“I don’t want to talk about her,” she said, turning her back and walking away. She shuffled toward the ruins and stared out across the lonesome desert, feeling his hot gaze on her back.
“Fine,” he replied.
There was only the sound of their animals’ tails swishing between them for a few moments. Then Paladin broke the silence. “I’ve been thinking.”
“About what?” She whirled and faced him, surprised to find him standing directly behind her. Fatigue must have been affecting her mindfulness.
His faraway expression changed to sharp awareness that made her heartbeat race. “What would you think about throwing in together?”
Josie jammed her hands into her pockets so he wouldn’t see them trembling. What was he asking? To partner up? Was it going to be this easy after all? She figured she’d have to fight him tooth and nail for the nuggets, now that he’d caught up to her again. But it seemed she was wrong.
“You mean we’ll be partners?” she asked. “We’ll share the nuggets when we find them?”
He tossed her a look that almost knocked her back, as if she’d been struck. She didn’t understand the dirty look on his face. His dark eyes were full of unexpected fury. What was he so mad about now?
“Why are you so angry?” she asked. “You’re the one who brought it up.”
He gritted his teeth. “Because I shouldn’t have to share my find with you or anyone else.” His voice was low and bordered on menacing. “I’ve got good use for that money.”
“So do I!” Josie exclaimed. Staring into his rugged face, she noticed he hadn’t shaved that morning. Black stubble sprouted from his chin and cheeks. His jaw twitched. Anger slowly leaked from him, whereas her distress flared inside her, burning up through her esophagus and exiting out of her mouth in furious words. “I still have reason to believe you’re lying to me, Mr. Paladin. Like I suggested before, maybe my pa found that vein in White Oaks and you tried to steal it from him. I haven’t discounted that. Perhaps he was too smart for you!”
Grey growled again. “That ain’t so, and you know it. Anyway, Leroy Hart was one of the dumbest men I ever had the displeasure to meet.”
“I don’t know any such thing,” she retaliated, choosing to forgo the insult hurled at her pa. “Where’s your proof that the nuggets are yours? Did you register your strike, or get a receipt for the gold?” When his face went blank, Josie knew she had him. She placed her hands on her hips and grinned.
“Alright,” he said, pursing his lips. “Enough talk. Here’s how this is gonna work. We’re gonna follow your pa’s map and ride this trail together. When we find the nuggets, I’ll split them with you, eighty-twenty.”
“Eighty-twenty!” Josie cried. “The sun must have boiled your brains. If we’re partners, we’ll split them fifty-fifty. That should still get me to San Francisco.”
Grey kicked at some rocks with the toe of his boot and grumbled under his breath. “San Francisco, huh? I did all the hard work finding that vein. I can’t help it if your pa was a thief. You should be grateful I’m offering you anything at all, girl. You know, if I wanted, I could deliver you straight into the hands of Wade Kendall. Then I’d be rid of you, and I wouldn’t have to share, and I wouldn’t have to listen to your backtalk neither.”
Josie balled her fists. The desire to hit him was strong. “You’re a cruel man with a black heart, Mr. Paladin.”
“I’m not cruel. I’d say I’m being rather generous offering you twenty percent, considering the circumstances.”
“Eighty-twenty is what you call generous?”
“I’m only willing to give you a token amount because I know Leroy didn’t do right by you.”
“Don’t do me any favors,” she shot back. “And mind your own business! You don’t know anything about me and my pa.” She felt her lip quivering with frustration and resentment. What a mean, hardheaded man this duded up cowboy was!
Grey suddenly picked up a rock and heaved it far. All the muscles in his body seemed to convulse. Then he jerked the hat off his head and ran a hand through his shiny black hair. When he jammed the hat back on, he said, “Sixty-forty, and that’s my final offer. Take it or leave it.”
Josie thought about it. She’d take it for now. At least she’d pretend to go along with it. It’d be safer for her to travel with a man until she reached Santa Fe, then she’d strike out to Nambe Falls on her own. She had no intentions of letting Grey Paladin have any of that money once she got a hold of it. She was going to San Francisco, come hell or high water, where she’d buy a fine house and live like a real lady for the rest of her life.
