Lincoln County Series 1-3 (30 page)

She soon delivered her buggy and single horse to the livery and crossed the street, just as Lacey came out of the hotel. Cameron curved a tiny smile. It was as though Lacey had been waiting for her to tire of being alone.

At least Lacey had enough discernment to be gentle. With a gloved hand, she cupped Cameron’s chin and searched her eyes, perhaps to determine if she was resigned to the fact that Andrew might never return.

“Coming to stay with me?” she asked carefully.

Cameron said nothing, lest the tears fall again. She nodded instead. Lacey plucked the tapestry carpetbag from her grip and brought her inside the grand hotel.

Once she was settled in her room and returned down the staircase she heard Lacey talking none too kindly to someone. Quickly she made her way closer to the end rail and witnessed her friend speaking to one of the newspaper delivery boys. Cameron knew him as Johnny, from when she used to wait tables in the dining room. She made herself known as she descended the staircase. Lacey glanced back at her and shoved the papers into Johnny’s little body, ushering him rudely out the door. Then she had the nerve to turn around and smile as if nothing had just occurred.

“What was that all about?”

Smoothing out her skirt, Lacey headed towards the dining room and attempted to walk around Cameron’s firm stance.

“Stop. I asked you a question.”

“It was nothing, solicitation that’s all. Now are you coming in for some tea or not?” Lacey made the mistake of having the look on her face she got when she tried to protect Cameron from something, or someone. She ought to know that look. She’d needed some guidance when she first arrived to town—all naïve and gullible she once was. That Cameron had disappeared long ago. Perhaps when she was rejected by her long-lost brother, Thomas. Or when she took up with Jake Collins, the most dangerous man around, losing herself to him thinking she was in love. Truly though, she’d become stronger than ever before after having miscarried her precious unborn son. She stared down the back of Lacey, wondering what to challenge her with before deciding to spin around and follow Johnny.

“Cameron, come back here. Leave it alone!”

“Johnny! Please Johnny come back.” Cameron stood at the end of the boardwalk. Sheepishly he returned, suddenly halting in his tracks before reaching her—looking intimidated. Knowing he saw Lacey behind her, she gently urged, “You have no need to worry about her. Show me what you brought to the hotel and I will deal with Lacey Jennings.”

Somberly, he brought a burlap bag from his shoulder and took out a stack of newspapers, the top portion of them wrinkled and unsalable, no doubt from Lacey’s rough treatment. Cameron accepted the pile he was offering. “Come by at supper time. I will pay for these then.”

She heard Lacey mumble a few unladylike words and waited until Johnny ran off before putting her eyes to the text. She barely managed to keep herself upright and leaned heavily against the wooden post, blessedly within reach. Fixing her eyes to the headline, she read aloud, “Preacher of Lincoln County Feared Dead.”

Lacey’s sympathetic voice reached her ears. “It’s speculation, which does not mean it’s so. Stupid journalistic writing… They don’t know anything. They only want to shock people.”

The papers slipped through Cameron’s fingers as she walked on unsteady legs back to the hotel. Once tucked safe inside a booth in Lacey’s restaurant she was served hot tea, and to her resentment, once again, was being coddled.

Lacey took the seat across from her and shared more of the story. “I read through the first paragraph—it was pure nonsense, I assure you. The writer states that it is highly probable only because of the length of time Andrew has been gone. We would have known if it were true by Jake… or Thomas.”

The silence was interrupted by the fierce growling coming from Cameron’s empty stomach, prompting Lacey to call for Cook to deliver something hearty and fresh.

“You must eat, keep your strength for Andrew’s return and for your little one. Promise me that. I worry about you.”

Cameron wouldn’t react at the insinuation that she was so weak of spirit that she’d starve herself and her child. Although one could easily be defensive about Lacey’s bluntness. “It isn’t that I don’t want to be strong, I have no appetite and forget to nourish myself.”

