CHAPTER 8
“Been wonderin’ where you were,” Tom said from the shadows.
“Get any answers yet?” Dev asked, coming toward the group—outlaws and Flying C men all together—in the middle of the barn’s open space.
“Mm-hm. Got ’em all.”
There was a secret smile in Tom’s expression that made Dev stop, cock his head, and watch him. “Enlighten me, Tom.”
“Seems Aaron Miles has sunk to new depths to get his hands on this place.”
“How’s that?” Dev approached again, and they both walked into the group of men, who parted as they drew near. It was no secret Miles had coveted the Flying C for years.
“Well, ol’ Harve, here, decided he would talk, after all, when I mentioned a few—ah—skills I had, and offered to demonstrate. Main thing is, Miles wants this place for two reasons: the good water source for the animals, and the rumor that there’s gold buried on your land from a bank robbery that took place over in Arkansas a few years back. These are his men who were charged to get the Flying C, no matter what. Kill you, or kidnap the children for a trade of the deed to the ranch—all this because Alex wouldn’t cooperate. Guess Miles got tired of waiting for his plans to unfold.”
“So…Alex was in on it—” Disappointment hit him like a fist in the gut.
Tom held up a quick hand. “No. Miles evidently offered his only daughter, Deborah, to Alex; offered him his own spread, the Rocking M, after they were married. Then, Miles planned to move in and take over here—merge the two.”
“What happened?”
“Your brother’s smart.” Tom said with a slow grin. “He knew something didn’t ring true with the ‘offer’ Miles made him. His daughter, Deborah, is Miles’s pride and joy—pure Anglo, and—” He shook his head. “Not for the likes of…well, someone like Alex.”
“Pride and joy, huh? Why would Miles offer her to my brother? Same thought must have occurred to Alex,” Dev mused. “He wants this place badly. But there’s no gold buried here. He’d be disappointed.”
Tom shrugged. “Yeah. That part about the money from the bank robbery bears some lookin’ into, though, Dev. Rumors get started somewhere. Anyhow, Alex was coming here to talk it all over with you. But he got shot and hit on the head. The plan was for him to marry Deborah Miles and eventually for her to convince him to do away with you. ’Course, he didn’t know any of that—yet. And I don’t believe she did, either. All he knew was that Miles was pushing Deborah at him, when normally, he wouldn’t have wanted his precious white daughter within ten miles of someone like Alex.
“Miles knew there was bad blood between you two and thought to take advantage of that. When it didn’t seem to work out between Alex and Deborah, he came up with the kidnapping idea.”
“Son of a bitch!”
“Yeah.” Tom nodded his agreement, his stare piercing. “Time to take care of business.” Dev gave him an affirmative look and stepped forward into the circle of men.
“We’ll take ’em into town, Boss,” Dell said, and several of the other hands nodded their agreement.
“’Course…it might take us four or five days to get ’em there,” Terry added, with a slow grin.
“And ain’t no tellin’ if they’ll be dead or alive when we do get there, either,” Tom said quietly, bending a steady gaze on Harve, who seemed to pale a little beneath his dark complexion.
Dev walked over to look at the man he’d shot. He was almost done in. The man Tom had clubbed lay still, awake, but trying not to move. Harve and the one called Curly both sat leaning against the wall of a stall.
Curly was so young—younger than Alex, Dev thought. And he looked frightened. Harve tried to draw his bravado around him like a cloak, feigning disinterest in everyone and everything.
Dev squatted in front of him. “What Tom told me…is all that true?”
Reluctantly, Harve nodded.
“Miles must be paying a lot for men like you… Mercenaries. Killers.” Dev paused. “Kidnappers.”
“We wasn’t gonna hurt them kids,” Harve muttered. He jerked a thumb at Curly. “An’ your brother was an accident. The idiot, here, got trigger-happy. Thought he was you. We didn’t know if he was alive or dead. Prob’ly would’ve bled to death, or frozen, if your men hadn’t found him when they did. Just plain ol’ bad luck.” He shot Curly—the “idiot”—a quick glance.
Curly cringed back against the wall. “It was you what hit him in the head—both times!”
“Shut up, you little bastard!” Harve shouted.
Dev rose, his fists clenched. “I oughtta shoot both of you and be done with it,” he growled. “Anyone who steals children from their beds deserves whatever comes their way.”
