She was freshly scrubbed as well, having gone down an hour before Blue River. She was seated on a stack of the railroad ties, her hands busy. Catalina was engaged in taking bullets out of a box and loading them piece by piece into her holster.
Halfway done with the loading, she looked up at him and asked, “Soon as I’m done here, you want me to make you some bacon? I promise I won’t burn it like Cassie.”
The pair exchanged a smile over Cassandra’s notoriously bad cooking skills before she added, “She might be a detective without equal, but she’s still a menace around food.”
Blue River smiled appreciatively, “That would be wonderful.”
Catalina nodded and returned her concentration to her task. With her gun belt fully restocked, she briefly opened the chamber of her pistol and spun the cylinder, satisfied it was fully loaded and snapped the chamber shut.
“There we be!” she yelled. “I love my bullwhip but nothing beats a Colt when you are up against a bunch of killers. I’m ready for them if they come back.”
She slid the gun neatly back into the holster on her hip, “Yep, got me a holster full of ammo and a fully loaded chamber. I’ve one bullet for every renegade we go up against because I don’t intend to miss!”
After his momentary silence, Blue River smiled. "If it were anyone but one of my sisters saying that I would say they were boasting. I-"
Blue River froze mid-sentence as his brow furrowed. “Say that again!” he asked loudly.
“Say what again?”
“What you said about being ready.”
Catalina eventually gave him the answer he sought. She cleared her throat just before she repeated. “What? That I’m stocked up on ammo plus a full chamber and got me a bullet for everyone one of them killers because I don’t miss.”
She had hardly ended the statement when Blue River’s face seemed to light up and he exclaimed, “Yes!” Which was quickly met by Catalina’s look of complete bewilderment.
“Remember when I said at the trestle something was nagging at me? I know what it was now!”
Before he could proceed with the discussion, Blue River suddenly saw as the remaining Yavapai that had traveled with him instantly leap to their feet on alert.
He and his sister swiftly spun around watching as a lone rider charged towards them at high speed. The rider’s identity revealed itself as she grew closer astounding the Wildes.
“Bright Feather!!” Catalina shouted in a mixture of surprise and happiness but the latter was not reflected on the face of her best friend as she drew near.
The two siblings rushed towards the grave-looking Bright Feather after she yanked her horse to a halt.
“What are you doing here, my sister?!” Blue River asked anxiously. Bright Feather took some deep breaths before she could say anything at all.
Panting heavily, she cried out, “There is something terrible you must see!”
Still finding it hard to believe what was happening, Catalina exclaimed mightily, “Whoa now, Bright Feather! Back up a minute. Just how the heck do you come to be here?”
Bright Feather was still very unsettled but she was aware of the importance of her mission.
She spoke hurriedly, “I tried to stay at Cedar Ledge, but after a spell of Lijuan and I trying to ignore each other, I decided to head out to visit some of our fellow Yavapai—Chief Charges At Bull’s people.”
She bent forward to collecting herself as the adrenaline rush from her mad dash to the camp began to subside and she continued, “When I arrived where last I knew them to be, I found they had broken camp and moved on. Knowing I was nearby to here I figured I would surprise you.”
As she spoke her eyes seemed to reflect horror in them. “On the way here this morning, I came across nothing short of a slaughter! Come you must follow me!”
Within moments, the Wildes and several of the Yavapai dashed out of the camp leaving the balance of Blue River’s forces to guard the railroad operation. As fast as their horses would carry them, the warriors were led far into the desert by Bright Feather until, at last, they came to the scene of the carnage. They all dismounted their horses and made their way towards the scene.
Blood trails shown where the savaged bodies had been dragged back and dropped along the cold remains of what had been a campfire. Their injuries told the tale of their violent deaths. One man still had an arrow protruding from the back of his head. To everyone's disgust, a cluster of vultures was pecking away at the shattered bodies.
In anger, the Wildes drew out their six-shooters and fired into the air, scaring all the vultures away. However, one tough looking old bird wasn't frightened as it continued to peck. Still angered, Blue River fired again, but the staunch bird only looked up for a split second and gave them an angry screech before it resumed its desecration.
A livid Catalina yanked her bullwhip from her belt and gave it a mighty crack snapping the creature’s neck, its body falling alongside those it would feast on.
“You done had your chance to fly away,” She spat as she reclipped her favored weapon to her belt.
Blue River looked solemnly at the blood on the smashed and broken pieces of equipment they found. He faintly heard Bright Feather’s revelation to Catalina that it had been the mass of circling buzzards that had drawn her attention off the trail to investigate and find the butchery.
Some moments passed in silence as Blue River squatted to observe the horrific sight closely and finally he rose to his feet, exchanging a look with Catalina, “Is that what I think it is?”
He nodded to show that her guess would be the correct one, knowing she would have recognized the destroyed items for what they were. “Yes, my sister, surveying equipment. These are railroad men … from the Grand Western.”
Astonished by the turn of events, Catalina walked abruptly towards Blue River and yelled. “What? How? None of them back there said anything about having men out in the field!”
Blue River continued to shake his head in dismay as he turned to address his men.
