The Healer's Promise to the Nameless Man (Tales of Brave Western Love #10)

Chapter 1

Josiah checked his eyepiece, making sure the wagon train was still within sight. He’d been after it for two days, watching, taking notes. He pulled out the little pad of paper and scribbled a few more with the older ones.

Altering course, still no sign of Crenshaw. Need to get closer.

Josiah clenched his jaw. He was tired of the job already, and tired of trying to come up with an excuse to leave it behind.

“Whoa.” He pulled his horse to a stop on a hill where he could still keep an eye on the wagon train as they set up camp for the evening, but also stay hidden from prying eyes. “There we are, we should set up camp.” He patted his horse’s neck as he dismounted.

“Don’t suppose you want to take a turn starting the fire to get something to eat, huh?” He chuckled at his own words. How far had he fallen to where he was talking with his horse?

He should have told Ransom no, that he wouldn’t take on this job, but he’d caved after they’d spoken. He let himself slip back to the moment, almost a week ago. It was a typical conversation between them, and as usual, he’d lost the fight.

“I don’t want to do it; don’t we have enough?” Josiah asked, pacing back and forth by the campfire. There was no sign of any of the other men in camp. They were either already resting for the night, out on the latest job, or making themselves scarce.

They knew better than to get in the way when he and Ransom disagreed.

“We have enough to get us through the next couple of weeks, but you know how that works. A couple of weeks isn’t forever.” Ransom looked more like their father, than Josiah, with his dark brown hair and stormy eyes that bordered more on blue than gray. He also looked very intimidating.

“They’re a wagon train, for goodness ' sake. Tons of civilians, and chances for people to get hurt.” Josiah shook his head. “Let’s plan a different job, maybe a stagecoach, something less likely to run into unexpected issues.”

“That’s your problem, isn’t it? Always weak, trying to take the least risky way out.

Did you know that?” Ransom raised his voice.

“Do you think I haven’t noticed that you never kill anyone, no matter what the circumstances?

You’ll leave witnesses still breathing, shot in the leg or a hand, instead of dead.

You put us at risk every time you leave someone alive, but I look the other way.

Now you won't even do something that isn’t violent? ”

Frustration raced through Josiah. “Not violent? I know you, Ransom, and even a job that isn’t supposed to be violent turns violent when it’s up to you. You can take the most cooperative person and turn them into a confrontation.”

Ransom lunged, gripping Josiah by the front of his shirt. Josiah didn’t flinch. He was used to his brother’s violence, and fighting back never did him much good. Ransom would never fatally injure him.

“You don’t get to act all high and mighty about your position, little brother. You may not have any blood on your hands, but that doesn't mean you don't live off the blood of other people’s hands.” Ransom’s lip curled. “It’s all the same if you ask me.”

“We both know why I’m with the gang, why I’m doing what you ask. Don’t we?” Josiah let the question hang in the air. His brother knew what he was talking about. He let Josiah's shirt go, then opened his mouth to say something, but Josiah held his hand up.

“I’ll go. I’ll keep watch on the wagon train, infiltrate it if necessary, and get you the information.

You’re going to give me as long as I need.

We have over four months before they arrive out west. I’m going to take my sweet time until I learn enough to make sure that we get those diamonds in a way that no one gets hurt.

Got it? I hear you’ve changed your mind on that; I’ll warn the wagon train and fight alongside them. ”

Ransom sneered, but he must have seen the seriousness in Josiah’s eyes, because his eyes lowered a few seconds later.

“You’ve got yourself a deal. I knew you’d come around.”

Josiah shook his head as he walked past Ransom. He should walk away, ride into the night, and let the consequences come. But in some way, he felt like by being sent, he was protecting the wagon train, with what little power he held over Ransom.

Josiah poked the burning embers. He was relieved he’d managed to heat up his dinner and put out most of the fire before dark. He’d gotten Ransom’s word that they’d wait until they had a safe way to get the diamonds Ransom was after. That didn’t mean his brother would keep his word.

Ransom was headstrong and angry. He switched plans if he was convinced it would get him what he wanted faster. Unlike him, Ransom had no qualms about hurting people.

His best chance to make sure no one in the wagon tribe was injured was to find a way to do it safely and find that way fast.

---*---

Josiah straightened when he spotted movement down below.

He’d seen the woman three times now. She stuck out to him.

He watched through his eyepiece, the way she smiled and tended to the fire as if she enjoyed being alone.

She had red hair. Not bright like fire, but soft, a deep brown that reminded him of the color of autumn.

He liked to imagine that she had green eyes. That was what would go perfectly with her hair.

A young man walked up behind her, and she jumped, startled, then turned from the fire. Her posture relaxed a moment later, and by the way the man touched her shoulder, he could see that they knew each other. Was the man her husband?

He doubted it. They didn’t know that anyone was watching them, and he couldn't think of a good reason why the man wouldn’t kiss his wife if he believed they were alone.

She was too young for the man to be her son. Brother, perhaps that was it, or suitor. The young woman handed him a steaming cup of something, perhaps coffee, and the two sat down near the fire, talking. The woman laughed at something the man said.

Josiah smiled, watching them. They looked happy, like they were enjoying life, and especially enjoying the peace and quiet before the morning started.

He envied that peace and calm, enjoying a moment with someone he loved.

He wished he had that. It was certainly not something he’d ever shared with Ransom.

Things with him had never been so simple as to enjoy the small things in life.

Josiah sighed. The woman with the auburn hair was the motivation for him to stick with finding a safe solution to get the diamonds from the wagon train.

If he really did leave, and his brother didn’t manage to hunt him down and kill him, he’d be leaving that woman defenseless. Whoever replaced him would not care that she liked to get up before everyone else and enjoy a quiet fire in the morning.

They would shatter that, without a second thought, and Josiah was the only person standing between what might happen and her.