Mountains of Dawn

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing, Brian. Mike and I need to take a look around the property. Mr. Norton, if you wouldn't mind…"

Samuel left with Mike as soon as dinner was over.

"Brian, we really have to leave now. Jessica, I'm sorry our visit was so short. Perhaps another time…" Judith said with a smile for Jessica when they returned.

"Come again, Judith. Perhaps your friend Brian will bring you again, when all these problems are over." She glanced at Brian. "And I promise: there will be no riding requests, Brian, so you're perfectly safe."

"Well, I may as well be good and lay down on this seat and take a nap," Brian said in a grumble as soon as they were in the car. "I know I won't get any company."

"Good idea. First, give me your shirt and grab a hat from the back of the car. Give me one of those ten gallon beauties you took from Jessica and Samuel, with the wide brim."

"What for? My shirt? Sure you don't want my pants, too?" Brian laughed, but sounded slightly worried. He reached behind him into the back of the car and brought a well-worn Stetson from the pile of hats and equipment tossed there.

"A hanger, too, please." Judith said.

Brian handed her a hanger. Judith slipped his shirt on the hanger, then placed the hat on the hook. She pushed the hook through the brim, then again through the lining on the roof of the car. She hung the shirt and hat from the tear she made in the lining. "Sorry about that," She said. "I'm sure Malcolm will pay to repair it. Now you lay down and take a nice nap. The 'scarecrow' will do its job."

Judith turned to Mike. "Brown car still there?" she asked in a whisper. "I guess it was a Ford Mercury. What nerve, not more than 200 yards from the gate!" Her voice rose slightly, then quieted.

"We'll leave by the side exit," Mike said.

"It will still see us, but we'll have a chance to build up some speed. I'll radio ahead to the local police station, and have a car waiting to give us a hand, if we need it. Could be, no one's out there to cause any trouble, anyway. They might just be sightseeing," Judith said calmly.

"Could be…" Mike's voice oozed doubt.

They moved fast, and didn't see the car as they passed the spot where it had been earlier. They hadn't been on the road for more than five minutes when a brown car appeared in the rear view mirror.