Innocence and the Outlaw

Chapter Nineteen

"Stop right there!" Chase recognized Chance's voice and he heard the cocking of two rifles. One to his right where Chance's voice had come from and one from an upstairs window of the house.

"Ride into the light where we can see you." Chase recognized Paul Gordon's voice and knew he was the one in the upstairs window of the house. Chase nodded over at Tig and the two men rode over into the glow of the lanterns beside the porch.

"Chase?" Chance's voice questioned and Chase heard one of the guns uncock. He knew that Paul still had his gun trained on him but he refused to show any sign of unease as he slid from his saddle.

"I am glad to find you all well." He said looking only at Chance as the man walked over and joined he and Tig in the lantern light.

"We're not exactly well. Some men were here earlier."

"What kind of men?" Chase asked, his spine stiffening.

"Friends of yours." Paul stated from the window and Chase didn't even spare him a glance.

"I have no friends that could have come. Who was here?" he asked Chance.

"He looked kinda like you. I think he was a injun too. He said his name was...."

"Tobias." Tig cut in. "Bad man. He makes you look like a little puppy dog, Chase. HeeHee! He does!"

"They uh... They said they were your friends and they were looking for you. They seemed interested in knowing where Leah was too." Chase growled under his breath.

"They will never lay a hand on your sister. You said you were not all well, what happened?"

"The man, Tobias, he got real mad and crazy actin' when he realized that you and Leah neither one was here and they opened fire." Chance rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes filled with pain. "They killed Benjamin, he made an easy target I guess... And they shot mama."

"Is she still living?" Chase demanded, knowing the pain it would cause his wife if she lost both Benjamin and her mother.

"Yeah you stupid red skinned bastard, she's alive. More alive than you're gonna be in a moment."

"Pa, stop it!" Chance exclaimed. "Chase didn't have anything to do with what happened to mama." Chance glanced at Chase as if hoping he was speaking the truth about the man.

"I do not even know the man who did this. But I knew his father. I killed his father because his father was going to kill Leah." Chase assured Chance and then he turned his eyes up to the window that Paul was aiming at him out of.

"Either shoot me or put the gun away. I do not respond well to having a gun drawn on me."

"Be glad Chase asked. He usually just boom booms and then you're dead!" Paul could be heard grumbling but then the gun was pulled away from the window and he disappeared from view.

"I am sorry this has happened." Chase said with regret and Chance shrugged.

"Who was his pa?"

"Boss."

"The one that said he was going to rape Leah and have her screaming his name?" Chance demanded and Chase felt his jaw pop as it tightened. He simply nodded in response and Chance shrugged.

"That man would have died by my hand if you hadn't kill him so I guess it would have been only a matter of time before his son showed up here."

"Where is my daughter?" Paul demanded as he stepped out of the house with his rifle propped in his arms.

"Safe, a short distance from the house. I smelled the smoke and did not want to bring her for fear of what we would see."

"You lie. You kept her away from here so that she would not choose to stay here where she belongs." Paul argued. Chase simply rolled his eyes and turned his side to the man, choosing not to argue. Chance however was not as nice.

"Mama told me that your brother was killed by Indians and that's why you're such a hateful ass when it comes to Chase but it weren't Chase that killed him and you need to just let go of whatever you got against him. He loves my damn sister and she loves him and if you want to have any relationship with her or your grandchildren then you're gonna have to accept Chase too."

"I apologize for what happened to your brother." Chase offered with a tip of his head. Paul looked uncomfortable and took his time sticking a wad of tobacco inside his lip.

"Something has to be done about these men." he finally stated and Chance let out a defeated sigh and looked at Chase.

"I agree. Where is your wife?"

"Billings. She's resting at the docs. Chance and I came out here just to make sure those bastards wouldn't come back and burn our place down." Paul grumbled.

"We will take Leah back to Billings and let her stay with her mother and we will come back here and wait for those men to come back." Chase said as he turned to jump back into Blaze's saddle.

"Who is that?" Chance asked quietly as he pointed over at Tig who was currently riding his horse in small circles and whistling.

"His name is Tig. He helped us escape from the camp." Chase replied and Chance frowned.

"I've seen him before...."

"At the camp." Chase stated with annoyance. He had too much to do to be having this discussion.

"No." Chance said with a shake of his head. "No he was here that night they shot mama and Benjamin. He was with that Tobias man! I know he was because he tried to shoot me." Chase felt unease trickle down his spine and settle deep in his gut. Quickly he settled himself into the saddle and looked over at Tig.

"Get your horses." he said to Paul and Chance. "It would be best if we all rode together."

Chase watched Tig as Chance and Paul left to saddle their horses. Chase wanted to believe that Tig had only been riding with Tobias to keep an eye on what the man was doing but somehow Chase doubted that. But it didn't make sense for Tig to be working for Tobias... Not when he was helping Chase and Leah. He had come with Yancy to warn them after all.

Unless Yancy was working for Tobias as well and Chase had just handed Leah to him! He saw Chance and Paul coming out of the barn and without saying a word Chase let out a yip and smacked Blaze's rump, causing the stallion to rear back on his back legs and then take off at a neck breaking pace.

***

"What's taking so long?" Leah mumbled as she wrung her hands and paced back and forth in the darkness. She glanced at Yancy who was standing beside a tree smoking a cigar. He didn't seem to be listening to her and looked distracted.

Leah paced faster and fought the urge to run over the hill in front of them and across the open field to her families home. Were they okay? They must not be if it was taking Chase and Tig this long! Leah felt her stomach turn and clamped her hand over her mouth.

Her family had to be okay! They just had to be! Maybe they were just talking and that's what was taking Chase so long. Yes that had to be it.

"How long has it been?" she demanded with annoyance and Yancy pushed himself off the tree and sighed.

"Bout ten minutes is all. I'd say they're just now getting to the house." Leah heard the irritation in his tone and forced herself to stop pacing though her hands continued to rub together.

"I hope everything is okay." she whispered, more to herself than to Yancy. Suddenly she sensed a movement behind her and smelled the strong stench of cigar smoke.

"Not much chance of that I'm afraid." Yancy's voice drawled and Leah wasn't able to let out a scream before he was pulling a rough cloth bag over her face and turning her world black.

She fought but his hands tightened around her neck and her head begin to swim. Her lungs burned and she had trouble focusing. She tried with all her might to hold onto consciousness but it was no use and her last thought was of Chase and what her death would do to him.