Chapter Twelve

Liberty stood with her arms folded near the empty fireplace. Nick and Heath, who had ironically met Liberty as she drew near the house, either sat on the sofa or in a chair. Cynthia, who had hurried out to the ranch the moment she got off work, had taken Leah and Bryon outside. Faith was nowhere in sight as she had taken her infant son and gone to visit Audra for the day. Silence reined in the living room while the three waited for Dr. Merar or their mother to come downstairs and tell them how Jarrod was doing.

More than once Nick had stood up and more than once he'd sat down after Heath reminded him there was nothing they could do but wait. Nick broke the silence when he saw a single tear escape down Liberty's cheek. "Hey," he stood up and, in a few short steps, closed the gap between Jarrod's gal and him. Putting his hand on her shoulder, Nick said, "Jarrod will be fine. You'll see."

"Yeah," Heath spoke up and agreed. "You got to him in time."It still amazed him how the good widow freely admitted she'd had no clue to what she'd find in the north pasture. Only that her instincts told her Jarrod was there and needed her help. It made him think of the many couples he'd met through the years that seemed to have such a strong connection that when one was in trouble the other one knew it. Since this was apparently the case with Jarrod and Liberty, Heath hoped his oldest brother would be wise and marry her before she got away.

Liberty turned, her eyes begging Jarrod's brothers for answers, even though they had none. "Who would shoot him? Why would they do this?"

"I don't know," Nick's voice grew hard and hot iron appeared in his eyes, "but I'm going to find out, one way or the other." If he had to turn over every rock in the state of California, the hot tempered rancher meant to do just that.

"Did you see anything at all? Did Jarrod tell you anything?" Heath asked as he realized that neither Nick nor he had really asked any questions, not with worrying more about Jarrod than anything else.

Liberty, who had let herself get lost in thoughts of Jarrod, had to stop and think for a moment. By the time she began talking Nick and Heath were both ready to fly through the roof. "Yes, but I don't know that it means anything." She went on to tell about the riders she'd seen and the wagon. Then, just as she finished she remembered looking down on the ground just before she'd started down the hill to help Jarrod. It was almost if someone had taken their hand and drawn back the curtain of time in order for her to notice what she had not seen before. She let out a slight gasp.

"What is it?" Nick did his best not to snap, though there was demanding plea in the tone of his voice. That he couldn't keep out. Anything more she could remember would help. At least, he hoped that would prove to be the case.

"The grass…" she stared at Nick, then at Heath and back to Nick. "It had been disturbed and there was a lot of blood on it. It couldn't have been Jarrod's."

Nick and Heath felt shock roll over them. "Why do you say that?"

"It was closer to the tree." She looked at Heath, "Jarrod told me the first time we had to stop when we were trying to get back up the hill that he was standing near the edge of the hill when he was shot. I would have asked him to tell me everything, but it was all he could do to remain conscious enough to get up the hill with my help. I'm sure he can tell you more…." Her voice trailed off as she choked up. Why didn't the doctor and Victoria come down?

Just as Nick opened his mouth, they heard footsteps behind them. They whirled around to see the doctor and Victoria standing behind them. They both looked so solemn Liberty, Nick and Heath were afraid Jarrod had not made it. They were relieved when Dr. Merar told them different.

"I got the bullet out, and he's lost a lot of blood. However," he smiled at Liberty who was looking as if she was still holding her breath. "I think you all have this young lady to thank for him being alive. I doubt he could have made it home on his own and that wound…" the good doctor paused knowing he really didn't have to say thing else. "Anyway, he'll be laid up for a few days, I'm sure he'll be up and around after that. Though, his arm will have to stay in a sling for awhile."

"May I go see him?" Liberty asked after the doctor finished speaking.

Dr. Merar hesitated and then nodded. "If you must, only you can't stay very long and don't try to speak to him. I've given him something to sleep and I don't want him disturbed." After he watched Liberty leave the living room, Dr. Merar gave instructions to Victoria, Nick and Heath and then left the house.

Leah was sitting under a tree listening to Cynthia read when Dr. Merar walked out the door and climbed into his buggy. Knowing her father was still inside, the young girl stood up with the intention of going back into the house. Cynthia reached up and took a hold of her arm, though she made sure there was only gentleness in her hold, and when she spoke there was compassion in her voice. "I know you're worried about your uncle, and you have every right to be. However," she paused and then continued on, "Your father told you to stay out here with me until he came to get you."

Leah didn't move for a moment. When she did, there were tears in her eyes. "What if the bad men come and shoot papa too?"

The moment she said the words fear appeared in Bryon's face as well, and Cynthia felt her heart jump. She quickly pulled Leah down held her close with one arm she wrapped the other arm around Bryon and pulled him close. It was all she could do to speak only, for the sake of the children in her arms, she forced herself too. "We can't live with 'what if's'. We need to live in today and be grateful for what we have. Your father is alive and well. Yes, someone shot your Uncle Jarrod, but my sister, your father and your Uncle Nick got him home quickly. To top all that off, Dr. Merar wasn't busy elsewhere which means your father got medical help as soon as he could. Things will work out." She gave the children another hug. "We just have to believe that.

Leah, who had been sitting next to Cynthia, climbed onto her lap and curled up the best she could. Bryon remained seated where he was; he did not want to leave the safety he felt in Miss Carter's arms. His Uncle Jarrod just had to be okay and the men who shot him caught before they hurt anyone else. They just had to.

Heath and Nick, who had stepped out the front door with the intention of gathering a few men and searching the area Liberty had found Jarrod in, saw Cynthia under the tree with the children. "First time I've seen them get that close to anyone but family." Heath spoke almost in a whisper.

"I'd say she and Liberty are something else," Nick smiled and added, "almost as special as Faith."

That brought a smirk out of Heath and spread Nick's grin wider. "I'll go talk with the children and then," Heath said as he looked from the children to his brother, "I think we best get to finding those men."

Nick, who couldn't agree more, turned and headed for the stable. He needed to saddle Coco and talk to McCall.