Long Time Gone

by Mary Connealy

  They reached the edge of the woods. Rather than step out into the open, Justin turned and raced along just inside the forest edge.

  “Stay low.” They crouched together behind a big pine with branches that went all the way to the ground, providing decent cover. “The way it sounds, one of the outlaws isn’t too far into the woods. I’ll watch for movement and take a shot if I get one.”

  “How can you be sure that’s not where Cole, Sadie, and Heath are?” Angie asked.

  “I’ll recognize their guns,” Justin replied. “I’d try to get behind these low-down coyotes, slip across the trail, and come at them that way, but I don’t want to be where I could get shot by one of my own family. They’d feel mighty bad if they accidentally shot me.”

  “So would I.”

  He leaned over and kissed her. “So would I. I plan to spend a lot of years married to you.”

  “Don’t forget I’ve got my rock. I can help.”

  “If I can know for sure who I’m aiming at, I’ll take a shot, but then they’ll divide their attention and bullets will come flying this way.” His brow furrowed with worry. “You stay here. Keep this tree between you and those varmints.”

  Nodding, Angie said, “I’ll hide right here behind this tree trunk, Justin. I’ll be all right. I’ve got my rock. You go—do what you need to do.”

  Before leaving, he turned to her with a grin and added, “You know, you’re gonna make about the finest ranch wife a frontier rancher has ever known.”

  “And don’t you forget it,” she said, smiling back at him. “Now go!”

  33

  Yep, Justin figured she would make the finest wife a man could ever hope to have. She knew how to leave a trail, how to escape, how to attack, and how to hide.

  He sighed as he left Angie behind, just like he seemed to have to do all the time. And every time he did, danger found her. But the blasting gunfire coming from across the trail told him his family was in danger. They needed his help.

  An ugly choice to make.

  He forced himself forward. When he was north of Watts, he slipped to the edge of the woods and studied the opposite side. He couldn’t make out any sign of the villains. He inched his eyes on down to where his family had to be hiding. Because of his angle on the trail, he was able to see Cole, just a part of his shoulder. Justin watched him every second, wishing he’d lean back just a bit, look this way, and see Justin through the trees.

  It was a lot to wish for.

  He’d have shouted or fired his gun in the air, but if he did, he’d lose the chance to sneak up on the outlaws. A rustling sound back from where he’d left Angie caught his attention. He looked, tense with worry. What was she doing out from behind the tree? What if she was seen by the wrong people? He then saw her step away from the tree. Thankfully, he hadn’t yet gone that far from her.

  She looked at him, nodded, and held up her rock. No, she’d kept her rock and found another, this one with no rope. She tossed the rock up in the air as if testing its weight, then flung it with all her strength. It crashed through the branches Cole was crouched behind. He turned his head and looked right at Angie. The relief on his face warmed Justin’s heart.

  Then Angie pointed at Justin, and Cole turned and saw him.

  Cole pointed with his pistol at a gnarled pinyon tree that grew out of a pile of boulders. Steady gunfire roared from there and also from a second spot on past the pinyon. Justin nodded, then pointed at himself and the trail.

  Cole frowned, then nodded back. Justin hurried down his side of the woods. The gunfire from his family slowed some with their aim high, firing into the air. Before the villains could notice, Justin darted across the trail and closed on both men, his gun drawn.

  Kidnapping a woman was a serious crime. Any abuse of women in the West was considered a terrible act. A woman was a rare and fine thing, and usually even the lowest of villains wouldn’t harm one. But they’d run into a group with no such decency. With the right judge, a man could hang for kidnapping and marking a woman. All three men—Watts, Windy, and Alonzo—no doubt knew they faced long jail terms, if not a noose. Watts had held tough when they’d questioned them and managed to walk out of jail. Then he’d come right back to the CR to finish his job.

  Justin didn’t think Watts would ever talk. And Windy and Alonzo both worked for him while they’d done their spying. They kept their true purpose to themselves the whole time, so Justin didn’t underestimate them. But they weren’t hardened men like Watts. They were men who might do a lot of talking to save their mangy hides, especially if they knew another man might talk first to save himself and leave his partners to go to prison.

