Anne pointed to where the girls often did their berry-picking. She attempted to calm the raging fears threatening to overtake her. Her mind recalled all the times Thatcher Lee had been overly polite and the way the other hands avoided him. Why hadn’t she seen through him? Oh, God, please keep them safe.
A rush of memories from those days when she lost Will and the tragedy after his death washed over her like the rain blinding her vision.
“I can’t lose my girls,” she said as the horses made their way along the outer edges of the woods. The tracks she wanted to find weren’t there.
Colt swung his attention her way. “I may be wrong about Thatcher Lee, and if I am, you’ll probably fire me.”
Emotion poured from her heart and eyes. “I could never fire you, Colt. I love you.” There. She’d said it.
His eyes widened.
She must confess her heart. “I’m not sure what will happen here today. Only God knows. But I sent Will to his grave without forgiving him and telling him I loved him. I won’t make that mistake again.” She took a deep breath. “It cost me more than losing my husband. It cost me his son.”
“Anne, I’m so sorry.”
“It was my own fault. I couldn’t pull myself from the guilt and grief when Will died. I was expecting, and the baby came early. If it hadn’t been for Clancy, I’d have been buried alongside the baby and Will.” She studied his kind face, the face she loved.
“Clancy has helped us both.”
She realized Colt didn’t know what to say, and she had no idea how he felt about her. “That dear man made me get out of bed, forced me to eat, and read to me from the Bible about God’s strength. He lectured me about taking care of my girls, and that was only the beginning.”
Colt offered a nervous grin. “What else?”
She met his smile with one of her own. “Taught me how to shoot and give orders, and all about ranching. Riding broncs was my idea.”
“He did a good job.” Colt glanced away, then back again. “I’m not good enough for you, Anne. Look at what I’ve done.”
“Look at what you’ve become—a new creation in Christ.”
He paused. “Maybe so.” His gaze returned to the ground, and he dismounted. “They were here. Must have left when the rain started. We can follow these tracks.”
“How many?” she asked. If more men were involved, she and Colt were outnumbered.
“Rosita, the girls, and one man. I pray I’m wrong about Thatcher Lee. I really do.”
Colt followed the trail through the mud. The small band was on horseback and headed to the place where the shooting had happened. What Thatcher Lee had done to Hank and Thomas settled on him hard. He glanced around—lots of rocks and trees to hide behind—easy for Anne and him to be ambushed. He turned his mare and circled behind where he thought Thatcher Lee had gone.
“Isn’t this where you and Clancy were shot?” Anne asked.
“Yeah, and I don’t understand why he brought them here. This would be the first place I’d look.” He hesitated. “He wants us to follow him. He’s planned this for a while.” Colt refused to say what else he feared. He prayed Thatcher Lee had gotten too sure of himself and had made a few mistakes that would help Colt free Rosita and the girls. “We have to walk from here. Are you sure you want to do this?”
The look she threw him left no question about her determination. Colt loved this woman. Maybe when this was over, they’d have a chance.
The rain beat down harder, causing him and Anne to slip more than once in the mud. But if they were having a miserable time in the weather, so was Thatcher Lee. The man had a short fuse; this might not be good.
At a spot he believed gave him cover behind Thatcher Lee, Colt motioned for Anne to stop. He bent low and covered the next several feet alone. Over a slab of overhanging rock sat Thatcher Lee, Rosita, and the girls. From Colt’s stance, he could see that the captives’ hands were bound. Colt assessed the terrain and crawled back to Anne.
“I need you to follow me, no talking, and move as quietly as you can. When I motion to you, stay put. Cover me while I circle in around Thatcher Lee.”
“So he does have my girls?”
“I’m afraid so.” His mind raced with the best way to seize Thatcher Lee without endangering the others. But one thing needed to be resolved with Anne. “Remember what you said about Will dying and not telling him how you felt?”
She nodded and swiped at the tears.
“I’m telling you now that I—I love you.” He spun around and crouched through the brush with Anne behind him.
At the designated spot, Colt pointed to where Thatcher Lee held his captives. Without another sound, he crawled to where he prayed God would give him an advantage over the man in the distance.
The closer he crept, the louder he could hear Thatcher Lee.
“My mama and Mr. Colt and Clancy will get you,” Nancy said.
“Shut up. Your mama and Colt are gone into town, and Clancy can’t do a thing with his shoulder. By the time they get back to the ranch, they’ll find the note in the kitchen.”
Note? He hadn’t seen one. Knowing Thatcher Lee’s intentions would have helped.
“Why do you want us?” Rosita asked. Through the brush, Colt could see a huge bruise on the side of her face.
“Well, Rosita, Anne’s husband has hidden a sizable amount of money on this ranch, and I want my share. I figure she’ll give all of it to me in exchange for you ladies.”
“You’re a liar,” Sammie Jo said. “And to think I stole money from Mama because you said you cared about me—wanted to run away with me. You’re worse than a rattlesnake.”
He laughed. “Your daddy was a no-good thief. He’s got money stashed all over this place.”
When Sammie Jo protested, Thatcher Lee told her exactly what he planned for her—and it wasn’t pretty.
Dirty animal. I’ll tear him to pieces for what he’s saying to that sweet, innocent girl.
Colt inched closer. He trusted God for guidance and to keep everyone safe. No matter what he had to do, Colt would not let Thatcher Lee hurt those girls or Rosita any more than he already had. Huntsville Prison sounded like a good place for him.
A stick snapped. Even in the rain the sound rang out like an alarm. Thatcher Lee whipped his attention toward Colt and took aim. Sammie Jo jumped from where she sat and pushed him off balance. Colt bolted into Thatcher Lee and pinned him to the ground. In the next breath, Colt wrestled the revolver away from him. He wasn’t sure how Sammie Jo managed to get her hands untied, but the moment Colt had the revolver fixed on Thatcher Lee, she flew into his arms.
“I was so afraid,” Sammie Jo said. “He lied to me and said horrible things about my daddy.”
“It’s all right.” Colt patted her back with his eye on Thatcher Lee. “I’ve got Thatcher Lee, and your mama is right behind me.”
“I’m sorry for all the things I said and did to you.” Sammie Jo cried the way he’d seen Nancy do that day in the tree.
“No matter.” He heard Anne thrash through the brush and head for her girls.
Colt shook his head at Thatcher Lee. “You are one stupid man. Now you’re going to find out the hard way what it means to break the law.”
“I see what you’re doing,” he said. “You’re playing up to Anne for the money.”
“There’s no money,” Colt said. “I don’t know where you got your information, but Will Langley didn’t leave a cent behind when he died.”
Anne touched Colt’s back. Her hand felt soft and warm, and he intended to get used to having this woman around.