Chapter Twenty-One
“Think about this, Cash. You’re going to be alone with a woman who may be out for revenge.” Beau paced around the living room of the house they shared. They’d finished their rounds and had been back at their place for over an hour, talking about Cash’s intention to take Alison to Survivor Pass.
“Your confidence in me is touching.” Cash continued to sit, sipping his whiskey, watching Beau get himself all worked up.
He stopped his pacing long enough to glare at Cash. “That’s not what I mean and you know it. Maybe I should go with you.”
“Thanks, but I need to do this alone. She won’t talk if you’re there.”
“She may have no intention of talking at all. I’ll follow you out and stay hidden.”
“Gabe needs you here, Beau. We don’t know if those men rode out or not, and can’t take a chance of them coming back with both of us gone.”
“I don’t know what’s tied your knickers up in knots about them. They were a group of drifters who played cards and finished off a couple bottles of whiskey. I’d wager they’re into Wyoming or Idaho by now.”
“Maybe.” Cash pushed up from the chair, pouring one more shot of whiskey before leaning a hip against the counter.
“You feel that strongly about them still being around?”
Cash nodded, rolling the shot glass between his fingers. “I can’t tell you why. It’s just a feeling I have.”
“We’ve always done well abiding by your instincts. I don’t see any reason to stop now.”
“Except there’s not much we can do about it. Both of us have ridden out to locate their camp and found nothing. Still, I’m certain they’re out there, waiting.” Cash tossed back the whiskey, letting the warmth of the amber liquid trickle down his throat.
“I still don’t like you riding up to the cabin with Alison. You can’t trust her. She’s liable to do anything, then ride out before any of us knows what happened.”
“Not likely. Alison knows I’ll tell you and Gabe where I’m going, and people will see us riding out of town together. Except for what she’s wearing, she’ll have nothing with her. If she does mean me harm, it won’t be on the mountain tomorrow. She’ll plan it out, have her belongings ready, and her money out of the bank.”
“Maybe she does have her belongings ready and you don’t know it.”
“Doubtful. I saw her today in the bank making a deposit, not a withdrawal.” Setting his glass on the counter, Cash turned to the bedroom. “I need to get some sleep.”
Beau nodded, not ready to bed down just yet. He had a lot of thinking to do and not a lot of hours to do it.
“Are you riding up alone, Cash?” Gabe looked up from the new wanted posters he’d received that morning. Beau had already left to check on a disturbance down the street, leaving Gabe and Cash at the jail.
“I’m taking Alison with me.” He didn’t want to give any further explanation, already feeling the guilt of not sharing what he’d learned about her with Gabe.
“Watch your back.”
Cash’s eyes widened at the warning. “What do you mean?”
Gabe leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. “Nothing, except people aren’t who or what they appear to be sometimes.”
Straightening in the chair, Cash noticed the glint in Gabe’s eyes. A wry smile formed on his lips. “You know.”
“About who Alison really is? Yes.”
“How? I know Bernie would never divulge the contents of a private telegram.”
“You aren’t the only one with contacts back east. I’m surprised your contact and mine didn’t stumble over each other in their quest to learn the truth about Mrs. Burns. Or should I say, Miss McGrath?”
“Hell,” Cash mumbled, raking a hand through his hair. “I should’ve told you.”
“Yes, you should have, but you did what you thought was right. Now, how are you going to deal with her?”
“I won’t tell you how, but she knows I discovered she isn’t a widow.”
Gabe released a somber chuckle. “I’ll bet that was awkward.”
Cash stared at him, realizing Gabe already knew how he’d learned of Alison’s deception. “That’s an understatement. My reaction wasn’t the best.”
“Afterwards, you received the telegram about her being Bobby McGrath’s sister.”
“Right. She’s agreed to tell me the truth.”
“And she has no idea you already know who she is?”
“None.”
“Do you believe she’ll come right out and tell you she came to Splendor to avenge her brother’s death?”
“I don’t know if that’s her reason, Gabe. Maybe she came to learn the truth, put his death behind her.”
“Then why the lies? She could’ve traveled out here and stayed at the boardinghouse while she talked to people. There was no shortage of witnesses. Why buy a shop and tie herself down unless she had a broader plan? I think you’re deluding yourself if you believe she didn’t come here to exact vengeance.” Gabe waited. When Cash didn’t respond, he forged on. “I’m sure you’ve talked to Beau and he’s already warned you about riding up to Survivor Pass with her. Am I wrong in thinking you ignored his advice?”
“No, you aren’t wrong.” Cash leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. “The timing won’t be right for her. If she planned to kill me today, she’d be ready to get out of Splendor. Believe me, Alison’s made no plans to leave—not yet. She has no idea I know her true identity.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes.”
