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  Caro clutched her hands together in her lap, still unable to picture the Smith brothers as killers. “They don’t look like someone gave them money to exact vengeance.”

  “Can they handle a gun?”

  She sucked in a breath, recalling how John had shown Gus his skill at shooting. Later in the afternoon, he and Joe had shown them how accurate they were with their six-guns. Caro wondered if she could be wrong about them.

  “Would you mind if I ride out to your place and meet these brothers?”

  Shaking off her doubt, she nodded at Cash. “If you have the time.”

  “I’ll make time.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Caro tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. Each time she closed her eyes, the faces of John and Joe assaulted her, followed by an image of Beau.

  Merritt had mentioned being suspicious of the two at first. He’d shaken his head, saying something about John Smith and Joe Smith. Then he and Gus had spent the day working with them, and any hesitancy about the boys seemed to disappear. Cash making a possible connection between Eldridge and the brothers wasn’t so easy to dismiss.

  Flinging off her covers more than once, she’d paced her hotel room, recalling the events of the day. What bothered her most was Merritt telling her the brothers had ridden out looking for the Davis place, hearing he might need workers. When he told them Beau wouldn’t be building for months, he suggested they talk to her.

  She knew Stan Petermann at the general store and Silas Jenks at the lumber mill would mention her place to anyone looking for work. They would also mention the Pelletiers and Bull, since he was drawing plans for the clinic and other structures people hoped to build in the spring. She wondered how they’d learned about Beau’s ranch or his plans.

  If Cash’s suspicions were correct, and she had a high regard for his instincts, men bent on exacting vengeance against Beau might be working for her.

  After letting her mind roam in circles until well past midnight, Caro finally allowed exhaustion to claim her a few hours before dawn.

  Beau stood by the bank entrance, taking one more look up and down the street before going inside. He saw Gabe sitting on a chair outside the jail, sipping coffee, appearing to be lost in thought. Beau knew otherwise. The sheriff didn’t miss anything, the same as the others posted around town, watching for any sign of the Dawsons.

  The night before, Cash and Beau spoke with the store owners, giving them information about the gang, warning them to be vigilant. They’d been instructed to close up and keep everyone inside at the first sound of gunfire. Most had been through this before. People didn’t live in a frontier town, far from the protection of a fort, without knowing the dangers. All owned guns, and they knew how to use them.

  Beau’s gaze moved to the Dixie. Mack stood outside, leaning against a wall. After being shot, his arm was almost back to full use. With a turn of his head, Beau spotted Caleb across the street at the St. James, sitting at a table by the window. Beau already knew Cash waited inside his wife’s dress shop for his turn to play a bank customer. They’d play their roles every day until the Dawsons showed or were spotted in another town.

  Once inside, he studied the few customers who’d been waiting for the bank to open. He knew each one, greeting them as he stepped up to one of the tellers. Reaching into his pocket, he took out a few dollars and added them to his growing savings account. He took his time, as did the teller, the man behind the counter aware of Beau’s real reason for being in the bank.

  The plan he and Cash concocted meant whichever of them was in the bank would stay there until someone they didn’t recognize walked in. After a few minutes, the two deputies would change places, giving them both a chance to study the person. Beau and Cash would continue this all day until the bank closed.

  After an hour, a young man stepped inside. Beau had seen him arrive on the stage a few days before. Dressed in clothes more suitable for a lawyer than an outlaw, Beau doubted he had any connection to the gang. Still, he took a good look before walking outside and into Allie’s shop.

  “One new face.” He took off his hat.

  “I saw him. Doubt he’s our man.” Cash stood, walking to the counter with his empty coffee cup. “You want some?”

  Beau joined him, taking the full cup of coffee. “All seems quiet so far.” He took a sip, then glanced over the rim at Cash. “Did you see Caro leave the hotel this morning?” He tried to make his question sound casual, knowing he probably failed.

