Page 28 of Wild Spirit Revival

“If you say so,” Joshua replied, unconvinced. “You know, Eli, it wouldn’t kill you to admit you might miss her.”

Elijah busied himself with removing his horse’s tack, his movements more forceful than necessary. “What’s there to miss? She was here to do a job, and now it’s done.”

“Whatever you say, brother. I’m not the only one who saw the way you looked at her. It’s okay to feel something, you know.”

As Joshua walked away, Elijah paused, his hand resting on his horse’s flank. He allowed himself a moment of vulnerability, closing his eyes and remembering Molly’s smile, her kindness toward the boys.

“Dadgummit,” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. “Maybe I do miss her.”

He shook off the moment of weakness and finished tending to his horse. Leaving the barn, he spotted Grayson by the corral, deep in conversation with a stranger on horseback.

Curiosity piqued, Elijah strode over. As he drew closer, he caught snippets of their hushed conversation.

“…rustlers spotted south of here,” the stranger was saying, his voice low and urgent. “I’m afraid they’re planning to raid another ranch.”

Grayson’s face was grim. “Appreciate the warning, Tom. We’ll keep an eye out.”

Elijah approached, and both men turned to acknowledge him. “What’s this about rustlers?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

Grayson exchanged a glance with the stranger before answering. “Tom here’s been hearing rumors. Seems our cattle troubles might not be over.”

Elijah blew out a breath. “Just what we need.”

Tom shifted in his saddle. “There’s more,” he said, his voice tinged with worry. “Word is, they’re not just after cattle this time. They’re looking for something more.”

Elijah’s jaw clenched. “What do you mean?”

Tom looked around nervously before leaning in closer. “The man I talked with said they’re planning to hit the town during the Fourth of July celebrations. Figured with everyone distracted, the bank could be an easy target.”

Grayson shook his head. “We can’t let that happen.”

Elijah nodded, his mind already considering what they could do. “We’ll need to warn the town. Get everyone prepared.”

As Tom rode off, Grayson turned to Elijah. “Round up the boys. We’ve got work to do.”

Elijah nodded, his earlier melancholy forgotten in the face of this new threat. As he headed toward the bunkhouse, a chill ran down his spine.

He strode toward the largest corral, where his other brothers and Annalee were breaking horses. His mind churning with ways to combat the ominous news. As was their style, the Becketts would talk in private about what needed to be done, agreeing on a resolution before talking with the orphans.

“Josh! Annalee!” he called out, his voice carrying across the yard. “Round everyone up, we’ve got trouble brewing. Meet in the house.”

It took several minutes before all the Beckett siblings and their mother took seats around the large dining room table.

“What’s going on, Grayson?” Joshua asked, his gaze locking on his oldest brother’s grim expression.

“It appears we have trouble coming our way,” Grayson answered.

Annalee set her arms on the table, leaning forward. “Trouble? What kind of trouble?”

Elijah ran a hand through his hair, his eyes dark with concern. “Rustlers. But it’s worse than before. They’re planning something big for the Fourth.”

Joshua’s eyes widened. “The Fourth? But that’s when the whole town will be celebrating.”

“Exactly.” Elijah nodded. “They’re counting on the distraction.”

Annalee’s face set in determination. “Well, we can’t let them get away with it. What are we going to do about it?”

Grayson glanced between his siblings, a hint of pride softening his stern features. “We need to warn the town and set up patrols here at the ranch. We’ve got to be smart about it. We don’t want to spook them into changing their plans. The best outcome would be to round up the outlaws and deliver them to the sheriff.”

---