When Love's Gone Country (Sequel two of the Embracing Love Trilogy) (16 page)

“Then how do you explain that none of us could move our arms or legs?” Purity asked. “That didn’t happen to just one of us, it happened to all of us.”

“Group hallucination.”

“Even I don’t buy that one,” Courtney said. “I’m not that susceptible to suggestion.”

“What if I told you that spring was just a place where water builds up because there’s no drainage? The sun heats it and it stays warm. In the winter it freezes over and basically ceases to exist until the rain comes again in the spring.”

“There’s more to it than that,” Bobby said. “There has to be.”

“Does there?” Sam asked.

Chapter Nineteen

“People are sure fond of telling stories around here,” Meg said as they gathered around the dining room table for lunch.

“I can’t tell what’s truth and what’s fiction,” Bob said.

“I say go by your gut,” Courtney said. “I feel amazing, better than I have in years. I say the hot spring is magic.”

“I’m with Court,” Jeremy said.

“Then why did Sam tell us the other story?” Pure asked.

“To throw us off track,” Alex said. “Charlie made a big deal about the spring being a secret. Maybe they just want to make sure we don’t tell anyone else about it.”

“Who would we tell?” Brad asked. “We’re only here for another week and a half.”

“Do you think the people in town know about the spring?” Jacob asked.

“Don’t know,” Bob said. “Why?”

“I was just wondering.” Jacob thought about the two men who poisoned the cows’ water. What lengths would someone go to to bring the ranch down so they could buy it and have access to the hot spring? If it really did contain some sort of healing power, it’d be worth a fortune.

“I wonder if the water’s ever be analyzed. Seems like that would tell a person what exactly was in the spring,” Brad said.

“Even if it has been, they’re not going to share the results with the likes of us,” Court said.

“Good point. Anyone up for a midnight trip back to the spring to get a sample?”

“We couldn’t find that exact same spot in a million years, let alone in the dark!” Meg said.

“Just look for the double y,” Jeremy said.

“All those trees look the same. Meg’s right, it would be nearly impossible to find that one, specific tree in the middle of the night. It’d be hard enough to find it in the daylight,” Purity said.

“What happened to the She Musketeers?” Brad asked. “I’ve never known you three to turn down an adventure.”

“I’m pregnant,” Pure said.

“I’m sleepy,” Meg said.

“I think it’s a wild goose chase and we’ll end up spending all night looking for that damn tree and never find it,” Court said.

“I’m in,” Bob said.

“If it means gathering evidence to prove or refute the springs’ healing powers, I’m in,” Alex said.

“I’m in!” Jeremy shouted.

The men were about to tell him he was too young, when Jacob said, “Me, too.”

It was the first sign of Jacob willingly being part of the group they’d seen in months.

“Then it’s the He Musketeers on this one,” Bob said raising his fork in the air. The rest of the men raised their forks as if they were warriors about to do battle with an evil lord during ancient times.

“This is not going to end well,” Purity said.

Courtney laughed. “But it’s going to make one hell of a tale to listen to when they get back.”

After lunch, the ranch hands wasted no time in putting the group to work once again. All chores needed to be completed earlier than usual if everyone was going to attend the hoedown.

They all worked diligently, pleased that the aches and pains of the morning had been vanquished by the hot springs.

When they were finished and walking in the door of the ranch hand quarters, Jeremy said, “Where’s the food? We always come in to something smelling awesome.”

“I think there’s food at the hoedown tonight. We’ll just have to wait a bit longer,” Bob said.

“But I’m hungry now.”

“There’s a bowl of fruit on the table, grab an apple or a banana.”

“I could go for a banana,” Court said, following Jeremy. “Anyone else want anything?”

Nobody said anything.

“Well, don’t everyone talk at once. We’ve got peaches, plums—”

“Shut up, Court,” Purity said.

“Shut up? What crawled up your—” Courtney’s words were sliced by the sound of a shotgun being cocked. She turned to see three men standing by the door with rifles in their hands. Their faces were covered with black bandanas.

Jeremy inched closer to Courtney until they were standing side-by-side.

“What do you want?” Alex asked, standing in front of Purity.

“Word’s got out that you’ve been explorin’. That true?”

“We’ve become familiar with the ranch, if that’s what you mean. We’ve worked in most of the areas now.”

“That ain’t what I mean and you know it. Don’t get smart with me. Answer my question.”

“We don’t know what you mean,” Brad said. “What, specifically, are you talking about?”

“I thought city folk were s’posed to be smart. Ya’ll seem pretty stupid to me. I’m talkin’ ‘bout the healin’ well. Where is it?”

