A/N: This is a longer chapter, but It's action packed! Enjoy!
Nick looked at his watch. It was ten past eleven. It would take him twenty minutes to ride to that marker. By now Jarrod and Heath should be in position. He checked the saddle bag with the money and mounted his horse. "Come on Coco," he patted the horses neck. "Let's get this done boy," he spurred him on toward the marker at a trot.
As he got far enough that he knew they would be able to see any riders passing through from their camp at the abandoned mine he started to make a show of looking around and leading his horse side to side. He walked up and kept up the routine until he was nearly on top of the spring where the marker was. Then he pulled Coco to a stop, dismounted and made a show of looking around. He untied the saddle bag and walked over to the marker trying to still appear vigilant. He fingered the scarf thoughtfully. He untied it from the tree and realized for the first time that what was attached to the other end was his mother's wedding ring. Fear shot through him like a knife and he felt his spine stiffen; his mother would not have given that up without a fight. The kidnappers would have had to rip that from her finger. He tucked the scarf in his pocket without untying the ring and threw the saddle bag over the limb in its place. He roped the leather strap once to ensure it wouldn't fall. He looked around one more time, then mounted Coco and rode at a trot back toward the ranch. The whole way he was fuming, seething, trying to force himself not to turn Coco on his heels and head straight for those rotten misfits at a full gallop with his gun blazing. The only thing that made him think twice was remembering that he had handed off his guns to Heath before they had left him with the money.
"Hey," the boy appeared from around the corner. "The big one dropped a saddle bag. Time to go."
"Alright," the second man had been lounging against the wall. "Any sign of the other one?"
"Nope," the kid grinned. "Just like we figured, they ain't gonna risk it. He trotted back toward the ranch good and proper like."
"Let's get those horses saddled then," the man stood up seeming pleased and finally at ease.
"Let's move," the leader appeared next. "The quicker we get ready, the quicker we are out of here."
"What are you going to do with me," Victoria asked.
"Well now," the leader grabbed his saddle and flung it up onto his horse. "Gonna cut you loose from that timber, tie your wrists behind your back and let you walk out of here."
"Why tie my wrists," Victoria protested. "I can't get anywhere fast enough to have anyone catch you whether you tie me or not."
"True," he sighed and cinched his saddle tightly. "Just want to make sure you don't get no ideas of your own. Besides, if that boy of yours hid somewhere close by, he will give up his own plan if he sees you headed toward him tied."
"I see," Victoria rolled her eyes.
"Alright," the second man groaned as he kicked out the fire. "Let's get this whole thing over with."
"Right," the leader nodded. "Walk out, get the bag, and bring it back. Once you make it back, we will cut her loose and ride out. Mrs. Barkley," he walked over and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. "I sure am sorry about this," he pushed it into her mouth and tied it tight around the back of her head. "But if things DO go south I can't have you yellin' out."
"Right," the second man nodded and headed around the corner with a satisfied smirk.
"Kid, you stay here," the leader ordered. "I'll keep watch at the entrance."
Jarrod watched as a different man than before headed out of the mine toward the saddle bag Nick had left. He waited impatiently until the third man was far enough out from the mine then he took his shot gun, aimed it east and pulled the trigger. The man headed for the bag hit the ground and waited for another shot. He slowly got to his feet and looked east. When he saw nothing, he turned his attention back toward the mine. By then Heath could see the opening. One man had been standing guard and a young boy had come running out.
"What was that," the boy pulled his pistol.
"Don't know," the other man had his pistol out and looked toward the saddle bag. When the man out near the bag looked his way, he waved him on. "Go on, go get it," he called.
"Drop the guns boys," Heath jumped from his position when the man had turned to keep heading for the bag.
The older man raised his gun to fire and Heath shot him. The bullet hit him square in the chest and he fell.
"Stay back," the kid called but didn't move. "You take one step closer and she's dead boy."
Heath didn't move. He could see the other man running toward them out of the corner of his eye and then he heard the telltale sound of Jarrod's Winchester rifle. The second man fell face down in the dirt.
"Come on kid," Heath tried to reason with the boy. "It's over now."
