Untraceable-Part 1

        Penny Ambercrombie loved her family’s ranch and she loved riding her horse; but she loved Driftwood even more. Frankly working for Sheriff Bullet the next year had been exciting; but she was happy that there had been a lull for the last few months. The tragedy of the sheriff losing his baby girl Tina-Marie had brought back too much to her of her own tragedy and losing her own daughter, Lorna to leukemia. She had even considered going back to her therapist but then she had discarded the idea. All she needed was to ride her horse, Bucky (real name Buchanan Stirlingshire the third). He had been a race horse at one time but he had never lived up to his reputation then he had grown older and the owner felt he was consuming more than he was worth. Penny had bought him before they could send him to the slaughterhouse. With love and attention Bucky had blossomed and was a fine horse for someone who was a rancher in their spare time like Penny was.

        There had been a changeover in the properties near the ranch as families had lost interest or the money to run big ranches anymore. She barely knew the neighbors anymore. She looked towards the east and saw forest and thanked the fact that developers hadn’t come forth and developed that land. The truth was the Ambercrombie’s owned part of the forest and were not about to part with it. Sometimes it felt like the only place Penny could be alone and one with nature. She’d ride Bucky to the edge and then tie him to a tree and just wander just a little into the forest to think. She wouldn’t be long and then Bucky wouldn’t mind.

        Penny let Bucky have his rein and they galloped towards the forest area in the edge of the Ambercrombie property; before they got their Penny pulled Bucky up short as she stopped to examine the sky. Penny had heard a sputter then watched as a small plane seemed to drop from the sky and then a load bang was heard as it crashed in deep in the forest near the Ambercrombie ranch.

        Penny took out her cellphone from her pocket and dialed the sheriff’s office where she worked. So much for her day off and thinking quietly in the forest soaking up nature; she thought and then felt selfish. It was possible whoever was on board that plane was already dead but maybe not so she had to do all to save them if she could.

©Sheilagh Lee October 11, 2017