“You braves, find all the rocks you can. See that these men get a proper burial.”
As expected, Running Bear led the rest of the men in the efforts as the Wildes and Bright Feather continued to look around.
Bright Feather seized the moment to discuss what she had learned from Catalina on the ride to the campsite. “The Apaches destroyed the trestle—that was on lands they claimed as their own—but out here … but this land … this is Yavapai. Why would they come all this way?” she asked curiously.
Blue River briefly responded, “Because they are part of the railroad, and they will stop at nothing to stop them.”
The answer was concise and sincere. The camp became quiet once more as the search continued. Suddenly, something caught Blue River’s eyes. He looked down and noticed a piece of paper, partially buried in the dirt where someone had trod upon it. Scooping it up he found there were some blood stains on the edge of it but otherwise, it was perfectly readable.
“What do you have there?” Catalina asked after she turned from where she was looking and noticed the paper in his hand.
Astonished, Blue River looked up from what he had just read, “It’s a map dropped by the murderers! Drawn for the killers directing them where to go.” Angrily, he kicked a log the slain crew had been using to sit on in front of the fire while they still lived. “The Apaches were sent here!”
Knowing exactly what that meant, Catalina whistled, “Well, I’ll be damned.”
Blue River roamed around the perimeter awash in his anger. “If the Apaches were directed as to where to look for these men, then they received help from someone at the railroad camp!”
He shook the paper continuously, pressing on in a fury, “This is no crude sketch! This map was drawn by an expert! We shall waste no time heading back!”
His eyes once more returned to the desecrated bodies staining the ground all around them.
“These souls deserve answers.”
CHAPTE
R 7
Arriving back at the railroad camp following another furious ride, Catalina, Bright Feather, and Blue River leaped from their horses and headed straight for where they saw Greystone smoking his pipe while he supervised a half dozen men who were sweating under the hot mid-day sun. The men labored with axes to dismantle the burned-out caboose in which Sadie nearly lost her life.
Catalina shouted, “Greystone! You’ve got some explain’ to do!” she howled abruptly.
Blue River held up his hand, he loved his sister dearly, but this was no time for her hotheadedness
“We must speak,” he said, as the group arrived at his position. “And what must be said should be for your ears alone.”
With a puzzled look, he motioned them to start walking back toward the small structure that served as his office.
As they walked, he asked, “I saw you dash on out of here earlier with a bunch of your men, but as you rode up I didn’t see them with you. What has happened to the braves?”
“They will rejoin us later. Right now, they are performing a solemn duty that I tasked them with. Which is what we must speak of,” he said as they stopped outside the door to the hut.
Catalina echoed after him, "That's for darn sure! Why didn't you tell us you had a survey crew out in the field?" She drew closer and her nearly black eyes narrowed angrily. "We could have sent some of Thunder Cloud's warriors to protect them! Instead, they are all dead! Murdered by the Apaches!"
Greystone stumbled backward at the news, “What? Nash Overstreet and his men slain?”
Blue River pressed further as he continued to describe exactly what they had witnessed. “That’s where we charged off to before. My other sister arrived and told us she had chanced upon a massacre.” Greystone’s eyes briefly traveled to where Bright Feather stood silently.
"We didn't know they were your men until we got there!" Blue River lamented with a cold fury. "How could you leave men out there and not tell us."
Greystone silently turned and leaned against the door, with outstretched arms, his hands pressing against the wood and head hanging low. Finally, he collected himself and turned back towards the Wildes.
“Come into my office," he said making an effort to keep his voice down, “We must speak of this in complete privacy. I don’t want this getting out to the men until I can prepare what I am going to say.”
Blue River, Catalina, and Bright Feather yielded to his biddings. They also knew how detrimental the news would be, should the already spooked workers get to hear a piece of it. Blue River told them to go inside, and he would be with them momentarily. Quickly, he crossed over to where the braves that had remained behind stood practicing with their weapons. As they had been arriving a few minutes prior, he had caught sight of one man in particular who had not been there when they had left earlier.
His tracker had returned.
The two Yavapai briefly exchanged words, and what Blue River learned was the first bit of satisfaction he had felt in a long time. The news would bolster the plan that he was now setting into motion. He lost little time rejoining the group in Greystone’s office.
Arriving inside, he found Greystone, half sitting on the edge of his desk. His face appeared as a mask of sorrow, and his hands couldn't seem to stop trembling as he set his pipe down in its holder. As the trio stood before him he continued to express his disbelief about the grave news while he began to describe why he never thought the surveyors’ lives were at risk.
“Nash … he was miles from here … not even in Apache territory,” He said bitterly. Shaking his head for emphasis, he continued, “Not for a moment did I think they were in any danger. So much that I saw no need to recall them or ask you to send your braves to protect them.”
He covered his face with his two hands as his eyes were laden with tears at that instant. Greystone couldn’t stop groaning. “Oh, god … oh, god, no!” He continued to fume in pain and anger. “I’ve made a terrible mistake!”
