Chapter Six Circle J Ranch

One hour after Joan and Tyler arrive at the S&R ranch, Johnny and his boys ride onto Circle J property. Circle J is the largest spread in the county. It is very close to five thousand acres in size. There are approximately seven hundred head of cattle grazing within its boundaries. Eight ranch hands maintain the herd, including two sons. There is one daughter along with their parents.

All six of the riders head for the corral. When they dismount, Johnny says to Les their foreman, “Take care of my mount then take the boys out to see what needs to be done for the rest of the day. I’m going inside to speak with my dad.” With that said he turns to head into the big house.

Hurriedly Johnny begins walking up the steps to the house, John Sr. opens the door and says, “You’re late, and where the hell have you been?”

“I had some business to take care of in town. Then we headed straight here. Why, what’s the problem?”

“How did things go, or aren’t you ready to discuss that yet?”

“Dad, let’s go inside, we need to talk where everyone can’t hear us.”

Angrily, John Sr. steps back inside the door and both he and Johnny head across the large living room to an office in the back of the house. Stepping inside, John Sr. moves to sit behind his desk and Johnny removes his holster before he sits into one of the chairs positioned around the room.

Johnny doesn’t show that he is pleased his father is uncomfortable when he is not in total control. He deliberately pulls the chair he selected away from the wall very slowly, to be closer to his father’s desk. Someday, this desk along with everything else with it will be mine. Then he looks up at his father.

“Everything went well, with just a couple of minor hitches.”

“Like what kind of minor hitches?” Senior responds.

“You told me you only wanted the parents taken out. Well the daughter recognized me and yelled out my name. Her brother and she were running for the barn when it happened, I knew he heard her. So I decided they couldn’t live.”

“Damn, Johnny, this is going to cause some problems. People tend to accept adults getting killed. When kids are killed, that becomes a different matter.”

“What are the other hitches you’re talking about?”

“Word is already out in town about the raid.”