Charlotte's Challenge

by Caroline Clemmons

  She turned on the seat to grab his arm with one hand and put her other hand on his chest. “Bret, please don’t get yourself killed. I couldn’t stand it.”

  She gasped and released him and faced forward. “Um, you and Moose are fine men. Capturing Winfield isn’t worth either of your lives.”

  “We hadn’t planned to get killed, Charlotte. I know that’s no guarantee but we’re both going to stay alert and be prepared for whatever happens.”

  For the next few miles, Charlotte twisted her handkerchief in silence.

  Bret reached over and took her hand in his. “Sweetheart, you’ve murdered that piece of linen about sixteen times.” The endearment slipped out before he could stop it.

  She sent him such a weak smile it was almost nonexistent but she tucked the handkerchief into her cuff. “Winfield will retaliate against us for destroying his plans. I know he will.”

  “Moose and I will be ready for him. I have a few more things to tell you. I deposited four hundred dollars into your bank account. You’ll need supplies until you can sell cattle.”

  “Oh, Bret, you’re being too generous” She stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “I don’t know why you’d do such a thing.”

  He couldn’t explain how he felt about her because she’d been widowed too short a time. Surely she had an inkling. His situation left him frustrated.

  “Don’t worry about my motives, Charlotte. I don’t mean you and the children any harm. You don’t owe me anything in return. You saved my life and offered your hospitality. I can never repay you.”

  “But, Bret—”

  “No but anything.” He squeezed her hand. “We’ll get through this. Look on the bright side. Picture Winfield’s face when he learned your mortgage was paid. Wouldn’t have been surprised if we’d heard an explosion from the bank.”

  “Knowing I won’t lose the ranch is definitely a bright spot in our lives. But it’s not really a ranch unless we get the cattle back.”

  “I promise you’ll have cattle by the end of the week. Now, cheer up or you’ll scare the children.”

  She sighed. “You’re right. Those women in the store destroyed my confidence and stole my joy. I don’t want the children worrying. Davie especially is concerned but Susie and Jimmy fret in their way. Susie’s been having nightmares and fears a bad man coming into the house.”

  “I hope she was secure last night with Moose and me there. Was she afraid of us?”

  This time Charlotte’s smile was genuine. She wrapped her hand around his arm. “Of course not. She was as relieved as I was. Although I’m sorry that man died I’m grateful you weren’t in the bunkhouse when he set fire to it. ”

  “Sure hate he opened fire and we had to shoot him. I wish we could have made him talk about who sent him. He was an older man, probably down on his luck and that’s why he took the job.”

  Bret shook his head. “Naw, that’s no excuse. When I met Moose he was down on his luck but he stayed honest.”

  From behind them, Moose said, “Now don’t go jabberin’ about my good points. That’ll keep you busy all day and I’ll get such a swelled head I won’t be able to wear my hat.”

  Charlotte giggled. “That’s not a problem. Now that I’m a woman of property and means, I can buy you a new hat.”

  “Thank you but I like this one real well. I have it broken in just right.”

  Bret turned the team at the drive to the ranch. As they drove into the yard, chaos greeted them. Chickens ran free and the barn door was open. The hogs were chewing at the corncrib. Both milk cows stood at the water trough. Frenzied barking came from inside the house.

  Davie and Moose hopped out before the wagon stopped. Bret set the brake and wrapped the reins around the handle. Susie and Jimmy climbed down as soon as he’d stopped.

  Bret jumped down and reached for Charlotte. “Wait here until I give the all clear.” When he’d set her on the ground, he ran into the house.

  Jimmy and Susie helped Charlotte herd chickens toward the coop’s enclosure.

  Bret opened the front door and both dogs ran out, barking and growling. Inside, he checked each room. Chairs were overturned, possessions scattered, but no real damage he could find. Good thing he’d taken his cash with him and hidden it in the wagon.

  At the door he motioned to Charlotte. “You’re gonna be mad but you’d better come check things.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Charlotte closed the chicken pen door and fastened it before hurrying toward Bret. “What’s happened?”

