Levi acknowledged his instructions as Rafe turned and looked at Bob. “I want you and Mesa to leave now and head back to the house. It looks like the action will be here and I don’t want y’all anywhere near it.”
“I’m not leaving,” Mesa replied softly, drawing his eyes to her.
“Sugar, this is not the time for this,” he said firmly. “I want you safe.”
She shrugged and turning, pulled a pistol from a pocket on the back of her saddle and slid it down into the waistband of her jeans in the middle of her back. “Bob and I will stay back, but if you get in trouble, we’ll be here to help you.” She cut her eyes to her old foreman. “Are you armed?”
He grinned and nodded. “Yes ma’am.”
“Dammit to hell,” Rafe swore. “Why are y’all armed? I brought you with me to protect you. Nobody told you to come armed.”
Mesa smiled as she leaned toward him and stroked his cheek. “You’ve finally asked me to marry you. Do you think I’m gonna take a chance on losing you now?”
Behind him, Rafe heard Murphy Anderson stifle a snort of laughter, and a reluctant smile twitched at the corners of his own mouth. He looked at the two men, his brows arched, then swung his attention back to her. “I consider this insubordination.”
Mesa grinned. “So fire me.”
He leaned close enough only Mesa heard his words. “Oh, sugar, I plan to set you on fire but,” he set back in his saddle, his eyes holding hers. “We’ll talk about that later.”
Her face burned and she was thankful for the concealing darkness.
“In the meantime, you and Bob will take Spur with you and move over into that grove of scrub oaks and stay there,” he instructed. He looked at Murphy Anderson. “I’m gonna make sure we’re close enough to the road to hear any traffic, but I want you to hang back a little. If we’re close enough I’ll come back here.”
As Mesa turned her mount toward the thicket of small oak trees, Rafe spoke again. “Spur, watch her.” His hand signal indicated Mesa and the dog whined softly, but as she rode away, he obediently trotted alongside the blue roan stallion.
Well screened from the road, Mesa, Bob, and the bulldog sat silently and waited while Rafe rode out of sight for a few minutes. Shortly he returned to where Anderson was and they sat quietly, anticipating the sound of a slow moving vehicle.
After a few minutes, they heard the distant rumble of a motor and their nerves tingled with expectancy as it gradually grew louder, and then they could see the lights flashing through the surrounding woods as it jostled along the rough two-lane trail in their direction. Rafe and Anderson turned their horses so the lights wouldn’t accidently pick up any eye shine from either animal, but the truck took an unexpected turn and changed direction.
“Damn,” Rafe swore. “I didn’t realize there was a turnoff that close.” He swore again when Bob and Mesa came out of the thicket to join him and Anderson.
“I bet I know where they’re going,” Bob said as he approached.
Rafe’s attention centered on the old cowboy.
“There’s an old shack on a river bluff back there. Use to be somebody’s home place. Been deserted for many, many years. Me’n Rance rode back there several years ago. Just happened up on it by accident.” His bushy brows knitted in deep thought. “I think there was an old log tobacco barn that was still in pretty good shape too, if I remember right. It’s about a mile and a half from here.”
Rafe looked skeptical. “I wouldn’t think any buildin would survive with the rainy season floodin’ the river like it has the last few years.”
The old cowboy shook his head. “It’s on a high bluff and set back far enough from the water that boaters would never see it, so I doubt it’s ever even been vandalized. Not many people would boat this far up the river and then just randomly get out to explore the bluff. Fishermen float, boaters boat.”
Rafe shrugged. “We’ll head in that direction, but let’s wait for Levi’s group.” He lifted his hand held radio and spoke softly into it. “Any more traffic, Levi?” There was only a random crackle of sound for a long minute and then Levi’s voice broke the silence.
“Yeah, another truck just passed and there was a jeep SUV right behind it.”
Rafe frowned. “Why don’t you give Gibby your radio and let him stay there out of sight and warn us of any more traffic comin’ in. You and Clark head in this direction. We’ll stay out of sight until the truck and jeep turn off. Then we’ll wait for you near the turn off. We might need to call for reinforcements. This looks like a pretty big operation.”
