High Desert Haven (The Shepherd's Heart)

by Lynnette Bonner

  “Nicki.” His tone was cajoling, and she felt her skin crawl as he took her elbow. “Give it some time.” He pulled her to a stop. “You’ve only been widowed a little less than a month. There is a future for us. After things settle down, you will see things differently.”

  Just get him to leave! That was her current goal. She smiled thinly.

  “Maybe so. But I don’t feel right about making Tilly wait. Can we go riding another time?” She desperately hoped he couldn’t hear the revulsion in her voice.

  He sighed. “Fine. I should probably head into town to talk to the sheriff anyways.”

  Nicki nodded. She didn’t care what he told Sheriff Watts. She knew Jason had an alibi for yesterday’s events. And town was in the opposite direction from where Jason would be coming with the horses. She lifted the bouquet and opened the door, stepping inside. “Thanks for the flowers, William.”

  William smiled. “Things are gonna get better, Nicki. And when they do, you’ll see that you and I could have a great future together.”

  Nicki felt like her smile was chiseled out of ice. “Bye.”

  He tipped his hat, spun on his heel, and almost tripped over Diablo, who was skulking just behind him.

  The pup yipped and scuttled toward the door. Nicki let him in and then clicked the door shut. She leaned against it, tipping her head back in relief.

  Brenda and her two boys sat before the stove weaving rags into braid to later be used for a rug. Tilly sat at the table mending clothes. Everyone looked up, but then Brenda and the boys immediately resumed what they were doing.

  Tilly paused in her sewing and eyed her. “What?”

  “De noche todos los gatos son negros. Un gato verdadero negro es revelado por la luz.”

  “Un-huh.”

  Nicki smiled, opened the door to the woodstove, and threw the flowers inside. A satisfying hiss sizzled through the room.

  Tilly gasped at the abrupt action. Brenda and the boys made no indication of even having noticed.

  Nicki shut the door and dusted her hands with satisfaction, smiling at Tilly. “We have a saying, ‘At night all cats are black. A true black cat is revealed by the light.’ Today the light has turned on in my heart.”

  Tilly huffed. “If you had asked me, I could have told you William was a black cat a long time ago.”

  Nicki sighed. “I should have asked.”

  “Fwowers gone?” Sawyer asked, studying the stove intently.

  Nicki and Tilly chuckled. Nicki swung him up into the air and spun him around in a circle. “Flowers gone!” she acknowledged, tickling his belly.

  Sawyer giggled, then waved at the stove. “Bye, Bye,” he said, bringing a fresh round of laughter.

  Nicki settled Sawyer on her hip, then nodded toward the door and spoke to Tilly. “You better get home. Today was your day to only work a half day. You need the break, and I’m sure your mother could use the support at home.”

  Tilly’s face fell, but she put the mending back into the basket and stood. “You’re probably right.”

  Nicki knew she had been hoping Conner would arrive in time to escort her home. The young couple hadn’t seen each other for several days. She pulled Tilly into a one-armed hug. “He’ll be here when you get back in the morning.”

  Tilly groaned. “Am I that obvious?”

  Sheriff Watts swung down from his horse in front of the Snows’ place. Suzanne opened the door as he wrapped his reins around the corral rail. She dried her hands on her apron. “Sheriff. Glad you stopped by. Jacob just came over a short while ago. Won’t you come in?”

  “Oh, Jacob’s here? Good. That’ll save me a trip o’er to his place.” He removed his hat as he stepped over the threshold and both Jim and Jacob stood from the table.

  The men extended their hands.

  “Jim. Jacob. Good to see ya both. I had a few more questions about what happened t’other night an’ wondered if I might impose, so to speak. It be pure providence that Jacob is here today.”

  Suzanne poured the sheriff a cup of coffee as all three men settled themselves around the table.

  Sheriff Watts shifted uneasily. “Some o’ my questions may seem a mite personal. But I want ya both t’ know that it’s only my intention to find out who’s causin’ all the ruckus ’round these parts.” Jim and Jacob nodded.

  “First off, do either of you have anyone that you know as your enemy?” Both men shook their heads.