  “No, but I wasn’t looking for her. Why?” Cash considered telling him about the Smith boys, deciding to hold off until they were done for the day. He was pretty certain Beau would want to be a part of what Cash had planned—riding out to Caro’s place and talking to the Smiths.

  Beau shrugged. “No reason. She’s generally out early on a day as nice as this one. Likes to get an early start.”

  “She joined Allie and me at McCall’s for supper last night after she returned from her place. She looked exhausted. Maybe she needed a day to rest.” Tightening his gunbelt, Cash grabbed his hat. “It’s my turn at the bank. At least I can make Allie’s deposit while I’m there.” He walked to the door, pulling it open. “You don’t mind staying here, do you? I’d like someone close to Allie if the Dawsons do pay a visit.”

  Beau sat down in the chair Cash had used near the front window. “Just consider me part of the family.”

  Noon came and went, Beau and Cash exchanging places several times, seeing no sign of anyone suspicious. During one of Beau’s turns inside the bank, Cash spied Caro leaving the St. James, heading toward Noah’s livery at the other end of town. He thought of the Smith brothers, deciding he’d ride out there as soon as the bank closed.

  Seeing Beau leave the bank, Cash decided he needed to tell him of Caro’s new men.

  “Clausen shut down early today.” Beau joined Cash inside the dress shop, grabbing the only other chair and pulling it over to the window. “I sure was hoping the Dawsons would send their man in today.”

  Cash leaned back in his chair. “Seems we’ll need to wait another day.” Standing, he picked up his hat. “I’m going to ride out to Caro’s place.”

  Beau’s head snapped toward his friend. “What for?”

  “She hired a couple new men and has some concerns. I offered to talk with them.” He paused a moment, adjusting his gunbelt.

  Beau nodded, his gaze shifting as he processed the information. “It’s not like Caro to doubt her decisions. What’s her concern?”

  “They’re brothers…from Alabama.”

  Standing, Beau buttoned his coat, moving toward the door. “I’m going with you.”

  “I thought you might.”

  Caro surveyed the work accomplished so far, stunned at the progress. Taking the stairs, she moved from one room to another, ending up in what would become her bedroom. Making a slow turn, a smile spread across her face. She could picture her bed, wardrobe, and dressing table placed inside the spacious room, as well as the curtains Allie had made.

  “Mrs. Iverson?”

  Her stomach dropped when she turned to see Joe standing in the doorway, his long hair almost obscuring his eyes. She hadn’t seen Joe or his brother when she arrived. Merritt told her they’d taken some food, planning to ride the property while they took a break. Caro found herself wondering if there was another reason for the ride. She hated the fact she held doubts about them.

  “Yes, Joe?”

  He shuffled his feet before glancing up. “Me and John found some wild horses when we rode your property. We wondered if you’d want us to try and bring them in, put them in the corral we’re building.”

  She didn’t know much about wild horses. Like most untamed animals, they were constantly on the move and hard to catch.

  Caro stepped toward him, clasping her hands in front of her. “Do you and John know about horses?”

  He nodded. “Yes, ma’am. We worked for a rancher before coming here. He taught us a whole lot.”


  “Why did you leave?”

  Joe shrugged. “We didn’t have much choice. There was a land war. Some men raided the ranch one night and shot the owner, insisting their boss now owned the property. The next day, we were told to get out.” He fell silent for a few moments before continuing. “We hated leaving the widow, but she said to go. I think she was afraid they’d shoot the rest of us if we didn’t leave.”

  Caro sucked in a breath. She’d heard of land wars, not understanding how a man could murder another, then claim his land. “Is that where you learned to shoot?”

  A sly grin lifted the corners of his mouth. “No, ma’am. We learned from a man who took us in a few years before that. He was a gambler who needed help with a small plantation he’d won in a card game. Me and John was living in the alley behind the saloon and asked him if he had work. We stayed with him a couple years, ‘til he lost the property gambling.” Sighing, he pursed his lips. “Anyway, he gave us our guns and taught us to shoot. Said we were old enough to make enemies and had to protect ourselves.”

