Ride the Thunder

by Janet Dailey

  The loss of blood and hunger had weakened him more than he had expected. He desperately needed these additional minutes of rest to conserve what strength remained. He watched Jordanna work her way across the barren mountain plateau until she was out of sight. He had never felt so lonely in his life. Firmly he pushed the empty ache aside and made a searching sweep of the surrounding craggy hills.

  Compelled by an urgency that ran deeper than mere concern for Brig's injury, Jordanna pushed herself onward without stopping to rest Once a rabbit streaked madly out of her path, but it was the only living thing she saw.

  The camp looked deserted when she staggered warily into it. From the picket line in the trees, a horse whickered. Gulping in a cold breath, Jordanna walked toward the large tent where the spare tack was kept. As she lifted back the tent flap, she immediately felt the warmth from the shepherd's stove tingle over her. In the shadowy dimness, something moved.

  "Jordanna!"

  The voice was instantly recognizable. "Kit!" She laughed his name with a crazy kind of relief.

  "My God, where have you been? We've been out of our minds worrying about you, " her brother accused as he hopped toward her. "Jocko went out to look for you. Did he find you? Where's Dad and Brig?"

  "I forgot about your ankle. How is it?" Considering all that had happened since his accident, it wasn't surprising. Then the inanity of her question struck her, followed instantly by the realization of what he'd asked her. "Dad isn't here?" Brig had been right when he'd insisted her father wouldn't return to camp. What else was he right about?

  "No. " Kit frowned. "Isn't he with you?"

  "No. We... We got separated, " she explained lamely.

  "That snow came down pretty thick for awhile. " He looked worried. "Are you all right? There's coffee on. You must be hungry. Jocko fixed some stew. Come on over here by the stove so you can get warm. You must be half-frozen by now. "

  "No, not now. " She resisted his attempt to curve an arm around her shoulders and escort her deeper into the tent. "I have to leave. I just came in for the bridles and a saddle if there is one. Brig's hurt I have to go back to him. "

  "He's hurt?" Kit immediately changed his direction, hobbling over to where his coat and hat lay. "I'll go with you. How bad is it? What happened?"

  Jordanna wished he wouldn't bombard her with questions. Exhaustion and hunger made it difficult to think clearly at the moment Now there was the additional confusion of her father's role in all this.

  "It's his leg. " She hurried toward the bridles lying neatly in one corner. There was only one saddle. She picked it up, too, swinging it onto her shoulder.

  "Did he break it?" Her brother came up beside her to relieve her of the bridles.

  "No. " Jordanna hesitated, then admitted, "Brig was shot. He has this ridiculous notion that Dad did it. " She laughed shakily and wanted Kit to join in.

  "Oh, my God!" he groaned and pain flashed across his face.

  His reaction scared her. "It's funny, isn't it?" she demanded. "It's really so impossible that... "

  "Why? Does Brig know why?" her brother interrupted.

  "He says... it's because he knows that Dad killed Max. That isn't true, of course, " she added quickly and felt a curling nausea in her stomach at the sight of Kit's expression. "It isn't. You don't believe him, do you?"

  "Did Brig know how Max was killed?" A grim sadness pulled at his features.

  "He showed me a briar that he found under the saddle. " A cold feeling of dread washed over her. It was all a nightmare and she wanted desperately to wake up. She pushed her way out of the tent into the bright sunlight Her brother limped along side of her.

  "I wondered... I hoped... " Kit shook his head, unable to finish either sentence. His shoulders drooped as he closed his eyes and compressed his lips tightly together.

  "Why?" The word bubbled from her throat and Jordanna swallowed. "Why would Dad want to kill Max? What reason would he have? Brig couldn't give me one. Can you?"

  "I was afraid something like this would happen, " Kit murmured aloud. "I thought if I came along I could stop it. I wanted so much to believe it was an accident... mere coincidence. "

  "But why?" she demanded that he answer. If her brother had come along because he suspected something might happen, then he had to know why. As they neared the picket line, a horse turned its head to watch their approach.

