“What about ’im?” Gaz jerked his head toward the promontory.
Perry stumbled to her knees. “He’s still there?”
“Dead and drained like a pig,” Davy said. “Neck flappin’. Dear God, Pip. Scruggs told me about the errand. Said you should’ve been back. What the hell did you get into? Dear God.”
She struggled to her feet and reached for the boy. “You’re c-cold.”
“No, m-miss.”
“Miss?” Gaz peered closer.
“They’ll f-find him.” She started toward the path.
She was befuddled as hell. “Wait, Perry.” He stowed his weapons and followed her.
“G-going up. R-roll him in.”
“No, you’re not.”
Footsteps crunched in the gravel behind them. “He shot at us, Da.”
“Wait up, you two,” Davy said. “Come on, Gaz. Grab us some big rocks on the way up. We’ll give him a proper burial.”
“We have to go that way anyway to get back to the road,” Fox said. “I need to check his pockets.”
“Aye, and that was a damn fine gun,” Gaz said.
“We’ll go through them pockets and get those guns. Might be some dry powder too,” Davy said. “You keep the lady and my boy here out of the wind so you don’t catch your death.”
Could he trust them?
Davy pushed Pip toward him. “We needs do this now. Don’t want them spotting a body from the road.”
“It will go faster with my help, and we can be on the road,” Fox said.
“That road be busy tonight with pack trains coming south.”
“Do you know another way back?”
“Scruggs keeps a skiff here and there. Be cold on the water, but we’ll get back faster.”
“Check pockets, boots, seams. Under his cap. Keep the weapons and money. Bring me the rest.”
Davy nodded and pulled Gaz along.
“And, Davy…”
The man turned. Fox swept his arms around the boy and Perry. “Thank you.”
The cold breezelashed like the devil’s own blade through the tight weave of Fox’s wool coat. Just as soon as she’d willed herself to stop quivering, a fresh slap of air would come down the cliff, snake under her wet clothing, and into her scattered brain.
Fox seemed to know these local men who guided them along the coast, through rock beds and craggy mires. The best route was this way, they said. She’d balked—it didn’t seem right. Once they reached the end of this narrow bay, there’d be no way out but up a sheer cliff, and she didn’t think her frozen legs would bear her.
“Trust my da,” Pip had said.
Fox had simply picked her up and carried her. She was lodged now against his chest, feeling the wild pounding of his heart, hearing his labored breath.
“I can walk.” She said it, over and over, a mad litany, while she shivered.
