“Bull, take some men and spread out, keep guard until we get Drake on one of the horses.” Dax shifted back to Gabe. “Guess we better find the man some clothes.”
“Yeah. Then get him to tell us what happened.” Gabe walked to the one horse remaining at camp, figuring it must belong to Drake. He searched the saddlebags, pulling out pants and a shirt, but no boots.
“We should make him walk back to town,” Noah muttered as he helped Gabe get Drake dressed, pulling the bandanna from his mouth. They kept him tied to the post until they’d secured the pants around his waist. The moment the ropes were released he tried to break free, twisting one way and then the other, kicking as he let loose with an ear-splitting roar.
Unable to take any more, Noah hauled back and landed an impressive blow to Drake’s chin, dropping him to his knees, keening sounds coming from deep in his throat.
His dead weight slowed Noah and Mal as they dragged him to his horse, tossed him over the saddle, and used rope to tie him down.
Bull and the others returned as Noah led Drake’s horse to the center of the camp. Their expressions signaled disappointment.
“Anything?” Dax asked.
“Tracks heading east. My guess is they’ve got the cattle hidden in one of the valleys nearby. Could take an hour or days to find them. What do you want to do?” Bull’s gaze wandered to the man tied, stomach down, across the saddle. He’d rather see him swinging from a rope, but that day would come soon.
Dax glanced at Luke, who nodded. “We’ll take our men and Mal, if he’s agreeable, to see if we can find them. I’m not looking for a shootout, Gabe.”
“I appreciate it, Dax, but I can’t let you do that. There are still at least fifteen men out there, and none of them care if they put a bullet in any of you. We have who we came for. I’ll notify the authorities east and south of here to keep watch for them. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”
“Who wants first watch on the prisoner?” Noah asked, holding up the reins to Drake’s horse.
“I’ll take him.” No one seemed surprised when Cash stepped forward. Of all those present, he’d lost the most at the hands of Drake.
“What about the bodies of Tolbert and the others?” Bull asked, noting what appeared to be a mass grave in the trees a few yards away.
“I’ll come back with a wagon,” Noah said, knowing he had to be the one to return Abby’s father to her. Several others offered to accompany him, including Bull and Mal. Now all he had to do was figure out a way to tell Abby.
“What’s all the commotion, Mrs. Phelps?” Abby dashed from behind her counter to join Sally at the bank’s front door.
“Appears the men are back.”
Abby flashed a smile at her before rushing out the door, heading straight toward Noah. He and Gabe rode together at the front, and she thought her heart would burst at the sight of him alive and uninjured. The posse stopped at the jail and, as she got closer, she could see a man tied to a horse, face down, Cash holding the reins.
Her pace faltered when Noah slid off Tempest, spoke to Gabe, then turned to face her. She expected him to open his arms. Instead, he faced her with a somber expression, halting her steps several feet away, the smile slipping from her face.
“Who is it, Noah?”
“Drake.”
“That’s wonderful news, right?” Her heart pounded with worry the longer he stood apart from her.
“Yes, capturing Drake was what we wanted.” Noah took a deep breath. He couldn’t have the conversation out here where everyone could hear. He steeled himself and took a step closer. “We need to talk, Abby. Do you think Mr. Clausen will mind if you don’t return for a bit?”
Tremors flowed through her. Whatever he had to say required privacy and time.
“He’s at the land office, but I’ll let Mrs. Phelps know.” She started to ask why he wanted to talk, then changed her mind and retraced her steps to the bank, returning within minutes. “Where do you want to talk?”
He looked around, trying to come up with a place where no one would bother them, and where Abby’s reaction wouldn’t matter. He could think of only one spot.
“I know it isn’t proper, but your room at the boardinghouse would be best.” He moved to cup her elbow with a hand, guiding her across the street, spotting Suzanne standing outside.
“Appears you found Drake. Did anyone else get hurt?” she asked as the two joined her.