The kid seemed frozen where he stood but looked down at the man who had been with him. "How, he planned it so careful. How'd it go wrong?" The boy lowered his gun and looked up at Heath. "He said we couldn't lose," Heath watched a tear fall as the boy tossed his gun toward Heath. "Said we were finally gonna get the money we needed to live big. We were finally gonna be ok."
Heath picked up the boy's gun and walked toward him. "Life doesn't work that way kid."
"Heath," Jarrod called as he rounded the other side of the mine.
"It's over Jarrod," Heath called back. "Where's our mother kid?"
"In there," the boy nodded to the mine and slumped down next to the older man. "Just beyond that corner."
"Heath," Jarrod nodded toward the mine. "I'll stay with him. Nick will be riding up I'm sure."
"Right," Heath handed Jarrod the boys gun and holstered his own pistol. "Mother," he called as he walked through the opening. "Mother," he called as he rounded the corner. There was barely any light other than what streamed in from the opening. Heath squinted his eyes and looked around.
"MM, mmmm," Victoria struggled with her gag trying to let Heath know where she was in the dark.
"Mother," Heath ran toward her when he caught sight of her hair and tripped over the now dormant fire pit. "I'm coming," he stumbled back to his feet and made it to her. "It's all over," he said as he knelt down beside her and untied the gag.
"Oh Heath," he could hear the relief as her voice cracked.
"It's ok now," Heath told her as he pulled out his pocket knife. When his eyes had adjusted a little more, he set to cutting her free. He started at her feet and worked his way up to her neck.
"Oh," Victoria could feel the stiffness and aching set into her limbs from being confined so long. "Heath," she threw her arms around him when he had finished freeing her.
"Mother," Nick's voice came booming through the old mine. "Mother, Heath."
"Nick," Heath called back. "She's here. She's ok."
Nick appeared around the corner and squinted. "Is she ok," he didn't walk any further.
"I'm fine," Victoria managed though the tears of relief.
"Come on," Heath pulled Victoria close to his body and hoisted her high in his arms as he stood up. "Let's get you out of here."
Victoria didn't dare let go of his neck and buried her face in his shoulder as she sobbed. She was exhausted and she wanted desperately to be home.
Nick led the way out of the opening to where Jarrod was waiting. "Seems ok," he nodded to Jarrod.
"Mother," Jarrod went to her as she and Heath emerged from the cave. "Are you alright," he laid a hand on her shoulder gently.
"I'll be ok," she wiped her tears on Heath's shirt and looked up at the other two boys. Then her gaze settled on the young boy cradling the leader's body in his arms. "He didn't give you a choice," she looked at her boys.
Heath shook his head, "No. No, he didn't."
"Did they hurt you Mother," Nick asked defensively.
"Oh no," Victoria put a hand on Nick's chest. "Actually, they were quite kind to me," she moved her hand and tapped Heath's shoulder as a sign to put her down. Gently, Heath placed her feet on the ground and held her steady as she regained her balance. She walked over and knelt down next to the boy. "I'm sorry it turned out this way."
The boy nodded. "He was my brother. They both were my brothers."
"I'm sorry," Victoria put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry too," he brought his eyes up to meet hers. "I hope you know, I really didn't want no part of this. But Roy and Sam, they just couldn't think of nothin' else once Roy got it in his head.
Victoria nodded. "I'm sure my boys will help you bury them."
The boy looked up at the three men who were watching half in disbelief and half in apprehension of what the boy might do. "You have three boys?"
"I do," she nodded.
The boy laughed once. "We thought he was just a friend," he nodded to Jarrod. "We saw the other two ride out together a couple times and we thought they was the only brothers. Roy said we couldn't go wrong two against three." The boy looked back down at Roy and then out at Sam who was lying a hundred yards away, the saddle bag still at his side. "No ma'am. I will take care of my kin."
"We are taking you back to the sheriff," Jarrod growled. "We will help."
Victoria shook her head. "Leave him be Jarrod. I think he has been through enough," she released the boys shoulder, got to her feet and hugged Jarrod. "Besides, I believe him when he says he wanted no parts of this."
"Now wait a minute," Nick protested.
"Nick," Victoria frowned. "I said leave him be. Besides, I just want to go home."
"Nick," Heath put a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you go get mine and Jarrod's horses huh? Jarrod and I will take care of things here."
