{Chapter} 30

Wade strapped on his gun the next morning as Toni doled them out to the remaining cowboys. All of the temporary cowboys had packed their gear and left early that morning to avoid injury should Mark and his men come back for the document that Erik had.

Cowards.

So the only men that stayed besides Wade were Rawhide, Tiny, and Gringo. They would have liked J.T.’s skills with a gun just then, but they knew they couldn’t have that.

“Toni!” Erik stated the name as an announcement as he entered the camp. “I say we burn this here document to ashes.”

He held up the legal statement that gave Mark full ownership of the ranch.

Toni nodded. “I agree. Leastways there’s no proof that I signed that blame thing.”

“We need to sit down and come up with a plan,” Adam said as he sat on the tongue of the chuck wagon, swinging his legs. “Should they decide to ambush, we need to be on the same board, right?”

The rest of them agreed.

“Right,” Adam nodded. “In my experience, the best way to counter an ambush is to be ready when it comes. I don’t think it’s safe to move. Here we have access to water and cover, whereas they could strike anytime on the trail while we’re in the wide open and exposed.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Erik said.

Toni nodded.

“What if they don’t come back?” Katie spoke up from where she was drying dishes. “We can’t stretch the food to last very long.”

“She’s right,” Wade said. “They might be waiting down at the ranch until we get back.”

Adam’s brow furrowed. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“We could send the women on ahead,” Erik offered.

“No!” Toni and Katie yelled at the same time.

Erik grinned, revealing his intentions of humor.

Wade shook his head. “If we stay, we might be here forever and starve to death. If we move on, they could pick one of us off without any of the rest knowing where they were. Seems like there’s no right answer.”

Adam held up a finger. “Oh, but there is. Instead of waiting to the trouble to come to us, how about we go looking for it? Turn the tables, so to speak?”

Toni and Erik looked at each other, then at Wade, then at Adam, then back at each other.

“Seems like our only choice,” Toni resigned.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Erik agreed with Adam.

“I’m in,” Wade gave in. The sooner he could get to Aubrey the better.

“I think it’s a crazy notion,” Rawhide protested. “But I haven’t left Miss Toni’s side in years upon years, and I don’t plan on starting now.”

The other two cowboys agreed.

Adam turned to face Katie. “Kate? You with me, baby?”

Katie nodded. “I’m wherever you go.”

“Okay.” Adam rubbed his hands together. “Let’s work out a strategy.”

**********

“That went all wrong!” Mark punched the wall to an old abandoned barn they had found, his fist going right through the rotten wood.

“How was we supposed to know that deputy was privy to our plans?” Alex asked, toying with one of the many gold coins mixed with bills that were placed in a pile on the floor.

Mark dusted off his hand. “How was I supposed to know you’d try something with Katie Morris? You fools!” Mark’s anger was growing more intense by the second.

Marshall stood up. “If it weren’t for that blame niece of yours near’ killing Harrison…”

“She didn’t near’ kill me!” Alex protested.

“Shut up, the both of you.” Brant turned from his place by the window. “The boss is right. You two were being fools.”

“Them’re fightin’ words!” Alex stood up, fists clenched at his sides.

“Stop!” Mark called the men to order. “This is still a job undone. I’ve helped you rob banks all over Texas and no one knows who you are. I’ve saved the four of you from being killed more times than I can count. I can still pull this off. We just need to get that document.”

“You going back?” Joe spoke up for the first time.

“No,” Mark shook his head. “They’ll come to us. You wait and see.”

“Can’t we just take the money and leave well enough alone?” Alex asked.

“No!” Mark yelled. “I want that ranch if it’s the last thing I do! I don’t care who I have to kill to get it!”

**********

Katie finished packing all the food she could get into saddlebags and sacks as she loaded down one of the spare horses. Her heart beat into her ears and she found her hands trembling. She could feel deep inside herself that someone was going to get hurt. She started moving quickly with nervousness.

“Kate? You alright?” She heard Adam ask.

Katie glanced at Adam, but went on about cleaning out the chuck wagon. They couldn’t take the wagon along incase they had to move quickly.

“I have a bad feeling about this, Adam,” she told him.

“I know, but we don’t have another choice. The sooner this whole debacle is over, the better. I’ve got to go on ahead and start tracking them. Erik and Wade are coming with me,” Adam explained, throwing his saddlebag over his shoulder.

Katie whirled around to face him. Her eyes were wide with panic.

“What if something happens to you? What if I’m not there?” She jumped off the wagon and landed in front of him.

