way to be certain of it. Yet.
“But why?” Alex wondered. “And who?”
Roark glanced at Ramona. She was looking more distraught by the moment. “Ramona,” he said easily, “I know it’s too early for breakfast, but this puzzle has got me all hollow inside. Do you suppose you could scare up something for me from that pantry of yours? Anything will do.”
Ramona wasn’t a fool. She had to realize his request was an excuse, that he was sending her away because he didn’t want her to hear his answer to Alex McKenzie’s question. That he suspected she was somehow connected to this whole business. But the cook offered no objection.Tight-lipped and silent, she got to her feet and reluctantly moved off in the direction of her pickup.
Once Ramona was out of earshot, Roark started to quickly explain his intention to the others. “I don’t know the why, but there is a good candidate for the who. Our shadow on the ridge. Which means—”
Shep interrupted him. “Why are we still worrying about this guy when you and I found no evidence of him evening before last? Plus, all yesterday there was no sign of him up there. I thought we’d agreed he left the area.”
“I think we were wrong. I think he’s still with us. And there was a sign of his presence. Samantha spotted the smoke from a campfire just before sundown last evening. Okay, that’s not proof it was his campfire, but after what happened here tonight, I don’t think we can afford not to deal with him.”
“ If he’s still around,” Shep said. The trail boss paused, and Roark knew he was thinking of the cattle and his responsibility to prevent any further danger to them. “What do you have in mind?”
“Surprise. It’ll start to get light in another couple of hours. If we can find where he’s bedded down, sneak up on him before sunup has him on the move again, there’s a chance we can take him.”
“All right,” Shep agreed. “I suggest we try to get what sleep we can before then.”
It was decided that Roark and the trail boss would handle the confrontation while Alex and the others remained with the herd where they were needed. Ramona returned and handed around a container of sourdough biscuits. She continued to wear an unhappy expression, but she kept her thoughts to herself.
Before they turned in, Samantha drew Roark off to one side. “What about me? Am I staying behind?”
He’d been thinking about that. There was no way to be positive their man on the ridge had crept down here and fired that shot. For all he knew, it could have been someone from their own outfit. Maybe the same someone who had allegedly fired on Joe Walker in the ravine back in Texas. In which case Samantha would be at less risk sticking close to him where he could exercise every caution to keep her safe.
“Are you up to coming along?” he asked.
She hesitated and then nodded. “I’m in.”
T HE FIRST GLIMMER OF DAY WAS just beginning to streak the eastern sky when the three of them slipped away from camp. Though it lit the higher elevations, it was still dark down in the valley. The moon had set, so they didn’t have the benefit of its glow, but the surefooted horses were able to find their way.
It was also cold. Roark was glad of his denim jacket and hoped that Samantha beside him was warm enough in her own coat. And that he wasn’t making a mistake by bringing her with them.
The light had strengthened to a gray twilight by the time they ascended the slope of the ridge. It was possible in its pallor to fix their course on the spot that had been the source of the smoke. Or at least in the approximate direction.
They lost that advantage when they entered the trees, where the shadows were so heavy it was difficult to know if they were still on target. They moved in absolute silence now, the thick carpet of pine needles muffling any sound of the horses that might alert their man.
Providing, Roark thought, he was even in the vicinity. If he had been
“But why?” Alex wondered. “And who?”
Roark glanced at Ramona. She was looking more distraught by the moment. “Ramona,” he said easily, “I know it’s too early for breakfast, but this puzzle has got me all hollow inside. Do you suppose you could scare up something for me from that pantry of yours? Anything will do.”
Ramona wasn’t a fool. She had to realize his request was an excuse, that he was sending her away because he didn’t want her to hear his answer to Alex McKenzie’s question. That he suspected she was somehow connected to this whole business. But the cook offered no objection.Tight-lipped and silent, she got to her feet and reluctantly moved off in the direction of her pickup.
Once Ramona was out of earshot, Roark started to quickly explain his intention to the others. “I don’t know the why, but there is a good candidate for the who. Our shadow on the ridge. Which means—”
Shep interrupted him. “Why are we still worrying about this guy when you and I found no evidence of him evening before last? Plus, all yesterday there was no sign of him up there. I thought we’d agreed he left the area.”
“I think we were wrong. I think he’s still with us. And there was a sign of his presence. Samantha spotted the smoke from a campfire just before sundown last evening. Okay, that’s not proof it was his campfire, but after what happened here tonight, I don’t think we can afford not to deal with him.”
“ If he’s still around,” Shep said. The trail boss paused, and Roark knew he was thinking of the cattle and his responsibility to prevent any further danger to them. “What do you have in mind?”
“Surprise. It’ll start to get light in another couple of hours. If we can find where he’s bedded down, sneak up on him before sunup has him on the move again, there’s a chance we can take him.”
“All right,” Shep agreed. “I suggest we try to get what sleep we can before then.”
It was decided that Roark and the trail boss would handle the confrontation while Alex and the others remained with the herd where they were needed. Ramona returned and handed around a container of sourdough biscuits. She continued to wear an unhappy expression, but she kept her thoughts to herself.
Before they turned in, Samantha drew Roark off to one side. “What about me? Am I staying behind?”
He’d been thinking about that. There was no way to be positive their man on the ridge had crept down here and fired that shot. For all he knew, it could have been someone from their own outfit. Maybe the same someone who had allegedly fired on Joe Walker in the ravine back in Texas. In which case Samantha would be at less risk sticking close to him where he could exercise every caution to keep her safe.
“Are you up to coming along?” he asked.
She hesitated and then nodded. “I’m in.”
T HE FIRST GLIMMER OF DAY WAS just beginning to streak the eastern sky when the three of them slipped away from camp. Though it lit the higher elevations, it was still dark down in the valley. The moon had set, so they didn’t have the benefit of its glow, but the surefooted horses were able to find their way.
It was also cold. Roark was glad of his denim jacket and hoped that Samantha beside him was warm enough in her own coat. And that he wasn’t making a mistake by bringing her with them.
The light had strengthened to a gray twilight by the time they ascended the slope of the ridge. It was possible in its pallor to fix their course on the spot that had been the source of the smoke. Or at least in the approximate direction.
They lost that advantage when they entered the trees, where the shadows were so heavy it was difficult to know if they were still on target. They moved in absolute silence now, the thick carpet of pine needles muffling any sound of the horses that might alert their man.
Providing, Roark thought, he was even in the vicinity. If he had been
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