Levi responded affirmatively and Rafe shifted in the saddle to look at Bob. “You and Mesa can come with us for part of the way, but when we start getting close I want you both back away from the action.” He cut his eyes to the woman. “Got that?”
She nodded and Bob grunted his acknowledgement.
“Right now, we’re lookin’ at probably between six and ten people, so far. But they won’t be expectin’ us, so we have an advantage.”
Mesa watched him with nervous eyes. She knew Rafe was an experienced law enforcement officer and was well trained, but she couldn’t help the knot of apprehension that tightened around her heart. Four officers facing up to ten men who had already shown they weren’t concerned at the thought of shooting people. Her horse danced restlessly between her legs, feeling her tension and she stroked his neck to soothe him, but it didn’t seem to help.
Spur sat near Rafe’s mount, whining occasionally and casting worried eyes toward the cut off the vehicle had taken.
The sound of another approaching engine warned that the second truck and the jeep were advancing toward the fork in the road, and the group grew silent except for To’s continued restlessness. Mesa stroked his neck, trying to calm him and Rafe eased the palomino mare he was riding to the side, closer to the roan stallion. The mare gently nosed the restless roan’s shoulder. The closeness of the other horse worked wonders and To immediately calmed, to stand quietly next to the mare. Mesa shrugged and glanced at Rafe. He nodded and winked at her. Leaning toward her he whispered. “We like havin’ our women close enough to touch.”
The automobiles slowed and made the turn and the sound of their motors slowly receded into silence. Shortly after that they heard the sounds of Levi and Clark approaching through the woods, parallel to the dirt track.
Once the others had joined them, the group moved through the woods corresponding to the track the vehicles had taken. The sounds of the horses traveling through the brush was surprisingly loud, but Rafe wanted to stay off the dirt track in case another vehicle came later. He didn’t want to leave hoof marks in the soft dirt. In the darkness they approached a copse of small trees a little further from the road and they headed for it. After they reached it, Rafe lifted one hand and brought them all to a stop. He dismounted and motioned for his deputies to follow suit, but for Bob and Mesa to remain mounted. He stepped up beside the young stallion that she rode and rested one hand on her knee, looking up at her.
“This is as far as you and Bob go. I want y’all to wait here with the horses and stay out of sight.” His hand stroked her knee absently as he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.
Mesa nodded. “I understand, but how will we know when it’s over?”
“You might not know anything for a while, but,” his whispered voice grew stern. “You are not to come any further. Do you understand?”
She nodded again, but Rafe couldn’t get past the fear that she didn’t plan to follow his instructions. “Mesa,” he tried again. “I need you to promise me that no matter what happens, you will not come stormin’ in there thinking you’re ridin’ to our rescue. Stay. Here. Promise. Me?”
She looked at him. “I’ll try.”
He shifted his attention to Levi. “Get back on your horse and take her back to the house. We’ll try to wait for you to get back before we go in.”
Surprise marked the deputy’s face, but after a second he nodded and swung up into the saddl
e.
“Alright,” Mesa’s whispered response was rasped out coarsely, knowing Rafe wouldn’t wait until Levi returned, but would go in being short one deputy to make sure she was safe. She couldn’t let him do that. “I promise I’ll stay here. I’m not going back to the house and leave you here short a man.” She dismounted and stepped up close to him. “But you better not get hurt. You hear me?”
He nodded and a grin split his generous mouth as he stroked her face tenderly. “We’re trained for this, sugar. My men and I are good at what we do. Don’t worry. I just can’t give my full attention to what I’ve got to do if I’m havin’ to worry about keepin’ you safe.”
Mesa nodded and looked over where Levi still sat the horse he’d remounted. “I’m staying here with Bob. We will not come any further. I’ve promised Rafe that, so get off that horse and cover his back. You hear me? This man has finally asked me to marry him and if anything happens to him, I’m holding you responsible.”
