Jake by C. Petit (top novels TXT) 📗

first saw his body. Old Joe Packard had it right. It looked like a pair of grizzlies were working on both sides of his middle.”

Arv took a big bite of his biscuit and as he chewed, he picked up his mug of coffee. He had been surprised to see Jake return so early and thought that he’d changed his mind about going it alone. But when he began telling the gruesome story, he found it much more than just hideous.

After he washed down the biscuit with some hot coffee, Arv said, “Jake, I don’t mean to sound like some kind of spiritualist, but don’t you think it’s a bit spooky?”

Jake shook his head as he had mouthful of scrambled eggs, so Arv continued.

“I mean, the man who killed your father was trying to shoot you with your father’s gun. But just when he was going to pull the trigger, a lightning bolt came down from the sky and stopped him. Don’t you think it’s a bit like, um…I don’t know, divine vengeance?”

Jake still had his mouth stuffed with the eggs as he stared at the sheriff. He hadn’t even thought of the connection between Dave’s horrific death and his father.

He finished chewing then swallowed before he said, “I didn’t even think about it, Arv. But if my father did have anything to do with it, you would have thought he’d rather wait until I could make Dave confess. He would have wanted me to know why he’d sent that lightning bolt.”

“Now we’re both talking like crazy men. Let’s finish our breakfast and go to the livery. I want to see that rifle.”

“I’m riding the gray gelding, so you can ride back on your new sorrel and trail your other horse.”

Arv grinned before he popped his last piece of bacon into his mouth.

As they stood, Arv reached into his pocket, but Jake dropped a dollar bill on the table and said, “I’ve got this, Arv. I recovered the money that Dave stole.”

Sheriff Zendt didn’t argue but just followed Jake out of the diner and headed for Stoker Brothers Livery.

_____

It wasn’t even nine o’clock when Jake and the sheriff reached the road to Fort Benton. The sun was blasting its fierce light into their eyes as they rode east at a brisk pace. Arv was tickled to be riding the sorrel and Jake was just anxious to return as quickly as possible to see Sara. He was sure that she was worried, but when she saw him late this afternoon, her concerns would evaporate like last night’s rain. And then he had a story to tell her.

_____

Most of the scattered cattle had been driven back to the herds before noon and the men had all returned for lunch before heading back out to find the last of the strays.

Sara had cleaned the house twice and was running out of things to occupy her mind, so she went into the office and began arranging the books on the shelves by genre.

Some of the books were obviously chosen by Jake’s mother but she wasn’t sure who had selected the majority of the volumes. After Sara finished her sorting, she walked behind the desk and sat in the heavy chair. She wasn’t a petite woman but felt lost in the wide seat. The chair was a bit intimidating, too. That made no sense to her because it was just a piece of furniture. She hadn’t experienced any ill sensations when she’d decided to use the big bed, so why should the chair bother her?

She sighed, then stood, left the office and walked to the couch where she sat down. She stroked the cushion beside her and wished that Jake was there. But when he returned in two days, she wasn’t going to give him a chance to sit down.

Before she even started planning just how she would welcome him home, Jake and Sheriff Zendt were less than thirty miles away.

_____

Jake wished he’d waited until they reached the Elk before giving the sorrel to the sheriff. The gray was a strong horse, but its gait wasn’t nearly as smooth. It hadn’t been that noticeable on the ride from Woman’s Breast, but it must have been because of the softer ground. Now that they were riding at a brisk pace on the already dry road, the horse’s jarring ride was almost enough to make him want to reduce their speed. But despite the uncomfortable ride, Jake wanted to get back as soon as possible. Besides, he’d be able to be free of the gray bouncer sooner.

He glanced over at a pleased Sheriff Zendt and said, “If Kay shows up and asks for a horse, I’m going to give her this one.”

Arv snickered then replied, “Is it some kind of payback for that story she made up that sent you into the army?”

“Nope. I’m actually grateful to her for turning me down and saving me for Sara. I want to punish the horse by having to put up with her.”

The sheriff laughed and was more than happy to be riding the sorrel. Since they left the Elk yesterday morning, he and Jake had swapped a lot of stories, which was when he’d learned of Kay’s deception. He’d been amazed when he saw the exploded rifle and was even more convinced that it hadn’t been just coincidence or a freak of nature that had done the damage. But he hadn’t mentioned it again after they left the diner.

Jake hadn’t talked about the lightning strike again either. But he had spent the quiet time on the return ride thinking about it. It was such an extraordinary fluke of timing that it was only natural to look for an explanation. While he was still frustrated that he hadn’t had a chance to hear Dave’s confession, he knew that he now had no choice but to