The Bluebird

by Kristy McCaffrey

  That’s when he saw them.

  Two men, on foot, moving beyond in the distance, hugging the edge of the tree line. He didn’t recognize them, but they had the look and demeanor of prospectors. They’d no doubt seen the smoke from his fire, but they moved away. For now. Jake would need to keep an eye out.

  Molly crawled from the tent.

  “Good morning,” he said. “How did you sleep?”

  “Better than I thought I would.” She stood and arched her back into a stretch. He enjoyed the curves she managed to keep hidden beneath a jacket much of the time.

  He shifted his gaze but still kept her within his range of vision.

  “And you didn’t snore,” she added. “At least, not that I remember. I do recall dreaming about a terrible storm. I’m glad to see it’s clear this morning. This mountain air is very refreshing to the lungs, isn’t it?”

  He suppressed a laugh. It wasn’t her lungs he’d been thinking about.

  He bridged the distance between them in two strides and kissed her. “You’d best eat something and dress for climbing. I’d like to head out as soon as we can.”

  She clasped his arm and held him to her, bringing her face close to his. “We could just crawl back into the tent and spend the day there.”

  “I can see you’re going to be a huge distraction,” he murmured against her lips.

  “So says the biggest distraction I know.”

  He laughed, kissed her, then retreated a safe distance. “Get ready to do some prospecting.”

  She nodded, watching him.

  He turned away before her languid countenance lulled him into a trance and cast a spell on him. Prospecting had never been so much fun.

  * * *

  The climb into the valley took the better part of the morning, and Molly found herself facing a fear of heights she’d never known she had. As the sun rose, so did the heat and both she and Jake abandoned their coats. With knapsacks on their backs and canteens hanging across their chests, Molly followed Jake up a steep, nearly-sheer incline. As Jake climbed, he pounded three separate anchors into the granite and looped the rope through them as a precautionary measure to catch them should they fall. He wound the rope around her waist and then her legs for added safety. Molly squinted and ducked every time Jake’s pounding sent stones and dirt pelting down on her, even though the brim of her hat shielded her.

  When they finally reached the top, Molly gratefully sat down to rest and consider what she’d just accomplished.

  “Is all prospecting like this?” she asked, still winded.

  Jake took a long swallow of water from a canteen, a sheen of sweat covering his face. “No. That’s what makes the Chigger so special. No one prospects here.”

  “This is crazy, Jake. I’m not sure I can climb down.”

  “It’ll be easier going back. I’ll rig a pulley and let you down myself.”

  Molly took in the view, trying to calm her reservations. They were utterly alone, the expanse of mountains reaching to the horizon. Jake offered her bread and salted pork, and she gratefully ate, her muscles feeling shaky after the climb.

  “You ready?” he asked.

  She nodded and stood. He shouldered the rope he’d retrieved from their climb, along with the knapsack—his was much heavier, since it held a pick ax, a shovel, and a large hammer—and began down a makeshift path into the hidden valley. Molly took a fortifying breath and followed.

  Thankfully this slope wasn’t as steep, and they were able to pick their way down without the use of the rope. As they descended, Jake stopped periodically to scan the countryside with a scope he kept in his knapsack.

  “Bullseye.” He scrambled along a horizontal pathway, and Molly did her best to keep up.

  When she finally reached him, he was stopped near a pile of rocks.

  “Is this a marker?” she asked.

  “Yeah.” Jake removed all the gear draped on him and immediately dropped to his knees to inspect under a flat ledge. “This was Robert’s way of defining the boundaries of the Chigger.”

  “What are you looking for?” She set her pack on the ground and glanced around. They were located on the side of the mountain, about halfway into the narrow valley filled with a smattering of pine trees along with bare patches. Chunks of snow dotted the higher ground, and a narrow stream flowed on the valley floor.

  “The vein.”

  Lying on his stomach, Jake tossed his hat aside and crawled on the ground, inspecting the rock as he went. Molly sank to her knees beside him.

  “How can you tell if a claim is good or not?”

  He pointed to an area with a shimmer. “Mineralized rock is usually a good sign. There’s a fair amount of it here. I need to gather samples to take back to town. Then I’ll move higher to see if I can trace the vein to its starting point.”

  “Is that all silver?” She indicated the horizontal layers he studied.

  “Probably, and also quartz and galena.”

  “Is there any gold?”

  “There can be, but the yield in the Creede area has been pretty low. What you really want is high-grade ore with silver. Lots of it.”

  Jake sat upright, so Molly did the same.

  She leaned her head back to look upward. “This slope is awfully steep. Will you stake out more claims here?”

  “Maybe one or two. After the samples are assayed, Robert and I can decide where to sink the first shaft.” He pushed to his feet and scanned the area where they stood. “Although that’s gonna be tough at this angle. We probably need tunnels.”

  “You’re going to dig out a tunnel?” she asked, skeptical.

  “Nah, that’s what dynamite is for.”

  He reached a hand out to her. She clasped it, and he pulled her to her feet.

  “That seems unsafe in a location like this,” she said.

  “Robert and I sell our claims before it gets to that step.”

