Rio Page 19

  “Dios!” Rio swore. “The barn’s on fire! Let’s go!”

  Chapter 13

  They rode back toward the barn at a gallop. Even at this distance, they could hear horses neighing in panic, see the flames scarlet against the dark sky and riders with torches galloping around the barn.

  “What the hell?” Rio swore and Turquoise saw him reach for the rifle in the boot of his saddle. The quartet of attackers seemed to see them approaching and took off at a gallop, little Tip barking and nipping at their horses’ hooves.

  Rio put the rifle to his shoulder and fired. One of the riders fell from his saddle and went end over end across the ground. The other three took off down the road past the blacksmith shed and away.

  Turquoise was breathless with fear and excitement as she shouted, “Who were they?”

  Rio shook his head. “I don’t know. We’ve got to save the horses!” Even as he yelled, he was off his horse with Peso still running.

  The flames from the barn rose higher and Turquoise could hear the neighing and stamping of frightened stock. She reined in sharply and dismounted. Silver Slippers, like the well-trained horse she was, slid to a halt.

  “You stay here!” Rio ordered as he ran toward the burning building.

  “You need help!” she protested and ran into the barn right behind him. The acrid smoke choked and blinded her, but she heard terrified horses and cattle trying to break free from their stalls. The flames were hot against her skin but she did not retreat. Rio grabbed a saddle blanket, wrapped it around a horse’s head, and led it out of its stall and toward the open barn door.

  The black smoke swirled around her as she ran through the barn, opening stall doors, but the panicked horses refused to budge, choosing instead to rear and neigh. Turquoise knew a frightened horse might not move, so she pulled off her blouse and ran into a stall. The gray mare inside reared and neighed. Turquoise took a deep breath and grabbed the mare’s halter. “Whoa, girl, I’m going to get you out.” She wrapped her blouse around the mare’s head and patted her muzzle. “Come on, girl, come with me.”

  The mare quieted and Turquoise led her through the flames and out into the yard. She was choking and coughing as she turned loose of the horse and it ran toward the lake.

  “You little fool!” Rio yelled. “You could get trampled trying to help me! Stay out!” Then he ran back into the barn.

  She wasn’t going to let animals burn to death if she could help it. The scarlet flames now roared against the black sky, sending showers of sparks into the air, but Turquoise took a deep breath of fresh air. Grabbing up her blouse, she ran back inside. The flames had built as they caught the dry timbers. All around her seemed to be the fires of hell. The black, acrid smoke blinded her, so that she couldn’t see Rio anymore. She felt her way along the stall doors, where she saw a terrified black colt trying to kick down the gate to his stall.

  “Take it easy, boy,” she said, attempting to soothe him. “I’ll get you out. Trust me.” The colt reared and struck out at her with his front hooves, but she got the blindfold over his eyes, opened the gate, and led him out.

  Rio was ahead of her with another horse. “Stay out!” he ordered her. “The whole thing is liable to collapse at any moment!”

  “Not as long as there’s animals in there!” she shouted back and ran after him into the fiery barn. The heat seemed to blister her tender skin and she choked and coughed on the thick air. The whole barn was afire now. There was no chance of saving it, but she was determined to save the animals. This time she led out two mooing calves while ahead of her, Rio brought out another horse.

  The whole barn looked like a giant funeral pyre against the black night, but they both ran in again to save horses. Inside, she was gasping for air and unable to see. Flaming timbers crashed down around her, showering her with sparks that burned her skin, but she ran blindly down the row of stalls until she found another terrified horse that reared, striking at Turquoise with its hooves. “Whoa, boy, I’m here to help,” she yelled and grabbed the horse’s halter, dodging the flaying hooves.

  She couldn’t see anything and wasn’t certain which way was out. Then she felt cool air blowing against her face from the outside. This time, she only made it to the barn door and couldn’t go any farther. She let go of the horse as she fell to the ground just inside the barn and it galloped past her and outside into the night.

  “Turquoise! Turquoise, where are you?”

