Taming the Wind

*** TWENTY-TWO

Carissa felt that she'd barely fallen asleep when Long Knife was shaking her awake. "Get up. We're gonna ride. You need to eat."

She sat up and looked around her, remembering the night before. She wondered where the other two men had gone. The camp looked deserted.

Long Knife untied her ankles but left her hands secured.

"Where are your friends?" she asked.

Long Knife looked at her for a moment. Finally he gave a grunt and replied,

"They're readying the horses. You need to go?" He motioned to the trees.

Carissa shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

Long Knife brought her some jerked beef and a canteen.

"Eat. We have a long ride."

She ate the beef and took a long drink from the canteen. It was awkward at best with her hands tied, but not impossible. The men approached with the horses, and Long Knife came

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to pull her to her feet. He took the canteen and motioned to the horses. "Can you ride?"

"Not well, but I certainly don't want to go in the same manner as yesterday."

She eyed the large buckskin gelding and then looked back at the Indian. "I'll do my best."

"You'll ride in front of me," Long Knife said. He didn't give her a chance to protest, but lifted Carissa as if she weighed nothing and hoisted them both up to the saddle in one motion. Carissa gasped, fearing he might drop her, but Long Knife's strong arms held her fast.

He rested her in his lap and the forced nearness was enough to make Carissa rebel. "I cannot ride like this."

"You'll ride like this or like you did yesterday" he told her.

The men laughed, and one of them couldn't help but comment, "You'd best get used to it, missus. Ain't nobody here concerned about your comfort."

Carissa narrowed her eyes at the man. She wanted nothing more than to tell him exactly what she thought, but she held her tongue. If she was going to get away, she would have to convince them that she wasn't a threat. Bowing her head, she nodded ever so slightly.

Long Knife kicked the buckskin into motion and the trio made their way across the vast expanse of land. Carissa looked for landmarks--anything that she might recognize-- but there was very little to go on. She didn't know where they'd brought her.

The horizon stretched out before them in grassy prairie and rocky hills.

Occasionally they crossed a muddy creek or river and enjoyed the shade of the trees that lined the water's edge. They followed small trails from time to time, but mostly they cut across the land and headed ever farther from her loved ones.

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If she could have been with Tyler, the ride might have been enjoyable. The views were definitely pretty and she was quite amazed at how this part of Texas differed from that of the coastal south. Herds of longhorn cattle grazed openly, and occasionally a mule-eared deer or a rabbit could be spotted. At one point one of the men riding ahead took off after a rabbit. Carissa heard the shot and in a short time he rejoined them with the rabbit hanging off the side of his saddle.

"We'll have rabbit stew this evening," he said, grinning.

The idea actually sounded rather appealing to Carissa. She wondered if they would expect her to clean and cook the animal or if they'd leave her tied up. Perhaps she could volunteer to be useful and they'd leave off her bonds.

It was worth asking about.

"I can cook quite well," she told Long Knife. "Perhaps you'd like for me to prepare the rabbit."

He paused for the briefest moment. "Maybe." That was all he said, however, and Carissa didn't feel she should press. She noted the sun moving across the sky as the day dragged on, and determined they were headed southwest. At least that was what it looked like to her. Maybe they'd get overconfident that she was far enough away from all that she knew, and they'd leave her unbound if they allowed her to cook. If so, Carissa could take a chance and run tonight.

But what good will it do me? I have no idea where I am or where they are taking me. If I managed to get away, there would be nowhere for me to go.

With miles of open land, they would easily find me. She frowned, fearing the entire situation was rather hopeless.

Toward late afternoon they rested the horses, shared some more jerky, and then resumed the ride. Carissa was so stiff

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and sore she could hardly bear to be put back on the horse. She said nothing, however, afraid that if she did, Long Knife would threaten to return her to her former position.

The heat had grown steadily throughout the day and Carissa found herself quite miserable. Perspiration trickled down her face, and she didn't even have a sunbonnet to ease her discomfort.

"When will we stop?" she asked Long Knife.

"Soon." His brief reply irritated her, but again Carissa held her temper.

