Colorado Heart (9781101612026) Page 15

  “Some things are for Cassie to tell you,” Manuel said as they picked up the next body.

  The words were bitter in his mouth, but he had to say them. He had to understand why she acted the way she did. “She was raped,” Jake said.

  Manuel’s ruddy skin turned pale beneath his bruises. They heaved the next sheep into the wagon and Manuel leaned against the side. He pulled a bandana from his pocket and wiped his face. The air was muggy, heavy with the promise of more rain, and the two men had already worked up a sweat.

  “She was,” Manuel said finally. “She was with her mother on a stage when it was attacked. Loretta’s heart gave out when she saw it.”

  “That’s what I figured,” Jake said.

  “I found the both of them in the wreckage of the stage and took them home to Rosa. Cassie recovered and her mother didn’t. They’d lost everything they had in the robbery.”

  “What were they doing there? What made them come to Texas from Illinois?”

  “Cassie wanted to study the law. There was a lawyer in Amarillo who said she could study with him.”

  “She wanted to be a lawyer?” Jake asked. Her tenacity amazed him. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a woman being a lawyer.”

  “As you saw this morning, she doesn’t like to be told what she can’t do,” Manuel said. “I don’t know what she was like before the attack, but after, she was afraid of things. She wanted to learn how to protect herself, so I showed her how to shoot. Finally, when she felt confident enough to work, she took a job doing filing and bookkeeping for the lawyer. She wasn’t ready to study yet. She was still trying to get back to normal. To trust again.”

  “She trusted you,” Jake pointed out.

  “I’d seen her at her weakest,” Manuel said. “When I found her. If I had wanted to hurt her I could have done it then.”

  The story was making Jake sick to his stomach, but he had to hear it all. “Go on,” Jake said. “What happened to make you leave?”

  “One day she was walking down the street and Cassie saw the man who raped her. His name was Paul Stacy and his father owned the biggest spread around.”

  “Like Watkins.”

  “Like Watkins,” Manuel agreed.

  “I’d reported the robbery to the marshal,” Manuel continued. “He didn’t care much because I wasn’t considered to be a citizen, as we had only been in America for a few years. But he did follow up with Cassie. So she filed charges against Stacy.”

  “Whose rich daddy hired the best lawyer to defend him?”

  “The same lawyer that she worked for.”

  “And it was her word against Stacy’s. She was betrayed twice,” Jake concluded. “Once by the law and again by the man who she thought was her friend.”

  “After the trial, Stacy tried to attack her again. He thought he was untouchable. Her hair was long, down to her waist. She wore it in a braid,” Manuel said. “He grabbed her by her braid and Cassie cut it off with a knife so she could get away. She wouldn’t go to town after that.”

  Jake could see her doing it. Pride and stubbornness were as good weapons as any when you were outmatched. “Is that why you left?”

  “Stacy’s father made it impossible for us to stay.”

  “Because you helped Cassie and you had sheep,” Jake said. “The same thing is happening here that happened in Texas.”

  “She feels responsible for Rosa and me,” Manuel said. “Because we helped her.”

  “What did you do before you started herding sheep?” Jake asked. “You don’t talk like a farmer.” Jake grimaced at the words he’d just said. “I didn’t mean it like that. What I mean is, you sound as if you’re educated.”

  “I taught at the university in Mexico City,” Manuel said. “Our son was killed in the union riots in the south of the country. We thought it best to leave after that. There was nothing to keep us there.”

  “Was there ever justice for Cassie?”

  Manuel shook his head. “Paul Stacy is a spoiled boy who never had to take responsibility for his actions. He and his men robbed the stage as a lark. They killed two men and left Cassie and her mother for dead and later laughed about it, and then laughed some more when the trial was over. He considers himself to be above the law.”

  “Someone needs to put a bullet in him,” Jake said. He couldn’t see the man’s face, but he could well imagine the satisfaction he’d feel at pulling the trigger.

  “I will leave that to God’s discretion,” Manuel said.

  Jake found himself looking at Manuel with a newfound respect. He knew from personal experience about life beating you down. His first response had always been anger and the determination to prove life wrong. It seemed that Manuel had that same determination, but he responded with patience and kindness.

  “I have one more question,” Jake said.

  “I don’t know what else I can tell you,” Manuel said. “I fear I have told you too much.”

  Jake shook his head and smiled. “This one is about Libby, the donkey. Why did you buy her?”

  Manuel laughed. “I have wondered that myself ever since I brought her home,” he said as he shook his head. “A donkey will protect the sheep as well as a dog, sometimes better. They will fight the coyotes and wolves.”

  “Now that’s something I’d like to see,” Jake said. “Knowing Libby the way I do, I’m fairly certain she’d give them a good fight.”

  “We have visitors,” Manuel said, and he picked up his rifle that lay in the seat of the wagon.

  Jake touched the handle of his pistol and relaxed when he recognized the horses. “It’s the sheriff,” he said. “And Ward Phillips. They must have spent the night at the Castles’ when the rain started.” Manuel still looked wary. “You can trust them,” Jake assured him.

