Be Free My Heart

  Be Free My Heart

  (Book Five of Dream Catcher Series)

  Rita Hestand

  Copyright 2017 by Rita Hestand

  All Rights Reserved

  ISBN# 9781981166336

  Cover by Sheri McGathy

  License Note

  This book Be Free My Heart is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be resold or given away to other people. Please purchase an additional copy for each person you share with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it. or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

  All characters in Be Free My Heart have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation to anyone bearing the same name or names. Any resemblance to individuals known or unknown to the author are purely coincidental.

  Dedication

  This is dedicated to the American Indians of our country, let them live long and prosper, for they are part of a legend and the stories are rich with culture, strength, courage, and imagination.

  God Bless

  Rita Hestand

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  About the Author

  Rita's Other Books

  Fall of 1874

  Territory of Colorado, Rocky Mountains

  Chapter One

  "Get the hell off her," Matt Younger hollered as he cocked his gun and held it at Jake Simms head, annoyance spread like wildfire, as Matt waited for him to move away from the girl.

  Jake froze as his right eyebrow shot upward in surprise. He stared down at Snow Bird, whose eyes darted from Jake to Matt. He mouthed a few unseemly obscenities under his breath, his profane glance glaring into Snow Bird. He paused as though considering whether he should take Matt seriously, continuing to stare at the young Indian maiden beneath him. He had moved her deer skin dress up so ample leg was showing. His lustful glance swept her. She didn't move. Then Jake turned his head just a bit to feel the cold blunt end of Matt's gun.

  Sweat dripped from Jake's head and hit the rocks under him. His breath was full of whiskey, his eyes on fire when he saw the .45 Colt Single Action revolver staring him in the face.

  Jake grunted, as he moved to get up and twist his head toward Matt. Trying to intimidate Matt, he scowled and roughened his voice. "What the hell is this, kid?"

  Matt's held the gun rock hard steady. His resolve was firm. The only outward sign of emotion was sweat beading on his forehead, and the huge frown on his face.

  It was muggy, and the air was still, but the humidity made everything damp. A loon echoed a lonely call from somewhere in the distance. The sky was overcast as though it might rain, making it so humid you could feel the rain before it began. The earth smelled of mildew. The wind held a slight chill to it, warning them of on coming winter, as Matt eyed Jake with precision now.

  A hawk flew above them, distracting them for a moment with his strange voice as Jake Simms lowered the deerskin skirt and moved away from the young Indian woman, with great aggravation.

  "What's the problem, she's just a squaw." Jake tried to laugh. Jake was a bigger man than Matt, he stood at least three inches taller, and must have weighed nigh onto two hundred pounds. He had dirty brown hair, yellow teeth and dull brown eyes, that were most often blood shot from his drinking. Being a large man, he knew he could take Matt with just the right advantage, but he didn't have the advantage, not now, at least. A gun put them at equal strength, especially a Peacemaker.

  Matt's jaw tightened, and his hand firmed around the trigger.

  "She's a human being, Jake. That's what is wrong. And not yours to take. Not like that at least." Matt hollered. He glanced at the Indian girl and motioned for her to move away.

  One corner of her mouth turned upward. She inched her way away from Jake and scrambled to her feet. She watched the interplay of the two men in silence, as she moved away, with the slightest tremor in her limbs.

  Tension sliced the air now, it was like an unraveling string between them as Matt quickly realized Jake was trying to figure a way to best him.

  Mat quickly diffused his anger. Anger made mend do foolish things. He had control now, and he wouldn't relinquish it.

  Jake stood up and put his hands on his hips like a challenge. His steel eyed glance usually unnerved Matt, but this time Matt stood his ground. Relief flowed through him.

  He backed up, planted his feet firmly on the ground, but kept the gun level, never wavering.

  "You take a gun to me, you better be willing to use it." Jake gritted his teeth and stared into Matt's blazing eyes. "You ever had a woman, Matt?" Jake suddenly teased his eyes dancing with mischief.

  "No, but I'd never stoop to this…" He implied the near rape of the girl. "Any low-life can take a woman."

  "She ain't no woman, she's a squaw, don't you know the difference, kid?" Jake's eyes blazed at him.

  "From where I stand, she's a woman." Matt affirmed giving Snow Bird a slight glance. "And if she isn't a female, then what is she, and why do you want her?"

  Snow Bird shot him a curious glance as she slid from Jake to Matt, unwavering.

  "Well, you won't understand this, but I need her right now. I ain't had a woman in some time, and I'm a bit raunchy, so why don't you take yourself a nap for a while. I ain't gonna hurt her, I promise you that, just give her a little pleasure. You don't have to watch if you don't want to, but you might learn something kid, if you did."

  Jake made a move toward her.

  Matt didn't flinch, His eyes narrowed as he pointed the gun at Jake now, and his jaw tightened. "It doesn't take much of a man to take a woman like this."

  "I keep telling you son. She ain't no woman, she's a squaw, you don't seem to understand that. You're old enough to know it."

  Matt studied that statement a minute. "Then if she isn't a woman, why would you need her? I'd like to hear the answer to that, Jake."