“Please, Mr. Campbell!” Curly begged. “I won’t never do nothin’ like that again!”
“You’re damn straight you won’t!” Dev fired back. “You’re going to jail. Judge’ll decide what’ll happen, but horse thieving is a capital offense, so just imagine what kidnapping’ll bring down on your heads!”
At this, Curly gasped and began to cry.
Harve gave him a disgusted look. “You damn tit-bag!”
“Shut your mouth, Harve, or I’ll carve you up like I promised—startin’ with your tongue,” Tom said quietly.
Harve glanced away, but fell silent.
“What do you want to do?” Tom asked Dev as they walked away a few steps for privacy.
Dev pulled off his Stetson, raked a hand through his hair, and replaced the hat. “I have to ride into town come daylight. I’ll go with you and speak to Sheriff Briscoe. I want to ask him to go light on Curly, over there.”
Tom’s eyes showed a flicker of relief at Dev’s words. He gave a quick nod of approval. “Prob’ly for the best. We’ll be ready to ride come dawn.”
Sudden weariness swept over Dev. “Thanks, Tom. I appreciate—everything.”
Tom flashed a rare smile. “Go rest. I think that kidnappin’ was harder on you than anything—even harder than fallin’ in love so hard and fast.”
“Fallin’ in lo—I’m not—Tom, I swear, if anybody else said such a thing to me—”
“But, they didn’t. And if you didn’t trust me, you could discount it.” He chuckled at Dev’s bewildered look. “I figure we’ll be hearin’ wedding bells by New Year’s Day.”
He turned and walked away, and Dev could’ve sworn he heard another soft chuckle drift back to him in the frigid air.
• ♥ •
Julia was torn between going to sit with Alex or sitting beside Lauralee and thanking God for delivering her back home to safety.
She made her way to Alex’s room first. He still slept, but his fever was up. That hadn’t changed since she’d checked last. She’d done everything for him she knew how—which, admittedly, wasn’t much. But between her and Pete, they’d done no more than a doctor could, she surmised. Still, it would be good to have a real doctor come and check him over. Two hard knocks to the head couldn’t be a good thing. And though Elmer had seemed to be experienced at removing the bullet, a doctor might be able to somehow bring the fever down.
She sponged some water between Alex’s parched lips and brushed his dark hair back from his forehead. With a silent promise to return soon, she turned to go, only to be drawn up short by his hand grasping her wrist.
She looked down at him anxiously. Dark eyes opened slowly.
“Don’t…go. Stay with…me.”
She nodded. “I’ll be right back. I want to go check on the children.”
He regarded her for a few seconds, as if he were trying to discern the truth of her words.
“I promise, Alex. I—just want to be sure they’re safe.” Her voice sounded strained. “I’ve been so worried. All night.”
“Safe, now?”
She realized he didn’t know what had happened. He’d been asleep. She smiled at him. “Yes. Yes—they’re fine. Dev and some of the others rode out and found the kidnappers. They brought them back and rescued the children.”
Alex smiled. “There’ll be…hell to pay. Dev won’t—won’t allow…that.”
“No. I am so relieved. Everyone’s safe.”
“Think…maybe…a doctor…”
Alarmed, she put her hand on his forehead again. So hot.
“I’ll tell Dev—”
Alex shook his head slowly. “No…he won’t…not for me. Maybe Tom…”
Julia’s heart broke at the certainty in Alex’s voice—and the hurt at his brother’s uncaring—he tried so hard to mask. How could Dev not help his own brother? No matter what had come before, Alex was wounded. He needed care. Anger shot through her. What she wouldn’t give to be able to have the chance to do more for her own sister, or Jerome—who’d had no one to support him at all!
“I’ll be back,” she assured Alex. “Don’t worry. I’ll see we get you a doctor—if I have to go for him myself.”
• ♥ •
Julia marched down the hallway with a quick glance inside her room to be certain Lauralee was still snuggled into bed. Her niece slept soundly, and the room was warm, the small fire burning steadily in the fireplace.
She left her door partially open, then strode purposefully to Dev’s door and opened it without knocking. She’d check on Jamie, and then she’d go to the barn in search of Dev. She’d insist that—
Dev turned swiftly as the door opened, his hand flashing downward for the gun he hadn’t removed yet.
