“Where are you gonna put all the horses, Josiah?” Elias asked. “We don’t have a corral big enough.”
“You’re right, Elias. What would you suggest?”
Elias’s gaze narrowed as he studied the situation for a minute. Finally, he shook his head, his mouth twisting to one side as he came to a conclusion. “We need to take Harjo’s horses back to him. Why don’t we put six of these in our barn then take the rest to his place and keep them in his small corral.”
“How do you know he has a small corral?” Josiah asked.
“Billy told me.”
“Smart boys you got there, Josiah.” Paul grinned. “We’ll help if this Harjo’s spread isn’t too far.”
“It’s not far—about five miles west of here, so you’re that much closer to home. And, thanks for the help.”
“Let me pack food for your trip. It’s the least I can do,” Mia said.
“Now that would be much appreciated, ma’am. I get very tired of eating Paul’s beans.” Dean laughed.
Mia and Summer hurried inside and gathered all the food they had on hand while the men separated the horses. Almost fifteen minutes later, the food was ready and Josiah’s horse saddled. He took the brown paper-wrapped packages of food and tucked them in the men’s saddlebags, then gave his wife a kiss.
“This shouldn’t take too long.” He turned to Elias and Billy. “Fill every water bucket and make sure the horses have a bit of grain and there’s enough grass in each stall. If they seem comfortable with you, you can brush them down. It will calm them and help them get used to their new home.” He waited for their nods. “When I get back, I’ll check on your work, so be sure to do a good job, you hear?’
He turned back to Mia and held her cheek, his thumb rubbing her soft skin. He forced his hand away and stepped into his saddle. Without looking back, he maneuvered his horse around so the three of them could easily move the small herd forward.
Retracing his steps several hours later, Josiah let his horse lead the way home. From his vantage point, he could see the roof of the house. It had been a long day, and he was tired. It was a good tired, though. He couldn’t believe his good fortune. Horses. Magnificent Comanche-bred horses at that.
He climbed down from his saddle and stretched, his horse playfully sticking his head between his arms and into his face. Josiah laughed and rested his forehead against the bridge of his horse’s nose, his fingers scratching both sides of his wide jaws. “You should be more tired than I am. Maybe you just need a bit of attention?”
His horse gently bumped his head several times then laid his across his shoulder as if giving Josiah a hug. Josiah wrapped his arms around his friend. “I’ve missed times like this too, my friend. We might have to sneak off and have some play time soon, won’t we?”
“You really do have a way with horses.”
Hearing the strange male voice, Josiah whirled around, his hand dropping to the gun strapped low on his hip. A slow smile appeared, his hand easing away. Instead, he held it out to the handsome black man standing in front of him.
“Well, if it isn’t Bass Reeves himself. It’s been almost a year, hasn’t it? Last time I saw you, Clay and I were in Fort Smith, bringing in a herd of cattle for the military, and you’d just come in from delivering an outlaw, I believe.”
“Good memory. How is Clay?”
“He and Sophia are well. Whole family’s growing too fast.”
“I was surprised to hear you’d moved this far east. Glad, though. Good to know I’ll have someone besides Harjo I can count on when I need help.”
“I take it this is one of those times?”
Bass leaned his weight to one side, his thumbs stuck behind the waist of his dark brown pants. The tin star on his vest glinted in the evening sun. “You reckon right. With Harjo laid up, I need someone to fill his shoes, and he recommended you. Said not only are you a crack shot, but you also have healing knowledge in the Injun way. You’d be a good man to have on this hunt. I can tell you these men are ruthless and won’t stop until they’re dead and they will try to take as many as they can with ’em.”
“You’re going after the same men Harjo and the lighthorse were hunting?”
Bass nodded. “They’ve added two more to their group and with the boy, now total five. They killed a Seminole farmer east of here along with his wife and son. We’re tightening the noose and they’re getting desperate.”
“When are you leaving?”
“We’ll ride out at dawn.”
Josiah knew going could put his family at risk, especially if the outlaws were that close. He knew of three or four Seminole farmers within a ten-mile radius of his home. It was close, and he worried for his family. This was a job opportunity he couldn’t turn down. If the outlaw gang was smart, they’d hightail it south to Texas. With Bass Reeves on their trail, why stay?
He glanced toward the house and again, his family was standing outside, staring at the newcomer. Only Elias, his hand in Mia’s, seemed to know who Bass was. The boy’s eyes were open wide as he stared, unblinking. Josiah smiled at the boy’s reaction.
“Bass.” He walked over and stood between his wife and Summer. “I’d like for you to meet my wife, Mia.” He pointed to Mia’s other side. “That’s Elias,” he said, and laid his hand on Summer’s shoulder. “And this is Summer, and her cousin Billy.”