Love Finds You in Silver City, Idaho

by Janelle Mowery

  He nodded. “You got it, whatever it is.” He paused, that odd look on his face again. “Nate.”

  He was already examining the shack. “Do you know what the back side looks like? Any windows or doors?”

  Thomas shook his head. “I never went back there. I was nervous just getting this close. Them boys scare me. They’re pretty rough.”

  Remembering the beating he took, Nate nodded. “Yeah, they are. We may be in for a fight, but I don’t want Andrew hurt.” He pointed to the far side. “I’m going to work my way back that way. When you see I’m there, give me a few minutes to get set, then I want you to walk Twister up to the front.”

  Eyebrows high, Thomas stared. “Are you sure? That seems mighty risky.”

  “I know, but it’s the best plan I could come up with.” Nate motioned toward the door. “I want you to stay away from that door. Just holler for anyone inside.” He grimaced. “And if you hear someone cocking their gun, hit the ground fast. No matter what happens, I’m going to get inside soon after you holler. Got it?”

  Thomas blew out a long breath and rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess so.”

  Nodding, Nate patted Thomas on the back. At least he could count on someone—he hoped anyway. He headed to the sheriff.

  “I want you to stay back here with Rebekah. Keep her safe. Thomas and I will handle anyone inside the shack.” He turned to Rebekah. “I want your word you’ll stay back here.”

  Expecting an argument, he was surprised to see her nod. Then he saw the fear on her face. Her lips trembled. He wanted to comfort her but didn’t have the time. Squeezing her hand was the best he could do for now. Giving her a smile, he turned to leave, but she tugged him back.

  “Be careful.”

  His smile dissolved. “I will.” He pulled away. “Thomas? You ready?”

  With a hesitant nod, Thomas moved to Twister and grabbed his reins. Nate held up two fingers.

  “Two minutes after I get back there.”

  “Right.”

  Taking a moment to examine the front of the shack one more time to make sure he saw no movements, Nate took a deep breath and headed toward the back. Trying to keep the trees between him and the building as much as possible, he made it behind the shack without anyone taking a shot at him.

  After silently thanking God for his safety, he examined the back to find the best way inside. That’s when he saw a horse tied some distance away, its swishing tail grabbing his attention. He squinted for a better look, thinking he’d seen the horse somewhere before. Since he was in a hurry, he pulled his thoughts back to the shack. He didn’t have much time to decide how he would get in. In two minutes, Thomas would be shouting to whoever was inside.

  There were two windows, one at each end of the building. There also appeared to be a door between them, but it blended so well with the worn wood, he couldn’t be sure, almost as if it was supposed to be hidden. He’d have to wait until the last moment to decide which access he’d choose.

  “Hello in the house.”

  Hearing Thomas’s shout, there was no more time for thinking. Nate rose and sped toward the shack. Seconds before he reached the back, the door became obvious. He aimed for it and, with his shoulder, blasted against the wood. The door splintered under his weight.

  Pistol in hand, he rolled to a stop and leapt to his feet. Seeing who stood at the opposite window, Nate nearly dropped his gun.

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  Lifting the barrel, Nate aimed the gun again but wished for the first time he hadn’t become a lawman. With a glance around the room, he spotted Andrew on a chair against the far wall. Ropes lay at his feet like he’d once been tied up, but otherwise, he looked fine.

  With his free hand, he waved Andrew over. The boy charged toward him, wrapping his arms around Nate’s waist. Nate held him close, his heart swelling and breaking at the same time. So many questions swarmed his mind, yet he couldn’t think of anything to say.

  Finally, one question landed on his tongue. “Why did it have to be you, Henry?”

  The elderly gentleman lowered his head and gave it a slow shake. Then he looked up at Nate. “I’m sorry. I was just trying to do something good, but it went all wrong.”

  Nate frowned. “Something good? How can stealing and kidnapping be good?”

  “Nate?” Thomas called from outside. “Everything all right?”

  “Yeah. Come on in.”

  Thomas shoved through the door, his own gun in hand. He glanced at Henry but stared at Andrew and broke into a smile.

