“If you’re gonna stand out here whisperin’ all night,” Rachel said, “don’t catch cold doing it.”
Blaze smiled faintly. “It ain’t that bad.”
Rachel gave him a knowing look. “Uh-huh.” She went back inside, humming the same tune their mother used to sing.
Marisol exhaled a soft laugh. “She’s got your humor.”
“Always did,” Blaze said.
The quiet settled again. From the barn came the shuffle of hooves and Chato’s low voice, speaking to the horses in a tongue Blaze didn’t know. A moment later, the Indian appeared, wiping his hands on a rag.
“Horses are bedded down,” he said. “I’ll be leaving come morning.”
Blaze turned. “Leaving?”
“Yeah. Gonna head south, back to my people. Been gone long enough.” He gave a faint smile. “Can’t stay put too long, you know that.”
“Reckon I do,” Blaze replied.
The thought of losing another friend tugged at him, but he knew better than to ask Chato to stay. Some folks needed the trail the way others needed a roof.
Chato looked out over the land, the moonlight catching in his dark hair. “You done good here, Blaze. Better than most men twice your age.”
“Couldn’t have done it without you,” Blaze said.
“Maybe not,” Chato replied, “but you’ll do fine now.”
Marisol folded her arms. “You sure about leavin’?”
“Sure as sunrise,” Chato replied, chuckling. “My place ain’t here no more. But I’ll ride back someday. Make sure you two ain’t burned the barn down.”
Blaze managed a small grin. “We’ll try to keep it standing.”
Chato nodded once, the way men do when words are done. He turned toward the barn and walked into its shadows. Blaze watched him go until the shadows swallowed him.
“He’ll be alright,” Marisol said quietly.
“Yeah,” Blaze murmured. “He always is.”
They stood side by side, the breeze moving through the grass. The barn timbers glowed pale in the moonlight, and Blaze felt the world settle. Not finished, but calm...like something broken had finally started to heal.
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17 Blade
Chapter One
Silver City, Idaho, 1879
Slade “The Blade” Cassidy tightened his legs around his horse, urging Africa to move faster. A small group of bandits had robbed the general store and was in for a big surprise. Unlike law enforcement in most other towns, Sheriff Ethan Wolfe didn’t stop chasing outlaws once they reached the border.
