Chapter Eight

Zach waited until the two deputies locked Josh back in his cell, then pushed his way between them and peered through the bars at his brother.

“I’ll go talk to the sheriff. If I have to beat it into him, I’ll convince him to stop this hanging.”

The brother who looked up at him was the boy of his memories. The one he’d fished with, played tag with, and protected when the older boys beat him up. Deep inside, something cracked, and his tears flowed. Hell, crying wasn’t something he had done since he knelt in the blood-soaked earth next to the body of his best friend on the killing fields at Shiloh. Never in his life had he felt so helpless. Like that dark day, he felt as if his hands were tied behind his back. Dammit, there had to be something he could do to stop this misuse of justice. To watch Josh climb those steps, hood over his head and hands behind his back… To see a noose drop around his neck… It was all more than he could bear. There must be a way to save him.

Tyra at least had tried to do something, until that dandy James Lee stopped her. Staring at his baby brother, Zach vowed to get him out of this mess or die trying.

“Don’t worry, Josh. I’m gonna get you out of here. You’ll see.”

“Ah, it’s no use. They’ll string me up in the morning, no matter what you do. It’s okay. Maybe it’s time I paid for the things I have done.”

Zach slammed a flat palm against the bars, whirled, and stormed out onto the boardwalk, where the sheriff and a couple of his men were clustered, deep in conversation. Like always, anger dimmed his judgment so he got right up in the sheriff’s ugly face. So close the man’s foul breath nearly knocked him over.

“Watch it, boy.” Landerly backed off a few steps. “I done tol’ you, you keep this up you’ll be in there with your brother.”

“It’ll take more’n the three of you to put me there, you son of a bitch.” Flat-handed he slammed the sheriff in the chest, much as he’d hit the bars imprisoning his brother.

The man let out a whoof, staggered backward, and almost fell off the boardwalk Before he came to a full stop his gun was in his fist. One of the others, a rangy guy with shaggy hair and a thick mustache, grabbed Zach by one arm and took a smash to the mouth for his efforts. Blood gushed. A gun barrel drilled into Zach’s back.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Landerly said. “You’re getting just what you wanted. Maybe you and your brother can have a proper leave-taking before I put both of you’uns on that scaffolding. March, now.”

Seeing red, Zach whirled, elbowed the gun away, it went off, and someone howled. That was all he remembered until he came to a while later locked up in the cell with Josh, who was shaking him, calling his name.

Josh hovered over him. “Zach? You okay?”

He fingered the bloody lump on his head and winced. Pain thumped at his temples and fogged his vision till all he could see were the bars around him. Shit, what had he done now? One of these days he’d learn to keep that temper in check. He sure couldn’t help Josh if he couldn’t see straight. He should’ve stopped while he was ahead.

“You okay?” The voice roared in his ears.

“Don’t shout. I’m alive. What did he hit me with?”

“Didn’t see, but you were plumb out when they carried you in. How you gonna do anything now?”

A feeling of despair poured over him till he wanted to lash out at something. Anything. But that he’d already done, with dire results. So, what next? He pinched his nose trying to make the pain go away, but it only made matters worse. Folding one arm over his face, he lay back and groaned. Numbskull.

He had dozed off when something small smacked him right in the chest, and he sat up. Checked out every corner of the small cell. Of course there was no one there but his brother, who lay slumped back onto his own cot. A small rock arced through the high window and tumbled across the floor. He came to his feet, swayed with dizziness, then dropped down beside Josh’s sleeping form. Shook his shoulder.

“Wha-?” Zach’s hand covered his mouth.

“Hsst. Someone is outside. I think it might be that crazy Tyra. She’s coming to get us out, so get on your feet. Be ready.”

Tyra came in through the front and slipped the key into the lock of their cell.

“Well, let’s be going.” She handed over their guns, stood back while the two buckled them on and filed out, headed for the door in the back.

“Quiet. Horses out back. Door creaks. Go. You and Zach. Hurry.” Words that were whispered.

Josh hesitated like he didn’t understand.

She dragged his head down, said into his ear, “Go, dammit. We’ll be there. You’re the one who needs to go. Now.”

By this time, her heart was beating so hard she could barely draw a breath. Hold it together, don’t fly apart.

A sound like “uh” came from the office. Feet hit the floor. The deputy was awake. Josh was gone. She grabbed Zach’s arm and shoved him ahead of her. He limped, staggered, let out a groan, and they were out the door, the flat of her hands on his back to propel him. It creaked shut behind them. Josh had mounted the guard’s horse.

