CHAD RANDALL had taken off after his son the day following Jim’s departure. He’d gathered together his cousins and three brothers, and gone to the sheriff, demanding they look for Jim and Patience. After two days, they’d had little luck in finding any substantial trail and were heading back home.
“Hey! Look at that smoke,” Brett Randall said. He gestured at the black plume of smoke ahead of them.
After a few minutes Chad said, “It doesn’t appear to be moving. Don’t think it’s a forest fire.”
“Maybe the snow’s slowing it down,” Brett returned. “Clouds are piling up—could be another storm soon. Maybe that’ll take care of the fire.”
“Maybe,” Jake said, as he scanned the skies. “I’d hoped we’d make it to the cabin tonight, but I don’t think we can. We’ve only got a couple of more hours of daylight.”
When the sun sank behind the mountains, they camped across the canyon, leaving the crossing until morning. They’d already noted that the smoke had lessened, almost disappeared, in fact, and assumed the snow already on the ground had curbed it.
There was no conversation around the campfire that night. They were all tired and more than a little worried. They knew Jim and Patience had come this way, but they had no idea where they were or even if they were alive.
As soon as daylight arrived, the men began the descent and then the climb to the other side. When they got to the edge of the clearing, they came to an abrupt halt. All that was left of the cabin was charred remains. The smoke they’d seen yesterday had been the cabin burning.
The Randalls were stunned. Jake dismounted and moved closer to the remains. After studying them for a moment he said, “Someone set this fire.”
“Could’ve been lightning,” Chad suggested weakly. He thought of the times they’d spent here with their wives and children.
“In a snowstorm? No. I smell kerosene—probably that fire starter we brought up here a couple of years ago. There was still half a can of it left.”
Several others got off their horses to help Jake search the remains. Chad stayed mounted, frozen with fear. Had Jim been in the cabin when it was torched?
“No bodies,” Jake finally said.
Chad almost fell off the horse in relief. “You’re sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure,” Jake said. “You okay?”
“As good as I can be, not knowing where they are.”
“We’re gonna find them,” Pete assured his brother.
Suddenly Brett pointed to the sky. Everyone stared at the buzzards circling in the distance.
“We’re wasting time,” Chad finally ground out. “There’s nothing we can do about this now.” He gestured at the charred remains.
“You’re right,” Jake growled. “Let’s go. Where those buzzards are circling looks to be on the way home. We should make it there tonight.”
The men remounted and rode toward the trail that would take them back to the Randall ranch. They’d almost reached the trail when the buzzards they’d seen suddenly flew up in front of them.
Jake swung down from his saddle. “It’s a dead body.”
Chad’s heart squeezed in pain. “Jim?” His voice was hoarse.
“Nope. I don’t recognize him, but he’s pretty messed up from the birds.”
Chad had to look at the body, just to be sure it wasn’t his son. Then he glanced up and noted another flock of buzzards circling not far away. He pointed. “Look.”
He began walking in that direction and Pete joined him, his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “This one won’t be Jim either, brother. I’m sure he’s okay.”
“I have to know,” Chad muttered. Again, what was left of the body clearly wasn’t Jim. Chad felt tears in his eyes at the relief. Did this mean his son had survived? That he had killed the men?
“We can’t identify the bodies, Sheriff,” Chad said. “Maybe they were with some paramilitary group.”
“I’ll talk to Jim, but I’m sure the shooting was in self-defense, Chad. Don’t worry.”
“I’ll stop worrying when I see my boy alive and well,” Chad replied, turning away to hide his fears.
Since they didn’t have extra horses to carry the bodies back to town, they dug two shallow graves to keep the bodies away from the buzzards and other vermin. The sheriff would return with the Coroner to take the men’s remains back to be identified. The work took several hours out of the Randalls’ day.
“Looks like we’d best make camp. We’d be fools to risk going down the switchback in the dark.” Jake sighed and looked at his family for agreement.
“What about the storm?” Chad asked. “It looks like it’s going to dump a lot of snow.”
“We’ll start early and maybe miss the worst of it. Down low it won’t be as bad. We can use the walkie-talkie after we get partway. Find out if there’s been any word on Jim.”
Chad shrugged and unsaddled his horse. They had ridden on to the start of the trail, getting away from the bodies they’d buried. There wasn’t much cover, only a couple of large boulders. They all laid out their bedrolls at the base of the boulders.
About four in the morning Chad woke up to find himself covered in snow. He knew it would take them a long time to get home in this weather.
After trying to find some dry wood to add to the fire he looked up to discover Jake standing over him.
Jake whispered, “I covered some wood with a tarp yesterday evening. It’s dry. I’ll get it.”
Leave it to Jake to think of that, Chad thought. Jake had been father, as well as brother, to Chad for most of his life. He always knew he could rely on Jake.
Soon they had the fire burning steadily. Jake put on the coffeepot. “I reckon we’d better get home today. This is the last of our coffee,” Jake said.
“There’s not much to eat, either,” Chad remarked. “Just beef jerky. Makes me think fondly of Red’s breakfasts.”
“Don’t mention that,” Jake warned. “It makes me even hungrier.”
