Forever by Your Side (Willamette Brides #3) - Tracie Peterson Page 0,96
promoting the relocation to the far north. I thought it quite brilliant, myself.”
“It’s cruel and you know it. The Indians would never survive another forced march. That’s thousands and thousands of miles through nothing but vast Canadian wilderness. They would have died before they ever reached Alaska.”
“And that would have solved the problem nicely. No Indians to resettle, just bodies to bury.”
“And skeletons to sell. I suppose you were a part of that as well.”
“You are truly naïve. I’ve been at the center of it all. Selling artifacts and skeletons—whatever made me money. I’ve amassed a small fortune because of the bizarre interests of others.”
“You really don’t care about these people at all, do you?”
“Why should I? They’ve been nothing but trouble. Pitiful little children, with their superstitions and ridiculous beliefs. The sooner they’re dead and gone, the better for all of us.”
“And does that include me, since I’m one-eighth Indian? Will you kill anyone with the slightest bit of Indian blood?”
The kitchen door opened, and Sam Sheridan filled the doorway. Clint had never cared for him, but knowing he hated Browning had made him an ally. At least a temporary one. Clint had particular plans for Sam’s death after he had served his purpose.
“What do you want, Sam? Are the troops dead?” Clint asked.
“No, and neither is Mr. Lowell.”
Clint could see the relief on Connie’s face. He burned with anger. “So your precious Tom is still alive. I knew I should have shot him one more time to make sure he was dead.”
“You shot him?” Her voice was shocked.
“I did, and I meant to kill him. My mistake for not seeing the job through. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“Tom has done you no harm,” she protested.
“He’s ruined my plans.”
Sam nodded. “He warned the soldiers. They won’t be eating that stew you provided. I heard one of the soldiers announce this at their eating place.”
Clint let out a growl. “It was all planned. It was perfectly laid out. I told my father it was going to be done tonight.”
“Your father has also been taken by the soldiers.”
Clint whirled and punched the cabinet behind him. “Where are your men? We have a few rifles left and plenty of rounds. I want them to sneak out and kill all of the nearby settlers. Tell them to kill any soldier they can—but only if they can do it and get away unseen. I don’t want to lose what loyal men I have.”
“You don’t have any loyal men. They are my men,” Sam declared.
Clint looked at him. The hatred on Sam’s face was obvious.
“If that’s the way you feel, then I must end our association.” Clint pulled his gun and pointed it at Sam.
Without warning, Connie threw herself in front of Sam. “I won’t let you kill him. You’ll have to kill me first.”
“Stupid girl. And why do you think I won’t?” He could see out the window that it was already starting to get light.
Connie had the audacity to smile in the face of death. “Because, Clint, you need me. I’m your only hope for getting out of here alive. You need me as a hostage.”
Mercy and Adam sat in the boardinghouse’s front room, waiting for news on Connie, Isaac, and Tom. Mercy hadn’t been able to eat a bite of breakfast, nor had she been able to sleep the night before. The thought of her only daughter and son being subjected to whatever horrors that were planned made her ill. She had seen the Indians at war. They were a skilled people—a proud people. They had endured oppression and inferior treatment for decades. They would not be easily persuaded to stand down.
Glancing at Adam, she could see he had the same thoughts on his mind. They met each other’s gaze, but Mercy felt no reassurance. The only emotion in Adam’s eyes was dire worry. She squeezed his hand.
The hours passed with them doing nothing but sitting and waiting. Mercy tried to pray, but the words wouldn’t come. She knew God understood her heart, but she had so little strength left. She’d spent her entire life loving this man that the government of Oregon now wanted her to put aside. She had given him children that the world also condemned. How could people be so cruel, so unfeeling? How could they imagine that tearing her family apart would serve any good purpose?
Nancy came to announce lunch, but even now Mercy wasn’t hungry. She shook her head at Nancy’s continued encouragement.