  Nate gave Andrew a light push. “Go to Thomas.” The boy ran and grabbed Thomas much like he had Nate. “Take him to his sister, Thomas.”

  Andrew took a step back. “Bek’s here?”

  Without waiting for an answer, Andrew raced from the shack, hollering Rebekah’s name. The joy of the siblings reuniting filled Nate’s heart.

  “Thomas, go get the sheriff’s cuffs. Mine are still in the hotel room.”

  With a nod, Thomas glanced between Nate and Henry, then followed after Andrew. Keeping his gun aimed at Henry, Nate retrieved the chair Andrew had occupied and placed it in the middle of the room. Then he motioned to Henry.

  “Have a seat.”

  Henry stood staring him down for a while before he nodded. He took a step, then flung a bottle from the windowsill at him before lunging for the door. Nate ducked, and the bottle missed him. When he looked up, Henry was gone. He ran outside, ready to shoot, then slid to a stop.

  In his rush to escape, Henry must not have noticed the mule he tried to steal was Twister. The two trotted in circles, Henry yanking on the right rein and kicking the mule while Twister continued to the left. Cursing, Henry finally flung the reins away and raised his hands before sliding from the saddle to the ground.

  “Stupid beast.”

  Nate finally smiled. “Oh, I don’t know, Henry. He looks quite a bit smarter than you at the moment.”

  Thomas rushed up to them, the cuffs in hand.

  Nate motioned toward Henry. “Put them on him. Then we’ll have us a little talk.”

  Once Thomas had Henry cuffed, he led him to the steps and forced him to sit. Then Thomas returned to Nate, his expression one of guilt.

  “I got something to tell you, Nate. Something I tried to say before but didn’t know how. Didn’t figure you’d believe me anyhow.”

  Nate frowned. “What is it?”

  Thomas kicked at a stick then looked up at him. “I was pretty sure Henry was involved. But with you two being such good friends, at first I thought you might be in with him. Then I just couldn’t tell you.” He shrugged. “Sorry.”

  Putting his hand on Thomas’s shoulder, Nate gave a squeeze. “It wasn’t all your fault, Thomas. I accept some of the blame for being such a fool.” He patted his back and headed toward Henry. “We can finish this later. Right now I need some answers.”

  Before he could ask his first question, Rebekah, Andrew, and Sheriff Caldwell joined them. As much as he would have liked to do this alone, all the others had a right to know what Henry had to say.

  He looked from Rebekah to Andrew. “You two all right?” When they nodded, he turned back to Henry. “I’ve got a lot of questions, Henry, and I hope you’ll do the right thing and answer truthfully.”

  By the look on Henry’s face, all the fight was gone. All that seemed to remain were shame and sorrow. He peered up at Nate. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know, but first”—he swung his gaze to Rebekah—“I need to apologize to this little gal.”

  Confused, Nate frowned. Maybe he just wanted to express his regret for taking Andrew and causing her to be upset.

  Tears filled the old man’s eyes, but he didn’t try to wipe them or look away. “I’m partly to blame for your burns, Miss Weaver.”

  As she gasped, Thomas lunged for Henry’s throat.

  Stunned, Nate stayed back. Henry deserved whatever happened to him. Then, as though God’s Spirit gave him a shake, Nate moved to drag Thomas away.<
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  Thomas charged at Henry again, but Nate had no trouble pulling him off.

  “Let me go, Nate. At the very least, he’s earned a good beating.”

  Wavering in his decision, Nate figured it was about time he started listening to the Lord more than his gut. “I want to agree with you, Thomas, but under God’s law and that of our country, I have to stop you.”

  As if slowly waking from a bad dream, Thomas looked up at him, his body relaxing. When Nate was sure he wouldn’t attack Henry again, he let the man go. Nate immediately took the few steps to check on Rebekah. He lifted her chin with his fingers. Seeing her tears, his heart clenched, and he wrapped her in his arms.

  Andrew put his arms around them both, and Nate reached down to put his hand on Andrew’s head. These two had been through so much, and all at the hands of Henry. How could he have been so wrong about the man?

  Nate bent to look into Rebekah’s eyes. “Will you be all right?” When she nodded, he crouched to face Andrew. “How about you, young man? You doing all right?”

