“Jim, I can’t leave you!”
“You have no choice. You have to save Tommy, no matter what happens to me.”
“I don’t want you to be hurt. Jim, Kane will kill you! He’s evil, as well as crazy.”
“I know. But he’ll have trouble catching me. Go on now. You’re wasting time. Remember my instructions. And no fire until after dark. Okay?”
“Yes,” she agreed, but she didn’t move.
“Patience?”
Without a word she threw herself into his arms and kissed him on the mouth. It had been three years since they’d kissed, but it felt as if they’d never been separated.
Finally Jim put her away from him. “You’re too much temptation, sweetheart. Go on, take care of Tommy. Tommy, be good for your mommy, okay?”
“I will, Mr. Jim.”
He crossed to Patience, now mounted on her horse and handed her the reins to Jasper. Then he collected Tommy and set the child in front of her. “Don’t unsaddle the horses. Just make sure they get water and feed. There’s some stored in the cabin.”
She nodded and avoided looking at him. He patted her hand, then stood back, watching as they rode away.
PATIENCE DISCOVERED that riding without Jim was scarier. His presence had meant safety to her. Now, not only did she have to comfort her son, she also had to reassure herself. She jumped at the least little sound, which she communicated to her horse, which grew more and more skittish.
“You’re acting like a wimp!” she muttered to herself.
“What did you say, Mommy?”
“Nothing, sweetie. Are you doing all right?”
“Yes, but when is Mr. Jim coming?”
“Soon. He’s walking, so it will take him longer.”
“Why didn’t he ride Jasper?”
“He has to walk because he’s getting rid of our trail.”
“Our tail? I don’t have a tail, Mommy.”
Patience sighed. She wanted to know when Jim would catch up with them, too. “I know you don’t have a tail, Tommy. I said trail.” She pulled her horse to a stop. Since she was leading Jasper, he stopped, too.
“Look behind us in the snow. Do you see where the horses walked? The mean man could follow us. Jim is brushing our tracks away.”
“Oh. Will he be here soon?”
“Soon,” she said, giving up explaining.
They rode on through the late afternoon. Then Patience saw movement through the trees. She stopped her mount at once and froze. Her horse, however, seemed a bit spooked about something.
Wolves, she thought. She knew there were wolves in the mountains. No doubt that was what had spooked her horse. She shivered. What should she do? She looked back at Jasper and discovered Jim had left his rifle on the saddle. Should she fire it, try to scare them away?
A rifle shot would be heard a long way away. It might even alarm Jim, causing him to not finish removing their tracks. No, she couldn’t do that, no matter how much better it would make her feel.
What about when she got to the cabin? Would the horses be safe? She didn’t know. How long would it take Jim to get there? Would he be safe from wolves? Should she go back for him?
No. You can’t do that, she scolded herself. Do what he told you. But oh, how she wished he was there! Then she reminded herself that she’d been the head of the family for three years. But that was in Rawhide, a town she’d known all her life, and her mother was there, too. She’d never really been all on her own.
“Mommy!”
She pulled to a stop again. “Yes, Tommy?”
“I’m hungry again.”
She dug into her coat pocket. “I have another candy bar for you, sweetie, but that’s all until we get to the cabin.”
“When will we get there?”
“Soon,” she said, knowing that word would quickly lose any meaning for the little boy. “We’re going to Jim’s cabin. He’ll meet us there.”
“I’m tired.”
“I know you are, dear. But we have to keep going.” If for no other reason than to keep the wolves at bay. She’d seen several pairs of yellow eyes in the darkening woods. The sun had already gone below the mountains and light was fading fast.
Like Tommy, she was tired. She hadn’t slept at all last night. Adrenaline had kept her awake part of the time. Mind-numbing fear had done its share of the job, too.
She picked up the pace, though she felt mean doing so. The horses had worked hard. But she wasn’t sure she’d last much longer. She checked again to be sure she could still see the rock. If she got offtrack, they might never find the cabin or their way home.
It was wonderful that Jim had put such faith in her. But she’d still rather have him with them. At least she would be able to light a fire once she got to the cabin. It was getting dark quickly.
But shouldn’t they have reached the cabin by now? Had they missed it?
That thought almost paralyzed her with fear. Well, she thought, at least she didn’t have to endure a snowstorm. She glanced up at the sky, noticing clouds covering the stars. Did that mean another storm was coming? Why hadn’t she looked at the sky before?
Because she’d been too busy missing Jim and feeling sorry for herself.
Suddenly she caught sight of something from the corner of her eye. A cabin. Jim’s cabin.
“Tommy, look!”
“Is that Jim’s house, Mommy? Is he there?”
“Yes, it’s Jim’s house but he’s not there right now. But we can go in and build a fire, get warm.”
“Good, ’cause I’m cold and tired. And hungry.”
She groaned. Her insides were hollow, too.
She reined in her horse in front of the cabin, where an old-fashioned hitching post stood. When she and Tommy were on their feet again, she tied the horses to the post, even though the poor animals were undoubtedly too tired to wander off.