  Caro cleared her throat, her emotions in turmoil over his story. “How old were you?”

  “I was thirteen and John was fifteen. We’d practice more if we had the money for bullets.” He rubbed the back of his neck, beginning to look uncomfortable. “So…what do you want us to do about the horses?”

  “I think trying to bring some back is a marvelous idea. If the corral is done in time tomorrow, go ahead and ride out, see if you can find them.”

  She didn’t think Joe could smile any brighter. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll go tell John.”

  “Joe? Where did you actually grow up? You mentioned being from Alabama.”

  His gaze darted around the room, then he bent his head, focusing on the floor. “Someone left us outside a minister’s house in Birmingham. His wife found us in the morning and took us in. John was three, and I, well…I must’ve been about one. They named us, made us a part of their family.” He sucked in a shaky breath. “They died in a carriage accident when I was ten. Since they never adopted us, we were told we had to leave. We were completely on our own.”

  Of all the stories Joe could have told her, she hadn’t expected this. They’d been abandoned, raised by what sounded like a good couple, then kicked out when the couple died.

  “No friends would take you in?”

  “Not with the war going on. People had enough for themselves and not much more.” He straightened, his eyes shining a little too bright. “But we did all right. We made it out here, didn’t we?”

  Her mouth curved into a kind smile, her eyes sympathetic. “Yes, Joe. The two of you did make it out here.”

  Nodding, he dashed downstairs and out the front door. When Caro heard him shouting for John, she moved to the window. Looking down, she saw the two brothers standing together, talking in excited voices, broad smiles on their faces. A few minutes later, they moved toward the corral and out of view.

  Thinking over all Joe had said, she found it increasingly difficult to believe either of them had been sent to harm Beau. Since the end of the war, more and more people felt compelled to move west. Most were good people. Even with the coincidence of the boys once living in Alabama, she believed they fell into this group.

  Taking one more look around the room, she headed down the stairs and outside. Merritt and Gus stood by the barn, appearing to be in a heated conversation, their voices rising before they saw her walking toward them. Gus made one more comment, poking Merritt in the chest, then left to join John and Joe in the corral.

  “Is everything all right, Merritt?”

  His gaze followed his brother, his jaw working. Shaking his head, Merritt cleared his throat. “A little disagreement within the family.” He glanced at the sky. “Looks like we’ve got weather rolling in. Might be able to get a couple more hours of work in before we have to stop for the night.” Sighing, he turned his attention to her. “We plan to finish the corral first. Afterward, we’ll work inside. Should be finished by the end of the week.”

  Her eyes widened. “Does that mean I can have Allie bring the curtains out on Monday?”

  “Yes, ma’am. You can move your belongings in any time after.” He shifted toward the corral, his gaze narrowing to where Gus spoke with John.

  Caro wanted to ask again about the argument Merritt had with Gus, deciding it was between the two of them. “Is the root cellar ready for me to bring in extra supplies?”

  “It is. We installed steps and the door yesterday.” He hooked his thumbs into his pants, glancing again at Gus. “Guess I’d best go help them.”

  She followed him, stopping at the finished part of the corral. Something wasn’t right. Caro wouldn’t interfere, deciding to keep watch on the men. Stepping onto the lowest rail, she rested her arms on the top, trying to hear what the men were saying. All four stood together, John and Joe saying little as Merritt and Gus continued their discussion. After a couple minutes, the Smith brothers walked away, continuing their work on the corral. Not long after, Gus and Merritt did the same.

  Stepping to the ground, Caro decided to stoke the fire outside the barn. She needed a fresh pot of coffee, and figured the men did, too. The sky had darkened, and she doubted they’d go a full day without more snow.

  Bending beside a pile of wood, she loaded her arms, straightening at the sound of horses approaching. Turning, her chest tightened at the sight of Beau riding toward her, Cash next to him. Taking a few steps, she dumped the wood next to the dwindling fire, brushed her hands together, then drew in a deep breath.