  Jake looked stumped. His brows knitted, his nostrils flared, his jaw set. Then he moved toward Matt, Matt shook his head. "You come any closer, I'll kill you, Jake. And I don't want to do that. Don't tempt me to use this gun." Matt hollered as he stood at the ready.

  Jake gave pause, as though evaluating whether it was worth it.

  Snow Bird finally ran her hands around Matt's waist, hanging on to him, watching them. They weren't but a couple of feet from the river bed, she felt the sharp pierce of a rock below her feet and moved. She eyed them both with precision, obviously trying to decide which man would win, and which man she would go with or run from.

  Jake towered over Matt menacingly. His eyes glittered with the challenge Matt offered. His smile widened, a vein popped out on his neck, the only sign of his anger festering.

  An unkempt man, he stunk most of the time and he was constantly eyeing Snow Bird. Matt knew when Toby went into town that Jake might try to take an advantage. He was ready for him. He fully realized the stand he was taking and didn't waver. He'd made his decision. He'd live with it.

  "You're interrupting my fun, Yo
unger." Jake glanced at Matt with a frown. Then slowly his eyes sought out Snow Bird, he grinned smugly. "Looks like she's taken a shine to you, kid. So, what are you gonna do about it?"

  "You stay off her or I'll blow your head off." Matt moved the gun closer to Jake's head as his expression sobered. "The only reason you are trying this is because Toby isn't here. Well, I may not be Toby, but I won't let you rape her."

  "What the hell's wrong with you? What do you care? She's just a stinkin' Indian. And why do you think we brought her in the first place?" Jake hollered, turning his full attention to Matt again. He towered over Matt, menacingly. It didn't seem to matter, a gun matched them evenly.

  Matt barely glanced at her now, but he felt her warm hands on his waist, her soft breath at his ear, and the drumming of her heart against his back. She was very close to him now, but Matt concentrated on Jake.

  "You ain't that dumb kid. Now, move aside." Jake sneered.

  "Can't do that. And it doesn't matter why I care, now back off Jake." Matt threatened. "I'm not going to tell you again."

  Jake backed up a bit. He took another tack with Matt. "You shouldn't have done that Matt. It wasn't your business. I could forgive you once, maybe, and you already had that once."

  "I'm making it my business." Matt still pointed the gun at Jake. "Snow Bird, we're leaving."

  "Leaving?" Jake burst out with a gravelly laugh. "Toby ain't gonna like this, kid."

  The young Indian squaw moved backward a bit. She didn't seem intimidated, but cautious.

  Jake frowned at him as his bushy brows met at his large nose. His nostrils flared, and his face screwed up into a menacing frown.

  "I don't care one way or another what Toby likes. I've had it! I've made up my mind. I'm cutting out and you'd better not follow." Matt informed him. "Get your things and my blanket roll, Snow Bird. Pick up the supplies we will need, coffee pot, frying pan, some of that bacon and beans in Jake's saddle bags. Tie them up in our blankets and let's move out."

  The young Indian woman moved quickly, packing his bedroll with things they would need, then throwing his blanket roll on her back after she gathered what he had told her.

  "We'll need some plates and cups." Matt told her.

  She nodded and wrapped them in her blanket.

  "Get some rope off his saddle there," Matt told her, barely glancing at her as she moved to do what he said.

  She brought him the rope.

  He shot her a quick smile, "Now, you hold the gun, while I wrap this rope around him and pin him to that tree." Matt instructed her.

  She took the gun and pointed it toward Jake. The gun was heavy, so she held it with both hands. Jake leaned toward her.

  "That's your first mistake." Jake laughed.

  "What?" Matt asked.

  "Not killing me." He laughed.

  Matt stared at Jake as he finished tying him to the tree. "I don't want to kill you Jake. It's all the killings that's making me do this. I just didn't want you raping the girl. Nor killing that man back there at the store. It wasn't necessary, and you know it."

  "She's not a girl, she's a squaw kid, and you need a lesson in people. Indians aren't people. The man in the store drew first, I had to kill him. He wanted the squaw. She must be pretty good for him to risk his life for."

  "So, what are they. They walk on two feet, they talk English even. Thy breathe the air, they eat to stay alive. I think they are people. And I'll treat them as such. And maybe the man had a right to save her."

  Snow Bird flashed him a strange glance.

  Jake made a face. "You still don't understand do you kid. They ain't people like us. Taking her ain't like takin' a white woman. She's a stinkin' injun. I dare say she's probably been taken three or four times already. What difference would it make?"

  "That's the difference between you and me, Jake. It would matter to me, and I don't have time to explain it to you. I gotta feeling you'd never understand it. Let's move," Matt encouraged her.

  "You know Toby's gonna come after you, for this, don't ya?" Jake hollered.

  Matt turned to face Jake. "For what? I'm not taking the money. You can have the damned money, I'm through with this kind of life. After you killed that clerk in the General Store, I'm through. Murder is not something I want to hang for. This isn't the life I want. I'm just sorry it took me this long to figure it out."

