Thunder and his mother were both tired as they arrived at Ft. Laramie mid-morning. He had seen his mother nod a couple of times, but she hadn’t complained about their pace.
Instead of going to the fort, they went directly to the Indian camp by the river to see if someone might know of Brandy’s Whereabouts.
Little Big Bear stood outside his tent. He smiled when he recognized them.
“You come back,” Little Big Bear said with a grin, then added, “I see you reached Little Woman.” He turned to Helen. “It is good to see you well and on your feet again.”
“Thank you for sending my son to me,” Helen said with a smile. “I am feeling much better.”
“Why have you returned to the fort?” Little Big Bear asked, looking at Thunder. “Would it be because of the woman?”
Thunder didn’t like the way Little Big Bear said that but he swallowed his irritation and gave a curt nod. “Has she married?”
“No.”
Thunder hid his surprise. That wasn’t the answer he’d expected, but before he could say anything else his friend added, “Things are not good.”
“What do you mean? Is Brandy sick?”
“No. The woman with fire hair shot the keeper of the hog farm.”
“Hog farm?”
Little Big Bear leaned over and whispered to Thunder, explaining what the hog farm was used for.
Thunder frowned. How in the world had Brandy gotten mixed up with such people? Was it his fault that he’d left her, knowing how naive she was? Of course, he’d figured her future husband would take care of her. What had happened to the man?
“I will go and see her,” Thunder finally said.
Little Big Bear shook his head. “It is too late. They took her to Denver a week ago.”
Thunder rubbed his chin. “And her family?”
“I hear they are still at the farm.” Little Big Bear took Thunder’s arms and pulled. “Come, you must eat before moving on. We leave tomorrow for winter camp, so I will not see you for many moons.”
Stomachs filled, but with questions unanswered, Thunder and Helen arrived at the house known as the hog farm a couple of hours later. He immediately saw the familiar covered wagon, and he nudged his horse toward the barn. He couldn’t quite explain the surge of happiness that ran through him.
“Thunder!” Scott squealed. He jumped up and down, clapping his hands. Then the other children started to appear one by one, each grinning their welcome.
Thunder dismounted and held his arms open for Scott to run and jump into them.
“I’ve missed you,” Scott told him as he gave Thunder a big hug. “I kept telling Billy that you’d come back. I just knew you would,” Scott said with a serious expression. Then he peered around Thunder and his eyes widened, “Who’s that?”
Thunder set Scott back down on his feet. “This is my mother. Mother, I would like you to meet Scott, Ellen, Mary, and Billy.” Thunder pointed out each child as he called their names.
“It is nice to meet all of you. I have heard so many wonderful things about each of you,” Helen said. “What do we call you?” Ellen asked.
“My name is Helen,” she said with a nod. “I hope we will all be good friends,” she told them. Then she went over and introduced herself to the girls.
Billy propped his foot against the wall and stood beside Thunder, who was leaning up against the side of the barn “Have you heard about Brandy?”
Thunder nodded with a frown. “Some. How did she get mixed up in such a place?”
“Her so-called fiancé only brought her out here to work as a whore in that house.” Billy jerked his head toward the house. “The only thing he didn’t count on was Brandy bringing a family with her. So he was making all of us work off her debt by cleaning and cooking.” Billy scuffed the dirt with the toe of his boot. “Truth is, he was real ornery and deserved to die. I just hate that Brandy was the one who killed him.”
“Then she didn’t—? Only cook?” Thunder couldn’t bring himself to actually say it.
“Of course not. Sam did threaten to force her a couple of times.”
Thunder let out his breath. “I was told that they had taken Brandy to Denver.”
“Yeah, the circuit judge is supposed to come through and try her.”
Thunder glanced at Billy. “Why have you not gone there?”
Billy looked embarrassed, then hung his head. “Didn’t know what to do,” he admitted and shrugged his shoulders. “Thought making decisions would be easy, but when it comes down to it, it’s dang hard. ’Sides, don’t know rightly were Denver is,” Billy said. “I know one thing. If Brandy doesn’t get a good lawyer, don’t know how much of a chance she’ll have.”
It sounded like Brandy had really gotten herself in a mess this time, Thunder thought. “She has a good lawyer.”
“She does?”
“Me.”
Billy’s mouth dropped open, then he caught himself. “You’re a lawyer?” He couldn’t keep the surprise from his voice.
