Montana Sky

excitement, they whined and headed due south.
    “Sky’s clearing,” she said, as they mounted and Adam rode ahead. She could see stars, just a sprinkle of them glinting through. “If the clouds move off we’ll have a half-moon and some light.”
    “It’ll help.” Ben gave her a quick study. She rode straight as an arrow with no sign of flagging. But he couldn’t see her eyes, not clearly enough. “You holding up?”
    “Sure. Ben . . .”
    He slowed a bit, thinking she might be close to breaking, need him to comfort. “You need a minute, we can hang back.”
    “No, no. Damn it, it’s been working at my mind for hours. There was something familiar about the bastard. Something . . . like I’d seen him somewhere before. But it was dark, and there was blood all over his face where Lilymust have scratched him.” She pushed her hat back, suddenly irritated by the weight of it. “I dumped Billy on Bess so fast. I didn’t take time to ask him any questions. I should have. Maybe we’d have a better idea of his moves.”
    “You had other things on your mind.”
    “Yeah.” But it nagged at her, that memory that circled, then dipped just out of reach. “Doesn’t matter now.” She settled her hat back on her head, nudged Moon into a quick-trot. “Finding Lily’s what matters.” Finding her alive, she thought, but couldn’t say it.
     
    T HE CAVE WAS DARK . SHE WAS BURNING UP . THEN freezing, then burning again, tossed in fever and dreams and terrors. Her hands were cold, sore to numbness at the wrists where the rope abraded her skin. She curled tight into herself, dreamed of curling tight into Adam, having his arm drape over her as it did during the night to pull her close. And warm. And safe.
    She whimpered a little as the rocks scattered across the floor of the cave bit into her shoulder, her back, her hip. Every time she shifted, she hurt, but it was a distant pain, a dream pain. No matter how she struggled she couldn’t quite bring herself to the surface of it.
    When the light burned over the back of her eyelids, she turned away from it. She so wanted to sleep, to drop away from everything. She murmured a little, as the fever began to brew inside her.
    Footsteps, she thought dimly. Adam’s home. He’d crawl into bed beside her now. His body would be a bit chilled but would warm quickly. If she could just turn, just wake enough to turn to him, his mouth would be soft on hers, and he would make love to her, slow and sweet, as he often did when he came in late from his shift.
    They wouldn’t even have to speak, just sigh perhaps. They wouldn’t need words, just touch and taste and that steady rhythm of bodies finding each other. Then sleep again . . .
    As she started to drift again, she thought she heard a scream, cut quickly off. Like a mouse caught in a trap.Adam would take it away before she saw it. He understood things like that.
    Sinking into unconsciousness, she never felt the knife slip between her wrists to cut the rope, or the heavy warmth of Jesse’s coat spread over her. But she said Adam’s name as the man who stood over her, blood dripping from his hands, sheathed his knife.
    It had been quick work, and he regretted that. He hadn’t had time for finesse. He’d gotten lucky finding them before any of the others did. Luckier still to find the bastard drunk and stupid. He’d died easier than he deserved. Like a pig slaughtered with only one surprised squeal.
    But he’d taken the hair nonetheless. It was traditional now, and he’d even thought to bring a plastic bag to hold it. In case he got lucky.
    He’d have to leave the woman as she was, for others to find. Or circle around, stumble across the cave a second time when there was someone with him, to make it seem all nice and proper.
    He scanned the light around the cave again, then smiled when it shone on a small stack of twigs. Well, he could take time for that, couldn’t he? A little fire close to the opening, smoke to bring one of the search parties along quicker.
    What a picture they’d find, he thought, chuckling. He simply couldn’t help but laugh as he built the fire quickly, set it to flame. Couldn’t help but laugh as the flames danced over the body slumped against the wall of the cave and the blood pooling like a red river.
    When he rode off, he rode east, zigzagging through the trees and picking his way down and up rock until he caught the flash of another searcher’s light. All he had to do then was