“Don’t wait, either of you. Mount up and get the hell out of here.” Moonlight dappled through limbs blowing in a night breeze. Watching them was like squinting through lanterns flashing on and off. Zach crawled into the saddle, after staggering around from the earlier blow to his head. Sometimes he didn’t think before he acted.

She dropped the key on the ground and swung one leg into the stirrup.

“Hey, you. Stop now or I’ll shoot.” From behind them. The deputy.

For an instant she froze, one foot still on the ground, then made a decision and climbed aboard. She had no inclination to be shot in the back, but neither did she want to rot in jail. Crouched low along Morgan’s neck, she urged him forward. A shot rang out, then another. The second came from beyond the trees ahead, not behind her.

“Come on girl. Ride.” Another shot from the darkness of the trees.

Zach or Josh, she couldn’t tell which, but it didn’t matter. They had come back to save her hide. Remaining low in the saddle, she heeled Morgan into a full-out gallop following the two figures. By popping her head up and down like a child’s jack-in-the-box, she kept track of them.

Her heart pounded to the rhythm of the horses’ hooves; the night wind fingered hair loose from under her hat. No one spoke, they just rode flat out across the prairie, following the moon’s path. West Texas lay ahead, and she was now running with outlaws. Nothing new to the family. To avoid marrying Blair, Wilda had run off with Calder Raines, a notorious though reluctant train robber. He changed his ways, and they lived out in Colorado. Had a baby. Perhaps she could do the same. Well, maybe not the baby, but for sure get pardoned. Best would be if the law never caught up with them. She might become as famous as Calamity Jane.

Most of the night the two men led the way. Not eager to strike out on her own, she continued to follow them. They stopped once in a while, usually where there was water, and rested the horses, then went on. When they stopped for the third time, Josh approached her. The moon had set, and she couldn’t see his face, but it was him. He was shorter than Zach and didn’t limp.

Poor Zach. For the hundredth time she wished she hadn’t shot him, but such wishes were like clouds on a windy day. And on top of that he’d gone and got his head bashed in. He couldn’t be feeling too good by now.

Before speaking, Josh cleared his throat. “You ought to head north. Probably get away. They’ll be after us, come daylight.”

“I know. I’m not sure where I want to go. Just wandering, really. What will you do?” The idea of leaving, going out on her own, had lost its appeal. All she wanted now was the comfort of Zach’s arms.

“Don’t know, yet. I’d like to go home, hide out for a spell till they give up looking for me. Gotta get out of Texas, though.”

“You lived in New Mexico. Where?”

“Not far from Taos. We were raised in a little town. Santa Maria. The desert is beautiful. Not much green. Browns and ochres and reds, turning all shades with the sun. And when the cactus bloom, what a sight. The air so clean at night the stars nested right in your lap.”

“Sounds beautiful. What made you leave?”

“Wanderlust, I guess. Stupidity, too. Always thinking some other place would be better, when all the time we had heaven in both hands.”

Lord, he was a poet. How in the world did he end up facing a noose? “Will Zach go with you?”

“Maybe. Hard to tell. He’s always liked an odd life. First the war, then gambling got in his blood. Still, I hope he does go with me.”

“Hey, you two, we gotta go.” Sounds of Zach mounting up, his horse snorting and ready to run.

Josh ignored him, turned back to face her. “I want to thank you for what you did. Strange, you hardly even know me, and you risk your life—heck, the rest of your life—to set me free. I’ll never forget it. Never forget you.” He surprised her by leaning down and kissing her cheek.

“I have a feeling I’ll never regret it, Josh.”

“I sincerely hope you don’t.” Without another word, he climbed on his horse.

She mounted up too, and they took off in their relentless flight, her riding along behind them like she was tied by an invisible rope. She ought to go somewhere else, just veer off and leave without a fare-thee-well. Hard as she tried to convince herself to do that, she just kept following the two brothers like she didn’t have good sense. And she probably didn’t.

A morning sun warmed their backs, and still she stuck to the trail they broke. They walked the horses for fear of wearing them down, riding them to death. By the time the sun hung high in the sky, it was clear they had to stop. Humans and beasts were exhausted.

Tyra reined up first, halting on a slight rise, pointing toward a valley. A river ambled through the green meadows, and tucked into the decline was a ramshackle cabin surrounded on two sides by trees. You could hardly even see the place.