  “Do you have any money tied up in your place? An equity loan of sorts?” Jim nodded. “We don’t owe anything on our land, of course, since we’re homesteading. But we had to borrow some money from the bank for seed and supplies last year when things got a little tight. Nice banker in Prineville, name of Roland gave it to us.”

  Jacob agreed. “Yeah, same for us. We’d already proved up, but we had to borrow for a woodstove and some hay last year. Must be the same banker. Nice guy. He made us feel real comfortable, not like some o’ the bankers do these days. He’s a rancher too. Owns a ranch just south o’ here. Something like twenty thousand acres. So he knew what it was like to be in the business. He doesn’t get down here much, though, since he has a bank in Portland and one in Prineville. He has a man managing his place down here.”

  Sheriff Watts twisted the end of his mustache. “And what did you put up for collateral on these loans?”

  Jim made a circular gesture with one finger. “My land. All of it. Seemed like a lot of collateral to me, but he assured me that was how banks did things now. And I knew I would get it paid off, so I didn’t worry overmuch about it, until our sheep were slaughtered. Now I’m not sure what’s gonna happen to us.”

  Jacob nodded. “Same for us, Sheriff. We put up all our land as collateral. We don’t get that loan paid off, our land reverts to the bank. Now that our barn has burned, and the horses didn’t make it….” His shoulders slumped with the weight of his burden.

  Sheriff Watts twisted his mustache for another minute, staring up at the ceiling and muttering under his breath. Suddenly his hand came down on the table with a loud crash. “Blazin’ blue-bellied bulls!”

  Suzanne gasped from the living room where she’d been sewing on a quilt piece.

  Sheriff Watts looked chagrined and lowered his voice. “Sorry, ma’am.” He stood and snatched up his hat. “I believe we done caught ourselves a varmint, boys. I got to get me out to the Trent place and talk to the Jeffries. I’ll be seein’ ya.”

  With a touch to the rim of his hat he dashed out the door.

  Tilly had only been gone for a couple minutes when Nicki heard a rider enter the yard. Picking up her skirts, she hurried to the door. Maybe the men were home! But it was only Sheriff Watts. And, to her dismay, William was with him. She hurried over and met them by the corral.

  “Ma’am.” The sheriff tipped his hat as he faced her.

  “Sheriff.” She eyed the horizon, hoping against the odds that Jason and the horses would be later than she expected. She brought her gaze back to the men before her as they started toward the house. Had they detected her worry? “William,” she acknowledged.

  He nodded. “I bumped into the sheriff on my way into town. He said he was coming here, so I accompanied him. I figured you’d need to verify that your new hand hasn’t been around for several hours anyways. Isn’t that right, Sheriff?”

  Nicki’s heart pounded as she waited for his reply.

  Sheriff Watts cleared his throat. “Well, let’s not git the cart afore the horse. I ain’t so sure that this here Jordan fella is our man.”

  Nicki sighed with relief. Sheriff Watts was no head-hunter. He was after the truth.

  William ran a hand down the front of his vest. “Really? Why ever not? Things started happening again right after he got out of jail.”

  The sheriff paused midstride. “Yes, sir, I guess you’d be right on that count.” His gaze narrowed, and he caressed one end of his mustache. “You know a fella by the name o’ Roland? Banker down Portland way who owns a branch in Prineville,
too?”

  Nicki gasped and put one hand to her collar. That was the banker John had borrowed the money from! She fixed her gaze on William.

  The muscles in his face tightened and he blinked. “Yes. I do. He…he holds a loan of mine. Why do you ask?”

  Sheriff Watts stilled. He didn’t respond for a minute. Then, like the hands on a clock that had just been wound, he started for the soddy again. “No reason. Just a hunch o’ mine. If you owe Roland money, though, I’d watch things around the home place real careful like o’er the next couple a days. Ms. Trent, you seemed surprised a moment ago by the name o’ Roland. You know him?”

  The trio paused in front of the soddy door.

  “Yes, sir. Well, I’ve never met him, but my husband owed him quite a substantial sum of money. If I don’t have it paid off by Tuesday, my land reverts to his bank.”

