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Sarah bit her lip to keep from crying out. Her shoes had not been designed for walking. The rough road added to the discomfort. She knew she had at least one blister on the back of her heel, and the bottom of both feet felt bruised.
Cynthia still rode her horse a little ways ahead of them, although the horse was slowing down a bit. Stanley called out and motioned for his sister to take the turnoff.
She trotted back. “Isn’t the stage station just ahead? Why can’t we stop there and rest for a little while, maybe take the stage to Denver?”
“Stop your whining.” Stanley glared at his sister. “The stage won’t be there for hours. By that time, I plan to be in Denver and married. You can rest after that.”
Cynthia pouted but followed his instructions.
With a quick look at the direction Cynthia went, a rocky mound caught Sarah’s eye. Behind it stood two trees that had grown entangled and now grew tall and straight together. She bit her lips to keep a cry of joy from escaping. She knew where she was. Melody’s place must be the one he was talking about. Just as fast as the thrill of joy raced through her, the gnarled hand of fear reached out and shoved it out of the way. After what he did to Helen and Grayson in the barn, how would Stanley deal with Melody’s family?
Questions and fears and memories twisted together while the seconds ticked by. Were Thorn and Drew all right? Had Emma’s uncle shot them? Or had God let them live? She could feel her heart pounding at the thought of losing either of the men she loved most in the world. She struggled to swallow. Surely, God wouldn’t...He couldn’t...
Sarah shoved those doubts away. She would trust God to work out everything. With each clip-clop of the horse’s hooves on the dirt road, a plan formed in her mind. Like an angel holding back Abraham’s hand and the ram in the bushes, was God working out His plan for her?
She had to believe that Thorn was alive and searching for her. She needed to leave a clue to where she was. Her grandmother’s necklace—would he remember it? She prayed he would.
Stanley jerked on his limping horse’s reins. Sarah slipped the locket with its broken chain out of her pocket. When the horse balked at turning off the smoother mail route and distracted Stanley, she flicked the necklace onto a bush beside the road. It caught on the branches and hung like an ornament on a Christmas tree.
They were close to the farmhouse when another thought popped into Sarah’s mind. “Stanley, if a woman comes out, let me talk to her. I don’t want anyone hurt.”
He stared at her for a moment or two, then nodded. “Good idea. Nice to know you’re with me.”
When they neared the house, Melody stepped outside, raising a rifle over her flat middle. Her oldest son stood by her side. “Who are you, and what do you want?”
Sarah shifted so Melody could see her. Please, God, don’t let her say the wrong thing.
Melody’s eyes widened.
Sarah’s stomach fluttered. “Name’s Prudence Hill.” She nodded to the man in front of her. “This is Stanley and his sister, and in front of him is my baby girl, Emma. We wondered if you have any horses for sale. Ours went lame, and we need to get to Denver.”
Melody gave the slightest nod. “Think we might be able to help you. Son, run out and wait for your pa. Tell him a woman named Prudence Hill and her husband.”—She looked at Sarah—“Stanley you said?” She turned back to the boy. “Tell him they want to buy one of his horses.”
The boy looked from Sarah to his mother, then took off running down the road. Melody lowered her rifle. “Might as well come in. My man had to deliver a horse to the stage station down the road, but he should be getting back pretty soon. You’re welcome to sit a spell and have something to eat and drink. Don’t get company out this way much. Sure would like to visit.”
“Thank you.” Sarah clenched her hands at her side and walked beside the man who held her captive—captive with the love she had for her daughter, and now her friend, even though he didn’t know he held that card.
***
Thorn forced his jaw to relax. If he didn’t, his teeth would be ground to nothing by the time they found Rose. But it was so hard following Adam’s lead while he tracked the three horses.
Adam halted and dismounted. He walked around in a circle, then came up next to Thorn’s horse. “We’re in luck. Looks like the big horse has come up lame. A man and woman are walking now.”
