Random Thoughts

Ben Wade

Sitting in the den with Dan Evans, Ben looked around the cozy room. The room that he and Liana had chosen the furniture for together. The leather sofa and chairs in a distressed style that looked like saddle-leather. The lamps with their wrought-iron bases. The upturned horse shoe hanging above the fireplace.

It had been decorated more to his taste than to hers, Ben thought to himself. If he really thought about it, the entire house was that way. He'd married Liana and brought her here a little over a year ago now. He was surprised at how quickly that much time had passed.

His wife had taste, but he had the much stronger personality, he thought. In addition to which, Liana was always anxious to please him and that made it even easier for him to have things his way.

Then his eyes fell on the half-decorated Christmas tree in the corner. They had placed the lights and some of the ornaments on it before he'd been called away to the stables. Before she'd disappeared and his world had seemed to disappear with her.

Ben could very clearly remember last Christmas, sitting under their first tree together and opening gifts. He remembered every gift he'd unwrapped from her, and everything that he'd given her as well. And he thought about how much he'd been looking forward to Christmas this year.

For the first time in his entire adult life, he'd been looking forward to Christmas. Because of Liana and the baby she carried. He had a family, but now that family had been taken from him. Rarely had Ben Wade felt helpless, but now was one of those times--the worse one he could remember.

Frank Parker and his men were making calls and following up leads. The sheriff's office had been called and Bud White and Zack Grant were working on Liana's disappearance. And here he was, her husband, the man she was supposed to depend on and he couldn't do a damned thing!

Getting up, he said abruptly to Dan, "I'm gonna ride down and get Charlie. Look over the ranch one more time."

Taking a last look around the den, he thought, "Just let Liana come back safe and sound. She can re-decorate the place any damned way she likes! Hell! I'll build her a whole new house if she wants it. Just please let her come back safe. Her and the baby."

He had no idea who he was asking for such a favor. Alistair Harris could have told him.