didnt sit well either.
Parker, this is Doc Slader. Can you hear me?
He could hear, just couldnt speak.
Listen, son. I need for you to wake up.
The familiar voice urging him to crawl to the top made the ascent a little easier, until Parker finally opened an eye. The other one refused to budge.
Good, the doctor said. You look awful, but I believe youll live.
Right now he didnt know which was worse, dying or living. ThinkI have a broken rib. It hurt to talk.
Miss Sage here made mention of that. Im going to feel around a bit to see for myself. The moment Doc Slader touched Parkers side, agony seared his whole body. Yes, sir, a few broken ribs, all right.
I missed church. Should have been there for Leah and the children.
You would have been sitting by yourself. She wasnt there either.
Leah must have been sick. She never missed church. Ill ride out to see her later.
Doc shook his head.
Whats wrong? Parker didnt like the frown on Docs face. All he needed was a little sleep, and hed be his normal self.
Youre not going anywhere all beaten and bruised like the town drunk. But you should know Leahs boy Davis is missing.
Parker tried to pull himself up, but the pain blinded him. What do you mean? Where did he go?
Went to get water for his mother this morning and didnt return.
Misery swept through Parker, a deep sorrow that he couldnt put into words. Did Davis fall in the river? The river flowingthrough Leahs ranch didnt have a fast current, yet Davis could have lost his balance, hit his head.
Dont think so. The bucket was on the bank, full of water, and John found horse tracks nearby.
Youll understand later. Aidens words came back to Parker like a bad penny. Taking Davis ensured them of Sage and Parkers riding alone. Wheres John now?
He took off with Franks rifle to follow the tracks.
N INE
S age sat at Parkers bedside at Doctor Sladers house. The doctor had been called to the home of a rancher whod been kicked by a horse and would probably be gone for hours. Mrs. Slader had her hands full with nine boys to look after. The thought of it made Sages head spin. Then again, maybe someday shed meet a man whod want a dozen boys.
Sage kept a damp cloth on Parkers forehead and studied him for fever. Even if he was a lawmanand shed met only a few she likedshe still hated for an innocent man to endure a beating. And although exhaustion had been the reason she slept through the gangs jailbreak, she still felt responsible. The old familiar restlessness nipped at her heels, the longing to do all she could to make the country a safe place to live. Common sense told her it was impossible, and her heart reminded her she wasnt God. But she well knew the pain of devastation and the tug of revenge.
She grasped every opportunity to talk to the injured man about Aidens escape. Perhaps she shouldnt prod him, except unanswered questions threatened to burst from her brain.
Parker, can you hear me? Leah Timmons sat on the edge of a chair, proper like, the way a lady sat. The way Sage used to sit. A little self-consciously, she shifted and stiffened her back as Leah dabbed a lace-edged handkerchief under each eye. The woman was tiny, too small to carry such a heavy load of widowhood with children to rear.
Give me an hour, Leah, he whispered. Ill get Davis andJohn found and back home to you. Dont worry. They couldnt have gone far.
I doubt if you get out of bed for two days, Sage thought.
Leah blinked back the tears. I know this is selfish, but you are the one person I can depend on. Oh, Parker, Im so scared. Dont die on me too. A southern accent laced her words.
Im too ornery to die. All I need is a few hours to get my wits back.
Leah stood and laid a hand on Parkers shoulder. Sage pitied the distraught woman, who had every reason to be upsether husband was dead, her youngest son was missing, and her oldest son had taken off with his pas rifle to find his little brother. It all added up to anguish of the worst kind.
Ill go after your
Parker, this is Doc Slader. Can you hear me?
He could hear, just couldnt speak.
Listen, son. I need for you to wake up.
The familiar voice urging him to crawl to the top made the ascent a little easier, until Parker finally opened an eye. The other one refused to budge.
Good, the doctor said. You look awful, but I believe youll live.
Right now he didnt know which was worse, dying or living. ThinkI have a broken rib. It hurt to talk.
Miss Sage here made mention of that. Im going to feel around a bit to see for myself. The moment Doc Slader touched Parkers side, agony seared his whole body. Yes, sir, a few broken ribs, all right.
I missed church. Should have been there for Leah and the children.
You would have been sitting by yourself. She wasnt there either.
Leah must have been sick. She never missed church. Ill ride out to see her later.
Doc shook his head.
Whats wrong? Parker didnt like the frown on Docs face. All he needed was a little sleep, and hed be his normal self.
Youre not going anywhere all beaten and bruised like the town drunk. But you should know Leahs boy Davis is missing.
Parker tried to pull himself up, but the pain blinded him. What do you mean? Where did he go?
Went to get water for his mother this morning and didnt return.
Misery swept through Parker, a deep sorrow that he couldnt put into words. Did Davis fall in the river? The river flowingthrough Leahs ranch didnt have a fast current, yet Davis could have lost his balance, hit his head.
Dont think so. The bucket was on the bank, full of water, and John found horse tracks nearby.
Youll understand later. Aidens words came back to Parker like a bad penny. Taking Davis ensured them of Sage and Parkers riding alone. Wheres John now?
He took off with Franks rifle to follow the tracks.
N INE
S age sat at Parkers bedside at Doctor Sladers house. The doctor had been called to the home of a rancher whod been kicked by a horse and would probably be gone for hours. Mrs. Slader had her hands full with nine boys to look after. The thought of it made Sages head spin. Then again, maybe someday shed meet a man whod want a dozen boys.
Sage kept a damp cloth on Parkers forehead and studied him for fever. Even if he was a lawmanand shed met only a few she likedshe still hated for an innocent man to endure a beating. And although exhaustion had been the reason she slept through the gangs jailbreak, she still felt responsible. The old familiar restlessness nipped at her heels, the longing to do all she could to make the country a safe place to live. Common sense told her it was impossible, and her heart reminded her she wasnt God. But she well knew the pain of devastation and the tug of revenge.
She grasped every opportunity to talk to the injured man about Aidens escape. Perhaps she shouldnt prod him, except unanswered questions threatened to burst from her brain.
Parker, can you hear me? Leah Timmons sat on the edge of a chair, proper like, the way a lady sat. The way Sage used to sit. A little self-consciously, she shifted and stiffened her back as Leah dabbed a lace-edged handkerchief under each eye. The woman was tiny, too small to carry such a heavy load of widowhood with children to rear.
Give me an hour, Leah, he whispered. Ill get Davis andJohn found and back home to you. Dont worry. They couldnt have gone far.
I doubt if you get out of bed for two days, Sage thought.
Leah blinked back the tears. I know this is selfish, but you are the one person I can depend on. Oh, Parker, Im so scared. Dont die on me too. A southern accent laced her words.
Im too ornery to die. All I need is a few hours to get my wits back.
Leah stood and laid a hand on Parkers shoulder. Sage pitied the distraught woman, who had every reason to be upsether husband was dead, her youngest son was missing, and her oldest son had taken off with his pas rifle to find his little brother. It all added up to anguish of the worst kind.
Ill go after your
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