No Way Up by Mary Connealy

Author:Mary Connealy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC042030;FIC042040;FIC027100
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2016-05-12T04:00:00+00:00

16

The day had begun bad for Heath and it was mighty early still.

They got out of the pass and immediately saw the cowhands charging for them. Heath figured they’d heard the gunfire. Most of the men were riding the range on the south side of CR land, but these few who were close came a-runnin’.

Somewhat encouraged, Heath held tight to his saddle horn as he studied them, wondering if one of them was the gunman.

Justin took charge. “Alonzo, take a man and shove these cows past the ranch yard and a good distance from this pass.”

Alonzo gave Heath’s bleeding arm a concerned glance but didn’t say anything. He signaled to the closest drover to him, and they fell in behind the cows. Big Red cooperated and showed no signs of going on the attack.

“And you two,” Justin hollered at Mike and Windy, “get that fence back up.”

“Who was shooting, Justin?” John Hightree was leading the pack. Justin hadn’t given him a job. “Heath, are you bad hurt?”

Heath didn’t answer. He was in too much pain to assure the old-timer he was fine.

“He’s been shot. We need to get him to the house and send for the doctor.” Sadie rode up beside Heath, close enough to rest her hand on his back and look him in the eye.

“I’ll go.” John took off galloping for Skull Gulch.

They rode on in, straight for the house.

“Let me go to the bunkhouse. The doc can come there.” Heath was getting in deeper all the time with the family. He kept waiting for the cowhands to complain.

“You’re not going anywhere, Kincaid.” Cole helped him down so quickly that Heath didn’t have time to tell the big galoot he could sure enough get down off his own horse.

“We need to talk while we wait for the doctor.” Big Brother Boden swung Heath’s good arm around his neck as Justin came up on the other side to help.

Heath would have protested, but his knees were wobbly. As much as he hated looking helpless in front of Sadie, he hated even more the thought of falling on his face again.

They nearly carried Heath into Chance’s office, the same room where Heath had read them the bad news about living together. They passed a large mirror in the hallway, and Heath made the mistake of looking at it. He was a mess. A mess with a strip from a lacy petticoat wrapped around his head. Lace dangled nearly to his eyes. He wondered if a man could die of embarrassment.

He was set with surprising gentleness onto a couch.

“I’ll go put up the horses and be right back,” Justin said, then left the room.

Heath noticed Sadie hadn’t come in and felt a pang of neglect. She appeared a minute later with a steaming basin in her hands and cloths tucked under her arm.

“Get his shirt off, Cole.”

Heath wrapped his good arm tight around his chest. “I’m not taking my clothes off in front of you, Sadie. You should be ashamed of such improper talk.

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