The thin woman looked up from her work. The sharpness in her eyes left as soon as her gaze met his, and she grinned.
“Hi,” Nate said.
She lifted her chin to greet him. The kids all kept playing, paying him no mind.
“We just got back from Birch Creek.” Nate beamed.
Then he recalled how this woman had said she knew his birth mother and thought of how strange it was that within a matter of a few weeks, he had come across three people who said they knew Lucinda. He’d gone years without ever hearing her name. Now, suddenly, people associated with his past were popping up everywhere.
“Ya ever been to the city?” Nate was doubtful that this dirty-faced mountain woman knew the Fletchers, but he wouldn’t have guessed her to know his birth mother either.
He should just forget about the Fletchers. They were out of his life now, but they’d known his name and pieces of his past and believed they had known his mother. He wasn’t so convinced. Why would a rich lady come west and become a whore, giving up a pampered life to live in a gutter, to smell stale cigars and cigarette smoke day and night, to reek of cheap whiskey and the cologne of different men? It was strange the details that would just come forward in his brain, but never Lucinda’s face.
This woman, her brash attitude, was familiar with what he was able to conjure of those days living in that hole of a saloon. She was the type of woman he pictured his birth mother to be, so he didn’t doubt her friendship with Lucinda.
If Mrs. Fletcher really was the sister of Nate’s late mother, then wouldn’t this lady know about her? Maybe by some chance, she had met the Fletchers and would know something about them, other than they were rich and didn’t live west of the Mississippi. Anything that might help prove he was not their nephew. Only to himself did he admit being curious about his birth mother’s life before she fell in love with an outlaw.
“Do I look like a city dweller?” She smacked her hands to her hips as if to say he’d just asked the stupidest question she’d ever heard.
“Partner, let’s go.” Jesse was waiting on the trail and gave a sharp wave.
Nate ignored him and would probably hear it later.
An interest prodded him to know the truth, not that he planned to do anything with it once he knew. His inquisitive nature was getting the best of him. Maybe this woman could clear up at least one question for him. “Do you happen to know a Deloris Fletcher?”
The thin woman straightened, eyes narrowed. “I don’t know her personally, but I sure as hell know who she is. You stay away from that bitch. Your mother cut ties with her, never really liked her.”
“Why?” Nate swallowed hard, hoping she had the answer.
“Just because two people are kin don’t mean they’re gonna see eye to eye. Deloris and Lucinda were very different people.” She sighed deeply as if recalling something unpleasant. “They used to write. Too often, one of ‘em would get mad and stop writin’ for a while. It was like a catfight on paper.”
“So they were kin.” He wasn’t really asking.
Nate’s heart sank. Even after Pa had said it might be true, Nate hammered in his mind that it wasn’t so. He didn’t want to have any ties to those people. The thought of it worried him. His old pa, Jim Younger, who was in prison, had to sign over custody for Nate to be adopted. Being blood relation, would the Fletchers have any right to him? Nate felt suddenly weak and sweaty.
The thin woman cackled. “They was sisters. Deloris Fletcher’s your aunt.”
Out of nowhere, the reins were jerked out of Nate’s hands. Jesse’s face steamed red. “Excuse us, ma’am. We gotta be on our way.” Jesse kept ahold of Buck’s reins and turned both horses toward the trail leading to the Short ranch.
Nate wiped at his eyes. How could those city folks be his aunt and uncle? It just didn’t seem possible. He looked over at Jesse, who was still red around the ears.
“Jesse, did you hear what she said?” Nate wanted to know what he thought. If the Fletchers had been looking for him as they said they had been, then it only made sense that they might pursue him to Gray Rock. And if they found him again, then what would happen?
Jesse stiffly nodded. “I think we need to tell your pa about this.” What he was saying was that Nate wouldn’t get to spend much time playing with Lenny and Norman.
Jesse’s demeanor had become all business. He sat straight in the saddle, and his gaze was forward. Nate could tell he was thinking over all that information, and judging by his wrinkled brow, he didn’t like the framework that was building toward conclusion.
He tossed Nate’s reins back, then spurred the appaloosa. They ran the horses along the trail toward Shorty’s until they crested the hill behind the ranch house.