  Sheriff Watt’s huffed. “Figured as much. Are the Jeffries here?”

  “Yes. Do come in.” Nicki reached to open the door.

  William fiddled with the edge of his vest. “Well, Sheriff, it appears you don’t need me here. I’ll be heading home now, but keep Jordan in mind. He’s still a prime suspect in my book.” He tipped his hat to Nicki, then strode purposefully toward his horse and rode out of the yard in the direction of his own spread.

  Nicki sighed in relief as she watched him disappear over the horizon. Following Sheriff Watts into the house, she poured him a cup of coffee, praying that William would ride home and not come back today.

  William clenched his jaw. Curse it all! Something was not right. Why would the sheriff be asking about Roland? And Nicki certainly had been acting strange today.

  Once out of sight of the Hanging T he paused to contemplate his next move. He’d better stick around and see if his worries were justified. Spitting on the ground, he turned his mount and circled to a small cluster of Junipers. Leaving his horse there, he belly-crawled up the hill until he could peer down into the valley. He settled down to wait. He intended to find out what was going on at the Hanging T.

  Half an hour later a sharp whistle pierced the air, and Nicki hurried to the door, scanning the horizon.

  Jason, Ron, two of the new hands, Conner, and Rocky rode into view, herding the most magnificent lot of horses Nicki had ever seen.

  Covering her mouth with one hand, Nicki blinked back tears of joy and amazement. Another sharp whistle pierced her reverie. Dashing across the yard, she opened the corral gate, yelling for Rolf to come out of the barn. He stepped out beside her as she watched the herd coming down the slope. She clutched her throat, the tears falling freely. They had done it! Gracias, Jesus!

  “Well, I’ll be!” Rolf whispered in wonder.

  The lead stallion, a beautiful white creature with the longest cornsilk mane Nicki had ever seen, arched his neck. His head bobbed this way and that, the whites of his eyes clearly visible as his nostrils flared wide, and he searched for a means of escape.

  Rocky, riding at the back of the thundering mass, gave a sharp whistle. “Ho! Get on there!” His whip cracked just to the outside of a mare trying to dart away from the herd and she shied back into line.

  The white stallion dodged, trying to lead his pack away from the looming trap, but Jason and Ron rode on either side of him, giving no quarter. He had nowhere to go but into the corral. He darted in. Snorting and pawing, he cantered a quick circle. For one moment Nicki thought he would leap the fence. Then shaking his head, mane flying, he trotted into the barn, his milling brood of mares following right behind.

  Rocky urged the last horse into the pen, then reached down and latched the gate.

  Swinging down from his horse, Jason tipped back his hat, grabbed Nicki by the waist and twirled her around in a wide circle. “We did it!” He grinned.

  “I can see that.” She laughed, clutching the lapels of his coat for dear life. He set her back on her feet and tucked her close.

  Her heart raced as though she’d been running right alongside the herd. He swallowed, his blue eyes roving over her face. “God is good.”

  “Si.” She swallowed. “William was here a little while ago,” she whispered.

  His eyes never left her face. “Don’t worry about it.” He tapped her nose. “He won’t have time to make any trouble now. Cade rode to town to wire his father. We settled on fifty dollars a head. I picked out nine of them for us to keep. The rest he bought.”

  Nicki quickly did the math and then gasped at the price. “That gives us extra money to work with even after we pay off the land and the Jeffries’ place!”

  He nodded.

  Gracias, Señor.

  Both realized at the same moment that they were the center of attention.

  Jason let go of her waist and stepped back, settling his hat straight on his head.

  Rocky grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s go get some coffee.”

  The men headed for the soddy, but Nicki was transfixed. She couldn’t move. She could only stare at the horses. They were beautiful—the most beautiful thing she’d seen in a long time.

  She wiped tears from her cheeks with the flats of her fingers. Freedom. A home for Sawyer and the new little one. A bright future. All milling around in front of her in a collage of blacks, browns, reds, and creams.

  She climbed onto the bottom rail of the corral to reach over and pet one of the animals.

  The sound of a pistol cocking made Nicki look up. Her awe over the horses dissipated like fog touched by the first rays of the sun. William stood at the corner of the barn; his head and gun arm all she could see.

