“Why?”
“You saw the terrain around here. You won’t get far without your boots. Your feet will get cut up from the rocks. The path to the stream is clear so you won’t have a problem getting water,” Wade said as he threw her carpet bag onto the floor. “Besides, we never use the land on this edge of the ranch. It’s not good for grazing. No one will come out here. Actually, this shack is on a neighboring ranch’s property, but they don’t use it either. Last time I know of anyone staying here was the winter before last when some trapper got lost in a storm.”
Grace sat and removed her boots. “What about spiders or anything else I need to stomp on? I can’t do that without my boots.”
“I’m sure there’s a pot or pan in the corner somewhere. Use that. You’re so smart, you’ll figure it out. I’ll be back in a few days to check on you.” He rushed out the door, mounted his horse, and rode off leading Grace’s horse.
Grace stood in the doorway watching Wade ride off leaving her without her horse or her boots. She looked around at her surroundings. Wade was right, there was no way she could walk out of the small valley in her stocking feet. She said a small prayer that she wouldn’t see a spider or any other critter. Use a pot or pan indeed. Wade was losing his mind. Grace shuddered at the thought that spiders might not be her worst problem. She wasn’t sure if there were bears nearby, but she knew there were wolves. How could she protect herself without a gun? She couldn’t even build a fire. She sank down onto the cot and bowed her head in prayer asking the Lord to protect her and help her escape somehow. What if Wade changed his mind and decided to kill her? She needed a plan.
Hoping Wade overlooked something, Grace searched the small shack. She found a large sharp knife along with two forks, a spoon, a frying pan, and one pot on the small shelf next to the dry sink. She turned her attention to the crates Wade said he brought for her. She doubted there would be anything useful, but she went through the crates. She found the blankets and pillow, but she would have laughed at Wade’s idea of food if the situation wasn’t so dire. Two loaves of day-old bread, three apples, three potatoes, a cloth napkin holding several handfuls of green beans, an onion, and some beef jerky. Without heat, she wondered how she would cook anything and didn’t relish the idea of eating a raw onion. She’d save it for last if Wade didn’t return, but she knew she needed to find a way out as soon as possible.
Grace stepped out onto the small porch again and took in her surroundings. Apparently, someone had built the shack for a purpose, but it didn’t appear to have been lived in for years. She prayed Clay wouldn’t believe the note and knew that the shack existed. Maybe he’d look for her. Surely, he wouldn’t believe that she went back to Chicago.
Wade was right, there was no way she could walk out of the valley in her stockings, and her extra shoes were back at the ranch house in her trunk. The sun was past midday, and Grace knew she needed to eat something to keep up her strength. She returned to the shack and picked up the small pot and carried it to the stream. At least, the narrow path was relatively level and clear of most rocks. Letting the flow of water rinse out the pot as best as could be, Grace then filled it and drank her fill before refilling it and carrying it back to the shack.
Grace stopped and looked around before entering the shack. Something was missing. There wasn’t any privy. She supposed the men who used the shack didn’t need one, but she didn’t like the idea of being out in the open when nature called. The two nearby cottonwoods didn’t offer much, if any, privacy and she realized she’d make the best of it. After all, if no one could find the shack, no one would see her.
Grace placed the small pot of water on the table, picked up an apple, sat back down on the cot, and took a bite. She needed to figure a way out of her predicament, but right now the solution eluded her.
Finishing her apple, she decided she needed to make the shack as safe as possible. She closed the door and was pleased to see metal brackets and a thick board to place in the brackets to keep the door locked. She lifted the board and dropped it in place. Closing the door had drenched the shack in darkness, but it was better to sit in the dark then fight off a wolf that might stroll into the open doorway.
The small amount of light filtering in through the cracks in the walls and ceiling and around the windows, allowed Grace to move around cautiously. She certainly didn’t need to fall and injure herself. Grace grabbed a chunk of bread and sat back down on the cot trying to find a way to outwit Wade.
Grandpa would most likely take Clay, Cora, and Elizabeth for lunch at the café and they’d arrive home sometime in the mid-afternoon. Would Clay realize she was gone right away, or would they assume she was out riding when he didn’t find Willow in the barn?
Willow? Grace bolted to her feet. What had Wade done with her horse? He certainly couldn’t put her back in the barn. Clay needed to believe she rode Willow to wherever he thought she’d go. Wade had to hide her horse. Would he hide her
