Bobbi Smith (25 page)

Hawk looked Running Wolf straight in the eye and smiled. “Not yet.”

His friend returned his smile and was about to answer when they heard someone yelling at them.

“Running Wolf! Hawk!”

They looked up to see Black Cloud running toward them.

“Come quickly! Red Eagle is trying to ride the phantom!”

“What is it?” Randi asked Hawk, seeing how excited everybody was. “What’s he shouting about?”

“One of the young warriors is trying to ride Phantom,” Hawk explained quickly.

He got up to follow the warrior, Black Cloud, and Running Wolf went with him. A warrior’s horse was his most prized possession. This Red Eagle needed to be taught a lesson. If Phantom didn’t do it, then Hawk knew he would.

“I’m coming, too!” Randi said, hurrying after them.

They made their way to the clearing.

It angered Hawk to discover that Red Eagle had two of his friends helping him. Each had managed to get a rope on Phantom, and they were trying to keep him under control as Red Eagle struggled to mount the stallion. Even fettered as he was, Phantom was putting up a good fight. Hawk knew the young warrior was soon going to discover he wasn’t the horseman he thought he was.

“What are you going to do?” Randi asked as she stood at Hawk’s side, watching.

“Right now, nothing. I’m sure Red Eagle believes he can live the legend and be claimed the finest warrior by riding Phantom, so I’m going to let Phantom take care of him.”

Red Eagle looked at his two friends as he gripped Phantom’s mane and prepared to swing up on his back. “As soon as I am on him, untie him and turn him loose,” he directed.

His friends were nervous. They could tell just how strong and powerful this stallion was. They also knew his owner, Hawk, was standing there watching them, but it was too late to back out on Red Eagle now.

Word of what was happening had quickly spread through the village. Many came running up and stood with Hawk, Randi, and Running Wolf to watch the excitement.

“This stallion belongs to Hawk,” Running Wolf called out to Red Eagle.

“This stallion belongs to the gods,” the young warrior responded arrogantly. “I will prove myself today! I will ride the phantom stallion.”

Red Eagle didn’t care that Hawk and the others were there. In fact, he was glad they were, for he wanted them to witness his success. He wanted them to know he was the finest of warriors.

Ready for the ride of his life, Red Eagle vaulted onto the phantom’s back in one smooth move.

His two friends immediately did as he’d directed. They unfettered Phantom and set him free.

Phantom was ready. His power unleashed, the stallion bucked violently and twisted in a savage manner that almost threw the warrior from his back.

Many were surprised Red Eagle managed to keep his seat. Their surprise was short-lived. The stallion raced a short distance, then came to an abrupt halt and reared mightily up on his hind legs. The stallion bucked again and tossed Red Eagle from his back.

Red Eagle landed heavily on the ground.

Phantom trotted proudly away from the fallen warrior.

Randi looked up at Hawk. “Only you can ride him. You are the warrior of the legend.”

Hawk met her gaze, but said nothing. Instead, he left her there with Running Wolf and the others, and walked forward into the clearing. Phantom was unfettered and free to run off and roam the range again. Hawk watched the stallion where he was standing on a low rise in the distance. He waited to see what he would do.

Phantom remained unmoving for a moment as he looked out over the land; then he reared up on his hind legs again and was silhouetted against the sky.

Hawk had always known Phantom was a magnificent animal, and watching him only proved it. Hawk was about to go to him when the stallion suddenly raced off down the far side of the rise and out of sight.

Hawk stared after him, devastated that he was gone. The stallion had come into his life at a moment when he’d truly been desperate, and he had helped him rescue Randi. Without Phantom, Hawk realized he would never have reached her in time.

Hawk stood there, hoping against hope that the stallion would return.

But he didn’t.

Finally Hawk turned away. He started back to where Randi and the others were waiting.

Red Eagle got slowly to his feet with the help of his friends. He was humiliated at having been thrown so quickly and so violently. He’d always considered himself good at breaking horses. The phantom stallion had just proven otherwise. Uneasiness filled him as he prepared to face Hawk, but as a warrior, he knew he must.

