

“Buenos días, nino. Dormiste bien?”

“Si, Tia.”  Johnny reached for his hot chocolate and took a sip.

“What did she say, Johnny?”

Johnny set the cup down.  “She said good morning and asked if I slept well.”

“Oh.  What was your reply?  I know you said yes, but what was Tia?”

“Tia means aunt, Scott,” Murdoch answered before Johnny could.

“Aunt?”  Excitement spread across Scott’s face.  “Is Maria our aunt?”

“Maria and Cipriano are Johnny’s mother’s aunt and uncle.  That makes them his.”

“But not mine?”

Murdoch saw the smile disappear from his oldest son’s face.  “I’m not sure.” Murdoch turned to Maria.  “What do you say, Maria?  I know family connections in Mexico extend outside the immediate family.” 

“Si, it is true.  I am Juanito’s tia, but since his hermano is also family, I can be Señor Scott’s tia also.”

In an instant, the smile was back on Scott’s face.  “That would be wonderful.  Thank you, Maria.  I mean, Tia.”

Maria leaned over and kissed Scott’s cheek.

Johnny lowered his head, not saying a word.  Since coming to Lancer, the family he’d discovered— his Papa, Maria, and Cipriano- were his and his alone.  Now, he was sharing all of them with a brother, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. 

“Juanito, what would you like for breakfast?” Maria said, watching Johnny’s downturned face.

Johnny looked up, trying to school his emotions.  “I’m not real hungry this morning.”

“Nonsense, nino.  I will fix you my special huevos rancheros with extra peppers.  Would you like that?”

Johnny smiled.  “Si.  Gracias.”

Scott looked between Maria and Johnny.  “What are huevos rancheros?  Do you think I would like them?”

“No!” Johnny shook his head.  

“Now, Johnny, if Scott wants to try them, he can.” Murdoch turned to Scott.  “I have to warn you, son, they are very spicy, and the way Maria prepares them for Johnny, they’re extra spicy.”

Johnny’s eyes narrowed at the thought of yet another thing he was sharing with his new brother.

“That’s alright, Maria.  I believe I’ll stick with my plain eggs.  I’ll leave the spicy foods to those who can handle them, like my little brother.”

Maria placed Johnny’s plate in front of him.  “Eat, Juanito.”

Johnny bowed his head, concealing the telltale flush of his cheeks.  Despite his inexplicable anger, he couldn’t find a reason to be upset with Scott.

“Scott, I’m planning to ride into Morro Coyo to the school today.  I need to enroll you and Johnny.”

Johnny was eating and didn’t look up until he heard his name.

“I was wondering what type of educational facilities were available in the area,” Scott said. 

Johnny couldn’t help himself.  “What is an educational fa…?” He stumbled over the last word.

“Facility,” Murdoch answered.  “Scott is asking what schools were near us.”

“Oh,” Johnny replied with his mouth full.  “Am I going to school?”

Murdoch smiled.  “Yes, you are, young man.”

“I’ve never been to one before.”

“I know, you were too young.  But now that you’re six, you need to start.”

“What is school like?”

“You’ll like school, Johnny.” Scott jumped in enthusiastically.  “You’ll learn all kinds of things.  You’ll learn the basics, of course, reading, writing, and mathematics, but also all kinds of other things.”

“What kind of other things?”

“You’ll learn about the world.  There is a big world out there just waiting for you to discover it.”

“That’s right, son.” Murdoch put down his fork and wiped his mouth before continuing.  “Remember the globe I showed you?  You’ll learn about other countries.”

“Like where you came from, Papa?”

“Scotland?  Yes, and many others.”

“And if you need to know anything, Johnny, I can help you,” Scott added. 

Scott looked back at Murdoch.  “How many classrooms does the school have, and how many teachers?”

Murdoch sighed and took a breath.  “I’m afraid the schools here are vastly different from what you’re used to, Scott.  The school is one room, and there is only one teacher.”

“One teacher?” Scott’s eyes widened. 

“I know, Scott, but the teacher is versed in a wide variety of subjects.”

“What subjects do they teach?”

“Usually, they teach the basics—reading, writing, arithmetic, history, and geography.  I know there are other subjects, but we’ll have to talk with the teacher to find out more.”

Scott lowered his head and went back to his breakfast.

Murdoch reached out and put a hand on Scott’s arm.   “Son, if we find you’re not getting the education you need at the school in Morro Coyo, we’ll hire a tutor for you.”

Without looking up, Scott replied, “I’m sure the school will be adequate.”

Murdoch hesitated, feeling close to becoming a complete failure in his son’s eyes.  “I was going to ride into town by myself, but now I think you and Johnny should come with me.”

Scott looked up.  “I’d like that, sir.”  Turning to Johnny, he asked, “Wouldn’t it be good to go for a ride, Johnny?”

Johnny nodded.  Anything to do with horses was a good idea to him.

“Good, eat up.  Once you’re finished, we’ll pick a horse for you, Scott.  Johnny, you can saddle your pony.”

“Mr. O’Brien helped me pick out a horse yesterday,” Scott said.  “We also selected a saddle and tack.”

“What are you going to name your horse, Scott?” Johnny took another bite of his breakfast.

“I’m not sure.  Maybe you can help me.  What did you name your pony?”

“Cisco and he’s real fast.”

“We’ll see what name we can come up with for my horse.   Perhaps we can race.”

“There will be no racing.” Murdoch put both hands on the table and looked from one boy to the other.  “Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir.”    “Si.”   Scott and Johnny answered in unison.

“Good.”  Murdoch went back to his breakfast, not noticing the smile that passed between the boys.  “We’ll head into town as soon as you’re done.”

With breakfast over, the boys hurried outside to saddle their horses.  Johnny brushed Cisco and threw the saddle blanket over his back.  He was having trouble lifting the saddle when one of the vaqueros, Alexandro, stepped forward.

“Let me help, Juanito.”   Alexandro easily lifted the small saddle and placed it on Cisco’s back.

“Gracias.”

Alexandro looked across the barn to where Scott was saddling his horse and nodded.  “It is good that the Patron’s oldest son is here now.  Is it not?”

Johnny nodded with a smile.  “Si.”

“Now, the future of the rancho is secure.”

Johnny couldn’t help but frown.  “Qué quieres decir?”  (What do you mean?)

Alexandro looked down at the boy.  “El primogénito siempre hereda.  Señor Scott garantizará la supervivencia y prosperidad del rancho.”  (The first born son always inherits. Scott will ensure the survival and prosperity of the ranch.)

“Eso es la verdad?”  (Is that true)

“Si.  Now, with Señor Scott here, the estancia will be in good hands if anything happens to the Patron.”

Johnny looked at Scott and dipped his head.  To him, it was another thing he had lost, what he thought was his birthright, and it was because of the brother he had grown to love. 

“There.”  Alexandro stepped back and handed the reins to Johnny. 

“Gracias.”

Johnny walked his horse outside and waited.  A few minutes later, Murdoch and Scott joined him.

Murdoch mounted his horse and looked at his sons.  Scott was already in the saddle, but Johnny was still standing next to Cisco, staring at the ground.   “Johnny, are you ready?”

Johnny nodded and climbed into the saddle. 

“Let’s go then.  I want to get back by lunch so I can show Scott around.”

Johnny looked at Scott on his horse and then down at the pony he was riding.  “Papa, shouldn’t I have a horse like Scott?”

“You’re still too small for a full-size horse.”  Murdoch saw a flash of rebellion on his youngest son’s face and then quickly disappeared.  “You understand, don’t you?”

“Si.”

Johnny murmured something under his breath, barely audible to Murdoch.  It sounded like ‘señor.’ In that fleeting moment, Murdoch felt his breath hitch in his chest.   He’d thought the days long past when his son called him only ‘Señor’ instead of ‘Papa.’

.

---

Morro Coyo, the closest town to Lancer, was less than 5 miles south of Lancer’s southern boundary, yet still an hour’s ride from the hacienda.  

Riding with his sons by his side was a dream come true for Murdoch.  Looking to his right, he couldn’t help but smile.  Scott was sitting tall in the saddle, heels down, looking straight ahead.  Every movement of his body was in rhythm with the Chestnut mare he’d chosen.  There was no doubt that Scott was a good horseman and a fine judge of horseflesh.  

Looking to his left, Murdoch could see Johnny wasn’t happy.  The discussion about the horse hadn’t set well with the boy, but there was something else he couldn’t put his finger on.  

Murdoch wasn’t sure he wanted his six-year-old on a full-sized horse yet, but he reminded himself that Johnny was also a good rider, and he’d proved that in Mexico.  He resolved to speak with Paul when he got back to the ranch.

“Come on, boys. Let’s talk to the teacher and see what we need to do to enroll you.”

Murdoch led Scott and Johnny up the steps to the building.  Knocking on the frame of the open door, he looked inside.  A blonde woman in her early twenties sat at a desk at the other end of the room.  She looked up and smiled.

“May I help you?”

Murdoch removed his hat as he stepped into the room. 

“I’m hoping you can.  My name is Murdoch Lancer, and these….” Murdoch turned to the boys and motioned them forward.  “Take off your hats.”  Scott had already removed his hat, and Johnny pushed his back off his head to hang by the stamped string.  “These are my sons, Scott and Johnny.  I’ve come to talk to you about enrolling them in school.”

The young lady stood and walked around the desk.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Lancer.  I’m Miss Gentry, Eileen Gentry.”  She turned to look at the boys.  “Hello, Scott, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Hello, Miss Gentry. It’s very nice to meet you, too,” Scott responded. 

“My, aren’t you polite.”

“Hello, Johnny.”

Johnny looked up at the woman but didn’t say anything.

Turning back to Murdoch, she said, “I wasn’t aware you had any children, Mr. Lancer.”

“My boys haven’t been with me until recently.  Now that they are here, it’s time they started school.”

“Very well.”  She looked at Johnny.  “Johnny, how old are you?”

Johnny looked at Murdoch.

“It’s alright, son.  Tell Miss Gentry how old you are.”

“Six.  I am six, Señorita.”

“Have you attended school before?”

Johnny shook his head.

She smiled at him.  “Well, then you’ll be in the first grade.”

Turning to Scott, she asked, “How old are you, Scott?”

“Eleven, Miss Gentry.”

“Where did you attend school?”

“My grandfather hired private tutors until I was seven, then I attended private schools in Boston.  This was to be my first year at Phillips Academy in Andover.”

“I’ve heard of Phillips.  It’s an excellent school.”  She turned back to Murdoch.  “Mr. Lancer, may I speak with you privately?”

“Certainly.  Boys, wait outside for me.  I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

“Yes, sir,” Scott responded.  “Come on, Johnny, let’s go.”  Scott put a hand on Johnny’s shoulder and guided him out.

