Chapter Eighty Four
Ciego and Brahma found themselves hogtied and knocked out with "Chinese whiskey" as the boss called it.
Brahma was hit from behind first and he called out as he collapsed. They waited for Ciego to appear and he never saw his attackers. They were dragged to the tack room, bound and gagged—and locked in. The room was almost sound proof with all the tanned leather, saddle parts, rope on the wall.
"Let's go roast some quail." He eerily laughed.
The hand lit some brush and threw it into the quail pen. A fire started quickly and gray smoke billowed; it went through the wood structure quickly.
The boys saw the smoke from their second floor and ran outside towards the pen. Henry got there first as Kai ambled with his one crutch. They undid the gate and let the birds free. They were yelling and shooing the quail to move quickly. Kai stepped on a rock and lost his balance. He heard the plaster of Paris cast crack as they hit the ground. He screamed in fear and pain. Henry propped him up and tried to make his cast go back together to no avail.
Butch saw the smoke and heard the boys running and yelling toward it. He grabbed his gun and headed out.
"Ladies, do not come outside. Lock the doors. Silas, get the rabbit gun and guard the back door. Don't leave the back of the house,"
Lisette refused, "I am going. My son is out there."
Grete spoke up, "Mine too."
The Indian gave them a chilling look, "No. It may be a diversion. Get away from the windows and wait. Please—-"
Patrice squeezed her hand, "Trust him." She pulled out her own gun.
Lisette let out a long breath and put her hand on Grete, "I trust you Butch. Bring the boys back to us." with a deep breath remembering Jarrod's admonition to let him guard them.
"I will," and he headed out the verandah doors.
Anna wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and Grete sat down in the floral chair with a hand on her stomach in disbelief.
"Are you ok?" Lisette asked.
"I am a bit winded—uh? I may be with child,"
Anna and Lisette looked at her with surprise—-"Oh Grete, be careful."
"I will." biting her lip and feeling her stomach lurch.
Patrice thought for a moment—"Let me go out there. Lock yourselves upstairs. I will be right back."
—&—-
Lisette, Anna and Grete went upstairs to Nick's bedroom. They walked slowly keeping an eye on Grete. His room had the best view of the yards and outbuildings. Lissy checked her watch pin. It would be two hours at least before Audra and Victoria made it back from the Wheelers. She peered through the lace panel to see the fire was beginning to spread to the chicken coops. Feathers were flying and several hands were manning a bucket brigade to douse the flames.
"Can you see Kai and Henry?"
"No. No Butch or Patrice either. He has to have them. I hope she is with the boys. If they don't make it back in a few minutes I am going myself."
"We need to stay together. We will all go." Anna spoke up with a quiver in her voice.
A gunshot ran out through the house and the ladies dropped to their knees. Glass broke somewhere downstairs. Lisette pulled the Derringer out of her pocket and took the safety off. Anna took the gun from Nick's dresser.
Grete spoke up, "Mine is in our room. Should I go get it?"
Both Anna and Lisette shook their heads. Grete was too shaken to be holding a gun.
"Let's go," and Lisette carefully unlocked the oaken door.
—&—-
"Boss, I think that we need to get out of here. Kid broke his leg again. Howling like a coyote until I slapped him. Then that little one punched me in the bollocks—-harder to corral than I thought. I may have broken his nose—-Too much chaos and more men here too. The Injun will find the boys soon down by the stream tied up. Then he will high tail it back here—- "
"Killed an Injun before. Can do it again."
"Ok you are the boss." The hand was wanting to get off the ranch and out of Stockton. The boss was scaring him.
"Well the fire is close to the corrals. They let the horses loose in the pasture. That will take up the hands. Wonder if they will find the old Mexican and the imbecile. Or will they get toasted."
They walked through the unlocked verandah door, Butch had exited through.
"Go around the back stairs and I will take the front."
They inched up the stairs quietly. Silas did not hear them enter. He had his eye on the back door and had double-locked the front doors. A rock sailed through a window knocking over a Chinese vase. It clammered through the parlor. Silas peeked in and didn't see anyone. He went back to his post at the door.
The hand went unnoticed up the backstairs as Silas checked the parlor. He sent a bullet through the kitchen window to distract from his path.
He heard Grete's voice on the second floor, "What was that? I have to get to my boys."
"We will, we will," Anna comforted her.
The stair creaked and scared the ladies. They lined up with their backs against the wall. They took deep breaths and closed their eyes.
"Please Lord protect Kai and Henry—-please,"
The three ladies murmured silent prayers as they decided what to do.
—-&—
The engineer, Nick and Jarrod were standing at the fountain, "Miguel did an amazing job. Blessed it and left his crucifix in the masonry. It's the only thing not torn up or unearthed on this whole durn sight. Not a crack on it. He's scowling around but he is a good worker—-and loyal to Heath."
"It's really done up well. I know it wasn't on the plans but I am glad he got the idea for the drain,"
"Funny how all of this has pulled together. A fountain we didn't plan, a rainstorm to clear Heath and new structural changes that will keep the hotel standing for a hundred years."
"Yep, and don't forget the empty keg of beer."
"And my pants."
"Jarrod! Nick! Get over here."
They recognized the urgency in Fred's voice, "The tinker just passed the road to the ranch. Smoke billowing your way,"
The men's eyes grew wide, "Heath? Come on. Fire!"
Across the hotel site, Heath ran to join his brothers. They untied their horses, jumped on and sloshed through the mud. Spatters covered their clothes and horses as they took out quickly toward the ranch.
They pushed their horses hard and as soon as they passed the ridge, they could see pillars of gray smoke curling up to the sky.
"The man was right. It is the ranch."
They kicked their horses in hard and spurred them on faster to the ranch.