“Hawk,” Red Eagle called out. He was ready to give the other man his own horse and anything else he wanted to atone for what he’d done.

Hawk started to turn toward the younger man when suddenly, out of nowhere, Phantom charged back over the rise.

An audible gasp of shock went up from everyone. They watched in awe as the legendary stallion galloped straight to Hawk and stopped directly in front of him.

Hawk forgot all about his anger with Red Eagle. Instead he smiled and reached out to stroke the stallion’s neck, praising him in a low voice.

“Ride him,” Randi called out.

Hawk continued to speak quietly to Phantom as he smoothly swung up on his back.

Everyone watching expected a repeat of what had just happened to Red Eagle. They were stunned when Phantom moved docilely about the clearing and obeyed Hawk’s every command.

“He is truly the legendary warrior!” Running Wolf said, telling the others what he’d already known about his friend.

“Yes, he is,” Red Eagle agreed. Though he was still humiliated by his own failure, he watched the way Hawk handled the stallion with amazement and respect.

News of all that had happened traveled quickly through the village. Everyone looked upon Hawk with even more admiration.

It was near noon when most of the villagers gathered together to see Hawk and Randi off.

“Come to the village again, my friend,” Running Wolf told him.

“I will try,” he answered. “Thank you for all you’ve done for us.”

Running Wolf nodded. He had seen to it that they had food for the return trip. “May your trip back be a safe one.”

Hawk raised a hand in farewell. He would for ever be grateful for his people’s help rescuing Randi from Fred.

“You’re sure you feel well enough to do this?” Hawk asked Randi one last time.

“Oh, yes. I want to go home. I need to see my father. I need to make sure he’s all right.”

Hawk nodded in understanding. He opened his saddlebag and took out her handgun. “Here. I want you to have this on the ride back. Just in case.”

Randi took the gun from him, appreciating the weight of the weapon in her hand. She was taking control of her life again, and it felt good. “Thanks.”

Randi slipped the gun into her waistband.

They rode from the village. It would take them about four days, but they would return to the Lazy S.

Jack was resting. He didn’t want to be, but he had no choice. He had to get his strength back. Only then would he be able to ride out and try to find Randi and Hawk.

“Jack,” Wilda called up to him from the foot of the steps. “Someone’s coming. I think it might be Pat Walker.”

Jack got out of bed and made his way to the window to take a look. He’d been wanting to talk to Pat, and he was glad to see her. He was anxious to let her know what had happened out at Black Canyon. He made his way downstairs.

“Jack! Thank God, you’re up and moving!” Pat said when she drew up in front of the house and Jack came out on the porch. She quickly dismounted and went up to him. She noticed how pale he looked and how slowly he was moving. “I only got word about what happened to you late yesterday. One of the hands had ridden into town and heard you’d been shot and Randi had been kidnapped. What happened? This is terrible! What’s going on?”

“Come on in. I’m glad you’re here. There’s a lot I have to tell you.”

Jack led the way inside. She was surprised when he went into his study and closed the door behind them. She’d thought they would just sit in the parlor. Now she knew that what he wanted to discuss was serious.

“What is it?” Pat sat down in the chair in front of his desk and watched as Jack painfully lowered himself into his desk chair. “Who did this to you?”

As she listened, Jack related the whole story. He told her of finding the hidden passage in Black Canyon that the rustlers were using. He explained how they’d ridden out there to take a look around, and how they’d planned to come and see her that day, but then they’d been ambushed.

Pat was shocked by the news of the hidden passage and outraged to learn the rustlers had been using her property. She was even more furious to learn about the ambush.

“Do you have any idea who was behind it?”

“I spoke with the sheriff, and the general feeling is that it was Fred Carter.”

“He tried to kill you, and he kidnapped Randi just because you fired him?”

“Well, yes, but there may be more to it than that.” Jack paused and looked down at his desktop.

“What about Randi?” Pat was desperate to know more. “You said Hawk rode after her. Have you heard anything back from him at all?”

“No, nothing. I sent the boys out to try to track them, but their trail got washed out.”

“I’m sorry, Jack. I’m so sorry.” She could just imagine how worried he was about his daughter. “At least you know Hawk’s still tracking her.”

