Long Time Gone

by Mary Connealy

  Angie worked on the knots in silence, doing her best not to show any movement. She tipped her head back against the tree and closed her eyes. To let her head droop forward might feign sleep better, but she couldn’t look around with her head down.

  Through barely opened lashes she watched Windy take a turn. He sat on a rock and didn’t budge, and he’d picked a spot where, if she stirred at all, he’d be sure to see her. He did step into the woods for a time, and she picked at the knots frantically while he was out of sight. By the time he returned, she had her hands free. Now all she needed was a chance to run.

  She worked it over and over in her mind. What would she do if she did escape? She had no weapon. She’d be running from three dangerous men, all of them skilled trackers. And how would she find her way back?

  Follow the beads . . .

  Arizona Watts was the next to stand guard. He was more vigilant than Windy and kept his gun drawn. He walked a circuit in the woods every half hour. She wrapped the rope around her wrists, because she was afraid he might check to make sure she was still bound.

  As the night wore on, the full moon rose higher. They’d camped in a small clearing in the woods and so remained in deep shadows. Knowing the night wasn’t pitch-black helped her to stay alert and ready for her chance.

  And then it was Alonzo’s turn. Now Angie was so tired, after such a hard day, she had to fight to keep her eyes open.

  But she didn’t give in.

  She couldn’t say the same for Alonzo.

  Finally it was time.

  “This is taking way too much time.” Justin fought to keep the words inside, but it was like trying to clamp a lid on a cauldron boiling over.

  Everyone with him—Cole, Sadie, and Heath—turned and hissed, “Shhh!”

  Considering he was a long way toward losing his mind, they should at least give him credit for whispering.

  What was happening to Angie while they searched? Was she being mistreated? Was she fighting for her life? Was she already dead? He kicked his horse into a gallop. He expected Heath to yell at him. Instead, Heath picked up his pace to catch up and stay even. Sadie and Cole were right with him.

  But that didn’t make Justin feel any better. It only meant his worries were shared by the whole family.

  Alonzo sat on the ground and leaned back against the big rock Windy had sat on. Angie heard his snoring within minutes.

  She stood and ducked behind the tree. The sapling was too narrow to hide her really, but it might confuse someone glancing her way.

  No one stirred.

  She crept along the side of the clearing, feeling with her feet, hoping to avoid stepping on a fallen branch or twig and snapping it.

  Knowing right where she’d thrown the beads, she went directly to the trail that led back home. She found three beads, grabbed them and kept going, being careful to move quietly while putting some distance between her and those awful villains.

  Before long she reached a fork in the trail and found her bead, but didn’t know for sure which way to turn. Downhill again? That seemed to make the most sense.

  If the Bodens were on their way, how long would it take her to run into them? She knew Justin. She knew all of them. Their nature was heroic—they would come as fast as they could to save her.

  Another bead at another fork in the trail. She picked it up and proceeded downhill, faster now but not running, not on an uneven trail in the dark. She no longer worried about silence.

  And then a shout echoed from above.

  “She’s gone! Alonzo, wake up!” Arizona Watts sounded killing mad.

  Angie’s eyes burned with tears. Terror swept through her. She fought both the tears and the terror and kept moving. They’d come after her now. She needed to be silent, to get off this trail and hide, but first she wanted to gain every inch of distance from them that she could.

  Horse’s hooves sounded from the direction of the clearing.

  Every instinct told her to run. Yet she ignored those instincts because her only chance right now was to hide . . . in utter silence.

  31

  “I can’t find a bead, but there were definitely horses up this trail today.” Heath crouched by something Justin couldn’t see, but it had to be evidence Heath was sure of. He pivoted on his boot and looked back. His face was shadowed by his Stetson, though his tone told Justin all he needed to know. Heath was beyond concerned.

  “Is it possible they laid a false trail?” Justin was convinced those beads came from Angie. It was a message saying they were on the right trail. Anything else, he wasn’t so sure about.

