Thief of My Heart (Watty Awards Finalist 2012)

Chapter 38

"At least let me come with you.  What if you get there and find out something bad has happened.  You don't need to be alone.  Just let me get dressed."

Evie looked down at Livvy who stood on the front porch in her robe and slippers, shivering against the frosty morning air.

"There's no time for that Aunt Livvy.  We're already mounted and ready to ride.  Besides, I won't be alone.  Preacher will be with me.  He's just as concerned about them as the rest of us.  He'll take good care of me."

"That's right, ma'am.  I won't let nothing happen to Joshua's gal.  You have my word on that."   Preacher said as he checked the ammo in his rifle.

Livvy sighed heavily in resignation, clearly taking the hint that Evangeline did not want her to come along.  She didn't like it but her niece was a grown woman and could make her own decisions. "Very well.  But I want you to go to the authorities immediately if there's been trouble and let them handle it.  Then get back here as soon as possible."   She turned to go back inside but spun quickly back to add, "With two hungover cowboys hopefully."

Evie wished two hungover cowboys was the only problem she was about to face.   But she knew better.    They were in trouble.  Just how much remained to be seen.  "We'll be back as soon as we find out what's happened."   She pulled the hood of her black wool cloak over her head before nudging Rusty forward through the gate.  She felt underneath the folds of her cape with hands wrapped warmly in the worn brown leather of Hannibal's gloves, to make sure the blue coat was there.   Then she glanced over at her partner and smiled to herself seeing the sheepskin coat he was wearing.  They had decided it was best to wear the boys' coats to make sure they were warm from their body heat,  just in case they ran into them on the trail.   Evie's thoughts turned to the time her beloved had put this same coat, warm from his body heat, around her shoulders after he'd rescued her from Harlan.  She hoped she would soon be returning the favor.

They didn't meet a single person on the road to Cold Springs.  The white coating of frost that covered every blade of grass and every rooftop began to disappear as the sun rose higher in the the sky.   But her dread grew with every mile that brought them closer to town.  When they passed the sign that read "Cold Springs - Population 894"  a shudder went through her body.  She looked silently at Preacher.  He gave her a nod, indicating he knew the plan and was ready to carry out his part.    The plan was to split up and cover every inch of town, ask questions and hopefully find someone who had seen the boys yesterday.  Preacher's first stop would be the blacksmith's shop.  If that revealed nothing he was going to the saloon.  In the mean time she would ask questions in the mercantile, dress shop and milenry store.  And the last resort was going into the sheriff's office.  

They rode inconspicuously into the town that she was coming to loath.  Something bad always seemed to happen here.  Once she found out what happened to Hannibal and Kid, she was never going to set foot in this town again. She drew rein in front of Handy's mercantile and dismounted.   Preacher rode on towards the blacksmith's.  Out of the corner of her eye she saw the image a woman with a baby on her hip.  She turned and saw Laura Thomson holding baby Hannibal emerging from the alleyway between the blacksmith's shop and livery stable.   She watched her from under the cover of her dark hood.   Her eyes narrowed in suspicion and distaste.  Had she turned them in?  Had her husband turned them in and she had done nothing to stop him?   Evie knew this woman had something to do with the boys absence.  At the very least she had information.  Evie just knew she did.

Laura paid her absolutely no mind as she made her way towards the mercantile.  When Laura was close Evie removed her hood, revealing herself to the mother of seven.  Laura did a double take then gasped as she recognized the young woman that Hannibal Heyes had left behind yesterday.  If looks could have killed, Laura Shepherd would have fallen dead right then and there on the streets of Cold Springs, Texas. 

Laura stepped back a couple of steps, seeing the fiery look in the younger woman's eyes.  Her first instinct was to turn and run back towards her house, but she knew she owed this woman an explanation.  She knew she was here to find out what had happened to the man she loved.  

"I had nothing to do with it,"  Laura stated quickly and firmly, knowing why she was in town.

"With what?" 

