The Lure of Bounty

Chapters 1-16

by catgirl63

Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program "Big Valley" are the creations of Four Star/Republic Pictures and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended by the author. The ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.

Chapter 1

Many things can shape a person from the time of their birth.

From the time of his birth, Heath Thomson, was shaped by his mother with her love by creating a gentleness in his inner being. The gentleness over the years not replaced but covered or protected with a hardness, a loneliness, a sense of self reliance. It was replaced because of the influence of his environment which surrounded him, his place in life thrust upon him by the lack of a father to guide him and provide the financial means to raise his family up to at least the poverty level of the country.

Heath did whatever was necessary to help his mother bring food on the table and keep a roof over their heads.

When he was a child, he was the man of the family. A small boy who nonetheless took his responsibility seriously. It was the responsibility of his place in the family which lead him into the mines to set charges and escape death on a daily basis. It was the responsibility of being the man in the family which lead him to work in his uncle and aunt’s hotel in Strawberry, earning him beatings and degradation on a daily basis. It was the responsibility as the head of the family which took the young man to war as a teenager.

It was the enticing money paid to sharpshooters, an elite group of men amongst thousands, the pay more than for just an ordinary soldier. As a teenager, with the money he sent home, his beloved mother didn’t have to work as hard and could relax for once in her young life. To see her working from sunrise to sunset each day caused his sapphire eyes to burn with pain and anger. Angry she had to live such a life. Angry the man who sired him didn’t have the decency to return to find out if he’d left a child behind. Angry his mother wouldn’t confide or confess the man’s name.

The sharpshooter money aided his mother and came at a high price to himself. A high price from incarceration in the confederate prison. A high price from the damage the prison and its caretakers had done to his inner being. A high price from the damage caused to his physical body requiring months of recovery.

After recovering, he worked various jobs, wandering from place to place. He sought a way to fight the demons inside him. He sought a way to calm his rage which he’d always had since birth but was unable to control after being liberated from the prison.

He wandered until he teamed up with Frank Sawyer as a deputy, helping the kind and able lawman clean up a town. The sheriff was the father figure he never had in his young life. He was seventeen years old when he became a deputy and nineteen when he quit. His mother was sick and the pay of a deputy would not come close to the cost of the care she needed in the hospital at Sacramento.

It was the months of hospitalization for his mother and the low deputy’s pay which sent the young man into wild horse capturing and taming. However, the pay from this venture took too long to earn and was not enough to keep the hospital’s administrators off his back.

It was the need to increase his earnings intake drastically which thrust him into his current profession. It was this profession which enabled him to send money to his Aunt Rachel who used it to ensure his mother received the medical care she needed. The medical care to enhance and lengthen her time in this world. This world which hadn’t given her much in the way of happiness except for a son with his father’s eyes, a son who knew more violence than peace, a son who’d do anything for his mother.

It was the need for money which turned Heath Thomson into a hunter of men.

A hunter skillful and sure on the trail, able to merge with the backgrounds around him and keep an eye on his prey. A hunter whose skills kept the money coming in, kept the hospital administrators happy during his mother’s last time on this earth.

The death of his mother had crushed his heart, his grief almost too much to overcome. She had been everything to him, she had been the only light in his blackened world. Her smile the sunshine in the storms of life. It was a desire to take his Aunt from the hellhole of his hometown which was responsible for stirring a sense of purpose within him after his mother’s death. The purpose set his mind on an end goal of building his own place on the land. A ranch where he could retire to and raise the horses he loved. A ranch for himself and his aunt, a haven away from the turmoil of the world.

It was the enticement of the reward on the flyer shown to him by his friend, Sheriff Frank Sawyer months ago which caught his attention. The flyer offering a reward of fifty thousand dollars to the capture of the man who murdered Thomas Barkley.

It was the enticement of the reward, in what could be his one last job, which would give him the money needed for the ranch and life he found himself yearning for. One last job and now he was on his way back to Stockton to claim his reward, toting the still living man, preferring to bring them in alive rather than dead.

Unlike others in his profession, he was not a man who preferred to bring in corpses. Sometimes it could not be avoided as the men he sought were not willing to give themselves up. He was not a killer but he had killed.

The lure of the bounty was bringing him to Stockton.

He was a bounty hunter and tracker of men.

Chapter 2

Sighing to himself, Heath shook off an uneasy feeling rising up inside him as the strides of his Modoc ate up the ground underneath her. A lead rope was tied to the horse holding Jake Garrett, the man whose reward was the bounty he had worked months on.

The day wore on and the closer he neared his destination of Stockton, he swore he felt a chill shivering his spine in the hot summer sun. His very vocal and complaining package turned quiet as the miles disappeared behind them. Stopping for a quick bite and to rest the horses briefly, Heath studied Garrett looking sneakily around with his eyes, waiting for someone or something.

Mounting up to continue their ride, Heath kept his rifle across his lap and his eyes roving under the brim of his hat. The murderer behind him had taken the life of the prominent California citizen over two years ago and it was rumored he’d been paid by some railroad officials for the deed.

No one had ever been sent to trial over the murder, no charges ever filed and this knowledge is what made the young hunter uneasy and on edge. No charges meant no public trial was ever held and the sharp mind of the hunter wondered what secrets the man he was toting held inside of him.

What would he reveal on the witness stand? What would he reveal about who paid him to commit the act of murder? Would he sing like a canary or be silent by claming up? Would those who paid him be wanting to silence the fugitive? Would they wait to see what the fugitive planned before making a move?

These questions ran through Heath’s mind as he rode, purposely taking a longer, lesser traveled route to the end of his destination. Sometimes going from point a to point b meant first traveling to c or d. Sometimes it was the difference between life and death.

His instincts for survival were honed over the years, growing sharper and saving him on more than one occasion. He was not about to lose Garrett or be killed in the process. Taking every precaution, he kept his prisoner tied at all times and in his control at all times.

The reward earned from this one bounty would be the start of his new life, his aunt’s new life. The desire to settle down and perhaps raise a family burned deep within him. Being an only child and being a bastard child, had left him with a void growing up. He had often contemplated if having siblings as a child would have filled the void or was the void caused by his lack of playmates due to his circumstances of birth. He was unsure even now as an adult, however, he did know he wanted a wife and lots of children. The sound of an innocent child’s laughter was perhaps one of the most beautiful tones in god’s creation.

The outskirts of Stockton lay ahead on the horizon and the sight of the buildings sent the hunter’s heels into the sides of his Modoc, urging her to increase her pace. Gal sensing the anxiety in her master and feeling his signal, complied with the demand of the one who cared for her like a baby.

Garrett hung his head as he was lead down the streets of the town by the bounty hunter and he cursed under his breath, wondering why his brother hadn’t taken care of the blonde man on the trail and freed him.

Heath walked the horses down the street, his rifle still across his lap. Until the law signed for this man, he was not about to let his guard down. Relief sprang into the intense blue eyes at the sign of the sheriff’s office and he directed the horses to the rail out front.

Stopping and tying up Gal, Heath undid the lashings holding Garrett into the saddle and helped him down. Holding up the man for a moment to gather his legs under him, Heath pulled him on the arm and led him to the office door.

Opening the door and stepping aside, the flash of sunlight on metal forced him into a split second decision as the report of the rifle rang out through the town.

Chapter 3

Grabbing hold of his prisoner’s arm, Heath propelled both men into the dirt of the street as a bullet whizzed by and hit the side of the building where Garrett’d been standing. Rolling over and jumping to his feet, the young hunter stood above his bounty and saw the end of the rifle jutting out over the side of the roof, searching for its target which lay between Gal and himself. Another shot sounded and the screeching cry of a horse thrust a knifelike pain into his heart.

Whipping his rife to his shoulder, Heath fired at the end of the weapon, a startled yelp and the pinging sound of his projectile hitting the metal could be heard over the screams of the citizens in the street. They dodged for cover, frightened at the unexpected violence erupting and disrupting their fairly quiet lives.

The sound of shots caused Sheriff Maden to bolt toward the door, reaching it in time to see the stranger fire a shot at a rooftop across the street. Fred watched a rifle fall out of the sniper’s hands and into the street, more than likely from the force of the bullet hitting it.

Heath turned and knelt on his knee when he felt the hairs in the back of his neck rise up from the feel of someone behind him. Seeing the sheriff’s badge, he yelled, “Watch my prisoner, Sheriff!”

Lunging to his feet, he ran across the street and down the alley reaching the end. Stopping, he knelt and peered around the corner, pulling back as the sound of more shots rang out and broke off pieces of the building, sending splinters into the face of the hunter.

Cursing, Heath felt the debris enter his face and lunged from his position landing on his stomach and firing at the back of the fleeing man who’d jumped on his horse. His shots sounded like one and the man flinched before falling backwards into the sparse grass.

Holding his rifle ready and pointing it at the still body on the ground, Heath climbed to his feet and slowly walked towards the attacker, making a half circle around the man. His face stung from the slivers embedded in it and the sweat from his forehead ran down into his eyes. Approaching the nonmoving figure, Heath slowly lowered the rifle at the sight of the open eyes staring upwards into the cloudless sky.

Fred called out as he walked around the corner, not wanting to startle the man holding a rifle and kneeling beside the man on the ground. Walking over he knelt beside the stranger and studied the body.

“Damn.” muttered Fred in disbelief.

Heath glanced at the lawman, “Know him?”

Nodding, Fred climbed to his feet and held out his hand, “Sheriff Fred Maden.”

“Heath Thomson, bounty hunter.” informed the blonde quietly waiting for the sheriff’s reaction to his profession, surprised when it was not the usual one of disdain and disgust, the same reaction he’d experienced from people since his birth as a bastard.

Fred felt an immediate liking of the quiet sure man before him, uncertain as to why the young man invoked such a feeling. Smiling, he replied, “You must not be very good if you bring them in alive, huh?”

Chuckling and relaxing at the friendly teasing barb, Heath moved his hand up to the left side of his face as he spoke, “Guess I like doing things the hard way, Sheriff.”

“Don’t touch those splinters.” warned Fred stopping the rising hand. “You should see the doc and let him make sure he gets them out all the way. They could get infected.”

Heath nodded and gestured downward with his rifle. “Who is this guy?”

Frowning, Fred bit his lower lip in thought. “That’s Jack Garrett in my cell, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, he’s got a fifty thousand dollar price tag on his head.” informed Heath curiously watching the older man.

Taking a deep breath, Fred motioned with his head and the two walked away from the body, “Yeah, I thought I recognized Garrett. This man was one of Tom Barkley’s hands at the time he was killed. Simpson was his name.”

“A Barkley hand?” whistled Heath, the implications flowing through his mind. “Boy howdy, that doesn’t sound good.”

“No, it sure doesn’t.” admitted Fred quietly as they crossed the street to the sheriff’s office, grabbing a passerby and sending him down the street for the undertaker to collect the body. Heath slowly knelt beside his dead horse and ran a strong gentle hand over her neck, his eyes filling with emotion, his throat choked with a lump of sadness and regret.

“Gal, I’m gonna miss you.” whispered Heath, grateful when the sheriff helped pull his saddlebags out from under his faithful companion. “She was a goer and none finer.”

“Modoc’s are great horses.” admitted Fred, taken back by the emotion in the man’s eyes. “I’m real sorry, Mr. Thomson.”

Heath patted the velvet coat one last time and sighed before standing. “Heath, not Mr. Thomson, Sheriff.”

“Well, I’m Fred, Heath. Why don’t you come in the office and I’ll ask my deputy to have some men take care of your horse for you.” suggested Fred quietly, seeing the hesitation in the man as he looked down at his horse before receiving a slight nod.

Following the lawman in the office, Heath wearily sank into one of the chairs and accepted a cup of coffee after Fred sent Billy out to take care of the dead animal. Taking out some paper from his saddlebags, Heath handed it over across the desk.

“If ya’ can fill this out, Fred, I’ll collect my bounty and get outta your hair.” drawled Heath taking a sip of coffee.

Taking the papers, Fred read them over and nodded. “I’ll be glad to fill them out, Heath, but you won’t get your reward until the banker’s back on Monday. Only he can sign over this amount of money from the bank, regardless of the reason. Bank policy.”

