His eyes, however, were pinned to me as if he already knew my story was bogus. Carter had vaguely warned me about the others I might encounter without defining who they were.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose in mild alarm at the fear I had been figured out on day one. I wasn't certain what to say, not with the rugged cowboy and his green gaze distracting me. The sense I had gotten last night, that he was hiding something about how he knew to find me in the crater, returned.

It's not possible, though.

"When she is rested, Sheriff," my faux-father said. "You will not upset my daughter so soon after her return."

"Of course not, Mr. John," the sheriff said. "The Indians convey their congratulations at having your daughter returned."

"They did what the sheriff wasn't able to," John said to me. "They found you when I thought you were gone forever."

"Amazing," I agreed. "Thank you all." This I directed at the Indians hanging back behind the sheriff.

Suddenly, everyone was looking at me hard.

"Why, Josie. Wherever did you learn Indian?" John asked.

My brow furrowed.

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"She did not know our tongue last night," the older Native American said with a frown.

"Not here," the sheriff replied to the restless native. "You must consult with the shaman over what you found."

"What you found?" I asked, puzzled. "Me?"

"You really understand us." The sheriff's features appeared even more severe.

Shit. It all sounds like English to me. I clamped my mouth shut, suspecting by their uneasy looks that I wasn't supposed to know Native American but kind of grateful one of the microchips in my brain was working.

"We are done here," the sheriff said. "I expect to see you in town soon to talk, ma'am."

It didn't sound like the conversation was going to be a good one. My rescuer wasn't pleased about seeing me healthy and on my feet despite pulling me out of the crater and giving me a coat. The lawmen tipped their hats to my faux-father and turned away.

"Wait!" I called, eyes on the Native American. "Can you tell me where you found me? Just the direction. That's it."

The native exchanged a look with the sheriff.

"West," he said at last.

I sensed I had managed to piss him off somehow and watched them go to their horses.

"What did you say, my daughter?" John asked.

"Just uh … thanked them," I replied. "You cannot understand them?"

He chuckled. "You always did regale me with jests." He started towards the house. "We have much to discuss, Josie!"




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