“None of the posse.” He glanced at Abby, then back at Suzanne. “I need to speak with Abby in private. We’re going to her room for a few minutes, if that’s agreeable to you.”
Suzanne’s brows knit together as her lips formed a thin line. She didn’t allow men in the rooms of her unmarried female boarders, but Noah’s pained expression signaled the importance of his request.
“Of course. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”
He escorted Abby inside and up the stairs, then stopped, scanning the hall.
“Here,” she said, moving past him and opening the door to her room. She stepped inside, Noah a few paces behind.
“Sit down, Abby. I’ll leave the door open.”
She sat on the edge of the bed while Noah pulled the chair she used at the vanity toward her. He lowered himself into the small seat, dwarfing it with his size. At any other time, it would have made her laugh, but not today.
By now, her heart beat so hard, she found it difficult to breathe. She felt a shiver ripple through her and wrapped the shawl so tight, her knuckles lost their color. The silence continued, becoming oppressive.
“What is it, Noah?” she choked out, unable to control the tremor in her voice.
He stared at her, focusing his gaze on her beautiful blue eyes—wide, trusting, and confused. He saw all those as his mind struggled with how best to break the news.
Peeling her hands loose from their grip on the shawl, he wrapped them in his and leaned forward. “It’s not good news.”
He could see her swallow, then nodded for him to continue.
“It’s your father, Abby. He’s…” Noah took another breath. “He’s dead.”
She ripped her hands from his grasp and stood, stunned eyes looking down at him as she shook her head slowly. “No…” she breathed out in a strangled voice, still shaking her head.
He tried to reach for her again, but she backed away.
“Drake shot him. One of your father’s men saw it happen. I’m sorry, sweetheart. So very sorry.”
He watched as the color seemed to drain from her face. Again, he reached toward her, grasping her arms, not letting her step away. He guided her back to the edge of the bed, gently encouraging her to sit down as his warm hands moved up and down her trembling arms.
“Should I get Suzanne?”
She blinked several times before lifting her face to his. The emptiness he saw almost broke him. “What?”
“Suzanne…would you like me to get her?”
She continued to stare, unable to speak.
He started to turn, then crouched in front of her, taking her hands once more. “It will be all right, sweetheart. Please, trust me on this. You’ll be all right.”
Chapter Twenty
“The circuit judge will arrive in a few days.” Gabe tossed the telegram on his desk, glancing at Noah sitting in a nearby chair. Two weeks had passed since they’d arrested Drake and each night Gabe had listened to the man rant about his innocence. He’d be glad to get the trial and punishment behind them. The town needed to get on with their lives and put the tragedy to rest. “How’s Abby doing?”
Noah pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long breath. Soon after returning to Splendor with Drake, he and several others had retrieved the bodies of Tolbert and his men. Abby had screamed at him and Gabe when they’d restrained her from seeing her father’s body. He’d never seen her so fierce and inconsolable. It had been a blessing when Reverend Paige and his wife came forward to comfort her, insisting she wouldn’t want the last vision of her father to be in his cu
rrent state. At least she’d listened to them even as she pushed Noah away.
“I don’t know. She’s been staying at the ranch since the funeral. I’ve ridden out a couple times, but, well…” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “It’s more complicated now.”
“Complicated?” Gabe asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the edge of his desk.
Noah stood, taking the few steps to the window and looking out on the midday bustle of their growing town. He found it odd how activities continued as if nothing major had happened. In his mind, the murder of a prominent citizen, such as King Tolbert, should impact the town in a more meaningful way. In truth, other than talk of the upcoming trial and sympathy for Abby, Noah had heard his name mentioned little, as if his passing would have scant effect on the town.
“The times I’ve gone to the ranch, she’s been surrounded by people. Women from church, Rachel and Ginny Pelletier, Mr. Clausen and an attorney from Big Pine helping her understand the ranch and other property. Suzanne even closed the restaurant a couple days to stay with her, leaving the boarders to make meals on their own.”
“I imagine it’s a lot for anyone to handle, more so for a young woman who’s never been involved in running the ranch. It’ll take time to sort through all of it.”