Julia gasped. Dev cursed. Then they both stared at one another in silence.
“Shut the door, Miss Julie,” Dev said in a mocking tone. He replaced the gun in the holster. “You almost got yourself shot. That would be one hell of an ending to this perfect day.”
Julia, having been trained to keep her composure no matter the circumstances, pretended she’d seen plenty of half-naked men in her life. Dev stood before the washing stand, a damp rag in his hand as he turned back to the mirror to finish washing his face. “Feels like I’ve been buckshot,” he muttered.
“Maybe the weather…” Julia took a step toward him, then glanced at where Jamie lay asleep in the big bed.
He nodded. “That snow turned to sleet for a spell. We were riding into it yesterday.”
“Let me see.”
Dev turned to face her. “Nothin’ to be done. It’ll be all right.”
But her fingers skimmed the hard planes of his face gently, bringing what comfort she could with her light touch.
He closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at her straight on. “Julie…”
Her name on his lips was like a whispered prayer. Desire flamed through her…sharp, burning. This need was something she hadn’t known existed. The kiss they’d shared earlier had only made her want more of the same—and whatever else lay beyond a kiss. Whatever magic came between men and women…couples who loved…it was past time she captured that for herself.
• ♥ •
There was no mistaking the desire in Miss Julia Jackson’s beautiful blue eyes, staring up at him as she was now. His must be a darker mirror image.
Do something! He mentally kicked himself, then immediately wondered, what? He was an honorable man. He would not take advantage of her. She was young…so innocent.
She had asked him to marry her. The thought of her halting proposition wound around his heart and squeezed.
It was, of course, the only thing to do—love, or not, between them. There must be right and wrong, despite everything else. Propriety must be maintained.
Granted, the circumstances of the night had taken off like a runaway horse in a thunderstorm, but by the look on her face, she hadn’t forgotten—and neither had he.
She stepped closer, and there was nothing more natural than to take her into his arms. Though he wore no shirt, neither of them hesitated.
She laid her head on his shoulder as if it were a familiar gesture—one she did often. But her shyness told him more than words could ever say.
“Julie—” He’d wanted to broach the subject of marriage. To make sure she knew he agreed. Marriage between them would be for the best. Her reputation would be ripped to shreds if it wasn’t done soon.
But she lifted her head and put her lips to his, stealing his words and his intentions. The kiss she began was so tentative, so uncertain—and he knew it was because she was unsure of his desire, and not her own.
She pulled away slightly, looking up at him as their lips parted.
He had to say something while he had a brief moment of sanity. This woman had the power to steal all thought.
“About us getting married—” he blurted, still holding her.
She pulled back even further, saying, “Alex needs a doctor.”
Puzzled, he watched her as she nervously sank her teeth into her lower lip.
“He says you won’t go for one…not for him.”
“What? Of course I will! I’d already planned to ride in at dawn. We’re taking the prisoners in, and—”
“Go now, Dev. It would mean so much to him.”
He regarded her for a few seconds in silence. What difference—hell, he wasn’t even going to ask! She had it in her mind that he needed to make a special trip in to town—
“He believes he’s not that important to you.”
Dev gave a short laugh.
“I know it would be more practical to wait a few hours. But sometimes—practicality can be a vice. Sometimes, a person wants to know they’re cared for and valued—” She broke off, obviously aghast at the feelings she’d brought to light. “Just—just for being them,” she finally went on. “They—like to know they can be thought of as special—oh, Dev, I hope you’ll go.”
“Why is it so important to you?
She squared her shoulders. “You spoke of our marriage. I have to know what kind of a man I’ll be marrying…if I’ll be marrying. And…I promised Alex I’d go, if you didn’t.” She looked him intently. “And I mean to do just that.”
“It means that much?” His breath halted at the look she gave him—determined, but not defiant.
“It means everything.”
He couldn’t keep the sudden worry from his expression. “Is he—worse than we thought?”
She nodded. “His spirit is wounded.”
Well…that Dev could certainly understand. He gave a deep sigh. He’d planned to sleep a couple of hours, but going for Doc Tanner now was clearly important as hell to Julie.
He reached for his shirt and pulled it on again.
“Oh, thank you, Dev!”
He had to admit, to see that kind of joy and happiness in her eyes, he’d go without sleep another twenty-four hours if he had to.