In the Paths of Righteousness (Psalm 23 Mysteries)

  “Yeah.”

  “There’s a cave at the base of it just around the side. It goes in for about a hundred feet, angles off to the right, and then dumps you into a little hidden valley. There’s still an old rundown cabin even. It’s actually ingenious, most people never think to go far enough into the cave to find the valley.”

  “That’s cool. How do you know it’s there?”

  “I’ve been a few times. The first time was when I was little. My grandfather took me.”

  “Does the land belong to your family?”

  “No, they all moved out to northern California before my great grandfather was born, founded a nice little town.”

  “That’s amazing. I don’t even know my great-grandfather’s first name let alone anything about where he lived or what he did for a living.”

  He shrugged. “Being connected to your past can be either a blessing or a curse.”

  That was certainly the way she felt about her own personal past sometimes, although it generally felt like more of a curse than a blessing.

  After another few minutes Zack got back on his horse and left the team in her hands. She felt trepidation, but also a great deal of pride that he trusted her to drive the horses.

  After a nerve-wracking couple of minutes she finally relaxed. She looked around, taking in the scenery. The mountain that hid the entrance to the secret outlaw hideout didn’t seem to be that far away, but she wondered how close they’d get to it by the time they stopped for the night. She kind of wished she could actually see it.

  From old west outlaws her mind drifted to modern day killers. She found herself running through the lists of suspects repeatedly, trying to view them from all different angles, trying to decide who had motive and opportunity and the willingness to carry out their plan. It would, of course, be ironic if it was Zack and what he’d said about the past being a curse or a blessing would carry extra weight.

  She couldn’t believe it was him, though. It just didn’t fit with everything she’d seen of him so far. She finally ruled him out and let her mind continue working on the rest of the list.

  After another hour she came to the conclusion that it had to be Norman. Norman could have easily been using Tex as an accomplice or Tex could have also been a helpless victim who stumbled onto the truth. Either way she was willing to bet Norman was involved.

  When they stopped she’d share her thoughts with both Jeremiah and Mark. Hopefully one or both of them were thinking along the same lines as she was. Until then there was nothing to do really but just try to enjoy the moment.

  Something she wasn’t particularly good at.

  Because of their late start they pushed on through lunch and when they stopped three hours later it was none too soon as far as Cindy was concerned. Her arms were aching from holding the reins and managing the team. It wasn’t nearly as difficult as she had feared, but it was still exhausting work. After tying up the reins she stood and stretched and then climbed through into the back of the wagon.

  “Food, finally. I think we’ll be camping here tonight, too,” she told Jeremiah.

  “So I figured.”

  She did a double take as she realized that his hands were bound again. Nobody had been in the back of the wagon, though, except her. She met his eyes and he winked. He didn’t want anyone to know he could free himself. She took a breath and nodded, indicating that she could play along.

  “I think Norman did it,” she whispered.

  He nodded. “I came to the same conclusion.”

  “I keep feeling like there’s something important I’m missing, though.”

  He frowned and shook his head. Apparently he wasn’t feeling the same way. She sighed and turned to her work.

  She grabbed some canned food and a pot and headed outside, grateful to see that Hank was already starting a cookfire.

  “Thanks,” she said as she walked up. Her and Jeremiah’s certainty that Norman was the killer was already making her feel more relaxed toward the others. She just prayed they were right.

  “We’re stopping for the night,” Mark said as he walked up a few minutes later. “Everyone’s beyond exhausted and it makes no sense to eat and then clean up only to spend another hour or so on the trail before we have to stop and settle in before nightfall.”

  “Makes sense to me,” she said. “Personally I’m ready to crash.”

  “Not before you finish dinner, please,” he said with a groan.

  She glanced around to see if anyone else could hear them before lowering her voice. “Jeremiah and I both think Norman is behind all this.”

  “You do, huh?” Mark asked, face inscrutable. “Well, I think I’m just going to go have a talk with Jeremiah. Let him out to walk around for a few minutes.”