Thunder chuckled. “I am a man of many talents.” He pushed away from the barn. “How soon can you be ready to leave?”
“About an hour.”
“Good. I’m going to take a bath in the river and change clothes,” Thunder said as he saw Mary come toward them. “Is there one of Brandy’s dresses that my mother can change into?” he asked the girl.
“We’ll find her something. Your mother is very nice,” Mary said, then asked, “Can you save Brandy?”
“I’m not sure,” Thunder admitted. An unwelcome tension wrapped around his body, making him very tired . . . but determined. “But I’ll try.”
They were having an Indian summer day, so the water wasn’t too bad, Thunder thought as he gazed up at the darkening sky. The sunset was red, and he knew the cold air would soon be upon them.
After Thunder had bathed, he had his mother cut his hair. Now it barely reached his collar. When she’d finished, he stood and brushed off his shoulders before turning to face her. “What do you think?”
Helen smiled and cocked her head to the side. “You look like my son, the lawyer.”
“I thought I’d be better received if I looked like a lawyer. There is more than one way to skin an animal.”
“It is time that you discovered your heritage. And time for me to return as well. How do you like my dress?”
“You look very pretty and different,” Thunder told her. “It is surprising how different clothes can make a person look and feel.”
“That is true. But no matter what clothing we wear, we are always the same inside. Let us go and find this woman of yours. I want to meet her.”
Brandy stared at the steel bars, the same ones she’d been staring out of for the last two weeks. Time dragged by, and the longer she stayed in this dark, dank place, the more uncertain her future looked.
The only information that the sheriff had told her was that they were waiting on the circuit judge to arrive to try her. This morning when he’d brought breakfast to her consisting of a dry biscuit and coffee, the sheriff said the judge would be in town tomorrow.
She pulled a blanket around her and drew her knees up on the cot. It was dark and cold in her cell. The heat from the potbellied stove in the front office didn’t quite reach to the cells in the back.
What would happen to her when she stood up in court without a lawyer?
Would they hang her?
Or leave her in prison until she was a shriveled up hag?
She lay down on the cot and threw her arm over her eyes. Her tears had dried up a long time ago. Now misery was her only company. Could she even remember back to Independence when life was simple?
She was so tired.
Tired of making decisions.
Just tired of life in general, she thought as she drifted off to sleep.
Father Brown’s kind, weathered face became vivid in her dreams. Brandy was leaning over his sick bed as he watched her through half-closed eyelids.
“Where are the other children?” he asked.
Brandy sighed. “I’ve let you down, Father.”
“No, my child, you have not,” he said in a scratchy voice. “As a matter of fact, I’m very proud of you. You have kept the family together and made a home for them.”
“Some home,” Brandy muttered, then frowned. “It’s a wagon. And worse, we lived near a—a house of ill repute.”
Father Brown gave her a slow smile. “I’ll bet you’d like to see that wagon right about now.”
She nodded.
“You see, that simple wagon has come to mean something to you. A home isn’t necessarily boards and nails. It is where you feel the most comfortable.”
“I guess you’re right, Father,” Brandy murmured. Weariness enveloped her as she tried to feel positive, but it was getting harder by the minute. “But look where I am now. What am I going to do?”
“Come sit on the bed beside me.” Father Brown patted the covers to indicate the spot.
She did as instructed, picking up his parchment-brown hand, which felt smooth and warm just as she remembered. And though he appeared frail, Brandy could feel the strength in his hand. And God knows she needed some of his strength. All of his strength.
“I wish I had the answers that you need, my child. But life is not always simple. You will go into the courtroom and tell the truth, and I will pray that the judge is wise and realize that the other man was evil.”
“I’m scared,” she admitted as the tears slipped slowly down her face. She pulled his hand up to her lips and kissed the back of it. “Please don’t leave me. I’m so lonely.”
“Dry your tears, my child.” Father Brown patted her hand. “Always remember . . . even though you won’t see my body anymore ... I will be with each and every one of you in spirit. Every step you take, I will take with you. And when you fall down, I will be there to pick you up.”
She closed her eyes, remembering the same words she’d heard at the graveyard. “This is one of the times I need you to pick me up, Father.”
When she opened her eyes he was gone, and she was back, alone in the empty cell.
But ever so faintly she heard his voice, “I will be there . . . I’ll always be there."