Leaning his head back against the chair, Heath’s loud groan of dismay filled the room. “Hell, that’s six days away.”

Smiling slightly, Fred apologized, “Sorry, I’d do whatever I could to speed up the process but he’s in San Francisco at a convention.”

Nodding at the sheriff’s sincerity, Heath smirked, “He might’ve left the country if I wired and warned him I was coming seeing how hard it is for bankers to part with money. I guess six days isn’t gonna kill me.”

Chuckling in agreement, Fred picked up his pen and dipped it into the inkwell, the scratching of the tip on the paper filled in the necessary information. Completing the task, he smiled and handed a paper to the blonde.

“Here’s your receipt, Heath. On Monday afternoon, we’ll be able to get your reward.” stated Fred shoving the other papers in his desk.

Opening his vest, Heath placed the receipt in the inside pocket and rebuttoned the small pocket. The pocket usually holding only his emergency money in case he lost his wallet. After receiving directions to the livery, a hotel and the town physician, Heath thanked the sheriff and left the office.

Leading his other horse to the livery and toting the saddle which the deputy had placed in the office while the two men completed their business, Heath frowned at the thought of staying six unplanned days in the town. Common sense forced him to realize it was a two day ride to Strawberry and then another two days back in good weather. Sighing, he resigned himself to opting for six days of rest during this unexpected holiday.

Resisting the urge to scratch his cheek from the itching of the embedded slivers, Heath curried the chestnut, his mind wondering about the almost immediate liking of the older lawman. The young hunter examined his out of character reaction towards this man, usually Heath preferred sitting back and watching instead of openly interacting with people. A trait unconsciously formed since the time he fully understood why he was treated differently than other children around him. Pausing for a moment, he decided the sheriff reminded him of Frank Sawyer. Both sheriffs had the same air about them, both about the same age, both inspiring confidence in their abilities to those they protected.

Satisfied with his reasoning, he fed the chestnut some oats, obtained a room in the hotel and stowed his gear. Leaving the hotel for the brief walk to the office of the town physician, he absently wondered what he could find to do in this town to fill in the six days of his unexpected holiday.

Chapter 4

The closing of the office door behind the young bounty hunter had Fred pushing himself out of his chair and staring out the window at the once again busy calm street. Turning his head to look back towards the holding area of the jail, a deep scowl spread across the lawman’s face.

The bushwhacking attempt on the prisoner he surmised would not be the last one. Obviously someone was worried about what the man knew and wanted to silence him bad enough to risk sending someone in broad daylight. The knowledge one of the former Barkley hands was the sniper was even more disturbing, the sheriff could only assume the man had been working for the railroad at the time of Tom Barkley’s murder. Otherwise why would he be back in town a year after he left and trying to murder Garrett.

To protect this prisoner he was going to need more deputies. The entrance of Billy into the office thrust Fred’s thoughts to the back of his mind while he relayed his concerns for the prisoner to the young deputy.

“Stay here and keep the door locked.” ordered Fred putting on his hat. “I’m going to Jarrod’s office and let him know Garrett was brought in.”

“I saw Mr. Barkley riding out of town a few hours ago, Sheriff. Looked like he was headed home.” informed Billy receiving a nod from the sheriff before he left and locked the door behind him as instructed.

Fred was crossing the outer boundary of the Barkley ranch as Howard Merar was slowly extracting slivers from a young stranger’s face.

“Been in town long?” asked Howard politely, his words resonating and breaking the silence of the room.

“Bout an hour or two.” stated Heath quietly.

“Usually this is a nice town.” teased Howard, earning himself a lop-sided grin. “Are you planning on staying a while?”

“Only six days.” informed Heath, sucking in his breath as the stinging antiseptic was applied to his face by the physician’s sure fingers.

“This’ll stop any infection from the wood pieces. You’re lucky none of the pieces lodged in your eyes.” sighed Howard placing a bandage over the two butterfly stitches closing the small cut he had to make in the tan cheek to take out one stubborn sliver. “Just keep this on for a few days.”

“Sure thing, doc. Thanks.” drawled Heath placing some money in the physician’s hand. Turning to the door, he stopped and asked, “Say, doc, are there any ranches for sale around here?”

Howard replied, “There are two I know of. If you go down the street you can ask about them at the land office, last building on the corner. I believe they’re still open.”

Nodding, Heath put his hat on and left the office, his steps taking him down the boardwalk. The sun was slowly dipping to the horizon and weariness was starting to set in his body when he arrived at the closed land office. Taking out his pocket watch, he sighed in disappointment at being five minutes late.

His stomach grumbled informing the blonde it was expecting a decent meal instead of his normal trail food. His eyes caught sight of the sign for a restaurant and he crossed the street, entering the small establishment.

Taking a seat at a corner table, Heath smiled at the waitress and ordered as Fred Maden was knocking at the large oak door of the Barkley mansion. Taking off his hat in the entry, Fred smiled as Victoria and her family greeted him warmly.

“Fred, how nice to see you! This is a pleasant surprise. How’s Mary feeling?” inquired Victoria.

“She’s fine, Victoria.” smiled Fred, his eyes twinkling with gratitude at the concern shown to his ailing wife from their old friend.

Jarrod clapped the sheriff on the back and suggested, “Why don’t we go into the parlor and have a drink. Then you can tell us what’s brought you way out here in the country, Fred.”

Allowing the family to lead him into the parlor, Fred accepted a glass of scotch and took a sip of the smooth liquor before looking at the waiting faces. “Jake Garrett’s in one of my jail cells.”

“What!” exclaimed the voices in unison, the shock reflecting clearly on their faces.

“I’m surprised he showed back up here.” growled Nick, furious at the killer’s audacity.

“He was brought in by a bounty hunter.” informed Fred. “A man by the name of Heath Thomson.”

Tears of gratefulness sprang into Victoria’s gray eyes and she whispered, “I never thought he’d be caught. It’s been two years.”

Audra reached over and placed a comforting hand on her mother’s back, smiling into the gray eyes of the Barkley matriarch and offering her daughterly support. Dabbing at her eyes, Victoria returned the smile and directed her attention back to their family friend.

Jarrod’s blue eyes sparkled with anticipation at the closure he felt was near for the family. The last two years had been difficult and full of lingering questions. The family members had silently wondered if the murderer whose act drastically changed their lives would ever be caught.

Nick’s fury turned to happiness and his eyes caught his older brother’s as a wide grin broke across his face. “Now he can stand trial for what he’s done and get what he should’ve two years ago.”

“I agree brother Nick.” smiled Jarrod saluting his younger brother with his glass.

Clearing his throat, Fred watched their eyes turn back to him and he stated, “Someone shot at Garrett and would’ve killed him if Heath Thomson didn’t have the reflexes of a cat.”

“What happened, Fred?” queried Jarrod, puzzled at the admiration in the sheriff’s eyes at the bounty hunter’s name.

Relaying the story of the events which happened outside the door of his office, Audra interrupted the sheriff with a gasp, “His horse was shot? How horrible!”

“Yes, it is.” agreed Victoria sadly.

Fred frowned, “From his eyes, it was if he’d lost his best friend.”

Scowling, Nick felt his chest filling with emotion and his eyes burned with understanding of the man’s apparent connection with his mount. The same connection he felt with his own horse, Coco.

“He has another horse but I got the feeling his Modoc meant the world to him.” sighed Fred. “Anyway, I put Garrett into a jail cell while he took off after the shooter.”

Fred’s story was interrupted again, this time by Jarrod’s exclamation, “Fred, wait a minute. This bounty hunter, Heath Thomson, left a man worth fifty thousand dollars to him and chased after the shooter?”

The sheriff nodded his answer and Nick scowled, “What kind of bounty hunter does something like that?”

A smile spread across Fred’s face at the looks of confusion and puzzlement on the members of the Barkley family’s faces. “I actually wondered the same thing myself. He sure doesn’t act like a typical bounty hunter. At least not the killers I’ve seen over the past years as sheriff.”

“Well, did he get the shooter?” asked Nick, his excitement reflecting in his voice, his hazel eyes intensely questioning the sheriff.

“Yes, he did. Unfortunately, he had to kill him in protecting himself when the shooter tried to get away.”

“Was Mr. Thomson harmed?” worried Victoria.

“He got some wood pieces in his face from the corner of the building, but other than that, he’s fine.” informed the sheriff, then adding as the quick action of the young bounty hunter flashed through his mind. “He seems right handy at protecting himself or else it could’ve been a different story.”

The collective sighs of relief filled the parlor and the family relaxed at the reassurance of the man’s well being.

“At least Mr. Thomson is safe.” stated Audra before asking. “Who tried to shoot Garrett?”

“It was Ted Simpson.” informed Fred quietly, the silence in the parlor deafening until the realization of the man’s identity sunk in. Jarrod glanced over towards his mother, her gray eyes filled with anger at the implications, her hands clenched in her lap.

“Ted Simpson?” stated Nick in disbelief looking towards the elder son of the Barkley family. “He was in with the railroad?”

Sighing, Jarrod shook his head, “That explains how they knew where Father was going the day of the murder. They had an inside man.”

Fred nodded and took a deep breath, “I was thinking the same thing when I saw him. I’m sorry for upsetting everyone, Victoria.”

Standing, the tiny woman walked over to the sheriff and placed a hand on his arm, her smile one of reassurance and gratefulness, “Nonsense, Fred. I’m happy you made the trip out here yourself to let us know. We appreciate it very much. I only wish we had gotten a chance to thank Mr. Thomson for bringing Garrett to Stockton before he left.”

Patting her hand, Fred smiled, “Heath Thomson’ll be here for at least six days. Mr. Pritchard’s out of town and won’t be back til Monday. We can’t pay his reward til then.”

“That’s wonderful. Please tell Mary I’ll be in to see her soon.” said Victoria walking their friend to the front door and seeing him off.

Standing in the foyer and looking at her family, she smiled. “Jarrod, tomorrow I’d like you to invite Mr. Thomson out to the ranch for dinner.”

“Mother, he’s a bounty hunter.” protested Nick. “For all we know, he could be a killer or not fit company for women.”

“Nicholas, I don’t believe I was asking permission.” stated Victoria firmly, her stance indicating her unwillingness to compromise.

Nick’s red face caused a chuckle to well up inside him and Jarrod nodded, “Yes, Mother.”

Chapter 5

‘Idleness is the devil’s playground’ thought Heath with a sigh and a slight smile which widened after he looked up at the opening of the restaurant door in the stillness of the early morning and the town’s head lawman entered.

“Morning, Fred.” greeted Heath.

Fred smiled and returned the greeting as he approached the table and took a seat beside the young bounty hunter becoming customer number two of the day.

“I see you got all the splinters out, Heath.” said the older man pouring a cup of coffee from the pot on the table and ordering his breakfast. “I hope Dr. Merar treated you right.”

Subconsciously touching his cheek, his blue eyes filled with pain before he shut down his emotions with a nod and a slight lowering of his orbs. “Your town has a good physician in Dr. Merar, I hope your citizens realize how lucky they are.”

Fred studied the lowered profile and wondered what caused such a flash of pain in the eyes. His thoughts were broken by the approach of the waitress with his food. Smiling at the pretty young woman, Fred thanked her. Glancing over, he saw Heath’s eyes following her retreat to the door of the kitchen.

“Her name’s Mackenzie Knight.” stated Fred quietly, waiting til the hunter’s eyes turned back to him. “She’s a good girl.”

Blue eyes twinkled at the older man’s protectiveness and Heath nodded, “I can tell she’s a good girl, Fred. It’s usually a man who turns a good woman bad anyway. Believe me, I don’t want anything like that shadowing my conscience.”

The dry and bitter tone of the words out of the mouth of the young man left Fred frowning as he drank his coffee. This man at the table with him was a point of confusion and contrast to the lawman. He couldn’t be more than twenty years old, yet he acted and sounded far more mature, the maturity appeared to be coming from experiences of life, bad and good.

Heath sighed as the silence at the table continued and filled up both coffee cups before turning the conversation to neutral ground, “What are you gonna do about protecting Garrett while he’s in your jail?”

Sipping his coffee, Fred scowled, “I’ll have to hire more deputies since there’s only Billy and me. The founding fathers aren’t gonna like that.”