  “A bit of a mess but I don’t think anything is broken. You’ll have to tell me if something is missing.”

  Almost afraid to see what had been done to her home, she stepped inside. When things appeared only in disarray she was relieved.

  Bret righted kitchen chairs. “Look carefully in case they left us a surprise.”

  Sheriff Haney strode inside. “Rick’s helping round up animals. What’s happened in here?”

  Bret glanced at him. “Not sure. We’re checking. Looks as if it’s mischief but we have to be sure there’re no shocks to catch us unaware.”

  The sheriff took off his hat and hit his leg with it. “If this doesn’t beat all. What kind of mind thinks of things like this?”

  Charlotte met his gaze. “An angry one.”

  He tossed his hat on the table. “Wait here in the open while Bret and I check nooks and crannies.”

  She grabbed the back of a chair for support. “What do you think could be here?” Her gaze darted around. Movement in the parlor caught her eye.

  Her finger shook as she pointed where Davie had slept last night. “Look… on the pallet.”

  From between the blankets, a large rattlesnake crawled out and coiled.

  Bret already had his revolver drawn and he shot the rattler. “I hope we catch the yellow-bellied coyote who’d put that thing in a boy’s bedroll. He needs to be strung up by his… um, his neck.”

  She was angry but she couldn’t stop shaking. “Sheriff, you better catch whoever did this before I do because if I get to him first I’ll shoot him.”

  “Mrs. Dunn, you’ll have to get in line to finish off this fellow. Bad enough to attack adults but targeting children is a new low.”

  Moose ran into the house. “What was the shot for?”

  Rick was right behind him.

  When he saw the beheaded snake, Moose stopped. “Well, I’ll swan, if that don’t beat the drum. Nice shot, Bret.”

  “Thanks.” Bret looked at her. “Charlotte, do you have your revolver with you?”

  She went to the cupboard and opened the door, standing back in case something fell out. After retrieving the revolver, she grabbed the broom. “I’ll check the beds.”

  Bret opened drawers and cupboards. “I don’t see how anyone could have had time to do much more. When we left Winfield at the bank we went to the ice cream parlor. Probably took us not much over half an hour there. Then we came to talk to you but Winfield had already told some people about the mortgage being paid.”

  The sheriff was on his all fours looking under furniture. “Whoever did this had to already have the rattler in a gunny sack stashed where he could get to it easy.”

  Bret poked in the wood by the stove. “He’d need to have help, too. There was too much mischief done for one man to accomplish in a few minutes. Unless it was done by someone watching who saw us leave. If that’s the case, he’d have had plenty of time.”

  Moose went to the door. “Davie, will you bring the shovel?” He turned back to Bret. “We need to bury that head before one of the dogs gets it.”

  Bret checked inside the range. “We left both dogs in the barn. I wonder how they got the dogs inside the house without getting bitten.”

  The sheriff asked, “All the critters back where they belong?”

  Moose lit a lantern and opened the cellar. “Yeah, didn’t seem to be anything done except letting them out into the yard. Reckon I’d better check the cellar.”

&
nbsp; Rick carefully moved everything in the parlor.

  Bret looked at the sheriff. “I believe this was an attack aimed at Davie.”

  Davie came in carrying the shovel. “Why at me?”

  Bret gestured to the snake. “Your mother said she wouldn’t sell because this ranch was to be yours some day. If you were dead, then it would be revenge against her in several ways.”

  Sheriff Haney got to his feet. “You could be right. Everyone with a brain knows she loves the children and it would break her heart to lose any one of them. Wouldn’t do any good to save the ranch for someone who wasn’t around any longer.”

  Moose came out of the cellar carrying a dead salamander. “Guess I was a mite jumpy ’cause this fella surprised me. Normally I wouldn’t bother him.”

  Bret grinned. “Guess we’re all a little spooked. I’m going to help Charlotte check the bedrooms.”

