Page 20 of A Secret Heart
“Heath Quade is one of them. So is Mr. Billings, the injured rancher.” Her nose tilted upward in that triumphant tilt of hers.
“Quade? How can he run? He caused that dustup. He put Kaitlyn in danger.” Lightning nickered at Ed’s heated tone.
“Maybe not everyone remembers it like your family does.”
“You want a story? Come interview Kaitlyn. Then you’ll have the truth to print about that snake.” His last words were even more heated as he turned Lightning toward the homestead.
“Fine. I will.” Rebekah’s wide eyes made it evident he’d gotten his point across. At least enough for her to let him lead for a change.
Ed tightened his jaw as he rounded the drive that led to the McGraw homestead. He hated making their business everyone else’s, but he had an obligation to let people know what Quade was like. As far as Ed was concerned, the man should be in jail, not running for president of the Cattlemen’s Association. And if he had to put off working on the display case for another day to prove it, so be it.
An eerie level of quiet met them as they entered the homestead. Lightning balked and let out a nicker as if to ask what was going on. There had to be a logical explanation, but the hairs on Ed’s arm rose all the same. When he passed the well, a bucket sat on its side as if it had been dropped there.
“Where is everyone?” Rebekah’s voice had a softer tone than usual. “Tillie usually runs outside to greet me.”
At the sight of a slumped figure by the outhouse, Ed nudged Lightning forward. Rebekah kept pace on Mabel. A surge of adrenaline raced through him as he got closer, and he worked his jaw. Drew lay face down in the dirt. A groan rose from his motionless body as Ed quickly dismounted. In two strides, he was there, his knees hitting the dirt.
“Drew.” He lifted his brother half into his arms, pulling him across his knees and rolling him over. Drew’s face emerged clammy and pale. Another groan was his only reply, filling Ed with dread. Drew’s eyes fluttered, but he appeared unconscious. The stench of vomit hit Ed square in the face. At movement close by, he shifted to see Rebekah waiting, fists clenched, not five feet away. He locked eyes with her. “Run to the house. Fetch Kaitlyn.” He was worried. Why hadn’t Kaitlyn noticed?
She blinked as if the words hadn’t settled in her brain yet. Then she pivoted toward the house, dust rising and filtering over on the light breeze to cling to his sweat.
“C’mon, Drew, answer me.” He tapped the side of Drew’s cheek, desperate to get a response.
Rebekah knocked on the door of the main house, the sound filling the silent yard, but no one came. A clawing began in the pit of Ed’s stomach as he watched her let herself inside.
“You okay?” Still nothing but a groan for an answer. Ed shifted on his knees until he could lift Drew’s shoulders and inch his way down to loop his arms under his brother’s. Then he half stood and began dragging his brother toward Lightning.
He had to get him inside. Had to get him help.
The door of the house swung wide to show Rebekah alone. Where was everyone?
His breath came in gasps as he struggled to move his brother. His mind couldn’t grasp what had happened here.
Rebekah raced down the porch steps. Her face matched the white lace collar of her blouse. She didn’t slow her approach until she skidded to a halt next to him, her shoulder bumping his as she leaned down to help him drag Drew. Ragged breaths escaped as she fought to catch her breath.
“Where’s Kaitlyn?” Ed’s throat grew ragged and dry from more than the heat.
Rebekah shook her head as she gasped for air. “Everyone is in bad shape. Real bad shape.”
“Is anyone awake?” Ed shifted to a better position to lift Drew onto the horse’s back, and Rebekah sidestepped to give him room. She nodded her head, opening her mouth to answer, when Drew’s hand reached up to grasp Ed’s arm, heat pulsing from his skin. But his hand quickly fell away again. Ed watched his brother’s eyes flutter for a moment as if he were fighting to regain consciousness, then shifted his focus past Rebekah to the house. “Nick? The kids? They’re sick too?”
“All of them. What do we do?”
Chapter6
“Let’s get you propped up in your chair.” Ed shared a concerned glance with Rebekah, then they heaved together to lift Kaitlyn to a more comfortable position in her padded chair.
When they’d brought Drew inside, the full force of the illness had overwhelmed Ed. Everywhere, his family lay moaning, barely moving at all. He hadn’t even known where to begin until Rebekah had started into nurse mode. She’d settled the men in David’s room, placing pallets on the floor where necessary to create a makeshift sick room. Ed followed her lead, still reeling from the shock.
“Can you tell me what you made everyone for lunch?” Rebekah kneeled in front of the ashen Kaitlyn, running a cool cloth over her forehead as she worked to discover the source of the illness that had everyone down.
The shake of Kaitlyn’s head was barely perceptible. “Jo…in…the barn.”
Jo? He’d assumed she was in the back bedroom, where Rebekah had carried Tillie to rest, or maybe in the outhouse. Why had she been in the barn?
Rebekah rustled to her feet, then out the front door before Ed could force his muscles to move. She was as tenacious in caring for the McGraws as she’d been in getting a story. He swiped the cold rag across Kaitlyn’s forehead once more, then rested it on her neck before moving to the other room to check on Tillie, who’d cried out for help. This was more than one man could handle alone. And why was everyone this ill? Why wasn’t he? Had to be something that had happened since last night when he’d ridden out to find Isaac. He’d returned this morning and stopped at the main house only long enough to try to talk Nick or Drew into spending the day watching after Rebekah, but they’d both begged off.
A rattle at the door, then it clanged open. Rebekah entered with Jo leaning heavily against her. Ed left Tillie, calm for the moment, to help get Jo settled.
