The New Cowboy Read online

  She clasped him tighter. “No, but I’m positive he’s in the cave.”

  “Why do you think that?”

  Avery told him about Charlo’s dream. “The Little People live inside this cave.”

  “Tell me about them.”

  After she explained she said, “I believe this is where he came hoping to find them. If he has a concussion, maybe he can still hear my voice. I’ve been talking to him and telling him stories just in case.”

  Zane cradled her face. His loving blue eyes traveled over each feature before he kissed her. “I have no doubt that boy has heard you. We’ll find him. Connor’s trailing their horses. They’ll do a thorough search at the top of the razor-backed road, then he’ll wind around and meet up with us.”

  Their mouths clung for moment before he lifted his. “It’s cooling off. Why don’t you get in your truck while I go inside the cave and call to him for a while.”

  She stared up at him. “I love you, Zane. I’m so happy you’re here.”

  A breeze had sprung up. He smoothed a strand of hair away from her eyes. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

  They walked back to her truck. She handed him the big flashlight. “Don’t go in too far. Promise me.”

  “Don’t worry,” he said against her lips, then made his way to the cave opening. She shivered when he disappeared inside.

  At first she could hear his voice through the open window of the truck. Then it grew fainter until there was no sound at all except the breeze rustling the underbrush. When she couldn’t stand it any longer, she got out and ran to the cave opening.

  “Zane?”

  In a minute she heard him call to her. “I’m coming.”

  “Did you see a sign of anything?”

  Suddenly he appeared. “I found this at a bifurcation in the cave.”

  A cry of excitement escaped her lips. “This is his little buffalo medicine bundle. He’s here! This is really precious to him. I know there’s a small knife made from a buffalo bone inside, but I don’t dare open it.”

  “Why?”

  “Smiling Face keeps this sacred talisman in remembrance of the buffalo. It’s not for me to open.

  “Chief Plenty Coups said that when the buffalo went away, the Crow became a changed people. When the buffalo was with them, they were never idle, but after they were gone, everything was stolen from their minds and bodies. His people fell to the ground, and they could not lift themselves up again. Smiling Face refuses to fall down.”

  She saw Zane’s throat working. “To have such a strong ethic at his young age is humbling.”

  “He’s a special boy. I love him. He must have taken a wrong turn and could have fallen, possibly knocking himself out.”

  Zane put his arm around her shoulders. “We’ll find him in the morning.”

  “I need to phone Tom. This will give him hope.” For the next few minutes they talked. When she hung up she told Zane that Tom would be there soon with some of the men and they’d form a line.

  “He has to be so grateful to you.” They moved to her truck where she put the bundle on the backseat. Zane looked all around. “It’s a magical night. Shall we sleep in the back where we can hear sounds?”

  “I was hoping you’d say that. I brought two sleeping bags and plenty of food.”

  “Keep your phone handy in case he calls.”

  Together they got everything set up. Zane checked on Snowball, and then climbed inside the back next to her, against the side. At this altitude the stars glittered in the sky. They ate sandwiches and fruit. Jenny had packed sodas and bottled water.

  The two of them lacked for nothing. Tonight she refused to let that black place inside her take up any room. Despite the fact that they hadn’t found Smiling Face yet, she’d never been so happy and content in her life.

  Zane had come to her world from a completely different life, yet nestled against him, it felt as if he’d always been a part of hers. His prophecy came to mind once more.

  “God long ago drew a circle in the sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now. I was never not coming here. This was never not going to happen.”

  When her cell phone rang, it pierced the quiet of the night, causing her to jerk straight up. She checked the caller ID and answered. “Connor?”

  “Avery, have you seen any sign of Tom’s son yet?”

  “A sign, yes. Zane went in the cave and found his medicine bundle. He’s in there somewhere.”

  “I’ve spoken to Tom. He’s bringing help now. Liz and I hope to be there soon, but my right rear tire has gone flat. When I get it repaired, we’ll come. We’ve brought our horses.”

  “Good. Call me when you’re almost here and I’ll turn the truck spotlights back on.”

  “Will do. Let me talk to Zane for a minute.”

  While the men spoke, she put things back in the hamper. After he ended the call with Connor, she stood up and called to Smiling Face one more time.

  “We’re right here in front of the cave. Stay strong. We’ll find you in the morning.”

  Zane pulled her down onto his lap. He kissed her wet cheeks and held her as he would a child. Avery wept for a little while.

  “What is it?”

  “I’m trying to be positive, but as you know, black bears are abundant here because of the forage. This cave is a perfect hibernating spot.”

  He tightened his arms around her. “It’s not the season. Even if a bear lives in there, it’s probably out hunting. And I’m sure Tom’s boy has been taught what to do if he encounters one.”

  “I know. I have to have faith.” She kissed his chin. “On the phone you said you had news about the case.”

  “It’s breaking wide-open. I’ve identified one of the vandals, a twenty-one-year-old son of a rancher. His name’s Terry Newell. The family’s from Laurel.”

  She sat up. “You don’t mean Lester Newell—”

  He blinked. “Yes, why? You know him?”

