“I did it comin’ downhill the other day,” Adam said. “But uphill is harder.”

Valiente whinnied, and Shanty whinnied back.

“Who’s there?” Mac called.

Will urged Shanty forward. “It’s me.” He looked uphill to see three men with rifles turned on him. “It’s just me.”

“God damn it, Will,” Mac said. “What in the hell are you doing here?”

Mac rarely cursed around him. “I-I wanted to be part of the posse,” Will said.

“You were supposed to stay with your mother,” Mac said, sheathing his rifle. “We almost shot you.” Mac gestured for Albee to put his rifle away. Zeke had already put his back in its scabbard. Mac waved from Will to the deputy. “Do you remember my obstreperous son William?”

The deputy nodded. “Is he goin’ with us?”

“You left your mother alone with the children?” Mac asked Will.

“Yes, sir,” Will said. “But if Johnson’s up here—”

“We don’t know that for a fact,” Mac said. “And I ordered you—”

“I’m here now,” Will said. “And I’m staying.”

Mac sighed and pointed his finger at Will. “You will do exactly as you’re told. Whatever I say or Albee says or Zeke says. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“If you don’t, you could be killed.”

“Yes, sir.”

Mac glared at Will, then turned to the deputy. “He’s staying.”

Albee’s portion of the posse continued up the hill, the deputy leading, Mac following, then Will, and Zeke bringing up the rear. Will’s heart pounded. He didn’t know what they would face. He’d been on scouting forays with Colonel Drew looking for Indians, but now the posse pursued a known villain. On the reconnaissance expedition, they’d hoped not to encounter hostile Indians, but now they hoped to find and capture Johnson.

He and Jonah had been fortunate with the militia, Will realized now. They hadn’t been at war like their counterparts back East. Seventeen-year-olds joined both the Union and Secessionist forces and shot one another. Like those boys, Will and Jonah had lied about their ages to join Drew’s expedition, but they hadn’t faced wartime battles.

Joel had repeatedly admonished Jonah and him to act like men. This was Will’s time. Time to be a man.

The uphill route zigzagged across the creek bed. They detoured around fallen logs and huge boulders. Occasionally, they had to jump a log. Soon they neared the top of the hill, and gray sky peeked through the forest in a patchwork pattern. Snow began to fall again.

The deputy held up his hand to halt them, and they gathered close to talk softly. “We’d best go wide to the east,” Albee said. “We want to be sure we come down on the cabin from the top, drive Johnson toward the sheriff’s group.”

After Will joined them, Mac sat rigidly on Valiente’s back, his spine almost too stiff to sway with the horse’s gait. His jaw clenched, and his head felt like it was in a vise. How could Will have been so stupid? If they were closer to town, he would have insisted his son return home. As it was, they were near enough to Johnson that Mac wanted to keep an eye on the boy—he might be safer with the posse than alone on the road.

Why had Will disobeyed him? Perhaps Will no longer considered him his father, but still, Mac was an adult and a reasonable man. As long as the boy lived in Mac’s household, he expected Will to follow simple instructions—such as to stay home and take care of his mother.

Surely both Mac and Will had Jenny’s interests in common. Surely Will could understand Mac’s desire to protect Jenny. And Maria. And the rest of the children. After all, Will was their half-brother.

Whatever Will thought, Mac considered the boy to be his son. He’d worked hard for many years to treat Will like Mac wished his own father had treated him. He’d listened to the boy prattle about childhood nonsense, and he’d taken it seriously. He’d taught the lad how to fish, how to shoot, how to saddle a horse. And recently, how to shave.

What more did Mac have to do to prove himself to Will?

Surely Will didn’t think of Jacob Johnson or the other rapists as his father.

“Mac,” Zeke called softly from behind Will. “Tell Albee to stop.”

Mac gave a low whistle, and the deputy turned around. Mac gestured at Zeke, and the men gathered close.

“I seen somethin’,” Zeke said. “A clearing of some type. Maybe a shack there as well.”

Albee peered through the trees. Mac followed. Off to the left, slightly below them on the hill was a small house, not much more than a shack. A woodpile and a chopping block sat in an open area in front of the dwelling.

Albee nodded. “That’s it.”

Will swallowed hard when the deputy nodded. His stomach churned and he wanted to retch. But the other men didn’t seem scared.

“See the door and window on the front,” Albee said. “Another door on the back.”

“What’s the plan?” Mac asked.

“We spread out on this uphill side,” Albee said. “At my shout, we ride toward the shack. Johnson either returns our fire, or he runs out the back toward the sheriff’s group. They should be close enough he’ll run right into ’em. Watch out, in case there’s another man with him. I ain’t seen no one yesterday, but he could have a partner.”

“What if he holes up and shoots at us?” Zeke asked.

“There’s four of us, only one of him. Maybe two,” Albee said. “And we’ll be coming at him from four directions, plus the sheriff’s men below.”

Zeke nodded.

“Will, stay behind me,” Mac said. “If you ever had reason to obey me, this is it.”

“All right,” Will whispered. He took the uphill flank, with Mac nearby, the deputy facing the front door of the shack, and Zeke on the deputy’s far side.

Albee shouted, Zeke whooped in response, and the four of them charged the cabin.

Chapter 65: Finding Johnson

Mac kicked Valiente into a gallop down the hill. They crashed through the underbrush as fast as Valiente could take the descent. Will on Shanty rode behind him, and Mac prayed for the boy’s safety. He couldn’t let Will get hurt, or Jenny would never forgive him.

Mac kept himself between Will and the cabin as they attacked. He saw Albee ahead of him on his right, and he heard but couldn’t see Zeke beyond the deputy.