All was good, and they left for home within a half hour. Nate had promised his friends he’d return tomorrow. For nearly a week and about the same time each day, after he was done with his extra chores, which included soaping saddles and cleaning tack, Nate and Jesse would run their horses along the trail near Blue Sky Lake to the Short ranch.
Nate had gotten a lecture that first night after Jesse told Pa about the meeting with the thin woman. He had been made to promise not to speak to her, or he wouldn’t be allowed to go to the Shorts’ with Jesse and Pa would find more extra chores for him.
They topped the hill behind Lenny and Norman’s house, slowing their mounts. In a patch of trees off to their left stood five saddled horses tethered to a low-hanging branch. Why wouldn’t Shorty’s ranch hands take their mounts to the corral? Nate looked harder. Those horses weren’t wearing Shorty’s brand.
“Dammit.” Jesse cursed under his breath, and Nate knew why.
There was but one reason for men to hide their horses. They didn’t want to be seen, to be caught. Nate had ridden with his old pa too long not to recognize it. And he and Jesse were in a bad spot. They were slowly walking their horses down the hill toward the house. The closest cover was fifty feet away. That was a lot of space to be dodging bullets. Likely, there was a lookout who had already spotted them and was watching, waiting to see what they would do, and Nate wasn’t sure himself.
“I bet they’ve come for the women.” Jesse’s words were a serious warning to Nate. He had better do exactly as he was told when he was told, or one or both of them might die.
“What are we gonna do?” he whispered without moving his lips. Fifty yards and they’d be in the ranch yard. They couldn’t up and run without getting shot at. What other option was there?
“When we get closer to the barn, you take the horses and go hide yourself somewhere inside.” Jesse was pure calm on the outside, and for good reason. They couldn’t let on that they suspected trouble, or whoever those five horses belonged to might rush them or shoot them. But Nate figured Jesse’s heart was banging with the same ferocity as his.
“Then what are you gonna do? If you pull either of your weapons, rifle or pistol, they’ll likely shoot ya down.” Nate had to push aside his fear and focus on whatever he could do to help. He didn’t want to see Jesse get hurt or killed. Whoever was hiding there, if it was criminals—and he and Jesse weren’t sure yet—they might kill Jesse anyway. The sun was shining, and the glare of both Jesse’s and Nate’s badges couldn’t be mistaken for anything but a lawman’s star.
“I gotta get into the house. Kristy and her little brothers and sister are probably in there. And Mrs. Short.” Under the brim of his hat, Jesse’s eyes were searching all over the yard for just the right path to keep him from getting killed.
The barnyard was too quiet. Usually, ranch hands were working about somewhere. Were they all on the cattle drive with Shorty? Or maybe the ranch hands that stayed behind were in the fields, watching cattle. It looked like Jesse was alone against five, or at least there had been five horses tied yonder in the trees.
Nate had an idea, and as he hopped up feet flat on the seat of his saddle and stood straight up, dropping the reins and spreading his arms out like wings, he hoped to hell this work
ed.
“Look at me. I can fly.” He forced a wide smile and subtly winked at Jesse.
Jesse needed some kind of distraction to get them out of the open and help him sneak closer to the house without much notice. If anyone was watching—and Nate was sure someone was on lookout—he would do his best to keep their eyes on him.
Jesse returned the wink, then turned in the saddle while yanking up on the reins. The horses halted at the bottom of the hill. From here, they were twenty feet from the larger of the two barns. A corral jetted out from there to within five feet of them. It was some cover, and the barn was not unreachable. Thirty feet to the other side of them was the house. They had approached from the rear of the homestead, and it was likely that only one man was positioned to watch this direction. But they didn’t know where he was, so they couldn’t take any chances. Maybe in an upstairs window of the house, or he could have an eye on them from inside the barn, perhaps the loft. That way, he could probably watch the horses. Most folks that might stop by for a visit would come up the lane from the coach road and ride up to the front of the house. That’s where the heaviest amount of lookout would concentrate. So it was possible for Jesse to maybe slip into the house somewhere on the rear side.
