Brazos Bride (25 page)

Placing a hand on Micah’s shoulder, Zach said, “Don’t do anything until we learn who’s behind this and why.”

“
And then I’ll kill him.” Micah stormed toward the corral.

Wooster stood directing the training of a new mare. When he saw the others approach, he signaled for Red to take over.

Wooster strode toward them. “What’s happened now?”

Micah condensed the evening’s events. “We want to talk to Alejandro. Where is he?”

“
Disappeared. Didn’t even ask for his pay. Fact is, he said nothing to me about leaving, but his tack and horse are gone. Hands say he didn’t mention going to any of them either, just slipped out last night and never returned.”

Joel asked, “Is that like him?”

Wooster grimaced. “Never was our best man. Used his long-time friendship with Mrs. Stone.” He met Micah’s gaze. “Have to admit I put up with his slacking off because of his connection, specially with his sister being such good friends with your wife. Otherwise, I’d have sent him on his way.”

Micah clenched his fists so tight he thought his skin would burst. “When I find him...and I will...he and I are having a serious discussion before I beat the shit out of him. Then I’ll kill him.”

“
Sí
, I will help you.”

Joel held up his hand. “Eduardo, don’t forget the sheriff still wants to pin you for the murder of that Daisy woman. Little brother, we’ll look for this Alejandro together.”

Micah didn’t need an escort, but he was in too much of a hurry to argue. “And don’t say anything to Ramona about this, right?” He didn’t trust the woman and didn’t want to leave her alone with Hope while everyone else was busy. He’d have a word with his aunts before he left.

Zach slapped Eduardo on the shoulder. “Looks like you get to stay with Hope today and make sure no one makes another attempt on her life while we’re looking for Alejandro Chavez.”

“
I prefer to go with you, but I also do not want Hope unprotected.” Eduardo shrugged. “
Amigos,
I asked Papa to tell me how we are related, this Diego and me.”

“
You? That mean he’s kin to Hope?”

“
Sí
, from Aiyana, the wife of Cesare Montoya. You remember I said she was Comanche? Her nephew was Diego’s great uncle. Papa said she always claimed the land belonged to her people and they let Cesare live here only because of her. She was one mean old woman, and she lived until only ten years ago. Always she scared the
caca
from me.” He raised his hand in farewell and walked away.

The brothers went to the barn and gathered their tack.

“
We’re gonna get to the bottom of this, and I mean today.” Micah said as he saddled his horse.

“
Don’t go off half-cocked, little brother. We need to go about this logically.” Joel mounted his horse. “Wooster, you know a safe place to get across the river?”

“
Several. I’ve had them watched around the clock. No cattle have moved across.”

Micah asked, “Alejandro pull any of the watches?”

Wooster shook his head. “Never quite trusted him. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a partner here.”

Zach mounted his horse. “Let’s go up on that peak between here and Jorge’s ranch. Looks like a tough climb, but I’ll wager we can see a lot of the river from there and a good bit of the ranch."

“
The ride up there is rough. Nothing moving up there but a few jackrabbits...and more rattlers.”

Micah said, “We’ll follow your lead.”

Two hours later the foursome pulled up beneath a rocky cliff. For the past hour, they’d followed a narrow trail that wound up the mountain.

Wooster raised his hand to call a halt. “Have to leave the horses here and hike the rest of the way.” He dismounted and let his horse’s reins drop. “Now look, men, I’m serious when I say be careful where you put your hands and feet. Nothin’ up here’s friendly.” Wooster glanced around and picked up a broken branch about five feet long and an inch in diameter. “Grab yourselves a walking stick.”

Micah and his brothers followed suit, and soon he saw Wooster’s reason. The backs of Micah’s legs burned as if fire chased him. All his walking had been on more or less level ground, not straight up a rocky path. The branch helped him gain traction on the slippery trail, but did nothing to ease the strain on his legs.

Zach shot a rattler curled on the path. “Hate those things.”

Joel said, “Someone’s been here not too long ago.”

“
Me,” Wooster said. “Still, figured it’d give you the best lay of the land. Red and I came up about six weeks ago. Wanted to get a bird’s eye view. Look for stray cattle.” He stopped and used his sleeve to wipe sweat from his face. “Montoya...that’s the younger brother...had said to forget it, but I had to make another stab at finding them. I take losing cattle as a personal insult.”

When they reached the summit, each man carefully chose a boulder and plopped down. Although this was the tallest mountain east of Stone Mountain, it’s height was several hundred feet less. Still, its height provided an impressive observation point.

Zach said, “Whew. Man, the view is worth the climb. Reminds me of my place”

Below them lay the Brazos River winding lazily through the valley. Groups of cattle grazed on parched grass. Four ranch hands worked a fence line.

Micah took out a spyglass and surveyed the shore. “Wooster, look there. Looks almost like a bridge.” He handed the instrument to Wooster.

Wooster focused the glass. “Reckon that’s a limestone formation. Can’t say as I ever noticed it before. Lotta land to cover.”

“
That’s the truth.” Micah returned the spyglass to his vest pocket. “Let’s fix it in our minds. Hmm, due north of the ranch’s main barn, and I say we find that place.”

Joel said, “First, we go back and see if Alejandro turned up. We need a plan for our assault on someone else’s land.”

Chapter Twenty-seven

Hope had embroidered until her eyes threatened to cross. The memory of the snake in her bed haunted her, horrified her. She’d been shot at and received poison in her food. Why was a reptile in her bed worse? Unable to reason her intense repulsion, recalling the venomous serpent had tightened her frayed nerves to the breaking point.

