Page 19 of The Promise
"That's ridiculous. Hell, my father was always blethering on about finding silver. Except for the Promise, it never amounted to anything."
"Well maybe this time it was different. Or maybe Michael just believed it was."
Patrick shot a look at Owen, waiting for him to tell the sheriff how crazy this all was. But Owen was silent, a frown creasing his forehead.
"This is insane. Michael was up in the high country all day yesterday."
Amos blew out a smoke ring. "You're certain of that? You actually saw him?"
"Well, no. But he told me he was going up there."
"I see." The sheriff smiled, the look bordering on smug.
"Pete, you know he was up there." Patrick met Pete's gaze, begging him to intervene, to say something.
"You saw him, Pete?" Owen turned to look at the ranch hand, his gaze narrowed.
"No. Cain't say that I did. But young Michael's as honest as they come. If he told Patrick he was going into the mountains, then that's where he was."
Amos shrugged. "All right, even if you allow for time in the mountains, he still could have been in Silverthread by nightfall."
"Someone would have seen him." This from Owen, who at last seemed to be getting with the program. Patrick sucked in a breath of relief.
"Not necessarily, and besides, Duncan could have run into him on the mountain. Maybe Michael already knew. Maybe he was waiting for him to come home."
"Ambushed his own father? Michael would sooner poke out his eye." Patrick stood up, his hands clenched in rage. "This is outrageous. And even if were true. Even if my father had found the mother lode and told Michael about it. Why would Michael kill him?"
"Well now, that's the big question isn't it?" Amos' mouth curved at the corners, the beginning of a grin. The bastard was enjoying this. "Way I heard it, betrayal isn't exactly an unusual occurrence in your family, is it?"
Patrick sprang over the desk in one smooth leap, his hand closing around the sheriff's collar. "You take that back, you son of a bitch." He arched his right arm backwards, tensing, his fist tight for the punch.
"Whoa, there, boy. No need to be smacking the sheriff. Ain't his fault any of this happened." Pete planted a beefy hand around Patrick's neck, the gentle pressure enough to force Patrick to release Amos.
"But he….I mean, he…" Patrick sputtered.
"Easy, Patrick, the sheriff didn't mean any offense. Did you, Striker?" The steel was back in Owen's voice.
"No." Amos rubbed his neck and glared at Patrick, his look belying his words.
"Seems to me, we'd all be better off sticking with the facts and not going off making wild accusations." Pete eyed the sheriff.
"It wasn't an accusation. Everyone knows that Patrick's mother ran off and left them for a pile of silver."
Patrick made another move for Amos. Pete tightened his grip. "Fact is, we don't know for sure what happened to Rose. Guess we never will."
Amos smiled faintly, as if the knowledge amused him.
Owen nodded. "And, Patrick, you've got to admit that we may never know what happened to your brother either."
"Well he didn't kill my father." Patrick's words sounded petulant even to his own ears.
"Look, I think the thing for you to do now is go back to Clune. I'm sure Amos will look into this some more." Owen leveled a look at the sheriff. Amos nodded. "And, Patrick, I'll look into it myself. All right?"
Patrick mumbled his agreement under his breath.
"You just go on home. I'll take care of this." Owen looked over to Pete, who had settled back on the window sill. "You'll stay with him?
"Reckon I will."