Levi swung down nodding, a smile as big as the south showing his white teeth in the darkness. “Really? He finally proposed?” His softly spoken question sounded jubilant.
Rafe cut him a scowl, but as usual, Levi ignored Rafe’s expression of displeasure. “Shut up, Levi.” The sheriff growled.
“I’ve got his back, Mesa.” Levi assured her.
Bob dismounted and took the reins of the palomino from Rafe. He and the others began to secure the horses to the trees, making sure they used the lead ropes attached to the halter each horse wore beneath its bridle. If there happened to be gunfire, they didn’t want the horses breaking loose and running wildly through the woods.
While the men did that, Rafe slipped his arms around Mesa and held her close. “It’ll all be over soon and we can bring our baby girl home.”
She nodded her head against his broad chest. “Just don’t take any chances, Rafe. I couldn’t stand it if you got… hurt.”
“That’s not gonna happen. You and I have a lot of time to make up for. You just stay here with Bob and start planning our wedding.” He nuzzled her ear and then found her lips for a quick kiss. “I don’t want to wait long, you know.”
All too soon the four lawmen were gone, Rafe taking Spur with him, and Mesa was left alone with Bob and the horses. The men moved much more quietly afoot than they had astride the horses and the sounds of them moving softly through the brush gradually faded, and then disappeared.
Soon the sound of the night settled in around them, and Mesa was filled with fear and worry. So much could go wrong for Rafe and his men.
“About how far away are we from the buildings you remember?” she whispered to Bob.
He shrugged. “It was a long time ago, Miss Mesa, but I think it’s probably less than a mile.”
“Maybe we could go a little closer so we could hear better,” she suggested.
He shook his head. “You gonna break yore promise to the sheriff?”
She huffed in frustration. “No, it was just a thought.”
“Good,” the old man muttered. “I don’t want that man mad at me.”
She paced restlessly, but time seemed to stall. Needing to do something, she checked the lead ropes and slipknots that secured each horse, stroking each animal for a few minutes, trying desperately to fill the minutes. Finally she made her way back to where Bob had hunkered down on a fallen tree. “How long have they been gone?”
He grinned at her. “They might be getting close to the place by now, but they’ll scout around the area and then get back together to make up a plan before they go in. It’ll be a while yet.” Gently he took one of her hands and encouraged her to sit on the trunk of the downed tree next to him.
“Did I ever tell you about when I first met yore daddy?” he asked.
Understanding that he was distracting her and thankful for it, Mesa gave him her attention. “No, you never did.”
The old man was a masterful story teller, and soon enough his account of that encounter drew her in. Her father had been a colorful character, and she’d missed him every day since his death. Just hearing about some of the high jinks the two men had gotten in to when they were young, made Mesa feel closer to her father.
^^^
Afoot, the small group of lawmen followed the edge of the road, and as they approached the bluff they could see lights through the trees and could hear talking. The men at the top of the bluff weren’t concerned with being discovered and it reflected in the abundant flashlights and portable lanterns illuminating the area and the loud boisterous conversations among them as they worked.
The lawmen watched as they loaded bundle after bundle into the back of the two pick-up trucks and into the back end of the SUV. A quick scouting of the area failed to find any unseen lookouts posted, so the officers spread out along the perimeter of the area on either side of the two track road that appeared to offer the only escape path. When they were set, from his concealed position, Rafe called out loudly. “Morgan County Sheriff’s department has you surrounded. Put your hands in the air.”
At the first sound of his voice, the seven men they had seen dropped the tightly sealed parcel they carried and one went for a gun that was strapped on his hip. A quick shot from Rafe’s pistol impacted the man’s leg and he dropped with a howl of pain.
Beside Rafe, in the darkness, Spur quivered with excitement and whined. For a moment the men hesitated, but slowly, one by one, they lifted their hands in the air. Rafe sent Levi and Clark in to secure them with handcuffs while Anderson and he remained in concealment.
It felt too easy, and Rafe couldn’t ignore that nagging thought as the last perp was cuffed, and he and the deputies began taking stock of what was being loaded into the waiting vehicles. The back of his neck prickled with unease, and Rafe reached back with one hand to rub the unpleasant feeling away.
