Both men scrambled to their feet and took off running toward the Brant mine. Neither of them looked back.
At the main house, Cain was having lunch by the time Fargo returned from his hike, so he joined him in his big dining room where it was clear he ate most meals alone. The walls were covered in a fancy wallpaper, the wood floor polished to mirror level, and a huge glass chandelier hung over the table, sparkling in the morning light.
“So, have a great hike?” Cain asked, pointing to the tray of sandwiches for Fargo to help himself.
“A productive one,” Fargo said, taking a thick beef sandwich from the tray. “I know how the robbers are pinpointing your ore shipments and who’s behind it.”
Cain stopped in midchew and stared at his old friend. “You’re kidding.”
Fargo bit into the sandwich, then, between bites and chewing, told Cain exactly what had happened, leaving out only the part about Daniel.
When he was finished, Cain slammed what was left of his sandwich down on his plate and stood, clearly very angry, as he paced near the head of the table. “It’s hard to believe any woman could be that ruthless.”
“I’m still not so sure her father isn’t pulling the main strings,” Fargo said. “I haven’t met him yet, but from everything I’ve learned, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree with her.”
Cain nodded. “You’re right about that. You sure those two men you scared off aren’t going to say anything to Brant about what happened?”
“Yeah,” Fargo said. “They were new hires and had no loyalty to the Brant woman.”
“So, you think she’s going to send two others up there tomorrow morning?” Cain asked.
“More than likely. Once a snake, always a snake, and her little outlook post has worked so far.”
Cain asked the exact location and Fargo told him.
“Thanks, Skye. I’ll take care of that problem tomorrow morning.”
With that he stormed out of the dining room, leaving Fargo to finish his sandwich alone in the huge, formal room.
Fargo had no idea what Cain would do, and it was better he didn’t know. That was between two mine owners and their crews. Fargo’s job was on the trail.
Daniel had never lived at the mercy of a willful woman before and he didn’t like it. The few girls he’d known were sweet and straightforward. If they liked you, they told you so and it was that simple. And then they
Daniel sat on the stump of a sawed oak, using his knife to whittle away at a small piece of a branch. Whittling usually calmed him. Usually. Right now, as he sat watching for Sarah Brant to come out of the house, he decided he needed something a lot more powerful than whittling to ease his temper and hurt feelings.
She’d charmed him into throwing in with her and her father, treating him as if they would be lovers forever. But, he was discovering, she paid attention to you when she wanted to. Otherwise it was as if you didn’t exist.
Half an hour ago he’d walked up to where she’d been sitting in a chair outside the house talking to one of the hired guns. He’d approached her to ask if he could see her alone. But her cold stare and the smirk of the gunny embarrassed him. It was clear he wasn’t wanted.
So now he sat about twenty yards from the house, waiting for her to come outside again. The gunny she’d been talking to had also been dismissed.
Everything was so damned confusing. He loved her—that was the terrible thing. He’d deserted his own father for her. But what was he going to get for his betrayal? Her treating him like a nuisance?
And then he felt better. Yes, that was it. Up till now he had enjoyed her as a lover but he’d been afraid to tell her how he felt. Maybe that would make all the difference. Maybe when she understood his feelings—
A sweet mountain breeze ruffled his hair and soothed his cheeks. He tossed the piece of branch away, closed his knife, and prepared himself to go up to her when she came out of the house again.
Then she was there. Sunlight dancing in her hair, her blue silk blouse tucked tightly into her black riding pants. Her rich body almost haughty as she stood with her hands on her hips.
He had just started to approach her when one of the other gunnies came from around the side of the house. He said something that Daniel couldn’t hear. She laughed with a passion that was almost sexual. He saw her put her hand fondly on the man’s arm. He’d never been jealous over a woman before and the feeling startled him. He wanted to draw down on the man, kill him. What right had this bastard to spend time with Daniel’s woman?
He cleared his throat loudly enough to get their attention. Her gaze was even colder than before. The man looked at him briefly and then went back to talking to Sarah. She laughed again. Daniel didn’t know if he could control himself. Rage, humiliation, pain.
The gunny stayed for five more minutes. Daniel knew how awkward he must look standing there watching them. But he felt paralyzed. He didn’t want to see it—didn’t want to see that she had lied to him— but he couldn’t move. Couldn’t turn away.
After the man was gone, Sarah turned and started back to the house. Daniel double-timed his way to her. Grabbed her roughly by the arm.
“You don’t have time for me but you have time for them?”
“Unless you want to get slapped very hard, take your damned hand off me. And right now.”
The harshness of her voice stunned him. He had the sense that she had just ended their relationship permanently. He pulled his hand away and said, “I’m sorry, Sarah. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“You’re damned right you shouldn’t have.”
“I just want to say something to you.”
She sighed impatiently. “Then go ahead. I need to get back inside.”
“I love you.”
And when she didn’t say anything, simply stared at him as if he’d spoken in a language she’d never heard before, he said: “Maybe I made a mistake. Throwing in with you, Sarah. I guess I’ll be heading out now.”
The panic in her eyes surprised him. Now it was her hand on his arm. “Oh, Daniel. Daniel, you misunderstood me. We need to talk this over in bed. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I really didn’t. It’s just that I have so much to do, I guess I don’t realize when I’m not treating you right.”
“But those two men who came up—”
She pressed herself against him, her soft breasts making his need for her almost frightening. He knew what had happened. He’d threatened to leave. He’d meant it. He hadn’t known what else to say or do. But he was obviously a part of her plan and she didn’t want to let him go.
In that moment, he knew that she was using him. That she didn’t give a damn about him at all.
And the terrible thing was he didn’t care. He’d take her on any terms he could have her.
“You won’t leave me, will you, Daniel?” she said, her warm breath like a balm on his neck.
“No,” he said. “No, I won’t leave you.”
Two days later, Cain was ready with another shipment into Sacramento.
So with a long and very tender kiss good-bye from Anne, Fargo again left her soft feather bed for the cold predawn air. Part of him regretted leaving; part of him felt good about being back on his big Ovaro stallion again, doing what he did best.
Fargo set up the guards and the wagon movement the same as the time before. He scouted ahead, watching for any activity or trap, staying wide of the road, often moving along a ridgeline above and ahead of the wagon.
After three dull hours of sitting his horse, rolling and smoking cigarettes and reliving some very pleasant memories of Anne, trouble finally struck around the middle of the afternoon.
One glance at the gunnies ready to rob the gold shipment told Fargo that the Brants had stepped up in the world. These were hardened killers, ready to do whatever was necessary to take the gold.
Ten of them.
Their plan was simple and hard to see coming. The Placerville road had a decent amount of traffic in the afternoon. Since Fargo had the gold shipment moving slowly to give him time to scout ahead, it had been passed numerous times by other wagons and men on horses.
As Fargo watched from a low ridge just over a rifle shot away, three men came riding up from behind the wagon, their rifles in sheaths, their guns on hips. They nodded hello to the men guarding the wagon and Cain even
