by Rita Hestand
He bunked on the floor that night and didn't go to sleep for a long while. First time being away at night was a new experience. He tried to relax and go to sleep, but a strange place and strange sounds kept him awake. He heard crickets coming through the doorway, and he thought he saw a mouse earlier, but he didn't want to embarrass anyone by saying anything.
The fire was dying down in the fireplace and the extra blanket that Dan got him was welcomed.
That's when he heard Butch and Jason talking in the other room. He hadn't meant to ease-drop but he was awake and they were talking loud enough to hear because they'd been drinking.
"He go to sleep Dan?"
"I reckon so." Dan fretted.
"Everything is going to be all right, you'll see." Butch assured him. "You need to settle out."
"Did you deliver the note?" Dan asked, his voice anxious and a tad nervous.
"Yeah, I found that kid Juan in town and told him to take it to Cord." Jason smiled snidely. "He'll get it there fast."
"Did you think to get some ammunition, because we'll need it, tomorrow."
"I did." Butch hollered, the one thing he never forgot was ammunition even Jason should have known that.
"You think he'll come that soon?" Dan asked.
"It won't be long. He might even show up tonight."
"What are we going to do with the kid?" Dan's voice raised to a higher pitch as though he was freaking out. Charlie was beginning to wonder what in the world they were talking about.
"If all goes as planned we won't have to do anything but feed him some breakfast and take him home in the morning."
"Yeah, but I don't like this." Dan protested. "If he comes tonight there will be shooting and it will wake him. Then what? He'll know what's going on."
"You want to get Cord or not?" Butch faced him, coming closer.
"I want to…. but…"
"I didn't want to do it either, Dan." Jason said with patience he wasn't really feeling. "But it's the only way to get Cord out here so we can kill him, and you know it…. Quit your worrying this will all be over shortly. You always worry too much Dan. Worry makes you make mistakes."
Charlie heard that and his eyes flew open.
They wanted to kill Cord. They were holding him to get Cord out here? Charlie had to do something. He had a gut feeling they were up to something. But he trusted Dan. Dan let him down. Now he knew he couldn’t trust any of them. He had to get away, and tonight if he could. Although the walk back to town was going to take some time even if he did manage to get away. And if they caught him…they might kill him. Although, he couldn't see Dan killing him. Dan wasn't a killer.
Maybe he was a little too trusting!
Chapter Fourteen
Juan rode to Cord's place fast, spewing dust as he rode. He knew anything coming from the Dubs brothers wasn't good. He was breathless and panting when he reached the house and ran inside to show the note, which was folded up neatly, to Cord.
"Butch Dubs gave me this note to give to you." Juan told him, as sweat rolled down his forehead and onto his cheeks.
"Thanks Juan. You look tired, help yourself to some lemonade. Did you come back so soon just for that?" Cord glanced at the kid who was out of breath and flushed.
"Yeah, I figured it had to be important. Thanks Mr. Cord." Juan went to get a glass as Cord opened the note.
"We got Charlie, if you want him, come get him, alone." It was signed, Jason.
Cord bristled, his face screwed up in a huge frown and he crushed the note in his hands. He readjusted his hat, got to his feet and checked his gun.
"Juan, tell your dad I've got to go get Charlie, the Dubs boys took him." Cord said, loading his rifle now and getting bullets for it and his handgun.
Juan stared for a moment, his eyes bulging. "They got Charlie? You mean they kidnapped him?"
"Yeah!"
"I'll tell my father. Do you want him to go with you?"
"No, just let him know where I've gone, and if I don't come back to get a hold of Lilly." He told him.
"Yes sir…" Juan flew out the door before he even finished his lemonade.
Cord saddled up and was about to leave when Pedro came up to him. "I go with you." He said staunchly.
"No my friend, I'll do this alone."
"No, I go with you. They take your son; I go with you. You would do the same." Pedro assured him staunchly.
"Pedro, I don't want anyone else hurt from this." Cord reasoned.
"Si, neither do I. We will go together." Pedro insisted, his face screwed up in a frown.
Knowing he was wasting time arguing he nodded and they rode.
They didn't talk, they just rode. Both of them with firmed expressions. It wasn't time for talk, it was time for action.
But they hadn't gotten two miles but what Juan showed up too. His father started to send him back but Juan faced him head on. "Charlie is my friend. Just like Cord is your friend."
"Si…."
"Who will show up next?"
No sooner had he asked the question and Lilly came up to them on her horse riding at full gallop as though the devil himself were after her. She was riding hell-bent. "Charlie's gone. He went fishing and hasn't returned. I looked for him and couldn't find him." She explained. "Where are you going?" She studied him now and saw Juan and Pedro and all the guns.
Cord hated this, "Honey, go back to my place and wait. I'm going after Charlie now."
"No, what do you mean you're going after him. Do you know where he is?" She demanded to know.
"Yeah, the Dubs boy have him…"
"My God." She cried. "How in the world did this happen?"
"I'll tell you all about it later. Go to my place and stay. I'll bring him home." Cord promised.
"I'm going with you…" She declared, firming her lip and jaw so as to warn him not to argue.
