Benjamin (15 page)

*

Ben was strangely
calm. He’d just walked through the stuff of his nightmares, including the training house, but he didn’t explode or get violent. Perhaps his theory was right and Grace was necessary to keep him sane.

He squatted down in front of the two boys. They were in dirty clothes and stank enough to make his eyes water. But they were small and so scared they were shaking.

“My name is Benjy. When I was five I was brought to this house, too. I know what happened, what you went through, and I wish I could take it all away. You’re scared and confused but I promise you that you’ll be safe. My brother is a Texas Ranger and he’s here, too. There are more Rangers coming here and this place will never hurt any more little boys.”

Ben watched their wary expressions. It was going to take a lot of time and patience to reach these two. One of them was Grace’s son, Henry. He looked a lot like her, although his hair was so dirty, he couldn’t tell if it was blonde or brown.

“I promise not to hurt you or even touch your hand without asking. Will you come with us?”

A couple hesitant nods met his question. He glanced up at Grace. She looked horrified and joyous at the same time. She also nodded at him as though speaking would be impossible at the moment. He felt the same relief at finding Henry, but it would be a long road to erase the damage done in a year’s time.

Ben had every faith that Grace would succeed. She was stubborn, tenacious, and more than that, she loved her son. That kind of love could move mountains. It led her to find Ben, which in turn led her to find Henry. There wasn’t anything she couldn’t do.

The four of them walked back into the main house. In the meager light, they could see just how filthy the boys were. Ben wondered how long it had been since someone had fed them. Caleb was standing by Bernadette with an intense look in his eyes. The other women were in the corner, huddled together and whispering. Caleb nodded when he saw the boys but he didn’t approach or speak to them. The little ones were obviously terrified and Caleb probably knew not to add to the problem.

“She’s not telling us something and she’s having a damn good time at it.” His older brother had been very good at being a Ranger and no doubt he would find out what the older woman knew.

Ben was still angry but he’d lost the edge of his fury. Being here again had purged his fear. He was a grown man and he’d spent the last ten years of his life trapped in the memory of this compound. If Grace hadn’t forced him into coming, he would have stayed there, trapped and alone.

He took a deep breath and pushed the little boy’s memories aside. The house was large, but it wasn’t nearly the place he had remembered. Helping the two boys made him calm. He could give them a head start on putting their own nightmares behind them.

While Grace continued to watch her son with wide eyes, she made no move to touch him. She was smart enough to listen to Ben, even if she probably ached to touch the boy. Ben pumped water into the sink.

“Let’s get you cleaned up a bit.” He gave them each soapy rags. After a moment, they started washing their faces.

Ben went to the pantry and found a can of beans. As he opened the can with his knife, the boys moved closer, the dripping rags in their hands.

“Finish washing up and I’ll get you something to eat.”

The boys flew through their ablutions and laid nearly gray colored rags on the edge of the sink. Their pink faces and slicked-back hair contrasted with their sunken cheeks. These children had been starved. This time Ben’s anger wasn’t for him.

He sat them at the table and put the beans on tin plates. As they dug in, he found a couple of cups and gave them water. When he met Grace’s gaze, she looked heartbroken. He opened her arms and she raced into them. While she didn’t cry, she trembled against him.

For the first time, someone needed him. He was the person to provide comfort and support. It was a new experience and damn, he liked it. The news that he wasn’t a wanted man still hadn’t sunk in. What did that mean to him returning home? What would he do about Grace? She had no home to return to.

Too many thoughts rolling around in his head. Right now he held the woman he’d come to love and took a deep breath.

“You need to tell us where your son is.” Caleb broke the silence.

“Which one? Somebody killed two of them.” She spat at him and then gave Ben a murderous look.

“Tell us where he is so the Rangers can arrest him all civilized like. Or I’m going to hunt him down like a mad dog and bring you his head.” Ben knew his tone told her he was serious. He didn’t know Dominic, but given the women and the condition of the boys, he was a Cunningham. Another demon on earth.

No matter how much the Rangers had tried to investigate the Cunninghams, they’d proved slippery and no charges had ever been brought against them. Now was the time that would change.

“What are you doing, Marcello?” She sneered as the name rolled from her mouth.

Ben refused to react to the bait. He was in control here, not her. “My name is Ben Graham and believe me when I say I will kill another one of your sons. Or you can tell us where he is so the Rangers can arrest him. He’ll go to prison and maybe you can visit each other’s cells.”

The older woman narrowed her gaze. “You can’t catch him. He’ll take everything from you. All of the Grahams will be damned to hell.”

Her words felt like cold fingers dancing up Ben’s spine. He looked at Caleb and the worst possibility crept into his thoughts.

“Circle Eight.” He’d barely whispered the words but Caleb jerked as though he’d been punched.

Grace lifted her face from Ben’s shoulder and took his hand. “They wouldn’t.”

Bernadette looked smug and Ben knew in that instant, they’d gone after the Grahams.

“Of course they would. The Cunninghams are the lowest form of men.” Ben glared at Bernadette. “And women.”

“We have to go. Now.” Caleb’s hands fisted.

“You said the Rangers are on their way. We can’t leave her here and we can’t take her with us. I told the women they can go with the Rangers.” Ben glanced at the boys. “And we have another couple passengers.”

