After breakfast, Ace left for work. Justin helped Debra in the house in the morning then after lunch, he went outside to work with Edward. Debra did the office work, then laid on the couch and rested.
Debra got up around three and walked outside. She went over and talked to Misty for a while before she went into the barn.
"Hey Debra." Joe said as she walked in.
"Hi Joe. Where's Edward?"
"He and Justin took a ride."
"All right. How's things going?"
"Fine. We are running low on a few things. I made a list and put it on the desk."
"All right. I guess with the upcoming show Josh is busy and hasn't made the supply run. Do we have enough until tomorrow?"
"Yes. We have enough for a couple of days."
"All right. I'll have Edward order and I'll pick it up tomorrow."
"Yes ma'am." Joe said. "Sorry, I mean boss." He corrected himself.
They heard a horse running towards the barn. They walked outside and saw Majesty. He ran up and Joe grabbed him. Debra stroked him. "Where was Edward going riding?" She asked as she looked at Majesty's saddle. "Is this blood?"
"He said he was going down to the creek to cool off." Joe said as he looked at the saddle. "It looks like blood."
"We'll take the truck. Someone is hurt." Debra said as she started running to the truck. Joe tied Majesty to the fence then ran after Debra. She got in the truck as he got there. He got in the other side. He pulled his radio off and called out to Edward but got no reply. Debra drove as fast as she dared on the dirt road. "Call in whoever to meet us out there. We need to find them." Debra said.
Joe got on the radio and called out to whoever heard him on the radio. "I only have one channel. Edward has the master. Nobody is going to hear me."
Debra pulled her phone out. She handed it to Joe. "Then send a group text. I have everyone's numbers."
Joe sent a group text out to everybody. Seconds later replies started coming in. " Ok, we have Mitch and Ray on their way. The other guys are checking other places."
"Great. They might have gone somewhere else."
"Be careful, Debra. We don't want to kill ourselves getting there."
"I'm trying." Debra said. "What do you suppose happened?"
"I don't know. I didn't get a good look at Majesty."
Debra drove out as far as she could. She stopped and they got out. Joe grabbed the rifle and ammunition out of the back. Debra grabbed her bow, arrows and a pistol. There walked down the trail towards the creek. "Edward? Justin?" She yelled. Nobody answered. They continued to walk down the trail. Debra called out again, but still no answer. Joe stuck close to Debra as they hurried down the path. "They had to have come this way." Debra stopped and pulled out her phone. She tried to find out where he was through his GPS. "I just remembered Edward put this app to find me if he needed to. Maybe it can find him."
"Not if he has it off or it broke."
"I can try." Debra said as she waited for her phone. "This way." She said after a moment. She hurried down the trail.
"Are you sure?" Joe asked. "The creek is this way."
"This is the way to Edward's phone, but you can go that way."
"No. The boss will have my head if anything happens to you." Joe said as he followed her.
They found Edward's phone and radio a few feet from the trail. Debra picked them up then called for Edward and Justin. There was no response. She bent down and looked around the grass. She saw blood and tracks. "What animal is this?" She asked.
Joe bent down next to her and looked at the track. "That a cougar, I believe."
"Really? Do they come here often?"
"I've never heard of one this close to the ranch, but they are in the high country."
Debra checked the radio. "How do I open all the channels?" She asked. Joe showed her. "This is Debra. We found cougar tracks by the creek. Be on the lookout."
"We're almost there, Debra." Mitch said over the radio. "Any sign of the boss?"
"Not yet, but there is blood." Debra said then they followed the tracks.
"There's a hunting blind not far from here. They might have gone there to have some kind of shelter."
"Lead the way." Debra said. She followed Joe through the trees. After a while, she grabbed his arm and stopped him.
"What? Are you all right?"
She pointed out in the distance. "What is that?" She asked quietly.
Joe raised his rifle. He looked through the scope. "That's a cougar, all right. The hunting blind is next to it. They must be in there."
Debra pulled out the radio. "We think we found them. It about half mile northeast from the trail. At a hunting blind."
"We're coming up behind you now." Mitch said.
"10 - 4." She said. "We'll wait for Mitch then move in."
"It looks injured." Joe said. "It has blood on it."
