Nolan reined in. He’d been following a single horse track that cut what looked to be an aimless path. The bay was breathing heavy. Nolan could hardly breathe in the cold air, and his chest stung. The thick drifts caused the horse to work hard to make every step, and Nolan had been in the saddle all day.
Close to two weeks had passed. Nolan couldn’t face Kate’s teary eyes one more day. He’d no sooner ride into the yard and she’d throw open the house door, after waiting all day, with hopes of seeing him bring in their boys. He gave her nothing but disappointment. Tears streamed down her face every single time. As much as he wanted to say something comforting, he had no words of hope to soothe her fears. The best he could do was hold her while she sobbed.
He, too, was aching something awful inside. Neither of them had slept a wink since the boys had gone missing, and that left his and Kate’s nerves raw. She had argued with him just that morning not to chance his life going out into the frigid cold one more day. She had lost her boys, lost hope, and didn’t want to lose him, tearfully reminding him of his responsibility as a husband. And he still had Elizabeth to think about, as if he were unaware.
He shook off those distressful thoughts, pushing down his hat, and his fingers tingled inside his gloves. He blew into his hands for a little warmth. Every inch of his clothing was covered in frost, his arms and legs stiff from the many hours in that position.
There would be no rest for him until he knew the truth. Alive or dead, his mind was set on carrying Nathanial and Jesse home when he found them.
That trail he followed didn’t make sense. The horse seemed to be wandering without purpose, weaving its path as if the rider were lost or drunk. Couldn’t be the boys, could it? Where would they have gotten a horse? Nolan spurred the bay, hanging on to the spark of hope. The horse was headed in the direction of the ranch.
He turned the bay into the trees. It wasn’t long before he rode out into the orchard, no more than fifty yards from the house, the fruit trees barren and gray and ugly with winter.
Nolan jerked up reins and stopped breathing.
That was Jesse’s coat thickly covered in frost half an inch, maybe more. Even from behind, he would recognize the young man, his son. Doubled over and slumped too far forward in the saddle. Nolan had been around long enough to know those weren’t good signs. Jesse wasn’t simply sleeping on that horse. Was he alive? And where was Nathanial? Nolan’s gut tightened.
He sank spurs, hurriedly kicking the bay as it ran full strides through the snow across the length of the orchard. He jumped out of the saddle, ran, and reached out as Jesse fell off the mare’s back, Nathanial dragged down with him.
“Kate!” Nolan yelled as loud as he could.
Kate threw open the door and shot out, holding up her skirt. With one scoop, she had Nathanial up out of the wet. Their little boy was frozen blue. Kate’s eyes instantly shone.
They hurried toward the house, carrying the boys. Nolan kicked open the door, then quickly laid out Jesse next to the fire. Kate followed his lead, doing the same with Nathanial.
Nolan leaned an ear close to Jesse’s pale, gray face and listened carefully while Kate did the same for Nathanial. A barely noticeable breath caressed Nolan’s face. He grinned, though that boy hadn’t beaten this trouble just yet.
Kate’s teary red eyes widened. “I can’t tell if Nathanial’s breathing.” Using her apron, she wiped several times at her eyes while fighting back more tears.
The boys hadn’t come home just to be buried. Nolan would cling to that, not his fear. Kate had every right to be upset. Nolan, too, was beside himself, but they needed to be thinking straight to really help these boys. This was far more than either he or she could handle alone.
“Get blankets and towels.” Nolan stripped Nathanial down to bare skin while Kate ran and grabbed the things they would need. He began to unbutton Jesse’s coat. Pans clanked in the kitchen. Kate set pots of water on the cookstove to boil. Jesse was now out of the frozen clothes, and Nolan had carefully removed his dirty bandage. Too skinny, half his size, breastbone sunken, his ribs and hips poking out.
The bullet wound was old, dried up, but needed stitching. The nasty gash wasn’t completely closed. Dried blood caked the skin around it. Nolan cursed under his breath. He would bet his life that Tipsy did it.
When Kate had the needle threaded, Nolan pinned Jesse’s thin shoulders to the floor. If there was any strength left in the young man, he didn’t want him fighting the pierce through his skin and unknowingly injuring himself.