  “They’ve followed a trail none of us have heard of.” Heath peered up the strange stretch of rock. “A good trail, and on mostly solid stone. I think they’re confident enough, probably arrogant enough, to believe they’re safe from being followed. I doubt they took the time to lay a false trail.”

  Cole said, “The moon is still low in the sky. We’ll be riding in near dark before long. Let’s head up this trail and hope we can see where they left it. We’ve got about one more turn, if we’re lucky, before we have to stop and wait for the sunrise.”

  They’d been walking, leading their horses all night. Justin, sick with worry, clapped Heath on the shoulder. “We wouldn’t be this far without your help. Thank you.”

  Heath looked back at Justin and nodded. “That Angie is a smart little thing, and that’s the reason we even have a chance.”

  Angie slipped into the woods, going by feel more than sight. Touching trees and boulders, searching for something big enough to hide behind.

  In the darkness she had no idea where she was exactly. Maybe she’d hide somewhere that, in the light of day, was obvious. Maybe she’d left footprints a five-week-old Hereford could follow.

  Fighting panic, she groped her way around a rock that was waist-high and big enough around for concealment. She dropped behind it and stayed quiet for a bit. It was a thin defense against armed men, but it was all she could think to do for now.

  She wrapped her arms around her pulled-up knees and steadied her breathing. Resting her chin on her knees, she began to pray.

  But her prayer was soon interrupted by hooves moving fast down the trail nearby. It made her wonder how foolish she’d been to take the trail they’d used to bring her here—the very trail the men were riding on now as they looked for her, each of them spitting mad. What if instead she’d snuck deep into the woods up near the clearing? Wouldn’t she be safe now?

  The self-doubt was driving her mad, and she shoved it aside. Her life was in God’s hands. She was ready to follow His leading. Meanwhile, she needed to pay attention to the situation for whatever opportunity showed itself.

  Breathing in and out silently, she listened as the hoofbeats came closer, closer, closer.

  Then they were upon her. One by one, three riders passed close by. She realized then she hadn’t ventured far off the trail at all. She wanted to take a peek at them, but decided against it, knowing it was an unwise move. Instead she waited as they moved on, and remained where she was until she couldn’t hear a sound.

  A decision had to be made. Though she’d like to stay where she was, hiding like a frightened rabbit, this was her chance to run for help. Staying felt safe, but moving was the right thing to do. These men were still a danger to the Boden clan.

  With a sudden resolve, she groped around until she found a good-sized rock, roughly round with jagged edges. Taking the same rope that had bound her hands, she used it to tie around the rock as tightly as she could make it. There, she’d just made a weapon she could swing like a war club, one she could use again and again. Since she’d never heard of such a thing before, she gave the credit to God.

  Now she wouldn’t be completely helpless. Standing, she slipped out of her hiding spot and started again down the trail.

  Those men with their evil plans were now the ones being followed. The predators had become the prey.

  “We have to stop.” Heath rose from where he was
hunkered down. “I don’t trust myself to go another step.”

  Justin clamped his mouth shut before he said something foolish. He hated to admit it, but Heath was right—it was time they quit. If they missed the next turnoff, they might be making a mistake that would take them in the wrong direction.

  “Let’s leave the trail and hide the horses in the woods.” Justin looked around. They were all exhausted. “If you can sleep, try to catch a few minutes. The day will begin to dawn in another hour. As soon as we can see again, we’ll head out.”

  No one protested. No one suggested he needed sleep, too. While they rested, Justin went back to the edge of the trail. His mind was bombarded with all that could have happened to Angie. Though it sickened him, all he could think was he could handle anything, so long as she was alive.

  Lord, whatever happens, please, save her life, he prayed.

  After remaining hidden for what felt like an eternity, Angie peeked out onto the trail, and in the dim light of dawn she saw the men had left her line of sight. It was a grassy stretch here, a wider trail lined with majestic pines. She hadn’t seen trees like this before, so they must’ve passed this way while she was still unconscious.

