A sick feeling moved through her. She had never heard him talk about “going down.” It hit her then how serious this could be. He knew the kind of men he might be going up against much better than she. The vision of seeing him shot to pieces sent a chill down her spine. She could lose her husband and her son both.
“Maybe you can find some help at Hole-in-the-Wall. You’re Jake Harkner, remember? These men respect you.”
“Maybe so, but that doesn’t make them brave. Respecting me and helping me go up against this Latimer are two different things. Men like these don’t make friends easily and don’t go around risking their lives for each other. I wish to hell Jess was still alive. I could use him right now.”
Miranda rose. “I do believe I saw you shoot down seven men back in California.”
“That was seven, not ten, and they were all pretty much in one area. Out here men can spread out, hide in a thousand places. Wherever this Latimer hangs out, you can bet his men are scattered around keeping watch.” He walked back to sit by the fire. “Get some sleep. We’ve got some hard riding to do tomorrow.”
“What about you?”
“I can’t sleep. I’ve got some thinking to do.”
She lay back against her saddle, watching him, thinking how different he was in these situations. He had to draw on the old Jake for this, revert to the cunning, ruthless nature he’d shown when she first met him. There was that fire in his eyes, that mean look that would frighten her if she didn’t know him so well. She had seen it when he slammed his revolver across Mark Whitney’s face, felt actual chills at the look in his eyes right after he shot the man.
She closed her eyes, telling herself she must try to rest, but it would be nearly impossible, worrying about Lloyd and Jake both. Jake sat down and leaned against his own saddle, his revolver still worn on his hip, the magazine rifle and shotgun both close by. “Keep that pistol handy,” he advised. “You never know out here when you might need it.”
“It’s right beside me.”
Jake rubbed at his eyes. “I’ve got to find him alive, Randy. If we don’t reach him in time—” His voice broke.
“He’s in God’s hands for now, Jake. You’ve got to trust in that. God didn’t bring us this far for nothing.”
He threw his cigarette into the fire. “I’ll never learn to have your kind of faith, but then I expect you’ve got enough for both of us.”
“You trust in me, Jake, and you’re learning to trust in yourself. Now trust in God. He’s done pretty good by you so far, considering your past, don’t you think?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I guess He has at that.”
The wolves continued their howling, and Jake rose, walking out of the light of the fire. Miranda knew there would be no sleep for him tonight.
Thirty-two
They crossed the Middle Fork River, and although its waters were flowing gently, there was still a roaring sound because of the high cliffs on either side that caused everything to echo. They had been traveling for over a week now, moving through wild, gloriously beautiful country; but it was difficult to appreciate its beauty because of their worry over Lloyd. Jake pointed to a spot in the rocky cliffs that loomed over the river. Scrubby pine trees seemed to grow right out of the rock. “See that cave up there?” he called to her. “They call it Outlaw Cave. Civil War deserters used to hide up there. A prisoner once told me Frank and Jesse James used that cave to hide out after robbing a union Pacific train in the late seventies. They killed two deputies. I knew where the cave was. Came across it when I was through this way back in sixty-nine.”
How well Miranda remembered those two years of separation when she wasn’t sure where Jake was or if he would really send for her. He had run into Jess in this wild country. Poor Jess. How he would love to be with them now, helping Jake find Lloyd. She would feel so much better if Jake had someone besides her to back him up. She dreaded the thought of Jake trying to go after Jubal Latimer alone, wondered if Lloyd would appreciate the risk the man was taking.
After a few hours they moved out into a wide, windy valley, where a few horses and cattle grazed. Miranda had to tie her hat under her chin to hang on to it. Jake pulled his horse to a halt and she rode up beside him. He nodded toward the stock. “Stolen, no doubt,” he said matter-of-factly. “They bring them here to fatten them up and change the brands, then resell them.” He looked above them at a steep, red-rock cliff that was flat on top. “This is Hole-in-the-Wall, such as it is. There are a few cabins up top there where someone might be hanging out who knows something about Lloyd. Trouble is, Latimer himself could be around here, so let me do the talking. Go easy on the way up. It’s a damn steep, narrow climb with steep cliffs on both sides and the path is full of loose rock. You might have to get off and lead your horse on foot.” He turned his horse and headed toward a narrow opening in the looming cliff. “This is a favorite spot because it’s so hard to get in and out,” he called to her. “One man could hold off a whole army up there.”