Chuckling, Heath’s eyes twinkled with amusement, “I know what you mean. When I was a deputy, the sheriff was always butting heads with the town council. They wanted him to protect the town but didn’t want to pay the piper. Always wanting something for nothing it seemed to me.”

“Where were you a deputy?” inquired Fred curiously, inwardly surprised for a moment before wondering if his past profession was the reason he’d brought Garrett in alive.

“Spanish Creek.” informed Heath smiling at the young woman watching from across the room causing her cheeks to glow with a rosy color. “Frank Sawyer is the sheriff there.”

“I’ve heard of him and how he cleaned up the town.” said Fred. “He’s a good man.”

“Yes, he is.” said Heath standing and holding out his hand. “Well, I gotta get my horse and be somewhere in a little while. See ya’ Fred. Good luck with the council, you’ll probably need it.”

“I’m sure of it. Bye, Heath.” acknowledged Fred, shaking the extended hand and finishing his coffee.

After paying the bill, smiling and tipping his hat to the young woman, Heath departed the small restaurant, stepping out into the warmth of the morning which promised a scorcher of a day. Walking to the livery, he entered the stall and saddled the chestnut, Brownie, his eyes blinking back the emotion stifling him, remembering his black Modoc he lost the day before.

Taking a deep breath, he climbed into the saddle and walked the chestnut down the street stopping in front of the land office. An hour later, the hunter left the land office shoving a piece of paper in his pocket and climbed into the saddle.

The noonday sun reached down from the sky, touching it’s hot fiery fingers on the land and any other object it came across. The lone rider familiar with the elements of Mother Nature took her offering in stride and let the heat roll off his back. His blue chambray shirt was covered in sweat, his palms wet and his eyes squinted against the shimmering view of the horizon.

Stopping on a hill overlooking the last piece of real estate for sale, Heath Thomson, bounty hunter sucked in his breath and climbed down from the saddle. Ground trailing the reins of Brownie, sure in his training of the chestnut, he sat in the grass on the side of the hill, his hat pushed back up on his forehead, chewing on a long blade and contemplating.

Sapphire eyes gleamed in appreciation of the scene before him, the untamed desolation of the area stirred the wild animal housed deep inside him. The dilapidated cabin, set at the foot of the mountains hovering in the background, seemed small and minute. The barn was partially collapsed, the corrals and fences blown over or leaning. The ranch was a source of neglect, unwanted and unused.

Standing, he walked down the hill and whistled a command. Brownie’s ears moved forward and he trotted along after his master. His steps took him down onto level ground and he moved around the abandoned ranch, his eyes noting every detail, every item needing to be done before this could qualify as a working ranch was placed on a mental list, the list growing longer with each step.

Completing his inspection of the buildings and area, Heath climbed into the saddle, groaning when his jeaned bottom hit the boiling saddle and rode the perimeter of the area. Coming back to the hill after making the circle, he leaned forward and studied the buildings once more, taking a drink of water from his canteen. The site of the ranch was far away from it’s nearest town of Stockton and any judgmental eyes of the citizens.

To the boy without a childhood, forced to become a man too quickly, the condition of the unwanted and unused ranch seemed to match his own life and a slight smile lifted the corners of his mouth at his thoughts.

It was the perfect place to call home.

Chapter 6

Putting the cap on his canteen, Heath turned Brownie and nudged him into a walk under the blistering sun, taking off his hat and wiping his forehead with his sleeve. Allowing the chestnut to travel at it’s own pace, the blonde relaxed in the saddle and let his thoughts wander.

The pretty face of MacKenzie Knight flashed in his mind and the desire to see her again had him wondering if he could entice her into a late supper or a walk under the moonlight.

“Idiot.” chided Heath out loud causing Brownie’s ears to twitch. “You can’t ask her out on a moonlight walk. You don’t even know her.”

Brownie tossed his head in response to the spoken words, unsure as to what he was agreeing with. Heath laughed and patted the chestnut’s neck, his tone wistful as he spoke to the only other living thing in his vicinity.

“Boy howdy, Brownie don’t start with me. I’m just thinking out loud is all. You’d understand and talk to yourself too if you looked into her eyes. I think they’re purple, maybe even violet. I’ve never seen a girl with violet eyes before.”

The chestnut shook his head again, Heath sighed and patted the strong neck of his mount. Shaking his head at himself, Heath smirked, “You’re probably right, Brownie. It’s kinda like putting the cart in front of the horse. Guess I should see what price they got on the ranch first, at least that’d be the sensible thing to do. Too bad I’m not always sensible, more stubborn than anything. I’m sure you agree with that.”

Snorting his agreement, Brownie stopped suddenly when his reins were pulled by his master. Heath stood up in his stirrups and stared at the herd of horses grazing across a small valley. A red colored stallion with its head up, keeping alert and guard over the herd watched the intruder who stopped on the other side of the area.

Taking the rope off his saddle, Heath slowly uncoiled it out of sight on the other side of his horse. Studying the area the horses were in, he smiled and turned Brownie, seeing the stallion changing positions to keep him in view before his peripheral vision was cut off when he disappeared around a hill.

Spying a gully which appeared to end close to the herd of wild horses, Heath urged the chestnut on, the thrill of the hunt rising up within him. The sight of the stallion brightened his eyes which recognized the quality of the animal even from the distance, estimating the horse was seventeen hands or higher.

Slapping the rope against the rear of Brownie, the intruder came out of the gully and startled the grazing herd. Dust raised into the air as the herd moved as one, the ground was dug up under the grinding hooves, the silence of the day split apart by the thundering noise. The mares and colts bolted, fear widening their eyes, their nostrils flaring from the exhilaration of their pounding hearts as they galloped away from the danger.

Sapphire eyes narrowed in concentration, the muscles of the chestnut moving beneath his legs, Heath urged his mount after the reward. Brownie’s gait ate up the space between his master and the stallion, his neck stretched out, his rider leaning low and encouraging him on.

The stallion ran from the intruder, dodging and seeking a means of escape, his mares forgotten in his dash of fright. His panic increasing as the intruder and his mount stayed with him, the flight towards freedom suddenly came to a halt when an object sailed through the air and wrapped itself around his neck.

Fighting the foreign object, the stallion reared up charging the intruder who expertly moved his mount away out of way of the dangerous hooves. The object still clinging to his neck, taking away his means of escape.

After several minutes of a game of dodging and evasion, with the end of the rope wrapped around his saddlehorn, Heath marveled at the strength and lines of the stallion. The muscular animal finally giving in, standing still with sides heaving, his eyes not leaving the intruder who with a flick of his wrist became his master. Reaching down and patting the chestnut’s neck in appreciation, Heath’s face lined with sweat and dirt couldn’t hide his blue eyes glistening with wonder and pride.

“Good job, Brownie. This is the type of hunt I prefer.” drawled Heath, nudging the chestnut and leading the stallion.

The afternoon was preparing to change into early evening when Heath rode down the near empty street towards the livery, nodding at the sheriff as he rode by and leading the stallion. Jarrod grinned at the sight of the red stallion being led by a stranger.

“Nick’s not going to like this, Fred.” surmised Jarrod gesturing to the passing rider. “He had his eyes on that stallion for some time now.”

Fred’s blue eyes sparkled and he shrugged, “Just let Nick know it’ll make up for his Modoc.”

Surprised, Jarrod glanced down the street to the man who’d stopped and was speaking to someone on the boardwalk out of his sight. Looking back at the lawman by his side, Jarrod questioned, “That’s Thomson?”

“Yep.” replied Fred clapping the attorney on the back. “Com’n I’ll introduce you.”

The two men walked down the street to the livery in time to see the rider lead the stallion into a corral. Jim, the livery hand, closed the gate behind Heath and the chestnut leaving the stallion inside. Jumping off, Heath tied the chestnut to the rail and watched the horse in the corral nervously running around and searching for an opening.

“Heath looks like you had a productive day.” said Fred running an appreciative over the horse in the corral.

“Sure did, Fred.” admitted the blonde, his eyes not moving from his bounty. “He’s a beaut isn’t he?”

“That he is.” replied Fred nudging the hunter in the arm and gesturing with his head. “Heath Thomson this is Jarrod Barkley. His father was Tom Barkley.”

Turning to the man the sheriff indicated, Heath took the extended hand firmly in his. “Mr. Barkley.”

Returning the greeting, Jarrod smiled into the sapphire eyes, puzzled at the familiar feeling rising up within him. “Mr. Thomson, it’s nice to meet you.”

Nodding, Heath flashed a slight smile before taking out his pocket watch. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to make an appointment down the street. See you tomorrow, Fred.”

“Mr. Thomson, my family would like to invite you to dinner tonight at our ranch as a thank you for bringing in Jake Garrett.” informed Jarrod stopping Heath’s mount back onto his chestnut.

Fred watched a slight frown appear on Heath’s face before he drawled, “Thank you but I’ll have to decline. Thanks are not necessary. I did it for myself not for your family. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Barkley. Good night.”

Climbing on the chestnut, Heath turned its head and rode away from the livery til he reached the land office. Entering the building, he emerged later after Jarrod Barkley was on his way home without the man his Mother was looking forward to meeting.

Chapter 7

Arriving at the ranch, Ciego took Jarrod’s horse and he entered the large mansion. The sound of the closing door brought the rest of the family into the foyer and Jarrod shook his head at the questions in their eyes before placing a kiss on his mother’s cheek.

“Evening, Mother.”

“How was work today, Jarrod?” asked Victoria linking her arm in his and leading him into the parlor where Nick handed him a drink.

“It was fine.” replied Jarrod. “I met Mr. Thomson today.”

“Did you extend my invitation for dinner to Mr. Thomson?” queried Victoria taking up her glass of sherry and sitting on the divan.

Nodding, Jarrod sipped his drink before hesitantly replying. “He declined, Mother. He said no thanks were necessary as he did it for himself and not for our family.”

Nick rolled his eyes and snorted, “We already know he went after Garrett for the ransom.”

Audra smiled at her brother and shook her head. “Nick, maybe he doesn’t feel comfortable having dinner with a bunch of strangers.”

“Perhaps you’re right, Audra.” nodded Victoria with a smile at her daughter’s insight. “I was anxious to thank Mr. Thomson and didn’t consider how he might feel.”

Smiling to himself as he remembered the sight of Heath leading the stallion down the street, Jarrod looked up into the questioning faces. “Mr. Thomson is certainly a fine judge of horseflesh.”

Nick saw the glimmer in the blue eyes of his older brother, his suspicions rose up and he asked, “What makes you think so, Jarrod?”

Shrugging, Jarrod looked over to his mother and winked, “Seems while he was out this afternoon, Mr. Thomson managed to catch a horse which has eluded over three fourths of the men in this valley.”

Victoria’s gray eyes turned to her rancher son, a small hand reached up and covered the smile on her face at the blank look on the tanned face which turned to confusion then to anger, before the shouted words filled the mansion at every level.

“HE CAUGHT THE RED GHOST?”

Rising earlier than normal the next morning, Heath quickly shaved and dressed. Taking one last glance in the mirror, he hurried out of the hotel and down the street. The sun had not even considered waking when Mackenzie Knight approached the small restaurant.

Breathing deeply in the early morning air, she could taste the hint of dew and she was looking forward to greeting the sun. The morning had always been her favorite time of the day and a horizon bursting with orange, yellows and red was a sight one never forgot.

The sight of the handsome blonde from the morning before slowed her steps and her eyes darted around. It was unusual for a customer to be waiting outside the restaurant thirty minutes before it’s opening. While the sight of the muscular man yesterday sent her stomach fluttering, this morning it caused her stomach to tense with nervousness.

Heath took off his hat and held it in his hands in front of him. Smiling into the violet eyes, he cleared his throat when he realized she seemed afraid of his presence.

“I’m terribly sorry, Miss Knight, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” apologized Heath. “Perhaps this wasn’t one of my best ideas.”

The sincerity in his voice and his nonthreatening demeanor relaxed her slightly. Chiding herself internally for her fear, she smiled slightly. “I’m sorry. You just surprised me is all, uh, Mr. “

“Thomson.” smiled Heath, his sapphire eyes sparkling. “Heath Thomson.”

Holding out her hand, she nodded, “Mackenzie Knight, Mr. Thomson.”

