A Woman's Touch

places to build their communes.“
    „Don’t be ridiculous, Becky.“ Kyle muttered.
    „You know very well that I am seldom ridiculous. I mean every word I say. You both have sixty seconds to make up your minds.“
    Kyle swore and looked at Ballard. „I hate to say it, but she probably means it. I do know her. Unless you want this town filled with a bunch of weirdos and their gurus, you’d better do as she says.“ He fished his wallet out of his back pocket, walked over to the bar and put down several bills.
    Ballard watched in astonishment. Then he looked at Rebecca’s face as if seeing her for the first time. Something he saw there must have convinced him the threat was real. Thoughtfully he followed Kyle over to the bar and put down a stack of bills.
    Rebecca was keenly aware of the stunned silence behind her as she turned and strode out of the tavern. She didn’t need to look over her shoulder to know that Kyle and Glen were following her.

SEVEN
    „If you’re the new owner of Harmony Valley,“ Glen Ballard said as he trailed after Rebecca who was heading back toward the grocery store. „I’ll tell you straight, ma’am, you aren’t quite what I expected. Bet you weren’t what Stockbridge here was expecting, either. Hey, here comes Herb. What’s up, Herb? You look agitated.“
    Herb Crocket came to an awkward halt in front of Rebecca. He looked from her composed face to the scowling faces of the two men following at her heels. „Everything okay, Miss Wade?“ he asked uneasily.
    „Everything is just fine, Herb. Kyle and Glen just did their charitable deed for the day. They bought a round of drinks for everyone in Cully’s Tavern. If you hurry, you might get a beer on the house.“
    „They chipped in together to buy a round of drinks? I don’t believe it.“ Herb stared harder at Kyle and Glen. „Must be some mistake. I thought there was gonna be a…“ He broke off quickly as the two men behind Rebecca fixed him with quelling stares.
    „You thought there was going to be a fight?“ Rebecca smiled politely. „Not today. Mr. Ballard and Mr. Stockbridge are going to behave themselves today. Aren’t you, gentlemen?“
    Kyle braced one hand against the nearest wall and bunched the other one into a fist at his hip. „This isn’t funny, Becky.“
    „You can say that again,“ Glen Ballard muttered.
    Herb looked from one man to the other with a dazed expression. „What isn’t funny?“ he finally asked.
    „I’ve explained to both Mr. Ballard and Mr. Stockbridge that if either of them gets into a brawl this afternoon, I will be turning Harmony Valley over to a tribe of cultists. As you can see, Mr. Ballard and Mr. Stockbridge appear to be able to agree on a few things, one of which is that they don’t want Harmony Valley going to a bunch of strange people in purple togas.“
    „Purple togas?“ Herb Crocket looked more confused than ever.
    „Run along to Cully’s, Herb.“ Kyle looked bored. „Someone down there can explain the joke.“
    „I think I’ll do that.“ Herb stepped around Rebecca and her entourage. „Your groceries are waiting for you, Miss Wade,“ he called back over his shoulder.
    „Thank you, Herb.“ She resumed her determined stride toward the store. Both Glen and Kyle fell into step behind her again.
    Neither said a word as she collected her sack of groceries from an astounded-looking Ethel and headed back across the street toward the motel.
    Glen Ballard finally spoke up as he realized she was about to let herself into her room without another word to either of the two men who had been shadowing her like wary wolves.
    „Miss Wade,“ Glen said, shedding some of the western twang in favor of a more businesslike tone, „I’d like to talk to you.“
    „Would you?“ She turned on the step and eyed the two men assessingly. The difference between Glen Ballard and Kyle Stockbridge was the difference between night and day. They were clearly opposites. If Kyle was a man of dark, brooding shadows, it was fair to say that his counterpart was full of sunlight and roguish charm. It took a while to get to know Kyle well enough to figure out if you could ever like him, but Glen was the kind of person everyone responded positively to on sight. Unless of course one knew why he was turning on the charm.
    „I certainly would,“ Glen said easily. „But my wife never allows me to talk business before dinner. She claims its bad for the stomach. Darla likes to fuss over me,