Allie Tells Everyone To Leave Her Ranch

 The sheriff put his phone back in his shirt pocket and said, "I have to go back to town. Allie, what do you want to do?" Allie looked around at Josh and Haylee whom she thought were both her friends. Take him with you, and Haylee you go back to town. I want to be alone for awhile so I can think." Laura started to talk, and Allie said, "No, not today. You go back to town with the sheriff. Oh and you can take this dog back with you or to however he belongs to. Haylee take your dog. I'll be just fine out here all by myself. I've lived by myself for years. I'll be fine. Go! Just go; all of you! Now!"

"I'm really sorry, Allie, but I was just doing my job. I really do like your kind of music and would love to be your friend, but I can't stay. I have to go where I'm needed. It's just part of my job. I need to get back to work. Come Chata, let's go. We have some bad guys to catch." With that she and her dog got into her car and took off down the driveway.

The sheriff, Laura, and Josh got into the sheriff's patrol car and followed Haylee back to town. All that was left beside her were the alpacas, the dog that escaped Laura's arms and a chicken.  "Well, Mom, thanks a lot. You gave me a family only to have it taken away as quick as I found it. Yeah, thanks a lot."

Allie felt like her heart was broken. Just a few days ago she was happy for the first time in months. Now all she had was someone else's dog, alpacas that constantly hummed and chickens that cackled and clucked their way into her porch with the goats if she wasn't constantly watching them. She looked over her shoulder to see if she could see where Maxine had gone to, but there was no sight of her. Even the dust had settled where she had kicked her feet in defiance of the past as well as what she thought of as the future. Then she looked to the hills. There were the horses. Her horses. She wasn't done. Not by a long shot. Family? She'd never had one at least not for a long time, she didn't need the hassle. She wanted those horses home. She was going to open up the Dude Ranch once again. Her Uncle Bill wanted her to. She just knew it. Once again the DD Ranch would be a success. By hook or by crook. Crook! So Josh's dad was a crook. The lawyer. Huh! "You just never know do you? I can do without people for awhile. There is so much to do, and most of it I can do by myself. I'm thinking that the sheriff is an honest man and will make sure nobody starts trouble. In the meantime, I'm going upstairs to see if I can find the missing part of that video Uncle Bill made. I just might need that silver and diamond necklace and earrings to sell, if things get worse."

Allie barely made it into the kitchen when the stray dog started barking. She went to the door to see what was going on and there stood the cowhands she had seen in town. "Well, do you have our money? We ain't waitin' much longer, Missy. You got it or not? If you ain't then we're leavin', but on the way out of town we are stopping at the sheriff's office and find out just who we see about takin' you to small claims court. We need our money!"

"Well you can wipe those grins off your face. I don't have any money so you will just have to wait. I'll pay you when I can. Please don't sue me.  I need your help and I promise to pay you when I can. For some reason the bank won't give me any money. I'm going in to talk to the sheriff tomorrow and see if he can help me. There seems to be a problem at the bank. I'm sure he will get to the bottom of it and we will all be happy. Will you wait at least a day or two?"

The ranch hands said that they would think about it and let her know. But they also said that they weren't a bit happy about the situation.

On the way back to town the sheriff's car was fairly quiet. Laura and Josh listened to the sheriff talking to Haylee. "Okay, stop at the office before you leave. I have a tip for you that he's down by Brownsville. I got a call from a gas station attendant. Yeah, I'll tell you about it when you come in. See you in a few."

Josh was sitting in the back seat. After he listened to the sheriff talking he tapped the sheriff on the shoulder and said, "Are you talking about my dad? Is Haylee going to arrest him? What did he do exactly? I need to know. How do you know it's my dad? I'm not a kid anymore, sheriff. I don't like my dad much, but he is my dad I guess. It sounds like to me that he really didn't like anyone including himself. This has been a really bad day especially for Allie. I need to go to Springfield. If you let me go to Springfield I think I can give Allie some really good news, but I have to get my birth certificate from that lady. You know, that Maxine lady. Can I please go back? I don't even have any clothes! What are you going to do? This is a mess, I tell you that! If you won't let me I am going to the nursing home to see that old miner. He probably has all the answers. You two seem to both know him. Let me go see him. Please.

The sheriff seemed to be listening to Josh, but he was thinking only about Allie. She was not only by herself now, but she didn't have any money. He got on his cell phone and said, "Hey, Haylee, is there any way you can unfreeze Bill's account so that Allie can have some money.? She has to live you know. I can help some, but not for long. Laura nodded her head and said, "I'll help too." Josh said, "I've been helping her you know. I can help some more, but there really isn't a need for long term help. I think Allie's rich. More than you guys understand. No one seems to be listening to me!" 

Laura looked out the window and thought, "What do I do? Rex swore me to secrecy." Then she said, "When we get to town, why don't you drop me off at home. I have some errands to run." She smiled at Josh and said, "Sure she is. She has five hundred acers of land a roof over her head and some beautiful horses that she can't afford to feed. Of course, she's rich."  She turned and grinned at her friend and Josh when they got to her house. "It will all work out. Don't worry." 

As soon as she got in the house she grabbed her purse and car keys. She was on her way to the nursing home to see her old pal, Rex. They had some serious talking to do.

As the sheriff drove through the small town he pulled over to the curb. The bus will be here at four o'clock this afternoon. Be on it! I think you and your dad have caused enough trouble for our little town. Now beat it!"

Josh felt completely defeated, but he knew what he had to do. He waited until the patrol car was out of sight, then he walked to the cafe. He needed to talk to Lill.