The long ride took its toll, and she found herself dozing off and on. She first tried to fight her exhaustion, but soon found sleep a welcome relief from the pain. She thought again of Tyler and how he had plans to teach her to ride. If this trip was any indication, Carissa knew she'd want nothing more to do with any time on the back of a horse. Then she dreamed of Gloria and Tyler together. They seemed so happy, and she couldn't help but wonder if Tyler would remain in Gloria's life--should something happen.

"There's the shack," one of the men called out.

The sound of men's voices slowly awakened Carissa. She was drenched in sweat and now smelled as bad as the man who held her. She longed for a bath but doubted anyone would offer her such a treat.

She tried to get her bearings and noted that the landscape had changed to scrub and rocky ledges. They seemed to be making their way along a dry wash or something of the sort. Just ahead was a small cabin--a shack, just as the man had called it. The unpainted wood made it look ancient and fragile. Carissa couldn't help but think of the seaside shack Malcolm had kept her in just before his demise.

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TRACE PETERSON

They pulled up to the place and dismounted. Carissa's legs buckled beneath her and without a word, Long Knife lifted her in his arms. She was too tired and sore to protest. Once inside, Carissa couldn't suppress a moan when Long Knife put her upon a straight-backed chair. He looked at her with something akin to sympathy. "Are you thirsty?"

"Thirsty. Hot. Tired. Hurting. You name it," she replied. He nodded and brought her a canteen. "Drink." She did as he instructed.

"So what now?"

"Now we wait."

She looked at the men who were busying themselves with lighting a lantern and laying a fire. "Wait? For what?"

"For the man who paid us to bring you here," Long Knife replied.

They didn't have long to wait. The sound of horse hooves coming toward the cabin sent all three men into position. Long Knife put out the lamp and went to the window. The other two men took up their places on the other side of the door. Carissa remained where she was, knowing that if bullets started to fly, she'd most likely be struck.

"It's Jesse!" a voice called out. "Don't shoot."

Carissa could barely see in the faint glow of firelight from the hearth. One of the men went to open the door while the other lit the lamp. She racked her memories for a man named Jesse. Was he one of Malcolm's friends?

Perhaps an enemy? The door burst open and a tall, grizzled-looking man bounded in with an older, shorter man behind him. The older man took one look at Carissa and screwed up his face.

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"Who in the blue blazes is she?"

"The woman you sent us to get," Long Knife replied.

Jesse shook his head. "You got it wrong, brother. This ain't Hannah Barnett."

Carissa looked at the men and shook her head. "No, I'm

Carissa Lowe. I was just staying at the Barnett ranch." Jesse spit on the floor and scowled. "Should've gone myself."

"She fits the description you gave us," Long Knife countered.

"Well, she might have Hannah's coloring," the older man said, "but it's not her. You have to go back and get the right woman."

"Go back? Now?" one of the other men questioned. "They'll have the law called on us by now."

The older man moved forward and took a seat across from Carissa. It was then that it dawned on her that this man was the one who'd broken out of jail.

The one Hannah was afraid would come to seek her out.

"You're Mr. Lockhart, aren't you?" she asked.

He seemed surprised, but smiled. "I am. I suppose Hannah has talked about me."

She shook her head. "Not much. But the sheriff has. He warned us that you were on the run."

Lockhart sneered. "Well, he might know that much, but he don't know much else."

"So you had these men come to take Hannah, but they got me instead,"

Carissa said, trying to put all the pieces together. "You were planning to kill her, weren't you?"

"She has it coming," he said without feeling. He looked at Jesse. "You're right, you should have gone yourself. Long Knife and you best go back now and do what you can."

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"You're a fool if you think Hannah hasn't already prepared for that," Carissa declared. "She has that place well defended. It was only my own foolishness that allowed me to get taken by your men. Besides, our men are due back anytime. Once they're in place, you won't stand a chance to cause any more trouble."

Long Knife shook his head. "She's right. They had that place pretty well under guard. They even had night riders keeping watch. It won't be easy to get within a mile of it."

Carissa smiled and nodded. "Exactly. You won't ever get your hands on Hannah or anyone else."

Lockhart considered her words. His expression was almost a leer as he turned back to her. "Well, we still have you."

His words caused a chill to go down Carissa's spine, and she could see the cold indifference in the man's eyes. He truly didn't care what happened to her and would use her to suit his purpose. That much was clear.