She reached for Tommy’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go inside and start a fire. It’s dark enough now. Then I’ll put the horses in the corral.”
When she tried the front door, it was locked. Locked? Jim didn’t say anything about it being locked. She looked at the two windows that fronted the cabin. She tried to open them, but neither budged. There had to be a way in. She took several deep breaths. Think.
“Where’s the key, Mommy?”
“I don’t know, baby.” She stared at the door as if she could will it to open.
“Maybe Jim hid the key like Grandma does.”
“No, dear, I…what? What did you say?”
Tommy repeated himself.
Patience had pulled off one glove and was already feeling the ledge over the door. When her fingers came in contact with a metal object, she grasped it and sank to her knees. “Thank you, sweetie. What would I do without you!” She kissed her little boy’s cheek. Then she inserted the key into the lock and opened the door.
“Mommy, it’s cold in here, too.”
“That’s because we haven’t built a fire.” She discovered a wood box with kindling and enough logs to keep the fire burning for several hours. She’d have to look for a wood box outside, too.
With Tommy’s eager help, she got the fire started in the old black stove, warning him not to touch the stove. “Now, while the fire makes things warmer in here, I’m going to go feed the horses. I want you to sit on this chair and not move while I’m gone.”
JIM WATCHED Patience and Tommy ride away, hoping he’d made the right decision. He didn’t think Kane and his men could be too close, because if they’d gone down the mountain to look for them, as he thought, they’d have to retrace their steps back up before looking for their tracks. Then they’d have to spread out at least a mile from camp to find their tracks.
He figured the closest anyone would get tonight was across the canyon he and Patience had climbed out of. It would be crazy to try that at night.
He stared over at the next ridge. In the waning light, he could see nothing. He grabbed a fallen branch and began brushing away the track
s, as if they’d never climbed to the top of the ridge. Soon he moved into the woods, out of sight, which made him feel a lot better. His thoughts constantly flashed to Patience and Tommy. He felt sure she would find the cabin if she just headed toward that big rock. His dad had taught him that trick when he was a boy and afraid of getting lost.
Hiding their tracks was hard work, and he actually began to sweat. He sure had better be out of the cold once he stopped working. But for now the heat felt good.
He seemed to work for hours, thinking he’d never reach the cabin. It was pitch-dark now, with the clouds covering the moon. He wouldn’t mind some snow during the night to perfect the job he was doing. Then again, he didn’t want to be snowed in.
He wanted to get Patience and her son to safety. He’d done a lot of things on his own. But being responsible for the lives of others was something new. He would fight for Patience and Tommy with his last breath. He just hoped they got lucky and got away from that madman.
He caught the scent of a wood-burning fire. He must be nearly there, he thought.
He also caught a movement in the darkness. Wolves, he was certain. He pulled out his pistol, wishing he had his rifle with him. He began to work faster. When he reached the clearing for the cabin, he dropped the limb he’d been using and backed his way to the cabin.
He saw the horses in the corral. His dad and uncles had repaired the corral before they’d repaired the cabin. “Got to take care of our animals first,” his dad always said. They wouldn’t get home tomorrow without their horses.
Patience had fed and watered them, he could see. He rubbed Jasper’s nose affectionately and then climbed the porch. When he opened the door, Patience was standing near it, a narrow log in her hands.
“Building up the fire?” he asked.
“No. If it wasn’t you, I was going to hit whoever it was on the head.”
“I’m glad you recognized me,” he said with a grin. Before he could say more, Patience put down the log and threw her arms around him.
“I’m so glad you’re here!” she exclaimed, burying her face in his neck.
“Easy, sweetheart,” Jim soothed, holding her against him. “Did you have any problems?”
She backed away slightly to meet his gaze.
“No…except you didn’t mention the key.”
“I’m sorry. But it looks like you found it.”
“Well, actually Tommy did. He reminded me that my mother hides a key over the door outside.”
“Where is the little guy?”
“He fell asleep as soon as he ate.”
“You found enough food?”
“Yes. I’ve got it all ready for you. There’s canned meat, beans and instant potatoes.”
“I’m starving,” he said. “That all sounds good. Glad to have running water and plenty of canned goods. Listen, you go ahead and get some sleep. You don’t have to sit up and watch me eat. I know you’re tired.”
“I want to,” she told him with a soft smile that made his stomach flip.
“Okay,” he agreed, hoping his face didn’t show how much he wanted her there.
He washed up in the spartan bathroom and came back to sit at the table. Patience had put out a plate of food. “This is great,” he said with a grin, inviting her to relax. “Clearing our tracks took a lot of energy.”
“Did you get them all erased?” she asked.
“Mostly. It would take a really sharp eye to see what’s left.” He took a bite of food, watching Patience. She was still tense. “Except for the lock, everything else went all right?”
“Well, I didn’t know what to do about the wolves following us. Are the horses safe in the corral?”
“Yeah. The tin nailed to the lower rails keeps vermin out and the horses safe.”
He took another bite. She still seemed tense. “And Tommy made it all right?” he asked.
