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  “It’s such a beautiful day, I couldn’t stay inside another minute. May I use the wagon?”

  He nodded, heading back into the livery. A few minutes passed before he drove the wagon out the gate. “Your wagon should be ready before Christmas.”

  “That’s wonderful news, Noah. Then you’ll have use of your wagon again, although I may need to leave mine here until I move into the house.”

  Noah chuckled. “I have two wagons here and one at the house for Abby. Using one of mine is no problem. And you can keep yours here as long as needed. Abby and I bought the lot behind the livery. As soon as I have time, I’ll expand.” Standing next to the wagon, he helped her up.

  Caro took the lines, biting her lower lip. “Perhaps you could wait a bit to say anything to Beau about me leaving. I need to get supplies and food from Stan Petermann, then get materials at the lumber mill. Shouldn’t take too long.” She hurried to clarify. “I don’t want you to lie. I’m just asking you not to seek him out to let him know I left.”

  Noah placed his hands on his hips, shaking his head. “I’m supposed to meet Gabe at the jail this morning. If Beau is there, I make no promises.”

  She nodded. “I understand.”

  “Caro?”

  She glanced down at him.

  “An hour is all I can wait before I head to the jail.”

  A broad smile broke across her face. “Thanks, Noah.” Slapping the lines, she wasted no time turning the wagon toward the general store.

  Finishing her errands an hour later, she left for her place. The sun was out, but patches of the trail remained frozen. A mile out of town, she released a relieved breath. Caro would be at her place in another thirty minutes. She couldn’t wait to see what Merritt and Gus had accomplished. They’d told her they planned to work all day on Thanksgiving. She knew there’d be quite a bit to see.

  Making the turn off the main trail to her house, Caro halted the wagon at the sound of gunfire. She reached below the seat, knowing Noah would have placed a loaded rifle and shotgun there for her use. One for use against any human threats, the other for animals. So far, she hadn’t used either one.

  A cold, clammy sensation flashed through her when another shot rang out. Settling the shotgun across her lap, she slapped the lines, moving forward at a slow pace. Rounding the last bend in the trail, she stopped, her heart pounding at the sight of a man she didn’t recognize pointing a gun at Gus. Another man stood a few feet away, hands at his sides. Merritt was nowhere in sight.

  Lifting the shotgun, her whole body shook as she pointed it toward the man with the gun. Sucking in a breath, she exhaled, then pulled the trigger.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Panic and disappointment flooded Caro when the shot hit the ground in front of the man, sending up a spray of dirty snow. Before she could aim again, Gus came running up to her.

  “What the hell are you doing? You could have killed someone.”

  “I was trying to hit the man in front of you.” Her voice shook with indignation and anger.

  His jaw dropped. Gus set his hands on his hips, glaring at her. “What in tarnation for?”

  She blinked a couple times, glancing at the other men, noticing the one holding the gun smiling. He didn’t appear to be a menace. “Well, it looked like he had his gun pointed at you, and I thought…”

  Gus burst out laughing. She’d never heard him laugh. For that matter, she’d never heard Merritt laugh, either. Composing himself, he grinned.

  “John was showing me how he aims it. He’s been practicing while he and his brother waited for you to return from town.”

  “Oh…” She set the shotgun on the seat and picked up the lines, embarrassment heating her face.

  “Bring the wagon up to the house and I’ll introduce you.”

  Gus walked alongside the wagon as Caro moved forward, stopping near the barn. Helping her down, he turned to the others.

  “Mrs. Iverson, this is John Smith and his brother, Joe. They’re looking for work.”

  Caro greeted each, noticing how young they appeared and how thin they were, as if they hadn’t eaten in days. She directed her question to John. “Are you from around here?”

  “No, ma’am. We’re from Alabama.”

  “And what brings you out this way? Family?” Her gaze shifted between the brothers, studying their features.

  “We don’t have any family, ma’am. Been picking up any work we could.” John glanced at Joe. “We’d heard the Montana Territory was growing, and hoped maybe we could figure a way to claim some land.”

  Nodding, she studied them once more. “How old are you, Mr. Smith?”

