“Me? No, not in the way you mean. He’s so private, yet one of the nicest men you’ll ever meet—if he’ll open up and talk with you.”
Luke let the information settle in. He knew Gabe and Noah were close, yet he’d met Noah just a couple times. Once when they’d visited King Tolbert. He’d been silent as he took in every word during the meeting, his sharp eyes missing nothing. Luke agreed with Rachel. There was a lot more to Noah than he wanted people to see.
“Here we are.” He opened the door to Suzanne’s restaurant and followed Rachel inside.
“Good evening. Follow me.” Suzanne led them to a table by the window. “Where’s your brother?”
“Sulking at home. I invited him to come along.”
“What a shame, a good-looking man like him alone.” She shot a quick glance at Rachel, who averted her eyes.
They got settled, ordered the night’s special, and looked out the window toward the glow of the fire in the livery.
“You said you invited Dax to come. He refused?” Rachel had tried not to ask, but her good sense surrendered to the pull of her curiosity.
“He didn’t refuse as much as decline.” Luke told himself he didn’t want to get in the middle of whatever had happened between the two of them, yet the sadness in her voice wrestled with his restraint. “I’m not sure what’s going on with him. There’s something weighing on him, dragging him down, but he won’t talk about it.”
“He told me his life is in Texas, not here. Sounds pretty simple to me.”
Luke thought about it a moment, believing the cause to be more complex. He chose not to share his concerns with Rachel right now. “You may be right. It could be a simple desire to live somewhere else.”
Two hours later, he walked her home, recognizing how much he’d missed going out with a lady. It had been quite a while since he’d cleaned himself up and spent an evening discussing whatever came to mind with a beautiful woman, not worrying about the next battle or what outlaw may be coming up behind him.
“Thanks so much for this evening, Luke. I had a wonderful time.”
“The pleasure’s mine, Rachel.” He made a slight bow, then cast her a vague smile before turning to leave. “Don’t give up on him. He hasn’t left yet.”
Rachel stayed by the door and watched him leave, his last words playing over and over in her mind. No, Dax hadn’t left. He still had to work out the details with Luke or find another buyer for his half of the ranch. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t leave. Rachel had thought about Dax day and night, lying awake in bed while trying to find a way to rid him from her mind. She’d come to accept that no amount of hope would get him to stay. He’d fixed his sights on Texas, a vast state with unlimited opportunities. This small town in Montana couldn’t be more different than the big southern state on the border of Mexico.
No, Dax Pelletier would never be a true part of Splendor, never claim the town as his own, never be happy with someone like her. He’d arrive and leave as most did—seeking a dream hundreds of miles away where she held no place.
Chapter Fourteen
Big Pine, Montana
“We’ll stay here tonight.” Duff Mayes slid off his horse, casting a look at his brother and cousins before walking up the steps toward the hotel in Big Pine. “I need a bath and food. Then a drink.” He nodded toward the saloon next door.
“How long are we staying?” Whitey Mayes had grown increasingly frustrated over the two weeks it had taken them to reach Montana. He wanted to reach Splendor, kill the Pelletier brothers, and get back to their Texas ranch. The trip had already taken up too much time.
“We’ll leave in a couple days. Splendor should be a day’s ride from here.”
“Why wait? We need to get this over with.”
The glare Whitey shot his older brother had no impact on Duff. Over the years, he’d learned to ignore most of Whitey’s ramblings. They used to come to blows over them. Now he let him fume.
“I want to talk with the sheriff, maybe a few others, and find out if anyone has heard of the Pelletiers. We need to know what we’re riding into.” He continued through the entrance toward the front desk and ordered rooms.
Duff signed his name in the register, threw a couple of bills on the desk, then glanced at the clerk. “Big Pine have a sheriff?”
“We’re the territorial capital. Of course we have a sheriff. Parker Sterling.” He pointed down the street in the direction of the jail.
