They will, of course, be delivered on an Army train and paid for by the U.S. Government without their knowledge. A grin blooms as he sips on his whiskey in first class and pulls out his small notebook. He jots down the delivery date for each supply train and looks over the plans.
He almost wishes he could watch Harris River when he realizes this was never about the Indians. They are simply in the way of progress. Truth be told he’d kill his own mother for the kind of money this will bring. Oil is the next big commodity, and now they’ve discovered a way to refine it faster, producing a higher quantity of kerosene than ever before.
Kerosene burns cleaner, longer and cheaper or at least it used to. He plans to raise the price once he buys up as many refineries as possible. The family-owned refineries will sell or be crushed while the larger ones can be dealt with in other ways. Accidents happen all the time when dealing with such an explosive process.
Rivers and this loving Indian female will be dead soon, leaving him with no witnesses. Honesty, even if she did show up to testify no one would listen anyway. All he must do is dangle a share of the profits, and they would take care of her and Harris for him. He laughs loudly, tucking his notebook inside his jacket pocket.
“Time for a game of cards.”
Chapter 31
“I wish we could stay here forever like this,” Vanessa sighs, wrapped up in his arms.
Harris chuckles and presses a kiss to her bare shoulder. “Our own private, oasis, from the world,” he sighs and yawns.
Vanessa grins and rolls over on top of him, pressing her breasts into his chest and her hair cascades around them. Her large eyes grow wide with pretend worry, “I forgot how old you are, Harris, I should let you nap,” she pushes up away from him, and he growls and rolls her over, giggling, onto her back.
“Old!” Harris slides up her body, causing her to groan in pleasure, “I’ll show you old.”
He drags his beard down over her neck, bare breasts and lower, causing her to grip a fist full of his hair. “The things I can show you, my Nessa,” his eyes dance, full of promise.
Her belly growls, causing him to laugh, “Bur first I should make sure you are properly nourished.”
“No,” she pouts when he climbs up from the bed and laughs at her.
“Feed me, woman,” he glares.
“The fish is cold,” she stares at him and pulls the covers around her.
“I don’t mind cold food.” His smile fades as he stares at her wrapped in a blanket and glowing from their lovemaking. “You’re so beautiful, Vanessa,” he whispers.
“Your old eyes are not seeing clearly,” she teases, running a hand through her long wavy hair.
“I see you, Vanessa.” He stares at her, “I’m going to freeze this image of you in our bed, just after loving you, flushed from desire, and no matter how old I am, I will remember you.”
“Harris,” she covers her mouth as his words wrap around her heart.
“Stay temptress, and I’ll bring the food to you,” he slides down the ladder and takes a deep breath. It almost slipped out, the words “I love you,” he doesn’t know if either of them is ready for that yet, but he can no longer deny it. They both deserve better than that.
Vanessa wipes her eyes and sighs happily when he returns with a tray of biscuits and cold fish. Soon they are laughing and eating in bed. It is a beautiful day spent with love, laughter and rest. Tomorrow will come, and they will have to decide what to do but today belongs to them.
Chapter 32
A low vibration wakes him with a start. The sun is starting to set. How long was he asleep? The noise grows louder, and he crawls to the top of the ridge wiping his eyes. He stares over the edge to the valley below. An Army train? “What are they doing out here?”
His horse neighs softly as he slides back down hill, and he is just about to mount up when a low growl sounds behind him. The sound of his heartbeat pounds in his ears drowning out everything else around him. Fear has him turning slowly. This time he’s aware that he is facing death. “Ban-chu,” he drops to his knees in a show of reverence.
The great wolf, pads towards him and bares his teeth, growling and snarling, waiting to see how he responds.
“Use me as you will, mighty one. I have much to atone for.”
Instead of the flash of pain, he is expecting at his death or another ripping sensation, the wolf pads away to the top of the ridge to look down on the train. Blood Eagle dares to look up and meets the golden eyes of the beast.
Slowly he sits up straighter and dares to speak. “Judging from my vision you wish for me to save the girl. Does this train have something to do with that?”
His great ebony head turns back to look at the train and he chuffs. Blood Eagle climbs to his feet, slowly and calls to his horse. “I will follow it and find out where it leads.” The wolf nods and stands, watching him mount up. It takes off running down the hill chasing after the train, and Blood Eagle whoops, chasing after him. He follows the train, keeping pace with the wolf. There can be no denying his place in this. He’s been given a chance to redeem his sins, but why would one female be so important?
