***
Tyson woke up with a start. A quick assessment around the room reassured him that he was alone and that it had all just been a dream. He sat up on the couch and held his head in his hands. It was gloomy outside, in that moment between daylight and night-time.
He was soaked in a cold sweat. He hated dreams like the one he'd just had. While the details changed from dream to dream, the outcome remained the same. His father had been murdered, the item he had been accused of stealing had never been found, and he and his family had been banished from the Sacred Gardens.
As always, he renewed his vow to find the artefact that somehow his father had stolen, walked outside the building and was murdered, but hadn't had the idol on his body. The simple fact that it made no sense was not lost on Tyson, but it had been lost on those in charge. Someday he'd find it and clear his father's name.
Logan, his younger brother, walked out from the kitchen. That's what had woken him up. Tyson growled at him for the intrusion. Logan just laughed at him.
"Bud, the horses won't feed themselves just because you're sleeping in. Maybe you shouldn't stay up so late at night."
"Or maybe I should let you take all of the city slickers so I don't have to," Tyson retorted.
"Hell no. I don't have the patience for that."
Tyson laughed as he headed to the barn. The horses never did appreciate a good sleep, and he also knew that he and his brothers split up the more challenging guests. They had a really good working relationship for being brothers, even though they had their fights.
He finished the feeding and was heading back to his cabin when his mother called to him. Vinia was standing at the main lodge, and as he approached, she had a strange expression on her face.
"What's up?"
"You need to come here for a minute." She gestured for him to go inside. "Take a look at the reservations."
His heart sank. "Tell me we're not getting an entire tour group from New York City."
"Not exactly."
He walked behind the desk and perused the reservations. And then he saw it. "You have got to be kidding me."
Valerie Blanchette. A name that he never thought he would ever see again.
He glanced at his mother before he turned and stomped out without saying a word.
Chapter Three: Going Home
Valerie Blanchette Kenway
Valerie's heart squeezed as the pilot announced that they were descending into the Denver airport. Colorado. A state that held so many memories for her that she thought she'd never see again. A place that she wasn't sure she wanted to see now, but she had no choice.
After grabbing their luggage from baggage claim, they headed over to the rental car facility so they could drive the rest of the way to Manitou Springs. Even though she had slept on the plane, Londyn was getting whiny and cranky. Valerie knelt before her as they waited for their turn at the desk.
"Honey, if you can just give me a little bit longer, you can rest in the car on the way, okay?"
"But, Mommyyyy...."
"Here." Valerie pulled a snickers from her pocket. It was supposed to be for later, but this was a meltdown emergency. To her relief, the move worked and Londyn carried her treat to a bench and had a seat.
The lady in front of her had walked away, and the guy at the counter tried to be polite, but Valerie could see through his annoyance and boredom with his job. She smiled, but it wavered as he just stared at her. He looked familiar to her, but she was too tired to try and work it out.
"Do you have a vehicle reserved, ma'am?"
"No, I'm afraid I don't."
He let out a sigh and tapped a few keys on the computer. He gave her the vehicles available, and she chose the cheapest one, a Toyota Corolla. He asked her the mandatory questions and then gave her the total. She pulled out cash and watched as he raised his hands almost in horror.
"Oh, we don't accept cash. It has to be put on a major credit card in case you don't bring it back."
Valerie sighed. Luckily, she still had enough on the prepaid Visa card. He stared at it when she handed it to him.