  They had time to collect another carcass before the two men rode out to where they worked. “How bad is it?” Cade asked as soon as they were in earshot. “Anyone hurt?”

  “Manuel took the worst of it,” Jake said as the two men dismounted. Jake introduced them.

  “Can you identify the attackers?” Cade asked Manuel.

  “Sorry, I cannot,” Manuel replied.

  “How did you know something had happened here?” Jake asked. If someone had said something, then maybe there was a way to trace it back to Watkins.

  “We didn’t,” Ward said. “We were just on our way home from the Castles’ and Cade decided to pay Cassie a visit to talk to her about what you said last night. That she thought Watkins had taken the sheep from her land. It wasn’t hard to figure out what happened when we saw the dead sheep.” Ward looked around. “Where is our lovely Miss Parker?”

  “Out rounding up her sheep,” Jake said.

  “By herself?” Ward asked incredulously.

  “Couldn’t stop her,” Jake said.

  “She is one determined woman.” Ward shook his head in disbelief. Jake walked to the closest carcass, shaking his head also. Ward didn’t know the half of it.

  “You best tell me all of it,” Cade said to Manuel.

  “His wife was attacked too,” Jake said.

  “We should go to the house,” Manuel offered.

  “Go ahead, I’ll help Jake,” Ward said. Manuel and Cade headed to the house, and Ward took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves. “The sheriff is in a hurry to get home to his wife,” he said.

  Jake knew Ward was watching him for a reaction. “Can’t blame him,” he said. “What with Leah being pregnant and all. I know it didn’t break your heart to spend the night at the Castles’.”

  “The only thing better than the food was the view,” Ward said. “Whichever way you turned you saw a beautiful woman.”

  “Be careful what you say my friend,” Jake said with a grin. “That’s Jared’s wife and daughte
r you’re lusting after.”

  Ward laughed. “I guess you got stranded in the storm also?” The two men bent to pick up the sheep.

  “Yeah, the storm and Watkins’s mess. I couldn’t just leave Cassie alone after we found Manuel and Rosa in the middle of the road. They tied him to the gateposts and beat him. One of them kicked Rosa in the side of the head.”

  “Whoever did it ought to be horsewhipped,” Wade said. “Any way to prove who it was?”

  “Neither one saw anything that would identify anyone. It was dark and they wore bandanas over their faces. All the tracks were washed away in the storm. There’s not a chance in hell of proving a thing.”

  They put the body in the wagon. “You’re getting in pretty deep here, aren’t you?” Ward asked.

  “It’s starting to feel that way,” Jake admitted.

  Ward grinned. “Is she driving you crazy?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Just like Shakespeare,” Ward said.

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Jake asked.

  “Just remembering a talk we had a few days ago.”

  Jake wasn’t ready to admit anything to Ward. He wasn’t even sure of his feelings. “How about we have less talking and more working,” he said.

  Ward ignored him of course. “She took off by herself?”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “Why didn’t you stop her?”

  “Because I was pretty sure she wanted to shoot me.”

  “Why didn’t you go with her?”

  “Because I couldn’t leave this for Manuel to do on his own. He’s all busted up.” They picked up another sheep. “Besides, I’ve got my own place to take care of. I can guarantee you my hands are more than likely lying about the bunkhouse instead of out there working like they’re supposed to be.”

  “Maybe you should send some of them over here to help.”

  “Maybe I should,” Jake said. “Or maybe I’ll just mind my own business from now on and you can mind yours.”

  “You got it that bad?” Ward asked.

  “I’m afraid so,” Jake said finally. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve. “And to tell you the truth, Ward, I don’t know what to do about it. I’m think one of the reasons she’s out there looking for her sheep is because she’s scared.”

  Ward put a comforting hand on Jake’s shoulder. “Don’t worry my friend, you’ll figure it out.”

  “I hope so,” Jake said. He looked around the pasture. “Let’s move the wagon. We’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

  SIXTEEN

  “Now what?” Ward asked Cade as they left the Parker ranch. Ward was as impatient to get back as the sheriff. Except he was missing a dog instead of a wife. There was something kind of sad about his situation, and it was something he didn’t want to think about at the moment, which is why he asked Cade the question.

  “Right now all I can think about is getting home to Leah and Banks,” Cade said. “But I reckon I should swing by Watkins’s place, just to let him know that he’s not getting away with anything.”

  “You best tread easy,” Ward said.

  Cade laughed. “I’m guessing that means I can’t just shoot them.”

  “While it’s tempting, I wouldn’t recommend it. You are impressive with that gun, but I’m pretty sure Watkins will have more men than even you can handle.”

  “I could deputize you,” Cade threatened.

  Ward raised his hands in mock surrender. “I am nothing if not a man of peace.”

  “Yeah, I really believe that,” Cade said.

  “How about you tread easy, because I don’t want to have to tell Leah that her second husband got shot in the line of duty.”

  “I can live with that,” Cade said.

  “You better, because she would kill me and I’m much too young and good-looking to die.” They crossed the main road and cut back to the drive that led to the Watkins place. The heavy skies finally came through with their promise of more rain and a light drizzle started.