Their cousin Griff asked groggily from his bedroll, “Time to get up?”
“Naw,” Jake responded. “You can sleep another hour if you want.”
Griff shoved back his sleeping bag. “With you two yakking, I guess I might as well join you.”
“Bring your cup. Coffee’s about ready.”
The three of them sat huddled around the fire and passed the time with remembrances. Chad kept checking his watch. Jake and Griff noticed, but then they’d come up with another story that brought a smile even to Chad.
By six, everyone was awake, having coffee and eating strips of beef jerky. It was still snowing, but not as furiously as it had been earlier.
“Can we get down the trail?” Chad finally asked, knowing his judgment was shot to hell. He just wanted to find out about Jim.
“I don’t think we can ride down, but we can walk it. About halfway, we should be able to rouse someone at the ranch and get a ride once we get to the bottom.”
“Then let’s go,” Chad said.
“Okay, brother. Lead the way.”
They began their descent, moving slowly through the snow. Fortunately the snow hadn’t completely covered the trail. They had no trouble following it.
Around eleven, Jake halted the procession. He pulled out a walkie-talkie and called the ranch. His wife, B.J., immediately answered. “Jake? Where are you? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, sweetheart, we all are,” Jake assured her. “Have you heard from Jim?”
“He’s in the hospital. He was shot, but they operated early this morning to get the bullet out and he’s doing fine.”
Chad dropped his horse reins, moved over to Jake and reached for the walkie-talkie. “What happened?”
“We don’t know for sure. But Patience got him down the mountain and he’s in good hands.”
“And the little boy?” Chad asked.
“He’s fine. He’s staying with us.”
“Where’s Megan?” Chad wanted to hear his wife’s reassur
ance.
“She’s at the hospital, Chad. She’s with Jim and Patience.”
Jake took back the walkie-talkie. “We’ll be down in about four more hours, we hope. Can you pick us up?”
“Sure. Hurry home.”
Chapter Eight
Megan found Patience a robe and they began to make their way to Jim’s room.
A nurse came running after them. “Mrs. Randall? You have a phone call. They said it was important.”
Megan didn’t hesitate. “Go on to Jim’s room, Patience. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Patience wasn’t sure she could face Jim alone. She owed him so much and there was no way to repay him.
She stepped to the door of his room. He’d just been brought in from the recovery room and a nurse was settling him in, arranging his pillow and checking his stats.
“May I come in?” Patience asked.
Jim turned his head and saw her. “Come in,” he managed.
Patience looked at the nurse, who nodded. “If you sit in that chair over there, he’ll be able to see you without straining himself.”
Patience went to the chair she indicated.
“Sit down,” Jim said, his voice slightly slurred. “Are you okay?”
“Of course I am. You’re the one we’re all worried about.”
“I don’t remember much after I was shot,” he told her.
“No. You were running a fever. I didn’t even check to see if the bullet had come out. I didn’t know what to do but try to get you down the mountain.”
“I’m glad you did. How’s Tommy?”
“He’s fine. I talked to him this morning. He’s enjoying playing with Davy.” Her son had scarcely had time to waste on the phone. Patience was glad he was happy, but she was also a little hurt that he hadn’t even missed her. “It’s amazing how quickly kids recover.”
“Yes, it is.” There was an awkward pause before Jim asked, “Where are Mom and Dad?”
“Your mother had a phone call. And your father—”
“Will be home tonight,” Megan said as she came through the door. “That was B.J. calling. Jake called her on the walkie-talkie. She’s going to pick them up in a few hours.”
“Dad was still in Cheyenne?” Jim asked, clearly puzzled.
Patience looked at Megan, saying nothing.
“Uh, dear, your father was worried about you going off on your own to face those men…and he decided to go after you in case you needed backup.”
“And Uncle Jake went with him?”
“Well, yes, and, uh, the others.” Megan busied herself smoothing the wrinkles on his covers.
“What others?”
“All your uncles, including Griff, and the sheriff.”
“Damn! Do they think I’m incompetent?”
Before Megan could reply, Patience said, “No, they just love you. You should be grateful that your family loves you like they do.” After a moment of silence, she stammered, “I…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said—”
“It’s okay, Patience, you’re right. But it’s hard to live up to the Randall standards,” Jim told her, then asked his mother, “Did they run into trouble with Kane’s ‘army’?”
“I don’t know. B.J. said they’re all okay, and they’ll be home tonight.” Megan relaxed, showing again how relieved she was.
“Okay,” Jim said. “When do I get out of here?”
“I assume in a couple of days. I know Anna was concerned because you lost so much blood,” Megan said.
“Where’s Jon? I want to go home today.” He tried to push himself into a sitting position, but fell back with a gasp.
“Son, what’s wrong with you? You’re too weak to get up yet.”
“Yeah,” he agreed with a sigh. “But I need to get out of here.”
“Why?” Patience said.
“To take care of you and Tommy,” he replied frowning at her.
Her heart beat with joy. He wanted to take care of her? What did he mean? She opened her mouth to ask him when he supplied the answer.
“I promised to protect you from the general.”
