Page 58 of In Honor’s Defense

“All I know is he sent a message out to the ranch to meet him here at three o’clock. Somethin’ about my missing beeves.” He met her eyes for a heartbeat, an odd mix of pity and indignation radiating from his gaze.

They believed Nathaniel knew where the cows were! But he didn’t. He had nothing to do with the rustling or the criminals who’d left Luke to die in the dark on that horrible night.

“Aunt Maris?” Nathaniel’s voice jabbed at her from outside the barn. “Where are you?” He sounded angry. And afraid.

“I’m here!” she called, pivoting away from Mr. Grimes and his disturbing gaze and hurrying out into the yard, her horse following in her wake.

She tossed the reins over the horse’s neck, then dashed over to her nephew. A man she assumed to be Cal was being waved on his way by the sheriff, but Damaris barely spared him a glance. All her energy belonged to Nathaniel. Reaching out, she clasped his hand and gave it a squeeze.

“What’s going on?” he whispered, turning his face toward hers.

“I don’t know. Something about the rustled cattle, I think.”

Mr. Grimes exited the barn, leading the second horse, and Nathaniel instantly stiffened.

“What’s he doing here?” There wasn’t much whisper in that question.

Damaris had no time to explain or to calm Nathaniel because in that moment the sheriff decided to take charge of the conversation.

“Mount up, boy. We’re going to ride up to the canyon at the north end of your property.” Conley crossed his wrists over his saddle horn and eyed Nathaniel. “I assume you know the one I mean.”

“We only got one canyon, so yeah, I know the one you mean. But there ain’t nothin’ out there ’cept dirt and a few scraggly trees.”

Sheriff Conley seemed unimpressed by Nathaniel’s assurances. “I got me a witness that says different. He claims he saw near a dozen longhorns holed up there. All wearin’ the Triple G brand.”

Nathaniel pulled away from her, his face reddening as he strode two steps toward the lawman. “That’s a lie! I never touched those cows.”

Damaris ran after him, quickly inserting herself between her nephew and the frowning sheriff.

“That’s what we’re here to find out.” Sheriff Conley’s right hand moved to the butt of his revolver, but he didn’t draw the weapon. Thank the Lord. “Now, get on yer horse, and let’s take a ride. See who’s right.”

“Please, Nathaniel.” Damaris kept her voice low as she gently pushed him toward the horses waiting outside the barn. “We need to keep cool heads. I know you didn’t have anything to do with rustling that cattle. Soon the sheriff will, too.”

Only the truth they knew failed to agree with the truth they found in the canyon.

Ten steers wandered around a small enclosure that had been roped off to keep the cattle from escaping.

As soon as the animals came into view, Oliver Grimes kicked his mount into a canter to get a closer look.

“Well?” Sheriff Conley called after Grimes had dismounted and inspected the stock. “Them your beeves, Grimes?”

The owner of the Triple G glared up at Nathaniel. “Yep. They’re mine, all right.”

The sheriff moved close to Nathaniel’s horse and caught the reins. “Nathaniel Baxter, you’re under arrest for cattle rustlin’.”

“But I didn’t do nothin’!” Nathaniel swung a panicked gaze toward Damaris, and she nearly crumpled from the force of his fear. “I didn’t do it, Aunt Maris. I swear.”

“I know you didn’t.” Damaris turned a scowl on Conley. “This is ridiculous, Sheriff. Luke Davenport already gave you a description of the rustlers. Four grown men who left him for dead after attacking him with knives. My nephew has nothing in common with those men. I don’t know how these cows came to be here, but Nathaniel had nothing to do with it.”

“The other rustlers coulda hired him to show them how to sneak onto my property,” Grimes said as he rejoined the group. “Makes him just as guilty as them.”

“But they didn’t,” Nathaniel insisted. “I never saw them before that night.”

“So you were there.” Grimes jabbed an accusing finger toward Nathaniel’s chest. “I knew it. This scamp has been sneaking onto my property for weeks. Destroying my food stores. Cripplin’ my horses. Scatterin’ my hens. He’s a menace and deserves to be locked up.”

“Well, you’re a murderer who deserves to swing at the end of a rope!”

Damaris gasped.