Cindy Holby

by Angel’s End

  His horse would be a problem. The animal was light gray in color and dappled. Hard to find in the snow but easy to spot in the moonlight. Since he’d spent so much time around the stables working on the doors for Leah, the animals were used to him. Even Libby, who only tossed her head when he sneaked through the corral door. The cat blinked curiously from her bed when he walked in and his horse, who he had tempted with bits of dried apple all week came to him easily.

  “I need to pick out a name for you.” He rubbed the long nose as the animal munched on the apple. “Since we’re going to be together for a while I’ll have to think on it. Find something that’s just right.” He quietly saddled up and led his mount out of the stable and down the fence line to a gate that let out at the stream. His saddlebags were stashed on the opposite bank. It was just a matter of tying them on, mounting up, and leaving.

  So why was it proving to be the hardest thing he’d ever done?

  The town lay peaceful before him. Lights twinkled in the windows as the folk, safe and warm inside, settled in for the night. He’d be long gone come morning, longer still by Sunday. He’d left a letter for Leah, in the Bible, along with most of his money. He told her to buy a fence to protect the chickens. He told her he wasn’t who she thought he was, but didn’t go into detail. He told her he loved her and he was sorry. He told her to marry Jake Reece. He asked her to forgive him and told her he’d never forget her.

  The yip of coyotes sounded in the woods, right behind Leah’s house. His horse pricked his ears in the direction and tossed his head nervously. They were close, after the easy pickings of Leah’s chickens. He’d done what he could for her and for the chickens.

  “Yeah, go ahead and tell yourself that.” Cade quieted his horse and put his foot in the stirrup. As soon as he was mounted he heard a screech. What was that? Then barking. Then voices calling out.

  “Momma!”

  “Banks! Dodger! Stop!”

  He kicked his horse into a run as the noise of snarls and growls filled the air. The sound of barking dogs filled the air as they all sensed the one-sided battle going on by the stream. Over the noise of the pounding hooves and the angry dogs he heard Leah’s screams.

  Cade jumped off the horse before he came to a full stop. Banks was on the opposite side of the stream trying to hold on to Ashes. He backed away from the fight before him. Dodger was a snarling devil, fighting four or five coyotes; they tumbled and moved so fast that Cade couldn’t tell. Leah was trying to help. She held a piece of wood in her hands and used it to club at the lighter bodies of the coyotes. She managed to knock one away and Cade shot it.

  “Move back!” he yelled. She dropped the wood at his yell, hiked up her skirts and grabbed Banks. She pulled him after her and a coyote gave pursuit. Cade dropped one of the coyotes with a single shot and then quickly shot two more who suddenly realized that their odds were dropping.

  “Dodger!” he called out. He saw the darker flashes of Dodger’s fur but they all moved so fast that he couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t hit Dodger. Dodger’s answering yelp was filled with pain.

  “Help him!” Leah pleaded.

  Cade had no choice but to wade in. He jerked one back by its tail, kicked it away and shot it. The other one took off, streaking toward the trees. Cade shot it easily and, without a thought, flipped his gun around twice and dropped it in the holster.

  Dodger took a step and fell to the ground with a groan. Sticky blood covered his fur. Cade quickly scooped him up and took off to the house at a run.

  “Is he dead?” Leah’s voice cried out behind him.

  “I can’t tell,” Cade answered. “Are you hurt?”

  “No…not that I know of.”

  “Ashes scratched me,” Banks said.

  The chickens cackled loudly as he ran into Leah’s yard. He heard his horse thundering up behind them, well trained by someone. Good horse…

  Cade kicked the back door open and carried Dodger into the kitchen. Leah grabbed his blanket from the corner and put it on the table so Cade could lay him down. Dodger raised his head and tried to lick Cade. He was still alive but Cade couldn’t tell how badly Dodger was hurt until he could examine his wounds. He soothed the dog with his hands while Leah took care of her son.

  Leah turned up the lamp and put it on the table. She pulled Banks close. He held the kitten clutched tightly in his hands. The kitten panted its distress. “Is Ashes hurt?” Leah asked. She quickly checked Banks over. He had a scratch on his cheek and a bigger one on the back of his hand.