Taking her hand in his, Heath felt a warmth travel up his arm and he lost himself in her eyes. Mackenzie found herself gazing into the sapphire eyes before forcing herself to withdraw her hand from his. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and she swore her knees were made of cotton.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Thomson?” asked Mackenzie, her voice soft and low.

Startled from his examination of her eyes, Heath chuckled and shook his head. “I’m terribly sorry, again, Miss Knight. I seem to have been daydreaming. I am here on this early morning to request the honor of escorting you to a late lunch this afternoon, Miss Knight.”

“I am not in the habit of dining with strange men, Mr. Thomson.” stated Mackenzie quietly. “Especially when the man in question is just passing through town.”

Heath quickly replied, “I was under no impression you would even consider such a thing, Miss. Knight. Yes, I was passing through town until last evening when I purchased or actually placed a retainer on a ranch in the desire to call this fine town my home. I thought perhaps talking over a late lunch in the view of all of Stockton’s upstanding citizens would be a lovely way to get to know one another, Miss Knight.”

Violet eyes twinkled with amusement at the blonde standing before her, hat in hand, his eyes wide with anticipation. Smiling slightly, Mackenzie lowered her eyes and looked back up.

“Mr. Thomson, I’d like some time to consider your invitation of a late lunch.”

Heath smiled widely and nodded, “Certainly, Miss Knight. I shall return at the start of the business day.”

Putting on his hat, he turned on his heel and walked down the street, stopping in front of the sheriff’s office and leaning on a post. His grin could be seen from her viewpoint and she wondered if her smile matched his as she opened the door to the restaurant.

Chapter 8

Heath jumped slightly at the voice behind him, “New job as a post keeper upper, Heath?”

“We all gotta make a living somehow.” grinned Heath turning towards the voice. “Morning, Fred.”

Chuckling at the blonde, Fred smiled, “Heading to breakfast. Care to join me?”

Nodding, Heath fell in step beside the sheriff and walked down the boardwalk with him. “Were you able to get a couple deputies to help guard Garrett?”

“Yeah, not without an argument from the council though.” snorted Fred opening the door to the restaurant and greeting Mackenzie. “Course after I reminded them who Garrett murdered, they gave in.”

Sitting at the table, Heath smiled and gave his order under the watchful eye of the older man. Heath took some sips of his coffee and turned his thoughts to the lawman beside him.

“Do you think someone else’ll take a stab at Garrett?” asked Heath intently.

Shrugging, Fred sighed, “Depends on who he can implicate as far as the murder, I guess. I was thinking about something last night, Heath.”

Curious, Heath raised his eyes upwards and leaned forward on the table, “Yeah?”

“It’s been eating at me since the other day. How did they arrange to take a shot at Garrett? You didn’t wire ahead and you told me yourself you stayed away from any towns and such on the way here.” puzzled Fred. “How did they know you were bringing him in?

A frown darkened Heath’s eyes and he shook his head, the same thought had run through his mind after the attempt on Garrett’s life.

“I don’t know. I was asking myself the same questions later after all the excitement died down.” admitted Heath, thinking back on the trip to Stockton.

“Maybe someone was keeping an eye on Garrett and saw you catch him.” suggested Fred.

Chuckling, Heath shook his head, “No, somehow I don’t think that’s it.”

“Why not? Whoever paid for Tom’s murder would probably want to keep tabs on Garrett? Maybe they were looking for him themselves to shut him up.” stated Fred, irritated at the laughter coming from the young bounty hunter. “Well, why not?”

“I’m sorry, Fred.” stammered Heath between bursts of laughter. “No one but me and Mother Nature was around when I caught Garrett quite unaware and unable to defend himself.”

A scowl spread across the sheriff’s face and he asked, “What do you mean?”

“Imagine this, Fred. In the middle of nowhere, Garrett is pulling up his pants after answering the call of nature.” winked Heath, his eyes twinkling.

The other patrons in the restaurant were startled by the outburst of laughter from their quiet lawman and the table in the corner drew all eyes to it. Aware of the stares, Fred shook his head and smiled, “Kinda hard to grab your gun when your hands are occupied.”

Nodding, Heath saluted the lawman with his coffee cup and stated, “That’s why I know no one saw the capture. He could’ve been on his way to meet someone and when he didn’t show up, they mighta figured it was a possibility he’d been caught.”

“Yeah, I suppose so.” admitted Fred with a sigh. “Did Garrett say anything to you on the trail?”

Shaking his head, Heath smiled at the deliverer of their food before answering, “He talked but mostly I ignored him. I got the impression he was expecting someone to get him out of his predicament though. He kept looking around, searching with his eyes.”

Both men ate their meals, contemplating the events which had taken place. Heath filled their cups and he sipped his coffee, running through his mind the two week journey to Stockton, unable to come up with anything out of the ordinary.

“If we could find out who hired the Barkley’s former hand I killed, we’d more than likely find out who hired Garrett to take out Mr. Barkley.” said Heath. “I could try to find out who paid Simpson for ya’ Fred. Everyone leaves a trail, either on paper, on the ground or by eye witnesses. I got a few days to kill.”

Surprised at the offer, Fred gave his head a negative shake, “Thanks for the offer but I’ll leave it up to the lawyers and the courts to get to the bottom of it, Heath. Besides, I thought you’d be spending time with the Red Ghost.”

“Red ghost?” repeated Heath before understanding flashed in the blue eyes. “You mean the stallion?”

“Almost every able bodied man in this valley’s been trying to catch him. They started naming him the Red Ghost bout a year ago. Some are gonna be mighty upset an outsider caught him.” grinned Fred, picturing the angry face of one dark haired rancher in particular.

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I’ll only be an outsider til Monday afternoon.” drawled Heath with a wink. “As long as the law in this area don’t object, I’ll be staying here permanently.”

“I’ll see if I can persuade the law into letting you stay.” smirked Fred returning the broad smile of the blonde across from him. “You planning on living in the hotel?”

“Boy howdy, no way!” exclaimed Heath with a shudder. “Staying in town for six days is gonna be trying enough on my nerves! No, I put a retainer on the Pierce ranch yesterday.”

Picking up his cup, Fred took a sip and nodded, “They say that ranch is haunted. Did the land agent tell ya’ that?”

“He might’ve mentioned something about it. I got enough ghosts dogging my heels, one or two more ain’t gonna matter.” sighed Heath, regretting his automatic words at the puzzled look from the older man. “Since you won’t let me track, I’ll just spend the morning training the Red Ghost. If you need any help with Garrett, just let me know. It wouldn’t be the first time I babysat an adult.”

“You’ve done more than enough Heath.” acknowledged Fred with a grin. “I might stop by later and see how you’re fairing at the livery.”

“Sure thing.” drawled Heath walking to the counter to pay his bill and glancing into the violet eyes. “Miss Knight, how are you this fine morning?”

“Just fine, Mr. Thomson.” replied Mackenzie and adding with a smile. “I’d be honored to have you escort me to lunch today, Mr. Thomson.”

“The pleasure and honor would be all mine, Miss Knight.” grinned Heath tipping his hat. “I shall collect you at two o’clock.”

Nodding in agreement, Mackenzie watched the broad back leaving the restaurant and smiled to herself, the excitement of the lunch date awakening the butterflies within her.

Chapter 9

Jim Fargas at one time had the reputation of being one of the best ranch hands in the town and the surrounding country. He’d been a dashing cowboy, hard working and hard living. He thrived on his life of a cowpoke until one day when chasing a stray his horse stepped into a hole, threw him over it’s head and ended his career with a break of his leg in two places. The break never healing quite right, the bone mending improperly from lack of medical care and arthritis setting into the deformed bone left him as a livery hand. The arthritis stealing his ability to mount and dismount.

Coming to California long before it dreamed of being a state, he’d seen a lot of things in his sixty three years of life, he’d done a lot of things. Of all the things he’d seen or heard he’d never been left feeling so, well, privileged. He saw a sight in the early morning which left him filled with wonder and awe. He’d only heard of men with the special talent. He’d never seen one actually perform it and he never thought he would.

Leaving the barn after finishing the early morning chores of his job, Jim limped over to the corral, his ears having picked up the sound of talking. Curious, he stopped outside the rails and watched the bounty hunter speaking to the stallion he’d caught.

The sun was just topping the horizon in the east, it’s rays glistening on the red coat of the horse turning it a copper color. The massive animal stood ears pricked forward as if it were hinging on every soft word which was being spoken. A pause in the lullaby would cause the stallion to snort and stomp it’s hoof in indignation as if to say to the human ‘who said you could stop?’.

Standing inside the enclosure and four feet away from the rails of the corral, Heath Thomson babbled in the stillness of the morning. His words soft, his tone even, his manner relaxed, his eyes watching the stallion’s every move. The thrill of the power in the animal brightening the sapphire eyes. Heath could almost see the brain of the horse working, the intelligence obvious to the hunter’s keen eyes. The stallion’s large eyes never left the man who bested him and who stood only feet away, talking to him.

Moving slightly to his left, Heath spoke calmly as the horse startled a few feet away before stopping. Smiling slightly, the hunter kept speaking, moving a few steps every few minutes. The subtle training continued as Jim watched, unable to take his eyes away, his focus on the sight before him, all other things in the world forgotten except for the two step dance between man and beast.

Having made a half circle of the corral, Heath turned and calmly walked to the corral, the sound of hooves running behind him stopping his steps. Jim’s heart leapt into his throat as the stallion charged and then he was left open mouthed when the stallion’s charge stopped when the hunter’s steps towards the corral stopped.

Jim watch the horse hesitate a moment before stretching out his neck, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the area around the still man who’d captured him. Satisfied, the horse turned and sauntered away to the end of the corral, taking a drink from the water trough.

Heath climbed out of the fence and waved to Jim before he made his way around the corral.

“Mr. Thomson, I thought for sure he was gonna stomp you with that charge!” exclaimed Jim shaking his head in wonder. “That’s the damnest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Heath pushed his hat back and drawled, “I like to gentle ‘em not break their spirit, Mr. Fargas. I think they trust people more this way.”

Nodding, Jim winked, “Hell, after your sweet talking, I’m ready to go wherever you want.”

Laughing, Heath’s tanned face turned crimson and his eyes twinkled with amusement. “Well, thanks but no thanks, Mr. Fargus.”

Parting company from the older man, Heath walked to the hotel and climbed the stairs. Entering his room, he sat at the table after taking out some paper and started a letter to his aunt in Strawberry, relaying his plans and letting her know of the upcoming move. His eyes glanced over to the picture by his bedside. Putting his pen down, he walked over and picked up the gold plated object.

The double sided frame holding two pictures, one of his mother by his side, the other of Rachel and Hannah. His family unit now consisted only of him and Rachel. Hannah passed away while he was working as a deputy in Spanish Creek, her body succumbing to age and she went peacefully in her sleep.

Running his fingertips over the face of his mother, his eyes closed and he listened carefully, smiling when he heard his mother’s voice in his head. Her last days with him had been bittersweet. He was thankful for the extra time they had together but also wanted her suffering to end. He wanted the pain to be erased from her soft brown eyes in her face drawn, pale and hollowed from the sickness inside her. She’d always been a fighter readily stepping up to any line drawn in the sand, ready to give all she could but in the end no amount of fight could save her.

Wiping the tears which sprang to his eyes, he placed a kiss on her cheek with his fingers, his voice trembling.

“Soon I’ll have the ranch soon just like you wanted me to, mama. Aunt Rachel and I’ll be happy there and you won’t have to worry about her anymore. I’ll take good care of her like I promised.”

Sighing, he placed the frame down and looked out the window into the street below, his thoughts taking him away, the time passing unnoticed. Taking out his pocket watch, he opened it and swore, rushing to change his clothes and freshen up, afraid he was going to be late, scolding himself for getting lost in the past as he hurried out the room.

Reaching the door of the small restaurant, he sighed with relief when he realized he was right on time. Mackenzie was speaking with the owner of the small restaurant and turned at the opening of the door, her eyes locking with the sapphire eyes, her stomach dancing at the sight of him.

Heath took off his hat, his eyes staring at the girl who seemed to have blossomed from pretty to beautiful since the early morning. Her auburn hair brushed to a shine was pulled back and fastened in the back, her uniform was gone, her white dress trimmed with purple brought out the color of her eyes, her smile showed her pleasure as she met him halfway in the room.