Once the boys were outside, Miss Gentry returned to her seat behind the desk.  “Sit down, Mr. Lancer.”  She waved him to a chair next to the desk.  “Mr. Lancer, I’m sure Johnny will fit in nicely with the first graders.  Scott, however, is a concern.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want to test him to see what grade level he should be in.  Normally, an eleven-year-old would be in the 6^th grade.  As you know, classes here go up to the 8^th grade.”

“Yes, I know.” Murdoch shifted uncomfortably in the chair that was too small for his frame.

“Since Scott was enrolled at Phillips Academy, I fear he’s going to be at a much higher grade level than the other eleven-year-olds in our school.” 

“I see.  Does that mean Scott would automatically go to the 6^th grade here?”

“Mr. Lancer, a first-year student at Phillips Academy, would be the equivalent of an 8th-grade or higher in our school system.  As I said, I need to test him.  He may already be beyond what I can teach him.”

“If that’s the case, what….?”

There is a new school in Green River.  I know it’s further from your ranch, but their teacher may be more advanced in his teachings.”

“Green River?  That’s almost 2 hours from the ranch.  The boy would be spending all his time riding to and from school.”

“Yes, I’m afraid so.  The other alternative is to retain a private tutor.  Someone who can meet his educational needs.”

“I understand.  When would you like to test Scott?”

“I can free up time tomorrow morning.  School starts at eight o’clock.  If you can bring Johnny, we can get him started, and I can test Scott.”

Murdoch nodded.  “Very well, tomorrow then.”

Murdoch stood and shook the young woman’s hand.  Walking out of the school, he looked around for Scott and Johnny, and he found them sitting under a tree beside the building.

“Boys.”  Murdoch motioned them to come to him.

“When do we start school, Papa?” Johnny asked.

“Tomorrow for you, young man.”  He looked at Scott.  “As for Scott, Miss Gentry wants to test you to see what grade to place you in.  I believe you’ll find our educational system lacking compared to Boston, son.”

“I will be able to attend school here, want I, sir?”

“Yes, of course, you will.  However, we’ll address that tomorrow.  Right now, we need to head back to the ranch in time for lunch, and I need to meet with Paul.  Then this afternoon, I’d like to show Scott around Lancer.”

“I’d like that very much, sir.  Johnny’s been telling me so much about Lancer; I can’t wait to see it with him.”

Murdoch saw the smile on his youngest son’s face vanish when he said, “Scott, I thought it would just be the two of us today.   We’ll go another day with your brother.”

Scott glanced at Johnny and frowned.  “But…”

“It’s alright, Scott.  You go with…You go today.  I’ll come along another day.  It’s only right you see the ranch for the first time with the Patron.”

Murdoch started to say something when he heard his name called. Turning, he saw the man from the telegraph office waving a piece of paper at him.

“Mr. Lancer, I have a telegram for Mr. O’Brien.  It’s from Cipriano.”

“Hello, Bill.”  Murdoch took the telegram.  “Thank you.”

“No problem.  It saved me from having to send someone out to the ranch with it.”

Murdoch looked at Paul’s name on the envelope and started not to read the message inside.  Knowing it was from Cipriano, he decided he’d better know what it said.  He tore open the envelope and started to read, the color draining from his face.

“Father, what is it?” Scott asked.

“Nothing.  Nothing for you to worry about, Scott.  Let’s get home.” 

.

October 26th, 1857
Lancer Ranch

Murdoch tried to work on the ranch ledgers as he’d done for the past eight days.  Unable to keep his mind on the figures in front of him, he stood and walked to the French doors.  Throwing the doors open, he took a deep breath, trying to release the tension.

Since returning from Boston, things between Scott and himself couldn’t have been better.  Murdoch discovered his oldest son loved to read as much as he did.  They’d already spent several hours in the evening talking about books they’d both read.  Yes, Scott was settling in nicely. 

It wasn’t surprising that Scott’s school test scores were higher than even Miss Gentry had anticipated.  As a result, he’d been put into the eighth grade, which meant next year Murdoch would have to either send him to the school in Green River, hire a tutor, or send the boy away to school, which wasn’t something he wanted to consider doing. 

As for Johnny, the boy seemed to be into everything and, since starting school, had always been in trouble. If the last few days were an example of what life with Johnny would be like, Murdoch was sure there would never be a dull moment on Lancer again. 

As Scott and his bond deepened, Murdoch sensed a change in his relationship with Johnny.  Following their visit to Morro Coyo, Johnny began addressing him as ‘Señor’ once more and even referred to him as ‘Patron’ on several occasions.  

The boys were getting along well, but still, there was an uneasy feeling, and he thought everyone in the household could feel it.  He’d wished for Cipriano’s return to help him figure out what was wrong.

His nerves had been on edge since receiving the brief message from Cipriano.  Reaching into his shirt pocket, Murdoch pulled out the telegram.   

Paul O’Brien
Lancer Ranch
Morro Coyo, California

Coming home.  STOP Leaving Tucson tomorrow.  STOP

Cipriano

The man had been gone for months, and all he said was ‘Coming home.’  Not one word about Maria.

“Murdoch?”

Turning, Murdoch saw Paul standing behind him.

“Paul, I didn’t hear you come up.”  He went back to his desk and sat down.  “How are things out there?”

“Quiet.  Do you want me to keep the extra lookouts posted?”

“Yes, at least until Cipriano gets back and we hear the entire story.” 

Paul shifted from one foot to the next and cleared his throat.  Murdoch leaned back in his chair.

“Is there something else?”

“Murdoch, I don’t know if ….”

“Spit it out, Paul.  What’s on your mind?”

“It’s Johnny.”

“What’s the boy done now?”

“He’s brought home a few… pets this week.  It seems he’s finding them in town and rehoming them here.”

“What kind of pets?” Murdoch leaned forward, putting his arms on the desk. 

“We now have a barn cat.  Pedro says she is expecting at any time.” 

Murdoch laughed.

“Don’t laugh.  We also have a puppy living in one of the stalls.”

“Anything else?”

“That’s it for now.”

“Well, I think we can live with a few kittens and a puppy.  From what I understand, Johnny’s never had a pet before. If it makes him happy, then we’ll live with them.”

Paul laughed.  “I know, but you may want to tell him to slow down.”

“I’ll talk to him.”  Murdoch looked at his watch.  “They should be coming home soon.”  Standing again, he walked to the French doors and looked towards the arch.  “You’re sure Jose and Pedro were there to ride home with them?”

“They were there, or they’d better have been!  Everyone knows your orders.  The boys aren’t to ride anywhere alone.”

“I’ll be glad when this is over.”

“So will I.”  Paul took two steps towards the French doors.  “There’s a dust cloud up the road, and that may be them now.”  He squinted.  “No.  It looks like only two riders.”

Murdoch stood and walked to stand beside Paul. 

“You’re right.”  Murdoch strode out onto the portico.

As the riders drew closer, several vaqueros in the yard and near the corral stopped what they were doing, a few checking to ensure their rifles were within reach.    

The men nearest the arch were the first to send up a cheer. 

“What are they saying?” Murdoch asked, walking into the yard.

Paul hesitated a moment before grinning.  “It’s Cipriano, Murdoch.  He’s home.”  Hurrying into the house, he yelled, “Maria!  Maria!  Cipriano’s coming.”

Paul went back outside to wait with Murdoch.  Soon Maria was standing with them.

“Who’s that with him?” Paul asked.

Watching the two riders coming closer, Murdoch didn’t answer but had his suspicions.

Cipriano stopped his horse in front of the hacienda and stepped down from the saddle. Maria was in his arms the moment his feet hit the ground.

“Esposo, I have missed you.”

“I have missed you also, but I am home now and I have brought a friend.”  Cipriano turned her to see Val, who was still mounted.  “This is mi amigo, Val Crawford.”

Maria stepped away from her husband.  “Hola, SeñorCrawford.  I have heard much of you from Juanito.”

“Howdy, ma’am.”  Val looked down at Murdoch and tipped his hat.  “Mr. Lancer.”

Murdoch stepped forward and extended his hand up to Val.  “Val, it’s good to see you.  Get down and come inside.”

Val swung out of the saddle.  Tying off his horse at the hitching rail, he looked around the yard.  “Really nice place you have here, Mr. Lancer.”

“Thank you, and call me Murdoch.  As I said in Mexico, we’re well past Mr. Lancer.”

Val nodded.

“Val, this is Paul O’Brien, my Segundo.  Paul, Val Crawford, I told you about him.”

Paul shook Val’s hand.  “I’ve heard a lot about you, Val.”

“All good, I hope.”

Paul laughed.  “According to Johnny, you’re ten feet tall and walk on water.”

Val chuckled, then caught a glimpse of Murdoch’s face.    

Murdoch cleared his throat. “Come inside and tell us what’s happening.”  Murdoch turned and led the way into the house.  “Maria, can you bring Cipriano and Val something cold to drink?”

“Si, Patron.” Maria smiled and gave Cipriano’s hand a final squeeze before rushing into the house.

.

---

Val allowed the others to enter the house first, then followed.  Stepping out of the sun and into the darkened Great Room, he stopped and looked around, taking in the size of the room.

“Sit down, Val.  You must be tired.”

Val looked down at his clothes and shook his head.  “I’d better not.”  He held out his hands, indicating the trail dust covering him from head to toe.

“Nonsense, this is a working ranch.  Have a seat.”  Turning to Cipriano, Murdoch extended his hand.  “It’s good to see you, my friend.  Your absence has been noticed, especially by one small boy.”

Murdoch sat in his chair and motioned for Val to take one of the chairs in front of the desk.

“When did you get home, Patron?  How is Juanito?” Cipriano asked as he took the chair next to Val.

“Johnny’s fine.  We’ve been home since the 5^th.  We got your telegram on the 7^th.  You made good time getting here.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Val chimed in.  “We left Mexico City a little over six weeks ago.”

“So, you think Maria is coming here, coming for Johnny?”

Val nodded.  “Yeah, we do.”

Murdoch leaned forward.  “Tell me everything.” 

For the next half hour, Val and Cipriano took turns relating the events of the past three months. 

“We left Mexico City six weeks ago and a week behind Maria,” Val said.  “All we knew was she had two men with her, and from what little we could find out, the men were bad news.”

“We asked about them in every city and village we passed through,” Cipriano added.  “It was not until we came to Hermosillo that ….”  Cipriano stopped and took a deep breath.

“What?”  Murdoch asked.

Cipriano looked at Val.

“When we got to Hermosillo, we heard Maria was dead.  One of the men she’d hired got drunk and ….”

“Dead!”  Murdoch abruptly stood, causing his chair to roll back and slam against the wall.  “You’re sure?”

