Leaving the ranch in Duke’s capable hands, Heath and Nick travelled to Virginia City to meet with members of the ranch crews and the house staff. During the train ride Nick kept rattling on about Patricia, excited at the thought of her agreeing to a second date. Nick was galvanized much to his younger brother’s annoyance who yearned to catch a quiet nap. Seeing how the glaring gesture of lowering his hat over his face failed to have the desired effect on the chatterbox sitting next to him, Heath opted to close his eyes and feigned snoring. His ploy worked. Nick shut his mouth and joined Heath in a nap.

The train pulled up at the station in late afternoon. The estate’s personal driver was waiting with a surrey to drive the new owners to their mansion. Two servants handled their luggage while the butler welcomed them in the grand foyer. Although they had visited the house before, the two brothers were still in awe before this imperial palace twice the size of their ranch back home.

“Welcome Mister Barkley. The staff will be ready to meet with you shortly.”

“Thank ya, Arthur. We’re in no hurry. Me and my brother will settle in our rooms first, perhaps take a bath before supper and then we’ll meet with everyone.”

“As you wish, sir. I can have Rosalie draw your baths.”

“That won’t be necessary, Arthur,” Nick said abstractedly as he continued to drink in the majestic surroundings. “What’s for supper?”

“Beef Wellington. I trust it will be to your liking?”

“I’m sure it will. It’s one of Nick’s favourite dishes,” Heath informed. “Come on, Nick. Let’s get settle in.”

“Heath, I still can’t grasp at the fact that this is all yours.” Nick marvelled as he climbed up the grand staircase alongside his brother.

“Ours, Nick,” Heath corrected. “It’s the JaNiHeVicAu Ranch, remember?”

“Yeah,” Nick sighed, tapping Heath on the shoulder. “Say where is my room?”

“I think it’s that way,” Heath pointed down the long hallway on the left, then turned to the right, “or maybe this way?” he frowned embarrassingly.

“I’ll just start down that hallway and check every room until I find my luggage.”

“Good idea. Then we’ll meet back downstairs in say, fifteen minutes?”

“Make that twenty. I might need that extra five minutes to find my way back here.”

Both brothers glanced at each other and burst out laughing before they parted ways to find their respective bedrooms.

After a copious meal and meeting with members of the staff, Nick and Heath adjourned to the parlour for a friendly game of pool, during which Nick brought forth an idea he’d been churning in his mind.

“We could arrange for a wing to serve as a sort of a boarding house. I mean we won’t be living here that often and with us gone the staff won’t have anyone to cater to. That way they’ll have company and by the same token, we can make a little dough on the side.”

“As if we needed more money, Nick!” Heath sneered, taking aim at the eighth ball that he drove into the end corner pocket. “I win. Let’s see that money, Nick.”

“Arrrrgg,” Nick grumbled as he took out his wallet to hand Heath a twenty-dollar bill. “I thought maybe out here I’d have a chance to beat ya, seeing how you’re not familiar with the size and color of the pool table.”

“Sorry to disappoint ya, Nick.”

“Care for another game?”

“Can I take a rain check on it? I’m plumb tuckered out from the trip and everything else. I’d like to turn in early.”

“Yeah. I’m with ya.” They hung up their pool sticks in the rack and left the parlour to head upstairs. A thundering bang on the front door halted their climb. They were retracing their steps down to the foyer when Arthur walked up to answer the frantic call. Young wrangler Mike Wheaton came bursting in, panting.

“Mister Barkley. The barn is on fire!” he gasped hysterically.

Both Heath and Nick dashed out of the house to help the ranch hands already drudging with pails of water to douse the fire.

“What happened?” Nick hollered over the roaring flames.

“I don’t know,” said one of the hands. “Could be that one left a lit lantern inside and it accidentally fell down in the hay.”

“Accidentally?” Nick emphasized, his suspicion drawing another conclusion.

