Good Advice From Belle's Mom

 "Well Mom, our first night camping was pretty much a disaster. You and I. Yes, I'll take a little credit. You said we needed to make lists so I should have made a list too. We forgot salt and pepper and butter. The only food that tasted right was that can of pork and beans you opened with that little bitty can opener and hotdogs that you burned over the campfire. How are your fingers this morning? I thought you said you were an old school camper. We didn't even have any S'mores for dessert. I guess I should be thankful that you remembered to put some water in the refrigerator. It is a pretty cool camper. I think once we get it all stocked with what we need and what we want we should go camping more often. The most important thing we forgot was toilet paper. We always had to climb up that hill to go to the bathroom. First thing on the list, right? We really need to stop at a convenience store to get some stuff. I even forgot to bring my sunglasses. How many more hours until we get to Texas? Oh look there's a sign that says gas and food. Let's stop and get something to eat and buy some stuff. I do like shopping, you know. Great."

It wasn't long before Belle and her mom were done eating. They had such fun shopping for sunglasses and the things they had forgotten. Belle laughed as she posed with her hat and sunglasses. "Do you think Texas is ready for me?"

Belle's mom laughed and said, "You'd better get in the car. We had reservations for early this evening at the Double D. They will be expecting us." Belle quickly got in the front seat and kept her mom company talking about the strange people they had seen at the campground. "I just had a weird feeling about those people when we had to walk to the public restrooms. Did you see that old camper they had? It looked like it came from a war zone. Yuk! I felt safer when we were locked in the camper. Did you think they were watching us a lot?" Belle's mom said that she hadn't noticed and not to judge people by the looks of their things. "They probably had toilet paper and salt," she laughed. and pointed out some long horn cattle. They were getting close to the Texas border.

Belle's mom told her daughter a little bit about the Texas Longhorn cattle. "Some of them have horns about eight feet long. They've been around since the 1400's by some Spanish conquistadores. If I remember right they were looking for gold and left their skinny cattle to fend for themselves. They got stronger and meaner over the years. I think Christopher Columbus might have brought some over on his second voyage for the colonists. You should look it up on your tablet, or better yet, we can go to the library and read about them. It's really quite a story. Oh look, there's the Welcome to Texas sign."

"I think it's just another two hours or so. I read they even have a swimming pool. They might even have S'mores" she laughed and winked at her daughter. "My Belle, she thought. Oh how I love her."

                                                                ********

Allie's neighbors were fixing fence when they noticed the strangest thing. There was a white horse coming towards them at a pretty fast pace.

"That kind of looks like a horse that used to live on the Double D. I think they called him Shadow. Do you see what I see? Is that a cat on his back?" Soon Shadow whinnied and shook his head. He took his head and hit the older man's arm until he dropped his hammer. "What in the world are you doing boy? Why do you have a cat on your back?" Shadow took the man's shirt in his large yellow teeth and began to paw the ground with his hooves. "I think he wants us to go with him, said the younger man. Let's walk with him and see if I'm right. The fence will wait."

 The older man agreed and soon found that the big white horse was leading them to the back of an old abandoned house. "I've lived here all my life. I sure don't remember this old house being here. I wonder if this is on my land? We'd better check this out." They couldn't believe their eyes. There were cats, dogs, horses, and numerous other animals. Some were in cages and some were chained to the trees or fence posts. They didn't see any watering pails or feeders. The animals were in bad shape. Some of them were so hungry and thirsty they couldn't bark or make any noises. Some just looked quietly at the men. "We need to call the sheriff. They is no excuse for this kind of cruelty. I've been hearing about abandoned animals being dumped next door. I wonder why. See if you can find some water. I'm going to call the sheriff and the Humane Society. "

The old camper came to a stop and watched what was going on at their hideaway. "Doggone it! How did they find them critters? K.R. is going to wring our neck." He hit the gas and threw something out the window. "We are outta here, partner. We don't need the sheriff on our tail. He's not paying us enough to end up back in the joint."

                                                                *******

Allie asked to see the manager of the bank. The teller told her to have a seat by the window and she would call Allie as soon as he could see her.

Josh and Justin walked by the bank and saw Allie sitting by the window. "She has no idea we are brothers, Justin. We have to handle this carefully. I am so thankful that your mom moved out of this town. It will make this all go a lot smoother. I see a lawyer's office just a couple of door down the street. Let's get this done." Justin agreed, but said quietly, "Our mom you mean." and kept on walking with his shoulders not as straight as they were just hours before.

As Lill brought the older man a warm up for his coffee she saw the two young men, the same age, the same brown eyes walking side by side down the street. "They even walk like him. They should have grown up together. There's only one person to blame. It's all my fault. I never should have listened to him"

Belle And Her Mom Decide To Take The Camper

 "Hey, Mom, I'm bored. School is over and there's absolutely nothing to do. I think we should go on vacation," 

"Oh you think so, huh? Well that sounds pretty good. Well, let's think about where we'd like to go. I'll look through some magazines. Maybe we could go on a camping trip. I think that would be fun. What do you think about that? Getting outdoors and the fresh air, maybe some fishing. No? Well, where do you want to go?"

"Mom, you forget everything! Don't you remember when I was just a little kid we went to that ranch and I got to ride horses? I think that would be fun. Let's go to a place where they teach you how to ride for real. We probably could even take the camper if you really want to, but I read that those places have cabins and swimming pools and even places to shop. I know you like to shop."

 "Oh, and you don't? Belle's mom laughed. Okay, I'll see when I can take some time off and we can look through some magazines and find a place where you can learn to ride a horse 'for real.'"