“Si, Patron.  El Priest at Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Father Juan, told us he buried mi sobrina.”

Murdoch rubbed a large hand across his face, turned, and looked out the window.  After a few minutes, he turned back to look at Cipriano.

“What of the man who killed her?”

“No se,” Cipriano replied, dipping his head.  “No one looked for him.  Maria was nothing to the people of Hermosillo, only a puta who came and went, always with a new man.”

“Mr. Lan…,” Val started to say and then changed his mind.  “Murdoch, I know this is hard for you, her being your wife and all, but I don’t think Johnny needs to know about it.  Not yet, at least.  Maybe when he’s a little older.”

Murdoch sat back and looked at the ceiling for a few moments before turning to look at his Segundo. “Paul, you can take the extra guards off the house.”

“And the riders who take them to school?”

“Yes.  From now on, the boys can ride their horses and follow the wagon taking the other children from the ranch.”

“That’s good.  We’ve been shorthanded.”

“I am back now, Señor Paul.  Val is also here.”  Cipriano said and turned to look at Val.

“I’d like to stay a while if that’s alright with you, and it looks like I need a job.”

“You’ve worked a ranch before?” Murdoch asked.

Val gave him a faint smile.  “A time or two.  At least I know one end of a cow from the other if that’s what you want to know.”

“Good enough.”

The sound of horses racing into the yard brought Murdoch to his feet.  “I’ve told those boys more than once not to run the horses after the arch.”

“Patron?”

Murdoch looked at Cipriano and knew what he was asking.

“I agree with Val.  Johnny doesn’t need to know about his mother.  The fact that she’s dead stays with the four of us.”

“And my Maria, Patron?”

“Yes, of course, Maria.”

Before Murdoch could get out from behind his desk, the front door opened.  Scott entered with Johnny behind him.  Neither was smiling.  It seemed to be the trend between them over the last few weeks.  Seeing Murdoch, they stopped dead in their tracks and straightened up.

“Hello, sir,” Scott said. When Johnny didn’t say anything, Scott nudged him.

Johnny gave his brother an indifferent look before saying, “Hola.”

Murdoch walked across the room to stand in front of the boys.  “I believe we’ve discussed running your horses past the arch.”

“Yes, sir.  It won’t happen again.” Scott bumped Johnny’s shoulder.  “Will it, Johnny?”

“Lo siento.  We won’t do it again.”

Murdoch kept a stern face, saying, “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you two.  Just make sure you don’t do it again.”

The boys looked up, waiting for the smile they knew was coming. 

“All right, you two come here.”  Murdoch broke out in a smile.  Scott ran into the outstretched arms while Johnny slowly walked to his father. 

“Did you have a good day?” 

“Scott got an A on his report,” Johnny announced with a grin as if forgetting his mad.  “And Jenny Lawrence is sweet on him.”

“She is not,” Scott protested.  “Johnny didn’t get into trouble today, and that in itself is a miracle.”

“I agree that is a miracle,” Murdoch chuckled.  “Johnny, I have a surprise for you.”  Murdoch turned sideways, allowing Johnny to view the room fully.

Cipriano stood and walked across the room.

“Tio!” Johnny darted past Murdoch and threw his arms around his uncle.  “It is good to see you.  I missed you, and Tia missed you, too.”  

“I missed you also, sobrino.  I am glad you are home.  Now introduce your hermano to me.”

Johnny frowned, let Cipriano go, and turned to his brother. “Scott, come here. This is my Tio. I guess he’s your Tio, too.”

Scott stepped forward and extended his hand.  “It is very nice to meet you, sir.  Johnny has told me all about you.  Welcome home.”

Taking Scott’s hand, Cipriano nodded.  “It is good to finally have you home, nino.  We have waited a long time.”  Looking down at Johnny, Cipriano smiled.  “Juanito, I have brought someone with me.”

Cipriano moved aside. 

Val stood.  “You gonna say hola to me, chico?” 

Johnny’s eyes widened.   “Papi!”

Running across the room, Johnny jumped into Val’s arms and wrapped his arms around the man’s neck.  

“It’s good to see you, boy.”  Val unwrapped Johnny’s arms and lowered him to the floor. 

Johnny leaned in, pulling Val down to his level; he whispered, “I’ve missed you, Papi.”

“I’ve missed you, too,” Val whispered.  Then, louder, “Now, let me take a good look at you.”   Holding Johnny at arm’s length, he said, “You’ve grown some.”

“Tia says I’ve grown two inches.”

“And I’d say she’s right.  You still look as thin as a rail, though.  Figured you’d have put on some weight.”  Smiling, Val looked at Murdoch.  “You sure you’re feeding this tadpole enough?”

Murdoch strode across the room, putting a hand on Johnny’s shoulder as if reclaiming what was his.

“Believe me, Val, you can’t fill this boy up.  He’s always hungry.”

Val laughed, “Well, I see nothing’s changed there. So, where is that brother of yours?”

Johnny turned to look behind him.  Pulling Val across the room, he stood straight and pointed at his brother. 

“Scott, this is ….,” Johnny paused, looked at Murdoch, and then back at Val.  “Scott, this is Val.”

As he did with Cipriano, Scott stepped forward and extended his hand.  “I’ve heard a lot about you also, sir.”

Val took Scott’s hand.  “Real nice to meet you, Scott.  How’s it feel to have this one as a little brother?”

Scott looked down at Johnny and smiled.  “I assure you, sir, there are times he is a challenge, but one I accept gladly.”

“Is that so?” Val tried to hide a smile.

“He talks funny like that sometimes, Val,” Johnny chimed in.

“Val, let’s get you settled in,” Murdoch said, his hand still on Johnny’s shoulder.  “I’ll have Maria prepare a room for you.”

“I’ll stay in the bunkhouse with the rest of the men.”

“You’re staying?” Johnny bubbled with excitement.

Val nodded.  “Since I came all this way, figured I’d stay a while.  Your Pa is hiring me on.”

Johnny turned to look up at Murdoch.  “He can have the room next to me.  Can’t he?”

Putting a hand to the side of Johnny’s face, Murdoch’s heart melted.  Knowing what he knew about the boy’s mother, there was little he could deny him.

Raising his head, Murdoch nodded.  “Val, it seems you’ll be staying in the main house.” Murdoch looked at Johnny’s blue eyes, staring at him through thick, dark lashes.  “In the room next to Johnny’s.”

“Yippee.” Johnny jumped up and down, then grabbed Val’s hand.  “Come on, Val.  Scott and me will show you your room.”

“It is ‘Scott and I,’ not ‘Scott and me,’ little brother.”

Johnny humped.  “Whatever.  Come on.”

.

---

The next day, Val walked out of the barn and saw Johnny sitting on the bench near the garden wall.  It had been good to be with the boy again, but there was something wrong, and he figured he’d better figure out what sooner rather than later.

As Val walked across the yard, he noticed Murdoch at the French doors, watching Johnny. Val approached the rancher and casually tipped his hat back. “Murdoch, what’s going on with the boy? Have you two had words?”

“We haven’t argued, but he’s been so distant.  He hasn’t said more than a dozen words to me in the last week.”  Murdoch shook his head, deep lines of concern etched on his face.  “I don’t know, Val, but it feels like I’m losing him.

“When we were away in Boston and on the journey back, he seemed perfectly fine.  It was as if he and Scott had always been close.  However, I couldn’t help but notice a subtle shift in his behavior the day after we returned home.” Murdoch sighed and stepped further into the Great Room.  “Val, when we were in Mexico and for weeks after we got home, he would only call me ‘Señor.’  The day he called me Papa for the first time, I could have done handsprings.”  

Murdoch dropped his head.  “He doesn’t call me Papa anymore.  He’s started calling me Señor or Patron again, even to Paul and Maria.”  

Val turned to look at Murdoch.  “You said the day after you got home.  What happened that day?”

Murdoch shrugged.  “I took the boys into Morro Coyo to enroll them in school.  That afternoon, I took Scott for a ride to show him the ranch.  That’s all.”

“You didn’t take Johnny?”

“No.  I wanted to spend some time alone with Scott.  We hadn’t been alone together since I got him back.” Murdoch paused, “You don’t think Johnny’s upset about me spending time with his brother?”

“I don’t know.  Have you  had any time for just Johnny since you’ve been back?”

“Not really.  There was so much to catch up on.”   

“Why don’t I take him for a ride?  Him and me can have a little talk.  Maybe I can figure out what the problem is.”

Murdoch nodded.  “Thank you, Val.  I’d appreciate that.” 

Val walked out the door, leaving Murdoch feeling helpless.  After so many years of searching for his son, he couldn’t lose him now.

.

---

Val stood for a moment, watching Johnny before walking closer.  “Whata’ doing hijo?”

Johnny glanced up and then lowered his head again.  “Nothing.”

“I was gonna go for a ride.  You want to come with me?”

Johnny looked up through his long lashes.  “Just me and you?”

“Yeah.”  Val put out his hand.  “So, you want to come?”

Johnny smiled, took Val’s hand, and jumped to his feet.  “I’ll have Cisco saddled in a minute.”

As Val and Johnny rode under the Lancer arch, Scott stood at the French doors, watching them until they disappeared.  He stepped back into the Great Room and walked towards Murdoch’s desk.

“Father.”

Murdoch raised his head.  “Scott.”

“Is something wrong with Johnny?”

Murdoch tried to smile but failed.  “I…”

“It’s me, isn’t it?  He’s not happy I’m here.”  The boy heaved a sigh and swallowed hard.  “I should never have come here.”

“Scott…” Murdoch stood and circled the desk.  He reached out and grabbed his oldest son, pulling him into his arms.  

Scott buried his head into his father’s chest, trying to hold back a sob.  “I should have stayed in Boston with grandfather.”

“Son, this is exactly where you belong.  You’ve always belonged here.”

“But Johnny…”

“Don’t worry.  We’ll figure out what’s bothering your brother.”   Murdoch stroked Scott’s soft blond hair while holding him close.  “He hasn’t said anything to you?”

“No.  He doesn’t talk to me like he used to.  Ever since we got to the ranch, he’s been distant.  Sir, I couldn’t stand it if he hated me.”

“Val will get some answers, and we’ll fix whatever is wrong.”

Scott nodded and wiped his eyes.  “And if we can’t?”

“We’ll fix it, Scott.  There is no way I’m losing you or your brother again.”

.

---

As soon as they cleared the arch, Johnny cast a quick glance over his shoulder, making sure no one was following them.     With a grin, he looked at Val.  “Race you.”   He kicked Cisco into a run and leaned forward over the pony’s neck.

They rode hard for ten minutes before Val called out.  “Slow down, boy.”

