The Shepherd's Heart Series: A Boxed Set Book Bundle Collection Volumes 1-4

by Lynnette Bonner

  When Judd looked back with a curled lip and an assessing glower, Cade studied his coffee, making sure to keep a bland expression. He wanted no part in that fight, this morning. He bit back a chuckle. Or any other morning for that matter. Judd could have the woman. She had calamity scrawled from the top of her head to the bottoms of her feet.

  The other men moseyed on over to the fire in Judd’s wake. Several horses stood saddled and ready.

  Hurry it along, gents. Cade glanced out toward the field. Still no sign of Shar.

  He looked around at the others. Everyone accounted for except Red and Mick.

  His stomach clenched. On watch, maybe?

  He took a swig of coffee and swept his gaze around the area.

  Shouldn’t have ribbed her about Sam. This wasn’t good, her being out of sight.

  Cade plunked his coffee cup onto the rock beside him and strode in the direction he’d last seen her.

  “Schilling! You going somewhere?”

  Cade thought fast. “That teacher. She wandered off. Figured I’d best go bring her back.” His heart beat as though to race a galloping stallion.

  Judd waved a hand of dismissal. “She can’t go far. Red’s standing guard at the only path outta here. We’ll only be a jiffy.”

  That still left Mick unaccounted for. Sweat dampened Cade’s palms. “I’ll just—”

  “Sit!” Judd glowered and touched a hand to the butt of his gun.

  Cade tossed one more glace out over the field. “Where’s Mick?”

  Anger glittered in Judd’s eyes. “He went out early this morning to see if he could wrangle us up some meat.”

  That brought a slight relief. Likely they wouldn’t run into each other, but the longer Cade kept Judd waiting, the longer she would be out there on her own and the more likely it was that Mick might find her. He gritted his teeth, but complied with Judd’s request. Dear Jesus, keep her safe. He picked up his coffee.

  “Alright, listen up.” Judd rubbed his palms together, apparently satisfied with Cade’s acquiescence, because he turned away and scanned the group. “Today we ride for Farewell Bend. Everyone could use a little break and a reward for a job well done. Schilling, you’ll stay here and guard the women. Red is on watch and Mick,” he waved a hand, “is off rustling grub, like I said. When he gets back he’ll help you… guard the women.”

  Several of the men chuckled.

  Even as the hair stood up along Cade’s neck, he felt his attention sharpen. This was exactly the break he needed. Still he was surprised that Judd would leave him here. But then Rodale had no reason to distrust him. He’d done nothing wrong, yet. And he’d come through for the man yesterday. But so help him, if he could work it out, by the time Judd returned this evening he would have every reason to hate Cade.

  He was careful to keep his eyes off Katrina, but in his peripheral vision he saw her straighten and glance his way. He fixed his attention on the black liquid in his cup, noticed the reflection of the vivid morning sky, gave it a swirl, then met Judd’s gaze with a frank arch of his own brow. “Fine by me.”

  Judd nodded. “Alright men, let’s ride.”

  They couldn’t ride out of camp fast enough to suit Cade. As soon as they turned the corner out of sight, Cade leapt to his feet and ran.

  Sharyah snapped open her eyes and leapt around to face the man, her coffee arching out in a spray as the cup slid from her fingers and landed a few feet away. It wasn’t Cade. It was Mr. Dictionary, himself. Mick Rodale. The one who’d looked at her like she was a delicious side-dish yesterday. The same way he looked at her now. The same man that Missy Green had accused of… unspeakable things.

  Sharyah glanced back toward the fire where she’d left Cade. But she’d wandered further than she intended over a slight hill and she couldn’t even see the fire anymore. The field between her and the hilltop stretched silent and empty.

  Her legs felt like they might give out from under her at any moment. She forced a smile praying her terror didn’t show in her eyes. “Oh, hello.”

  Mick grinned and folded his arms. “A little jumpy this morning, are we?” Stepping between her and the way back to the camp, he planted his feet wide. “Don’t worry, I won’t hold that whole book incident against you.”

