Chapter 12 - A Storm Over Red River
Elias Boone arrived wearing clean boots.
Maggie distrusted anyone who reached a cattle camp after rain with clean boots.
He was fifty, silver-haired, pleasant-faced, and smiled too easily.
“Silas.”
“Elias.”
They shook hands like men who would have preferred using the same hand to close a door in the other's face.
Boone looked toward the herd.
“Heard you're having trouble.”
“People hear many things.”
“River's ugly.”
“Rivers usually are.”
Boone smiled.
“I might be able to help.”
Cole stood nearby.
“With the weather?”
“With your position.”
“My position is standing.”
Boone laughed.
Silas did not.
They entered Silas's tent.
Maggie continued working.
But Pete leaned toward her.
“You want me to get closer?”
“No.”
“I can spill something near the tent.”
“No.”
“A whole pot?”
Maggie looked at him.
Pete shrugged.
“Just being useful.”
Half an hour later Boone emerged.
He looked satisfied.
Silas did not.
Cole followed.
“What did he offer?” Maggie asked when Boone was gone.
“Twenty-eight percent below expected Kansas price.”
Noah whistled.
Silas looked toward the river.
“He knows exactly how long he thinks we can last.”
Maggie said, “Because Harlan told him.”
“Or because he's guessing.”
Cole handed Silas the telegram.
“He isn't guessing.”
Silas turned toward Levi.
“What's the river?”
“Dropping.”
“When can we cross?”
“If rain stops, two days.”
As if offended, thunder rolled in the west.
Everyone looked toward the horizon.
Dark clouds stacked over the plains.
Levi swore.
The storm arrived at sunset.
Wind hit first.
Canvas snapped.
Horses screamed.
Cowboys ran to secure wagons.
Maggie and Pete covered flour barrels while Noah tied down cooking equipment.
Cole appeared.
“Get inside the wagon.”
“I've got supplies.”
“Maggie.”
“I've survived weather.”
A gust nearly tore the canvas from her hands.
Cole grabbed it.
“Wonderful time to prove it.”
Together they secured the cover.
Rain came sideways.
Within minutes the camp became mud.
The herd shifted.
Levi's voice carried through darkness.
“Keep them spread! Don't crowd them!”
Lightning flashed.
Thousands of cattle moved like one enormous living shadow.
Not running.
Not yet.
But frightened.
Maggie knew enough about cattle drives to recognize the danger.
If the herd panicked, wagons and people in camp could be caught in the chaos.
Noah started toward his horse.
Maggie grabbed him.
“No.”
“Levi needs riders.”
“He has riders.”
“I'm one.”
“You're seventeen.”
“I was seventeen yesterday.”
Another flash.
Noah looked at her.
“I have a job.”
Maggie hated the truth of that.
She released his arm.
“Stay near Levi.”
“I will.”
“No heroics.”
“Maggie—”
“No heroics.”
He nodded and ran.
Cole watched.
“You all right?”
“No.”
“Good.”
She looked at him.
“That means you're sane.”
Despite fear, she laughed once.
The storm lasted three hours.
Nobody slept.
By dawn two tents were gone.
A wagon had overturned.
Three cattle were missing.
No men were seriously hurt.
But the river had risen again.
Levi stood soaked on the ridge.
“Four days. Maybe more.”
Silas's face went gray.
Maggie recalculated.
Twelve days of food had become eleven.
Then she inspected the trading-post sacks.
Two had gotten wet.
Ten.
Maybe nine.
Boone returned that afternoon.
Still smiling.
“Offer stands.”
Silas wanted to throw him out of camp.
Instead he invited him to coffee.
Maggie served it.
Boone recognized her.
“You're the famous cook.”
“I wasn't aware I was famous.”
“Two hundred men refused breakfast over you.”
Maggie's eyes narrowed.
That story had traveled fast.
Too fast.
“Harlan told you?”
Boone's smile changed.
Tiny.
But enough.
“I hear things.”
Maggie placed his coffee down.
“So do I.”
Boone looked at her longer.
That evening she told Cole.
“He's still communicating with Harlan.”
“How do you know?”
“He knew about breakfast.”
Cole frowned.
“Could've heard from someone else.”
“Maybe.”
“You don't believe that.”
“No.”
Silas joined them.
“Boone leaves tomorrow.”
Maggie looked at him.
“Don't let him.”
Silas blinked.
“You want him here?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“If Harlan contacts him, we need Boone close.”
Cole understood.
“Keep negotiating.”
Silas smiled slowly.
It was not a pleasant smile.
“For once, Miss Reed, we agree completely.”
The next morning Silas told Boone he was considering the offer.
Boone stayed.
At noon a boy from a nearby homestead arrived carrying a folded message.
He asked for Elias Boone.
Levi intercepted him.
The note contained only seven words.
COME SOUTH TONIGHT. BOOKS SAFE. FINAL TERMS READY.
No signature.
None was needed.
Cole looked at Silas.
Silas looked at Maggie.
Harlan Voss was nearby.
May you like
And by nightfall, they would know exactly where.
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