Hope nodded.
“Good. You pull this trigger if my boy is in danger.” Enid handed her the weapon butt first.
Hope wasn’t sure she could shoot anyone, but if there was a time, it would be to save Houston. “I’ll make sure he makes it back to you.”
Enid cupped her cheek. “That’s all a mother could ask. Be careful.” She gave a shaky smile and left the room.
Hope slid the weapon into the side pocket of her backpack, then carried it with her to the kitchen. Houston glanced up with a grin. “Sleeping in?”
“A girl needs strength for the day.” She accepted the cup of coffee he handed her. “How long will we be gone?”
“As long as it takes or until nightfall. I don’t want to be in the dark with Minton around.”
If Minton or his hired goon didn’t show, Hope and Houston would have to take another day away from the youth they wanted to help. Please, let today be the end of it all. Let justice be served for Aunt Lou.
After a quick meal of oatmeal, Enid stuffed food and water into their packs. “Be careful, son.”
Houston placed a tender kiss on his mother’s cheek. “We will. Hold down the fort.”
“Everything is fine here. Keep your radio on.”
He straightened and motioned his head for Hope to follow. “Ready?”
“Not really.” She slung her pack over her shoulder and gave Enid a quick hug. “He’ll be fine,” she whispered, “because he’s been promising me a kiss for a while now. I intend to get it.” She didn’t lie. She’d have that kiss before the day ended.
Two horses waited outside the barn, and Houston helped Hope into the saddle of a black and white pinto. “I know it’s been a while since you’ve ridden, so we’ll take it slow and easy.”
She nodded, catching sight of Billy watching near the youth building. “Did you let the kids know we were leaving?”
“Yep. They’re looking forward to Stetson’s and Crystal’s lessons.” He patted her thigh. “Don’t worry about anything except what’s out there. I need you focused.”
“I will be.” She hoped. Determination settled in her bones. She would have what it took to face her uncle.
Houston climbed into the saddle of the other horse and led them past the outbuildings and across a meadow. Hope knew there was more to his riding slow than her ability to keep up. He wanted to make it easy for Roy to find them.
Hope’s head swiveled back and forth as they rode, trying to make out anything out of the ordinary. All looked normal to her, and she prayed she’d see danger before it presented itself.
The sun rose in a clear blue sky. A gentle breeze blew, ruffling the tall grasses of the meadow. Copper Pass Mountain loomed ahead of them.
Images of ambushes from every western she’d ever seen assailed Hope. With its rugged peaks, the mountain held a lot of places for someone to hide in wait.
She transferred her attention to the strong lines of Houston’s back under the chambray shirt he wore. If anyone could keep her alive, it would be him. She hoped she could have a part in not being killed. Without having faced death before, she didn’t know whether she’d freeze, offering herself as a deer in the headlights.
Houston stopped them at the edge of a thick stand of trees. “Let’s take a break.” He slid from his horse and came to help her down.
His hands lingered on her waist. His eyes darkened. “I told you when I saw you in that getup I would kiss you. I can’t wait any longer.”
“Here? Now?” Her eyes widened.
“Where better than in God’s country?” He lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers.
The kiss started slow and tender, then built until her arms snaked around his neck. She made a small noise in the back of her throat. His kiss was everything she’d dream it would be.
When she grew breathless, Houston pulled back, tilting her face up so their eyes could meet. “When this is over, I’d like to have a serious conversation with you.”
The huskiness of his voice sent her heart into overdrive. “Okay.”
Would he ask her to stay? She already had plans to settle in Copper Pass. All she needed to get started was the deed to the land she’d chosen and the funds. Both of which she’d receive soon.
After a drink and protein bar, they climbed back on their horses and continued their ride. A cry sounded behind them. Hope glanced over her shoulder in time to see three heads duck. “Houston, we’re being followed.”
~
Roy watched the two riders from the safety of a thick clump of juniper bushes. Spotting three teenagers following, he smiled. Getting Hope to cooperate would be easier than he’d thought.
