The sun was bright when she shook sleep from her head. Sage brushed her hair out of her eyes, pulled on her robe, and poked her head out the bedroom door. Bonnie was the only one there, fully dressed and looking like she'd been up for some time.

"Morning," Sage said, feeling a little foolish.

"Morning." Bonnie looked up from her mending. "Mr. Roak took the boys and that dumb dog out for breakfast. He told me not to wake you, but the man is having coffee brought up every fifteen minutes so it'll be hot when you do get up." She looked miserable. "So far I've managed to drink most of it. No sense it going to waste”

Sage shook her head slightly, hoping the pieces would fall into place. Since when did Drum have any say over her sleeping habits… or her dog?

Bonnie stood and put the mending she'd been working on in her trunk. "He asked me if we'd be ready to leave by tomorrow. He's decided to take the boys to Whispering Mountain, so hell be riding along with us”

"When was he planning to ask me?"

Sage answered the door and thanked the maid for the coffee. When she turned back to Bonnie, she continued, "You can tell him-"

Bonnie rushed past the maid. "You'll have to tell him yourself. I need to be out back for a while.”

She was gone before Sage could argue.

After pacing around the room for several minutes, Sage decided leaving tomorrow would rush her, but she could make it. Drum was right about getting the boys to safety; even if she wasn't sure she believed that someone was plotting to kill them. The hotel clerk had promised to make the arrangements for Meg's graveside service. Sage had asked that he buy two plots so that her husband's body could lie next to her. The Rangers were sending men out with a map the oldest boy had drawn. Will had wanted to go with them, but all agreed it would be safer if he disappeared with Roak as soon as possible.

Sage began her list. The funeral, supplies for five for the trip, clothes for the boys.

She tapped the pencil several times against the paper before adding, "Say good-bye to Barret's brother” She really didn't care if she ever saw the man again, but she supposed it was the right thing to do.

Bonnie came back into the room, her cheeks flushed from climbing two flights of stairs.

"Will you go with me to see Shelley Lander?" Sage asked her.

"One of the bell men told me he runs a gaming house down on the docks. How about we just send him a letter?"

Sage shook her head. "No, he's Barret's only living relative. I owe him a visit”

"We could invite him here."

"Not if we plan to get packed by dawn tomorrow. Yesterday when he visited, I thought he'd never leave." Sage wanted to add that he'd also had his bar bill put on her account. "We can go after the funeral service."

"All right, but I got a feeling we haven't seen the last of that man. How about we swear not to tell him where your ranch is?"

"Sounds like a good idea.” Sage twisted her hair from the braid and began combing it out with her fingers.

It had been years since she'd worn her straight hair down, but somehow the action made her feel a bit like the girl she'd been growing up. Now that Drum had set a time to leave, she found herself in a hurry to see Whispering Mountain again. Her parents, Andrew and Autumn, had married at eighteen and settled the slice of land between two rivers with a cluster of hills guarding their back. Teagen told her once that their Irish father and Apache mother had been happy and safe on the land until Andrew left to fight for Texas independence. He'd died at Goliad, and she'd followed him a few months later, after giving birth. Sage never knew them, but when she was home, she swore she could feel their love around her.

"Doc?" Bonnie broke into her thoughts. "Do you think we'll be safe on the road between here and there?"

"Yes," Sage answered as she added rifles to her list of needed supplies.

A herd of footsteps pounded up the steps. Sage wasn't surprised when Drum opened the door and entered without knocking.

“Morning." He smiled as he lowered saddlebags by the door.

Sage's smile was for the boys. "I understand we're leaving tomorrow at first light." She faced the oldest, Will. "Is that all right with you?"

Andy played with the dog but, at seven, Will was old enough to be consulted. "Do you need to go back to the farm to get anything?"

Will shook his head. "We got the Bible. That's all we need. Mr. Roak explained to us about our mother dying. He said she was real sorry to leave us, but she's with our father now, so Andy and I will have to take care of each other."

Andy looked up from petting the dog. "Mr. Roak said he knows a place where we'll be safe from those bad men. We voted at breakfast and decided we would go with him."

Sage faced Roak. "You seemed to have set all the plans.”

"Not quite," he answered. "I figured we could head toward Whispering Mountain as soon as possible. If we get out before dawn tomorrow, no one will see the boys leave with you. On the road we can talk about where they can stay. I thought Mrs. Dickerson, in town, might take them in for a while if Teagen's not at the ranch. Since she was widowed again last year, she could probably use the help, and there seems no better home than with a schoolteacher.”

Sage realized she had something in common with the old schoolteacher. Mrs. Dickerson was a wise choice. She loved children, and she lived close enough to Sage's brother Teagen to run to him for help if trouble came.

"First light tomorrow." she agreed as she pulled shipping receipts from her bag and handed them to Roak. "If you'll see that my equipment is loaded, I'll buy supplies for the trip and make sure the boys have what they need.”

He raised an eyebrow. "How much equipment?"

"A wagonload. Teagen probably left a wagon and two teams of horses at the livery. I told him I'd like a buggy if possible for Bonnie and the luggage. She's never traveled by wagon across open country."

Roak frowned. "Sounds like a caravan. I’ll hire a few drivers."

"I can drive our wagon." Will straightened, obviously not missing a word.

Roak nodded. "Good. We can load most of the supplies for the trip on your wagon.” He smiled at the boy. "You'll be a big help on this trip. I can use another man along the trail.”