“Thanks.” Duff grabbed his saddlebag and started up the stairs, tired and as ready as Whitey to get this over with and head home. What worried him, caused him to be more cautious than normal, had everything to do with what he’d learned about the two Texas Rangers they hunted. It didn’t seem to matter to his brother that both were ex-Confederate officers and had excellent reputations as Rangers, even though they’d been with the agency a short time.
The three Mayes and three Olin brothers had been robbing banks for close to two years, and up until Duff had been shot in the leg months before, no one had been injured. In fact, no one had gotten close to tracking them toward their ranch. The robbery in Red Gulch changed everything, leaving the youngest Mayes brother dead. The one difference between that robbery and the others was Hanes and the Pelletiers.
Whitey told Duff the Rangers didn’t give up like the others, even though the outlaws had set up numerous false trails to throw them off. Each time the gang believed they’d lost them, the lawmen would show up on their trail within hours. It had been the first time they’d been tracked by the three Rangers. Whitey believed the lawmen had gotten lucky. Duff thought not. He figured the brothers were more accomplished, with more skills than the lawmen they’d encountered in the past.
Whitey grabbed Duff’s arm, stopping him before he could enter his room. “We should get out of here tomorrow. Talk with the sheriff, then leave.” Whitey looked behind him, making certain they were alone. “Something’s not right. We’re being tracked. I can feel it.”
Duff pulled him inside and closed the door. “You’re imagining it. We’ve seen no one, no signs we’re being followed.”
“And there may not be any until it’s too late. I’m telling you, someone is hunting us the same way we’re hunting those Rangers.”
Duff threw his saddlebags on the bed and turned back to Whitey. “Don’t you think I know there are posters out on us? Anyone could pick one up and come after us. But we’ve seen no one. Besides, who’s going to follow us all the way north to Montana?”
“There are some men who would.”
“Few who’d give up other opportunities to track us all the way up here.” Duff sat on the bed and rubbed the leg, which had never healed, grimacing at the pain a day in the saddle caused. He knew his brother had good instincts, a skill he’d used to save them more than once. If his leg didn’t hurt so bad, Duff might have been more inclined to focus on Whitey’s comments. But he needed time for the pain to subside before climbing back on his horse.
“We’ll get out of here after I speak with the sheriff tomorrow, and not before. We’re a day’s ride from finding who we’re after, and nothing will change before then. I’m going to grab some food and a few drinks. You can come along or stay here. It makes no difference to me.”
Whitey looked out the window to the road below. Seeing nothing, he dropped the curtain and looked at his brother. “We’re making a mistake not getting this over with quick.”
“It’ll be done soon, but it will be done my way.”
Whitey watched Duff leave, knowing nothing good would come from continuing to put off the inevitable.
Splendor, Montana
“What are you drinking?” Al, the Wild Rose bartender, asked.
“Whiskey.” Luke leaned against the bar, eyes locked on the saloon girl who passed among the tables. He’d noticed her clothes and hair right off. She wore a simple calico dress and had pulled her golden brown hair into a bun with soft ringlets escaping to frame her face. He’d had drinks at the Rose several times sin
ce arriving in Splendor and had never seen her.
“Who’s the new girl?” Luke asked as Al set down his drink.
“Ginny. She arrived in town a few weeks ago with her little sister. They came in with the settlers and decided to stay.” Al chuckled when he noticed the look of appreciation on Luke’s face. “She’s a server a few nights a week. No upstairs business with her.”
Luke glanced at Al, then back at Ginny. “Guess I might want to introduce myself to your new server.” He grabbed his glass and found a seat, ignoring an empty chair at one of the card tables. She came by as he’d finished off the last of his drink.
“May I get you another?”
He tilted the chair, balancing on the back two legs, and let his gaze drift up to her. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Luke Pelletier.”
Her easy smile stalled at the wide grin he gave her. “Hello, Mr. Pelletier. I’m Ginny.”
“Ginny, it’s nice to meet you. Al says you’re new to Splendor.”
She worried her lower lip and looked at Al. His nod told her it would be all right to speak with him. “Yes. My sister and I have been here a few weeks. Can I get you a drink?”
