“Oh, sorry, Dad. I just…well, you know. I’ll be fine. See you tomorrow.”
* * * *
“One minute they’re wrapped around a pine tree, and the next they can’t wait to ditch Dad,” David said to Jason as they walked out of the hospital.
“Yeah, I don’t know that feeling yet, but my girls are still young.”
“Girls—all of them?”
“Yep. We have three beauties.”
“Well, you’ll be busy fighting off those country boys eventually, like Al Bundy in the TV show Married…With Children used to do,” said David.
“That’s what everyone says,” Jason replied. “It’s why I carry a small voice but a big stick,” he added.
“Who’s that girl’s daddy?” asked David. “She said he ran the place.”
“That would be Doc Walters, who apparently has a son I didn’t know about, but that’s a conversation for another time,” said Jason. “Let’s head back to James’ and Janice’s place. I’m sure you want to get word to your group about you and Mark staying the night.”
“Oh man, with everything that’s happened, I forgot we wouldn’t be home tonight! They are going to be expecting us pretty soon,” said David.
They reached Second Chances Ranch without incident, which was common practice recently.
“The Sheriff has a hold on the town, and most around it,” said Jason after commenting on how safe the roads were recently.
“I thought he shared the responsibility with the town Judge. I forget his name, though,” replied David.
“Not anymore, but I’ll let James get you up to speed on that story. It’s really why he asked you to make the trip down.”
“I wondered what could be so important that it couldn’t wait, but any trip down the mountain before winter is always better,” replied David.
* * * *
James, Janice, Lauren, Billy, and the girls were all on the front porch when they arrived.
“David, how are you?” asked James, reaching his hand out.
“Good to see you, old friend.”
“Mark, it sounds like he’s going to be okay?”
“That’s what the doctor is saying. It was a scary day, to say the least.”
“And you were attacked by a bear? What’s that about?”
“It was more of a wrestling match really. Wrong place at the wrong time. Just a mama bear protecting her young. She almost suffocated me, though. That’s something you don’t expect from a bear encounter. How about you and the family?”
“Oh, we’re doing just fine. A lot has happened here since we talked last, and I was hoping you could come down for an easy lunch and conversation.”
“Nothing is that easy,” said David. “Not anymore.”
* * * * * * *
Chapter Twenty-nine
Weston, Colorado
“You up for a talk?” asked James.
“Sure, I still have the meds kicking in, so my rib pain is down to a dull roar. I need to get a message to Tina and my mother, though. They are expecting us back already.”
“I’ll work on that while you talk,” said Jason.
“Thanks. Mark’s friend should be on right now,” replied David.
“We’re a mess, you and me both,” said James, laughing. “It only took a month to put me in this chair after being shot by some random thugs and have you cheat death more than once.”
“Yeah, makes me miss the boring office days sometimes, where the biggest concern we had was choosing barbecue or a sandwich for lunch.”
“Those days are long gone, my friend. And like it or not, things are changing around here,” James added.
James told David about the fiasco with the Sheriff and Judge, the exhibitions, and the bleacher accident.
“That’s all interesting, for sure,” replied David. “But I don’t see how it affects my group and me.”
“David,” called Jason. “I have your wife and mother on the line, and a man called Mel, I think.”
“Excuse me,” said David, slowly rising, holding his ribs. “I’m not looking forward to the ride back up the mountain,” he told James, as he hobbled to the next room.
Tina and Beatrice were worried about Mark and weren’t happy about them not returning today. They wanted to know what was so important that they had to make the trip in the first place.
“I don’t have that information yet, but I will soon,” he told them. “I can only assume it was necessary to talk face-to-face. Keep an eye out on security, will you, Mel?”
“Sure thing, David. Don’t worry about a thing.”
* * * *
“All good?” asked James when David returned.
“So far, so good.”
“All right. Then I won’t keep you waiting any longer about why I asked you down here. Everything I’ve told you so far is about to have an effect on you and everyone in your group.”
“How’s that? We’re not even in the same state.”
“There are no states, my friend—not anymore. Only cities, towns and territories. The town, this town of Weston, is becoming just that—a territory. Judge Lowry declared a ways back that they would be expanding the town limits by twenty miles in all directions. This made my family and our property a part of Weston overnight. We didn’t have a choice in it unless we dug in and prepared for a fight we couldn’t win. So, I accepted a high position, giving me the freedom to sway most town decisions and matters in favor of the citizens. I have done that thus far, but some things are beyond my control.
“You, David, and the Raton Pass Militia are about to be incorporated into the town of Weston by Sheriff Johnson, who aims to add another 20 miles in all directions, with the exception of straight east and the city of Trinidad. You sit approximately 34 miles from the town square, placing you and yours in this town. Sheriff Johnson doesn’t care about state lines, or even county lines, anymore.”
“Why would he want to add more people he’s responsible for?” asked David.
“The political response would be something like there is safety in numbers, and an expanded territory protects more people… The friend’s response is, he wants more taxes collected.”
“Wait a minute! You pay taxes?”
“Not property taxes, like before, but a sales tax, yes. We