  She laughed, and even to her own ears it sounded high pitched and strained. “You startled me is all.” Skirting around him, she started back toward safety. “Did you sleep well? I actually did. I was surprised, under the circumstances.” She couldn’t seem to stop prattling. “The sunrise is beautiful, don’t you think?” Why oh why had she walked out this far alone? She hadn’t realized she’d wandered so far from the fire, from Cade’s protective presence.

  After only a few steps Mick took her elbow in a firm grasp and pulled her to a stop. “Let’s not be in such an all-fired hurry to run off, shall we? The sky is right pretty this morning.” But he wasn’t looking at the sunrise. His eyes had wandered to places that no decent man would…

  Every limb quavered. She worked her mouth, but it was as dry as the tangle of tumbleweeds piled up against the sage brush just a few feet away. She glanced over her shoulder, hoping against hope to see someone else.

  With a tug, she tried to free her arm. “Just the same, I’d rather get back.”

  “Naw.” He grinned. “You wouldn’t. ’Cause I’m about to show you a real good time, Darlin’.”

  The blood drained from her head so fast she thought she might faint right on the spot. The scenery circled around her in a blurry swirl of greens, browns, pinks and yellows. But Mick’s leering face remained rock steady at the center of it.

  She closed her eyes and inhaled, willing herself with every fiber of her being not to give in to the hysteria clamoring for release. After two purposeful breaths, she regained control. Anger surged up inside to take the place of the hysteria. “Let go of my arm this instant.”

  He only laughed and pulled her closer.

  Just the action she’d been hoping for. As he drew her nearer, she used her momentum to bring her knee up swift and hard. With Pa, Sky, Rocky and Cade all serving as lawmen, she’d learned a few things through the years. They’d made sure of it.

  Mick cried out and doubled over and she brought her elbow down on the back of his head, just like she’d been taught. Then she turned to run and crashed into a firm hard chest. She did scream then, flailing her arms with all her might and striking out with everything in her. This was too much. She couldn’t fight two of them.

  The man grunted. “Sharyah, it’s me! Cade! Stop. Shhhhh.” He gave her a gentle shake. “It’s me, Shar. Just me.”

  “Cade!” She spun back around, clutching him to ensure he didn’t leave her, but not wanting to let her attention wander from her attacker for even a moment.

  Mick groaned and clambered to his feet, rubbing the back of his head and seemingly unable to stand to full height.

  “He—he—he was going to—he said—” It was no use. She couldn’t form a coherent thought to save her life.

  But Cade seemed to understand. Slowly he stepped forward and set her firmly behind him. Feeling instantly safe shielded by his bulk, she clutched his shirt and pressed up close to him.

  She heard Mick’s boots slither through the field grass as he shuffled a few steps. “Aw, come on, Schilling. I was just gonna have me a little fun with the lady, is all.”

  “Yeah? Just a little fun, huh?”

  “That’s right.” Mick sounded like he thought Cade might be coming around to his way of thinking.

  Sharyah shuddered and leaned her forehead into Cade’s broad back.

  “Well, I’m just going to have me a little fun, right now. What do you think about that?”

  Mick chuckled. “Hey if you want the first—wait, what are you doing man?”

  Sharyah realized Cade had quietly palmed his gun.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Mick’s voice cracked. “Let’s just slow this train on down. If it means that much to you, I won’t touch her, I swear.”
>
  A tremor rippled through Cade. “It means that much to me. Now you pull that gun out nice and slow and don’t get any ideas because I won’t hesitate to shoot you.” Authority rang through his words. After a stretch of silence he said, “Good. Now toss it over to the side and get down on your knees.”

  Mick huffed and the gun thudded off to their left. “Judd’s not going to like you getting all high and mighty like this.”

  “There’ll be a site o’ things Judd won’t like when he gets home this evening. Now all the way to your belly and lock your hands behind your neck.” Cade angled his head, then, and spoke to her over his shoulder, but kept his gun and his eyes focused on Mick. “Shar, I’m going to step away for just a minute, I need you to let go of me.”

  She suddenly realized both her hands were fisted so tightly in the softness of his shirt that her knuckles had turned white. She blinked and slowly released her grip.