Sage started to the bedroom to dress, but Roak's words stopped her. "I'll meet you back here at sundown. Be ready."

She whirled. "Maybe we should get something straight, Drummond. You are not in charge of me or responsible for any of my belongings. I agree we should work together to leave as soon as possible and travel together for safety, but no one elected you the trail boss."

He nodded once. "Fair enough.” All the anger left his tone when he added in a low voice, "I'm surprised even one man got his rope around you, Sage."

She resented the comment. "Once and never again."

CHAPTER 9

SAGE AND BONNIE WALKED WITH THE BOYS TO THEIR mother's grave for a prayer. They knew of no minister, but Bonnie had managed to find a few wildflowers for the boys to carry. The young Ranger, Daniel Torry, met them at the opening to the cemetery. He tied his horse at the gate and pulled a Bible out of his saddlebag.

"I know the words to read” Daniel whispered when they started across to the newly dug grave. "When I was half grown, I thought my calling would be to preach. I'm as much of a preacher as any of the others you'll find around here”

"That would be nice." Sage said, thinking that she'd heard them enough lately to know them by heart. The boys walked ahead with Bonnie toward the open grave. Daniel and Sage followed.

She thought of asking if Drummond was coming, but she knew the answer.

Daniel seemed to read her mind. "Roak can't make it. He's tied up at the docks. He-"

Sage saved Daniel from further lying. "He doesn't do funerals”

Daniel nodded. "That's about it. A lot of the men are that way. I guess they feel close enough to the grave in everyday living. They don't want to stand over one."

"And you?" she asked.

Daniel grinned. "I'm the son of a preacher, miss. A funeral or wedding didn't much matter to us kids. It meant we'd eat good that night” He straightened and stepped into place, looking every bit the preacher, except for the gun strapped to his hip.

Seven-year-old Will stood like a little soldier at the foot of his mother's grave, not allowing one tear to fall. Andy, at four, didn't understand. He asked when she would be coming back from heaven. When Sage explained that she was never coming back, he cried until Bonnie told him that their father went with her so she wouldn't be alone, and they left Will and him here so they'd both have company too. Andy stopped crying then, as if her words had made sense to him.

Sage gave the boys all the time they needed at the grave, but when they left, she knew they'd all have to hurry through the rest of the day doing everything on their list. Daniel left them at the gate. He swung up on his horse, tipped his hat to the ladies, and shoved the Bible back in his saddlebag next to a half-empty bottle of whiskey. "I'll be at the Ranger station if you need me, miss."

Sage glanced back to make sure the boys couldn't hear, then asked, "Doesn't what you do now, killing outlaws, conflict with the preaching? Shouldn't God be the judge?"

Daniel smiled. "Way I look at it. I'm just seeing that they can plead their case face-to-face” He winked at her.

Sage smiled. The others joined them.

She directed the boys toward the shops and noticed only Will looked back at the cemetery. He was old enough to remember all that had happened for the rest of his life. For Andy, she hoped it would only be something he was told about.

Hours later, loaded down with supplies and clothing for the journey, they returned to the hotel room to find Captain Harmon waiting for them.

Sage liked the man. Her brother Travis knew him well and trusted him. She smiled at him, thinking of years ago when she'd fallen for a young man with a badge. They'd both been young enough to promise forever, but he'd died before her eighteenth birthday. Now she couldn't help but wonder: if Michael Saddler had lived, would he look as weathered as the captain by now?

"Sage," Harmon said slowly, as if it were an endearment. "How are you, honey? I'm powerful sorry about you losing your husband”

She set her bags down and hugged him lightly. "I'm fine, Captain, and you don't look a day's worth of different than when I last saw you”

He grinned. "I see you learned to lie up there in the big city."

"I learned lots up there," she said with a laugh, "but it's good to be back."

Sage introduced the captain to Bonnie and the boys. Will and Andy paid their respects then vanished to go wash up.

The nurse seemed nervous as she always did around men who weren't wounded or ill. She excused herself, saying she had to go down and order food for the boys before they started gnawing on the furniture.

Sage waited until the nurse's footsteps died away. She knew the captain wasn't here on a social call. She didn't have to wait long.

Harmon glanced at the washroom door and said in a low voice, "I need to talk to Will and Andy alone before you take them to safety. They might know something that could help us catch whoever ordered their parents killed. Do you think I could have some time now?"

"Of course” She picked up her doctor bag. "Bonnie and I have to say good-bye to someone, and I'd just as soon the boys not go with us. Then I need to stop by the alchemist counter and refill a few of my bottles. Would thirty minutes be enough time? I think I can be finished by then”

Harmon nodded. "If you're not back in half an hour, I'll take them over to the Ranger station and keep them there until you pick them up”

She didn't have to tell him not to let them out of his sight. He'd seen their mother. He knew as much as she did the danger they were in. She'd also noticed several times during the day that a man with the look of a Ranger was close, watching over them. Roak and the captain would probably deny it, but Sage bet there hadn't been a minute that the boys were without a guard today. Even Daniel at the cemetery was probably acting under orders.

Sage met Bonnie halfway down the stairs.

"We in for the night?" Bonnie asked. "I got a meal coming up directly.”

"One more thing on my list. I have to say that good-bye to Barret's brother. but I could go-"

"Don't even think it," Bonnie answered. "I'm going with you. Knowing Shelley Lander, he's living in a snake den. We'll be in and out and back home before sunset. In fact, I suggest that as soon as we catch sight of the man, we both wave and yell our farewells from a distance”