Slapping his hands on the desk, Gabe stood. “The circuit judge is due today. He’ll want to have the trial on Monday, so I’ll need both you and Beau to help with the prisoners.”
“We won’t be staying at the cabin the way I usually do. I’ll bring Alison back to town by early evening.”
“I need to pick up food from Suzanne for the prisoners. Can you stay at the jail until I return?”
“We won’t leave for a couple hours. You can be certain I’ll be back tonight, Gabe, with the truth about Alison McGrath.”
“Are you sure you won’t stay home this morning, Noah?” Abby rocked Gabriel in her arms, watching from the porch steps as her husband swung up on Tempest.
“I won’t be gone long. Dax is sending someone to town to pick up the tools he ordered. He’s probably already at the livery.”
“Bull?” Abby guessed, smiling.
“He’d be the logical choice. I’ll invite him to the house for lunch.”
Noah’s heart swelled as he watched the two people he loved most in life standing a few feet away. Gabe, the one other person he held a deep affection for, lived less than a mile away. Soon, he and Lena would have their own place a couple miles away. Noah couldn’t imagine a better life, never thinking he’d ever be this happy.
“I’ll let Lydia know. I’m sure she’ll want to prepare something extra special for you.”
“You mean, Bull, don’t you?” Reining Tempest toward town, he smiled at Abby’s laughter as she stepped back inside the house.
“Are you ready?” Cash stood at the bottom of the stairs as Alison walked down wearing a coat and grasping a small bag.
“What’s in there?” He nodded toward the satchel when she’d taken the last step down.
Her face colored. “We didn’t have a chance to eat last time, so I packed something.”
“May I?” He reached out his hand.
“It’s not much.” She handed him the bag, wondering why he was so curious about bread, fruit, and cold chicken. “Hope it’s all right.”
Glancing inside, he handed the bag back, not feeling a bit guilty about confirming what she’d said. “It’s fine. The horses are out back. Let’s get going.” He had no plans to stay at the cabin after he learned the truth. Once she confessed her true reasons for being in Splendor, they’d ride back to town, pack her belongings, and he’d put her on the first stage back east.
He helped her onto Joker’s saddle, then mounted Hunter, reining him toward the north end of town. Within minutes, they’d disappeared down the trail. Riding in silence, Cash kept watch. He’d felt a prickling sensation the moment they’d left the boundary of Splendor, yet he’d seen nothing, including any wild animals. The thought had him sitting up straighter.
Foxes, mule deer, raccoons, rabbits, even an occasional gray wolf were common when riding outside of town. Today, he’d spotted nothing. Resting a hand on the butt of his gun, Cash took another look around.
“Let’s go this way.” Taking a trail to his left, he remained vigilant as they made a steep vertical climb. He’d taken the animal path one other time. Not wide, with patches of ice and snow, it cut some time off his normal ride.
“Where are we, Cash?”
“We’re still going to the cabin, just taking a different trail. I thought you might like a change in scenery.”
Riding behind him, he couldn’t see her eyes roll at the obvious lie. “Since I’ve been on the other trail so many times,” she called to his back, her sarcasm clear.
Glancing over his shoulder, Cash nodded. “Are you doing all right?”
“As good as possible with the narrow, icy trail, and tree limbs slapping me in the face every few seconds. How about you?”
His rumbled laughter sounded good after suffering his disdain for so many days. Ever since what happened at the cabin, she’d been plagued with guilt, remorse, and a sense of loss so great she couldn’t sleep. Deciding the time had come to tell him the truth, intense fear wrapped around her as they rode up the mountain. She had no idea how he’d respond, what he’d say, or if he’d arrest her for the plans she’d made so many months ago.
All Alison knew was she’d ruined her chance to gain his trust or have him care about her again. He had cared once. She knew this as certain as she knew her brother would no longer come running through the fields toward her, laughing and holding out his arms for a hug. Her eyes misted at the memory. The reality of why and how he had died hurt more. It wasn’t at all as she’d expected. If it weren’t for Lena sitting with her one evening, explaining the events of the shooting, Alison might never have learned the truth.
“It won’t be long now. The trail may be rough and the snow will get thicker the closer we get to the top, but it takes less time than the trail we took before.”
The lump in her throat had dissolved, reforming as a hard ball of ice in her stomach. Reaching the cabin meant they were closer to the time he’d learn her secret—the moment when he’d push her from his life for good and she’d have decisions to make. If he didn’t arrest her, would she stay in Splendor to run her business? Or would she leave?
She had little money. What she’d saved in Kentucky was used to purchase the business and move west. Selling the shop and starting over someplace else would be her last choice. But staying to watch Cash move about his days, perhaps falling in love with someone else, held no appeal at all. Both choices felt like a rope around her neck, tightening, squeezing the life out of her.
