The Rancher (41 page)

Lately, her errands had become more involved, menacing.  He’d not expected Jeremiah Carson to wander into the barn while he was lighting the fire and when the nitwit had passed out in a drunken stupor, he hadn’t known what else to do, so he’d run.  Once the fire had roared to life, he told Mr. Redbourne he’d seen someone inside and had been relieved

when they both had emerged from the flames, alive.

I just want out,
 
he thought to himself.
 
But how?
 
He’d seen what she’d done to Caleb when he’d turned his back to her.

She wasn’t as old as she led people tobelieve.

“There’s just one final thing I need you

to do for me.” Her voice was full of

anticipation.  “Make sure you take Abby McCallister home.  And go through the ravine.”

Simple enough.

“And then my debt to you, ma’am?”

“Gone.”

“Thank you.” He turned to exit and bumped into Mr. Campbell. “Sir,” he said and nodded good day before opening the study doors and stepping out into the

bright foyer.

The light hurt his eyes at first.   He leaned back against the closed doors and took a deep breath.
 
Driving Abby home, that’s not too bad,
 
he thought. He didn’t want to think about what might happen on that drive.

Lily Campbell walked around thecorner, nearly bumping into him.

“Davey, you scared me.  Is everythingall right?” She smiled at him, her handtouching his forearm.

He stood up straight, pushing awayfrom the closed study doors.  “Fine,” hesqueaked.   Clearing his throat, he triedagain, “Fine,” he said in a much lowervoice.

He could feel the flush rise into his

cheeks at her question. Lily truly was the

most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he turned away from her, hoping she would not notice the black and blue evidence of his indiscretions on his face.

However, he noticed a small cut justbelow Lily’s eye and a fire lit in his belly. He could only imagine how she’d gottenhers and it tore him up inside.

“Are you joining us for tea?” sheasked.  A curled strand of her ebony hairfell across her face, concealing her woundcleverly.

“A man’s gotta eat,” he responded withfalse merriment. The idea of someone

hurting her made his blood boil and he

glanced back at the room he’d just left.

Lily smiled and pointed to the hall.

Her kindness warmed him.

“Food’s in there.   Are Clay and the

others with you?   Raine?” she asked, hopeful.

Was she actually blushing?  Of course, she liked Cole’s brother.  He determined that when he came back to collect his last

payment, he would kiss Lily smack on the mouth and then walk out the door, never turning to look back on Silver Falls, Colorado.

“I think Clay’s in the barn, speaking with Mr. Carson.   I’m not sure where Raine or any of the others got off to.”

“Martha brought her crumb cake.  You should try it,” Lily said as she turned toward the patio.  “Oh, and Davey… I’m so glad you could come.” She smiled, then disappeared through the side door.

Davey scrunched up his face with resolve.  “Let’s do this.”

“Stay alert and be careful on your way back today.  You should probably avoid the ravine.   It will leave you too vulnerable, closed in.  Nothing can happen to Abby, do you hear me?” Cole clapped the gangly red-headed cowhand on the back and squeezed his arm firmly. “We can’t be too careful with all the trouble that’s been going on.”

“Yes, sir,” Davey responded, but didn’t quite meet Cole’s eyes.

Trouble was brewing in the air.  Cole could feel it.  Everyone had seemed eager to attend the Sunday tea at the Branded H.  Cole figured they needed a bit of diversion after all the recent strains that

had been put on the folks in town, but realized it would create the perfect

opportunity   for   someone   to   make mischief.    He wondered why Max Grayson hadn’t come or his daughter, Jenna, and now wanted to pay them a visit even more than he had before.

“Davey,” Cole said loudly. The kid finally looked up and locked Cole’s stare.  “Keep her safe.”

Davey   dipped   his   head   in acknowledgement.

A rider approached.  Cole shaded his face against the sun. Clouds of dust kicked up behind the strawberry roan that Cole immediately recognized as Rafe’s horse, Lexa.   Why was his brother in such a

hurry?

He grabbed a hold of Mav’s reins and

mounted his black steed.

“Remember,” he said, turning to Davey,

“don’t make me regret trusting you.”

Cole turned the horse about and darted

toward his brother at a gallop.

Rafe pulled Lexa in a circle to face up with Cole so they could talk.

“Preacher’s gone!” Rafe stated between breaths. “Found this.”

He handed a small piece of burnedparchment to Cole.  The last few letters ofthe scribbled name had been torn away. Jenna Gra—  appeared in faded ink.

