‘And I’ve gotten a part-time job at a diner. Oh, and I’m volunteering at an animal shelter as well.’ Isaac laughed. ‘My, what a busy life yo...u’re leading! I hope you have plenty of rest.’ ‘Don’t worry about me, Dad,’ she said. ‘How’s your road trip going? Where are you now?’ Isaac hesitated for a moment before answering, ‘I am actually in Delaware now.’ Elle’s heart stuttered at the thought at how close her father was from her now since he’d left almost five years ago. ‘I am thinking about. Since the older girls were all gone to help Mrs. Vasquez, I went out and started herding the cows into the dairy barn. I was grateful when Uncle Don used the fanboat and shuttled home the four youngest girls who had gone to the Vasquez house. “Uncle Don says to get Sally. He wants to take you two over to the Vasquez house,” Lacey told me with a shit-eatin’ grin on her face.I did as instructed, even making my way into and out of the kitchen without being trampled to collect Sally. “The kids are. I handed the Colt to Lightening Flash and asked, "Do you know how to use that?"The boy was beside himself. He answered, "Yes, I think so." I was pleased to see that he did not cock the pistol nor put his finger on the trigger while we trotted to a place on the firing line.I loaded the shotgun and took my two shots at the Comanches. The result was two horses and three men down. Meanwhile, Lightening Flash was trying to shoot, but he had forgotten to cock the hammer. "Here, let me show you." I. So I told her how I found the ranch, and about that first conversation with Jake. Then I told her what he was like, and how as far as I was concerned, he'd live on the ranch until he died."Frankie said there's a big, red barn?"My heart sank. She showed no signs of interest in anything except the mundane.I was in the middle of a disinterested description of the big, red barn when the door to her room swung open and Mom walked in like she owned the place. Come to think of it, I guess she did own.