“Another five minutes, Alison.” Cash looked over his shoulder, noticing the glazed look in her eyes. “Are you doing all right?”
Clearing her throat, she nodded. “Yes. Fine.” Not long now before her life would change. If only she could see into the future and discover how.
“Can I help?” Bull stood a few feet from Noah, watching as he loaded the tools Dax had ordered.
“Sure. See the stack over there?” Noah nodded toward a box of new tools. “Those go, too.”
It took little time with both of them working to load the wagon, feed and water the horses in the stable, and close the livery.
“Unharness the horse and throw a saddle on him. We’ll leave the wagon here while we have lunch at the house.” Noah saw Bull’s brows furrow. “You didn’t think you could ride in and out of town without seeing Lydia, did you?”
“Dax mentioned needing the tools as soon as I could get them back to the ranch. I doubt he’d understand me stopping in to see Lydia.”
“I believe he would understand, but we’ll make it a quick visit. I know the ladies have already made lunch, and I’m sure you don’t want to disappoint them.”
“I most certainly would not want to disappoint the ladies.” Bull grinned, latching onto any reason to see Lydia. “I’ll saddle the horse.”
“You move up the trail, Clem. I’ll stay here and give the signal after Brandt rides past. We’ll get him from the front and back so there’s no chance he’ll get away.”
“What do we do with the body, Louis?”
“What do you think we do with it?” He waited while Clem considered the question, then shrugged. “Nothing, Clem. We ride out as soon as he’s on the ground.”
“We aren’t that far from town. Someone will hear the gunfire.”
“That’s why we won’t hesitate after we take our shots. We can’t stick around to check the body or move it off the trail.” Pulling out a worn pocket watch, Louis checked the time. “You need to get into position. Brandt should be leaving the livery in a few minutes.”
Reining his horse around, Clem rode up the trail before disappearing into a copse of pine trees set around two large boulders. Both would provide excellent cover while giving him the visibility needed to spot his target. Dismounting, he grabbed his Enfield rifle, looked around, then hunkered down near one of the boulders to wait.
Louis secured his horse several yards off the trail. Checking his Whitworth rifle, he smirked. It was more than he needed for this kill. He’d used it for long-range targets as a sharpshooter for the Confederacy. If all went according to plan, Brandt wouldn’t be more than a hundred yards up the trail. During the war, his longest hit had been about eleven hundred yards. Granted, he’d marked a group of officers standing in a cluster and he’d hit only one, yet it had been recorded as a kill.
Anticipation gripped him at the prospect of tallying up one more kill of a Union soldier. According to Monty, Noah had been a major in the Union Army, a sharpshooter with a stellar record. After today, he’d be nothing more than a number, his record during the war dying with him.
Noah and Bull rode next to each other as they started up the trail out of town. Noah’s house sat on a hill overlooking Splendor. A slow stride would get them there in thirty minutes. Today, they rode at an increased pace, hoping to cut ten minutes off the trip.
Riding side-by-side, anyone who didn’t know them might assume they were brothers. Both were well over six feet tall, and with their military background, had a naturally relaxed, upright posture in the saddle.
“Have you and Lydia set a date for the wedding?” Noah glanced over at Bull, knowing his friend didn’t want to wait long to claim her.
“Early summer at the ranch. It’s where Lydia and I got to know each other. I can’t think of a better place. We talked to Reverend Paige last Sunday and he’s agreed to ride out with his wife.”
“Another big shindig at Redemption’s Edge.”
Bull chuckled. “Lydia, Rachel, and Ginny are already coming up with ideas. Doubt it will be long before Lena, Isabella, and Suzanne join them.” Sighing, he shook his head. “I know the ladies all mean well, but I’d just as soon ride to Big Pine for a quiet wedding and enjoy a few days away.”
“Have you said as much to Lydia?”
Bull shot a glance at Noah, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Do I look like a man with a death wish?”
A deep, rumbling laugh left Noah’s lips. “You look like a man with everything to live for. Why, I bet—”
Before he could finish, a loud crack came from behind him, a burning pain searing into his back.
“Noah!” Bull started to reach over for his friend when another shot rang out from in front of them, the bullet knocking Noah off his saddle.
Pulling his revolver from its holster, Bull slid off his horse as more shots hit the ground around them. Grabbing Noah by the collar, noting the blood, he tried to drag him off the trail. He groaned at the effort of moving a man who weighed as much as he did. Seconds before reaching a safe location, Bull heard the crack of two rifles. One bullet whizzed past his head. A moment later, he cursed as the second bullet found its mark. Bull collapsed on top of Noah, taking one last glimpse of the sky before his eyelids grew heavy and the world went black.