  Andrew hugged his neck, then nodded and returned to Rebekah’s side.

  Nate headed back to Henry. “How about you explain yourself? Tell us how Rebekah was burned.”

  He met Nate’s eyes. “I didn’t set that forge so it would flare, but the boy who did it worked for me. He was angry with Perry because he kept the boy from seeing Rebekah.”

  “Cole.”

  The surprise in Rebekah’s voice made Nate turn to her, but Thomas had moved to her side to comfort her, so he pushed Henry to continue.

  “Yes, Cole. He thought that if he got Perry out of the way, he could see Rebekah all he wanted.” Henry shook his head. “The fool had no idea Rebekah would be the one to stoke that fire.” He blew out a sigh. “I went to confront him, and he pulled his gun on me. I had no choice but to shoot him.”

  After all this time, Rebekah finally had her answers. He hoped they helped. Now it was time for more.

  “Tell me about the blackmailing and all the fires and explosions. You weren’t making enough money in your tobacco shop? You had to steal from other hard-working men, nearly killing some of them?”

  Nate took several deep breaths, trying to calm his temper. He didn’t know if he was more angry with Henry because of all he’d done, or with himself for believing Henry to be a gentleman.

  After wiping his forehead with his sleeve, Henry shrugged. “I didn’t do it for me.”

  Though Henry’s voice sounded broken, Nate had all the lies he could stomach. “Oh, come off it, Henry. Who else would you want that money for? You told me you had no family.” He paused. “Or was that a lie too?”

  Henry stared into Nate’s eyes. “My men were my family. When they died, their families became part of mine too.” Tears fell as his eyes took on a faraway look. “Almost five years ago, I watched those blue coats cut my men down after burning them out of that field.” He raised his cuffed hands, making slashing motions. “They shot, stabbed, or slit the throat of every last one of them, and I just stood back in the trees and watched.” He wiped at his eyes again. “I thought the only way I could gain their forgiveness was to take care of their wives and children.”

  Nate stayed quiet. This was the man he’d come to know. The man who cared for and about others. That other man, the man who stole and kidnapped, was a stranger. “Why blackmailing, Henry? Why take Perry’s son?”

  Henry gestured to the hills around them. “All this gold and silver. These men didn’t need all they found, and I had no money of my own. Taking some from them was the only way I could think of to take care of my men’s families.”

  With a weary shrug, he continued. “After the war was over, I met up with some other commanders. They felt the same as me, so we came up with this plan when we heard about the gold rush in Colorado. When we got there, we’d threaten them until they gave us money, then send the money to families without husbands and fathers. But when they started killing some of the hold-outs, I broke away from them and moved here to start over.”

  Nate frowned, his mind spinning. “Killing people at the gold rush in Colorado? Do you know if they’re the ones who killed my dad and brother?”

  Henry shrugged one shoulder. “Couldn’t say for sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me.” He blew out a long breath. “Anyway, the plan was going well here until I asked for help.”

  Nate squatted, resting one knee on the ground, to better see Henry’s face. “Help?”

  Henry nodded. “Getting old slowed me down, made moving from place to place a lot harder. One of my men had two grown sons and a brother. They were more than willing to help me, said it was a good thing what I was doing. They were good help, right up until they got greedy and wanted to keep the money for themselves.”

  The faces of the two young men he’d helped arrest came to mind, followed quickly by the old man who’d taken a shot at him and Rebekah. “So those two boys and their uncle, did they take over your scheme, or did you still play a part all along?”

  After shaking his head, Henry lowered his head into his hands. “I was a part of it at first. The three of them mentioned lighting a couple fires to scare the owners into paying whenever they refused. I agreed. And it worked. But then they became more violent. When I tried to stop them, they told me to either leave them alone, or I’d end up one of their victims.” He looked up at Nate, the tears still flowing. “They threatened to kill me. Then, when I wanted to leave Silver, they said I had to stay or they’d hunt me down and kill me anyway. And if I stayed here, they’d make sure I kept my mouth shut.”

  Grasping the situation, Nate rubbed his forehead as though it would relieve the tension. “So kidnapping Andrew?”

