He hardened the muscles in his jaw and motioned the girls over. “This is where we buried the town’s gold. Help me with the rock.” The rock was heavy, at least a hundred pounds, but the men were strong enough to lift it easily and set it down nearby.
The gold was not deeply buried, and Fritz used the pickaxe to quickly remove the top layer of dirt. Chance helped him lift the wooden box from the ground.
Fritz checked it quickly to be sure it had not been previously disturbed. All the money appeared untouched.
“The horses need water. We’ll take them down to the creek,” Klint said. He and Chance set off.
Deborah and Lydia huddled together a few yards away, speaking quietly. He walked over to him, brushing his hands against his pants.
“What are you two talking about?” he asked. Being freed from the jail and finally able to pursue his mission had him grinning despite the long, arduous journey that lay before them.
Lydia answered. “We’re going back.”
A muscle in his jaw began to twitch. “Are you crazy? You can’t go back. Sheriff Vic will throw you in jail.”
“What jail?” Deborah asked, her eyes twinkling.
They laughed, and Chance and Fritz came up from the creek.
“What’s funny?” Klint asked.
Fritz pointed a thumb at Lydia and Deborah. “They want to go back to town.”
“They’ll be arrested,” Chance said flatly. His eyes grew dark.
“Lydia and I were talking,” Deborah said to Chance. “We decided if we went back now, intercepted the sheriff and her posse, we could give y’all more time to be on your way.”
Pink tinged Lydia’s cheeks. “Truth be told, I am not good at riding a horse. It’s my own darn fault for not learning more. I’d slow y’all down, and if anything happened to any of you, I’d never forgive myself.” Her words may have been for all of them, but her eyes remained on Fritz.
Deborah smiled. “Plus, we have another bargaining chip...”
“What?” Chance asked.
Lydia smiled. “The gold. I want you boys to put it back, just as it was. After we get back to town, we’ll tell the sheriff that you told us where the gold was hidden. She’ll think you’re headed here and that will give you more time to get ahead of her.”
“And then what?” Chance asked.
“I don’t know,” Deborah bit her lip. “Maybe we’ll share the truth then. You should be well on your way. Maybe she’ll understand.”
“But if she doesn’t, you and Lydia will be tried and convicted.” Chance’s breathing became ragged. Fritz almost felt sorry for him.
“I trust the sheriff,” Fritz said.
Chance glared at him. “We can’t count on it. They’ll be sticking their necks out for us.”
Klint punched Chance’s arm. “It’s their decision. But they need to decide quickly, whatever it is. We need to get going.”
“He’s right,” Fritz said. “I’m not going to make this decision for Lydia or Deborah. They’re intelligent enough to make it.”
Deborah touched Chance’s arm, and he turned his back on her and walked away, in the direction of a clump of trees. Deborah shot Fritz a harried look and then followed Chance, running a little to catch up.
“If we’re about to leave, let’s get the money reburied.”
“Can you help, Lydia?” Fritz asked.
The three of them soon had the chest reburied, and the rock on top. Klint took a branch to smooth the dirt, attempting to make look as if it had been undisturbed.
As he worked, Fritz pulled Lydia aside. “Are you sure you do not want to go with us? Chance does not want Deborah to go back.”
“I see that. If she wants to continue with you, I’ll go back by myself.”
Fritz nodded. Cold knots of fear formed in his stomach. “What if you are arrested?”
“Well, I can’t be thrown into jail, so it will have to be house arrest. It shouldn’t be too bad.” She smiled although her chin quivered.
He took her hand and held it against his cheek. “But if we don’t come back...”
Lydia smiled. “I have faith in you, Fritz Brokken. You will be back.”
His eyes met hers, and he could not look away. He leaned in, and his lips caressed hers for a moment before he pulled away. “I plan on returning, but plans can be derailed.”
“We both have trials to get through, but I’ll wait for you.” She laughed, the laugh that sent a shiver up his spine. “If I’m arrested, you can be sure I’ll wait.”
They both laughed.
She pulled her hand loose and raised her arms to wrap them around his neck. She cradled the back of his head, and he needed no more encouragement than that to pull her closer.
Her soft lips yielded to his, and he forgot all, at least for a fleeting moment, until his sister interrupted.
“What do you think you’re doing, Fritz?”
He pulled away enough to smile at his sister over Lydia’s shoulder. “And what have you decided?”
“I am going with you, unless you think I’ll slow you down?” She puckered her forehead.
Fritz laughed. “You’re a better horseman than me, er, horsewoman.”
“And don’t forget smart. Together, we can figure out a way to free Karl and Curt.”
“As smart as a whip,” Fritz agreed.
Chance and Klint joined them, and Fritz held Lydia’s hand. The clouds were breaking up, revealing the blue of the sky.
The way ahead was dark, foreboding, but the light lay beyond. Not just beyond but in each of his friends.
Most of all, in Lydia, whose blue eyes perfectly matched the brightening skies. And he did not care who watched. He gathered her in his arms to bid her a proper good-bye.
THIS IS THE FIFTH BOOK of the Brokken Road Romances. Thanks so much for reading.
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About the Author
Abagail Eldan is the pen name of Sheila Hollinghead. She lives in South Alabama with her husband, five dogs and two cats, near where her ancestors scratched a living from the ground. You can connect with Sheila at the following links:
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http://www.sheilahollinghead.com/
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https://www.amazon.com/Abagail-Eldan/e/B079DW1SQR
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Brokken Brother: Novella (Brokken Road Romance Book 5) Page 7
