“I had a long talk with Mercy.”
A sinking feeling settled in his gut after the sheriff finally spoke. His friend had seen Faith’s little sister in the company of Miss Collier often but Nate couldn’t believe she had any part in spreading the nasty rumors. She’d always been sweet to him.
“I don’t think-”
“She said Miss Collier encouraged gossip about you. Mercy tried to rein it in but others sympathized with the woman.”
“Why? I spoke to her once.” Nate was succinct.
“I hear she has an artful way with the truth.”
“What does this have to do with Haze?”
“I’ve reason to believe he learned about Ben and told her.”
Nate’s hand tightened on the reins. He resisted the urge to put his heels to his mount and let a long, hard ride bring calm. “New rumors?”
“No.” Tension filled Matt’s voice. “The original ones. The rustling started when he showed up in Fir Mountain. Speculation about his past. Stirring distrust without making an accusation.”
“Allowing people to draw the obvious conclusion.”
“Then repeat it as truth.”
Nate shook his head, too frustrated to speak. There was no evidence his cousin had been an outlaw in Cedar Ridge but the fact that the Nash brothers had stalked Ben and his wife all the way to Oregon cast suspicion. The possibility haunted the man since he couldn’t confirm or deny it. An injury caused him some permanent memory loss before they’d moved. Only family members, Matt, Sean, Matt’s deputy, some Idaho lawmen, and a judge knew there was a chance he had a criminal past. Of that group, just those closest to him lived in Fir Mountain. It felt unbelievable one of them let the information slip.
Yet, one of them had, to Haze of all people.
Troubled, Nate squeezed his knees tighter, urging Jack to a faster pace. He’d met Ben for the first time last spring and believed his cousin had been honest, openly sharing concerns about his past with them from the start. He’d proven to be a hard, dependable worker on the Bar 7 and a good friend.
Matt had inquired about the Idaho crimes at Ben’s request but there was no evidence of his involvement. Only one witness ever caught a good look at the robbers and he’d identified the Nash brothers. Since they were already set to hang, the sheriff from Cedar Ridge considered charging them with more offences a waste of time. A judge agreed. With the cases solved in the eyes of the law, and knowing he’d likely never recall the past, Ben accepted the ruling. He wanted to put it behind him now and not speak of it again.
Who, then, had provided fodder for gossip?
The slim possibilities flipped through Nate’s mind for the thousandth time. Matt interviewed everyone with a connection, the Idaho lawmen, Judge Littleton, Claire and her family, Nate’s brothers, even Evie, Ben’s wife, hadn’t been spared. His cousin had confided their relationship had gone through a rough patch but the marriage was rock solid and enviable now. The couple was expecting a baby soon and, in his opinion, deserved peace.
However, everyone Matt had spoken to denied speaking of Ben’s past even as the rumors spread. His sheriff friend had a gut feeling that discovering who wanted to pin the rustling on his cousin would help solve the crimes plaguing his county. With no witnesses, tracks leading nowhere or promising trails washed away by rain, and no attempts to sell any of the branded cattle despite statewide alerts, there wasn’t much else to go on.
The rattle of wooden wheels heralded an approaching wagon and wordlessly Matt dropped back, riding behind him. They rode on down the far right side of the road in single file, allowing the driver to travel past them. In the bed filled with people, Nate spotted Nancy’s pouting face. He slouched in the saddle and bent his neck so the brim of his hat shadowed his face.
Nate straightened as soon as the wagon turned off the main road, rolling out of sight. He looked around while Matt moved forward, riding next to him once again. The road, visible for a good distance ahead and behind them, had no other travelers. He breathed a sigh of relief. The tension in his shoulders relaxed to some degree until his friend spoke.
“If Randy is guilty then I’m afraid-”
“It’s not Faith.” Nate jumped in. She was a good woman. It wasn’t her fault she couldn’t bear a life on River’s Bend. Few women would be content to live so far from others. “She had no way of knowing about Ben’s past before the rumors started.”
“I know. This isn’t about her.”
His friend’s almost hesitant tone had him slow his mount to a walk again. “Then who?”
“Claire caught Haze eavesdropping on some ranch hands in his store the other day.”
“And you waited until now to mention it?”
“It was a bit crowded at the hanging.”
“What about before?”
“I needed to think it over.”
Matt was an excellent sheriff. His friend carefully considered all the facts in the crimes he investigated. However, in this case, Nate didn’t understand what needed pondering. Haze, the man who always enjoyed amusing himself at other people’s expense, seemed like a great suspect to him.
“If he’s been lurking in shadows, spying, then one careless mention about Ben where he could’ve…” Matt winced, causing Nate to pause. His eyes narrowed, and certain he wouldn’t like the answer, asked, “What haven’t you said?”
“It may have been Claire.”
“What?” The word exploded from him, both a question and a demand.
Although he and Claire were more distantly related, their mothers were cousins themselves rather than the closer blood tie he shared with Ben because their fathers were siblings, Nate had grown up with the woman. Her family lived down the road. Feisty and fiercely independent, she was as loyal as the day was long. He scowled. If his friend didn’t understand her nature, he had no business marrying her.
Matt studied him for a minute before responding. “For a man who prides himself on his calm nature, you’re testy today.”
“For good reason,” Nate bit out. A loner, even now, some miles away from the crowded city, he felt on edge. And this conversation didn’t help. “You knew what to expect when you asked for my help.”
“The skills of one of the best trackers in Oregon?”
“The best,” Nate agreed, a quiet statement of fact without a hint of boast.
“The companionship of a good friend, who will have my back.”
“Always.”
“And a man grumpier than a bear roused from hibernation when forced to be among people.”
“You’re stalling. Stop,” he demanded in a low, impatient rumble. “Explain what you meant about Claire.”
Matt released a breath sounding just short of a sigh. “When we were apart, she and Evie talked a lot.”
“So?”
“Sometimes they came into town for lunch and… Look, she and Evie are close, like sisters. Claire would never deliberately do anything to hurt her or Ben.”
“I know. Do you?” Nate’s tone was unyielding.
“Yes. But if Haze had been lurking around the livery where they’d leave the buggy or…”
A number of possibilities sprang to mind and some of his defensiveness eased. “I can see how it may have happened.”
“Claire feels horrible.”
“She shouldn’t.