  “Was all their idea. I had no part of it.” Henry turned to the boy. “I knew about this place. We used it for money drops several times. I knew I’d find Andrew here when I found out he was missing. I slipped away from the group going to Perry’s mine and came here. I was still trying to figure out how to get out of this mess without getting either of us killed when you showed up.”

  Nate motioned Andrew over and put his arm around the boy. “Is that true, Andrew?”

  The boy nodded. “Them men tied me up so tight it hurt. Mr. Gilmore came and took off the ropes.”

  “Good.” He inclined his head to Henry. “Thank you for that. Now, where can I find these other three?”

  Henry shook his head. “They’re mean, Nate. You be careful.”

  “Where are they?”

  Thomas stepped up. “Are they in that cabin out by the Loomis place?”

  Henry reared his head back. “You know about that?” Thomas nodded, and Henry waved his cuffed hands. “Yeah, well, that’s where they are. And will you do me a favor?” He didn’t wait for a response. “Watch over the Loomis family. They came here because of me. I’ve been helping them. They know about the blackmailing but promised not to say anything since I’ve been giving them some of the money.”

  Feeling he had all the answers he needed, Nate stood. “How far from the Loomis cabin, Thomas? In what direction?”

  When Thomas finished, Nate turned to the sheriff. “Can you get Henry back to town and locked in your jail? I’m going after…” He looked at Henry. “What’s the name of this family?”

  “Moreland. The uncle’s name is Roy. The boys are John and Adam.”

  Nate put his hand on Thomas’s shoulder. “I need you to get Rebekah and Andrew safely back home, then go out to Perry’s mine and let them know what happened.”

  Rebekah approached and touched his arm. “You’re not going after them alone, are you?”

  He motioned around. “There isn’t anyone else. I have to.”

  “No, you don’t. Wait for—well, come with us to town, then take Thomas and the sheriff with you.”

  He took her hands in his. “I’ll be fine. Besides, the sheriff needs to stay with Henry at the jail.”

  She turned to Thomas. “You can’t let him go alone.”

  Nate made he
r face him. “We’re out of time, Bek. Who knows what else they’ll do before I stop them. Go back to town. I’ll let you know when I get back.” He wasn’t about to let her argue with him. She was stubborn enough to try to follow him. “Thomas, Henry left his horse behind the shack. Andrew can ride with Rebekah. I’ve got to get going.”

  Before Rebekah could say a word, he ran to his horse, jumped onto the saddle, and rode hard to the west. Every step of the way, he prayed for God to give him wisdom and safety in what he was about to do.

  Following Thomas’s directions, he found the cabin just as he’d described. Dismounting far from the cabin so as not to alert them to his presence, Nate tied his horse, pulled out his pistol, and slipped up to the door without making a sound. With his back to the front wall, he waited to catch his breath. Without cuffs or rope, this wouldn’t be easy, but he had to finish the job. Saying one more prayer, Nate grabbed the knob and rushed inside.

  Prepared for a gun battle, Nate slid to a stop at the sight before him. He smiled. God had gone before him and handled the situation. Both boys were passed out drunk and snoring, each with a jug still in hand. The uncle started to stir, so Nate rushed to him and stuck the barrel of his gun in his ear.

  “Don’t move if you want to live.” He slid the rifle from the man’s hands and tossed it onto a cot and out of reach. Looking around, he found a piece of rope at the end of the cot. “Lay on the floor.”

  The man’s eyes, filled with hate, bored into his own. He moved to obey, then lunged at him.

  Nate slammed the gun handle against the man’s temple. He crumpled to the ground. Not sure how long he or the boys would be out, Nate rushed to get all three tied up tight. Unwilling to take any chances, he pulled the boots from their feet and secured their ankles with rope.

  After saddling their horses, Nate tossed each one on a saddle and tied them to it so they wouldn’t fall off. As he rode into town, the men were just starting to rouse from their stupor. Cursing, they demanded to be released.

  With the jail in sight, Nate breathed another prayer of thanks to the Lord. That arrest could have been deadly, but God blessed him and kept him safe. Once he’d stopped in front of the jail, Perry ran out. He nearly pulled Nate from his horse, pumping his hand with an enthusiastic shake.