Chapter Three

Shiloh stood in the middle of ten dead steers in her south pasture.  As Adam and Hank were turning one over, she knelt next to another, feeling the carcass.  “They’re still warm.  This happened not too long ago.  Hank,” she said turning. “Did anyone hear any gunshots?”

“Johnny said he didn’t, but I’ll ask the men tonight when they all come into the bunkhouse.”

They all stood, looking around in the fading light.  “Do you know if anyone has seen Sam King since the day he came after me for firing him?”

“None of us have, but we haven’t checked in town,” answered Hank.

Shiloh looked around her, thinking.  “Pull some men off the range and get these steers butchered and in the smokehouse tonight.  Then tell everyone we’ll be having a picnic next weekend.”

“Miss Shiloh, I don’t think we can get this many in the smokehouse.”

“Hank, take some over to the Ponderosa.  I’m sure there’s room in our smokehouse,” offered Adam.

“Thank you, Adam,” said Shiloh.  “It won’t be long.  While I’m in town to speak with Sheriff Coffee about this, I’ll stop by the parsonage and ask the Reverend to send some of the families the church is supporting over to take some of this.”

Adam cocked his head. “If you’re going to town, I’m going with you.”  Shiloh tightened her mouth into a straight line and stood with her hands on her hips, looking down at the ground. “As long as there’s a possibility that this is Sam King, you are not riding into town by yourself…or anywhere else for that matter,” he added, turning to Hank, who nodded agreement.  Shiloh looked up and opened her mouth to speak, but Adam puckered his lips and looked at her from under his brow.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep, calming breath and turned toward her horse. “Suit yourself.”

When they were both mounted and headed for town, Adam asked, “Where’s your gun?  I taught you how to use it for this reason.”

“You wanted me to wear it when I was riding alone on the ranch.  I’m not alone.”

“You should practice since you’ve been away.”

“Mm hm.”

Adam reached over and took her reins, stopping both horses. “Are we back to where we were before San Francisco?”

Shiloh sucked in a deep breath, then let it out slowly and smiled.  “No,” she said definitively. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind, and I wasn’t counting on adding Sam King to the list.  Though, I probably should never have thought I was done with him.  He already made good on the threat he made when I fired him when he came after me at the roundup.  And if he’s been in town today, he knows I’m back from San Francisco.”  She looked at Adam nervously.  “I have to wonder if he’ll do worse because he knows I’m Isabella Whitney.”

“Well, if you practice using your gun, you should be able to warn him off.  Once he realizes you have protection maybe he’ll think twice before he comes after you again.”

When the two arrived in Virginia City, they went straight to the sheriff’s office.  Before she walked through the door, Shiloh looked back out over the town, noticing that people had stopped and watched them ride in.  Adam turned around and looked, then turned back to her, giving her shoulder a reassuring caress.  She looked at his hand, then looked timidly up.  Winking, he guided her through the door of Roy’s office.

Roy hesitated after Shiloh told him about the cattle.  “Is there anyone else who’d want to do somethin’ like this?”

“No, Sheriff Coffee.   The only one I’ve had words with is Sam,” answered Shiloh.

“Roy, you know as well as I do that Sam’s likely the guilty party,” said Adam.

“Now Adam, I understand how Sam holds a grudge, but there’s no proof he shot those cattle.  Even so, I don’t see any reason not to question him…if we can find him.”

Clem, the deputy, had walked in and was leaning against the door.  “Well that’s easy enough.  He’s over at the Silver Dollar.”

Roy stood up from behind his desk and walked over to his gun cabinet, taking a shotgun down and flipping it open.  He loaded two cartridges in the breech, snapped it closed and made his way to the door.  When Adam moved to follow, Roy stopped him.  “Just hold it right there.  Now I’m gonna walk over to the Silver Dollar and bring Sam back here peaceable-like.  I don’t want you startin’ somethin’ in the saloon.  You and Shiloh can wait right here.  Clem, let’s go.”

After a few minutes, Sam stepped through the door with Roy and Clem behind him.  He stood in the middle of the office, stuck his fingers in his belt and grinned at Shiloh.  “Well, if it ain’t Miss Isabella.  After all this business is done, why don’t come back to the saloon with me and let me buy you a drink?  Maybe you can sing us a song or two.”

The corner of Shiloh’s mouth curled up in disgust. “Don’t count on it, Sam.  Did you kill some of my cattle,” she growled, stepping closer to him.

When Adam grabbed her arm and pulled her back out of Sam’s reach, Sam’s eyes opened wide, and he laughed.  “Woo hoo,” he sang in a high voice.  “You got a Cartwright sweet on you?”

She cut her eyes back over her shoulder toward Adam and flared her nostrils, but Adam not only held her firmly, he gave her arm an uncomfortable squeeze.  She looked forward again.  “A word of warning, Sam.  You will be trespassing if you step one foot on my ranch, and my men will be instructed to shoot you on sight.”

Sam scowled and turned to Roy.  “Anything else?”

“Stay out of trouble, King, or you’ll end up in my jail,” ordered Roy.

Sam snorted and left.

Adam spun Shiloh around by the arm he was still holding.  “Don’t you realize saying anything to him will make him want to come after you?”

“I had to tell him not to trespass in front of the law, Adam.  That way, he can’t say he missed the no trespassing signs.”

“She’s right, Adam.  He won’t be able to make any excuses.”