By: Kath Tate
"You did well today, Jeremy," Ned said, as he stood in the doorway.
"Thank you," Jeremy replied.
Ned thought about telling him how his win had obstructed the threat of the fix. However, Jeremy already looked so serious Ned decided to save it for morning.
"I know you're excited, but try to get some sleep," Ned suggested with a smile. He reached to pull the door towards him but stopped as Jeremy made a sound.
"Uh..." The words were sticking so Jeremy cleared his throat. "I wanted to thank you...for...well..."
"You're welcome," Ned said, saving him. He turned to go once more.
"I'm worried about Lexy!" blurted out Jeremy.
"What about her?" asked Ned, puzzled.
"Just that...I've noticed she wanders off by herself a lot and well, ever since Clay was hurt I've been kind of worried, you know, that.... I just wouldn't want anything to happen to her. Ever." Jeremy finished in a rush. He took a deep breath. "I care about her a lot," he added in a low voice.
"I know that," Ned said gently. "Get some sleep." As he closed the door Ned pondered the conversation. Something wasn't right and first thing tomorrow he'd talk to Lexy to find out what it was.
*****
As Ned walked into the dining room for breakfast Lexy shouted for him from upstairs.
"Pa! He's gone! Jeremy's gone!"
Sean and Alice, both already seated for the meal, stood to follow Ned back into the hall. Clay remained at the table. "He's probably already up and out with his horse," Clay suggested, unconcerned.
"Lexy?" Ned called up the stairs. She took a few steps down.
"No, he's gone!" she insisted. "All of his things are missing, even the picture of his ma he had on his mirror."
Ned took the steps two at a time to join her. Lexy pulled him into Jeremy's room.
"But I don't understand," Alice said, confused. "He was so happy yesterday. He won!"
Ned grimly surveyed the room as he thought about the strange conversation he'd had with Jeremy last night.
"It doesn't make any sense," agreed Sean. "Why would he leave? Where would he go?"
"And why didn't he say goodbye?" added Lexy.
From the bottom of the stairs Clay called up, "I'm going out to check the barn."
Ned suddenly realized that his children were all looking at him for some kind of explanation. The problem was he didn't have one; he was just as perplexed as they were.
"Lexy," he said, guiding her to the bed where they sat. "Can you think of any reason why Jeremy would leave? Did he say anything to you? Anything at all?"
"No," Lexy said with a tone that was less than convincing.
"Lexy!" Alice said impatiently. "If you know something you have to tell us."
"Is Jeremy in some kind of trouble?" put in Sean.
"No," repeated Lexy, still without confidence.
"Sweetheart," began Ned gently.
"I promised him!" Lexy burst out. She stood and pulled away from her father. "You can't make me break my promise. That's not right."
"I only want to help Jeremy," Ned told her, as he tried to stay calm. "And I can't do that unless I know what's going on. I don't want you to break your promise. But I want you to think about whether keeping it might hurt Jeremy. You don't want him to get hurt, do you?"
"What makes you think...?" Sean began but was stopped by Ned's sharp look.
"All I did was help him send the money," Lexy said quietly, her eyes cast down. "He told me he didn't steal it. But he didn't want you to know so I promised not to say anything."
"What money?" urged Ned. His hands grasped her upper arms and turned her towards him. "Where did you send it?"
"We sent it to the hospital for his ma," Lexy explained. "It was $250."
"Where would he get that much money?" Sean asked amazed. Ned had involuntarily tightened his grip on Lexy's arms.
"Ow, Pa!" she protested. "I don't know where he got it. He wouldn't tell me," she insisted.
Ned stood abruptly and moved out of the room swiftly, calling back to them, "We have to go after him. We've got to organize a search to find him. Alice, get us some food to take...." His instructions disappeared with his voice as he went out the door.
Alice and Sean scrambled after him leaving Lexy glumly in Jeremy's deserted room. "I'm sorry," she told the empty space softly.
