Only 06 - Winter Fire

another word he turned away, strode to the cabin and knocked on the door.
    â€œIt’s Hunter,” he said. “I’ve got some wool for Sarah.”
    â€œThe door is open. Do come in.”
    He sighed. Her voice had an edge that could slice bacon thin enough to read newsprint through. He opened the door, ducked to accommodate his tall frame to the low doorway, and went into the cabin.
    Sarah was stirring beans as though life itself depended on keeping the bottom of the pan scraped.
    Case was watching her.
    The look in his eyes surprised Hunter. He hadn’t seen that kind of seething, unsettled emotion in his brother for years.
    â€œWhere do you want the wool?” Hunter asked.
    â€œAway from the fire,” she said tersely. Then, belatedly, “Thank you.”
    He set the basket in a corner of the cabin and turned to look at the man and woman whose frustration and anger were thick enough to touch.
    He cleared his throat.
    â€œWe have a plan,” he said.
    â€œIt damned well better include me,” she said flatly.
    â€œIt damned well better not,” Case snarled.
    â€œYou both get your wish.”
    As one, Sarah and Case turned toward Hunter. The wary hope and fierce determination in her eyes reminded Hunter of the woman he loved.
    â€œYou’ve never met my wife,” he said to Sarah. “I hope you do someday. You’re both cut from the same honest, stubborn cloth.”
    She smiled wearily. “Someday. If we all survive tomorrow’s dawn.”
    â€œYou will,” Case said, “if it’s the last thing I do.”
    â€œI’m going.”
    â€œYou’re stay—”
    â€œExcuse me,” Hunter interrupted. “Time is wasting and we have a lot of planning to do.”
    â€œYou better plan on her staying here,” Case said.
    â€œThink,” his brother said. “The instant Ab knows that she isn’t along, Conner dies.”
    Case looked at Sarah, plainly wishing she weren’t listening. But she was, and she wasn’t going to leave.
    â€œConner may already be dead,” he said flatly.
    Her breath came in hard and stayed, threatening to strangle her. She didn’t want to think about Conner’s death.
    Yet it was impossible for her to think about anything else. That was why she had lashed out at Case and everything else within reach.
    â€œI sent Morgan to find out,” Hunter said.
    â€œI should have gone,” Case said.
    â€œWhy? He’s as good as you on the stalk.”
    â€œI could have lowered the odds while I was looking around.”
    â€œSo will Morgan, if Conner is dead.”
    Sarah made a low sound of protest.
    â€œAb won’t kill Conner until he has the silver,” she said.
    â€œLikely not,” Hunter said.
    â€œBut once he has the silver,” Case said, “he’ll kill everything he can, burn the rest, and run.”
    â€œIt’s what the Culpeppers are best at, raping and killing and running,” Hunter agreed.
    â€œI’m afraid for my brother,” she said starkly.
    â€œYou have reason. But he’s too big and too strong to bring out the worst in Ab,” Hunter said simply. “Conner is much more a man than a child.”
    Sarah closed her eyes and tried to breathe. When Case gathered her in his arms, she didn’t fight him. She simply held on to him and prayed that her brother was alive.
    Case stroked her hair and held her in return, wishing all the way to his soul that he could give her back her brother.
    â€œIf Conner is dead…” he said to Hunter.
    His brother nodded grimly.
    â€œOtherwise, this is what we’re planning,” Hunter said.
    Sarah lifted her head.
    â€œIt better include me,” she said.
    Hunter started talking before Case could start arguing.
    Â 
    Sarah watched the fire in the hearth with eyes turned gold by the flames. She had moved back into the cabin, for the need to hide herself and the silver was gone.
    It was long past her normal bedtime, but she knew that sleep wouldn’t come to her tonight.
    The whisper of flames and her spinning were the only sounds in the cabin.
    Firelight ran in streaks of brightness over the moving spindle and the motionless barrels of the shotgun that lay within reach on the table. Her jacket hung on the other chair, its pockets bulging with cartridges.
    She tried not to think about anything at all but keeping the fire burning throughout the night.
    So