Kate jabbed the needle through the flap of open flesh. Nolan glanced at her, and her brow furrowed. She, too, expected Jesse to come alive or at least show some small sign of awareness. Nolan waited for a groan or a twitch as Kate tugged the first stitch tight. The boy’s body was limp. Was he breathing? Nolan squinted, straining his eyes. It was barely noticeable, but there was a slight rise and fall of the sunken chest. Kate pulled another stitch tight. Jesse never opened his eyes.
Nolan sat back hard, water filling his eyes. For a few minutes there, he thought Jesse had passed on. Maybe the boys were just playing out real slow and what he and Kate were doing was futile. Nolan squeezed Jesse’s hand and waited for his eyes to open. There was nothing. The boy’s hand was just floppy.
“Nolan.” Kate touched his arm, her grip strong.
He wiped his eyes.
“Git the washtub from the pantry. Pull it next to the fire.” Kate was taking her turn at being the strong one.
Nolan jumped to his feet and hustled toward the kitchen. The pantry door was open. He grabbed the tub and fast-paced it back to the flames. He tossed more logs into the fireplace, keeping the room blazing hot.
Kate tossed him a towel. He dropped to his knees next to Jesse. Kate harshly rubbed across Nathanial’s chest and up and down the tiny arms and legs. Stirring the blood would warm his body. A slight redness tinted the boy’s skin. Perhaps in Kate’s teary state, she was being a bit too rough. Either way, their little boy wasn’t responding. Nate’s lips were still blue, and his body was as droopy now as it had been when Kate had carried him in the door.
Nolan scrubbed at Jesse’s chest, and his eyes rolled aimlessly open. “Kate!”
They grinned at one another. It wasn’t as though Jesse sat up and talked, but that far-off stare of his gave them a weak hope. And that was a whole hell of a lot better than nothing.
Jesse shook. They needed to get that chill out, so they piled lots of blankets on top of him. Nolan wiped the sweat from his head. Lord Almighty, he was shriveling up. And the boys were both still pale. He flipped back the thick edge of the quilts. Jesse’s feet were blue. He’d been the one to strip him naked, but he’d been so focused on Jesse’s breathing and that wound. Nolan hadn’t taken a good close look until now. He rubbed a dry towel over those ten frozen toes while waiting for the water to boil. Jesse moaned, and Nolan wanted to shout for joy. His heart leaped. That grimace on Jesse’s face was the best thing he had seen in a long time.
Nathanial hadn’t opened his eyes. Nolan kept looking back and forth between the two. Kate wrapped their son tight inside a heavy quilt. Then she hurried and carried the first pot of hot water to the tub and poured it in.
Nolan and Kate worked together and eased Jesse, who was now no more awake than Nathanial, into the steaming water. Jesse’s eyes sprang wide open, and his screams shook the house. Nolan caught a flailing hand upside the face as he fought to control the young man’s wild thrashing. Jesse’s wits were not yet with him, though he certainly seemed to be coming to life. Nolan took a stray hit to the chest and one up under his chin before he managed to get his arms wrapped around Jesse’s shoulders and held him somewhat motionless. As thin as that boy had become, he still packed a wallop. It was silly, but Nolan was proud.
He and Kate smiled at one another. It was an unbelievable relief that Jesse was showing that much strength.
His eyes rolled, and he struggled under Nolan’s grasp. Not even those pitiful groans would upset Nolan enough to let go. Jesse might mistakenly hurt himself, and Nolan wouldn’t have that. This son was on his way back to health, and amen for that.
Kate dropped to her knees next to them. With a mother’s touch, she held up Jesse’s head and smoothed his hair while whispering soft words that only he could hear.
His muscles slowly relaxed, and those wild eyes closed. Whatever Kate said had worked. She had a big heart and especially loved her children. At Jesse’s age, he probably hadn’t recognized himself as that, but he’d been theirs for quite some time. Nolan could imagine three special words had been tucked into that boy’s ear.
Nolan had no choice but to hold Jesse’s limp body in the warm tub to soak. Otherwise, he might drown from being too weak. There was nothing he could do to help Kate with Nathanial.