Belle went to the closet and started going through some of her mom's photo albums. "See? Look. Do you remember now? I was kinda cute back then. Let's go. What do I need to pack? Don't forget to pack snacks. I'm in the mood for some apples and grapes. Do we need to go shopping? I'm going to take Henny . She needs a vacation too."

Belle's mom laughed and said, "Yes, that stuffed chubby chicken can go with us, but she's your responsibility. Don't lose her. I don't think there's another one like her. Now get busy and pack enough clothes for a week. It's generally hot in Texas this time of year so shorts and t-shirts. I should know in a day or two when we can leave. I'm not sure if we have enough fruit for you, but, yes we probably will need to go shopping."

Belle was surprised the next day when her mom said, "It's all set. We can leave tomorrow. I found this cool place in Texas. It's called the Double D Ranch. They have trail rides, they teach proper riding techniques and you can even work with the horses and clean the stalls if you want to. It's a working ranch and they teach you all kinds of things. Is that okay with you? If you want to take the camper we had better get started packing, Girlie."

And pack they did. Belle didn't realize it, but the trip would take over fourteen hours so they would have to stop several times along the way. It would seem like it took forever. At least it did to Belle.

                                                                          *****

    Carrie Belle made a leap of faith and jumped onto Shadow's back. She was scared to death. "I'm going to fall off, Shadow. I'm so scared." Shadow whinnied and let her know that she should curl her claws into his mane. It wouldn't hurt him and she would be safe. He walked carefully out of the water and then walked quickly into the tall grass so they wouldn't be seen. It was nighttime, but they had to be careful. They arrived at an old house and Shadow said, "This is the end of our destination, Carrie Belle. I have friends coming to meet us here. This is where the humans are dumping animals. We must stop them. Yes, it's dangerous, but we must be brave. There is safety in numbers. We have to show them that even the smallest of us can do great big things. Quiet now, let's go behind the house. The others might be here already."

                                                                         ****

Allie watched Josh and the man for awhile and thought to herself that the man looked familiar. "Well, I don't have time to waste today. I have to go and order some feed for the animals, then I'm going to find a lawyer. It costs a lot to run the Double D and I haven't had any money coming in, but I've sure had a lot going out. Hopefully we will have some reservations come in or I'll go broke before I know it. We have to stop the dumping of animals. That will help me out. Feeding them and vet bills are expensive. Poor things. Who abandons and mistreats animals? I just don't understand it."

When she walked into the Feed Store the man behind the counter said, "Hi there, Allie. I've been meaning to call you. I'd like to have a payment on the feed and supplies that you've been ordering. I don't mind carrying you when you are just starting up, but the bill is getting pretty high. Do you think you can take care of that today?"

Allie said, "Yes of course. I'm sorry. There's been a lot going on out there. Here's my credit card through the bank. Run it through and then I'd like several other items. Feed, special vitamins, and I need some tack for the horses. It looks like I need about five horse blankets, some saddles from small to medium. The saddles that were there when I took over the ranch were just for grown men. While you are running the card I'm going to have a look around and see what all I need delivered."

As she was looking at all the different kinds of feeds and tack she smiled to herself. "Boy, I used to think a horse ate carrots and apples and that was it besides oats. It's a whole different world when you really own a ranch. And tack for them! So much to choose from. I think I'm going to go back to the ranch and get the foreman and have him come in to help me. Matter of fact I'll call him now and have him meet me here."

"Allie, I'm so sorry, but the bank declined your card. Have you changed banks? I ran it through the reader twice. Maybe you should go to the bank and see what's up."

Allie felt sick. The former bank president was a crook, but there was a new man in charge now. Surely she couldn't have that kind of bad luck twice. "I'll go over there right now. I'm so sorry and embarrassed. I'll take care of the bill as soon as I talk to the banker."

The older man looked out the window and thought, "I've lived in this little town for many years, but today I just feel like somethin' ain't right. I could swear I just saw K.R. in a car parked down the street. I know for a fact that he's in jail. And there goes the little gal that owns the Double D now. She don't look none too happy; that's a fact. I just feel somethin' is goin' on; that's for sure." He sat at the booth watching out the window as the girl went into the bank. "Hmm, maybe Bill didn't leave her as much money as I heard he did. Hope everything is alright. She seems like a nice enough gal. At least that's what folks are saying. Hey, Lill, could you bring me a warm up?"

Justin and Josh walked into the lawyer's office to see what could be done about breaking the will that Bill had made which stipulated that Josh and Allie live on the Double D for one year. If they did not the ranch would go to the next of kin.

Double D Secrets Are About To Be Revealed

 Josh felt the papers he had hidden in his jacket pocket. Oh how he wished he hadn't decided to check on the water pump and well before he went to town. He had his life all planned, but now everything was a mess. There were so many things he wished for today. "I need a wishing well that made all my wishes come true or at least  a crystal ball that would tell me what not to wish for and what wishes were bad for me or good for me. I think I should have paid more attention to Allie at the Christmas lunch at the cafe when Justin walked in. She looked like she'd seen a ghost. I wish I had spent more time with my grandfather. That old man is full of secrets that are just about to destroy my life. I also wish that I could find Justin's mother, Lill. She is another one that didn't share her secret, but  now I have to tell Justin what his mother did. Oh how I wish I had known. My life might have been completely different. I wish I didn't have to do this, but I do. I can't even remember what I wished for the last time I blew out my birthday candles. If wishes were pennies I'd be a rich man. I wish I.. quit it man. Just meet with Justin and get it over with."

