When he stepped into the kitchen, Willow and the twins were alone at the table. Willow smiled up at Adam as if she were surprised anyone was still in the house.
“I forgot about you.” She giggled. “I think I was to wake you.”
“Where are the others?” Adam asked as he poured himself a cup of milk.
“The man with the scar and Nichole left about an hour ago. I heard Nichole say her brother was coming to Fort Worth and she wanted to be there.” Willow seemed happy to have someone to talk to so she related every detail. “Mr. Daniel tried to talk her into waking you, but she said she was in a hurry to see her brother and get back home.”
Adam fought down the anger. She’d left him again. After the way they’d made love, he’d believed that they could find a middle ground somewhere. To him, loving someone meant more than just wanting that person for a night. It meant wanting someone for a lifetime. She was his. How could she have any doubt after this morning?
He’d been a fool, he realized. She’d never said she loved him. For her, he was just one more adventure. Well, this adventure was going to last a little longer than she may have planned, for he wasn’t going to give up.
He forced his voice to sound calm. “Where’s Daniel?”
“He’s in the barn getting your horse saddled,” Willow answered. “He says he wants to ride over with you and pay his respects to Nichole’s brother.”
Adam didn’t hear the last few words. He was out the door and heading to the barn. An hour later, Adam had made a final check on the children and Daniel had arranged for Mrs. March to keep a close watch on Willow and the twins. The brothers rode toward Fort Worth.
Halfway across the open land, they crossed near Emery’s Post. The half-Indian, half-Frenchman’s farm could hardly be called a trading post, but it had served as one in this country for almost twenty years. Emery welcomed travelers with a free cup of coffee and sold them spirits if they were willing to stay and share. He considered himself more a trader than a salesman and was always looking to make a deal for a horse or a few weeks’ rations if the traveler had something to barter.
Adam hadn’t planned to stop on the return trip, but when he saw Wes’s horse in the corral, his interest was piqued. Wes’s animal was ten times the worth of any horse Emery owned.
“Maybe Wes traded that stallion back to Emery,” Daniel offered as they rode in. “I thought when Wes told me of buying it from the old man that Emery must be losing his eyesight to allow such an animal to go.”
“Maybe.” Adam shook his head. There wasn’t a better horse in Texas. “He didn’t say anything about wanting the horse back when Wes and I stopped to water our horses yesterday on our way to your place. But looks like he’s got the horse back now.”
Something didn’t feel right around Emery’s cabin. Adam couldn’t shake the feeling. The place had not only a look of neglect about it, but also one of abandonment.
Atop the dugout cabin rose a flagpole as fine as any found in a fort. Emery might not have fought in the war, but he considered himself a patriot. During the war he’d flown both the Union and the rebel flag and would raise a glass to either side, some said.
Daniel glanced up at the pole as they rode near Emery’s home. “Do you see it?” he whispered.
“I see it,” Adam answered as he moved his coat away from the handle of his gun. The Stars and Stripes were flying upside down, a sign of distress. “You got another weapon besides that rifle?”
“No,” Daniel answered. “Maybe he was just hung-over this morning when he raised the flag.”
Adam shook his head. “A man who takes the time to post a flag every morning takes the time to do it right. That pole is the only thing around this place Emery seems to take any pride in.”
Adam remembered having the same uneasy feeling the night he rode into Wes’s camp. Nichole had said he hadn’t trusted his feelings. Well, he planned to trust them now. Something was wrong.
Emery appeared at the door of his cabin. His smile was friendly enough, but he didn’t call them in.
“Welcome,” Emery said as they stopped. “You strangers just passing through?”
Now Adam knew there was trouble. Emery wouldn’t have forgotten him. Before, he’d offered a drink, now he seemed to be just waiting for them to leave.
Adam played along. “We thought to water our horses.”
Emery nodded. “Help yourself,” he said, and waved them away as he walked back inside.
Daniel watered the horses while Adam lifted his Colt and followed Emery into the house.
As he stepped inside, he blinked, trying to pull the shadowy cave of a room into focus. Just as he made out Emery sitting at the table with his head in his hands, the cold barrel of a gun pressed into his left ear.
“Move,” a man whispered, “and you’re a dead man. We don’t mean you no harm, mister, we just don’t want you in the way.”
Adam lifted his Colt and the stranger grabbed it away without decreasing the pressure of the barrel at the side of his head.
“In the way of what?” Adam straightened.
“Soon as our boss gets here, we’re going to have a trial. We caught us a horse thief a few hours back. But don’t you worry, we’ll let you and your friend go after the hanging.” The man’s voice bore no malice. “If you’d just watered them horses and moved on, we wouldn’t be slowing you up none.”
“But-”
“No more questions. Walk!” The stranger shoved Adam toward the back of the room where a small door lead to a dugout. “You just think of the next few hours as a rest time on your trip.”
When they reached a doorway leading to the back room, the stranger encouraged him with the barrel of his gun. Adam stumbled down the steps into a room dug out of the earth. It was full of supplies and built with only the roof aboveground. The cool room smelled of dirt and apples and spices.
“Got another one for you and the boys, Charlie.” The stranger shoved Adam hard, sending him tumbling into a man twice his width.
Adam was surrounded by men who looked to be more like ranch hands than thieves.
Before he could react, his hands were tied behind him and his feet strapped with something that felt like a belt. He was pushed into a corner. A minute later, Daniel landed on top of him. Charlie and his boys left the room, closing the only door. The room darkened to musty gray. Their corner was completely without light.
Adam shuffled to a sitting position as Daniel leaned against the wall beside him.
“I was right about the flag warning.” Daniel sounded proud of himself. “You should have taken heed. I knew there was trouble.”
“Well.” Adam kicked, trying to free his feet. “I figured my little brother would come to my aid if I got into trouble. So I thought I’d take a look.”
“So did I,” a voice said from only a few feet away in the shadows, making both Adam and Daniel halt all struggling.
“Wes?” Adam whispered.
“It’s me, little brothers. I’ve been waiting for you to come to my rescue. You did a good job of finding me, but the rescue part is a little lacking.”
“But I thought you were with Nick.” Adam asked.
“He is,” Nick answered. “In fact he’s the reason we’re in this mess. It seems that fine horse he bought didn’t belong to Emery.”
“That’s a horse trader for you,” Wes mumbled. “Only sold me the animal because he thought I’d be in Kansas before the real owner came back.”
Nichole continued as if he had only been talking to himself. “These men are from a spread south of here and have been waiting for Wes to come back so they can hang him as a horse thief. It seems the boss man only left his mount here for a few days. When he came back, Emery claimed the animal had been stolen.”