Chase the Fire by Barbara Ankrum

Author:Barbara Ankrum
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ePublishing Works!
Published: 2015-03-11T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

The color left Chase's face in a rush as he wheeled on the wrangler. "Goddamn you, Bodine!" Chase launched himself at him again, driving him back against the rounded adobe horno. Bodine's head cracked against the rock-hard outdoor oven, but he brought a fist up and snapped Chase's head back. Chase staggered back a step but then, in a mindless rage, dove at Bodine, sending them both crashing to the ground. Over and over they rolled, pummeling each other with their fists. Dust billowed up in a cloud around them. Vaguely, Chase heard Early shouting at Libby to stay back.

He wanted to kill Bodine, string him up by his heels and make him suffer long and hard for telling her this way. His hands closed around Bodine's throat and his fingers tightened, cutting off the other man's airway.

Only Libby's plaintive cry kept him from snapping Bodine's windpipe in two.

"Stop it! Please, Chase! Let him go!" she cried, dragging at his arm. "Don't kill him."

For the first time Chase could see Bodine's face, see his eyes bulging from lack of oxygen and he realized how close he'd come to killing the man. He slackened his grip on Bodine's throat and rolled off him.

Trammel groaned and flung his head back, gasping for air. "Sonofa—" he rasped, unable to complete the word for the ache in his throat.

Chase got up slowly. His chest heaved with the effort to control the sickness welling up inside him. He swiped at his bloody mouth with the back of his hand and the fight left him as soon as he looked into Libby's stricken eyes.

"Get up, Bodine," Early ordered. "Get yer gear and get out." Bodine slowly rolled to his feet, massaging his reddened neck.

"No." Libby put a hand on Early's arm. "Not until he tells me what this is all about. What were you saying, Bodine? What did you mean about the trinket?"

"Go on," Bodine taunted in a hoarse voice. "Why don't ya ask him? Ask him how he come by that little silver locket of yours. Maybe he's been stealin' right out from under your trusting little nose."

Libby's gaze went from the taunting mockery in Bodine's eyes to the misery in Chase's. Confusion muted her senses and she stared at him blankly. "Silver locket? What's he talking about? I don't have a—" The words died in her throat and a cold knot formed in her stomach as she met the grim, confirming look Chase was giving her. She'd had a locket like that... once.

Stunned, she watched Chase turn and walk to his horse as if he were a condemned man headed to the gallows. He reached inside his saddlebags and pulled something out. Libby's heartbeat pounded in her ears. Silently, she prayed it was all a mistake. A horrible mistake.

Chase reached for her clenched fist and opened it with his fingers. Gently, he pressed the warm metal into her hand and closed her fingers around it.

"I didn't steal it, I swear to you. But I never meant for you to find out this way.

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