“Zach shot a doe while you were gone. He wants to be the one to tell you all about it, so be sure to ask him later.” Winona touched a palm to his brow. “The fever you had is gone. If I get a full meal in you, you should be your old self again.”
“That’s not all I need,” Nate told her with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
“Behave, husband. We have visitors.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“Are you still upset over the accident? It is not like you to hold a mistake against someone.” Winona smiled at the Leonards. “And they have both been very courteous and helpful. Selena helped me prepare breakfast, and Elden helped Zach gather grass and cottonwood bark for the horses.”
Not in the least eager to discuss the Leonards, Nate moved around behind his wife and parted the coverings on the cradleboard so he could see his daughter. Evelyn smiled and worked her lips, her hands waving excitedly. “Hello, precious,” he said, bending to give her a kiss on the tip of her nose.
“Whheeeeeeeee!”
Turning, Nate watched his son slide down the hill once more. “How big was this doe you mentioned?” he inquired over his shoulder.
“Not very big at all. With two extra mouths to feed, the meat we have left will last no more than seven or eight sleeps. Longer if we only eat only one meal a day.”
The information vexed Nate. He dared not leave his family without enough provisions when he escorted the Leonards to Fort Laramie, which meant he had to go off hunting again before he could get the pair out of his hair. But he didn’t much like the idea of leaving his wife and children alone with the Easterners, although he couldn’t quite say why he felt uneasy about the prospect. Perhaps because of Elden. The only other alternative, though, was to take Elden with him when he went after game, a ridiculous plan in light of Leonard’s inexperience; the man would not only slow him down, but probably scare off anything worth shooting.
As if Winona could read his thoughts, she said, “You should not have to go far this time. Where there is one deer there are usually more. Find those the doe was bedding down with and we will have enough meat to last us until spring.”
“I can try,” Nate said doubtfully, remembering the many days he had scoured their valley from end to end without finding so much as a single set of fresh tracks. The doe might have been part of a herd passing through on its way elsewhere, a herd long gone, in which case he’d have to hunt far afield again. And he had only himself to blame. Next year, he vowed, he would stock up in the fall with enough jerky and pemmican to last a decade.
“All will be well, husband,” Winona said, reading his feelings in his face. “It is most unlike you to be so bothered over events over which you have no control.”
“I’m fine,” Nate said, even though deep down he wasn’t, even though deep down a persistent but vague sense that something was wrong continued to bother him. He’d never felt anything like it, which compounded his confusion.
What on earth could it be?
~*~
On the crown of the hill Elden Leonard gave his sister a nudge and snickered. “Look at them down there! Like cattle being led to the slaughter, they don’t have the foggiest idea what they’re in for.”
“Not so loud, idiot,” Selena said.
Elden saw Zach go over to talk to Nate and Winona. “They can’t hear us all the way up here.” He rubbed his hands together and blew on his fingers. “Besides, I’m not scared of an ignorant trapper, a squaw, and a half-breed kid. As for the baby—I can hardly wait.”
“King isn’t to be taken lightly. I’ve learned a great deal about him from his wife,” Selena disclosed. “Did you know he’s slain more grizzly bears than any other white man or Indian alive? He’s killed so many, the Indians call him Grizzly Killer.”
“A trusting buffoon by any other name is still a buffoon.”
“Do you have any brains at all? I tell you that King is as dangerous as those savages who caught us, and Winona and Zach can give us grief too if we’re not extremely cautious.”
“The bitch and the brat? Oh, come now.”
Selena spun, her back to the family below so none of them would see her expression. “Damn you, Elden!” she hissed. “I won’t have you spoiling this like you’ve spoiled so much else for us. You will keep a rein on that tongue of yours and do nothing to arouse their suspicions.”
“I’ll be a paragon of circumspection.”
“If your intelligence was the equal of your vocabulary,” Selena said in disgust, “we wouldn’t be here right now. We’d be living in luxury in New York City.” She jabbed a finger into his chest. “You’re to blame for this disaster, not me. But as usual, I’m the one who had to save us.”
