Wild Desire

He watched Adam fall clumsily to the floor with the impact. Runner placed his fists on his hips as he stood over Adam. “Get up, you double-crossing cheat,” he snarled. “Get up on your own, or I will pick you up and knock you down again.”

Adam’s head was spinning from the blow. He rubbed his jaw, tasting blood as it rolled from his nose and cut lip into his mouth. “Why are you doing this?” he said, pleading up at Runner and Sage with frightened eyes.

“Do not play innocent with us,” Sage said, reaching down and yanking Adam to his feet. “You are responsible for my younger son being behind bars. You will correct that mistake. Now.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Adam said, cowering away from Runner and Sage.

Runner took one wide step toward Adam. He hit him again, this time knocking him halfway across the car.

Then he went and towered over Adam, placing a foot on his chest. “If you value your life, you will go with us to Fort Defiance and back up your sister’s story—that you paid Damon Stout to blow up the train and made it look as though the Navaho people were responsible. You made sure the blame was placed on my brother. You will go now and take that blame away.”

Adam’s thoughts were scrambled, and not only because Runner had hit him twice in a short time. It was what Runner had said about Stephanie. “What do you mean about Stephanie?” he stammered, trying to push Runner’s foot away from him. “About backing up her story?”

“She is at the fort even now telling the truth about what you have done,” Sage said, bending to one knee beside Adam. He grabbed Adam by the hair. “Her alliance is with the Navaho now, not a lying, double-crossing brother.”

“God, no,” Adam whined.

Runner slipped his moccasined foot away from Adam’s chest. He smiled as Sage yanked the white man back to his feet. Runner placed his rifle barrel against Adam’s chest. “You go, or I will shoot,” he said quietly.

“Runner, do you forget so easily the friendship that we had?” Adam pleaded, his eyes glued on the gun.

“That friendship was first forgotten by you,” Runner said, nudging him harder with his rifle.

“I’ll go,” Adam said, sweat pouring from his brow. “Just point that rifle somewhere else.”

Slowly Runner moved the rifle away from Adam’s chest, but he did not turn it totally away from him. “Go out and get on your horse and ride to Fort Defiance,” he said flatly. “And don’t try anything, Adam. This rifle will be leveled at your back the whole way.”

Adam scurried outside and nervously flung himself into his saddle. He gave Sage and Runner glares. “Once at the fort, when your rifle will be taken from you, I’ll laugh in both your faces,” he said, chuckling.

“The last laugh would be on you, if you are set free,” Runner warned. “Never will you be able to ride again in Navaho land. The first time you were alone, you would die quickly. If not by my gun, then by another Navaho’s. Perhaps even your sister might pull the trigger and end your pitiful life.”

Adam paled. He turned his eyes from Sage and Runner and rode off, understanding the warning and knowing that all of his dreams had gone up in smoke the very instant the train had exploded by his own orders.

Tears came to his eyes. And when Stephanie’s face came to his mind’s eye, he felt no scorn for what she was doing against him, only remorse for having caused her to turn her back on him.

Runner and Sage rode behind Adam. When they reached the fort, their rifle alerted the soldiers. One rode up on horseback and grabbed the gun from Runner.

Runner made no move to get it back. It was enough now that Adam was at the fort and knew that he must tell the truth, or die later, alone, never knowing when.

Runner, Sage, and Adam were ushered inside, where Stephanie still stood stubbornly before Colonel Utley’s desk. She turned and her eyes met Adam’s. She was torn by conflicting feelings. She ached for what they had been to one another, yet there was a part of her that felt no pity for him. She shifted her gaze to Runner and smiled.

Runner returned the smile. He and his father had known that she, alone, would not be able to get Thunder Hawk released. They had known that in this man’s world a woman’s word would not be enough. That was why they had ridden separate ways when Stephanie had headed for the fort. They knew that they would have to bring Adam in, themselves, to make a confession.

Stephanie stepped aside as they were ushered to the desk, to stand and be scrutinized by Colonel Utley.

“Sage . . . Runner, don’t tell me,” the colonel said gruffly. “This must be Adam. You’ve brought this man to exchange him for Thunder Hawk.”

“Only because Thunder Hawk is innocent and Adam is guilty,” Runner said, glowering over at Adam.

“Adam, what do you have to say for yourself?” Colonel Utley said, tapping his fingers on the desktop.

“You should release Thunder Hawk,” Adam said, fearing for his own life should he not tell the truth. His voice trembled. “I’m the one who should be behind bars. Me and Damon Stout. We are in this together.”

There was a hushed silence, then the colonel rose from his chair and went around to speak up into Adam’s face. “Do you realize what you’re saying?” he asked. “Are you doing this because you fear for your life? Are you being coerced?”

“I do fear for my life,” Adam said, swallowing hard. “But what I am saying is true. I paid Damon to blow up the train. I was wrong to do it. What else can I say?”

Everything happened quickly then. Adam was marched away, and soon Thunder Hawk was free, his face all smiles as he was first embraced by his father, then Runner, and then Stephanie.