Jodi's Journey (14 page)

It was two days before he picked up their
trail. It wasn't hard to track them. With only a few cattle and
themselves to worry about, they left a clear trail. Hunt followed
it for hours. It was nearly dawn the next day when he found their
campsite. Jodi was building the fire when Hunt heard one of the men
coming toward her. He hid in the bushes and watched. She looked
dirty, a little worse for wear, but she didn't look hurt. Just the
sight of her sent a wave of relief through him.

“No fire, lady. Want to tip our hand?” a
toothless old man with a dirty beard and a belly that weighted him
down said.

“You don't want coffee?” Jodi asked with such
innocence. “Tip your hand to whom?”

“Sure, I want coffee, but not enough to risk
my scalp. We might have left them cowpunchers back there on the
trail, but the Indians won't be as easy to get rid of.” The old man
rubbed his whiskers and stared at her. “You light a fire, they'll
be down on us quicker than you can say scat.”

This man wasn't drunk, probably the most
alert, Hunt surmised.

“You think the Indians would bother us?” She
tried to sound scared.

Hunt almost chuckled at her act. Anyone who
thought Jodi Parker skittish didn't know her.

“We got horses and cattle. Yep, I think they
might,” he answered. “Those heathens would kill for a horse.”

“So why did you bring me here?” she cried
out. “I mean, why slow yourselves down with a woman?”

“Well, you might already know if Elrod hadn't
gotten so all fired drunk and stayed that way. As it is, you've
been spared a few nights. But don't think you can get comfortable.
He's kind of rangy like that. Figured bringing you along would keep
him satisfied for a while. After all, he ain't too happy that we
didn't get that Negro fella.” The older man smiled a toothless
smile.

“I don't understand. The war is over, and the
Negroes are free according to Lincoln. Why did you want him?” Jodi
asked, her head turning to wait for his answer.

The man looked at her incredulously. “We
planned to string him up, that's what. That's what you do with
those kinds of people, girl. We don't need his kind here.”

Jodi cringed a little. “But why would you
hang a man just because he's a Negro?”

“Don't got to have a reason. He's a Negro,
that's reason enough.” The man chuckled. “Just like the Indians are
Indians.”

Jodi hung her head, a red blush blotting her
cheeks. “It's thinking like that that caused the war. You and men
like you. Treating people like animals. And for what? What did he
do that was so bad? He didn't do anything… Oh dear God, you make me
so sick.”

“No use getting yourself all riled up over a
Negro, Missy.”

“Did you fight for the north or the
south?”

“Well…it don't much matter none now. The
war's over.” His tone was cool and indifferent.

“Then why don't you let the Negro people
alone…why?” Her voice grew shrill.

“I reckon a woman wouldn't understand these
things. Somethin' has to be done, though; otherwise these Negroes
will think they can run things their way.” His voice was harsh and
unyielding. “Just like the Indians already think this land is
theirs.”

“They were here first… But you were soldiers,
weren't you. Why would you do this? Facing desertion, imprisonment?
And other things…” Her voice trailed off, and her face paled just a
fraction, enough for Hunt to notice. Jodi was passionate about
things she didn't even understand. Hunt smiled to himself.

“They catch me, they'll hang me this time.
Look lady, you don't know nothin'. That was all a while back. The
war's over. At least that one is. But now we fight the Indians
again. So it isn't over. Don't you see? I been fightin' nigh on to
twenty years now. Twenty years, and what fer? It ain't never gonna
be over.” The old man’s disgust showed in his face and echoed in
his voice. “First Indians, then the big war came along, and I
fought my brothers. Yep, my own brothers. Killed one of them at
Gettysburg. It was kill or be killed. He'd have done me in if I'd
have hesitated, I knew that. War knows no names, no kin. And it all
started over them danged Negro people. So there's your why!”