  "Can't you guess, Jordanna?" The sad, cynical look was back in his dark eyes. "It was Mother. "

  "Max... was her latest lover?" she guessed and Kit nodded. "But that doesn't explain why, " she argued. "It certainly isn't Livvie's first love. And Dad hasn't k-killed any of the others. So why single Max out from a multitude?"

  "Mother was leaving him for Max... just as soon as Max arranged to sell Dad that stock. She couldn't divorce Dad in New York, so she was flying to Mexico or Nevada or anywhere she could get her freedom. Dad wasn't supposed to know. But she lost her temper one day and told him what she was going to do. Less than a week later, this business about Max going on the hunting trip came up. Mother was upset... crying. She swore to me that she hadn't mentioned Max's name, but Dad has had her followed for years. He can give you names, dates, places. There wasn't any chance he didn't know Max was her lover. "

  "Are you trying to convince me that Dad killed Max because Livvie was going to get a divorce because of him?" Jordanna shook her head in bewilderment "Why should Dad care? Look at what she's done to him, how she's treated him. "

  "Look at how he's treated her. "

  "Dad has tried to give her everything she's ever wanted. " Setting the saddle on the ground, she smoothed the blanket pad over the back of a bay horse.

  "Except himself. Do you know why they have separate bedrooms?" her brother questioned and answered it before Jordanna could. "He moved out shortly after you were born and the doctors informed her that she couldn't have any more children. Her only function came to be an ornament to decorate his house. People could touch and admire, but they couldn't take her away from him. Dad crushed anyone who tried, including Max, I imagine. "

  Jordanna felt herself recoiling from the picture Kit was painting. "You make Dad sound so... coldblooded. He isn't like that. " She lifted the saddle into place. All her movements were unconsciously automatic.

  "I've tried to explain to you before, " he said patiently. "You only saw what Dad wanted you to see. Look at me. You thought you knew me, but you never really knew me at all, or you would have guessed Mike was my lover, not my roommate. "

  "Poor Max. Dad never intended to buy that stock. He was just stringing him along, " Jordanna realized, speaking the thought aloud in a soft murmur. Her brother had supplied the motive. Now the evidence was too strong against her father for Jordanna to deny his guilt any longer. The disillusionment was a bitter, painful thing. "But why wasn't he satisfied with ruining Max?"

  "Max's greed far outweighed his pride. Mother had told him about the marriage contract she had signed years ago. Dad was very generous in his provisions for her in the event of a legal separation or a divorce, " Kit explained dryly. "It was a case of loving Mother and her money. Dad couldn't buy Max off—or financially ruin him—so he arranged the 'accident' I half-believed that's what it was—even knowing all this. "

  With the cinch tightened, she unhooked the stirrup from the saddlehorn and let it hang. When she moved to the horse's head, Kit automatically handed her a bridle. Jordanna left the halter on as she forced the metal bit between the horse's teeth and slid the headstall over its ears. They were talking about a man she had regarded all her life as her father, yet he was suddenly a total stranger, a dangerous man who frightened her.

  "Mother should have left him a long time ago. " Jordanna buckled the cheek strap. "Why didn't she?"

  "She was afraid. She knew the extent of Dad's power. He let her see it often enough, " her brother commented and moved to the packhorse tied beside the bay. "If she'd left him, Dad would have ruined her socially. Granted, she would have had money, b
ut he would have made sure she was shut out of the world she knew and shunned by her friends. She was frightened of being alone, knowing that Dad would use every means at his disposal to ruin any happiness she might find in another man's arms. Then Max came along and convinced her that together they could face anything. Love gave her courage. "

  Her widened gaze sought her brother's face. "Now Max is dead. " She felt pity for her mother, compassion for the ordeal of her marriage. "You've always been close to her, Kit. You should have gone to New York to be with her now. "

  "Probably, " he conceded. "But I didn't trust Dad. I thought he might be coming back out here to cover up some evidence. I had to know whether he was responsible for Max's death. I couldn't face Mother without knowing for sure, one way or the other. " He handed her the second bridle.