“Reckon anyone lives there?” She rubbed the neck of her horse, and he stomped, snorted several breaths. “We need to let these mounts rest, or we’ll be afoot.”

“Hard to tell, but it looks deserted. That’s the Brazos River. We can follow it till we hit Marcy’s Trail.”

Tyra nudged ahead of them both. “You two wait here. I’ll ride in casual-like. See if anyone’s home.” She didn’t wait for them to agree but guided Morgan two-stepping down the slight hill and into the yard. No dog barked, and she dismounted, went to the door. It hung on one leather hinge. Holes cut for windows had no curtains or glass. No furniture was visible, save an old broken rocking chair.

“Anyone home?” No reply.

A well, its curb formed with river rocks, was around back in the small cluster of trees. Probably dry, but the river wasn’t far away. Riding behind the cabin, she signaled the brothers to come on down, then went to investigate the well. A wooden bucket lay on the ground, the rope frayed. Dismounting, she took out her Barlow, cut the fray, and tied the two ends together, then dropped the bucket into the dark hole. A satisfying splash told her what she wanted to know. By the time Zach and Josh arrived, Morgan had his nose buried in the bucket of cold water.

At the sound of their horses’ hooves, she looked up and smiled. “We can tie them back in those trees, invisible from the rise there, and maybe get us some sleep inside. Texas is a big place, and they may not find us. If we’re lucky.”

Josh let out a dry laugh. “Luck hasn’t been my partner lately.”

“Mine neither,” Zach said.

“Well, maybe we’ll have to use up mine, then. You’re both out of jail. Let’s keep it that way.” She took the bucket from the slurping horse and handed it to Josh. “You two can draw your own water. I’m fixing to bed down a while.” She removed the saddle and loosely tied her mount in the shelter of the trees, then dragged her exhausted body inside.

The place was gloomy and smelled of wild critters that probably hid out in there at night. Tossing her bedroll down, she brushed away some pine cones and sticks. On both knees, she spread the blankets, then dropped to her butt. The action jabbed a splinter into her hand. She took out her Barlow, opened the blade to dig it out.

Zach stumbled in and tossed his saddlebags and bedroll down nearby. “Let me do that.”

“I can get it.”

He dropped next to her, wrapped fingers around her hand that held the knife. His touch revived her weary body, sent signals flashing everywhere. Man, woman, look out.

“Doesn’t hurt to take help once in a while.” His voice, pitched low, stirred something inside her.

Too tired to say no, she let him take the Barlow and opened her hand in his. Heat from his body caressed her in waves, and something else as well. An intense joining of their spirits was the only way she could describe it. Down deep it felt like something inside her reached out to wrap around him. He bent closer, his mussed hair tickling her chin. She had the most unusual desire to kiss the lobe of his ear. Eyed the perfection of the shape, the golden texture of his skin, layered in dust from the long ride. She’d never even thought of doing such a thing before.

The digging of the sharp metal point into her hand brought her out of the odd dreamlike state. “Ouch, dammit.”

“Sorry. Got it.” He pulled the splinter out, lifted her hand to his mouth, and sucked on the wound, warm lips and tongue moistening the palm.

Good Lord, that felt good. Sent pleasure to all her feminine parts. Maybe he wouldn’t stop for a while. She relaxed, leaned her head against his shoulder. So good, the feeling of his support. His caring.

“You okay, Ty?”

“What? Hmmm?”

“Did I hurt you?”

“Not near as much as I have you.” The last thing she wanted was to leave the comfort his shoulder offered.

“What? Oh, you mean shooting me. Ah, it was nothing.”

“Zach, I am so sorry. I can’t tell you how much I regret that.”

“Then don’t try.” He lifted her chin, lowered his mouth to hers and brushed her lips lightly once, twice, until she moved closer into a kiss she wanted to go on forever. It felt so good, the way his soft, warm lips appeared eager for more. His tongue wanted into her mouth. She’d never done that before but found it pleasant when he explored the inside of her cheeks.

Twisting, she pressed her body against his, returned the favor with that tongue thing he did. His body was hard, the muscles flexing under her exploring hands, and she slipped them beneath the tail of his shirt and up his back. Lord, he was something under that tattered, blood-spattered shirt. Touching him seemed the most natural, pleasant thing she could imagine. No telling what was going on inside her, but she had no desire to fight it.

He cupped his hands under her arms and massaged her breasts with both thumbs till her nipples went all tight and shuddery.