A minute passed before he exhaled deeply. “Can someone please hand me that?” he asked, motioning to a tall glass and a pitcher of water resting on a small table in one corner of the small room. “A glass of water always calms me.” Greystone urged them again with a confused tone.
Silently, Bright Feather retrieved the glass and water pitcher and set them down on the desk as a troubled Greystone poured himself a drink with shaking hands.
Catalina quickly encouraged him to carry on with whatever he felt would calm his nerves. “Drink up, friend!” she said flatly, “You’re gonna need it. It gets worse, much worse, hombre!”
Blue River stretched his right hand toward Greystone from his position and handed him the map he found earlier.
Greystone immediately slipped into his chair behind the desk and peered at it as he lay it flat on the desktop, then he took another considerable drink of water. He remained quiet for some minutes, studying the map carefully.
“Sorry, my eyes aren’t what they were,” Greystone commented after he had struggled to understand the contents of the map. He slipped on some spectacles, he had been carrying in his breast pocket and continued to study the map.
Soon, looking sternly at Blue River, he exclaimed atop his voice, “My lord, is this what I think it is?”
Blue River instantly affirmed his discovery. “A map to the precise location of where your men would be surveying.” He said calmly before adding, “A death warrant for those men.”
Pointing toward the lines on the map along with the written instructions, Blue River tapped his index finger on it several times. “My sister and I agreed it could only be drawn by an expert. No doubt to leave nothing to chance about the Apaches being able to find them.”
Almost immediately, Greystone nodded vigorously. “I support that opinion, Blue River,” He exclaimed with a clear level of conviction. “This map was drawn by someone familiar with surveying or map making! But that would throw suspicion on one of us, all my assistants from Benson on down!”
Catalina, quickly interrupted, “Not to mention yourself!”
Greystone turned his gaze towards her and spoke expressly again. “Even myself, Miss Wilde, but, of course, that would be preposterous. My entire livelihood, and just as importantly my reputation, is at stake!” he groaned.
He began to hit the desk with his palm as he made many assertions. "If this railroad folds, I fold with it! That's why I'm determined to expose Taylor or whoever the black-hearted monster is behind these attacks."
Catalina immediately shrugged off the man’s assertion. “Blue River here says he still isn’t a hundred percent sure if it’s him orchestratin’ this ol’ opera, cozyin’ up to renegades and recruiting a traitor within the railroad!”
Surprised that the Wildes weren’t convinced that Taylor was the perpetrator, Greystone inquired curiously, “From what I know he makes a pretty penny from his stages, enough no doubt to cover a large bribe to turn one of our own men against us. Who else could it be?” He swept his hands out in a questioning gesture and hit the glass of water spilling it onto the nearby map. He leaped up cursing and snatched it away but it was too late. The ink had all run together.
“God damn it!” he shouted as he flipped away the ruined, soggy piece of paper.
Greystone threw his hands in the air again as he lamented, “I’m coming to pieces here, people! I can’t believe we lost more men last night. Especially Nash Overstreet. The men out there—they all love him.”
He paused and scanned around the office. "He's a legend at the Grand Western. I don't know how I'm going to tell them he's gone …" his voice trailed off as he buried his head in his hands once more, "I don't know …"
Seeming sympathetic, Blue River drew himself close to the distraught Greystone and clasped the man’s shoulder.
“Don’t let his death be in vain. I have a plan for you that will end this!”
Greystone removed his hands from his face and looked up at the young man in interest, waiting to hear what he was planning.
There was a brief murmur among the group before he continued. “I will disguise myself as an Apache and infiltrate them. Sooner or later, this traitor will show up,” he divulged.
Greystone became slightly elated. “Aha!” he exclaimed sitting up straight in his chair for the first time, “Then you can see who he is and report back to me!” Clasping his hands together, he gushed, “An excellent idea! We shall put this plan into motion!”
“Yes, but with one major change,” Bright Feather interrupted.
They all turned to her, as it was the first time she had spoken since they returned to the railroad camp. Blue River eyed her questioningly. During the ride back, they had discussed his plan, and her sudden input was news to him, “Sister?”
Bright Feather steeled herself, knowing how her brother and his half-sister would react. “It is I who shall infiltrate the Apaches.”
"Say again?" Catalina said in a very confused tone, not believing what she was hearing. Bright Feather idly stroked the side of the water pitcher on the desk, trailing her fingers through the condensation as she prepared to enlighten the shocked Wildes. "Think about it for a moment. I lived with the Apaches during my travels across the southwest to learn all the languages that I could. I speak their language; I know their dress. I will easily infiltrate them …" Her gaze fell on her brother at that point. She stared at him for a long moment as he leaned back against the wall, folding his arms before she finished, "… more than you ever could, brother."
Bright Feather concluded her pitch with some bold assertions. “Those are all the reasons why I should be the one to go,” she stated. She ran one hand through her hair as she locked her gaze on her brother, “Those and of course the big one—well two of them!”
Catalina smiled grimly as realization dawned on her, “I see where she’s a-goin’ with this.”
Disaster At Devil's Canyon: Blue River Wilde Western Adventure (Half Breed Haven Book 7) Page 10