“Miss Knight, how lovely you look.” whispered Heath holding his right arm out. “May I?”

Blushing, Mackenzie smiled and linked her arm in his, her voice soft and low. “Why thank you, Mr. Thomson.”

Walking to the hotel and unlinking their arms when they arrived at the table in the dining room, each felt as though something was missing after the physical link had been broken.

Chapter 10

Heath held out the chair and Mackenzie smiled her thanks for his gentlemanly action. Glancing around, she saw the dining room was almost empty except for a few ladies she didn’t know having afternoon tea. Heath sat across from her and placed his hat on an empty chair at the table, smiling nervously at the lady across from him.

Suddenly in an instant, both occupants of the table were tongue tied, unable to speak as the silence loomed between them. Their excitement thrust the blood rapidly through their veins, their eyes sparkled as they gazed at one another, the words on the tips of their tongues but not willing to fly off as they sat oblivious to those around until a clearing of a throat startled them both.

Looking up into the face of the waiter, Heath’s face turned red at the awkwardness he knew the man saw between the diners.

“Are you ready to order?” asked the old man, biting back a smile at the obvious young nervous couple.

“Miss Knight, what would you like?” queried Heath.

In a moment of impulsiveness, Mackenzie Knight glanced into the sapphire eyes and ordered, her request causing an eyebrow to lift on the handsome tanned face, his sapphire eyes questioning. Nodding at the waiter’s acknowledgment, Heath tilted his head slightly after they were left alone.

“Miss Knight?”

Biting back a giggle at the look on his face, Mackenzie sighed, “Mr. Thomson, I just realized I spend most of my day in a restaurant. I think a picnic would be a more relaxed way to get to know one another. That is if you don’t mind.”

“Mind?” repeated Heath leaning forward, his grin wide. “Boy howdy, Miss Knight, a day out in the sunshine with a beautiful lady. No, I don’t mind.”

Laughing, the couple headed to the door with their picnic lunch, walking down the boardwalk and ending up at the livery where Heath rented a surrey. Helping Mackenzie into the surrey, he jumped in and flicked the reins. The stallion in the corral caught her eye and she grabbed onto his arm in her excitement.

“Heath, do you see that horse?” exclaimed Mackenzie, her proper behavior forgotten in the moment of excitement. “What a magnificent animal!”

Heath looked at her profile and he started the surrey moving. “Yeah, he’s okay.”

Frowning, Mackenzie stared at the man beside her, her eyes puzzled at his lackadaisical response. Anyone who’d been around horses could see the lines and power in the red colored animal. Directing him to a meadow by a small stream outside of town, Heath helped her from the surrey, smiling slightly at the scowl on her face.

Laying out a blanket, he helped her to the ground under a large tree offering shade in the warmth of the afternoon. Mackenzie busied herself taking their lunches out of the basket the waiter was kind enough to provide. Her mind formulating questions and then casting them aside. She didn’t want to appear to know more about horses than he did, but wasn’t quite sure how to state her disappointment in his lack of enthusiasm.

Leaning on his left side, Heath saw the questions in her eyes and smiled to himself. Her hands were as busy as her mind. Deciding to give up his teasing of her, he put a hand over hers as it reached into the basket.

“Miss Knight, since you’ve called me by my given name, may I call you by your given name?”

The smile and the glimmering sapphire eyes mesmerized her for a moment and Mackenzie nodded shyly. Heath grinned widely and squeezed her hand.

“Mackenzie.” he whispered, his hand reaching up to brush back a strand of auburn hair, her name floating in the breeze towards her ears. The sound of his drawl speaking her name sent a quiver through her. “I’m sorry for funning you. The Red Ghost is my horse, I caught him yesterday.”

She was so wrapped up in the soft, gentle tone of his voice it took a moment before the meaning of his words showed themselves in her brain and she slapped his hand in anger.

“That is not funny!” exclaimed Mackenzie firmly, her eyes giving away her amusement and the blonde across from her chuckled.

“I know it wasn’t very nice of me.” admitted Heath with a wink, smiling at her giggle. “The Red Ghost sure is a beaut though. Do you ride horses, Mackenzie?”

Handing him a sandwich, she opened hers and took a bite, nodding in response. “I have ever since I was a little girl. You’re not going to keep calling him the Red Ghost are you?”

“No, guess not. I haven’t decided a name yet.” sighed Heath, smiling and telling her the story of the capture at her pleading.

“Why don’t you call him Charger? After all you went charging up from the gully after him.” stated Mackenzie.

Thinking on her suggestion, Heath nodded, “I like it! Charger it is. Thank you, Mackenzie.”

Finishing their lunch, Heath smiled into her violet eyes, “Have you lived in Stockton all your life?”

Shaking her head, she sighed and nervously played with her fingers, “Heath, I have something to tell you and I think it’s best if I say it upfront.”

The hesitancy in her voice and the fright in her eyes had him pushing himself to a sitting position, stammering out rapidly. “You’re not married, are ya?”

“No, I’m not married.” stated Mackenzie seeing the relief spread across his face. “I’ve only been in Stockton three months. I moved here from Wyoming where I lived with my mother and stepfather. My mother passed away last year and my stepfather was taking care of me. He was always very nice to me. My own father died when I was a baby.”

Nodding, Heath listened carefully, wondering what she was trying to say with her story. “I’m sorry about your mother, Mackenzie. Mine passed away last year too. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

“No, it was just us three. What about your father, Heath?”

Sighing deeply, Heath stared into the violet eyes, “I don’t know who my father is. I was raised by my mama and two of her friends.”

The admission was startling and Mackenzie reached over to caress his cheek, her smile genuine, her voice lilting, “Looks to me like they did a wonderful job, Heath.”

Relieved by her words, Heath reached up and placed a tender kiss in palm of her soft hand, his whisper heartfelt and full of gratitude. “Thank you, Mackenzie.”

The violet eyes slowly turned away from his and she sighed, “Heath, I don’t know how to say this but my stepfather is Jacob Daye.”

Heath searched his memory for a moment and she watched the recognition flood the sapphire eyes before he replied quietly, “Mackenzie, I’m a bounty hunter and a former deputy.”

“Yes, I know.” admitted Mackenzie. “And my stepfather’s a wanted man, Heath.”

Sadness filled the violet eyes before they lowered to look at the hands clasped in her lap, waiting for the reply she knew would be coming like so many other times in the past. Standing, Heath reached down and pulled her to her feet, his fingers tilting her head up and he smiled into the violet eyes.

“Monday, I become a rancher.” whispered Heath watching the violet eyes fill with tears, brushing away the ones which escaped her eyes with his fingertip.

“May I call on you again, Mackenzie?”

“Yes.” she whispered, her breath being stolen away from the sapphire eyes filled with desire.

“Mackenzie.” whispered Heath before placing a gentle kiss on her full lips, his hand held her by the small of her back and he pulled her closer, savoring the taste of her mouth as the kiss deepened and the feel of her against his body under the fading light of the day.

Chapter 11

The night was filled with sounds of laughter and the tinny tunes of a piano accompanied by a guitar as Heath walked down the boardwalk and stopped just outside the swinging doors of the Golden Nugget saloon. Running his eyes over the crowd, he searched for any familiar faces before entering and taking a place at the end of the bar where he could watch the activity in the lively room.

Lifting his mug of beer, he took a sip of the cool brew and nodded when the bartender placed a bowl of peanuts by him. The western saloon was more than just a place to drink, it was a place of information, a gathering place where business deals were sealed with the shake of a hand, based on a reputation of a person, their word their bond.

The room was large and the sounds loud, the smoke from cigars and cigarettes lingered in the air and money was exchanging hands at the poker tables. No stranger to the game, Heath made the decision not to join in a game, electing instead to top off his wonderful day with a beer or two before retiring to his hotel room.

A smile lifted the corner of his mouth when he recalled his afternoon outing with Mackenzie, the feelings he felt in her presence filled him with a warmth and longing. He was under no false impression about who her stepfather was but it didn’t matter. Bringing her to her small home, he secured a promise of dinner the next night and reassured her again Jacob Daye would not be a reason to come between their budding friendship.

Cracking the shell of the peanuts and plopping the prize in his mouth, he mentally ran over the upcoming days and the steps he’d need to take to secure the deed to the ranch. The ranch would require a lot of work to get the house, barn and bunkhouses back into shape before he brought his aunt from Strawberry.

Running his finances in his mind, he was thankful he’d been saving for the ranch for the past year. His earned rewards sat in a bank gaining interest and the reward on Monday would ensure he could hire a work crew to help with the buildings, perhaps even erecting a brand new house, while paying for the ranch in cash.

Ordering another beer, he heard the whispered curse of the bartender followed by a groan and looked up with inquiring eyes. Harry Jones cursed and groaned at the entrance of the Craddock men into the saloon. The mixture of Craddocks and Barkleys was like oil and water, a match and kerosene.

Heath followed the bartender’s eyes and saw the men entering the saloon, stopping and making their way to a bunch of cowboys sitting and enjoying themselves at the tables in the middle of the room.

Dirk Craddock sneered and sauntered over to the table, actively seeking a fight with the dark haired Barkley son surrounded by his men. Joking and laughing with his crew as they unwound from a week of hard work on the ranch, Nick looked up at the approaching man and his hazel eyes turned cold.

Stopping in front of the table, Dirk’s brother Hank placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered in his older brother’s ear. Dirk pushed off his brother’s hand and leaned over on the table.

Nick waited for the words which would signify the start of the fight, knowing there was no way to avoid it. The man had been working up his anger since Audra turned down the marriage proposal from the older Craddock son. Bystanders had slipped away leaving the two competing ranch crews in the middle of the floor. Dirk had been drinking heavily and it showed in his face, his voice rang out into the saloon which turned quiet at the new arrivals.

“How’s your sister the tease and flirt, Nick?”

Duke grabbed the shoulder of his furious boss, pinning him in his seat and warned loudly, “Hank, you’d better get Dirk outta here!”

Pulling the table away, Dirk waited until the man he’d been looking for stood on his two feet and swung. Nick ducked down under the right hook and lunged into the bigger man, his rush propelling them both down onto the dirty floor. With the rush, all hell broke loose in the saloon and fists were flying.

Heath stood back against the bar and pushed any combatants who got too close to him away with a stiff arm. Not getting involved, just watching as the bodies went flying, the competition raged on and the blood flowed.

The men of the crews were busy with each other and Heath saw the ambush taking place. Nick was beating Dirk when suddenly he felt his arms grabbed and he was hauled upwards. The men in his crew too busy with their own struggles and unaware what was happening.

Fighting fair was one thing, this was another.

The two held the dark haired rancher by the arms while another placed two punches to his midsection. Nick’s wind was taken out of him and his knees buckled from the blows. Suddenly, he was released and falling to the floor. Struggling to his knees and gasping for air, he saw a blonde stranger taking on the three men of the Craddock crew.

Jumping into the foray, Heath grabbed the nearest man and yanked him away from the man they were holding, his punch breaking the man’s nose and throwing him across the room. The man delivering the blows and the leader of the ambush grabbed onto Heath around the stomach, propelling the blonde back against the bar. Heath brought his joined hands down across the neck of the man, stunning him and jerked him up by the hair and drove his knee into the man’s jaw.

Dodging the left hand of the third man, Heath heard a shouted warning and caught the right wrist, the deadly blade missing him by the width of a hair. Sapphire eyes flashed with fury and the breaking of the thick wrist could be heard followed by a scream. Kicking the unprotected jaw, Heath sent the knife wielding man into darkness and turned to meet the leader of the ambush, seeing stars when a fist turned his head.

Nick saw the knife and shouted a warning, his eyes watching the blonde in admiration of the moves in the man. Jumping up when the foreman of the Craddock’s sucker punched the blonde, Nick wrapped his arms around the man and they fell to the floor. Getting up to his knees, Nick’s leathered right hand pushed the foreman back to the floor and he was unconscious.

The sound of gunfire had men diving for the floor and Heath shook his head to clear the cobwebs, leaning up against the bar and grinning gratefully at the beer shoved in his hand by the bartender.