Luke let his other questions wait, knowing there’d be plenty of time to get to know more about the pretty young woman. “A whiskey, please.”
He watched her avoid a couple of cowboys on her way to the bar. He thought she couldn’t be older than seventeen, and wondered about her sister, where they lived, and what happened to their parents.
“Here you are.” Ginny set down the glass. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
“I will, Ginny. Thanks.” He wrapped fingers around the glass and studied the golden liquid before bringing it to his lips. His eyes wandered back to the pretty server standing at the bar, talking with Al. He wondered about her. Why did she have to support her younger sister? Where were their parents? What was she doing working in a saloon? Luke made the decision to find out more about the intriguing newcomer.
“You wanted to see me, boss?” Drake strolled into King Tolbert’s study, shut the door, then folded his arms and leaned against it. The ranch had been quiet since the shooting of the Pelletier ranch hand. He’d lived, but the wrath from Tolbert had been significant. Drake knew his boss believed there might be some truth to the Pelletiers’ accusation. Drake had ordered his men to stay out of King’s way and not create any trouble. Those who didn’t would answer to him.
King looked up, then set his pen down and stood. “I need to make changes. We’re going to cut some of the men loose. Most are from the group you brought in or hired.” He crossed his arms and leaned against his desk. “I’m keeping all the men I hired. I’ve prepared a list of the men I don’t need.” He turned to pick up a paper behind him, but didn’t offer it to Drake.
Drake had wondered when King would trim the number of ranch hands. He knew that when it happened, his men would be the first to go. There were a few he’d like to cut loose himself, but others needed to stay. They’d been with him since his departure from the Confederate Army. He owed them.
“I’d like to see it.”
“As long as you understand I’ll make all decisions on who leaves.” He held out the paper.
Drake scanned the list. All the men who’d ridden in from Big Pine were on it, as well as a few others, two of them he couldn’t lose. “Pruett and Swaggert need to stay.”
“Why’s that?”
“They’re more experienced than the others and hard working. They’ve been with me for years.”
King listened. He didn’t know the two well. They did whatever Drake ordered—no questions asked. That worried him. He understood loyalty, as well as the fact it could be taken too far.
“I’ll think about it. In the meantime, I’m letting the others go.” He walked back around to his chair and sat.
“When will you tell them?”
“Tonight. They’ll be paid through the month. I expect them to be off the ranch tomorrow morning.”
Drake kept his temper as he left the house and headed toward the barn. With each step, his unease grew. He’d learned about Tolbert from another soldier. The man had traveled west years before and worked for Tolbert, then moved back east to help his parents after the war broke out. He’d told Drake of Tolbert’s plans to expand, take over the neighboring ranches and control the cattle business in the growing territory of Montana. He’d said the man would need people like Drake to achieve his goals. The two of them, plus Pruett and Swaggert, had planned to leave together.
The solider died a few weeks later. The others had taken off in the middle of the night after a brutal battle, deciding their future didn’t exist in the South. They headed west, as far away as possible from those who knew them. He’d recruited others who’d fought for the South and lost everything, forming his own roving gang. It had taken them a year to cross the country, stealing what they needed and killing those who tried to stop them. All the while, Drake never let his focus stray from Tolbert, his Montana ranch, and a start at a new life away from anyone who knew of his desertion from the army. He never expected to see General Pelletier again, especially not in an isolated town like Splendor. He had to protect the secrets of his past, and that meant ridding the area of the Pelletier brothers.
Denver, Colorado
“You’re certain these are the men who rode through here asking about the Pelletiers?”
“That’s the one who spoke to us.” The sheriff pointed to the wanted poster in Cash Coulter’s right hand, then pointed to the one in his left. “This one stayed outside with three others. Duff Mayes came inside, except he called himself Henry Johnson. He also said he and the Pelletiers are friends, known each other for years. He just wanted to catch up with them.”
