by Sue Heasley
“Oh, Papa. It was terrible.” Lillie stepped back from her father and looked around as she talked. “Jose hit me on the head and knocked me out cold. He then locked me in the cell at the old mining camp.”
“Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?” Charlie put his arm around her shoulder.
“I’m fine. Thanks to Rex. He saved my life.”
Charlie shook his hand. “Thank you.”
Rex nodded. “I would do anything for Lillie.” He looked past Charlie into the barn. If his son isn’t in the house or the barn, where was he?
“So, Jose is the culprit. I’ll shoot that son-of-a-bitch next time I see him.” Charlie signaled Rex. “Give me a leg up on my horse. I’m going after him.”
Rex and Lillie glanced at each other and in unison they asked. “Where’s Ben?”
“I don’t know.” Charlie frowned making his facial wrinkles stand out. A look of guilt flashed across his face as he looked down at the ground. “I sent him to the hen house for eggs. I’m sorry I didn’t keep a better eye on my grandson. When I came out to look for him, I found his basket on the ground, and horse prints in the mud.”
Rex took in the open pastures in the distance. His son was out there somewhere all alone with a dangerous man. No doubt Jose had Ben. They would have serious words when he found him. He wouldn’t hesitate to use his .45 if it came to that.
“Maybe he’s with Mable.” Lillie held a note of panic in her voice. “Please, tell me he could be with her.”
“She disappeared sometime earlier today while I slept. She had been putting sleeping powder in my coffee. Ben woke me up because he wanted food. That’s when I sent him to gather a few eggs for our meal.” Charlie’s legs started to buckle beneath him.
“Easy. I got you.” Rex grabbed his arm to steady him.
“Papa, you need to lie down. I’ll untack your horse. You’re in no condition to ride anywhere.” Lillie took his horse’s reins. She turned to Rex. “Can you please help him back to bed? I’m going to find some of the ranch hands to help us search for Ben.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll find him.” Rex assisted Charlie toward the ranch house. Once they were some distance from Lillie, Charlie turned to speak his mind.
“I’ll be damned if I’m going back to bed with all the shenanigans going on around my ranch. Set me up in a chair with my rifle by the front window.”
“Charlie, you’re weak. You should be in bed.” Rex pushed open the front door to be greeted with the smell of cooked pork. That told him it hadn’t been that long ago since Ben had gone missing. And where did Mable go? The bad feeling in his gut started to get worse.
“You do as I say, boy. This is my ranch, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect it.” Charlie took hold of his shoulder with a strong grip. “Thank the Lord you came back when you did, or all would be lost.”
Rex knew better then to argue with Charlie. The man had a stubborn streak worse than a mule. In no time, he had him sitting in a chair by the front window. “What the hell is going on around here? Don’t you think it’s time you told me everything?”
“I should have the first day we rescued you. Maybe it would have made a difference. I didn’t know how long you were going to stick around.”
“What is driving Jose to act so crazy?”
“Greed, love, and power.” Charlie growled in an angry voice. “Lillie would have no trouble managing the day to day operations of the ranch while I was laid up. But Jose bullied his way into taking some of the responsibilities from her.”
Rex became more agitated. “Sounds like he thought he could take advantage of the situation.”
“I think he persuaded some of the ranch hands to ignore Lillie’s orders and only take his.”
“Is there anything else? I need to know what I’m dealing with. I haven’t been around Jose for many years.” Rex stood over Charlie seeking the excuse he needed to shoot Jose on sight. Which wouldn’t take much effort since he put Lillie and Ben in danger. It would be nice if he had more than one excuse to ease his conscience.
“Lillie and Jose discovered gold at the abandoned mine shaft on our property while looking for a stray calf last month. We haven’t had the funds to hire men to work it. It’s more important to get the cattle to market first. Ever since, Jose has been trying to get Lillie to marry him with the help of Mabel. He’s wanted to take over this ranch for a long time.”
“No need to say anymore, Charlie.” Rex headed for the door. “I’ll see if I can round up some men to help search for Ben.”
“It’s not my place to tell you, but he’s your son.” Charlie waited for his reaction.