She fetched the washtub used for clothing. Nate was small enough to soak inside it. If only Nolan could leave Jesse for a minute to be next to his other son. Nathanial might spring to life the same as Jesse had. As the boy’s pa, Nolan wanted to be right there to soothe the youngster.
Kate’s eyes filled with tears once more as she unwrapped Nathanial from the quilt and lifted him gently. Skin and bones, all twelve of his ribs showed, and his chest was caved in. The sickening sight of Nate’s and Jesse’s frail bodies disheartened Nolan. What those two boys must have endured to come this far. It did say something about their character. They weren’t quitters. Not too many could have done what these two had. Outside that front door was a bone-biting, icy hell, and they had made it almost to the front door from God only knew where.
Kate dipped Nathanial into the tub of hot water. He let out with an almighty screech. That boy had a set of lungs. What a wail. To Nolan, it was a pure, sweet sound that meant his little boy was alive. Those cries, which were just as bad, if not worse than Jesse’s, did rip at Nolan’s chest, because right then he wanted to howl right through that pain with his son. Nolan’s eyes welled up as Kate held Nathanial, soaking him, and he held tight to Jesse.
“Nolan!” Kate excitedly called.
Tears blurred Nolan’s sight, but there was no missing why Kate was smiling and crying at the same time. Nathanial’s eyes were open. Only, the boy just stared off blindly at his ma. What was going through that little head? Did he even recognize where he was or that he was now safe? Nolan’s arms ached to hold that child of his. Kate kissed the boy’s face. Their son’s babyish fussing was a healthy sign of life. Nolan had never heard sweeter music.
Nolan lifted Jesse out of the tub, then dried him, even between his fingers and toes. Jesse’s eyes were open the same as Nathanial’s, but neither of them seemed awake yet. Nolan reckoned the confusion would fade once they were thawed out, rested, and had something hot to eat. It likely would take some time, but their minds would come back together. Those boys were strong and proved it by surviving too much trouble, including Tipsy.
Leaving Jesse lying on the settee, covered in five or six heavy quilts, Nolan took his turn holding Nathanial while Kate ran upstairs to fetch both the boys’ dry night clothing. Nolan lifted Nathanial from the tub and dried every inch of the little body. He could tell by the boy’s dull eyes that he was still only half-awake. Tears slid down Nathanial’s face as he fussed. Nolan cradled the boy tight. He couldn’t take his eyes off him.
Both their boys were alive. Joy overwhelmed Nolan, and he wept. A hand squeezed his shoulder. Kate stood there beside him with a stack of clothes.
He wrapped Nathanial in a quilt, then passed the boy to his mama, who sat and rocked the child and all the while kissed his face to settle him. Nolan picked up the bigger shirt and stockings off the pile.
There was nothing better than wool socks to keep the feet warm. Jesse’s toes would not be getting cold. Nolan pulled a stocking on each foot. It was a struggle, but somehow he managed to hold Jesse, whose eyes were drowsy, up in a sitting position while donning the long nightshirt over his head and shoulders. Jesse’s head bobbed to his chest. The fire was roaring, and Nolan’s shirt was soaked with sweat. In less time, Kate had Nathanial dressed warmly. He was sleeping soundly all snuggled into his ma’s bosom.
Nolan kept an arm around Jesse’s shoulders. Even with him holding Jesse upright, he had teetered while being dressed.
“Can you walk, son?” Nolan waved a hand real easy in front of Jesse’s nose.
His eyes were open, but that faraway stare toward the bright flames had Nolan thinking Jesse still wasn’t awake enough to see straight. The black of Jesse’s eyes had shrunk, but he didn’t appear focused.
“Where’s … partner?” Jesse’s weak voice was barely above a whisper. The fact that he didn’t seem concerned about himself but had asked about Nate first didn’t surprise Nolan. Jesse doted on his little partner. Sometimes spoiling him with candy, almost always saying yes, a few times cursing him. They argued like brothers because they were.
“Nathanial’s okay. You’re both doin’ just fine. Come on. I’m gonna take ya upstairs to rest.”
