bring in the rest of our belongings,” Hawk volunteered. “Shiloh, will you build a fire?”
She shivered from the chill. “With pleasure.”
Hawk grabbed the matchbox and an armload of logs then dropped them near the entrance. When he disappeared from sight, Shiloh stacked the logs as her brothers had taught her.
“That’s not the Apache way,” Fletch commented. “Palefaces don’t know beans about smokeless fires that don’t attract unwanted attention. Spread out the logs a bit, Shiloh, and arrange them in a circular fashion.”
“And naturally the Apache way is the right way,” she countered, tossing him an impish grin.
He returned her smile. “It is, if you don’t want the cavern to fill up with smoke and force us out into the rain.”
Shiloh took his suggestion and rearranged the logs. To her amazement the fire burned clean, giving off little smoke.
“Where are you from, Shiloh?” Fletch asked as he massaged his injured leg.
“She won’t say,” Hawk answered for her as he entered, laden down like a pack mule. “She’s afraid I’ll ferret out her last name and hold her for ransom.”
“Smart woman.” Fletch tossed her an approving smile. “It’s nice to finally meet a female who has enough sense to keep her mouth shut occasionally.”
“She’s skeptical and cautious because she thinks I’m part of the outlaw gang I infiltrated three months ago,” Hawk elaborated. “Even when I flashed my badge she didn’t believe me. She thought I had stolen it, along with this….”
He fished into the saddlebags to retrieve the stacks of bank notes. Fletch’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“When I made off with the bandits’ loot, Shiloh presumed I took it for personal gain.”
“Considering our mixed heritage, what else would you think?” Fletch focused his resentful gaze on Shiloh.
“Now wait just a blasted minute!” Shiloh snapped as she lurched toward Fletcher. Pain and weariness made her irritable and sensitive. “As I told your brother, it isn’t his heritage that makes me wary. It’s being male. But after he saved my life a couple of times I have revised my low opinion of him. Somewhat, at least. But just because you’re brothers doesn’t mean I’ll take your word. I’d expect you to vouch for him.”
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