Keep My Heart

Chapter 5

He must be the stable boy.

She figured she might as well introduce herself to him.

She adjusted Quinn on her hip and walked toward the barn. The big red structure looked like one you would find on any of the finest horse ranches in the area.

The stable boy looked up from the beautiful Shire he was grooming and smiled at her.

“Well, you must be the new hire I’ve heard so much about” He said.

“I’m Millie” Millie held her hand out.

“I’m Price” he took his glove off and shook her hand.

He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place him.

“Nice to meet you” Millie smiled.

“Hope you’re not looking for the head honcho. He’s gone” Price replaced his glove.

“Oh, I know that. Did he tell you where he was going?” Millie asked.

“No, you kiddin’? He don’t tell me nothing” Price said.

“Doesn’t seem like he tells anyone nothing,” Millie said, feeling Quinn slowly drifting to sleep in her arms.

“He doesn’t” Price said. There was obviously some sort of anger in his voice.

“It was nice meeting you” Millie smiled. “This little guy needs a bath and he’s about to fall asleep as it is”.

“So I see,” Price grinned.

Millie turned for the house and gently shook Quinn awake again.

*****

Trey pushed his roan up a hill and met up with Wes and Jed.

“Did ya’ll find anything?” he asked them in a sigh.

“Nope. Not a trace of anyone” Jed said. “I find it strange. Anyone who could steal that money had to have been privy to our plans, don’t you think?”

“That’s exactly what I think. Now, did any of you tell anyone about this job?” Trey asked as Adam rode up.

“Nope”

“No”

“Not a one”

Trey groaned. “Well, I guess we better call it a night. Meet me at the cabin in the morning”

He turned his horse around and kicked it harder than forcing it into a run merited. He gently rubbed the animal’s neck in an apology.

In all his efforts to remain calm, he could feel the soft leather of the reins he held cutting into his hand from his squeezing. He suspected that either Wes or Adam had taken part in taking the money. Wes would do it for spite, but Adam was smart. He knew how to hide his tracks and how to point all evidence to someone else. But Trey trusted Jed. He was the most honest of them all, and had always had his back. He couldn’t say that much about the other two. His head had stopped hurting for the most part but his mood hadn’t improved at all. He would find out who took that money.

*****

Millie poured the last kettle of warm water in the tub for Quinn’s bath. She figured he was due for one anyway. Growing up, she had to take a bath every Saturday and sometimes one in the middle of the week.

Taking Quinn from his place in a chair, she undressed him and slowly lowered him into the warm water. He made a face to the warmth, but soon got used to it.

Millie made a few bubbles for him to play with while she lathered his hair with soap. Smiling, she made his hair stand up on end and took a hand held mirror she had brought to the kitchen with her and held it up so Quinn could see himself. Quinn giggled and patted his hair.