A Woman Called Sage (23 page)

F
riday, late morning, Parker checked the amount of ammunition in his saddle bags, and then added more. Nothing worse than being pinned down and out of ammo. He glanced at Wirt, who was securing his Winchester to his saddle. Earlier, hed cleaned the rifletwice.

Sure you want to go? Parker had a bad feeling about Wirts inexperience. A real bad feeling.

Yes. Time I did a few things besides sitting behind a desk and filing papers.

Parker nodded while queasiness pitched havoc with his stomach. He stared off down the street. The horses were saddled and supplies packed. Bob Culpepper stood on the boardwalk outside the office. The sun picked up a glint from the deputys star above his heart.

Parker swung up onto his saddle. Bob, I appreciate what youre doing.

Ill do my best to keep things quiet.

Parker!

He turned at the frantic sound of a womans voice. Bess hurried down the street. Ordinarily, her stout figure rushing toward him would have been comical, but the look on her face wiped any thought of humor from his mind.

Parker, dont leave. I have to talk to you. She caught her breath, her face red.

He waited as she fanned herself. Whats wrong?

I think one of the girls at the saloon has been giving Aiden McCaw information.

Who? Parker dismounted.

Faye. She sucked in another breath. A few minutes ago, I overheard Tillie talking about Richard Edwards giving Faye money for information.

Is Edwards still in town?

I dont think so.

Parker nodded at Bob. Lets go see what Faye has to say. She can be your first arrest. His pulse sped to racehorse level. With the mood Im in, you might have to hold me back. Vivid images of Oden, Frank, Duncan, and Sage caused him to consider the consequences of responding to Faye like she was one of the McCaw gang.

Are you all right? Bob said.

Yeah. Im fine and ready to question Faye.

At the hotel, Faye hadnt climbed out of bed for the day. Bess walked up the creaky steps and pounded on the womans door while Parker, Bob, and Wirt waited below. I need you downstairs. Marshal Timmons wants to ask you a few questions.

Parker doubted if hed have been as genteel.

Two more times, Bess pounded on Fayes door with no response.

Bess, cant you open the door? Parkers patience had worn thin. He needed to talk to Faye, and he needed to get on the trail.

Bess attempted to open the door. Its locked, but I have a key.

Nearly ten minutes passed before Bess found the key and finally managed to open the door. Faye, Ive called out for you until Im blue in the face. She gasped and stepped back into the hall.

Bess, whats going on? Parker lunged up the steps, yet he already knew what had happened.

Blood everywhere. Besss face paled as she stared into Parkers. Shes dead.

Richard Edwards.
Parker now remembered where hed seen the man. He was Rex McCaw.

P
arker and Wirt rode on through the foothills, following Sage. She hadnt disguised her trail, as though she wanted him to ride after her. Or maybe she was offering herself as bait for the McCaws.

Parker hadnt intended for Bobs first duty as deputy to be tending to Fayes body. Her killer had slit her throat, typical for Rex McCawhis brand on his murder victims. Fayes life had been snuffed out, and, regardless of what the woman had been or done, Parker felt a deep regret for the senseless killing. Why hadnt he noticed the resemblance between Richard Edwards and Rex McCaw? The outlaw had cleaned up and shaved, but the basic features were still there, and Parker had missed them. Overlooking the obvious frustrated him. He
should
have recognized Rex.

Faye had betrayed innocent people and caused their deaths, but she didnt deserve to die at the hands of a murderer. No one did.

How long has Faye lived in Rocky Falls? Wirts voice broke through the quiet sounds of nature.

About six months, I think. She rode in on the stage and immediately went to work at the saloon. The timing fits with what has happened. Aiden paid her for information, and she supplied it.

What do you think she told him?

Parker had contemplated the same thing. She may have overheard a conversation between Bess and me or Frank. My brother spent a lot of time in the saloon. Aiden is clever. Parker paused. Fayes death had prompted him to consider a plot of seemingly impossible depth, yet Aiden had already proved himself a highly intelligent man. If he had devised a plan to put Sage and me together, then he had someone trailing Sage and someone watching
me. Faye fit the latter, and Im sure Aiden could have kept track of Sages travels.

But the timing of this is crucial. How could Aiden have known when Sage was in Denver to time Oden Felters murder and force you to contact the sheriffs office there for help? Thats a far-fetched idea.

Do you have a better one? Maybe he hoped Odens murder would prompt her to respond. No one coerced her. I know it sounds ridiculous, but Aiden is desperate for whatever it is that Sage and I have. If it has something to do with Charles Morrow, then hes had seven years to plan. Sage believes its the money the gang claimed Charles had. If thats the case, it must be a large sum.

