Chapter Twenty
Previously:"Can't put these in any obvious place either," Gene though as he quickly folded the papers and slid them into the side of one of his boots. He then put the lid back on the jar before returning it to its spot. He then moved swiftly over to the desk…just in case Macklin had been crazy enough to put something in it as well. However, he had no more gotten the door open and begun his search when he heard the door open and the sound of a pistol's hammer being pulled backwards.
~oOo~
Nick, Jarrod, Heath and Henry pushed their horses back towards the shack that Henry told them Macklin was using; a shack that Henry had informed them the man obtained after the original owner mysteriously disappeared. Henry admitted he thought Macklin and foul play were involved, but he couldn't prove it.
While they rode, all three brothers thought about their younger brother and the fact that they wished he had been able to simply visit at home and then go back to school; a matter that was weighing especially heavy on Nick's mind.
Flashback
"Don't go blaming yourself for Gene's involvement in this. For that matter, don't blame yourself for any of us having a hand in it." Jarrod stood inside the lodge, having decided to fetch his hot tempered brother himself and tell him everything. "We should have been involved from the beginning." He held up his hand when an even more upset look appeared on Nick's face. "And stop blaming yourself for that too. You did what you had to; we all understand that. Only, now it's your turn to understand. Whether we like it or not, each and every member of this family has a hand in this situation. Jarrod gave Nick a smile as he nodded towards the main bedroom in the lodge, "You need to go back in there and tell your wife what's going on so she can hurry and pack. Mother is expecting Hannah back at the main house."
Nick, who had not really been surprised to hear all that Jarrod had told him, sighed and let out a slow breath. How he hated the things men like Crown and Macklin did; someone always wound up hurt or worse. "All right, but when we catch up with Macklin, you and Heath best stand in front of me or I'll…"
"Don't say it, Nick." Jarrod reprimanded Nick, but then had his brother chuckling when he added, "I was already thinking the same thing."
End of Flashback
The tall oak trees, green shrubbery and the few signs of wildlife all whizzed passed by the Barkley men and Henry as their horses' hooves pounded the brown dirt path they were travelling on. They did not have time to take pleasure in those things at the moment and they all knew it.
"The shack is…" Henry started to speak as they heard a couple of shots ring out. It made all the hairs on their necks stand up straight, and they pushed their horses even faster.
When the shack came into view, they could see a black haired, medium sized gentleman running away from the building. Actually, he was more like running and skipping as he held onto his right leg.
Without half thinking, Nick pushed his horse in the direction of fleeing stranger who was apparently injured, yelling over his shoulder as he did so, "Get to that shack and see if Gene's in there!"
Neither of his brothers or Henry argued with Nick as they all three made a beeline for the building, leaving the stranger to be dealt with by the hot tempered rancher.
The stranger, a forty-four-year-old man by the name of Jack Roberts, looked over his shoulder when he heard the sound of a horse approaching. He starting cursing, turned around knowing he couldn't outrun the rider, and pulled out his pistol. However, before he had a chance to pull the trigger, Nick had whipped out his own gun and fired, though he made sure he didn't kill the man outright. Jack fell to the ground, seconds later Nick was kneeling beside him demanding to know where Macklin was.
"Macklin," Jack let out a disgusted chuckle as he stiffened, his back arching ever so slightly, "He's still looking for that woman! I told him she wasn't in the area, but he decided she was…decided there was no way he travelled back here for nothing. I thought he'd be here. I guess he must have headed back to Lovell; after all, he did say he just knew she would show up at the hotel sooner or later. I was supposed to be going there myself, but I decide to come here. We had some very important papers hidden in a can, didn't want to chance them being found." The man coughed and held onto his side. "What good it did me; the papers weren't in any can. He must have taken them with him." The man paused as pain shot through him once more. "I told him to stop chasing her, just to wait until she heads to the courtroom in California, but " The man gasped again and then snarled, "he won't give up on looking for her; he can't afford to let her go free."
"Why not?" Nick asked even though he figured it was because Macklin feared Crown would kill him. However, he was stunned to learn Henry's guess about Macklin was right when the man looked up at him and, seeing no reason to keep quiet now, laughed as he struggled to raise up on one elbow. He then pointed his finger at Nick and said, "Crown thinks he has an ally in Macklin, only he doesn't. Macklin only wants Crown's trust so he can bring the man down and take his pla…" Jack stiffened and gasped for air for the last time, and then collapsed once more.
Nick reached down and felt the man's pulse; there was none. Then, more than anxious to find his baby brother, Nick stood up, threw the man over the back of Coco and remounted his horse.
~oOo~
While Nick had been taking care of Jack Roberts, his brothers and Henry had practically flown off their horses and rushed through the swinging open door of the cabin. The three men froze for a split second, as they had their worst fears confirmed…Gene lay on the floor unconscious and bleeding from a bullet wound to the back.
"Gene!" Jarrod and Heath flew to their brother's side, wondering how on earth the man Nick had went after had managed to get shot in the leg if he'd shot Gene from behind.
"Here," Heath removed the bandana he was wearing and handed it to Jarrod. "Use this to get the bleeding stopped."
By the time Jarrod and Heath had stopped the bleeding, moved Gene to one of the cots, removed his shirt and his boots, Nick was entering the shack. One look at Jarrod and Heath taking care of Gene, and Henry kneeling on the floor looking rather ill, and Nick swore and then asked, "How is he?"
"He's still breathing." Jarrod answered as he looked at both his brothers. "One of us needs to go get a doctor."
"I can do that." Henry, more than eager to do what he could to help the Barkleys, spoke up. "I'm going with him." Nick barked, and then explained what had happened. "I've got to go talk to the sheriff and," his eyes filled with fire, "if I'm lucky, I'll run into Macklin."
"Take these." Jarrod stunned Nick when he handed him the very papers the dead man had been looking for. "Gene had them in one of his boots." Jarrod explained and then turned his attention back to his baby brother.
Nick again cursed men like Roberts, Macklin and Crown. "Don't wait on me! Get that doctor!" he snapped at Henry who was waiting for him by the door.
"Yes, sir!" Henry turned and, opening the door, ran for his horse.
When it came to Nick, he knew he need to do two things. One, take the dead man to the sheriff and; two, move as fast as possible. That being the case, Nick decided to throw the corpse on top of Gene's horse. It would be better than making Coco carry double the weight than he was used too.