"Well," Nick huffed. "I guess." He pulled a canteen from his saddle and handed it to Heath. "I'll be back."
"Are you sure about this," Jarrod finally holstered his pistol.
"I am," Victoria smiled sadly.
"Come on kid," Heath tapped his shoulder. "Help me bring your other brother closer and we will bury them together." He handed the canteen to Victoria and watched as she gratefully drank down big gulps.
"Right," the boy nodded and got to his feet. "I thank you for the help," he gulped down.
Heath threw the saddle bag full of money over his shoulder and helped the boy hoist the bigger man named Sam up and carry him back toward the mine. "What's your name anyway," he asked as the put Sam back on the ground.
"Jerry," the boy answered. "Jerry Jenkins."
"I'm Heath and this is my brother Jarrod," Heath told Jerry.
"Jerry," Jarrod had found some larger pieces of wood and some rocks and had piled them up. "Use the wood to dig a bit," Jarrod handed him some. "When we are through, we will fix some markers out of these."
"Right," Jerry nodded and set to work.
When they had finished digging Nick came back with the other two horses and Heath remembered that he had some nails and his hammer in his saddle bag from riding fence the day before. He nailed the pieces of wood into crosses. Jerry took out his pocket knife and quickly carved his brothers' names onto them before Heath hammered them into the ground. Victoria sat, sipped some water from Nick's canteen, and watched sadly as Jerry buried his older brothers. She knew that it was just as likely that her boys could have been burying each other or maybe even her.
"Jerry," she said after they had stood silently around the graves for a few moments. "Where will you go now?"
"I ain't sure ma'am," Jerry shook his head. "Ain't got nothin' to go home to. Ain't got no other kin. Mrs. Barkley," he looked up at her. "I am powerful ashamed about what me and my brothers done. And I'm powerful beholdin' to you for turning me loose."
"Jerry," Victoria sighed. "Are you willing to work for a living?"
"Mother," Nick protested, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "Not going to happen."
"Nicholas Jonathan Barkley," she scowled at him. "I am still your mother and you will do what I say. Well," she turned back to Jerry. "Are you willing?"
"Yes ma'am," Jerry was puzzled. "Ain't no better way than an honest day's work. Our Ma' taught us that way," he nodded to the graves. "Roy and Sam never could get no decent work back home; the town was just fixin' on dying since we was all small."
"How would you like to come and work for us," Victoria smiled. "It's a start for you, a new start."
"Ma'am," Jerry looked at her in disbelief. "After all this, you fixin' to let me come work for you?"
"You said you were willing," she told him. "You said there is no better way. It's a place to go, to sleep, and earn your keep the way your mother would have wanted."
"Mother," Nick put his hands on his hips. "You want to hire on one of the men that just kidnapped you?"
"Nick," she growled. "He needs a job."
"For Pete's sake mother," Nick threw up his hands. "How are we supposed to trust him. And why is it that I am the one getting my full name yelled at me all the time these days when I'm the only one makin' any sense at all?"
"Oh Nick," she was aware that none of the boys were thrilled by her offer. "They didn't harm me and they didn't plan to. Besides, what better place for him to be than somewhere you can keep an eye on him until YOU trust him."
Heath lowered his head to hide his smile. Victoria had Nick and they all knew it.
"Nick," Jarrod sighed. "Give over."
"Jarrod," Nick protested.
"Nick, you know we are fighting a losing battle,' Jarrod shook his head.
"You are in favor of this nonsense, Jarrod Thomas Barkley" Nick blasted back.
"Of course not," Jarrod looked at Jerry and sighed. "One wrong move and I ring your neck myself boy.'
"If you are not in favor why are you letting her have her way," Nick asked exasperatedly.
"Because he knows better than to fight with his mother," Victoria answered for Jarrod. "Now, let's go home."
"Mrs. Barkley," Jerry pulled his hat off his head revealing hair as blonde as Heath's. "Ma'am, I can't tell you how grateful I am for this. And I give ya' my word, you won't be sorry. I'm gonna be the hardest working man you've got."
Victoria nodded in agreement. "Would it be ok if I rode one of your horses Jerry? It seems my boys did not bring me one of my own."
"Yes ma'am," Jerry smiled and scrambled for the four saddled horses.
"I don't believe it," Nick shook his head. "I just don't believe it."