"I wonder if it's from Edward." She said. "Maybe that's why it attacked them."
"There's no telling. I can't get a clean shot from here. That blind isn't bullet proof and if I miss, it could hit someone inside."
A moment later, Mitch and Ray walked their horses up behind them. They tied their hoses to a nearby tree. "Are you sure they are down there?"
"We haven't made contact. I didn't want to yell over there."
"Let's move closer. Debra, stay here." Joe said.
"I don't think so. I'm in charge here."
"What do you want us to do?" Mitch asked.
"Joe, Ray work your way around towards the other side. Mitch, you're with me. Don't take a shot unless it's a kill shot. It will be unpredictable if its injured."
"Let's go." Joe said to Ray. They quickly and quietly hurried off.
"We'll make our way down here." Debra told Mitch.
"I'm right behind you."
Debra started to move closer quietly. She kept an eye on the cougar as she went down. They stopped behind a group of trees. "I don't want to call out, but we should see if they are there."
Mitch cupped his hands and made an animal noise. He listened then another noise came back. "He's in there." He said. Debra looked at him questionably. "It's a hunting call."
The cougar got up and started to pace the blind. "That's not good." Debra said.
Mitch raised his rifle. "I don't have a clean shot."
A few moments later a shot rang out. It hit the cougar in which turned and headed toward Joe. Debra aimed her bow quickly and shot the arrow. It hit the cougar and it fell to the ground about ten feet in front of Joe. Debra hurried to the blind with Mitch right behind her. "Edward?" She called as she ran.
"Debra?" He called back.
Mitch opened the blind and Debra hurried inside. She knelt next to Edward. Justin wrapped his arms around her. "Are you all right?"
"We're fine." Edward said.
"Is it dead?" Justin asked.
"Yes." Debra said. "You're bleeding." She said as she looked at Edward.
"It's not bad."
"Let's get you out of here so I can take a look." Debra said.
"Take Justin. I'll help the boss." Mitch said.
Debra walked Justin out. "Are you hurt?"
"My shoulder hurts a little." Justin said. "I fell on it off the horse."
Debra looked at Justin's shoulder. "I think it's just bruised, but we'll have the doctor look at it." She said. Mitch helped Edward out. "Oh man." She said as she saw Edward. "Sit him down." She told Mitch. Joe and Ray came over. "Joe, Ray, get the horses and go to the truck and bring the first aid kit."
"Yes, Debra." Joe said then looked over at the cougar. "Thanks." He said then they ran off.
"And get me water." Debra yelled after them.
Debra squatted next to Edward and looked at his arm.
"It came out of nowhere." Edward said. "It knocked us off Majesty."
"Did bite you?"
"No. It just got me with its claws."
"I don't want to untie this until I have the first aid kit so I can clean it out. You did the right thing to put pressure on it."
"Justin actually did it." Edward said. "He was very brave today. I threw the cougar, and then we ran up here. How did you find us?"
"I used the GPS tracker to find your phone and radio then Joe remembered this place." She pulled out the radio. "You might want to tell everyone that we found you."
Edward took the radio and called an all clear. "It was hurt and hungry. I guess we looked like an easy meal." Edward said then looked over towards the fallen cougar. "Nice shot."
"I said not to take any shots unless it was a kill shot, but Joe just wounded it and it charged at him."
"And Debra fired and killed it just a few feet in front of Joe." Mitch said. "I guess he should be glad you to didn't stay back like he told you."
"I don't want to talk about that." Debra said. "I'm just glad we found you two before he figured out how to get in there." She said.
"So, you drove in and then walked?"
"Yes. I went as far as I could with the truck."
"I was pretty surprised when I got a text saying the boss was missing and possibly hurt down by the creek." Mitch said.
"Joe said he only had one channel. Nobody else responded to him. I gave him my phone and told him to send a group text."
"That was a good idea." Edward said. "My radio and phone came off when I hit the ground. I wasn't about to run back to get them."
"Good idea."
"So, Joe told you to stay back?"
"Yes. After Mitch and Ray showed up."
" She told him she was in charge. I don't think he liked it too much." Mitch said. "You can have my back any day, Debra."
"Thanks."
"When we get back, I'll have a word with him."