Sheriff Maden fired the gun, stopping the fight and yelled. “What the hell is going on here?”

A bunch of voices started talking and Fred shook his head. Heath walked over and picked up the unconscious Dirk, dragging him over and laying him at the lawman’s feet.

“Fred, this guy insulted that man’s sister.” informed Heath gesturing to Nick who was helping his men to their feet. “He threw the first punch.”

Nick heard the words and watched as Fred nodded in appreciation. Ordering the Craddock crew to get out of town, Fred and Billy took the unconscious Dirk with them as they left.

Nick walked over and held out his leathered hand, “Thanks for your help. Nick Barkley.”

“Heath Thomson .” informed the blonde seeing the surprise turn to anger in the hazel eyes before paying for his beer.

“BOUNTY HUNTER THOMSON?” shouted Nick. “THE MAN WHO CAUGHT MY RED GHOST?”

Heath’s eyebrow arched at the shouted accusation in the man’s tone and he crossed his arms across his chest, his voice strong and firm. “If I’m not mistaken, I do believe the Red Ghost is now mine, Mr. Barkley. Matter of fact, I don’t believe he was ever yours.”

Nick stared into the cool blue eyes and felt a familiar feeling rise inside at the blonde before him, aware the men in his crew were staring at them knowing how much Nick had yearned for the Red Ghost. Nick’s loud voice reached out into the darkness, filling each corner of the room.

“Matter of fact, I believe you are correct Mr. Thomson! Let’s have a drink!”

Chapter 12

Clapping Heath on the back, Nick stood beside him at the bar and announced loudly drinks for everyone. Heath grimaced and rubbed his ear at the boisterous shout from the dark haired man before nodding in appreciation at the mug of beer placed before him by the bartender.

Nick took a drink of his beer and stated, “So, you’re a bounty hunter?”

Nodding, Heath replied, “Yep.”

“My family and I appreciate you bringing in Garrett. We weren’t so sure he’d ever be caught.”

“Like I told your brother thanks aren’t necessary.” drawled Heath taking another sip of his drink before setting it back on the bar. “It’s my job.”

Hazel inquisitive eyes studied the profile of the blonde, whose cool sapphire eyes used the mirror behind the bar to keep track on the happenings in the room. Nick felt a need to know more about this man on his left. His bits of knowledge gained over the past few days of this person were conflicting and contrasting.

The bounty hunter image did not fit with this youthful man beside him, the ability to take on three men in a bar fight did not fit either. The ability to catch a wild horse which evaded everyone who had sought after him filled Nick with a grudging admiration.

“Thomson, how did you catch my, uh, your stallion?” asked Nick curiously.

Shrugging, Heath smiled slightly, “I rode up and roped him.”

“RODE UP AND ROPED HIM?” shouted Nick in disbelief, his words turning several heads in the bar. “IT CAN’T HAVE BEEN THAT SIMPLE!”

Pushing his hat back, the sapphire eyes twinkled, “Why not, Barkley? It’s not that hard.”

Scowling, Nick shook his head. “You must’ve trapped him or something. NOBODY’S been able to get close enough to rope him.”

Irritated, Heath’s eyes turned frosty and his voice lowered, “Barkley, I don’t lie and I really don’t care if you believe me or not. I have the horse, you don’t!”

Nodding to the man who’d been introduced as Duke McCall, Heath turned and left the stunned rancher behind. The cold look in the blue eyes had startled Nick, it was unexpected and unnerving.

Duke bit back a smile at the shocked look on Nick’s face when the younger man growled at him. Nick turned to watch the retreating back, letting out a breath and turned back to the bar after the swinging doors flipped back into their position.

“Duke, that boy’s a puzzle.” admitted Nick.

Clapping his boss on the shoulder, Duke smiled, “Well, I hear you’ll have plenty of time to try to figure him out boss.”

“What do ya’ mean?”

“Rumor says he put a down payment on the Pierce ranch.” informed Duke.

Admiration flew into the hazel eyes and Nick whistled, “He sure picked one of the loneliest and wildest places around here. I wonder if he’s planning on raising cattle.”

The blonde bounty hunter filled their thoughts and both men looked forward to seeing the youngster in the future. Leaving the saloon, the crew followed their boss home in the warm summer night.

Rising early the next morning, Heath spent time with Charger in the corral using the same technique he had the day before. Talking and moving slowly to get the massive horse used to the nearness of him. By the end of the session, the red horse would reach forward with a tentative nose and sniff his master’s hand. Heath smiled as he was saddling Brownie, in time Charger would become an excellent horse and friend. He was intelligent, powerful and cunning. Great combinations which he liked in his animals.

The morning was slowly fading towards noon and the blonde was making his way out to the property which would be his in two days. The events of the prior evening left him shaking his head. His last words to Nick Barkley hadn’t been harsh but had definitely been said in anger. Sighing, he realized if he wanted to live in this area it’d be best to try not to make too many enemies. He had earned enough foes over the years past without actively seeking out new ones.

Arriving at the ranch, he took the small notebook out of his pocket and opened to the list he’d made. He decided today would be a good day to visit his new home and ensure he’d not left anything out which needed to be done. The time on the ranch went by quickly and his list was longer, short term and long term fixes written in the notebook before he turned the chestnut back to Stockton.

The day spent in solitude was broken at the sight of the surrey stopped on the side of the road. Two people were beside the surrey, the wheel laying on the side of the road. Approaching, Heath glanced around the area before riding up closer. The people in the surrey older, one black and the other white.

“Howdy, need some help?” drawled Heath leaning on his saddlehorn.

Victoria smiled as Silas unconsciously stepped in front of her. Placing a hand on his arm, she squeezed her thanks and nodded, “We have lost a wheel, Mr.”

“Thomson, ma’am.” replied Heath tipping his hat before climbing down.

“Heath Thomson?” asked Victoria watching the puzzled look in his eyes which turned to amusement at the name painted on the side of the surrey.

“Yes, ma’am.” stated Heath leaning down and examining the underside of the carriage.

“I’m Victoria Barkley and this is Silas Whiting.” introduced Victoria receiving a nod in response as he walked to the other side of the surrey and knelt to get a better look.

“Small world ain’t it, Mrs. Barkley.” drawled Heath after straightening and brushing off his clothes. “Since I’ve been here, you’re the third Barkley I’ve met. How many more are there?”

Laughing, Victoria replied, “Two. My daughter Audra and my son Eugene. Gene is away at college.”

Chuckling, Heath flashed a lop-sided grin and nodded. “Mr. Whiting, with your help we can get this wheel back on.”

“Certainly, sir.” agreed Silas stepping closer to the blonde and following his instructions. The afternoon was hot and both men were covered in sweat from the exertion. Taking off his hat and wiping his brow, Heath smiled into the dark eyes of the older man.

“Good work, Mr. Whiting.” smiled Heath. “How far to the ranch?”

“Ten miles, sir.” informed Silas.

Frowning and taking a drink from his canteen, Heath thought for a moment before looking at Silas and Victoria. “If ya’ don’t mind, I’ll make sure you get back to the ranch. I’m not sure this wheel will hold all the way and I wouldn’t want ya’ to be stranded out here with night coming.”

“That is certainly kind of you, Mr. Thomson.” smiled Victoria. “We’d love to have your company on the way to the ranch.”

Helping Victoria into the surrey, Heath watched Silas start the horses before mounting and riding alongside. After riding through the outer gate with the large overhead sign indicating the Barkley Ranch, Heath’d been surprised at how far away the main house was from the road. He took out his watch and frowned at the time. He’d have to leave and ride hard to make it back to Stockton in time for his dinner date with Mackenzie. Putting the timepiece away, his eyes widened at the sight of the house he saw looming in the distance. Following the surrey into the yard, he jumped down and reached up to help Victoria from the surrey as Nick approached from the barn.

“Thank you for your assistance again, Mr. Thomson. I would certainly appreciate if you would stay for dinner and allow us to repay you for your kindness.” suggested Victoria extending her hand to him and feeling a sense of familiarity when she looked into the youthful face.

Heath took her hand in his and smiled, “I’m afraid I already have dinner plans for tonight, Mrs. Barkley.”

“Mother.” greeted Nick placing a kiss on her cheek before turning to the blonde. “Thomson.”

“Barkley.” nodded Heath before gesturing to the surrey. “It broke down on the road.”

“Thanks for helping one of us Barkleys again.” grinned Nick holding out his hand. “How about a drink?”

Shaking the hand of the rancher, Heath flashed a quick grin before tipping his hat to Victoria, “Sorry ma’am, I’m gonna have ta ride like the devil’s on my tail to make it back in time.”

“Perhaps tomorrow night, Mr. Thomson?” asked Victoria, gray eyes hopeful. “Say six o’clock?”

Hesitating, Heath slowly nodded in agreement, “Six o’clock it is, ma’am. Good night.”

Nick put an arm around his mother’s waist while they watched the blonde gallop out of the yard and back towards Stockton.

“Such an interesting young man.” mumbled Victoria wrapping her arms around her son.

“Yes, he is Mother.” admitted Nick as they walked into the mansion, feeling excitement rise up in him at the upcoming dinner.

Chapter 13

As Heath was on his way back to Stockton, a knock on the back door had Mackenzie smiling at the man’s voice on the other side. She quickly opened the plank of wood and ushered him in.

Jacob Daye, criminal since the tender age of 14, hugged his daughter and held her out at arm’s length. The hardened outlaw’s brown eyes scrutinized the beautiful girl he’d raised as his own with his wife and his heart filled with pride.

“Honey, you look terrific!” smiled Jacob, cupping her cheek in his palm. “Is everything okay?”

“I’m fine, Dad, it’s so good to see you!” whispered Mackenzie, her eyes filling with tears and she brushed them away. “Look at silly old me, crying like a little girl. Sit down and I’ll get us some coffee.”

Sitting at the table, Jacob grinned at the cookies she set before him, oatmeal raisin were his favorite. Waiting til she sat down with him, Jacob asked, “Mac, do you need any money?”

“No, dad. I’m working at the restaurant.” informed Mackenzie. “Thanks for asking though.”

Scowling Jacob shook his head, “I still wish you’d have stayed closer to me, Mac. I don’t like the thought of you living by yourself without someone to protect you.”

“Oh, dad! You’re going to get gray hair worrying so much!” teased Mackenzie causing her already gray haired father to chuckle. She watched as he devoured the cookies, the special treats she always made for him.

This man who was wanted for bank robbery, rustling and suspicion of murder put fear into the hearts of many. But not hers or her mother’s. They knew the man inside hidden deep beneath the many layers of roughness, gruffness and deadliness.

He’d worshipped his wife and loved his daughter. He had been on the outlaw path long before he had met the beautiful woman who’d stolen his heart and he felt was his soulmate. He was the only father she’d ever known and even with all the moving around they did, she wouldn’t have traded him for the world.

Jacob reached over and patted her hand bringing her thoughts back to the kitchen. “Mac, so tell me how do you like this town?”

A slight blush spread across her face and she smiled shyly, “I really like it, dad. The people are very nice and I’ve made some friends.”

Brown eyes lit up and Jacob leaned on the table, his voice curious and low, “You met someone didn’t you?”

Nodding, Mackenzie’s violet eyes sparkled like the stars in the night sky, “Yes, I did. His name is Heath Thomson.”

Jacob’s mouth gaped open and he stammered, “The bounty hunter!”

Surprised, Mackenzie stared in shock, “You know him?”

“Only by reputation, Mac. You didn’t tell him about me, did you?” asked Jacob groaning at the nod of her head. “Oh, honey. You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Dad, he doesn’t care who you are. He’s waiting for the reward from his last job and moving onto a ranch he bought on Monday. He told me he’s not going to be a bounty hunter anymore.” explained Mackenzie quickly.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Jacob felt every inch of his fifty four years of age and sighed, “Honey, how long have you known him?”

“A few days.” admitted Mackenzie shaking her head. “Inside I feel as if I have known him all my life. It’s amazing, dad.”

A knock on the door had Jacob jumping up and Mackenzie stopping him with a hand on his arm, glancing out the window. “Oh I forgot Heath was coming. Just stay here dad for a minute. Something’s wrong with him.”