  She stepped onto the trail but stayed on the edge so she could get out of sight in a moment’s notice.

  With the rope tied to the rock in hand, she took a moment to tie the loose end of the rope around her wrist. Now she could swing it and not lose it. She felt ready to face her enemies. Which wasn’t like her at all, and yet if forced to fight back, she was ready. One good whack on the head would show them. As much as she knew Watts was the man to fear, she also wouldn’t mind hitting Alonzo good and hard. Windy was every bit as much a traitor, but it was Alonzo whose betrayal seemed the greatest.

  Besides, she owed him. Yep, one good whack on the head deserved another.

  She hurried along, slowing, and looking carefully when coming to a turn in the trail. She took notice of any beads she found and picked them up, though she didn’t waste time searching for them.

  After about an hour of pursuit, she came around a bend and caught sight of the three men. They had dismounted and were talking. She was surprised to see she could make them out at this distance. The day had indeed dawned, the light increasing with every minute that passed.

  She stopped cold, prepared to dodge behind a nearby pine. She gripped her rope-and-rock weapon, ready to swing away.

  Then, as quickly as she’d stopped, the three men vanished into the woods. Two across the trail from her, the other, Alonzo, on her side.

  As if they’d heard something and were hiding just as she’d done.

  And the only thing she could think of that they heard was someone coming. The Bodens . . .

  They’d have the Bodens in a crossfire and cut them down without mercy. This probably wasn’t what they’d planned, but in the end it was what they’d meant by bait.

  Determined not to let herself be used that way, she clutched her rock and moved to get herself in place to distract Alonzo, if not with a rock to the head, then with a scream to warn the Bodens.

  32

  “We’re on the right track.” Sadie pointed to a bright blue bead.

  A whoosh of relief sent Justin forward. Dawn had come at last. He clenched his hands tight over the reins. Despite his fear for Angie, knowing they were headed in the right direction shoved back the worst of his panic. He moved on, leading his horse, his jaw tight, his heart pounding, with nothing but resolve to find her and never let her out of his sight again.

  The woman was smart enough to leave a trail in the middle of what would be terrifying to anyone—man, woman, or child. Pride in her swelled his chest at the same time it humbled him. He was never going to question her courage again. And if she had a few things to learn about ranch life, she was more than capable of learning them.

  And while she was learning, he just might manage to learn a few things about running other people’s lives and about judging someone’s toughness. He had plenty to work on for himself before he’d ever again find fault with someone else.

  Except maybe Cole.

  Even that might be wrong since Cole recognized Justin was in love before Justin did. But if Justin all of a sudden started treating Cole with respect and kindness, it might confuse his big brother beyond repair.

  As brave as Angie was, when Justin found the men who’d taken her, he intended to put a stop to the trouble surrounding the Cimarron Ranch.

  This treachery was going to end.

  Angie didn’t abandon silence altogether, but she hurried and if that meant an occasional snapped twig, so be it.

  When she knew she had to be close to Alonzo, she slowed and watched where she stepped more carefully. She found Alonzo, the worthless coward, crouched behind a tree, watching the trail, preparing to shoot brave, decent, innocent men like the lowest kind of dry-gulcher.

  A step at a time, hefting her rock in her hand, she approached. She fought to keep her breath from speeding up to match her heartbeat. She kept her fear under control. A glance now and then at the trail showed no sign of the other outlaws.

  She wasn’t good at attacking anyone, having had absolutely no practice. A tree was between her and Alonzo. She closed in on him. Near enough now to swing the rock if she used the full length of the rope, but the tree blocked him. By the time she reached the tree, she had to judge how long she could let out the rope.

  Letting it out about two feet, she swallowed hard. To think she was so close to such a dangerous man . . . She heard a hoof on the trail, still a distance away. The Bodens. They’d be rounding the corner soon, and her captors would open fire. She had to keep Alonzo out of the fight.

