Chapter 22

“Stewart Briggs has been kidnapped!”

Grant stopped what he was doing, as did everyone else at the rail yard. “Stewart Briggs? Why?” What had his brother done? Mr. Briggs couldn’t do anything about the railroad.

The man shook his head. “Someone said the kidnappers thought they was takin’ Louis Hill.”

The wrong man. They’d taken the wrong man.

Grant went to an isolated area and punched the wall. What in the world would Alvin do when he realized the truth of the situation?

“They’s formin’ up a posse,” a man called out as he passed Grant. “They gonna head out in two groups to scout out where the men went.”

Grant clenched his teeth. Marshal Shelton was a pretty good tracker. If he got on to Alvin’s tracks, the posse would find them.

Eventually.

He’d better see what was going on. He left the rail yard and went to where the posse was forming. They were loading up their horses with supplies for several days. Other men gathered around to watch them as well.

So much for the holiday celebration.

Grant’s boss, Collin Hoffman, came to stand beside him. “Someone said James Hill was hurt too, but he wasn’t taken.”

Of course not. Why should things go right for Alvin? What a stupid idea this had been.

“He okay?”

Hoffman shook his head. “He’s hired on about a dozen guards. Maybe more. And he’s locked himself into his private rail car and posted guards all around.” Hoffman gave a dry chuckle. “Guess he’s heading out of town as soon as he can.”

This was a disaster! If he was ever gonna hightail it outta town, now was the—

“Wallace!”

Grant turned—and froze. The marshal was coming toward him. Did he already know?

“We need your tracking skills and will pay you two dollars a day.”

He opened his mouth to refuse but stopped. How could he? The marshal would want to know why, and he didn’t have a good reason. “I’ll get ready.”

Things moved fast after that. Maybe by agreeing so quickly to help, Grant had thrown any suspicion off himself. Or Alvin, for that matter.

The marshal mounted his horse. “Wallace, I’ll take these eight men and head north and west. The boys found that the trail split up northeast of town. Looked like more men took to the west, so we’ll take eight men and go that way. You take the other six and head northeast.” He looked at Grant for confirmation that he’d heard.

“Sure thing.” His teeth clenched so hard his jaw ached. If he knew Alvin, and he did, the route the marshal just gave him was the one Alvin took. Odds were good his brother went off to the cabin with one other man, maybe two, while the rest of the group went west as a diversion for the posse.

If so, it was working.

Grant did his best to sound relaxed. “Marshal, I’ll need to grab some gear and a horse.”

The marshal nodded. “Tell Jeb at the livery to give you a good strong mount and charge it to my office. I’ve got an extra bedroll and canteen at my office. Just come back here when you have the horse, and I’ll have the rest of the stuff. I’ll loan you a rifle as well, so you don’t have to go home to get yours.”

Grant did as he was told. With any luck at all he would be able to lead the posse in circles and take them far from the river cabin. Of course, these men weren’t stupid. Most could find their way around these parts even if they couldn’t track. He’d have to be careful, or someone would figure out what he was doing.

How in blazes did Alvin take the wrong man?

He was such a fool to put this plan together in the first place. If they weren’t careful, they’d all end up dangling from a rope.

Tonight, when they made camp for the evening, Grant would slip away on the pretext of searching for tracks. With any luck, though why he’d expect luck now was beyond him, Grant would make a wide circle and then head to the cabin. He’d warn Alvin. Tell him to leave Briggs there and git. Grant would lead the posse to find the man on the next day.

Seemed a reasonable plan. Alvin could get himself somewhere where he could have an alibi just in case someone tied him to the crime. His girlfriend would surely cover for him. The other men, well, they knew what Alvin would do to them if they talked.

He stepped up into the saddle. “It’ll work.”

It had to.

Ellie kept out of sight, riding around the outskirts of town. She’d heard the marshal say they would start at the rail yard and head north. However, when she arrived near the depot, she spotted the marshal giving instructions to the dozen or more men mounted on their horses, ready for action. Ellie guided the horse behind one of the tool shops and waited. As the men rode out, she grimaced. They had split into two groups. How was she to know whom to follow?

Carter’s group had that man she’d met at the outfitter’s store weeks back. What was his name? Grant, wasn’t it? Grant Wallace. Hadn’t he said he took people into the wilderness ... that he was a tracker? She nodded.

That was the group she’d follow.

They were nearly out of sight, so she eased her mount from their hiding place. It was almost five thirty, so they’d still have a few hours of sunlight. She’d have to hang back a ways to avoid being spotted. She would not let them send her back.

She grimaced again. It didn’t bear thinking about how upset Carter would be with her if they caught her. There was a time when that wouldn’t have bothered her in the least, but now...

I should go back. Carter and the posse needed to focus on finding her father, not worrying about her.

She lifted her chin. “Piffle! I’m fully capable of taking care of myself.”

Carter would just have to understand. And if he didn’t ... well ... then he didn’t. She would deal with that later.

For the next few hours, she managed to stay far enough back that she was out of sight. The horse was a good mount. He was well-trained and not at all skittish like some horses she’d ridden. He seemed to anticipate her moves and plodded along at the slow pace she set without demanding to have his head.

By the time the posse stopped to make camp, the skies were still dimly lit, and although the air had cooled considerably, it had been a hot day and the evening felt pleasant.