“The attorney’s been staying at the ranch the last week. He’s someone Tolbert introduced her to while he was doing his matchmaking.”
“Ah…”
Noah spun away from the window, pinning Gabe with a stark look. “Meaning?”
Gabe looked up from the wanted poster he studied. “Meaning you’d best stake your claim if she’s who you want. Abby’s a wealthy woman now, and there’ll be plenty of not-so-honorable men chasing after her. Settle this and marry her.”
Gabe’s words hit Noah like a punch to the gut. He loved her, wanted to spend his life with her as his wife, yet Tolbert’s death changed everything. Her father’s wealth was in the extreme. If he’d wanted, he could’ve bought all the ranches in the area and still had enough to live in grand style. Abby could no longer sever herself from the affluence, or choose to live in town and work at the bank. She held the keys to a ranching empire and all the responsibilities accompanying it. Noah could imagine no scenario where he still fit into her life.
“I need to get back to the livery.”
“You riding out to see her tonight?” Gabe asked, not liking the troubled look on Noah’s face.
“Thought I’d go to the Dixie, play some cards after supper. Care to join me?”
Gabe thought it a damn fool idea when Noah had a beautiful woman waiting for him at her ranch, but hell, it was Noah’s life. “See you tonight.”
“It’s all so confusing. I don’t know that I’ll ever understand everything my father did.” Abby rubbed her temples, trying to ease the headache she’d carried with her all day. “I had no idea he owned shares in a railroad, or a ranch in Colorado.”
“Part of a ranch in Colorado. His partner is open to buying you out. It may be something you want to consider.” Ernest Payson knew every detail of her father’s substantial estate. Although a difficult man, he’d always found Tolbert to be fair in his business dealings. “I never did understand why he partnered on a ranch so far away, unless he speculated the railroad would be going through there. The one in Big Pine made sense and has a lot of potential.”
“I suppose so, Mr. Payson.”
“I wish you’d call me Ernie or Ernest. Mr. Payson makes me sound much too old.”
Her mouth tilted in a vague smile. “All right, Ernest. But you must call be Abby or Abigail. Now, tell me your thoughts on Dirk Masters.”
“I’ve spoken to him little since he returned after hearing of your father’s death. Seems capable and has experience as a foreman. If your father hired him, I’m sure he has the skills you need.”
“Remember, though, he also hired Parnell Drake.” A quick, sharp pain shot through her before she concealed it with a shake of her head. “However, I do agree with you about Masters. If Father had listened to him, called off his plan to confront Drake with so few men, he might still be alive today.”
“Supper is ready, Miss Abigail,” Fanny said, poking her head into the office.
“Thank you, Fanny.”
For years, Fanny Dobbins worked at the ranch as their cook and housekeeper. She’d stayed after Abby’s mother died, making the decision to leave when Tolbert sent Abby away to school. Ruth Paige, the reverend’s wife, sent Fanny a telegram notifying her of Tolbert’s death. Within a few days, she returned to support Abby, planning to stay as long as needed.
Payson escorted Abby to the table, glad to put the business dealings behind them for a while. He’d seen how the sheer size of Tolbert’s estate overwhelmed her. Unlike many men, Payson had worked with several women of wealth, most perfectly capable of taking over when their husbands died. They required his guidance with many decisions and paid him well for his sound direction. He’d thought it would be the same with Abigail. He’d been wrong.
He’d met her once at a party King Tolbert held at his home. The guest list included several bachelors, all considered a suitable match for Abigail. She’d spurned each one. Ernest had spent little time with her that day, preferring to watch, decide for himself if she might be worth pursuing. By nightfall, he’d determined she’d be more than worth the effort.
Living in Big Pine didn’t afford the convenience of courting a woman a day’s ride away. The untimely and tragic circumstances of Tolbert’s death required Ernest to stay at the ranch for an extended period, providing the time and opportunity to get to know her, see if they might suit.
