Harris Channing (25 page)

He drew
his lower lip between his teeth, wondering just where the man would put the
remains of three people. Still searching the ground, he lamented the lack of
fresh snow. The entire area was a mucky, icy mess from foot and hoof traffic.
No way to pick up a track.

Unhitching
Ned from the post, he led him around the back of the house.

Wind
stung his face as he looked up the side of the mountain. Again he wondered why
Reg would choose such an unsheltered place to build a home. It made no sense to
him, yet when he noticed the sledge tracks, he knew he had come the right way.

What the
hell was the man doing? Wouldn't it be easier to leave them out in the wild for
the animals? To tuck them in an abandoned mine shaft? Or toss them into the
ravine where he found them? Rage boiled up from the pit of his stomach. The man
wanted Bobbie. He had her family. He would hide them and use them to get to
her. Well, damnation, he wouldn't allow that to happen. Reg Crocker would have
to kill him if he intended to get to Bobbie. And he wasn't about to lie down
for that.

Setting
his foot in the stirrup of Ned's saddle, he mounted the beast.
 
With a sigh, he started up the narrow, craggy
path. Touching the stock of his rifle, he realized that some people really did
deserve mountain justice and if it came to it, he'd add another black mark to
his soul in order to protect what he loved.

Chapter 19

Bobbie
paced before the fire, her trembling knees threatening to buckle. She'd been
scared before. She recalled that night in the snow when David's cabin came into
view…yes she had been scared then. But that didn't compare to now. No. David
had gone on an errand for her. It was mistake, not an accident that he had
left. It had been her doing, her mistake. Her pride, her foolishness that had
him going into the heart of a monster's den.

She
twisted her hands in her apron and continued to pace. If only she had followed
him. Stopped him. Anything but do as she was told and stay behind! But hadn't
guilt been the reason she stored the food and cleared the root cellar rather
than saddle the buckskin and go after him?

She
rubbed her forehead, small drops of cold sweat clung to her and misery
encompassed every breath she took. Dear Lord, what was she to do? What if David
lay dying in the snow? Murdered in ambush by Reg Crocker? Or attacked by the
wolf that had menaced her?

Swallowing
hard, she continued to pace, her mind so saturated with worry that she barely
noticed Alfred lurch from the bed and amble toward the door. "Should I
just stay here and wait?" she asked herself but David's warning gave her
pause.
"If you follow I will know
how very little you respect the man that saved your life."

"And
if I remain stuck here, I will go crazy," she mumbled. But at Alfred's
yip, she turned toward the cur. Standing on his hind legs, he scratched at the
door with an eagerness that had her heart soaring.

"David."
She grabbed her coat and shoving her arms in the sleeves, she prepared to see
him. Lord knew she was more than ready to wrap her arms around him and beg him
to forgive her misguided notions and to ask for one more chance.

Without
thought, she pulled open the door, the night air so bitterly cold that it
momentarily stole her breath. Alfred, unconcerned with the chill, ran out into
the silver night, barking a warning that stole any hope that lingered in her
mind. Alfred would not behave that way toward David. Only one person ever
caused the usually pleasant natured dog to turn into a menacing beast. Reg
Crocker.

Alarm
shot through her on adrenaline laced wings and shoving her hand in her pocket,
she wrapped her fingers around the grip of the small pistol.
"Alfred!" she shouted but knew the futility of it. The dog wanted the
man dead and would not be deterred by her call.

At the
sound of a gunshot ringing through the air, her knees grew weak. "Alfred,
please!" she called again. The frightened sound of her dog crying out in
distress sent shockwaves through her.

Lifting
her skirt, she charged out into the blackness of night. She no longer worried
about her own safety. No, Alfred was the only thing on her mind. With her feet
sinking in snow drifts and her hems heavy, she called his name again, all the
while wondering what Reg Crocker had done to him. Had her terrible judgment
cost her everyone she loved?

She continued
her charge, ignoring the stitch in her side and the disorienting darkness of
night. The only source of light, the cloud filtered moon. As if God himself had
heard her, the clouds scuttled westward allowing the moon's silver light to
reflect of the sparkling white snow.

With a
deep breath that had her lungs aching, she prepared to call to Alfred again,
but stopped. Through narrowed eyes, she caught sight of a horse and rider. Her
insides churned with a mixture of hope and fear. The figure appeared to be
dismounting, his tall, frame in silhouette against the stark white of the
landscape. Tall enough, broad enough…hope sped to the surface and without
thought of consequence she decided to venture closer, to see if the man was who
she believed him to be. Cautiously she approached, her heartbeat whooshing in
her ears with such force she wondered if all the creatures lurking in the wood
could hear it. Knew of her vulnerability and were waiting for the right moment
to attack.

The
shadowed rider moved around the front of the horse, momentarily disappearing
from her view, but when he stepped back into the light, her world seemed to
grow brighter. It had to be David. No one moved with such ease in the rugged
terrain.

"David!"
she shouted, her voice an echo across the night.

"Bobbie,
what are you doing down here?" His tone was angry. "I thought I told
you to stay home. It's not safe."

Her
elation fled, but her legs continued to catapult her toward him. She needed to
see him safe, to know that her misguided mistake hadn't caused him harm.
Finally, she reached him, the sight of him in the moonlight sending a jolt of
awareness through her body. "What are you shooting at?" She looked
around, seeing nothing in the dim light but still frantic for an answer.

"A
damned wolf." He let out a sigh. "And your dog took off after
it."

Her
stomach plummeted. "Alfred!" she called. "Where is he? You
didn't shoot him, did you?"

She took
two steps away from him, only to be pulled to a halt by his painful grip on her
arm. "Of course not. I know the difference between a gray wolf and a
brindle gargoyle."