Five minutes passed before Nick lost sight of Heath. “Where’s Heath?”

“He was here a minute ago. Could be he’s on the other side?”

“I’ll go check.” Nick rounded the corner of the burning structure to enquire about his brother. One man said he’d seen him go into the barn with a pail of water and figured he got out on the other side. Panic invaded Nick at the thought of Heath trapped inside the raging inferno. Dropping his bucket onto the ground, he hurled himself into the roaring flames notwithstanding his own safety.

“Heath!” Nick shouted over the roaring flames, drudging his way through the thick screen of smoke with his arms over his face. Despite the stinging in his eyes and the rasping in his lungs Nick pressed on, feeling his brother was nearby. He squinted to bring his focus on a shady form sprawled on a bed of smouldering hay. Stepping closer, his eyes widened in shock at his discovery. “Heath!” Nick dove to his knees beside his insentient sibling. “Heath!” he shouted, jostling him forcefully as he hoped to elicit a reaction, but none came. Nick quickly lifted Heath in his arms and slung his body over his shoulder to carry him to safety.

Once outside, Nick gingerly ease Heath down the ground, heedful to cup the back of his head to avoid banging it against the hard earth. “Come on Heath. Gimme a sigh here.” Kneeling down beside his brother, he pressed his ear against his chest; then removed his glove to grope his neck for a pulse. “Come on, kid,” he commanded gruffly, tapping Heath’s cheek to needle him back. “Come on!” His efforts were rewarded by a wheezing cough. “That’s it. Cough it out.” Nick egged on before he positioned himself behind Heath to prop his back against his shoulder.

“Is he okay?” young Mike queried, cringing at the sound of his boss hacking his lungs out.

“Yeah. Just needs to get the smoke out.”

Mike nodded; thereafter he hurried to the horse trough to fill his pail with more water. He dashed back to the burning barn to douse a cluster of emerging flames by the side of the structure.

Once the coughing bout receded Heath pried open his stinging red-puffy eyes, straining to establish clear focus on the blurred figure hovering over him. “Nick?” he rasped out between two gasps.

“Yeah. Take it easy Little Brother.” Nick kept his hand against Heath’s chest to hold him steady. He looked up at one ranch hand standing nearby. “Jay, ride into town to fetch the doctor.”

“No.” Heath coughed. “No need for a doctor. I’ll be alright.”

“Don’t listen to him. GO!”

“Sure thing, Boss.” Without a moment’s hesitation, the dutiful employee ran to the horse paddock where the animals had been gathered. He grabbed a hold of a bay’s halter and after putting a bridle on him, he swung on its bare back and kicked him at a full tilt into the darkness.

Luckily the hands managed to stifle the flames before the entire structure was levelled to the ground. The barn had sustained severe damage but it was still standing.

“It’s over,” Mike heaved out, wiping the soot off his face with his sleeve.

“What the heck happened?” Nick asked.

Mike shook his head. “I don’t know. I was changing into my sleeping pants when I noticed the flames from the bunkhouse window.”

“Who was the last one in the barn?”

“I think it was Pete Granger,” Mike motioned to the hand catching his breath by the fence, “I know he was the last one to come into the bunkhouse.”

“Get him over here,” Nick ordered between clenched teeth, his temper flaring up. While Mike did his bidding, he assisted his brother to his wobbly legs. “You okay?”

“Still a bit woozy but I’ll survive.” Once he got his balance, Heath stared dolefully at the smouldering structure before him. “What could have happened?” he mumbled to himself, though loud enough for Nick to hear.

Nick glanced over Heath’s shoulder to see Mike and Pete making their ways toward them. “Hopefully we’re about to find out.” Keeping an arm tightly wrapped around his brother’s waist to maintain him upright, Nick waited for the two men to be within earshot to boldly ask the question.

“Yes I was the last one out of the stables or so I think,” Pete explained calmly. “I bedded down my horse and blew out the lantern before closing the doors. Then I went to the bunkhouse.”