  The shooting from both sides had slowed now. Justin’s family was being cautious. They knew exactly where he was. A shiver climbed up his spine as he peeked around a tree. Were Watts and Windy on to him?

  He approached them swiftly, listening for their guns. Thankfully, they had spread out. If they were side by side, he’d’ve had trouble subduing both of them at once.

  He heard the nearest gun fire and poked his head again around the tree. It was Windy. Within a couple of steps, facing away from Justin. No sign of Watts.

  He rounded the tree with a few quick steps and slammed the butt of his gun into Windy’s head. Windy went down and flopped a couple of times on the ground like a landed trout. Then he went limp. Justin took his gun, hog-tied him, then looked to see if any of his family was visible. He caught sight of Heath, who waved behind him. He must be within sight of Sadie and Cole.

  Heath crawled on his belly straight for Justin. After reaching him, he whispered, “Justin, give me the gun. I’ll fire it every so often in hopes Watts doesn’t figure out his partner’s been taken out of the fight.”

  Justin jerked his chin in agreement. Then, stooped low, he headed for the still-firing gun. Watts was somewhere deeper into the woods.

  Just like he said, Heath shot Windy’s gun a few times, aiming it up in the air. Justin glanced around the bushes that hid him and saw Watts firing his gun. He ducked back out of sight and gathered himself to plunge out of the woods at Watts.

  He leapt out from cover.

  Watts wasn’t there.

  “Freeze, Boden.” Watts’s harsh voice came from off to the side.

  Justin spun to find Watts with his gun leveled on him, aimed at his head. Too bad for Watts, because Justin’s gun was just as well-aimed, right at his belly. It was a standoff, and Justin didn’t see any way out of it but both of them dying.

  “You’re surrounded, Watts. I’ve got four men riding with me.” Well, two men, and Sadie and Angie. “We’ve taken both your partners prisoner. If you want to live through this day, lay down your gun and come along peacefully.”

  Watts’s response was a guttural laugh. “I’m sick of this fight and only want out. I’m not letting you take me to jail. The man who got me out last time said never again. But I’ll let you live if you help me get out of here—if you call off your family and give me a head start. Otherwise your life means nothing to me.”

  “Have you gotten the word yet that Dantalion is dead?”

  The shock on Watts’s face made it clear he hadn’t heard the news.

  “Yep, he’s dead and in the ground. We’ve kept the fact quiet, even used it to flush Windy out as the traitor he is. Too bad we didn’t get Alonzo, too.” Justin managed a smile. “Whatever you do here, you’re not getting paid. You understand that, right?”

  “You just stand down, Boden. Call off your family and let me ride away. You’ll never see me again. I’m ready to be shut of this country.”

  Justin shook his head, not lowering his gun by so much as a fraction of an inch. Watts wasn’t a man to be trusted, plain and simple.

  “You’ve been a thorn in my flesh since the day I took this job,” Watts spat out.

  “Me, a thorn in your flesh?” Justin said. “I’m the one who’s been shot at. I’ve seen my father nearly killed, my brother-in-law take a bullet, my brother almost kille
d too, my sister fighting for her life against Dantalion—which she won, by the way—and a woman I care about get kidnapped. I’ve been a thorn in your flesh?”

  “That’s right.” Watts’s eyes went killing cold.

  Justin could see he was getting ready to pull the trigger.

  A rope came flying toward Watts from his left and hit his arm. It wasn’t a rope—it was a rope tied to a rock. The rock whipped around Watts’s arm and jerked it sideways as he fired his gun. The shot went wild, but after a second of off-balance shooting, he brought his arm back up just as a dull thud made his eyes go wide and glaze over.

  He dropped the gun and collapsed in front of Justin. As his body sank slowly to the ground, Cole appeared, an inch at a time, standing behind Watts. Cole held a gun by the muzzle, and it appeared the gun butt had just been applied with some force to the back of Watts’s head.

  Justin heaved a sigh of relief. Cole nodded his head. And Justin knew the owner of that rope. He turned as Angie came dashing out of the woods into sight.

