"This land belonged to your husband, so it's rightfully yours. I can't presume to swoop in and own everything. I'm considering if I should give you some money and treat the ranch more like a partnership."
Charlie got up from her seat and rounded the table then threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Thank you, Rafe. I appreciate it."
He laughed and hugged her tightly. "I'll keep talking about business if I get a kiss in return."
Happiness filled her as she hugged him and kissed him until both breathed hard. "Should we go back to bed?" Charlie slid from his lap and took Rafe's hand.
He stood, picked her up and dashed towards the bedroom while she giggled in happiness.
The house was silent when Charlie slipped from the bed early the next morning. She padded from the bedroom to the kitchen and found it empty. From the front room, she could see the stables. Rafe was not in sight. An uneasy feeling rolled over her and she grabbed her robe and dashed out.
The stables and bunkhouse were both uninhabited. Rafe's horse remained in one of the corrals. She rushed back to the front of the house and looked toward the road.
On the floorboard wet droplets caught her attention. She bent and ran her fingers over the liquid. When she turned her hand, they were stained red.
Blood.
"Oh God!"
Her new husband was gone.
Chapter twelve
"It has to be Winfrow who took him. There is no other explanation why Rafe is gone sudden like," Joe repeated while pacing the front room.
Sherriff Dane McKade walked in with a deputy. He looked to Charlie who sat dazed in a chair beside the fireplace and then to both Joe and Jerrick who stopped walking in circles.
"I spoke to Winfrow. He denies seeing Rafe Preston. Supposedly hasn't left his ranch in days. I'm sorry, Charlie." His kind eyes met hers and she nodded numbly.
Of course, Winfrow would not admit to it. And he probably told the truth about not leaving his ranch. Had his men do the dirty work.
"I warned him if Preston turns up dead, he'll be the first one I'll be looking at," the sheriff continued and flushed at her gasp. "Sorry to be so blunt. Everyone knows how much he's tried to court you. Seems too convenient your new husband would suddenly disappear."
Another men came in the door and touched his hat at meeting her gaze. "Sheriff I found some tracks headed northeast. I say we follow and see where it leads."
"I'll go with you," Jerrick grabbed his hat from the kitchen table. He looked to Charlie. "I'll find him. He'll come back to you, Charlie."
The men left after assuring her they'd not return without Rafe. She followed them to the door and watched as they rode off, only Joe remaining with her. If only she could believe Jerrick. There was no guarantee they could find Rafe, even less that they'd find him alive.
She went toward her bedroom ignoring Joe's watchful gaze. "I'm going to pray."
When she sunk to her knees beside her bed it was hard to hold back the tears. "God, where is he? Please protect him." The tightness in her chest barely allowed her to breathe as she cried. "Not again please, Lord. I don't want to be a widow again. Don't take him from me so soon." She clutched a handkerchief against her chest and sobbed, each one tearing from the depth of her soul. "I love him. God, I love him."
The daylight dimmed yet she remained there beside the bed on her knees. Joe came to the door once to ask if she wanted something to eat, but she refused. Instead she kept vigil looking through the window while continually praying for Rafe's safe return.
Charlie wasn't surprised when Winfrow appeared just as the sun set. The man had the gall to look at her with concern as she emerged from the house with Joe beside her. "What do you want?"
"I came to see about you. Heard what happened. Offering my help." He motioned to the four men with him.
Her eyes narrowed, she watched as he dismounted and neared. "The sheriff and Jerrick are already looking."
"You need to get back on that horse and go on home, Winfrow. You ain't foolin' no one," Joe said and spit on the ground. "We know darn well you have somethin' to do with that boy disappearin'."
"I'm here to talk to Charlotte, you old fool," Winfrow snapped then turned to Charlie. "Why'd you marry him? To spite me?"
"It may come as a surprise to you, Jessup, but I do things without you in mind." Charlie let out a breath. "Please, leave. This is not the time to come chide me. Unless you tell me where Rafe is, there is nothing for us to talk about."
Winfrow threw his head back and laughed. "Did it occur to you that I hired him? He's gone cause I told him to get?"