“Nothing’s gonna happen to me, Kate. I’ll be just fine,” Adam smiled and cupped her face in his hands.

“You can’t be sure about that,” A lone tear ran down Katie’s cheek, and Adam wiped it away with his thumb.

“I am sure. I know who holds the future for us. Don’t you remember the verse you told me? ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.’ God’s got this, you know it?”

Katie nodded and wrapped her arms around him. “Be careful.”

“I will,” Adam mumbled. “I’ve got every reason in the world to be careful now.”

He pulled away just enough to give her brief kiss.

“I love you,” he said, smoothing her hair behind her ears. “I love you so much.”

Katie nodded as three more tears spilled down her cheeks. “I love you more.”

Adam hugged her quickly and then left to mount his horse before riding off with Wade and Erik on either side.

Katie sighed.

Protect him, Lord. I can’t lose him like I did Ben. You said you wouldn’t give us more than we can handle, but I don’t know if I couldn’t handle it if he were hurt.

**********

Aubrey pinned a sheet out on the clothesline Wade had built for her and felt her heart jump. In just a few days, she would have Wade back home. Just to see his face again would be enough to make the past weeks of torment worthwhile.

Jay had been very well behaved in the past few days. She was proud of him. He had been surprisingly patient with Sandy and with his chores. Aubrey didn’t know if it was maturity or the talk of a pony doing it to him, though

“Momma?”

Aubrey turned as the subject of her thoughts spoke to her from behind. Jay held out a small bouquet of wilting flowers to her.

“I picked these for you,” he said.

Aubrey dropped to her knees in front of him and smiled. “Thank you, sweet boy.” She tousled his hair.

“You always looked happier after Daddy picked flowers for you,” Jay shrugged.

Aubrey gave him a hug. “And your flowers make me happy, too.” She took the little bouquet and stood. “I’m gonna go put them in water.”

Jay nodded and ran off to play with Sandy. Aubrey picked up her clothesbasket and went inside her home. She loved the place that Wade had built. Every nook and cranny seemed to scream his handiwork and reminded her of him. She couldn’t help but smile when she saw the front of the yellow and white house out on the middle of Texas, surrounded by the wide open.

“Just a few more days, Aubrey,” she whispered. “Just a few more.”

**********

Adam felt his adrenaline pump with each turn the tracks he was following made. He was growing to live, breathe, and dream the hoof prints in the dirt. It wasn’t long before they crossed into Texas and Adam didn’t even keep up with the time until it started growing dim.

“Adam, we’ve gotta stop for the night and give the others a chance to catch up with us before dark,” Erik told him.

Adam nodded. “We can stop up ahead. It looks like a good place for a camp.”

They stopped for the night and Adam couldn’t help but stare at the direction the tracks were taking them. There seemed to be so much uncertainty at their destination. He had been tracking long enough to know that a set of tracks was one of the most unpredictable things on earth. N one knew what to expect around the corner.

They hear the sound of hoof beats coming around the bend of the trail. The three of them darted behind trees and drew their gun. Adam held his breath as he waited.

He heard Katie’s voice and let out his breath, holstering his gun. The three of them went on as if nothing happened.

“Find anything interesting?” Toni asked, removing Justin from where he was strapped onto her back.

“No, though I’m pretty sure be scared the devil out of a squirrel. Just stood there in the middle of the trail and nearly got himself trampled,” Erik answered.

Toni rolled her eyes. “Seems like an exhilarating ride.”

Erik helped his wife dismount and took the baby from her.

Adam helped Katie dismount and wrapped her in his arms.

“I missed you,” she smiled.

“Missed you too,” Adam replied.

“When this is all over, you and I are just gonna take a day for ourselves. Pack a picnic, grab the horses, and just go.” Katie pulled back.

“Sounds like a good plan to me.”

“It’s nice to know someone missed me,” Tiny grumbled as he passed them.

Adam and Katie smiled.

“You need a girl, Tiny,” Katie winked at Adam.

“Aw, come on, Katie,” Tiny complained.

Katie gasped and snapped her fingers. Adam knew that look in her eyes.

“Jane! Tiny, what do you think of Jane Peters?” She asked.

Tiny rolled his eyes. “Don’t go doing that to the poor girl.”

“You like her!” Katie clapped her hands. “Adam, honey, you better mark my words ‘cause we’re gonna have a weddin’ at the MC in a matter of months!”

Tiny groaned but didn’t protest.

Adam smiled at Katie’s enthusiasm. Tiny might as well give up now and admit that he was hogtied.

There it is! Please let me know what you think:)