A breeze kicked up, and Nate spied an open window at the back of the house. The white curtain was flapping out over the windowsill. Hopefully, Jesse had seen it too.
“Ahh!” Nate faked losing his balance in the wind, his good arm failing. He’d pulled the hurt one in tight, protecting it as he pitched himself toward Jesse’s horse, grabbing at Jesse’s rifle in its boot, knocking it to the ground. Nate hit the dirt beside it. Pain really did shoot through his bad arm, and he let out crying. But his plan had worked.
Jesse was off his horse and picked up the Winchester as if retrieving it without a purpose. Now his gun was in hand, and Jesse was a true rifleman. There wasn’t a better shot. He owned lots of skill with that rifle, and suddenly, the odds seemed more in Jesse’s favor. Hopefully, whoever was watching wasn’t suspicious that he was now ready for them.
“Boy, I’ve told you before not to fool around on your horse.” It was a fake scolding, but no one else would know it.
Nate pushed up off the ground, and just like that, Jesse gave him a swat on the bottom, then flopped him on the mustang. None of it really hurt, but it looked convincing.
“You get on home. I’ll deal with you later.”
Nate knew from his days of riding with his old pa that criminals usually picked towns where they wouldn’t be recognized. That also meant whoever was lurking here wouldn’t know that Nate and Jesse were not father and son unless they were up close and realized how young Jesse really was. He was as tall as Pa and just as broad-shouldered. There were lots of dark whiskers on his chin, but Jesse was only eighteen.
Nate turned Buck away from the house and ranch yard, knowing the plan was for him to run and get Pa as fast as he could. A hundred yards behind, the boom of a rifle shook the air. As Nate raced away, the Winchester retorted with a mean bark.
CHAPTER 17
Buck thundered into the yard with Nate hanging on tight and hollering his lungs out for his father. “Pa!”
Pa had just stepped out of the outhouse and turned toward Nate’s cry. On the porch swing sat Ma, and a man was sitting in one of the chairs near her. The porch roof cast shadows on their faces, so Nate didn’t recognize the man at first. But he had captured their attention, and the man stood. Nate caught a glimpse of the star on the man’s shirt. It was Marshal Huckabee. Nate didn’t have time to think about him being there, not so soon after them leaving Birch Creek, and he didn’t see Deputy.
“Nathanial, what’s wrong?” Pa hustled toward him.
“It’s Jesse. There’s some men at the Short house. He thinks they’re the ones stealin’ women.” Nate was breathless after spitting it out so quickly.
Pa was hightailing it toward the corral where his bay was standing. The marshal was off the porch, hurdling the gate, and in no time at all, he was swinging a leg over his horse. Ma, with tears in her eyes, was on her feet, gripping the porch post and watching the flurry going on in the yard.
Pa threw his saddle on the bay. “Nathanial, get my rifle.”
Nate jumped off Buck and sprinted up the porch steps. Before he got to the door, which was open, Ma was running out with the rifle. She quickly handed it to Nate. When he turned, Pa was waiting atop his horse just outside the gate. Nate hurried and lifted the rifle to him.
“You stay here with your ma.” Pa jerked the reins, turning his horse, and the marshal fell into pace as they ran their horses toward Shorty’s place.
Nate watched until they were out of sight.
Elizabeth suddenly burst out crying from inside the house. Ma, who was standing on the porch and watching as Nate had been doing, wiped at her eyes, then hurried inside. Nate lumbered up the stairs, touching the badge on his chest, wishing he was old enough to ride with Pa and the marshal. He had helped in a small way by fetching Pa.
Nate flopped into the chair that the marshal had been sitting in. There was a thick stack of papers on the small table Ma had there to hold drinks when they took in the cool evening air. Nate took a peek. Why was his name on those papers? He picked them up and smoothed them out so he could actually read them. It was a summons to appear in court. Nate read fast, scanning over the first three in the stack. He didn’t understand all the legal terms. Some of the words were really big. But he understood the gist of it. The Fletchers wanted custody of him. He had overheard Judge Prescott in Birch Creek telling Pa not to worry. It would take an eyewitness to link Nate with the Lucinda in that picture, and there had been uncertainty about those letters.