  “He’s one of the spokesmen for the Carbon County Cattlemen’s Association. I can’t believe he has a son who could do anything so evil.”

  Zane’s brows lifted. “Two sons, Terry and Steve. There’s an APB out on the oldest son, too. He’s supposedly been away at school in Missoula.”

  “You’re not serious.”

  “I’m afraid so. The evidence puts their vehicles at the vision quest site, the recreation area, your dig site and probably countless others. It’s possible they’re responsible for stealing all that dynamite from the forest service shed. I’ve got a hunch we’ll find more traces of it in the other brother’s car.”

  She shook her head. “This is shocking. My grandfather is friends with him.”

  “Maybe the father doesn’t know anything. After I returned to the Newell ranch with the warrant, I found a small cache of dynamite in a trailer on the property. If it’s part of the same dynamite taken during the heist, then our office will close in and make arrests.”

  “That’s so incredibly awful.”

  “I’m inclined to think others are involved. Before I left Laurel, I talked to a café owner who identified the one son from the photo I showed him. He often eats there. Lately he’s been joined by a man driving a BIA truck.”

  “What?” Her thoughts reeled.

  “Perhaps the BIA is conducting its own investigation. If it’s Durant, maybe because of a lead on the stolen artifacts he was transferred here from Nebraska to investigate. The timing’s about right.”

  “Do you think he might have been tailing the son the night we went into the bar?”

  “I don’t know.”

  She looked into his eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  Zane studied her for a moment. “I’m not sure.”

  “But you’ve got
an idea.”

  “Lots of them.” Something had bothered him about Durant from the beginning, but he didn’t want to alarm Avery. He brushed his mouth against hers. “Right now I want to walk over to the cave opening and try to make contact with Smiling Face one more time.”

  Avery moved so he could stand up. He jumped out with the flashlight and walked inside the cave a little way, calling out, then waited in case there was an answer. After a dozen tries he returned to the truck. “No response,” he murmured to her before putting the hamper in the bear locker for the rest of the night.

  “Why don’t you climb in your sleeping bag and try to sleep. I’ll take the first watch and wait up for Connor.” He was longing for the time when they’d get in a sleeping bag together.

  “I won’t be able to sleep. We’ll do this together.”

  “Then come here to me.” He reached for her once more and put her sleeping bag around their legs. “We have a lot to talk about. I want to know what your plans are after you’ve finished work at the dig site. Won’t it be over soon?”

  “Yes. I’ve accepted a teaching position at Montana State in Billings. It’s a one-year contract teaching Native American studies.”

  “When does it start?”

  “September. I’ll be teaching three classes, two in the mornings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and a three-hour evening class on Thursday. Until it starts, I plan to keep working on the reservation while I gather more stories for my book.”

  He pulled her closer. “That sounds perfect. I’ll drive you on Thursdays and put in some work at the field office. When you’re through, we’ll make a night of it.”

  She burrowed her face in his shoulder. “When you talk like this, it makes life sound wonderful and—normal.” He heard the little catch in her voice before she cried quietly. Her tears tore him apart. No power on earth could erase that horrible experience from her mind, or his.

  All Zane could do was keep remembering what the doctor said. Show your unconditional love and support. He wished they were getting married in the morning. As her husband, he could be there for her whenever she broke down. He held her for a long time.

  The thought of what that pervert had done to her filled him with rage. He had to fight to tamp it down. It didn’t help his state of mind or hers that they hadn’t found Smiling Face yet. His fear for the boy’s safety combined with his suspicion that Mike Durant might not be squeaky clean caused him to bite down hard.

  His phone rang, bringing his tortured thoughts to a halt. Avery stirred as he answered. “Connor?”

  “Yup. We’re close to you now.”

  “Honk your horn while I turn on the spotlights. The sound will carry a long way. Hopefully the boy’s in a condition to hear it so he won’t lose hope.”

  “Good idea.”

  Soon after Zane had the lights back on, they heard the blare of Connor’s truck horn. Avery got to her feet and jumped down. “I need to check on Snowball so she won’t be nervous.”

  She opened the trailer door. “It’s okay, Snowball.”

  Her horse nickered loudly when she approached. “We have company.” She gentled her animal. Liz soon joined her. “Well, look who’s here—your favorite vet.”

  The two women hugged. “How are you doing, Snowball? Did that horn frighten you? It would have done the same thing to me. After all, it’s four in the morning.” Liz pulled a treat out of her pocket and fed it to the horse. Snowball chomped it down.

  “Connor phoned Tom. A lot of help is coming this way. We ought to be able to penetrate deep into the cave as soon as they get here. It won’t be long before we find him. Zane told us everything. Because of you they know where to come.”

  “It’s true. Oh, Liz, I feel so guilty about it.”

  “Why? You can’t help it that Smiling Face wanted to find the Little People. He’s a kid with a big imagination.”

  “You’re right.”

  “Jarod wanted to come, but he can’t leave Sadie yet.”

  “Of course not. If you’re hungry, there’s food in the bear locker.”

  “Don’t worry about us. We brought enough for a dozen people, just in case.” She grasped Avery’s hand to look at the ring. “Have you and Zane come to any decisions?”