“Guess you’re comin’ with us to the Graysons?” Cole tucked the paper into hisvest pocket.

“Let’s go.”

Cole whistled to Raine.  Within a few

moments, both Raine and Clay were ready

to ride.

“We in a hurry?” Raine called out to his

brothers, a hint of mockery in his strained

voice.

“What’s the matter big brother? Getting too old to keep up?” Rafe laughed as he pulled ahead of the others, Raine right on his tail.

As Cole started forward, a strange knot formed in his gut.  He was unsure if it was anticipation or trepidation, but he couldn’t shake the feeling he’d missed something.

“That’s far enough.” A formidable looking man in denims and spurred boots met Cole and the others at the Grayson property line with a rifle slung menacingly across his lap.

Three men accompanied him on either side, each of them with guns within easy

reach.

Max Grayson.

Cole let his hand fall casually to the butt of his sheathed Winchester.

“We’d like a word with you, Max.” Clay’s voice was steady, his eyes focused on the man they’d come to see.

“Why, Clay?  You want my land so bad, you’ll have to come and get it.”

Cole didn’t know what he’d anticipated the rancher would say, but it certainly wasn’t an accusation.

“Want your... Now, why on earth would I want
 
your
 
land? I have my own spread to worry about.” Clay appeared just as taken aback as Cole felt.

“I have to admit I never suspected you, McCallister. All your talk of sticking together and helping each other.”

“Suspected me of what?” Clay’s voice elevated a notch, in barely concealed warning.

Cole did not like the direction this conversation was heading.  Something had obviously set Mr. Grayson on edge.  Cole assessed each of the men in front of him.

If this went badly, someone was going toget killed.

“My foreman is in the bunkhouse rightnow with Doc Knight.  He was ambushedlast night.  Nearly killed.”

“Ambushed? By who?” The surprise in Clay’s voice was sincere.

“As if you don’t know.” Mr. Graysonspit into the dirt.  The burly man to theright of him nudged his horse forward astep with scarcely restrained aggression. His lip curled and his eyes appeared

sunken in from lack of sleep.

“Max, listen to me.” Clay’s voice was calm and steady. His shaking hands were the only indication he was not as composed as he appeared. “We’ve been friends a long time, you and me—“

“I woulda thought that stood for somethin’, but not after this.”

“Mr. Grayson?” Cole urged Maverick forward.   He stopped short when his action was greeted by five rifles barrels aimed directly at him.

One clicking noise sounded to his right and another immediately to his left.  His brothers, especially Raine and Rafe, had always been very protective of him and Cole had no doubt their cocked guns pointed at those who threatened him. He didn’t turn around, but patted at the air to

tell Raine and Rafe to lower their

munitions.

“Mr.   Grayson,”   he   began  again, “there’ve been a lot of strange accidents over at the SilverHawk over the last

couple of weeks. Just last night, we lost the barn in a fire. Considerin’ how wet

it’s been, don’t you think that’s a little

odd.”

“You come out here to accuse me, son?” Max Grayson’s face turned a purpled red behind his thick white mustache.

“Of course not.” Cole paused.   He needed to know why Mr. Grayson was so quick to assume they were the one’s causing trouble and in order to do that he would have to gain the man’s trust. “You had anything out of the ordinary happen

‘round here?” he asked.

“Who are these men, Clay?   I don’t recognize a single one of ‘em.” Mr. Grayson shifted uncomfortably in his saddle. “Hiring new thugs, or are they the rustlers you came to tell me about this morning?” His voice still held accusation, but this time it shook with uncertainty.

“Max, this is Cole Redbourne.  He is my new son-in-law and these here,” he said pointing to the others, “are his brothers, Raine and Rafe. They have a lot of experience in these matters, Max. Let ‘em help us.”

“Redbournes, huh?” Max scratched his chin. “Any relation to Levi?”

“Brothers.” Clay nodded.

The man seemed to ponder the idea for a moment.  Then, without another word,

signaled for the others to lower their guns. A scrawny, unshaven cowpoke circled around in back of them in escort fashion.

Cole should have been surprised Max Grayson knew Levi, but somehow wasn’t.

“Come,” Mr. Grayson commanded, turning his own horse around and heading for the main house.

Clay urged his dapple forward. The Redbournes followed.

Afternoon tea was nothing like what Abby had expected.

“Watercolors,” Mitchell Patterson, thestorekeeper’s oldest son called out.

Lily placed a finger on her nose and satdown next to Abby with a gleeful smile onher face. The young man switched her