"With why you're here,"   Laura mumbled sheepishly.                                            

"Why am I here, Mrs. Shepherd?  That is your name isn't it?  Mrs. Bradley Shepherd?  The blacksmith's wife?"    

Laura could hear the accusation and the scorn in her tone.  "Yes, Bradley is my husband.  But I didn't have anything to do with it I swear." 

"What are you talking about?  What did you not have anything to do with?"  Evie stepped closer to the woman, growing impatient and wanting an answer.  

"With Bradley.  With what he did."  

Panic threatened to steal her breath for a brief moment.  Had he killed them?   Oh, God, please don't let that be so.  "What did he do?"

"He turned them in to the sheriff."

Evie closed her eyes and sighed.  Mostly in relief.  At least he hadn't killed them.  "So they're in jail?"  Evie asked.

"No, they're not in jail."     

Evie was anxious to find out what had happened and here this ninny headed woman was pussyfooting around.  Why didn't she just come out and say it.  Evie was starting to loose her temper.

She stepped closer and stood face to face with the older woman.  "I'm getting impatient Mrs. Shepherd.  The man I love is missing and I'm here to find out what happened to him.  And after what you did at that barn dance, the only reason your still standing right now is because I know that you have information that will help me find him.  Otherwise I'd have already laid you out on this street.   That and the fact that your holding that baby on your hip are the only reasons your not looking up at the sky right now.  Now tell me what you know before I forget that you're holding that baby."

"They got away.  In fact, I helped them.  Their horses were tied in the front of the shop and they were trapped in back.  I got their horses for them and they rode off that way,"   she pointed north.  

"They brought a pony with them for your husband to shoe.  Did he do it?"

"No.  He took it to the livery.  It's still there I'm sure."

Evie gave her adversary on last glaring look before turning to mount Rusty.  She was halted by a hand to her arm.  Evie turned her head and looked down at the bony fingers that encircled her arm then into the large sunken eyes of the gaunt face.  Laura quickly removed her hand, feeling Evie's annoyance at being touched by her.

"I....I just want to tell you that I'm sorry.  About the barn dance and about what happened to Hannie and Jed.  If I could have prevented it I would have, but I had no idea they were going to be in town.  And I certainly didn't expect them to bring any business to our shop.  I hope that Texas ranger doesn't catch up to them."

"What Texas ranger?"

"Sherman McMaster.  He was a ranger a couple of years ago when he nearly caught them somewhere in northern New Mexico.  But they managed to lose him in some canyons and he's been itching to get another shot at them ever since.  I'm afraid if he does catch up to them it won't end well."

"Has he formed a posse to go after them?"

"Yes.  Twenty men volunteered once they realized their was a hefty reward.   Bradley thought he would get to claim all the reward, but apparently that would have happened only if they had been arrested yesterday.  And the sheriff and a couple of other men rode towards Red Rock to make sure they didn't head that way."

Evangeline's face drooped with fear.   How could they possibly escape a posse that size when they were without coats or food?   And the posse was being led by a man wasn't interested in the money.  For him it was personal and his reward wasn't money, but their hides.  She had to find them.  Soon.

Evie mounted Rusty and was about to head out to find Preacher when Laura halted her again. "Wait!
"I thought you should know.   He wanted to come back to you.  He wanted to ride south back to Red Rock, but Jed wouldn't let him.  Jed said that it would lead the law straight to you and you might be in trouble for helping them.   He finally agreed with Jed and rode north, but he didn't want to.  He didn't want to leave you."

She had known that all along.  But hearing it out loud from someone else, especially from this woman who was obviously galled to have to say it,  made her heart hammer in her chest.   She didn't speak but simply nodded at Laura before turning her horse and leaving her standing in the street.  She had to find Preacher.  They had to come up with a plan.   Now that they knew what they were facing they could come up with a plan on their ride back to the ranch.  If only they knew where the boys were headed.  North wasn't much of a lead.  And now they had a posse to try and out smart....wait a minute....a light went off in her head.  She knew where they were headed.   She urged Rusty a little faster down the street to find Preacher.  And she prayed he knew how to get to Rising Gulch