Twenty Five

Diana slept so soundly she was unaware of Will’s return, only noticing him beside her when Compass woke them just before dawn with word that breakfast was ready. She fumbled with her buttons as she dressed, noticing that Will hadn’t even bothered getting out of his clothes from the night before.

When they stumbled to the cooking fire, they found Coyote bright and alert, already working on his second plate of eggs. "Hey, slowpokes. There's coffee, if you need it."

Diana raised her eyebrows. "Do you ever need any sleep?"

"I think the voices sustain him," Will muttered, pouring a cup of coffee.

Coyote shrugged. "I sleep when I can. Any time is good enough for me. Maybe I'll take a nap this afternoon."

"I might need to join you," Will said, sitting down beside him.

They looked up at the sound of horses’ hooves. Three young women emerged from the shadows, leading their horses. Jane moved into range of the campfire's glow and touched the brim of her hat. "Good morning. I'd have thought y'all would be ready by now."

"Just a few more minutes," Will said, getting to his feet. He motioned Diana forward. "Jane, I'd like you to meet my wife."

Jane shook Diana's hand, a vague pout hinting at her disappointment. "Nice to meet you. You've got a fine man." She introduced her companions, Dale and Bluebonnet, and they sat down to sip coffee and finalize strategy.

"We three should be able to take them out, no trouble," Will said. "So you may not have to do anything. Just keep an eye out for any who manage to get away."

"Roundups is what we're good at," Dale said.

Jane nodded. "Ellie Mae said you were in charge, so just tell us where to be and we'll make sure those bastards don’t get past us."