Chapter Fourteen

Due to the fact that he'd bumped into the sheriff and learned that the stagecoach wasn't expected to roll into town for another forty-five minutes, Heath hoped that Jarrod and Benjamin would be able to turn the tables on the two men waiting for him at Tagen's house before the banker showed back up in town. After all, Heath was pretty sure Millers and Conners would secure him to something, anything, to prevent him from moving. As he'd passed Modesto's saloon, Heath's mind had turned back through time.

"What are you in such a hurry for?" Nick sat at one of the tables playing cards with the livery stable owner and Mr. Andrews; both men were taking a break from their regular work and enjoying a friendly games of cards with the Stockton rancher. "I'm working on getting the money back we paid our friends this morning."

Heath hadn't been able to stop a chuckle as he'd continued on his way. Getting their money back; well, it had worked—but only when it came to Mr. Andrews. He and Nick had wound up with a free night at the boarding house. However, when it came to Mr. Williams, the livery stable owner had gotten double the money for taking care of their horses. Which, of course, meant they hadn't really gotten any of their money back. Heath's mind had then turned the pages of his memory even further back, and he'd seen himself talking to Frank Sawyer while Tagen drove a wagon out of town, one that carried his dead son in the back of it.

"I don't like this. You'll always be in danger as long as that man lives. I wish I could ride after him and arrest him for something, anything, and throw him behind bars for life." Frank turned sideways and looked at Heath. "You sure you won't agree to work with me on a permanent basis?"

Heath knew Frank was really saying 'stick around so I can have your back'. He'd appreciated it and almost accepted. Working with Frank Sawyer was steady work and made it so he could send money to his mother, Aunt Rachel and Hannah on a regular basis. Still…there was something calling him, and he had to listen. He had to move on, though he was a loss as to explain why. "Thanks, but no, this law thing isn't for me. That is, not on a regular basis it's not." He then urged Frank not to worry about Michael Tagen. "He may or may not prove to a problem in the future, but why worry about it now? It's only borrowing stress neither one of us needs."

Heath gave Frank a crooked smile and agreed.

However, when Michael Tagen's home had come into view, Heath had been brought out of the past and to the matter at hand. He was a hundred percent sure both of Tagen's men were in the house waiting for him. As he'd drawn closer to the home which actually held a bit of a haunted look to it, Heath prayed Jarrod and Benjamin wouldn't be too far behind. While Heath was now dealing with the present, Jarrod and Benjamin-who were following at what they hoped was enough distance as to prevent Conners and Miller from seeing them...should the men be watching from any window in Tagen's home, were having their own discussion.

"Like I told Heath, that house only has two entrances." Benjamin talked even as he kept his eyes wide open. While he and Jarrod had not talked to the sheriff, they had overheard a couple of men talking. The overheard conversation-or the part they'd heard-was just enough to make it so they had the same information that had been given to Heath. "The front door and the back one. The back one leads into the laundry room. I can't see them holding Heath there once he's inside. I think they're more apt to take him into the living room; everyone around here knows Mr. Tagen has a fascination for that particular room. Though, don't ask me why." He turned his head slightly, making it so he could look at Jarrod. "I think it would be safer for us to go in the back door."

Since Benjamin lived in Modesto, Jarrod took his word when it came to Mr. Tagen and his home. He just hoped the gentleman was correct.. Having already buried one brother, he didn't want to bury Heath as well. "Fine, the back it is." The fact that Jarrod kept his face forward as he answered did not pass by Benjamin, though it didn't really matter to him. If he was in Jarrod's boots, he'd be doing the same thing.

While Jarrod and Benjamin were quietly having their discussion as they followed the path Heath and they had agreed upon, Heath was making his way up the steps that led to the front door of Michael Tagen's home. As he reached for the brass door knob, Heath had no doubt the men inside were waiting for him. Sure enough, the moment he opened the door and stepped into the foyer of Michael Tagen's home, Conners and Miller stepped out of the living room, their guns drawn. Snake like grins were on both men's faces.

"Told you he'd come," Conners glanced at Miller and then told Heath to removed his pistol from his holster, slowly, and then to drop it onto the floor. Heath did as he was told.

Conners then flicked his wrist, causing the gun he had been pointing towards Heath to point towards the living room. "Go sit in the chair, the one in the middle of the room." Again, Heath did as he was told. Moments later, Miller had taken the rope he and Conners had laid on the sofa and was securing Heath to the chair. Just as Millers finished one of the rectangular shape windows that could be opened blew open when a gust of wind hit it. It caused both Heath's captors to jump backwards.

"I told you to make sure that thing was locked!" Conners barked at Miller, who was hurrying to shut, and relock, the window.

"I did!" Miller, who was tiring of the way Conners always bossed him around, snapped back. "I don't know how it came loose."

It was all Heath could do to keep his poker face in place, as he could see Nick standing off to the side of the window with a grin on his face and a look in his eyes...a look that, basically, said something along the lines of 'this is going to be fun!' 'Guess I have my question as to whether or not Nick would actually be able to stand aside and watch answered' Heath chuckled silently to himself.