*****
Clay was walking back to the house when Ned overtook him. "His horse is gone," Clay confirmed. "So the only question is why he would..."
"We know why," Sean interrupted as he caught up to them.
"We do?" asked Alice, just behind Sean.
Ned stopped, with his hands on his hips, and mentally kicked himself for being so completely blind.
"I think Jeremy was bribed to lose that race," he told them.
He turned to see their reactions. Clay and Alice had twin expressions of shock on their faces and Sean looked decidedly unhappy.
"But he won the race!" protested Clay. "So then why..." His voice trailed off. "Oh."
"He's probably headed towards his mother," Sean suggested.
Ned nodded agreement. "We'll go in that direction but organize some others to cover the other roads."
Sean moved away to gather up some volunteers.
"I'll get that food for you," Alice said faintly, whirling around to return to the house. Ned resumed his course to the barn.
"Pa." Clay jogged after him. "I want to come too."
"No," was Ned's short reply.
"But Pa I can ride!" protested Clay. "Sure I'm still a bit sore but..."
"No riding for four weeks," Ned reminded him. "You've got a few days to go on that."
"A few days!" burst out Clay. "But this is an emergency!"
"I need you here," Ned told him as they entered the barn.
"What for?" complained Clay. Ned stopped to face his angry son. Despite his anxiety, which made him want to snap at Clay, he had to make the younger man understand.
"I think whoever's behind all this threatened Jeremy. Last night he...expressed concern for Lexy's safety," he told Clay. "I didn't know what he meant at the time, but I think I have a pretty good idea now." Clay's eyes widened.
"But Pa," he began.
"Clay, please! Please, just stay here with the girls," Ned said with a tone that didn't invite further discourse on the matter.
"Yes sir," Clay agreed with a nod.
*****
Of all the things John Turner enjoyed about his position with the Winters, and there were many, the Jockey Club had to rank near the top. It offered him undeniably satisfying opportunities to stir up trouble.
"A very interesting outcome yesterday," he said to Harry Griffith.
"Not so surprising though," Harry replied. "Ned Logan has some fine horses."
"Still, his rider wasn't exactly experienced," continued Turner, as he puffed on a cigar. "It seems unlikely that the would have won had some horses not been scratched. Your horse, for example."
Harry Griffith gave Turner a wry smile but said nothing. "I know you think someone purposely removed certain competitors in an attempt to fix the race. Given the outcome I'd say we know who that was."
Harry gave a short laugh. "I know you're relatively new to these parts, Mr. Turner, but surely you're not suggesting Ned Logan fixed the race? Don't be absurd!" A few of the others who were standing around chuckled in agreement with Harry.
"If there was a fix, as per your theory Colonel, then it is logical to assume the winner was responsible," pointed out Turner. "And I doubt very much that boy, as much as he is a troublemaker, could have orchestrated both your rider's injury and Henderson's timely incarceration."
"You can't be serious," chimed up another club member. "Are you asking us to believe Logan would injure his own son?" asked another.
"No, that's nonsense," agreed Turner, trying to not show impatience with such stupidity. "But after Clay's injury, maybe this was the only way Logan saw clear to winning."
"I do believe you like to make trouble, Mr. Turner," Harry said sadly. "Ned Logan would no sooner fix a horse race than he would disown his children."
"Possibly," murmured Turner, in unconvincing agreement. The seeds were sown. His job was done.
*****
In order to put Lexy where he could keep an eye on her, without unduly causing alarm, Clay suggested a game of cards. "To practice your arithmetic," he added with forced enthusiasm.
"Yeah, right." Lexy rolled her eyes but got the deck of cards. Clay was distracted with worry and inactivity. Even knowing Pa was counting on him to keep his sisters safe didn't help. He felt helpless and waiting around only added to his anxiety. He'd much rather be on the road. At least then he could be doing something.