The group looked at each other as if they had no idea what the man was talking about.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Bob said. It was true, no one had actually referred to the hot spring as a healin’ well.

The men took two steps forward as the group retreated two steps. “I ain’t gonna be so nice if I have to ask again. Where is the healin’ well?”

“We can’t tell you something we don’t know,” Alex said.

The man stared Alex in the eyes. Neither one wavered for over a minute.

Jeremy clung to Courtney. She put her arm around his shoulders. “It’s going to be okay. Just stay close.”

“Tie up the men.”

One man put down his gun in favor of rope tied around his belt. While the two other men held their positions, Bobby, Alex and Brad were hog tied.

“Who should we keep?”

“The kid. No one wants to see a kid hurt,” one man said.

“The pregnant gal. Everyone’s got a soft spot for a lady with a baby.”

“Take me,” Jacob said. “Jeremy’s too young. Purity’s already worried about the baby. I won’t fight you. And I know where the well is.”

“Jacob!” Meg could have strangled him. Not only was he putting himself in harm’s way, but he told the men he knew where the spring was. What if he couldn’t find it again?

“It’s okay, Mom. They ain’t gonna hurt me. They just want to know where the healin’ well is. I can show ‘em the well.”

“That’s what I like to see,” the man said, “a young lad who knows when he’s been beat and takes it like a man. C’mon, show us where the well is.”

Jacob followed the men.

“And don’t you be tellin’ nobody about this. I ain’t got no problem killing a kid, or a lady for that matter.”

The second the door closed, the women rushed over to untie the men.

“Jacob’s not taking them to the spring,” Bob said.

“He just said he was going to,” Meg said.

“No, he didn’t.” Jeremy said. “He said he was gonna take ‘em to the well.”

“Exactly right,” Bob said. “We’ve got to get there before they do.”

“How?”

“Jacob beat us to the gazebo by crossing through the sheep paddock and taking connecting trails. We’ll do the same thing.”

“But we don’t know where those trails are,” Meg said.

“Neither did Jacob. He kept his eyes open and paid attention. There are more of us than of him. And, if I know Jacob, he’ll find a way to stall ‘em. He knows we’ll pick up on his clue, that’s why he made such a point of saying well instead of spring.”

“Let’s get going. Do we have any weapons?” Brad asked.

“Knives in the kitchen,” Purity said as Meg and Courtney made a beeline for the room to gather anything they could use to fight the men.

When Courtney returned with a cast iron skillet, Purity couldn’t help but laugh. “You can barely lift that thing, let along hit someone with it.”

“You just watch me. Remember, I’m Wonder Woman,” Court said.

They peered out the doorway. The coast was clear, so they all followed Alex’s lead.

“Should we split up?” Bobby asked.

“Not yet. When we reach the chicken coop, then we should. I’m not sure which way Jacob will take the men. Everyone be on the lookout. If you get in trouble, either run like mad or holler like you’ve never done before.”

“They sure picked a damn good time to do this,” Court said. “There’s not another ranch hand in sight.”

“They’re all getting ready for the hoedown,” Pure said.

“That’s what I meant. Whoever these guys are, they knew the ranch hands would be absent and we’d be vulnerable.”

They reached the chicken coop without seeing another soul.

“This is really weird,” Jeremy said. “It’s like a ghost ranch or somethin’.”

“Here’s where we split. Brad and Court, head toward the orchard, then move toward the wheat field. The well will be on your right.”

They nodded and took off.

“Meg, Bobby and Jeremy, keep going down by the chicken coop. This is the same path Jacob took earlier. You’ll cross through the sheep paddock. The well should be straight ahead another hundred yards or so.”

“Got it,” Jeremy said and they headed out.

“Purity, I know you don’t want to hear this, but I really want you to stay here.”

“Alex—”

“Before you start, I have a good reason. I think Jacob is going to get away from those men. He’ll head back to the ranch hand quarters. Someone should be there when he gets there. The last thing we need is for him to walk into an empty room where he feels like no one is on his side again.”

“Then I’ll go to the well and you stay and wait for Jacob.”

“This is not up for debate. I’m stronger and faster. That’s not meant as some kind of dig against women, it’s just a fact. You’ve got our baby inside you. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Purity was about to argue when she saw the pained look in Alex’s eyes. She was concerned about the baby, too, and he was only looking out for them. “This time. But don’t get used to ordering me around. I don’t like it.”

“I know. And I don’t like doing it. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

They shared a gentle kiss.