Forty-four

Late afternoon brought a thunderstorm, welcome rain for parched ground and browning grass. Lloyd walked out of the new barn and looked up at dark skies. He’d felt uneasy ever since yesterday. What are you up to, Pa? He ached to be with his father, worried if Jake had found anything from his past, and what it would do to him if he had. Once in an outlaw frame of mind, there was no stopping him, and Jake Harkner didn’t always think straight when he was like that.

He saw another fancy buggy coming over the rise toward the homestead. It couldn’t be Gretta. She’d gone back to Denver only six days ago…to wait. And there couldn’t be news about Jake yet. He would only have arrived in south Texas a day or two ago.

He closed the bottom half of the barn doors and walked farther out into the rain, not caring that he was getting wet. The cool rain felt good, and he thanked God for it. He took off his hat and shook his long hair behind his shoulders and let the rain pour through it before walking to his still-saddled horse. He hooked his hat over the pommel of his saddle and mounted up, riding out to greet whoever was coming.

Terrel rode beside the buggy, and as it drew closer, Lloyd realized who it was. Peter Brown. “What the hell?” Where was Treena? He rode at a faster gait to intercept the buggy before it reached the houses.

“Peter!” he called out. He’d never known how to feel about the man. Peter was the lawyer responsible for getting his father’s prison sentence reduced—the sentence that had sent Jake to ride as a U.S. Marshal in the most dangerous, godforsaken part of the country. Peter was also the reason the family had been able to move to Colorado for a better life, and last summer he’d come to Denver to help keep Jake’s neck out of a noose.

What he hated about the man was that he’d done none of it for Jake. It was because he was in love with Randy Harkner. Even though the man was married, Lloyd wasn’t fond of him visiting. Last summer he’d come with his wife, and she’d been greatly impressed by the J&L and wanted to come back. So why wasn’t she here with him now?

Peter waved with one hand, then drew the horse pulling what was likely a rented buggy to a halt. “Lloyd!” he shouted. “By God, you’re looking good!” he added when Lloyd rode closer. “When I left here last summer, you were still pretty weak. I didn’t think you’d be looking this strong and robust.” He climbed out of the buggy and reached up to shake Lloyd’s hand.

Lloyd reached down and grasped Peter’s hand, squeezing lightly. “It’s been a long road, Peter.” He dismounted. “I still don’t think I could hold my own yet in a fist fight.”

Peter looked up at the strapping younger man. “Well, now, I wouldn’t want to bank on that if I was on the other side of your fist.” His grin faded. “What’s this Terrel tells me about Jake being gone? I didn’t expect that. He’s in Mexico? Going after Gretta MacBain’s daughter? For God’s sake, who knew that woman even had a daughter?”

Lloyd looked toward the main house, wondering if his mother had already seen the visitor arrive. “Peter, this isn’t a good time for you to be here. This is really hard on my mother. And where is Treena?”

Peter read the jealousy in Lloyd’s eyes, realizing he might as well be standing in front of Jake himself. Lloyd had never liked the idea that any other man loved his mother, and with Jake gone, Lloyd was going to make damn sure Jake Harkner’s wife was shielded from any man who would even consider getting anywhere close to the woman. Even Terrel, on the way in, had seemed a bit defensive.

The rain suddenly stopped, and it seemed almost too quiet, their voices softened by air that hung heavy with humidity.

“Lloyd, I swear I had no idea Jake was gone. How in hell could I know that? Treena is in France visiting relatives. She’ll be gone at least another month. I was caught up on my work, and this place is so beautiful and cool and such a tremendous relief from the heat and smoke and noise of the city—I just thought I’d take a couple of weeks and get away from it all instead of rambling around in that castle of a house we have in Chicago. Believe me, if I’d known Jake was gone, I wouldn’t have come, but I’m here now. At least let me talk to your mother. Maybe now is a good time for her to have a friend.”

Lloyd walked a few feet away, removing his hat and pushing some wet strands of his hair behind his ears. “Peter, she’s not totally herself. She’s scared to death my father won’t make it back this time, and frankly, so am I. I should be with him. It’s driving me crazy.” He faced Peter. “After riding with him over three years in No Man’s Land and both of us protecting each other’s asses…he took Cole with him, but that’s not the same. It should be me, but I have this place to run and three kids and another one on the way. And it would be even harder on my mother if both of us were gone.” He stepped closer. “This is fucking killing me! On top of going into danger down there to rescue that girl, Pa went to Brownsville. He grew up in Brownsville and hasn’t been back there since he left after killing his father. I don’t have to tell you what that means. One way or another I’m worried he’ll end up in a Mexican prison.”

Peter sighed and grabbed hold of the harness of the small, painted mare attached to the buggy. “Jesus,” he muttered. “Lloyd, I should go talk to your mother.”

Lloyd scowled. “Just go home, Peter. Go before she sees you.”

