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Reaching the veranda, Ty started across it with slow, lance ran upward toward the second story “I should go up and see them”

“You need to go inside and sit down,” Tara insisted

“First, I have to call Jessy’s folks,” Ty stated

“No need for that,” Chase told him “They are inside I told them to come over and ith us I think they would like a firsthand account of what happened When you called from the hospital, you were sketchy with the details, not that they were very important at the time”

There wasn’t much to tell, but Ty understood that others had a need to hear events replayed, that it soh, he had lived it, and there had been too much time both at the hospital and on the way hoo over it again, he went inside

Minutes after Ty walked in the door, the telephone started ringing and rapevine had been quick to spread the news of his return It said as ard they held for Jessy as it did that she was married to a Calder

Cat was in the kitchen, busy arranging an assort platter when Dick Ballard stepped inside the back door He swept off his hat and held it in front of hi it round and round by the brim

“I thought I would find Sally here,” he said in vague apology “I wanted to find out how Jessy is”

She could see the worry in his gentle eyes It touched her “Jessy’s going to be fine,” Cat assured hi worse than a concussion They’re siht as a precaution”

“Somebody said her head was split open and she was bleedin’ all over the place”

“I know It ash” Cat went back to her task, piling on the sandwiches “Ty said it took twelve stitches to close it But head wounds bleed a lot, even small ones”

“That’s true enough One time when I was steer wrestlin’, a horn clipped my forehead It wasn’t deep at all, but I bled like a stuck hog,” he recalled with soarrulity

He seemed about to say more when Tara walked into the kitchen Cat was surprised by the coolness that sprang into his eyes

With a wave of his hat in Cat’s direction, he turned to leave “Thanks for the update,” he said and went out the door, pushing his hat back onto his head as he left

“What did he want?” Tara walked straight to the coffee maker and poured more coffee into the insulated carafe she carried