Redemption's Edge by Shirleen Davies Read Free Book Online Page A

Ellis.”
    “I did. He’s free to leave.” Dax closed the rear barn doors and turned to Hank. “Are you ready for our talk now?”
    “Sure am.” Hank followed him into the house and pointed toward an office. “I’ll get Bernice to bring us some coffee while you find your brother.”
    A short time later, the three men watched each other from large leather chairs and sipped their coffee. Dax’s eyes roamed over an accounting of the property Hank had scratched out on a piece of paper. He’d been meticulous at keeping records of purchases, payroll, and income from the cattle sold each year.
    “Pat kept things simple. He planned to come back and expand the herd, hire more men, maybe get into horse breeding for the army. He expected horse sales to grow with the expansion of forts out west. The cattle operation is profitable with enough coming in to pay the men, buy supplies, and enlarge the herd every year. He was a frugal man, but knew enough to pay the men well.” Hank scratched his stubbled jaw. “Took him over ten years to accumulate the land, and he had to fight off King Tolbert, the neighboring rancher, for every acre. He must’ve put every cent he had into this place. Damn shame he never got to finish his dream.”
    “What would need to be done to expand the herd, grow the way he intended?” Dax set the paper on the desk and leaned back. Yes, Pat had been frugal, which accounted for the large sum of cash in the bank.
    “More cattle and men, but that’s about it. There’s plenty of good grazing land and water, so those aren’t worries. Why? What are you thinking?” Hank needed answers.
    Dax looked toward Luke, then back at Hank. “Neither Luke nor I have ranching experience. Farming, shipping, and trade, but not cattle.”
    “You know business? How to keep what’s yours?”
    Dax’s eyebrows drew together as his eyes narrowed. “Explain yourself.”
    “This is rough country. We spend as much time fighting off bands of renegade Indians and land thieves as we do tending the cattle. Winters are merciless. Some years, we lose a third of the herd to weather and theft. You have to be prepared to kill and die if you run a place like this. It’s no business for the weak.” Hank leveled his gaze at Dax.
    This time, Luke’s eyes narrowed on Hank’s. He straightened in his chair, then leaned forward. “I don’t believe any man who’s served under his leadership would call Dax weak.”
    “That’s enough, Luke.” Dax’s calm voice held a slight censure. He didn’t need his past to defend him.
    “You two fight in the war?”
    “For the South.” Luke responded in a tight voice, ready to defend their decision to support the vote for secession.
    “Makes no difference to me on which side you fought. There were good men on both. What does matter is that living out here is another war. You have to decide if that’s what you want—to continue to fight for what you want every day of your life, or settle back into something more peaceful.”
    “Like being a Ranger?” There was no humor in Dax’s tone.
    Hank chuckled, then sobered. “Mind me asking where you two are from?”
    “Savannah, Georgia.” Luke set his empty cup on the desk.
    “Been there. I heard Sherman tore it apart. That true?” Hank could see the shadows pass over each brother’s face, looks of disgust and pain, which told him the talk was accurate. “Well, this is as good a place as any to build a new life.” He pushed up from his seat and stood when he heard commotion from out front, then loud pounding on the front door before it flew open and Bull Mason, one of the hands, entered the study.
    “We’ve got trouble. Tolbert’s foreman is riding in with some of his men. They don’t look like they want to talk.”
    All three men followed Bull outside to see a group of riders approaching.
    “You recognize them?” Dax asked Hank.
    “The one in the lead has been with Tolbert several months. His name is Drake. Mean hombre who