King of the Herd Book 1: Running Midnight

Chapter One: How it happened

It was early when someone from the National Homeland Security picked up sixteen-year-old Riley Renee Wagner from the Utah airport. Riley was on her way to Forever Pine Ranch, a real live ranch that she dreamed her whole life to be on. It was about three hours away from the airport. While she was on her way to Forever Pine, she thought about why she was here.

Riley Wagner was an only child, but that did not stop her from dreaming that she was a real cowgirl. She grew up in Upstate New York. However, when she turned fourteen in October her dad Robert, told her that they had to move to Nebraska for the military in January. It was a good thing she was home schooled otherwise it would have been a lot worse. They lived in a small town, however, not one of those towns where no one outside a twenty-five mile radius ever heard of it, but, not like New York City either. After they had settled in Riley was able to get a job at a local general store. To make her life easier, her parents agreed that every Friday night would be family time. Whether it was watching a movie at home or going out to eat, they made the time to spend time together. At her new job, Riley worked from 1:00pm until 7:30pm on Fridays. One Friday in the middle of December, Robert, Lisa (her mom), and Riley had agreed that they would pick her up at 7:45pm to go window-shopping. It was 3:30pm; she could not wait for her parents to pick her up. The minutes felt like hours and the hours like days. Finally, it was 7:00pm, just forty-five more minutes! Give or take.

"Time to close up." said Mr. Nicholas, her boss.

"Yes, sir!" she said with a salute.

Mr. Nicholas was one of the nicest bosses she ever had. He understood if there was a problem or a weird question she just had to ask. She had seen him in Church too! That is how she was able to get a job and become great friends with Mr. Nicholas!

"Mom and dad picking you up?" asked Mr. Nicholas.

"Yep, we are going window shopping and getting ideas for Christmas!" she replied.

"Can you believe that it's almost Christmas?" he asked. "Why, it seems like just last week you came to church shy and all to everyone you met. Now look at you! So warm and friendly and a good baker too!" he said with smile.

"No, I can't believe it either.This is going to be our first Christmas in Nebraska. I'm so excited!!!" she exclaimed.

After they had finished cleaning up the store, Mr. Nicholas locked the door behind them.

"Are you sure you don't want me to wait with you? It's freezing out here!" said Mr. Nicholas.

"I'm quite sure, besides, it's only Thirty-five degrees out here! I AM from Upstate New York, we call this a heat wave around this time of year!" she said with pride.

"Alright if you insist, I'll see you Sunday!" he said as he waved good-bye.

"BYE!!!" She yelled out to him "See you Sunday!"

She looked at her watched it read in green glowing numbers 1950 military time (7:50pm for the rest of us). "It won't be long now!" Riley thought to her herself as she waited. "Soon we will be looking at the windows looking for the perfect gift. In addition, I know just what to get them. What better gift then the Manger scene mom and I saw last week! " She thought. Last week she and her mom were looking at gifts for dad when her mom saw the Manger scene. "Isn't that that the most beautiful Manger scene you ever seen!" exclaimed her mom, and it was the most beautiful Manger scene Riley ever saw. Mary was in this beautiful light pink dress with a light blue cloth that covered most of her dark hair, and her hand were together up by her cheek as she looked down with the gentlest smile at her new baby boy. Joseph was tall, he wore a brown outfit with a forest green robe and a cloth belt around his waist, he had a staff as tall as him, which he hold it firmly with his hand, as he looked down with a satisfied look at the baby King. And Jesus, Well, there is not much to say. He was the perfect baby there ever was, he wore swaddling clothes and was laying in a manger with hay with his eyes closed and a perfect smile. That is what she wanted to get for her mother and father. It would look just perfect on the front porch of their new home. She looked at her watch again. It was 2030 military (8:30pm)!!! "Where's mom and dad? They should be her by now." Riley tried calling her parents cell phones....No answer, she tried both cells five times. All it did was ring and went to their voicemails. She decided to walk home. It was a good one and half mile walk which would take her about forty-five minutes. She called both cells one more time, but left a message on both of them. She told the where she was going, what time she left the shop, and told them to call as soon as possible. She started her walk, wondering why her parents didn't pick her up, or call her, or didn't answer their cells. When she finally came up to the last three city blocks, she started to smell smoke. Wondering why someone was barbecuing this late at night. It was already pass nine, and then she saw it, a fire! She couldn't tell which house it was. But, it was on her street! She started to run, even though she was tired. The closer it got, the more Riley realized, that it was HER house that was on fire! The flames were so high and bright that it almost looked liked the sun! She needed to call 911! But then, she heard the sirens, coming closer and closer. When they arrived, she saw the firefighters and the police officers scrambling around giving orders and asking questions. Finally, she asked one of the police officer. "Are my parents in there?!"