Nolan shouldered Jesse’s weight. There wasn’t much left of him. Jesse’s cheeks were hollow, and that nightshirt used to fit tight. Now it hung loose, and Jesse’s collarbones protruded. Nolan lifted him to stand from the settee, and his skinny legs buckled. He grabbed tight and caught Jesse. Nope. Nolan wasn’t taking any chances that he might hit the floor. Jesse grimaced while being jostled a minute until Nolan got him scooped up into his arms. A featherweight was all he amounted to, but that boy was still tall. Jesse’s eyes closed, and he was softly snoring before they reached the top step.
Kate followed Nolan into the room with Nathanial in her arms. He situated the boys into Jesse’s big bed while Kate tucked in all the blankets. The house creaked against a snowy gust, and lots of flurries smacked the window. No draft would touch these two. Nolan stoked the fire until it was scorching hot in the room. Sweat trickled down his back.
He pulled up a chair near the edge of the bed. The two looked at peace, and Nolan imagined they were. Home was the best place ever, especially when something had stood in your way and you fought through hell to get there. Many nights out on the trail chasing criminals, his mind had been stuck miles back on home. Kate, the kids, and now Jesse, they never left Nolan’s mind. Not one hour of the day had passed that he didn’t think about one or all of them. Kate gently laid a hand to one, then the other boy’s forehead. She left, then returned about ten minutes later with two bowls of hot broth on a tray. Nolan lifted Nate’s head first. Neither boy would sip from the spoon Kate held to their lips.
There was one sure cure. Kate might give Nolan an earful for even thinking it, but it had always warmed his insides when the weather was cold and he’d been stuck on the trail, chasing down the lawless breed. He would apologize later. He stood and headed toward his office.
Kate raised a brow when he returned with a bottle in his hand. She didn’t say anything. He took that as a go-ahead. The bottleneck clinked the lip of the small glass, whiskey sloshed down the side, and Nolan finished pouring right to the rim. He set aside the bottle on the night table, then flicked the wet off his hand. He lifted Jesse’s head from the pillow. Jesse’s eyes were open, and Nolan pressed the rim of the glass against Jesse’s lips, slowly dribbling in the whiskey. It might give quite a jolt. Jesse grimaced, then swallowed. Nolan grinned. He did the same to Nate, who gulped a burning shot of rye right down without even a little fight. Nolan snickered. Kate, who stood on the far side of the bed, shook her head, though her wide grin conveyed she was a happy woman. Maybe not thrilled about the whiskey, but both boys had opened their eyes and drank. There’d been no dull staring. They had each watched that glass.
“That figures. Neither one of them would so much as taste the broth I cooked for them, but you pull the cork on a bottle of redeye, and they almost willingly drink.”
Kate was right. There was no denying that. Nolan sat at the edge of the bed. Both boys were fast asleep. Pinkness had crawled under their skin. Nathanial’s and Jesse’s cheeks glowed with a healthy flush.
Nolan stroked Nathanial’s hair, smoothing a turkey tail behind his ear. Kate came around the bed and up behind Nolan. She slipped her arms around his shoulders, where she then rested her chin. They quietly took in the long-awaited and most wonderful sight of their boys. Home at last.
Kate kissed Nolan’s cheek. “I never thought I’d see them safe under our roof again.”
Jesse’s eyes fluttered open, unsure at first where he was. How had he come to be in his room? The sheriff was sleeping in a rocker at the end of the bed, his stocking feet propped on the edge.
The fire burned red-hot, keeping the room good and toasty. It had probably been Kate who had Jesse buried deep under all those quilts.
Where was Ma?
Sweat soaked Jesse’s hairline, so he pushed back the heap of blankets. His eyes widened. He began to laugh, overwhelmingly filled with joy. The half-pint was curled up next to him, and the boy wasn’t blue. This was without a doubt the best moment of Jesse’s life. He’d never forget it.
“Partner, you’re alive.” Jesse grabbed the little boy, which startled him awake. He gave that little rascal a big bear-size squeeze. He had thought he would never see Nate take another breath.
“Stop it! I can’t breathe!” Nate pushed him away, but he wasn’t letting go.
“I thought I lost you.” Jesse couldn’t quit smiling. His fat grin stretched from ear to ear.
Nate squirmed, so Jesse hugged tighter.
“I thought I lost both of ya.” The sheriff grinned.
This was a true homecoming. Even Sheriff Crosson’s eyes held a shine.