  He stepped forward to tie Mick up and, as his warmth left her, a wash of cold terror swept in. She folded her arms and glanced around to make sure no one else was coming their way. Her legs trembled and threatened to give out from under her, pain clenched a tight knot in her stomach, and her arms felt like she’d just done a full day’s washing with Grandma Eltha’s washboard. She forced herself to draw in a long inhale of air, then another. But the trembling persisted.

  “Hey,” Cade cupped her shoulders and bent down to peer into her face, “I’m so sorry. Everything’s going to be alright now.”

  She leaned to one side to see Mick on his belly with his hands tied behind him and a gag around his head. “Wh-what are you going to do?”

  Cade touched her face and returned her attention to him. “I need you to go on up to the fire. To Kat. Can you do that?”

  She nodded. “Yes, but…” she scanned the field again, “do you think… are the others…?”

  Again, he pulled her attention back to him. “Everyone’s gone but Red, and he’s on watch. Tell you what, I’ll walk with you to the fire, but we have to hurry, alright?”

  Relief coursed through her and she nodded.

  Cade stepped over and grabbed Mick by one arm, pulling him to his feet. “Let’s go.”

  Cade cursed himself every which way for a fool as he dragged Mick back to the fire with one hand, and with the other gently prodded Sharyah to keep moving. Her whole body shivered periodically, and her face held about as much color as a bed sheet flapping from the clothes-line in bright sunlight.

  He clenched his jaw. This whole sorry mess ended today. If only he hadn’t let Sam talk him into taking this job. But if he wasn’t here, maybe she would have been kidnapped anyway. Maybe God had brought him here to protect her?

  Katrina, leaning over a pot at the fire, glanced up in surprise as they approached.

  Cade shoved Mick down onto a log. “Kat, be ready to ride in ten minutes. Get five horses saddled for me, would you?” He glanced over at the remaining horses. “Make sure to saddle the paint and the dun.”

  Wide-eyed, she nodded, lifted her skirts and hurried toward the horses.

  As he stripped off Mick’s boots, Cade glanced at Sharyah.

  She stood quietly, her fingers fiddling with each other, staring into the fire.

  That was so unlike her. Normally she pitched right in and did what needed to be done.

  As though she had heard his thoughts, she suddenly straightened and glanced around. Walking purposefully toward the chuck wagon, she began to put things in order, preparing it to be moved.

  They wouldn’t take the wagon, but he didn’t tell her that. Right now she needed to be busy, but the sooner he got her to a safe place the better.

  Movement at the corner of his eye caught his attention. Mick launched toward him, but Cade jerked out of the way just enough to avoid the full force of skull against skull. Still, shard’s of pain burst to life at his temple, and light danced before his eyes. Mick landed partially across him, and Cade rammed his elbow into the man’s rib cage.

  Cade kicked him off and lurched to his feet, ready to finish the fight.

  Mick grunted, but hampered by his bound hands, he didn’t seem to have much brawl left in him. And it only took Cade a moment to wrestle him back onto the log.

  He strapped Mick’s feet together and then tied them to the log. Standing, he gave the man’s face a couple of gentle slaps. “Don’t go anywhere while I’m gone, you hear?”

  Mick glowered and grunted a protest.

  Pulling the derringer he always carried in his boot from its hiding place, Cade walked over to Sharyah. “Here.” He pressed it into her palm. “If he tries anything, shoot him.” He knew she could handle the gun. He’d been with her many times when she’d gone out to target practice, much to her mother’s dismay.

  She didn’t say anything, but she put the gun into the pocket of her skirt and smoothed her hands over the fabric studying the ground.

  He wished he had time to talk with her. He could tell from the gesture that she felt disturbed. Of course she did. What woman wouldn’t after what had almost happened to her. But talking would have to come later. Right now he needed to get Red. He touched her elbow. “I’ll be back in just a few minutes, alright?”

  Sharyah nodded and watched him hurry toward his horse then resumed her task of packing up the chuck wagon. She reached for the whisk broom and her arm brushed a tin canister and knocked the top from it. The round lid clanged and clattered and warbled until she reached out and stopped its circular rotation with one hand. She frowned. The canister held a folded piece of paper. Some ink had bled thru, so there was writing on the inside.