Has it occurred to you that her husband was killed about the same time their brother Karl was shot?

Parker nodded. Hadnt put the two deaths together. Anyway, Id be to blame for Karls death, not Sage. About four months later, the US Marshal who killed Karl died too. No connection to Sage.

So if Im hearing you correctly, you think Aiden had people watching you and Sage until the opportune time to bring both of you togetherfor an unknown reason.

Purely speculation, Wirt. But thats what Im thinking.

Sounds like youve been drinking. No one goes to that much trouble without making it known what he wants.

Parker wished he knew more about Charles Morrow. Ruthless men, no matter what side of the law, are ruled by money, power, or vendetta.

Maybe youll find out the truth.

Or maybe Parker would go to his grave with the questions still hammering in his head.

I trust you have the map and were on the right trail. Wirt said, as Parker led them along the foothills toward the mountains.

You scared? Parker had heard enough of the US Marshal
and how he knew hed be true to his badgeand his feelings for Sagewhen it came to facing the McCaws.
Bravado
best described Wirt. Parker should have left him in Rocky Falls.

What makes you think Im scared?

Oh, you havent shut up since we hit the foothills. Good thing we werent planning to sneak up on anyone.

Just making small talk, Marshal. The irritation in his voice told Parker to back off. No point making an enemy when hed need the man to cover his back.

How long have you been a US Marshal?

Five years.

I spect they appreciated what you learned in law school.

It helped.

What did you do before then?

School and farmed.

Hearing bad news was not one of Parkers favorite pastimes. And hed heard so much of it lately that he craved good news. Ever do much camping in the woods when you were a kid?

Are you checking my credentials?

Nope, Parker said. Just making small talk.

Wirt chuckled. Guess I had that one coming since I wasnt honest up front.

So the man had a sense of humor. The way I look at it, if were working together, we need to work harder at knowing each other.

Wirt nodded. Some would say your reasoning is why we shouldnt.

If this man would only shove his pride into his back pocket. I look at it this way. If I like you, then Im going to do all I can to make sure you dont end up in a pine box.

And if you dont, then Im a dead man?

For the pure stubbornness of it, Parker decided not to answer. They rode on about another half mile.

How did you become a lawman? Wirt said.

A US Marshal was a friend of mine. I admired his guts and determination. He knew how I wanted to help the people of this state grow, so about eight years ago I decided to run for town marshal.

Whats his name?

Adam Moore. Got shot. Dont know how it happened. One of the finest men I ever knew.

Friends are hard to find and even harder to replace. I never met him, but I heard enough from the other marshals to know he was respected.

Maybe Wirt wasnt so bad after all.

Ive lost two good friends who were marshals, said Wirt. Made me stop and think about my choice to come out here, but I couldnt handle being a deputy behind a desk any longer. I wanted the opportunity to bring in a wanted man. My own reasons may have been selfish, but after talking with the family of those killed in Rocky Falls, I want to see this ended.

You picked a bad gang.

I realize all outlaws care only about themselves. And I never expected to meet up with Sage Morrow. Other bounty hunters keep their names quiet to protect themselves, but a woman like Sage is a different story.

Did Wirt think about her night and day?

I bet shes at home in those mountains. Wirt pointed to a distant snowcapped peak. They sure are pretty. But Id rather look at them than ride over them.

Better hope your horse is surefooted.

I agree. Why is it when I bring up Sage, you get all riled? Are you sweet on her?

Parker changed his mind about giving the man a chance at being a decent human being. You havent been shy about your feelings for her either. Besides, a grown man doesnt refer to his affections for a fine woman as sweet.

So you are.

I didnt say anything of the kind. Just correcting the way you talk about her.

When this is over, well see whom she chooses. Parker buried his anger, gazing off at a herd of bighorn sheep. Must have been fifty of them. Beautiful animals. What do you think about sheep? I mean the kind some folks raise.

Sheep? I dont know. Some folks eat them, but not me. Why?

I like stories about sheep that remind me of men. When Wirt didnt respond, Parker kept going. Theres a story about a shepherd going after one sheep and leaving ninety-nine behind. Thats how I feel about Sage. If we werent trailing the McCaws, even if it was the dead of winter and twenty below zero, even if it meant riding through these mountains alone and she despised me, Id still be looking to find her.