  Vaguely she heard Rio’s voice and managed to raise up off the smoldering hay on the floor, but didn’t have the strength to stumble to her feet and run outside. She was going to die here, she thought in a daze, only a few feet from the life-giving air outside. Well, maybe she’d be unconscious and wouldn’t feel the pain.

  And then Tip nuzzled her with his wet nose and barked and barked. “Get out,” she gasped to the little dog. “Don’t die here with me.”

  However, the terrier continued to bark and in moments, she felt strong arms lifting her. “Turquoise, you little fool! I told you to stay outside! If Tip hadn’t led me to you, you’d have roasted alive in there!”

  She didn’t say anything as Rio carried her out of the barn and across the yard. He set her down by the water pump, pumped a little into his hands, and splashed it on her face. “Are you all right?”

  The cold water revived her and she turned her face toward the flaming barn. “Did—did we get them all out?”

  He nodded and as she watched, the barn collapsed into a pile of burning timbers and glowing ashes. “Lost a bunch of hay and saddles. Didn’t have a chance of saving the barn without anyone here to help carry water buckets.”

  “I did the best I could,” she gasped.

  “I know you did.” He took her smudged face gently between his two big hands and knelt and looked down into her eyes. “You’ve got more spunk than I gave you credit for.”

  She looked back up at him, grinning. “I was raised on a ranch, remember?”

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “Well, at least we saved all the animals. I’d better go look at the hombre I shot and see if I know him.”

  Turquoise stumbled to her feet. “And you’ll have to send for the sheriff.”

  “Si, you’re right.”

  With Tip following them, they walked around to the man who had fallen from his horse. He was dead all right, Turquoise thought. Rio was good with a rifle.

  Rio flipped the big man over on his back and shook his head. “No, I never saw him before. Don’t know why he’d want to set my barn on fire.”

  Turquoise squatted and looked down at the dead man. The light from the burning barn lighted his features eerily. She gasped as she saw the jagged scar across his chin. It was Edwin Forester’s handyman, Luther.

  Rio didn’t seem to notice her reaction; he was already looking down the road after the disappearing raiders. He shrugged. “Maybe they just hate Mexicans. Anyway, pretty one, you’d better get back to Fern’s ranch before they start looking for you.”

  Thank God he hadn’t asked her if she recognized the dead man. “Yes, I guess I’d better.” She walked toward her horse.

  “With all that’s going on, you might not be safe on the road,” Rio said. “I’d better escort you home.”

  “You’ve got plenty to do here,” she protested.

  “Don’t argue with me,” he snapped. “I’m escorting you home. The dead man isn’t going anywhere and the barn is beyond saving.”

  “What about all the animals we just got out of the barn?”

  “I can close the gate down at the road and they won’t get out. Now mount up, but better put your blouse on first. Tip, you stay here and make sure the stock doesn’t get out.”

  There was no point in arguing with this man, she thought and obediently, she dressed and swung up on her horse. He mounted his and they rode away from the barn that was burning down to a pile of embers. Little Tip obediently stayed with the livestock.

  “I can’t imagine why they picked my barn,” Rio muse
d as they rode. “I didn’t think I had any enemies.”

  Turquoise didn’t say anything. The dead man was Senator Forester’s handyman. She remembered seeing Luther at the Forester mansion. Did the senator know anything about this? If so, why would he bother with a small rancher like Rio Kelly? Oh my God, she thought, is this because of me? Did Edwin find out about Rio and me?

  “You’re awfully quiet,” Rio said as they rode through the darkness to Fern’s ranch.

  “I’m just tired,” she lied, her mind busy. Tomorrow, she would confront Edwin and find out if he knew anything about this. Surely the prestigious senator wouldn’t get mixed up in something as lowdown as burning out a small rancher.

  They rode to Fern’s place in silence. The ranch dogs began to bark as the pair rode up and Fern and her lanky old father came outside.

  Fern’s freckled face wore a frown as they dismounted. “Where have you been? We were worried.”

  Turquoise said, “This is Rio Kelly, a friend of mine. We ran into some trouble.”

  Rio nodded as he shook hands with Mr. Lessup. “Someone set fire to my barn, but we saved all the livestock.”

