Page 37 of Ranch's Resolve

“Same here. I still told him no,” Roger explains. “He asked what it would take, and that’s when I told him I would never sell. I explained the ranch had been in my family for several generations and that I wouldn’t consider selling at any cost. The next day, this happened,” Roger says as he waves at his leg.

“Yeah, that’s similar to what happened to me. Has he tried calling again? Because I haven’t heard from him. I figured he’d try after the attack. One of my brothers runs a security firm, and he’s working to trace the call. He hasn’t had any luck yet. Do you know if anyone else has received offers?”

Roger nods. “Two others. Kincaid Crocket and Russell Marks both had offers. They’re west of us, just past Angel’s Ranch. I don’t know who owns Angel’s Ranch, so I can’t tell you if they received offers or not. Their ranch hands don’t gossip.”

I smirk. “How do you know they don’t gossip? You tried?”

He chuckles. “Yeah, I did. I was curious. Sue me. They sometimes rent our goats to clear out their land. I pried, but the foreman refused to tell me anything.” Roger frowns. “You don’t think the person who owns the ranch is the same one trying to buy our ranches. Do you?”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t. I know the owner. She’d never hurt anyone unless they hurt her first.” No, Angela would never hurt her neighbors, but perhaps someone was trying to become her neighbor with malicious intent.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: ATHENA

“They are so adorable,” I exclaim as I watch the goats cavorting around their pen—a few amble over to see if we have any treats for them. Adele hands me a bushel of carrots that I offer to them. “The kids would have so much fun with them.”

“What kids?”

“Oh, sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself. Have you heard of Crossroads?”

“No. What is it?”

I give her the high-level summary of how Crossroads came into being and how it offers a haven to women and children suffering from trauma and abuse. “I’m a psychologist who is working with many of the residents. One of my goals is to ensure the residents don’t use Crossroads as a crutch. It is easy for those who have suffered trauma to find a safe and comfortable place and never leave. I don’t want that to happen. Crossroads is a temporary solution designed to help residents regain control of their lives. Part of the treatment is to get them out of Crossroads and visit places that allow them to forget their trauma, even if it is only for a few hours. It’s how I met Ranch. I visited his ranch to see if we could use it for field trips. While the horses and cowsare a great distraction, the animals you have here would be a better fit.”

As Adele processes my words, I glance around the ranch and take in the peaceful aura of the location. “It’s so much more peaceful here than it is at Ranch’s place.”

“He has more men working for him, and the horses and cows tend to make more noise. Although the goats get pretty mouthy.” Adele chuckles. “Just wait until the pigs see us. They’re squealers.”

We circle a building, and that’s when I spot the pigs. They aren’t the giant hogs I was expecting. They are more petite and extremely adorable. As Adele predicted, the second they laid eyes on her, they both squealed and rushed toward us. Adele opened the gate, allowing us to step inside the enclosure. I bent down to pet one, and she tried to climb on my lap like a dog. I laugh as she begs for attention.

“They’re so personable,” I exclaim. “What are their names?”

“The one you’re holding is Leia, and this is Han.” Adele leans down to pet the second pig.

Rather than the smooth pink skin I was expecting, both pigs are covered in hair with interesting patterns. They’re black and white. Han has more black hair than Leia.

“What kind of pigs are they?”

“Kune Kune,” Adele says. “They’re originally from New Zealand. They’re super friendly. More like pets than farm animals. Homesteaders prefer them because they make good bacon, but there’s no way I’ll slaughter them.”

I scrunch my nose at her. It isn’t that I don’t know where bacon comes from, but seeing the happy little face looking up at me has me questioning whether I’ll eat it again.

“They’re adorable.”

“They make excellent pets. They’re very calm. You mentioned having kids come to visit the animals. These guyswould love it. The goats, too. Between February and April, the ewes give birth. The llamas can give birth at any time, but we usually work it so they don’t give birth in winter. It doesn’t get that cold here, but why risk it?”

“That will be so much fun for them. Most of the kids at Crossroads have had such difficult lives. Being around animals is healing. Animals can help rebuild trust and reduce anxiety. Additionally, the ranch offers expansive open spaces and natural surroundings. Crossroads is a nice place to live, but it's surrounded by a giant wall. Caitlin has worked hard to make the place beautiful and serene, but it still can feel like a prison. That’s another reason why I think field trips will be of benefit to the women and children.”

“I think that’s a great idea. I take it Caitlin manages Crossroads?”

“She’s the one who started it. Her grandmother left her a large inheritance, and she wanted to do something with it. Caitlin had some experience with an abusive relationship. She discovered later that the man was after her fortune. Another reason why she wanted to use it for good. She’s an artist, and one of her instructors was a victim of human trafficking. Her owner allowed her to paint even though he kept her captive. After he died, the man’s son helped her establish her life.”

“So, Caitlin is using her money to help victims restore their lives?”

I nod.

“That’s admirable. I’d love to meet her. I want to do something similar, but I don’t know where to start.”

“You want to create a shelter? This would be a beautiful place for it. You’ll need more security, though. Many of those women and children are on the run from their abusers. These men won’t hesitate to attack.”

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