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Ben said, “Do you want water?”
Colleen nodded. “Please.”
Ben withdrew the canteen from his pack and held it to her mouth and then her daughter’s.
Once they were done, Colt said, “Tell us what happened.”
“Dun Bailey came by as we were leaving for the Founders Day parade.”
“Why?”
“Because Minnie asked him to.”
Colt was confused.
“Minnie’s been staying here since the night we had cake at your place. She wouldn’t let me take her back to town.”
“Why didn’t you just drive her anyway?”
“She’s an old woman, Colton. She said she was afraid being in her house alone. I was trying to be kind.”
Felicity said, “Miss Minnie said she was going to tell everybody about the men who come to see Mama at night.”
Colt stared. Ben’s lips thinned.
Colleen snapped, “Hush, Felicity! It was a lie, but I thought people might believe her, so I allowed her to stay.”
Colt didn’t know what to make of that, so he moved past it. “Did you know she and Dun were going to abduct Anna?”
Colleen’s eyes went wide. “No! Oh my goodness. Is that why they wanted my buggy? I kept telling him he couldn’t take it, but he said he’d shoot us both if I kept refusing, then tied us up. They took your daughter?”
He nodded. “At the celebration, yesterday. Ben found her last night, but Minnie and Dun are dead.”
Colleen turned to Felicity. “How are your legs feeling?”
“Better.”
“Then go to your room and change your clothes. I’ll be there once we’re done talking here.”
Felicity complied and once she was gone, Colt filled her in on yesterday’s events. When he finished, she said, “Poor Anna must’ve been scared to death. Personally, I’m glad they’re dead.”
“Do you know when Minnie and Dun made their plans?”
“No, but she had me drive her to his place a few days ago. She said she wanted to pay him for fixing some loose boards on her porch. She went inside but I stayed in the buggy. I got the impression that he’d been working for her on and off since the spring.”
Colt said, “Regan arrived late spring. And the first time he shot at her was just a short time after that.” That Minnie might have been planning to kill Regan from the day she arrived made his anger rise. Dun must have gone into hiding after the second attempt on Regan’s life then slipped back home. Had he ridden out the storm at Minnie’s empty place in town, knowing Whit wouldn’t look there?
“Did you know Dun was wanted for questioning after Regan was shot?” Colt asked.
“I did.”
“But you didn’t tell Whit or anyone else that you’d driven Minnie to see him at his place a few days ago?”
“No. I told you what Minnie threatened. I had my reputation to think about.”
“What reputation?” Ben shouted.
Colleen jumped.