Keys rattling on the other side of the door drew her from her memories. The wooden door which led to the cells opened and two men walked through. Maybe it was time to eat again, she thought. It was one of the few reasons that the door opened. It was hard to tell time since she’d been shut away.
She sat up and wiped away her tears with the heels of her hands.
The guard approached and inserted the key into the lock. “Your lawyer is here,” the man said.
“Lawyer?” Brandy rose and tried to see the other man. Had Father Brown indeed worked a miracle and sent her a lawyer?
“You can leave us now,” the other man said as he entered the cell. His hat was pulled down, casting shadows on his face, but that voice, it sounded so familiar. But she didn’t know anybody here.
The gentleman removed his hat.
“Thunder?” she whispered, then her knees gave way.
Quickly, Thunder caught her.
The guard turned around. “She going to be all right?”
“Yes, she’s just a little stunned. I’ll call you when I’m ready to leave,” Thunder said as he moved Brandy over to the cot.
He wasn’t sure what he expected, but fainting hadn’t figured into his plan. He set her down on the bunk and bent her over her knees until she started to struggle.
“It seems to me that we’ve been in this position before,” he said as he held her back up.
Brandy blinked a couple of times. “Is it really you?” She reached up and touched his face. “Your hair. You look so different.”
“Thomas Bradley at your service,” he said, then added, “I thought if I was going to defend you, I should look the part.”
“But you’re not a lawyer.”
“Yes, I am. If you remember, I went to Boston to study, and law is what I studied. I assure you I’m a very capable lawyer,” Thunder told her confidently.
So many emotions filtered across her face that Thunder wanted to scoop her up in his arms and tell her everything would be all right. But if he did, the guard would surely burst through the door, and Thunder didn’t want to damage Brandy’s reputation further. It was bad enough she’d been living at a house of ill repute.
Why wasn’t he holding her? Brandy wondered. Had he not missed her? Seeing him now and feeling her heart ache, she knew how much she loved him. Slowly, she placed her hand on his and said, “I’ve missed you.”
“I have missed you, too,” Thunder said in a husky voice. His eyes held her with the desire she saw in their depths. She could tell he felt something for her. But did he love her?
“How did you know where to find me?” Brandy finally asked.
He leaned back against the wall. “I went back to Ft. Laramie to see how you were doing.”
Her heart did a small flip. “You actually came back to see me?”
“Yes. Only to find that they had taken you to jail.”
“Did you see the children? Is someone taking care of them?”
“They are here with me.”
“Good.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ve been worried about them.”
“The children are fine, but will be happy when you are released. The trial will be held tomorrow at noon.” Thunder sat beside her on the bunk and managed a businesslike expression. “Keeping with your luck, I understand he is the hanging judge,” Thunder told her, then said, “Tell me exactly what happened.”
“I seem to have gotten myself in a mess,” she said with a frown. Her eyes widened. “You don’t think they will hang me?”
“Not if I can help it. Now start at the beginning and tell me everything.”
As Brandy retold the events, Thunder’s stomach tightened. He would have liked to kill Sam himself. It was probably a good thing that Brandy had beaten him to the deed. Then pride began to take the place of his anger as he realized how Brandy had taken up for herself and the children. At the beginning of their journey, he hadn’t been too sure that any of the children would ever take up for the others. Yet, he always knew that one day Brandy would see just what the children meant to her . . . The priest had been wise, even in death.
Slowly, Thunder got to his feet. “I must go and prepare my case.”
She rose also and gazed up at him. He could see the shimmer of tears in Brandy’s eyes. She appeared frightened and he felt helpless to ease her fears.
“Please hold me,” she finally asked in a breathless whisper.
That was his undoing. His back was to the outside door as he took her hands in his and leaned down and whispered, “I would love nothing more than to take you in my arms and kiss you.” He held her hands to his lips and brushed a soft kiss on her knuckles. “But we don’t want the sheriff to get the wrong idea about you. We are supposed to be strangers.”
The outside door opened, and Thunder immediately dropped her hands and gave her a faint smile.
“Are you ready, Mr. Bradley?” the sheriff asked, then spat in the bucket by the door.
Thunder turned and nodded to the sheriff as he opened the cell door. “I’ll see you in court tomorrow, Miss Brown. If you think of anything else that you haven’t told me, please ask the sheriff to contact me.”
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Bradley,” Brandy said.
With a nod, Thunder was gone.
Brandy stared at the closed door, and for just a moment, she wondered if she had dreamt the whole thing.