Barnabas was talking with Foreman Mike Wentworth, "I want men out, I doubt the place is in danger, but I'm talking no chances with these snakes! I mean, what sort of man targets women and children?" It was a precaution, but it was clear that the arrack had put everyone on edge. "I intend to get some answers from the woman about who set this up, Damn sure wasn't her or the man Em puty down. Best we get some men out there to bury him before he goes ripe."
When he had returned a few minutes earlier from rounding up some cattle, he had been quickly updated by Pecos Pete of what was going on. A lot of his work at the Rocking P involved him taking on the jobs that were far away from the ranch house. It made sense that he and the crew he was with wouldn't be alerted as it would've taken too long to find them. In fact, judging by what Pecos had said, they were already making their way back in a different direction from the one that had left for earlier in the day when the horse had returned without its rider.
After Barnabas had gone back inside, Mike started to head towards the barn to get a couple of shovels to bury the man that Missus Pike had shot. There was much time to think or ask some more about what had happen. By the time he returned to the front of the house, his boss had made his way down the stairs only to be stopped by wife.
"Em, what is it? Wheeler?" A bit of panic set in. Was something wrong with their son? He reached her and took her by the shoulders, "What's wrong?" He asked. Then, over his shoulder, "Be right with you, Mike, hold on."
Mike nodded and went over his horse where it was tied up near a water trough. Gently patting his horse, he sighed, "Looks like this thing's not over yet."
@ [Bongo]
@ [Flip
"That woman, she said you're her father...their father." Emeline shook her head to show she thought the allegations were ridiculous. "She said she wanted Wheeler because they were going to kill us...He was going to kill us."
"WHAT? Their father? HER father?" He was shocked by the allegation. then angered by it. Who was this female, and where was she from? Who told her that Barnabas Pike had fathered her and her brother? The questions were mounting, as was the anger over this falsehood.
"Love...Tom Love...it sounds like he put them up to this?" She was pretty sure she'd seen a poster in the Marshal's office, but Barnabas would know for sure. "He was there...somewhere..."
"Tom Love? Lorado and Will told me that there was a camp above where you were accosted by her and her brother. And, there were at least three more people up there. Love and a couple of his henchmen. Damn it! What was this about? What the hell is Love's game?
"I swear to you, I have never seen either of them, not ever. I got only one child, Wheeler!" He stated. But Tom Love? Whatever he's after, this changes everything. He is after something, and this thing he devised with you and our son failed."
"I know that," Emeline murmured, giving his hand a squeeze. That was a conversation for later. "So, it isn't over?" A wave of fear and nausea ran through her, to think that there was still a threat hanging out there, not just to her and her family, but to everyone here.
"I'll be all the more vigilant," she promised. The last thing she needed was for Barnabas to have to be overly worried about her and Wheeler. She knew he'd be on a bloodhunt, and she wanted him back.
"It sounds like Love put those two up to this." And that realization had her softening just a little for the injured woman. "Be kind when you talk to her, she thinks she's going to hang...she asked us to just shoot her."
As much as she was angry for the terror that woman and her brother had put her through, Emeline still couldn't allow herself to wish her harm.
Pike stood looking at Em for a long moment. Tom Love? Now what was that all about? "That seems like what happened here, I mean I'm trying, but other than the wanted posters, the name means nothing to me. All I know is he's threatened my family, and this isn't the end of it!"
Whatever the plan, whatever they had hoped to accomplish, all that was foiled by Em shooting the man and the arrival of the search party. Wounding the girl was a way to stop her without killing her because had she caught Em, Em would be dead and likely Wheeler too in the struggle. This would be a hard thing for him to get past, an assault on his family
"Alright then, I do need to talk to her and see what we can learn 'bout this Tom Love Character," He said, resigned to the fact that the girl had been under Love's influence, filled with lies about him and his family, that he was her and her brother's father. He knew that, sure, there was the possibility of one child created between a couple with no relationship, but two children? They would have had to have been together for a spell for that to happen, whether they lived together or not. A tall order with his background.