He almost shouted it in her face, then in a
milder tone, he continued, “I ain't sure which one I hate the most,
the Negroes or the Injuns. Both sorry. Anyhow, I came back here
later, thinkin' it was all over, now I could just sit out my days
'till I retire. But it weren't so.” He gazed at her and seemed
pleased that he had her attention. “The Comanche started up again.
Had me a woman in the settlement, was gonna retire with her. They
killed her. And I couldn't go after the danged heathens. I had
orders. Orders. That's all I know. All I ever hear. From the time I
get up in the mornin' till the time I goes to bed. Man cain't do
what needs doin'. The government don't much care because by the end
of the war, anyone worth their salt was done in, and ready to
desert. The south was a lost cause. Then what's to become of the
settlement people here? Who'll defend them? Just like during the
war, those Indians knows they can take the advantage. Just like
them bigwigs from Washington, makin' all them peace treaties that
they weren't gonna keep. And everybody lies to the Indians,
promises them all kinds of wonders. Don't never give them nothin'.
Not that they deserve anything, mind you. So they raid and kill,
and steal our horses, our cattle, and our food. So I ain't a
soldier no more.”

“You still wear the uniform.” She looked at
his tattered clothes.

“Ain't got no other clothes, or I wouldn't.
Now, you best rest, 'cause Elrod has plans for you later.” He
chuckled.

“And you're going to let him carry out his
plans?” she asked, this time not quite so bravely.

“Ain't no skin off my back, lady. I cain't go
around carin' about everybody…don't you see?”

The old man walked off and Jodi cringed
again. Hunt heard her mumble to herself, “Hate, it's so much about
hate…” She was obviously scared to death, but she was doing a good
job of not showing it. Hunt admired her courage. But they wouldn't
have her, not this day, or any other.

He saw the horses and cattle and worked his
way over. One by one, he loosened the reins and sent them away. It
was a quiet move, and he watched diligently as he continued to
loose their hobbles.

When the one they called Elrod woke, he
started to grab some jerky from his saddle bag and realized half
the horses were gone. He shouted, but a rifle shot brought them all
to the same place, in front of him.

Jodi spotted Hunt and ran quickly to his
side. “Jodi, get their guns.”

Jodi nodded and moved to take their guns. She
pulled them from their holsters, and checked them to make sure they
hadn't hidden any. She had captured them all, except Elrod's, when
he pulled a knife on her and threatened to kill her if Hunt didn't
let them all go.

“She's dead if you don't drop that rifle,”
Elrod hollered, his arms clamped around her while his big knife
creased her neck. He sneered at Hunt.

Hunt started to lower the rifle, but Jodi
stomped Elrod's foot with her booted heel, then kicked him in his
privates and ran.

Hunt came up close to Elrod. “Next time you
touch my woman you better be ready to die,” he said. Without
preamble, he kicked him in his shins, and then looked him in the
eye. “If I had the time, I might cut off a few protruding parts so
you never try to use them on any woman again.”

Hunt brought his horses around, helping Jodi
mount; he kept his gun aimed at them.

“Mister.” The old man stepped forward, his
gray-eyed gaze pleading. “We've practically starved most of the
winter. We been fightin' Indians and we just came upon some bad
times. Cain't you spare us one cow?”

“And I'd buy that story lock, stock and
barrel if you hadn't taken her,” Hunt said, waiting for a sign of
reasoning among them. “But you did. And you planned to hang one of
my men. Now I'm not a hard man, but a just man. You've heard of
jack rabbits and lizards. Well, I reckon it's time to get
acquainted with such. You won't starve in Texas, boys. There's
plenty of vegetation about. But I will leave neither cows, nor
horses. And now you can remove your boots.”

“Our boots? You mean to take them away from
us, too?” the old man whined.

“You darn right I do. Maybe it will make you
think twice about killing people, and hurting women.”

Slowly, they reluctantly removed their boots.
“Good, now throw them in the river there.”

“But…”

“Now,” Hunt instructed, his brow creased with
a huge frown as he watched their every move.

They obeyed.

“Mister, you're about as mean and low down as
I've seen,” Elrod claimed.

“Maybe so. You can still walk to town, but
you keep poppin' off, I might just take your clothes.”

The man shut up.

“Good. Now, I'm sorry I had to do this, but
you deserve it 'cause you didn't earn any cow from me. You got
choices; you can walk to the next town, or back to Waco. It's not
my concern, but if you ever try taking my woman, my herd, or my
men, again, or anything else that belongs to me, you won't live to
see the sunset. Even the Indians understand the trail drivers. It's
time you jayhawkers did too. We can be ruthless when needed, you
best remember that. Just be grateful I'm not taking your clothes,
too.”