  John straightened, lifting his chin. “I’m nineteen, ma’am, and Joe is seventeen.”

  She blew out a breath, her mind reviewing all the work still needing to be done. They were young, even younger than she first thought. “What kind of work can you do?”

  John’s face brightened. “Whatever you need, ma’am. We’ve earned our keep farming, working cattle, building barns and houses, pretty much whatever you can think of. We don’t need much. A place to sleep, a couple meals a day…” His voice trailed off as if he didn’t dare ask for more.

  “You’ll have to sleep in the barn until there’s time to build a bunkhouse. I bring out food from town twice a week. You do your own cooking over a campfire. I can pay a small wage, and you’ll take orders from me. What do you say?”

  A smile appeared on John’s face. “It all sounds real good, ma’am.”

  “When can you start?”

  John looked at Joe, who couldn’t hide his relief. “Right now, ma’am.”

  “You can start by unloading the wagon, then fix yourselves something to eat.” She turned toward Gus. “I’d like to see what you’ve done the last two days.”

  Mack kicked his horse, picking up speed as he raced back to town. When the weather cleared late the night before, Gabe asked him to ride toward Big Pine, taking a position off the main trail, hoping to spot the Dawsons. Neither believed they’d be that lucky. They’d been wrong.

  An hour after the sun rose, he’d hidden near a group of large boulders, keeping watch on the trail. Three hours later, his wait ended. A group of six riders followed the trail to Splendor. Pulling out the wanted posters Gabe gave him, he used his field glasses to compare the sketches to the men on horseback. Even from this distance, he could pick out Louis and Clem riding at the front of the group.

  He’d given them time to ride past, then jumped on his horse, taking a seldom-used trail back to Splendor. Pushing his horse hard, he’d barely stopped in front of the jail before dismounting and dashing inside. Gabe stood near the stove, pouring coffee, while Noah sat at the desk.

  “They’re on their way, Gabe.”

  “You’re sure it’s the Dawsons?” He set his cup down.

  “Yes, sir. There are six of them. I’m guessing they’re about two hours outside of town.”

  Gabe moved his gaze to Noah. They’d been having a conversation about Noah’s son, Gabriel, and joking about both of them being married. After Mack’s announcement, Noah’s face hardened, a noticeable twitch in his jaw.

  “Noah, I want you to stay out of this. Go home. Stay with Abby and Gabriel.”

  Standing, Noah crossed his arms, squaring off against his closest friend. “That’s not going to happen. I’m getting my rifle. Tell me where you want me to set up.”

  Cursing, Gabe settled his hands on his hips, glaring at his childhood friend. “I know you have a score to settle, but you have a family who needs you. I can’t risk you getting hurt. Hell, you’re still working through the injuries from your last encounter with the Dawsons.”

  “That was an ambush. If it had been an encounter, you know those men would be dead.”

  A sharpshooter in the Union Army, Noah could hit a target dead-on from hundreds of feet away. And he could repeat the action over and over.

  Mack cleared his throat. “We could use someone like Noah against the Dawsons, G
abe.”

  Noah glanced at Mack before returning his hard glare to Gabe. “Bull and I are your choices. With all due respect, I’m the better of the two.” Bull hadn’t been a sharpshooter during his time fighting for the North, but he was an excellent shot, a man they could count on.

  Mumbling an oath, Gabe swallowed the ball of dread forming in his stomach. “You’re going to set up somewhere even if I tell you to leave, aren’t you?”

  “I am.”

  Gabe shook his head, letting out a deep breath. “I want you on the south balcony at the top floor of the St. James. Tell whoever is at the front desk I said to give you the room key.”

  Noah nodded, moving toward the door, then stopped at Gabe’s next words.

  “Don’t get yourself shot. I refuse to deliver bad news to Abby. Do you understand?”

  A small grin lifted the corners of Noah’s mouth. “Understood, Colonel.”

  “Are you clear on where you’ll be posted?” Gabe pulled his gaze from the sketch he’d made to search each of their faces. He’d gathered his deputies at the jail not long after Noah left.

  Caleb nodded. “It’s clear to me.”