Johnny pulled back on the reins, slowing his horse to a walk. 

Val rode up beside him and shook his head.  He started to say something harsh about running the horses, but he saw Johnny laughing and couldn’t bring himself to do it. 

“Let’s head over to the creek and give them a break.”  Val reined his horse east and stopped at the slow-moving creek.  A lack of water caused the gently rolling hills of Lancer to turn brown during the summer months, but the trees near the creek remained green and full of shade, casting their leaves.

Dismounting, Val led his horse to the water’s edge and dropped the reins to ground-tie him.   Moving to the shade of the trees, he sat and waited for Johnny to join him.  After several minutes of waiting, Johnny sat down beside him.

Val took a breath and then began.  “What’s got you tied up in a knot, hijo?”

Johnny dropped his chin to his chest and sighed. 

“You know you can talk to me.  So, talk.”

Johnny raised his head and looked at Val with tears in his eyes.  “Papi, when are you going to leave?”

The question took him by surprise. “I…I’m not sure.  Why?”

“Can I go with you when you go?  Por favor, Papi.”

Val leaned back and took his time before speaking,  “I thought you were happy here.”

Johnny dropped his chin again but didn’t say anything.

“What’s changed?”

Johnny’s shoulder shook, and silent tears flowed down his cheeks.

Val reached out and pulled the boy against his chest.  “Talk to me, hijo.  It can’t be that bad.”

With his head against Val’s chest, Johnny heaved a sob.  “The Señor doesn’t want me anymore.  I will go with you.”  Johnny raised his face to look at Val.  “You want me.  Don’t you?”

“Of course, I want you, but so does your Papa.” Val’s arm tightened around the trembling body.  “Why do you think he doesn’t want you?’

“Scott is here now.  He is the one the estancia needs, not me.”

“Who says so?”

“Everyone…” Johnny sobbed deeper.  “Everyone knows the firstborn hijo takes over the estancia when the Patron is gone.   Everyone calls him Señor Scott.  No one wants me here now that Scott is here.”

Val laid his cheek against Johnny’s soft, dark hair.  “Juanito, your Papa loves you.  I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but it’s different here than in Mexico.  Why don’t we talk to Murdoch and get this straightened out?  If you still want to go with me after we talk, I’ll take you, but you’ve got to know it’s gonna break your Papa’s heart.”

“No, it won’t.  He doesn’t love me anymore.”

“I think he loves you more than you know.  If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have gone all the way to Mexico to find you and bring you here in the first place.”

“He didn’t have Scott then.”

“But didn’t he know where Scott was?”

“Yes.”

“Couldn’t he have gone to Boston to get him instead of paying all that money and riding all the way to Mexico just to get you?”

Johnny hiccupped and nodded.

“Well, then.  Don’t that prove he loves you?”

“But, Scott…”

“Now, wait a minute.  Do you like Scott?”

Johnny nodded against Val’s chest.

“You two have become amigos, haven’t you?”

“I thought so, but…”

“No, buts.  Has Scott done one thing to you to make you think he doesn’t want you here?  Has he done one thing to you to make you think he doesn’t want you as a brother?”

It took a few moments, but finally, Johnny shook his head.

“Don’t you think that proves he wants you here?   Do you think he would have left his Abuelo back in Boston and come all this way if it hadn’t been for you?  I think he loves you just as much as your Papa loves you.”  

“And you?  You love me?”

Val smiled.  “Always.”

Johnny leaned back and started to wipe his running nose with his sleeve. 

“Hold on there.”  Val reached into his pocket and brought out a handkerchief.  Putting it to Johnny’s nose, he said, “Now blow.”

Johnny blew his nose and sniffled.  

“Now, go over there and wash your face in the creek.  We’re going back to talk to Murdoch.”

Val watched as Johnny stood, walked to the creek’s edge, and dropped to his knees. After splashing water on his face, Johnny turned to face him. They both took a deep breath and smiled.

“Mount up, hijo.  We’ve got to get home.”

Johnny ran to Val and threw his arms around his waist.  “Te amo, Papi.”  (I love you, Papi)

Val dropped to one knee and hugged the boy. “Te tambien te amo, hijo”   (I love you too, son.)

.

---

 When Val walked into the Great Room, Murdoch was waiting for him.   “Well?”

Val took his hat off and slapped his leg with it.  “Murdoch, he’s hurting.”

“Hurting?  Is he sick?  Should I get Sam?”  

“It ain’t that kind of hurt.  He’s torn up inside ‘cause he thinks you don’t want him anymore.”

“What the hell are you talking about?   Where would he have got an idea like that?”

“I don’t know.  You tell me.”

“Val, I swear, I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I love that boy with all my heart.  I always have.”

“And Scott?”

Murdoch’s eyes narrowed.  “What about Scott?”

“You love him too, don’t you?”

“Of course I do.”

Val knew he wasn’t getting anywhere and didn’t know how to say it, so he came right out with it: “Johnny believes that now that you’ve got Scott to take over after you’re gone, you don’t want or need him anymore.   You know what it’s like in Mexico.  The oldest son inherits everything.  Johnny believes he don’t have a place here anymore.”  

Murdoch walked to one of the armchairs near the fireplace and collapsed into it.   “He told you that?”

“Yep, he told me.  He also said he wanted to go with me when I left to head back to Texas.  Wanted to make sure I wanted him.”

“God.  How did he get such an idea?”

“Don’t know.  Someone must have said something to give him the idea.”

Murdoch was back on his feet.  “Where is he?  I have to talk to him.”

“I left him in the barn with the horses.”

The worried father started for the door.

“Murdoch, go slow.  You know what his life was like before you brought him here.  He don’t trust easily.  Nothing lasted, and he didn’t expect it to.  Everyone he got attached to was taken from him.  He never owned anything that he could call his own. 

“I think he started trusting you before this, but right now…. Well, now he’s confused.  Somehow, he thinks all this is being taken away from him, including you.  For a long time, he was all you had.  Now you’ve got Scott, too.”

“You believe he’s jealous of his brother?”

“I don’t know.  I do know that he needs to know where he stands with you.”

Murdoch nodded, opened the French doors, and stepped outside.   He glanced over his shoulder to see Val following him.

.

---

Scott stood in the garden, watching Val and Johnny ride in.  When Johnny went into the barn with the horses, Scott straightened his shoulders and took a deep breath.  He knew what he had to do, and there was no sense in putting it off.

He quickly walked across the yard and entered the dimly lit barn.  It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the low light, but once they did, he spotted his brother standing alongside Cisco with a curry brush in his hand.

It took a moment, but Scott realized Johnny was sobbing.  He took a step forward.  “Johnny.”

Johnny’s head snapped up, and then he turned away from his brother.  “Go away.”

“Johnny, please.  Talk to me.”

“I said, go away.”

“What have I done?   Whatever it is, I’m sorry.”

Johnny buried his face in Cisco’s neck.

“Alright.  I’ll go.  I just wanted to tell you I’m…I’m going back to Boston as soon as Father can arrange it.”

Scott waited a moment, and when Johnny didn’t say anything, he started to turn back to the door.

“No.”  Johnny’s hand grabbed Scott’s arm.  “You can’t go.  You’re needed here with the Patron.  This is your home, not back in Boston with your abuelo.”

Scott shook his head.  “No.  If this is anyone’s home, it’s yours.  You were born here.  Father needs you, not me.  He’s always known where I was and didn’t come to get me until you were with him.  Don’t you see, if he hadn’t found you, he never would have come for me?”

“But Scott.  You’re the one he needs.” 

“No.  I have to go.  I’ve hurt you, and I can’t stand that you hate me.”

Johnny’s eyes widened.  “I don’t hate you, hermano.”

“You don’t.”  Scott folded his arms over his chest and tilted his head.  “You could have fooled me.  You won’t talk to me.  When I try to talk to you, you do everything you can to get away from me as fast as you can.   Brother, if you’re not mad at me, then why don’t you want to be around me?  And another thing.  Why do you keep calling Father, Señor or Patron?”  

Johnny shook his head.  “It is just…”   Johnny heaved a heavy sigh.  

“Just what?”

“You are el hijo primogenitor, the first-born son.  It is your duty to become Patron when the Señor is gone.  All this,” he waved his arm around, “will be yours someday.  You don’t need me.  It is better that I go.”

Scott laughed and reached out with both hands, taking Johnny’s thin shoulders.  “Silly.  I could never become Patron of Lancer, not without you.  You’re my brother…mi hermano.  I love you, Johnny.”

“And so do I.”   

The boys turned to see their father’s giant silhouette framed in the entryway. 

With long, easy strides, Murdoch covered the distance between them, then knelt in front of Johnny.  “Johnny, I love you.”  He turned his head to look at Scott and then put an arm around each of them.  “I love you both.  I love you so much that it sometimes hurts to think about it.   You two are my life.  I built this ranch for you…for both of you.”

“But…”  Johnny shook his head.  “No, you built the ranch for your oldest—”

“No, John!  I built it for both of you.  Lancer is your birthright, just as much as Scott’s.   This isn’t Mexico, where the oldest son inherits everything.  Here, it belongs to whoever I say it belongs to.   You will share equally with Scott.  Do you understand?”   

Johnny dipped his head. 

“John, do you understand what I just said?”

Johnny wiped his eyes and nodded.   “Does that mean you still want me?”

Murdoch laughed, “Want you?   I not only want you, but I need you.  I need you as much as the air I breathe.  

“Now, look at me, son.” Murdoch put a hand under Johnny’s chin and lifted his head so that their eyes met.  “Te amo, hijo.  Te amo con todo mi corazon, pero hay suficiente espacio en mi corazon para mis dos hijos.”  (I love you, son.  I love you with all my heart, but there is enough room in my heart for both of my children.)

“Scott says he is going back to Boston.”

“Your brother isn’t going anywhere.  He’s staying right here where you both belong.  Besides, if he went back to Boston, who would be here to keep you out of trouble?  You know that’s a big job in itself.  I sure can’t do it alone.”

Johnny looked at his father through wet lashes and tried to smile.

“That’s it.  That’s the smile I haven’t seen in a long time.”  He stood up, holding one hand on each of the boy’s shoulders.  “What do you say to cookies and milk?  I think Tia Maria has a fresh batch.”

Johnny looked at Cisco and Val’s horse and hesitated. 

“Don’t worry.  I’ll have one of the hands finish the horses.”

Murdoch guided the boys outside to find Val and Cipriano waiting for them. 

“Everything alright?” Val looked down at Johnny’s tear-streaked face.

“It is now.” Murdoch tightened his hands on his son’s shoulders.  “The boys and I are going to see if Maria has any cookies.”

Johnny looked up at Val and then at Murdoch.  “You think she has enough for Papi and Tio, too?”