"I don't believe you," Charlie said, angry that her stomach tightened at his words.
His shoulders lifted and fell in a careless shrug. "Believe what you will."
The slap she delivered stung her palm. It shocked her to have struck him, but Charlie was not sorry she did it. "Where is my husband? Return him to me or I'll ensure you pay for every deed you've committed." She screamed now, no longer able to keep her emotions under control. "I'm tired of this. Your constant threats. I hate you, Jessup Winfrow, I hate you!"
Winfrow leaned closer and spoke so only she could hear. "Move in with me and I'll let him live. Say no and tonight is his last night alive. You'll never find him either way so trying to get the sheriff to help you won't matter."
Charlie stepped backward, until she felt Joe's hand on her upper arm. "You are evil, Jessup Winfrow. I'm not a fool. You'll kill him no matter what my reply is." Her voice shook with a mixture of rage and sorrow. Deep in her heart, she felt Rafe was still alive, but fear began to rear its head. An icy chill traveled down her back as she maintained Winfrow's gaze.
"I'm giving you the choice, Charlotte. What is your reply?" There was coldness in his eyes, like she'd never seen.
Joe patted her arm. "He's bluffin'. I don't believe he'll kill Rafe. He'll be the main suspect."
"Not if the body ain't found," Winfrow replied never looking away from Charlie. "Make a choice."
Charlie turned to Joe and he let out a deep sigh. "Don't do it, Charlie. He's a lying snake. No matter if you go with him or not. He won't keep his word."
There was a gleam of satisfaction when she rounded her shoulders and allowed her head to fall forward. If there was a chance Rafe was alive, she had to try to help him. What if Winfrow kept his word and allowed him to live? She wasn't sure she could live with his death on her hands. Of course, how would she know?
"How will I know he's alive and you'll let him live? I'm not going to take your word for it."
His lips curved. "We'll tell him together, you've decided to come live with me. Then you'll watch him mount up and ride away."
"I need a guarantee..."
"That's all you get. There are no guarantees in life."
"Don't do it, Charlie. At least wait until the sheriff comes back," Joe told her once again taking her by the arm. "What if they found him?"
"I'm waiting. Answer me. Once I get on my horse, I won't turn around." Winfrow glared at Joe. "You need to stay out of this. None of this is your concern."
Joe puffed out his chest. "I'm the only one she's got. No one else to stand on her side now that you took her husband. Takin' advantage of a woman, always badgering her. Don't know how you can stand yourself."
Charlie was shocked at the vehemence in Joe's voice. The older man's defense of her made her eyes sting with tears.
"Now," Winfrow held out his hands, palms up. "Time to make your decision."
"I—I..." Charlie looked to Joe who shook his head. "I'll go get a few things." She swung around and rushed into the house.
"What are you doing, Charlie?" Joe was on her heels. "That man is lying. He won't keep his word."
She motioned for him to keep his voice down and looked over his shoulder. "He promised to take me to Rafe. I'm taking my sewing kit and drop buttons marking a trail for Jerrick and the sheriff to follow. It's the only chance we may have to save Rafe."
"We can't trust hi
m." Joe took her shoulders and turned her to face him. "Charlie. Rafe is probably dead already. Nothing you can do by leaving with Winfrow."
She crumpled onto the bed, and covered her face with her hands. "I don't know what to do. I have to try, don't you see?"
"I do understand." Joe was quiet. He walked to the window and peered out. "Wish that sheriff and them would come back."
"Stay here and tell them my plan. She hurried about the room, stuffing things into a carpetbag. "Don't let my sacrifice be for nothing."
*
His shoulders ached from being pulled back, his arms were bound at the wrists and above the elbows. It was impossible to do more than attempt to roll them. Rafe sat on a dirt floor in what looked to be a barn. When he'd come to, he found himself propped against a wall behind a barrel. Gagged and tied up, he could not move more than a few inches as his legs were bound too.
He looked around the room and gathered it was late evening as the bit of light that trickled through the wood slats was dim.