  “N-n-no.” Banks’s teeth chattered together. A fat tear streamed down his cheek. “Is Dodger going to die?”

  “We’re going to take care of him,” Leah assured him. Her voice was so calm and soothing. “I need you to take Ashes and go to bed,” she said. “Ashes is scared and needs to be someplace where she feels safe. Can you take care of her?”

  “Yes, Momma.”

  “Banks,” Cade said, stopping the boy as he left. “You did a very brave thing, saving your kitten.”

  Banks nodded and sniffed. “Dodger saved both of us. Don’t let him die.”

  “We’ll take care of him.” We…God don’t let this dog die…

  Leah rubbed a hand over her son’s hair and sent him on.

  “How bad is it?” she asked when he was gone.

  “Hold the light up and keep him still. I need to wash off the blood.” Cade quickly filled a pot with water. Leah saw what he was doing and grabbed some towels from the shelf. They worked, side by side, Leah soothing Dodger while Cade washed the blood from his fur. Dodger lay quiet except for occasionally raising his head and looking at Cade when he touched a tender spot. Cade found a long gash on his side and Dodger turned and licked his hand.

  “It’s going to be fine,” Cade assured the dog. He caressed Dodger’s head. Tears streamed down Leah’s face and she quickly swiped at them with a towel. “I think he’ll survive,” he assured her. “We just need to bind the wounds.”

  “I’ll get some bandages.” She went down the hall while Cade once more checked for wounds. There was a long gash on his side that wasn’t too deep and two bad bites, one on a foreleg and the other on a hip. One of his ears had a tear. He could do with some stitching but Cade wasn’t sure if Dodger would let them sew him.

  “Your ear is going to be funny looking.” Cade leaned down and put his face right by Dodger’s ear. Dodger gave a weak thump of his tail. “Good dog. You saved both of them. You are a very good dog.”

  Just as Leah returned with the bandages someone pounded on the door. Cade sighed and rubbed between his eyes with the back of his hand, hoping he didn’t leave blood behind.

  He stood in her kitchen in his coat and hat with the gun strapped to his hip. He’d fired five shots that likely woke the entire town. You didn’t really think no one was going to want to know what happened, did you?

  The knock sounded again. Leah put the bandages on the table and turned to look at him. He felt her eyes and felt the incrimination.

  “You’re not a preacher, are you?”

  THIRTY

  Things were not going well. Not well at all. The men inside the Heaven’s Gate were itching for a fight. Thank God it was Friday and not Saturday. Saturdays were normally full up, with the cowboys and miners all heading in after their long workweek. Luckily, the only one who came by was Zeke, who quickly figured out that the saloon wasn’t a friendly place to be tonight.

  “Need any help?” he asked Ward, when the leader, who he heard one of the men call Fitch, walked off to talk to his men. Ward almost laughed. Zeke was one of the most unhelpful people he’d ever met, and his skills certainly didn’t run to fighting, but he would carry a message to Jim if need be. It was too bad that Jake wasn’t around. Jake was downright handy in a fight, whether it was guns or fists.

  The sound of gunshots sounded in the distance. Everyone inside turned toward the sound. Ward couldn’t help but wonder if it had anything to do with the men inside. Any other night he’d be
the first one out to investigate. But not tonight. He had enough trouble of his own to avoid poking his nose into someone else’s.

  “We’ll handle it.” Ward turned his back on the gang, making sure to keep an eye on them in the mirror while he talked to Zeke. “Just tell everyone to stay away tonight. I don’t want anyone around here to get hurt. And you best have someone find out what all that shooting was about.”

  “Will do,” Zeke said. He tossed back his beer, wiped his mouth on his sleeve, hitched up his pants and left.

  Ward waited a moment, made sure Fitch was still with his men, before he walked to the door. Lady, who’d been unsettled since the gang walked in, followed him. She was ready to leave and trotted through the door quickly. She stopped when she realized he wasn’t following. Ward quickly shut the door in her face. He heard her whine and then her scratch at the base of the door. He wasn’t about to risk her getting hurt. Dang he’d gotten attached to that dog.