Henry turned to look at Ben then raced over and stood beside him on the opposite side of his mother. It appeared the little one wasn’t going to leave his side anytime soon. Strange to have this little family dependent on him as much as he was dependent on them.

The other boy sat and ate his beans, seemingly not interested in the adults’ conversation. He was a little older than Henry and not quite as thin. Perhaps he was newer to the compound. The Rangers would try to find his family.

Caleb squatted down beside Bernadette. “I can promise you this, old woman, if your son harms anyone in my family, I will take my time killing him in front of you.” Ben had seen his brother angry, but he’d not seen the deadly rage in his brother’s eyes. He had a wife and two daughters on the Circle Eight. Ben loved his family, but until he’d met Grace, he didn’t know what a woman could mean to him.

“We’ll leave as soon as the Rangers get here. We have to assume he has a big force of men with him.” Caleb paced on one side of the kitchen. “We leave the women, Grace, and the boys with them and get word to Matt to get ready.”

Their oldest brother, Matt, was the patriarch of the Graham clan. In his forties, he and his wife, Hannah, ran the ranch. He’d been in charge since Mama and Pa died when Ben was five.

Ben glanced down to see Henry shaking his head. “What is it, Henry?”

“You go, I go.” He clung to Ben’s leg.

Grace made a noise and glanced away, her hand pressed to her mouth. When she turned back, her eyes blazed. “You think for one second I’m staying here without you, you’ve lost your mind. I’ve got no home to go to. The only thing I have is Henry and you. The Grahams gave me back what I lost. I will fight next to you for your family.”

Bernadette snorted. “You go to your deaths.”

Grace walked over to her and slapped the older woman so hard, blood flew from Bernadette’s nose. “You created monsters. The deepest depths of hell will be too good for you. The Grahams are good people, the best kind. You and your kin have hurt too many people already. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll make sure you get what’s coming to you.”

Caleb crossed his arms. “I definitely like her.”

“Then we’re agreed, we leave as soon as the Rangers get here and ride hell for leather home.” Ben liked saying the word home. The Circle Eight had always been a part of him, but he’d closed his heart to it. He was ready to reopen it and go back to where he belonged.

War had been declared, and it was time for the Grahams to fight for their lives.

*

Four Texas Rangers
rode in no more than an hour after Ben, Caleb, and Grace had stormed the compound. To discover there were only a handful of men and one old woman was disappointing to the rough men. One immediately returned to town to send word to the Circle Eight.

One stayed with the unknown boy and Bernadette while the third did a sweep of the compound to find any men who were lurking about. The fourth one, called Rooster because of his carrot-colored hair, rounded up the women to figure out who was who. There was a lot of investigating to do, but with adults who could testify against the Cunninghams, Grace had a measure of satisfaction that the compound would be shut down for good.

Within thirty minutes of the Rangers’ arrival, Caleb, Ben, and Grace were ready to leave. They walked to their horses with Henry trailing between them. The idea of bringing her son into a dangerous situation was terrifying, but she wouldn’t leave Ben, and she couldn’t leave her son behind.

It was an untenable situation without an answer that would satisfy her or keep Henry safe. The ride to the Circle Eight would be grueling, but not knowing what her son had gone through, it might not be as bad as the last year in captivity. She didn’t blame him for wanting to leave.

When they walked toward the door, the other boy made a noise and Henry turned to look at him. He waved and the dark-haired boy waved back.

“We’ll find his family, ma’am.” The Ranger named Rooster reassured her. “We’ll do the same for these ladies.”

Grace nodded and continued outside. Her stomach was so tight, she had a constant taste of bile in her throat. She wanted to sweep Henry into her arms and sob like a babe, but she didn’t. He was afraid for valid reasons and she didn’t want to frighten him any more.

Her heart ached for him and at the same time rejoiced to find him alive and in one piece. He was thin as a rail and Ben had thought to feed him straightaway. Another reason to love the big, complicated cowboy. He was kind without expecting anything in return.

They reached the horses, and that was when Grace realized she had a bigger issue than she expected. She had to touch Henry to boost him into the saddle, but he hadn’t as much as looked at her. He probably could not abide anyone’s touch.

“Henry, will you ride up in front of me like you always used to?” It was the first time she’d spoken to him.

He stood beside Ben, refusing to look up or respond.

“Maybe he wants to ride with me this time.” Ben didn’t seem thrilled with the idea of having the boy in front of him but he offered anyway.

Henry shrugged and then held up his arms. The gesture was so reminiscent of a thousand times in his childhood, Grace had to look away lest she cry. The happy, carefree boy he’d been was gone. In his place was a shadow of Henry, quiet and hesitant.

With a grimace, Ben lifted him up and into the saddle on Paladin then threw himself up behind Henry. “Your mama says you know how to ride, that true?”

“Yes, sir.”

“We got two days of hard riding. If you hurt or you need to piss, you tell me. You can reach the canteens to drink when you’re thirsty. You hear me, Henry?” Ben was the youngest of eight, but he would be a fantastic father.

“Yes, sir.”

Ben glanced up at Caleb and nodded. “That’s not Justice.” Apparently the Ranger was riding a different horse.

“Nope, he’s too old to have the stamina he used to. Cat gave me one of Paladin’s brothers to find you.” Caleb patted the beautiful gelding’s neck. It was a powerful-looking creature who looked a little like Paladin. Perhaps a different dam, but both were prime horseflesh.