  An icy chill ran down Jordanna's spine. "He did come back to cover up evidence. Brig. The only reason Brig didn't tell anyone what he suspected was because he couldn't find a motive. We know the motive. Dad probably thinks I told him. " Fear reduced her voice to a breathless whisper. "He is going to try to kill Brig, isn't he?"

  The line of Kit's mouth grimmed. After an instant's hesitation, his head moved in a short, affirmative nod. "It's the only explanation. "

  "He's been hunting us. " Jordanna forced herself to accept the fact. "... Hunting Brig. Brig lost his rifle in the storm. He's hurt. He wouldn't stand a chance if Dad found him. "

  The weakness of exhaustion and hunger left her with a rash. All her movements became dictated by the need for haste. She fastened the bridle on the packhorse and took the last bridle from Kit's hands.

  "I'll be right back. " Kit started to move away, then paused. "Meet me at the tent. "

  Jordanna didn't know why her brother was going back, but it was the least of her concerns at the moment. With all three horses bridled, she unsnapped the lead ropes that tied them to the picket lines and hopped bareback onto one of the packhorses. Leading the other two, she walked the horses to the tent

  When Kit came out of the tent, he had a rifle in his hand. "We might need this. "

  Jordanna handed him the reins to the saddled horse and didn't comment on his remark. Not waiting for him to mount, she nudged the horse forward. The heat coming from the shaggy-coated horse warmed her legs.

  The longer Brig studied the tracks Jordanna had left in the snow, the more worried he became. If Fletcher came across that trail, it would lead directly back to him. He needed a place that offered more concealment, yet kept him within view of this spot, so he could signal Jordanna when she returned.

  Brig looked back over the ground they had covered to reach this point A thick stand of pine trees was behind him. Among them was a tangled deadfall. It looked more secure than the jumble of rocks that surrounded him. Ricocheting bullets could tear him to pieces, bouncing off these rocks, while the fallen timber would absorb them.

  Scraping the snow from his wound, he saw it had stopped bleeding, but the numbed and sore muscles had begun to stiffen. Brig pushed painfully to his feet, laboring the first few steps. The wind blew stiffly in front of the trees. It had almost succeeded in wiping out their previous tracks. Brig moved carefully toward the deadfall, trying to walk only where the snow was thin in order to make fewer tracks for Fletcher to trail.

  At the first tree, he paused to lean against it and take some of the weight off his left leg. The bark near his head exploded, driving splinters into his cheek. Brig dropped to the snow-covered ground as the rifle shot echoed through the mountains. His heart was thundering in his chest. He crawled on his belly to the deadfall.

  Chapter 24

  "Did you hear that?" Jordanna reined in her horse sharply and glanced worriedly at Kit.

  He had stopped his horse at the sound of the rifle shot. His head was tipped at a listening angle. "Jocko said he'd fire two shots if he found you. "

  No second shot followed the first The significance of that drew a sharp breath from Jordanna. She tugged once at the reins of the horse she led. When it strained in resistance, she let go and kicked the horse she rode into a canter. Kit was right behind her.

  Brig waited behind the fallen timber. Sweat had broken out on his forehead as his eyes and ears strained to find his assailant. The carpet of powdery snow would silence any footsteps by one who knew how to walk on it And he'd had plenty of opportunities to observe Fletcher's stalking skill. Brig wasn't that well concealed, but he didn't dare move. The snow hid the brittle branches in the deadfall. While trying to get into a better position, he might break one of them and he couldn't risk any noise that would draw attention to his location.

  His cheek began to smart from the sweat trickling into the tiny cuts made by the splintering bark. Brig ignored it and moistened his dry lips. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move downhill and focused on it

  Fletcher was slowly moving toward the stand of trees. Brig guessed that the hunter probably wasn't sure whether his bullet had dropped him or not. In a moment, Fletcher would see there was no body at the base of the tree and would start combing the woods for him. Brig silently cursed his lack of a weapon. His knife would only be good for man-to-man fighting and Fletcher would never let him get that close.

