Worthy of Riches (8 page)

Jean leaned out the window. “Brian! Sit down! Otherwise I'll make you come sit up front with us.” Susie leaned out over the back. “Luke, could you keep a closer eye on her, please?” Luke grabbed Susie and planted her on her bottom just behind the cab. Brian kneeled and craned his neck to see over the sideboards so he could watch the goose and her family.

Jean gazed at the geese as they headed down the bank. “Baby animals are everywhere—new calves, foals, piglets, and chicks. I even saw a bear and two cubs the other day.” Jean leaned against Will. “I remember the days when we were having little ones.”

Raising an eyebrow, he looked down at her. “You want another?”

“No!” She laughed, then shrugged. “I miss the babies, the way they sound and smell.”

Will chuckled. “Maybe it's time you were a grandmother. Do you think we'll have long to wait?”

“Don't rush things. Adam and Laurel have only been married a few weeks.”

“I'd be real happy to be a grandpa,” Will said with a grin.

“I'm too young to be a grandmother.”

“No you're not, you old lady.” Will's eyes crinkled in merriment.

Jean cuddled closer. “I'd love it. But it's not up to me.” She patted Will's leg. “We have to leave this in God's hands, just like Ray Townsend.”

Will sighed. “I'll do my best.”

The truck crossed the wooden bridge just before their drive, its tires thudding hollowly. A cow and calf grazed alongside the road. Will stopped. “What are they doing out? Brian,” he said with indignation. “He must have left the gate open.” His eyes roamed over the pasture and the corral. Part of the corral was down, and other animals were roaming. “Something's wrong.” He pulled into the driveway.

Fences were down, hay had been scattered, and a feeding trough had been shredded. A bloodied calf with its neck twisted and eyes staring lay alongside the trough. Part of its back leg was missing. “Oh, Lord! What's happened?” Jean cried.

Will stopped the truck close to the back door of the house. “You and the children get inside,” he said, grabbing his rifle from behind the seat and climbing out of the cab. He scanned the yard. Their Jersey lay on her side, already stiff. Jean stared.

“I said, get in the house!”

Jean picked up Susie and grabbed Brian's hand. Both children gaped at the dead cow. “Come on. Inside.” Jean pulled them into the house, then returned to the porch.

Luke ran inside, got his rifle, and joined his father. Together they searched the area close to the house and barn. Whatever had done the damage had gone. Will approached the Jersey. Her face was lacerated, and her stomach was torn open. Broad bear tracks led away from the carcass.

“Looks like a big bear,” Luke said. “Wonder if it's the one that visited a while back.”

“Probably.” Will followed the tracks. They led west into the forest. Stopping and staring into the woods, he said, “No use trying to follow him today.” He turned back toward the house. “I'll be going with Ray Townsend tomorrow,” he stated and headed for the barn. “I hope that bear didn't get at our sow.” Entering the darkness, he didn't hear the grunting or snuffling he'd expected.

It was clear the bear had been here too. Tools were scattered, grain bags were shredded, and he saw blood. He approached the stall that housed his pregnant sow. She lay in a pool of blood. Sickened and angry, Will turned away. She'd only been a day or so away from dropping a litter. This was a huge loss. He searched the rest of the barn and found a dead goat and a handful of naked, bloody hens, lying among their feathers. He didn't know how they would make up such losses. Shaking his head, he hurried to the house.

“Will, was it a bear?” Jean asked.

“Yep. A big one.”

Brian and Susie huddled against their mother. “Will he come back?” Brian asked.

“No, I don't think so,” Will said, unable to keep the discouragement out of his voice.

Tears slipping down her cheeks, Jean hugged him.

With a heavy sigh, he said, “Things happen. We'll get through this.” He looked at Luke. “I'll need you to help me bury the animals.” “Dad, how come it killed so many and didn't eat them?” “Can't say. Sometimes a bear's just plain mean or mad.”

The gruesome work of burial completed, Will took off his bloodstained clothing. Jean had a bath ready. Opting for a swim in the creek, Luke grabbed a bar of soap and was on his way.

Stepping into the bath, Will said, “We lost almost all of them.” Shaking his head, he continued, “I don't know what we're going to do.”

“Pray and work harder,” Jean said matter-of-factly, handing him a bar of soap. “I'll make some coffee,” she said and headed downstairs. By the time Will was clean and dressed, the aroma of apples and cinnamon filled the house. Jean had been baking.

