as he paddled close to shore. He seemed to be waiting for James to make up his mind, seemed to sense a momentous decision.
James squinted at the animal in the waning light, then reached for the waistband of his long johns and slowly slid them down over his hips and his legs. He shuddered from the bracing spring breeze, admiring the sun setting over the horizon as he stepped out of the last of his clothing and left it folded on the neat pile of britches and shirt he’d already shucked.
He slowly approached the shoreline, trying to connect with the much talked about heartbeat of Mother Earth’s. He’d only heard whispers of it before tonight but nothing that had touched him as much as the wolf.
James picked up a stray branch and walked out into the stream until he was waist-deep. He flung the stick out into the water and 56
Gigi Moore
watched the wolf go after it before he took a deep breath and dove under himself. He swam a bit before coming up for air and finding the wolf a few feet away from him with the stick in his mouth and peering at James again as if waiting for his next move.
“You are a strange one, aren’t you?”
The wolf paddled closer and offered James the stick before barking once when James took it. It didn’t even surprise James anymore. He expected an answer now when he asked the animal a question. It might not have been the communication that he was used to, but it was communication nonetheless.
James turned on his back to float a while, enjoying the enveloping coolness of the water, enjoying the calmness as he drifted.
He must have lost track of time for when he next heard the wolf’s bark it came from a little distance. He opened his eyes to see that T.J.
had returned to shore and was busy shaking his thick coat dry.
Deciding it time to return to reality, James swam back to shore, tossing the stick as soon as he had gained his footing and laughing as the wolf took off into the woods beyond the cove to retrieve it. T.J.
returned within a minute, dropping the stick at James’ feet as James finished sliding on his long johns.
He’d thought retrieving the stick would take the wolf a little more time, at least time enough for him to get back into his clothes. He felt strangely bashful and vulnerable around the animal now when he hadn’t been so in the water with nary a stitch on. Now, on land and back down to earth, his priorities re-emerged.
He needed to get back to Chris, wanted to, and hoped the wolf wouldn’t try and stop him now that they’d had their little romp in the water.
The animal sat back on his haunches now, panting as his tongue lolled out of his mouth while he watched James dress. Once James finished, the wolf barked and ran back into the direction of the burgeoning woods.
Three Men and a Bounty
57
If he wanted to make a getaway now would probably be the best time to do it.
James went to Midnight and quickly mounted the horse, kicking him into a gallop back toward town and away from his mysterious friend. He had a feeling he hadn’t seen or heard the last of T.J.
58
Gigi Moore
Chapter 5
Shuddering at what almost happened between the man and that animal, frolicking out in the open, in the water together like…like lovers.
No more than a heathen and degenerate. What could anyone expect from someone with his ancestors—no account slaves and barbarians.
More and more the way was set and becoming obvious what needed to be done to avenge the two men rotting in jail because of that black marshal.
Months ago, when he’d first appeared on the scene, he’d been a minor annoyance along with the rest of the colored men Judge Parker and his marshal James Fagan had deputized. Now, after several famous arrests and captures, Connor McClary and his brother Court included, Hayden had garnered legendary status. He had become a hero, even in the eyes of some of the white people in Wolf Creek and some of the other surrounding towns. They liked the order that Hayden and men
James squinted at the animal in the waning light, then reached for the waistband of his long johns and slowly slid them down over his hips and his legs. He shuddered from the bracing spring breeze, admiring the sun setting over the horizon as he stepped out of the last of his clothing and left it folded on the neat pile of britches and shirt he’d already shucked.
He slowly approached the shoreline, trying to connect with the much talked about heartbeat of Mother Earth’s. He’d only heard whispers of it before tonight but nothing that had touched him as much as the wolf.
James picked up a stray branch and walked out into the stream until he was waist-deep. He flung the stick out into the water and 56
Gigi Moore
watched the wolf go after it before he took a deep breath and dove under himself. He swam a bit before coming up for air and finding the wolf a few feet away from him with the stick in his mouth and peering at James again as if waiting for his next move.
“You are a strange one, aren’t you?”
The wolf paddled closer and offered James the stick before barking once when James took it. It didn’t even surprise James anymore. He expected an answer now when he asked the animal a question. It might not have been the communication that he was used to, but it was communication nonetheless.
James turned on his back to float a while, enjoying the enveloping coolness of the water, enjoying the calmness as he drifted.
He must have lost track of time for when he next heard the wolf’s bark it came from a little distance. He opened his eyes to see that T.J.
had returned to shore and was busy shaking his thick coat dry.
Deciding it time to return to reality, James swam back to shore, tossing the stick as soon as he had gained his footing and laughing as the wolf took off into the woods beyond the cove to retrieve it. T.J.
returned within a minute, dropping the stick at James’ feet as James finished sliding on his long johns.
He’d thought retrieving the stick would take the wolf a little more time, at least time enough for him to get back into his clothes. He felt strangely bashful and vulnerable around the animal now when he hadn’t been so in the water with nary a stitch on. Now, on land and back down to earth, his priorities re-emerged.
He needed to get back to Chris, wanted to, and hoped the wolf wouldn’t try and stop him now that they’d had their little romp in the water.
The animal sat back on his haunches now, panting as his tongue lolled out of his mouth while he watched James dress. Once James finished, the wolf barked and ran back into the direction of the burgeoning woods.
Three Men and a Bounty
57
If he wanted to make a getaway now would probably be the best time to do it.
James went to Midnight and quickly mounted the horse, kicking him into a gallop back toward town and away from his mysterious friend. He had a feeling he hadn’t seen or heard the last of T.J.
58
Gigi Moore
Chapter 5
Shuddering at what almost happened between the man and that animal, frolicking out in the open, in the water together like…like lovers.
No more than a heathen and degenerate. What could anyone expect from someone with his ancestors—no account slaves and barbarians.
More and more the way was set and becoming obvious what needed to be done to avenge the two men rotting in jail because of that black marshal.
Months ago, when he’d first appeared on the scene, he’d been a minor annoyance along with the rest of the colored men Judge Parker and his marshal James Fagan had deputized. Now, after several famous arrests and captures, Connor McClary and his brother Court included, Hayden had garnered legendary status. He had become a hero, even in the eyes of some of the white people in Wolf Creek and some of the other surrounding towns. They liked the order that Hayden and men
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