He walked over to the men who sat on the dirt behind the SUV and looked carefully at each one. The man he’d shot in the leg sat next to the others, and when Rafe perused his face closely a flicker of recognition sparked in his mind. “What’s your name?” he asked.
The man ignored him and dropped his head to shield his face.
Rafe swore softly and turned, looking for Levi. He spotted his head deputy lugging one of the heavy parcels from the recently refurbished cabin to the back of one of the pick-ups.
When the deputy tossed the package up to Anderson who was stacking them in the bed of the truck, Rafe approached.
Spotting him, Levi turned a frown in his direction, as he wiped at the sweat on his brow. “We should’a waited until they had the trucks loaded. Sure would’a saved us some work.”
Rafe offered his observation a brief grin of acknowledgement. “Walk over and take a good look at the guy I wounded. He looks familiar to me, but I can’t place his face with a name.”
Levi cast the man a quick glance and then walked over for a better look. When the perp ducked his head down, Levi nudged him gently with the toe of his boot. Since that brought no response, he shifted his stance and placed his boot against the wound that was still oozing blood and nudged again, this time with a little more emphasis.
The perp growled an empty threat and cut an angry glare at the deputy standing over him.
Levi swung around to look at Rafe. “You know who we got here, Sheriff?” It was a rhetorical question. “We got Paulie Swartzel, Mayor Shiver’s number one, right-hand man.”
As he spoke, the night was suddenly interrupted with the blast of a gun, and the handcuffed man at Levi’s feet, slumped down lifeless, a bullet neatly placed between his eyes.
Everyone dropped to the ground and scrambled for some kind of cover, including the prisoners at the back of the SUV.
The officers drew their weapons, prepared to return fire, but having no idea where to aim the shots, they cut fearful eyes at the surrounding darkness.
“I knew that was too damned easy,” Rafe muttered under his breath, waiting for the next shot so he could have an idea where to return fire. He didn’t
have to wait long before another shot from the darkness stole the life of another of the prisoners.
“He’s trying to take out the witnesses,” Rafe shouted to his deputies. Even as he spoke another shot rang out and this time, several of the lawmen spotted the flash of the shot and returned fire. Rafe worked at getting his remaining prisoners behind the SUV and from there, into the brush at a different angle, so the shooter no longer had a clear shot at them. He secured his prisoners there by stringing a plastic tie strap through their handcuffs and around a sizable branch of the tree. “Now,” he warned them, “make all the noise you want to make, but you saw what he did to the other two men. He doesn’t plan to leave any witnesses.”
Having given that warning, he melted into the darkness. He had seen the muzzle flash of the gun and began working his way silently through the dense shadows in that direction, making sure he was shielded from his deputies, also, since they were returning fire. He wanted this s. o. b. and he wanted him bad.
His movement seemed incredibly slow to him. It was a ‘one step forward, then stop and listen’ process, and by the time he reached the approximate area, he was almost positive that the shooter was gone. That sent a frigid shock through his blood. Mesa was vulnerable and there was a chance the shooter might stumble into her and Bob in the darkness.
He hesitated, then knew what he had to do. Pursing his lips, he whistled shrilly and was rewarded by the sound of Spur tearing through the bushes in answer to the whistle. Thankfully he deputies realized that the dog was answering his call and Levi was close on the animal’s heels.
Rafe gave a hand signal and spoke softly. “Seek.” Then he turned to his head deputy. “Spur’ll track him. Take care of what needs doing here and call in the night shift to help secure the area. I’ve got to make sure Mesa and Bob are safe.”
At that moment, Spur whined and looked over his shoulder to make sure he had his handler’s attention, then with his nose to the ground, he slipped into the brush with Rafe right behind him. At a steady jog, they followed the scent track, the dog’s long tail waving happily as he did his job. They had traveled about two hundred yards when ahead of them, in the distance, Rafe heard two shots fired. His heart staggered. Those shots came from where he’d left Mesa and Bob.
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