“And Hawk will find her,” Jack said, repeating his belief to reassure himself. After drawing a deep breath, Jack looked up at Pat. “I have to ask you something, Pat. It’s personal, but I’ve got to know.”

“What is it?”

“Have you been seeing a lot of Wade?”

“You know, he did help me out there for a while with some work around the ranch, and we spent time together during the Stampede. I like Wade.”

“But have you seen him since the weekend in town?”

Pat frowned, wondering why Jack was questioning her this way. “No. The last time I saw him was the night of the dance. Why?”

Her simple, straightforward answer stabbed at Jack. His worst fears were confirmed. Rob had told him that when Wade had sneaked off the night before the ambush, he’d said he was going to see Pat. Pat had just proved Wade was a liar. True, Wade had been on the ranch at the time of the shooting the next morning, but if he hadn’t gone to see Pat the night before, who had he gone to see? Fred in town? Or someone else?

Jack still wondered how Wade had known about their trip to the canyon. He thought back to the afternoon when Randi and Hawk had told him about their discovery of the secret passageway in Black Canyon. Had Wade somehow overheard their conversation? He frowned. They’d been here in the study.

“Jack? What are you thinking?” Pat asked, seeing his dark expression and fearing what he was about to reveal to her.

Jack lifted his gaze to hers. “I hate to tell you this, Pat, but I think Wade may be involved in this. He may be working with the rustlers.”

“How can you say that? Wade’s a good man!” she protested, shocked by his accusation. She cared for Wade.

“That’s what we’ve all believed, all along. Randi said that same thing about him not too long ago, but the night before the ambush Wade told Rob he was sneaking off to see you.”

“He said what?”

“He said he was riding over to your place to see you. Did he visit you that night?”

Pat went pale at Jack’s revelation.

“No,” she finally answered him in a tortured voice as she met his gaze. “No, he didn’t. As I said, I haven’t seen Wade since we were in town.”

“Why would he lie to Rob?”

They fell silent as each considered the terrible truth they’d just discovered.

“I can’t prove anything yet,” Jack went on seriously, “but I’m keeping an eye on Wade. I’ll know what I have to do when Hawk gets back here with Randi.”

Pat heard him say “when,” and she prayed he was right—that Hawk would rescue Randi and bring her safely home.

“What can I do to help you?” she offered.

“Don’t tell anybody what we just talked about, and if you do see Wade, don’t let him know I’ve found out he lied to Rob.”

“I plan on riding straight back to the ranch when we’re done here, so I won’t see him at all.”

“Good.” He was glad she wasn’t so attached to Wade that she would try to find him and tell him what she’d learned. “There is one other thing.”

“What?”

“Pray that Hawk finds Randi and brings her back home safe.”

“I will,” she promised. “You told me Hawk was the best tracker around. He’ll find her.”

Hawk kept their pace smooth and steady as they rode for the Lazy S. He’d been worried that Randi wasn’t as strong as she’d claimed to be, so he didn’t want to make the trip too arduous. He was glad she was able to keep up without any difficulty.

As sundown neared on their first day of riding, they made camp near a watering hole. They ate their meal, and Hawk got ready to settle in for the night. Randi, however, had been eyeing the watering hole with interest, for she had other ideas.

“Come on,” she said, standing up and giving him an inviting grin as she held out her hand to him.

He gave her a curious look. “What are you up to?”

“You’ll see,” Randi countered.

Hawk didn’t hesitate. He got up and took her hand. He walked with her down to the water’s edge.

“Want to go for a swim?” she asked him.

The water wasn’t very deep, but just the thought of being in the cool water with Randi aroused Hawk. He didn’t bother to answer. He simply reached out and began to unbutton her shirt. She helped him with the buttons, and then they both quickly worked at shedding the rest of their clothing.

Randi finished undressing first. She gave a delighted laugh as she raced ahead of Hawk into the water. He didn’t mind one bit that she’d undressed more quickly. He just sat back and watched her go.

“You are one beautiful woman,” Hawk told her.

“Thank you.” She turned to face him as she sank down up to her shoulders in the water. “What’s taking you so long?”