  She picked up the lid and started to replace it. Whatever was on the paper was none of her concern. However, a quick glance over her shoulder revealed Katrina quietly talking to Mick. Sharyah reached out and deftly slipped the paper free of its hiding place, smoothing it open on the flat of the gate.

  Her brow puckered. It was a letter. A letter addressed to Judge Green. And from the De Beers Mining Company, with a South African address.

  She tossed another glance over her shoulder. Katrina was walking purposefully her way. Quickly, she stuffed the letter back into the canister and reached for the cover.

  Katrina appeared by her side, clapping one hand over the top of the container and holding her other out for the lid. “I can finish up here.”

  Sharyah shrugged. “Alright.” She handed over the cover. “I’ll see to the fire.” She hoped the woman hadn’t noticed her hand trembling. The letter was obviously something Katrina didn’t want her to see. Could it have something to do with why she was kidnapped in the first place? But why would Katrina have it? Cade seemed to trust her. Yet why was she up here with these men? Was she really trustworthy? She sighed and made a note to mention the letter to Cade when they had a moment together.

  6

  After shucking his rifle from the scabbard of his saddle, Cade hurried in the direction where Red would be standing watch. The man had to have heard Sharyah’s screams earlier. Cade had halfway expected him to come running to help her and discover him tying up Mick. But he’d forgotten the caliber of men he was dealing with here, and for once he was thankful for it. If Red had come upon them out in the meadow, who knew how things would have gone down. This way, he would at least have the jump on the man.

  Easing into a low crouch he studied the ground. He didn’t know where the men stood guard exactly. Finding Red might be a little tricky. It only took him a few moments, however, to discover the path to the watch site. And no one had bothered to hide it, of course. Cade followed as quickly as he could, yet still kept a careful watch ahead so that he wouldn’t come upon Red unexpectedly while his eyes were on the trail.

  A few moments later the tracks came to an abrupt end at the edge of a cliff. The scent of tobacco floated on the air. Cade dropped to his belly and scooted forward to peer down on the man. He stood on a ledge just below Cade overlooking the main trail. Already several cigarette butts littered the ground at his feet. Re
d’s rifle leaned against a rock at the far end of the ledge, but his pistol hung low and tied down at his side. Cade took a deep breath. Red was said to be very fast with his guns. Well, he didn’t plan on giving the man a chance to prove his speed.

  He stood and raised his rifle to his shoulder. “Red, put your hands up.” He cocked the Winchester as he spoke.

  Red tensed, started to move, then hesitated, his hands hanging just by his sides.

  “Don’t do it! Hands on your head. Now. I won’t hesitate to shoot you and lest you question my aim, I can bring down a duck mid-flight without ever ruining any of the meat.”

  Slowly, Red raised his hands and clasped them on his head, turning to look up at Cade. “I knew you was trouble the minute I laid eyes on you.” A cigarette still dangled from his lips.

  Cade didn’t acknowledge that comment. “You keep your eyes on me and move slowly, you hear? Any sudden movement and I pull this trigger.”

  Red gave an almost imperceptible nod.

  “Good. Now with your left hand, you reach over nice and slow and pull your pistol out with two fingers.”

  Red did.

  “Drop it by your side.”

  The gun hit the ground, raising a small puff of dust when it landed.

  “Now take the knife out of the sheath hanging down your back.”

  Red sighed, but slowly moved to comply. He apparently hadn’t expected Cade to have noticed the weapon concealed by his shirt, but many years of helping Sean Jordan on cases had made the knife obvious the first time he’d laid eyes on the man. The eight-inch blade joined the pistol on the ground.

  “Now the blade in your boot.” Cade gestured with the muzzle of the rifle.

  Red’s lips pressed together grimly even as he moved to comply.

  “Now take the path up here, moving nice and slow. And if your hands so much as twitch when you walk past that rifle it will be the last move you make.”

  Hands on his hat, Red sauntered the length of the ledge. He passed the rifle leaning against the rock, and started up the narrow little sloping path.