Rex nodded and showed him a wide smile. “Lillie told me.”
“It’s about damn time.” Charlie frowned. “Bring Ben back home. He’s the best part of us all.”
Rex ran all the way to the entrance of the barn. “Lillie, where are you?” he called out. “We need to make plans.” Uneasiness came over him when she didn’t answer. It didn’t take him long to discover she had taken her father’s horse. Her whip, which had been hanging on a hook on the wooden post, had to be with her.
“Damn. This woman is nothing but trouble. I swear I’m going to put her over my knee and give her a good spanking.” He headed toward the bunkhouse with hopes of finding some ranch hands to help in his pursuit of Jose. His gut told him he wouldn’t find what he was looking for. He shoved open the door and found the bunks empty. A hand of poker cards lay spread out on the table alongside an empty bottle of whiskey. A chair had tipped over on its side. Someone had left in a hurry. He stepped back outside onto the porch. He took in the ranch and the surrounding lands as far as he could see.
“Where the hell is everyone? This place looks like a ghost town.” Rex spoke aloud. Then large drag marks in the dirt drew his attention. Suspicious, he followed the trail to the side of the bunkhouse. Underneath a bush lay a woman’s shoe. He picked it up and dumped out the dirt inside it. His gaze took in the terrain in front of him. An unnatural pile of brush drew his attention. He removed several leafy tree branches. A woman’s shoeless foot stuck out from a wrapped blanket.
“Son of a bitch.”
Rex walked closer to get a better look at the body. Mabel. No blood or gunshot wounds were visible. Then he saw the marks on her neck. Every pulsing vein in his body told him that the cold-blooded killer had to be Jose. Lillie and Ben were in danger. Who would he kill next? Rex ran toward the house. He took the steps two at a time and shoved open the door.
“What happened?” Charlie had noticed the concern on his face right away. He had his rifle at the ready.
“Mable is dead?”
“Damn. I didn’t expect foul play.”
“It looks like she’d been strangled. I’m not sure how long she’s been gone.” Rex placed his hand on Charlie’s shoulder to comfort him. He seemed saddened by the loss of Mable.
Charlie glanced out the window. “Where’s my daughter?”
“Lillie snuck away while I helped you into the house. She probably headed into town to look for Ben. I’ll catch up to her.” He opened the front door, paused, and turned back to Charlie. “If Jose shows up while I’m gone, don’t trust anything he says. Don’t lead on that you know Mabel is dead. You could be his next victim.”
“Please, find my daughter and grandson.”
“I won’t let you down.” Rex took in a deep breath as he grabbed his horse’s reins and climbed up into his saddle. In no time, he galloped across the pasture heading for town. He would find Ben and Lillie. Then he would kill the man who hurt his family.
Chapter Fifteen
Jose reined in his horse in front of the sheriff’s building. “We’re here, little one.”
“I’m not little.” Ben clenched his little fist and squinted. “Where’s my ma? You said we’d meet her here.”
Jose lifted Ben off his horse. “She’ll be here soon. Let’s wait for her inside.” He placed his hand on Ben’s back and gave him a little push forward. �
��Have you ever seen a jail cell? That is where the sheriff puts his bad guys after he catches them.”
“No.” Ben looked up at him, uneasiness clear on his face. “I want to see my ma.”
“Hey, don’t worry. She’ll be here soon.” Jose patted the top of his head. “She asked me to bring you here. We’re getting married today.”
Ben glared up at him. Confusion clear in his dark brown eyes. “What about Grandpa? He doesn’t know where I am.”
“Your grandpa is still ailing. He can’t leave the ranch yet. I’m sure Mable is watching over him.” Jose glanced away from Ben.
Every time he looked at the boy, he was reminded of Rex. Ben was a mini replica of the childhood friend he now hated. He’d never forget the day he heard Lillie and Rex making love in the hayloft. He’d been in a stall below them tending a horse. His heart broke that day. He’d been in love with Lillie since the first day he arrived at the ranch. He’d always been too shy to say anything. Now his dreams would come true. Soon he’d marry Lillie and become the proud owner of the Cohen cattle ranch. That is depending on how his plans played out. If he couldn’t make Lillie marry him, then he’d force Charlie to sign over the ranch. The old man would do anything to save the life of his daughter and grandson. Finding gold at the old mine in the high country had been a bonus. Now he’d become the most powerful man in town.
