Heart of an Outlaw *First in the Crane Gang series*

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

 

          “Most of the hands just left for town,” Willie announced as he and Craig rode back into camp.

          “Most?” Jeb questioned. “How many stayed?”

          “Five.”

          “Alright then.” Jeb put away the knife he’d been sharpening. “Might as well rest up. We’ll wait and head in tonight once the place is quiet.”

          Gill kept his focus on Jeb as the man rose fluidly to his feet and instructed Billy to keep the fire small and make them something for supper. A frown pulled down the corners of Gill’s mouth as he watched Jeb. The man had been tense, distant and on edge all day.

          It had been nearly a month since they’d left McGrady and in that time three more ranches had been lightened of worldly goods and two more orphanages had been fully stocked and their inhabitants left with bright smiles on their dirt smudged faces.

          Honestly, Gill felt more fulfilled by the sight of those bright smiles and the grateful tears on the headmistress’s faces than he had ever felt in all his years as a ranger—and that was saying something.

          Gill still felt that nagging sense of worry that some kind of fall out was coming in response to him and Pete leaving the Rangers but it was becoming less and less of a main focus in his thoughts. It had been nearly a month and they’d seen and heard nothing from the Rangers and no gossip in any of the towns they had visited.

          It seemed that maybe Captain J.T. Morgan had taken their word and was letting them move on with their lives. And now all that stood between Gill, Jeb, their cabin and a nice long rest was one last ranch and one remaining orphanage.

          Gill studied Jeb a while longer as he pondered what the devil could be wrong with the man. It was hard to think too clearly about anything at all when Pete was serenading an exasperated and clearly unimpressed Jane, Billy was carrying on about the lack of flour to thicken up the beans he was boiling, Willie was twirling his revolvers around his finger and causing Gill to worry that at any moment he’d slip up and blow someone’s head off and Wyatt and Craig were having an argument over which one of them would win in a wrestling match with Paul Bunyan—Gill sometimes found himself wondering about the crew he’d fallen in with.

          When Jeb glanced his way and tipped his head, Gill nodded and stood. “Where you going?” Billy grumbled. “Supper’ll be ready shortly.”

          “We’ll be back,” Jeb assured him.

          “Yeah,” Pete chimed in with a grin. “They’ll make it quick.”

          With laughter ringing out behind them, Gill and Jeb made their way silently away from camp and to a bend in a small stream. Jeb began picking up rocks to toss into the calm water while Gill simply watched him. He knew Jeb well enough to know that when the man was ready to speak, he would speak.