Treasured Dreams (The Rivers Brothers Book 3, стр. 44
“Say what you want, Barclay, but everyone knows you are a butcher and now we have proof. Senators, I beg you, do not give him what he’s asking for. His personal vendetta will only lead to more violence,” Chase pleads.
“Two hundred at the Snake River? Imagine the death toll on a larger city of four or five times those numbers,” Barclay exclaims. “A thousand or more citizens. How many more must die for you to act? You have the reports of trains and missing weapons in front of you.”
Chase sees the moment they disregard him and his stomach revolts. “No. General Barclay lies!”
“Security remove this man! You have no proof, Sir and we have all the proof we need right here,” Senator Briggs shouts and shoves a picture at Chase.
“He’s orchestrated all of this to what end I don’t know, but I will find out.” Chase jerks away and slams from the council room. Followed by his friends. All he can think is that he’s got to get to his brother, Harris, and Kimani.
General Barclay stifles a grin and turns back, “The tribes are uniting gentlemen. If we don’t act quickly, we will be facing an army trained in guerilla tactics using our own weapons against us. To make it worse, they will be in terrain we are unfamiliar with.”
“It would be a slaughter,” one voice shouts. Angry voices raise, and Barclay relaxes. Fear always seals the deal. Inside he smiles. They will give him everything he asks for. Thank you, Rivers Brothers. He almost laughs in glee. Sometimes you must clear the vermin out before you can move in.
He will use the trackers to hunt them down and push those left alive from the land. Then the real work can begin. The Indians have no use for the oil flowing beneath the Fort. Gold and Silver have been stripped from this land but not the oil. It is the next big commodity, and once they are off the land, he can buy low and make an actual killing. One way or another, he snickers as he strolls out to his horse.
The sound of a gun cocking has him freezing in his tracks. “Did you really think it would be that easy, Barclay?” Chase snarls from behind him.
“Really, Marshall? You’d kill a General for those savages.” Barclay turns to look at Chase and smiles at the rage emanating from him.
“They were good people. Tell me this, General. How did you know the name of the River? I didn’t mention it by name.” Chase can see the fear enter his eyes. “You murdered them with no remorse!” Chase trembles and he can see all the varied ways that he could make him suffer.
“If I were you, Marshall, I’d be worried about my brother right now. I mean how well can a Doctor defend himself against an Apache hunter?”
Chase frowns and steps back when a voice shouts.
“Senator!” A voice calls and a clerk from the court runs over to him. “You left your case,” he holds up a leather satchel.
The General glances at the man and back to Chase only to find the spot empty. “Need to hire security,” he mumbles and grabs his case.
Chapter 27
“Tell me about the wolf,” Harris asks as they huddle in the cabin. A two-day rain storm has blown in giving them a chance to be still and rest. Harris leaves only to check on the horses and collect firewood. Vanessa sleeps, a lot and Harris watches over her carefully. The stitches were removed from her thigh, and though it will leave a scar, it will fade with time.
Vanessa stands up and walks with a groan, rubbing her back and ribs. “Is it normal, Dr. Harris, that the less I move, the more I hurt?” she teases and ignores his request.
“Yes, the body doesn’t like to be still. I can bring a tub for you to soak in if you’d like,” he offers.
Vanessa stares at him and smiles, “Don’t tempt me, Harris. I’ll have you heating water for the next few hours.”
Harris laughs, “Yes, but the view would be worth it, Nessa.”
“Harris!” Nessa blushes and turns away to continue walking around the tiny room.
“Forgive me,” he pulls her back to the table and offers her some hot coffee. “Talk to me. Tell me about the wolf.” Green eyes look at him warily, and she chews her lip.
“You won’t believe me,” she whispers and looks down at the hot cup.
“I will always believe you, Nessa. Nothing you could say will make me doubt you,” he declares and squeezes her free hand gently. She clutches his hand and smiles at how true the words are. Her eyes lift to his, and she stares deep into the silver color.
“You must understand, Harris, I thought it was from shock, at first. The water was so cold, and they hit me, kicking me, and I thought the blows caused me to imagine him,” she murmurs, and the words begin to flow quickly.
“I rode from camp, fast, freezing from the river, bleeding and beaten, all I knew was I needed to put distance between us. I drove the horse hard, over and over I urged him to run. I gave him his head and leaned close the way Ahbe’ taught me.” A tear slips free, and she pulls her hand from his to wipe it away.
“The storm probably slowed them down,” Harris says.
Vanessa nods, “Yes, and I could hardly see through the flakes, so I stayed close to the river. I was panicked, I didn’t know what to do, and that’s when I realized I needed to get to you,” she sniffs and wraps her arms around herself.
Harris hides the way her words