One unforeseen problem he hadn’t counted on was Rex’s arrival. He should have let him hang instead of taking orders from Mable. It had been her idea for him to ride along with Lillie and offer his assistance in Rex’s rescue. He only did it to impress the woman he loved with his skills.
“It’s about damn time you showed up.” Sheriff Baker sat at his desk eating his evening meal. He shoved a piece of steak into his mouth. Behind him stood a prostitute in a low-cut camisole rubbing his shoulders.
Jose glanced down at Ben who had his mouth wide open staring at the prostitute. “Hey, go check out the cells in the back room. There might even be a bad guy in one. Your ma should be here soon.”
Ben looked up at him, hesitated, and eyed the sheriff.
“Boy, you better start listening to me,” Jose snapped and gave him a nudge forward.
The sheriff laughed. “Is the little woman making you watch her kid now?”
The prostitute giggled at his comment.
“There’s a reason the boy is here.” Jose nodded to the scantily dressed woman. “Get rid of her.”
“No.” The sheriff pulled the prostitute onto his lap and tickled her. She laughed and then kissed his cheek. “Why don’t you get lost for a while so I can have some fun with this little lady.” Baker nodded toward the door.
“You’ll do as I say.” Jose drew his .45 caliber pistol and pointed it at the sheriff’s head. He swiped at the plate and coffee cup on his desk. They sailed across the room, smashed against the wall, and broke into several pieces on the floor. The woman screamed.
“Leave now while you still can.” He narrowed his eyes at her.
The prostitute grabbed her shawl and ran out of the building.
“Hey, you have no right.” The sheriff went for his gun.
Jose fired, just missing his head. He needed the dishonest sheriff and his gang. “Now, can we get down to business, or would you like a third eye? Your choice.”
“Easy now.” The sheriff put his hands on his desk away from his gun. “You have my full attention. Let’s talk business.”
Jose lowered his pistol. “Good. I don’t have time to waste.”
“The gang is getting restless. Where’s the money Mable promised us?”
Jose couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness at the mention of her name. He’d used Mable to pass notes to Sherriff Baker when she made trips into town for supplies. That way no one missed him at the ranch.
“Mable is dead. Our plans have changed. We have a chance to make a lot more money.” A startled gasp drew Jose’s attention to the back room. Ben had been listening in on their conversation. For a few moments, he had forgotten about him. He walked toward him.
Ben stepped backward not realizing he had backed himself into an open cell, fear clearly on his face. Jose smiled as he locked Ben inside.
“This should keep you out of trouble for now.”
“Hey, I’m not a bad guy. You are,” Ben cried. “Wait ’til my ma gets a hold of you.”
Jose laughed. “I can’t wait to get a hold of her too.” He closed the interior door separating the jail room from the front office so Ben couldn’t hear any more talk. He turned back toward the sheriff. “Where the hell is the gang?”
“They’re at the saloon drinking. They got tired of waiting around for orders. You should have been here hours ago.”
“Dammit. Drunk men are useless.” Jose could feel uneasiness build in his chest. “No pay for them. They should have been here at the ready.” He started to pace the small office. With each step he took, the urge to shoot someone grew more intense. He put his fist to his forehead and tapped his aching head as he stared at the floorboards.
“Okay, take it easy. Why don’t you tell me about this new deal?” The sheriff poured him a shot of whiskey. “But first, where the hell is the money from the bank robbery?”
Jose downed the whiskey. He drew in a deep breath as it burned a path down his throat. He held out his glass for seconds. “The money is hidden at the Cohen ranch. We’re going to use it to work a mine on their land up in the high country.”
“What the hell for?” The sheriff sat back down onto his chair. “I ain’t working in no damn mine.”
“I found gold.” Jose raised his glass in the air.