“Sure smells good in here,” Will said, combing wet hair back with his fingers. “But I don't think even your cake is going to help this time.” He sat at the table. Resting his face in his hands, he managed a smile. “I'd love some cake.”

Susie sat on the floor playing with Tinkertoys. Brian sat across from his father. “What you gonna' do?” His eyes filled with tears. “You gonna get that bear? He killed Molly and her calf. And Penny's calf too.”

Will scooted back from the table. “You too big to sit on my lap?”

Brian shook his head no, rounded the table, and climbed onto his father's lap. He rested his head against the clean wool shirt. For a long while no one spoke. Finally Brian asked, “How come that grizzly's so mean? I think someone ought to shoot it.”

“Well, someone will. I hope it's me.”

Jean set a cup of coffee in front of Will. “I thought you said Ray…”

“He is. And I'm going with him. I'll make sure that bear never comes around here again.”

Gripping her apron, Jean sat across from Will. “I don't think you should go. Let Ray Townsend take care of it.”

“I thought you understood. I have to go.”

“I do understand, but you can't go alone.”

“I'm not. I'll go with Ray.”

“I thought he said you couldn't. You'll just stir up trouble. Ray Townsend will get the bear.”

Saying nothing, Will clenched and unclenched his jaw. Finally he said, “That bear destroyed most of our livestock, tore down fences, and destroyed feed. And he scared my family. I'm going to be part of that hunting party. I'm not talking about it any more. I've made up my mind.” He slid Brian off his lap and walked out the door.

“Is Daddy mad?” Susie asked, her blue eyes wide.

“Yes, but not at us. He's mad at that bear.” Jean picked up her daughter and cradled her against her chest. A sense of loss and fear enveloped her as she watched Will walk toward the barn. She knew that what she felt had nothing to do with the damage. It was something more, something terrifying.
You're being silly,
she told herself.
Seeing those dead animals just got you spooked. Those men know what they're doing. They've killed bears before.

The following morning Will rose early, but Jean managed to beat him downstairs and was cooking bacon and eggs when he walked into the kitchen. “Smells good,” he said. “You didn't have to get up and do this.”

“Yes, I did.”

Will kissed Jean, then sat at the table. “Good thing the gelding was in the far pasture. I'd hate to have lost him. He's a good packhorse.”

“What time are Ray Townsend and the others leaving?” Jean asked, turning an egg and resettling it in bacon grease.

“Six o'clock. I'd better be on my way.”

“Not before you have something to eat.” She slid eggs and bacon onto a plate alongside two biscuits. Setting the plate on the table in front of her husband, she said, “You'll need a good breakfast if you're going to be traipsing through the countryside. I packed some food for you to take along. It's on the back porch.”

“Thanks.” Will reached across the table and kissed Jean, then sat back down and started on his breakfast. “Hopefully, we'll catch up to him today and I'll be home tonight. But if I don't show up, don't worry. From what I've heard, these trips sometimes take several days. Bears can cover a lot of miles, and some are smart enough to outwit trackers. But
from what I've heard, Ray Townsend's one of the best. We'll find that grizzly and kill him. I'm sure of it.” He bit into a biscuit, then took a bite of egg.

Luke came down the stairs and stood at the foot of the table. “I'm goin' with you.”

“No, you're not, son. I need you here. Your mother needs you.”

“Dad, I have a right to go. I'm not a boy anymore.”

“I know you're not a boy.” Will set his fork on the plate. “That's why I need you to stay here. That bear could circle back, and I don't want your mother here without a man.”

Luke stared at the floor. “I'll stay if you say I have to, but I want to go”

“You're young, Luke. You'll have other chances. This time you stay. Besides, it'll be a fight just to get that bunch to let
me
go along.” Will shoved the last of his biscuit into his mouth, took a gulp of coffee, and stood. “I'd better git', or they'll leave without me.”

Jean held Will for a long moment. Stepping back, she looked into his eyes. “Please be careful. I need you to come home.”

He smiled down at her. “I'll be back.” Kissing her tenderly, he added, “Don't keep supper for me,” then headed for the door.

Brian bounced into the room. “Daddy! Wait!” He ran to his father and hugged him.

Will tousled his unruly hair, then kneeled in front of his son. “I won't be gone long, hopefully not more than a day or two. I need you to do just as your mama says.”

