Happy Cow Ranch

Tornado

Beth downs her fourth glass of whiskey, shooting daggers at anyone who glances at her. Unwanted memories of Maisie's broken little body, the deep wounds, and her weak, pale face surface. Beth shakes it off and rises, wandering into the room where her father, her husband, her brother, and the ranch hands now deliberate on how to get Maisie home.

"We have no idea who took her the first time, we can't go after them," Rip states, hands spread out on a map of Montana. He looks up when Beth enters, raising one arm to let her stand by his side.

"Well, it's a better lead than anything else. Kayce, any update on the blood?" John looks over at his son. Kayce shakes his head.

"I'll go ask Ryan," He says, and turns to leave, not seeing Weston perk up.

"Ryan? You mean, Ryan-" Wes starts, but Rip cuts him off.

"Yes; that Ryan,"

Before another word can be spoken, Weston races out of the house, colliding into Ryan who was on his way in. He gives him a huge hug, and when Ryan recovers his senses he beams and pats Wes on the back.

"Ryan! Oh, I've missed you, man. God, I thought you were dead!" Weston laughs, finally letting Ryan go. Ryan gives a little nod, hands shoved in his pockets.

"Yeah, sorry about that. You kinda went MIA after I got recruited, and I didn't know how to find you," Ryan explains, leaning back.

"I was in jail," Wes laughs, and shakes his head when Ryan makes a face. "Not for anything bad! I just, maybe, punched a cop when he was flirting with my drunk little sister. Of course, I didn't realize he was a cop... until he arrested me."

Ryan snorts and shakes his head at him.

"If that isn't the most 'Weston Palmer' thing I've ever heard,"

"You have a good catch up?" Kayce asks, coming toward the two.

"Sorry, Kayce. I have the lab reports on that blood sample. They're from a Chris Rhodes, male, six foot two, blonde buzzcut-" Ryan starts, but Kayce cuts him off.

"You got all that from a drop of blood?" Kayce looks dubiously at the young livestock agent who shakes his head.

"He's in the system. Prior arrests for assault, armed robbery, kidnapping, and... and rape," Ryan shifts uncomfortably. Weston tenses, his 200 pounds of muscle all building up like a bear ready to maul a trespasser. Each vein in his neck makes an appearance, one by one, and the others can only guess what he's thinking.

"How the hell'd he get out of that?" Kayce asks, trying to redirect attention.

"Got bailed out by some hotshot business man. He barely spent a week in prison," Ryan grumbles. Suddenly something flashes in the two men's eyes, something that Weston isn't privy to.

"The Becks," They say, and turn immediately back to the big house, barreling inside. Weston frowns, then rushes to catch up with the two, stumbling over his feet.

"What? What did we realize? Is she okay?" Weston calls after them, then curses when the door closes on him. The door swings open again, and Beth storms out, followed quickly by Rip.

"Beth—Beth, slow down," Rip whines, and John follows quickly. She pushes past Weston who was situated inconveniently in her way. Weston pivots to watch the Duttons climb into the first truck, Kayce and Ryan quickly joining the group, but entering the second Yellowstone truck.

"Well, you gettin' in or not?" Ryan asks, leaning out of the window with that half-cocked, half-serious expression he'd had since childhood. When they were little they'd run around causing trouble, and that crooked little look indicated that Ryan was planning a way to save them. Now, that look was devoted to the poor girl stuck with those insolent nobodies.

It registered that this is Weston's turning point. No matter what he does, there will be no turning back. If he walks away, lets the Yellowstone handle this situation, he can never come back to Happy Cow—or Montana for that matter—, but if he went, if he helped rescue that sweet girl, he would undoubtedly commit multiple crimes and forcibly become bonded to the Dutton family, and this ranch.

Weston raised his eyes to meet his friend's. Ryan's expression twitched into a frown, his hard eyes flicking over Weston's tense stance.

"Well, unlock the door, would ya?"