  “So you’ll do the same with this one, right?”

  He bent over and scooped up his hat. “If this is as lucrative as it seems to appear, I might hang on for a bit. Selling out too early could cost thousands of dollars—if not tens of thousands.”

  It suddenly dawned on Molly the implication of what he was saying. “You mean to say that because I’m half owner of this claim, I could make a lot of money?”

  A smile tugged at his mouth. “We’d need partners—investors—but yeah, this would solve your dilemma of finding the funds to travel to Europe. But I should probably tell you that Robert thinks this could be a vein that Lannigan has been searching for.”

  Surprised, Molly said, “The Bluebird?”

  “You know the story?”

  She nodded. “Won’t it anger him that we might’ve found it?”

  A wicked gleam sparked in his eyes. “I’m counting on it.”

  * * *

  Twilight was upon them when they returned to camp. Jake had been right—going back down the cliff side had gone more quickly than the ascent although no less terrifying for Molly, but she swallowed down her protests and rallied on. She didn’t want Jake to regret bringing her, or even worse, regret being her partner.

  That she might have her own independent income tantalized her, giving her courage to let Jake lower her down with the rope tied around her.

  Returning to the animals brought relief, but even stronger was a new-found confidence.

  They dropped their gear, which was heavier now with ore samples, and Molly brushed off her hands. She stilled as two men approached, ragged and unkempt, with beards and floppy hats.

  “Howdy,” the one on the right said.

  Jake stepped in front of her.

  “We saw you both earlier,” the man continued as he and his buddy came to a stop. “Thought we’d come by to say hello. I’m Marcus and this is Jim.”

  “I’m Patrick,” Jake said.

  The lie put Molly’s senses on alert, and she peeked around his shoulder, not wanting to be in the dark if trouble ensued.

&n
bsp; “You two married?” Jim asked.

  “Yes,” Jake answered.

  “Well, that’s nice.” Jim grinned. “Don’t know many women that like doin’ this. You both find anything?”

  “Not today,” Jake answered. “How about you?”

  Marcus sighed. “We’ve been here before, but it’s difficult. Most of the promising stuff seems to be up high. We brought more rope this time. Hopin’ it might help. Well, just thought we should be introduced. How long you plan to stay?”

  “A few days.”

  Marcus nodded, his eyes dropping to the gun at Jake’s hip. “Well, if you need anything, let us know.”

  They waved and departed.

  Jake turned to her. “Don’t get too comfortable. They came here to scope us out. Maybe they even work for Lannigan or maybe they’ll just try to steal from us. Or worse.”

  “What would be worse?”

  “They may try to steal you.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” she replied. “Who does such a thing?”

  Jake retrieved a bag of oats and headed toward the horses. “You’d be surprised what a man will do, sometimes for no other reason than he can.”

  Molly focused her attention on the men who were now moving specks in the distance. Exhausted, she had hoped to rest a bit before making supper, but her fatigue was of little concern now.

  * * *

  Jake brought the animals closer to camp and picketed them. Their agitation would be a sign if anything came near—predator or prospector. He considered what he’d pocketed earlier while scouting for the apex to the Chigger. It was a game-changer, and he wasn’t keen on their new friends, Marcus and Jim, making their way into the valley and snooping around.

  He hadn’t told Molly about the new claim he’d staked above the Chigger. Her energy had been flagging and she’d let him scale the higher areas alone.

  As they ate a supper of more salted pork with boiled potatoes, his discovery was on the tip of his tongue, but something held him back. Molly looked dead tired.

  Jake had told Robert he would place any new claims in Molly’s name, and he understood that, in essence, he was partnering with Robert and not her. Still, if what he’d found played out, there would be much money involved. And that changed people, not always for the better. Robert had brought Molly into the fray, but Jake sensed it was an act of desperation and not a well thought-out action. Things could get messy.

  After being burned by Lannigan’s theft of the Shanghai, Jake felt the need to examine this new turn of events before proceeding recklessly forward. Glancing at Molly, her face aglow from the firelight, an ache in Jake’s chest twisted deep inside. The more time he spent with her, the more the strange wanting grew. While it was filled with a hungry, carnal need, there was more to it than that.

  He’d never really understood the underlying sentiment of Rumi’s work, that a beloved existed as the perfect complement to another’s soul. A part of him itched to run. He didn’t need this kind of attachment, this potential heartbreak. When his folks died and he lived in the orphanage, he’d learned to ignore the pain of abandonment, the grief of losing a touchstone in life.

  Molly disturbed that wound.

  And it scared the hell out of him.

  At the same time, he wanted nothing more than to wrap himself around her and let her soothe the anguish, but if he got close to the flame he danced around like a moth—let himself bask in its heat—would he be able to survive without it?

  “Are there many bears here?” Molly asked.

  “Some,” he answered, grateful for the idle chitchat, “although not any attacks that I’ve heard of. They’re just as cautious of you as you are of them.”

  “Are we going back to the Chigger tomorrow? We have a lot of samples already.”

  “Maybe I’ll climb back up early and do additional scouting. You can stay here.” He wanted to examine more of the terrain around the new claim to make certain he’d staked the best area.