Elden smirked. “And a fine job you did too. Were those Bloods part of your plan?”
For a moment Selena appeared on the verge of slapping him; her hand shot up, rigid as a board, and her face bloomed scarlet with rage. Then she stiffened and glanced around to see if Nate or Winona had noticed. On verifying they hadn’t, she lowered her arm and spoke in a clipped, precise manner, every word stinging her brother as would the flick of a whip.
“You have always been a complete and utter ass, brother of mine, and you always will be. Where would you be without me? I’ll tell you. You would be rotting away in a dank cell in prison, provided, of course, you were still alive.” Her eyes were slits, her voice gravelly. “If you will refresh your memory, it was I who saved you this time by slipping that dagger between Bascomb’s ribs.”
“How was I to know he would follow me after I picked up the satchel?”
“Dunderhead! You should never take anything for granted. Haven’t you learned that by now?”
Elden scowled and jammed his hands into his pockets. He kicked at the snow, nearly fell, then cursed. “I hate these mountains.” he muttered after he had calmed sufficiently. “I hate trees and rocks. I hate snow. I hate bushes and wild animals. I hate Nate King and his whore squaw. I hate—”
“Enough,” Selena said. “Don’t fall apart on me now.” Her red lips curved upward as she affectionately stroked his chin. “I need you at your best, darling. Everything must be done exactly as I tell you.”
“I tried at the lake. He never suspected I bumped into him on purpose.” Elden spat. “It wasn’t my fault he survived.”
“You did just fine. I don’t blame you.”
“What next, then?” Elden asked. “I say we wait until they’re asleep tonight and slit their throats.”
“And if one of them should wake up and give a yell before we’re done?” Selena shook her head. “Why take needless risks? No, we will exercise patience, my brother. We will wait for an opportunity to arise, and then we will dispose of either King or his wife and make it appear to be an accident. Once one of them is out of the way, the other one will be easier to kill. And with the parents gone, the children will pose no problem at all.”
“It doesn’t make a difference which one we do first?”
“None whatsoever.”
“Good.” Elden’s fleshy face acquired a flinty cast. “I just hope it’s King himself. No one treats me the way he did. He’ll learn the hard way I’m not the weakling he thinks.”
“Just don’t faint again.”
“You saw that wolf! You can’t blame me.”
A titter was Selena’s response. “At least you pulled the wool over King’s eyes. He would never guess that you’ve killed about a dozen people.”
“Eleven, to be precise.” Elden stared at the trapper and sneered, “The mighty Grizzly Killer will make it an even dozen.”
Chapter Nine
Elden Leonard was dreaming. He was imagining himself dressed in the finest clothes, with an expensive beaver hat crowning his head, a flowing cape over his shoulders, and a polished cane in his right hand. With deft skill he twirled the gold-handled cane and beamed at the vision of loveliness whose arm was linked in his. Selena smiled and winked, the tilt of her eyebrow hinting at the pleasures to com
e later that evening. The next moment, however, the ground under them began to heave and toss. His first thought was that New York City was being struck by an earthquake. Then he roused sufficiently to realize he was quaking because of a firm hand on his shoulder, and he heard his name whispered over and over. With an effort he opened his eyes and saw Nate King standing over him. “What?” he asked, befuddled by sleep. “What is it?”
“Keep your voice down,” Nate said. “We don’t want to wake the others.”
Elden blinked and gazed around in confusion. The interior of the cabin was dimly lit by a few embers sputtering in the fireplace. He had the impression night reigned outside, so he said, “What’s the matter? What time is it?”
“Get up,” Nate ordered.
“Why?” Elden responded. The lingering images of his dream beckoned, and he longed to return to his fantasy rather than confront depressing reality.
“We’re going hunting.”
“You must be jesting,” Elden said. “I don’t know the first thing about tracking and shooting animals.”
“It’s time you learned. Get up.”
