Page 11 of The Promise
Corabeth's eyes settled on the necklace. "I see you got it back."
Loralee nodded. "Got it back last night. Duncan fixed it, good as new. Can't even see where the chain was broke." She held it out in demonstration.
"Mary knows you love her, Loralee." Corabeth's words were gentle.
Loralee bit back her tears, determined to change the subject. "So, do you want to know about the silver, or don't you?"
Corabeth bounced excitedly on the bed, her brown eyes dancing with delight. "Do tell."
"Well, there really isn't that much. Duncan was pretty far gone last night, but he kept rambling on about finding the silver and how it was going to change everything. Honestly, Corabeth, I've never seen him so excited."
"Not even when…"
Loralee blushed, surprised that she could still do so. "We don't do that. He just comes to talk."
"Corabeth? You in here, darlin'?" Arless Hurley poked his head in the doorway. "If I have to wait a second more, I swear I'll bust a gut."
"Or something." Corabeth whispered as she rose from the bed. "Why, Arless, you big stud, how'd you ever get away from that monster you call a wife."
Loralee watched as the two of them sashayed out the door. Walking to the window, she pulled back the drape. Jack was still there. His baleful look made her want to laugh. The horse had definitely seen better days.
"Listen sweetie," she crooned through the open window, "if Duncan doesn't come get you soon, we'll find you something to eat around here. All right?"
The horse bobbed his head, nodding almost as if he'd understood her. She turned at the sound of a knock, the door shaking beneath an impatient hand. With a sigh, she went to open it, mentally preparing herself for another day.
Patrick approached the road.Well, road was actually a pretty fancy title for the two muddy ruts that passed as the only wagon trail connecting the ranches scattered along the Rio Grande.Fellow named Mears up around Silverton was supposed to have built a fine road. Word was he actually charged travelers a toll to use it. Maybe one of these days someone would do the same around here.
There was no sign of Pete or Amos, but he was a little early and it was a ways yet to the cut off to Clune. He was tired down to his bones and the day wasn't yet half gone. There was still no sign of Michael. Nothing. It was as if he'd simply vanished. Of course people didn't just go disappearing into thin air.
No, he had to face reality. Odds were more than good that his brother was in trouble—or worse. The fact that Roscoe had come back alone, didn't bode well. A man couldn't last long out here without a horse. And if Michael weren't badly injured, he'd have made it back by now.
"Patrick? That you, boy?" Pete rode down from the small ridge he'd just crested, allowing his horse to ride abreast of Patrick's. "Any luck?"
"No. Nothing. I even checked the ranch house again. He's just disappeared."
"Maybe he's laid up somewheres," Pete said, his voice gruff with emotion.
"No. He wouldn't do that. Michael's first thought would be for me and you. He wouldn't want to worry us. If he were able, he'd be back here."
"Maybe. Maybe not. You cain't go losing hope. Ain't been long enough for us to know anything."
Pete was right, but Patrick was finding it mighty hard to hold onto his hope. "Maybe Amos found something."
"Amos?"
"Yeah, I ran into him on Bald Man's ridge. He said he'd heard about Michael from you and offered to help. I figured we could use all the eyes we could get."
"Guess so." Pete spit tobacco out the side of his mouth, the gesture somehow punctuating his feelings about Amos. "If you ask me though, I'm still a wonderin' what in tarnation brought our fair-haired sheriff up here this morning."
"He told me he was looking for Arless."
"So he said." They rode on for a bit in silence. Then Pete picked up where he'd left off as if there'd never been any lapse in the conversation at all. "But then again, you ever hear of Arless using the line shack for one of his escapes?"
Patrick looked at the old ranch hand. "No. Not firsthand anyway. But you've got to admit, it's as good a place as any to hole up for a while."
"Maybe."
"So you think Amos was lying?"