  Charlotte was remaking the bed in what she thought of as Bret’s room when he came to the door. “I haven’t checked anything in here except the bed.”

  “Okay with you if I open doors and drawers?”

  “I’d appreciate it. I looked under the bed. How I’d like to strangle whoever is responsible for this then shoot him then hang him. I don’t know how long it will take before I feel safe in my own home.”

  She smoothed the sheet on the bed and tucked in the corners. “Susie still has nightmares from Ike being shot and dying. She was getting better since you came.”

  He opened the armoire. “We’re checking everywhere, sweetheart. You’ll know you’re safe by the time we’ve finished.”

  She shook out the top sheet and froze. “Y-You shouldn’t call me that unless you mean it. Words like that mean a lot to a woman even though some men toss them around carelessly.”

  He strode to her and put his hands on her shoulders to turn her toward him. “I don’t toss endearments around, not ever. I didn’t mean for it to slip out any of the times, Charlotte. I know you’ve recently lost your husband and I have no right to feel this way for you.”

  Her eyes widened and her voice trembled. “We can’t help the way we feel. No one should criticize you for the way you think of someone.”

  “I think of you altogether too often. I can’t help myself.”

  She cradled the pillow to her as she gazed at him. “Maybe I shouldn’t be but I’m glad.”

  She laid the pillow on the bed. “I’ve grown to depend on you being here. You’re considerate and kind and I appreciate those qualities.” There was more she wanted to say but couldn’t. Whirling away, she picked up a quilt and he helped her spread it on the bed.

  He ducked his head and walked to the washstand. He opened the top drawer and used his revolver’s tip to move things. “I wasn’t either of those when I started my trip. I was selfish and cold-hearted. I’ll explain to you when we have more time.”

  Davie came in. “Mama, I buried the snake’s head. Moose is going to show me how to make a snakeskin band for my hat.”

  Moose called, “You fellas comin’? Sheriff is ready to leave.”

  Charlotte ran toward the kitchen. “I’d better send you some food. If there’s no time for sandwiches, at least I can send bread and cheese and apples.”

  Sheriff Haney stood slapping his hat against his leg. “That’d be nice, Mrs. Dunn, but only if you make it fast. We have to get where we’re going by dusk.”

  She hurried, slicing cheese and thick slices of bread and wrapping them in a cup towel. She stuffed that over several apples in one of the cloth sacks she’d sewn for the purpose.

  After handing it to Bret, she looked into his blue eyes. “You’ll be careful.”

  “We will.” He held her fingers overlong as he took the parcel of food. “Davie, I know I can count on you to take care of everyone here. We have no idea how long this will take.”

  “Yes, sir, I’ll take good care of them, I promise.” He stood erect and puffed out his chest.

  Bret met Charlotte’s gaze. “Try not to worry.”

  Charlotte and her children waited on the porch while the men rode away.

  “Bring the dogs inside, Davie.” She looked at the pallet where her boys had slept last night and there had been a large rattlesnake this afternoon.

  What a fiendish thing to do to anyone, but especially to children. It was a wonder the dogs hadn’t ferreted out the snake. If they hadn’t been so upset at being trapped inside while intruders were making mischief, they might have been victims.

  Looking at the fireplace, she noticed the rifle wasn’t setting on its holder just right. She reached for it to straighten it but some second sense urged her to check it. Deciding this was as good a time as any to clean it she took it down and went to the kitchen table.

  On closer examination, she discovered the screw holding the lever was missing.

  Jimmy looked on while she worked on cleaning and oiling the rifle. “What would have happened if you’d shot the rifle?”

  “I don’t believe I could have fired because the lever would have fallen off in my hand. Which is what someone wanted.”

  Davie peered over her shoulder. “Mama, I know you said to pray for our enemies but I hate these people! They killed Papa and are trying to kill us.”

