“Trask. From Taos?”
“Yeah.”
“Wait a minute. There was a man killed in Taos, in ’sixty-nine, I think. His name was Cody. Related?”
“My father. Russell Cody. Trask murdered him. And it was ’sixty-eight. I’ve been tracking him for a good three years.”
“Cochise spoke of this man,” Jeffords said.
“He did? When?”
“At least a year ago. Cochise’s band was accused of wiping out several families, murdering them, burning down their houses. Cochise said a man named Trask was responsible.”
“So, Trask has been out here for some time.”
“You might learn more in Tucson, or Vail. Cochise tracked him to those two towns after coming across those depredations he was accused of.”
Zak’s mind filled with thoughts of his father and how he had died at the hand of Ben Trask. Russell Cody had come to Taos to live out his remaining years. When the beaver gave out and the fur trade collapsed, he took his money and bought a ranch in South Dakota, raised cattle and wheat. He drove cattle up from Texas, sold them for good prices, saved his profits. He sold his ranch, moved to Taos, and made even more money as a trader, selling silver in the East and hauling back goods to sell in Santa Fe and Taos.
Cody’s father had been trading for gold, as well. He had not trusted the banks, so kept his hoard hidden. Trask had tortured Russell to learn the hiding place, then, after getting the gold, he killed Russell in a most brutal way, mutilating his body, leaving him for the wolves, the coyotes, and the buzzards. Zak envisioned a similar fate for Ted O’Hara if Trask was behind his kidnapping.
“So, I guess I can’t trust Willoughby,” Zak said.
“If I were you, Cody, I wouldn’t trust anybody on this post. Or anywhere else, for that matter.”
“Thanks, Tom. You’ve been a big help to me.”
“What are you going to do, Cody? You can’t go after these men all alone. They’re dead serious and determined to achieve their goals at any cost.”
“Desperate men make mistakes,” Zak said. “I’ll ride to Tucson, see what I can find out. If nothing, I’ll go to Vail.”
“Dangerous places for someone seeking information about the men behind this scheme to wipe out the Apache.”
“Then that’s where I have to go. What about you?”
“Right now I’m the only white man who can talk with the Apaches, try to bring peace to this region. I’ll talk to that patrol when they come in, see what I can find out about Ted’s disappearance.”
“If I find out anything, I’ll get word to you, here at Bowie.”
“Fair enough.”
The two men shook hands and walked back to the coach. Willoughby had been staring at them, a scowl on his face. He turned away when they both looked at him.
Zak walked over to Colleen, who had been talking to some of the women.
“I’m going to try and find your brother, Colleen. Just don’t tell anyone about it.”
“Why?”
“Maybe I’ll tell you someday. You take care. Hold on to hope.”
“Do you know where Ted is?”
“I’m going to find out. Take care.”
He turned and walked up to a soldier.
“Can you direct me to the paymaster’s office?” Zak asked.
The soldier pointed to a building.
A half hour later Zak rode out of Fort Bowie, into the setting sun. He felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. He was glad to be away from Willoughby.
But he kept a wary eye on his backtrail, and he bypassed Apache Springs. He took to open country and felt right at home.
Chapter 5
The tracks were still fresh, clearly visible even in the hazy light of dusk, when Zak’s shadow stretched long across the land. It was a place to start. Perhaps this trail would lead him to where he wanted to go, and perhaps it would cross other trails of interest to him.
The clouds in the western sky, long thin loaves, were bronzed, and rays of gossamer light shone like sprayed columns from beneath the horizon. A roadrunner dashed across the unshod pony tracks, legs working like high- speed darning needles. It disappeared among red and golden rocks that were turning to ash on the eastern side. Zak followed the tracks on a northwesterly course, studying them as he rode, wondering about the riders until, after a mile or two, he determined that his hunch had been correct. They were not Apaches.