"Let
go of me," she said, trying to pull free. "You know I have to find
him. I won't rest until I do."

The
pressure of his hold increased sending a surging pain up her arm. "You'll
not go gallivanting off into the night in search of a dog."

"You're
hurting me," she said, still trying to twist free.

He eased
his grip and in one swift easy motion, pulled her to him and all struggling
ceased. Oh, but she needed him to hold her. Had needed him to hold her since
leaving their bed this morning.

Dragging
in a deep breath, she savored his familiar, masculine scent. She melted against
him, delighting in the warmth of his breath against her cheek.

A long
moment passed before she finally broke the magical silence that held them in
place.

"I'm
so sorry for going to Reg instead of waiting for you. It was a mistake,"
she said, hoping he'd say something, anything to appease her guilt. "I was
so hurt and feared you thought our actions in error." When he said
nothing, she ventured further, praying her admission wouldn't reignite his
anger. "I knew that if I went, I would garner your wrath, but I felt the
need to grab your attention."

He let
out a low growl. "Well, you did. You've got my attention," he said, running
his hands up and down her back. "And I realize now I shouldn't have rushed
off after making love to you. My departure was not at all for the reasons you
rightfully suspected."

With the
wind kicking up, she snuggled closer, smitten and nearly immune to the cold as
long as he was with her, holding her, stroking her…She bit her lower lip and
wondered if maybe he would take her to the cabin and into his bed. Desire sent
her body spinning in a cyclone of need.

"You
aren't sorry about his morning?"

He chuckled.
"Absolutely not." He leaned in closer, his lips next to her ear.
"I want to make love to you again, and the sooner the better, but I fear
our future will have to wait."

His words
were like a splash of cold water on a hot stone. They sizzled and evaporated,
leaving her trembling. "Why?"

David
sighed, his body growing tense. "Bobbie, I’m sorry. I didn't find your
family."

She
sniffled and pulling back, craned her neck. Fighting the dimness of night, she
hoped to see his face and to read his expression. To find the answers to
questions she had yet to voice. But damn the stars for not burning brighter and
damn the moon for its weakness. She saw nothing. "They weren't in the
barn?"

He shook
his head. "Reg wasn't there to question and his sledge tracks ended midway
down the mountain." Letting go of her, he rubbed his beardless chin.
"I would have continued in the hopes of coming upon another clue, but it
was simply too dark and the terrain too dangerous."

Handing
her the reins, he pulled the rifle from its scabbard.

"But
why? Why would he do that? I mean…take their bodies?" She held tight to
Ned's lead, her bare fingers aching with the cold and her mind swimming with
her shock. "David, what have I done?"

"I
don't know what to tell you, Bobbie." With his free hand he touched her
shoulder in an obvious attempt to calm her. His touch did no good for once
again the world around her felt cold, desolate and lonely.

"I-I
did this. My pride was bruised and I did this."

"Hush
now," he said, taking a step forward. "And follow close behind. I
want you between me and Ned, do you understand?"

"I
should have never gone there. I loathe that man." She dragged her heavy
hems through the snow, barely aware of her icy toes.

"No,
you shouldn't have, but what's done is done." He cocked the rifle and
slowing, set the stock to his shoulder. "Damned wolves." As he pulled
the trigger and when the world exploded she let out a shocked gasp. Her ears
ached from the percussion and what small bit of resolve she had left shattered.

Tears
followed by sobs reverberated from her core. She was stupid, so damned stupid
and now she would never know peace. Never know the peace of seeing her family
laid to rest.

"Roberta,
pull yourself together!" David shouted, his voice stern with warning.
"I can't hear the wolves and I sure as hell don't want to lose you or Ned
because of your blubbering."

She
pinched her trembling lips together, hoping she could maintain some form of
silence but her heart ached for release and her mind sought avenues of escape
from the guilt. But each rocky road ended in the same spot. There was no
getting around the fact that all that had happened this day and all that was
happening now was her fault.

"How
many wolves are there?" she asked through chattering teeth.

"Don't
know. But judging by the tracks on the way to Reg's this afternoon, quite a
few. They're pack animals. They're hungry and Ned is prime."

As if he
understood, Ned tensed and blew out a nervous whinny that fanned across
Bobbie's cheek and had alarm bells ringing in her head. There was something out
there and awareness tingled across her body. She wiped her eyes on the back of
her hand trying to clear her vision.

"Damnation,"
David grumbled and reloading the rifle, he once again set it to his shoulder.
He turned sharply, and fired just as a wolf lunged toward them, his large mouth
open, as he leapt at Ned. The beast fell dead only inches from them, his pale
fur growing dark as blood spurted from his wound.

Ned
skittered and reared up on his hind legs, very nearly jerking Bobbie's
shoulders from their sockets. Still, she didn't let go, determined that Ned
wouldn't be lost because of her. Yet her frozen, scarred fingers screamed for
release. A release she refused surrender to.

He set
his feet back down and even in the dark of night, Bobbie could see the whites
of his eyes, and feel the terror that thundered through his body. "Easy,
boy," she said, stroking his neck but he continued to paw and dance, his
desire to run equaling her own.

She
turned to David, his rifle on the ground, his hand curled around the butt of a
revolver. "You and Ned are going to make a run for the barn."

Momentary
confusion addled her thoughts. Did he actually think she was going to leave him
behind?

"No.
I'm not going anywhere without you."

"I'll
be right behind you."

She shook
her head adamantly. "I can't…I won't risk you."

"Bobbie,
stop treating me like an idiot who hasn't survived for years without you."
His words cut through her panic. "You'll divert the sons of bitches and
I'll shoot until I'm out of bullets. Now, do as I say."