 Josh thought about the Ouija board he and Justin used to play trying to tell their fortune. He even had a sad smile when he thought of the fortune teller they went to once at a fair when they were teenagers. She told them all their wishes would come true; just follow their hearts. "Ha! That's a laugh. Follow my heart. If I followed my heart I would stay on the ranch with Allie and run my business from there. I probably would try to convince her to re-open the mine which would make her unhappy. No. I need to move on." he watched the wild turkeys as they searched for kernels of wheat, oats, or corn that had been unknowingly dropped from bags of feed and thought, "They don't have but one worry and that's Thanksgiving."

Josh drove out of the Double D Ranch thinking that today would probably be the last day that he would get to see Allie. The will had stipulated that he and Allie spend one year on the ranch or it would be given to the next in line, but he couldn't live there. He had his own life to live and Allie needed to be sole owner of that ranch. He and Justin needed a good lawyer; one that could break the will and make all of Allie's wishes come true.

Allie told Grace to go ahead and follow and watch some of the ranch hands that she had introduced her to. She told her that she had hired a farrier to check a couple of horses that the hands told her needed new shoes. She said that she was going to check on Shadow then run into town and order some supplies and perhaps go visit Pat to see if she would like a full part time job at the ranch. She needed someone she could depend on, but not full time hours until their reservations picked up. She also was going to put an ad in the paper for some of the stray animals that were on the ranch. The goats and the alpaca were fun and cute, but she wanted her ranch to be solely for horses. She was sure there were some farmers that would like to take them. Then she also wanted to go to the Humane Society outside of town to see if they would take all the cats and dogs that had been dumped on the ranch. She had a busy day ahead of her. She told Grace that she would be back in a couple of hours. There was food to eat at the bunkhouse and she would be back as soon as she could. As she drove down the driveway she looked over to see where Shadow was, but didn't see him.

Allie parked her car by the feed store and as she was getting out she looked down the street and saw Josh standing on the sidewalk talking to another man. "Hmm, wonder what he's up to today? Having to live on the ranch with me for a year didn't sit well with him. He just shook his head and said, "No. I won't do it." and walked out. Well, he has to because he has no choice in the matter. If he doesn't I will lose the ranch and I'm not about to lose it. I think I should probably go see a lawyer and see what he thinks. Hopefully there's an honest one here in town. I'll have to ask around."

                                                               

                                                                    **************

 She had told Shadow what she needed to do and where she was going. She also told him that she was scared and tired from traveling so far not long ago herself because of being dumped in a ditch. Shadow had told her that she was stronger than she thought she was; all she had to do was believe in herself. "Okay, Shadow I'm at the edge of a creek. It's not very wide, but it looks like an ocean to me. I don't think I can do it after all. There's nothing worse than water on my fur. It makes me feel like I'm drowning. I'll go back to Aunt Tillie's house and tell her she needs to get a better team leader. I'll do something else to help her."

She could hear the frogs croaking and the crickets make their night time noises. It seemed like she could hear something else, but she was so afraid she couldn't think or turn her head to look. She was afraid to even turn around. What was she going to do? She felt the water lap up on the rocks towards her paws then a familiar voice said, "You can do it." Carrie Belle looked up and said, "Oh, Shadow, what are you doing? You should be at the ranch getting well." Shadow whinnied and said, "Jump up on my back. I'll take you across the water. I lived at the Double D for a long time, I have a feeling I know who is behind this, but you are too little to be a lookout. You need to be up higher. Now jump!"

Carrie was so afraid. Shadow was so big, but she could see him walk into the water. Soon he was almost the same height as she was. She closed her eyes and jumped! She made it! "Oh thank you for helping me. I should have asked for help in the first place. You are the best friend ever. Where are we going now? Will the others be able to find us? Aunt Tillie had a plan. Don't we need a plan? Shadow! Where are we going?"

New Friends May Be Best Friends

 Carrie Belle had been rescued by the nicest lady. Her name was Allie. "I thought I was going to die for sure, but that nice lady got me all warm with soft blankets and nice food to eat. She seems to be a bit upset lately. I don't understand all of what is going on, but I noticed that she is going out to the barn with that new girl. I like the barn and there are always special things to eat there. The humans that take care of the horses are nice and give me treats. I like the horses even though they are so big if one stepped on me I'd be squished. There had been a lot of talk about a white horse that used to live at the Double D. Someone sold him and was later rescued by a ranch a long ways away. He was back at the Double D now. She watched as the older lady and the little girl went over and talked to the horse. They called him Shadow so that must mean that he is the horse that's been rescued just like me. I think I'll walk over there and see what he has to say about his journey here. It would be fun to exchange stories. Hopefully we won't have to live like that  again. That was a scary time.

Carrie Belle watched the older lady and the little girl walk back to the house. She decided to go visit that big white horse to see if he would talk to her. She had learned some equine language when she lived with her mother. There were horses on that beautiful farm. Oh how she missed her home and her mother. It was so beautiful. She crouched in the tall grass thinking that no one saw her. She ran over to the fence and sat as tall as she could so that the horse named Shadow could hear her tiny voice. It didn't take her long to find out who the culprit was with dumping the animals on the ranch. The same person that sold Shadow to a man that didn't take care of his animals and certainly didn't feed them enough of the right food.

 She had all the information she needed, but she didn't know how to tell Belle. She knew that she was on her way to her Great Aunt Tillie's house. She needed to get there quickly, but that would mean that she would be on her own again. Someone might put her in one of those boxes and throw her in a ditch again. What should she do? She needed to help the nice lady that had saved her life. She needed to help all the animals that were being dumped there. Could she travel that far? No. She might get lost and never find her way back. She couldn't do it. What did Shadow tell her? Oh yes, "It's okay to be afraid, but remember just how strong you can be." She thought of the stories that her mama used to tell her of the feral cats and how strong they had to be. "Okay, I can do this. I must get started right away. Hopefully I will not lose my way."