Murdoch smiled.  “I think so.  Gentlemen, would you care for an afternoon snack of oatmeal cookies and milk?”

“That’s mighty nice of you, Murdoch.” Val glanced at Cipriano.  “Cip, you want some milk and cookies?”

“Si,” Cipriano smiled. “Me gustaría mucho leche y galletas con mis sobrinos.”

Scott looked up at the smiles on everyone’s faces.  “What did he say, Father?”

“He said he would very much like milk and cookies with his nephews.”      

.

---

October turned into November.  Thanksgiving was a particularly joyful event, with all of Lancer celebrating the boys’ return.   

Next came December, the month of birthdays.  The ranch first celebrated Teresa’s fifth birthday on December 1st, followed by Scott’s twelfth on the 19^th.

On the morning of the 23rd, his seventh birthday, Johnny was surprised with a table full of presents and everyone shouting, “Happy Birthday.”  He’d never received a birthday gift before and was speechless when Scott told him he would get more on Christmas Day.   

Christmas came with a flurry of activity unfamiliar to Johnny.  He’d never experienced an American Christmas and the exchanging of gifts.  Scott had taken his little brother under his wing to help him pick out gifts for everyone.  Johnny wasn’t sure what would happen until Christmas morning when the first present was placed in his hands.  From that moment forward, he decided he liked the gringo’s Christmas.

They ended the month with Murdoch’s birthday on December 28th, the senior Lancer refusing to tell anyone his age.

Although the ranch was a full-time job, Murdoch’s life revolved around his boys.  There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t thank God for having them in his life.

Begrudgingly, Murdoch had to admit Val was a pleasant surprise.  More than once, Paul or Cipriano had come to him praising the young gunman, now rancher.  It seemed there was little Val couldn’t do and do well.

What pleased Murdoch most was the interaction between Val and the boys.  While Johnny still referred to Val as ‘Papi,’ the older man acted more like a big brother to Scott and Johnny.  There were times when Murdoch found himself disciplining all three and felt as though he had gained another son.

.

---

January 21st, 1857

Besides the Lancer boys, six children attended school in Morro Coyo. The group consisted of four boys and two girls aged seven to twelve, the children of those who worked on the ranch. Each morning, like clockwork, the wagon departed from the ranch at seven o’clock and returned every afternoon at four thirty. Most days, Johnny and Scott would ride their horses alongside the ranch wagon.

This morning, the school wagon was only a few miles from the ranch, headed for Morro Coyo, when a lone man barred the wagon’s way.

Pedro Salazar pulled back on the reins, stopping the team of horses.  The children in the wagon who were happily chattering away stopped talking.

“Señor,” Pedro said, “can I be of help to you?”

The bearded Mexican, wearing a black sombrero, smiled, showing a missing front tooth.  At the same time, another man, also Mexican, came from the side and stopped next to Johnny’s horse, grabbing his reins.

“Si, we have come for that one.” The first man pointed at Johnny.

Pedro started to stand when the man pulled a gun and pointed it at his heart. 

“Do not do something foolish.  You would not want all of these children hurt, would you?”

Realizing what was happening, Scott screamed, “Leave my brother alone!”  Then, in one fluid motion, he launched himself off his horse, barreled across the rump of Johnny’s pony, and tackled the man trying to take his brother away from him.

As Scott took the man down, he screamed, “Get out of here, Johnny.  Ride!”

Johnny’s pony, spooked by Scott and the second man rolling around under his legs, sidestepped and then reared up. Johnny tried to regain control, but there was nothing he could do.  When Cisco reared a second time, he slid off and landed on the hard ground with a thud.

The pony took off with its reins trailing behind.

The toothless man was off his horse and running toward his partner and Scott when Pedro jumped from the wagon and tackled him. The children started screaming as the wagon horses bolted, made a wide turn, and started running toward home.

Pedro didn’t stand a chance against the bigger man he was wrestling with.  Before he knew it, he was lying face down in the dirt.

Scott felt himself being lifted off the man he was punching.  

“Stop fighting, chico,” the man, missing a tooth, yelled and shook Scott.  “Stop, or I kill your hermano.”

Scott heard a revolver being cocked and stopped struggling.  The man released him, and he fell back to the ground.  Looking around, he saw Johnny lying on his back a few feet away.  Scurrying on all fours, he went to his brother.

“Johnny, are you alright?”

Johnny lifted his head and blinked.

“Are you alright?” Scott repeated himself.

Johnny nodded.

“Get up, both of you,” the man Scott was fighting with said.  “Get up and do not move.”

“What do you want?” Scott wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.

“We wanted only him, but you…” The Toothless smiled, “You are his hermano. This is good.  We will take both of you.  Your Papa will pay much to get you back.”

Toothless motioned to his partner.  “Paco, get them on the one horse.  We must go before those from the ranch come.”

As they mounted, Paco tossed a note on the ground next to Pedro.

.

---

“Patron!” Cipriano was the first to see the black and white pony racing into the yard.  “Stop him,” Cipriano ordered as two vaqueros ran forward to catch the frightened animal.

Murdoch and Paul ran out of the house, just as Val came from the barn.

Cipriano pointed towards the pony, which was still dancing away from the vaqueros.  Murdoch strode across the yard heading for the animal. 

Val caught hold of Cisco’s reins, then ran a hand over the pony’s neck and flanks.  Shaking his head, he said, “Nothing wrong with him, except he’s scared.”

“If those two boys were racing again, I’m …..” Murdoch looked towards the arch and stopped when the sight of a runaway wagon came into sight.  The children in the back were holding onto the sides and screaming.  “What the….”

Val hopped onto the closest saddled horse and tore out of the yard, racing towards the wagon.  A few ranch hands, working near the main house, saw what was happening and joined in the dash to reach the team.

Once the team was stopped, Val jumped off his horse and went around to the back of the wagon.  Crying children tumbled out.  

Val took the shoulders of the oldest boy.  “Bernardo, what happened?”

Bernardo wiped his arm across his eyes.  “Two men.”  He pointed towards the road.  “They took Senor Scott and Juanito.  Pedro tried to help, and they….”

“Bernardo?”

The boy turned to see his father running towards him.   “Papa.”

“Bernardo, mijo, qué pasó?”

“Papa, men took the Patron’s hijos, and they hurt Pedro.”  Then turning back to Val, Bernardo pointed towards the road.  “You have to go help them.”

Val was already on his horse when Bernardo pointed to the road and yelled, “You have to help them!”

The sound of horse hoofs pounding on the hard-packed road had those at the wagon looking back towards the hacienda.  In a cloud of dust, Murdoch and a dozen hands thundered passed without stopping.

.

---

Murdoch’s hand was still holding Johnny’s pony as he strained to see what was happening on the road.  He saw Val jump from his horse to help the children from the wagon.  Murdoch didn’t question when Cipriano handed him the reins to his horse.  He just mounted up.  He didn’t know what had happened, but it didn’t matter.  There was no sign of his sons.

“Paul, take care of the children.  Everyone else is with me.”

As he and his men rode past the wagon, Murdoch glanced down at the crying children and wondered about his own.  He’d just found them, and the thought of losing them now had his heart in his throat.

Topping a rise two miles from the ranch, Murdoch could see Val kneeling next to someone on the roadway.  Pulling back on the reins, he raised a hand, slowing the men behind him.  His horse danced as he scanned the area.

“Val?”

Val stood up.  “Pedro’s gonna be alright, but he needs a doctor.  I found this.”  Val reached up and handed Murdoch a crumbled piece of paper.  

Murdoch took the piece of paper, and his eyes met Val’s.  “Scott and Johnny?”

Val shook his head.  “They’re not here, but tracks are leading off that way.”  Val pointed to the east.  “Look at the note.”

Murdoch unfolded the paper.

Lancer

If you want your son back, you will bring money to your cabin on the east side of the ranch.  Leave $2,500 in the cabin by noon tomorrow. 

“Do you have that much?” Val asked as he remounted his horse.

“I can get it.”   Murdoch reread the note.  “Twenty-five hundred?  That’s ….”

“Yeah,” Val interrupted.  “That’s the amount of the reward you offered to get Johnny back in Mexico.”

“The only ones who knew about that were you, Cipriano, me, and… Rivas, but Rivas is dead.” 

Val took a deep breath and nodded.  “There was one more.” 

“Yes, but Maria’s ….”  He stopped before speaking the word ‘dead’ aloud.  Murdoch thought for a moment.  Only five people knew she was dead, and that’s the way he wanted it.  He wanted to keep it from getting back to Johnny.

“That’s what the Priest told us.”

“What exactly did he say?”

Val looked at the still-mounted men surrounding them.  “Not here.” 

Cipriano rode up with a wagon following him.  He looked around, hoping to see his nephew. 

“Patron?”

“He’s not here.”

“Dónde.”  (Where)

Murdoch handed him the kidnapper’s note. 

“Madre de Dios.”

Murdoch dropped the reins of his horse and walked out a few feet away from everyone.  Putting his hands on his hips, he looked out over his land, the kingdom he’d built for his sons.  Without them, it would mean nothing to him.

 “Murdoch.” 

The tall rancher turned.  All eyes were on him, waiting… waiting for him to give them their orders.

Val stepped closer to the man who was once a rival for a small boy’s love, a boy he’d give his life to protect.  He knew Murdoch Lancer felt the same way.  They weren’t rivals any longer.  They were now allies, with a single goal: to get Johnny and Scott back.

“Val, take half the men and follow their tracks.  Make sure they don’t know you’re following them.”

“If we find them?”

“Send someone for me before you try to get them back.”

Val nodded.  “Understood.”

“Cipriano, take three men and get Pedro back to the ranch.  Keep your eyes open.  Those two may not be alone.  Let Maria know what’s going on and have her watch Teresa.” 

“Set up guards?” Cipriano asked, waving his hand for some of the hands to load Pedro into the waiting wagon.

“Yes.  I’m going to Morro Coyo for the money.”  Looking at his men, he added, “I want four of you with me.”

The sound of a horse coming up the road from the ranch had everyone reaching for their guns.  They relaxed when they saw it was Paul O’Brien.

“Murdoch?”

“Paul, I haven’t got time right now.  Cip will fill you in.  Are all the children alright?”

“No one’s hurt.  They’re just scared.” 

Murdoch mounted his horse, motioned for his men to follow, and kicked his horse into a gallop.

“Where are you going?”

“Señor Paul.” Cipriano put a hand on the Segundo’s arm.  “I will explain.  Come, we must return to the ranch.”

.

---

Scott wrapped his arms around Johnny’s waist, holding him tight against him as their horse was led away from the road.  He could feel his brother’s fast-beating heart and heavy breathing. 