  She turned and put her arms around her oldest son. “Oh Davie, I’m sorry it’s too late to help your father but I know he’d want us to stand fast. We’re going to win this battle now that Bret has helped us. The ranch is safe and the men are going after the cattle. The sheriff plans to make arrests.”

  “I still can’t help hating them, Mama. I just can’t.”

  Her heart broke for his pain. No child should have to go through all that these children suffered. “Will you try for my sake?” She was a hypocrite because she hated the criminals, too.

  Davie wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “I’ll try. I know how hard you’re working for us.”

  “Thank you, Davie. I’m proud of you. I’m proud of all three of you.”

  Susie leaned against Charlotte’s arm. “What can we do, Mama? I want to help.”

  “Remain alert. Right now, look on the floor by the fireplace for the screw while I clean the barrel. We need a dark screw about this long.”

  She held her index finger and her thumb to indicate the length. “Maybe whoever did this threw the screw on the floor or on the hearth. I hope so because I don’t think we have this size or kind of screw in the tool box. Be careful where you step.”

  The children examined the area.

  Susie asked, “What if there’s another snake waiting?”

  “There isn’t, dear. The men checked thoroughly.” Charlotte was furious because her daughter had to be worry about threats in her home.

  Jimmy crossed his arms and stomped a foot. “Aw, I don’t see anything like a screw.”

  Susie glared at him. “Keep looking. Mama needs us to find it so quit complaining and keep busy searching.”

  Davie bent down near the front window. “I found a screw way over here. I’ll bet it’s the one you need.” He rushed toward her.

  She accepted the prize he offered. “That’s the one.”

  Relief swept through her. Now they wouldn’t have to wait until they could see the gunsmith in town. She didn’t want to be without the rifle. Soon she had the lever repaired.

  Either the intruders counted on her using a malfunctioning rifle on the snake or planned to come back tonight. If so, she’d be ready for the polecats.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Charlotte wouldn’t let the children go to bed or play on the floor until she had rechecked each piece of furniture, under the furniture, and every corner. Every place Bret, Moose, the sheriff, and the deputy had checked was re-examined to be certain there were no more snakes or other traps waiting to strike during the night.

  She sent the boys to sleep in their bed since the men were likely to be out all night.

  Davie protested, “Mama, I promised Bret I’d take care of everyone while he and Moose are gone. I nee
d to stay up.”

  “You’ll have Buster and Billy to alert you if we have prowlers. Then you can come get me and we’ll deal with them together.”

  Reluctantly, Davie and Jimmy went to bed in their room.

  She paced for a while but so much had happened recently that she was emotionally and physically exhausted. She decided to try and sleep since the dogs were quiet. In case they had a prowler return, she went to bed wearing her clothes. Sleep evaded her and visions of cattle stampeding and of gun battles filled her head.

  Lying in the bed where Bret had slept last night created fantasies of her being in his arms. The thoughts brought a rush of longing that surprised her. She didn’t think of herself as a passionate woman yet she yearned for Bret. Did that make her as bad as the accusations of those women in town?

  Intimate relations with Ike were not the special event she read of in novels or heard talked about by married friends. He was almost as rushed and brusque in bed as he was the rest of the time. Was it any wonder she daydreamed about Bret?

  In paying off the mortgage Bret had been beyond kind. He was gentle and caring. As he’d said, she admitted that she and the children had saved his life. Surely anyone else would have done the same. They hadn’t expected anything in return. Of course, he knew that.

  ***

  Bret and his three companions rode hard until they drew within a half mile of where the cattle had been held and hopefully where they waited still. Then they slowed to a walk. Sheriff Haney led the way and they tied their mounts in the same small grove of post oaks and brush as they had the last time.

  Bret tried to imitate Moose and move silently. The four of them crept into a good spot for surveillance. Below, the three men they’d watched before appeared to be breaking camp. Arp and another man assisted them.

  Sheriff Haney whispered to Moose. Moose glanced at Bret then made his way down the ridge.

  Curious, Bret went over to the sheriff. “Is he coming back up here or are we going down there?”