Her room was supposed to be a haven, not a death trap. Her mind refused to focus on anything but thoughts of relaxing innocently in bed only to be attacked by striking fangs. If not for her husband’s care, she would have shattered.

She thanked God for Micah’s presence. A blush heated her cheeks. His lovemaking had thrust away all thoughts but him. Her husband’s tenderness should not have surprised her, but she had not imagined any man could be so gentle. Nor that she could act with complete abandon. Was she wanton to enjoy their joining as she had? Warmth infused her. She feared her companions would notice her lack of focus.

Instead, Ramona laid aside her mending. “If you will excuse me, I will take a bit of fresh air in the rose garden.” She stood and walked from the sunroom.

When Hope started to rise also, Eduardo shook his head. “You must remain inside. I promised your husband, so do not make a liar of me. You do not want him to pound me to the ground, do you?”

Hope sighed, wishing she could whoosh away danger as easily. “No, I only want this nightmare to end for us, and wish it to end happily with each of us still alive.” She stood. “I can walk around in the house, can I not?”

He shrugged, his usual comment.

She walked toward the large windows along the sunroom’s outer wall. She caught sight of Ramona walking briskly toward the rose garden. She saw what looked like a man’s arm loop across her shoulders and pull Ramona around the corner of a cedar.

How odd. Could she have been mistaken? No, she was certain a man waited for Ramona.

“
Eduardo? Do you know if Ramona has a-an
amante
?”

“
How would I know this? She is your friend.”

“
But she is also your friend? She confided to me that she hopes someday to marry you.”

He widened his eyes. “
Me
marry Ramona? Never!”

“
But you flirt with her whenever you see her.”

He shrugged again. “Am I not a man? If she wishes to flirt with me, I would never be so rude as to ignore her.”

Hope knew Eduardo’s charm eased him through life. “You must like her as a friend at least. We have known one another all our lives.”

“
My sweet cousin, always I tolerate Ramona because you wish me to do so.”

Prickles of wariness shot down her spine. “Come with me. We must learn who has joined her in the garden.”

Hope raced up the stairs with Eduardo on her heels. In Micah’s bedroom, she eased along the wall until she could observe the garden without being seen. She gasped. Ramona and Diego Gonzales kissed.

Perhaps he had forced himself on her. No, when he would have pulled away, Ramona pulled him back for another kiss.

“
Shhh.” Eduardo put his fingers to his lips, then spoke quietly. “That does not look like she is in love with me.”

“
I do not understand. Why would she even let Diego near her?”

Her cousin threw off his carefree air. Seldom had she seen this part of his personality. “You must stay here. Promise me you will remain inside the hacienda, in this room. I should follow Diego.”

“
Alone? No, please do not.” She tugged on his arm to restrain him.

“
Micah said I cannot leave you alone, but I am going to follow Diego. I will get the aunts to come sit with you.” He gently removed her hand.

“
And if a gunman comes, what can the aunts do?”

He grabbed her shoulders. “Lock the doors and stay in this room until your husband, he returns. I
must
follow Diego. That man, he is the key to everything that has happened. Of this I am sure.” Eduardo slipped from the room.

Hope locked the door. She returned to watch Ramona with the horrid Diego. What madness had come over her friend even to associate with such a man? And Ramona had kissed him willingly!

Ramona turned and flounced toward the house. Invisible from Ramona’s location, Eduardo followed Diego from the garden. Hope lost sight of the men as they turned behind the house.

Did Eduardo have a gun? His horse? His
vaqueros
? She stepped toward the balcony to get a better view just as Ramona looked upward. Her smug expression became a scowl, and she hurried toward the house.

Hope hugged her arms. That Ramona had partnered with Diego was unthinkable. She and Ramona had been friends all their lives. But so had Eduardo and he did not like Ramona. Hope suspected Micah also did not approve of Ramona, although he was very courteous.

What should she do? She was alone with only the aunts and her household staff to help. But Ramona would never attempt to hurt her, would she?

Thoughts whirled in Hope’s mind. When she was ill, Ramona hovered. Taking care of her. Seeing she took her tonic. Making sure she ate her meals. The open balcony doors last night after Ramona preceded her upstairs.

Hope sank onto the bed. No! Not her friend. A woman she trusted like a sister.

The doorknob rattled. “Hope, open the door.”

“
Not now, Ramona. I have a headache and must rest.” She looked around the room. Nothing handy that could make a weapon. Micah’s razor! She grabbed the weapon, folded it, and hid the razor in her hand. Even with the door locked, holding it soothed her.

No, she was being silly. Wasn’t she? She sank back onto the bed and waited for Micah’s return.

“
You do not look as if you have a headache.” Ramona entered from the dressing room.

Hope jumped.

“
Foolish woman, you did not lock the door to your mama’s room.”

She slid from the bed to face Ramona. “I do have a headache. That’s why I left the sunroom.”

“
You are not good at lying. You were spying on me, were you not?”

“
N-no, not until I saw there was a man with you.” Hope gazed into Ramona’s cold eyes. Anger and hatred radiated from the woman she’d called friend. “Why were you with Diego? You know what a dangerous man he is.”

“
As if you could understand. Diego is
muy macho
. Soon he will be wealthier than even your papa.” Ramona walked toward Hope slowly, a cat stalking a bird.

I will not be her prey any longer. Keep her talking, stall for time
.

“
I understand now it was you who poisoned Mama and me. But why?”

“
Your arrogant mama said you should no longer associate with me because I am only the granddaughter of your cook. Do you remember?”

Hope did. She and Mama had argued, one of the few times she had stood up to her mother. “Surely that was no reason to poison her.”