  He centered the aim of the pistol on her chest. “Don’t make a sound, or you are going to leave one little boy all alone in this world.”

  18

  Tom Roland was not usually home at this hour of the day. But he’d received the shock of this life this morning and so, for the first time in weeks, he headed home for lunch instead of to the Boarding House Café. He needed a stronger drink than was socially acceptable for this time of day. Maybe two.

  The money had come through to pay off the Trent property. Not only that, but the loan he’d made to the Jeffries had also been paid off. And this morning he’d received a wire from his ranch manager. Something had stampeded his herd at the ranch, and over half his cattle had been killed when they tumbled into the Deschutes canyon.

  His jaw clenched. His plans were crumbling before his eyes. The Stockman’s Association was not pleased with the job he’d done, and he knew there would be more repercussions to come. That’s what he got for hiring his work done, instead of just doing it himself. William had obviously failed.

  He slammed through the front door and stormed into the foyer. Voices filtered down the stairs. He stilled. Paused to listen.

  Vanessa’s laughter. And a man’s response.

  Tom ground his teeth. Not again. He’d thought they’d made it past all this. Rage started to rise somewhere around his knees and made his legs quake as he took the stairs three at a time. “Vanessa!” he bellowed as he rounded the banister on the top floor. The pearl-handled Colt, still in its holster, felt cool to his palm. He launched himself against her bedroom door. “Vanessa!”

  The door to the bedroom splintered inward, and he crashed through the portal.

  Vanessa gasped and snatched for her robe.

  He took in the scene, fury blinding him to everything but the two people in the room.

  “Tom.”

  That was the voice she used when she wanted to calm him. He pressed his lips together and scanned her from head to toe. It was not going to work this time. She’d picked the wrong day to betray him again. Blasted woman! He should have washed his hands of her years ago. Fury made him quake. He spun in a wide roundhouse, sending his foot through the panel of the door.

  The wall rattled as the door crashed against it and bounced back.

  The man, still snatching for his clothing, jumped straight up and froze, wide eyes fixed on Tom, his pants clutched to his chest.


  For one electric moment they stood looking at each other and then, suddenly, a gun appeared in the man’s hand.

  Tom blinked. “Who are you?”

  A hard smile split his opponent’s lips. “Name’s Jonas. The Association sent me. Seems they ain’t too happy with the job you done over Prineville way. I’m the clean-up man.”

  Tom clenched his jaw. “What are you doing with Vanessa?”

  Jonas smirked. “Had me some time on my hands, whilst I waited for you ta git home. She’s a passing pleasant diversion. Don’t suppose I’ll be able to leave’er alive, though, once I’m done.”

  Vanessa screamed and curled her head into her arms, trembling like a windblown leaf.

  Fear coiled in Tom’s belly and he spread his hands, down by his hips, but wide enough to offer no threat. There was only one way to deal with this situation—to take the man out while he wasn’t expecting it. Talk to him; that will throw him off guard. “Let’s be calm now, we can work this—!”

  In that moment, when his words were still a slight distraction, he threw himself down onto one knee and palmed his gun.

  Jonas pulled the trigger a hair too late. The bullet grazed harmlessly over Tom’s right shoulder and sank into the wood of the door frame.

  Tom’s bullets did not miss. Two holes appeared in the fabric of the pants Jonas had clutched to his chest and with a strangled grunt he fell to his knees.

  Tom eyed the man, swaying there on his knees, blood pumping from the wounds in his chest in spurts, and let loose the breath he’d been holding. He relaxed his aim, his Colt dropping to his side. He had no desire to watch the man die, whoever he might be. Turning, he leaned his arms against the lintel of the door.

  When he heard Vanessa get shakily to her feet, he glanced over his shoulder. She stood trembling at the foot of the bed, eyes wide with disbelief.

  “Get dressed, Vanessa.”

  “No!” Vanessa screamed.

  At first he thought she was screaming at him. But even as he turned, he heard the gunshot.

  Vanessa crumpled at Tom’s feet. Her eyes glazed lifelessly. Tom stumbled back a step, looked up.