Julia coughed the dust from her lungs and spit out several pieces of dirt. She turned her head toward West and said, “Thank you. I never would have gotten out of there if it hadn’t been for your help.”
West pushed himself to his feet and held his hand out to help Julia. “It’s my job as your partner and husband,” he said, grinning at her.
“Thank you,” Julia replied again, standing and brushing off her shirt and trousers.
West looked at the massive pile of rocks and debris in front of the cave and said, “I think that’s the end of Kate and her misdeeds.”
Julia shuddered. “If the cave-in didn’t kill her, she’ll die alone of starvation in the dark. No one deserves that.”
“Maybe not, but she did kill the old priest, and that’s a hanging offense. I think I’d prefer not to hang at almost any cost.”
“Hey, are you two all right?” The booming voice startled Julia, and she spun around to see a huge man with a graying beard that hung to his mid-chest.
“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” West demanded.
The old man laughed. “That would be my question. I live here around the bend in the creek. I’ve seen men come and go looking for gold, silver, or anything of value in these caves, but it took a city boy and a woman to cave it in. Name’s Colby.”
West stood straighter and pulled his shoulder’s back. “We’re here hunting a criminal.”
“Bounty hunters?”
“No, Pinkerton agents,” Julia answered before West could snap at the man again.
“Did you catch him? Looks as if you didn’t bring anyone out with you.”
“No, we lost her in the cave,” Julia said. “I’m sure she’s dead or dying.
“Her? A woman? Red hair, maybe? Pretty? Name’s Kate?”
“Yes,” West answered, stepping closer to the old man. “How would you know?”
“I’ve seen her around her a lot the last few weeks. She has been in and out of that cave several times. Might be she found the chimney and got out before the cave-in.”
“Chimney?” Julie asked with furrowed brows.
Colby nodded and asked, “Did you two get as far as the large room?”
West shook his head, “No, we were still in the left narrow passageway when the tremor started.”
“If you’d gone on a bit further, you’d run into that large room and see the sunlight streaming through the hole in the ceiling. I’m not sure if it’s a natural chimney or some minor dug it out as protection in case of a landslide. If that girl you’re hunting is smart, she’d have a rope coming down through the chimney as an escape.”
West looked up the hill and asked, “Is there a path up that hill? I couldn’t find one.”
Colby nodded, “Right behind that large outcrop of rocks you’ll find a path that leads up around the hill to the top. Once you’re up there, you have a dozen directions she could run.”
West took off at a run heading for the outcropping, and Julia thanked Colby before following him.
Within a few minutes, Julia reached the top of the hill and saw West walking in circles.
“She must have been up here several times. There are a lot of footprints, and they lead in different directions,” West called to her as Julia came into sight.
Julia began examining the ground as well and, after a few moments, asked, “I think maybe I found where she went. It rained last night, and the ground is soft. These tracks are a bit deeper as if she recently walked on the wet ground.”
West strode to where Julia pointed at the tracks and smiled. “I think you’re right. You might make a good agent after all.”
“Hey, I’m already an agent. I’m becoming a more knowledgeable agent each day.”
West turned and winked at Julia, “That you are. Come on, let’s follow her tracks.”
Julia and West followed the tracks for a half-mile until they reached the edge of a small cliff. Sitting on a large boulder staring out across the vast expanse of wild grasses at the bottom of the cliff was Kate.
She was humming a tune and bouncing her handgun up and down on her thigh.
West pulled his gun and motioned for Julia to stop. Kate never turned around but spoke to them in a loud, clear voice.
“I suppose it’s all over,” Kate started. “You know I never meant for that priest in New Mexico to die. He fell, and I ran. I heard later in town that he died, and rumor was that he died for keeping the treasure safe. No one knew where the treasure was, but they talked about a young priest leaving town, so I nosed around and found the direction he went. I followed him here. I never meant for him to be hurt either, and I’m glad I didn’t kill him, too.”
Julia began to walk toward Kate, and West tried to stop her, but Julia shook her head. When Julia was within five feet of Kate, she stopped and spoke.
“Kate, my name is Julia, and the man with me is my husband, West. I’d like to know why you needed the treasure and what made you follow it all the way to Wyoming.”
Kate turned and smiled at Julia. “You look like a nice person. Maybe you’d understand.”
“I would like to try,” Julia said.
West, hoping he could help the situation, and possibly get close enough to Kate to grab her weapon said, “Julia used to live in a convent. She’s a very understanding person.”
Kate chuckled. “A convent. Why would a beautiful girl want to be a nun?”
“I wasn’t going to be a nun. I needed a quiet place to grieve my mother’s death.”
Sadness washed over Kate’s face, and she said, “Then you understand grief?”
“All too well,” Julia admitted. “You look as if you’ve experienced it, too.”
Kate nodded. “My baby died.”
Julia drew in a