Virginia looked over at Edward and said, "Did you get all that? Shadow is going to save this ranch once and for all." Edward said, "Yes, but I think this means I have to take the shape of a dog again, doesn't it?" 

Virginia grinned and said, "Well, you wanted a promotion. I have my hands full. We need to go our separate ways. Justin is about to hear some news that will not only rock his world, but if he doesn't handle it right it just might end his career."

Carrie Belle thought her little paws would never be the same. They really hadn't completely healed since her long journey which had ended at the Double D Ranch. She was on her way to deliver a message to Belle and her Great Aunt Tillie. She had definite news that would stop the dumping of animals. Shadow had listened to her and had told her what she had to do. She was so scared. "I'm so little. How can I handle a job this big and this important?' She felt a large warm breath on her neck. There was Shadow. "Crawl up on my back. I will take you to the farm where you need to be. You know, when you need help you need to ask for it. You didn't ask me to help, but I'm offering it. Will you let me help you?"

"Oh no! You can't leave the ranch. It will make that lady sad. She's been looking for you for a very long time. Her daughter is in the war and loves you very much. No. I must do this on my own, but thanks for offering. I'll be okay. I'll try to be careful not to get caught again. Bye, Shadow! You are a good friend. Hopefully I will be able to stop the dumping of animals and one day I'll see you again." With that she darted into the tall clump of clover and made her way to the pasture. It looked like the end of the world, but she could do it. She had to.

After traveling all night she was exhausted. She was so tired she didn't think she could walk another step, but she had made it to the farm without getting caught. The farm looked exactly how Belle had described it to her one evening. There were lots of flowers, a big barn and she could even see the secret entrance into the basement where she figured that the famous Great Aunt Tillie lived.  It was behind the bench covered with vines. She had to get in there, but she was so very tired. Maybe she would take a little rest first...

Great Aunt Tillie And Her Underground F.P.O.

 Belle had put on her F.P.O. bonnet so that her great aunt Tillie would know that she was coming on a mission. The humans were dumping cats and dogs on the Double D. Something had to be done and her great aunt was in charge of the F.P.O. in this district. It was affiliated with the D.P.S. in Oklahoma for dogs. She was an honorary member because of her excellent service to both dogs and cats. It had been a long time since she had visited Aunt Tillie. She was a bit odd, but meant well and had served her feral felines with not only kindness, but with a passion that wouldn't end. She had hidden several of them in her own home. In Aunt Tillie's home there was an under ground training center for the abandoned and neglected cats that came looking for a handout. Some were mean, some had faces that showed the scars of street fights. They fought for survival which getting to food first no matter what. There was a separate room for a nursery for the baby kittens. Belle had traveled all day and found herself at the farm where her Great Aunt lived. She hid in the bushes and watched carefully for any dogs that might not take kindly to a strange cat on their land.

She found it safe to cross the driveway and entered in the hidden kitty door of the large home's basement. There was her aged aunt in her glory; teaching the feral cats to be gentle to humans, especially human children. It was a difficult lesson, but it looked like they were paying attention to the old feline.

Aunt Tillie squinted her eyes and said, "Who comes into my house without permission? Speak up! I can't hear as well as I used to. Oh, it's you my dear. Looks like to me from the bonnet that you are wearing that you are on a mission. You learned well from my sister's daughter. Yes, I will help you. Children, go to your separate rooms and wait for me. I may have a lesson for you to carry out soon. Remember stay out of the catnip jar. You may need to be on your toes. Also I want all of you to gather your mittens together. Hopefully none of you have lost your mittens. You know what happens if you have! You must wear them on your stakeout so that no paw prints are seen by those humans that are dumping animals on the Double D Ranch. Once we know who is doing it then we will establish a plan. We mean to stop this once and for all. Now get your rest. It will be a long and perhaps eventful night."

When Patches and Mouse got back to the room that they shared they had a long talk. "This could be a dangerous mission, you know. Some of us might get hurt or lost. Do you think we are ready without any kind of field experience? We have only been going to these classes for a short time. I'm thinking all kinds of bad things could happen." Mouse blinked at her companion with her beautiful eyes and said, "There's just a couple of things to remember. The first thing is very important. Get your gear together and those mittens better be clean and ready at the first call from the old teacher. Next; absolutely no catnip. I've seen you on that stuff. You just can't handle it. So nowhere no how do you get even a sniff of it. Next, remember when we go on these stakeouts you hide in the bushes so the humans can't see you. Tillie will tell us exactly what to do and where to hide. Now get some rest while you can."

There were two more kittens discussing the dangerous mission they were supposed to go on later that night. "I'm scared, Gus. I don't want to go. My human lady has me so spoiled that I didn't ever go outside until one day I got curious and slipped out the door when she went out. She shut the door and went to work and I couldn't get back in the house. Someone saw me and took me to their house. They had children that carried me around the neck. It hurt so I scratched them. They got mad at me and took me out in the country and threw me in a ditch. Do I have to go? What if I get lost again?"

"Matthew, it's going to be okay. Would you like me to talk to Tilly and see if you can help plan the field strategy. Didn't you say that your human taught you and Chanel how to read maps and to use a computer? I'll ask her if she could use your help. You probably will be better at office work anyway. Now get some rest. I'll take care of it for you."

Back in the main classroom Belle was beginning to feel boxed in. She had this bad feeling she might have taken on more than she could handle. She had no idea that all the cats in the house were new and had never been on a field trip before. Tillie was old; what if a human tried to snatch her? Would she be able to handle this without her help? Oh dear, what had she done. "I should have brought Carrie Belle with me. She's been on her own for a long time after being dumped on the ranch. She's got it good now. That lady, Allie is lovin' on her. Well, I guess I'd better get some rest too. Tonight might be a really busy one."