“That’s it? Ya sure about putting out the light?”

“Positive, Boss. I even checked twice to make certain.”

“Could it be that when you blew out the light, an errant spark flew out and landed in the hay, thus igniting it?” Mike volunteered.

“That’s a possibility but I would’ve seen it.”

“Not necessarily. It can take a few minutes before the hay catches on fire.”

Feeling Heath starting to lean heavily on him with his head swaying back and forth, Nick curtailed the conversation and told the men to return to the bunkhouse. “You men get some sleep. We’ll discuss this in the morning. Thank everyone for their work.”

“Will do, Boss,” Pete assured Nick before he and Mike joined the other men.

“Come on, Heath. Let’s get you up to bed.” Nick started to help Heath toward the mansion when little brother waved him off.

“I can make it on my own.” Nick let his stubborn sibling take the lead, watching him lurch forward. He bolted to him at first sign of weakness.

“I think ya’d better let me do it.” Nick wrapped Heath’s arm around his shoulders and slid his own around his little brother’s waist.

Their butler, Arthur, met them at the front door. “Anything I can do, sir?”

“Yeah. You could wait for the doctor and show him to Heath’s room?”

“Certainly I will, Mister Barkley. Perhaps I could warm up some tea?”

“Good idea. Thanks.” Nick assisted his sluggish brother up the stairs. Halfway up, Heath was seized by a powerful dizzy spell. He clawed at Nick’s arm and drew deep breaths to dispel the wave of nausea rising to his throat. “Want me to carry ya the rest of the way?” Nick offered.

“No it’s okay. Gimme a few seconds and I’ll be alright.” Heath’s hand reached for the back of his skull to probe the source of the searing pain. “It was no accident, Nick.”

“What makes ya say that?”

“This,” Heath jabbed his finger at the swollen lump at the back of his head. Nick leaned in closer to inspect the bruise. “Someone knocked me out.”

“Any idea who it was?”

“The blow came from behind. I was out like a light before I hit the ground.”

“Any particular sound or smell you remember?”

“Only the roaring flames and smell of smoke. I’d say whoever did it wanted me to burn in that fire.”

“How convenient for…” Nick’s eyebrows shot up at the man’s name, “Stoker.”

“Ah Nick. We can’t be sure of that.”

“He’s the only one with a motive. He’s got everything to gain by wasting ya. I saw the look on his face when Benson told him ya were the new ranch owner and not him. I suspect his friend Pete Granger is in on it. He was the last one in the barn tonight.”

“Could be a mere coincidence. Someone might have seen him come out of the barn last and decided to use him as an alibi.”

“Yeah maybe. But one thing’s for sure; someone’s gunning for ya little brother and on your own home territory.”

“Do me a favour, Nick. Don’t mention any of this to mother when she comes on Friday.”

“Heath she’s gonna ask questions when she sees the burnt barn.”

“No I meant what happened to me. Don’ t say a word or she’ll worry and might never go back to Stockton. I have enough of a brother fussing over me.”

“Yeah and ya like it, admit it Little Brother,” Nick teased, tousling Heath’s hair.

“Ouch!”

“Oops sorry. Come on. Let’s get ya to your room.

Bright and early the next morning Heath was raring to begin repair on the barn but the doctor who examined him the night before had given strict instructions that barring complications, he had to remain in bed for a minimum of twenty-four hours. Heath tried to sneak out of the house while Nick was eating his breakfast but no sooner had he stepped out the front door that guard-dog Nick collared him by the shirt.

“Where d’ya think you’re going, Mister?”

“To get some air?” Heath said shyly.

“Nop!” Nick swung the door close. “You’re not. You’re going back upstairs.”

“Nick, come on,” Heath whined. “Cut me some slack. I can’t stand being penned up.”