"I win, again," Lexy announced without much pleasure. She sensed that Clay was allowing her to win and she didn't appreciate it. Jeremy never played cards like that.
"I hear riders," Alice said suddenly, and she rose to look out the window.
"Are they back already?" asked Lexy, delighted at the prospect. Before Clay could stop her she ran to the door.
"Hey get back here!" bellowed Clay, coming to his feet clumsily. "You - stay here!" he ordered Alice who stared at him with amazement.
"Clay!" she called after him. Lexy had stopped on the top of the porch steps when she didn't recognize the approaching riders. Clay barreled out the door and yanked her by the arm.
"Hey!" she protested.
"Get back in the house!" he demanded.
"What is the matter with you?" she asked, annoyed.
"Excuse me," said one of the newcomers. "We're looking for a Mr. Jeremy Bradford." 'You're not the only ones,' Clay thought. "He's not here," Lexy told them.
Clay felt wholly out of control of the situation and wished his father were here to take charge. He stepped down to shield Lexy from these strangers.
"That's right," he said. "Jeremy's not here."
"Well that's mighty inconvenient," the stranger said.
"Is there something I can help you with?" Clay asked when he really hoped they would just leave.
"There might be at that," the man said as he dismounted. His companion remained on his horse, silent. Clay moved further down the steps.
"You're Clay Logan, aren't you?" asked the man.
"That's right." Clay nodded.
"Well perhaps you can convey a message to Mr. Bradford for us, Mr. Logan?"
"I can try," Clay agreed cautiously. "But I really don't know when he'll be back."
"Then I'd better be sure you remember it well," the stranger told him. The man moved so quickly that before Clay was aware of what happened he was knocked off balance by the blow. Lexy screamed.
"Get inside!" roared Clay, his head ringing. He tried to ward off the next attack but was unable to do much more than lift his arms up to try to protect his face. He landed on the ground heavily and moaned as his still healing collarbone protested the treatment.
"Stop it!" cried Lexy. "Please stop it!" 'Get off the porch. Get inside,' Clay begged her silently. Then he gasped for breath as he received a boot to his stomach. "Please stop! You're hurting him!" Unable to strike back, Clay curled up in a defensive posture. Suddenly from out of the kaleidoscope of pain he heard another voice.
"Lexy, get inside the house, now!" Alice commanded, and Clay hoped she was more effective than he had been. "You! Get away from my brother!" Alice ordered, her voice cold. At first Clay was only aware that the assault had stopped. Then he could see a blurry vision of Alice on the steps with a shotgun pointed at his assailant.
"Now take it easy," the attacker said. "You might hurt yourself."
"I'm more likely to hurt you if you don't get off our property," Alice snapped. "Now!" she added, raising her voice.
"Do you really think we believe you know how to use that weapon?" The other stranger spoke for the first time.
"Do you really want to risk finding out if I do?" Alice responded coolly. "Jeremy's not here. Leave now or only one of you will be going." For a sickening moment Clay feared they would call her bluff.
Then he saw the man mount and they rode away. Alice dropped the shotgun as soon as they were out of sight and ran to Clay.
"Alice!" he cried. "Take it easy with that gun!" "Don't worry, it's not loaded," she told him. "Are you okay?" Lexy joined them now, her pale face streaked with tears.
"Not loaded?" gasped Clay, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"I didn't have time to worry about that. They might have killed you." Alice helped him to a sitting position.
"I don't feel so good," he murmured and closed his eyes. "You don't look so good either," Lexy told him.
"Thanks," he muttered and opened his eyes to look up at her. He tried a smile. Then he turned to Alice. "I can't believe you chased them away with an unloaded shotgun. What if they hadn't believed you would shoot?" Alice shrugged.
"I know how to bluff." "She learned from a master," chimed Lexy.
"At least we have one thing to thank him for," grumbled Clay. "Let's get you inside," suggested Alice, as she helped him to his feet. Lexy stared down the lane where the men had gone.