He turned to look at her, "Do you live here? What is your name?"

"Yes, my name is Riley Wagner." she answered

"How long have you lived here?"

"About eleven months... Do you know where my parents are?" even though she sounded like a little kid, she had to ask. She wanted to know what had happened to her parents!

"I don't know." he told her in a calming voice to help comfort her.

She looked at the house one more time. All of Riley's stuff wasn't even unpacked yet. But, that didn't matter to her now. What matter to her, was to know if her parents were all right?

The police officer looked at her with sympathy. "Why don't you come over here and I can ask you a couple more questions?" she nodded and started to walk away the burning building that use to be her home. He took her over to his car and let her sit on the hood. He asked her some more questions like, "Where were you born?", "What's your parents' name?", "Do have ANY idea what happened or where your parents are?". She answered all his questions. After he was done, he sent over a medic to look her over.

"Just in case some sparks got you or something." he said.

Riley didn't refused, she just wished someone would come over and tell her what had happened and where her parents are. As the medic finished examine her. God answered her prayers.

One of the firefighters, he looked like a Chief, came over and began to talk to the police officer that was helping her. They started as whispers then it grew a little louder, but, not loud enough for Riley to hear. Finally, they came over to her with faces that looked like they had the worse news ever.

"We got the fire under control," said the Chief. "But, the house is so badly burnt that there is nothing left. Do you want us to burn it to the ground?" He looked at her with eyes that looked liked he was trying to help ease her pain. She nodded, and then he yelled out the instructions to his men and continued his story. "We found no one inside. Therefore, we hope your parents are all right. The fire looked like it was started on the outside and someone put gasoline allover the house inside and out. Unless your parents REALLY hated the house, I don't think they would have done it. It looks like someone was trying to cover up something. But, this was NO accident." Riley gave a sigh, she was relived that her parents were not in the fire. "But, where ARE her parents?" She thought. The police officer must have seen her expression, because he acted as if he was going to tell the answer her question.

"We put out an All-Point Bulletin." said the police officer. "We are having all our officers making rounds to find your parents. In the mean time, why don't you come down to the office where it's nice and warm, and get you something to drink? "

"Am I in trouble?" She asked.

"No!" he replied. "What makes you think that?"

"I guess I watched too many FBI movies. Because it seems like every time someone goes to "the office" they are in trouble." The police officer smiled and chuckled.

He gave her a one-arm hug and said, "Everything is going to be alright."

He walked her over to the passenger side of the car and opened the front door for her and closed it once she was in, and they drove down to the station together. She looked at the car's clock. It was 11:00pm; she didn't realize how late it was or how cold it was, even though it was only about thirty degrees outside."Being out there for four hours would make any one cold, right?" She thought to herself. When they arrived at the police station, she let herself out and the police officer, who eventually told her to call him Bill, showed her around the station. After he got her some French Vanilla Cappuccino, he led her to the break room, where she waited for news about her parents. Bill kept her company most of the time. Occasionally, he had to go and see if the was any information about her parents. At around 12:30am someone came in to talk to Bill. "I'll be right back." he said as he gave her a smile and a little shoulder wiggle. She returned his smile and watch as he and the other officer walk out of the break room and round the corner. Riley was studying her cup for the longest time. When Bill walked in the door, with the saddest expression she ever saw.

She stood up and walked over to met him, "Did you find my parents?" she asked.

"We did." he said professionally and a sympathy face. Riley knew something was wrong.

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