“Aren’t ya stretching it a bit? You haven’t been in that room long enough. Remember what the doctor told ya?”

“Since when do we listen to doctors?” Heath said, arching an eyebrow in incredulity. “Come on, Nick. I need to shake the cobwebs away.”

“Sorry, Little Brother. No can do. Give it another day. Then I’ll let ya out of your coop.”

Heath groaned his frustration much to Nick’s amusement. “Wipe that smirk off your face!”

“What smirk?” Nick played dumb.

“If ya don’t mind I think I’ll stay downstairs. I hate it up there. Gives me the creeps,” Heath griped as he made his way to the grand living room. “I can’t wait for the family to get here. It’ll feel less ghostly.”

“Alright I’m gonna go talk to the men about what happened last night and then we’ll lay out a list for supplies to get the repairs done.”

“Bring them here. I want it on the conversation.”

“Alright.” Nick pulled his gloves on tight and as he made his way to the door, a knock resounded. He opened it to meet his visitor, Matt Coulter, the storekeeper’s assistant.

“Mister Barkley?”

“Yeah. Nick Barkley. Who are you?”

“Matt Coulter. I’m Mister Kane’s assistant at the store in town?”

“Oh yeah, that’s right. He told us ya were on your day off when we first visited the store.”

“That’s right.”

“Please to meet ya, Matt.” Nick clasped Matt’s hand in a friendly handshake, after which he motioned to his brother making his way towards them. “That’s my brother, Heath.”

“How d’you do, sir?” Matt extended his arm to shake Heath’s hand.

“Alright. It’s great to finally meet ya, Matt.”

“I wish it was under more pleasant circumstances.”

“What are ya talking about?” Nick asked warily.

“The store was robbed last night.”

Nick’s fists went to his hips. “What?” He turned to Heath who shot him a puzzled look. Then shifted back to Matt. “Anybody hurt?”

“Thankfully no. It happened after closing time.”

“Any witness?” Heath asked.

“We don’t know yet. Nobody’s come forward so far. Mister Kane asked me to come get you so you can assess the damages with us.”

“Yeah sure. I’ll go. My brother here’s on the mend from a little incident and,” Nick shot Heath a warning glare, “he is to stay put and rest,” he grinded the words between gritted teeth.

Instead of wilting under Nick’s stare, Heath narrowed his eyes in contempt and pursed his lips in suppressed fury.

“Heath, I mean it! I’ll ask the men to come in here. You carry in the investigation at this end.”

“Alright,” Heath sighed heavily, preferring this situation to the alternative. He waited for the two men to exit then closed the door to go to the kitchen get something to eat.

Inside the bunkhouse, Pete Granger discreetly approached the foreman running over the list of chores for the day. “It ain’t working out like we planned,” he spoke in a hushed voice.

“I know,” Roy Stoker mumbled back.

“That kid saw me coming out last of the barn. I’m sure I’m their number one suspect.” His eyes roved around the room to spot anyone eavesdropping.

“Relax. They can’t prove a thing,” Stoker assured without lifting his eyes off his list. “I never anticipated Barkley’s brother would throw himself into the fire to save his hide.”

“I should have doused the hay with kerosene. The barn would have been gone in minutes, Barkley too.”

“Yeah, well, we’ll have to think of something else. D’ya take care of the store?”

“Yeah. Everything’s in shambles. You know Roy, the spread is co-owned by Barkley’s family. If he dies, the property goes to them, not to you.”

“Not if he gets killed in the first six months of the title of ownership. Technically Heath Barkley is still the sole owner of the property and its assets. I checked it out myself.”

“You sure about that?”

“Yes I’m sure. That’s why we need to act fast. But it has to look like an accident or we’ll get thrown in jail and bye-bye ranch.” He picked up his list and gathered all the men together. “Alright. Alan, you and Scott handle the North fence. It’s got a few holes in it. Stan and….” His instructions were cut short by Nick’s entrance.