Thank you, God. Thorn nodded. “They’ll be traveling slower until they find another horse or two.”
“Probably stop at the stage station.” Adam mounted his horse.
“Unless they try a place closer. There’s one between here and the stage station.”
Adam glanced at Thorn, then the sky. Thick, dark clouds were gathering, and the air picked up, sending dust in all directions. “The Dunn place. Hopefully, the rain holds off so we don’t lose the trail.”
Thorn’s jaw tightened again. Maybe Rose wouldn’t mind if he didn’t have any jaw teeth left by the time he found her, as long as he got to her. That thought went up as the first drop of rain splashed down on his pants leg.
“Let’s check out as much of the trail as we can before the rain washes it away.” Adam nudged his horse. Thorn did the same.
A short while later, they stared at the mud-soaked trail where the path to the Dunns’ place branched off. All traces of Rose’s trail had been washed away by the rain. Pain started in Thorn’s chest and spread down to his gut. They were losing valuable time, but they needed to make the right choice. Thorn took a deep breath. God, please help me to know which way to take.
Thorn looked down the path that led to the Dunn’s place. Something glittering caught his eye. He rode to the bushes and snatched a locket from a broken branch. He turned it over in his gloved hand. It was Rose’s, the one she had worn that Sunday when she had gotten so upset at church and he had helped her change clothes. She had left her own trail. He shoved it into his shirt pocket. “They went this way.”
The pounding of hooves made him turn around.
Jase Dunn and his oldest boy barreled down the road,
“Sarah’s at my place.” Jase struggled to get his breath.
Thorn pulled out the locket and held it up. “We know. How do we want to handle this?”
“Seems this Snodgrass wants to buy a horse.” Dunn wiped his forehead. “Why don’t you two circle around and come in the back side of the barn? I’ll just bring him out to see which horse he wants. Toby can go in the house and help his ma with that other woman.”
They all agreed and set out for the farm. Thorn had already figured out where to cut off the road in order to get to the barn unseen. Just before the last bend came into view, he signaled Adam to follow him. By the time Dunn and his son entered the house, Thorn and Adam were in the barn.
***
Holding Emma, who was now full of bread and butter and drifting off to sleep, Sarah kept an eye on Stanley.
Melody sat in her rocking chair with her newborn daughter in her arms. When she had served pie and coffee to the visitors earlier, she had sent her boys out with orders to bring back enough fish for supper.
Stanley seemed to relax a bit once the children left the house with shouts of joy. He’d been quiet for a while, but in the last few minutes he’d started scowling as he fiddled with the cuffs of his shirt. “How much longer do you think it will take for your husband to arrive?”
Shifting her baby to one arm, Melody stood and brought over the coffee pot. She refilled his cup, then did the same for Cynthia’s. “Oh, it shouldn’t be long now. I know he’ll be eager to make a sale. He plans to go to Denver next week and sure could use the extra money.”
Stanley rolled his eyes and tapped his fingers on the table.
The door banged open, and Toby burst into the house. “Pa’s coming.”
Sarah tightened her hold on Emma while Stanley slid his half-drawn pistol back into his coat. Oh, God, please protect this family. Hold them in your hand. Don’t let any of them get hurt because of me.
A moment later, Jase Dunn entered the house. “Toby, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times. Don’t burst into the house like that. Your ma don’t like it none.” He turned to Stanley and smiled, his hand outstretched. “Son tells me you folks want to buy a horse or two. Glad to hear it.”
Stanley frowned as he shook the man’s hand, then put his own hand behind him and wiped it against his pants. “That’s correct. Your wife’s assured me you have some to sell.”
Jase waved him to the door. “Well, let’s go out to the barn, and I’ll show you what I’ve got. Wish you would’ve been here yesterday. I could’ve sold you a couple of those I took to the stage station earlier. Would’ve had a better selection.”
Sarah’s heart sped up. With Stanley and Cynthia separated, here was her chance. If they could get control of Cynthia, they could stop Stanley.
