Thunder Rolls

Chapter Thirteen

Ben rode along with Roy and the other men. Sam Johnson, the new blacksmith, had see a man running for a horse seconds after he'd heard the shot that had Ben and Callie diving for cover. Sam was lucky to have heard and seen anything. He was out on the porch smoking a cigarette at the time. His wife, a pretty black haired gal by the name of Julie, couldn't stand the smell of smoke. It flat out made her sick to her stomach.

"He was movin' awfully fast, Mister Cartwright, Roy." Sam said as he threw the last bit of his cigarette down on the ground and stomped it out. "The way he kept lookin' over his shoulder? I'd say he's gotta be yer man!"

Ben hadn't waited around to hear anything else; Roy didn't either. It had taken a no more than five minutes to find the man's trail and start following it.

As Ben pushed Buck forward, his mind wandered to the last picnic he'd taken Callie on, just last Sunday after church. It had started out as a family picnic with his son's even bringing their dates. The food was good and the conversation light until his boys and their dates left…a couple at a time.

"I haven't felt so at home in years, Ben," sighed Callie as she and Ben stood alongside the lake and watched a flock of birds flying over head. "I used to feel like those birds, always going someplace, looking for something, trying to feel warm. I never thought I'd find it." She hadn't either. Oh, she'd met wonderful people along the way, but none had ever got close to getting past the cold stone wall she'd thought she put up. Without realizing it, it was a wall that had stood firm until the day she'd first laid eyes on the injured Ben Cartwright.

Over time, Ben sensed the beginnings of a small crack had appeared… one that had only grown larger with every passing hour. Once the picnic was over and the boys gone, he felt the majority of that wall had been lowered and with crevices created, like fireplaces ready to be lit, to warm a room, or in this case, he silently hoped Callie's heart.

Now, as Ben worked at following the tracks, he swore with a vengeance that he would see Tyler Mitchell tried in a court of law for what he'd done to Callie and then he promised himself that he'd ask Callie to be his wife.

While Ben was been doing his best to follow what was indeed the trail left by Tyler Mitchell, not an easy task when it had begun to rain, Callie was standing by the window of the Cartwright's home watching. As the first drop of rain hit the window, the first bolt of lightning flashed across the sky and a roll of thunder could be heard in the far distant. This did nothing to help Callie relax as she thought on the man she had allowed herself to fall in love with pitted against the man she now wanted to see swing from a rope.

"He'll be fine." Adam stepped up beside her and watched as a few more drops hit the window. "You'll see."

She wanted to believe that; she needed to believe it, only she was afraid to hope life was actually handing her something that up to now had only existed in her dreams. "Every time my brother heard thunder rolling through the sky he seemed to think there was trouble was ahead. This situation would not convince him he was wrong."

Adam laid a hand on her shoulder and kept his eye on the window. "Right or wrong doesn't make a difference, Pa will make it home soon." The words were no more out of his mouth than they saw Ben ride around the corner of the barn. Relief swept over a part of Callie, the other part remained worried. When Ben walked in, Callie practically flew into his arms. Not seeing his oldest, Ben started kissing Callie for all he was worth. Only when Adam stepped away from the window and into view, and cleared his throat, did Ben let go.

"We lost Mitchell's trail, but Roy is putting the word out that the man is wanted for questioning for another attempted murder charge. We'll find him." Ben hurried to assure Callie as her face paled slightly. "I'm thinking of adding an extra thousand for the reward."

"Dead or Alive?"

"No Alive, I'd like to see the man…" he hesitated, not wanting to upset her. He needn't have worried.

"…hung and justice served," Callie finished the sentence for him.

Ben pulled Callie, in for a warm embrace. "Whatever happens my sons and I will do all we can to protect you…I promise."

Figuring his father and Callie did not need his company, Adam headed off to bed.

"Where's Hoss and Little Joe?" Ben asked as he looked around. He didn't like the fact that he didn't see his other two boys. They were supposed to be helping watching Callie. Before she could answer, Little Joe appeared at the top of the stairs.

"I've been staying up here in case Mr. Mitchell got it into his head to try to enter the house using one of the upstairs windows."Hoss is over at Callie's place. He figured the man might try going there. Now, I'm going to bed. It's getting late."

Ben wasn't sure he liked the idea of Hoss being at the cottage by himself, but then he couldn't argue either; the man had a point. Ben now found himself in a bit of a fix. He needed sleep, but he knew he wouldn't get if he had to worry about Callie and he would if she slept in the downstairs guest room. It was just too far away from him or the boys should Mr. Mitchell show up. "You'll sleep in my room for tonight. I'll sleep on my bedroom floor; you're taking my bed." He might not be a young man anymore, but he was still young enough to deal with the floor if he had to.

Callie was appalled at the idea of Ben sleeping on any floor and her widened eyes and jaw, which was hitting the floor, showed it. "I can sleep down here, Ben. There's no need for you to give up your bed."

"Yes, there is," Ben answered as he pulled her close and lowered his head, "I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you because I wasn't close enough to protect you." As he kissed her, Callie's brother's words sounded in her ears 'When thunder rolls, trouble's bound to come.'

00000

Tyler Mitchell was wet, hungry and angry, along with insane. He had been so close to getting rid of the man he was now telling himself was his competition. He didn't care if it was raining cats and dogs; he didn't care if he was getting soaking wet and endangering his physical health. He had only one thing on his mind as he made his way through the pouring rain and hearing thunder rolling through the sky; kill Ben Cartwright and take Callie back for himself. He wanted the control; believed he deserved power…to achieve that he needed her submission and obedience. And, off in the distance, the thunder rolled.