by E. E. Burke
As Jake’s hot lust for blood cooled, his heart spasmed with regret. He had never lost control like that before. He would have beat his cousin to death if someone had not stopped him.
The mud made a sucking sound when he pulled his knees out of it. He tried to stand, grabbed at the stabbing in his side, couldn’t draw more than a cupful of air without his ribs catching fire. His whole body radiated pain. Did Tsa-li feel this bad?
“What’s the problem, gentlemen?” The commanding voice belonged to a soldier. Emblems on his coat identified him as an officer.
Jake bit off a curse. Bad enough he had let Charley goad him into a fight. To draw unwanted attention from the army was the last thing they needed. He wiped his mouth. His fingers came away smeared with a mixture of blood, dirt and spittle.
“Pers’nal matter,” he mumbled around a split lip.
Charley groaned as he rolled over and gathered his knees under him. He would not be going after Kate in that condition.
Jake offered his hand.
His cousin ignored it. He stumbled to his feet. Blood dripped from his nose, which canted to one side. Jake felt no pride for the damage his fists had done. He had not wanted to injure Charley, only stop him.
“Show’s over. Move on,” the officer instructed the remaining crowd. Surprisingly, his pistol remained holstered and no other soldiers accompanied him. They usually traveled in packs.
Disappointed grumbles faded as spectators shuffled into the saloon. A few holdouts clustered behind the hitching rail.
The bluecoat remained in Jake’s line of vision, or what little vision he had left through one eye. “Are you Mr. Colston? The man who accompanied Miss Parsons into the hotel?”
Jake hid his surprise. He’d never seen the man before, yet the officer knew his name. “Who wants to know?”
“Major Bradford.”
Bradford. His wife owned the hotel. Kate had said she was married to a soldier. Had Eden remembered him and sent her man after him? Redbird might have flown to the authorities after she found him missing. That being the case, another lie would not help. “I have a room at the hotel. Stepped out to get a drink.”
The major glanced at Charley, who continued to wipe blood off his face. “Looks like you found trouble.”
Jake downplayed the fight with a shrug. He had to give Charley a way out while letting his cousin know he would not leave Kate defenseless. “We had a disagreement. This man is leaving. I’ll head back to the hotel.”
“No, you won’t.” A tall bearded man in a dark suit strode up to them. He invaded Jake’s space, ignoring the officer’s attempt to stop him. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“Mr. Stevens, let me handle this.”
So, this was Henry Stevens, the man they called Chief. The expensive suit, the way he stormed in and took charge, fit with the arrogant picture Kate had painted of the man she disagreed with. The man she didn’t love. When she admitted as much, Jake had never been happier about anything in his entire life.
Stevens clenched his fists. The angry glare felt personal, even though they had never met. “Well, Major? Aren’t you going to question them?”
“Fool,” Charley muttered in Tsa-la-gi.
He wasn’t talking about Stevens.
His response drew a suspicious look from the major.
Charley tensed like a cougar read to pounce. His hand lowered. He could strike faster than a snake with that knife in his boot.
Jake moved between his cousin and the two men. Charley would have to kill him first. “What is the problem?” he asked the red-faced man in front of him.
The railroad chief pointed a finger in Jake’s face. “You stole our payroll. Then you dragged Miss Parsons into your sordid scheme.”
Disbelief descended in an icy waterfall down Jake’s spine. Had Kate...? No, she wouldn’t, and she didn’t know about the theft.
Before he could react, Charley broke and ran for the hitching rail. He leapt into the saddle, wheeled his horse around and waved a gun he’d pulled out of the saddle holster. The remaining loiterers scattered.
“Run Little Brother!” he yelled in Tsa-la-gi. “Run away or die!
“Tell him to dismount and put his weapon down before someone gets hurt.” The major drew his gun at the same time he locked his fingers around Jake’s upper arm. The soldier’s hold would not have stopped him, had he decided to flee. This time, he refused to run. He had to stay and make sure Kate would be safe, even if she’d betrayed him.