  “We’re going to have some flooding if we get another downpour like last night,” Ward observed. “When the snow turns loose of the mountain peaks it gets pretty bad.”

  They were moving down a gentle slope. “I’ve seen it run right through here,” he said, pointing to the stream that bubbled down from Cassie’s land, “and then run into the bigger stream that runs behind Watkins’s spread.”

  “What about the town?” Cade asked. “Is there ever much water through there?”

  “I’ve seen it get up to your shed,” Ward said. “Without much more rain than this. We had an exceptional amount of snow last year. I’d be wary if I were you.”

  The valley opened up before them as they rounded a bend. A lot was going on, in spite of the drizzle. Several cows milled about in a large corral. Some cowboys were inside with ropes, and others were around a small pen. A few were on horseback, watching the others work.

  “Oh great,” Ward said. “It’s castration day.”

  “What, are you afraid someone will slip up and tie you down?”

  “Just don’t like the noise,” Ward admitted. “The way those poor fellas cry.”

  Watkins saw their approach and rode up to meet them. “Sherriff,” he said. “Phillips. What brings you back out my way so soon?”

  “Actually we never made it home last night,” Cade said. “The rain started and the Castles asked us to spend the night.”

  “Isn’t it nice when everyone is so neighborly,” Ward added. “Welcoming and all that.”

  “Some people are just that way,” Watkins said. “Others aren’t.”

  “And you’re in the ‘aren’t’ category?” Cade asked.

  “I’ve seen more people come and go than you’ll ever know, Sheriff,” Watkins said. Ward got the feeling there was a hidden meaning in Watkins’s statement. As in there were bodies buried and they would never find out where.

  Cade must have been tired of messing around because he got right to the point real quick. “We just came from the Parker spread,” he said. “People are hurt and livestock are either dead or missing. I am going to find out who did it.”

  Watkins made a noise deep in his throat and spat in the dust in front of Cade’s horse. “Are you threatening me, Sheriff?”

  “Nope.” Cade casually leaned across his saddle horn. “Just assuring you that I’m determined to make sure that everyone in this valley is safe. In case someone comes and does the same to your place.”

  “Don’t worry about us,” Watkins assured him. “We can protect ourselves from anyone who decides to pay us the visit.”

  “Just as long as you know that others are inclined to do the same,” Cade said.

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Watkins said, and without another word turned his horse and went back to his work.

  “What do you think?” Cade asked as they also turned their horses and started the trip back to the main road.

  “I think he could care less what you or anyone else thinks,” Ward said. “Which is pretty much the norm for him.”

  “I’m all for living your life the way you see fit,” Cade said. “As long as you don’t hurt other people when you’re doing it.”

  “Live and let live?” The rain came down harder as they made the turn to town. Both men hunkered down in their slickers. Ward knew Cade was deep in thought. This was his first real test as sheriff. Most of his work since taking the job last December had been making sure the drunks at Ward’s bar didn’t shoot up the town. They rode the rest of the way in silence, not even talking when they got to Martin’s livery beyond a “See you later,” after they’d taken care of their horses.

  Lady greeted Ward as if he’d been gone for a month instead of a night. She whined and jumped and licked his cheek before
flopping over on her back for a belly rub and then scrambling up again before he could touch her.

  “That dog has grieved the entire time you were gone,” Pris said as she came down the stairs. She stretched and yawned and retied the belt on her robe. It was pretty early for Pris to be up and about.

  “She loves me; I have no doubt about that.” Ward hung his slicker on the coat stand, knelt down next to Lady and hugged her. “We missed breakfast this morning,” he said. “But don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you at lunch.”

  Pris giggled. “I’m sure Dusty will love that.”

  “He’ll get over it soon enough,” Ward said. “Did I miss anything last night?”

  “Just some wet cowboys is all,” Pris said. “Bob can fill you in. I went upstairs as soon as I saw them. I can’t stand that Baxter guy from the Bar W. He gives me the creeps.”

  Now that was an interesting turn of events. Cowboys didn’t usually come to town during the week. Not unless they’d been out doing something and wanted to celebrate afterward. And these guys were from the Bar W, which was Watkins’s place. “They didn’t bother you, did they?” Ward asked her.

  “No, sir. You put a good lock on my door and I know how to use it.”

  “Good,” Ward said. He looked around the Heaven’s Gate. Everything was as it should be. His clothes were a bit damp, but they’d dry soon enough. As was his habit, he went to his piano. He had some thinking to do and he always did his best thinking when he played. Lady lay down beside the bench, content that he was home, and the rain beat a steady accompaniment on the roof.

  SEVENTEEN

  Cassie huddled down inside her coat. Water poured over the brim of her hat and onto her legs where they hung on either side of the saddle. She was chilled to the bone and soaked besides. She’d been foolish when she’d left, not taking any supplies and even leaving her slicker behind.

  To tell the truth, her fear of Jake had been more instrumental in her desire to get away from the house than her desire to find the sheep. Right now she could care less about the sheep, although she was worried about Max. If he was hurt and hiding someplace, then they would never find him. There were too many nooks and crannies to hide in.