“Pa!” The half-pint sprang out of the bed and onto his lap.
Jesse chuckled. The sheriff ruffled the boy’s hair.
Jesse just could not recall a finer day. Sunlight shone in the window, and there wasn’t a flurry of snow in the air. He was too comfortable all snug in bed, and the room was wonderfully warm. The people he cared about most were there with him. He couldn’t imagine life any better than that.
Then the door opened, and he was proven wrong when the rich, buttery scent of flapjacks made his mouth water. Besides the golden stack of heaven, Kate also carried eggs and bacon on the tray.
“Ma.” The many times Jesse had called her that, she always smiled as she did right then. “I don’t know what is more lovely … your beautiful face or that stack of sweet, syrupy food. Hands down, this is the best morning ever.”
Ma leaned over the bed, kissed his head, and then propped pillows up behind him so he could sit up straight while he ate.
Nate crawled across the bed toward the food. One whiff of bacon lured him off the sheriff’s lap. He was already reaching for a curly piece.
Ma served them both a big smile while she poured Jesse a cup of coffee, then handed Nathanial a glass of milk.
Jesse shoved a thick hunk of maple syrup-covered flapjack into his mouth. Oh my Lord, he hadn’t ever tasted any morsel so divine. Nate crunched on crispy bacon, and the sight of it had Jesse grinning. He had dreamed of Kate’s fine cooking many days while lying on that damn hard cave floor with his belly rumbling and them shivering all over. Every bite tasted better than he remembered, and Jesse and Nate both filled up quick. They hadn’t eaten half of what was on the tray.
Kate poured Jesse more coffee. He’d burst if he even thought about taking a sip. His gut was stuffed after one pancake, several bites of egg, and a few pieces of bacon. Before starvation had shrunk him, what he’d eaten this morning wouldn’t have been enough for a snack.
Jesse picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth. Nathanial yawned, his eyes droopy.
The sheriff sat quietly and watched Jesse and Nate. Jesse could rightly guess what was being pondered, but the sheriff wouldn’t ask until Jesse was strong enough to answer. Maybe someday he would share every god-awful detail of their story.
A full belly made him drowsy. All he wanted to do was close his eyes and sleep. The half-pint had finished every crumb of bacon on his plate and was already curled up, sleeping under the layers of patchwork quilts. The corners of his little mouth were turned up in a soft smile.
After kissing Nathanial’s head a half dozen times, Ma tucked the quilts in around his shoulders. She then came around the bed, smiled at Jesse, and took the tray. The door clicked quietly shut behind her.
Jesse scooched down under the blankets and rested his head on the soft feather pillow. He would sleep and sleep soundly. He would never forget that chilly cave floor that had been his bed, nor would he ever forget to appreciate what he had here. Home, family. They might not always see eye to eye, but there was a peacefulness knowing that he belonged, was wanted, cared about.
Sheriff Crosson stoked the fire. Near the end of their time in the cave, they had both sunk into silence. They’d been lost in their own thoughts of what would become of them.
Jesse had practiced in his mind the many important things he wanted to say to this man if ever he had the chance. The very moment Sheriff Crosson had spared Jesse from the noose, his life had changed. The sheriff had guided him along a good path, one he would not have marked out for himself. He owed this man much.
“Sheriff.”
Sheriff Crosson looked up from where he squatted while putting another log on the fire. Thank you was but two simple words, and somehow thinking of every moment Jesse should have thanked Sheriff Crosson tied up his tongue.
Nothing, not an utterance, came out of his mouth. The sheriff grinned, waiting for him to say something, but he could only stare. Why was it so difficult to say certain things? Telling someone how you feel shouldn’t be that hard, at least not when the sentiment was true.
Jesse’s lids fluttered. He needed to say something before he nodded off.
Sheriff Crosson likely had an inkling. Jesse had been a pup on his heels since that first day, but the sheriff should hear what he had to say. That he looked up to that man like a father. When exactly that had happened, Jesse wasn’t sure, but it had.
“Son, why don’t you git some shut-eye? I’ll be right here when you wake. We can talk then if you want.”
Jesse found the strength to nod, then closed his eyes, knowing that come spring, his feet were staying planted in Gray Rock as Sheriff Crosson’s deputy.