Benjamin (18 page)

“I’m almost out.” Rory wiped her forehead on a rag.

Grace took stock of her ammunition. “So am I.”

“Looks like they’re down to a dozen men. The one in the middle must be the Cunningham because he’s stayed with six men around him at all times.” Rory peeked toward the right. “I see riders circling, which must be Matt and the men. I have no idea where Caleb is.” The worry in her voice echoed through Grace.

If the marauders had more ammunition they would eventually breach the buildings. That would leave the children helpless, including Henry. Something had to tip the scales and it came in the form of the youngest Graham.

Grace watched in horror as Ben rode through the midst of the men on Paladin, screaming like a banshee and shooting as fast as he could pull the trigger on his pistol. He jerked as he was hit with bullets, but he managed to ride through to the other side of the yard. While the men were shooting at Ben, from the back of the house came the rest of the Grahams.

They soon outnumbered Cunningham’s men and finally, the battle was nearly over.

Grace ran out of the house, heedless of the danger. She’d seen Ben ride until he fell from the saddle. Terrified, she raced toward his prone form.

She could not, would not, lose him already.

*

Ben stared at
the sky, watching the puffy white clouds as they meandered across the sky. He couldn’t catch his breath. Each time he tried, pain ripped through his chest.

He’d been shot. More than once for sure, but he wasn’t sure where. Everything hurt, including his back where a rock dug into his spine. The gunfire had stopped, which meant the wild plan had worked or the Cunninghams had managed to kill his entire family.

He had many regrets in his life but at the moment, the only one that seemed important was that he hadn’t had the courage to tell Grace he loved her. She’d told him twice and he hadn’t yet allowed the words to roll out of his mouth. He’d meant it when he told her she was everything.

Ben had been the shadow of a man, hiding in a cave from the world. She’d yanked him back into living, by making him care again. She was the person he wanted to be. Fearless, strong, and with a heart as pure as snow.

She truly was everything.

When he heard Matt shout, “To the Graham!” again, Ben knew they’d won.

He tried to get to his feet, but his body wouldn’t respond. The clouds didn’t care if he lay prone on the ground bleeding. Neither did the insect he felt crawling on his hand.

He heard footsteps pounding toward him but he couldn’t make a noise to ask for help.

“Benjy! Oh my God.” Grace slid to a stop on her knees beside him. Her face appeared above his. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

My beautiful Gracie.

He blinked, but his throat still wouldn’t form any words. He settled for a grunt. At that moment, knowing he could bleed to death in front of her, Ben wanted to tell her he loved her. He tried to convey it with his eyes.

I love you, Gracie.

She looked him over. “What were you thinking riding through armed men? You’ve got at least five bullets in you, stupid man.” Sobs interrupted every third word as she yanked the sleeves from her blouse to tie them on wounds on his arms.

When she started to remove her entire blouse, Ben grunted again, unwilling to let her get naked to bandage him.

“
Hijo
!” Eva’s voice echoed through his ears. The older woman who had been more like a mother than housekeeper and cook, knelt on the other side of him. She yanked the towel from her apron and pressed it to the left side of his chest.

His vision began to blur as he stared into her brown eyes full of tears. She glanced at Grace.

“We must save him.”

Grace kissed his forehead. “Don’t you die on me, Benjy.”

Soon there were hands lifting him into the air and pain screamed through every inch of his body. A roaring filled his ears and then he knew no more.

‡

G
race followed the
men in as they held a limp Benjy. The older Mexican woman cleared off a huge table and snapped a sheet open to lay beneath him. The women shuffled the curious children out of the room. The sounds of a dozen voices shouting at once echoed around her.

Tears continued to stream down her cheeks as she watched them argue over who was doing what.

Caleb appeared at Grace’s elbow. “Are you all right?”

She shook her head. “No, no I’m not.”

“Eva, Hannah, and Rebecca have this in hand. Rebecca normally lives in town but she was here today helping Hannah. She’s the town doc.” He grimaced as the noise level grew even higher. “Everybody shut up for a minute!”

Astonished—and some annoyed—faces turned toward Caleb. And Grace.

“This is Grace Beckett. She’s Ben’s friend.”

“And mine.” Cat put her arm through Grace’s and she was never more grateful to find the other tall blonde woman step up to be her friend.

“Her son is out at the big tree so I’m going to go—” Caleb began.

“No.” Grace shook herself out of the stupor of terror. “I’ll go get Henry. You take care of your responsibilities as a Ranger.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.” She kissed Benjy’s forehead and met the familiar blue-green eyes in his sister’s face. Rebecca had long hair in a braid, but she was already tending Benjy’s wounds with obvious skill. “Please don’t let him die.”

Grace walked out onto the front porch to find the rest of the men taking care of Cunningham’s men. A few Rangers had arrived to assist, a little late for the battle, but they could make sure the men were tended to and put in jail.