“Reckon so.” The older man nodded. “But let
it be said, no one harmed the woman.”

Hunt walked up to the old man. “I heard you
tell my wife Elrod had plans, and that you wouldn't stop him.”

“Yeah, but…”

“Just keep quiet and don't try anything else
because blowing your heads off wouldn't bother me at a time like
this,” Hunt thundered.

He leveled his gaze upon them, took Elrod's
horse, and loosened the hobbles so it wasn't a problem to run them
off. He mounted his horse and they rode away quietly, backwards, as
he had his rifle trained on them all the way.

Jodi rode beside him, glancing at him off and
on, when he finally slowed to a trot.

“Did they touch you?” he asked lowly.

“No…they were too drunk,” she explained in a
contrite voice.

“Good,” he answered, not looking at her.

“Would it have made a difference if they
had?”

“Not to me, no. But to them it would have. I
would have killed them,” Hunt said quietly, not looking at her.

“You couldn't have spared them their boots?”
she finally blurted.

“Now don't you go getting soft on me, Jodi.”
He shook his head, reined his horse and looked at her long and
hard. “I don't pay nobody that steals and cheats, nor takes my
woman.”

“I'm not your woman,” she declared aloud.

“You are my wife, and don't you forget it as
long as this cattle drive is on,” he said in no uncertain
terms.

“You are as ruthless as they are,” she
muttered in an ill humor.

“Boy, you sure got up on the wrong side this
morning. And yes, ma'am, I am as ruthless as they are, and don't
forget that either. You always this grouchy this early in the
morning?”

She made a face at him, and didn't
acknowledge the question.

They rode in silence. Then, he looked at her
with nothing short of respect and honor. “Best be getting along.
Concho is probably up the trail by now. They scattered thirty head,
but I reckon they'll find them.”

“They knocked Concho out. Is he all right?”
Jodi asked as though it only now occurred to her.

“He's fine.” Hunt smiled, glad that she
showed concern for their men.

“And the rest of the men?”

“Everyone is okay, darlin'.”

“They wanted Willy. For God's sake, Hunt, the
war is over. Why?”

“Yeah, I know. That's why I put him in the
lead. They'd have had to find me first. I knew they were after him,
but it kind of shocked me that they took you, instead. What
happened to your gun?”

“I-I didn't have a chance to pull it,” she
answered shyly. “It was getting dark. I didn't hear them coming up
from behind, didn't expect them either.”

With that, they lit out in full speed.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

It took three more days to get back to where
the herd had been, and Concho had obviously followed Hunt's orders
and started moving the herd. He was confident they'd found the
strays and were back on the trial. He knew how thorough Dutch and
Brady could be. He and Jodi rode silently for a long while.

As nightfall came, he pitched a camp. He left
her to make a fire while he rode out to find some meat. He didn't
have to ride long. The country was scattered with prairie chickens,
quail, and wild turkey, and with one in hand, he returned to their
campsite.

Hunt killed and skinned the chicken, then
hung the meat up over the fire.

Jodi didn't talk much as they ate. She seemed
almost pensive. And yet, the tension between them stretched like an
invisible wire.

With supper tended to, Jodi went to the
spring they had stopped beside to wash herself. She took every
opportunity to clean away the trail dust of the day.

It was misting rain as she hurried back to
camp. The wind chilled her. She stood on the camp's edge as she
stretched herself and untied her hair. Untying her bedroll, she
joined him by the fire.

≈≈≈

Seeing how miserable she was with the one
blanket, Hunt offered her protection under his. But Jodi wasn't
going to join him. He'd been courteous, but a little patronizing
too. The woman picked her times to be stubborn, he
acknowledged.

His scrutiny made her uneasy. She turned away
from him, lifting her chin in decided defiance.

Amused, but totally unmoved by her arrogance,
he ignored her. No matter what he did, she still stubbornly refused
to accept help from him, even when she knew it was for her own
good. But this time, he'd had enough. He'd rescued her from the
clutches of bad men. He'd offered her warmth and protection, and
she still stubbornly refused to accept him or his help.