“Sure. Except for asking every few minutes when Mr. Jim was going to come.”
“I think maybe we’d better teach him to just call me Jim. I’m not used to the ‘Mr.’ part.”
“I want him to show respect to adults.”
“Yeah, that’s a good thing, but I’d rather be his friend, Patience. Like I hope you consider me to be a friend.” He reached a hand across the table and she took it. The warmth of her hand was such a contrast to the cold of the night, he never wanted to let go.
“Since you left university, have you…regretted not getting your degree?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I never had a major, you know. I’m not sure what I would’ve done after I graduated. It made me feel guilty. I mean, look at your cousin Caroline, going off to make the world a better place. Or your other cousin Tori, doing investments and accounting. They made their degrees count for something.”
“You might have found your niche. A lot of kids don’t declare a major until their junior year,” Jim said, watching her.
“Maybe. When I got home after our…argument, I found Faith dying and her baby ready to enter the world. Kane walked out and Mom was in shock. Tommy needed me. Sitting in classes seemed unimportant compared to that.”
“I guess so.”
“Are you doing what you want to do?”
“Yeah. But I never expected to change my job because of school. Mom and Dad insisted on it. I’m raising my own herd. I’m breeding Charolais cattle. They’re known for the weight they can carry.”
“Yes.”
“How are you and your mom making a living?”
“Dad had a good insurance policy. Tori invested it for us and we live on that. We can’t spend wildly, but we make it.”
“Good. That gives you time with Tommy.”
“Yes.”
She pulled her hand free and began gathering up the dishes.
“Don’t worry about doing the dishes, Patience. I can do them.”
“It won’t take but a minute. We want to leave the cabin ready for the next person who needs it.” With her back to him, she said, “Do you think your family will mind coming to get us?”
“Of course not.”
“They might not approve of me.”
“Why wouldn’t they? My mother thinks you’re special.”
“We haven’t told anyone about Faith’s… I mean, everyone knows she’s dead, but they don’t know how it happened. She and Joseph left town right after they got married and didn’t come back until she was ready to deliver. We didn’t want to tell anyone about Tommy’s father.”
“Wasn’t my aunt Anna involved in saving the baby?”
“Yes. And Dr. Jon Wilson, too, Tori’s husband.”
“And you think my mother wouldn’t know?” He laughed. “Not that she ever spoke to me about you. Mom keeps her secrets.”
“She…she brought a present for Tommy after I brought him home with me.”
“I’m glad. I feel guilty that I wasn’t there for you.”
“You hadn’t made me any promises.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s me. No-promises Jim.” He stood and moved to the counter beside her. “I was immature, Patience—and scared.”
“Sometimes I’m scared, too,” she said.
“Well, everything’s going to be all right. And my family will be happy to pick us up once we’re able to contact them. I promise.”
“All right.”
“Now, why don’t you go up to the loft? It’s fixed up real nice. I’ll keep an eye on Tommy down here.”
“He won’t wake up. He sleeps like a log.”
“Good. So will I,” he assured her.
When she hesitated, he asked, “Is anything wrong? Other than the obvious.”
“No. I’ll…I’ll go to the loft now.”
She turned and slowly climbed the ladder.
Jim moved over to the bunk Tommy occupied. Curled up underneath the covers, the little boy looked very small. He couldn’t imagine how Patience managed to grieve for her sister and take care of the baby at the same time. Yet Tommy showed no signs of his horrible beginn
ing. Even the two days he spent with the general didn’t appear to have done him any harm.
Jim certainly hoped not, anyway. He was a cute little boy. And smart.
With a sigh, he tugged the cover a little farther up on Tommy’s cheek. Hopefully tomorrow, he’d have him safe.
Moving to the sink, he put away the dishes she’d washed. Patience was a good woman. He’d done her wrong three years ago. He wished he’d been more understanding, been there when she needed him.
But maybe he could make up for it now. He could make sure she and her little boy got home safely.
He had just taken off his boots and begun unbuttoning his shirt when Patience called him. “Jim, would you come up here, please?”
Chapter Five
It seemed to Jim that he stood there staring at Patience from the bottom of the loft ladder for a long time. But it must’ve been only seconds. “Yes?” he asked.
“I…I’m scared. I can’t go to sleep.”
He climbed the rungs slowly, each step bringing him closer to something he’d dreamed about for the past three years—Patience holding open her arms to him.
He reached for her and wrapped his arms around her, saying, “You need to relax and get some sleep, sweetheart. Tomorrow is going to be tough, but we’re going to make it.”
“I can believe you when your arms are around me, but when I’m alone, I get scared. I know I should be more adult, but…” She dissolved into sobs.
Jim thought she’d held up very well, with no sleep, little food, intense cold and the threat of death hanging over her and her child. He rocked her against him. “Shh, honey, don’t cry. Come on, let’s lie down. I’ll hold you for a while.”
He pulled her down beside him on the bed. He’d already made sure he’d set the alarm on his watch so he’d get up early enough to get them on the trail by five. They would reach the switchback trail down in about an hour. If they got there before the sun came up, they could take a break then.
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