Wounded Legacy

Chapter One 　

"You can't just throw words at me. I don't treat you that way, I never have." Sam cried at her brother. Jake had belittled her for the last time, Sam was ready to take him on now. The two of them stood on opposite sides of the table and stared at each other. Jake was sure that she would back down and allow him to have his way, everyone always did. Everyone in the family had always let him his way to avoid the predictable and loud fit that would follow anyone daring to get in his way. Jake had learned at an early age to defy anyone that tried to direct him toward the right thing to do, from cleaning his plate to letting the water out of the tub after his bath. At four years old, he realized his tantrums and screams would lead to his parents trying to calm him and give in to anything that would quiet the squalls his tiny lungs could produce. By the age of ten he had figured out just about everyone around him. He knew how to blame his brother and make it look real good, as he stood back and watched the punishment being doled out onto his brother. He had the look of innocence down to a science and had learned how to use that look with teachers and preachers alike, always to his advantage.

Tired of the oppressive personality of his brother, Tim the younger of the two, had never come home again once he left for college. The family had figured out after the first year he was gone, that he would never come back to the ranch again as they held off Christmas, in the hope that he would show up. No one talked about it though, because Jake wouldn't allow it. He would slam his fist on the closest object to him and yell, "Shut up. Just shut up about him. He doesn't belong here." His parents wouldn't dare say another word and the air in the room would become suffocating to Samantha. Year by year as her brother had gotten older, he had pushed her parents down until they could no longer speak freely in their own home. Her mother, Robbie, was a pretty woman, the beginning of soft lines showing on her face now. A constant smile, was her way of dealing with the son that had become more tyrannical by the day, but her eyes showed the sadness and fear in her heart.

Sam glanced at her mother, pretending to wipe the dust from a flower in the kitchen window. Keeping the peace since she was five years old, had become Sam's duty in the family. Her father kept to himself and always found a job on the ranch that would take him far away from Jake. Never a large man, even in his youth, Luke Prentiss had shrunk into a small figure of a man, always holding his head down. He loved his son, as any father would, but he couldn't tolerate being around him. Sam hated the look on her father's face whenever Jake pulled one of tirades, he seemed to shrink even smaller and almost crept out of the room to get away from the tongue lashings Jake would throw at him. Sam would grieve at these times, wishing her father would stand up to him and wanting to do it for him.

Luke wasn't really afraid of Jake for himself, but he was afraid of what would happen if they ever confronted each other. So, Luke chose the path of least resistance and stayed out of Jake's way as much as possible.
Today, Sam didn't feel like keeping the peace anymore either. She stood her ground against her older brother and stuck her chin out, as if to say to him, you'll have to knock me down, 'cause I'm not giving in on this, brother of mine, there is too much at stake for all of us. Jake had found a buyer for the ranch, a developer in town, and was ready to sell. He had been pointing out to his parents they would have to sign it over to him, in order to get the deal done. Making it sound as if this was the only thing left to do. Jake was tired of ranching and wanted to use the money from the ranch to find something else to do, or so he said. As Sam listened to him telling her parents they would have to turn over their ranch to him, her temper began to boil within her. Her fists were clenched so tight the nails cut into her palms. Looking into the faces of her parents, she saw fear. They were afraid of him and what he may have done to get his hands on the ranch. Jake didn't care what would happen to them with no way to make a living and too young to retire yet, only himself.

Not only was Jake good looking and tall, he had a way of making you believe every word he said. If you didn't, he would say it louder and tower over you until you at least pretended to agree with him. Sam could see that her mother had no idea what he was even talking about. Nothing had ever been mentioned about selling the ranch, as she sat with her lip trembling not knowing what to do. Luke stood up and turned towards the door. Jake stepped in front of him, "We need to settle this now, Dad. I want this ranch sold and the papers are all drawn up for you to sign." His father would normally find a way to get around Jake and leave the room, but today he had a slower walk, almost methodical, daring Jake to put a hand on him to stop him. He didn't look at Jake, but headed for the door, defying Jake to stop him. Opening the door he turned to Jake, "Son, you are welcome to go find your way elsewhere in the world, but this ranch ain't for sale, not under any terms." Jake started toward him and Luke shut the door behind him, hard.

"Jake!" Sam yelled out. Jake turned to her with a look of pure meanness. "You stay out of this Sam, it's none of your business." he told her with a finality. "Jake, this is just as much my business as yours. I work here the same as you. The difference is, I love this ranch and I would never sell any part of it. Neither will Dad." she fired back at him, without any fear whatsoever. Sam had stood up taller with this said and dared Jake to try and roll over her. This surprised Jake, he was used to commanding the room, with his booming voice and tall form, especially with his family and anyone that worked on the ranch. Feeling a little off his game now, with Sam standing up to him so boldly, he said, "This is gonna happen, Sam. You can't stop me." He stomped out the door, slamming it behind him and got in his truck. Leaving a trail of dust behind him, Jake headed toward town, as Sam looked after him with a glazed look in her eyes, not knowing just what to do next.

