Breath of the Feathered Serpent (13 page)

He and Madison still needed to pay a visit to the Lazy E to talk to Mortimer when Elijah and Ellen weren’t around. There had been no such opportunity while Ellen had been away. Now she and Mecatl were back, and Mecatl had brought several Aztec men back with him. The men had been sent into town to replenish stocks of food and other supplies.

He and Madison hadn’t had their talk with him either. Adam hated deceiving Elijah. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he failed to notice Madison approach until his friend touched his shoulder.

“Daydreaming like that is dangerous, Adam. Out in the open like this we’re sitting ducks. You know there’s been a lot of activity out there since those cattle were brought in.” Madison looked closely at him. “What’s wrong?”

“Elijah,” Adam said. “I–I feel something for him. But I don’t see how we can have a future. My work sends me anywhere the Chief decides. His life is here. He thinks we’re staying, and I hate that I’ve lied to him, Madison.” The feelings were new to Adam, and the deception preyed constantly on his mind.

“You’re really smitten.” Madison’s voice was soft, and he shook his head. “Not the Adam I’m used to at all. Have you actually thought this through? Are you sure you want this job? I mean to continue as a marshal. Maybe it’s time for you to think about settling down and working on a ranch.”

“Hell, that boy could do so much better than me...”

“Don’t start with that,” Madison said, his voice sharp. “That’s his decision to make. You might be exactly who and what he’s looked for. He’s not a baby. He’s a man, even if he can’t inherit for another couple of months. Ellen says he does most of the day-to-day running of that ranch.”

“He never mentioned that,” Adam said. “Why would he want me when he’s got that ranch and all that goes with it? I’m a nothing.”

“Seems to me like you’re just coming up with excuses, Adam. What’re you afraid of?” Madison narrowed his eyes at Adam.

“I’m not afraid.” Adam snapped, instantly defensive, but the words sounded hollow even to his ears.

“Look we’re friends. Closer than friends.” Madison squeezed Adam’s shoulder and rested his hand there. “You and I have both done things neither of us is proud of. But we’ve done it for the protection of others. If, and when, I find the right girl for me, I’m not going to let my past as a marshal get in the way of my future happiness. I deserve a life and family, and so do you. Don’t stand in your own way of happiness.”

“You know what? For a city slicker, you sure can talk a lot of horse sense.” Adam chuckled. “There’s no choice about returning to see the Chief once all this is over. But maybe I can think about whether I can have a different future.”

“Don’t wait until too late. Life’s short enough without you leaving a trail of
if onlys
behind you. Come on. Light’s fading. Let’s get back to the house.”

“Thanks, whippersnapper,” Adam said and pulled Madison into a tight hug that was enthusiastically returned.

“Don’t mention it, old timer.” Madison slapped Adam’s shoulder. As he turned, he stopped, issuing a string of obscenities.

Adam groaned as he saw Elijah wheel his horse around and head away from the ranch at a furious gallop. Ellen stared at him, a look of cold fury on her face. She said something to Mecatl who stood next to her holding her horse and then mounted the animal quickly.

Although Mecatl seemed to be trying to persuade her to stay, Ellen dug her heels into her horse’s flanks and took off after Elijah.

“You have to go after him, Adam, and explain,” Madison said. “You can’t doubt what he feels for you now. The kid looked like both his favorite dog and horse had just been shot.”

“Ellen, wait! Please, listen.” Adam ran a few paces after her, but his shouts fell on deaf ears.

“I’ll go,” Mecatl said, coming up beside him. “I saw what happened. Don’t worry, Adam, I’ll bring them both back.”

“Thanks,” Adam said.

“You know,” Mecatl said. “They share a lot of traits, like most twins do. Both of them are stubborn, quick-tempered, and impulsive, but they are also loyal, warm-hearted, and passionate.”

“Take care out there,” Adam said. “Madison says he’s noticed a lot of activity.”

“I will.” Mecatl ran to his horse and leapt into the saddle. With a wild yell, he took off as though the hounds of hell pursued him.

Adam stood and ran his hands through his hair. He wasn’t used to leaving the action to others. He was also a little stunned about what had happened.
Jealous. Elijah was jealous of me and Madison.
The thought was almost unbelievable, but he’d seen the hurt in Elijah’s eyes just before the younger man had turned away.

