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more urban areas, found the vast open space of the Wyse ranch somewhat overwhelming.
     
    “A nice place to visit Dublin, but I don’t know if I would want to live way out here.  It seems so…solitary.”
     
    Dublin shook her head at Reese.
     
    “City boy.”
     
    Mac interrupted the conversation by walking past both of them as he made his way down the drive with a slight limp, covering his mouth as he coughed several times.
     
    “Let’s go.  Want to get to Coop before we run out of daylight.”
     
    The fenced road to the Wyse ranch house was nearly a mile long.  Halfway to the house a group of five horses running in the vast fenced field stopped and came up to them, the largest of the horses looking at them cautiously.  They were beautiful animals – powerful and graceful, with clear intelligent eyes that seemed to question who these unknown visitors were who now walked the property that was their home.
     
    Finally the ranch house came into view, a long single story structure with a covered porch that ran the length of the front of the home.  On that porch could be seen Cooper Wyse, occupying what appeared to be a handmade rocking chair, the brim of his cowboy hat tilted downward just above his green eyes as he sat drinking from a simple white coffee cup.  To Cooper’s right sat a large, red-colored dog, whose own brown eyes watched the approach of the arriving four with a careful intensity.  Cooper’s right hand reached out to scratch the dog’s ear as a way of letting it know all was well.
     
    As the four guests stood directly in front of the covered porch, Cooper stood up and tipped his hat in greeting.
     
    “Hope the walk didn’t prove too much trouble for you.  Since we’re not so far from the border between Alaska and the Canadian province out here, there’s regular drone surveillance just over the hills there.  Anything mechanical sets them off, and I figure it would be best if we start this trip off sight unseen if possible.”
     
    Reese was the first to take a step onto the porch.
     
    “Bear said he figured you were testing us to see if we could handle the trip.”
     
    Cooper gave a small smile and the slightest of shrugs.
     
    “I won’t say that wasn’t a possibility.  So tell me, you all up for the trip?”
     
    Now Mac also stepped onto the first step of the porch.
     
    “I’m getting tired of people asking me that question.  Yeah, we’re up for the damn trip.  We’re riding horses, right?”
     
    Cooper nodded.
     
    “That’s right, for some of the trip anyways.  You ever sit in a saddle for any length of time, Mr. Walker?  Or you, Mr. Neeson?  Bear?  Dublin?”
     
    Bear snorted, waiving a dismissive hand in Cooper’s direction.
     
    “I played football for a living.  Don’t think sitting myself on top of a horse is gonna be any harder than that.  No disrespect, but seems to me the horse is doing most the work.”
     
    Cooper lightly scratched the unshaven stubble on his left cheek as a knowing smile revealed itself to Bear.
     
    “Talk to me in a few days about that, Mr. Tedlow.  I’m not a gambling man, but if I were, I’m pretty certain you’ll be singing a different tune by then.”
     
    Bear took a step onto the porch as he raised both his hands upward and shrugged.  Cooper’s dog let out a low growl at the big man, its eyes glaring toward Bear warning him not to come any closer.
     
    Cooper issued a sharp whistle that instantly quieted the dog, his right hand resting gently on its neck.
     
    Dublin pointed at the dog.
     
    “What kind of dog is that, Mr. Wyse?”
     
    Though Dublin had spoken, the dog’s eyes remained fixed on Bear.
     
    “He’s a red Doberman.  My grandparents used to breed them years ago.  His name is Brando.  Last of his family…like me.  He just turned seven a few months back.  He’s eyeing you, Mr. Tedlow, because you’re the biggest one of the four of you.  Figures you to be the most potential threat.