The two women were startled as the door burst open and Luke stepped into the room. He went into the den and made a phone call, Sam listening at the door. As he hung up the phone, Sam walked over to him. "Dad, are you alright?" she asked quietly. "Just fine hon, get your coat on, we're going in to see Jamison Wright." he answered her. Sam had a look of amazement about her as she quickly got on her coat and boots, not asking any questions, just following her father out to the truck. Once in the truck her father smiled. Sam glanced over at him, "Dad?" He actually laughed out loud. "Honey, don't worry. I knew this day was coming and I made a plan for it. You see, I figured when Jake started spending all that time with that slick developer that's been buying up ranches left and right, something would come at the ranch. From Jake. So I took care of it a while back. Now we got to tie up any loose ends, quick like."

Sam decided to keep quiet for the time being. She had learned years ago, that her father was just as determined as Jake, but kept it to himself and got the job done without so much noise. They pulled into the parking lot in front of the large office building and saw Jake's truck parked close to the doors. He was leaning against it, talking to the developer that had his offices in the building. Without speaking they both waited in the truck for Jake to pull away, in a hurry, tires squealing. Luke opened his door and got out, waiting for Sam to join him and they headed into the building. Once inside they took the elevator up to the third floor. Luke opened the door and walked into an office. Nodding to the receptionist at the desk as she were quite used to him being there, he walked down a hallway and knocked on a door. A familiar voice called out, "Come in." Sam followed her father in and looked around. Standing in front of a huge desk was her brother Tim. He mouth dropped open, but no words came out. She stood stock still, as if her boots had become glued to the spot she stood on and the world had started spinning off it's axis.

"Hello Sam, good to see you. Boy! You sure grew up." her brother smiled invitingly to her. Sam finally got control of her limbs and ran to him, crying and throwing her arms around him. "How.." Sam stuttered. Tim kept his arm around her waist and squeezed her tightly. "It's a long story Sam. I moved here about six months ago and Dad and I have been in touch the whole time. Now, don't go getting your back up, little girl." he laughed and pointed her to a chair. Sam looked at her Dad, pleading with her eyes for an explanation. Her father leaned over and took her hand. "Sam, Jake has been using the ranch's assets, the horses for one thing, to gamble, for some time now. That's the real reason he needs to sell the ranch. When I figured out what he was doing, I contacted Jamison, my old friend and lawyer. During our conversations, he told me he needed to hire someone to help with all the extra work that was coming in. I told him about Tim, and that's how it all happened. Tim wasn't too happy with the law group he was with and decided to take the job and move here to help us out." Luke looked over at Tim with an affectionate smile.

Sam looked from one to the other. She couldn't believe that so much had taken place in the matter of an hour, and she still didn't fully comprehend it all. Her brother Tim was actually sitting across from her, behind a mahogany desk, smiling and leaning back in his chair, as though this was the way things had always been. He still looked the same, although she hadn't laid eyes on him for many years. "Does mom know?" she asked increduously. Tim leaned forward and turned a picture frame on his desk toward her, "Mom has met Salina, my wife, you will too soon." Sam looked at the very pretty woman with long dark hair in the picture and a tear slid down her face. She wiped it away and smiled at Tim unable to speak. Her emotions at seeing her brother after so many years had taken her voice. Tim came around from behind his desk and kneeled in front of her. "Sam, we'll have plenty of time to talk later. Right now, Dad and I need to explain things to you about the ranch. You are going to have to help us with this." He looked at her and patted her hand. Sam nodded and reached in her pocket for a tissue, ready to help in any way she could.

An hour later Sam and her dad were heading back to the ranch. They had stopped off at the local feed store and picked up some vaccines that had been previously ordered. With those in hand, they could explain their absence from the ranch, if Jake asked where they had been. Jake's truck was no where to be seen as they pulled up to the farmhouse. Sam jumped out and ran to the kitchen to find her mother, still sitting at the table. He mother looked up at her with a smile and reached out for her. Sam whispered to her, "Oh mom, he's home." Her mother nodded without speaking. Her husband had come in and she looked at him, "Everything taken care of ?"

He smiled and nodded, standing straighter than he had in years. Sam helped her mother get lunch on the table and they spoke very little while they attended to the job at hand. Just as they sat down to eat, they heard Jake's truck pull up. Sam began to talk about a new foal, telling her father that she wanted to keep him because his lineage would add to the stock they carried.

