Page 73 of The Heart’s Charge

“If we don’t run him to ground today, I’ll call on you tomorrow,” Mark promised. “But we need to chase down this lead while it’s hot. Those boys have been gone long enough.”

Miss Gordon nodded. “You’re right, of course. I’ve prayed this was all some kind of horrible misunderstanding. I didn’t want to think it possible for someone to be stealing Kingsland children. The very idea makes me ill. If you have proof of this villainy, you must certainly search them out. At once.” She backed away from him. “I’ll hold you up no longer, Mr. Wallace. Godspeed.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” And with a tip of his hat, Mark nudged Cooper into a trot, more than ready to put the town behind him.

Jonah kept pace with him. “You think this other teacher might know something?”

Mark shrugged. “She’s lives in the area, so it’s possible, but I doubt Ortega is the type to get chummy with the neighbors.”

Jonah retreated into thoughtful silence until they reached the edge of town. “Hold up,” he said just as Mark was fixing to nudge Cooper into a canter.

Jonah steered Augustus to their right, toward the back corner of the mill, the building on Cedar Creek that marked the western border of Kingsland proper. “Come on out, Rawley,” he called.

Mark hadn’t seen any sign of the boy, but Jonah could spot a flea in a gravel pit, so Mark reined in and waited for the boy to appear.

Sure enough, Rawley stepped out from behind the mill, his face set in its usual defiant lines. “Ridin’ off without updatin’ me and the boys?” He crossed his arms over his chest and glared up at the two of them.

Jonah didn’t miss a beat. “Trailin’ us from the shadows instead of checkin’ in at the house?”

Rawley shrugged. “Didn’t have nuthin’ to report.” He jerked his chin in Mark’s direction and smirked. “Heard you almost got flattened by the 6:50 yesterday, though.”

“Yeah, well, dangling from a bridge pier without a speeding train on the tracks wasn’t enough of a challenge for me.” As much as Mark loved bantering with the hardheaded kid, this was not the time. “We got a lead on a man who might be involved in the kidnappings,” he said. “Ever heard of a Miguel Ortega?”

All amusement dropped from Rawley’s face. “That the fella who took Wart?”

Mark nodded. “We think so. We’re heading out to Honey Creek now to see if we can run him to ground.”

“I’ll send the boys out to ask around town, see if anyone knows who he hangs around with. Try to find you another name.”

“Good plan. Just be careful.” The closer they came to figuring out who the players were in these abductions, the less predictable those players would become. And unpredictable meant dangerous.

“You too,” Rawley said with a small jerk of his chin. “And don’t worry about Harmony House. I’ll pop over from time to time to keep an eye on things while you’re away.”

Mark dipped his chin. “I appreciate that.” Not that he thought it was necessary. But if Rawley tethered himself—even loosely—to the foundling home, it would limit the amount of trouble he could get himself into. “Miss Katherine and Miss Eliza will be glad to see you.”

“Oh, they won’t see me,” the rapscallion said, right before he waved and disappeared behind the mill.

Mark chuckled and shook his head. “That kid’s either going to be a master criminal or the best lawman this state has ever seen.”

Jonah cracked a smile. “My money’s on bounty hunter.”

“Yep. I could picture that.” Mark shifted in the saddle and touched his heels to Cooper’s flanks. “Or maybe a Pinkerton.”

Cooper responded and charged forward, leaving the conversation in the dust, as Mark and Jonah finally got out of Kingsland.

When they reached the first turn off the main road, something must have caught Jonah’s attention, for he reined Augustus to a trot. Mark followed his lead, raising a brow in silent question.

“Rider comin’. Fast.”

Mark glanced behind them. Listened. Pounding hoofbeats rumbled low, the sound growing louder, more distinct. His hand moved to his revolver as a precaution, but when the approaching rider appeared, he relaxed his stance. He recognized that pale gray hat.

“Looks like someone finally decided to leave the office.” Mark drew Cooper to a walk, turning him around to face their company. “Deputy Bronson,” he called, lifting his hand in a wave. “You looking for us?”

The man and his horse both looked winded as the deputy reined in his mount. “Wallace.” He nodded toward Jonah but didn’t actually greet him, a fact that grated on Mark’s nerves. “Miss Gordon came to see me. Said something about you questioning folks out here about Miguel Ortega. She, ah, encouraged me to join you.”

Shamed him into it, more likely.

“She was concerned that the folks around here might not be willing to answer the questions of a pair of outsiders. Thought a lawman might yield better results.”