“It’ll be alright,” Scott whispered into Johnny’s ear.

“I know.  Papa will find us,” Johnny also replied in a whisper.

Looking over his shoulder, Scott wished Pedro would move or raise up and look their way.  He had no idea who these men were or where they were taking them.  He only knew he had to protect his little brother until their father came for them. 

They rode for more than an hour, gaining altitude as the trail rose into the mountains and passed through increasingly thick trees.  Finally, the two kidnappers stopped and dismounted.

“Get down,” Toothless ordered, reaching up to grab Johnny’s arm.

“Leave him alone.” Scott shifted to block the man’s arm.  “We’ll get down.”

“Then get down.”

Scott swung Johnny down and then stepped down himself, putting himself in front of his brother.

“Inside.” Paco pointed to a cave the boys hadn’t noticed.

Johnny looked up at Scott and shook his head.  Then he turned to run when Toothless snatched him around the waist and hoisted him up onto his hip. 

“Put me down,” Johnny screamed.  “Bájame, hijo de puta.”

Scott grabbed the back of Toothless’s shirt.  “Leave my brother alone.”

“Stop fighting.” Paco started dragging Scott towards the cave entrance by his collar.

“Put me down.” Johnny continued to struggle against the hold Toothless had on him.

“Leave my brother alone!”

Toothless walked into the cave and dropped Johnny on his butt.  Turning, he watched Paco drag Scott inside and toss him beside his brother.

“Your Mama was right, chico.  You are trouble,” Toothless laughed.

Johnny’s head shot up.  “My Mama?  You know my Mama?  Where is she?”

It was Paco’s turn to laugh.  “Si, we knew your Mama, and we knew her well, didn’t we, Jorge?”

Jorge nodded, showing his toothless smile.

Johnny was on his feet facing the two men.  “Where is she?”

The men turned and walked out without answering.

Johnny slumped back onto the floor, dipping his head.  At the same time, Scott moved to his brother’s side and put an arm around his shoulders. “Johnny, what was that about your mother?”

“Nothing.  It is always the same.” 

“Brother?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Without leaving his brother’s side, Scott looked around the cave.  From what he could see, it was a deep cavern, and the darkness was endless.  A shiver ran through him.

“Johnny, back on the road, you said you knew our father would come.  How could you be so sure?”

Johnny’s voice was so soft, Scott almost didn’t hear.  “Papa always comes.  He always comes for me… for us.”  Raising his head, he looked at his older brother.  “It is the one thing in my life I can count on.  Papa will always come.”

Scott smiled.  “Yes, he will always come for us.”  Looking back at the cave entrance, he lowered his voice, “But we need to try to help ourselves until he gets here.”

Johnny returned the smile.

.

---

  
Spread out in a line, Val and the Lancer ranch hands rode slowly, tracking the horse Val knew was Scott’s.  They’d lost the trail a couple of times when the ground was too hard, or the tracks disappeared over rocks, but it hadn’t been hard to pick them up again.

It was getting late, and the sun would be setting in less than an hour.  Val knew they were getting close, but there was no way they could continue without light.

Not knowing how close they were to their prey, Val raised a hand, motioning the men to stop.  Looking left and then right, he waved for the ranch hands to come closer.

“It’s getting too dark.  We’re gonna set up camp here, and we can’t take a chance of a fire being seen.” 

“Cold camp?” one of the hands asked.

“Cold camp,” Val confirmed. 

“Sloan, you ride back to the ranch and let Mr. Lancer know where we’re at.”

Sloan turned his horse back the way they’d come.

Val didn’t envy Sloan delivering the message to their boss.  Telling Murdoch Lancer his sons still hadn’t been found was the last thing he wanted to do.

They unsaddled their horses and huddled down to wait out the night.

.

---

Murdoch made the trip to and from Morro Coyo in record time.  Riding under the arch, he felt like he was entering a fortress.  Looking around, he could see men with rifles on the roof, standing guard at the front portico, and in front of the barn. 

Stepping down from the saddle, he was met by Paul.  At a glance, he knew there was no news.

“Looks like you have everything under control here.”

“We do.  You have the money?”

Murdoch nodded.  “In my saddlebags.  Any word from Val?”

“No.”

Murdoch turned and gazed across the pastures and fields, as if by looking hard enough, he could summon the image he desired most.

Hearing a rustling noise behind him, Murdoch redirected his focus.  Maria was standing in the doorway with her hand to her throat and tears in her eyes.  He shook his head.  She lifted her apron and wiped her eyes before disappearing back into the house. 

.

---

“Do you think they’ll give us anything to eat?”  Scott asked as he huddled closer to Johnny, trying to stay warm.

As the sun set, the dark cave grew even darker. Outside the entrance, Paco and Jorge were sitting next to a fire, passing a bottle back and forth.

“Don’t think about food.  It makes it easier,” Johnny said.

“Easier?  You’ve been hungry before, haven’t you?”

Johnny knew what it was like to be cold and hungry.  He’d experienced it enough in his life, but he doubted Scott ever had. “Yes, many times.”

“What was it like living in Mexico?”

“When Mama had money or a man to take care of us, it was alright.  There were many times when there was nothing to eat and no place to sleep.”

“What did you do?”

“I am a good thief, hermano.”  Johnny’s accent surfaced as he said the words.

“A good thief?  You stole?  What did you steal?”

“Si, I stole food when we had none.  Clothes when I outgrew the ones I had.  Mama taught me how to steal and not get caught.”

“Did you ever get caught?”

“Once or twice.  Mama would come and beg forgiveness for her child and always promised she would punish me.”

“Did she?”

Johnny huffed, “No, Mama was always more interested in what I was able to get away with.”

“Do you think your mother knows these men are here and what they’re doing?”

“I don’t know.  It is not the first time someone has taken me from our Papa, and Mama knew about it the last time.”

“What do you mean, not the first time?”

Johnny could hear the sound of disbelief in his brother’s voice.

“Before Papa brought me to Lancer, Mama’s man, Jose Rivas, came for me.  He told Papa he wanted money, and if Papa didn’t give it to him, then he would never see me again.”

“You were held for ransom?”

“What’s ransom?”

“Demanding money to release you.”

Scott could feel Johnny nod his head.

“Did…did father pay?”

“He did not have to.  Val and Papa and Tio Cipriano found me and killed Rivas and all his men.”

Scott sat quietly for a long time, wondering about Johnny’s story. “Johnny, do you think that is what Father will do this time also?”

“Si.  Papi will be following our tracks.  Soon they will find us, and those two,” Johnny nodded with his head toward the men by the fire, “will be dead.”

When Scott didn’t say any more, Johnny wondered what his brother was thinking. “Scott, are you sorry you came to Lancer?”

“No, and before you ask, I’m not sorry to have you as my brother.” 

“You’re sure?”

“Very sure.”  Scott lowered his voice, “Look, one of them is coming in here.”

Johnny looked towards the cave entrance.  Jorge staggered towards them with a whiskey bottle in one hand and a torch in the other.

“Get up, chico.” Jorge lifted the bottle and took a drink.  When Johnny didn’t move, he dropped the torch and reached down, dragging Johnny out of Scott’s grasp.

“Let him go.”

Scott jumped up, pulled Johnny back out of the way, and tackled Jorge.  Jorge landed on his back, the whiskey bottle slipping from his hand.  Johnny turned to run, only to find Paco blocking his way.

“No, you don’t.” Paco swayed.  Johnny darted past the man only to be grabbed and pulled back.  Paco backhanded the boy, knocking him against the rock wall.

Johnny slid to the cave floor.  He watched Scott grab the whiskey bottle lying next to Jorge and slam it across the drunken man’s head.  Then propelled himself off the floor, tackling Paco much as he’d done Jorge.

Paco punched Scott in the face and then threw him aside.  Standing, the drunken man drew back his foot to kick the blond boy.  The sound of a gunshot reverberated through the cave.

Scott turned to see a wide-eyed Johnny sitting beside Jorge with the kidnapper’s smoking gun in his hand.  He looked back at Paco and saw the look of surprise on his face as he grabbed his arm and sank to the ground.

Scott stood up, ran to his dazed brother.  He took the gun from Johnny’s hand and started to toss it aside, but changing his mind, put it in the waistband of his pants.

“Come on!” Scott pulled Johnny to his feet and pushed him out of the cave and into the darkness.

“We have to get out of here!” 

.

---

It was hard to see the other men’s faces in the dim light of what moon there was.  Val knew they were as miserable as he was sitting on the cold ground, eating dried jerky and huddled in their coats.

Val chewed on the jerky, wishing he had coffee to go with it.  To him, there was nothing better than a good cup of frying pan coffee.  It was something he’d learned to make years earlier when traveling with a coffee pot wasn’t practical.  There was always room for a frying pan, though.  He’d just tie it around his saddle horn if there wasn’t room in his saddlebags.

“Best settle down and try to get some sleep.”

Val pulled his coat closer around his neck.  None of them had their bedrolls with them.  There hadn’t been time to get fitted out before they started tracking, and no one had gone back to the ranch to get what they needed.

Val was just dozing off when one of their horses whinnied.  Standing and reaching for his gun, he saw movement in the distance.  Soon the sound of horses had all the men on their feet.   Riders on horseback were silhouetted against the rising moon.

“Val?” A familiar voice carried in the still night.

Val took a step forward and strained to see in the darkness.  “Murdoch?”

As clouds moved away from the moon, the clearing lit up.  Murdoch Lancer stepped down from his horse and looked around.

“We didn’t expect you tonight.”  Val extended his hand.  “But it sure is good to see you.”

Murdoch accepted Val’s hand.  “Sloan came back and told us where you were.  He said you were running a cold camp.  I knew you didn’t have your bedrolls with you, so I thought you’d appreciate them and some food.  Maria packed enough to feed an army.”

Val looked at all the men who now shared the clearing and chuckled.  “Looks like that’s what we got.”

“Any sign of the boys?” Murdoch asked.

“No, but we got a clear trail now.  We’ll pick it up at first light.  Anything up this way?  Anywhere they could be holed up?”

Murdoch nodded.  “The only building is Lancer’s eastern line shack.  In the ransom note, they said cabin, but that’s where they must mean for me to meet them with the money.”

Cipriano joined them.  “Patron, there are the caves further up the mountain.  There is a chance they could be there.”

“How many caves?” Val asked.

“Five or six.  The smaller ones are off to our right, and there are one or two larger ones straight ahead.”

“Could be that’s where….”

The muffled sound of a gunshot echoed off the hills.

“Where’d it come from?”

“There.” Cipriano pointed into the night.

“The caves.” Murdoch started to mount his horse when he felt Val’s hand on his shoulder. 

