Chapter Three
Jared’s mood was black. He was not a man who handled frustration well. They had been tracking the outlaws for days, but once again had lost their trail in the rocky, mountainous terrain. He prided himself on being thorough, but he feared that he’d missed something where these robbers were concerned. The only clue he’d been able to find was a small scrap of cloth near the actual scene of the robbery. Tessa had said that she’d managed to rip the robber’s mask, and he hoped that this was the part she’d torn off. As far as clues went, it wasn’t much, but it was better than coming back completely empty-handed.
It had been Jared’s experience that men who resorted to robbery for a living weren’t very smart. This gang, however, was proving to be a challenge—and this was the kind of challenge Jared didn’t want in or around his town.
The posse was riding back into Durango now after almost a week on the trail—hot, tired and irritated by their lack of success.
“Any luck?” asked Nathan Wells, the deputy Jared had left in charge, as he came out of the jail to greet them.
“Luck? What’s that?” Jared answered in sarcastic disgust as he dismounted. He dismissed the rest of his men, then entered the office with Nathan. He quickly explained to him what had happened while they were on the outlaws’ trail. “How have things been around here?”
“It’s been quiet. There was one thing, though.”
“What happened?”
“Michael Sinclair was killed up at his mine,” the deputy told him.
“Damn.” He immediately thought of Tessa and her mother, and he could well imagine their pain. “How?”
“Will Kenner, one of the men who works at the Ace High with Michael, brought his body in. He said they were checking out an abandoned shaft, and one of the timbers gave way. Will was injured, too, but with the help of the other miners, he managed to dig Michael out.”
“How’s the family?”
“They’re doing as well as can be expected, I guess. I went to the funeral yesterday.”
Jared’s expression was grim. He’d known and liked Michael. “I’d better go over today and extend my sympathies. I need to ask Tessa a few more questions about the robbery, too.”
“It sounds like these boys are pretty slick,” Nathan said.
“They aren’t as slick as they think they are. They’re going to make a mistake, and when they do, I’m going to be ready and waiting for them,” he vowed.
Nathan nodded. He knew that anything Jared Trent set his mind to, he did. He had learned a lot during the time that he’d been working for him.
“How’s Butch doing?” Jared asked.
“He’s coming along. Dr. Murray says he’ll make it, but it’s going to take a while.”
“I’m just glad he’s going to be all right. It didn’t look good the other day.”
“What are you going to do about the robberies?”
“If we had any kind of physical description of the robbers, we’d stand a better chance of catching them. The way things are, though, we’re going to have to sit tight and see what they try next.” Jared didn’t like being made a fool of. “I can be a very patient man when I have to be.”
“Maybe we’ll get lucky, and they’ll move on.”
“Somehow, I don’t think that’s going to happen.” Jared gave him a sardonic grin as he started from the office. “I’m going to get cleaned up and then head over to the Sinclairs’ to pay my respects. I’ll see you in the morning.”
With that, Jared returned to the small house he rented in town. It was less than half an hour later when he approached the Sinclair home. He wasn’t looking forward to this interview, for he knew this had to be a terrible time for both Tessa and her mother. He knocked on the door and waited, hat in hand, to be let in.
“Marshal Trent.” Jim Russell, gray-haired man who lived at the boardinghouse, greeted him and held the door wide so he could enter. “Come in.”
“Thank you,” he said as he stepped inside. “How are things going?”
“Not too good,” Jim said sadly. “Michael was much too young to die.”
“Yes, he was,” Jared agreed. “Nathan Wells told me what happened. I’m sorry.”
“We all are. Maggie and Tessa are in here.” He directed him down the hall and into the parlor. “Your visit is most timely. Tessa and I were just getting ready to ride up to the Ace High with Will and pay a visit to the men there.”
Jared entered the parlor to find Tessa seated on the sofa next to her mother. She was wearing a day gown and had her thick hair tied back with just a simple ribbon. She looked ladylike and delicate; then, as she looked over toward him, he saw the bruise on her cheek. The mark was fading, but still visible, and the sight of the bruise, even now, had the power to trouble Jared.