  “I’m sure he’d appreciate that,” Cindy said, trying not to betray what she knew about the fact that he could do that anytime he wanted.

  “Okay, sounds like a plan,” he said before heading off for the wagon. A minute later she saw him reappear with Jeremiah. The two walked off.

  “Can I help?” Liz asked as she walked up.

  “No, I think I’ve got it,” Cindy said. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better, mostly embarrassed.”

  Cindy waved her hand. “Don’t worry about it, we’re just glad you’re okay.”

  “Me, too. I’m going to go grab myself another juice box just to be on the safe side. Do you need me to get you anything?”

  “Actually, if you could grab some bottled water for everyone, that would be great.”

  “No problem.”

  Cindy had just about finished heating up the chili and corn when Liz returned, arms full of bottles. One slipped and fell on the ground.

  “Dang it,” Liz said with a sigh. “I should have just made two trips.”

  “It’s okay,” Cindy said with a smile as she stood and took some of the other bottles and put them on the ground. “Half the time in the grocery store I go in for one thing and end up at the register like this.”

  Liz laughed. “We should go shopping together sometime, see between the two of us how much we could juggle.”

  Cindy couldn’t help but laugh at the image. “I can totally see that.”

  “Anything else I can do?”

  Cindy winced. “Actually, yeah, we’re also going to need plates.”

  “Not a problem. Where are they?”

  Cindy described the location and a minute later Liz had returned.

  “See, much more manageable when things stack properly,” Liz said.

  “But not nearly as fun.”

  Ten minutes later everyone descended on the fire, looking ragged and beyond exhausted. They had already grabbed their backpacks and sleeping bags and set up the basics for the sleeping area. She wouldn’t be surprised if after dinner several of them headed right back there.

  Everyone’s ready to drop, Cindy thought as she passed out water and plates of food. She found herself looking longingly, though, at Liz’s juice box, wishing she had a soda or something sweet to drink. She thought about asking Liz if she could swipe one of the juices, but she knew Liz would really need them if she had other sugar crashes like the one that morning.

  She grabbed her food last and sat down on the ground with her plate on her knees and the water bottle beside her. Once there she picked at her food, realizing that even though she was physically spent she really wasn’t that hungry. She was stressed out, though.

  She glanced across the fire at Jeremiah seated beside Mark, struggling to eat with his hands tied together. She was grateful Mark had allowed him the ability to eat with the rest. Surprisingly no one else complained. Then again, no one was even really talking, just eating in silence.

  The meal wasn’t even over before Traci started yawning. Apparently it was contagious because within minutes it seemed everyone was.

  “It’s been a rough day,” Mark finally said, breaking the silence. “I suggest we all get some rest.”

  He helped Jer
emiah to his feet. “I’ll be keeping one eye open,” he advised him.

  Cindy was surprised that Mark was going to let Jeremiah sleep outside and not in the wagon. Then again, there was no room to lie down in there, especially now with the two bodies taking up space.

  Cindy got busy gathering up plates and scraping them off. “Let me help,” Liz said. Together they wiped each of them down quickly with a disinfectant wipe. They did the same for the pots and then Cindy took it all back and stored it in the wagon.

  When she returned Liz was sitting next to the fire. Cindy sat down next to her, and picked up her unopened water bottle. Again she toyed with asking Liz for a juice, but she knew she needed to just tough it out. She could go without the sugar. She turned and noticed, startled, that everyone seemed to already be asleep. A couple of them were even lying on top of their sleeping bags still wearing the same clothes they’d been riding in. Even both cowboys were asleep.

  I guess the herd’s quiet enough tonight they don’t have to worry. Either that or they just were too tired to care.

  “That was...fast.”

  “Yeah, I guess it’s been a hard day for all of us,” Liz said.

  “I guess that means I’m taking first watch,” Cindy said.

  Liz cocked her head to the side. “But, Jeremiah’s tied up, no one should have to stay up.”