Jake stomped into the house and headed up to his room taking the stairs two at a time. Sam decided to continue her conversation about the foal, even though Jake was out of hear shot. Robbie and Sam began to clear the table and heard Jake coming down the stairs. When he came into the kitchen he stopped at the table, "Mom, did you do my laundry today?" His mother turned to him and nodded. "Where are the papers that were in my pocket?" he asked angrily. Robbie turned back to the sink and said, "Jamison has them." He stepped toward his mother with his fists clenched, "What have you done?" His scream was like an animals and he moved closer to her. Sam stepped between them, "It's over Jake. You aren't going to trade this ranch for your gambling debts. It's all over." She spoke quietly, but with a deadly determination. Jake moved away from her, unable to speak and afraid of what he might do if he stepped any closer to his mother. He began to shake and sat in the chair at the table with his head in his hands.

"I don't know what happened. I didn't mean for this to happen, it just got away from me." he said with a muffled voice. Sam still stood where she was, but her mother had left the room, afraid she would break down and tell Jake it would be ok. Luke stood at the door. He had come in and witnessed the scene, and now stood still unable to move as he stared at his son's head laid on the table. Many emotions were flooding through Luke as he stared at the man in front of him. "Jake!" he finally said, louder than he had spoken in many years. Jake lifted his head, looking toward his father. "The State Attorney will be getting in touch with you. He has some questions for you. So do I." his father said to him with the determined voice he hadn't used in years.

Sam felt as though she couldn't stand anymore and sat in the chair next to Jake. "Why Jake? Why would you throw us away without a thought? I know you were glad when Tim didn't come home, but what about us. Does family mean nothing to you?" she pleaded with him for answers. Jake got up and ran out the door to his truck, heading toward town. Her hands in her lap and tears streaming down her face, Sam knew that nothing would ever be the same for this family. Not that change wouldn't be good, after all, Tim was back and that would be wonderful. But what about Jake, she wondered. The amount of debt he had facing him was enormous and she couldn't imagine how he would pay it off. Her father and Tim had taken away any liability the ranch would incur from his debts. They had even set up a Trust so that Jake could not try to sue for any inheritance he would come into. The ranch could not be sold, it would remain a working ranch and any profits would pay for the continuance of the ranch, to be sure that Jake couldn't pull any more fast ones. Still, Sam was unsure how this would all play out. Sam had been made manager and would be keeping a close eye on the books with the new accountant they had hired.

Later that night, just as Sam cut out the lights to head up to bed, she heard Jake's truck. She stood on the first step and waited. Jake came around the corner and stopped when he saw her. He had thought he would avoid seeing any of them, by waiting so late to come in. He pushed Sam out of the way and headed up the stairs, she could smell the whiskey as he went past her. Sam, no longer sleepy headed to the kitchen and made a cup of tea. Her mind was full of all the past explosions by her brother, knowing that this wasn't over. He wouldn't stay quiet for long. She worried about how this would effect her parents and wondered how she could manage to stay between them, with something this volatile waiting to happen. Sam waited for a long time, making sure that Jake wasn't coming back downstairs, before dragging her tired body up the stairs.

Sam awoke before daylight the next morning and made coffee, taking it out to the porch to watch the sun come up. As the sun rose in front of her over the mountain range beyond the barn, she realized that Jake's truck wasn't there. Still in her pajamas, she headed to the barn and jumped in the truck. Driving around the barns and corrals, she doesn't find his truck anywhere. Sam went back to the house and found both her parents at the table. Luke held what seemed to be a letter in his hands. He held it out for Sam to take. She read through the sloppily written letter from Jake and laid it on the table. "It's a trick. He'll be back." she said flatly as she left the room and headed up to her room. Sam sat on the bed and thought about what Jake could be up to. He had said in his letter that he had to get away from the people that wanted money. What had he left them with, could they be in danger from these people? A tap on the door brought her head up to see her mother standing there.

"It's a good thing honey. Jake needs to be away from the ranch, it's way over due." her mother said quietly. Sam bit her lip, a habit she had and nodded in agreement with her mother. She got herself up and took a deep breath, knowing she and her father would have a full day in front of them, with Jake gone. She stared at herself in the full length mirror. "Better start bulking up old girl! These puny muscles won't hold up to the load of work in front of you now." She left the pretty room she had occupied all of her life and headed out the back door. Standing on the porch, she looked out to the horses in the pasture behind the barn. They had decisions to make today and they wouldn't be easy ones to come to grips with, concerning how to run the ranch without Jake. His mouth and his attitude were always hard to take, but he did work like a bulldozer and never seemed to tire, working long days, harder than anyone else on the ranch could.

Sam was worried...