"What if they go after Jeremy and find Pa and Sean?" she asked with an anxious frown.
"Don't worry, Pa and Sean can look after themselves," Alice told her.
"But someone should warn them! Otherwise..."
"Lexy!" interrupted Alice impatiently. "Don't worry about Pa. He knows what he's doing. Now, give me a hand with our knight here."
"Some knight," mumbled Clay.
*****
"You're being a big baby," scolded Alice as she administered aid to Clay. Clay sulked at her accusation.
"It hurts!" he protested. Alice frowned as she examined the bruises on his torso.
"I hope you didn't break any more bones."
"Stop fussing," Clay told her. "You're worse than a mother hen."
"I can go for the doctor," she said, not sure how he'd react to her suggestion.
"Not necessary," he replied shortly.
"If you say so," Alice agreed. She applied a damp cloth to a cut on his face. Clay winced and hissed but otherwise didn't complain.
"Lexy?" called Alice. "Could you bring us some more water please?" "And you, hold still," she directed crossly at Clay who was squirming.
"Yes ma'am."
"Lexy!" Alice yelled again. "Where could she have gone?" she wondered.
"I hope she's not outside," Clay said, suddenly worried again. "Here give me my shirt." Ignoring Alice's protests Clay dressed and went in search of their sister.
*****
As he turned in circles in the yard Clay reviewed the situation. He hurt like the devil and was in no shape to ride. Lexy had vanished. Two angry criminals were pursuing Jeremy and threatening Clay's family. Things just couldn't be any worse!
"Clay she left a note." Alice's voice spun him around. Alice held out a sheet of paper with a trembling hand. Clay took it slowly.
"She said someone had to warn Pa about those men. My God Clay, she's gone after them! What are we going to do?" Clay quickly reevaluated the situation. Things were suddenly worse. He whirled away from Alice and set off for the barn.
"Where are you going?" she cried, picking up her skirts to chase after him. "Clay? We have to decide what to do!"
Clay paid her no attention. There was no way he could ever face his father if anything happened to Lexy. Nor would he ever forgive himself. He brought his horse out of the stall and turned to lift the saddle.
"Clay!" Alice's voice was alarmed when she saw him struggle to hoist the saddle onto the horse's back. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm going after her," he replied through clenched teeth. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, willing the pain to recede. He could do this. He had to do this. Alice touched his arm gently. Clay, leaning against his horse for support, opened his eyes to see tears in her eyes. She shook her head slowly.
"Clay, you're in no shape to go anywhere," she told him softly. Clay's hands fumbled with the straps and he cursed his clumsiness.
"I have to go, Alice," he said.
"Clay, listen to me," she begged, the tears falling now. "You can't fix this problem."
"I promised Pa I would look after you and Lexy and instead what happens?" Clay braced himself to mount. Alice laid a hand on his arm again to stop him. She had to think of a way to make him see reason.
"And you think going after Lexy is going to fill that promise? What if those men come back here instead of going after Jeremy?" Clay gave her a sick grin.
"Then you can scare them away with another unloaded shotgun," he told her. He pulled away and mounted the horse. Immediately, Clay's head began to spin and he found himself leaning slightly over. Alice saw his eyes close and feared he would fall.
"Look at yourself!" Coaxing hadn't worked so she tried a more direct approach. "Clay Logan you'll be lucky to get out of the barn before keeling over!"
"Don't you understand?" he said angrily. "I can't just do NOTHING!"
"I wasn't suggesting that," she said with a quieter tone.
"Well then what are you suggesting?" Clay asked. Alice had no real plan. She just knew she had to prevent Clay from riding off. "Let's think about this reasonably," she said. "Pa and Sean will probably catch up to Jeremy before those men do. If we assume that they do, then they'll probably be heading back. Which means they'll probably run into those men before Lexy gets anywhere near them."
"That's a lot of probablys," Clay pointed out.
