He pulled her to him, smoothing her hair beneath his palm, and she felt his heart beat much slower and calmer than her own.
He shifted his position, and she pulled away to follow his gaze. Doc knelt beside Carver, looking at Owen Morris in silence. Owen stood straight, his face set in grim lines, a challenge in his eyes. "Do we still have a partnership?" His voice was soft, more clipped in the anxiety he tried to hide. "I took the oath, same as you, but in this case—"
The back part of Carver's skull was gone. Blood pooled around him where he lay, and began to drip from the wood planks to the ground.
"Hell with the oath, Owen." Doc stood slowly, his eyes locked with Owen's questioning gaze. "I'd say that's not the first time you've dealt with vermin like Carver."
Owen shook his head. "No."
Doc put out his hand, and Owen clasped it for a long moment, his thanks and relief evident in the way he gripped Doc's palm.
Brandon stepped away from Allie, climbing the stairs of the porch slowly. He nudged Carver over onto his back, with a quick glance at the two doctors as he did so. Another bullet hole in Carver's body, in his chest, blossomed red as his blood seeped to the porch.
Brandon looked up at Owen. "You didn't kill him, doctor. I did."
"Brandon—" Owen began.
"I'm the elder medical authority here, Owen," Doc said sharply, "and I agree with Brandon. He has a reputation to uphold," he murmured, looking over the top of his glasses, "and so do you."
Owen clamped his lips together and nodded. "I'm obliged."
Brandon shook his head. "No call for that. It is what it is." He glanced at Sam, who was standing just inside the doorway. "Are you all right, Sam?"
Sam nodded, but from where she stood, Allie could see the pallor of his normally dark complexion. She started forward, but stopped short at the distinctive whistle that came from the woods behind. Jay.
She had made him and the others promise to stay behind. She should've known the boys wouldn't be able to resist the fascinating lure of the gunplay they'd just witnessed, no matter what dire consequences she'd threatened. Swallowing back her anger, she turned to see the boys emerging sheepishly from the trees, Big Mack walking slowly ahead of them. Jay had been trying to call him back.
Allie bent to pet the dog as he stiffly limped up to where she stood. As if sensing her roiling emotions, Big Mack licked her hand and looked up at her in silent intervention for Jay.
After a moment, Jay joined him. "Ma, I'm sorry. An' we'll take our punishment, but – well, we couldn't stay behind! Not with Pa goin' up against Tom Carver."
Jimmy rushed up, standing next to Jay. "He's right, Ma'am. We had to come. I had to know my pa was safe. Please, don't be mad at us."
Allie ruffled Jay's hair and smiled at him, then looked at Jimmy's worried face. "Let's go see about your pa, Jimmy."
The boys were gathering around them now, and Allie looked at Brandon. Should they cover Carver's body? He shook his head slightly in response to her unasked question.
"Let them have a look, Allie," he said softly. "This is what they came to see. I want it to stick with them – forever."
Jimmy had run on ahead, into the cabin, with a cursory look at the dead man. As Allie followed him up the steps, the other boys gathered around the gruesome sight, expressing their opinions in quiet tones. Two of the younger ones stayed back, not wanting to get too close.
Brandon stood silently, looking at the boys. After a few seconds, he said, "I killed this man because he tried to destroy what we're working for – our ranch. He wanted me, and I don't run from a fight. Sometimes, men are unreasonable. You can't talk it out. You have to settle it with fists. Or with a gun." He fell silent once more, and Allie watched the emotions play across his handsome face.
He was worried. He needed to say this all just right, so the boys would understand.
"I protect what's mine." His eyes rested on each of the boys briefly, then held Allie's. A smile touched his lips, and she lifted her head, encouragement in her eyes. He nodded in acknowledgement. "It's Gabriel's Law. You belong somewhere now." He looked around the circle of upturned faces. "Here, with us. We're a family now."
Allie felt a lump form in her throat as he spoke. His words were for her, as well as the boys. He was letting her know her dream was now his too, and he wanted it as much as she did.
"Let's go home, boys. We've got some cattle pens to build, and we're burnin' daylight."
****
The boys slowly turned away, Jay leading them back toward the path. Within a few moments, the somberness that had enveloped them lifted, and snatches of talking, even laughter, floated back through the woods to where Allie, Doc, Owen, and Brandon stood on the front porch.
Brandon turned at the sound of a sob from the interior of the cabin. He'd almost forgotten about Jimmy and Arnie.