“Appears Mrs. Dobbins expected more to join us.” Ernest’s eyes scanned the table filled with plates of meat, chicken, potatoes, green beans, turnips, braised apples, and bread. His mouth watered at the aromas.
“She’ll take whatever isn’t eaten to the bunkhouse. Believe me, it will disappear within minutes.” Abby shifted in her chair, adjusting her long skirt, trying to conjure up an appetite which had eluded her since learning of her father’s death. The one person who seemed to understand and provide support came around little. She glanced at the chair where Noah sat on his few visits since the funeral.
He’d visited a few times, eaten supper twice, excusing himself soon after to make the journey back to town, leaving her to spend another strained evening with Ernest Payson. Each time Noah left, she wanted to run after him, hold up her arms so he could lift her into the saddle, and ride out with him. Her father’s death had changed their relationship in a way she hadn’t anticipated.
She didn’t understand the distance he seemed to be building between them, especially after being so attentive for weeks. Most evenings before would end with her in his arms, Noah kissing her senseless, making her knees quake at the intensity of his desire. Each time, he’d pull away before going to a point from which neither could return, and each time, she wished he hadn’t.
Abby loved Noah, wanted to share her life with him in good times and bad. Her wealth complicated matters, at least in his mind. She knew he struggled with her affluence, comparing it to his job as a blacksmith, believing his status too far beneath her. Abby didn’t give a whit about social status or money. She wanted Noah.
Weeks before, she’d believed it wouldn’t be long before he asked for her hand. Then Drake murdered her father. Days were filled with visits from neighbors and friends, expressing their condolences, cooking meals, and helping to make arrangements for the funeral.
Abby moved back to the ranch, at least for a while, to settle her father’s affairs. Ernest Payson arrived within a few days, taking a room near her father’s downstairs study. Quiet and efficient, he seemed to care only for helping her understand her father’s estate and make the required decisions to keep Tolbert’s businesses running.
Noah had taken one look at Ernest and come to an immediate and, as of yet, unspoken decision. Although cordial, she sensed a chasm grow between them—one not of her mak
ing.
Noah didn’t know she had no intention of making the ranch her home, unless he stayed by her side, which seemed doubtful. He ignored her cautious hints about a future together, at times looking at her as if she were a wayward child, incapable of grasping the reality as he saw it. Those times angered her the most. She’d built a life in Splendor, worked at a job she enjoyed, and had every intention of continuing once the affairs of the ranch had been settled.
Ernest’s suggestion to Noah that he become her foreman caused an intense reaction. He’d glanced between her and Payson, opened his mouth to say something before clamping it shut, then stormed off without explanation. He hadn’t returned, leaving her angry, hurt, and confused.
“You’ve been cooped up here for weeks. Why don’t I accompany you to town tomorrow? You can visit friends then, if you agree, I’ll escort you to supper.” Ernest delivered the invitation in a genial manner, not sounding as a man intent on courting her would, for which she felt grateful.
She had an almost desperate need to see Noah, spend time with him, ask why he’d stayed in town and didn’t bother to visit. Perhaps they’d have lunch together, or maybe he’d join her and Ernest for supper.
“I have felt as if the walls are closing around me, Ernest. A visit to town would be wonderful. There are some questions I have for Mr. Clausen, and it would give me a chance to see Suzanne.”
“The owner of the boardinghouse?”
“Yes. We are quite good friends.” She chewed a bite of roast, eyeing Ernest from under her long lashes. “Would you mind if I invited Noah Brandt to share supper with us?”
Ernest picked up his napkin, dabbed at the corners of his mouth, then placed it back on his lap. “Not at all.” Sipping from the wine Fanny had poured, he noticed Abby’s glass sat empty. “Are you certain you don’t care for wine? It is quite good.”
“I’m certain it is or my father wouldn’t have purchased it. It doesn’t take much wine for my head to feel as if it’s spinning off my body.”
Sunrise Ridge (Redemption Mountain Historical Western Romance Book 3) Page 18
