Silver Creek - G.L. Snodgrass Page 0,10
world wouldn’t feel so wonderful.
Chapter Five
Luke slowly chewed his steak as he listened to Becky tell her story. The sheriff arriving to inform her that the ranch had been sold. About finding her uncle shot in the back and all the money stolen. About Helen saving her, giving her a job.
He frowned as he studied her for a long moment. “The sheriff look into it?”
“He said he did and that the sale was square.”
“But?” he asked.
He watched as her shoulders slumped. “It’s obvious. They paid for the ranch thinking they could get the money back on the trail.”
“Where is this man?” he asked. “Out at the ranch?”
Becky shook her head. “He sold out and disappeared. The Feltons bought it.”
“Convenient,” Luke said as he tried to work it out. “The Feltons. Any relation to that idiot from before?”
She nodded. “The younger brother, Joshua Felton, is the power behind the family. They own half the valley and two of the mines up in the hills.”
“If they own so much, why did they want your uncle’s ranch? I mean, land ain’t exactly scarce in these parts.”
She frowned as she slowly shook her head. “It doesn’t make sense I know. They aren’t even using it, the ranch, except as a line cabin for cowboys working the range.”
He shook his head, he hated mysteries. They gnawed at his gut until he got them worked out and this here sounded more convoluted than the Snake River at flood.
“How is Jacob,” Becky asked as she leaned forward. “And Hanna?”
He hesitated a moment. Was she sweet on his little brother? They were about the same age.
“They are fine, at least the last time Hanna wrote. “She and Zion married …”
Becky smiled. “I’m not surprised. She loved him from the first.”
Luke nodded, “Yes, well, he took a bit of convincing that a settled life would be good for him. But I got to tell you. I ain’t never seen a man more content in my life. A sweet horse ranch, a good wife, and a half dozen young’ens. Yes, I’d say Zion came out just fine.”
Once again, an awkward silence fell around them. He’d never been good at talking to women. Especially pretty ones. But Becky was different. It seemed like they should be able to talk about anything. Like when they were kids. They’d shared a dozen secrets. Now, here, it was as if a giant wall stood between them.
“I heard them call you Rebecca,” he said. “Do you prefer that to Becky?”
She smiled at him. “I thought I did. But now … with you. Maybe not.”
“In my mind, you will always be Becky. The strong-willed girl who made the sunrise fade in comparison.”
Her cheeks grew very red as she continued to stare into his eyes. Then, as if remembering something, shook her head and asked, “You haven’t been home?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “It’ll be there when I finish here.”
She frowned as she looked off into the distance. He was struck once again by how beautiful the woman was. Corn silk hair the color of the sun. Blue eyes that sparkled with intelligence. A heart-shaped face with a pert little nose and high cheekbones. All of that combined with a form, perfectly curved. The kind of woman that could make a man glad to be a man.
Yes, Becky had grown up.
She turned back to him. “I don’t want you to get involved. I was wrong to ask for you to come.”
His gut clenched. “You ain’t happy to see me?”
Her cheeks blushed as she looked down and shook her head. “No. You know that’s not it. I just don’t want you getting hurt. The ranch isn’t worth it.”
Luke hesitated for a moment then sighed heavily. “It ain’t just about your ranch. Your uncle was murdered. I don’t know if you remember, but when he got hurt that time and let me lead his stock. He put a lot of trust in a young boy and never made me feel like I couldn’t do it. That meant a lot at that time in my life. He deserves justice. At least in my book.”
She continued to frown. “Yes, but it has been so long. Six months. What can you do?”
He glared off into the distance as he took a sip of coffee. “I can stir things up and see what happens. One thing I’ve learned, secrets have a way of spilling out where you least expect it.”
Her look of doubt didn’t fill him with confidence. But one thing he knew deep