And Camish said, “Why not?”
“Shober’s mother is worried about her. I don’t think she knows anything about what you’re accusing her father of.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Camish said, shrugging.
“So was it you who sent the postcard to Mrs. Shober?”
Camish sighed. “That was a dumb idea. But Diane insisted. Like she made us agree to call her Terri Wade. Half the time we forgot. But when a woman gets something in her head . . .”
“Is she okay now?” Joe asked. “Diane Shober?”
Said Camish, as a slow smile built on his face, “If you want to—if you figure out how to get out of here alive, I mean—you can ask her yourself. I don’t mind. She won’t mind, I don’t think, as long as you don’t try to take her back with you. See, we got some caves up in the rimrocks. Indians used to live there, then outlaws. They’re sweet caves. Dave knows the way.”
Joe didn’t know what to say. He finally looked over at Nate. His friend mouthed,
Camish said, “We used to have a pretty good country. At least I think we did. Then something happened. It’s our fault ’cause we let it. We used to be a people who had a government,” he said, looking up, his eyes fierce again. “Now it’s the other way around.”
Joe didn’t respond.
“And we ain’t going back until things change. We want our property back and we want an apology. We want to see that senator go to prison. We want to see Brent Shober tarred and feathered. And most of all, we want to be left alone. Simple as that. And we ain’t going to argue about it, game warden. If you can promise us those things, we’ll put down our guns and come down with you. Can you promise them?”
Joe said, “I promise I’ll try.”
Camish snorted. “That’s the way it is with you people. Good intentions are supposed to be the same as good works.”
Joe had no reply.
Camish said, “Then it is what it is.”
OUT OF EARSHOT OF THE BROTHERS, NATE SAID, “THIS ISN’T what I signed up for, Joe.”
Joe said, “I know it isn’t.”
“We have a couple of options.”
Joe said, “I’m not sure we do.”
Nate had stood and backed slowly away from where the brothers and Dave Farkus sat by the fire. As he did, Caleb never took his eyes off him, and conspicuously tightened his fingers around the handgrip of the automatic rifle on his lap. Likewise, Nate didn’t turn his back on Caleb and he held the .454, muzzle down, near his side. Joe knew how fast Nate was with the revolver, and he guessed Caleb knew it, too. Joe had stood and joined his friend. The eastern sky was rose-colored, and the trees within the dark forest began to define themselves. It was less than an hour before sunrise.
Nate said, “We could get on our horses and ride away. Let the locals and the state boys and the feds finish this. We’re sort of signing the death warrants on these guys, but they know that and we won’t have blood on our hands. Of course, there’s the possibility these boys will make a stand. And who knows, they
Joe’s insides were on fire. He clamped his shotgun to his side with his arm and thrust his hands into his pockets to keep them from shaking.
Joe said, “I can’t ride away. As long as they’re up here, they’ll keep breaking laws. You know that. We rode by three dead bodies earlier tonight. Maybe you can say they deserved it, but that’s not for us to decide. More people will get hurt and die, and some of them will be innocent. Think of the traps these guys set. If we leave, they won’t stop.”
Nate said, “Nope, they won’t. But that doesn’t have to be our problem. This isn’t right, Joe. Let me put this as clearly as I can:
Joe winced.
“Maybe we can make a deal with them,” Nate said. “If they agree to dismantle the traps and promise to lay low, we’ll ride away. I think they’d let us go under those conditions.”
“Maybe,” Joe said, “but I am what I am, Nate. I took an oath. I can’t just ride away.”
“That’s how you got tangled up with them in the first place,” Nate said. “They all but begged you to just leave them be. But you didn’t.”
“I couldn’t.”
Nate didn’t turn his head. He kept his eyes on Caleb and Camish. But to Joe, it felt like his friend was glaring at him with puzzled contempt.
Joe said, “Maybe you should go, Nate. I know how you feel and I understand. Believe me, I do. You don’t need to be any part of this. There’d be no hard feelings on my part if you rode away.”
Nate said, “They’ll kill you, Joe.”
“Maybe.”
“I’m sorry.”
JOE STEPPED FORWARD toward the fire, narrowing the distance between