Jake shifted in front of the officer to block a clear shot. Charley crouched low over his horse’s neck and thundered down the street into the darkness.
“Damn it! Don’t let him get away!” Stevens pulled a revolver from a holster at his waist. He took aim at the fleeing figure.
Jake jerked free from the major’s hold to strike the other man’s arm.
A deafening crack resounded. Smoke burned in his nose.
He wrestled Stevens for the revolver to prevent the hothead from shooting Charley in the back. Stevens plowed his elbow into Jake’s injured ribs. He dropped to his knees with a grunt, bent over with pain, unable to straighten.
The furious railroad man clutched his gun in both hands. “By God, I ought to blow your head off.”
“Put away the firearm,” the major ordered. “We won’t get answers from a dead man.”
Jake’s hand sank in the mud as he slumped over. These two wouldn’t let him anywhere near Kate. He’d be arrested, locked up, unable to protect her. At least she hadn’t come after him on her own, the smartest decision she’d made thus far.
He slid an appraising glance at the railroad chief, who’d finally put his gun away. However Stevens had come to his suspicious, he must’ve corralled Kate and filled her in.
Her reaction would’ve been disbelief first, then hurt, and then...well, she might’ve given Stevens the gun. He’d clearly made up his mind to go after whoever had taken Kate and his money. Impossible to say which upset him more.
Jake bit back a groan of pain. As much as he hated it, he had no choice. He had to ask this man to watch over Redbird. “Is Kate Parsons your woman?”
“Damn right she is,” Stevens muttered.
Kate didn’t agree. But if Stevens believed it to be the case, he should protect her.
Jake challenged the man’s angry gaze. “No matter what she says, do not leave her alone.”
Chapter 17
Kate twisted her hair into a loose knot, allowing a few curls to frame her face. She no longer felt the need to smooth her hair. Jake had told her he liked the way it looked…and felt.
She’d hurried through a cold bath, would’ve preferred to have it heated, didn’t want to take the time. Not when she needed to talk to Jake to find out what was bothering him and tell him about her uncomfortable conversation with Major Bradford.
As soon as she’d finished arrangements for supper with Eden, the Major had appeared and started asking questions. She’d given him the same story she told his wife. Jake was a Cherokee representative in town to negotiate an agreement with her father.
Major Bradford’s gaze remained friendly. She sensed he didn’t believe her. Eden had once remarked her husband could detect falsehoods like a hound sniffing out a rabbit. He had certainly put his nose to the ground, asking what Jake looked like, where Kate had met him, where he’d come from. She stuck to her story. At last, the Major lost the scent and stopped asking questions.
Kate selected a navy skirt and cream jacket with matching stripes. After making do with quick cleanups in creeks, it was a blessed relief to return to civilization. Another reason she should not pursue any permanent relationship with Jake. He couldn’t afford more than the basic necessities.
Still, did it really matter that he was poor? She wasn’t. Money wasn’t the issue anyway. If she chose to wed an Indian, her father would never let her near his beloved railroad. Her hopes for running it would vanish faster than a wisp of smoke.
Kate stared in the mirror a
t her unhappy expression. The idea of taking the reins on her father’s business didn’t excite her as much as it had when she’d first arrived. The thought of being with Jake, on the other hand, grew more appealing by the day.
If Jake wanted her to stay with him, he would’ve said so. As it was, he’d insisted they go their separate ways after the meeting with her father. He was right. They were from two different worlds and weren’t meant for each other.
So why did it feel like part of her would be ripped away when he said goodbye?
A knock rattled her door.
Her heart leapt. Was it Jake? She assumed he would wait for her to come to him. He’d grown impatient, which meant he wanted to see her as much as she wanted to see him.
Giddy, Kate hurried to let him in. As she opened the door, her spirits fell. “Eden? Is it dinnertime already?”
The somber hotel owner didn’t carry a tray. “Will you come downstairs? The Major would like a word with you.”
“I just spoke to him. Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”
Eden’s face grew pinched. “I’m afraid not. Your friend, Mr. Colston, he’s in jail.”