Irritated by the mountain man’s insistence, Elden rose on his elbows and declared, “I’ve never shot so much as a pheasant, I tell you. What good would I be out there? Go hunting yourself and let me enjoy my sleep.” He began to lower himself down when steely hands seized him by the front of his shirt and he was literally yanked out from under his comfortable blankets.
“You’re coming with me whether you like the notion or not,” Nate growled. “So get your shoes on and meet me outside. I have the horses saddled and our supplies packed.” Pivoting, he stalked out, quietly closing the door behind him.
“Of all the nerve!” Elden said under his breath. Anger sparked by the rude treatment he had received had rendered him fully awake, and he experienced a near irresistible urge to smash something. He glanced down at Selena, who had slept undisturbed through the humiliating episode, and had half a mind to give her a kick to wake her up so he could inform her of King’s behavior. But he controlled himself and did as the trapper had commanded. Their plan called for them to cooperate with the Kings in every way, to do everything in their power to convince the frontier couple that they were as innocent and friendly as newborn babes. Treachery, after all, was more effectively executed if the victims were totally unsuspecting.
A biting cold gust of wind bit into Elden as he stepped outside. Pulling his coat tighter around him, he gazed at the twinkling stars and groused, “It’s not even daylight yet.”
“But it will be in a short while,” Nate responded, jabbing his rifle at the eastern sky where faint pink smudges adorned the horizon. “Mount up and we’ll be on our way.”
“But why so early?” Elden couldn’t help asking as he awkwardly climbed onto the mare King had waiting for him. “It’s so dark we couldn’t see to shoot a thing.”
“Deer and elk are most active two times during the day,” Nate patiently explained. “At dawn and at sunset. The rest of the time they’re holed up in the brush.” Turning his horse, he rode toward the lake.
Elden, inwardly seething, reluctantly trailed the trapper. The only thing worse than being forced out of a warm bed at such an ungodly hour, in his estimation, was being made to bounce around on another horse. He never had liked horses much; never had been fond of riding. His posterior and his thighs always hurt abominably after a few hours in the saddle. He was absolutely convinced that his behind was simply too delicate to endure such abuse, and he intended to never, ever sit astride one of the smelly animals again once he and his sister were settled in the Oregon Territory.
A tree limb snatched at Elden’s arm and he wrenched it loose. As if he didn’t have enough to worry about! he fumed. And suddenly inspiration flared. A crafty glint came into his eyes. Rather than be upset, he recognized he should be grateful to King for this golden opportunity.
Elden snickered softly. Here might be the chance he was looking for to dispose of the mountain man! In such rugged terrain accidents were bound to happen. All he had to do was stay alert, and when the right moment came, do whatever was needed. A cliff would be the ideal place, since he’d only have to give King a push and his problems would be solved.
“Say,” he said as casually as he could, “why are we staying here where it’s so flat? Shouldn’t we be up higher among the peaks?”
There was a mild hint of surprise at the suggestion in Nate’s tone when he answered, “No, we shouldn’t. The snow is even deeper up there, and the deer and elk can’t find enough to eat. So they wander down into the valleys to forage until spring.”
“Stupid creatures,” Elden whispered to himself in disappointment that his cliff scheme had been dashed. He scanned the countryside, considering a number of devious alternatives. Foremost was pushing King into the lake again if they strayed close enough, and this time he would stay there and use a limb to keep King underwater until the deed was done. If they didn’t go near the lake, he might wait until King was distracted and bash the man’s brains in with a heavy rock. Later he could tell Winona her husband had fallen from the stallion when the stallion was scared by a snake. He liked that idea immensely until he recalled reading somewhere that snakes weren’t active in cold weather. So he’d blame it on a lizard, he mused with a shrug. It made small difference.
Nate swung to the south of the lake, through woodland bordering thick brush which in turn bordered the water. The sky brightened rapidly and a rosy glow suffused the line of mountains to the east. Presently he came on a mall clearing where he reined up, then put a finger to his lips to enjoin silence.