The worry and concern in the violet eyes twisted Jacob’s heart and he nodded before she closed the door to the kitchen, leaving it ajar. Jacob unhooked the thong holding his pistol in place and listened carefully, standing back and seeing the man in the doorway perfectly.

“Heath, are you okay?’ exclaimed Mackenzie taking in the dusty weary man before her.

Taking off his hat, Heath smiled slightly before reaching up and brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, “Evening, Mackenzie. Sorry I’m looking so rough. Brownie threw a shoe back on the way into town and we had to walk a few miles.”

Smiling with relief, Mackenzie giggled, “Well, you do look like something the cat’s drug in.”

Laughing, Heath winked, “Boy howdy, I’ve been waiting all day to hear a compliment like that.”

“Oh you!” blushed Mackenzie, her violet eyes falling down from his, biting her lip. “I’m sorry Heath, I forgot we had a date tonight. I’ve been busy all day and time got away from me.”

Tilting his head slightly, Heath nodded, “I understand, Mackenzie. I’m feeling a little worse for wear. How about a ride tomorrow morning instead?”

“I’d love that very much, Heath.” smiled Mackenzie as his hand brushed against her cheek.

Leaning forward, Heath brushed his lips against hers before pulling back, drawling quietly. “Have wonderful dreams, Mackenzie. I’ll see you around eight tomorrow.”

Nodding, Mackenzie watched as he lead Brownie down the street and closed the door when she couldn’t see him any more. Sighing with relief, Jacob opened the kitchen door and frowned when she walked in.

“Honey, I didn’t mean to wreck your evening.” apologized the older man.

“It’s okay. I’ll see Heath tomorrow.” said Mackenzie, screeching in fear at the back door bursting open and Jacob turning quickly, stopping a grab for his gun at the steady pistol aimed at his heart.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Daye.” stated Heath quietly, watching the two sets of eyes widen in fear.

Chapter 14

“Take it out with your left hand and drop it.” ordered the hunter watching carefully as his orders were followed.

“Mackenzie, you and your father move over there.” said Heath moving to the gun and kneeling to pick it up.

“Heath.” pleaded Mackenzie, tears rising in her eyes as she glanced between the two men, wishing the two males had never met.

Jacob sighed and shook his head, “How’d you know?”

“Next time make sure there’s not a light behind ya’. It casts a shadow.” informed Heath with a scowl. “I was afraid someone was here against your daughter’s wishes since she didn’t mention she had company. I didn’t know it was you til I came through the door.”

Sudden anger flared in the sapphire eyes at the father and daughter before him, he was at the crossroads and unsure of which direction to take.

“Darlin’, you’ve put me in a very bad position.” snapped Heath clenching his jaw against his temper, not letting his guard down for a moment.

“YOU WOULDN’T BE IN A BAD POSITION IF YOU HADN’T KICKED IN MY DOOR.” shot back Mackenzie responding to the anger in his voice which matched his flashing eyes.

“HELL, I THOUGHT YOU WERE IN TROUBLE! WHAT KIND OF MAN WOULD I BE IF I JUST LEFT?” snapped Heath in frustration.

“WHY DIDN’T YOU ASK ME? YOU COULD’VE MENTIONED THE SHADOW YOU SAW WHEN YOU SAID GOODBYE, HEATH!” said Mackenzie then releasing an audible sigh of regret. “You just had to ask.”

“Mackenzie, why didn’t you tell me he was in the area? Now I’m forced into a corner and I don’t like it!” growled the blonde, indecision flaring in the sapphire eyes, his sense of right and wrong warring within him, the realization of how this night’s decision could affect his future tightening his gut.

“He’s my dad, Heath.” said Mackenzie firmly, lifting her chin slightly. “I love him no matter what he’s done to others in the past. He’d never hurt me!”

“Mac didn’t know I was in the area, Thomson. It was a surprise cause I was worried about her being alone. I only wanted to see my little girl.” explained Jacob, arms folded across his chest, staring at the pistol not wavering in the strong hand.

“Last thing I heard was you were over Nevada way, Mr. Daye.” stated Heath smiling slightly at the flash of surprise in the hardened criminal’s eyes. “I’m very good at what I do.”

Jacob smirked, “So I’m unfortunate enough to witness first hand. I heard you brought in that backshooting Garrett. Nice work.”

Heath nodded, “Thanks.”

“Heath, what are you going to do?” asked Mackenzie, several minutes passed before a word was spoken.

“Tell me what you want me to do, Mackenzie. I’ll do whatever you want!” urged Heath quietly, staring into the surprised violet eyes.

Jacob looked at the exchange with interest in the room full of stillness as time stood still between the two younger people. The atmosphere in the room filled the kitchen with tension, the longing in their eyes touching him deep inside. It was the same look he knew was in his own eyes when he first met his wife.

Mackenzie’s automatic inclination was to protect her father, the man who raised her with nothing other than love. The man who held her hand for her first eighteen years of life and yet in front of her was another man who’d only held her hand for a few days, but the sparks between them flew higher than the lava of a volcano, the joined sense between them at their first touch startling them both.

The strong handsome face of the blonde across from her stole her breath away, her lips remembered the tenderness in his kiss, her heart knew the type of man he was, had shown himself to be in his actions and their talks.

“I can’t! I can’t ask you to do something that would go against your principles. I couldn’t live with myself if I asked you to compromise yourself. I understand if you never want to see me again. You do what you feel you have to. Just know I’m terribly sorry for putting you in a place where you must decide, Heath.” stammered Mackenzie between sobs of anguish, feeling her father pulling her into his arms, her heart breaking.

Concerned brown eyes met sapphire eyes which burned with pride, admiration and love.

No man wants a woman who’d put others ahead of him or thought her needs were more important. No man wanted a woman who’d demand he knuckle under giving into what she wanted. He wanted a woman who’d walk beside him, hand in hand, fully understanding the person he was inside. Jacob watched in disbelief when the young hunter tilted his gun up, slowly holstered his pistol and laid his colt on the table before backing to the door.

“Mackenzie?” drawled Heath softly waiting til she looked over at him. “Since I put the down payment on the ranch, one could say I’m no longer a bounty hunter but a rancher. This is not a rancher’s job.”

“Oh, Heath.” burst out Mackenzie, rushing over into his arms. “I’m so sorry.”

Holding her close, Heath shook his head and stated in her ear before placing a kiss on her cheek, “Don’t apologize for having a loving father, Mackenzie or for loving him back. No matter who he is.”

Looking over, he stared into the brown eyes and stated, “Understand Mr. Daye, just being in your presence is against the law. I’ll come back at ten tomorrow. That should be enough time for you two to talk and such. When I arrive at ten, I won’t see you cause you should’ve already left. If you haven’t, all bets are off and I will take you in, Mr. Daye.”

Jacob’s brown eyes reflected his understanding and thanks, his voice low. “You won’t have to worry, Mr. Thomson. I give you my word, I’ll be gone long before ten o’clock. Mac, why don’t you see Heath out the front door, say goodbye properly and I’ll put another pot of coffee on?”

Stunned at the turn of the evening, Mackenzie lead the blonde to the front door and stepped out on the porch with him, closing the door behind them. Her insides jumped, nervous at the events which had occurred, wondering what the man before her would do, wanting to know what he thought of her, her doubts darkening the violet in her eyes.

Heath gazed into the confused violet eyes, his heart thundering loudly in his chest, knowing he was hers forever from the moment he looked into her eyes and saw her soul. Taking hold of her upper arms, he slowly pulled her closer to him, moving his left hand around her waist and lightly down her back as he held her close against him. His right fingertips gently caressed her cheek, his lips whispered her name with a quivering voice, full of emotion and huskiness.

Holding her chin in his hand, he brushed their mouths together, running his tongue lightly over her lips and his soft moan of desire was stifled by his searching kiss which released her unspoken questions and sent her senses reeling under the moonlight of the summer night. His hand moved to the back of her neck seeking to deepen his kiss, his body longing for her, the feel of her against him fueling his hunger.

Her arms tightened around him and she returned the kiss with a hungered passion that matched his, her desire as great and the flames as hot. Lost in the feel of each other’s shaking body and the moment of oneness which revealed the depths of their emotions for each other.

Regretfully breaking away, deep breaths calmed the fires inside and Heath sighed. “Til tomorrow, Mackenzie.”

“Tomorrow.” whispered Mackenzie stroking his cheek. “Thank you, Heath.”

Shaking his head and putting a finger on her lips, he whispered, “We’ll talk about it tomorrow. I’m going to the hotel and will forget everything I saw tonight. I’ll remember only us here on this porch.”

Tears sprang out of her eyes and Heath placed another lingering kiss on the trembling lips before walking down the street. Watching until she couldn’t see him anymore, Mackenzie entered the house and locked the door behind her.

Jacob hugged his daughter tightly, “He loves ya’, Mac. Everything I’ve ever heard about him seems true. He’s a good man. Make sure you take good care of him.”

“I will, daddy.” promised Mackenzie, her violet eyes sparkling, her limbs trembling from the passionate kisses.

Chapter 15

Walking to the livery and leading Brownie, the fifteen year old wanted poster on Jacob Daye flashed through Heath’s mind. Bank robbery, rustling and suspicion of murder. Did he trade in part of himself for the feelings he relished when Mackenzie was in his arms? Is that why he allowed her father the chance to spend the night with his daughter and not report him to the law, keeping him out of justice’s way? The man didn’t have any other charges against him that Heath knew of, only those printed fifteen years ago. He’d expected Mackenzie to plead for her father’s freedom, instead she had taken him by surprise and his admiration for her flowed when she wouldn’t make the decision out of concern for his principles.

Shaking his head, he mumbled, “I’m gonna drive myself crazy if I keep thinkin’ like a bounty hunter, Brownie. I’m a rancher, you’re a rancher’s horse. That’s all there is to it. No more chasing men for money. Ranchers don’t do that and I’m not going to either.”

The chestnut shook his head and whinnied, delighting in the feel of the grooming under the familiar hands. The curry comb worked it’s way over the coat of the chestnut as Heath replayed the scene in his mind, his lips feeling her kiss, his sigh loud in the quiet livery. Brownie stomped and snorted, demanding his master return to the stall where he stood physically to finish the grooming which stopped as the blonde’s thoughts flew a mile a minute. Heath smiled and patted the chestnut, reaching up to scratch behind his ears before giving him some oats.

Making sure the chestnut was set for the night, Heath walked out of the livery and climbed up to sit on the top rail of the corral. His voice softly whispered to the stallion. Walking slowly, Charger made his way to the familiar sound, the soothing tone moving his ears forward.

Heath sat still and spoke, curtailing his excitement at the nose which nuzzled his leg. Reaching forward slowly, he held out his hand for Charger to smell before reaching over and scratching the sensitive area behind the ears. Charger reveled in the strong touch of the fingers behind his ears, enjoying the new sensation for a minute before shaking his head and jumping away. Heath laughed softly at the dancing horse beneath the moonlight, the sight mesmerizing him for a moment.

Climbing down he headed down the street and entered the saloon, resuming his spot from the night before. Harry brought out a bowl of stew at his request. Heath leaned on the bar chasing his stew down with a beer. The room was as full as the night before, some of the faces familiar. His eyes stopped briefly on the man with the plastered wrist before moving on.

Bard Flaherty saw the blonde enter and his eyes fueled with anger. The cast on his arm and the broken bone throbbing beneath it was the remnant of their last meeting. Nudging the man on his left, he spoke and stood up with the man. Walking through the saloon as Nick Barkley and Duke McCall entered.

Both men unconsciously stiffened at the sight of the Craddock foreman, waiting and surprised when the men ignored them, striding past to enter the darkness of the night. Duke made his way to the poker table and grinning at the blonde who pushed the empty bowl away from him, Nick snorted, “Don’t tell me your date was with Harry here? Even I can do better than that!”

Heath choked on the beer he was drinking at the statement and coughed. Nick laughed and patted the gasping man on the back.

“Dammit Barkley! What are ya’ trying to do? Choke me?” growled Heath wiping his mouth, his eyes glittering with amusement. “Boy howdy, I sure hope your touch with the ladies is better than the luck ya’ have with horses!”

Winking, Nick saluted the hunter with his glass before turning the conversation to the ranch the blonde had purchased. “That’s some wild country up there.”