Ellie glanced around for a place to camp. She needed to remain hidden from the posse and yet protected from wildlife. She shifted in the saddle, ready to dismount and scout out the area—

“Augh!”

Her scream rent the air as she went flying. Her horse had spooked and reared. Ellie hit the ground hard.

“Oohh ...” She gasped for breath, then froze. What was that sound? Oh no! Pounding hooves.

Her docile, well-trained horse was running for home.

She lay on the ground, not ready to move and see what hurt. She stared up at the darkening sky. Maybe her horse would just go a short distance and then stop to graze. She could catch up to him on foot.

All she had to do was stand. She had just pushed to her feet when a horse and rider came crashing through the brush.

One look was all she needed.

Carter.

“Somehow I just knew that scream was yours.” Carter jumped from the back of his mount and was at her side before Ellie could even dust off her backside.

“What happened?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “My horse spooked and took off.”

Carter started to speak, and she halted him with a lifted hand.

“I’m fine. I will catch him and bring him back.”

Carter shook his head. “One of the men has already ridden after him.”

What? How did they...? She narrowed her gaze at him. “Did you know I was following you?”

“No, not until this happened.” He took hold of her arm and looked her up and down. “Is anything hurt?”

For some reason his concern made her grin. “Just my pride. I was doing all right following you, but I wasn’t prepared for my horse to rear.” His brow was still creased, but not with anger. He was concerned about her. She sighed. “Sorry to worry you.”

He let go of her just as Grant Wallace returned with her horse. He handed the reins to Carter but smiled at Ellie. “I met you a while back. Are you out here camping by yourself?”

Carter answered. “No, it’s her father who was taken. She was supposed to stay home and wait for word from us, but she figured she could be useful in the search.”

Grant’s brows drew together, but then his features relaxed, and he tipped his hat. “You might as well have her come set her camp with ours. No sense in staying out here alone.”

TUESDAY, JULY 5, 1904

Early the next morning, the men readied to pick up the trail again. Ellie longed to go with them, but she was moving slow. Her backside ached from her fall the night before. And a night of restless sleep on lumpy dirt hadn’t helped anything.

“We’re heading out!” Grant Wallace yelled to the group.

Panic clawed at Ellie’s chest. She wasn’t near ready. Carter strode over to her, picked up her saddle, and placed it on the horse.

A man nodded at Carter. “Brunswick, Wallace said to get on your horse and follow him.”

Ellie looked at Carter. He wouldn’t just leave her here, right? What a silly thought. Hadn’t she touted her riding and survival skills yesterday? Now the thought of Carter leaving her side made her nervous.

“I’ll stay with Ellie.”

“No.” The man shook his head and dismounted. “He needs your knowledge about this area. Something about caves and whatnot.”

Carter glanced at her, his expression softening. “Are you all right if I go? Wilbur here is a decent man. He’ll help you catch up.”

Ellie glanced between the two men and nodded. Father needed Carter in the search party more than she needed him with her.

Carter grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m gonna give you my rifle, okay? I have my pistol, but now that you’re officially on the posse, it will be helpful for you to have a weapon.”

He went to his horse and grabbed the gun. He brought it back and handed it to Ellie. “I’ll see you shortly. Stay safe.” He brushed his finger down her cheek, then ran to his horse and jumped on, racing to close the distance between him and the trackers.

Wilbur cinched the saddle around the horse, then threw Ellie’s saddle bags on the back. When those were secure, he led the horse to a small stump. Ellie followed him, exhaustion making every step laborious.

She stepped on the block, grabbed the pommel with one hand, and slipped her right foot in the stirrup. With a deep breath and a prayer heavenward, she swung her left leg over the saddle and settled on the horse. After this whole ordeal was over, she was going to take a nice long soak in a steaming hot tub of water.

But they had to locate Father first.

With slow, plodding steps, Wilbur led her out of the clearing and up the trail where the men had disappeared twenty minutes before. Ellie was grateful the man wasn’t a talker. She needed the silence to process everything that had happened.

Had Marvella found her note? Please, Lord, don’t let them be angry with me. Her throat tightened at the thought. Lord, I really love the Ashburys and want to continue to count them as dear friends.

Especially now that she and her father would be living in Kalispell.

That was, if her father made it through all of this alive.

At the loud screech of a hawk, Ellie jumped and glanced around. Where was Wilbur? Where was she? How on earth had she lost the man who was supposed to keep her safe and lead her to Carter?

The pounding of hooves drew her to the present. Her horse’s ears twitched, and Ellie prayed he wouldn’t unseat her again. She reached to pull Carter’s rifle out of the scabbard attached to the saddle bag. Her fingers met nothing but air.

Oh, Lord Jesus, please help me.Her throat tightened as the hooves got closer. She had nowhere to turn—the dense brush was difficult to maneuver in. She was vulnerable and alone.

“It’s me, Miss Briggs.”

She sighed her relief as Grant Wallace rode up.

“I’ve come back for you, miss. Carter said you’re to come with me, and I’ll take you to your pa.”

Ellie drew her hand over her heart. “Then Father’s alive?”

His broad smile sent her heart soaring. “He is and he wants to see you.”

She let go of the breath she’d been holding. “Thank you so much, Grant. Please, take me to him.”