“Whatever you have will be fine.” Stanley looked over his shoulder at Cynthia. “You’ve got everything you need?”
Cynthia slipped her hand in her reticule and smiled. “Oh, yes. Everything.”
With a nod, Stanley followed Jase outside.
Sarah watched the door close behind Stanley. Glancing around the room, she tried to find something she could use as a weapon if she got the opportunity. Before any ideas had formed, Melody headed for the bedroom.
Cynthia’s eyes narrowed. Her hand inched out of her reticule, pulling the gun with it. “Where are you going?”
Melody looked over her shoulder. “Time to put the baby down. Now she’s asleep, I can get some work done.”
Sarah wanted to call her friend back, fearing that Cynthia might do something foolish and Melody would be hurt.
Cynthia’s hand was almost out of the bag when Melody came back into the room. “Prudence, why don’t you put your daughter on the bed? She can sleep in there until you’re ready to leave, unless her aunt wants to hold her for a while. Don’t you just love to look at the sleeping face of a child?”
Sarah glanced over at Cynthia, who frowned and nodded toward the bedroom.
“Oh, good, now I think I’ll bake a pie for supper. Which would you and your brother prefer, apple or berry?” She set a bowl of flour on the table, then turned back to the shelves over the wooden counter along the wall.
When Sarah came back to the table, Melody glanced at her, then down to the bowl of flour, then back to Sarah.
With a nod, Sarah stood at the table.
Melody picked up a wooden rolling pin.
“Don’t bother making any pies for us. We won’t be here that long.” Cynthia kept glancing over at the door.
***
Stanley fingered the pistol in his pocket. He had wasted too much time already, especially since he had no money to pay for a horse. If he had known for sure they could have escaped with the horses before the man returned, Stanley wouldn’t have waited. But the chances of meeting the farmer on the road while riding his horses were too great.
As soon as he got the farmer in the barn, he would get rid of him. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about being followed.
The man kept jabbering as they walked to the barn. “Yep, I got a couple of horses I think you might like, a bay and a sorrel. Both are well broke.”
The door creaked open. Stanley walked into the building and started to pull out his gun. Another few minutes and he would be one step closer to having enough money to get his life back, the life he had grown accustomed to, the life he deserved.
Stanley tightened his fingers around his pistol.
***
Thorn adjusted his grip on his rifle and watched Snodgrass and Jase walk deeper into the barn.
Snodgrass had his hand resting on the pistol at his side. “Sounds good. Will you take my horse in trade?” Snodgrass stopped a few paces inside the barn while Jase walked a little bit further.
Jase turned around. Snodgrass gripped his pistol and lifted it from his holster.
“Stop right there, you worthless cur.” Thorn stepped into the light from the open barn door.
Snodgrass whipped around and aimed at Thorn.
***
Sarah’s heart pounded as she waited for the best opportunity to attack Cynthia.
Suddenly a shot rang out, maybe two. She grabbed the bowl and threw the flour in Cynthia’s face while Melody slammed the rolling pin against Cynthia’s arm. A crack, followed by a pain-filled scream, filled the room.
Dropping her reticule on the floor, Cynthia jumped up, still screaming and holding her right arm with her left. Flour fell from her face and hair. “You both are going to die for this! Just wait until Stanley gets back in.”
Sarah grabbed the reticule and drew out the pistol. She aimed it at Cynthia.
***
The door opened. Thorn walked in with a gun in his hand and red streaks across his shirt. “Your brother’s not coming in.”
Sarah shoved the pistol into Melody’s hand and ran to Thorn. She searched for the cause of the blood.
“You killed Stanley!” Cynthia’s voice grew louder. “You killed my brother!”
Melody pushed Cynthia down on a chair.
Thorn shook his head. “He’s not dead, even though he deserves to be for what he’s done.” He wrapped his free arm around Sarah’s shoulders. “Let’s just say he’s not going to be walking for a while.”