"What if I go..."
"Absolutely not!" interrupted Clay before she could finish. She flashed him an annoyed look and continued.
"What if I go into town and recruit some others to help. I'm sure the Sheriff would be interested in catching these men. If for no other reason than their attack on you," she added. "And hopefully they will get to Lexy before she gets involved."
*****
Jeremy dismounted and led his horse to the stream. While the horse drank, Jeremy splashed water on his face. It was shockingly cold and stung. He stared at his reflection in the water, blurred slightly by the slow current. "Boy when you fail, you fail big, Bradford," he muttered to himself with disgust.
Some day, he decided, he would write to Ned Logan and apologize for ... well, for everything. He leaned back to stare up at the sky. The easy movement of clouds overhead was mesmerizing. He tried to think of a positive spin on his current situation. He tried to think of a good excuse for his behaviour. He wondered what he would tell his mother. He slept.
*****
For the most part, Ned and Sean rode in silence. Ned was grateful Sean wasn't pushing for conversation, as he didn't feel like talking. Harry had as good as spelled it out for him and he'd still refused to believe the possibility. Ned believed that Jeremy was a good person and under normal circumstances he wouldn't have gotten involved. But then, maybe he was projecting his own values onto Jeremy. Maybe Jeremy would have taken the money regardless.
'Have I had so little influence on him?' Ned wondered. Sean sensed his father's mood and kept silent more from lack of anything to say that might help than any other reason. But the quiet was unnerving to Sean who wanted some reassurance.
"What if he's taken a train?" Sean asked. Ned stirred out of his thoughts.
"He took a horse," was his short reply.
"Well, yes, but," Sean began.
"If he's gone all the way out West to his mother then that's where we're going too," Ned cut him off curtly. "I want an explanation from him." Sean decided that the silence wasn't so bad after all.
*****
Still asleep Jeremy swatted away the nudging of his horse. He was feeling fuzzy headed, cold and stiff, but still he thought it odd that the horse would be calling his name.
"Jeremy! Wake up!" Now human hands were shaking his shoulders and Jeremy's eyes snapped open to look up at Ned Logan's face.
"Ahhh!" he cried startled. Ned straightened up and watched as Jeremy scrambled to his feet and stepped back. Looking around Jeremy saw Sean standing up by the road with the Logan's horses. Jeremy's horse was nowhere to be seen. Jeremy looked back at Ned, trying to gauge the older man's mood.
"I think you have some explaining to do," Ned said quietly. Jeremy wasn't fooled by the tone. Ned was angry.
"I'm sorry," Jeremy blurted. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for things to happen the way they did. I just didn't know what else to do."
"Lexy told us about the money," Ned said.
"They wanted me to lose but I couldn't do it," Jeremy rushed on. "I guess that would have been the easy thing to do but I ... I wanted to win and I wanted, I mean I didn't want you to...well, I mean I know you think hanging's too good for me but I just..." Jeremy brought fists up to his temples with frustration. He was mangling this badly. "I just didn't know what else to do," he repeated with a pleading look.
To Jeremy's surprise Ned didn't look angry anymore; he looked sad.
"And what do you think you should do now?" Ned asked him.
"Get as far away from here as possible?" suggested Jeremy with a nervous grin.
"Running away from your problems doesn't solve anything," Ned said gently. "And it leaves behind a mess for someone else to clean up. Do you want to run all your life?"
"No," answered Jeremy, his voice low.
"Pa," called Sean anxiously. "Someone's coming."
*****
"We have business with Mr. Bradford," the cool one announced.
"I don't think you do," Ned responded icily. His anger at these two men was equally directed at their meddling in the race and taking advantage of Jeremy. The chatty one pulled out a gun.
"Get over there," he directed at Sean, indicating that he should stand closer to Ned and Jeremy.
"You won't get your money back by shooting him," Ned told the outlaw.