  The sound of a squeal and the resulting slap spun him around and had him reaching for his gun, only it wasn’t there. One of the men had Pris in his arms. She wrestled against him as he tried to kiss her neck.

  “Let her go!” Ward saw Bill from the corner of his eye looking at the place where the shotgun was stashed. Ward jerked his finger, just enough for Bill to see it. Bill would get them all killed. He wasn’t fast enough for this bunch.

  “She was asking for it,” one of them said.

  “Pris?” Ward kept his voice even. He didn’t want anyone getting spooked. “Do you want this?”

  “No siree I don’t,” she said.

  “Then come over here with me.”

  Fitch tilted his head and the man released Pris. She hurried over behind the bar and the safety it would offer.

  “I get the feeling that you’re more than just a piano player.” Fitch crossed his arms and looked at Ward. His men watched both of them carefully. Ward knew there were at least three guns pointing at him from under their table.

  “Piano player, proprietor, protector of women,” Ward said. “I go with whatever one suits the moment.”

  Fitch laughed but his men stayed silent.

  “It’s time for you to move on,” Ward said.

  “It’s late, and we’re not going anywhere tonight,” Fitch replied.

  “Not until we find Cade Gentry,” one of the braver ones said.

  “Never heard of him…”

  “Cade,” Pris interrupted. “Isn’t that what Leah called the preacher?”

  Ward sighed. They were in trouble now. Big trouble.

  Leah opened the door to find Jim on her stoop.

  “I heard shots,” he said.

  “Coyotes were after the kitten and Dodger went after them,” Cade said from behind her. “I had to shoot them.”

  Jim’s eyes flicked down to the gun he wore low on his hip.

  “My horse is out back,” Cade added. “I don’t want you to think someone stole it.”

  “Are you all right?” Jim asked. His question was directed at Leah.

  “I’m fine,” Leah said. Her voice was strange, tight. Considering what just happened, and what was about to happen, it didn’t surprise Cade a bit. “Dodger was hurt, but Cade…” She stopped for a moment and then continued. “He should be fine.”

  “Do you need anything?” Jim asked.

  “Really Jim,” Leah said. “We’re all fine. But Cade and I need to talk for a bit. If I need anything I’ll let you know.” And with that she shut the door in his face. She walked past Cade into the kitchen and sat down at the table. She looked at him. “It was all a lie.”

  “Not all of it,” Cade said. “The things I told you about me were true.”

  Leah’s lovely green eyes stared at him in earnest. As if she wanted to see what was inside him. She already had, but telling her that now wouldn’t help the situation. The ticktock of the clock echoed loudly through the long silence that filled the kitchen, interrupted only by the sound of Dodger, groaning in his sleep as he relived his battle for his family in his dreams, and the howl of the bitter wind.

  “We need to talk,” Leah said.

  “Yes.” Cade sighed. “We do.”

  He sat down at the table and he told her how he really came to Angel’s End. Told her he was trying to escape the men who shot him, told her about stumbling into Timothy’s camp, about how Timothy helped him, about how Timothy was shot before his eyes and why he had to move on.

  “It was never my intent to be him,” Cade said. “I just wanted Fitch to think it was me who died that night, so he’d leave me alone.”

  “Why does he want to kill you Cade? What did you do to him?”

  Cade shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

  Her voice was angry and her jaw tight. “Yes it does.”

  “There was this young couple, Bob and Amy Welder. They owned a little ranch, but more importantly they had access to water. Fitch decided he wanted their ranch, and he wanted Amy. He sent me to get both of them.”

  “What do you mean, sent you to get them?”

  “Men like Fitch are never happy. There is never enough for them. And at the time I was just looking for a place to spend the winter. I’m good with a gun.”

  “Yes, I saw that,” Leah interrupted.

  Cade sighed. This was harder than he thought. “There were things about him that bothered me, but I just figured I’d keep to myself, like I always do, and just move on when springtime came. So he sent me to the Welders with orders to kill Bob and bring Amy back.”

  “Don’t tell me that you did it.” Leah’s eyes flashed with anger.