“Alright,” she relented. “Sixty-forty.” She stretched out her hand and they shook on it. “Now, give me back my father’s map.”
Grey folded the parchment into thirds and stuck it in the inside pocket of his jacket. “Nope. I’ll hang on to it. I have to protect my investment.”
Josie rolled her eyes and stabbed a foot in her stirrup. “I took it once, I guess I can take it again,” she said, with a smug smile.
He hauled his weight into his saddle and turned Lightning in a circle. “What are you mumbling about, Miss Hart?”
She kicked Traveler into a trot and hollered over her shoulder, “I told you before to stop calling me, Miss Hart! And don’t call me girl either. My name’s Josie!”
Grey threw back his head and laughed.
* * * *
They camped that night beside a small cemetery, which was protected by a broken down fence and could be entered by passing through a gate that was hanging by its hinges. There were five stones marking individual graves, all clustered together. Right before the sun set, Josie stepped through the gate and visited each tomb, reading the names that were carved into the simple monuments. All of them shared the same surname, leading her to believe it was one family buried in the wilderness together. As she glanced around at the dry terrain dotted only with clumps of sagebrush, she wondered how they’d died. Massacred by raiding Apaches? Fever? Starvation? She also wondered who’d buried them all. There was nothing but utter nothingness for miles on end. This stretch of desert wasn’t called the devil’s frying pan by accident. What a desolate place to spend eternity, she thought sullenly.
After she’d paid her respects, she started a cooking fire with twigs Grey retrieved from his saddlebags. Apparently he’d collected them in the forest. It was a good thing, too, since there wasn’t a stick to be found on the barren desert floor.
It was a surprise when he pulled a small pan out of his bag, as well as a tin of coffee. He added some water from his canteen and before long they were sipping hot coffee. Josie didn’t mind sharing Grey’s one tin cup, which was dented on the side, or the fact that the coffee was as thick as mud. It was delicious!
Earlier, he’d shot a jackrabbit and was now skinning it, preparing it for the spit. Her mouth was already watering with anticipation. She couldn’t wait to taste that moist meat and lick the savory juice off her fingers. It seemed like days since she’d had a good meal.
“I was worried when you went hunting for supper,” she admitted. “I was afraid the posse would hear the gunshots if they’re anywhere nearby.” She glanced over her shoulder, still expecting the men to creep up on them.
“They’re not following us,” Grey said, with confidence. “I think those Apaches scared them off.”
“You saw the Apaches?” she asked
He jammed the rabbit onto the spit. “Yes, I saw them riding across the desert. I also saw the marshal and two of his men ride out of the canyon and head south.”
Her eyebrow lifted. “Where were you?”
“Hiding at the foot of the hill. I rode up to check on you after the gunfight was over, but you’d gone.”
“You rode up to check on the map, you mean.” When he remained silent, Josie narrowed her gaze at him. She didn’t know whether to be angry that he’d only been concerned about the map and not her welfare, or thankful that he hadn’t ridden into the middle of t
he battle and gotten himself killed. “Why do you think the posse went back south?” she finally asked.
“Don’t know, but I doubt they’ll give up so easily. I guess they want the same thing you and I are after, and I don’t expect they’ll stop until they get it.”
She didn’t reply, figuring he was right. Warming her hands over the fire, she sat mesmerized as Grey turned the spit. The night air was chilly and she was bone tired, but the delectable smell of the cooking meat kept her awake. She sat cross-legged on the ground, using her petticoats as a blanket. Her saddle was propped beside her. Grey eyed her from across the flickering orange flames.
“You’re gonna ruin those petticoats sitting on them in the dirt like that,” he said.
“Doesn’t matter. I don’t expect I’ll be going to any balls out here in the next week.”
He grinned. “No, but you might need them once you get to San Francisco.”
She released a sigh of contentment. “I suppose I’ll have enough money to buy me a dozen petticoats once I reach San Fran.”
He nodded. “I suppose so. Why is getting to San Francisco so important?” He rested back on his hands.