Josh was watching the trailer unload the white horse that belonged to Jean's daughter. His name was Shadow. He was pretty thin, but looked to have some energy. "I wonder what happened to that big guy? I have no idea why the horse was sold or who bought him. He ended up at a rescue ranch in Oklahoma. I'm anxious to hear the story of where, how, who, and why any horse from the Double D would be sold. This is a real mystery, but thankfully he is back where he belongs. I sure hope Dad didn't have anything to do with this. I can't imagine why he would except for money. That was his big aim in life. Money was the answer to all his questions; especially other people's money."

As Josh walked out towards the small field that Shadow was being taken, he noticed some of the hands talking quietly to him and calmly telling him how handsome he was. One little boy was watching the horse shy away from the hands. They walked away and continued to talk just to the horse. The young boy looked familiar to Josh. Then he recognized him. He was the son of the head ranch hand on the Double D. He was learning by watching. His dad also was watching Caydon.  "So far so good, my boy. Just stay on the fence and be ever so quiet just like I've taught you. You are a natural with horses. I wonder where your future will lead you. Whatever it may be you will do great things; I'm sure of it."

As he walked closer to the corral he noticed the cat that Allie had been coddling walking slowly through the tall grass. She looked like she was on a hunt for a fat mouse. He grinned for a second but forgot about the cat, the horse and everything but the meeting he was going to have in town in a few minutes. He and Justin had a lot to talk about; a lot.

The Big White Truck To The Rescue

 Josh decided to go ahead and give the tree service a call for Allie. It looked like she was going to be busy with Grace for awhile and Addie was still sobbing wanting those cats out of the tree. The owner said that he had caught him on a day that he was going to be out that way anyway so he would be glad to rescue some kittens. He had told Josh he was going to have a new helper with him and would be out in about an hour. In the meantime Josh headed towards the house and said, "I'm hungry. Let's see if we can round up something for breakfast. How's that sound, Addie?"

Addie and her grandma followed Josh into the house. Addie said, "I help?" Josh grinned and said, "If it's okay with your grandma it's okay with me. First let me see if we have some eggs in the fridge. Yup, we sure do. We have plenty of them. Some children and their mother brought some over the other day. They are helping their grandparents feed the chickens. Their grandparents said they could sell some of the eggs and keep the money. So I bought some from them. Here we are. Jean is it okay if I leave you two to the cooking? I need to check my phone for any messages. Thanks."

Jean had Addie wash her hands and pulled a chair over to the counter so that Addie could reach better. Soon she had forgotten about the cats up in the very tall tree. She loved to help cook.

Before long a big truck came into the yard. The owner waved at Josh and said, "Now where are these scared little cats? Lex and I will get them down for you." Josh walked over and grinned. "I can't thank you enough for stopping for a little girl that is mighty upset about those treed cats!"

Josh walked up to the kitchen door and said, "Hey, Addie. Come outside and look. A man with a great big truck is here to rescue those cats that ran up the tree. Want to watch? Oh, I forgot. Have you had something to eat? Oh good. Okay then, come out and see. Hopefully those little cats won't give them any trouble. Sometimes cats scratch humans when they are scared. They will have to be careful not to get hurt."

"Addie, look. He's bringing one down. They are lucky little cats. Hopefully the other two come down as easy as the first one did. I'm going to take this one down to the barn so it can have some food and water. You can stay right by your grandma and watch for the other two."

Soon all three cats were full and happy. They seemed to like their new home for now at least in the barn. Allie and Grace were there when Josh brought them in. "Well, well, well. All the kittens have found a safe place. Hopefully these are the last."

Lex and Phil walked into the barn and said, "Lex would love to ride a horse. She has a friend that loves horses too. Can we give you a call and set up a time for the girls? Great. Okay, gotta run. Got a tree to cut down for your neighbor just a mile or two down the road. No, you don't owe me anything. Glad I could help."

At C.E.D.A.R Ranch in Oklahoma Shadow was being loaded up to live his new life once again at the Double D. Ranch in Texas.  Kane was riding Lady, an older horse they had had for about a year. She had been very sick and needed lots of special food and vitamins plus a lot of medical care that was very costly.  He was happy that Lady was staying on their ranch for awhile longer. She was a good friend. He grinned when he thought about how old she was. She was about twenty-six years old. "I bet if she could talk she would have a lot of stories to tell. My grandma has lots of stories to tell, but she's older than Lady." He did wonder about Shadow though. When they got him he was pretty skinny and looked like he hadn't been eating well. His mom had assured him that Shadow was going back to a good home and he would be fine. His sister was going along on this trip. They took turns sometimes. It was fun. Today they were taking suitcases along that belonged to a girl that was working on the Double D. The bus line sent them to the wrong ranch. He wondered what kind of ranch Shadow was going to. He hoped a good one.

Josh felt his phone vibrate just as the C.E.D.A.R Rescue Ranch truck pulled into the farmyard. Hopefully Jean's daughter's horse, Shadow and Grace's luggage would make the day a little brighter. Things were coming together for Allie. He was happy for her. He glanced down at his phone and it said, Washington D.C. "Have I got some news for you, my friend. How are you going to react when I tell you about the last will and testament of Bill Durnhem in it's entirety? I think this should be a face to face over a cup of coffee meeting. In my book, probably more like many cups of coffee." Then he answered the phone.

Chaos On The Double D!