Peter looked up to him, unafraid in spite of the warning look in Lloyd’s dark eyes. This man and his father could be the most intimidating men on the face of the earth, but one thing he knew about them was they would never hurt a friend of Randy’s, and he’d damn well been that.

“I’m not going anywhere, Lloyd. Part of the reason I came is because Jeff Truebridge is worried. He told me Randy’s last letter sounded strange, and that was months ago. It’s not like Randy to not be herself, as you put it, even when Jake goes riding off. She’s always been strong and independent and confident in Jake’s abilities to take care of himself. What’s really going on?” He saw a flash of distrust and near guilt in Lloyd’s eyes.

Lloyd turned to Terrel, who still sat on his horse nearby. “Go on down to the bunkhouse, Terrel. I’ll handle this.”

“Sure, boss.” Terrel rode off, and Peter watched after him. He got the feeling the entire ranch was on some kind of alert, everyone on edge. Was it just over Jake? He noticed a woman come out onto the porch of the main house. With that long, dark hair, it had to be Evie. He looked back up at Lloyd.

“Tell me what the hell I’m dealing with here, Lloyd, because I am going to go down there and talk to Randy whether you like it or not. Help me know what to say to her. It might help her. Sometimes talking to a friend is a relief from family, because family is too close.”

Lloyd’s horse whinnied and turned in a circle, ending up between them. Lloyd smacked its rump and shoved the steed out of the way. “Get going, Strawberry!” He smacked the horse’s rump again, and it ran off, charging down the hill toward the barn.

Lloyd faced Peter. “They always head for home, no matter how far away.” He took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, his dark eyes telegraphing a warning as he took a deep drag.

“My God, Lloyd, from what I’m looking at, Jake Harkner will never die because he’s standing right in front of me. If looks could kill, I’d probably be dead, but thank God I trust you not to act on what you’re thinking right now.”

Lloyd sighed, taking hold of the buggy horse and turning it, leading it up and over the hill far enough that they were out of sight of the house. Peter followed, not quite sure if Lloyd wanted to talk or meant to beat him into the ground.

“Get into the goddamn buggy,” Lloyd told Peter.

Peter did as he was told, and Lloyd climbed into the front seat beside him, resting his elbows on his long legs. He took the reins and tied them around a hook to keep the horse still, then kept the cigarette between his lips as he spoke, a gesture Peter had often seen from Jake.

“Peter, between thinking I could be dying and her husband could be hanged, last summer was hard enough on my mother.” He smoked quietly for a moment, staring at the floor of the buggy, then finally took the cigarette from his lips. “What I’m going to tell you is in complete confidence. The whole family knows it has to be, even the boys and the ranch hands. As far as anyone knows, Brad Buckley has disappeared off the face of the earth, and good riddance.”

“Oh my God…don’t tell me.” Peter removed his hat and hung his head. “That judge told Jake if he took the law into his own hands one more time he’d go to prison. He—” He hesitated. “Please don’t tell me this has something to do with Randy.”

“It does.” Lloyd’s jaw flexed in repressed anger. “We had a barn fire. While we all fought that, Buckley and some other men made off with my mother.”

Peter covered his face. “Oh my God! God, no,” he groaned.

“You can imagine the rage my father was in. Him and me both. We went after them and…found her. Needless to say, they’re all dead and buried. We burned the line shack we found her in to the ground. My mother totally changed after that. It was like she was twelve years old. She clung to Pa like a scared kid clinging to her father…wouldn’t let him out of her sight. It took months for Pa to get her back to her normal self, or at least close to it. He loves the hell out of that woman.” He cast Peter another warning look. “As you well know.”

“You damn well don’t need to tell me that.”

Lloyd sighed and drew on the cigarette again, holding it between his fingers as he continued. “I never thought Pa could be so strong and stay sane after something like that, but he did it, for her. Mom was finally pretty much back to her old self, until Gretta came along. Gretta was desperate to help her daughter, and Jake was her last resort. She couldn’t get the law to help her, and the first man that went down there to rescue the girl never made it back.”

“But that didn’t stop Jake from going next,” Peter said with a hint of sarcasm. “God knows there isn’t an ounce of fear in that man.”

“You know Pa. Heaven forbid an innocent girl should be in trouble. He can’t stand the thought of a woman abused.”

“He had to know this would kill your mother, especially when she’s not long recovered from…” Peter stopped and rubbed at his eyes. “Goddamn it,” he muttered. “What did Buckley and his men do to her?”

Lloyd remained quiet for several long seconds. “Not what you think.”

“Did they beat her?”

“Yeah—pretty bad—but they didn’t break any bones. And let’s just say they humiliated her in the worst way. If I went into any more detail, I’d feel like I was betraying her. She’d die of shame if she thought you knew any of it. If she pretends everything is fine, you have to go along with it.”