Brian nodded. “You gonna get that bear?”

“You bet.” He kissed the boy's forehead, then straightened. “I'll see you all in a few days.”

Jean followed Will onto the porch. “I wish you wouldn't go.”

“I have to.”

The knot had rooted in her stomach, and Jean pressed her hand against her abdomen. She'd had a dream and needed to tell him. “Wait. I had a dream last night. You were in a dark place, and then you broke out and were running across a field. The grass was high, all the way to your shoulders. I could barely see you. You kept moving away from me, and I kept calling to you, but you just kept running.”

Jean stopped, remembering the emotions of the dream. She'd awakened, feeling lost and frightened. “The dream felt bad,” she said. “You finally turned around, and I could see your face, but it didn't look like you. And … and your coat was soaked in blood.” She grabbed Will's hands. “I'm scared. Will, I know something bad is going to happen. Please don't go.” She pressed his hand to her cheek. “Please.”

Will wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “Nothing's going to happen. It was just a dream.” He kissed her forehead and smiled at her. “The bloody coat was about yesterday. My coat got bloodied pretty good. Remember?” He rubbed her upper arms. “You don't need to worry. I'll be with a whole group of men.” He held her at arm's length. “I'll be back before you know it. And that bear will be nothing more than a bad memory.”

Tears escaped Jean's eyes.

Wiping them away, Will kissed her cheeks. “Try not to worry. God will be with me.”

WHEN WILL ARRIVED IN TOWN, RAY TOWNSEND AND THREE OTHER MEN, Frank Reed, Joe Stanfield, and Mike Gilman, had already gathered. Will knew Frank well, but the other two he knew little about except that they mistrusted outsiders nearly as much as Ray.

Leading a large white horse, Townsend strode up to him. “What do you think you're doing?”

“Going with you.”

“You're not.” His horse blew air through his nose and jerked up on the halter. Ray yanked down hard.

“Yesterday I lost most of my livestock to that bear. He headed off into the woods from my place. I think we ought to start there. He's heading west.”

Ray grinned. “He may be heading west now, but there's no telling where he'll end up. And as soon as he knows we're after him, he'll pick up the pace and take us on a jaunt you'll not soon forget.” He raised an eyebrow. “You sure you want to go? I ain't baby-sitting you.”

“You won't have any need to baby-sit me.”

“Suit yourself then.”

Leading a bay, Frank walked up to Will. “Glad to see you. Sorry about your animals. Family all right?”

“They're fine.”

Ray cut in. “We're not holding back for you. You'll keep up or get left behind.” He spat tobacco juice at Will's feet. “We'll start at the Hasper place.” Climbing aboard his stallion, he headed out of town.

Ray sat his heavy-bodied stallion comfortably, his huge Siberian Husky padding along beside. Straining to pick up the pace, Ray's mount chewed
on his bit, tossed his head, and pranced. Will was grateful for his steady Morgan. The gelding had little flash but was strong and dependable.

“Hope the rain holds off,” Frank said, glancing at the gray ceiling.

“It'll be miserable if the clouds open up.” Will sidestepped a puddle. “How long you think it'll take to track down the bear? My wife won't stop worrying until I get home.”

“Depends on which way he's headed, how fast he's moving, and whether he's feeding or not. And some bears are trickier than others.” Frank gave Will a sidelong glance. “You ever hunted bear?”

“Black bear. We used dogs to hunt them.” Will's horse snatched a mouthful of grass, jerking on the reins. He eyed the pack. “I should have brought less so I could ride.”

“Yeah, your feet will be hollerin'. You should have saddled him.” He eyed Ray and the others who were quickly leaving them behind. “I'm not much for horses. I'd rather be driving a team of dogs.” He glanced about at a farmhouse. “I'm more of a winter person. I like the cold, the yapping dogs, and the crunch of snow under my sled.” He slapped his neck, then looked at his palm. Wiping off whatever he'd smashed on his pant leg, he added with a wry grin, “And I don't like bugs.”

Frank nodded at Ray. “Now, he's a real mountain man. He loves this kind of thing—traipsin' out into the wilderness. No matter how dangerous, he can't wait to see what's out there waitin' for him.” Frank spat tobacco juice. “Ray's done just about everything there is to do out here. Once he even tussled with a wolverine with just a knife.” Frank grinned. “The wolverine got the worst of it, but Ray was laid up for a while.”