 Grace had finally fallen asleep. Her mother wasn't a bit happy with her. She told her that she should stick it out for at least a few more days. It just couldn't possibly be as crazy as she made it out to be. Plus her dad agreed with her mom. "Parents." she thought. "I'm a grownup now. I graduated from high school. They are treating me like a child." She had tossed and turned for most of the night. She had even gone outside and stared at the stars and made a wish. She wished that things would be better so she could stay and learn all about horses and enjoy the romantic side of the dude ranch life. She could hear soft tunes coming from the bunkhouse. They were almost sad and seemed to match her mood. She finally thought she had to get some sleep and went back to bed. When she opened her eyes in the morning she couldn't believe her bad luck. There were three cats sitting in the window and that little Addie was waving at her!

"No! No! Not today! I can't handle this. Where did those cats come from? No don't open the door, little one. I'll get them." About that time the cats let out a loud meow and out the door they went. Then Addie started to cry. "Kitty gone!! Get Kitties! All gone!"

Grace went running out the door trying to catch Addie before she got too far away from the house. Her grandmother and Allie were both on the run looking for her when they both spotted her at the bottom of a huge tree. She was screaming at the top of her lungs. "Kitties, kitties. come back! Come back." She was crying so hard she was having trouble talking. Grace, Allie, and Addie's grandmother all arrived about the same time. There high in the biggest tree on the ranch were three cats. All different colors and sizes and yowling their heads off in fear. Besides Addie and the three grownups there was a huge dog barking loud enough to be heard in the next county. It was chaos on the Double D and it was all happening before breakfast.

Allie watched as Addie's grandma picked her up and consoled her. "Shush, now, baby girl. It's going to be okay. That's just what kitties do when they are scared. They are safe though, because dogs can't climb up into trees like cats can. They'll come down when they get hungry. We will just go up to the house and finish packing. By the time we are ready to leave, the cats will be safely on the ground." 

Allie stood at the tree and thought, "I think I should call a tree service or something. I don't think the fire department would appreciate it if I called them all the way out here on a non emergency call. She looked at Addie's tear streaked face and felt so bad for the little one. Grace looked like she was going to climb the tree herself. That dog was big and wouldn't quit barking. Josh grinned at the whole situation. "Life on the Double D is never dull. We'll wait awhile and if they don't come down, I know of  a tree service in town. I saw their sign. He has one of those cherry picker buckets. He'll get them down, but after that, what are we going to do with them? We keep getting more and more animals dumped on the borders of the ranch. There's a meeting in town in a couple of days. We really must go to that. This needs to be stopped."

Grace looked down at her phone. Someone had left a voice mail during all this ruckus She didn't recognize the number, but was so excited. "My clothes! Yes!"  As she listened to the recording she learned that her clothes would be delivered to the Double D the next day. They were coming to deliver Shadow at the same time. Who was Shadow? "Does anyone here know a Shadow? I just got a voice mail that the same people that are bringing my clothes to me are delivering a Shadow. I guess I have to stay another night. I hope that is alright with you, Allie."

"Addie's grandmother squeezed her so tight she let out a little yelp. "I can't believe it! I almost left without seeing Shadow. He is my daughter's horse. Oh, is it alright if I stay another night, Allie?"

The three little children looked at their hopefully new parents and said, "May we stay and see if the cats get down and see the horse?" Their new mom said, "No, I' am so sorry, but we have to leave now to be home in time for the home visit from the social worker. How about if we come back to visit another time?" They happily agreed and piled into the car. They waved and thanked everyone for the good time and finding them new parents. They were on their way to their new home.

Josh looked the situation over and thought, "I think I'll stay here for awhile too. Allie's Uncle Bill had no idea that this was going to happen when he gave the ranch to both of us. Allie needs help but she needs to be sole owner of the ranch. She wants this ranch to be a place of peace and beauty. She would love to have children learn about horses and learn to ride them. I wanted her to open up the silver mine, but she would have no part of it. We are just too different in our ways of thinking. She's a love, but not my love. The video said that we have to live on the ranch for exactly one year to meet the demands of the will. I'll find a lawyer that should be able to nullify that particular part of the will. I want to run my own office, and actually Allie needs me less as time goes by. Once we get these animals to a licensed rescue they will find new homes. Hopefully at the meeting we can find a way to stop folks from dumping unwanted animals out here. 

"Allie, do you want me to call that tree service, or do you want to wait for the cats to come down on their own?" Addie was still crying and Allie was so soft hearted. "Call them and see if they can get them down. And Jean and Grace of course, you can stay longer, but I still need help with the cleaning and cooking. Do you think you can give me a hand? I'll call Pat and see if she can come out and help us too. She's a good cook like you, Jean.

 She looked at Grace's disappointed face and had a thought. " Grace, how would you like to walk down to the barn and meet some horses? Yes, you can start today!" Grace squealed with delight, but watching from the upstairs window, Miss Belle, was far from delighted. "Look at those humans. They don't have a lick of sense. Meetings! Pshaw! All humans do is talk, talk, talk. Action, that's what is needed Action! I need to get in touch with my great Aunt Tillie. We need to start our own patrol around these borders. I think I can make it over there by nightfall. That old girl is from a long line of feral cats. They are strong willed and mean as all git out! We will get this fixed for the new girl. Guaranteed!

The Double D Is Not The Place To Be!

