He touched Sampson’s shoulder. “Can you sit a horse? We’ve got to get you back to Dinah.”
His brother’s skin was so white that it practically glowed in the moonlight. His eyes were squeezed shut, but he gave a small nod. “Yeah.” The word came out like a grunt.
Jonah straightened and looked around to get his bearings. They’d left their horses tied not far away, and the animals should still be there. Sampson could ride double with him.
He pushed to his feet, but the distant sounds of hooves through the forest stopped him up short.
He spun to find a gun. These riders might be his brothers—but they might not.
A rifle lay near the spot where Patsy had almost died. He scooped it up and strode forward to wait where he could see through the trees. With the rifle stock tucked in his shoulder, he kept every sense alert. A quick glance back showed Patsy had picked up her rifle again and wascoming to join him.
“It might be my brothers.” He spoke just loudly enough for her to hear.
He’d like to tell her to hide behind a tree until he knew they were safe, but she’d proved she could hold her own as well as he could. He wouldn’t try to force her into the shadows so he could play the hero. All he could do was pray God kept her safe.
Please, Lord.
The noises grew louder, and finally two riders emerged from the shadows.
Jericho. And Miles.
Jonah lowered his gun as he let out a long breath. “Over here. Hurry.”
He and Patsy moved back into the clearing as his brothers reined in. Jericho took in the scene, his focus stalling on Sampson’s curled body. “What happened?” He leaped to the ground and strode toward their little brother, even as his gaze locked on Jonah.
“It’s a knife wound. He’s lost a lot of blood, but Patsy tied off the arm. We need to get him back.” Facing Miles, Jonah motioned toward the tied horses. “Go get our mounts. They’re tied just out of sight.” That way he could quickly bring Jericho up to speed.
Jericho knelt beside Sampson, his demeanor turning almost tender as he rested a hand on his shoulder. “How you doin’, Sam?”
He managed a pained smile. “Fine.”
The two had nearly come to blows an hour ago, but surely Sampson could feel the unconditional love in Jericho’s greeting. They were a family, no matter what mistakes they each made.
Jericho ran a hand over Sampson’s hair as his gaze roamed the injured arm. “Dinah will be tickled to have someone to doctor.”
His gaze lifted to take in Patsy. She was disheveled, but shelooked…strong. With a nod to the dead man, Jericho said, “He hurt you?”
She shook her head. “I’m all right.” Her voice rasped, probably from that monster choking her.
Jericho surely heard it, but he only frowned at Patsy, then rose. He turned and stared down at the body for a long moment, his jaw hard. “Who is he?”
Before Jonah could answer, Sampson spoke. “Douglas.” His voice sounded tight and strained. “He joined on with…those men…after I…met them.”
Jonah stared at his brother. Maybe this man was connected to the others, but maybe his presence here at the same time as the sapphire thieves was coincidence. “Actually, Patsy and I first saw him in Missoula Mills. He was cheating at the card table and tried to start trouble. Then he attacked Patsy on our way here. He ran off when he realized he was outnumbered. He might have come for revenge.”
But had he stolen sapphires too? And burned down the cabin?
Where were the other men Jonah had seen earlier?
Miles led the two horses into camp.
“Let’s get you home and patched up,” Jericho said. “We’ll figure out the rest later.”
Together, Jericho, Miles, and Jonah hoisted Sampson onto Jericho’s horse so he could hold him steady for the ride back.
Jude and Gil arrived, summoned by the gunshots.
Gil had managed to catch Patsy’s horse, though not another that’d been running alongside it—Douglas’s, if that actually was the man’s name.
