Unanswered Prayers. Penny Richards

dead still, his anger at the boy draining away like the waters of the Claro River when they’d built the dam several years back. There was little doubt that Bull Farmer was at the root of Rick’s fear. A new spark of anger flared inside Rio.

      Jeremy trotted up on his mare. Without taking his gaze off Rick, Rio said, “Go ahead and move the horses, Jeremy.”

      Though Jeremy hadn’t known of his brother’s existence until a few short months ago, he already knew better than to interfere when Rio used that hard, clipped tone of voice. Without a word, he wheeled the mare and followed the string of broncs now meandering calmly between the woven wire fences.

      “It’s all right, Rick,” Rio said, his voice low and soothing.

      Cautiously Rick lowered his arms. The expression in his eyes was that wild, panicky look an animal had when it was caught in a trap and knew there was no way out. Which was exactly what Rick Farmer and the rest of his family were. Trapped. Trapped in a hell of Bull Farmer’s making.

      Rio’s stomach churned in an old, familiar way. He’d suffered a lot of abuse growing up-slurs about his illegitimacy and his mixed blood-but nobody had ever laid a hand on him but his mama. Delora Langley had only spanked him when it was absolutely necessary, and then only because she’d known she had to get the upper hand on a headstrong boy who was in dire need of a man’s firm direction. Afterward she had held him, their tears mingling, while she’d crooned over and over that she was sorry. Those well-remembered spankings had been just that, not the beatings Rick Farmer had no doubt endured.

      Rio blew out a deep breath and shook his head to rid himself of the memories. He squatted on his haunches and smooched the dog. “Come here, Babydoll,” he coaxed, holding out a hand in entreaty. The dog sidled up to him slowly, uncertain what to expect. Then, sensing Rio’s mood, she lay down and rolled to her back in the age-old, accepted sign of submission.

      Rio gave her a quick but thorough examination, feeling her legs and probing her rib cage to check for broken bones. Satisfied that the dog was all right, he picked her up and held her against his broad chest. She gave him a grateful lick on the chin.

      With the dog safe in his arms, Rio turned to face a wary Rick. “I’m not going to hurt you, boy,” he said. “But I don’t believe in mistreating animals, and if I ever see you abusing one of mine again, I’ll run you off this place so fast it’ll make your head swim.”

      Rick gave a nervous nod and licked his lips.

      “Animals are unpredictable. Horses kick. Dogs bite. Things like this happen all the time-and for a lot less reason sometimes. Taking out your anger on a poor beast doesn’t do anything but make you look like a danged fool…a stupid fool at that.”

      “Yes, sir,” Rick said, his face flaming.

      Rio nodded and gave the dog’s head a loving caress. “Now tell her you’re sorry.”

      The dumbfounded look on the boy’s face was comical. “What?”

      “You heard me. Come over here and pet Babydoll and tell her you’re sorry.”

      “B-but she’s just a dumb dog. She won’t know what I’m doing.”

      “She’s a lot smarter than a lot of people I know, and she’ll know, all right. Now get yourself over here.”

      Rick took one slow step and then two. He stopped an arm’s length from Rio and stretched out a tentative hand toward the dog. The instant Rick’s fingers made contact with her nose, Rio said a soft “Boo!” Rick jumped back so fast he lost his footing and fell onto the ground with another curse.

      Seeing Rio’s slow, unrepentant smile, Rick pushed himself to his feet and thrust out his chin. “You’re a sick man, you know that?”

      “Maybe so, but you deserved that one. You ought to be glad Babydoll didn’t bite your finger off. Now tell her you’re sorry.”

      Rick glared at Rio. “No more funny stuff. I’m on to you.”

      Cautiously Rick approached the dog once more. Babydoll looked up at Rio as if to ask if everything was all right. He murmured comforting words to her. Her baleful brown gaze slewed back to Rick, who riffled the hair of her neck in a tentative way. Babydoll’s tail moved in a single, halfhearted wag.

      “Tell her,” Rio prompted.

      Rick gave Rio a look that could kill. “I’m sorry,” he growled.

      Babydoll looked at Rio.

      “She doesn’t believe it,” Rio said, “and frankly, neither do I. Dogs are like women, son. You’ve got to be nice to them. Sweet-talk them, and they’re yours forever.” Rio followed the sexist statement with a sheepish grin. “‘Course, don’t ever tell my wife I said that. She’ll have my hide.”

      The irritation in Rick’s eyes softened the slightest bit. It might have been a trick of the dying light, but Rio thought he saw one corner of the boy’s mouth twitch.

      “I’m sorry, Babydoll,” Rick crooned, scratching the dog’s hide harder. “I won’t ever hurt you again.”

      “Don’t say it if you don’t mean it,” Rio said.

      The dog must have sensed that he was telling the truth, because she turned her head into his palm and began to lick it. Little kids and dogs were so forgiving it was downright sad, Rio thought. Maybe mankind in general ought to take a few lessons.

      “She forgives you,” Rio said. “And she believes you.”

      Rick looked at him, suspicion gleaming in his yes. “How do you know?”

      “Communicating with animals is an old Indian trick,” Rio said, straight-faced.

      The kid bought it. “Oh.”

      “See that you don’t let her—or me—down,” Rio charged, putting the dog to the ground, where she stood wagging her tail and grinning up at them.

      “Yes, sir. I mean, no, sir. I won’t.”

      “We won’t talk about this again,” Rio said. “It’s forgotten.” He gave Rick a hearty slap on the back.

      Rick gave an anguished cry, and his knees buckled.

      “What is it?” Rio asked, but even as he asked the question, he knew.

      Rick squared his shoulders. “Nothing,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m just body sore from all this manual labor.”

      “And I’m your friendly Avon lady,” Rio quipped, his voice laced with sarcasm. “Take off your shirt.”

      “What?”

      “You heard me. Take off your shirt.”

      Rick clenched his fists and shook his head. Moisture glimmered in his eyes. “You can’t make me.”

      Rio’s voice was as gentle to Rick as it had been to the dog a few minutes earlier. “You’re dead wrong there, boy, but I’m not up to proving it, and neither are you. I know what I’ll find under that shirt…”

      A single tear slithered down Rick’s pale cheek with its end-of-the-day stubble that somehow made him look younger.

      “And I know your life is hell. I know that you get so mad you want to do to the whole world what he does to you, but there’s a better way.”

      “Yeah, what’s that?” Rick asked in an angry, sarcastic voice.

      “Don’t get mad—get even.”

      Rick looked surprised. “How?”

      “By being a bigger man than he is and not lowering yourself to his standards. By taking all that frustration and anger inside you and channeling it into something constructive.” Rio thought he saw a glimmer of hope in Rick’s dark eyes. “You do it by standing beside your mom and giving her the strength to press charges. You do it by making good grades and going