“Want me to nab them?” Stan asked. Roy had finally gotten the man to give him his name.
“No, you’ll be seen. I don’t want to confront Hope until the time is right. She’ll let the youth catch up to her.” They’d stop again in an hour or so. They could make their move then.
“What if they return to the ranch? There’s five people and only two horses.”
“Then we make a new plan.” Did he have to tell the man every single step to take? “Come on. Let’s get further up the mountain.”
Staying low, he headed toward where they’d tethered their horses. If he didn’t need Hope to sign over the inheritance, he’d have picked her off there and been done with her.
~
“What in tarnation are the three of you doing out here?” Houston glared at the three teenagers.
“We didn’t want to take cooking lessons.” David glared.
“Where’s your crutch?”
“I left it back there. It was slowing us down.”
Houston shook his head. “The three of you ran all this way?”
“You aren’t riding fast,” Billy said.
“Of all the idiotic—” Houston threw his hands into the air. The kids were putting themselves in unnecessary danger.
He paced, trying to decide what to do, while Hope lectured the three delinquents. Take them back or move ahead? Darn it sky high! They’d have to head back after almost reaching the base of the mountain. He wanted to wring all their necks.
“What are we going to do?” Hope moved to his side.
“Head back. We’ll have to figure something else out.” He removed his hat and slapped it against his thigh. “This takes the danger to the ranch, the one thing I wanted to avoid.”
“We can’t take them up the mountain.”
“I know that.” He resumed his pacing, willing his anger to settle down. There would be consequences for the three who defied his orders. The radio on his belt beeped. “Yeah.”
“We’re missing three,” his mother said.
“They found us. We’re heading back. Should be home in a few hours.” With only two horses, Houston would have to walk. Dang if he planned on running all the way back.
He disconnected and turned to the others. “Ashley, you ride with Hope. Boys, on my horse.”
“We don’t know how to ride,” Billy said.
“Guess you should have stayed at the ranch and learned.” It would serve the three right to have sore bottoms by the time they got back. “You’ll be mucking the stalls every day you’re at the ranch as punishment.”
“Yuck.” Ashley glared.
“There’ll be no arguments. If you’d prefer, you could do the dishes after each meal.” He slammed his hat back on his head and helped the kids onto the horses. The walk back would do him good. Hopefully, he’d be less angry by the time they got home.
He took a deep breath and met Hope’s worried gaze. He didn’t blame her. They were sitting ducks and had young ones to keep safe.
After a while, seeing the three rule breakers bouncing up and down in the saddles like popcorn, he chuckled, his anger debating. They’d regret their actions after the first hour. He finally took pity on them and called a halt for lunch.
His mouth fell open in surprise to see the three pull sandwiches from their pockets. “You really did
plan to come all along.”
David shrugged. “Billy told us last night you were taking off. We snuck to the kitchen and got prepared. My foot hurts.”
“Good.” Houston sat on the ground next to Hope, lowering his voice. “What a way to spoil the day after a wonderful kiss.”
Her face turned pink. “At least we’re alive to do it again.”
“That’s one way of looking at things.” He bit into the thick turkey and cheese sandwich Mom had made. “You sure you want to build a building for kids like these?”
She laughed. “I’m sure. Are you sure you want to continue yourself?”
“Most definitely.” Helping young people had always been his dream. His brothers enjoyed things to do with horses and cattle, tourists, and enforcing the law. They all had plans on making the world a better place with the ranch Dad had left them.
He stretched out, leaning on his elbow and glanced up at Hope. “We could join forces. Build a bigger dude ranch for kids on your land. The bunkhouse I built could be used for more guests, retreats, that kind of thing.”
“That’s a thought.” She glanced away, leaving him wondering if he’d said something that bothered her.
“What?” He wanted to say so much more. That he’d never forgotten the girl on the railroad tracks. That he wanted to see a smile on her face every day. That he wanted to ease the pain over her aunt’s death. But, now was not the time or the place.