  “I couldn’t. I rode up telling myself that I didn’t care, that it was just a job, but when I saw them, I couldn’t do it.”

  “It was just a job because you’ve killed before?”

  He didn’t want to admit it, but he had to. He watched her face change, watched as her eyes narrowed, and saw the door of her heart slam shut against him. He couldn’t look at her. His eyes were drawn to a bit of blue in the wooden bowl on the table. He pulled it out and immediately recognized it as the piece of ribbon he’d picked up, dropped by Amy in their haste to flee. Leah must have found it in his pocket when she washed his clothes. Funny how he didn’t notice it lying there until now. He placed it on the table in front of her, as if it was proof of his innocence. A talisman of his attempt to do something right.

  “Amy was pregnant. Just barely showing. I gave them all the money I had on me and told them to get. That there wasn’t any land worth their lives, and Fitch was determined to have it. They were smart enough to go, and I hoped that the land would be enough to placate Fitch. But it wasn’t. He was mad and killing me was the only way he’d feel better. So I ran.”

  “They got away?” she asked.

  “I hope so,” he replied. “He wouldn’t want me dead if they hadn’t escaped. He’d make me watch instead. He’d kill Bob in front of me and then have his way with Amy, all for a laugh and because he thinks he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants.”

  Leah shivered. “There are horrible people out there.”

  “And I was one of them,” Cade said quietly.

  She didn’t deny it. “What about the rest? Your mother’s death? The scars on your back?”

  “That was all true. After my mother died my father lost his faith. He dumped my brother and me in an orphanage. When I was fifteen a couple came and adopted us. He beat me right after we left the orphanage because another man took Brody and I tried to go after them.”

  There was genuine shock in her eyes. And pity. Pity was something he did not want from her. He’d pitied himself enough through the years. “Then what happened?”

  “He taught me how to cheat and how to steal. And when he saw how good I was with my hands, he taught me how to shoot. He never expected me to get better than he was.”

  “You killed him?”

  “Yes. I did, when I was eighteen. He killed his wife and aimed to kill me next. In self-defense, I shot h
im.” He was relieved that she figured that much out. That he didn’t have to tell her about Letty and the horrible things she taught him. Things that he had to keep locked away. “After that I just drifted, getting work wherever I could, and hoping to find a dry, warm place to spend the winter. Everything you know about me is the truth.”

  Leah slammed her hand on the table. “Everything I know about you was based on the thought that you were a preacher.”

  “I told you I wasn’t the man you thought I was.” A poor excuse, he knew.

  “But you never said you weren’t Timothy Key.” Anger flashed in her gold-flecked eyes along with sudden tears. “I can’t say you took advantage of me because I wanted…” Leah put her hand over her mouth and sobbed.

  He wanted to touch her and comfort her. He wanted to make the bad go away. The problem was he was the bad. Cade reached for her hand but she pulled it away and put it up to stop him.

  “Don’t.” She took a deep breath. “I’m just as guilty as you are in some respects. I admit it. My sin is great.” She looked at him and he saw the hurt in her eyes, mixed with the anger. “And I’ll pay for it.”

  “Leah. Blame me. Please. I’m used to it. Hell, it’s the only thing I’m good at.”

  “And running.”

  He had no answer for that.

  “You were leaving tonight. Leaving without a word.”

  “I left you a letter. In Timothy’s Bible. Along with a letter to Timothy’s sister explaining what happened to her brother. I was hoping you could mail it for me.”

  “Coward.” She got up and walked to the sink, stood a moment, looked out the window and turned. “You left it to me to cover your tracks. To have to get up in church on Sunday morning and tell everyone you lied because you’re too much of a coward to own up to it.” She took two steps toward him and once more anger flashed in her eyes. She raised her hand and he thought she might strike him, and he deserved it, and more. Instead she pointed at the wall. “I have a son sleeping in there.” She jabbed her finger for emphasis. “A son who adores you, and you were leaving it to me to explain to him…” Her voice broke. Leah straightened her spine and crossed her arms. “That’s Nate’s gun, isn’t it?”