Chapter Fourteen

Lou paced around the cabin. It was hard to stay behind and not be out looking with the others. She understood why she was there though. She was left behind so she would be safe just as much as she was there to protect Rachel. Lou looked over at one of the busted up chairs and remembered the danger they could all be in. If the bank robbers were still in the area, she and Rachel would look like easy targets. Lou stayed vigilant to make sure if those robbers tried to attack them, it would be the biggest mistake they ever made.

Rachel kept a pot of hot water on a grate over the fire and began to prepare a hearty stew once the sun started to sink from the sky. She and Lou hardly spoke to one another. Not for lack of interest or ill will, but from the preoccupation of their family being out in the elements. Once the stew was simmering, Rachel sat on the edge of the bed and began to knit a scarf. She had only gotten through a few rows when she pulled the yarn out several times after repeatedly dropping a stitch. She let out a sigh and looked over at Lou who smiled in sympathy. They were stuck with all the worrying and nothing short of everyone, including Buck, walking through the door was going to prevent that.

The monotony of the day was broken up by what Lou was sure was someone lurking outside. The first time a tree branch hit the side of the cabin, Lou jumped. She thought it might be one of the search parties, because neither group showed up for a resupply in the late morning, but she didn't find anyone outside when she went to look. For a time, she thought it was just the wind, but she kept crossing to the window every few minutes to make sure anyway.

Lou went to the window once more and Rachel couldn't help but laugh a little. "Why don't you sit down and grab some needles and I'll teach you to knit," she offered. "You're gonna wear a hole in the floor."

"Oh, Rachel, I don't know if I could sit still that long," Lou answered honestly.

Rachel grinned and started to clear a space on the bed for Lou to sit. "Come here," she said as she moved a ball of yarn.

Lou started to move toward the bed when she heard another noise outside. It was a bit louder than before and it didn't sound like a branch hitting the side of the cabin. Lou drew her gun and went to the door. She slowly opened it.

Lou looked outside again and there wasn't anything there. She was about to go back inside and berate herself for being easily spooked, but the fresh footprints she saw in the snow convinced her otherwise. From what Buck taught the riders about tracking she knew it wasn't any of her friends. Lou vowed to be more vigilant. It was probable that the prints were left by the very outlaws they were looking for.

Skirting the edge of the cabin, Lou started to follow the prints to make sure whoever was around was now gone. Around the last corner, Lou nearly ran right into a man she didn't recognize. She stopped short and put her gun in the man's back. In return she felt the barrel of a gun in her own.

"Drop the gun nice and slow," a harsh voice said behind her.

Lou hesitated. The last thing she needed was to get caught and put Rachel in danger. There had to be a way to get out of this. Lou let her gun drop to the ground and slowly turned to face the gun man at her back.

The sound of a couple of horses galloping toward the cabin distracted the gunman and Lou let herself move on instinct. She grabbed his gun arm and swung him into the other man, disarming him in the process. By the time Jimmy and Cody rounded the corner. Lou had picked up her own gun and had one trained on each of the men.

"Nice piece of work, Lou," Cody said as he jumped from his horse. He opened his saddle bags and pulled out a rope to tie up their prisoners. Jimmy pulled his gun and aimed it at the stronger of the men as Cody bound them.

"Now, how about you tell us your names," Jimmy said menacingly.

"I'm Leon and this here's Hank," Leon said in a shaky voice.

"Shut up, Leon," Hank warned. "We're not telling these guys anything."

"Suits me fine," Lou said with a wicked smile. "We'll just tie the two of you to that tree over yonder. There isn't room for you in the cabin anyway."

By the time Lou, Jimmy, and Cody returned from tying the men up, Rachel had finished the scarf she was working on and started a pair of mittens. Rachel was startled and stood up quickly when the door opened, but sank back onto the bed where she was sitting when the boys reported that they had captured the bank robbers.

Rachel handed both Jimmy and Cody a cup of hot coffee as they warmed themselves by the fire. Their long faces told a story of frustration.

