Chapter Three

 

Luke and Colton meandered down the street, having left the reception after the festivities concluded. On the main road, down from the hotel, a row of rectangular buildings housed the post office, a newspaper, and a general store. The clang of metal on metal announced the presence of a blacksmith’s shop. Still, beyond the scattered houses, swaths of emerald grass cut through the mountains, and the hilltops were crowned with colorful flowers. Warm air brushed at Luke’s shoulders, whisking away a portion of last winter’s heartbreak. Much more time would have to pass before the heaviness of loss would lift from his soul.

“Look at that, Pa,” Colton said in the midafternoon light. He pointed through the window at a newfangled icebox. “That sure is fancy. I’ve never seen anything quite like that.”

“Me either.” Luke couldn’t imagine much need for the likes of that contraption in a small town like Priest’s Crossing, but one never knew.

Colton stepped away and looked up and down the street. “I’m sure glad that wedding is over. Think we might get in some hunting?”

“Not until we head back to the ranch.”

Colton groaned. “But I want to get a deer with my new rifle.”

“You had your chance several times.” He gave his son a pointed stare. “For the next couple of days, we’re relaxing. Enjoy being somewhere different. The town is small, but we don’t get away often. Who knows? We may discover something interesting. Or have an adventure.”

Colton jerked his face up to Luke’s, his eyes wide. “In Priest’s Crossing? This town makes Y Knot feel like a city.”

“How would you know what a city feels like?” he said on a laugh. “By the way, things you hear in the bunkhouse aren’t to be shared with the world. Especially any topic about women. That situation could have gotten messy today. I’m thankful she didn’t want an apology.”

By his expression, Colton was chewing on his statement.

“The ranch hands get colorful sometimes, I know. Not everybody needs to hear that kind of talk. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. I thought poor Mrs. Brunn was going to faint.” He chuckled and riffled Colton’s hair, as he’d done so many times before.

This time, Colton pulled away.

“You got something stuck in your craw?”

“Just I’m not a kid anymore, Pa. You’re treating me like a baby.”

“Guess I am. It’s not intentional.”

Colton’s mouth flattened.

He was growing up, Luke supposed. Maybe Colton had a point. “Sorry if I do. I’ll work on that. I just sometimes…”

“This place don’t even have a boardwalk,” Colton complained.

“Doesn’t even have a boardwalk. Your mother wouldn’t be happy to hear you using incorrect English.”

Colton shrugged off the comment.

A handful of riders passed by, looking the strangers over.

Luke chuckled.

“I don’t think they liked us,” Colton whispered when they were far enough away not to be overheard. “What’d we ever do to them?”

“They’re just being cautious, like we would be with strangers in Y Knot.”

Colton suddenly pointed. “Look!”

“Well, I’ll be.” They started across the street a few buildings away. “I wonder what Trent Herrick’s doing up here. I didn’t see him at the wedding. Trent,” Luke called when they were within hearing distance.

Trent was climbing down from the high seat of his buckboard in front of the hardware and leather shop.

“What’re you doing in Priest’s Crossing? I didn’t hear any talk of you heading up this way.”

The man’s face lit up when he saw their approach. “Luke. Colton. This is a surprise.” He grasped Luke’s hand first with a hearty shake and then Colton’s.

Luke nodded to himself. That may help the boy from feeling like a child.

Trent hitched a thumb over his shoulder. “Me and Pa are buying out the shop. All the tack and leather goods.”

The shop he was referring to was rundown and in need of repairs. The gray, grimy window needed a wash. No shingle, sign, or other marking indicated what kind of business resided within the four walls.

Trent beamed and lifted his chest. “Been haggling the details of the sale for about three or four months. The old man’s tough and been holding out for the best deal he could get, and I don’t blame him. I’ll load up everything tomorrow, lock, stock, and barrel, and head back to Y Knot. Should increase our leather and tack inventory by a good twenty-five percent.”