  Sadie and Heath came next. All five of them stood and grinned at each other. Justin said, “I think we’d better get them tied up and slung over their horses before they wake up.”

  Heath pointed. “Their horses are over there. Only two of them, though.”

  “What about Alonzo?” Sadie looked around, sharp-eyed and wary.

  “I know where his horse is.” Angie raised her hand shoulder-high and wiggled her fingers a bit.

  Justin turned to Angie. “Angie snuck up and knocked him cold. She led me to him, and I left him trussed up like a spring calf. We’ll go fetch him and load him up.”

  Sadie shook her head. “So Angie got two of them?”

  “I helped with Watts,” Cole said, but with no real upset in his voice.

  “And I’ve been keeping an eye on Windy,” Heath added. “I took over right after Justin conked him over the head and knocked him out.” Heath didn’t look like he cared much who got the credit.

  “We’ll round up their horses and haul ’em to Skull Gulch, and then so long as we’re in town, Angie and I are getting married.” He strode to Angie’s side and caught both her hands. “Right?”

  She smiled without one second’s hesitation. “Right.”

  Sadie laughed, and the whole family started clapping. When they quieted again, Sadie said, “I haven’t even told you about the wanted poster we found on top of Skull Mesa.”

  Angie whispered to Justin, “I climbed Skull Mesa yesterday. Sadie told me I’m supposed to taunt you with that fact.”

  Narrowing his eyes, Justin looked at his sister. “What wanted poster?”

  “It’s a picture of Dantalion, but with a different name, wanted back east for murder. We thought if we could find out what he’d done, we might find friends of his who would give us more to investigate.”

  “We’ll ask the sheriff to check it out,” Cole said. “We know Dantalion was paid to attack the Bodens. We know someone higher than him is involved. But whoever it is no longer has anyone working for him. Let’s hope having all his hirelings arrested puts an end to this.”

  “Angie and I will go find Alonzo’s horse and get him packed up. We’ll meet the rest of you on the trail.” Justin held on to Angie’s hand and started hauling her toward Alonzo. He needed to hurry up with the arresting, then get on to the more important part of this day.

  Once they’d left the woods and crossed the trail, Justin looked at Angie and smiled. “Taunt me, huh?”

  She nodded. “But being nice to you is much more fun. Is it over, then? Are these three the last of the men conspiring against you?”

  “Yep. Cole still needs to figure out all those chicken scratches in that notebook, just so we can be sure and find who started everything, and we’ll track down Dantalion and his old crimes, but I think our troubles are finally over.”

  A chill rushed down Justin’s back, and he wished he hadn’t been so bold. It was like he was daring someone else to shoot at his family.

  34

  Chance’s troubles came in a hail of bullets.

  The man held two six-shooters and fired them from where he stood in the hallway straight at the bed. Chance couldn’t get his gun aimed true without stepping out from cover. He held back from returning fire, bracing himself for the first break in the rain of bullets so he could make a move. He wished the man would be reckless enough to empty his guns.

  A snarl from the man broke off his firing. Then a hard smack surprised Chance, then another and another. Pillows exploded feathers into the air, and the smell of cordite filled the room.

  Ronnie had slammed the door into their assailant with strength that must have been powered by fury. After the third hard smack in the head, the man stumbled against the doorframe, and one gun went flying.

  Quick as a striking snake, Chance reached him and snatched the other gun out of his hand while plowing a fist into the fool’s face.

  Ronnie, a woman raised amongst cowhands, grabbed a rope off a table where they’d stacked a few things in the event of trouble. With moves so fast Chance could hardly see them, she snagged the gunman’s hands and whipped the ropes around his wrists. Hog-tied him like a calf ready to be branded. The man began fighting Ronnie, but she’d already jumped away like any good cowpoke would.

  The man then lurched to his feet, and it was with grim satisfaction that Chance punched the varmint once more, this time so hard he might’ve broken his jaw.

  He might also have broken a couple of fingers. Good thing there was a doctor nearby who knew his way around a fracture.