“Tessa.” He said her name as he moved toward her, acknowledging her mother, too. “Miss Maggie.”
“Marshal Trent,” she responded quickly, as if surprised to see him. Then she quickly corrected herself: “I mean Jared. I hadn’t heard that you’d returned.”
“We got back to town less than an hour ago, and I heard the terrible news about Michael. I’m sorry about your loss.”
“So are we—but thank you,” Tessa replied quietly, still struggling to come to grips with what had happened.
“He was a good boy,” Maggie put in sadly. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without him.”
“You know Will and I are going to help you as much as we can,” Jim said in a reassuring tone as he went to stand by Maggie.
“Will Kenner?” Jared asked.
“Yes,” Tessa said. “He should be arriving any moment. He’s agreed to stay on at the mine and take over running things for us. He had worked for Michael for some months and knows how my brother wanted things done.”
“We’re very fortunate to have Will working for us,” Maggie said. “Why don’t you take a seat, Marshal.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Another knock sounded at the door just then.
“That’s probably Will now,” Jim said as he went to answer it.
When Jim returned, Will was with him.
“Will, have you met Marshal Trent yet?” Tessa asked, smiling in welcome when the tall, blond, sturdily built miner appeared in the parlor doorway.
“No, I haven’t,” Will said. He went to Jared and shook hands.
“It’s good to meet you. I understand you’re the one who tried to save Michael,” Jared said, noting Will’s injuries—a few small cuts and abrasions and bruises. He definitely had fared better in the cave-in than Michael had.
Will looked up at the lawman, taking care to keep his expression solemn. “I just wish I could live that day all over again. I’d make sure we never went down in that shaft.”
There was silence at his statement. There was nothing anyone could say. They all knew there was no changing the past.
“Tessa, there was another reason for my visit. If you have a moment?”
“Of course. Did you find something that will help us catch the robbers?” She was hopeful.
“As a matter of fact, I did want you to look at this and see if you recognize it.” He went to her and handed her the small piece of cloth he’d found.
Will went still at the sight of the material, but no one noticed. They were all too busy watching Tessa and waiting for her answer.
“Oh, yes,” she said softly as she handled the bit of material. “That’s what I tore from the robber’s mask!”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m positive.” Tessa looked up at him, the expression in her eyes suddenly brighter as she handed the scrap back to him. “Will this help you in any way?”
“I’m not sure, but I’m working on it.”
“So you still don’t know where they went to hide out or who they are?” Will asked casually.
“No. We lost the trail up in the mountains again,” Jared answered, looking over at Will. “Whoever they are, they certainly know the area.”
“I just wish you’d caught them,” Tessa said quietly.
“So do I,” he agreed in a flat tone, irritated by his lack of success. “And we will catch them—eventually.”
“I hope so.” Tessa sounded less than convinced. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to get ready to go up to the mine with Will and Jim. Will you be needing me for anything else over the next few days?”
“No, not unless something unusual comes up.”
“Fine. I’ll check in with you when we get back, then.” Tessa rose and left the room.
“Marshal Trent, thank you so much for coming by,” Maggie said with heartfelt sincerity. “It was very thoughtful of you.”
“I really am sorry about Michael. He was a good man.”
“You’re very kind,” she said, looking at him with a tear-filled gaze. “It’s just such a tragedy. No one should ever die that young.”
“Miss Maggie, are you going to be all right if I make this trip with Tessa?” Jim asked solicitously.
The older woman looked at her longtime boarder and smiled sadly. “I’ll be all right. Sludge will be here, and Henry, too. Besides, you and Tessa won’t be gone that long, will you?”
“No. We should be back in less than a week.”