“Gold!” The sheriff jumped up, his chair falling over backward. “Well, shit, a little dirt never hurt anybody.”
****
Lillie trotted her father’s horse into the town of Chelsea. She ignored the strange looks from the townspeople as she scanned the streets looking for her son or Jose. Feeling frustrated, she reined in her horse and tied him to a hitching post. With her whip strategically placed at her waist, she stomped up the boardwalk and headed toward the Broken Steer Saloon. Two women standing outside the front of the mercantile paused their chatter to watch her walk by.
She didn’t doubt that she looked like hell from her ordeal in the high country since she hadn’t taken time to change her filthy clothes. All she cared about was finding her son. She contemplated the extent of the danger Ben could be in from Jose. Since Mable was also missing it made her fears increase. Foul play had come to her ranch. She had to find Ben fast. She hadn’t considered waiting for Rex to help her search for their son. No doubt he’d be furious when he discovered her absence. Thankfully, her father’s horse had already been saddled because Rex would have tried to stop her.
Lillie’s first stop, the saloon, the hub of gossip. If anyone saw anything unusual, the drunks or prostitutes would know. They would offer information just to put a few coins in their pockets. Lillie shoved open the saloon door. To her surprise, the cowhands from the ranch were carousing with the prostitutes and playing poker. So, this is where her men had disappeared to. Jed, one of her best bronc busters, chugged a bottle of whiskey at the mahogany bar while a pretty girl flirted with him. She tugged on his arm trying to get him to follow her upstairs. He worked hard, and the other men respected him. Lillie approached the ranch hand knowing the rest of the men would follow his lead.
“Jed, what are you doing here? How come no one is at the ranch?”
He glanced over his shoulder at her, looking irritated that she had bothered him. “Jose gave us the day off. Besides, I don’t take orders from the likes of you anymore.”
Lillie tensed as Jed turned his back to her. Her hand slid down to the side of her waist where her whip hung. “I own and control the ranch. Jose is no longer my manager. I’m taking a few men with me to help find my missing son. Round up the rest of the men and head back to the ranch. If you don’t like my orders, pack your gear. That goes for the rest of the men too
.”
“Look here.” Jed slammed his bottle down on the bar, turned, and stepped closer. “Are you hard of hearing? We only take orders from Jose. He’s doubled our pay. Since you married him, he said he’s the owner of the ranch.”
“He fed you a bunch of horse shit.” Lillie drew in a deep breath trying to control her anger. It didn’t work. “We are not married, and your pay isn’t doubled.”
“Go to hell, and take your family with you.” Jed turned away from her. “No woman is going to tell me what to do.”
Lillie’s patience had worn out. “Where’s my son?” Her hand unleashed the whip. It unraveled like a snake, curled around Jed’s feet, and pulled them out from under him.
His body hit the floor with a loud thud. The entire saloon quieted as all heads turned her way. The rough heel of her boot at Jed’s throat put a panicked look on his face. Then he smiled. Someone had a barrel of a gun pressed up against the back of her skull. Unexpected fear overcame her. The first thought that flashed through her mind, if she’d never see her son again. A sudden gunshot echoed throughout the saloon along with screams of the prostitutes. She flinched at the sound and waited for her last dying breath. Then the deep smooth voice of the man she had once loved warmed her soul.
“Are you all right, honey.” Rex stood at the entrance of the saloon. He strode closer with his gun still drawn at the other men. They started to back away, hands raised in the air.
“No one make a move, or you’ll have the same fate as your friend.”
Lillie glanced behind her at the man who had put a gun to her head. Blood pooled on the floor next to the dead body of one of her workers. She didn’t care that she’d come close to being shot. Ben was the only person on the forefront of her mind. The fear for her son’s safety increased tenfold. Where was he? How could Jose do this? She glanced at Jed who didn’t smile anymore. She took the butt of her gun and knocked him out cold.
Rex moved beside her. He looked her up and down. “Hey, are you hurt?”
“No.” Lillie gazed up into his warm dark eyes and drew strength from them. She refused to show her uneasiness over the situation. “Remind me to thank you later.”