Kate sucked in a sharp breath. “Jail? Why? What happened?”
“I’m not sure. Sinclair said there was a fight.”
“A fight?” Kate’s head grew light. The moment seemed surreal. Jake was in his room. He’d agreed to have dinner with her. “There’s been some mistake. I’ll clear this up.”
Why had Jake left? Who had he been fighting? Questions darted through her mind as she raced past Eden and down the stairs. If she could get to Jake, he could tell her what happened. If he was in trouble with the Army, she’d swear he had done nothing wrong, would lie through her teeth, whatever it took to get him out of jail.
Kate had almost reached the front door when someone called her name.
“Miss Parsons?” Eden’s husband, Major Bradford, stood by the bannister. She’d flown right past him.
She stalked over to confront him. “Why is Mr. Colston in jail? What reason do you have to arrest him? He’s done nothing wrong.”
Sinclair Bradford’s fine eastern breeding showed in his gracious nod of assent. “Let’s hope you’re right. I have a few questions that need to be cleared up.”
Kate glanced nervously around the lobby. They’d drawn the attention of several guests, most of them men in railroad bibs. If her father got word of this scene, her plans would crumble. She took a deep breath to slow her racing heart and lowered her voice. “There’s been some mistake. Can you take me to see Mr. Colston?”
“Of course. Right after we have a brief conversation.” He nodded in the direction of the parlor and offered his arm. Short of bolting, she had no choice except to go along.
Inside the parlor, Henry stood with his elbow propped on the mantle.
Kate jerked to a halt. “What are you doing here?”
He approached her with a wry expression. Kissed her cheek. “Nice to see you, too.”
She winced at his pointed sarcasm. Everyone—Henry and her father included—considered them a couple. The Major must’ve alerted him. She couldn’t behave like a cornered rabbit or they would suspect something. “I’m sorry Henry, I…I couldn’t…”
“Couldn’t what? Let me know you’re alive?”
Couldn’t tell him the truth.
His sable hair, usually neat and smooth, looked like he’d run his fingers through it multiple times. Dark crescents hung beneath his eyes. Realizing he might’ve lost sleep worrying about her made her feel positively guilty.
“What’s going on Kate?” he demanded. Then his sharp gaze softened. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t allow the Army to interrogate you.”
“This isn’t an interrogation.” Major Bradford shut a set of folding doors behind him. He gestured to a rosewood sofa. “Would you both care to sit down?”
She aimed for the middle of the sofa and spread her skirt to prevent Henry from sitting next to her. Even if he’d offered to be her champion, she didn’t want him close. He would sense her nervousness and become suspicious.
With confusion written on his face, he turned away and sank into a large armchair.
Major Bradford selected a straight-back chair next to a reading table and pulled it over in front of her. His mouth kicked up in an apologetic half-smile. “I know you’re worried about your friend—”
“That Indian isn’t her friend.” Henry’s unequivocal tone didn’t match the doubt in his eyes when he met her gaze.
Kate clasped her hands in her lap to prevent them from shaking. Henry and Jake had met? Had they gotten into a fight? She couldn’t repudiate Jake. On the other hand, if she let on they were close, it would complicate matters immeasurably. “Mr. Colston is a Cherokee representative. He came here in good faith to negotiate a settlement.”
She braced for a flurry of questions and demands for explanations.
To her surprise, Henry remained silent. The only sign of an inner struggle was how he sat forward with his hands on his knees. He might give her the benefit of doubt. Or he’d simply chose to wait until she fashioned her own noose. Like the Major, Henry would not be easily fooled.
Take a deep breath. Remain calm.
She fixed her attention on the solemn officer in front of her and recited the story she’d rehearsed. “I’ve been in delicate negotiations that required utmost secrecy, which is why no one has heard from me. Mr. Colston agreed to come to Ladore to present a proposal that would allow track construction to continue, should it be approved. His arrest sends the wrong kind of message. Don’t you agree, Henry?”
Henry’s expression flattened. “He should’ve thought of that before he got into a brawl in the middle of the street.”
“A brawl…with you?”