 Grace laid on her bed listening to the children laugh and play upstairs. "They don't sound like painters to me. I wonder what they are doing up there? I don't care. I need to call Mom. She won't be happy, but I can't stay here. I didn't come all this way to take care of children. And that little one! She's an acrobat for sure. I wonder where her mother is. I didn't have time to ask any questions at all. But I saw enough. Dogs, bananas, and kids all over the place. The owner was laying on the kitchen floor with banana and dog drool all over her! There was even a cat sitting on the counter watching the whole show. Oh how I wanted to learn all about horses. I even wanted to learn how to muck out the stalls, see how they trimmed their hoofs plus I wanted some fun. Happy graduation, Grace. So is this how real grownups live? Can't be. I am utterly exhausted. Maybe I'll stay here for the night and call Mom in the morning. Hopefully Josh called the bus station and found out when I can leave. It won't take long to get dressed because the only clothes I have are the ones I'm wearing. My clothes were sent to Oklahoma. Good grief."

Addie's grandmother heard the tape that evidently was a missing part of Allie's Uncle Bill's last will and testament. She didn't know all the particulars but could see that it was very upsetting to the young woman. The young man, Josh, was very upset and was talking about getting a lawyer. She thought the situation over and  made her decision.  I suppose I had better get on home. I just came here to the Double D to see Shadow. K.R. charged me a lot of money to board him and just needed to see for  myself if he was alright." After talking with Allie she found out that Shadow had been sold to a rancher in Oklahoma. The owner said that she would buy the horse back and that there would be no charge for the horse's care. She was told that she was welcome to stay and even have a job on the ranch, but things just seemed too unsettled for her. Addie was a handful like most toddlers are It would be easier for her to take care of her at home.. She would start back to her home in the morning. "Come on, Addie. Let's go to bed."

Laura, Paul, and Carter were in the car heading for home. It was dark and way past their supper time. They were starving . but the cafe in town was closed. They had a lot to talk about, but wanted to wait to discuss the tape until after they had a sandwich and took Carter home.

During the night, Jean found herself unable to move. There was a huge black dog pushing her out of bed! Addie had also crawled into bed with her and was laying crosswise so that she had nowhere to lay. She quietly got up and started gathering things to put in her suitcase. Then she decided to go downstairs and see if there was something to drink in the refrigerator. It was going to be a long trip home and she needed as much energy as she could muster.

She didn't want to turn on the lights for fear of waking folks up. The moon was shining and she was confident she could find her way around the kitchen. She light was dim, but she saw the refrigerator gleam in the light. She decided to find herself a glass in the cupboard. She walked over to the sink and touched something warm and furry! "Help! There's an animal in the sink! Get away!"

A deep voice from across the room said, "Scare ya did she? The place is full of 'em. Might as well get used to it if you're gonna work around here. I have. I got one on my knee right now. Want to pet her? She won't hurt ya none."

"What are you doing in Allie's kitchen in the middle of the night. You scared me half to death, That cat scared the other half." The man said, "The light switch is right there on the wall. Why don't you just turn it on and have something to eat. Calm yourself down before you make yourself sick. Just a couple of cats. And to answer your question, I was hungry and there wasn't anything decent to eat out in the bunkhouse fridge. Bill used to let me come in and have a snack whenever I wanted to. Used to happen every once in awhile. Bill wouldn't always buy groceries for the boys on time; especially when he got sick. Who are you anyway? Some relative of Allie's?"

Before Jean found the light switch the room flooded with light. "What's going on around here? Oh food. Good. I'm hungry. I am too! Me too!" Three little faces smiled and walked over to the table where Sam sat. "Can we have a sandwich too? We are hungry. Where'd you get the cat? Can I pet it? Can we take it to our new home with us? We have a new mommy and daddy. We are getting ready to leave and go see our new home!"

A chuckle sounded in the room and then a lady's voice said, "Let's leave the kitty here. When we get home we will all look for one, okay? Are you really hungry? We thought we would stop and get something to eat on the way home. What do you think? Okay, just a quick snack. Jean, is it okay if I make the children something to eat and drink? We are going to be leaving soon. It's quite a long trip home and the children might be able to take a nap for part of the way. Yes. It is exciting. We just got a phone call from the folks that make these decisions yesterday afternoon. They have been doing background checks on us and then they want to do a home visit.  We sure hope they like it there. We've already become very fond of them. Where is Addie's mother? Oh my, I'm so sorry. I didn't meant to make you cry."

Jean apologized and said, "Oh you didn't. I'm just very tired. The dog shoved me out of bed and now the cat in the sink and yes, I do miss my daughter, but we are going home soon. I just came down for a drink of juice. I might as well go get Addie. You had a good idea. She can sleep on the way home too. I'll go get her and we will be on our way. Good luck to you and these cute children. I'm sure you will all be very happy."

Jean went back upstairs and said, "Addie, dear. Get up. Let's get dressed and get in the car. We are going home today. I think you will be happier there. Addie. Come on sleepy head." She threw back the covers and neither the dog nor Addie were in the bed. "Addie! Where are you?" She looked under the bed and in the closet. No Addie. She went back downstairs and told the group in the kitchen that Addie was missing. 
But Addie wasn't lost. She knew exactly where she was...

One Good Deed Could Lead To Disaster

 Laura gathered up her grandson and said, "Let's go out to the Double D and do a little gardening. I have a feeling that Allie has her hands full and could use some help around there. She's soon going to be having guests and will want it to look nice. It's spring time and time to plant some flowers and do a little mulching. What do you think? Want to come and help? Great. Okay, go get your things and we will be on your way."

"Where are you two off to this morning? Oh, I see you are packing some gardening gloves and wearing old shoes. I thought we were all done with our planting. Oh, Allie needs help? Cool. How about you? Could you use some help? I could use some sunshine and time with my wife and grandson today. Do I need to pack some tools or do you have everything ready to go? Okay, then what are we waiting for? Let's get to it. Carter, are you ready? Good. When we are finished out there, how about going out for supper? We haven't done that for awhile."

