Heart of a Lady (Book One of the Red River Valley Brides)

by Hestand, Rita

  Cole shot Morey a strange look.

  Harry nodded. "That's what I thought. Morey did it, didn't he?"

  Morey glared at Cole. The kid was still pretty shook up and just sat there starin' at them all.

  Harry knew the kid was scared, and rightfully so. He was in with some ruthless men.

  "I can't prove you killed Dillon's pa, but I can prove you robbed the bank in Vada, money or no money. I can prove you kidnapped a woman and took her hostage. I saw you shoot my deputy, Morey. You'll stand trial for that. And I'm sure the bank teller can identify you. That ought to put you away for a while, unless you get a mean judge who decides you need to swing. In that case, I have no control over that."

  "Look, mister, all I did was hold the horses," he kid said, his voice pleading.

  Harry seemed to consider that for a moment. "Kid, you got yourself mixed up with some surly men here. You probably aren't even legal age yet." He moved to check on the kid's hand, which was dripping blood onto the ground. In his saddle bags, Harry found some bandages, wrapped the wounded hand, and stepped back so he could watch all three of them.

  "But I didn't shoot nobody, nor take no money, nor bother the girl. She'll tell ya."

  "Then you got to tell the judge that, and maybe, if we get a good judge, he'll only lock you up for a few years. In that case, you don't have to worry so much. But your friends here, they aren't going to be that lucky. No, sir, I think they may swing." Harry chuckled.

  "You got the upper hand on us now, but we ain't back to Vada yet!" Morey exclaimed.

  "That's true, but maybe I should warn you. I'm a dead shot. I get what I aim at. I learned that from my pa. Shooting that kids hand was what I wanted. I didn't intend killing him. Nor either of you. I want you to stand trial like I told you. I want to show the folks in Vada that justice does prevail. I'm takin' you in, and unless you want to get shot up a lot, you better do what I say from here on out. Oh, and about the money. If you don't return it willingly, I got a feelin' the judge may make you swing for it. So unless you cooperate, I think you got a few problems."

  Harry's words seemed to hang over them. The kid was shaking with fear, and Harry had to admit, it got to him a bit. He hated that someone so young had fallen in with bad men. He'd do everything he could to see the kid got a light sentence, but he had no sympathy for Morey or Cole.

  "My sister turn the girl over to ya?" Cole asked.

  "Yeah, I guess you could say that. She treated her good. She didn't tie her up or anything. She said she would've sent her back home if she had a horse. Fortunately for her, she doesn't look as though she's involved with you three."

  "She would have too," Cole said softly. "She ain't involved. All she did was feed us."

  "Too bad some of her goodness didn't rub off on you Cole." Harry studied the two roughshod men.

  Harry watched the men eat supper and saw the look on Morey's face. He'd probably try something before they got to Vada. Cole listened when he told them he'd just lame them instead of kill them. He didn't stir.

  "I hate to tie you guys up for the night. It can be a restless night tied down. But especially for the first night, I think I better. He bent over Morey and Cole, then glanced at the boy. "Get over here kid. I'm tying you all to this tree for tonight. You can sleep sittin' up."

  Morey shot him a mighty frown, but Harry just went about his business of connecting them to the tree. When they all circled the tree and were tied, he looked at his work. "Now like I told you before, I'm warning you all. I aim to lame anyone who tries to escape. Anyone. Understood?"

  Cole nodded. The kid stared and Morey shot him a murderous glance.

  Directly they all slept. Harry kept one eye open and one eye closed most of the night. He knew the daunting task he would have getting three of them back for trial. But he aimed to do it nonetheless.

  Chapter Twenty

  The trip back to Vada was long and tedious. The kid's hand became infected despite the fact that Harry tried to doctor it every chance he got. It was swollen, and he could tell the kid was in pain.

  "We'll have the doc look at this when we get back to Vada. I've done all I can," Harry told him. "This is another reason you don't want to be shot in the leg, or even the arm. Infection."

  "I know… and thanks." The kid tried to smile.

  But that night, the kid had a fever. Harry brought water from a spring they camped by and doused the kid with it through the night. The little rest he got made him jumpy.

  Somehow he had to steady himself and get these three back to Vada alive.