Luke nodded and smiled. “Congratulations. That sounds like good business. Y Knot is growing. I’m sure you’ll do well.”

“I hope so.”

An older man stepped from the shop, his hands tinted brown from some kind of dark stain. “You gonna stand out there all day, Trent, or are we gonna finish our business? I may die of old age before we get this transaction done.”

Trent nodded. “I better get moving,” he said quietly. “Don’t want him to be crankier than he already is. Pa and I have been after him for some time to retire and let us buy him out. We were surprised when he finally agreed.” He rubbed a hand across his forehead and glanced at the hotel. “Will I see you two before tomorrow morning? I figure that’s when I’ll be heading back to Y Knot.”

“Most certainly. We’re just enjoying ourselves before we leave on Monday.”

Fifteen minutes later, Colton and his pa entered the hotel lobby, the establishment a fourth of the size of Cattlemen’s Hotel back home. The room’s musty smell stuck in Colton’s nose. He headed for the stairway, drawing from his pocket one of the two keys his pa had entrusted to him for safekeeping.

His pa went to the counter, picked up a newspaper and then glanced at him halfway up the stairs. “You go on, Colton. I’ll find out the best place for supper tonight.” He nodded to the three vacant tables in the corner of the room that constituted the hotel’s own restaurant. “I don’t think we’ll eat here.”

Colton nodded and turned to go.

“That’s him, Sheriff,” a female voice said softly. “I’d know that face anywhere.”

Colton swung around to see two women in the hotel doorway standing behind Jack Jones, the former deputy sheriff of Y Knot who’d been fired last fall. His tall, rangy stature was familiar. At times Jack’s face could be warm and teasing, but at the moment his eyes twitched with what looked like indecision and a bit of fear. His mouth hung wide like a barn door, as if totally surprised. In the same instant, he snapped his lips closed and his face hardened, his gaze granite-edged.

Jack pulled his gun from his holster. “You sure?”

An unsure waver filled his voice.

A pretty girl clutched the arm of the accuser, who had purple bruising around her right eye and face. Her swollen lip looked painful. She hunched in one direction, holding her side.

Luke straightened and turned toward the door. “What’s this?”

Colton’s gaze cut to his pa’s face and then back to Jack Jones.

“Yes. I’m positively sure, Sheriff. Who could forget those eyes? They’ll haunt my sleep until the day I die.” She burst into tears.

The younger female turned the battered woman and helped her out the door.

“I’m taking you in, McCutcheon! You’re under arrest.”

Pride shot through Colton when an easygoing grin spread across his pa’s face. He wasn’t scared of nothing.

“Is that right, Jack?” Luke drawled. “You and what army? If I remember back, you’re pretty much afraid of your own shadow.”

The barrel of Jack’s gun pointed at his pa’s chest.

“Just keep talking, big fella. You’re digging your grave deeper with each second that passes, I can promise you that.”

Luke slowly relaxed his elbow back on the hotel counter and, with unhurried, precise movements, inched up his hat with a fingertip. “Okay, Jack, just calm down. I can see you’re serious. This is some kind of misunderstanding, is all. Why don’t you put away your gun and explain what’s going on? I’ll help you figure out things—like Brandon used to in the old days. No need to get testy.”

His pa’s voice was calm and cool even though Jack’s gun hand quivered in front of him. Colton held his breath. He wished he possessed one quarter of his pa’s courage.

“We arrived into town late this morning,” Luke went on evenly, darting a quick look to him to make sure he was out of harm’s way. “For Joe’s wedding. We barely had time to stable our horses, get a room and clean up, let alone get mixed up in a crime you think I’m guilty of. Take a deep breath until your heart rate settles, and then we’ll solve this puzzle together.”

Suddenly, before Colton realized what was happening, a man came through the back hall, swiftly stepped forward, and smacked the back of Luke’s head with the butt of his gun. His pa crumpled to the hard floor with a thump.