S
age felt refreshed after a restful nights sleep and had ridden farther into the mountains to where she had first found Aiden. Shed found yarrow to brew and had been drinking it steadily. The waterfall cascading near her flowed down into a steady stream that contained mountain trout, and shed caught one yesterday and today. Long ago Sage realized that understanding how to survive in the mountains took away the fear of traveling over them. Tall Elk had shown her how to take the tender bark of a balsam fir, grind it fine, and mix it with fat for a filling meal. Hed also shown her how to use the inner bark of spruce and some pine trees for food. Ute children often ate the inner bark of a Trembling Aspen as a treat. Many plants, berries, and edible pods of the area would keep her alive and healthy. Tall Elk and his peopleher peoplehad taught her wisely. But when Tall Elk wanted her to become his, to show her again the way of a man and a woman, shed refused. He deserved a woman who loved him with all of her heart.

Why her mind whirled with memories of Tall Elk was a mystery. Or maybe the preoccupation was a way to keep the truth about Charles from breaking her completely. Her thoughts should be consumed with the McCaws and how to outsmart them. They could very well be watching her, calculating the right time to walk into her campsite. Yet she felt certain they wanted her and Parker together. It was the why. Always the why. Only Aiden McCaw knew the connection, and he hadnt offered it.

Saturday morning, gray fog blanketed the mountain peaks.
Normally she anticipated its lifting to behold a sun-kissed day. But this morning it seemed to stalk her like a veil of deathfor that was where she headed. She finished a mug of tea and went back to sleep. Maybe her dreams would be better than reality.

Sage slept into the midafternoon, and when she awoke a strange eeriness enveloped her. Shed fallen asleep with her rifle in her hand, and immediately she was alerted to something. But what?

Not five feet away, Hawk perched like a regal guard keeping vigil. He turned to look at her, but nothing about him indicated trouble. She studied the thick variegated green brush and trees. A light breeze whispered through the branches and touched her face. Was a storm forming even in the midst of the brilliant sunlight brimming off the streams whitecaps?

She shivered in the knowledge she was not alone. And the presence did not take the form of man or animal. Hawk widened his wings and lifted gracefully into the air, leaving her alone. She started to call him back but changed her mind. A mixture of fear and awe wrapped its cloak around her. The unseen enemy always had the advantage. Sage stood and waited with her finger resting on the trigger of her Winchester.

Before living with the Ute, she had no concept of or use for the mystical. She discarded their beliefs in the spirit world, leaving their superstitions behind. But this was unlike anything shed ever experienced or heard about from her mothers people.

Could it be God had decided to answer her prayers for His presence? The thought frightened her and filled her with an awkward hope, as though she could rationalize the strangeness. The sweet aroma of pine wafted through the air, the most fragrant of all mountain scents. Swinging around to an aspen tree, she expected to see someone or something.

God, if You are here and want my attention, Im listening. Her own words shook her. The great Creator didnt speak to those
who had abandoned Him, those who were angry at how Hed directed life.

What have I done that You have made a mockery of my feelings for Charles?

She remembered how God had spoken to those in the Bible, not in the fury of nature or in deafening splendor, but in the still, quiet breeze. Like now.

Heat filled her boots, as though she stood too close to a fire. But she stood on brush. The sensation slowly moved up her legs, and she didnt know what to think of it. Was this a way to die? The heat circled her thighs and hips, ever mounting. Her heart raced, and she wondered if she should step into the cold stream. The sensation rose to her waist and up to where the bullet had pierced her flesh. Sage held her breath. She steadied herself to keep from toppling over from the intensity, but the pain stopped. Gasping, she searched the skies for answers that did not come. The heat climbed higher to her heart, where the misery of bitterness and the piercing of her soul nearly consumed her. A burden lifted. Was she dreaming? For the first time in years, she felt free and whole. The heat continued, swirling around her neck and face until it spiraled to the top of her head and vanished.

She knew without hesitation that shed been touched by God. He did love her. He had answered her prayers in a way so like God but so unlike what mere flesh expected. Few would ever believe what had happened. She wasnt so sure she believed it herself. Most folks discredited miracles, saying they only happened in the Bible. But God had not only healed her heart and softened it once again for Him, but Hed also healed her body. More important was the knowledge He had reached down to restore her to Him. The chasm of her soul had been filled.

With tears streaming down her face, she walked beyond the thicket to the edge of a rock precipice. Sage breathed in deeply and forgave Charles. The years of hate for the men who had killed
him and their baby washed over her. But she must put aside the bitterness. With supernatural courage, she forgave the McCaws.

Hawk called out to her and flew to her side. The mysteries of God. She stroked his soft plumage and laughed. Who can explain them? Im back, Hawk. Im back to where Im supposed to be. She swallowed the emotion. Ive always been under Gods care. Just didnt have the sense to know it.