Elden nodded and slid down. His legs were stiff, his limbs sore. He tied the mare to a branch, saw King gesture, and walked over.
“From here on you can’t make any noise,” Nate whispered. “Remember that deer can hear a man cough from quarter of a mile off.”
“You exaggerate surely.”
“Not by much.” Nate moved around the stallion. Before we get started, I have something for you.”
“What is it?” Elden asked suspiciously, suspecting King would demand that he tote a heavy pack into the undergrowth so King’s hands would be free for firing. Disgusted, he hugged himself and stamped his feet to warm up his legs.
“I told you not to make any noise.”
“Oh. Sorry.” Elden scowled and stared into the distance. He thought of his sister, snug and warm back in the cabin, and wished he could change places with her. The way things were going, it would be a miracle if he got to kill King. This hunt, he fumed, was a waste of his time.
“Here. You’ll need this.”
Elden turned and gawked in welcome surprise. He wanted to whoop with delight, but satisfied himself by smiling gratefully. “Why, thank you,” he said.
Nate King was handing him a rifle.
~*~
At that instant, back in the cabin, Selena Leonard opened her eyes and stretched languidly. Her left arm, which should have brushed her brother, fanned only air, rid she shifted to see if he had rolled off in his sleep. On finding him gone, she sat up mystified. A quick look lowed Nate King was also missing, leading her to the conclusion the pair had gone somewhere.
Running a hand through her hair, Selena studied the sleeping forms of Winona, Zach, and the infant. How easy it would be, she thought, to slit their throats as Elden had suggested. Strongly tempted, she rose to a knee and glanced at a drawer under the counter when she knew Winona kept several knives. If she did the deeds swiftly, all three would die without crying out Then she’d hide behind the door, wait for Nate Kin] to return, and plunge the blade into his back as he entered.
Selena slowly rose and took a step. Movement near Zach stopped her. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the wolf lift its shaggy head and regard her coldly. In her eagerness she had forgotten all about it. The beast’s face was clouded in shadow, lending it a menacing aspect. Selena glanced again at the drawer then changed her mind. Given the wolf’s attachmen
t to the boy and the family, it might well attack her at the slightest threatening gesture, and she entertained no illusions about how she’d fare in a struggle with the powerful animal.
“Good morning.”
The gentle greeting almost made Selena jump. She faced Winona, who was rising, and replied, “Oh, dear I hope I didn’t wake you.”
Winona nodded at the window where a telltale feeble blush of light served as a harbinger of the oncoming dawn. “I always awaken at this time, without fail.” She picked up the baby and moved to the counter. “Breakfast will be ready shortly. There is still plenty of water in the bucket so you may wash up if you would like.”
“I’m fine,” Selena lied, because in truth she felt grimier than she had ever felt in her life. She couldn’t recall the last time she had enjoyed a hot bath or washed her hair And her clothes were equally grimy. “Do you happen to know where my brother got to?” she inquired.
“My husband said something last night about possibly going hunting at dawn,” Winona answered. “He might have taken your brother along.”
“Elden will love that. He just adores the outdoors.”
“What would you care to do today?” Winona asked.
“My only interest is in helping you to repay you for your hospitality,” Selena answered sweetly. “Sewing, cooking, whatever. You just name it.”
“I plan to check my snares today. You may come along if you like.”
“Snares?”
Winona bobbed her chin as she took pemmican from a cupboard. “Among my people, the Shoshones, the men do most of the hunting. But the women are expected to add to the cooking pot also. In season we gather plants and wild fruit and roots. And while we do not go after buffalo or antelope, we do add our share of meat by catching small animals in snares.” She paused. “My mother taught me the skill, and she learned from her mother before her. Generation to generation, the knowledge is handed down.”
“How fascinating,” Selena said, somehow managing to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.
“I learned how to find the game trails and rabbit runs the animals use regularly, how to pick the best spots for catching them, and how to make different kinds of snares as the occasion requires.”
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