Unable to control what was happening, Cord nodded, "All right, but when I tell you to stay still, will you?"
"Yes…" she nodded, her face so flushed he shook his head.
The determination in everyone's faces told Cord it was useless to argue.
***
Charlie waited until they were all asleep, it was around midnight near as he could figure. Dan was asleep, he could hear his slight snoring. He remembered the kitchen had a backdoor, he'd slip out that way.
But he wasn't going to let Cord get killed. He got his boots and tiptoed to the back door, managing to sneak out without being heard. Probably because Jason and Butch were drunk, he saw them slumped over at the table, passed out. If Dan heard him, he didn't move.
Charlie slipped his boots on as he got outside and then looked up at the stars. He had to get his bearings on which way to go and how far it was.
Town was closer, but didn't want to worry his Mom.
Cord's place was due north from here about fifteen miles. It would be a long walk but he could do it. He stared up at the stars looking for the north star to guide him. He found it and got his bearings.
The trick was to get as far away, as fast as he could without getting caught.
At first he traveled along the creek bed, listening to the frogs croaking and an old hoot owl in the top of the cottonwoods. The hoot was so low it was eerie.
He kept looking behind him to see if anyone was following. He hurried his steps. Butch and Jason weren't likely to wake up for a spell, but he couldn't be sure about Dan.
The silvery full moon cast a soft glow on the prairie, making sculptures of the yucca and chola's, the buffalo grass was short where cattle once lowed. The cottonwood's lined the creek beds, and the draws were dangerously dark. He'd stay away from the draws unless he needed to hide. He couldn't see what might be around him down there. The prairie could be deceiving it looked so calm and serene but danger lurked everywhere.
Charlie kept a steady pace, glancing to the sky for guidance off and on. The moonlight was dim, casting a ghost like glow on the ground.
He'd walked two or three miles when he took
a rest, since he'd kept a watch over his shoulder for anyone that might be coming. So far he was alone. He heard a wolf in the distance, but he didn't think the wolf would attack as long as he was alone. His biggest problem was prairie dog holes; he'd stumbled into a couple already, nearly turning his ankle. It was hard to see them. He also had no water and the creek was too far away to get any now. He could make it without water, he quickly decided. It wasn't as hot traveling by night, the temperatures dropped to reasonable.
He trudged onward getting his bearings once more.
But he did step in another prairie dog hole and this time it did turn his ankle. He realized he was going to have to hobble from here on out. He massaged his ankle for a few minutes, but it was swelling.
"Darn it!" He fussed, then looked about to see if anyone was about to hear.
So far it seemed he was undetected but he still had a far piece to go and his ankle was throbbing.
Nearly two more miles ahead, he heard a noise. Glancing about, he tried to find a dark place to hide. But the draw was quite a ways ahead of him, so he did the only thing he could, he dropped down on the ground and remained real still.
A lizard crawled up on his head and explored. Charlie swallowed hard. He glanced around and finally he saw a family of armadillo's moving about. It was a mama and she had her brood on her back. Charlie watched for a long time, making sure it was the armadillo that was making the noises.
Convinced his enemy was an animal he stood up once again and put his weight on his ankle. It was painful and he knew he was going to have a hard go of it like this.
Charlie hobbled along, but his confidence was lagging now. If they came after him now, he might be caught. He wasn't sure what they would do with him, if he was caught, and that thought kept him going.
***
Dan woke up when Butch snored too loud. He glanced around in the dark and looked for Charlie.
But Charlie wasn't there. Butch and Jason would be mad that he hadn't tended to him. He looked in all the rooms and found no one. Where had the kid gone?
He saw that Charlie's boots were gone from the floor, and knew the kid had run away. Part of Dan was glad, but part of him knew he'd be knee deep in shit if he didn't find the kid.
He put his clothes on quietly and his boots, then walked softly through the other room where Butch and Jason were sleeping. Sure enough Butch was sawing logs. Jason had gone to sleep in their Ma's old rocker. Passed out, he reckoned.
Tiptoeing he went out the back door and stared out at the expanse of country.
Which way would Charlie head? Town was closer than Cord's place, so he headed in that direction.
He had to hurry up and find the kid. If he got back to his mother's place things wouldn't go so well.
He went to the barn and saddled his horse.
The prairie was big and all around him. He couldn't be sure he was headed in the right direction either, but he'd ride a while toward town and see if he spotted him. It made sense that Charlie would go home.
Most of the land was pretty flat between here and town so he could see for a good distance if anything was moving.
Maybe he should take the road. That would be a better way, since there were few prairie dog holes on the road.
He traveled for what seemed like five or six miles and saw nothing of the kid. "Where the heck did you get off to Charlie," he muttered to himself, in exasperation.
He had to reason in his head, would Charlie go home to his mother, or find Cord? Stood to reason any boy would go home. However, he'd gone fishing with him and didn't exactly tell his mother where he was going. So he'd be in trouble with her. That's right, he'd be in trouble. And a kid in trouble wouldn't go home. That was for sure. So he must have gone to Cord's place. I gotta find that kid and fast or Jason will get me good for this.