  “I still don’t think Jeremiah did it,” Cindy said firmly.

  “That’s sweet of you to believe in your boyfriend like that,” Liz said.

  “He is not my boyfriend. I don’t know why people keep thinking he is.”

  Liz blinked at her. “It’s the way you are together. You’re obviously close, and you care a great deal for each other. Then there’s the way that you look at him and he looks at you, like no one else in the world matters.”

  “I don’t...he doesn’t...you’re crazy,” Cindy finally sputtered.

  Liz shrugged. “Maybe, but I know a thing or two about love and you two have definitely got it.”

  Cindy felt the heat rising in her cheeks and she dropped her eyes to the fire. “I-I don’t know how I feel about him,” she admitted at last.

  I can’t believe I’m doing this and with a complete stranger, she thought.

  “Really, are you sure it’s not more like you don’t want to admit it because then you’ll actually have to do something about it instead of letting things stay in a nice, safe little bubble like they are now?”

  “I don’t know,” Cindy whispered.

  “Look, you’re never going to know what this thing between you could become if you don’t take a risk.”

  “I’m sort of risk avoidant,” Cindy admitted.

  “Some risks are worth it. I know whereof I speak.”

  “It’s too complicated.”

  “No, it’s not. You’re just making excuses.”

  Cindy sighed, wondering how she could explain everything she was thinking or feeling to Liz.

  “I just don’t know. What about tomorrow, what will happen then?” Cindy asked.

  Liz sighed and lifted her juice box. “I propose a toast.”

  Cindy picked up her water bottle and screwed off the cap.

  “To tomorrow, may it take care of itself and leave us in peace tonight.”

  Cindy tapped her water bottle against the juice box. Liz drank and Cindy sat, almost frozen, as she contemplated what Liz had said. Matthew 6:34 said something very similar. “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

  All her life she had let her fear of what might happen stop her from doing so many things. Had she let that fear stop her from truly living?

  “Hello, earth to Cindy.”

  Cindy shook her head and turned to Liz. “Sorry, I was just thinking,” she admitted as she set down her water. “Maybe you’re right.”

  “I know I’m right.”

  “I just don’t think I can say it out loud.”

  “Then write it down.”

  “I could never show it to him,” Cindy said.

  “Then just show it to yourself. Admit how you’re feeling. I guarantee you’ll feel better once you do.”

  “I don’t have any paper,” Cindy admitted.

  “Here, I have some,” Liz said, digging in her pocket and producing a paper and pen.

  Cindy took them, remembering having glanced briefly at them when Mark had had her and Traci inspect the contents of everyone’s pockets. She took the cap off the pen and set it down on the paper.

  She took a deep breath. What she was about to do couldn’t be undone. She felt terror and exhilaration all mixed up into one knot in the pit of her stomach. She stared at the paper, willing herself to do this.

  The paper had a blue tinge to it and a faint scrollwork at the top. She had seen that scrollwork before. She blinked several times, thinking.

  She had seen the scrollwork on the love letter Norman had been carrying with him. That letter had been written on one of Liz’s pieces of paper.

  Cindy looked sharply up at her. “Are you and Norman...”

  She stopped as she stared at Liz. The other woman’s face was contorted into a snarl. “Why couldn’t you have been a good little girl and just chugged the dang water like everyone else?”

  18

  Cindy leaped to her feet and her eyes flicked over to the sleeping forms in horror as Liz’s words sank in. “What have you done?” she shouted.

  “Turns out the good doctor has all kinds of wonderful things in that bag. They’ll be out for hours. Not you, though. You’ll be dead. You and your brother.”

  Out for hours. Which meant help wouldn’t be coming in time. Cindy’s only chance was to subdue Liz. She thought of the rope binding Jeremiah’s hands. First she’d have to knock her out, though.

  Mark has a gun! she remembered at last. So did both of the cowboys. If only she could get to one of them.