“Listen up, men. My brother would like to talk to ya regarding the barn fire last night. He’s waiting for ya at the main house. Go now. It won’t take long. Thereafter ya can get busy on your jobs.” The men acquiesced to their boss’s order and one by one left the bunkhouse. Nick turned to Pete standing by Stoker. “You too since ya were the last one seen in the barn.”

“Sure.” Nick felt the hair stand in the back of his neck when Pete walked past him. Something about that man repulsed him. Hadn’t been for Arthur and the many servants and maids in the house Nick would have chosen to stay with Heath. He was distrustful of the two friends he sensed were plotting against his brother.

Nick and Matt made great time, arriving in town just as the store manager Paul Kane was finishing giving his deposition to the sheriff. Together they went to inspect the damages.

“Is anything missing?”

“A few priceless cameos, wedding bands, pearl necklaces. I haven’t had time to check it all for I was busy giving my account to Sheriff Crabtree.”

“There must be someone who knows who was out late last night?”

“Maybe the barkeeper at the saloon. They usually have clients until the wee hours of the morning. Perhaps he can tell you who was there late last night?”

“That’s a mite fine suggestion, Matt.” Nick expressed his gratitude with a hearty clap on the back. “You continue here. I’ll mosey on down to the saloon to talk to the bartender. I shouldn’t be long.”

“There were three men upstairs having their fun, if you get my drift?” the barkeep winked at Nick while he poured him a beer. “The last one left a little after one in the morning.”

“Would ya happen to know their names?”

“Not me Mister. It’s bad for business if you stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. I stay out of their affairs.”

“Well could ya at least describe them?”

The bartender paused to search his memory of last’s night clients. “The last three were dark-haired, about dressed the same; tan vest and brown pants.”

“Did one happen to have a small moustache?”

“Kind to think of it, yeah. He was the last one to leave. He was with Brenda. Maybe she can tell you his name.”

“Where can I find her?”

“I’d wait a few more hours, Mister. I expect she’s still sleeping. She usually comes to wait on table at noon. You can talk to her then.”

“Much obliged.” Nick quaffed the rest of his beer, tossed a silver dollar on the counter then left the saloon to return to the store.

When noon chimed in, Nick was first to welcome Brenda as she reported for work. He thanked her warmly for the precious information, promising to return for a more intimate conversation. He swung open the batwings door and smirked, “Granger, you and I will have a little talk.”

“Heath!” Nick bellowed upon striding through the front door. Spurs jingled as he made his way to the empty living room. “Argh! Where is he? I’m gonna wring his neck.”

“That’s no way to treat your favourite little brother,” Heath teased, looming under the doorway of the connecting games room. “I’m here. I haven’t moved, except to go to water closet, the kitchen and the games room.” He stepped up to the bar. “Wanna a drink?”

“Yeah I could use one before I tackle Granger.” He tossed his hat onto the armchair as he walked over to Heath to take his jigger of whiskey.

“Granger? Ya still think he’s guilty?”

“Don’t ya? Ya talked to him today. What did he say?”

Heath took a gulp and casually ambled to the fireplace. “Nothing that can tie him to the fire. He was just the last in the barn but that doesn’t mean that someone else couldn’t have crept in after him. As for the one who bashed me on the head, I know for sure that wasn’t Granger. He was getting a pail of water when I dashed into the fire.”

“Stoker,” Nick responded absentmindedly, his eyes focused on his drink.

“What?”

“Stoker.” Nick looked up at Heath standing with a wrinkled brow. “He was rather conspicuous by his absence, only perhaps after ya disappeared in that burning inferno.”

“Again that could be mere coincidence.”

“I have this gut feeling that him and Granger are plotting to do ya in so Stoker can get the ranch. Remember what Ben Cartwright said that day at the restaurant? That if ya hadn’t claimed the heritage everything went to him.”