Jared rose and said his good-byes to Miss Maggie, Jim, and Will. He left the parlor and headed down the hall, showing himself out. Tessa had just started back downstairs when he caught sight of her on the stairs. She had pulled her hair back and had styled it into a long braid. She was wearing pants, a blouse, a vest, and riding boots, and the vision caused him to stop. She had said she had to go change, and this was quite a change.
“Are you leaving?” Tessa asked when she saw him standing there.
“Yes, ma’am.” Jared had seen her dressed this way before, but it had always been from a distance around town. He’d never been this close to her, and he had to admit that she was quite an attractive sight in pants. He was immediately irritated with himself for having the thought. He hadn’t come here to ogle Tessa Sinclair’s legs. “You have a safe trip to the mine.”
“Thanks.”
Jared was scowling as he left the house.
The trek to the Ace High was not an easy one, but Tessa, Will, and Jim planned to make it in little over a day. They camped out about halfway for the night and were up at dawn and ready to ride.
Tessa knew some of the ladies in town criticized her because she occasionally made these trips, but she ignored their remarks. The one good thing was that there had never been any questioning of her virtue. Not that she would have wasted time defending herself. She had work to do and couldn’t be bothered worrying about other people’s pettiness. She knew she had nothing to be ashamed of, and that was all that mattered.
“We’re almost there,” Will remarked as he led the way up the last mile of the winding trail to the mine site.
“It’s going to seem strange not to see Michael,” she said softly, girding herself for what was to come. It was going to be painful, but she knew it was important that she speak to the miners about the changes that were taking place.
Will’s expression was troubled and his tone regretful as he said, “If there had been any way I could have saved him—”
“I know, Will. You did everything you could,” Tessa said. She could imagine how difficult it must have been for him to have survived while her brother had died.
“Mines can be dangerous places. You always have to be careful,” Jim said. “One mistake can—”
“Prove deadly,” Tessa finished sadly, then looked at Will.
Will had been very supportive, and she appreciated his willingness to help them run the mine. She had done some mining of her own and could have taken charge, but it was better to have Will there supervising things. That way she could still concentrate on the boardinghouse, for her mother wasn’t able to run it by herself.
“I want to tell the men that nothing is more important than their welfare,” she went on. “I don’t want you to take any risks. Hitting a mother lode would be a wonderful thing, but all the riches in the world aren’t worth one man’s life.”
“They’ll appreciate your concern,” Will answered, knowing full well that Zeke would. It would be just the excuse he needed not to work very hard.
Tessa fell silent as the Ace High came into view. The few small buildings that served as the office and housing for the men, and the mine’s reinforced entrance, were all that marked its location. On past trips, Michael had always come rushing out to meet her. He’d been eager to see her and to tell her the progress they’d been making. Now only silence greeted her. Those wonderful days she’d spent with her brother were gone forever.
They reined in and dismounted. Will came to walk by Tessa’s side as she headed for the office, while Jim tended the horses for them.
Will was quite satisfied with the way everything was going, though he was having a difficult time not watching Tessa every minute. He’d always thought her attractive, but dressed as she was now, he wanted her in a bad way. He would have to control his desire for her until the time was right, though, and it wasn’t going to be easy if every time she came up to the mine to speak with him about business, she looked like this. He fought to keep from touching her as he opened the door for her and let her enter the office ahead of him. His baser needs urged him to take her, but he controlled himself. It wasn’t often in life that things came easily to him, and he wasn’t about to ruin this—not when he finally had everything set up so perfectly. He would have Tessa Sinclair. There was no doubt in his mind about that. One day in the not-too-distant future, she would be his—in all ways.
Will fought back a smug smile as he watched her move about the deserted office. He could tell that she was looking for signs of her brother. He remained quiet for a while to let her come to grips with the reality of the situation.
“Do you want me to call the men now? I’m sure Zeke and Bob will be glad to see you.”
“That’ll be fine—and before I leave, I want to go into the mine. I want to see where Michael . . .”
“Are you sure about that?” Will asked. “It’s probably not all that safe in there. I told the boys to seal up the shaft good and tight.”