  Caro expected to see Cash, not Beau. They hadn’t spoken since their ride back to town Thanksgiving night when he’d learned about the Dawsons robbing the bank in Big Pine.

  “Caro.” Beau didn’t move to dismount as Cash reined to a stop beside him.

  “Hello, Caro. Thought I’d bring Beau along to talk to the Smith brothers. Hope you don’t mind.”

  “No, of course not. It’s just…” She thought of her discussion with Joe, how she’d felt when she learned how he and John had survived to make it to Montana.

  Cash slid to the ground, followed by Beau. “What is it?”

  Glancing over her shoulder at the four men working to finish the corral, she shook her head. “I’ve learned more about John and Joe. I just don’t think they’re a danger to anyone.”

  Beau stepped closer. “What have you learned?”

  His closeness, the concern in his voice and compassion in his eyes had her face flushing as an unwanted rush of desire rolled through her. It had always been this way when Beau was close. Touching a hand to her forehead, Caro bit her lower lip to regain control. Lifting her gaze, she locked on his, telling him what she’d learned during the conversation with Joe.

  “I simply don’t believe they’re a threat to you…or anyone.”

  Beau rested his hands on his hips, letting out a breath. “You may be right, Caro. Still, I think it’s best for Cash and me to meet them.”

  Nodding, she glanced at the corral, seeing Joe and John laughing as they worked. “All right. Let’s get this over with.”

  Leaving their horses, Beau and Cash followed her toward the men.

  “John, Joe, this is Beau Davis. He owns the property west of here. I believe he was who you were trying to find before you spoke with Merritt and Gus. And this is Cash Coulter, a friend. They’re both deputies in Splendor.”

  Taking off their hats, the boys took a couple tentative steps forward, not responding to the introduction.

  “Beau, Cash, this is John Smith and his brother, Joe. They started working for me a few days ago.”

  They all nodded, falling into a tense silence. After a few moments, Beau focused his gaze on John. “Mrs. Iverson says you’re from Alabama.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Beau glanced between the two, directing his question to Joe this time. “You’re a long way from home, son. Why Montana?”

  The young man shrugged, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. �
�No particular reason. We followed the work, hoping to get on someplace permanent.” He lifted his gaze to Beau’s. “There’s a lot of older, more experienced men out looking. We kept moving until we got here.” Joe looked at Caro, offering an appreciative smile. “Mrs. Iverson was good enough to put us on.”

  Beau listened to his explanation, his gaze shifting between the two, noticing how thin they were. Caro had mentioned they hadn’t eaten in days by the time she met them, how they devoured whatever she offered.

  Cash stepped forward. “How’d you here about Mrs. Iverson needing workers?”

  John nodded to the other two hired hands. “Merritt and Gus said she might need more help. When we stopped at the lumber mill in town, the owner said Mr. Davis might need help.” He switched his gaze to Beau. “We stopped here on the way to your place and found out you weren’t going to build until spring.”

  Beau shook his head. “Silas Jenks, huh?”

  “Yes, sir. If he’s the man who owns the lumber mill.”

  Beau crossed his arms, planting his feet shoulder width apart. “You boys were lucky to get work from Mrs. Iverson. She’s a good woman. If you do your work and show respect, I’m certain she’ll treat you fairly. You don’t, you’ll be answering to me.” He narrowed his gaze. “Do I make myself clear?”

  Both nodded, John answering. “Yes, sir, Mr. Davis. We understand.”

  “Good, then none of us have anything to worry about.”

  Caro cleared her throat, still reeling from Beau’s obvious warning to John and Joe. “Well, if we’re done here, why don’t you and Joe get back to work.”

  John took one more look at Beau and Cash. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Caro turned away, taking measured steps toward the barn, knowing Beau and Cash followed. She took slow breaths in an attempt to calm the anger at Beau’s warning. Stopping outside the barn, she whirled on him.