  The others agreed, Beau pointing to a spot on the drawing. “Noah will be here. What about Bull? You know he won’t be kept out of it.”

  “I still need to speak with him, but I want him on the top floor of the Dixie. I’m going to ask Dirk Masters to take a window on the second floor of the Wild Rose.”

  “Dirk?” Cash asked, a brow rising.

  “He’s spoken to me a couple times about helping out if needed. According to Luke and Dax, their foreman is an excellent shot. I need the four of you in the bank or close by.” Gabe straightened, his gaze darting between the men. “We have to consider all possibilities. With Noah, Bull, and Dirk posted overhead, the rest of us will have coverage should the Dawsons come in from different directions.”

  Mack rubbed his chin, taking another look at the sketch. “What about the shop owners and townsfolk? Do you plan to alert them?”

  Gabe looked at Cash and Beau. “The businesses know you two the best. I want you to talk to them before they close today. Don’t scare them. Just make sure they’re aware of the danger and the need to be vigilant. If they hear gunfire, they’re to lock their doors and keep everyone inside. As for the townsfolk, we’ll do what we can to protect them. Unfortunately, we can’t shut down Splendor, and without knowing when the Dawsons will strike, we aren’t able to warn them.”

  Beau shook his head. “I don’t know, Gabe. The Dawsons don’t seem to care about shooting anyone who gets in their way.”

  “What do you suggest, Beau?”

  “You think the Dawsons will strike within the next few days, right?”

  “I don’t see a reason for them to wait.” Gabe lowered himself into his chair.

  “And from what you’ve learned, we know at least one of their men will ride into Splendor beforehand to figure out what they’re up against.” Beau leaned a hip against the edge of the desk.

  “I’ve heard from sheriffs in four towns where they’ve struck. The outlaws don’t cover their faces. That’s how arrogant they are,” Gabe snorted. “Each time, someone in the bank recognized one of the Dawson men as coming in the day before, asking questions, then leaving.”

  Beau crossed his arms, his gaze moving between the men. “Then we put our efforts into identifying whoever Louis and Clem send in ahead of the robbery. If we can do that, we’ll know they plan to strike the following day, which gives us a chance to warn the townsfolk.”

  Resting his chin on his hand, Gabe studied the sketch again. “Beau and Cash will take turns inside the bank, watching who comes and goes. Wear your guns, but not your badges. You’re just customers doing your business. Mack and Caleb, I want you outside. One by the St. James, the other outside the Dixie. I’ll let Clausen know. Watch for one or two men who ask questions, but don’t open an account or do other bank business. Men none of us recognize. Men who don’t fit.”

  Cash pointed to the two saloons on the sketch. “I’d expect them to go into the Dixie or Wild Rose, but not the general store. They’re looking for whiskey, not a pair of boots.”

  Gabe nodded. “They might stop at the boardinghouse to eat. I’ll let Suzanne and Nick know what we’re thinking.”

  The room fell silent as each man thought through what must be done. After a few moments, Gabe spoke.

  “We know what’s coming. Let’s make sure we’re ready.”

  Dropping the lines, Caro’s shoulders slumped in exhaustion. It had been a long, yet fulfilling day. The Smith brothers worked as hard as Merritt and Gus, stopping to rest only when Caro insisted.

  If they continued at this pace, the changes suggested by Bull would be complete before Christmas, allowing her to move in sooner than she’d expected. It would also give the men time to build a bunkhouse large enough for the four of them.

  “Caro. I wondered if you might have decided to stay at the house tonight.” Noah walked toward her.

  She grinned as he helped her down. “Not yet. I’d have to stay in the barn with four men, and I’m not ready to do that.”

  He cocked his head. “Four?”

  Caro shrugged. “Two men rode in this morning, looking for work. Brothers from Alabama.”

  “You can’t employ everyone who comes to your place, Caro.”

  Sighing, she took the blanket Noah handed her. “I know, but they’re nineteen and seventeen. They looked as if they hadn’t eaten in days. I couldn’t turn them away.”