Cash folded both posters and stuck them in his shirt pocket, knowing their journey had nothing to do with finding old friends. It had to do with locating and killing two Texas Rangers.
He’d started in Louisiana months before, searching for another band of outlaws who’d killed a family on their farm—Cash’s uncle, aunt, and two cousins. From what he’d learned, the gang had stopped for food, then taken the horses and killed his kin. A lone worker had survived, identifying the leader as Parnell Drake, ex-sergeant in the Confederacy, deserter, and murderer.
After following their trail for several weeks, Cash lost them near Austin, Texas. He’d learned of a man named Henry Johnson, who’d been looking for the brothers. Cash had spent time with their captain, finally matching a wanted poster of Duff Mayes to the man who called himself Henry Johnson. The real reason for their search became obvious—locate the two Texas Rangers who’d killed his brother and murder them. Now Cash tracked the gang who hunted men he’d known since childhood. He’d still go after Parnell Drake, hunt him down, and kill him. First, he had to warn his friends.
Big Pine, Montana
“What did the sheriff say?” Whitey stood at the bar, waiting for his brother to speak with Sheriff Sterling, who’d ridden out of town early and returned in the afternoon. He’d hoped they’d be on their way to Splendor by now. Their journey would have to wait until tomorrow.
Duff signaled for a drink. “He knows Dax Pelletier—doesn’t know the brother. He was in Big Pine a few weeks ago to pick up supplies with a couple of other people. They have a ranch in Splendor. He says it used to be belong to Pat Hanes.”
“The man I killed,” Whitey said under his breath.
Duff nodded. “Looks like they may have decided to stay a while, which means they’ll be easy to find.”
Whitey sipped his whiskey, a smile spreading across his face. He could feel the rush of getting close to the men they sought. Within days, the Pelletiers would be dead, Deke’s life avenged, and they’d be on their way back home. “When do we leave?”
“First light tomorrow.” Duff looked behind him at the table where their cousins—Clark, Bill, and Jed Olin—sat playing cards. “We’ll send one of them to find out where the ranch is. I have yet to see
a wanted poster on them, but our faces are all over. Big Pine and a couple other small towns are the only places where ours weren’t up.”
“Who’s the sheriff in Splendor?”
A grin split Duff’s face. “They don’t have one. He got himself killed several months ago. That’s another reason Pelletier rode here. To get the word out the town needs a sheriff.”
“No sheriff and the Pelletiers don’t know we’re coming. Should be pretty simple. While we’re there, we might as well relieve their bank of any excess funds, don’t you think?”
Duff held his glass up in a salute. “I think it’s an idea worth considering.”
An hour after the sun appeared the following morning, the five outlaws rode out of Big Pine and straight toward Splendor. Their stops were quick. They took enough time to water the horses, eat hardtack and jerky, wash both down with water, then moved on. Well before sunset, they camped a few miles outside of town.
“Try the saloon first. Someone there is bound to know where their ranch is located.” Duff stood next to Clark, as his oldest cousin prepared to leave. “Remember, you’re an old buddy from the war and heard the Pelletiers were up this way. Nothing more.”
“I got it, Duff. Hell, you’ve been telling me what to say for twenty minutes. How about I bring back some whiskey?”
“No. We stay sober until this job is done.”
“And the bank?” Whitey asked.
“I’ll take a look while I’m in town. See if it looks worth it,” Clark called over his shoulder as he turned his horse toward town and started off.
“Truth is, I don’t know how we’ll be able to take care of the two Rangers and the bank. It’s going to be one or the other.” Duff stood, hands on hips, and watched Clark ride off.
“Unless we split up,” Whitey said.
“That’d be plum foolish. We came here for one purpose. To avenge Deke. Robbing a bank will need to wait until after those boys are in the ground.”
Whitey knew better than to argue with Duff, especially when he’d settled his mind on something. A small town, no sheriff and, more than likely, little resistance. It seemed a waste to leave money in the bank.
Redemption's Edge: Book 1, Redemption Mountain Historical Western Romance Page 18