Desire shot to her private parts like a streak of lightning through a thundery sky. He sure knew how to make a woman feel delicious, with his tongue and fingers. Wonder what he would be like everywhere else?

Josh stomped into the gloomy space. “Look what I found in the trees yonder.” He stopped short. “Hell, sorry. I didn’t know you two were…I mean, that is…”

When Zach turned her loose, she felt like her world had collapsed. If she’d had a rock she’d have flung it at Josh. She slumped, licked Zach’s taste from her mouth.

“It better be something damned good.” Zach glared at his brother.

“It is. Some sort of berries, down low to the ground, and they’re delicious. Look and taste like blackberries. I gathered my hat full. Want some?”

Hungry as she was, she wanted what he’d broke up more than the berries. But she kept the retort to herself, glanced at Zach, and by the look on his face he agreed with her. Damn, what an itch he’d stirred up, an itch she wanted him to scratch. This was mighty funny. She and James Lee had that one brief night on his bedroll, and she’d enjoyed the effort on his part to teach her about men and women. But this was so much more, a marvelous awakening, and one she would like to experience further. Right this instant. Not once had she wanted to pull away from him.

Zach gave her a lingering gaze, then joined Josh in eating berries. Finally she scooted over to where they squatted and popped a few in her mouth. Sweet juices flowed all over the places his tongue had been only minutes earlier. It was a long time since she had eaten, probably just as long for them. Zach glanced down at her and gave her a berry-colored smile. She stuck out her tongue, and he laughed, a full belly laugh that was pleasant to the ear.

“Your tongue is black.” He leaned forward, kissed the corner of her mouth. It was like they’d known each other a long while, been intimate.

How she wished things were different, ’cause this man was exactly what she’d been waiting for. First she’d shot him, and now she’d gone and made a fugitive of him. Still, he didn’t seem to be letting that stop him from liking her. Even better, desiring her.

They fell into an exhausted sleep, Zach and her curled around each other, Josh a few feet away, and awoke near sundown. Waking in his arms was the most contented she’d felt as long as she could remember.

Weary to the bone, she crawled onto Morgan to ride out behind them. Once again both men told her to go her own way so as not to be with them when they were caught. But she couldn’t have left them now, no matter the consequences of remaining.

They followed the Brazos River all day. When the brothers declared a grove of trees along the sandy bank a good place to make camp, she slid from her saddle with a groan.

“What would be a dream,” she muttered, while dragging the saddle along the ground and plopping down beside it, “would be to wake in the morning to the smell of coffee boiling on the fire.”

“I’d go for that.” Josh brushed a clear place and wallowed out a bed. “Wouldn’t mind a slab of bacon, either. Can’t you just smell it frying?”

Not hearing Zach, she scanned the surroundings. “Where’s Zach?”

“Said he was hungry and was going hunting.”

“In the dark?”

Before Josh could reply, a gunshot sliced the stillness. “Reckon we’d better build a fire.” He rose and stumbled around gathering dead limbs. Soon flames lit the night.

Zach appeared in the circle of light carrying a rabbit by its hind legs.

Delighted, she leaped to her feet. “Didn’t know gamblers were such good shots. You must be able to see in the dark.”

“Haven’t always been a gambler. Now come on over here, girl, and hold him so I can skin him. I’m so hungry I could eat him fur, guts and all, but reckon that’s not too good an idea.”

She hurried to his side, and together they began to clean their supper.

Zach made precise cuts through the skin, then peeled the fur neatly off while she held the animal by its hind legs.

“Where’d you learn to do that?” He grinned, teeth showing white in the firelight.

“Same place I learned to ride. We first came over here from England, I started hanging out with the men who took care of the animals for Blair. I was just a kid then, but one thing I knew was I wanted to become a woman of the west. They finished raising me, taught me to talk western, to shoot and ride, to take care of the animals, and to butcher our meat. Didn’t make Blair too happy. He was always sending me to my room, but I’d crawl out the window and shimmy down the rocks, get on my horse, and ride out. He’d get so mad he’d turn four colors of red, but he finally gave up.” She laughed, and he joined her.

“Reckon you could be handy to have around.” Chuckling, Josh produced a green bough, skinned off its bark, and ran it neatly through the naked carcass, then propped it over a bed of hot coals on two forked sticks.

“I’d almost eat it raw,” Zach joked while the three sat near the fire watching the meat cook, the fat spitting noisily onto the glowing coals.