“It’s something I have to do,” she answered simply. “But get the men first.”
Will left her there in the office and went to call the miners. It took a few minutes for Zeke and Bob to emerge from the mine.
“You’re back,” Zeke remarked with a nasty smile. “How did things go in town?”
“Keep your voice down,” Will ordered. “Miss Tessa and Jim Russell rode up with me. She wants to talk to you two.”
“Us? Why?” Bob asked fearfully.
Will pinned him with a cold-eyed, deadly glare as he said with a snarl, “You take care what you say, Bob. I’d hate for you to have a mining accident, too!”
Bob swallowed nervously and nodded. “I will, I will.”
“Good. Things went fine in town.” He turned back to Zeke and answered his question. “I’m going to be in charge of running the mine now. Miss Tessa’s here just to talk with you about everything that went on, that’s all.”
“Where is she?” Zeke asked. He was annoyed that he had to act like he cared about Michael.
“She’s up in the office waiting for you, so come on,” Will said, not looking forward to this at all.
Jim was there with Tessa when Will returned with the two miners.
“Tessa, you’ve met Bob and Zeke before, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” she said softly, looking up at the three men who she’d heard had tried so hard to rescue her brother. “And I just wanted to thank you for what you did,” she told them earnestly.
“What we did?” Bob’s voice was almost a squeak.
“She gave him a gentle smile. “Will told me how hard you worked trying to save Michael after the cave-in. I want you to know how very grateful my mother and I are for your courage and bravery. Thank you so much for trying to help him.”
Zeke nodded toward her. “It’s just a shame we couldn’t get him out in time.”
“I know. Michael loved the Ace High,” Tessa said softly. “And I want to keep things running as close to normal as we can. I already told Will that I don’t want you to take any risks with this mine. All the money in the world isn’t worth one person’s life. So please be careful.”
“We will, ma’am,” Bob promised.
She graced him with a smile. “Will? Can you show me where it happened?”
“Come with me.”
“Jim, do you want to come?”
“No. I’ll wait here for you.”
Will escorted Tessa from the house to the mine entrance. They picked up a lantern and started into the darkened interior. It didn’t take long to reach the barricaded opening to the abandoned shaft.
“This is it,” Will told her in a strained voice, looking sorrowful.
Tessa stood before the boarded-up shaft, staring at the newly devised blockade. A part of her wanted to see the exact spot of the cave-in, but she knew it was best to stay where she was. She lifted one hand to touch the barrier, and a rush of emotion swept over her, sending a chill down her spine. Her imagination played terrible scenes of Michael’s death before her. Tears filled her eyes, and she bit her lip to keep from crying. After a long moment she looked up at Will. He was standing nearby.
“Thank you. I’ve seen enough.”
Relief washed through Will as he walked with her from the mine. “Is there anything else you can think of that we haven’t discussed? Anything else you’re concerned about?”
“No. I’ll make sure the payroll gets to you on time, the first of the month. If you find that you need anything, just send word to us.”
“I will.”
They emerged from the mine’s cool darkness into the brightness of the late afternoon sun.
“Will you be starting back now or do you want to spend the night and ride back first thing in the morning?”
“Seeing as how it’s so late, I think it’ll be best if we ride out at sunup,” she told him.
Will left her with Jim then, and went to straighten up the room that Michael had used as his own. She needed a private place to spend the night.
It was much later, well after midnight in fact, when Will lay in his own bed, awake and restless. As tired as he was, he figured he should have fallen asleep long ago, but rest was proving elusive as his mind conjured up image after image of Tessa. Tessa as she’d looked at the funeral . . . Tessa clad in pants walking before him . . . Tessa, even now, sleeping in the room behind the office not so very far away from him.
Will gave a low, frustrated growl and rolled over. There was no denying that he desired her, and he wondered how long he would have to wait before he could make her his. He hoped it wasn’t too long. He wasn’t the kind of man who liked to wait for his pleasure, and he knew he was going to find much pleasure in her arms.