"No luck finding Buck out there?" Lou asked.

Jimmy just stared ahead at the fire. "There were no caves and we didn't find a trace of them. I just don't know."

After downing a cup of coffee, Cody grabbed his Hawkin and walked toward the door. "I'll take guard duty," he said.

Lou watched Cody leave and then turned back to Jimmy. "I know Buck's alright though," she said. "If anyone can survive in this, it's him."

Jimmy nodded. "I hope you're right. Cody and I didn't find anything. Not a thing."

"I think those robbers know something," Lou decided. "All they need is the right incentive to talk."

Jimmy finished his coffee and stood up. "I'm going to have a little chat with our two guests," he said with a slightly sinister glare. "I have all the incentive they're ever gonna need." Jimmy placed his hands suggestively on his Colts after handing his coffee cup back to Rachel.

Lou nodded in agreement as Rachel set the cup down and went back to stirring the pot of stew on the fire.

"Be careful, Jimmy," Rachel said as he shut the door behind him.

Jimmy walked with grim intention over to the tree they had tied the bank robbers to. The anger in him was reaching a boiling point, but on the outside he exuded complete control. These men were responsible for robbing the bank of Rock Creek. That put its citizens in a tight spot. These men also kidnapped the banker's daughter and she wasn't with them now. She was probably dead and he didn't want to have to tell the banker and his wife that he had failed them. Then there was Lou. These men had the drop on her. If he and Cody hadn't shown up when they did they could have hurt her very badly and it may have led them to hurt Rachel as well. But the thing that was making it hard for Jimmy to control his temper was Buck. His friend was missing and if these men did anything to him they would have him to answer to.

Cody leaned against the tree and smirked upon Jimmy's arrival. His half smile betrayed how much he was looking forward to this interrogation. Jimmy knew he wouldn't get any resistance from his friend when things turned ugly. Jimmy paced in front of the men a few times to make them nervous, he stopped, turned, and looked at Cody. "Which one is the weak one?" he asked.

Cody nodded to Leon and Jimmy smiled his most dangerous smile.

"I'll tell you anything you want to know," Leon volunteered. "I don't want to die!"

"Shut up, Leon!" Hank yelled. "Don't you tell them nothin'!"

"Don't stop now, Leon," Cody said with an easy smile. He walked over and shoved the butt of his Hawkin into Hank's solar plexus. Hank let out a groan as Leon gulped in fear.

"It was all that girl's fault," Hank supplied with a weak voice. "Tell 'em Leon. Tell him about how that girl planned the whole thing."

"She lured us sure as anything," Leon said giving Hank a sidelong look. His nerves started to make him shake.

"Where is she now," Jimmy growled. He wasn't letting these men think for one second he believed them, but he needed to find that girl.

"She done runned away," Leon said. "Took the money with her and left us high and dry."

"I'm sure it was more like she escaped," Cody snickered. "But boys, we have us another problem, don't we Jimmy?"

"We sure do, Cody," Jimmy replied. "You see a friend of ours came up here the day before you robbed that bank and now he's missing. I don't suppose you two would know anything about that?"

Hank and Leon looked at one another and Hank gave Leon a warning look.

"Won't do you no good to stay silent," Jimmy warned.

"That half-breed was gone before we got here," Leon said squirming.

"Now, Leon, how did you know we were talking about Buck," Cody taunted at Leon's obvious lie. "I think you can do a little bit better than that."

"Shut up, Leon!" Hank said struggling. "We don't know nothin'. That girl tricked us into helping her rob that bank. She said her father needed her to move the money from the bank to a secure location and that she needed some muscle to protect her and the money. When we got here, she ran off with that no account half-breed. They're working together I tell ya!"

Cody turned to Jimmy and frowned. "Have you heard enough?" he asked.

"Yep," Jimmy said. "I don't think we'll get much out of them without torture."

"T-t-t-torture?" Leon stammered.

"Torture," Cody assured him.

"Don't listen to them, Leon," Hank croaked out as Cody's rifle butt connected with Hank's mid-section again. "We're telling you the truth!"