She drew in a long breath. “That smells heavenly.” Leaning back on her arms, she gazed up into the star-strewn darkness. “Lord, isn’t that beautiful?”

“Stars are like someone shot holes into the night, letting the light from heaven shine through.” Josh turned the rabbit so the heat reached the other side. “Ought to be done in a while.”

Zach cleared his throat. “He always was a poet.” The tone of his voice revealed an emotion that surprised her. Like he’d found something of great value, something he was afraid of losing. Made her want to put her arms around him, rest his head on her shoulder.

The aroma from the cooking rabbit teased at her senses. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, and it growled. “If that doesn’t get done soon, I’m going to eat it raw.”

The two men chuckled. Zach took the rabbit from the fire, laid it on a flat rock to cool enough to handle. Everyone eyed the meat, like it might get up and run away. After a long silence, Josh tore a haunch loose and gave it to Tyra, let Zach have the other, and he took the smaller front legs. No one said a word till each had devoured the meat and sucked at the bones.

She took off her bandana and wiped grease from her hands and face. “I’ll draw up some water before we—”

“Don’t none of you make a move, or I’ll put a hole through you.” The gruff voice shouted out of the darkness.

Zach darted a quick glance toward their gear, piled against a tree, close but not close enough. Tyra looked about to bolt. He yelled, “Don’t, girl.”

“He’s right. Don’t any of you try anything.”

“Brother, did you pick the wrong bunch. We don’t have anything for you to steal. In fact, if you happen to have some coffee, we’d be happy to share a slightly gnawed-on rabbit bone in return.” Josh held out a morsel.

Tyra backed quietly into the dark shadows under the trees, pausing only to snatch her Colt from the pile of gear.

“Smelled the meat, plus you got horses, you got gear, and I’d bet you got a couple six-shooters, maybe a rifle.” The coarse-voiced man rode to the fire ahead of two others. He had a black beard and wore a fur coat that made him look like a bear.

Zach drew a breath of relief. These weren’t lawmen caught up to them, just a wandering gang of young toughs looking for booty. “My brother’s right, though. We’d be glad to trade what’s left of our meat for some coffee.”

“What the hell makes you think we’re gonna share our coffee with you?” Black Beard said.

“This might persuade you.” From under the trees Tyra drew a bead on him. “Want to try me out, go ahead. I’m one hell of a shot, and I’m not afraid to put one through your head. Though your gut is more inviting. Could hardly miss that mass.”

Still in the saddle, Black Beard twisted to face her, raised the rifle.

She fired, and the bullet caught him high in the chest. He took a nose-dive off the horse.

A second shot knocked another man out of the saddle. Josh had dived after his gun in the noisy scramble and taken down the second rider.

Zach made it to his gun in the ensuing confusion. He aimed at the only one left on his horse, merely a dark form. “You want to gather your buddies up and hightail it out of here, or you want down there with ’em?”

The slight man climbed down and stepped into the firelight. “Don’t shoot. I ain’t in no mood to die tonight. Care if I check my brother?”

“Do or don’t, it’s up to you.” Josh moved over beside Zach. “I’d as soon put a bullet in you and call it well done with.”

“He’s just a kid. Let him see to his kin,” Zach said.

Josh made a sweeping motion with the six-gun. “Go on ahead, then. Toss your gun first. What made you ride up on us, anyway?”

The gun went to the ground. “We’re hungry. Thought we might get something to eat, or at least something we could trade for food. Wasn’t my idea.” His voice trembled on the edge of tears, broke, and he sobbed.

On hands and knees, he scrambled to the still groaning form sprawled on the ground from the second horse. He leaned down close. “Sam, please, Sam. You okay?”

Zach’s throat closed. “Goddammit, kid. Why didn’t you just ride in and ask for help. Is he breathing?”

“I can’t tell.” The kid was on the verge of breaking down.

“Tyra, honey, could you come here and give us a hand?” Zach laid his gun back with the gear and went to kneel next to the kid, who was sobbing wildly.

She approached, still holding the Colt.

“Put that thing away, please, and give me a hand with this boy.” Knowing how she disliked being ordered around, he softened his tone.

“I didn’t mean to kill him, but I thought he was going to shoot one or all of us.” Tyra appeared as upset as the boy kneeling there on the ground beside his wounded brother.

