"May I come in?" she asked as she opened the door.
Hannah was sitting on the bed.
"Yes, Mama."
Marian went to the bed and put her arm around Hannah's shoulders.
"I have to tell you something."
"Yes."
"The man, the one who shot Uncle James, well, they, Uncle James and Evan, believe it's Pierre Rousseau."
"Mr. Rousseau. But that doesn't make any sense."
"He stole a picture of you from Louise."
"Oh, dear."
"I thought he would lose interest when we moved away. It never occurred to me he would follow you here."
"But I never showed the least bit of interest in him," Hannah said.
"You didn't have to. He must have developed feelings for you and hoped you would feel the same."
"I wonder how he found me."
"Maybe he found your address on one of your letters to Louise."
"But now he's dead, isn't he?"
Marian rubbed Hannah's shoulder. "Dear, he may still be alive."
Hannah gasped. "And you all think he's after me!"
"I've spoken to Adam. He will stay close. I don't want you to be afraid. There's no proof that he's still alive, and I didn't know whether I should tell you or not, but you're not a child anymore."
"I should stay inside," Hannah said. "I can't go to the hill to paint anymore."
"Not for a while, just to be safe."
"Oh, Mama," she said leaning her head on Marian's shoulder. "Mama?"
"Yes, dear."
"Adam said he loves me."
"He's a good man. What will you tell Owen?"
"To go jump in a lake."
Chapter 59
At breakfast the next morning, Evan told James he was going out on the range to tell the boys to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.
"They think this man is dead. If he isn't, he may be in the woods somewhere."
They were at the breakfast table drinking coffee. James reached for the sugar and winced.
"I keep forgetting not to use that arm all the time," he said. "If he's in the woods, how's he surviving? Is he a hunter?"
"He's a thief," Evan said. "That's how I started chasing him in the first place. He stole from my brother's house."
"If he's alive, he could be in Small Fork."
"Where's that?"
"About five miles from here. It's real small, but it's got a dry goods store and a boarding house. If he has any money, he'd be all right."
"How do you get there?"
"You go through the woods."
"Is there a road through the woods?"
"Nope," James said. "Just a path that runs to the other side wide enough for a horse to pass. There's a road on the other side of the woods. Otherwise you gotta go down the river."
"You're not up to talking to the boys."
"Adam's telling them."
They emptied their cups and James got up and brought the pot to the table.
"More?" he asked Evan. The lawman shook his head.
"I could be in Small Fork in an hour. I'd be back in two. Might be worth taking a look."
"I'm gonna go sit on Marian's porch."
James took his cup and went out the front door. Evan sat at the table thinking about Pierre. If he found him in Small Fork, would he be able to bring him back alive?
He stood and took his cup to the sink before heading out the front door himself. He saw James sitting with a shotgun on this lap on one of Marian's rockers and Becky standing beside him. Evan walked over to ask James exactly where the path in the woods began.
Hannah and Jimmy were playing checkers and Jimmy was winning. She couldn't stop thinking about Pierre. She resented not being able to go to the hill and paint and longed to go, but Marian reminded her it wasn't safe.
"But how will they know it's safe if they don't find him?" Hannah asked.
This prompted Marian to go to the porch and ask James that very question.
"Are you sending someone to the bottom of the cliff to find out?" she asked.
"It's too late. His body would have gone downriver."
"Then how exactly will you know? We're all cooped up in the house and we have no idea for how long. Jimmy has to go to school. Hannah wants to paint. It just seems a bit extreme when we have no proof he's alive."
"Would you rather he get his hands on your daughter?" James asked.
"No, of course not, but there has to be some way of finding out for sure. Perhaps the body turned up somewhere."
"Evan asked Pete last week if any bodies had turned up and Pete said no. That's one of the reasons Evan thinks he's still alive."
"Why didn't anyone tell me it was Pierre? Why did it take so long for us to find out?"
"I was shot. Evan didn't want to tell you because he didn't want to get you all riled up like you are right now."
"I'm riled up because I hate what is happening!" she cried.
"Marian," Becky said.
Marian looked at the porch floor. "I'm sorry. I'm just so...afraid."
"That's why I'm sitting here. When Adam comes back, he'll sit here, too. Tom's sitting behind the barn with a gun. He won't get near you if you stay inside."
"And I gotta gun, Ma," Jimmy said. He was standing in the doorway with a rifle in his hands. Marian sighed.
"You won't be needing that," she said. "Please put it away."
"No, let him come and sit with me," James said. "He has to learn to use that thing."
"I know how to use it," Jimmy said.
"You know how. I want to teach you when."
The boy grinned as he walked past Marian to the rocking chair next to James. He sat down and, imitating his uncle, put the gun across his lap.
"Fine," Marian said. "Just make sure he doesn't get hurt."
"I better get inside myself," Becky said. She leaned over and kissed James. "Don't you get hurt, either."
When the womenfolk left them alone, James turned to Jimmy and smiled.
"Women," he said.
"Yeah, women," Jimmy replied.