  She nodded. “We’re going to be married in three weeks.”

  With a cry, Liz’s arms went around her in a bear hug. She wasn’t a barrel racer for nothing. “I think every dream of mine has now come true. He’s madly in love with you, as if you didn’t know. I already knew how you felt about him at the funeral.”

  “You couldn’t have. We didn’t know each other.”

  “I saw the way you looked at him during the reception. When he looked back at you, it was a magical moment. I’ve never seen love at first sight happen before and it blew me away. Charlo would say it was written in the stars.”

  Avery averted her eyes. “Charlo sees everything.”

  Liz shivered. “I know that for a fact. Which means he knows Smiling Face will be found.”

  She lifted her head. “You’re right.” While she rubbed her horse’s forelock they heard sounds of other vehicles coming. “It sounds like help has arrived, Snowball. I’ll be back in a while.”

  They left the trailer in time to see four truckloads of men from the reservation jump down. Tom walked up to Avery. “Kahee,” he greeted her.

  “Kahee.” She took him over to her truck and handed him the little buffalo bundle. “I haven’t opened it. We’re going to find him, Tom.”

  He gave her a solemn nod before going back to his truck. In the meantime the men had formed a line with rope and started into the cave with their flashlights. Zane hurried over to her. “Connor has gone ahead. I’m going to go in with them. You and Liz stay here. Lock yourselves in the cab.”

  “We promise. Be careful.”

  “Always.” He gave her a swift kiss before everyone disappeared inside the dark hole.

  The waiting game had begun. Liz needed to check on their horses. Avery went with her, and then they got in Avery’s truck. For the next hour she and Liz talked about the wedding plans.

  “I knew Zane was the reason you haven’t wanted to date.” Liz had that part right. Zane was the only man she’d ever loved. But the other part she didn’t want to think about right now.

  “I love him with all my heart, Liz.”

  “Thank goodness he was transferred back here. My parents are going to shout for joy when they hear you’re engaged. Zane’s becoming the son mom and dad never had.”

  “I know. Grandpa loves him, too.”

  “You can say that again.”

  They waited for the men. When dawn crept over the mountain and they still hadn’t come out, Avery got a sick feeling inside.

  “Liz, if you don’t mind staying here, I’m going to saddle Snowball and go up to those rocks again. I’ve been thinking about his bundle. If he’d been knocked unconscious, his body would have been next to it. What if he’s not inside? Maybe there’s a reason he left the cave without it. He could have thought the tunnel came out the other side of the rocks. I’m going to go look around. Will you be all right?”

  “You’re asking me that? I’ve been going alone into the mountains early in the morning for years to train my horses.”

  Avery smiled at her friend, grabbed some food and drinks from the hamper and put them in a saddlebag. Liz walked to the trailer with her. In a few minutes Liz was ready. “I’ll see you soon.”

  “If they’ve found Smiling Face, I’ll ask Zane to shoot his gun so you’ll know.”

  “Thanks. You’re an angel.”

  Avery took off in the same direction as last night, calling his name every few yards. But this time she wound around to the other side and down into a small gully filled with clumps of pine trees. The terrain was roc
ky and uneven.

  She’d been gone ten minutes. At the base of one tree, she halted to give Snowball a rest. Charlo had sent Tom to her. This morning she felt the earth and the heavens were closely aligned and knew they would find the little boy if they just kept looking.

  She was about ready to move on when several pine cones dropped on her head. Avery looked up in surprise and saw something huddled in the upper branches. “Smiling Face?” Her heart was beating fast. “Is that you?”

  A little moaning sound came back.

  “I’m coming!” She dismounted and climbed the tree. The boy was lying along a limb with cuts on his arm and the side of his face. His features were pale. “You poor darling.”

  She reached for him and put him in a fireman’s lift while she carried him to the ground. He was exhausted. After laying him down on the ground, she hurried over to the saddlebag for water. He drank thirstily. As she was feeding him one of the sandwiches, she heard someone coming full speed toward them on a horse.

  Avery looked behind her. “Zane!” Her heart always thrilled to see him. “I’ve found him!”

  He hit the ground with Connor’s horse still running and dashed over to her and the boy.

  “Those look like bear slashes, but the blood has dried.”

  Smiling Face nodded. “In the cave. I ran up here to get away.”

  Avery smoothed his black hair. “You did exactly the right thing.”

  “We’re proud of you,” Zane told him. “Your father is waiting for you at the entrance to the cave. Do you think you can sit on my horse?”

  “Yes.”

  She rounded up Lightning and led him over to Snowball. Zane lifted the boy and climbed in the saddle behind him. Avery mounted her horse and the two of them headed back toward the cave with their precious cargo.

  “Smiling Face, I’m going to shoot my gun so everyone knows you’ve been found. Is that okay with you, son?”

  The boy nodded.

  Zane reached for his gun and fired two shots.

  “Smiling Face?” she said. “I know you were out here trying to find the Little People’s home. I’m sorry you got hurt, but don’t worry. The Great Spirit knows you were very, very brave to stay out here all night and He has kept you safe.