He hated the coward in himself, but the truth was, his brothers were meaner than wild boars at times. He turned his horse around and followed the road to Cord's place.
Dan continued on the road for a bit, until he heard horses. He moved off the road and hid out behind a big rock and choya. He waited until whoever it was passed him. He stared into the moonlight, it was Cord, and some others. Well hell's bell's, if they were coming this way, and hadn't found Charlie, then he was going in the wrong direction too. Charlie must have gone back to town. He just hadn't gone far enough.
Confused by his fear of Jason waking up and finding them both gone Dan mounted up and tried to figure out what to do. He couldn't beat Cord to the ranch to warn his brothers. No the only thing he could do was find Charlie. He rubbed his chin vigorously trying to figure out what to do. Cord was headed for their place. No matter what, Jason would soon realize that Charlie wasn't there. He was in big trouble. He had to find Charlie, and quick.
Chapter Fifteen
Charlie was in trouble now. His ankle was so swollen and painful he could hardly hobble on it. It had slowed him down tremendously and Charlie stopped to think for a minute.
He needed a stick or something he could use to help him walk. But sticks didn't come from nowhere, especially since there were few trees. He'd have to make due until he could find one.
He pulled his bandana off his neck and wrapped his ankle to see if that would help. It hurt so bad he wasn't sure. At least on a horse, he could save his ankle. He wished he'd have thought to get a horse, but they might have heard him if he went to the barn and rode out.
Still, the only way he was going to be safe was to reach Cord's place.
He had to stay on course and he had to keep moving.
Instinctively he knew that if he'd gone to town, he would have been there by now. But then his mother would be upset, and he'd be in trouble. He might never go fishing again.
How could he worry about fishing at a time like this? He should have gone to town.
By now his mother was probably frantic unable to find him. He wondered if Jason really did ask her if he could spend the night. It didn't seem likely that his mother would even agree to such a thing. They probably never asked. Why hadn't he gone with his instinct? Something told him his mother would never agree to him spending the night.
Too late to worry about that either.
He wondered if any of the Dubs brothers had awakened and discovered him gone yet.
At the rate he was going, it would be way after dawn before he reached Cord's place.
The bandana seemed to help the swelling a little and Charlie pushed on.
He glanced up at the moon again to get his bearings and hunted for the north star. At least he knew he was north, but how far?
Cord had taught him to hunt for the north star. He smiled to himself, Cord had taught him a lot of things, and he was grateful. The fact that he was like his father made Charlie proud. He might not look like him, but he sure thought like him.
Charlie's ankle hurt a lot, so he tried his best to think of pleasant things. One thing was how good it would be to be a family. How wonderful it would be to have his mother home with him. And to have a father after so long without one. How much he could learn from him and just that feeling of family. He looked forward to his mother's wedding.
At school he'd been one of two kids that didn't have a father. The other kid's father had died in an Indian skirmish a few years back. And the other kids razed him all the time about not having a father.
The sky lightened some now and Charlie was worried. They'd be waking up soon and be looking for him.
Several times he worried that he wasn't headed in the right direction. But he had to keep moving. The further away he got the better, he decided.
His ankle was pounding and he had to stop. It was warming some too and he was thirsty now.
He glanced about the area, then realized suddenly that he had no water with him. That was a big mistake out here on the prairie. He should have known better, but with the threat of the three of them waking up and finding him gone, he just didn't think about water at the time.
Hot, tired and hurt
ing, he rested under a big rock. It provided a little shade and protection from the wind so he sat down and gathered his wits about him.
Charlie looked about for markers to recognize where he might be. He didn't see anything familiar. All he saw was rolling hills and prairie. Every now and then a jack rabbit would hop across the land.
Then he heard a horse. Scared beyond thinking he glanced about for a covey or something to take cover in.
There was a big rock not far, he ran to it and hid.
The horse and rider passed by him. It was Dan and he was looking for him. Charlie tried to be extra quiet. His ankle was throbbing, he was thirsty and the sun would be up soon. But if Dan found him, he'd take him back and there'd be a shootout for sure.
He waited with baited breath behind the rock that was just a tad bigger than him.
If he could find something to knock Dan out with, he might could steal his horse, but that was a mighty big if.
Not far from where he was there was a big rock. If he could pick it up, he might could hit Dan with it.
He ran to it, and was trying to lift it up off the ground where it had settled. It was heavily buried into the hard ground though.
But he finally dislodged it. He hollered as loud as he could. At first he wasn't sure Dan heard him, but finally he turned around and headed back.
Charlie struggled with the rock for a few seconds then managed to get a hold of it. He ran back to the bigger rock and waited for Dan to come looking.
It didn't take long. Quickly he mounted the big rock and as Dan rode by him, he threw it as hard as he could at Dan.
It hit him in the head. At first he staggered on his horse a bit, and it looked as though he hadn't hit him hard enough because Dan turned, looked and spotted Charlie.
Charlie started to run, but as soon as Dan got off his horse he staggered again and finally fell not ten feet from Charlie.