Page 27 of Stockman's Showdown

She’d rather do anything but this.

Dismounting, Bree removed her hat as she approached her grandfather. ‘Pop?’

‘You looked good out there, kid.’ Charlie swaggered up and patted Bree’s stallion. ‘Black Hand, you’re a beast, you are.’ He held out some sugar cubes for the horse, who lapped them up as Charlie rubbed his nose.

Bree licked her dry lips, with her throat so tight. ‘Um, Pop, I…’

‘What’s wrong, kid?’

She swallowed hard, pulling the envelope from her back pocket. ‘We found him.’

‘Found who?’

‘Your brother. Harry.’ She pointed back to the edge of the escarpment. ‘There was a landslide.’

She inhaled deeply, searching for the strength, hating that she was about to ruin her grandfather’s day.This was so freaking hard! ‘Pop, um, we found your brother. We found Harry’s remains. He died alongside Penelope Price.’

Charlie’s jaw fell as he sat hard on the nearest tree stump, scattered around the cold campfire like chairs. ‘Where?’

‘In this old mine.’

The many wrinkles shifted across his brow. ‘There are no mines out here.’

‘Well, there is now… Pop, you were right all along. You said your brother would leave you a note, and I found it. Here…’ She held out the letter. ‘I’m so, so sorry I never believed you.’ Theguilt was enough for Bree to drop to her knees in front of her grandfather, her hands trembling as she held out the letter that he’d been searching for.

‘That’s Harry’s writing.’ Charlie’s voice was frail, as he blinked at the envelope. ‘Where is he?’

‘Back at the cave. Ryder and Dex are there. I’ll show you.’

‘Er… yeah…’ Charlie stared at his name on the envelope with confusion strewn across his face. She just hoped he wasn’t going to go into shock.

She helped Charlie with his horse as he slowly climbed back into the saddle, with Bree doing the same.

‘This way, Pop.’ Salty tears blurred her vision. As if the guilt wasn’t enough for not believing her grandfather, along came that old familiar feeling of grief laced with a lashing of fear to wash over her sinking stomach once again. She may have never met Harry Splint, but he was Charlie’s brother—a reminder that her grandfather was the last family member Bree had left.

Thirteen

‘I’m so sorry, Charlie.’ Ryder held his hand over his heart, with Dex doing the same, as they stood before the cave.

‘Do you know what happened?’ Charlie dismounted, his legs shaky, with Bree quick to help him. ‘I’ve got it, kid. I’m okay. Stop fussing.’ He slapped her hands away.

Bree glanced back at Ryder. Now he understood why she’d asked him to watch over Charlie.

‘I’ve got him, Bree.’ Ryder approached Charlie.

‘Ash grabbed us some extra torches.’ Bree dragged them out of her saddlebags and passed them around. ‘Do you want me to come with you, Pop?’

Charlie stood at the cave’s opening, his neck craning back to face the escarpment. He looked so small standing before the towering wall of red rock that had yet to reflect the sun. ‘Would you?’ Even his voice was frail.

‘Absolutely.’ Bree hooked her arm through her grandfather’s, their boot steps heavy with Charlie’s spurs clinking against the rock hidden under the dust.

‘Aw bugger, Harry.’ The old man ripped off his large hat exposing his grey-white hair. ‘There you are, ol’ mate. Still in that snazzy hat you scored from Sydney that you said the ladies would love.’ Charlie slowly lowered himself to his knees andgently patted the skeleton’s shoulder as if greeting an old friend. ‘All this time you were right here, mate, when I’d thought you’d done a runner.’

The cave was eerily quiet as Charlie took a moment of silence, while Bree, Ryder and Dex removed their hats and waited.

Then Charlie cleared his throat as he stood, sliding on his hat to face Ryder. The grief had already begun, worn in the deep crevices belonging to a man who’d lived a long life under the sun.

‘Any guesses what happened?’ Charlie asked.

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