"Don't worry about it, Edward." Debra said. "He was just looking out for me."
"I didn't know or sense anything. Even Majesty didn't act any differently." Edward said. "Is he all right?"
"I didn't see a mark on him. I saw blood on the saddle, but that was probably yours or the cougars."
A few minutes later Joe and Ray came back with the horses. Joe brought the supplies over to them. Debra started to doctor up Edward.
"Mitch, call the doctor and ask him if he can meet us at the ranch." Debra said. "Some of these scratches are deep."
"Sure thing."
"I'll be fine."
"I may not be able to tell Ace he's getting stitches, but I will you. This is more than a stitch or two and if the doc can't come out, I'll take you to the ER." Debra said forcefully.
"Yes ma'am." Edward said.
"Watch it, dear." Debra said. "Remember what happened last time someone called me that."
"Doc will meet us there." Mitch said.
"Thank you." Debra said then bandaged him up. "That should hold until we get back." Debra said as she sat back. She opened a bottle of water and took a long drink.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes. Just the adrenaline calming down."
"Are you going to be all right to walk out?"
"Yes. You ride back to the truck. I will walk back."
"I'll walk with her." Mitch said.
"Me too." Justin said.
"Joe, you and Ray ride back with Edward to the truck. Make sure he stays off his leg until I get there."
"Put the cat on the back of my horse." Edward said. "We'll have to have it checked."
"Yes boss." Joe said. He ran off.
"Is that the only reason you're bringing it back?" Debra asked.
"Yes. We need to make sure it wasn't sick."
"All right." Debra finished her water and got up. Mitch helped Edward up and over to the horse as Debra cleaned up the trash. She picked up her bow and quiver and they started down to the trail. Mitch came over and took the first aid kit from her. "Thanks, Mitch."
"Can you call my daddy?"
"He's still at work, but I can try." Debra said as she pulled out up phone. She dialed Ace's number and waited. "Hey, are you busy? Justin wants to talk to you." Debra said then handed Justin the phone. They continued down to the trail as Justin talked to Ace.
As soon as they got to the trail, Justin held up the phone to Debra. "Daddy wants to talk to you."
Debra took the phone. "Hey. His shoulder is bruised, but I'll have doc take a look at home when he comes. He's a little shaken up. Edward is going to need stitches. All right. I'll see you then." Debra said then hung up. " Your daddy will be home as soon as he can."
"It's all my fault. I'm the one who wanted to go to the creek."
"It wasn't your fault, Justin. It was an accident. It just proves that there are dangers out here that we might not know about."
"It was going after me. Uncle Eddie pulled me out of the way, so it got him.
He got hurt because he was protecting me."
"He did that because you mean so much to him. He's going to be fine. Don't blame yourself."
"If I wouldn't have wanted to go to the creek, we wouldn't have been attacked."
Debra stopped and knelt in front of Justin. "That animal isn't supposed to be here. It was hurt and probably wasn't able to catch food so wandered down here, so whoever went past it would have been attacked. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was nobody's fault, Justin."
"Ok. I just feel bad."
"I know, but you shouldn't. Let's get back to the house and have some cookies."
"Do you want me to carry you, Justin?" Mitch asked.
"I guess. My legs are a little tired." Justin said.
Mitch bent down and carefully picked Justin up. "Ok, let's go." He said. They walked quickly down the trail.
They made it back to the truck. Debra put her bow and quiver in the back. She stowed the first aid kit under the seat. "Who's riding with us?" Debra called.
"I will. Joe can take my horse." Mitch said.
"Are you all right back there?" Debra asked Edward.
"Yes." He said.
Mitch climbed in the front after he helped Justin in. Debra started the truck and slowly pulled out. She drove down the trail. Edward reached forward and put his hand on Debra's shoulder. Debra reached up and took his hand. "I love you."
"I love you, darling. I'm sorry I stressed you out."
"I'm not stressed anymore. I'm just glad you're safe." Debra said. "Both of you."
"All you all right, Justin?" Edward asked.
"Yes." Justin said quietly.
"He feels bad about wanting to go to the creek." Debra said. "I told him it wasn't his fault."