“Murdoch, there’s no way we can head up there tonight.  Even with the moon, we’d never make it.  We’re gonna have to wait until morning.”

“That could have been….” Murdoch stopped, and Val could see the rancher knew he was right.

“Murdoch, I’m worried too.”  Val pulled Murdoch aside.  “You know this is the same thing we went through with Rivas.  What I said then still stands.  Word gets out that you paid these men to get the boys back, then they’ll never be safe.  There will always be someone coming for them; someone wanting money from you.” 

“I know that, but I’ve had so little time with Scott and Johnny.  I can’t lose them again.”

“We…you ain’t losing them boys.  I promise you that.”

“Thank you, Val.”

“We’d better get the bedrolls handed out and see that everyone gets something to eat.  I’d say get some sleep but don’t think either of us is gonna sleep tonight.”

“No.  I won’t be sleeping.  Not until my sons are home.”

---

Scott pushed Johnny out of the cave and grabbed his hand.  The two started running.  Scott saw a bedroll lying on the ground as he passed the fire, and he stopped and went back, scooping it up.  They were away from the firelight and engulfed by darkness within a few steps.

They stopped, and Scott looked around, unsure which way to go.  He felt Johnny shaking beside him.  “Are you alright?”

“Did I kill him?”

Scott untied the bedroll to find a blanket inside.  He took the blanket and put it around his brother’s shoulders.  “I don’t know.  I …. don’t think so.”  Putting an arm around the still-shaking shoulders, Scott pulled Johnny close.  “Look, Johnny, you did what you had to do.  You saved me.”

“I know, but….”

“No, buts.  If you hadn’t gotten the gun and shot Jorge, he would have hurt us both.  Now come on, let’s find a place to hide until morning.  If you’re right, there will be men looking for us.  We just have to make our way back the way we came.”

When Johnny didn’t move, Scott took his hand and led him downhill.  They stumbled along for almost twenty minutes before Scott slipped and fell. 

“I can’t see enough to keep going.  We’re going to have to stop.”

Johnny looked around then pointed off to his left.  “Over there, next to the rocks.  We can wait there.”

Scott moved closer to the rocks and sat down.  When Johnny joined him, Scott arranged the blanket and bedroll to cover them both. 

“Try to sleep.  When it’s light we’ll start out again.”

Johnny nodded and leaned into his older brother.  “Scott, I’m sorry they took you because of me.”

Scott didn’t say anything.  He really hadn’t thought about why the men had taken him.  Now that he had time to think, he knew they’d taken him because he was Johnny Lancer’s brother.

“They hurt you because of me,” Johnny sniffled.  “I’m sorry.”

“Johnny, we don’t know why they took me other than they wanted more money.  They hurt me because I wanted to protect my brother, the brother I love.”

“I love you too,” Johnny whispered.  “Thanks for being my brother.”

“You’re welcome.  Now do what your big brother tells you and go to sleep.”

The rain started an hour before sunrise.  Two miserable boys snuggled closer together, praying for dawn and their father.

---

Low clouds shrouded the hills around the men waiting for first light.   When the rain started, most of them began grumbling, hunkered further down into their bedrolls, and pretended not to hear their boss curse.

Finally, not being able to stand it any longer, Murdoch stood, lifting a wet bedroll from his shoulders. “It’s a light as it’s gonna get.  Mount up.”

Val walked to stand next to Murdoch.  “No way, there’s a trail now with the rain.”

“We’re heading for the caves.  I know they’re up there somewhere.”

Val nodded and looked at the men, who were still not moving. “Well, what are you waiting for? You heard what the jefe said. Get mounted.”

The men scrambled out of their blankets and threw them into the back of the wagon.  Saddling and mounting their horses, they followed Murdoch, who was already on the move.

Traveling single file, they meandered through the brush and thickening forest.  The path narrowed in places but widened as it neared the top.  When the trail ended, Murdoch stopped and looked around a clearing where the remnants of a fire, long cold, lay in the middle.  On the far side was the cave entrance. 

Val passed Murdoch and stopped in front of the cave. Dismounting, he pulled his revolver and slowly walked inside.  In less than thirty seconds, he was back.

“There are two men in there.  They’re both out cold, and one’s been shot.”

“Scott and Johnny?” Murdoch leaned forward in his saddle, ready to jump down and go after his boys.

“Not in there.” Val looked back over his shoulder at the cave.  “Looks like they were here.”

“You said one was shot.  Do you think it was one of the boys?”

“Seems likely.” 

“Get those men out of there.  I want some answers.” 

Cipriano and four ranch hands stepped down from their horses.  The men entered the cave and came out, dragging Paco and Jorge with them.  They dropped the two kidnappers at Murdoch’s feet.

Val bent down and looked at Jorge’s wound.  “Arm.  He’s lost some blood, but from the smell of him, he’s had enough to drink to deaden the pain.”

“What about the other one?” Murdoch asked.

“He’s got a bump on his head, but mostly he’s just drunk.”

Murdoch stepped out of the saddle and strode across the clearing to stand over the two men.  “Wake them up.”

Val went back to his horse and untied his canteen.  Strolling back to the unconscious men, he lifted the canteen and poured water on their faces. 

Paco sputtered, waving his arms to ward off the water.   “Qué demonios!”  (What the hell)

Val knelt on one knee and lifted the man to a sitting position.  “The only hell you’re gonna find here is standing over you.  Now, wake up.”

“Who are you?”

You’re worst nightmare, you little bastard.  Where are the boys— el muchachos.”

Not answering, Paco looked around. 

“Answer my question.  Where are the Lancer boys?”

“No se.”

Val grabbed Paco’s shirt and lifted him off the ground.  “You tell me where they are or….” Val raised his 1851 Colt Navy revolver and put the barrel to Paco’s neck.  “You want me to blow your head off?”  

“I do not know where they are.  Ask Jorge.”

Val released Paco, who fell back to the ground.  “This Jorge?”

“Si.”

“Who shot him?”

Paco shook his head.  “I do not know.”

“You sure as hell don’t know much, do you?”

“Val, this one is waking.” Cipriano was kneeling next to Jorge.

“Good.  Maybe he can tell us something.”

Val shifted position.  Slapping Jorge’s face, he waited for the man to focus.  “Look at me.” 

Jorge’s eyes opened and then widened when he saw Murdoch looming over him. 

“Where are my sons?” Murdoch demanded.

“I do not know what you talk about.”

Val slapped Jorge and grabbed the front of his shirt.  “That ain’t the answer we want.”

“Por favor…”

“Don’t go begging.  You tell us where the boys are, and I might let you live.”

Jorge turned his head away.

Val grabbed the front of the man’s shirt.  “Talk or die.”  Again, Val raised his Colt, but this time it was cocked.

“It was Maria’s bastard.  He shot me.”

“What do you know about Maria?”

Jorge swallowed and turned to look at Paco.

“One of you had better start talking.” Murdoch leaned over into Jorge’s face.

“It was them, Val,” Cipriano stated.

“Who?”

“The men Maria found in Mexico City.”

“Is that true?” Val asked.

“Si.  We left Mexico City with her.”

“And killed her?” Val snarled.

“No!  No, we did not kill her.”

“If not you, then who?” Murdoch joined in.

Jorge shook his head.

Murdoch turned to look at Paco, who also shook his head.

Murdoch took a step back, looking at Val and then Cipriano.  Fixing his gaze on Paco and Jorge, his voice broke.  “She is dead, isn’t she?”

---

Johnny was the first to peek from under the blanket.  It was still raining, but not as hard as it was earlier.

“Scott.”

Scott raised his head.

“It’s light enough.  We can go now.”

Scott threw the wet blanket aside and stood.  Looking around, he nodded.  “All right, come on.” He reached down and helped Johnny to his feet, for the first time seeing dried blood on the side of his brother’s face.  “Johnny, what happened?”

“I hit the wall after Jorge slapped me.” Johnny put a hand to his head and winced.  “It’s not bleeding now.”

“If it starts hurting or you get dizzy, you tell me, and we’ll stop.”

“Scott, what happens if those men find us?”

Pulling Paco’s revolver from his waistband, Scott showed the gun to Johnny.  “If they find us, I’ll shoot them.  They aren’t going to hurt us again.”

Johnny smiled

“Which way do we go?”

“Down.  We go down the mountain.  Let’s go.”

For the next hour, they helped each other maneuver around trees and rocks in silence, always moving downward.  The trees were thinning out, and they could see pastures ahead when three quick gunshots echoed high above them.

“Johnny, hurry.”

Scott grabbed his brother’s hand and pulled him along.  When the terrain leveled out, they began to run.  When Johnny fell, Scott stopped to help him up.  Looking around for someplace to hide, he saw the faint outline of a building.

“Scott, I …. can’t….” Johnny tried to catch his breath.  “Go … go without me.”

“No.  We go together.”  Scott took Johnny’s hand and pulled him to his feet.  “Just a little further.  I see a house.  Maybe someone will be there to help us.”

.

---

Murdoch didn’t know whether to believe the two kidnappers, but he didn’t have time to deal with them.  He needed to concentrate on his sons.

“Spread out and start searching, then head downhill.  We don’t know how long Scott and Johnny have been gone or which way they went.  Fire off three shots if you find anything.”

The men began their search on foot, looking for any sign of the boys.

“What do you want done with these two?” Val asked, pointing to Paco and Jorge.

“I don’t know. I want to talk to them again later before deciding. For now, tie them up and place a guard on them. Right now, I want to find the boys.”

When Val nodded, Murdoch knew he understood.  There was no law in the valley and very little in California, not yet.  Murdoch Lancer would be the two men’s judge and jury, and Val Crawford would be their executioner.

Taking one last look at the men who’d kidnapped his sons, Murdoch turned to mount up.  The horse startled and danced when three gunshots echoed through the mountains.

“What is it?  Murdoch shouted.

Word was quickly passed from man to man.  “They found a blanket and a bedroll.”

Murdoch quickly scanned the campsite.  Only one bedroll was on the ground near the drenched fire.

“It has to be them.  Which way?”

The men pointed straight down the slope from where they stood.  Without another word, Murdoch dropped the reins of his horse and started down the rocky incline to where one of the vaqueros was holding a bedroll.

“They were here, Patron.”

Murdoch looked around and yelled, “Scott!   Johnny!”

The only response was his voice echoing back to him.  Murdoch continued downhill.  “Keep looking!”

 . 

---

Cold, wet, and hungry, the two boys made it to the house.

The building was smaller than Scott first thought.  Behind it, there was a corral and a small barn, only big enough to hold two horses.  A creek ran along the right side, and dense woods ran along the back.  

Scott helped Johnny onto the porch, then knocked on the door.  There was no answer.

“Maybe no one’s here.”  Johnny slumped against the wall of the structure.

