His question caught Cade by surprise—both the nature of it and the fact that Bennett asked it. The dark-haired man was a quiet one, rarely speaking unless someone asked him something directly. “Well,” Cade began. “I hope it wouldn’t just because I’ll be there to prevent it. I plan to hire on help too.”
“The more men, the better,” Sawyer added in an uncharacteristically serious tone. But his usually jovial nature returned quickly. “I can help you find some men to hire on when the time comes.”
“I’d appreciate that, thank you,” Cade replied.
Sawyer waved away the gratitude. “Neighbors need to look out for each other.”
They moved on to topics from nearby Crest Stone, with Yount reporting that the daily train from Cañon City was bringing in approximately twenty new men each day. Sawyer insisted that couldn’t be true, and Cade enjoyed the back and forth between the two men as they discussed the number in a lively debate. Bennett said nothing, choosing instead to sit back in his chair with his arms crossed.
But the debate was interrupted by Mrs. Bennett, who swept into the room looking a bit frantic. “I’m sorry to interrupt, gentlemen, but I can’t find Mrs. Harris anywhere.”
“What do you mean?” her husband asked, standing before Cade had even processed her words.
“She couldn’t have gone too far,” Sawyer added. “Did you look outside?”
“That’s the problem,” Hannah replied, wringing her hands against her dress. “I was outside, retrieving more water. I didn’t see her at all, and when I came back in, she was gone. I’ve looked all over!”
Fear tingled across Cade’s arms. Was it possible that the prowler from a few nights ago was still in the vicinity?No, he told himself. There were a hundred more likely possibilities. Still, he wasn’t about to waste time when he could be looking for her. “I’ll check the outbuildings.”
“I’ll come with you,” Bennett volunteered.
The other two men and Hannah dashed off in different directions as Cade and Bennett moved quickly toward the barn, lanterns in hand.
“She’s not in here,” Cade shouted after he’d made quick work of looking throughout Sawyer’s barn.
Bennett followed him like a shadow to the nearby stable, where Old Brown was currently enjoying a guest’s dinner just as his human owner had. Bennett immediately went toward to the rear of the stable while Cade raised his lantern to see into the nooks and crannies.
“Hello?” a woman’s voice called out. “Who’s there?”
Chapter Twenty-one
“Foundher!”Hannah’shusband,Mr. Bennett, held his lantern aloft. The soft light illuminated his dark hair and tanned face, which showed a nick or two from a razor. He must have recently shaved to be presentable for their dinner.
Or for other reasons she didn’t wish to contemplate.
“I wasn’t lost,” Jolie said as she emerged from the rear of the stable where several horses were cozy in their stalls, including one she almost wished she hadn’t seen.
“Weren’t you,” Bennett said. It wasn’t a question, and the way his dark eyes traced her made Jolie wish she’d hidden behind one of the horses and let them keep searching.
Cade came into view, and she slipped past Mr. Bennett to Cade’s side.
“What are you doing out here?” Cade’s face was a mess of worry and relief, and despite the fact that they’d barely spoken to one another in days, he looked as if he wanted to embrace her.
She swallowed, her heart warming. She needed to tell him. Away from Mr. Bennett, Mr. Sawyer, or any of them. They needed to be alone.
“Oh, I grew bored and wished to visit the horses.” She gave him a dazzling smile that she hoped Mr. Bennett also caught.
“You did?” Cade didn’t believe her, that much was very evident. But she needed Mr. Bennett to believe her.
She slid her gaze his direction. He was watching her skeptically. “I do so love horses. I took a particular liking to that chestnut mare in the back. She’s a lovely horse.”
Bennett watched her a moment before nodding in assent. He said nothing, and his face was unreadable. She couldn’t tell if he believed her or not.
No matter what, they needed to leave.
“I’m not feeling particularly well. Cade, could we say our goodbyes?” She batted her eyelashes rather poorly at her husband.
He eyed her curiously. “All right. I need to inform the others that you’ve been found anyway.”