  Raising the rock, she fought for calm, taking several deep breaths. Then, with her jaw clenched, she made her move and swung with all her might. Alonzo must have heard or seen something, because he turned toward her just as the rock smashed him right in the face. With a sharp cry he fell over backward. Scared that he’d still be able to fire his weapon, Angie swung the rope a second time. The rock struck him in the head with a sickening thud.

  As Alonzo lay there writhing in pain, Angie fumbled for his gun. She got ahold of it, pointed it into the air, and fired to warn the Bodens. She then rushed off in the direction Justin would come.

  Would they stay and fight or run? She’d actually prefer they run, but she didn’t want them to leave her behind.

  To make sure they didn’t, she sucked in another deep breath and yelled.

  “It’s an ambush! Get down!”

  Angie, alive and well. And judging from the direction of the gunfire, she was armed. Firing warning shots—he hoped they were warning shots. Justin was swamped with the most horrible urge to cry. It shocked him so much, he came to his senses. Men didn’t cry.

  The Bodens vanished, Justin a second behind the others to make sure everyone got away. Sadie, Cole, and Heath disappeared into the woods on the south side of the trail. Justin judged where Angie was shouting from and ran for the north side.

  “Angie, I’m here!”

  Her feet pounded closer. She made no attempt to be silent, though she didn’t shout but ran.

  Justin ran for her as fast as she ran for him. He finally saw her, bruised, her cheek swollen, more beautiful than anyone he’d ever seen. They ran into each other’s arms just as a gun fired. Justin threw himself sideways and twisted to land under Angie, then rolled to tuck her beneath him.

  Judging by its location, it had to be from one of her kidnappers.

  Another gun went off, then another, the rain of lead shredding the trees over their heads.

  “Alonzo’s down.”

  Justin looked at her and saw the satisfaction on her face, heard it in her voice. “You shot him?”

  She gasped, and her eyes went wide. “Of course not.”

  Since there’d been a shot fired, and he noticed Angie held a gun in her left hand, that was the only conclusion his mind went to.

  Then she raised her right ha
nd, which clutched a large rock with a rope tied around it. “I hit him in the head with this stone, then took his gun and fired it to warn you. Arizona Watts and your cowhand, Windy, took the south side of the trail. That’s them firing now. Alonzo took the north side, this side, and I snuck up on him and knocked him cold.” A nervous giggle escaped her lips.

  The gunfire stopped. “Let’s go.” Justin rose and pulled her to her feet. “Cole, Sadie, and Heath went into the forest to the south. They’ll be after those varmints. I want to help grab ’em.”

  While it was urgent they get moving, Justin lifted her right off her feet and kissed her passionately, almost desperately. “I’ve been out of my mind all night worrying about you.” He tenderly touched a spot on her face that she could feel was bruised. “Are you all right?”

  “Nothing that won’t heal in a couple days’ time.” She caught his hand and held it tight. “Let’s go catch the rest of these crooks.”

  “Yep, right now. Then we can go home.” Justin’s eyes gleamed with pleasure.

  They rushed back in the direction Angie had come from to get uphill of the danger. They found Alonzo unconscious. Justin made quick work of tying him up.

  “I want him here when the fight’s over, not waking up and slipping away from us.”

  Angie nodded. “I’d have done it, but I didn’t want to give up my rope.”

  They hurried on. A minute later, more gunfire erupted, though it wasn’t aimed at them this time.

  Justin drew his gun and cocked it. “That’s my family, in a gunfight with Watts and Windy.”

  They’d been running alongside the trail, but now they rushed straight for it. There was no broken path so it was nearly impossible to move side by side, but Angie could tell Justin was leading in such a way as to tuck her body behind his.

  Hadn’t she just knocked an armed outlaw cold with nothing but a rock and a rope? On the other hand, she felt her heart flutter to think such a strong man was protecting her with his own life.