“Nick ya forget, the ranch belongs to all of us. He kills me and the property automatically reverts to all of ya.”

“Not before November twentieth,” Nick reminded him of the cloud on title clause.

“Alright let’s suppose you’re right. What are we supposed to do? We can’t have them arrested on unfounded suspicion.”

“We’ll go back to Stockton and return when the title of ownership takes effect.”

“I can’t stay away from here that long, specially now. I need to settle things here before I can go back. And then I’ll need to come back to check on things.”

“Granger was the last one in town last night. Bet he’s the one who dropped by the store to do some remodelling.”

“Now why would he do that?”

“Don’t know. Maybe it’s another plan to get ya to relinquish the ranch without having to kill ya in the process.”

“Ya should have been a detective, Nick,” Heath patronized with an amused grin playing on his lips.

“You’re taking this too lightly, Heath. Somebody’s out there gunning for ya and ya don’t seem to care.”

“I care I just don’t wanna to go around accusing people without solid evidence.

“You sound just like Jarrod,” Nick griped, rolling his eyes in despair.

“Yeah I guess some of big brother’s rubbed off on me.” A heavy silence fell between the two brothers as each pondered their view of the events. Heath finally broke the stillness of the room by approaching Nick and placing a hand on his shoulder. “Hey! I promise not to tempt fate if ya swear not to stick to me like burr? Agreed?” Heath flashed an elfish wink.

“Agreed.” Nick reciprocated the wink, adding a brotherly neck grip and tousling Heath’s hair with his fist.

“Ouch!” Heath groaned.

“Sorry. I forgot. Still a bit tender back there.”

The next morning Nick agreed to take Heath into town to pick up the supplies for the barn repair in exchange for his solemnly promise not to overexert himself. After hitching up the team Nick drove the wagon in front while Heath rode in the back at his brother’s suggestion to avoid being an easy target.

As Nick pulled up the rig in front of their general store, the merriment of children playing in the front yard of a rundown orphanage across the street caught his eye. The laughter filled his heart with joy and beckoned him to come take a closer look.

“Nick I’m gonna go to that orphanage across the street for a bit. I’ll be back to give ya a hand with the supplies.”

“Ahhhhh, I don’t know.”

“Nick, what did I say about ya sticking to me like burr?”

“Alright, alright,” Nick groaned. “But don’t stray. And don’t dawdle either. We have to help Harold get the store back in shape.”

“I won’t.” Heath hopped down the back and made his way to the building.

He’d been standing behind the fence watching the kids at play, a blissful smile playing across his face, for nearly five minutes when an intendant slowly approached him.

“Anything I can do for you, sir,” she asked politely.

“Ah yes. I would very much appreciate a tour of this orphanage.”

“May I enquire about your name, sir?”

“Heath, Ma’am,” he removed his hat, “Heath Barkley.”

“The new owner of the Washburn property? The JaNiHeVicAu Ranch?” she asked with wide eyes shining with excitement.

“That’s right,” he confirmed bashfully, slightly blushing at the pretty girl’s ebullience.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“Please, call me Heath.”

“Okay,” she replied timidly. “You may call me Erin. It’ll be my pleasure to give you a tour of the orphanage. Come.” She opened the fence gate and bade him enter. As they walked alongside each other toward the main entrance, she casually broached the subject of his interest in the place.

“I’m a regular visitor at the orphanage back in Stockton where I live. I love children and I wanna to be able to do something for them. I see this place could use a little repair?”

“A Little?” she snorted. “More like the whole building.” Heath gallantly opened the door for her. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcomed.” While Erin gave Heath the grand tour of the orphanage and introduced him to the super intendant, across the street at the general store Nick was making a startling discovery.

“I found it this morning while I was cleaning,” the manager told Nick as he handed him a note upon which was written: ‘Get out of the city, Barkley. We don’t want your kind here.’

“Where did ya find it?”

“In the empty cashbox.”

