Texas Tender (25 page)

“See,” Van said to Jordan, pointing to what was a clear trail. “They did come this way.”

“It looks that way,” Jordan admitted, “but it still doesn't make sense.”

“Could be they were planning to take the herd out of the area altogether,” Will said.

Less than an hour later, they were peering through a stand of cottonwood along the rim of a canyon. It wasn't a deep canyon or a wide river, but over time the Clear Fork had cut back and forth across the canyon until it was virtually flat. At this point the river was running close to the far rim, leaving a wide area of grass where the stolen cows grazed peacefully under the watchful eyes of two men with rifles stationed at opposite ends of the canyon.

“Do you think there are only two men?” Idalou asked.

Jordan studied the two sentries carefully with a pair of field glasses he'd kept since his days in the army. “Neither man is Newt,” he said.

“Can I borrow your glasses for a minute?” Jordan handed the glasses to Will. Careful scrutiny of the campsite hidden in a tangle of willows and cottonwoods didn't show evidence of more than two men. Still, he had an uneasy feeling that at least one man had to have been posted on the rim of the canyon to watch for a posse.

“It seems there are only two men down there,” Will said as he handed the glasses back to Jordan.

“Why didn't they post someone up here who would have seen us coming?” Idalou asked.

“Maybe the third rider has gone off for some reason.”

“You mean Newt, don't you?” one of the men asked.

“You think he's hiding somewhere, waiting for us to get down in the canyon so he can pick us off?” another asked.

“He's a dead shot with a rifle,” the first man said.

“So am I,” Van said.

“I can handle myself when I need to,” Will said.
“Let's put our heads together and come up with a plan.”

Van and Idalou objected strenuously to the plan they devised.

“I found the rustlers for you,” Van insisted. “I have a right to lead one of the groups down into the canyon.”

“They're my cows,” Idalou said. “I want to ride next to my brother.”

“You and I are going to stay up here, because we're the best with a rifle,” Will said to Van. “Once the rustlers realize they've got several men in front of them and riflemen aiming at their backs, they ought to give up without a fight. You need to stay up here,” Will said, turning to Idalou, “because I don't want the men more concerned about protecting you than capturing the rustlers.”

“Quit arguing, Lou,” Carl said when Idalou started to protest. “Jordan has already refused to let you ride with him, and I agree with Will.”

“You're treating me like a woman again,” Idalou complained.

“I let you come along with us,” Will said, “but I'm doing everything I can to keep you safe. Besides, with Van and me concentrating on keeping the two rustlers in our sights, it'll be useful to have someone watching our backs.”

“He's got a point, Lou,” Carl said.

“Okay. If Van will stay, I will, too,” Idalou said, accepting defeat as graciously as she could. “But if eight men can't capture two rustlers without anyone getting shot, you're not the men you think you are.”

Having been shaved down to size, the men headed off to find ways to get down into opposite ends of the canyon.

The next half hour passed slowly. Will had given the men what he hoped was plenty of time to find a way into the canyon and get into position. Having that much time meant the shadows of evening had begun to approach. If Newt was going to return to the camp, he could arrive at any minute, a fact Idalou had pointed out.

“That's why I need you to watch our backs,” Will said.

At first Van had been furious that he'd been kept up on the rim. But he'd cooled off and spent the rest of the time talking to Idalou. Much of what he said implied that Jordan was behind Idalou's problems. If, as Will believed, Van's father was behind the recent escalation in trouble, then it would be to the Sonnenbergs' advantage to see that the blame fell on Jordan. Van was a handsome young man, as well as physically imposing. With his position as his father's only heir and his obvious charm, he would appear to be a young woman's idea of the perfect husband, but there was a cruel side to Van that Will hoped Idalou didn't overlook.

Will had a personal interest in Idalou, but it seemed that every time he tried to pursue it, something got in the way. He didn't know if Idalou was equally interested in him. But even if she didn't return his interest, he wasn't about to let her fall prey to Van Sonnenberg.

