Page 33

He shut his eye. “Trees burn.”

Her pencil stopped.

The words came again, strained and urgent. “Don’t sell.”

Eden leaned toward him. His breathing had grown ragged and sweat gathered at his temple.

“Jesse. I’ve written it down.”

He opened his eye and fixed it on the notebook.

“Won’t forget?”

“I won’t.”

“Need Bass to know.”

“I’ll tell Nate.”

“Not Bass.”

She set the pencil aside. “Why?”

“He’ll ride out. Go after ‘em.” Jesse struggled for breath. “Get killed.”

Eden understood why he had refused his brother’s visit. Bass’s temper was no secret, and Jesse was helpless to stop him from bed.

“We’ll speak to the sheriff first,” she said. “Your brother won’t have to hear it all at once.”

“You promise?”

“I promise I’ll handle your words carefully. I won’t send Bass racing into danger.”

He lay back. His hand loosened against the blanket.

“Good.”

She went to the door and called Nate in. He listened as she read Jesse’s words from the notebook, then checked on his brother while Eden stepped into the hall.

Bass waited there.

“What did he say?”

Eden closed the notebook before he could see the page.

“Enough to help Whit. Nate is with him now.”

Bass reached for the book, then stopped himself. “Tell me.”

“He’s frightened you’ll go after the men who hurt him.”

Bass’s hand dropped.

“That’s why he won’t see me?”

“He didn’t say that.” She kept her voice low. “He asked me to be careful with what he’d remembered. I intend to keep my word.”

Bass stepped back. Emily came to stand beside him, and he took her hand without looking away from the sickroom door.