Nick crumpled the paper in a fist of fury. “Would ya have any idea who could have issued this threat?”

Kane shook his head negatively. “No one comes to mind.” He looked at Nick whose eyes were boring a hole into him. “You don’t think?” he choked out, appalled by the obvious insinuation. “Mister Barkley, I don’t have any quarrel with you or your brother. We hardly know each other. How can you imply that I would write this note?”

“I’m not accusing you, Harry. Sorry if I gave ya that impression. I was just thinking with my eyes, is all. I have an idea who it could be but I don’t have any proof and that really gets my dander up.”

“Who?”

“Our foreman and his right-hand man.”

“Isn’t true he stands to inherit everything should your brother meet with an untimely death?”

“Yeah. Only until November twentieth and then the ranch becomes the Barkley family’s property. We have equal shares. Barn burning, store robbery and now this note? Those guys obviously don’t know the Barkleys. We don’t take too kindly to threats.” He sighed heavily to recover his composure. “Alright let’s get that store in working order. We’ve got customers waiting.”

A good hour glided by before Heath finally bid farewell to Erin, promising to return to pick up the estimate for the repairs and room expansion. Smitten by the pretty brunette, Heath found it an incredible task to pry away his glinting baby blues from her bewitching hazel pools as he stepped backwards onto the street while waving goodbye. Their fetching smiles told of the mutual infatuation running between them. She waited until he entered the general store to gather the children for the noon meal.

“Fine time ya got here!” Nick chided amicably.

“Need any help?”

“Not anymore. As ya can see me, Harold and Matt got everything back in place.” Heath scanned around the room, nodding approvingly. “Just need to report what was stolen to the sheriff. He’s waiting for the list.” Nick glanced at the manager for moral support at his next task. “Heath, Harold found this note in the store.” He stepped up to Heath to hand him the threat.

Heath pored over the note “No doubt about it now,” he sighed in defeat. “Someone wants me out. This changes things.”

“How d’ya mean?”

“We can’t risk anyone else getting hurt. That means we’ll have to wire Jarrod and ask that he comes alone on Friday to meet with the bank manager.”

“I agree but mother’s gonna suspect something’s wrong.”

“We’ll just have to make up a good excuse. We still got three more days to think of one.”

Nick and Matt busied themselves loading the supplies onto the wagon while Heath dropped by the sheriff’s office to hand him the lists of stolen items and the threatening letter. The obliging lawman assured that he would give this case top priority, keeping him abreast of any new development in the investigation. A hearty handshake sealed the agreement.

As Nick took the reins he caught a glimpse of Pete Granger tethering his horse to the hitching post in front of the telegraph office. “What’s he doing here?” Nick wondered.

Heath simply shrugged. “He probably came to pick up some more barbed wire for the fence that needs fixing. It wasn’t on the list of supplies.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Nick answered unconvincingly. He watched him step over to the telegraph counter and jog down a message on a piece of paper, which he found peculiar. He made a mental note to speak with the ranch hand later on about his unexpected trip into town. Nick flicked the team at an amble after making eye contact with Granger who tipped his hat in acknowledgement.

A lone figure lurked in the bushes bordering the main road to the JaNiHeVicAu Ranch, nibbling on a slice of beef jerky to idle the time away as he patiently waited for the wagon to ride past. He gave his weapon of destruction a sidelong glance to ensure it was safely in place before rising to his feet to go check on his horse tethered a few yards down. As he made his way to his bay, the sound of distant thuddering hooves drawing closer prompted him to quickly retrace his steps and to assume his prior attack position behind the thicket. When his target was within pitch range, he grabbed a gentle but firm hold of his blasting oil bottle and hurled it at the passing rig. The impact blew the wagon to smithereens, sending its two passengers flying some ten feet into the air to finally crash against the hard earth. A maniacal laugh resounded over the crackling flames eating away at what little were left of the wagon.

...Continued