Chapter 60
The path through the woods was right where James said it would be and Evan was able to get to the road in no time flat. From the road it was a forty-minute ride to Small Fork. The first building he passed was Mrs. Kimble's Boarding House and he stopped and knocked on the door.
An elderly woman answered and smiled at him. He was fairly clean and she hoped he was looking for a room.
"Hello," she said.
"Morning, ma'am. I'd like to ask you some questions if you don't mind."
"Are you looking for a room?" she asked.
"No, ma'am. I just need some information."
"Oh," she said. She pursed her lips. "Well, come in."
She took him to the parlor. After they sat, Evan took the newspaper clipping out of his wallet and handed it to her.
"Have you seen this man?" he said.
"Can't tell a thing from that picture."
"His name is Pierre Rousseau. Look real close."
"It's awfully smudged." She squinted her eyes. "No, I can't say as I have seen him."
"Has anyone rented a room from you recently?"
"Oh, yes, my house is very well-liked."
She paused.
"So, have you rented to anyone recently?"
"Yes. Did you say the man's name was Pierre?"
"Yes, ma'am, I did."
"Well, I didn't have a Pierre, but I did have a Jean."
Evan's heart began to pound. "A Jean?"
"Yes, a nice young man. He was quite attractive, too. He left yesterday morning."
"Can I see the room he stayed in?"
"I'm afraid it's been let to someone else."
"Did he leave anything behind?"
"No, he was very clean. His room was immaculate when he left."
"I'll bet it was. Well, thank you for your time."
Mrs. Kimble walked Evan to the front door and watched him climb up on
Old Mike. She waved and he tipped his hat to her. Then he got back on the road heading for the path through the woods.
Hannah looked out her bedroom window in search of Adam. She hadn't seen him before he went out on the range and she couldn't wait for him to get back. James said Adam would be taking the second shift and she wanted to sit with him. It was nearly noon and still no sign of him.
As she was looking, she saw Sheriff Pete ride up to the house and tie his horse to the post. She wondered what he was doing here. She hadn't seen him at the social. She thought he was a strange little man.
She ran down the stairs and out onto the porch. Pete was talking to James and by the look on James face, Pete had brought bad news.
"Hannah," James said. "You were with Owen last night before he left. Where did he say he was going?"
"A boy ran to him and told him that his mother was having trouble delivering her baby. He left to help her."
Pete looked at James. "He must have thought it was an emergency."
"Hannah, Owen is dead, " James said.
Hannah stepped forward. "What?"
"We found him on the road just outside of town. He was in his buggy, but his horse was gone."
"But how? He was fine when he was with me."
"Someone...killed him," James said.
"Who would want to kill Owen?" she asked.
James eyes grew wide. "Pierre would. If he saw you two together."
"Who in tarnation is Pierre?" Pete said.
"The man who shot me, remember?"
"Yup, I remember now. But if it's him, that means..."
"He's alive," James said. "Hannah, get inside and stay there."
"Oh, Lord, where's Adam?" she said. "Why hasn't he come back?"
"Where is he?" Pete asked.
"He's out with the boys on the range. He was supposed to come back for lunch. He knows we're watching things here. It's not like him to forget, unless something came up with one of the horses."
"Or somebody shot him," Pete said.
Hannah wailed.
"Now, now, I'm sure he's all right," James said. He stood and put his arm around Hannah's shoulder. "Pete, shut up. Just go and see if you can find him."
Jimmy was rocking back and forth. He wanted to find Pierre and kill him and now it looked as though he would have a chance.
James guided Hannah to the rocking chair and pushed her down.
"Stay there while I get your mother," he said.
He opened the door and called for Becky. She came running from the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron.
"Where's Marian?" James asked.
"She's upstairs."
"Tell her Hannah needs her."
Becky nodded and called up the stairs for Marian. Marian appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Hannah needs you," Becky said.
Marian hurried down the stairs and out the door. Jimmy moved to another chair so Marian could sit next to Hannah. She saw the tears on Hannah's face and put her hand on the girl's shoulder.
"What is it, dear?" she asked.
"Adam is late getting back," James said. "And Owen is dead."
Marian turned and looked at James. "When did this happen?" she said.
"Pete says sometime last night. Whoever killed him might have seen him with Hannah."
Marian looked at Hannah and understood what James was telling her.
"It's him," she said.
"That's what we think," James said.
"What if he hurts Adam?" Hannah asked.
"He didn't see you with Adam, did he?" Marian replied.
"He might have seen you walking into the social with Owen." James said.
"Or on the balcony," Hannah said. "That boy who came to get Owen. How did he know we were on the balcony? Did either of you see him?"
"I didn't, and Pete said no one saw the doc leave."
"Then he must have sent him in to get Owen," Marian said.
"I kissed Adam on the balcony," Hannah replied.
They all looked at each other.
"Get guns from the cabinet in my house. They're all loaded. Give one to Hannah and Becky, and bring one for yourself. Jimmy, you keep an eye out for him. I'm going to the back of the house."
Marian ran to James' house. The cabinet was in James' study against the far wall. Marian ran to it and looked at the rifles. She didn't know much about rifles except that they kicked you back when you fired them. Randall had kept a pistol in the house. It was small and easy to hold, but Marian had never fired it. She didn't want to waste time, so she took three pistols and carried them in her skirt as she ran back to her house.