  Cindy’s heart was hammering in her chest. She tried to dodge past Liz. The other woman yanked a knife out of her boot and slashed at Cindy.

  Cindy screamed as the knife slashed across her chest. She scrambled backward, nearly falling into the fire.

  “Kyle’s not going anywhere. So as soon as I kill you I can finally take care of him.”

  “But why?” Cindy sobbed.

  “Why do you think?” Liz hissed.

  “Norman! He put you up to this!”

  “No!” Liz shouted. “Norman could never even think of something like this. He’s too nice, too sweet. He needed me to do this for him.”

  Liz lunged forward, swinging the knife and Cindy scrambled out of the way. She could feel blood dripping down her skin but she dare not look. She had to keep Liz away from Kyle and the others and keep from getting killed herself.

  “I’ll tell the authorities that you did it.”

  “And how do you plan to do that? You’ll never make it to Righteousness.”

  Cindy was stepping carefully, rapidly swiveling her head to try and get a feel for the landscape. Then she saw Kyle’s horse, Silver, just a short ways away. He was still wearing his saddle. A couple other horses farther away were, too. They were all grazing on the grass, oblivious to the human drama happening nearby. The starving cowboys had grabbed food before planning on taking care of the animals but had been drugged before they could.

  Cindy turned and eyed Liz. “Care to bet on that?”

  She turned and sprinted for all she was worth toward Silver. She heard a shout behind her but didn’t look back. The massive white horse looked up as she approached, but didn’t move away.

  She grabbed the dangling reins, yanking them over his head and launched herself upward until she was laying across his back. She swung into the saddle and kicked her heels. He jumped and then kicked out as Liz got close to his hindquarters.

  Out of the corner of her eye Cindy saw Liz go for one of the other horses just as she’d hoped she would. She needed to lead her away from the
camp, keep her away until the others could wake up. Hopefully Jeremiah would figure out what had happened.

  She clung to the pommel of the saddle for dear life as the great animal raced forward. The wind whipped at her face causing her eyes to tear. Strands of hair that had come free of her ponytail obscured her vision.

  She had no idea how to get to Righteousness and worried that if she even tried to head that direction that no one would be able to catch up to them in time to save her. Liz was a far better rider than she was. She had to trust to her head start and her horse’s speed.

  Her hair cleared out of her eyes for a moment and she realized they were headed in the general direction of the mountain Zack had pointed out earlier. The outlaw hideout! If she could make it there she could hide. Hopefully that would give the others enough time to wake up and Zack would figure out where she’d gone.

  She tugged the reins slightly to the right and the horse responded, lining himself up with the mountain. She dared not risk trying to look over her shoulder, her balance was too precarious as it was. She just had to pray that Liz was continuing to follow her.

  With every step she felt herself jarred to the bone. She tried to adjust to the horse’s rhythm and found herself leaning lower and lower forward. It was terrifying, but she felt like part of her was beginning to sing. She felt so alive.

  They were closing in on the mountain fast. Zack had said that the cave was just around the side. He hadn’t said which side, though. As she approached the base of the mountain she took a chance and urged her horse to the right.

  She raced past some trees, hoping they would obscure her from sight so that she could find the cave and get in it without Liz seeing her. The terrain turned rocky and her horse slowed. She pried her left hand off the pommel and pushed the hair out of her eyes as she searched for something that could be a cave entrance.

  There! It was beneath a large outcropping of rock. She would have thought it was just a shadow if she hadn’t been looking for it. She turned her horse’s head and made it into the confines of the cave before pulling him to a halt.

  She blinked, trying to let her eyes adjust to the darkness that suddenly surrounded her. Her horse exhaled loudly and pawed at the ground. They had to move farther into the cave so they wouldn’t be heard. She tried to urge the animal forward, but he didn’t want to go. Finally she dismounted and stepped in front of him. She pulled the reins over his head and held them like she’d seen the cowboys do when they were leading the horses.