The thin woman popped into Nate’s head. She knew Nate’s mother and could surely identify her from a picture. What if the Fletchers somehow found out about her? If they had tracked him down from where they lived in some state back east, then they might find her. Her word might be enough to get Nate unadopted and sent away with his aunt and uncle. There was only one thing he could do. Run away. He’d come back after the Fletchers forgot about him. He could take Jesse with him. He wouldn’t say no to this.
Nate dropped the papers, and the breeze scattered them across the porch floor. He ran toward Buck, feeling mean inside, wiping at the hot tears in his eyes. He couldn’t say good-bye to Ma or Elizabeth. Ma would never let him go. She would make him stay and give him a talking-to about them being a family and fighting to keep Nate. He couldn’t do it. That summons had him too spooked. And a court proceeding might be too much stress on Ma in her delicate condition. Then that would worry Pa to a frazzle. Nate didn’t want to leave his family, but he would be with Jesse, so Ma and Pa wouldn’t fret that much. Someday, he and Jesse could come home, when the Fletchers gave up and went away. Hopefully, that wouldn’t take too long.
Nate kicked Buck into a run and took the mountain trail the same as he had earlier. But this time, he was in a rush to get to Shorty’s place. He needed to find Jesse in one piece. Then they needed to skedaddle out of the territory. If he had to be ripped from Ma and Pa, then Nate would do it on his own terms.
As he trotted Buck past Blue Sky Lake, he thought briefly about turning around. Maybe he could somehow get the thin woman to promise not to tell about who he was. But he’d already made the mistake of telling her the Fletchers were following him, and a trial like this would bring folks down out of the hills. This would be big entertainment for some. She knew the connection between his birth mother and Deloris, and she was aware of how wealthy the Fletchers were. She and her kids were very poor. What if she used what she knew as a bargaining chip to gain something more than an old rundown shack for her and her five children? It didn’t seem he had any other option than running away.
Nate steered Buck through the trees where the five horses had been tied earlier. There he left Buck, then slipped silently down the hill on foot and right up to the side of the house. He peeked around front. Where were Pa and the m
arshal? Their horses weren’t there and neither was Jesse’s appaloosa. Nothing was moving in the yard. All was quiet, including the house. No sound carried out through the open window on the sidewall. Nate slipped over the sill and into what was Shorty’s office. He didn’t know who or if anyone was there. But he’d been taught from day one to be cautious and had been a mite scared to knock at the front door.
Sniffles floated in the air from one of the other rooms. Nate stood stock still and listened.
“Hurry it up, boys. The sheriff told us to get to town. We’ll stay at the hotel ‘til your pa returns.” Mrs. Short’s voice was quivery, and there was an air of urgency in her tone.
Nate recognized Norman’s cry. He’d heard it lots of times. Out of the bunch of his friends, poor Norman was the crybaby, but this time he had real reason. Outlaws had broken into their home. Nate hoped none of the Short family had been hurt.
“Ma, I don’t feel right leavin’ without the girls. Do you think Jesse and the sheriff and Marshal Huckabee will find them?” Lenny choked up while the words were still coming out.
So Jesse had been right. Those five horses that they’d seen earlier, hidden among the trees out back, belonged to the men who were stealing women. And it sounded like Jesse, Pa, and the marshal were all on the trail after the bad guys.
Nate slipped back out the window and hurried toward the buckskin. No way would Mrs. Short let him run after Jesse, Pa, and the outlaws. Had he shown his face, she would’ve dragged him to town, then sent him home. And he wanted more than anything to run home, throw his arms around Ma’s waist, and give her a big, loving hug. He missed her something awful already, but he couldn’t go back. The Fletchers would get him, and he wasn’t moving east to a city.
Nate waited a few minutes until Mrs. Short had her sons packed in the wagon, along with several carpetbags and some blankets. She slapped leather to the team and rolled quickly out of the yard. Nate trotted Buck up to the front of the house, searching the dirt for the track that Pa’s horse made. He wasn’t yet familiar with the print of Jesse’s new mount. Although, he thought he’d found that one too and studied it.
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