His lips twisted in an expression that said he found her question ludicrous. “With another Indian. One with a scar on his face, who fits the description of a man seen near the worksite the day after you disappeared.”
Her heart leapt. Charley. He’d tracked them. Jake must’ve seen him and gone after him, and, dear God, they’d fought. Over her, no doubt. Jake had vowed to protect her. Now, it was up to her to protect him.
“Perhaps Mr. Colston felt obliged to…to defend himself from an enemy.”
“Colston stopped Mr. Stevens from shooting the other Indian when he fled on horseback,” the major observed. “I’d wager they aren’t strangers…or enemies.”
Kate gazed out the window. Darkness filled the panes, making the outside world appear ominous. Charley was out there, somewhere. He would be filled with murderous rage. If she was lucky, he’d flee south rather than risk capture. She couldn’t voice her fears without betraying Jake. “Did he tell you why they were fighting?”
“He refuses to say anything until he talks to you.”
“You don’t have to talk to him,” Henry stated.
She worried the edge of her sleeve between two fingers. Had Jake now decided she was trustworthy? If only he’d believed in her before. “He doesn’t trust whites.”
Major Bradford straightened. “Apparently, he trusts you.”
No, had he trusted her, he wouldn’t have left without alerting her.
“How do you know Colston? Where did you meet him? Did he have something to do with your disappearance?” Henry’s questions flooded the room.
Hadn’t he said he’d protect her from being interrogated? No, he’d only assured her he wouldn’t let the Army do it.
She licked her lips to relieve a sudden dryness. Evading the truth, while remaining honest would be tricky business. “Mr. Colston helped me understand the issues his people are facing. Even so, it took a great deal of persuasion to convince him to come here and give us a chance to prove we could be fair-minded.”
Major Bradford studied her for a long moment. His face gave nothing away. He would be deadly at chess. Obviously, he wasn’t letting her talk to Jake until he’d gotten his answers. Rather than make up stories, she went on the offensive.<
br />
“What is it you’re not telling me? Did you arrest Mr. Colston for disturbing the peace? Or is there another reason you haven’t chosen to share?”
“We believe he might be involved in one of the payroll thefts.”
She stared at the major in shock. That was the last thing she’d expected to hear, and it certainly couldn’t be true. “Whatever gave you the idea Mr. Colston was involved in a payroll theft? You arrested the Russell gang and one of them confessed.”
“Yes, to two other robberies. Not the more recent theft.”
“So? They lied.”
“Perhaps,” the major said smoothly. “But some new evidence came up while I was looking into your disappearance.”
It felt like she was dreaming. A nightmare. In a moment she’d wake up...
“Kate!” Henry’s sharp exclamation jerked her out of her daze. He scooted to the edge of his chair. “Let me give it to you straight. You’ve been negotiating with outlaws. McGrady told us that one of the men we hired a few months back had asked questions about the payment schedule, and about you, specifically. Described him as a tall Indian.”
The skin on her arms prickled. Jake had slipped once, implying he’d heard about her from the workers, but then he’d denied talking to them. He had admitted to breaking into the rail car and then she had assumed it was out of some clumsy effort to stop the construction.
What better way than to steal money they used to pay the workers?
Her stomach twisted into a knot. No. Jake was a good man, albeit a desperate one. His aunt lived in a one-room cabin. There was no evidence he had gotten rich off his spoils. He couldn’t be the payroll thief.
“I don’t suppose you’ve noticed there’s more than one Indian working on the railroad. I suspect you could find a tall man amongst them.” She hoped her tone sounded dry, as usual, or at least calm. Unlike the chaos wreaking havoc in her chest.
“Damn it, you’re an intelligent woman, Kate. Don’t be naïve!” Henry shot to his feet. For a moment, she feared he might grab her and shake her. Instead, he paced in front of the fireplace. “A tall Indian we hired as a temporary worker disappeared right before the payroll went missing. I’ve sent a telegram to the worksite asking McGrady to come up here and identify the man we’ve got in jail. My gut tells me he’s one and the same.”