Blood on the Verde River Read Free Page B

won’t be mad or upset if you throw me out. I know I’m not family nor kin. My respectability ain’t too shiny, but I am her mother and God bless her soul I begged her not to get in that business. I knew the day she told me what she aimed to do something like this would happen to her—but I still wasn’t ready for it. Chet’s got a million irons in the fire, but let’s face it. He can do what no lawman can do—get results.”
    â€œI won’t stand in your way,” Marge said to both of them. “You have some good men to handle the ranches. I can do the books or your sister can. Jenn’s been a big help to you getting started here. Damn it, Chet you have not said a word to either of us.”
    â€œI really don’t know where to start. I have never been to Tombstone. They say it’s a tough town. Finding your daughter will be like looking for a small gold nugget on the floor in the dark.” He held up his hands to both women when they started to protest. “I will go and look hard for her, but when all the roads end, I’ll simply come home, Jenn. I don’t want you to hate me if I fail.” He closed his eyes. They were burning and no tears flowed to wash the flame away.
    â€œTake someone with you,” his wife said softly.
    â€œOnly one who isn’t tied up is JD. I lost one of those boys already.” He dropped his chin. “I can’t lose another of Louise’s sons.”
    â€œIt might change his life,” Marge said. “He’s rudderless now.”
    â€œI’ll go wake Jesus and have him ask JD if he wants to go with me.”
    â€œI can—”
    Chet stopped her. “Not everyone on the ranch needs to know our mission.”
    â€œWill you go by stage from here?”
    â€œNo, we’ll go as cowboys. As far as folks in Preskitt are concerned, we will have gone bull buying. To the people who see us, we’ll be drifters and look like we’re out of work. Make less of a scene that way. We’ll stay in the shadows. Jenn, make me a list of the girls Bonnie worked with. I want to talk to them privately. Do you have a photo of her? That might help.”
    He took the tintype in the metal case that she’d fetched from her purse. An oval pocket-size picture of a pretty girl in her late teens. “Reddish hair?”
    â€œYes. Green eyes, too.”
    â€œYou two make the list of those other girls’ names. I’ll go talk to Jesus.”
    Marge nodded and Jenn agreed, thanking him for accepting the job.
    In answer, he looked at her hard. “We will go look is all I can promise you.”
    She nodded. “I understand.”
    He left the women in the house and found the young man in his room in the stables.
    The youth bolted up in his bed. “What is wrong, señor?”
    â€œShush. I need you to do a special job for me. Ride to the Verde Ranch and find JD. Tell him I need to go look for a lost woman. No more. Ask if he wants to help me. I will leave in the morning to go find her.”
    â€œWhat if he says no?”
    â€œThank him and ride back here.”
    â€œIf he won’t, may I go with you?” The boy was quickly dressing in the dark room with starlight streaming in a couple small panes.
    â€œI would have to ask my wife.”
    â€œI can ride and shoot. And I can speak Spanish to people who would not understand you.”
    His words amused Chet. “I don’t doubt that, Jesus. I will consider your offer.”
    â€œGracias. I will be back by dawn.” In minutes, Jesus was gone in the starlight to saddle a horse to ride.
    Chet went back to the house. Marge opened the door. “Did he understand?”
    â€œYes.” Chet smiled at her. “He wants to go along with us. Says he could talk to people that would not understand my Spanish.”
    She laughed. “I guess your Spanish is shy of being all right.”
    â€œI guess.”
    â€œWhat is