Scott lifted the door handle and eased it open.  Stepping inside, he looked around.  The room was small, too small to be a proper house.  There were two beds against the back wall and a wood-burning potbelly stove to one side.  Scott put his hand on the cold stove.

Going back out on the porch, he reached down to help Johnny up.  “There isn’t anyone here, Johnny.  Come inside.”

“Scott, what if they find us here?”

“We need to rest before we can go on.  Lay down on one of the beds, and I’ll see if there is anything we can eat.”

Scott searched the shelves behind the stove.  There were tins of coffee, flour, and sugar, but there was little he could do with them without a fire.  There was no way he was lighting a fire.  Smoke would give away their position.

Scott looked at Johnny lying on one of the beds.  Finding a blanket, he covered his little brother and collapsed next to the bed.  He took Paco’s revolver out of his waistband and laid it in his lap.  Scott put his head in his arms and was asleep within minutes.

.

---

Murdoch had gone back for his horse and was making his way slowly down the trail they’d followed coming up.  There hadn’t been any other sign of the boys since finding the bedroll and blanket.

Three shots rang out, followed by someone yelling, “Patron!”

Val and Cipriano quickly joined Murdoch as he looked at a vaquero standing at the bottom of the mountain slope.  Murdoch waved his hat.

Miguel waved back and pointed to the open field in front of him.  “Patron!” 

“What have they found?” Val asked.

“It looks like they’ve picked up the boy’s trail.”

“You know, for little fellows, those two sure have covered a lot of ground.”  Val looked back up the mountain and back to the vaquero.

“They certainly have.  Come on, let’s see what they’ve found.”  Murdoch kicked his horse into a trot.

“Miguel, what did you find?” Murdoch asked as he reined to a stop next to the vaquero. 

Miguel pointed to tracks on the wet ground and flattened grass.  “They go this way, towards the line shack.”

Without saying anything else, Murdoch and Val kicked their horses into a gallop.

.

---

The sound of gunfire woke Scott from a fitful sleep.  He raised his head and listened.  Hearing nothing else, he stood and walked to the door.  In the distance, he could see two men on horseback riding hard and coming fast.

Running back to the bed, he shook his brother’s shoulder.  “Wake up, Johnny.  Hurry.”

Johnny sat up, blinking his eyes against the light coming through one of the dirty windows of the building.  “What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s coming.  I think it’s Paco and Jorge.  Get under the bed and stay there.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Protect you.” Scott raised the revolver.  “Hurry, under the bed.”

“Scott….”

“Do as I say.”

Johnny rolled off the bed and slid underneath.  Scott pulled a blanket down to hide Johnny’s body.  Turning, he sat on the floor and leveled the gun.

Scott heard horses in front of the building, then the sound of heavy footsteps on the front porch.  When the front door swung open, Scott pulled the trigger.  The bullet hit the door frame, sending wood splinters in all directions.

“Don’t come in.  I’ll shoot you.”

“Scott.  Scott, it’s me.  It’s your father.”

Scott’s hand was shaking.   

“Scott, son.  Put the gun down.  I’m coming in.  Val’s with me.”

Scott’s eyes remained on the door as he pointed the revolver barrel at the floor.  Then, there he was.  The man he’d been praying to see, the man he’d prayed would come for him.  Seeing Murdoch framed in the doorway, Scott dropped the gun and ran into the waiting arms of his father. 

“Scott, are you alright?”

Scott nodded into his father’s chest.

Val shifted past Murdoch and looked around the room.  “Where’s Johnny?”

Scott pointed to the bed.

“Johnny?”

A shock of dark hair peeked out from under the bed.  “I’m here, Papi.”

Val was across the room in three steps.  Going down on one knee, he reached under the bed and pulled Johnny out.  The boy wrapped his arms around Val’s neck.

“You alright, hijo?”

Johnny nodded. 

“Let me look at you.” Val held Johnny out in front of him.  His eyes widened when he saw the dried blood on the side of the boy’s head.  “What happened?” Val touched the cut.

“Jorge hit me, but I shot him,” Johnny announced with a hint of pride in his voice.

“I know you did.” 

“Did I kill him?” Johnny whispered, holding his breath.

“No.” Val shook his head.  “You didn’t kill him.”

Johnny blew out a breath and threw his arms around Val’s neck again.  Val lifted Johnny off the floor and looked towards the door where Murdoch held Scott.

“You know your Papa has been worried sick about you.”

“He has?”

“Yeah, he has.  Never seen anyone worried as much as he’s been.  You think you could go over there and let him know you’re alright.”

Johnny hesitated.

“Hijo, your Papa needs you.  Alright?”

Johnny nodded.

Val strode across the room with Johnny in his arms.

“Murdoch.”

Murdoch turned.  Seeing Johnny, he reached out.  “Come here, young man.”

Releasing Val, Johnny leaned forward into Murdoch’s outstretched arms. 

Hugging his youngest son close to his chest, Murdoch swallowed hard.  “I was worried about you, son.” Murdoch looked down at Scott.  “About both of you.”

There was the sound of a wagon stopping outside, and then Cipriano stepped onto the front porch. Looking inside, he smiled at the sight of the Patron with his sons.

“Patron? How are the ninos?”

Murdoch looked from Johnny to Scott.  “They’re alright.”

“Gracias a Dios,” Cipriano responded.  “We should get them back to the hacienda.  My Maria is waiting.”

“Yes.  We need to get you two home.  Don’t we?”

Both boys nodded. 

“Father, Johnny’s hurt,” Scott announced.

“Let me see.”  Murdoch examined Johnny’s head.  “Does it hurt?”

“Not no more.  It ain’t even bleeding no more.”

“Johnny….”

Scott quickly spoke up, “Johnny’s hungry.”

“Just Johnny?”

Scott’s blue eyes met his father’s, but before he could answer, Johnny chimed in, “Scott’s hungry, too, Papa.”

“He is?”

Johnny nodded.  “Can we go home?”

“I think that’s an excellent idea.”

“Patron, the wagon is outside, and a rider has been sent to Morro Coyo to bring the doctor.  Also, I have sent some men back to the ranch with the two….” Cipriano looked at Scott and Johnny, not finishing the sentence. 

Murdoch knew what Cipriano meant.

“Good, have them put in the old guardhouse until I decide what to do with them.  Now, gentlemen, let’s go home.  Val, would you tie my horse to the tailgate?   I’m driving.”

With the boys in the wagon, Murdoch took up the reins.  Before he could start, Scott and Johnny scrambled out of the wagon bed and onto the seat.  With one boy on either side of him, he gave the reins a snap.

By the time they reached the hacienda, both boys were asleep with their heads sharing Murdoch’s lap.

.

---

“I’m headed up to bed.” Murdoch stood from his chair and stretched.

“I think I’ll turn in myself,” Val replied.  “It’s been one hell of a couple of days.”

“That it has.” 

Murdoch started to walk up the stairs when Maria came down. “Patron, the ninos are in bed.”

“Did they eat?”

She shook her head.  “Very little.  They were too tired.  Juanito fell asleep at the table, and I carried him upstairs.  I am going home as soon as Cipriano comes for me.”

“Thank you, Maria.  We’ll see you in the morning.”

Cipriano came out of the kitchen and into the Great Room.  “Are you ready, Maria?”

“Soon.  Only a few minutes.” Maria hurried into the kitchen to get her things.

Murdoch turned to Cipriano and Val.  “Let’s sit back down.  I was going to talk about this tomorrow, but I don’t think I can sleep with it on my mind.”

“You want to talk about those two in the guardhouse?”

“Yes.  Val, what exactly did the Priest in Hermosillo say about Maria?”

Val walked over to the drink cart and poured two fingers of Scotch, then sat on the arm of the nearest chair.

“Father Juan said he’d been visiting one of the villages outside of Hermosillo for several days.  When he got back, he was told two men had brought a woman to the Mission.  They didn’t say anything except that her name was Maria Lancer.  Anyways, they just left the body and rode away, and she was buried by the time he got back.”

Murdoch rubbed his chin and shook his head.  “That fits with what the two in the guardhouse said.  They just followed through on Maria’s plans to get money from me, but they didn’t know there were two boys until yesterday.”

“They said they didn’t kill her?”

“That’s what they claim.”

“Do you believe them, Patron?”  Cipriano asked.

“I don’t know that it matters.  As long as Maria is dead, and those two are the last link to her.”

“About that?” Val stared down at his untouched drink.  “What do you want to do with them?  You can’t just let them go.  They’re scared of you right now, but that won’t last.”

“You figure they’ll come again?”

Val nodded.  “Yeah, they’ll come again.”

“I can’t think about that right now.  I’m too tired.  We’ll discuss it in the morning.”

Murdoch walked away, leaving Val and Cipriano in the Great Room.

.

---

Val waited for Murdoch to reach the top of the stairs.  When he disappeared, he turned to Cipriano. “You know Murdoch’s not gonna do what needs to be done with those two.”

“Si, I know.  If we let them go, they will come again.  Maybe next time, we will not find the ninos in time.”

“Guess that settles it then.  I’ll take them out for a ride tomorrow.”

Cipriano moved to put a hand on Val’s arm.  “No, we will take them.  The Patron has had enough pain in his life, enough loss.  It is my duty to protect the family.”

“I feel the same way.” Val set his glass on the sideboard and started up the stairs.  “I’d best get to bed.  See you mañana.”

Val had one foot on the first step when Cipriano cleared his throat.  Turning, Val looked at his friend. “Val, do you believe the woman buried in Hermosillo is Maria?”

“I …., hell, I don’t know.  I sure hope so.  If anyone deserves to be dead, it’s that woman.”

There was nothing left to be said.  Cipriano turned and walked to the kitchen to get his Maria and take her home.

.

---

Murdoch was exhausted and fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. Less than thirty minutes later, he jolted awake when he heard the hinges of his bedroom door squeak. He waited a moment and watched as the door slowly opened.

Scott and Johnny tiptoed in and stood at the foot of the bed.  Both boys were in their nightshirts, and both looked as if they were ready to collapse.

Murdoch pulled back the covers on either side and nodded. Without a word, they crawled onto the bed; Johnny lay on Murdoch’s right, and Scott lay on his left.

Murdoch could feel both boys trembling.  He put his arms around them and pulled them to his chest.  He had no idea what to say that would make them feel better.

When Johnny sniffled, Scott’s hand reached across Murdoch’s chest to touch his brother.  They lay like that for some time before he felt both boys relax.  He couldn’t help but smile as first Johnny, and then Scott, snuggled closer to him. 

Suddenly, it was so clear.  That which was lost to him was now found.  There was no need for words; all he needed to do was love them. 

To Part 5-

---

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6