  As Fletcher moved onto the wide path the wind had swept free of snow, he stopped. Brig's throat was dry. He glanced at his cover. As long as he didn't move, he would be difficult to spot He watched Fletcher search the trees with his gaze.

  "McCord!" he called. "You might as well come out. I know you're wounded. I found the blood on the ground the other day. Let's make this as painless as possible. You can't travel far—not far enough to escape me. I promise you I'll end it quickly. "

  Brig didn't answer. The deadfall was an obvious place to hide and it would be the first place Fletcher would investigate. He looked around to see if there was someplace else. Time—he just had to buy a little time. Maybe Fletcher would make a mistake.

  "Nobody is going to help you, if that's what you're hoping, McCord!" Fletcher called again, working his way slowly up the slope. "Jocko is on the other side of camp. I watched him leave this morning. Even if he heard the rifle shot, he'd never make it in time to help you. He's a long way from here. Jordanna might be leaving camp now, but she won't help you. It's just you and me, McCord. So, come on out. "

  There was a tree to one side of him and Brig inched toward it, moving only when he was certain Fletcher was looking in another direction. Using its wide trunk as a shield, he straightened and flattened himself against it. Each second he gained became precious.

  "I know why you have to kill me, Fletcher!" he called to the hunter. "But why did you kill Max?"

  "Come out where I can see you. "

  "No! Not yet!" Brig shouted, aware the hunter was moving, now that he had located his prey, but he didn't know in which direction. "If I'm going to the, at least give me the peace of mind of knowing all the answers!"

  "The bastard thought he could take my wife and my money. "

  Fletcher's voice came from the left and Brig inched in the opposite direction, keeping the tree trunk between them. It mattered little that his first suspicion about Max and Fletcher's wife had been right all along.

  "You are a fool, Fletcher, " Brig declared.

  "No, you are the fool for dragging this out! Step out here where I can see you!"

  "You can still get out of this, Fletcher. You can buy yourself some attorneys and probably get off with a light charge and a couple years' probation for Max's death. But if you kill me, you are compounding everything. They'll hang you for this. It's premeditated murder and you know it. "

  "But you are the only one who does!" Fletcher laughed. "And you'll be dead!"

  The jangle of bridle bits and laboring horses reached Brig's hearing, followed by the thudding of galloping hooves. His head jerked in the direction of the sound as Jordanna and Kit crested the rise, a loose horse galloping with them, its head held to one side to avoid the trailing reins. Jordanna slid from the bare back
of the horse.

  "Brig!"

  He heard the panic in her voice. "Stay back, Jordanna!"

  "Get out of here, Jordanna, " Fletcher ordered. "This doesn't concern you. "

  "No!" she protested stridently. "No, you aren't going to kill him! Dad, stop this!"

  "You heard me. Now do as you are told!"

  "Who is next after me, Fletcher?" Brig challenged. "Jordanna is a witness. So is your son. Are you going to kill them, too? And what about Jocko? He can read signs better than you. Do you think he isn't going to know what really happened here? You kill me and you'll have to keep killing and killing. It won't stop with just me!"

  A bullet whipped the tree near his head. Brig ducked to avoid the spray of bark. The man was beyond reason, driven over the edge, beyond reach of any logic.

  At the shot, Jordanna whirled around and grabbed the rifle from her brother's hands. This time the tree had protected Brig, but unless she stopped her father, it might not turn out that way again. She rammed a bullet into the chamber. Before the reverberations of the first shot had died, Jordanna was firing her rifle in the air, then swinging the muzzle down to point at her father.

  "I won't let you kill him, " she warned.

  Her father turned to look at her in surprise. Out of the corner of her eye, Jordanna saw Brig limp to a different tree, one that brought him closer to the windswept slope. But she didn't let her gaze become distracted from her father's stunned face.

  "You won't kill me. " He relaxed slightly, a faint smugness entering his expression.

  "I don't have to kill you, Dad. " There wasn't more than thirty yards between them. "At this distance, I can hit you anywhere I want... in the leg, the shoulder, the knee. You taught me how to shoot. You know what I can do. Drop the rifle, Dad. "