She fiddled with the cloth napkin at the table. Where
were
Jake and Thomas? Why no word yet? It was not all right that neither one had contacted her through the telegraph office. There had to be one somewhere along the way. So help them if they withheld bad news from her because they felt the need to protect her. She would let them have it to no end. It was enough to have Lacey fawning all over her, and Dr. Grover. Why couldn’t anyone see that she was stronger than before? There was nothing on earth that could break her away from her relationship with God. That had happened once and it would not do to separate herself from Him again. She’d made a commitment to Andrew to do her best to remain firm in her faith. She chose to do this not only for her husband, but for her very own self, and most importantly, God. Even if the worst should happen, she refused to waver in her belief that God was her strength.

Looking up into Lacey’s worried countenance, she appeased her. “I will eat as soon as it’s ready.”

Lacey cradled her hand. “Pleased to hear it.”

“What is taking Jake so long to return Andrew? He’s a bounty hunter! And my brother fights outlaws for a living. I need to hear from them.” Familiar tears crested her cheek. “I am desperate to hear from them.”

“I’m sure they will be in contact with us as soon as they can be. I know it’s awful of me to ask you to be patient but there it is.”

“I know Thomas will do all he can to bring my Andrew back, and if Jake cares anything for me at all, he will do everything in his power to return him to me, too.” A surprising anger rose up in Cameron as she spoke of Jake. He always found his prey. Why couldn’t he find Andrew?

“How dare you even go there? Jake does care for you, and deeply. Much more than you’ll ever admit to, Cameron Jackson.”

She accepted the scolding and indignation from Lacey’s tone. Balancing her emotions these days had been a challenge. Anger one minute, sadness the next, loneliness in between. She only wanted her husband back. How on earth could that be too much to ask?

Chapter Two

He’d almost missed it. Jake shot up his hand to halt Thomas, riding close behind. He dismounted and managed to pick up the tiny piece of cloth. The same color as the pieces he’d been finding the past several days. He held it up to Thomas, who had to squint to see it.

He examined it with the last of the light. “They’re getting smaller. Andrew must be running out of hem to leave us. They’ll be catching on to him sooner than later if they notice some of his britches are missing.”

The sun was setting and they were gearing up for another night of freezing temperatures.

Jake had seen the same routine for weeks now, none of which seemed to be getting them anywhere closer to the men holding Andrew hostage. Somehow they could never catch up and it ate at him every minute. He’d never met a challenge like the Hoffman gang. They were professionals at evading capture. Jake had finally met his match.

Thomas looked at him. “We’ve a better chance if we ride through the night. They’ve got to be easing on their vigilance.”

Jake doubted Jimmy Hoffman had any easing about him, but they had nothing to lose in treading throughout the night, except sleep. He stood tall and looked northeast, where the direction of tracks was taking them, his eyes following along the edge of a steep ravine. “It’s a risk.”

Thomas spat in disgust, no doubt also frustrated at their lack of progress. He was a man used to finding outlaws at every turn, and the Hoffman gang was making fools out of both of them. “So what? It’s a risk, but I’m sick of this trail and of I’m sick of Jimmy Hoffman. Let’s get them.”

Jake shrugged and mounted his horse. “Let’s not forget about why we’re here--to bring your sister back her husband.”

He earned a hard look from Thomas, who looked ready to kill on sight, save hopefully the one person riding alongside him.

A few hours into the ledge of the gully, rocks began to spill down below. With it being near pitch black and the light of the moon only available through slits of thick clouds, they were in a dangerous predicament. Jake swore. He hadn’t realized this trail had gotten narrower as the miles wore on. But Thomas was correct. It would be difficult for the gang to ride through here en masse, and for the first time anticipation began to build in Jake that they might actually reach them.

He pulled his collar up against the cold and listened as more rocks slipped beneath them. He had no idea how deep the ravine was and he hugged the large rocks on his right as much as his horse would allow. “Hey Thomas!” he called out.