  Fern’s father frowned. “Any hombre who would burn a barn is as lowdown a skunk as a horse thief. Any idea who done it?”

  Turquoise didn’t say anything and Rio shook his head. “I got to go for the sheriff. I shot one of the hombres. The other three got away.”

  Fern’s eyes widened. “Turquoise, you’re all smudged and dirty.”

  “But we saved all the livestock,” Turquoise said.

  “She’s got a lot of grit,” Rio added and she saw the admiration in his dark eyes.

  Old Mr. Lessup looked to Rio. “You need any help?”

  Rio shook his head as he swung up on his horse. “No. The barn is gone, didn’t have a chance of saving it. I’ll just ride into town and get the law to come out and take a look at the dead man, but much obliged anyway. Buenos noches, ladies.” He touched the brim of his hat, wheeled his horse, and rode away.

  Turquoise looked after him as he rode away. To the Lessups, she said, “It’s been an exciting night. I just wish we could have saved his barn.”

  “I’ll talk to some of the other ranchers,” the old man grunted. “Maybe everyone can donate some hay and grain for his stock ’til he gets back on his feet.”

  “I’m sure he’d appreciate that,” Turquoise said.

  “You look like you could use a bath,” Fern noted. “My word, I wouldn’t have been brave enough to run into a burning barn.”

  Turquoise shrugged. “I heard those terrified horses and the calves bawling and I didn’t even think about danger. I just knew we had to save them.”

  Rio rode into town and found the sheriff. “You’d better come out and have a look. Some coyotes tried to burn me out and I shot one of them.”

  The fat sheriff looked grumpy as he sucked on a toothpick. It was clear he wasn’t too happy about having to ride out to a ranch this late. “Was it just some of you Mexicans drinkin’ tequila and it got out of hand?”

  Rio frowned. “No. I told you, four hombres set fire to my barn and I killed one of them. You’d better come have a look.”

  “Oh hell, okay.” He got up out of his chair and grabbed his hat. As they went out the door, he yelled at two deputies lounging against the hitching post. “Hey, you, Joe and Bill, come along with us. This Mexican says some bastard burned his barn.”

  The two men didn’t look happy to have to mount up. “Can’t it wait?”

  The sheriff shook his head as he swung into the saddle. “Nope. The Mex says he killed someone.”

  That seemed to make it a little more interesting. The other two mounted up and the four of them rode back to Rio’s ranch. By now the barn was only a pile of glowing coals with thin wisps of smoke drifting in the breeze and the rescued animals were peacefully grazing across the pasture. Tip came running, wagging his short tail.

  All four men dismounted and stood looking down at the dead man.

  The sheriff pushed his Stetson back. “Yep, he’s dead, all right.” He squatted down and stared. “Hey, that looks like—”

  “Who?” asked Rio. “I don’t recognize the hombre.”

  “Whoa.” The sheriff glanced up and frowned at him. “This man’s been shot in the back.”

  Rio frowned. “Si. They were escaping and I took a shot at them.”

  “But shootin’ a man in the back?” one of the deputies asked.

  “Look”—Rio gestured—“the bastard was burning down my barn—”

  “Says you,” snapped the sheriff, sucking on his toothpick. “Maybe he was just riding by or something. You got any witnesses?”

  Rio hesitated. He didn’t want to get a lady mixed up in this dirty business. “No. But I didn’t have any reason to kill some stranger except he set fire to my barn.”

  The sheriff shrugged. “We got a dead man who was shot in the back and no witnesses. We better take you in, Mex.”

  “Me?” Rio touched his chest in surprise. “Holy Mother of God, I swear I didn’t do anything except try to protect my property. Why don’t you look for the other outlaws instead?”

  The sheriff pulled out his pistol. “Put your hands up, hombre. Bill, you handcuff him, and Joe, throw that dead man over a horse and let’s take him back to town.”

  “Now wait a minute,” Rio protested, but Bill snapped the handcuffs on him. “If I’d been guilty, I wouldn’t have brought you out here. I’d have buried him in an unmarked grave and kept my mouth shut.”

