Beside Still Waters by Tracey V. Bateman

Author:Tracey V. Bateman [ Bateman, Tracey V.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781607429524
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2005-09-08T04:00:00+00:00

“There.”

Jonesy jerked his head up at the sound of Randy’s voice. The first words between them for two hours.

“In that cliff. There’s a cave.”

“You have horses in a cave?”

“That’s where we brand them. Every couple of days, one of us takes two horses and heads to Oregon City to sell them.”

“I’m supposed to believe you’re going to give me that information just like that?”

“Don’t matter none anyway. You ain’t gonna make it out of this alive.”

“I will.”

“We’ll see.”

Jonesy cautiously rode a couple of miles more until they reached the bottom of the cliff. Then he dismounted and lifted his pistol from his holster. He grabbed his extra rope and nodded at Timothy. “Get down.”

Timothy unlooped his bound wrists from the pommel of his saddle and dismounted.

“Over there,” Jonesy said, pointing the barrel of his pistol to a tree. “Sit down.”

“What are you gonna do?”

“I only need one prisoner. And I have a feeling your friend is more important to the rest of your gang than you are.”

Timothy sat still while Jonesy tied him to the tree, then took the boy’s handkerchief from his pocket and tied it through his mouth. “Sorry, but I can’t have you calling out a warning.”

Jonesy looked up warily at Randy. Standing a safe distance from the horse, he nodded to the outlaw. “Your turn. Get down.”

Randy dismounted awkwardly. Jonesy regretted that he couldn’t gag Randy, too, but he didn’t want to holster his pistol with the man’s powerful legs still free.

“All right,” Jonesy said. “Let’s go. Slow. And don’t try anything. As soon as I have Pete, I won’t try to hold you.”

He glanced down at Timothy. “You’ll be all right. They’ll come and untie you as soon as I’m gone.”

Timothy’s eyes widened, but his focus went over Jonesy’s shoulder.

“Drop the gun.”

Dread clenched Jonesy’s gut at the unfamiliar voice. He turned slowly. Two men stood holding guns on him. One, who looked identical to Timothy, was wearing a pair of buckskin chaps and a ripped calico shirt.

Jonesy knew better than to try anything stupid. He tossed his pistol forward.

“Good to see you, Al,” Randy said, a chuckle rumbling in his barrel chest. “This fool thought he’d walk outta here with Pete.”

“Pete?” The redhead kept his rifle on Jonesy but turned to Randy. “We thought he was with you.”

“What do you mean?” asked Jonesy.

Al sneered and backhanded him hard across the jaw. “Shut up.” He nodded to the redhead. “Untie Randy and your dim-witted brother.”

“This feller’s girl got attacked,” Randy said while Timothy’s brother dismounted. “We figured Pete did it and ran off to find you.”

“Pete got another one?” Anger marred Al’s brow. “You know what I told him after the last one.”

Randy nodded. “Guess that’s why he didn’t come lookin’ for you. We probably ain’t gonna see him again.”

Panic seized Jonesy. “You mean to tell me Pete’s not here?”

Al glared. “I told you to shut yer mouth.”

Jonesy glared at Randy. “We had a deal.”

“I kept my part of the bargain. I brung you to the gang, didn’t I?”

“You knew Pete wouldn’t be here.

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