[Alaskan Quest 03] - Whispers of Winter by Tracie Peterson Page A

house was a pleasant enough sight, but it did stick out as a rather strange anomaly on the seacoast. She knew Jayce would like it, but even this would pale in light of seeing his children.
    His children. The old thoughts trickled back to haunt her. Are Wills and Merry truly Jayce’s flesh and blood? Why can’t I just let this go? Why can’t I just be glad for what I have and stop worrying about the past? She shuddered and pushed the memories aside. There was nothing positive to be gained by remembering those terrible things. There was nothing good to be had in asking questions for which she could not give conclusive answers.
    Wills and Merry were Jayce’s children. That was all there was to it. Leah would not think of it any other way.
    A ruckus on the beach drew her attention even as Leah climbed the steps that led to her home. A sudden chill rushed through her body. She set the sacks down on the step and felt herself inexplicably drawn to the sounds of men fighting.
    Reaching the community building, Leah could see that several of the natives were drunk. These were good men—she knew them well, but liquor had clouded their senses. They were angrily raging at each other, and one man was waving a gun. She knew this wouldn’t end well; someone would no doubt get hurt. The whalers with their liquor appeared to be nowhere in sight.
    “Put down the rifle,” John commanded as he stepped toward the man.
    “He stole my axe,” the man declared.
    “He tried to take my wife,” a man named Charlie replied. “I’m going to give his axe back—right in his gut.”
    “I didn’t want your ugly woman,” the man shouted in Inupiat.
    Leah felt someone at her side and turned to find Oopick. They could only stand and watch the situation play out. Some of the other native men joined in commenting on the situation, some taking Charlie’s side, others taking the side of the armed man.
    “You got to put the rifle down, Daniel,” John demanded. “Somebody’s gonna get hurt.”
    Then, as if John’s words were prophetic, the rifle went off with a loud cracking sound. Everyone fell silent as Charlie grabbed his stomach and sank to his knees. He looked up, then collapsed on the sand.
    Leah put her hand to her mouth. To witness this awful affair, a situation that might never have come about but for the whiskey, was more than she could fathom.
    “That’s enough. Give me the rifle.”
    “You’re gonna kill me.” Daniel’s eyes were wild with fear.
    John shook his head. “No. I’m gonna take you and hold you until the Bear shows up. When those government officials come, then I’ll turn you over to them.”
    Leah shook her head. There was no telling how long it would be before the revenue cutter returned. Charlie’s family would return to the village for revenge. This could be counted on.
    “I won’t go,” the man said, leveling the rifle again. Before anyone could do anything the man began backing away. “I won’t go.”
    John approached him, matching each of the man’s steps in equal pacing. “Come on, Daniel. You know it’s the way.”
    “I can’t. I won’t.” He backed up another step and stopped. “You go on now, John, or I’ll … well … I’ll have to shoot you.”
    John shook his head. “Don’t do it, Daniel. They’ll see you dead if you do.”
    “They’ll see me dead anyway.”
    John reached for the barrel but had no time to push it away before the gun fired. Leah screamed and Oopick went running. The bullet hit John in the stomach. The big man didn’t fall immediately; instead, he seemed to contemplate the situation as several men rushed Daniel and wrestled him to the ground. Oopick reached her husband’s side just as his body seemed to register what had happened.
    Leah was just paces behind Oopick. She’d thought at first that maybe John hadn’t been struck, but when he fell to the ground she screamed, “No!”
    Oopick knelt beside her husband, pulling at his clothes to see how bad the wound