  “Or maybe you just wanted us to think you was innocent,” the sheriff opined. “Everybody mount up. Let’s get back to town.”

  “You’re holding me for murder?” Rio asked.

  “You bet. I got a man shot in the back and only your word to back it up, no witnesses.”

  “I got nothin’ to hide,” Rio protested.

  “Then let’s get ridin’,” the sheriff ordered. “It’ll be dawn purty soon and I’d like some breakfast.”

  The deputies threw the dead man across his horse and they all rode back to the courthouse.

  As the sheriff locked Rio in a cell, he asked, “You got anyone you’d like to have notified?”

  Rio shook his head. Most of his friends wouldn’t have enough money to bail him out even if he could be bailed out and he certainly didn’t want to drag a lady like Turquoise Sanchez into this mess. He had to protect her and her reputation at all costs.

  “No, nobody.”

  As soon as Sheriff Barnes had had some breakfast, he headed over to the state capitol. Senator Forester was just arriving at his office when the sheriff walked up, doffing his Stetson and chewing a toothpick. “Senator, I’ve got something I need to talk to you about.”

  The senator looked out of sorts. “Can’t it wait? I’m running late this morning.”

  “I think we’d better talk,” the sheriff said, picking his teeth.

  “All right, come in.” The senator gestured and to the little pipsqueak at the desk, he barked, “Elmer, get us some coffee, will you?”

  The sheriff was humble as he followed the senator into the office and accepted a fine cigar. He waited until the senator sat down and gestured toward a chair before he took a seat. “Senator, I’m here on a rather delicate matter.”

  “Yes? You need to sell tickets to the law officers’ ball, or—?”

  “No, of great importance to you.” The sheriff sniffed the fine cigar, then put it in his shirt pocket for future use. “It has to do with—”

  The senator gestured him to silence as the pimply faced Elmer returned with a tray and mugs of coffee.

  He put down the tray and looked at the senator. “Would you like me to serve—?”

  “Never mind, we’ll do it ourselves. Now get out.” He gestured impatiently.

  “Very well, sir.” The younger man fled the scene.

  Senator Forester took a cup and gestured that Sheriff Barnes should do so. “Now you were saying …?”

&n
bsp; “Is your handyman, Luther, missin’?” The sheriff sipped his coffee.

  “Is that all? How should I know?” The senator looked annoyed. “Even my damned driver was late this morning. I can’t keep up with all the worthless help.”

  “Maybe you should find out.” Barnes sipped the coffee and sucked his teeth.

  “Why do you want to know?” The senator raised one eyebrow.

  “Well, your handyman’s been shot graveyard dead,” the sheriff said, “something to do with a barn.”

  “A barn?” the senator snapped. “You bother me over a barn? I’ve got important matters—”

  “Luther was shot in the back,” the sheriff said and added importantly, “I arrested the man.”

  “Now I guess the county wants me to pay for the funeral?” The senator sipped his coffee. “Killed in a bar fight?”

  The sheriff shook his head. “Naw. His killer says Luther was burnin’ down his barn.”

  “Now why would Luther do that?” The senator pulled out his watch. “Any witnesses?”

  The sheriff shook his head. “No. He says he shot him in the back because Luther and his friends were burnin’ his barn. But you know them Mexicans, no tellin’ what really happened.”

  “Mexican?”

  “Yeah.” The sheriff nodded. “Rio Kelly, a small rancher. I got him in jail.”

  “I hope you keep him there,” the senator said with a nod. “Damned Mexicans just taking over this town. You can’t trust them, Sheriff, and who knows what Luther and his friends were doing last night, maybe having a little innocent fun and some greasy bastard killed him for it. We need more law and order in this city.”

  Sheriff Barnes puffed his chest out, but his big belly got in the way. “That’s just what I always say, sir.”

  “You’re going to keep him in jail until trial?”

  The sheriff grinned. “Yes, sir. I doubt he can make bail or hire a good lawyer. It’s pretty cut and dried. He shot a man in the back, so he’ll go to prison or hang.”