The Double D wasn't far from their house, so soon all three of them were busy with planting, mulching and admiring their handy work. Laura grinned at her husband and said, "See I told you it wouldn't take long. It looks pretty good doesn't it? Carter was a great help."

"How are you doing over there? The mulch looks great and you trimmed the shrubs perfectly. We are ready to let Allie know what we've been doing and then off to the cafe. Right? You did promise we'd go out to eat. Paul, what's happening over there? Why do you look so strange?"

She pulled herself up and walked over to where her husband had been working. Carter said, "What's that thing, Grandpa? Some kind of box?"

Laura said, "No, someone has buried an old VCR tape. I wonder why. What is it, Paul? Shall we throw it in the trash? I doubt it's any good anymore. There's a label on it? Really. It has Allie's name on it? Let me see. Well, it's pretty dirty, but okay, we can take it to her and then head back into town. Go ahead and plant that last plant and then we'll go to the house."

Inside the house Allie was worn to a nubbin. The four children had been a handful, now here was Grace. The high school graduate who expected to learn all about a dude ranch. She expected to work with horses. But there she was at her kitchen door looking at her like she was some sort of crazy person. Beside her stood Josh with what he considered the answer to her problems. He announced that Grace would be the Child Development Manager. That was nothing but a babysitter with a fancy name in Allie's mind and Grace's face showed that she agreed.

Jean had laid down for a nap and Addie was one busy little girl. Allie finally  managed to stand up on the banana waxed kitchen floor. She said, "Okay, Josh get this dog out of here and would you please take care of Addie? I tell you what. Why don't you walk Grace down to cabin Number 3. That is all ready for her to put her things in. That will give me time to scrub the kitchen floor. Oh and take the three bigger kids with you. They are bored and want something to do before bedtime. Thank you! What do you mean, 'where is Addie?' She was right here with the banana. Addie! Come here little one. Josh wants to take you outside for a walk. Where are you?" As they went into the living room they found Addie. She had been really busy with the chalk and crayons that the three older children had left on the table. "Addie, be careful. You are about to fall on your noggin! Josh!"

Grace could feel her cell phone in her purse and wondered if she should call her mom to come and get her, or if she could survive this crazy place long enough to be taken back to the bus station in the morning. This was not what she had expected at all. She expected to learn how to take care of horses, and trail rides and bonfires and music in the evenings. She had packed her cowboy hat! The magazine ad had said learn and relax. Not to take care of a little girl who could do acrobat tricks on window sills and drooling dogs that ate bananas. No she was leaving as soon as possible.

The walk to the cabin was nice. In fact it was a beautiful. It wasn't too hot like she had always heard that Texas was. "That's a plus, she thought. There are people planting flowers over there and putting down the red mulch that mom likes. It is a beautiful place. But I didn't travel all this way to be a babysitter."

"Here we are, Grace. This is cabin Number 3. These are nice little cabins. They each have a little mini refrigerator, a nice bed and your own bathroom. You will take your meals with the rest of the workers here at the ranch in the main dining hall. If I remember right, breakfast is at seven. I will show you how to get there as soon as you look around. Here's a closet and little dresser for your clothes. There's no televisions installed yet, but you do have wifi so you can watch movies on your phone in your down time. You do have a phone, right?" Grace nodded her head and thought, 'Down time?' Seven in the morning? No!"

Josh, do these cabins have attics? I think I'm hearing people laughing and talking above me. I smell paint. Is that possible?" Josh grinned and said, "Not attics, but there are dormer rooms in some of the cabins.. They are used generally for larger families. They haven't quite finished yet, but they should be done in a day or two. Just leave the windows open. The paint smell shouldn't be too bad. You'll probably be tired enough at the end of the day, you won't have a problem falling asleep."

"So is it alright if I lay down now? I've been on the bus traveling for over twelve hours. I'd really like to rest. If you don't mind could you call and check the bus schedule for me? I've decided that this really isn't the place I'd like to be. I'll have my mother send the money back for the bus ticket. I just don't think this is going to work out. I'm sorry. I just have to lay down now." She walked in the door and left Josh, Addie and the three older children standing there staring at the closed door.

"Well, that didn't go well, did it, kids? Okay, let's head back up to the house. I think it's pretty close to bedtime now. I'm sure your grandma and the young couple that you have taken a liking to you will help you get ready for bed. I need to talk to Allie."

When Josh got closer to the house he saw Laura and her husband, Paul talking to Allie.

 "Hmm, wonder what's going on? I saw them earlier planting flowers. That was nice of them. I'll be sure to thank them. Someday I'll have to go get Grandpa and his new wife, Pat, and take everyone out for dinner. As he got closer he saw them walk into the house. "I sure hope Allie got that floor scrubbed. She doesn't need folks to be slipping and sliding on bananas." He had to grin. Kids were fun, if nothing else they supplied entertainment at every turn. At least these four did. He heard voices coming from the living room. They were all seated in the living room watching television. "Now that is strange, but maybe there's a news flash or something. Hey, guys! What are you watching?" All was still as night in the living room except for  the voice of Allie's Uncle Bill. Paul had unearthed the rest of the tape that Uncle Bill had made. It had been missing a long long time. Someone had buried it hoping it would never be found. Josh had a feeling he knew just who had done it, but that could wait. He wanted to hear the tape. It was not real clear, but clear enough that he could hear that K.R. had been disinherited from his will. Allie was not the sole owner of the Double D. He quickly sat down. He heard a buzzing in his ears and felt a little dizzy. No! This is not what he wanted! "Oh, Allie, I'm so sorry. We can get this fixed. I'm sure. We can get a lawyer. Allie, please don't cry."