Uncovered Tracks (ages 13-17)

 by Joanna B.

Normally, people would wake up early and head to work. Sometimes eating breakfast before or after the morning chores. Later in the evening the farmers would drive their cows home and milk them. A typical day for a hard working family during the late 1800s.

But not for this one young teenage girl. Just hitting the cusp of womanhood and ending girlhood, she was tall and beautiful. She had long light brown hair that she often let loose. Her eyes were the color of hazel and would twinkle with a joke even if she wasn't smiling. Her name was Kirsten Brookings. Young and free she wandered from state to state. She was a young free bird with a mysterious past. Not many knew her name and she seldom gave it to anyone. If she was ever seen, she had a book, a pen, a notepad, a bag,  a hat, and some wildflowers.

 Wandering one day through a large luscious lovely field full of healthy green grass, Kirsten thoughtfully watched the birds fly off and roost in the oak trees that dotted the green field. She had just come from the nearby town of Fresno. After buying some necessary food and supplies, she left the town as quickly as possible, hoping no one would recognize her.

Rapidly cutting through ranchers' fields and pastures, she walked for many hours. Each step closer to her next stop. Every once and a while she would pick up a small job and then leave shortly after. Sometimes townspeople would see her sending a letter or talking on a telephone. But the less people saw Kirsten, the better in her opinion. She enjoyed the free lifestyle of traveling from place to place, but the freedom was not as free as it seems.

There were some restrictions. Kirsten, like a young deer meeting a puma in a forest, had gotten herself in a tangle. Leading her to the situation she was now in.  Often she crossed farmers' property to avoid the roads to avoid being seen. Kirsten now felt somewhat exposed in the field and sought for trees for rest, cover, and time to write. Seeing an oak tree by a small stream, she then sat down at the base of the tree. She pulled out her notepad and pen.

There was one occupation that Kirsten had that only a few knew about. She was an undercover  detective, hot on the trail of some cattle thieves, she was a very unlikely candidate for the job. They had chosen her out of desperation, her employers needed an agent and fast. Though the thieves had caught on to her and her partner's scheme to catch them. She had made a mistake  a  few towns south. She had told someone who  she thought was trustworthy of her job. Unfortunately, he had turned out to be one of the cattle thieves.

Kirsten was now trying to follow them and not to be followed at the same time. She and her partner separated, hoping to catch the robbers by different routes. As Kirsten was writing some notes in her notepad, she heard the sound of hooves. Immediately she was alert and ready for anything.

Peering around the tree she saw a young woman about the same age as herself riding on a chocolate palomino with a young child in front of her. She had a fishing pole in hand and behind her was a young man on another horse. Kirsten was somewhat relieved, but Kirsten had nowhere to run. She sat quietly at the base of the tree.

Suddenly the girl flinched as if surprised and Kirsten knew she had seen her. “ Who are you? What are you doing here?” Asked the young woman.

“ My name is Kirsten Brookings,” replied Kirsten, studying the young woman and deciding she was safe enough to tell her her name.

“Andi, who are you talking to?” The young man questioned the young woman, he then looked at Kirsten.

“This girl right here, she says her name is Kirsten,” responded the girl whose name was Andi. Kirsten set down her pen, notepad, and flowers warily. Seeing her nervous look the man addressed her.

“ My name is Riley Prescott and this is my wife Andrea prescott, we call her Andi. I am the owner of this ranch. Why don’t you come home with us and tell us what you're doing here?” the man said to Kirsten.

Kirsten agreed to return with them to their house. Mounting up on the chocolate palomino, Kirsten sat behind Andi. Kirsten’s bag was tied to the saddle horn while Riley held the fishing poles and the kid. Kirsten was delighted to feel herself on the back of a horse once again. A pleasure she hasn't been able to enjoy since she took up this job as a detective. Though she had ridden many carriages and stage coaches, the bumpy feeling of wheels rolling over uneven ground isn't the same feeling as steady sturdy hooves hitting the ground.

The ride to Andi's house was long, but very enjoyable. The Prescott's rode with skill and excellent balance, signaling that they had been riding all their life. The Prescott's house came into view. It was a good size and very cozy. Ranch hands ran around in the yard, and there was a small kitchen garden nearby.

Dismounting, Andi took the child, whose name was Jared which Kirsten found out during the ride, and Riley took the horses to the barn. “Come inside, do you want any thing to drink or eat?” Offered Andi.

“No thank you,” Kirsten said.

“ I have never seen you before, do you come from around here? Why did you cross our property?” Andi questioned.

“ I don't live around here, I'm from southern California,” Kirsten replied cautiously, avoiding the second question.

“what are you doing up here in central California?” Asked Andi. Kirsten felt a little nervous, the young couple kept asking questions she didn't want to answer.

“I have business up here,” responded Kirsten.

Andi silently poured herself a cup of coffee and Riley walked in. They looked at each other questionly. The moment of silence was broken by a whine from Jared. Suddenly the door banged with a loud knock and Andi opened the door. She gasped.

“ Why hello Andi! It is nice to see you again!” Said the man at the door mockingly.

“Toledo!” Andi shouted.

Immediately Kirsten jumped up, recognizing the name. The chair she sat on tipped over and crashed to the floor. Riley tensed and reached for his gun. Toledo, seeing Kirsten inside the house, shoved Andi aside and stepped in. Riley immediately reacted, threatening Toledo.

“Don't shoot!” Kirsten yelled. Riley lowered the gun, confused.

“Ah, Kirsten Brookings, the detective. You almost caught us, but you didn't quite catch us,” Toledo said over confidently.

Kirsten glanced out the window as Toledo advanced towards her, there were many people running around outside and the noise was chaotic. Just as Toledo reached out to grab her, Andi came up from behind and hit him on the back of his head with a candle stick.

Toledo crumpled and Kirsten straightened up, grabbed rope that lay on the table and tied his hands together.

“Boss! Come here, we need you!” Yelled a ranch hand. Riley ran outside. Toledo’s comrades were fighting the Prescott's ranch hands, they had already caught one of the theives. Racing out there Riley launched himself at the other man, knocking him down and giving Riley the opportunity to tie him up.

“We need to get these men to the sheriff, and I have to make a call. Do you have a telephone here?” Kirsten said.

“No we don't have a telephone here, sorry,” Andi responded.

“That is okay, my partner is heading over to Fresno anyway. How do you know Toledo?” Asked Kirsten.

“He worked for my brothers once on a cattle drive, he stole many of our cattle. I was on that cattle drive,” Andi said. Kirsten looked at her surprised.
  

 *****
     

Down at the sheriff's office Andi, Riley, Jared, and Kirsten handed over the thieves. Kirsten’s partner came. Kirsten and her partner were paid, and Andi and Riley were given a reward for handing over the cattle thieves. Kirsten had uncovered the tracks of her suspects and found them. Ending her quest and fulfilling her job.