She handed a small derringer to Hannah.
"I've never fired a gun, Mama," Hannah said.
"I haven't either," Marian said. "But there's no time to learn now."
"Well, I'm not afraid to use it," Becky said, taking a Colt .45 from Marian's skirt. She put it in her apron pocket and walked back into the house.
Marian went back to her rocker and sat. She looked at Hannah. She may look small, but Hannah had a backbone of steel, and if Pierre tried to hurt her, Marian had no doubt that Hannah would fight back and fight hard.
She was more concerned about Jimmy. He was so young, and hearing of his mother's death had hit him hard. Marian understood his anger, but his desire for vengeance concerned her. He didn't know what it was like to take a life, and he didn't understand how a person felt once he had. She had overheard Evan talking to James about his experiences during the Indian Wars, about the men he'd killed before being injured, and he said you never get over taking a life, even when you know you had no choice.
"Jimmy," she said. "Go inside and get something to eat."
"But I wanna be here when he comes."
"We don't know he's coming. Now go get something to eat before I tan your hide."
"You've never tanned my hide before."
"Well, there's a first time for everything."
Jimmy didn't like the look on Marian's face, so he got up and went into the house.
"You go, too," she said to Hannah.
"I want to stay with you."
"I'd feel better if you were inside," Marian said.
"No, Mama. I'm staying here."
There was nothing more to say. Hannah had made up her mind. And Marian breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Evan coming from behind the house.
Chapter 61
Pete found Adam and T.J. tending to a cow that had been caught up in some barbed wire. Adam had hoped to get it back to the ranch, but the animal had been bleeding a long time and it wasn't going to make it. He had just decided to end the creature's suffering when Pete came along.
"Darn nice animal," Pete said. "What you gonna do with the meat?"
"You'll have to ask James," Adam said. "What brings you out here?"
T.J. aimed his pistol at the cow's head and fired. Her legs jerked once and she was gone. Adam clenched his teeth. He was trying to appear nonchalant in front of Pete, and things like this happened all the time, but it didn't make it any easier.
"You just gonna leave her there?"
"What do you want, Pete?"
T.J. tied a rope around the cow's neck so he could drag her back to the ranch.
"Doc's dead. Somebody stabbed him in the back."
Adam climbed onto Blue.
"When? We just saw him last night."
"James thinks it's the man we lost last month."
"The guy who shot him?"
"That's the one."
"But you said he was dead."
Adam looked Pete.
"I said it 'peared he was dead."
"Why would he kill the doc?"
"Far as we can tell, he wants Hannah. He must have seen her with the doc."
Adam's heart beat faster. "What do you mean he wants Hannah?"
"Her friend there, that girl she had visitin', she said he took Hannah's picture before he come west."
"I gotta go home," Adam said.
He
spun Blue around and took off across the range with Pete on his tail.
Marian had persuaded Hannah to go into the house after Evan told them what he had learned in Small Fork. She ran out to the porch when she saw Adam riding toward the house. She ran off the porch and he slid off Blue and went to her. He picked her up and hugged her tightly.
"I was so afraid you were hurt," she said.
"I was stuck with an injured cow," he said.
She pushed herself away. "Evan said Pierre was in Small Fork, but he left yesterday morning. They think he killed Owen."
"Pete told me. So, we know for sure he's alive."
She nodded. "I can't believe he would do that. He wasn't like that. He was an artist and he was always kind to me."
He brought her to his chest and held her.
"We'll find him," Adam said. "He won't hurt you."
She pulled his head close to hers and kissed him. He was struck by how small she was and thought how easy it would be for someone to pick her up and carry her off.
"Get in the house, Hannah. He's really out there. You have to go inside."
She was ready to protest, but she looked in his eyes. He was afraid for her.
"All right," she said. "But promise me you'll be careful."
"I have to get him." No matter what, he thought.
She didn't know what else to say. He would have to do what he thought was right. He walked with her to the house and after looking back at him, Hannah went inside.
Jean watched the activity at the ranch from the loft of the barn. He had climbed into it last night after leaving the doctor by the side of the road.
He had seen James sitting on the porch with a gun, then he saw him leave the women alone. He saw Marian run to the other house and come back holding her skirt. Jean sighed as he watched Hannah. He could barely contain his excitement as he thought of taking her in his arms.
When he came back to High Bend the day before, he had a plan. He would take Hannah during the night when everyone was asleep. He would use a ladder to climb to her room. To keep her quiet, he would use ether he would steal from the doctor's office and carry her small body over his shoulder as he climbed down the ladder. Then he would put her on Jasper's back and take her to Philadelphia.
That evening, he waited until he saw Owen leave in his buggy before going into the doctor's office. Everyone was at the social and the streets were empty. It was easy to break a window and get inside. It was still light outside, so he had no trouble finding the ether and put the bottle in his pocket. Then he spied a pearl-handled Bowie knife the doctor had displayed on his wall. Jean put that in his other pocket.
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