Desert Intrigue by Linda Weaver Clarke

Author:Linda Weaver Clarke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, suspense, adventure, mystery, ghosts, humor, intrigue, arizona, mysterious happenings, superstition mountain, lost dutchmans goldmine, thunder god
Publisher: Linda Weaver Clarke

Chapter 16

The following day, Julia walked all over the ranch, searching for clues. She checked the poisoned pond, hoping to find something that was overlooked. She even strolled through the bunkhouse, looking under the beds and under pillows, wondering if there was one shred of evidence lying around, but found nothing.

It was almost dusk and she was feeling restless. She pursed her lips in thought. Then it dawned on her. Perhaps the answer was on the hill that her brother had told her about. He had said there were a number of times that a warrior sat perched on top and then he would disappear in a cloud of smoke. There had to be an answer. She didn’t believe it was the spirit of some ancient Thunder God.

As she looked at the hillside, she realized it was a rugged area with many boulders and cactus, but she could handle it. She would avoid the rough terrain until she got to the top. If she had to, she could walk the rest of the way.

Without hesitation, she asked Billy to saddle the mare. He told Julia that he would get her when the horse was ready. In the meantime, she stuffed a canvas satchel with a water bottle and fruit leather. She didn’t know exactly how long she would be and she was in the mood for munchies.

Ten minutes later, she attached the satchel to the side of the saddle, climbed upon the horse, and headed toward the hills. It was a nice autumn day and she was enjoying the ride. When she finally got to the spot her brother had pointed out, she slid down from the mare and searched the ground for evidence. There had to be something to give her a clue.

She saw plenty of hoof prints on the ground, but since this was part of Kelly’s grazing land, that wouldn’t prove a thing. Julia raised a curious brow, stooped down and picked up a feather. She looked around to see if there were more, but there weren’t. As she inspected the feather, she noticed that it was dyed red with a black spot on the tip. Her brother told her that the warrior had feathers in his band and perhaps this was one of them. And how about the black tip? Did it represent something? A certain tribe?

Julia had a hunch this was evidence. As she contemplated the situation, she had a feeling that someone was watching her. She looked around and could see no one. She pushed the idea out of her mind. This was ridiculous. She bit her lip and shook her head. She was just being paranoid.

She quickly got to her feet and put the feather in her canvas satchel. As Julia climbed upon her horse, she heard a sound behind her. A deep foreboding crept into her soul as she slowly turned around.

Julia swallowed and then asked, “Is someone there?”

No one answered. When she heard a rustling sound from behind a large boulder, she held her breath, watching and waiting.

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