Chapter Thirteen
Previously:
"We," Jarrod looked at Fen before turning his face back towards Nick, "told the sheriff we will start looking first thing in the morning. He says he has to have solid proof of what Carl is telling us, as he can't arrest anyone on heresay." He glanced up at the darkening sky and then continued. "The best thing Heath and you can do is stay right here. After all, those men might just get it into their heads to send a man-or men- out here. Sheriff is going to keep his ears and eyes wide open in town."
….
"All right," Nick agreed – even as he wished there was a way to make the night go faster.
((((
Bear, who had scrambled up the side of a hill and hid behind some huge boulders arranged in such a manner as to create a crevice, stood studying the potential hiding place. While most crevices he'd seen in his life were far too narrow for him, this one was actually just wide enough for him to fit into. He was grateful for the shelter for two reasons; one, it kept the rain that was falling from drenching him and; two, it kept him hidden from the man who had been following him. Bear chastised himself. "You've done it this time, boy. You knew that man was trouble, never should have let him see you in the first place." He settled into place and made himself as comfortable as possible – if that was even possibility – knowing he didn't dare leave his hiding place for a few hours at the least. While he was ninety-five percent sure the rain would wash out any tracks he had made, the man called Bear knew all too well what would most likely happen if he was wrong. His mind wandered back to the day he told his wife about the telegram that he'd received, one that had pulled him away from the farm. To the every day observer, there was nothing said to raise any eyebrow. Only, as with the telegram he'd sent his son, there was nothing normal about it.
"I thought you were going to switch occupations for good, stick to Farming." His wife sat in front of her vanity-one of the few luxuries she had-brushing her long red hair.
Bear didn't have to ask if she was unhappy with the situation; he could hear it in her voice. "I don't like it either honey. Only, what am I supposed to do? Hyrum lost his life due to the men that are being sought. I can't just sit by and do nothing."
Hyrum. Anna sighed. The man wasn't family by blood only he had grown up with her husband, and might as well be Bear's brother. Why did men have to go make such trouble with each other? What was so wrong with working together and helping one another? "You won't do another job after this?" She turned and looked at her husband.
"I promised you before that, unless someone we cared deeply for was involved, I wouldn't. Told you I'd do all I could to ensure I was here to help you raise Carl. And," his eyes gently reprimanded her, "I have kept that promise. Haven't I?"
Anna sighed and nodded. "I'm just scared. It took us almost ten years to get Carl. I don't want to finish raising him alone."
"You won't have to." Bear stepped closer to his wife and, leaning down, kissed her on the lips. "You'll see; I'll come home."
Once again, Bear chastised himself for his carelessness. "What you need now is a miracle."
A miracle is exactly what Bear was in the process of getting as Nick, who was standing on the Douglas porch with the aide of crutches, Leah, Mrs. Douglas and Carl watched Fen, Jarrod and Heath-who had reluctantly joined Jarrod and Fen after Mrs. Douglas and Leah had downright insisted the night before that it was unnecessary for anyone but Nick to stay with them. All were grateful that the rain that had been falling was now only an extremely slow drizzle. In fact, one might as well say the storm had stopped.
'I've been handling firearms since I was a child, and Carl has been hunting since he was nine." Mrs. Douglas stood in the middle of the living room with her arms fold as she looked at the Barkleys and 'Fen' Miller. "In fact, I'd fight Nick staying with us only you're right. If anyone is sent here to cause trouble, we have no way of knowing if it would be one man or more."
Leah -who stood next to Nick – quickly spoke up the moment Mrs. Douglas had finished. "I've had more than ample experience when it comes to handling rifles and pistols. Thank yourself for that one, Uncle Fen."
While Nick hated the idea of not going with Jarrod and Fen, he couldn't see where it was necessary for both he and Heath to stay either. So, in spite of knowing Jarrod and Heath had already talked, he sided with the women. "With their experience with firearms, it will be fine. Heath needs to go with you."
"Keep your eyes and ears open." Jarrod, who had mounted his horse, looked at Nick-even while he threw a quick glance towards Leah. It made Nick glare at his elder brother; Leah blush a bit, and Mrs. Douglas grin even as she did her best not to down right laugh. None of them were blind; they knew full well Leah and Nick were interested in each other-even if neither one had flat out admitted it in words.
"Just go find Bear!" Nick feigned annoyance, though he fooled no one. Soon his brothers and Fen were riding away. As the three men rode away, Mrs. Douglas turned around and went back into the house. That is, after she'd told Carl to get his chores done.
Once they were alone on the porch, Nick smiled at Leah. "You'd think we were school children the way Jarrod looked at us."
"Just Jarrod?" Leah, who hadn't missed the fact that her uncle and Heath's eyes were saying the same thing the Stockton attorney had voiced, laughed even as she spoke.
Nick busted up laughing. Maybe having a badly sprained ankle wasn't so bad after all.
A/N I'm adding this side note just in case I didn't make it clear…the part with Bear is actually taking place a couple of hours before Jarrod, Fen and Heath are getting ready to leave.