  She nodded.

  Concern about Marcus and Jim crossed his mind again. “Make sure you keep that Colt I gave you handy. You look about ready to sleep sitting up. I’ll clean up. Go to bed, Molly.”

  Her gaze met his. In her weary state, she didn’t hide the raw longing in her eyes, bringing him to full awareness.

  “Can I stay in your tent again?” Her husky voice kicked his heartrate up a notch.

  Anticipation heated his body. “Yes.” He added a slight smile to let her know how much he cared. It mattered to him, that she know. It mattered a lot.

  She crawled into the confines of the shelter, and he stoked the fire while waiting for the raging desire in his body to burn down so he could bank those coals. He couldn’t lie beside her until he had himself under control.

  Sucking in air, he scrubbed a hand through his hair, seeking a peace that was proving damn elusive these days.

  He wanted her.

  But he wouldn’t take her. Not yet.

  Not until he was sure—of her. But mostly, of himself.

  * * *

  Molly awoke with a start. The quiet darkness enveloped her as the fog of sleep slowly cleared.

  Where was Jake?

  She sat up and scooted to the tent flap.

  The fire had died down. Jake was nowhere in sight.

  A shiver of fear ran down her spine. She grabbed her heavy coat and shoved her feet into her boots, then grabbed the Colt Lightning from her gear.

  Leaving the tent, she slowly walked the perimeter of their camp, careful not to trip in the dark. The animals acknowledged her then returned to sleeping.

  Jake was gone.

  Had something alerted him?

  Or worse, was he in trouble?

  She needed to find him.

  * * *

  Jake crept upon the camp of the two prospectors.

  He’d been unable to sleep. The implications of the new claim he’d located wouldn’t stop swirling in his head like a swarm of bees. Added to it was the relenting need for Molly Rose. Staying outside the tent hadn’t doused that fire in any timely fashion, so he’d grabbed his Winchester and disappeared into the night, looking to work off the anxious buzz in his blood.

  As his senses became attuned to the darkness, his muscles flexed and stretched. Sometimes The Jackal simply needed to move before he gnawed off his own leg in frustration.

  Nothing but a smoky plume emanated from the prospector’s fire, and two dark figures slept beside it, wrapped in blankets. A soft snore echoed. Three mules stood vigil nearby, so far unaware of Jake’s presence.

  Nothing out of the ordinary.

  He waited in a natural depression in the ground.

  He stilled at a slight rustling sound behind him, but silently exhaled when he saw the cause.

  Molly.

  Hunched over, she crept to the left of him, about ten yards away. Suddenly, she tripped and fell and released a soft cry. He quickly moved to her and placed a hand over her mouth, but when he saw what she’d fallen against, laying in a ditch, he froze.

  A body.

  Molly squirmed against him and gasped. “What is that?” she whispered.

  Jake hooked an arm around her waist and hauled her back, then leaned forward to check the man. He had a bad feeling when he saw the shirt peeking from beneath the dirt that had been tossed over him and a hand that was partially visible.

  He dug handfuls of soil away from the head, his heart sinking when he could see the face more clearly.

  Pedro.

  He glanced around then grabbed Molly’s arm and dragged her to stand.

  He pressed his lips to her ear. “We need to go.”

  They moved quickly over the uneven terrain, their breaths expelling in white puffs from the cold air. Once they reached their camp, Jake immediately pulled all the blankets and bedrolls from his tent and started dismantling it.

  “We’re leaving now?” Molly whispered.

  “I think it would be wise, don’t you?”

  “Did they ki
ll that man?”

  She hadn’t recognized Pedro. Better that she didn’t know. He nodded. “It would appear so. I don’t think we should wait around until morning to figure it all out.”

  She agreed and helped him pack. In short order, he saddled the horses and secured all the gear. Soon they were picking their way out of the valley, the dark night making travel slow.

  Jake couldn’t shake the fact that Pedro’s presence in this area—and his unfortunate death—had something to do with the Chigger and the new claim Jake had staked.

  He thought of the float he’d found earlier that day while he’d been scouting alone above the Chigger. It was safely tucked into his coat pocket. The shiny gold nugget hinted at the possibility of a vein rich and thick. He’d staked a new claim, but who knew what lay deeper once the discovery samples were gathered and an exploratory shaft sunk. Once word got out, men wild with mining fever would descend like vultures.

  It would appear the boundaries were already being positioned, and violence had become an immediate fallback position.

  The need to shield Molly from the ensuing battle compelled him to get her off this mountain and back to the Krupin’s—and to Creede—as soon as possible.

  Chapter Fifteen

  As they rode through the night, Molly struggled to remain awake. She sagged in relief when they finally approached Ivan and Pearl’s place, amid the chirping and warbling of birds as the expanding sunshine warmed the landscape and brought the earth to life once again.

  Had those two prospectors killed that man?

  She shuddered, and a thick fear twisted in her belly.

  Did this have something to do with the Chigger?

  As they stopped in front of the cabin, Ivan came on the porch, securing suspenders onto his shoulders.

  “You’re back sooner than expected.” Ivan squinted his one good eye.