When Love's Gone Country - By Merri Hiatt Page 0,32
there?” Sam asked.
Chapter Nineteen
“People are sure fond of telling stories around here,” Meg said as they gathered around the dining room table for lunch.
“I can’t tell what’s truth and what’s fiction,” Bob said.
“I say go by your gut,” Courtney said. “I feel amazing, better than I have in years. I say the hot spring is magic.”
“I’m with Court,” Jeremy said.
“Then why did Sam tell us the other story?” Pure asked.
“To throw us off track,” Alex said. “Charlie made a big deal about the spring being a secret. Maybe they just want to make sure we don’t tell anyone else about it.”
“Who would we tell?” Brad asked. “We’re only here for another week and a half.”
“Do you think the people in town know about the spring?” Jacob asked.
“Don’t know,” Bob said. “Why?”
“I was just wondering.” Jacob thought about the two men who poisoned the cows’ water. What lengths would someone go to to bring the ranch down so they could buy it and have access to the hot spring? If it really did contain some sort of healing power, it’d be worth a fortune.
“I wonder if the water’s ever be analyzed. Seems like that would tell a person what exactly was in the spring,” Brad said.
“Even if it has been, they’re not going to share the results with the likes of us,” Court said.
“Good point. Anyone up for a midnight trip back to the spring to get a sample?”
“We couldn’t find that exact same spot in a million years, let alone in the dark!” Meg said.
“Just look for the double y,” Jeremy said.
“All those trees look the same. Meg’s right, it would be nearly impossible to find that one, specific tree in the middle of the night. It’d be hard enough to find it in the daylight,” Purity said.
“What happened to the She Musketeers?” Brad asked. “I’ve never known you three to turn down an adventure.”
“I’m pregnant,” Pure said.
“I’m sleepy,” Meg said.
“I think it’s a wild goose chase and we’ll end up spending all night looking for that damn tree and never find it,” Court said.
“I’m in,” Bob said.
“If it means gathering evidence to prove or refute the springs’ healing powers, I’m in,” Alex said.
“I’m in!” Jeremy shouted.
The men were about to tell him he was too young, when Jacob said, “Me, too.”
It was the first sign of Jacob willingly being part of the group they’d seen in months.
“Then it’s the He Musketeers on this one,” Bob said raising his fork in the air. The rest of the men raised their forks as if they were warriors about to do battle with an evil lord during ancient times.
“This is not going to end well,” Purity said.
Courtney laughed. “But it’s going to make one hell of a tale to listen to when they get back.”
After lunch, the ranch hands wasted no time in putting the group to work once again. All chores needed to be completed earlier than usual if everyone was going to attend the hoedown.
They all worked diligently, pleased that the aches and pains of the morning had been vanquished by the hot springs.
When they were finished and walking in the door of the ranch hand quarters, Jeremy said, “Where’s the food? We always come in to something smelling awesome.”
“I think there’s food at the hoedown tonight. We’ll just have to wait a bit longer,” Bob said.
“But I’m hungry now.”
“There’s a bowl of fruit on the table, grab an apple or a banana.”
“I could go for a banana,” Court said, following Jeremy. “Anyone else want anything?”
Nobody said anything.
“Well, don’t everyone talk at once. We’ve got peaches, plums—”
“Shut up, Court,” Purity said.
“Shut up? What crawled up your—” Courtney’s words were sliced by the sound of a shotgun being cocked. She turned to see three men standing by the door with rifles in their hands. Their faces were covered with black bandanas.
Jeremy inched closer to Courtney until they were standing side-by-side.
“What do you want?” Alex asked, standing in front of Purity.
“Word’s got out that you’ve been explorin’. That true?”
“We’ve become familiar with the ranch, if that’s what you mean. We’ve worked in most of the areas now.”
“That ain’t what I mean and you know it. Don’t get smart with me. Answer my question.”
“We don’t know what you mean,” Brad said. “What, specifically, are you talking about?”
“I thought city folk were s’posed to be smart. Ya’ll seem pretty stupid to me. I’m talkin’ ‘bout the healin’ well. Where is it?”
The group looked at each other as if they had no idea what the