Madison joined him. “It’ll be dark soon. Let’s get some feed out for the cattle and then get the lamps lit. Mecatl will explain to Elijah. He’ll come back.”

“When he knows the truth, that he and Ellen were suspects, he’s going to hate me,” Adam murmured.

“He’ll be angry and hurt, much like he is now,” Madison said. “But he’ll understand. He won’t hate you for doing your job. Especially when he knows the consequences of the mission’s failure.”

Adam didn’t have the heart to argue, even though he wasn’t convinced. His life was vastly different from Elijah’s. For the time being there was nothing he could do except see if Mecatl could indeed convince Elijah to come back. He glanced at the sky. The sun would be setting soon. It might be better if Mecatl didn’t bring Elijah back. Adam had a bad feeling and didn’t want his lover in any danger.

After making sure the cattle were settled and secure, Adam headed toward Madison as his friend lit the lamps. A gunshot rang out, and Adam grunted as he dropped instinctively to the ground. Blood seeped through his shirt high on his arm. Flexing his hand, he winced but considered himself lucky. The bullet had only grazed him.

He rolled to his feet and ran to the water trough. A couple of bullets hit the ground around him. “Madison. You all right?”

“Fine. You?” Madison’s voice was muffled, doubtless due to him also having taken cover.

“Nothing to worry about here. Can you see the shooter?” Adam asked.

“No. Just the flash from the barrel when he fires. He’s not the greatest shot, but he seems to be able to pick us out.”

Thank God for that
. Adam looked at his arm and the growing bloodstain. A sound from the house drew his attention.

“Did we hear shots...?”

“Mitch, get down! We’ve got company. Keep Abe in the house.” Adam drew his gun as he shouted and crouched, ready to either fire or run. He glanced over at the house. Mitch had knocked over the table on the veranda and taken cover behind it. Adam frowned as he saw Abe crawl out of the house with a large rifle and a strange box in his hand.

“Can we get him to fire at us?” Mitch shouted.

“I’m sure of it,” Adam said. He fired a couple of times in the general direction of the shooter. When that didn’t work, he ran from the trough to a nearby barrel. That worked. The shooter fired at him, hitting the barrel as Adam dove behind it.

Mitch fired. “Do we know how many there are?” he shouted.

“I think there’s just the one,” Madison called out. “My pistol just doesn’t have the range.”

“That’s why I got my special rifle. This beauty will give me the same distance as our shooter. I’m sure I got the bastard. Abe saw him fall with his light box.”

Cautiously, Adam rose to his feet, ready to shoot or duck down, but no shots rang out. Unwilling to be an easy target, Adam zigzagged his way to the house to where Abe and Mitch waited near the doorway. He saw Madison start toward them, and several more shots rang out.

As bullets splintered the doorframe, Adam dove forward and shoved both Mitch and Abe into the house, the three of them falling to the ground in a heap. Adam scurried rapidly into the room to dim the lamps. These shots had come from the entrance to the ranch, not from the mountains behind it. It didn’t mean the same people weren’t responsible, but it was something to check out once the immediate danger was over.

“All lights off!” he shouted, and Mitch crawled to dim the lamps at the far end of the room. He toppled the love seat over as he did.

“Abe, get behind here. You’re unarmed,” Mitch said. He took up a position at the window to the right of the front door, pistol in hand and rifle by his side.

“I can shoot too, Mitch. We need every gun available,” Abe said. “I’m just not very good. I’ll get my gun.” Abe looked apologetically at Adam. He crawled quickly into his bedroom and came back with an oversized pistol and two boxes of ammunition. He threw one box to Mitch and kept the other, taking a position at the window on the left of the door.

“Doesn’t matter,” Adam said. “Cover fire from here stops the enemy from getting a good shot in. Madison and I need that.”

“You’re not going out, are you?” Mitch asked.

“I have to. Madison’s on his own out there. He’s by the main barn. I’ll head to the cattle corral. That gives us three positions to fire on whoever’s attacking us. If anyone rides around back, Madison and I can deal with them.” Adam checked his pistol and replaced the bullets he’d used.

Abe knelt at the window. He glanced back at Adam. “You’ll never get out there,” he said. “Even with cover fire.”

“Abe you fire your cannon a couple of times,” Mitch said. “The noise alone will shock them. I’ll let Adam out the back door and then secure it.”

