Chapter Thirty Seven
Heath awoke before dawn in Grete's arms to a soft rap on the door. He quickly jumped up and put on his union suit.
Silas was in a robe and handed him a note, "Sorry Mista Heath. They says it was important."
He scanned it, "It is."
Nick came down the hall in his trousers and untucked shirt, "What is it?"
"Lumber camp. Collapse of flue. Casualties."
"Damn, I have a crew headed out for strays and a buyer coming from San Diego. Can you go by yourself? I can get up there tomorrow or the next. It's a six hour ride to the lumber mill."
"I got it. I will send a message to town iff'n I need you."
Kai stood in the hall and began to sob.
"Please no. Don't go. I don't want you to die, too."
Heath bent down to Kai and Grete came up behind him in the door.
"Hey little man. I am gonna be just fine. Just got to ride out and check on my men."
"That's what my Fader said." he sobbed louder.
He pushed Grete and Heath away and ran back to his room with Henry
Nick ran his fingers through his hair. He felt for the boy. He had been thirty when his Father was shot and didn't come home. They were sitting at dinner with his empty chair when the news came. He still would run his fingers over the chair back some days wishing he had been able to say goodbye.
Grete looked stricken and Heath took a deep breath, "Let me talk to him, honey."
Heath put on some trousers over his union suit and padded down the hall.
"Kai? I would like to talk to you."
"No! I don't want you to die! God gave me a new Pa and now he's going to die—-"
Henry stood protectively at his friend's side.
"No sir. My father didn't want me. Mother doesn't tell me that but I have heard adults repeat the story." Henry said to Kai, "Your Fader wanted you and now Mista Heath wants to be your Pa."
Kai sniffed and stopped crying.
"Come here boys," as he sat on the bed pulling them both into his lap, "You both are loved and wanted and I will always make sure of that."
Both boys hugged Heath; he looked up and saw Jarrod in the doorway. He had heard the whole exchange. They both shook their heads.
"When I get back, would you boys like a camp out?"
"Yes sir,"
"It's a promise."
He hugged the boys a little longer and Jarrod moved from the door so Grete could come in—she joined the hug and Kai clung to his mother tightly.
Lisette came up in her robe and looked questionably at Jarrod. He put his arm around her and whispered.
"A family is being born."
—-&—
Heath dressed and packed his saddle bag. Grete came back upstairs with a burlap sack of food.
"For the trip,"
"I am sorry, honey, leaving you after two days of marriage."
"I understand, you must see to your men."
"Thanks for understanding. And I will make it up to you." he winked and kissed her soundly—-groaning as he pulled away.
Nick cleared his throat, "Charger is ready. Here is extra cash in case. Went down to the safe."
"Thanks," and he leaned over for one more kiss.
Grete went back to check on Kai to find him and Henry talking with Jarrod. Lissette looked on from the hall.
"These Barkleys are good men." Lisette whispered.
"Yes they are."
—&—
Jarrod headed into town about 8am. He and Lisette had ended up staying up with the boys. Jarrod had broken out the checkerboard and they had a tournament for an hour after dawn. It kept the boys distracted and their minds off Heath's sudden departure and Kai's panic attack.
Anna took over and they went to their respective rooms to dress for the day out of their nightclothes. Jarrod wore a business suit and Lisette a blue day dress.
"What is your plan today, Lissy?"
"Mid morning sun to sketch and paint. Same place as before. Working on a gift for your mother and her hospitality. Going to convince Grete to go with us this time."
"Take a hand. Nick won't be back until late and I doubt I will be home until supper."
"We will. It's so peaceful out there by the brook, I guess you call them a stream or creek here in California."
"There is a guard on the road, too."
"We will be careful."
He kissed her on the cheek and headed out. He waved to the new hand that had been traveling with the ladies and children.
He saddled Jingo and started down the road to Stockton. He looked for the guard at the corner; he saw a new man he didn't recognize who waved at him.
"We get new hands every month it seems."
—-&—
Nick got a message that the broker from San Diego would arrive a day later. He decided to head out to the calving pasture. He took a shortcut through the pasture to say hello to the ladies, "his Anna". He smiled back at last night's memory.
Kai's shriek had awoken him with Anna in his arms. He quickly went out his bedroom door down the hall as Anna quickly put her nightclothes on—-her dress from the day to come from the other had snuck outside his room from her guest room to the adjoining balcony. They had huddled under a blanket looking at the stars and fell asleep on the chaise.
Each night they found themselves staying up later to spend time together. The kisses and occasional touch was increasing each night and last night they fell asleep on the balcony outside Nick's room on the chaise. .
Nick rounded the corner of the trees and came upon three wagons with rope and blankets in the back.
He got off Coco to check further, "What the hell?"
A gunshot ran got and Nick fell to the ground in a pool of blood.
"Anna" was the last thing to cross his mind as he collapsed in a pool of blood.
—&—-
Jarrod heard the gunshot ring though the morning air and almost turned around. Then he remembered they were calving and likely a predator had come on new stock. Plus he had to get to town for Lisette's business and to decide what to do about Davina.
"Try again or end it now?"
He went back into his own deep thoughts, frustrated and exasperated at his situation.
—-&—-
Anna and Lisette looked up at the gunshot sound. Grete was running through the field playing tag with the boys; the ranch hand seemed nonplussed at the wagons. Lisette went back to painting and Anna to her book.
Five horses and their riders made it to the scrub trees.
"Did you kill Nick?"
"Yep. He will bleed out. Didn't want to risk another gunshot and draw attention."
"Good thinking. Buck will be happy."
The five men rode up on the group on the blanket.
"Can we bother you for directions?"
Lisette immediately felt terror. The furthest one from her looked familiar—-from the hotel. She stood up nonchalantly as Anna explained they were only visitors to the ranch and did not know.
Lisette made her way to the armed ranch hand at the wagon,
"I think we need help."
He just stood there, looked at the men and grabbed her—-he put his gun to her neck.
"Got her boss."
Anna tried to run but the men were too fast. Grete tried to escape with the boys but they gained on her. Henry went into an asthma attack and fell. She stopped for him and that was all they needed to capture the whole crew.
Rags soaked in a Chinese solution went over their noses and everyone collapsed.
Henry was last and he was struggling to breathe.
"Hey boss, it might kill the kid."
"And that's Paul's kid. Just tie him up. Splash some cold water on him so he will catch his breath. He will be fine. Looks dumb as a brick anyway."
Henry felt his asthma subside finally after sitting upright—in the railcar darkness and taking deep breaths in the corner. He kept his eyes shut and had the presence of mind to not speak. He was lightly tied up and thrown on top of the rest in the wagons. He didn't fight back or open his eyes. He knew he had to escape and find Mister Jarrod.
They were loaded on a freight car with potatoes headed for Modesto. At the last minute, Henry rolled out of the car as the train started while their guard rolled a cigarette. The other four men went to the drover car with their horses.
"That Chinese stuff works for days. They aren't going to wake up until Modesto. And the weakling kid passed out."
Henry rolled off the train and into the grass. He hid in the trees until it passed and followed the tracks back to Stockton he hoped.
—-&—-
A note was slid under Jarrod's office door at dawn.
No sheriff or they die. Finish the hotel deal.