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“I’ood Aren’t I, Grandma?” he asserted with confidence

“Almost always”

Through the rest of the h would they fly? Would they go through any clouds? How does a plane stay in the air? Could he take his gun along—a toy—so he could shoot any coyotes he saw? Why are soray and some white? Jessy tried to answer his questions truthfully, but she had to be quick to keep Laredo fro one of his tall tale answers

Finished with her own meal, Cat stood “Anyone want dessert? There’s some cake in the kitchen Or fruit if you like?”

“Not me” Chase pushed his chair back froot some phone calls to make I’ll be in the den if anyone wants me”

Cat watched hi to call?”

“Ask him,” Laredo told her

“I did He wouldn’t tell me, just went all mysterious and said it wasn’t any of my business” An answer she clearly didn’t like

“Maybe it isn’t,” Laredo countered

“More than likely he’s calling some store to buy a Christmas present for one of us,” Cat decided “After the patrol a special Christetting together”

“I bet I knohat he’s gonna buy,” Jake declared, then sether rather than confess the secret he shared with his great-grandfather He was a bit disappointed when no one took the bait and asked him what it was

The single-engine Cessna Skylane swept through the wide blue sky while its shadow raced across the rough and broken land below it Jessy was at the controls, auto the country before her Every low mesa and wide coulee had a distinctive characteristic that enabled Jessy to pinpoint her location in this vast elance idly turning to look out the side

Buckled into his child’s seat directly behind Jessy, Jake strained forward to tap the back of her seat “Hey, Grandma Are we there yet?”

“Alht turn of her head in his direction, then pointed to a spo

t slightly to the left of the airplane’s nose “Did you see that butte just ahead of us?”