When he made coffee for Charlie that morning, he'd heard something outside and when he'd walked onto the porch thinking to shoo away a wild animal, someone hit him from behind.
Stupid mistake, not to have been prepared for Winfrow or his men. He'd not wanted to ruin their first two days so he'd not brought up the subject to Charlie. Although he'd wondered what the man would try in an effort to get rid of him. He expected it would happen, but didn't think the man would act so soon.
No doubt he'd tried to get to Rafe before they could consummate their marriage or soon after anyway.
Footsteps sounded and he closed his eyes. someone neared and kicked his leg. "You awake there?"
Rafe grunted.
"Good. Thought for a moment I may have hit you too hard." The man chuckled and lowered to look him in the face. "Make yourself at home. This will be the last place you exist anyway. Just waitin' word to send you to yer maker."
The man lifted his gun as if it helped to explain things. "Not much on conversation, are ya?" He laughed at his own joke and spit out tobacco juice. "Fine wife you had there. Too bad it wasn't for long."
After a hard punch to his face, the man grabbed him by the jaw, his fingers digging into his flesh. "I saw you through the window. Waited until morning, cause I liked the view of what happened." Rafe growled and tried to kick him.
"Don't like that, do ya?" The man released him and got up. "Well, at least you have that to take to your grave." He punched him in the stomach taking all his breath and then walked out without looking back.
Rafe shifted and wiggled his legs. The bindings loosened some and he continued shifting hoping to dislodge the knots. Just then he heard boot steps again. He hung his head and pretended to be asleep hoping to hear something that would be useful.
"He's right there," the same man's gruff voice said.
The footsteps moved closer. "Is he dead?" another asked.
"No probably asleep or passed out."
"Boss says not to kill him. Wait on word from him before doing anything. Just keep him in here." When they moved away, Rafe cracked his eyelids to look. The one who'd brought instructions was one of the men who'd come to the ranch with Winfrow right after he'd arrived.
The men walked out slamming the door shut behind them.
He wasn't sure how much time had past. The sunlight gave way to darkness and Rafe continued shifting his legs and wiggling, letting out a sigh of relief when the ropes went slack some time later. He struggled to his feet and went to the barn door and peeked through the slats. There was a small house, light in one window. Other than a couple horses grazing next to it in a small corral, there wasn't any other structures he could see.
If he managed to get the door open and take off on foot, perhaps he could make some headway before morning. He found a nail in the wall and hooked it under his gag. It took several tries, but finally he was able to get it off. He swallowed into his dry mouth and shifted his aching jaw.
After a few attempts to reach the nail with his arms, he gave up. It was too high.
Once again he looked toward the house. There were probably two men in there, so it would prove hard to fight them with his arms tied. Rafe considered how hard it would be to mount and decided it was best to get out and run as far as he could.
Somehow Rafe shouldered the door and it opened just enough for him to slip out. After looking up into the starlit sky, he stumbled into the shadows.
Chapter Thirteen
What seemed an eternity later, Rafe was relieved when he came upon a ranch house in the middle of plush fields. The sunrise in the horizon allowed him to see enough to make his way to a large barn. He was tired, dirty, and sore. His shoulders and arms numb from the bindings and his left eye was almost swollen shut from the man's punch earlier. Not able to go much longer, he struggled to remain upright.
Once inside the barn, he collapsed beside the door, his breathing so labored, he wheezed. Hopefully he'd gotten far enough Winfrow's men wouldn't find him and whoever owned this place wasn't one of his allies.
The next thing he knew cold metal pressed against his temple. He must have passed out because it startled him to have not heard someone approach.
"You seem to have gotten yourself into some kind of predicament," the man's voice was gruff, but not threatening. "Runnin' from the law?"
"No. I'm trying to get back to my wife," Rafe said his voice husky past the dryness in his throat.
"Wife?"
"Charlotte Kennedy."
The stranger removed the gun from his temple and leaned closer. "Who are you?"
"Rafe Preston. Winfrow..."
