The brothers draped his body over Sampson’s mare, and at last they were ready.
Jericho took charge, as always. “Miles and Gil, ride ahead and let Dinah know we're coming."
The two disappeared into the night, andthe rest of them started at a slower pace. Every grunt of pain from Sampson made Jonah's gut clench with worry.Hang on, little brother. We'll get you help.
A glance at Patsy on her own mount showed her face paler than usual. Yet her expression still held that strength she always possessed. She would struggle in the coming days with the fact that she’d killed a man. Everyone did. Taking a life was no small matter, even in self-defense. But Jonah would be by her side through whatever they had to face.
And his cabin. Exhaustion weighed his chest again as the image slipped in of that blackened smoking skeleton. He would rebuild. He wouldn’t let this loss take him down. But maybe…maybe he and Patsy could plan the new version together. If she’d have him.
He’d wait to ask until she was ready. But he wasn’t letting her go again. Every part of him knew this was the woman God had created for him. His perfect match. A blessing he’d given up hope of ever receiving.
But God had a much better plan than Jonah had ever imagined.
The morning light filtered through the curtains behind Sampson’s bed, casting shadows on Jonah’s brother’s face as he lay propped up against pillows, his arm wrapped in bandages. Though still pale, a hint of color had returned to Sampson’s face after a night’s sleep.
He’d stayed in Patsy’s room—the spare bed chamber in the main house. Patsy had moved up to the loft with Lillian so Dinah could have ready access to Sampson throughout the night.
Now, the rest of Jonah’s brothers gathered around the bed to talk through all that’d happened the night before. What a nightmareit had all been, but at least they’d lived through it, which was more than could be said for Douglas. They’d searched around the camp and found no other clues, though it appeared several men had camped there.
Jericho cleared his throat. "We need to figure out who took the strawberries and what our next move is."
Jonah nearly rolled his eyes at the code word they used for the sapphires. Everyone here knew what they mined, even Patsy after last night. But this was a habit Dat had insisted on so they wouldn’t slip up and name the gems around strangers.
Jonah perched on the bed. "Tell us about the man—Douglas. You're certain it was him?"
Sampson nodded. "I took another look after we got here last night. I’m sure." His voice sounded strained, like even talking used up a lot of his strength. "He joined up with the others a couple days after you left Missoula Mills."
“He must have gone straight back to Missoula after he attacked Patsy by the creek."
“You mentioned that last night.” Jericho turned to Jonah. “Tell me exactly what happened there.”
Jonah did, starting with the ruckus the man made in the card room and ending with him fleeing into the woods after Jonah and Patsy fought him in the water. If only Jonah had given chase then, not let the man escape to do worse damage later.
How was Patsy coping today with the shock of it all? She’d been so pale last night. Brave like always, but he’d seen her fear too. If only he could wrap her in his arms now, somehow shield her from the aftermath of what had been done to her and what she’d been forced to do to save them all.
She’d still been sleeping when he came up the hill from the bunkhouse, but maybe she’d be awake when they finished this meeting.
Jericho turned back to Sampson. "And you metDouglas when?”
Sampson took a slow breath and blew it out. "I spent a day teaching the fellows to sluice mine like I'd told Jonah I was doing. Douglas joined us the second day. I thought he looked familiar, but I didn’t realize he was the man who caused trouble in the saloon.” He shot a look at Jonah. “I wasn’t paying enough attention. I should’ve known.”
Jonah dropped a hand on his shoulder. “It’s all right.”
By Sampson’s expression, he didn’t agree, but he continued. “Anyway, as we were working, the other two mentioned they were learning to sluice mine so they could get on with an outfit owned by a man named Mick, that he was paying fifty percent of earnings to anyone who worked with him. He supposedly had this amazing place where he was mining for high quality gemstones and raking in the profits."
Sampson’s brow furrowed. "I asked to meet him. After I'd worked with those fellows for a few days, they took me on to a town name Canvas Creek, where Mick had a house. We found him in a cafe. They introduced me, and he invited us to join him for the meal."
He shook his head. "I just listened to the others talking to him and could tell the man knew the business and had connections with retailers in the east, just the way our usual buyer in New York does. It was clear during the meal that the fellows I was teaching were itching to get on with this Mick, and by the way the folks in town treated him, like he was the mayor or some sort of boss… I’d say the guy has power.
“When we were finished, I walked with him to the telegraph office so I could talk to him alone. I asked if he ever purchased gems locally in bulk, things like sapphires or rubies. He said absolutely and that he hoped one day to be the largest exporter of precious stones."
Sampson's gaze drifted to the bureau in the corner, though his mind seemed far away, as if he saw the memory play out. "I asked what price he would pay per crate for high gradesapphires. He quoted a price just shy of what we got last year. I figured, working with him, we wouldn't have to pay for transportation all the way to New York. I figured to come back and talk to you about it, Jericho. I'd agreed to meet the man again in two months' time."
Jericho's jaw tightened. "And then he sent his men to follow you home and take the sapphires without paying for them."
Gil spoke up. “Or maybe this Mick didn’t do anything, and those other men you taught to sluice mine came up here on their own.” He raised his brows as he waited for Sampson to comment.
Sampson squinted and paused a moment before answering. “I don’t think so. I got the feeling none of those men moved without Mick giving the order to.”