“Just how I like it.” admitted Heath quietly. “Far away from town and quiet. Perfect for gentling horses.”

Nodding, Nick agreed, “Yea, it’s that alright. You planning on running cattle?”

“Nope, just horses. With cattle you need a full crew of men. With horses you can get by with half as many men.” informed Heath, then smirking, “Course it’ll depend on how the ghosts of the haunted ranch treat me.”

Scowling, Nick shook his head, “That’s a bunch of horse dung! It was just some rumor old man Pierce started to keep visitors away. He was a hermit and didn’t like anybody. That’s all it is but you know how people are. Say one thing and by the time it gets through town, it’s grown by leaps and bounds. It’s just a rumor!”

Digesting the information, Heath winked, “Haunted or not, it still sounds perfect to me Barkley! Well, I got a bed at the hotel calling my name. Night!”

“I’ll walk up the street with you.” said Nick falling in step beside the blonde waving to Duke as they passed, the two men left the lighted saloon were swallowed up by the darkness.

“Hey, where you going?” asked Nick when the younger man walked by the hotel.

Not stopping, Heath replied, “I gotta go say goodnight to my Red Ghost. Course you’re welcome to come and take a close up look at him, Barkley. Now that he’s in a place where you can get near him!”

The chuckle of the blonde filled the night air and Nick rolled his eyes, grinning at the other man’s cockiness. Climbing up on Coco, he turned his mount towards home. Stopping at the sudden desire to see the Red Ghost, he turned and walked Coco down to the livery.

The sound of a distressed horse caught Nick’s ears and he ran to the corral. The sound of his running feet reached the ears of two men who were dodging the hooves of the massive stallion in the corral. Charger sought out the men, trying to get them with his teeth or hooves. Nick yelled out at the men, who took off running to the other side of the corral, climbing over and disappearing into the night before he could recognize them.

“THOMSON!” shouted Nick at the sight of the still man lying in the corral, the stallion standing over him, his eyes wide and nostrils flaring. “THOMSON!”

Fred heard the shouts of fear and ran to the livery from the boardwalk where he was patrolling the town. Stopping beside Nick, he stared into the corral.

“That horse’s gonna stomp him!” exclaimed Nick grabbing a rope from a nearby horse. Fred stopped Nick as he walked by with a hand on his arm.

“Nick, damned if it don’t look like the Red Ghost is protecting Heath. Look!” stated Fred, unable to take his eyes from the corral.

Taking a closer look, Nick shook his head in disbelief realizing the sheriff was right. The blonde lay about ten feet inside the corral with the red stallion standing over him. Charger kept his eyes on the two new humans and snorted a warning before lowering his head and nuzzling his master on the ground. The smell of blood made him nervous and he shied a couple feet away before coming back to nuzzle him again.

The smell of dirt and the taste of blood in his mouth greeted Heath before he rose to a painful level of consciousness. The feel of someone pushing against him caused a small groan to escape and he slowly opened his eyes. The sight of two hooves by his head woke him quickly and he steadied himself while he lay still on the ground. In a flash of time, he remembered the unexpected attack and the subsequent struggle which left him in the corral.

Talking softly, Heath clenched his teeth and slowly raised a hand to the velvety nose. He was waiting for the strong hooves to come down on him as he slowly climbed to his knees then his feet. Charger shook his head and smelled him before nuzzling the blonde in the back as he walked away, his steps faltering when the horse pushed him but he caught himself and stopped.

Nick and Fred watched, listening to the soft ramblings of the blonde before his hand reached up from the ground towards the stallion who calmly sniffed it. They held their breath as the obviously pained man struggled to his knees, then to his feet. Sighing with relief when the stallion didn’t startle when the blonde took his first steps away from the horse.

Nick grimaced at the shot of pain which spread across Heath’s face after the Red Ghost nuzzled him in the back and he had to stop himself from falling back to the ground. Stopping in his tracks, Heath slowly turned and reached up to scratch behind the horse’s ears. The small movement sending shockwaves of pain through his battered body and he clenched his jaws together.

Satisfied with the attention he received, Charger moved to the end of the corral and Heath walked out the gate which Fred opened. Leaning against the fence, Heath let out his breath and wiped his face with a shaky hand, his words coming out in between gasps.

“Nice...friendly...town.”

Smirking, Nick retorted, “You must’ve stolen another person’s horse or something.”

“Or...something.” gasped Heath, his legs giving out and Nick grabbed his arms helping him down to sit on the ground. Fred returned with a lantern and the men saw the damage on the blonde whose eyes were closed, one from swelling and bruising. Blood flowed down the side of his head, the left side containing the most damage, more than likely from the first blow. The injured man’s breathing slowly returned to normal and the other two smiled at the blue eye they could see under the now open lid.

“Barkley, you’re bad luck. Every time I’m near ya’ something happens.” drawled Heath, his mouth lifted into a slight grin at the growl from the other man.

“I’m not the one who couldn’t say good night to his horse without running into someone’s fists.” snorted Nick with a wink.

Inhaling at a spasm of pain, Heath groaned, “Fists only I coulda won. Not with whatever hit me first. No chance after that.”

Anger flashed in the hazel eyes and he growled, “Not many men can win if the other guy’s using something other than fists. Com’n let’s go get you to the doctor.”

Fred and Nick pulled the shaky man to his feet and put his arms over their shoulders. Nick rolled his eyes and laughed at the moaned comment spoken in a pained voice.

“Dammit, next time I have to fill six days in a strange town, I’m gonna shoot myself and just stay at the doctor’s office from day one.”

Chapter 16

Walking the injured man to the office of Dr. Merar’s was slow going. Stopping once when the nausea rising within him became too much, Heath felt the strong hands of the dark haired rancher supporting him after he was left trembling from the expulsion of his stomach contents.

“You okay?” asked Nick glancing at the pale face of the blonde.

Snorting, Heath snapped, “Barkley, are you blind or something?”

Fred laughed outright at the crimson which spread across Nick’s face at the response to his not so wise question.

“Yeah, I see what you mean. You do look like hell.” smirked Nick patting the back of the younger man before helping him to his feet.

“Gee thanks.” groaned Heath from his place between the two men. “Barkley, did you get a close-up look at the Red Ghost?”

Nick rolled his eyes and sighed, “You know, Thomson, you’re not a funny guy.”

The chuckle from the blonde turned into a groan of pain as the men climbed the stairs to the physician’s office. Dr. Merar answered the knock and led the men into an examining room.

“Sit him there on the table.” instructed the physician grabbing his tray of instruments and moving them closer. Nick and Fred helped the blonde onto the table and stood by, steadying the shaky man when he wobbled.

Howard started his examination by running his hands over the sides of his patient, eliciting a sharp inhalation at his probing. Taking note of the blonde’s pale face, blood stained hair and bruises on the left side as he spoke.

“What happened Fred?”

“Someone jumped him at the livery. We found him in the middle of the corral.” stated Fred, arms crossed over his chest.

“Any signs of unconsciousness or nausea?”

Nick nodded, “He was unconscious when we found him and threw up on the way here.

“HEY! I’M SITTING RIGHT HERE!” snapped Heath, holding his head when the heated words echoed in his head.

Raising an eyebrow at the blue orb looking at him, Howard smiled, “You are barely sitting there, young man. How many fingers?”

Staring, Heath frowned, “Ah, four?”

“Let’s get your shirt off.” sighed Howard reaching for the garment.

“Just stitch my head and give me some headache powders, doc.” growled Heath, pushing the physician’s hand away. “I know I’m concussed and bruised some ribs. Nothing that ain’t happened before.”

Nick and Fred hid their smiles at the look of anger which spread across the normally stoic physician’s face. Howard leaned forward and stared into the light blue eye, his voice low and demanding, “Exactly what medical school did you attend?”

Clenching his jaw against the pain, the young hunter replied, “I don’t need you to wrap my ribs, they’re not broken. I can tell, Dr. Merar.”

Howard frowned and sighed before straightening up, “Nick. Fred. Can you leave us alone for a moment?”

“Sure, doc.” replied both men leaving the room and closing the door behind them.

Waiting til the door closed, Howard stated firmly, “Mr. Thomson, you are correct, you have a concussion. Only a mild one thankfully. You are correct, your ribs are not broken and do not need to be wrapped.”

“Then stitch my head and I’ll leave.” said Heath in exasperation.

“However, I need to see if you have any internal bleeding, Mr. Thomson. The only way I can do this is by fully examining you.” replied Howard. “If I don’t do my job correctly, the cost would be your life. I, for one, do not want that on my conscience.”

The sincerity in the physician’s voice reached deep inside the blonde and he sighed. The man before him was only doing what he’d trained for but to the man on the table, it was just another time he’d have to answer questions. Questions that brought the past to the future. Questions he got sick of answering and replying to. Questions which only brought him pain emotionally now, the physical pain ending long ago.

Slowly opening his shirt, Heath looked into the physician’s caring brown eyes, his harsh words startling Howard. “I’m not answering any questions not related to today’s injuries, doc. You might have questions but I don’t want to hear them. Just get it over with.”

The puzzlement in the physician’s eyes was replaced with understanding at two jagged scars on the sides of the blonde which appeared to run towards the back. Looking briefly into the open sapphire eye, Howard stepped around the table and ran his eyes over the back of his patient. The scars were marks from a whip with some of the scars wrapping themselves around and ending partially on the front of the young man.

Stepping back to the front of the table, Howard helped Heath lay down on his back and ran his hands over the blonde’s bruised stomach, his questions answered quickly from the man whose arm was covering his eye. The pain the blonde felt came from the bruising on the left side of his head where the initial first strike had drawn first blood and stunned him making his efforts at defending himself, useless and futile.

Howard stopped his examination and stared at the birthmark on the man’s left side above his heart. The shape of a crescent moon burned into his brown eyes and he glanced toward his patient’s head, thankful Heath’s eye was still covered and he was unaware of his shock.

Helping Heath sit up and put his shirt back on, Howard cleared his throat, “Mr. Thomson, that’s a very interesting shaped birthmark.”

The mention of the mark caused the blonde to sneer, “My mama, god rest her soul, said that’s part of my daddy in me. Along with my eyes. Other than that, I’m a spitting image of my mother. Too bad, I couldn’t get all of her features.”

The frown on the physician’s face had Heath lowering his eyes, “Sorry, doc. It’s a sore subject with me.”

Patting the blonde’s shoulder, Howard smiled, “No need to apologize, Mr. Thomson. Now, I will stitch your head and we can finish up here.”

“Thanks, doc.” sighed Heath, stifling a yawn. “I’m kinda tired and just want to get to bed.”

The sure fingers of the physician finished the stitching and bandaging in record time. The queasiness of his patient mixed with a strong headache left the blonde thankful after it was completed. Nick re-entered the room after Howard opened the door and made his way to the table.

“Thomson, you don’t look any better.” smirked Nick, receiving a growl from the pale blonde.

“Mr. Thomson, someone needs to stay with you tonight because of your head injury.” stated Dr. Merar.

Open-mouthed, Heath stared at the town physician. “I don’t need a babysitter! I’m fine!”

Climbing down from the table to prove his point, Heath’s legs wouldn’t support his weight and Nick grabbed onto his arms keeping the man from hitting the floor. Howard rolled his eyes and smiled.

“We can see how fine you are, Mr. Thomson.”

Grinning, Nick sighed, “I’ll take him back to his hotel room and stay with him, doc. Okay?”

Shaking his head, Heath groaned, “Barkley, go on home to your ranch. I’ll stay at Fred’s jail.”

“Nope. Fred says all the cells are full. There was a fight at the saloon and he had to lock up a bunch of people.” informed Nick. “Thomson, you helped me yesterday and I’m betting that’s why you were attacked tonight. Com’n I’m sure the doc would like to get back to sleep himself.”

Nodding, Heath took a deep breath and growled. “Alright but I got a date at ten in the morning and I definitely won’t need a chaperone!”

Chuckling, Nick put the right arm of the blonde across his shoulders and lead him from the room with the town physician staring after them. As he readied himself for bed, Howard Merar wondered how the birthmark of the crescent moon, prominent on all Barkley males through the generations, ended up on the chest of a blonde bounty hunter.

To be continued…