“I think everybody's in place,” Idalou said, moving Jordan's glasses so she could look from one end of the canyon to the other.

“Are you ready?” Will asked Van.

“Just say the word.”

Simultaneously they fired shots into the ground behind the two rustlers. The men jumped up, looking
frantically for the gunman. Just about the time they realized the shots had come from the rim of the canyon, they were confronted with a posse riding down on them with guns drawn. Neither man put up a fight.

“That was quick,” Idalou said.

“It was damned disappointing.” Van shoved his rifle into its scabbard in disgust. “What kind of men are they?”

“Men who don't want to get killed,” Will said.

“Hell, out here we hang rustlers. What difference does it make?”

“Well, nobody's hanging those men without a trial,” Will said. “Anything else but a trial would be vigilante justice.”

“What's wrong with that?”

“It's against the law.”

“We're the law,” Van insisted.

“Not as long as I'm sheriff. Let's ride down and hear what they have to say.”

The rustlers were tied up by the time Will reached them.

“We didn't steal these cows,” a big man with coal-black hair and a heavy beard was saying to Jordan. “We was hired to bring them here and hold them until the owner was ready to move them north.”

“Who hired you?” Will asked.

“The man said his name was Saul Tombull.”

“There's nobody by that name anywhere around here,” Jordan said.

“What did he look like?” Will asked.

“He was a big man, over six feet, with yellow brown hair. He was well muscled, but his clothes didn't fit real good. He cussed a lot, too.”

A perfect description of Newt Mandrin.

“It's no use trying to throw the blame on somebody else,” Van said. “We're going to hang you for the lying thieves you are.”

“I'm taking you back to Dunmore,” Will said to the pair. “We'll let a judge decide whether you're telling the truth.”

“Why would we risk our necks for so few cows?” the man asked. “And if we was rustlers, why would we hole up here where it was easy to catch us?”

Questions Will had already asked himself. He was sure he had the right answers, but he had no way to prove his theory.

“I agree with Van,” Jordan said. “You let them get away with rustling, and we'll have every two-bit thief in Texas down on us.”

“They didn't get away with it, did they?” Will asked.

Van reached for the rope hanging from his saddle. “Who's with me?” he asked.

“Right beside you,” Jordan replied.

Will walked to his own horse, but rather than reach for his rope, he pulled his rifle out of its holster. “I'll shoot the first man who puts a rope on either of these two,” Will said.

“Not if we shoot you first,” Van said.

“That ought to look real good when the judge comes around,” Will said to Van. “A vigilante group kills the sheriff so they can hang two men who were denied a trial.”

“We don't need a trial,” Jordan said. “We found them with the cows.”

“I know Van is a fool and a hothead,” Will said to Jordan, “but I'd thought better of you.”

“You calling me a fool?” Van shouted.

“Apparently he's hard of hearing, too,” Will remarked.

Van reached for his gun, but the hammer on Will's gun clicked ominously. They all looked stunned to see he'd drawn it with his left hand while still holding the rifle in his right.

“This is stupid,” Idalou said, stepping forward. “If either one of you shoots the sheriff, you'll end up being hanged for murder.” She pushed Van's hand away from his gun.

“Will is right,” Carl said as he came to stand next to Will. “Besides, these are our cows. If Idalou and I are willing to let the men stand trial, the rest of you don't have anything to say about it.”

Van had a lot to say, but Will kept his eye on Jordan. He could see the man's determination waver.

“Have it your way,” Jordan said finally. “But if this brings a plague of rustlers down on us, it'll be your fault.”

“You can't allow him to let rustlers go!” Van shouted.

“He's not letting them go,” Idalou said. “He's taking them to jail to stand trial.”

“You're just like every woman in Dunmore,” Van raged. “You take one look at him and you'll do anything he wants.”

“I'm not a woman,” Carl said, “and I agree with the sheriff.”