  "I told Toby you had too much religion. He didn't believe it. Well, he would now. You keep harpin' that I kilt a man, well hell kid, he was going for his gun. I had to kill him. And this squaw, she's nothing. You don't think Toby stole her for the hell of it, do you?" Jake snickered. "We could both have a go of her before he gets back. I wouldn't tell him about it."

  Matt's forehead wrinkled with disgust. "No thanks. I'm done Jake. It just isn't working for me."

  "It's a damned waste," Jake hollered trying to watch them.

  "She doesn't belong to you Jake, or me!" Matt informed him. "She doesn't belong to none of us. I want no part of you. You killed that clerk, at the General Store. Now you're trying to molest this woman, right in front of me. I want no part of it, you hear me. You can have my share of the money too."

  "Well, you walk out like this, we'll naturally take your share, but Toby will come after you." Jake assured him. "He'll have to, you know us, you might decide to get really righteous on us and tell the law. We both know why you joined up with us. Looks like some of that religion took, now don't it."

  "Maybe it did, a little late, but better than never, I guess. Look Jake, you were once a pretty good man not so long ago. I can't begin to understand why you changed so much. And if Toby comes after me, he's a fool." Matt declared. "Just go your own way Jake, and I'll go mine."

  "You just gonna leave me like this?" Jake hollered.

  "'Fraid so, Jake. See ya. Toby will be back late tonight or in the morning. The worst that could happen is the wolves get you."

  "Dammit boy, your dead meat. Leaving me like this."

  "If you wouldn't follow, I might have left you alone."

  "I won't follow until Toby gets back." Jake promised.

  "I wish I could be sure of that. After what you just pulled, just be glad I didn't blow your head off." Matt told him.

  "Thought you didn't like killins'." Jake bellowed.

  "Usually I don't. Only if there's a real need. And you following would be a real need." Matt muttered unclenching his fists. "Good luck to you Jake, and if I was you, I wouldn't be killing anymore. They hang you for that, you know."

  "Kid, you're making a big mistake…." He hollered at them. His eyes blazed once more, his voice strained.

  "Then it's my mistake. Tell Toby I'm sorry, just don't have the guts to be an outlaw, Jake. And for what it's worth, I hope you don't kill any more."

  The squaw got his horse, and Matt took the reins in his hands. When they took her from the store, she'd rode double with Toby. Toby pulled another horse behind him with the money, and supplies they needed for camping in the mountains. But thinking on it, Matt loosened the reins on their horses and let them scatter. "You'll come along with me now." He told Snow Bird.

  She nodded and got on the horse behind him.

  They moved out of the campsite with Jake hollering all the while. Matt heard him but determined to ignore him. "Damn son of a gun, running our horses off like that."

  Jake snarled.

  They rode for what seemed like miles through brush and bushes and with only one horse. After a while, he told her to get off, and they walked the horse. It was nearly dark when he stopped, he saw that she was tired, but she didn’t complain. "Sorry you can't ride for a while; the horse needs to cool down a bit" he told her. "We have to get as far away from camp as we can."

  She nodded.

  They moved through the wooded area for a long time, until they could no longer see in front of them. It was a dense forest and weaving in and out of the tree lines, they seemed to make good time. Only weariness drove them to make camp. By then they were miles away. There w
as no sign of anyone following. He had a good start on them if they did.

  "Will they follow?" Snow Bird asked as she brought wood for a fire and began making coffee for them. Matt was a bit miffed at her. She accepted their escape easily enough, and she did things without being told, he liked that. He didn't have to tell her to build a fire, or make coffee, she did it without hesitation. It was in their favor that she was well versed in the forest too. Still, she said very little and he wasn't sure about her either.

  "They will, but I don't know for how long. We got a good head start on them. It'll be tomorrow before Toby gets back and that gives us some time. If he's drunk when he gets back, it will be two days before they start out to find us. And they'll waste some time getting their horses back too." He smiled at her. "I didn't take their money, and the only thing I got they want is you. I guess it all depends on how bad they want you."

  "They think you will tell. That is why they will come. It is not me."

  "Yeah, I know. But if they catch up to us, you'll be in trouble."

  "Would you tell?" She asked eyeing him closely for an answer.

  "No, we aren't headed back down the mountain, there is no use telling now."

  She didn't smile but she regarded him sadly.

  "Where do we go?"

  He shot her a quick glance, as his lips turned upward. "I'm taking you back to your people." He announced as though he knew it all along.

  She raised up from the fire and stared at him. "You would do this?" Her eyes widened with shock.

  "That's the plan." He grabbed a cup and poured himself some coffee. "I figure I gotta right some of the wrongs we did."

  "Why?" She asked, perplexed. Her eyes were wide, and she had no idea how beautiful it made her look. "I do not understand you."

  "Well," he took a sip of his coffee, then leaned back on a tree trunk. "They killed a man at the store, I can't change that. But taking you, I can change. I can see you get back to your people. You told Toby you were married to a buck back at your camp, didn't you?"

  "Yes." She replied, watching him, her expression leery.