Zach put his hand on her arm. Her muscles quivered under his touch. “Not your fault, Ty. He’s far from dead. Let’s see how bad it is. Back of his shirt is bloody.” He tore the fabric away to reveal a wound. “Looks like the bullet went clean through.” He hesitated, ran his fingertips over a series of thick scars that striped the youthful skin. What had happened to this child? He shook his head, returned to the matter at hand. “Help me roll him over.”

She did, and when the boy lay flat on his back, his shirt front was soaked in blood. Zach ripped the tattered material away to reveal an entry hole through the upper shoulder muscle.

“He’s not bad. We’ll clean it up, and he should be fine in a few days. Right now it’ll hurt like fury, but that will go away after a while. If it hit the bone, that’ll be a different story. I know that one from experience.” He finished tearing the bloody rag off the boy’s chest and arm.

“We got some hot water on the fire.”

Tyra rose and went to her saddlebag. She pulled out what appeared to be an undergarment of some kind. “We can use this to clean it, then make a bandage out of what’s left.”

While she tended to the wound, Zach tried to calm the kid down. “What’s your name, son?”

“Micah.” The kid hiccupped hard a few times. “Sam gonna die?”

“Not from this. But your friend there did. Hope you learned a lesson from this.”

The boy nodded, wiped snot from his upper lip, gazed in the direction of the unmoving bearded man.

“Who is he?”

“That’s Hiram, and he ain’t no friend. Was all his idea. We met up with him on the trail. I think he’s dead. I never thought—I mean, he said we’d just take a horse or two and ride off. Didn’t want no gunplay. Bragged he was a true outlaw.” The kid drew in a ragged breath. “We thought that would be fun, riding with a real bad man.”

“What are you doing off out here, anyway?”

He shrugged, shot Zach a smart-aleck smirk. “Beats where we was at, by a long ways.”

“You almost died.”

“Been better if we did.”

“You mean you’d rather your brother had died like Hiram?”

“We was in a workhouse for orphans. You seen the marks on Sam’s back. And ever day was worse.”

“Where is this place?”

“A ways from here. Cain’t tell you that. They’d beat us half to death.”

Tyra finished with the bandage, fetched a canteen, and turned it up to Sam’s dry lips. He gulped at the cool water, pawed air for more when she took it away.

“Easy, honey. Not too much.” She fingered sweat-drenched hair off his forehead. “I’m so sorry.” It was a whisper that Zach barely made out.

“Don’t you go thinking you’re to blame, Ty. These boys chose to put themselves in danger. You were only protecting us.”

She glanced up at him with tear-filled eyes. “I know, but…”

Arms around her, he pulled her close to his chest. “You hush up now, girl. This boy is gonna need your care the next few days, so don’t go breaking down on us.”

Holding her like that, her fine hair tickling his cheek, her warm tears wetting his shirt, he finally admitted something he’d been denying all this time. She was the woman he’d searched for all these years. The one who would make him the man he tried to be but always fell short. Tough and tender all rolled into one. He kissed the top of her head.

“It’s all gonna be okay, darlin’. I promise you. You hear me?”

She nodded, wrapped her arms around his middle, and hung on for a long time. He enjoyed holding her. Being on the run, they didn’t have time for such foolery. It might be a long while before they shared another moment like this.

The ever-silent Josh stood and stretched. “I’ll take care of the body. Glad I didn’t kill some poor little kid. Maybe this’ll teach those two a lesson. Sometimes we have to learn the hardest way there is not to go trying to do folks harm. It can bring the wrath down on you. This was the boy’s fault, Tyra. Don’t you go fretting anymore, either. We both did what we had to.” He stooped, wrestled the bulky body over a shoulder, and walked out of the ring of firelight.

She remained in Zach’s embrace until Josh returned. Sam and Micah had fallen asleep next to one another on a blanket. Josh settled with his head on a saddle, and after a while Zach stretched Tyra out in the nearby grass and lay down beside her, one arm draped across her waist.

The next morning he opened his eyes to bright daylight. Hell, it’d been ages since he’d slept through sunrise. Everyone was still asleep. For a long moment he lay where he was. Birdsong filled the sweet morning air. Tyra lay next to him, her expression peaceful in sleep. A dapple of sunshine formed a halo of her hair. What a beautiful world this could be, were it not for the evil that dwelt here.

He moved carefully away from her, fetched their one rifle, and went out to get breakfast. Those boys would be hungry. What in hell they were going to do with them, he had no idea, but they couldn’t go back to the horrors of the workhouse Micah had spoken of. And considering his and Josh’s fate, they couldn’t stay with them. Neither could Tyra, but he’d leave that for another day.