Bounty hunter Levi Owns glared at the wanted poster one last time before folding the heavy paper along its deep creases and sliding it into his vest pocket. He loaded the remaining supplies on the pack mule and turned back to his sister-in-law Rose.
She rested one hand at her side and wrapped the other around a smooth handled shovel.
“Sis wanted you to stay,” she said, her voice cracking. “Let the law handle that no-good land-grabber.”
Few people challenged him, yet Rose rarely waved. The young widow questioned everyone and everything. Today, he wouldn’t take offense since she’d been out to pile more dirt on his Iris’ grave. The ground had settled and he should’ve taken care of it. Six months ago, they’d buried his wife next to the flowers …show more content…
He tried to move his arm, but she held it down, showing more strength than he would’ve guessed.
“Where am I?”
Pressure on the compress eased as she pushed her curly brown hair over her shoulders and leaned closer. “Don’t you remember?”
He tried, except people and places fit together like scrambled eggs. “I don’t . . . think so.”
From the ground, he spotted a house with an eagle weather vane.
A horse snorted.
Levi turned his head enough to see a sorrel and a pack mule standing next to a trough; between the trough and the barn, a wooden-bladed windmill creaked as it turned.
“Are those animals mine?”
Her jade-colored eyes darted to his face and she took a long breath. “Sure are, honey. You rode in and collapsed right here. Let’s get you into the house.”
Why did she call him honey? “Who are you?”
A weak smile formed on her lips. “I’m Rose, your wife.”
He pushed up with his hands and she helped him stand. It cost him a round of queasiness, followed by bile rose in his throat, but he choked it back. His weight shifted from one leg to the other and when he might have fallen, she pulled his arm over her shoulder.
“This way,” she said, steering him up a rocky path to the …show more content…
He stared at her as she held the compress to his head. She was slim, with mysteriousness about her, or perhaps the long curly hair just made her look that way.
The boy kept his distance on the opposite side of the room, near the dresser. Levi nodded to him and while the kid didn’t turn away, he fiddled with his shirt and shuffled his feet. “This is your home. Does anything look familiar?” she asked.
The room, neat and clean, showed a woman’s touch. His gaze flickered over the quilt covering him, to the dresser, and the shotgun hanging on the wall.
“No, nothing looks familiar,” he said. “What happened?”
She stoked his hand. “I don’t know. We’ve been waiting for you.”
Rose turned her head to face the boy. “Son, come say hello to your Pa.”
Son? Wouldn’t he remember if he had a son? Or a wife?
The kid shook his head no and Levi saw her shoulders sag.
Frustrated, he stretched his legs, and his boot spurs slid on the linens making a muffled jingle. His head ached, and his mixed-up reasoning made it worse, still something didn’t feel right.
The kid looked back to the door, but hustled over to him, throwing his arms around his middle.
“Pa, don’t ever leave
She rested one hand at her side and wrapped the other around a smooth handled shovel.
“Sis wanted you to stay,” she said, her voice cracking. “Let the law handle that no-good land-grabber.”
Few people challenged him, yet Rose rarely waved. The young widow questioned everyone and everything. Today, he wouldn’t take offense since she’d been out to pile more dirt on his Iris’ grave. The ground had settled and he should’ve taken care of it. Six months ago, they’d buried his wife next to the flowers …show more content…
He tried to move his arm, but she held it down, showing more strength than he would’ve guessed.
“Where am I?”
Pressure on the compress eased as she pushed her curly brown hair over her shoulders and leaned closer. “Don’t you remember?”
He tried, except people and places fit together like scrambled eggs. “I don’t . . . think so.”
From the ground, he spotted a house with an eagle weather vane.
A horse snorted.
Levi turned his head enough to see a sorrel and a pack mule standing next to a trough; between the trough and the barn, a wooden-bladed windmill creaked as it turned.
“Are those animals mine?”
Her jade-colored eyes darted to his face and she took a long breath. “Sure are, honey. You rode in and collapsed right here. Let’s get you into the house.”
Why did she call him honey? “Who are you?”
A weak smile formed on her lips. “I’m Rose, your wife.”
He pushed up with his hands and she helped him stand. It cost him a round of queasiness, followed by bile rose in his throat, but he choked it back. His weight shifted from one leg to the other and when he might have fallen, she pulled his arm over her shoulder.
“This way,” she said, steering him up a rocky path to the …show more content…
He stared at her as she held the compress to his head. She was slim, with mysteriousness about her, or perhaps the long curly hair just made her look that way.
The boy kept his distance on the opposite side of the room, near the dresser. Levi nodded to him and while the kid didn’t turn away, he fiddled with his shirt and shuffled his feet. “This is your home. Does anything look familiar?” she asked.
The room, neat and clean, showed a woman’s touch. His gaze flickered over the quilt covering him, to the dresser, and the shotgun hanging on the wall.
“No, nothing looks familiar,” he said. “What happened?”
She stoked his hand. “I don’t know. We’ve been waiting for you.”
Rose turned her head to face the boy. “Son, come say hello to your Pa.”
Son? Wouldn’t he remember if he had a son? Or a wife?
The kid shook his head no and Levi saw her shoulders sag.
Frustrated, he stretched his legs, and his boot spurs slid on the linens making a muffled jingle. His head ached, and his mixed-up reasoning made it worse, still something didn’t feel right.
The kid looked back to the door, but hustled over to him, throwing his arms around his middle.
“Pa, don’t ever leave