Silver Creek - G.L. Snodgrass Page 0,41

honorable man.”

“But why?” Rebecca said. “Why does it have to be them?”

Helen shrugged. “Because, think what this world would be like without men like them. It ain’t a pretty picture. You want men like Mark Felton being in charge?”

Once again Rebecca sighed. Her friend was right, but that didn’t make things easier. She was thinking of sneaking out the back when the opening of the front door stopped her. Twisting, she growled under her breath when Joshua and Sarah Felton stepped in followed by two of their cowboys.

Every instinct told her to attack, these people wanted to kill Luke. But she forced the anger down and put on her best smile as she stepped into the dining room.

“Welcome,” she said as she waved her hand to a table for them to sit.

The elder Felton glared at her with narrowed eyes. Sarah though, was even worse. Her look was pure hate. The kind of look that told Rebecca to never turn her back on this woman. Sarah had changed, Rebecca realized. Or, at least let the façade fall, so that the true Sarah was exposed.

The two cowboys, Bill Carver, and Jess Spencer both removed their hats and dipped their heads to her.

Rebecca wondered what they thought about all this. They rode for the brand. Loyalty was oh so important out here. Especially to the man who paid you. But what did they think? Would they try to kill Luke if they were ordered to?

“Coffee?” Rebecca asked as she used her apron to pick up the hot coffee pot.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Carver said as he turned over his coffee cup for her to fill. Spencer, and then finally both of the other Feltons, did the same.

When she finished, Joshua pulled back a little and stared up at her. “Your uncle’s ranch. You know I bought it from that Travers person.”

Rebecca ground her teeth as she forced herself to remain calm. “Yes, I heard. My uncle ended up dead, the money gone, and you with the ranch.”

Sarah’s eyes narrowed. “We had nothing to do with him getting murdered.”

Rebecca glared at her, unable to keep an appearance of civility. “You didn’t even know your brother tried to kill Sherriff Reed. What else don’t you know about?”

Both brother and sister looked at each other for a second before Felton shrugged then looked at her with knowing eyes. “I assume you would like to have that ranch back?”

A new anger flared inside of her as she realized the man was willing to give her the ranch if she convinced Luke to let his brother go.

“Think about it,” Sarah interjected. “Your man would be safe. You would have your home back. You could settle down together.”

Rebecca barked out a quick laugh before she could stop herself. “You people don’t know Luke Parker. That has to be the stupidest idea I have ever heard.”

Both of the Circle B cowboys swallowed hard as their eyes grew big. Obviously, neither was used to seeing their boss and his sister being talked to this way.

Felton’s eyes narrowed. But it was Sarah that surprised her, she smiled. “Good,” she said with nasty glee. “You will never get that land back. Everything your uncle built will be mine and ours.”

Rebecca studied her for a second, suddenly seeing the evil woman behind the cold eyes. She noticed that Bill Carver was shooting the woman strange looks. As if he were seeing the real person for the first time.

“Perhaps,” Rebecca said as she turned to put the coffee pot back on the brazier. “But I have to tell you. I’m more concerned about the life I create than a few buildings on a stretch of land that ain’t going anywhere.”

The two women stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment before Rebecca smiled and said, “I’ll get you your meals. I assume you’ll be wanting cobbler?”

A sense of pride flashed through her when she turned and walked away. She had gotten the last word. The look of worry in Sarah’s eyes had been priceless. The realization that the Feltons had come up against an unmovable object in Luke Parker was finally sinking into their heads.

She thought about her efforts to convince Luke to back away. Not now, she thought to herself. These people could not be allowed to win.

.o0o.

Luke leaned against the door jam and stared into the cell. His prisoner sat on his bunk with his head in his hands. McAdams had wrapped a bandage around the man’s head the night before, then