“Nothing.” She pushed to her feet. “Let’s discuss this again once the land is mine. There’s no point if Roy kills me.”
He reached up and grabbed her hand, stopping her from walking away. “I won’t let that happen.”
“You might not be able to stop him. Ashley, bathroom break. There’s a bush over there we can use.” She marched away, leading the girl to the bush for some privacy.
Houston and the boys used the horses as a shield between them and the girls. From the look on David’s face, he swallowed back pain. “Where did you leave your crutch?”
The boy shrugged. “I doubt we’ll find it in the grass. Sorry to cause so much trouble. You really wanted some alone time with Miss Hope, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did. I’ll plan for another day.” One in the near future.
“This place is a really good idea,” the boy said. “Don’t think poorly because we disobeyed. You’ve helped us, and Billy and I are friends again.”
“That’s good.” He smiled down at him. “You do realize that if something were to happen to one of you three that I’d be in big trouble, right? Come on. Let’s go home.”
He stepped around the horse to the sight of Hope and Ashley being held at gunpoint by Roy and his hired gunman.
Chapter Ten
“Step away from the horses, Mr. Armstrong, and get your hands up or I shoot that boy in the other foot.” Roy jerked his gun toward David.
When Hope and Ashley had straightened from behind the bush, they’d turn to stare into the guns of Roy and the man he’d called Stan. Her heart had stopped, and she’d moved to stand in front of Ashley only to find herself jerked against Roy and a gun held to her head.
“What now, Minton?” Houston held his hands high. “You going to shoot all of us?”
“I don’t want to shoot anyone. I only want what’s due me.”
“It’s not yours.” Hope tried to jerk away. “You killed Aunt Lou. You aren’t getting another penny from her.”
He backhanded her across the face, knocking her to the ground. “Shut up. One more word and Stan will shoot someone. Back up, Mr. Armstrong.” He hauled Hope to her feet, keeping his gun trained on Houston who had jumped forward when she’d fallen.
“This is what we’re going to do,” he said. “I’m taking Hope and the girl. We’ll leave town and find a lawyer that will transfer the will to my name. Then, I’ll leave these two somewhere you can pick them up. If I see you following, the girl dies. I don’t need her, only my niece. Got it?”
Houston nodded slow, his eyes shooting darts of hatred. “You harm either one of them, and I’ll kill you myself.”
“Tsk tsk, Mr. Armstrong. You wouldn’t want to spend the rest of your life in jail, now would you?” Roy laughed. “On your horse, Hope. Don’t try anything funny. Girl, on the other horse. Stan and I have our own.”
Stan darted off, returning with two horses.
Hope paused, hanging on her saddle. Taking a deep breath, she acted as if she were putting a foot in the stirrup. Instead, she pulled the gun from the backpack and whirled. “Drop it, Roy.”
“Well, you do have spunk after all.” He grinned. “You wouldn’t dare shoot me.”
“Oh, but I will. I’ll shoot you the second you pull that trigger. You’ll die right along with whoever you shoot. Maybe, I’ll shoot you in the leg so you can spend the rest of your life in prison.” She aimed and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. The safety!
She fumbled with the switch as Roy took aim at David. Before he could squeeze off a shot, she fired again. The bullet took him in the side. A breath later, Houston whipped his gun from his hip and fired, dropping Stan.
Hope sagged to the ground as Houston disarmed both men. Ashley sank next to her, wrapping her arms around Hope and holding tight. “You’re a hero, Miss Hope.”
“I don’t feel like one.” She turned and vomited into the grass.
“Boys, there’s rope on the back of the horse. Fetch it for me and help me tie up these scoundrels.” Hope watched as Houston bent over Stan. “I guess we’ll only be tying up Minton.”
Thank God, Hope’s shot hadn’t killed her uncle. The man deserved prison, but she couldn’t bear knowing she’d killed someone. She got unsteadily to her feet and stared down at Roy.