  Finally, the man slumped to the floor and lay motionless. Ronnie hurried around him, struck a match, and lit a lantern so light flared into the room. Chance moved to grab the other gun, just to keep count of both weapons. The man was beyond using them now.

  “Do you recognize him?” Ronnie, breathing hard, came to Chance’s side. She stooped to pick up his crutch, which he’d dropped, and tucked it under his arm.

  “Never seen him before in my life.” Chance crouched awkwardly and searched the man, finding little in his pockets. But he did have a name on a letter he was carrying. If the letter was to him, they’d have his name. Chance quickly unfolded the letter, but it was near impossible to read. The name Dantalion popped out at him—if he was reading it right. The man whose name had figured prominently in John’s letters could have been close to the front of his thoughts.

  “Help me up, Ronnie.” Chance was growing mighty tired of being slow moving. “We took him down, didn’t we?” He smiled at her as he tucked the letter inside his shirt pocket.

  “We’ve been a fine team for a long while, Chance.” She leaned close, and together they managed to stand up without too much trouble.

  A loud crash coming from the front of the house had them ready for the next fight, guns in hand.

  “What’s going on in here? I heard gunfire. Come out with your hands in the air.”

  Chance looked at Ronnie. “It’s the sheriff.”

  Ronnie sniffed. “Our landlord. A lot of help he was.”

  “We’re fine, Sheriff.” Chance raised his voice but stayed where he was. He’d probably trip over their prisoner. “A man broke into our house and tried to kill us.”

  “We’re armed, Sheriff,” Ronnie called out. A woman’s voice was a good idea when it came to calming a nervous, armed lawman. “We’ve got an unconscious man, who broke into our house and did a lot of shooting. My husband has his leg in a cast and finds it hard to walk, so he can’t come out. You come on back, but slowly.”

  “I’m obliged for the warning, ma’am. All right—I’m coming back.”

  Soon he entered the room, a tall, bulky man with his gun drawn. “You said trouble was on your trail. Well, it looks like you were exactly right.”

  Chance didn’t waste time answering. He and Ronnie would both be dead if it wasn’t for John’s steady letters, keeping them up on what was going on at home.

  “Who do you think wants you dead?�
�

  “A mighty good question, Sheriff. One I mean to get an answer to.”

  “The trouble followed us from New Mexico Territory.” Ronnie glanced at Chance. “I think it’s high time we went back and got to the bottom of it.”

  “Back home.” Chance felt his spirits lift.

  “I want you here until I find out who this man is, and what he’s up to.”

  Chance nodded. “I’d like to know that myself.” But the minute he thought it was time to go, he’d be on his way home.

  It was nearer to morning than Chance thought. He felt like he hadn’t been sleeping long when their intruder arrived, but it was almost dawn now. The sheriff gave them time to dress, then helped Chance onto a buckboard. Ronnie sat beside him, their prisoner tied up in the back, wearing the sheriff’s shackles on his wrists and ankles, still unconscious.

  “We need to send a telegram to the children. I’ve mostly been sending letters, except when I gave them the address of the house we moved into. But I want them to get this message quick.” Ronnie rested a hand on Chance’s arm. “I wish we knew this man’s name and could send that along.”

  Chance’s arm twitched under her touch. He glanced at her quickly and knew she understood him. Right now he was mighty thankful for being able to send a wire. He was also thankful his children had written, even though they sugarcoated everything, while John told his news straight out. Chance wouldn’t know much at all if it wasn’t for John.

  “It might change things for them back at the CR,” Chance said. “Sheriff, after you’ve talked with us however long you need to, I have to send a telegram. Is there an office close to the jail?”

  “Yep, and close enough to walk there on crutches.”

  All Chance needed was a few minutes alone with Ronnie. He wanted to read the letter he had and get any information he could glean from it, then send the telegram and afterward maybe give the sheriff the letter.

  It was possible the sheriff would have something to say about that, but Chance didn’t much care. Even if he was a fine sheriff, no Denver lawman was apt to get real stirred up about trouble hundreds of miles away in New Mexico Territory. Chance wasn’t going to withhold this letter from the law here, yet he couldn’t risk it being taken away from him and leaving him without whatever information was in it.