Peter held his head in his hands. “Jesus God Almighty.” His voice broke as he spoke the words. “Damn it, Randy.”

Lloyd knew in that moment how much the man loved his mother. He spoke her name as lovingly and with as much agony as Jake would have. “She can’t know I told you,” he reiterated, “and I’m only telling you because, much as I resent your feelings for my mother, I know you care about her and about this whole family. And as Pa’s lawyer, you know there are some things you can’t talk about.”

“Of course not.” Peter raised his head, and a tear slipped down his cheek. “Lloyd, I have to talk to her. Just as a friend come to visit.” He sniffed and wiped his cheeks. “Maybe it will help get her mind off of Jake. It might be good for her to have a visitor.” He took a deep breath. “Is she really doing better?”

“She was till Pa left for Mexico. I see the desperate fear in her eyes that he won’t make it back this time. What he’s doing is really dangerous, and one man has already died. The place where they took the girl is pretty heavily guarded. It’s just that Pa is determined to kill the man who owns the brothel—figures it’s the only way to stop the abduction of more young girls.”

Peter shook his head. “The man is determined to get himself shot or hanged, isn’t he? Heaven forbid he should die of old age—not a man like Jake.”

“That’s what scares us the most. I know how he thinks, and he’s thinking it’s his time. He belongs to another world, Peter, one we can only partly understand. Pa understands it best. If he makes it back, it will be for Mom, but I know what’s in his heart. He doesn’t want to be in this world anymore.” The gravity of it hit Lloyd suddenly, and he choked on the words. “None of us…can picture life without Jake Harkner in it. If he does come back, it won’t be because he’s fought for his life. I can tell there are times when he does want to die.

“But he’ll come back for my mother, because he promised her he would, like he’s done so many times in the past. It’s just that this time… I don’t know. I’m scared if he’s badly injured or something like that, or if he ends up in prison, he’ll give up.”

They sat there for a few minutes, not talking at all. Finally, Peter took a handkerchief from his suit pocket and blew his nose and wiped at his eyes. He put the handkerchief back, ran his fingers through his still-thick hair, and put on his bowler hat. “I’m going to the house, Lloyd. Just remember I’m a married man, and I do love my wife. But you know damn well I also love your mother and have for years. And in all those years, even when I was still single and she worked for me back in Guthrie…I never once tried to move in on your father. You have to believe that. Not only was I scared to death of the man, but I also respect him. And more than that, I respect your mother. Believe me, I am well aware of how much she loves your father. No man on the face of the earth could take his place in her heart. At least afford me the satisfaction of being here for her for a while and helping keep her mind off things. I can keep a conversation going—tell her what’s happening with Jeff—what my wife is doing—maybe take her for walks or a buggy ride. Anything to keep her from going crazy with the waiting.”

Lloyd wiped at his eyes with his shirt sleeve. “I guess that might help, but no buggy rides without one of the men going along. I promised Pa she’d never be left unguarded. I know you carry a gun yourself, but ever since last winter, Pa’s wanted extra protection for the women.” He looked at Peter, his eyes red. “Besides, I’m not about to let a handsome, wealthy lawyer who’s ten years younger than Pa go riding alone with my mother.” He grinned a little.

Peter smiled sadly. “I don’t blame you one bit.” He unwrapped the reins and whipped the horse into motion. He turned the buggy around and headed back over the hill to the three serene-looking log homes below, set against the magnificent backdrop of the Rocky Mountain foothills.

A beautiful woman with blond hair came out onto the veranda, which was bordered with three rows of rose bushes in full bloom. Randy loved roses. That much Peter knew. He also knew she kept her own secret brew of oil from rose petals and used it like a perfume. He’d smelled it on her before, even just standing beside her.

“My God, she’s so thin!” he remarked.

“Yeah. I should have warned you. She’s actually gained some weight. After last winter, she stopped eating. Pa was scared she’d die from malnutrition. He finally got her eating again, and she’s doing pretty good in that department. But don’t say anything about her weight. She might think she has to explain, and she won’t want to.”

“I understand.” Peter pulled up in front of the house, and Randy covered her mouth with her hands.

“Peter! Oh, my goodness, you couldn’t have picked a better time to visit!” Randy opened her arms as Peter stepped out of the buggy and walked up the steps to greet her. “I just took some of my bread out of the oven,” Randy told him as they embraced. “I know how much you love it. I’m so glad to see you. Come in! Come in!”

Peter kissed her cheek. “This place is a wonderful relief from big-city life,” he told her, “and nothing smells better than that bread you bake.”

They walked inside.

“Where is Treena?” Lloyd heard his mother ask.

“She’s in France, visiting family,” Peter answered. “She would have loved to come back out here and probably will again next summer. And I’m sorry to hear Jake isn’t here.”

“I’ll bet you are,” Lloyd said under his breath. He turned away. “Shit.” He felt like a damn jealous kid.