  The next night, rain made a muddy mess of everything. The earth cooled. They found a campsite beneath a big pecan tree and built a fire quickly. Everyone was drenched and miserable. Hunger gnawed at them.

  "Now don't you boys think it's about time to tell me where you hid the money?" Harry asked. He pulled out the jerky, passed it around, and drank coffee. Harry was always thankful that Ma helped him pack his saddle bags with supplies and food. He always had enough for him and his prisoners.

  "We buried it," Cole informed him so quickly that Harry took a second look at him. Cole was sick now, sniffing all evening. He looked miserable as he took his blanket and covered himself with it.

  "Where?" Harry pushed them for more information.

  Morey seemed on edge, "Don't you go shootin' off your mouth Cole."

  Harry smiled at Morey. "Look Morey, the judge might go a bit easier on you if you tell me where you hid it."

  "You can go to hell, I ain't tellin' you nothin'." Morey grumbled and turned away from them all. He seemed to have some trouble eating his supper with his hands cuffed.

  "He's right, they will go easier on us. We've been caught. Face it Morey." Cole said.

  "Why don't you shut your trap?" he finally muttered.

  "It's a ways from here." Cole glared at Morey. "Look, it's no use, Morey. He got us. He's gonna find out sooner or later. We might as well hand it over. Maybe the judge will go easy on us if we give it back."

  "You sap, you're fallin' for his lies. This man don't care whether we live or die." Morey stretched his legs out and tried to pull one boot off to shake the dust of the trail out of it. Harry saw him struggling with it, and tried to help him.

  Just as Harry helped him take the boot off, Morey tried to throw the dirt in his face from the boot.

  Harry got his rifle and aimed it straight at his leg. "Go ahead Morey. I've already warned you what I'd do. Evidently you don't think I will. One more stunt and you'll be limping the rest of the way."

  It was just too easy. Cole had to be lying. Harry could see Cole telling him after the judge handed down the verdict, but not yet. It was too soon. He was skeptical. Harry had an idea that they were very close to the money right now. He'd test Cole a bit, just to see if he was lying.

  Harry said quietly. "Well now Cole I'm glad you decided to cooperate. The cattlemen will be happier too. Not to mention the jury. Course if you lyin' and tryin' to trick me, it sure ain't gonna look good at all. You know it's the cattleman's deposits. They'll want blood if they don't get it back. That's not good for any of you."

  "Don't you spill your guts, Cole." Morey frowned at him. "The only satisfaction we may have is knowin' they won't get it back."

  "That could be, Morey, and then again, you might not get any satisfaction if they hang you. Because if you don't tell me where you hid it, I'll suggest they hang you. And you know most judges, they don't mind."

  "He's bluffin'." Morey spit at the fire that barely stayed going through the night.

  The kid looked from one to the other.

  "Maybe I am, and maybe I’m not." Harry smiled.

  A rabbit approached the edge of camp. Without hesitation, Harry picked up the biggest rock he could find and chunked it. The rabbit keeled over as he tried to hop to safety. He wasn't dead yet, but he couldn't go on.

  The men stared at the rabbit, their mouths hanging open.

  "Yeah, he's learned from the Indians all right," Cole rema
rked.

  Harry knocked it in the head with his gun butt, then skinned it, made a spit, and slowly roasted it over the fire. It smelled heavenly, and when he handed the kid, some the other two grimaced.

  "What about us?" Morey asked.

  "You can eat jerky." Harry laughed.

  "That ain't fair." Cole licked his lips.

  "If you tell me where the money is…"

  "Don't you dare!" Morey cried out.

  "But I’m hungry," Cole complained. "And he's got us dead to right anyway. If we tell, they'll go easier on us than if we don't. Anyone can see that."

  Morey shook his head. "You dumb head."

  "We'll reach the place by tomorrow. I'll show you," Cole assured Harry as he stared at the rabbit.

  "All right, Cole, here's some meat." He handed Cole a piece of meat.

  "That ain't enough," Cole complained.

  "He wasn't a very big rabbit, Cole. At least you got some, Morey didn't."

  Morey glared at Harry now. Harry knew he'd made the man mad and he knew he's have to be cautious from now on.

  "It's all you get until we find the money."

