"My lands!" Annalyn declared as she looked over at Dixie while wiping her forehead on her sleeve. "You're cleanin' like this is your house!"

Dixie laughed cheerfully. She scrubbed a particularly dirty spot on the table with a smile. "Well, I count your parents as my second Ma and Pa, so I guess in a way this is my house."

Annalyn paused in her sweeping to grin at Dixie. "Guess so. It'd also be yours too when you marry Jason. Since he's the first born, he'll inherit the ranch if Pa passes on."

Dixie felt a blush coming on. It was the fact that Annalyn said 'when' instead of 'if' which brought about her rosiness. The warmth from her face spread all over her body. Just the thought of marrying Jason made her dizzy with emotion.

"You okay over there?" Annalyn quirked a brow in true Jason fashion.

"Never better." Dixie smiled brightly as she put away the rag she was cleaning with. "Are the boys comin' back home, or will they stay with the friend?"

Annalyn shrugged, putting the broom up. "I don't really know, but I reckon after they go see Pa they'll come here."

Those words hadn't left Annalyn's mouth good before the front door burst open and the twins came barreling in.

"Good gravy!" Tavin held onto his hat as he stepped inside and closed the door. "You boys are worse than a stampede."

While Annalyn had her hands full with hugging her twin brothers, Dixie wrapped her own brother up in a warm embrace.

"Thank you for comin', Tae," Dixie said as she dusted off the front of Tavin's shirt.

Tavin laughed. "Think nothin' of it."

"And thank you for bringin' my brothers home!" Annalyn beamed, putting a hand on the boys' shoulders.

"No problem, sis." Tavin gave a small grin. "Where's Jason and Leroy?"

"Outside with the ranch hands, I'm sure," Dixie replied as she surveyed the items inside the cabinet. Pulling out the small sack of flour, she sat it on the counter with a thud.

"Wait a moment," Laramie said thoughtfully, sending a smile to Dixie. "It's good to see you again after all this time, Dixie. The last time I seen you I was a little boy."

Annalyn chuckled. "You're still a little boy."

"Am not!" Laramie retorted.

"We're fifteen years old, so you can't call us little boys anymore. We've grown up," Cohen added as both him and Laramie crossed their arms at the same time and shot the same dirty look at Annalyn.

"That's right! Y'all are young men now," Tavin agreed heartily with a smirk full of mischief aimed at Annalyn. "But the question is, has your sister grown up enough to be called a young lady?"

Annalyn fumed, her face turning a vibrant red. She bit her tongue in her fight to keep her temper.

"I believe you got that wrong Tavin," Laramie returned, stopping any retort from either of the girls. "The real question is, when's dinner gonna be done? I'm starvin'!"

***

"This is to stay between you, and us," Jason admonished Hyde after relating the incident with Matthew, looking him straight in the eyes.

Hyde's dark-eyed gaze wavered for a second before it leveled. He gave a curt nod.

"Do you understand?" Leroy demanded in a gentle way. He was not trying to be intimidating in the least, but he wanted to be sure they got their point across.

"Yes, sir!" Hyde answered as soon as the words left Leroy's mouth.

"Good." Jason nodded. "You can got back to work now. But just remember--"

"To let you if I see Slick or hear anything 'bout him," Hyde interrupted, finishing what Jason had started to say before turning away.

Jason and Leroy watched Hyde as he rode off to work. From their location behind the barn, and with everyone being gone working, they didn't have to worry about anyone overhearing anything.

Leroy looked over at Jason. "Are you sure it was wise of us to tell him?"

Jason didn't answer right off. He stood there silently, staring after the horse and rider in the distance. He looped his fingers around his belt buckle and leaned back. After a few moments, he turned to Leroy. "I believe so. I mean, think about it Leroy. If we can't trust him, then who can we? He's been with us for four years and has proven to be trustworthy."

Leroy stared down at his boots. "You're right. I reckon I'm just a tad on edge since it was one of our own who did that to Pa."

"I know the feelin'. I know he's only been here for a short time, but he didn't seem like the criminal type." Jason gave a small shrug. "Shows that no matter how much we think we know someone, we don't."

Leroy grinned, shaking his head. "Jase, that was pretty deep comin' from the likes of you."

A smile formed on Jason's lips, and a low laugh escaped him. "Why, thanks. That sure made me feel better."

"Shucks, Jase. You know I was just pickin'." Leroy held his hands up. "Besides, that doesn't include everyone. There are some folks that, once you know them, you know them. But I guess we all have our secrets."

"You're right. Maybe you should become a preacher," Jason joked, playfully elbowing Leroy. "You could team up with Tavin and y'all could be some sort of duo."

Leroy threw back his head and laughed. "Yeah, the Holy Terrors."

Jason grinned so big he felt his face would crack. "Now that's a good 'un!"

"Jason! Leroy! Where are y'all?" Laramie's voice carried to them from somewhere behind.

Jason shared a look with Leroy before going around to the front of the barn. "We're here Laramie-- uh y'all," he corrected after seeing both twins and Tavin heading towards them.

As soon as the twins saw their brothers, they took up in a headlong run. Laramie barreled into Jason while Cohen jumped at Leroy.

Tavin took his time walking up, giving the Archer boys some time together. By the time he got there, the twins excitement had lessened enough that they began to ask questions.

"Why don't you just tell Sheriff Rogers about it and let him handle it?" Cohen asked, his eyes full of curiosity mixed with a smidgen of confusion.

"Coy Rogers is a dirty, rotten, low-down. . . ." Jason trailed off. He sighed. No use getting all fired up and talking ugly. "He doesn't deserve the title of sheriff."

Laramie's eyebrows slammed together. "Why not?"

"'Cause he doesn't do a thing about anything. A murder could happen right in front of his eyes and he wouldn't do a thing. Unless it's someone he's associated with, then he'd probably join them," Leroy replied vehemently, his anger boiling just below the surface of his resolve to stay calm.

"Especially if it's those thievin' cow punchers from the Crooked M," included Tavin with a look of distaste.

The confusion in Cohen's eyes grew. He raised an eyebrow. "Can't he just get replaced? Or lose an election?"

Jason shook his head. "Nope. Everyone who's tried has mysteriously disappeared with no one knowin' why."

"What about the folks from the Crooked M?" Laramie pointed out. "Can't they make him leave?"

Leroy looked heavenward. "Oh I'm sure they could, but they won't. It's been told that he's bought and paid for by Thomas McGuire, who is the owner of the Crooked M."

Tavin linked his arms across his chest. "There's plenty of things to prove that's true. He also owns nearly all the land around town, plus the saloon."

Laramie and Cohen looked at each other, their faces reflecting the same amazed, slightly horrified expression.

"He's seems bad," they stated together.

Jason couldn't help but agree. He had the mischance of experience with the man. "He is, but I'm not really worried about him or any of the others. All I'm concerned about is Pa, and bringin' Slick to justice."

A look of determination crossed Tavin's face. "And we're right with you, Jason, and will do what we can to help."

The crisp, noisy clanging of a bell broke the solemness of the conversation as the twins nearly jumped for joy.

"Dinner's ready!" they shouted excitedly, speeding in the direction of the back door.

Tavin watched the twins with a trace of envy on his face. "Wish I had the energy they did."

Jason laughed, and the tension setting him on edge dissipated. The twins sure did know how to cheer him up. He grinned over at Tavin and Leroy, taking off after the boys at a jog. "Don't we all?"