CHAPTER1
Mama always said being late wasrude.
Ellen Young could almost hear her mother’s voice saying it again, though her mother had passed three years ago.
She clenched her jaw as she climbed the front steps of the Triple C Ranch house in Eagle Rock Montana hating the fact that she would start off being late. The last of the eight women to arrive, she’d been delayed in the Columbus Ohio airport for four hours, each minute making her more nervous with worry that someone would recognize her.
They’d given her a long blonde wig, which covered her dark hair, though it didn’t go with her dark eyebrows and eyelashes. Her clothing, black leggings, and a big grey T-shirt, were meant to make her look closer to sixteen than twenty-five, but she wasn’t convinced it was a good disguise. Since she often had to buy clothes in the children’s teen section, she wasn’t convinced this outfit made her look younger.
As a kindergarten teacher, she usually dressed for sitting on the floor with the children during story time, for games, finger painting, school glue, and glitter. Putting her in a woman’s business suit and a gray wig would have been a better disguise, in her opinion.
The Courage and Confidence Center, also affectionately known as Three C’s Ranch, was the newest center to open and the eight women were the first to attend. These centers in the U.S. were for women who had escaped domestic abuse situations or other attacks. They came to the centers to learn to defend themselves along with other skills to help them transition to living on their own. They were there to learn self-confidence and skills to help them when they left.
Ellen was lucky to be here. The wait list was long and not every woman got in. Something could derail them. A doctor had to certify she was clear of alcohol and drugs, and fit to travel, swim, ride horses and take self-defense classes. Her finances had to be in place, and there could be no upcoming court appearances. Once at the center, she would stay until her time was done. If she had to leave for any reason, other than an authorized day trip set up by the center, she couldn’t come back.
The nonprofit centers had generous donors, but the women had to make a financial contribution using a sliding scale based upon their income. Ellen had a small nest egg she’d been building during the three years she’d worked at Washington Elementary. She’d been dipping into it, to pay bills, since she couldn’t go back to teaching elementary school children. The children’s safety would always come first.
Rigby Mortimer was still at large.
She pushed the thought out of her head, reminded herself that Mortimer couldn’t find her here and that eventually they would catch him.
At the top of the steps, she walked to the big front door of the lodge, pushed it open and then walked into the great room.
One of the center’s employees had told the limo driver, Sam, that a Mr. Buck Harris would give her a ride up to the ranch house in his truck, and she should come on in once she got there. Dinner would already be in progress.
So, following directions, she walked in and then stood in the middle of the room, looking around at the log walls, large wooden beams, and antler chandeliers, wondering what to do next.
Buck, who’d insisted on carrying her bags in, left them just inside the front door, and went to the barn to park the truck.
On the left side of the room was a large brown leather couch, and two brown leather love seats. A large stone fireplace reached to the ceiling.
The dining area was on left side of the room toward the back, with log walls and heavy wooden beams from which antler chandeliers hung.
A woman who looked to be native American with dark eyes and long dark hair came out of the dining area to greet her. “Ellen, welcome!” She smiled and reached out her hand as she came closer. “I’m Leah White Crane. We’re so glad you finally made it.”
“Nice to meet you,” Ellen said as they shook hands. “I was pretty worried for a while,” she admitted.
“Yes, I imagine you were,” Leah said “For many of our ladies, the trip here is the scariest thing that has happened to them since the most recent act of aggression they’ve experienced. Would you like me to show you to your room first, so you can rest and freshen up, or would you rather join us for dinner now?”
“I’d like to join everyone for dinner now,” Ellen said. “I can shower later.”
Bad enough she was late. She needed to be with the other women, part of the class from the start, not off doing her own thing. That would not be a good way to start.
“Then follow me,” Leah said, “And I’ll introduce you to everyone.” She waved her hand at a desk to the right of the room. “Normally that’s where Cecelia, our secretary and receptionist sits. She’s at the dinner table with the others tonight.”
Ellen followed Leah to the dining room, taking everything in.
A long rectangular table which sat fourteen was nearly full. The other seven women had already arrived. Two more women were seated along with one man.
She noticed each chair had the three C’s logo carved into the back.
Leah began the introductions. “Cecelia, here at this end of the table, is our secretary and receptionist.”
Ellen realized the woman was blind. She spoke loud enough so the woman would know where she was. “Nice to meet you, Cecelia.”
Cecelia turned her face toward Ellen. “It’s my pleasure,” she said. “Let me know if you need anything. I’m almost always at my desk.”
“Thank you, I will,” Ellen said.