  "You make some hard bargains, mister." The kid glanced at the Sheriff with renewed interest.

  Harry nodded and looked at Danny now. "Is he tellin' the truth?"

  "Y-yes sir." Danny nodded.

  "All right, Cole, help yourself to some more," Harry offered.

  Morey frowned. "What about me?"

  Harry grabbed the rabbit and pulled it off the spit. "Not enough left to worry over, Morey. Sorry, maybe tomorrow night. Besides, you didn't tell me anything."

  Morey bit his lip, tensed his muscles, and frowned mightily.

  "Sorry, Morey, it was just one rabbit, not a bear." Harry laughed.

  "I'm gonna kill you, Jones," Morey announced. "With my bare hands, I swear it."

  "Maybe you will, but not before I cripple you." Harry wouldn't look at him. "You confess to killin' Dillon's pa, I'll scare you up enough meat to fill ya, Morey."

  "Not on your life. You won't get me for that one."

  "Well, that's okay with me. I don't want to hunt in this weather anyway. Besides, we got enough evidence to put you away a long, long time, Morey." Harry laughed. "But I think I should warn you Morey. You do have a little bit of a problem. You see Dillon thinks you killed his Pa. In fact, he's pretty sure of it. And everyone knows Dillon's temper. So I'd be very careful, if I were you. If anything happens to me, he'll come after you."

  "We ain't there yet, sheriff. A lot can happen between here and there." Morey huddled under his blanket as he pulled it over his head and hat. "Dillon don't scare me none, he's all mouth. Always has been."

  Harry nodded. "True, but there isn't a law says I have to feed you either. So think about that. You might get a little hungry on the way. And I wouldn't want to tangle with Dillon myself. If I survive this trip, and Dillon gets you, I might have to go after him. And I don't want to have to do that. Because I don't know who is the fastest gun."

  Morey showed his yellow teeth. "You know there ain't much difference in a rattlesnake and your kind, sheriff."

  "That's probably true. I won't get any badges for bein' a nice person. Now find yourself a place to settle out in this rain and get some rest. I sleep light, remember that. You make any trouble for me tonight and you'll be tied to the tree. Get some sleep, you are gonna need it tomorrow," Harry promised.

  "What do ya mean?"

  "I mean you're gonna dig the money up, not me." Harry laughed and walked off, relaxing under the big pecan tree. He'd wore them down a bit, and things were coming together now.

  ~*~

  The three of them huddled together, talking for a long time. None of them could tell if Harry was watching or not.

  "We need to git rid of him, and soon." Morey glared at Harry.

  Cole didn't bother looking. "And how you figure on doing that?"

  "He ain't gonna sleep," he mused. "He'll keel over before long. We just got to wait until the right moment, that's all." Morey insisted. "He's got a lot of bluff goin'."

  "Count me out on that one, Morey. I know this fella. He's as bad as an Indian when it comes to this kind of thing. You want to chance it, go ahead, but don't count on me. I'll take my chances in town with the judge. This fella ain't no bluffer. He plays by the law."

  "Chances, you think we got any chances?" Morey snickered at his naivety.

  "I don't know, but I'd bet on that workin' out better than your idea."

  The kid shook his head and backed away from the two of them. "I don't want any part of the two of you."

  "You really think he'll speak up for ya, kid? You'll swing just like the two of us, you'll see."

  On and on they went, almost all night until exhaustion shut them up.

  ~*~

  The next morning, the sun peeked out and its warmth started drying the land up. Harry saddled up once more and waited until they did the same. Harry gathered all their reins and kept their horses in line so he could control them. For breakfast, he fed them cold biscuits and coffee.

  "When we get to the money, you let me know," Harry instructed Cole.

  "What did my sister tell ya about me?" Cole asked.

  "She said you wasn't all bad, but that you didn't have much chance of straightening yourself out. What I'd expect a sister to say. She's done right well for herself, Cole."

  "It were her, not that lazy no account Hinny she had. Hinny never did a thing for her. He ran off, and she didn't care. She knew by then she could make it on her own," Cole said proudly.

  "Why didn't you pay attention to her, instead of someone like Morey?" Harry asked.