The man let out a whistle. "Say no more." He put the gun away and pulled a knife from his pocket and pushed Rafe forward away from the wall. "I imagine your arms will be useless for a bit." He cut at the bindings while keeping a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm Prosper McKade, my brothers and I own most of the lands on the west portion of Colter Valley. Too big of a family for Winfrow to attempt any intimidation. He sticks to widows and smaller farmers who have no defense." His words were laced with disdain and Rafe instantly liked the man.
When the bindings fell away, his arms fell to his sides utterly useless. The pain from the blood flowing into them made him groan. "I appreciate it," he managed to say between grimaces.
In silence, Prosper picked up the pieces of rope and tossed them into a nearby barrel. "No need to thank me. Winfrow must be fit to be tied. He's had an eye on Charlie since Daniel passed."
Rafe couldn't keep the anger from his voice. "Why hasn't anyone tried to help her?"
"My brothers and I make rounds, but she's done all right. Old Joe takes care of her. Although I imagine if Winfrow has become more aggressive, it's too much for him. I should have checked more often."
Rafe nodded acknowledging it wasn't the man's responsibility. His ranch was large and probably took all his time to manage. "I appreciate what you did."
Prosper helped Rafe to his feet, the feeling in his arms was to the point he could finally move them, but it still hurt. "I'll get you a horse saddled, but let’s get some water and maybe a strong cup of coffee in you first. You look about to drop dead."
They went through the back door into a spacious kitchen and Rafe collapsed into a chair next to a large rustic kitchen table.
A half hour later, Rafe felt much better after drinking coffee and a chuck of crusty bread. He hoped to get back to Charlie as soon as possible. Then they'd all go to town and speak to the sheriff. "How far to my house from here?"
"About two hours at a gallop."
"Think the sheriff can do anything if I go to him? Or should I handle this myself?"
Prosper chuckled. "My brother is not one to interfere in matters of jealousy and such, but in this case, Winfrow had you kidnapped and planned to have you killed. Unfortunately, there's no way to prove it. I'm willing to bet his men will swear they did it cause of a gambling debt or something of the sort."
"One o
f your brothers is the sheriff?"
"One of them, yes. Dane is Colter Valley's sheriff. Has been for a couple years."
At the sound of horses, Prosper swore under his breath. He looked to Rafe for a moment. "I'll tell you what. Let me get rid of these idiots. Then I'll round up my brothers and cousins. We'll help you out of this mess."
The man stood to his full height and Rafe was impressed. Prosper was just as tall as he, but wider, more muscular. "Damn Winfrow needs to find something better to do than play these games."
Rafe hated to sit back while Prosper faced the men, but at this point he was useless to help. One good punch and he'd be done for.
"She's gone with him." Joe stood on the front porch, relief mixed with worry etched on his face at Rafe's arrival. He motioned to the road behind Rafe with his chin. "Here come the sheriff and Jerrick."
"Damn," Rafe hissed out and kicked at a rock. "Why'd she go with him? Why didn't you stop her?"
"Winfrow came with four men. He told her unless she went with him, he'd kill you. She plans to leave a trail of buttons so we can track her and get to where they're keeping you."
Rafe didn't want to be angry at the man, but his rage was hard to contain. If Winfrow put one hand on Charlie, he'd not hesitate to kill him. "You should have stopped her, Joe."
"What's goin' on? How'd you get away?" Jerrick grabbed Rafe's shoulders and have him a hard hug. "Where's Charlie?"
The sheriff remained back next to his horse. Dane McKade favored his brother, although this McKade was a bit leaner and shorter than Prosper and his eyes were flat, expressionless. "Which way did they go, Joe?"
The men mounted and went in the direction the old man had seen Winfrow take Charlie. As exhausted as Rafe was, he would be damned if he wouldn't try to kill the man with his bare hands. "I have an idea where he's headed," the sheriff told him. "He's not going home, but to his pa's old place."
They brought the horses to a gallop and followed a trail that led away from the valley into an open land beyond the mountain range. It was not where he'd been taken. Rafe's stomach churned. Winfrow planned to take Charlie and keep her to himself. The bastard had no immediate plans for him. If he'd not gotten away, he would remain tied up for days in the barn.
The Widows Choice Page 9