  Noah placed a friendly arm around her shoulders, shaking his head. Like Gabe, he and Caro had grown up around each other in New York. At one time, Noah had thought Gabe and Caro might marry. It never happened.

  “Well, if you don’t need the men in a few months, and they’re still around, there should be plenty of work around Splendor. May I walk you back to the hotel?”

  She leaned up, brushing a kiss across his cheek. “I can manage. Besides, you should be home with Abby and Gabriel.”

  He climbed onto the wagon, picked up the lines, then smiled down at her. “Yes. Everyone keeps telling me that.”

  Holding the blanket to her chest, she crossed the street toward Suzanne’s boardinghouse. She’d been ready to push the door open when she spotted a familiar face through the window sharing a table with Suzanne and Nick. The last person she wanted to see was Beau, and knowing Suzanne, her friend would insist Caro join them.

  Glancing down at her soiled clothing, she realized there were few choices at this time of day. If she returned to the hotel to bathe and change, the chances of falling asleep without eating were great.

  Turning, she spotted the only other restaurant in Splendor. McCall’s was owned by Betts Jones and her husband, Elmer. It sat at the opposite end of town between the law office and the general store, serving generous portions at reasonable prices. She’d become so accustomed to visiting Suzanne’s, Caro rarely thought of McCall’s.

  Hoping they were still serving, she crossed the street, passing the Wild Rose, the jail, and several other businesses before entering McCall’s. Not as large as Suzanne’s, it did a brisk business. Tonight, most tables were occupied.

  “Caro!”

  Turning, she spotted Allie waving at her, Cash sitting next to her. He stood and walked over.

  “Why don’t you join us?”

  She didn’t have time to decline before Cash took her elbow, guiding her through the narrow spaces between tables. Pulling out a chair, he took her coat.

  Allie smiled at her. “You look like you could use a good meal.”

  “And a hot bath.”

  Cash sat back down, reaching under the table to take Allie’s hand. “We ordered the special.”

  “Sounds perfect.” Caro settled back, glad for the company.

  He held up a hand, indicating to Betts they wanted three meals. “Did you just return from your house?”

  She nodded at Betts when the owner set a cup of coffee in fron
t of her, then hurried away. “Yes. I hired two more men to help Merritt and Gus. They made a lot of progress today.”

  “Are they from here?” Allie asked, leaning back as Betts placed full plates in front of them.

  Caro glanced down at the stew, her mouth watering, as Allie and Cash dug into their food. “Alabama.”

  Cash stopped his fork midway to his mouth. “Alabama?”

  She nodded, placing a spoonful of stew in her mouth, not hearing the caution in his voice. “Oh, this is so good.” Lifting her gaze, she saw Cash staring at her. “What?”

  Cash set down his fork, lowering his voice. “Beau told me you contacted Pinkerton.”

  Caro’s face reddened. “Yes.”

  “I’m glad you did. He said the people looking for him are named Eldridge. And they’re from Alabama.”

  Her features stilled. She thought of John and Joe, how young they were, how hard they worked. “What are you thinking?”

  He leaned back in his chair. “I’m not certain, other than it seems to be quite a coincidence that the Eldridges hired Pinkerton to confirm Beau’s whereabouts, then not long afterward, your two men show up…and they’re all from Alabama.”

  A ball of ice formed in Caro’s stomach. She pictured John’s face, then Joe’s. When she’d met them earlier, the hope she’d seen in each broke her heart. She didn’t need a doctor to tell her they were emaciated.

  Shaking her head, she met Cash’s concerned gaze. “No. I don’t believe those two boys rode across country to harm Beau. They are nothing but skin and bones with dark circles under their sunken eyes.” She glanced down at her full plate of stew, her appetite gone. “No matter what transpired between me and Beau, I’d never do anything to harm him.”

  Cash leaned forward, placing a hand on her arm. “I’d never suggest you would.” He glanced at Allie, then returned his gaze to Caro. “I’m being cautious. No one knows why Eldridge paid Pinkerton to confirm Beau’s location. The only plausible explanation was to seek revenge for the death of his brother. He’s a wealthy plantation owner who isn’t going to do the dirty work himself. He’d hire others to do it for him.”