  "Aw, I don't know. Most men wouldn't take to heart what a female tells them no how. She's a good sister though. I'll admit to that." Cole nodded.

  "I thought so too, Cole."

  "Am I gonna hang, sheriff?" Danny asked after a silence.

  "I don't think so, kid. All you really did was hold their horses. You never got any money for what you did. Don't look as though you're outlawin' was complete to me. So I figure the judge will go easy on you."

  "My family is big. There was six of us kids, and Pa couldn't make a go of the farm. We was starvin'. I struck out on my own over a year ago. I don't know why I threw in with this bunch. I guess I just wasn't using my head."

  Harry nodded. "You got that right, kid. And I'll be speakin' up for you at the trial."

  "You mean that?" Danny stopped his horse long enough to look at the sheriff in the eyes.

  "I mean it, kid."

  "I got your word on it?" He asked.

  Harry nodded.

  Along about noon, Cole stopped. "The money, it's buried under that willow tree, near the creek bed."

  Harry stopped. "You sure about that, Cole?"

  "Yes, sir, it's there."

  "All right. Here's a shovel. Get to diggin'." Harry threw him a shovel from his pack.

  Cole got down and reached out his hands to Harry to take the cuffs off. Harry obliged. Morey cast Cole a look, Harry eyed him for a while. Cole spit on his own hands and set to digging. It was nearly an hour later when he brought up the two sacks of bank money. "It's here, sheriff."

  "Good, hand it over."

  Morey backed up his horse. "Throw it at him, Cole!"

  But Cole walked over and handed it to Harry then shot Morey a quick frown as Harry cuffed him once more. "You want to hang? 'Cause if I listen to you, I probably will. My sister's got a right nice place. I could go back to it and help her build it up. I don't want to hang, Morey. I don't want to outlaw no more, Morey. I'm getting' too old. I gotta settle somewhere to make my way…"

  Morey's face turned almost purple. He whipped his horse around and took off in a gallop.

  Harry jumped onto his horse and chased him. They ran down the trail, backtracking for miles before Harry finally caught up to him, jumped him, and pulled him off the horse.

  The horse took off, still galloping.

  Harry punched
Morey. "Guess you are gonna have to walk. That'll make our getting there a little late, but we will get there. And you'll be thankful you are by the time you walk the rest of the way."

  "You ain't gonna go get my horse?"

  "Nope, not my problem, Morey. It was your idea to run. It was my job to chase you. It's as simple as that."

  "When I get my chance, you'll be a dead man, sheriff. Nothing is as simple as that!"

  "If you get your chance, maybe." Harry chuckled. "Now let's go. We are wastin' time."

  Morey began walking.

  In less than an hour, they joined Cole and Danny again. Neither had tried to get away. Why?

  Around dark, Morey began complaining. "I cain't go no further. I got blisters on my feet from walkin' so much."

  "Well, you better or I might just shoot you in the leg and leave you here until I get these two back."

  "Shoot me in the leg? And leave me for the wolves?"

  Harry chuckled. "Do you know any better way to keep a man from runnin' off? Don't worry. I'd come back and get you."

  "I don't believe anyone is that mean!"

  "And you don't want to find out, do you?"

  "No!"

  "Good. We'll make camp for the night and get an early start in the morning. Rest those feet up, Morey."

  Morey sat down on the edge of a big rock and took his boots off. Everyone looked at Morey's feet. They were red and swollen.

  Later that evening, Morey glowered at Harry. "You weren't serious about shootin' me in the leg, were you?"

  "There's one of me, and three of you. I have no desire to kill any of you, myself. But I have a job to do, and aim to do it. One way or another. Tomorrow, Morey, if you behave you can ride with Cole. That will make the trip faster. But walkin' like you did, gives you something to think about. If Cole's horse goes lame, then we'll double up, me and the kid with the two of you."

  "So it's best you try to keep up. Do you understand?"

  Morey grimaced. "Yeah, I understand."

  "Good. Get some sleep. We ought to make it by tomorrow night or maybe the next day."

  Harry lay thinking of the three men, and their fate. He had no pity for Morey at all. Morey deserved whatever he got. But Cole and the kid were different. Cole had cooperated, and the kid wasn't any trouble after he shot him in the hand.