A promise? The general? No, not what she’d hoped for. “You’ve already done that, Jim, and suffered for it. There’s no need to worry about us any longer.” She was determined to hide her disappointment. She certainly wasn’t going to be pitied.
“What’s wrong with you, Patience? It’s not over.”
“Of course it is. We’re back home. He won’t bother us again.” She nodded at both Megan and Jim. “I’m going back to my room to gather my things. Mother and Tommy and I will be out of your hair in a couple of hours.”
“No!” Jim protested.
Megan looked startled.
Patience hid her resentment of his one-word response. “Yes. We need to return to our normal life.”
“There’s just one problem with that plan, Patience,” Jim said.
“What’s that?”
“The general isn’t dead.”
A shudder ran through Patience. She’d avoided thinking about that. “I know,” she whispered.
“So you have to stay at the ranch to be safe,” Jim added as if that explanation would make everything clear.
“For how long, Jim? Should we move in permanently? I don’t think your parents would want that. And neither would I!”
Megan looked from one to the other. “Patience, why don’t you stay for a week? Then we can discuss what would be best,” she suggested. “We wouldn’t want Jim’s suffering to be for naught.” She smiled at Patience. “Believe me, you and Tommy and your mother won’t be a problem. Your mother has already become fast friends with Mildred, Red’s wife.”
Patience didn’t want to accept Megan’s gracious invitation. But she owed Jim at least that much. And maybe by the end of a week she could figure out how to protect her son from his father. “I appreciate your invitation, Megan. I guess we could stay a few days.”
Both Megan and Jim gave sighs of relief.
“But I have to learn to protect us by myself. Jim isn’t responsible for us.” She looked directly at him. “I owe you a lot for rescuing us this time.”
He shook his head. “I think my owing you for my life is a little more important than my helping you.”
Megan turned to stare at Jim. “What do you mean? Did she save your life?”
“Nothing. He’s exaggerating.”
Jim gave her a hard look. “I don’t think so. When the general and his lieutenants attacked us, I told Patience to go on with Tommy. She ignored me. When one of the lieutenants snuck around behind me and had me in his sights, Patience shot him just before he shot, knocking his aim off. Otherwise, he would’ve hit me in the heart.”
“You don’t know that. Maybe he was a poor shot!” Patience insisted.
“I saw him shoot that day I trained the troops. He hit every target dead-on.”
Patience had no response to that. Besides, she didn’t have a chance to say anything before Megan threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly. “I can never thank you enough, child.”
“I killed him,” Patience muttered. “I need to tell the sheriff.”
“That won’t be a problem. You were saving Jim’s life.”
“I’ve never shot anyone or anything before,” Patience added. “I feel like I did something wrong.”
Megan hugged her again. “No, you did something very, very right. You may have taken a life, but it was in order to save another. To save yours and Tommy’s, as well.” She stepped back wiping her eyes. “Thank you.”
Patience was embarrassed. And she still felt as if she’d done something wrong. That moment was going to haunt her for a long time.
“I need to go gather my things.” She hurried from the room.
Megan drew a deep breath before she said to Jim, “I think I embarrassed her, but we owe her so much.”
“Yeah. I looked down the barrel of that guy’s gun and knew I was dead. It took me a minute to realize he’d been shot. Then he
fell facedown in the snow.” He gave a soft chuckle. “Patience has always been hard to order around. I was really grateful for that trait.”
“Yes, definitely.”
“Will Dad be in to see me this evening?”
“He’ll want to. It depends when they get in. But if he doesn’t come tonight, he’ll be in first thing in the morning. And he promised Drew he’d tell you that Drew begged to go with him.”
“Drew? He’s too young to go!”
“That’s what I thought about you, too,” Megan said with a smile. “I think I’ll head home. You don’t mind, do you, Jim?”
“Of course not. Thanks for being here and keeping an eye on Patience—and for convincing her to stay awhile.”
“We’ll do our best, Jim,” Megan told him as she kissed his cheek.
She left him with a wave and headed for Patience’s room to take her home with her.
WHEN THE RANDALL MEN and the sheriff got far enough down the mountain trail to see the two trucks and trailers waiting for them, they picked up their pace.
Chad muttered, “I never thought I’d be so glad to see a cushioned seat. I must be out of shape.”
“You’re not out of shape for your age,” Jake said. “You’re just getting old.”
“I’d argue with you if I didn’t think I might creak when I get off this horse.”
Pete, who was riding right behind Chad, said, “It’s not your age as much as it is you were worried. Worrying about our kids makes us old.”
“You got that right,” Griff joined in.
“Well, I think we can all agree on that,” Brett said.
“Makes me glad I never married and had kids,” Sheriff Metzger said.
Jake looked down at the two trucks. “I sure hope B.J. drove one of those trucks. I’ve missed her.”
When they got to the bottom of the trail, they saw that B.J. was indeed one of the drivers. The other was Red.
“Red! What are you doing here?” Brett asked.
Jake, with his arms around B.J., asked, “Couldn’t you find someone else to drive the second truck?”
“Too many people,” Red assured him. “You’ve been missed.”
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