Brazos Bride

BRAZOS BRIDE Chapter Twenty Six

Brazos Bride
Chapter Twenty-six

After a glorious night of lovemaking, Micah stood with his brothers in the back courtyard, staring up at Hope’s room. “Even if someone tossed the bag onto the balcony, no way could that rattler crawl into Hope’s bed.”
Eduardo strode toward them. “Your aunts, they told me what happened last night.”
“You agree it’s no accident?” Micah asked.
“Sí, and I know only one person who can do this, but I cannot think why.”
Joel asked, “Who?”
“Alejandro used to do circus tricks for us when we were young. He is very...how you say ágil?”
“Agile?” Micah replied.
“Sí, Alejandro is agile like those in a circus who leap and swing from the wire.”
The men surveyed the roofline.
Micah nodded at the one-storied section that formed the kitchen wing. “If I were to stand on that wall, climb to the kitchen roof, walk along, then I might be able to latch onto the railing and pull myself over to the balcony.”
Zach nudged him with an elbow. “And break your neck in the process. But an acrobat could manage, even with a canvas bag tied to his belt or his shoulder.”
Micah’s hands fisted. “I’ll kill the bastard. Let’s go get him.”
Placing a hand on Micah’s shoulder, Zach said, “Don’t do anything until we learn who’s behind this and why.”
“And then I’ll kill him.” Micah stormed toward the corral.
Wooster stood directing the training of a new mare. When he saw the others approach, he signaled for Red to take over.
Wooster strode toward them. “What’s happened now?”
Micah condensed the evening’s events. “We want to talk to Alejandro. Where is he?”
“Disappeared. Didn’t even ask for his pay. Fact is, he said nothing to me about leaving, but his tack and horse are gone. Hands say he didn’t mention going to any of them either, just slipped out last night and never returned.”
Joel asked, “Is that like him?” 
Wooster grimaced. “Never was our best man. Used his long time friendship with Mrs. Stone.” He met Micah’s gaze. “Have to admit I put up with his slacking off here and there because of it, specially with his sister being such good friends with your wife. Otherwise, I’d have sent him on his way.”
Micah clenched his fists so tight he thought his skin would burst. “When I find him...and I will...he and I are having a serious discussion before I beat the shit out of him. Then I’ll kill him.”
“Sí, I will help you.”
Joel held up his hand. “Eduardo, don’t forget the sheriff still wants to pin you for the murder of that Daisy woman. Little brother, we’ll look for this Alejandro together.”
Micah didn’t need an escort, but he was in too much hurry to argue. “And don’t say anything to Ramona about this, right?” He didn’t trust the woman and didn’t want to leave her alone with Hope while everyone else was busy. He’d have a word with his aunts before he left.
Zach slapped Eduardo on the shoulder. “Looks like you get to stay with Hope today and make sure no one makes another attempt on her life while we’re looking for Alejandro Chavez.”
“I prefer to go with you, but I also do not want Hope unprotected.” Eduardo shrugged.  “Amigos, I asked Papa to tell me how we are related, this Diego and me.”
“You? That mean he’s kin to Hope?”
“Sí, from Aiyana, the wife of Cesare Montoya. You remember I said she was Comanche? Her nephew was Diego’s great uncle. Papa said she always claimed the land belonged to her people and they let Cesare live here only because of her. She was one mean old woman, and she lived until only ten years ago. Always she scared the caca from me.” He raised his hand in farewell and walked away.
The brothers went to the barn and gathered their tack.
“We’re gonna get to the bottom of this, and I mean today.” Micah said as he saddled his horse.
“Don’t go off half-cocked, little brother. We need to go about this logically.” Joel mounted his horse. “Wooster, you know a safe place to get across the river?”
“Yes, several. I’ve had them watched around the clock. No cattle have moved across.”
Micah asked, “Alejandro pull any of the watches?”
Wooster shook his head. “Never quite trusted him. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a partner here.”
 Zach mounted his horse. “Let’s go up on that peak between here and Jorge’s ranch. Looks like a tough climb, but I’ll wager we can see a lot of the river from there."
“The ride up there is rough. Nothing moving up there but a few jackrabbits...and more rattlers.”
Micah said, “We’ll follow your lead.”
Two hours later the foursome pulled up beneath a rocky cliff. For the past hour, they’d followed a narrow trail that wound up the mountain.
Wooster raised his hand to call a halt. “Have to leave the horses here and hike the rest of the way.” He dismounted and let his horse’s reins drop. “Now look, men, I’m serious when I say be careful where you put your hands and feet. Nothin’ up here’s friendly.” Wooster glanced around and picked up a broken branch about five feet long and an inch in diameter. “Grab yourselves a walking stick.”
Micah and his brothers followed suit, and soon he saw Wooster’s reason. The backs of Micah’s legs burned on fire. All his walking had been on more or less level ground, not straight up a rocky path. The branch helped him gain traction on the slippery trail, but did nothing to ease the strain on his legs.
Zach shot a rattler curled on the path. “Hate those things.”
Joel said, “Someone’s been here not too long ago.”
“Me,” Wooster said. “Still, figured it’d give you the best lay of the land. Red and I came up about six weeks ago. Wanted to get a bird’s eye view. Look for stray cattle.” He stopped and used his sleeve to wipe sweat from his face. “Montoya had said to forget it, but I had to make another stab at finding them. I take losing cattle as a personal insult.”  
When they reached the summit, each man carefully chose a boulder and plopped down. Although this was the tallest mountain east of Stone Mountain, its height was several hundred feet less. Still, its height rose impressively.
Zach said, “Whew. Man, the view is worth the climb.”
 Below them lay the Brazos River winding lazily through the valley. Groups of cattle grazed on parched grass. Four ranch hands worked a fence line.   
Micah took out a spyglass and surveyed the shore. “Wooster, look there. Looks almost like a bridge.” He handed the instrument to Wooster.
Wooster focused the glass. “Reckon that’s a limestone formation. Can’t say as I ever noticed it before. Lotta land to cover.”
“That’s the truth.” Micah returned the spyglass to his vest pocket. “Let’s fix it in our minds. Hmm, due north of the ranch’s main barn, and I say we find that place.”
Joel said, “First, we go back and see if Alejandro turned up. We need a plan for our assault on someone else’s land.”