As she stepped down, one of the children, a redhead who appeared to be about thirteen, stepped up behind them. She was peering around to see what was happening.

Grace saw a man on his knees spot the girl and his face changed. She knew in an instant it had to be Dominic. He’d been shot in the shoulder and blood had seeped through the right side of his shirt. The way he looked at the girl was like a coyote spotting a wounded rabbit.

Hungry and predatory.

Since the Rangers and the Grahams were tying up the rest of the outlaws, Dominic hadn’t been secured yet. When he lunged for the girl, she screamed and the Grahams all growled, reaching for him.

Dominic wrapped his hands around the girl’s neck and grinned, blood coating his teeth. Grace came up behind him and punched him hard in the kidney then kicked by his knee. He fell backward onto his haunches and the girl scrambled away.

Grace stood over this man, the last of a trio of monsters who had hurt and killed so many. Rage flowed through her at the memory of the condition of Henry and the other boy, at the women who were kept captive for this man’s sexual pleasure.

She punched him in the jaw so hard, she broke a couple of her knuckles, but his eyes rolled back in his head and he landed flat on his back.

“I like her,” one of the Graham men said.

“Me too.” This from Caleb. “She can ride like hell and shoot better than me.”

“Thank you.” This from what was likely the oldest of the Graham brothers. He held the redhead in his arms. “Meredith sometimes is too curious for her own good.”

Grace shook her hand, pain sliding up her arm. “My pleasure. He needs to live to stand trial and pay for all he’s done.” She pushed at his leg as she walked past, heading to Swift who was behind Caleb’s house. “I’ve got to go get my son.”

Grace was running before she realized it. Suddenly, getting to Henry and being the only one to retrieve him was more important than anything. It was time she had a reunion with her son.

The ride out to the tree seemed endless. She pushed her horse, now the best equine she’d ever had, until he was breathing as hard as she was. She slid off the saddle and ran beneath the tree, looking up for his blonde head.

“Henry? It’s Mama.” She heard nothing except the buzzing of bees and the chirp of birds. “I love you so much, honey. Please forgive me.”

Her heart cracked when there was no response. Tears rolled unchecked down her cheeks and she dropped to her knees. Grief for all she’d lost was nearly too much to bear.

“I miss you so much, Henry. I’ve been looking for you since the moment you were taken. I lost everything that day. Now I’m so afraid I’ll never have you back.” Grace put her face in her hands.

If Henry rejected her, she would go on, but there would be a huge, unending hole in her heart. He was alive and free, but he might be apart from her. Forever.

“Mama.”

Her head snapped up in shock. Henry stood before her, a few leaves stuck in his hair and his filthy clothes ripped even more. But he was alive. His green eyes shone with tears.

“Henry?”

“Mama.” His voice ended on a sob.

She opened her arms and he fell into them. Grace held him as he cried, as they both cried, and her little family was finally together as one.

*

Grace rode back
to the Circle Eight with Henry snuggled in front of her. He had relaxed enough to allow her to touch him again. There were many things he might not ever tell her, but for now, having Henry back in her arms was enough.

Her worry for Benjy had intensified with each minute she was away from him. He’d been pale and covered in blood. No matter that his sister was the town doctor. People died from one gunshot, much less multiple ones.

“Where is Mr. Ben?” Henry’s voice still surprised her.

“He’s at his family’s home. He got hurt so his sister is doctoring him.” She wasn’t about to tell Henry the man who had saved him might die before the sun set that day. “He has lots of nieces and nephews so you’ll have other children to play with.”

“I don’t want to play.” Henry might be five years old, but he sounded older. Much, much older.

“I’m sure there’s food to eat, too. Miss Eva is the housekeeper and I hear she’s a good cook. Better than your mama that’s for sure.” Grace could hardly make coffee without burning it before a year ago. She’d been forced to figure out how to cook or starve. No one knew Alfred had cooked most of their meals, teaching her how to keep watch over it while he worked in the fields.

Henry had had a wonderful father and half a mother. From here on out, she would learn what she needed to and take care of her son like a mother should.

For today, though, she needed to help Benjy. Without him, she wouldn’t have Henry in her arms and her heart wouldn’t be beating again.

When they arrived back at the house, a wagon was hitched up and the men were piled into the back, tied and handcuffed. A few were bandaged and one was hogtied. Dominic was also gagged, much to Grace’s satisfaction. The Rangers were apparently getting ready to leave with the marauders.

Matt stood by with Caleb and another couple of large men watched with lethal expressions. She dismounted in front of the house and nodded to them. The concern on Caleb’s face told her things weren’t going well inside.

Benjy.

She spotted the redhead along with an identical version of her on the porch in the rocking chairs, a safe distance from the men. “Girls, can I ask you a favor?”

The one who had been taken by Dominic jumped to her feet. “Of course, ma’am. I owe you my life.” She glanced at Henry. “Hello.”