Branded Hearts. Diana Hall

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СКАЧАТЬ hooves pounded into the yard, bringing a groan to Garret’s lips. Cade and Hawk trotted toward the corral. Dark sweat lined their mounts and Cade’s shirt. Dressed in fringed leggings and a vest, Hawk looked like a marauding warrior instead of a cowhand.

      “I’ll be watching you, Blaine.” Lifting his whip, Fredrick flicked it in the direction of Hawk. “And that hea-then.” He smacked the rump of his matched grays with the whip. The carriage rumbled past. Dirt and sod roostertailed from the wheel, spattering Garret’s jeans and shirt.

      Hawk didn’t give the surrey a glance, just untacked his horse and started rubbing the animal down. Cade moseyed over to Garret, a slight smile tugging at his lips. “Something I said?”

      “I gotta talk with you.” Garret propelled his brother toward the cabin. Pushing the door open, he dragged Cade inside then spied out the window. Davidson was walking toward the outhouse. Near the barn, Vega and Cracker were actually repairing the supply wagon. Candus hoofpicked a mule near the corral. No busy ears to overhear his conversation.

      “I want to know if you’ve been keeping an eye on Hawk.”

      Displaying his palms, Cade lamented, “’Course I have. See these blisters? I got just as many on my backside.”

      “You know where he’s been every minute?”

      “Mostly. We can’t herd in longhorns tied to each other’s hip. But he’s never come up missing on the range.”

      “And the evenings, here at the ranch?” Garret asked.

      Cade twisted his lower jaw, as if he were having the barber remove a bad tooth. “He just goes over to the barn and sits with Kit. Ain’t no reason to follow him—”

      “Four nights ago—” Garret glanced at the window, then lowered his voice “—where was he?”

      Cade removed his hat and ran the brim through his hands. “Four nights ago? Let me recollect. I seen him at supper. Then just after sunset with Kit down by the river.”

      “Two hours unaccounted for.” Garret slapped his hand on his thigh. “Hawk could have ridden to the Harris spread and made it back by sundown.”

      “Why would Hawk want to ride over to the Lazy Bar T?”

      “Rustling. Harris lost cattle, horses and three men.” Garret dipped himself a mug of cold water from the crock. He sipped the liquid and contemplated the evidence. Hawk had no alibi. The Indian hated being parted from his sister, so why let her stroll, alone, in a secluded spot?

      And what of Kit? If Hawk was involved with the outlaws, what was her part? An innocent sister, or a luring temptress? Was her bath a ploy to keep Garret occupied while Hawk sneaked away? Her nightly walks an attempt to keep his mind on her and not on the ranch’s defenses?

      Cade stood, determination hardening his features. “I ain’t firing Hawk just ‘cause Abigail Benton says so. He’s worked harder than any man we’ve got.”

      Garret examined his little brother. Cade had his dander up. And not about a card game. “You like this Indian, don’t you?”

      “I like them both.”

      “Why?”

      A casual shrug and a shuffling of his boots accompanied Cade’s response. “They sorta remind me of us. Got the world telling them they ain’t no good ‘cause of their blood.” Sincerity strengthened Cade’s voice and made him sound older than his eighteen years.

      Garret released a long, slow sigh. He should just fire those two and be done with it. If Cade wasn’t involved so seriously…If this wasn’t the first time his little brother had shown some responsibility…

      Scratching his eyebrow, Garret made up his mind. There was just too much at stake to leave it to Cade and his history of recklessness. If Hawk was involved with the outlaws, Cade could get hurt. “From now on, you stay clear of Hawk.”

      “But, Garret—”

      “No buts.” Garret would brook no arguments. “These outlaws are desperate men. They’ve already killed.”

      “You think Kit and Hawk are guilty,” Cade accused.

      “If I believed that, those two would be riding off this ranch now. And I’d be talking to the sheriff. I got questions. And I want answers.”

      “I can get them.”

      “And wind up shot.” Garret sucked in a breath. “Cade, just do as I say. I’ll be watching them from now on.”

      Cade stared at a knot in the floorboard. His jaw worked like a gristmill, grinding his teeth together. “I’m sure you won’t ever need it, big brother, but if you want some help, you can count on me.” Stuffing his Stetson back on, he took three long strides and left the cabin.

      Help was exactly what Garret required, but none that Cade could give. He’d need a flour sifter to sort out the medley of emotions in his heart. Passion and desire tempted Garret to lay aside his suspicions. The anguish of his youth cried for him to be lenient. His sharp-edged instincts, honed in Andersonville, commanded him to think first of himself, his brother and his ranch.

      Indecisiveness was a new emotion for Garret. He didn’t like it. If Hawk and Kit were rustling, Cade was going to need indisputable proof. And Garret wasn’t prepared to even hint to the authorities his concern unless he had the same type of evidence. One way or the other, he would find out the truth about the two Indians.

      

      Kit studied the furrowed brows and tight line of her brother’s lips as he climbed the ladder to the loft. “You found something?”

      White streaks of anger tunneled across Hawk’s neck. “I found an old campfire. And these.” He pulled a dark leathery circle from the pouch on his belt. Long dark hair hung in a snarl from it.

      Brilliant sparkles formed in front of her eyes and she gripped her brother’s arm to keep from fainting dead away. “Did Cade see this?”

      “No. Cade talks too much. He is easy to lose on the trail. Jando could walk in front of him and he would not notice.” Hawk replaced the scalp in the leather pouch and tugged the leather ties closed. The look on her brother’s face made Kit fight back the raging waves of horror.

      “This time, my brother, we’ll get our revenge.”

       Chapter Six

      Garret’s eyes adjusted to the starlit darkness. The North Star twinkled high to the left, pointing the way toward Denver. Just above the mountains, three stars lined up along the western horizon. Kit had called them Orion’s belt. He would never be able to look at them again without visualizing her at the pool, her hair sleek and wet, her lips full and red, his body primed for the taste of her.

      The cabin door opened and a sliver of firelight sliced the night. Cade stuck his head out, exposing his bare chest. “She go to bed yet?”

      Clearing his СКАЧАТЬ