"It could have happened to anybody. I'm glad you were with me, though. You helped with my wounds and kept me company while we waited for help."
"But you got hurt."
"I'll be fine. You were very brave. I am proud of you."
"I just want to go home."
"We will be there soon."
"My real home, with mommy."
"I'll call her when we got home, and you can talk to her." Debra said.
"Ok."
Debra drove back to the house. She parked close to the house. Doc was waiting on the porch. "Hey Doc. Thanks for coming."
"That's what I get paid for."
"Justin fell off the horse and hurt his shoulder. Edward is going to need stitches."
"Check Justin first." Edward said after he opened the door.
"All right." Doc said.
"Mitch, I'm going to need help." Edward said.
"Pain is good. That means there's no nerve damage." Debra said.
Edward reached out to Debra. "How are you feeling?"
"I feel fine. The little ones are moving just fine."
"That's good." Edward said then pulled her close.
"Thanks for taking change and coming to find me."
"Just don't make it a habit." Debra said then kissed him.
"I don't plan on it."
"Are you ready, boss?"
"As ready as I will be." Edward said. Debra moved out of the way for Mitch to help Edward out. Edward winced as he limped up to the house. Debra followed behind. They went into the living room and sat down on the couch.
Doc finished checking Justin and came over. "He'll be sore for a few days, but there's nothing broken or dislocated." He said.
"That's good." Debra said. "Why don't you go into your room and watch TV. When your daddy comes home, I'll send him in."
"Can you call mommy?"
"Yes. I'll bring the phone in."
"Ok." Justin said then walked off to the bedroom.
"These dressings look pretty good, Debra."
"Thanks. I cleaned them with water the best I could."
"Let's take a look." Doc said.
"You don't have to watch, Debra. Go call Julie." Edward said.
"All right." Debra said then walked into the kitchen. She dialed Julie. "Hey, Julie, it's Debra." She said. "I have to tell you something but just so you know, Justin is fine. He and Edward went for a ride down to the creek and a cougar jumped them. He hurt his shoulder, but Doc said is just bruised. Edward is scratched up, but after some stitches, he'll be as good as new." She said. "I'm bringing him the phone now." Debra said as she headed to Justin's room. "Ace is still at work but will be here as soon as he can." She said. Debra opened the door and walked in. She held the phone out to Justin. "It's your mom."
Justin took the phone. "Hi mommy."
Debra walked out and went back out to the living room. "How's he look?"
"You cleaned them out pretty good and you were right, he needs stitches. These skills are good to have out here."
"Especially with this group of accident-prone guys."
"Yes. Maybe you should consider becoming a doctor."
"No thanks. I don't have the stomach for it."
"That's too bad, but then you would probably put me out of business."
"Yes. You are quite the regular around here."
"This is how I stay in business." Doc said as he put a stitch in Edward. Edward winced. Doc smiled at Debra. "Are you sure you don't want the local?"
"No, go ahead."
"Yeah, he's a tough guy." Debra laughed. She walked away. She went back down to Justin's room and waited in the hall. She listened to Justin cry to his mother then walked inside. She sat down on the bed. Justin said goodbye then handed the phone to Debra. He hurried to the bathroom. "Hey Julie. I'll be here for him. Yes, I will talk to Ace. I'll let you know, bye." Debra said then hung up. She got up and walked out to the kitchen. She put some cookies on a plate and poured a glass of milk. She carried them to Justin's room. Justin was sitting on the bed. "I bought you some cookies and milk."
"I'm not hungry."
"I'll leave them here for you." Debra said as she set it down on the nightstand. "Do you want me to stay here with you?"
"No. I want my daddy." Justin said.
"He should be home soon." Debra said then walked out the door. She walked into the living room and saw Doc still working on Edward. She walked out the front door and sat down. She started crying.
Joe came up onto the porch a while later. "Are you all right, Debra?"
Debra looked up then wiped her eyes. "Yes."
"The vet is on his way to look at Majesty. How's the boss doing?"
"Doc's stitching him up now."
"Can I go in?"
"Sure."
Joe walked to the door. He stopped then turned to Debra. "Thanks for saving me back there. I thought my aim was good."
"No problem, Joe. I'm glad I was there."
"So am I." Joe said then walked into the house.