“All we need to do is hold out till Mecatl’s men come back from town,” Adam said. “Although they should have been back by now.”

Mitch nodded. “Take care, my friend.”

“You too,” Adam said and looked over at Abe. “Both of you.” He crawled ahead of Mitch as several shots rang out.

Mitch shoved the shutters over the windows as he passed. “A little extra protection,” he said, his voice grim. “Fire, Abe!”

Adam winced as a loud report boomed from the front room. He slipped through the back door. As he pressed close to the side of the house, he heard Mitch drag something heavy across the door to barricade it. He turned his attention to what was happening outside.

On hands and knees, Adam crawled cautiously forward to peer around the building, assessing the area in front of the house. A couple of shadowy figures crept forward. Adam didn’t hesitate. Two shots later, the men lay dead or dying, and Adam didn’t care which. This wasn’t just a mission anymore. His friends were in danger. It was personal.

He crouched low and ran toward the corral. Bullets kicked up dust around him but failed to meet their target. Another loud boom heralded a shot from Abe, and Adam dove behind one of the water troughs. Adam leaned against it, his heart hammering and mouth dry. He licked his lips as he steadied his breath.

Looking around, he whistled, a low trilling sound. At the sound of the answering whistle which came diagonally to his left from the big barn, Adam smiled. Madison was alive, and now he knew where his friend was. Another volley of gunfire came from the house, and Adam ran again, taking up the position by the corral as he’d wanted.

The cattle shifted uneasily, nervous from the gunfire. Adam took a couple of breaths and whistled again to give Madison his new location. Then he groaned. Riders carrying torches rode in. One fell from his horse before he could release his firebrand, but the other managed to fling his at the small storage barn close to the entrance of the ranch.

As the wood was tinder dry, the barn caught immediately, shooting flames that illuminated the area with red and gold. At least a dozen men attacking the ranch were revealed by the flickering light, and Adam cursed. The odds were still around three to one. He glanced at the main barn and then the house. If the house was targeted, Mitch and Abe would be sitting ducks if they tried to get out.

“I suggest you surrender, or the house is next.”

Adam recognized the voice instantly. “Carter! Just what the hell is all this about? Does your in-pocket lawman know you’re burning the ranches of innocent men?”

“I’m here with Carter who reported his cattle stolen. We tracked a herd this way. We don’t parley with rustlers,” Jackson shouted.

Adam smiled grimly. He and Madison would have to reveal they were marshals. There was no choice in the matter now. Before he could reply, an eerie, ululating cry rang out, followed by yells and calls in a language Adam knew but couldn’t make out. Shots rang out from behind Carter and his men.

“My name is Mecatl. I am an envoy from King Xipil and carry papers to confirm this. With me are several men of his personal guard. These men are fully trained Jaguar Warriors. I suggest you tell your men to drop their weapons, Sheriff. The cattle in this ranch were a gift to friends. I would prefer to conclude this civilly.”

“Well I’ll be goddamned,” Adam muttered and then laughed.

“Drop your guns, men. It seems we’ve made a mistake.” Carter’s voice boomed, filling the silence that followed Mecatl’s announcement.

Adam laughed harder when Carter replied. He stood slowly. “Why don’t we all meet at the front of the house?” he called. “Abe, Mitch, you stay where you are for now. Madison, you joining me?”

“I sure am.” Madison was already halfway to Adam, a grim smile on his face. Adam waited for his partner, and they walked towards Carter and Jackson, who had Mecatl and several of his warriors behind them.

“So what’s this all about?” Carter said, his voice gruff as he tried to take control of the situation. “What paperwork do you have?”

Mecatl drew a piece of paper from a compartment in his wide belt. The seal of King Xipil was clearly evident on it. “It’s in English.” He handed the paper to Carter who read it with Jackson looking over his shoulder.

“It seems genuine enough,” Carter said and handed it back.

“Oh, I assure you, it is genuine,” Mecatl said. “My king sent me on a mission to strengthen ties with ranches that are close to our border. I’ve been in discussions with the Lazy E, as Elijah and Miss Ellen will vouch. Since Adam and Madison are friends of mine and part owners of this ranch, I thought it would be a nice gesture on my part to help them get it up and running.”

“What...part what?” Carter blanched and spluttered.