Chapter Thirteen
Adam and Elias were almost finished repairing the downed section of fence when Adam felt a blow slam his back and almost spin him around. He fell heavily on the ground, unsure what had happened. Searing, red-hot pain radiated through his being. Adam heard some shots exchanged, Elias' rifle and then a response from another rifle further away and it was then that Adam knew he was shot and he also knew it was bad. It was a shock to his soul.
"Oh, hell," Adam said. He tried to sit up but couldn't manage and for the second time, the pain felled him. Elias dropped to his knees beside him.
"He shot you in the back—one of Truck's men. Let me see." He rolled Adam over and Adam winced from the sharp pain as he lay on his side. He noticed that he couldn't breathe deeply on his side and wondered if the bullet had pierced his lung. Elias turned him on his back again and Adam noticed some clouds scudding across the sky above him. "It's bad, Cartwright, bleeding like a stuck pig. I 'magine you'll be dead in an hour the way you're bleeding. Won't even be time to get a doctor." Elias reached into Adam's shirt pocket and pulled out the folded bills. "Sorry, Adam, but you won't have any need of money in hell." And Elias stood up and stared down at Adam who tried again to raise himself up but fell again and collapsed on the ground.
"You son-of-a-bitch," Adam said. "You goddamn son-of-a-bitch. You're going to leave me here to die, aren't you?"
"You're already dead, boy." Elias hurried to the buckboard, climbed up and snapped the reins. The horses took off. Adam Cartwright was going to die and Elias was going to be a wealthy man and with the money he had now, the next time he was in town, he would buy Sonny a bag of penny candy and maybe even buy a little something for Rachel-maybe. He didn't want to turn her into one of those grasping, greedy women who had to have a new dress every time a man turned around. But maybe a few gifts would cause her to be warmer to him in their bed.
"Rachel, is dinner ready?" Elias walked into the house, tossing his hat on a chair. "I'm hungry."
Rachel stepped out of the kitchen. "Yes. You two wash up and I'll call Sonny." Rachel called out the back door where Sonny was swinging and he jumped down and ran in the back door. "Wash up, Sonny."
"Okay, Rachel." She smiled as she heard Sonny noisily run through the house to his room to wash his hands.
Rachel brought out a large platter of sliced pork surrounded by boiled potatoes. Elias was sitting at the table and tucked his napkin into the collar of his shirt.
"I'm hungry tonight."
Sonny came out and sat down and waited. Rachel sat down as well and Elias reached out with his fork for the pork.
"Elias," Rachel said, "Wait for Mr. Cartwright before you start eating. And we need to say grace."
"Oh, Cartwright's not back yet." Elias stabbed two slices and dropped them on his plate. Then he reached for the potatoes and pushed a few on his plate and then proceeded to mash them with his fork in preparation for scoops of fresh butter.
"Why not? Didn't he come back with you?" Rachel thought it strange and became suspicious immediately.
"If he had, he'd be here now, wouldn't he? Pass the butter."
"But you drove the buckboard home, right?" Elias nodded as he mashed the melting butter into the white potatoes. "Then how will her get home?" Elias ate and didn't answer. "Elias, how will Mr. Cartwright get home?"
Elias slammed his fist on the table and both Rachel and Sonny jumped. "Damn it woman, this isn't his home! Why the hell should you care what happens to him. Maybe he's taken off—stolen a horse and just lit out."
"Sonny," Rachel quietly said, "go to your room."
"But I'm hungry."
"Take your plate with you then. You father and I need to talk." Sonny reluctantly took his plate and fork and left the table but he looked back once or twice; something was wrong and he wanted to know what it was. Once Sonny had closed his bedroom door, Rachel turned back to Elias. "What did you do, Elias? Did you kill him?"
"No, I didn't. While we were fixing the downed line, one of Truck's men shot him in the back. He's dead. Here." Elias pulled the folded bills out of his pocket and threw them on the table. "We can buy more chickens and you can even buy yourself a new dress. Buy Sonny new boots; he's outgrowing the ones he has now."
Rachel stared disbelieving. "You robbed him and left him dying out there? Wolves will tear him apart—you can't leave his body there. Please, Elias." She stood up. "If you don't go get his body, I will. The man deserves to be buried at least." Rachel pushed back her chair, left the table and grabbed her shawl on the way out.
"Rachel!" Elias called after her but she didn't slow down—she hurried more. The horses were still hitched to the buckboard and Rachel climbed up and picked up the reins. Elias was right behind her and grabbed her wrist. "Where the hell are you going?"
"To find Mr. Cartwright. Then I'll take him in town to the sheriff. I won't leave his body out there for the animals to eat. Now let go of me." Elias waited. "I said let go of me." Rachel shook her arm for emphasis.
Elias dropped her wrist. "Move over Rachel. I'll drive to where he is." She slid over and Elias climbed up and picked up the reins and clucked to the horses. He hoped that Adam would now be dead. If not, Rachel would know that Elias wanted Adam dead and it made him uncomfortable; it would give Rachel some power over him, he felt. She would know what true evil was festering inside him. But he comforted himself with the thought that Cartwright had been out there bleeding for almost an hour now. He should most certainly be dead.