Chapter 12

Chris finished looking around the ranch. "I think it looks promising. We have a lot of work to do. I don't know if the bunkhouse is going to be warm enough during the winter." As he stood there looking at the house, he frowned.

Jake nodded. "Let's build another bedroom for the main house." All morning, Chris had looked distracted. Something was up with him.

"That's going to be tight quarters for two couples." Chris tried to picture Mary Anna's face when he told her. It wasn't a pretty picture. He stared at Jake. "We wouldn't have to be scratching an existence if it weren't for the Southerners. We should have made them stay in their states."

Jake ignored his partner's rant about the South. "Don't forget, Sheila hates me now. If it's just me, I can make it in the bunkhouse." Jake sighed. He had troubles on the right and problems on the left. Between Chris and Sheila, his life was a mess.

"Well, let's get back to town and see what we need to buy for the extra room." Chris mounted his horse and started off toward town.

Jake followed him. Why did he have to push Chris to marry? Now, when he thought about it, they'd been better off just as partners and no wives. Too late now. Jake just hoped Mary Anna would squelch Chris's ideas of joining Drake's gang. By the way Chris was acting, Jake wondered if he was too late to help his friend.

They were back in town before three by the clock on Southern Bank. Jake rode past it and saw Drake down the street. The man was just watching, but Jake got the idea he was planning on robbing one of the banks soon. There were two of them on this street. After a quick look at his partner, he saw Chris nod to the outlaw.

Jake shook his head. What was he going to do with Chris? Bad enough, a U.S. Marshal was hanging around town.

Chris rode to the livery and dropped off his horse. He looked back at Jake. "I'm thirsty. Meet me at the Drop Dead, slowpoke."

Jake shook his head. So much for Chris's idea of not drinking anymore. Then again, it was a day of celebration. It wasn't every day you bought a ranch.

He handed the reins to Steve and started off to catch Chris. Jake didn't like the wild look in his friend's eyes or the way Chris had nodded to Drake when they passed the bank.

Chris was walking fast and apparently on a mission.

"Hey, wait up." Jake ran to catch up, and Chris still outpaced him. Just before Chris opened the Drop Dead Saloon doors, Jake clapped a hand on his partner's shoulder. "What is the hurry?"

Chris turned and smiled. "Told you, I'm thirsty."

Jake knew he was going for more than a drink. He grinned at his partner. "Going to get water?"

With a haughty laugh, Chris shook his head. "Nope."

Jake could see it in his eyes. That look that said just-try-and-stop-me. "Let's plan out the new room." He hoped to get Chris's mind off whatever was bothering him.

Chris sighed. "First things first, buddy." He walked away from his partner and went to the bar, slapped down a coin, and demanded a beer.

A rough-looking man shoved Chris. "Wait your turn."

"Get lost, Reb." Chris shoved him back and pounded on the bar. "Don't listen to that loser, Andy."

The reb grabbed Chris and swung him around. "Watch what you say, blue belly."

Chris plowed a fist into the reb's face, then caught the reb off guard and threw another punch into the man's stomach. Unfortunately, the two men with the reb grabbed Chris and slugged him until Jake realized he needed to save his partner.

"Break it up." He pulled Chris behind him and shoved one reb into the other two. "Three against one isn't fair."

Jake felt rather than saw the U.S. Marshal behind him. He prayed the man wasn't looking for him. He kept his attention on Chris and vowed not to face the marshal. If the man had posters on him, Jake wasn't going to make it easy for the man to spot him.

"Come on, Chris, let's go sit down."

Chris growled at him. "Why did you have to interfere? I had them."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that." He pushed Chris to a table in the back. Halfway there, Jake was relieved to see the marshal go after the three rebs. He looked at Chris. "That was close. I was afraid that marshal was coming after me."

"You? Why?"

Jake sighed. "You know. My past."

Chris shook his head. "That's old news. I doubt he's looking for you." He slammed a fist on the table. "You should have let me teach those rebs a lesson. Someone needs to make them pay for what they did to our country."

"It's their country, too, Chris."

By the fire in Chris's eyes, this had all the makings of a long, troubled day. "Do you need to take Mary Anna out to dinner? I bet she's getting hungry."

"I have things I need to do." Chris got up and rushed out of the saloon.

"Now what?" Jake sat still for a minute when it dawned on him what Chris might be doing. He rushed after him and prayed Chris wasn't looking for Drake. Jake hit the doors and looked up and down the street for his friend.

Not seeing him, he went toward Front Street, where the biggest banks were located. He'd seen Drake there. He hurried his steps and tried not to look like he was the one searching for trouble.

Jake passed by The Drover and wondered if Chris might have gone to get Mary Anna for dinner. But the look in his eyes told Jake he wasn't looking to tangle with his rebel wife. He was out for revenge, which meant Drake's gang.

He ducked down an alley that ran behind the banks. Then he heard Drake.

"We'll go in right before they close. Is everyone ready?"

Jake hung back around the corner. If he looked, would he see Chris? He prayed not.

"My horse was tired. I'll just take one from the hitching post." Chris sounded so confident about being an outlaw.

Sweat broke out on Jake's forehead. He knew that voice. That was Chris. Chris at his worst. When he was full of anger and hate. Jake couldn't rush out there and grab his friend in front of Drake and his men. He'd have to wait and catch him before Chris did something stupid and ruined his life.

Jake heard the men run down the alley behind the buildings. It was now or never. He couldn't let Chris go down that path. Rushing out into the alley, Jake looked for Chris and then saw him coming toward him.

"Chris, what are you doing?"

With a snarling frown, Chris growled at him. "I'm getting even. I've had it with the rebs ruining our country and lives. I'm taking back what they owe me."

Jake flung himself at his partner, grabbed him around the waist, and took him down. Chris pounded him in the eye, got up, and started to run, only to have Jake grab his left foot and trip him.

Jake pounced on top of his partner and hit his jaw. Chris turned and knocked Jake off of him, punching Jake in the head. Dizzy, Jake grabbed Chris's arm and pulled him down. "Stay here. I don't want to see you get hurt or killed. Or worse yet, hurt or kill someone else."

"Stay off me. This is my choice. My life!" He swung at Jake, but Jake ducked, and Chris's arm swung above Jake's head.

Angry, Chris grabbed Jake from behind, shoving him to the ground. "Let me go and stay away from me."

"What about Mary Anna, Chris?"

Chris had taken two steps away from Jake but turned and looked at him. "You can have her."

That did it. Jake charged after his friend and hit him square in the chest, knocking him down and out for the count when Chris's head hit the hard dirt. Jake took hold of his buddy and left the alley. He didn't want to be anywhere near the gang. He took Chris past the alley and set him down by a boulder. They'd stay here and wait out the trouble.

He looked at Chris. He'd saved him this time. Unless his partner came to his senses, he was bound to get into serious trouble. Jake was going to have a talk with Mary Anna. She needed to help Chris, needed to settle this silly civil war between them, and needed to help Chris get rid of his hatred for the South.