“I
am
a woman,” Idalou said, squaring up to Van. “Yes, he's mighty fine-looking, but I can still think. Now put that rope up and let's go home.”

“I'm staying with the cows,” Carl said. “I'll bring them back in the morning.”

“What if the other man comes back?”

“Are you really stupid enough to believe there is another man?” Van asked.

From the look in Idalou's eye, years of friendship were rapidly losing significance. “I'm stupid enough
to believe that thieves probably tell the truth at least as often as upstanding citizens lie.”

Will chuckled inwardly at the look on Jordan's face.

“You've known me for ten years,” Van said. “I've helped you whenever I could. Are you saying you believe I'm lying to you?”

“This isn't a question of lying, Van. It's a question of obeying the law.” She turned to Will. “I'm staying with Carl.”

“You can't,” Carl said immediately. “It's not safe.”

“It's not safe for you to be here by yourself. Will can't stay, because he has to take the men to town. The other men have families and duties to attend to. There's nobody else to stay.”

“I'll stay,” Van said. “Dad doesn't need me.”

That was the most logical solution, but Will could tell that Carl wasn't going to agree. “Jordan,” Will said, “could I trust you to take these men to town and turn them over to Emmett or Tatum?”

“Why can't you do it?”

“It looks like I'm staying with Carl, Van, and Idalou.”

Idalou enjoyed watching Van and Carl square off against each other. Van had the advantage of age and an innate belief that he was always right, but they were Carl's cows, and he had plenty of backbone.

“Do you still think he can't take care of himself?” Will asked Idalou after they'd watched Carl argue Van down until Van agreed to handle the herd the way Carl wanted.

“You can't blame a sister for worrying about her little brother,” she said to Will. “And if you do, it's too bad, because I'm not going to apologize.”

Will laughed quietly. “My sisters still worry about me, and I'm ten years older than Eden.”

Will and Idalou were sitting next to the coals of the fire that had been used to cook their supper. Idalou had been shocked when Will had volunteered to make the stew.

“It's the only thing I can make,” he said, “but I'm good at it.”

He'd been right. Van and Carl had eaten two
helpings. They'd gone off to check on the herd and to decide on the watch schedule for the night.

Will took a long swallow of coffee and threw the rest away. “I need to walk off my supper. You care to keep me company?”

Idalou had been waiting for a chance to take Will up on his offer for a walk, but she hadn't expected it to happen in the middle of a river canyon. Or with cows for her chaperons. “I need to work out a few kinks,” she said. “I've gotten a cramp sitting on the damp ground.”

“Let me help you up.”

Spry as a teenager, Will bounced up, took the hand she held out, and brought her to her feet. He'd held her hands many times before, but this time it was different. He wasn't pulling her out of the water, and he wasn't helping her on or off her horse. He was inviting her to spend some time alone with him, and that made it
really
different.

Idalou hadn't been this excited to be with a man since Webb, but the feeling wasn't the same. She and Webb had known each other for years and had grown into a romantic relationship without really thinking about it very much. Everybody had assumed they'd get married. So had they until she started to blame his father for the trouble at the ranch and Junie Mae came to live with her aunt.

But Idalou wasn't drifting into anything this time. From the beginning, she'd fought her attraction to Will despite Carl's hard-to-believe assertions that Will was interested in her. It would have been much more logical for him to be interested in Junie Mae.

Her stomach clenched. Would she ever stop feeling jealous of Junie Mae?

“It's a little chilly down here by the river,” Will said. “Do you want something on your shoulders?”

Webb would never have thought to ask her that. “I
am a bit chilly, but the blanket I brought would be too heavy.”

“You can wear one of my shirts.” Will pulled a tan shirt from his saddlebag. “I never travel without extras.” He held it for her to slip her arms into the sleeves. “Warm enough?”

“It's perfect.” The internal heat generated by his attentiveness was threatening to make her too warm. His attention felt special to her, and she liked the feeling. Van and Carl came up just as they were getting ready to leave.