“What is it?”

Jake smirked. “This was an idiotic thing to do, don’t ya think?”

His reply was a bit of laughter followed by, “Indeed it was.”

Fighting to stay awake, Jake figured another hour or two before they had light again, in which case they’d take a short break and keep on. He was feeling it in his bones now; they were gaining. With the numbers in the wanted group, if they were all still together, they’d be taking longer spells of rest than either he or Thomas would require. He’d leave the gang to Thomas, knowing his thirst for them being dead was surprisingly stronger than his own. All he wanted to do was be the one to bring Andrew home to Cameron. Selfishly, he wanted to prove to her that he did it despite their history. That he could do this for her and Andrew, his friend. That he was ready to move on from her. He might not be able to live in town after this, knowing she was with Andrew’s child again. That was still being resolved in him. But he was letting her go, if even for his own sake.

He took a moment to think on where he might want to settle down, and before any solid ideas formed on a location, he heard a sickening sound. Thomas’s horse was sliding. He halted and dared to dismount. Feeling around for a stub to loop his horse’s rein upon, he found only a single, limp branch that would have to do. Without startling either horse further, he felt alongside the rocky cliff and made his way to Thomas, who was heard soothing his horse.

“Somethin’ spooked her,” Thomas said.

“She steady yet?”

“About so.”

Just as Jake turned around to get back to Hunter, Thomas’s horse reared up again and from what he gathered, fell down the slope, Thomas and all. Jake threw himself flat to the ground and crawled over to the edge, feeling his way through prickly bushes and sharp rocks. A full minute passed before the dust settled. “Thomas?”

The reply he received was a moan.

“You’re alive then.”

“I am. I can’t say such for my horse. She’s gonna have to be put down.”

“Use a knife, can’t risk the gunfire.”

Jake heard the sounds of slicing, then a trickle.

Thomas said with regret, “I’m already ahead of you.”

“About how far down are you?” Jake balanced himself by burrowing his boots into the rocks behind him, ready to pull Thomas up if he could.

“I’ll need to climb a bit, will need daylight first. My leg… most likely it’s broken.”

A thousand thoughts rolled through Jake’s mind, none of them good. They were close—he knew it. Now this. They’d have to ride double to a town so he could be treated, letting the trail go cold. Or he could give Hunter to Thomas and go on foot. But they couldn’t do anything until the sun rose. Blast it!

Thomas said, “You go on without me.”

As tempting as those words were, and after a moment of considering them, he wouldn’t do it. They’d picked up their trail two other times after losing it. They could do it again.

“At first light, we’ll find a town and get you to a doctor. Need anything?”

“Got a horse for warmth and my canteen, I only wish I had me a couple shots of whiskey.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” Jake sat himself back against the cold stone, pulled his hat low and attempted sleep.

As soon as the sun arose from slumber Jake peered over the edge, where he found Thomas a bloody mess and trying to climb up the side. He reached his arm down as far as possible and Thomas grasped it.

Once rested from his exertion and after catching his breath, Thomas said, “If my memory serves me right, there’s a town within ten miles.”

“I’ll take you there.”

*** *** ***

The town wasn’t much but at least they owed Thomas’s memory something. There wasn’t a doctor available, but for a price, a cowhand offered to ride off and fetch one who served in the region. Meanwhile there was one welcome sight—a saloon. Jake bought a bottle of their finest whiskey and they shared it, silent in their thoughts. Thomas hid his pain well and Jake was grateful for that, considering the doctor was a full day’s ride away.

After filling his saddlebag with some dried food, whiskey and water, Jake set off, leaving Thomas behind with a broken leg, in a strange town and horseless. He felt for him.

But his goal was set on Cameron and the praise and gratefulness she would reign down upon him for doing this one last thing for her. Her image prompted him back to the trail. Thinking on Thomas’s lot would only slow his resolve, so he pushed all aside, except for Cameron.