"Maybe not, but it will be very satisfying," the stranger said, dismounting. "Almost as satisfying as what I did to your boy back at the house."
'Oh God, Clay!' Ned thought, swallowing his fear. His jaw clenched.
"Do what you want to me," Jeremy spoke up, "but leave the Logans alone. They had nothing to do with this."
"Oh really?" The man chuckled. "I disagree.
It was a Logan horse that won that race, no matter who was riding it." It was at that moment that Jeremy's horse, which had wandered off while he slept, decided to return. The sound startled the gunman and he twisted anxiously seeking the source of the movement. A fraction of a second was all it took for Ned to rush him. They struggled briefly and the gun went off, discharging harmlessly into the air. Ned brought up a knee, the force of which caused the man to drop his gun. Jeremy scrambled to collect it. Sean had lunged for the still mounted man, who had not drawn his gun, and pulled him to the ground. Seeing his accomplice overpowered and his weapon taken, the cocky outlaw gave Ned a shove and took to his heels. Fumbling a moment with the gun, Jeremy fired a shot upwards to try to stop him. It had no effect. Ned recovered his balance and ran off in pursuit.
"Pa!" called Sean. "Pa, wait!"
*****
Lexy heard the shots ahead and pulled her horse to a stop. She thought she could hear shouts not far away, but there was a bend in the road so she couldn't see who was ahead of her. She looked behind her and pondered what to do. Before reaching any conclusions a man, the same one who'd beaten Clay earlier, came crashing out of the woods on her left.
*****
Ned ran blindly through the woods following the trail made by the hasty retreat of the outlaw. Branches whipped out to lash at his cheeks but he paid them no mind. He had no intention of letting this man go. Abruptly the trail lead back to the road and Ned came upon his foe. The scene brought Ned up short. Lexy sat rigidly on her horse while the outlaw held the reins. All reason left Ned as he launched himself at the man. There was no way this piece of scum was laying one finger on his daughter.
"Pa!" Lexy cried, anxiously, spotting him.
The man dropped the reins to turn to face Ned. Ned's right fist crashed into the man's cheek, knocking him almost to his knees. Ned then turned to give Lexy's horse a hard smack on the rump to get it moving. With Lexy out of the way, he was free to throw another punch, this time to the stomach. As the man keeled over, Ned shoved him to the ground roughly and placed a knee on his chest. He leaned over with an arm across the culprit's throat.
"You picked the wrong family to mess with," he growled.
*****
"Then what happened?" asked Clay.
"Then the posse that Alice organized arrived to take the both of them into custody," Sean told him. "Apparently they are wanted in three states for their shenanigans."
"And Pa was the hero!" proclaimed Lexy proudly.
"He certainly was instrumental in bringing them to justice," Sean agreed with a smile. He decided to leave out of his account Pa's reunion with Lexy afterwards, which had involved both a stern reprimand and a desperate hug.
Alice's gaze wandered from her brother over to her father, who was standing with Jeremy by the corral fence.
"I wonder what they're talking about," she murmured.
*****
In the aftermath of all that happened, Jeremy couldn't believe he still had a home with the Logans.
"Did you think about coming to talk to me?" Ned put to him. "Maybe asking for some help with your problem? Or if you couldn't talk to me, why not Sean? Or Isaac?"
"I wanted to be able to deal with it myself," Jeremy said miserably.
"Jeremy, when you came to live with us you became part of our family," Ned told him. "I know you're not used to having anyone to rely on but yourself, and your ma, but now you've got all of us in your corner. You don't have to solve all your problems alone. Do you understand?"
"I guess," Jeremy responded.
"Good. So the next time I expect you to let me know, instead of running off in the middle of the night."
"Next time?" Jeremy asked weakly.
Ned clapped him on the shoulder and smiled. "There's always going to be a next time, son. Now, let's get inside. I don't know about you but I'm starving!"
Jeremy laughed along with Ned as the two made their way up to the rest of the family.