“I’ll get you for this, girl.” He cursed as Houston pulled his hands away from the wound at his side and tied his hands behind his back.
“You can try, but that will be difficult behind bars. Will you at least tell me if you had anything to do with Aunt Lou’s death?” She slipped her hands into her pocket and pressed record on her phone.
He spit at her feet. “Of course, I did. Stupid woman wouldn’t change her will. Said she was headed to Copper Pass to find someone.”
“Who?”
He shrugged. “Someone who had something she wanted. I thought at first it was her locket, but she had that on when she fell.”
“I have the locket.” She pulled it from the neckline of her shirt. “It had a sim card in it.” Who would Aunt Lou have come here to see? Maybe it wasn’t someone, but something. Hope would visit the house she’d lived in with her parents. Heartache had prevented her from going since she’d arrived in town.
Houston called his brother, reported what had happened, and turned to Hope. “Wyatt said they hadn’t caught up with us yet because the horses had been locked in the barn and the lock super glued shut.” He glared at the boys. “Know anything about that?”
Two sheepish faces stared at him, until Billy spoke. “We didn’t want anyone coming to stop us.”
“That decision could have gotten us all killed.” Lord save him from headstrong boys. How had his mother coped with seven? “They got the lock off and will be here in an hour. You three sit there and don’t move. I don’t have a lick of patience left for any of you.”
A Month Later
Hope stood in the yard of the small two-bedroom home she’d shared with her parents. Now, derelict after so many years of no one living inside, it saddened her to see the state of the house she’d inherited but never wanted to return to.
“Want me to come inside with you?” Houston took her hand.
“I need to do this myself. Wait for me?”
“Forever and a day.” He raised her hand to his lips. “I’ll be right here on the porch. Take your time.”
Hope approached the house and pushed open the squeaky, chipped door. The house was as it had been when Aunt Lou had taken her away, although a coat of dust covered the sheet-covered furniture. What would her aunt have wanted
to hide and where?
Down a short hallway with a closet at the end were two bedrooms and a bath. Hope entered her parents’ room and blinked back tears. On a closet shelf were shoeboxes. She pulled them down and set them on the yellow-floral bedspread. Nothing inside but receipts and tax forms.
Come on, Aunt Lou. Help me out here. She moved to her childhood room and studied the posters on the walls. She’d left little else behind, wanting her creature comforts around her as she’d grieved. One of the posters sported less yellow tape on one corner.
Smiling, Hope pulled it down. Taped to the wall was a thin envelope. Inside was a notarized deed of a will leaving everything to Hope. Aunt Lou had made double sure that Roy wouldn’t receive a dime.
The sim card had been enough to get Hope the funds for her land. This document only backed up what the lawyer had accepted. Tucking it under her arm, she joined Houston on the front porch.
He jumped to his feet when she stepped outside. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.” She smiled. “I’ve been thinking about that proposal you gave me out in that field. I’d love to partner with you on Hope House.”
He grinned. “May I make another proposal?”
She tilted her head. “Of course.”
“Marry me and make it official.” He took both her hands in his. “When you arrived at the Rocking 7 and Crystal announced my Hope had arrived, no truer words were ever spoken. You are my hope.I love you. Hope Jennings you’re my world, my heart, and I hope my future.”
She raised her face to his. “Of course, I will. Now kiss me, you silver-tongued Cowboy.”
He obliged with a kiss so sweet it brought tears to her eyes.
The End
Dear Reader,
I hope you’re enjoying this Copper Pass family saga of big-hearted cowboys as much as I’m enjoying writing about them. If you liked this story, please stop by Amazon and leave a review. Stay tuned for Dallas’s Dare.
God Bless,
Cynthia Hickey
Website at www.cynthiahickey.com
Houston's Hope: A clean cowboy romantic suspense (The Brothers of Copper Pass Book 4) Page 6