A Widowed Rancher Stopped for a Mother and Daughter in the Rain… She Said ‘Stay Back or I’ll Shoot
Chapter 4
The hunting cabin had been abandoned for years.
Thomas broke the lock.
Inside were two chairs, a small table, a fireplace, and an old bed.
Sarah looked around.
“This will do.”
Thomas gathered wood.
Lucy sat beside the fireplace.
Her eyes never left him.
Thomas noticed.
“What?”
She shook her head.
“You can ask.”
Lucy looked at Sarah.
Sarah nodded.
“Why do you live alone?”
Thomas paused.
“Because I got used to it.”
Lucy thought about that.
“Is that why you’re sad?”
Sarah looked sharply at the child.
Thomas smiled faintly.
“Do I look sad?”
“Yes.”
Sarah looked away.
Thomas crouched beside Lucy.
“Sometimes people look sad when they’re simply tired.”
Lucy considered that.
“My mama looked sad.”
Thomas’s smile disappeared.
“I know.”
Lucy looked down.
“She told me not to cry.”
“You can cry.”
Sarah turned toward him.
Thomas continued.
“Sometimes that’s the only way to let the hurt out.”
Lucy started crying.
Sarah immediately moved toward her.
Thomas stepped away.
He understood there were wounds he could not touch.
That evening, Sarah finally told him the truth.
Her sister Anna had worked in Mercer’s household for three years.
Mercer was buying land from struggling farmers.
But the debts were fraudulent.
The original documents showed one thing.
The copies showed another.
Names were altered.
Dates were changed.
Witness marks were forged.
Anna had discovered that the same man had been responsible for copying every deed.
A clerk named Nathan Crowe.
“He’ll kill us to recover the originals,” Sarah said.
“Where are they?”
Sarah hesitated.
“Somewhere safe.”
Thomas looked at her.
“You don’t trust me enough to tell me.”
“No.”
“That may keep Lucy alive.”
Sarah looked toward the sleeping child.
Thomas leaned forward.
“Listen to me.”
Sarah met his eyes.
“If Mercer has men watching every road, the only way to survive is to make them believe you went somewhere else.”
“How?”
Thomas pointed toward the western trail.
“There’s an old cattle path leading toward my lower pasture.”
“And?”
“Your tracks can be made to look like you’re heading west.”
Sarah understood.
“We go north.”
“Yes.”
“And you?”
“I’ll make sure nobody follows.”
Sarah shook her head.
“No.”
Thomas looked surprised.
“You’re coming with us.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re already involved.”
Thomas almost laughed.
“That’s your reason?”
“No.”
Sarah looked at him.
“Because you stopped for us in the rain.”
Thomas was quiet.
“Most men would have kept riding.”
“I’m not most men.”
“I know.”
Outside, a branch snapped.
Thomas reached for his pistol.
The cabin went silent.
Then a voice came through the trees.
“Sarah Bennett.”
She froze.
Thomas extinguished the lamp.
Another voice called.
“Come out.”
Thomas whispered.
“How many?”
Sarah listened.
“At least six.”
Thomas looked toward the rear door.
“Take Lucy.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll buy you time.”
Sarah shook her head.
“You’ll die.”
Thomas looked at her.
“Then shoot whoever comes through that door.”
She stared.
He smiled.
“I know you can.”