"Cody, you stay here with Leon, while me and Hank have a little talk," Jimmy suggested as he pulled Hank to his feet. Jimmy marched him to the other side of the cabin as Leon watched. Once out of view, Hank gave a terrifying scream.

"Now, Leon," Cody said with smile. "Let's hear what really happened."

"Ok, ok, ok," Leon yielded. "It was all Hank's idea. We tricked that girl and she escaped with the money and that half-breed. That's all I know. I swear!"

Cody looked intently at him trying to judge the truth.

"Please don't hurt me!" Leon said and started to cry. "We just needed the money."

"Which way did they go?" Cody asked forcefully.

"I don't know!" Leon cried. "We've been looking for them for days. They're probably dead and buried under the snow. We took the breed's stuff so we know they ain't got nothin'."

"Alright," Cody said as he turned away Leon. Hank gave another scream and Leon began to sob in earnest.

"I'm sorry!" Leon whimpered.

Cody was debating on whether or not to knock Leon out to reduce the noise when he heard horses. Immediately hopeful, he looked over to find Kid and Teaspoon heading his way. His hopes were soon dashed as he realized they were alone. Jimmy led Hank back to Leon once he heard the horses approach. He had him all the way back by the time their friends were in speaking range.

"I see you two caught yourself some bank robbers," Teaspoon said as he stopped his horse in front of Cody.

"Well Lou did, really," Cody bragged. The temptation to rattle Kid was too much for Cody and he smiled when his declaration worked. Kid's face betrayed him with all sorts of worry playing out in the contortions he put his face through. Cody smiled and gave him a bit of mercy. "She's in the cabin with Rachel safe and sound."

Kid looked immediately relieved as Jimmy hid an amused grin.

"So what did these here fellers tell you?" Teaspoon asked.

"Well this one was less than cooperative," Jimmy said pushing a pale and mumbling Hank to the ground next to Leon. "I think he's in more of a talking mood now."

"Leon told me everything he knew," Cody said with a half satisfied smile. "I just wish he could have been more helpful."

"How so?" Teaspoon asked.

"We were right that they took Miss Franklin here and ran into Buck," Cody reported. "From the sounds of it, Buck and Miss Franklin escaped with the stolen money, but they don't know where they are."

Teaspoon looked concerned. "We didn't see hide nor hair of those two out in the north part of the woods. Just animal tracks."

"We'll find 'em, Teaspoon," Cody assured him.

"Well, I have to take these two men back to town tomorrow," Teaspoon said. "That's gonna leave at least two less pairs of eyes looking for them."

Teaspoon looked into the eyes of his riders and saw his same concern echoed in their faces. The last thing he needed was for them to give in to their worry. "Come on," he said breaking the tense silence, "Rachel's probably got supper ready we can talk about what happens tomorrow over a good meal."

Although everyone appreciated Rachel's fine cooking, the mood in the cabin was quiet and contemplative. Teaspoon shifted from chasing potatoes around his plate to eating heartily. The same reaction was repeated on the plates of everyone else. Battling worry against the need to keep their energy up, was something Rachel, Teaspoon, and their Riders had too much experience with.

After dinner it was time to plan the next day's activities. While taking shifts guarding the prisoners, Teaspoon and the Riders discussed how to best split the tasks. It was decided that Teaspoon and Jimmy would ride back with the prisoners and the rest would keep looking for Buck and Miss Franklin.

A small fire in the fireplace kept the tiny cabin and a pot of coffee warm. A fire outside kept their prisoners from succumbing to the cold. The Riders split their time outside guarding their quarries and inside trying to sleep. The sleep proved fitful. Catching the robbers should have given them all comfort, but not knowing what had become of Buck and the girl had them all tossing and turning instead of getting the rest they needed.

A/N: Thank you to dear Beulah for keeping her peepers on my story and making such fabulous catches and suggestions. Thanks to all the ladies on the plus for the support. And special thanks to all the readers and reviewers. It means a lot to me that you continue to tune in.