“Brother?”
“Yes.”
The first rider dismounted.
His expression changed when he saw the bandage on Elena’s shoulder.
He walked toward the porch.
Caleb still held the shotgun.
Joseph noticed.
So did every armed rider behind him.
Elena spoke rapidly.
Caleb understood nothing.
Joseph answered.
His voice rose.
Elena said something sharper.
Joseph stopped.
Then looked at Caleb.
“You found her?”
His English was fluent.
Caleb nodded.
“Yesterday.”
“You shoot her?”
“No.”
Joseph’s gaze dropped toward the shotgun.
Caleb looked at it.
Then set the weapon against the porch post.
Several riders visibly relaxed.
Not all.
Joseph approached Elena.
He did not embrace her immediately.
He inspected the bandage.
Asked something.
She answered.
His jaw tightened.
Then he hugged her carefully.
Elena closed her eyes.
For the first time since Caleb found her, she looked safe.
The older man came forward.
Joseph spoke to him.
Then to Caleb.
“This is my mother’s brother. Traders call him Tomas.”
Caleb nodded.
Tomas studied him.
No greeting.
No smile.
Caleb did not expect one.
Joseph looked toward the saddled mare.
“Papers?”
Elena answered in Apache.
Joseph looked at Caleb.
“You saw?”
“Only the outside.”
“You read?”
“No.”
Joseph’s expression suggested he did not believe him.
Caleb said:
“If I had, I’d probably know why my ranch looks like the gates of hell opened.”
A few younger riders understood and almost smiled.
Joseph did not.
Elena said something.
Joseph’s gaze changed.
“What?”
Caleb looked between them.
Elena answered in English.
“I told him you did not steal them.”
“That was under consideration?”
“Yes.”
“Comforting.”
Joseph ignored the exchange.
“Bring saddlebag.”
Caleb did.
Elena removed the hidden bundle herself.
Her hands shook.
Joseph helped unfold it across the porch table.
Caleb tried not to look.
That became impossible when the first page showed the seal of the United States Indian Agency.
The second page contained wagon numbers.
The third listed rifles.
Not six.
Not twenty.
Three hundred and forty.
Caleb stared.
Joseph noticed.
“You didn’t read?”
“No.”
“You read now.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Caleb looked at Elena.
“What is this?”
She sat because she could no longer remain standing.
“Crowe’s freight company carries government supplies.”
“I know.”
“For agency.”
“Yes.”
Joseph answered:
“Three wagons left Tucson six days ago.”
Caleb looked at the paper.
“Rifles?”
“Ammunition. Flour. medicine. blankets.”
“Where are they?”
Joseph’s expression hardened.
“Crowe reported them stolen.”
Caleb understood the next part before anyone said it.
“By Apache.”
“Yes.”
Caleb looked toward the riders.