“Because it means a new life.” Her voice came out soft and dream-like.
“I understand that part, but why San Francisco? There are a lot of cities much closer that you could settle in, such as Santa Fe. It’s growing more and more every day. You seem smart enough. You should be able to do well there.”
Josie gave him a sideways glance and chuckled lightly. “If that’s a compliment, you have a backhanded way of giving it.” She shut her eyes. “I want to see the ocean. I want to feel the cold water on my feet and smell the salt in the air, and hear the crashing of the waves.” Her eyelids rolled up, and she chided him. “There’s no ocean in Santa Fe. I thought you had some book learning.”
“I did my schooling,” he retorted. He checked the rabbit and declared it ready for eating.
When Josie ripped off her first hunk of meat with her teeth, she thought she’d died and gone to heaven. It was amazing what a decent meal would do for a body. Filling her stomach put her in a better mood than she’d been of late. “This is real good, Mr. Paladin. Thank you for shooting it and cooking it, too.”
Grey gnawed at a leg, savoring a mouthful, before answering. “Look, you don’t have to call me Mr. Paladin. My name’s Grey. I’d prefer it if you call me that. We’re close to the same age, I reckon.”
“Alright, if you insist.” She wasn’t eager to argue anymore that night. “How old are you, Grey?”
“Twenty-three. How old are you?”
“Nineteen.”
He stared at her for a while, like he was thinking something over, but no more words were exchanged until they’d cleaned the rabbit down to the bones.
When she was satiated, Josie leaned against her saddle and gazed into the night sky. It was full of twinkling, pulsating white stars. “It sure is a big sky, isn’t it?”
“Yep.”
She wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the chill and continued to imagine. “Grey?”
“What?”
She glanced over to see he was cleaning his gun. “Do you ever think about all the people in the world who are sitting under this same sky, right now, at this very moment, just like we are? There must be millions—no billions of folks wishing upon the same stars.”
His gaze slowly traveled to the sky. Josie waited for him to say something, but his lips didn’t move. The fire leaped and danced across his cut features, causing his face to glow more handsome than ever. As she stared, she recognized the pallor of sadness that played across his features. Pain and questioning filled his dark eyes. “Grey? Are you alright?” she asked, treading gently.
After a moment, he met her gaze across the flames. “Yeah,” he finally answered, short and sweet. He tossed some more twigs onto the fire and then got up and disappeared for a few minutes. When he returned, he stood over Josie.
“Here, this will keep you warm while you sleep.” She accepted the striped horse blanket he’d bundled himself in when they spent the previous night in the cave.
“What will you do for warmth?”
“I’ve got my jacket. I’m used to sleeping out of doors.” After he sauntered back to his spot on the other side of the fire, he lay against his saddle and stretched his long legs out in front of him. Josie watched him tip his hat down over his eyes and then clasp his hands behind his neck. “Better catch some shut-eye,” he told her. “We’ll ride before the sun rises in the morning.”
She knew he couldn’t see her nod in acknowledgement, but it was all she could muster at that moment. The kind gesture of sharing his blanket was totally unexpected. She sat silent, listening to the swishing of their animals’ tails. After a few minutes, she finally found her voice. “Good night, Grey.”
His response was a loud snort. The man was fast asleep.
Chapter Eight
The next morning, Grey knelt beside Josie jiggling her arm. He’d been watching her sleep for a couple of minutes and hated to wake her, but they had to get going. He’d already saddled Lightning and fed him and her mule some grain.
In the pale light of the fading moon, her face was as close to angelic as any he’d seen, even with the dirt smudging her cheeks. Bundled up in his blanket, she looked as toasty as a warm biscuit. As if on cue, his stomach growled at the thought of breakfast. He had two cold biscuits left in his pouch. One for each of them. That would have to do.
First thing he’d done after he rose was to check his pockets, and was relieved to find the map was still tucked inside. Maybe Miss Sticky Fingers had learned her lesson about that, he thought smugly. His gun had not been touched either. He patted the cold, hard steel at his hip.
Just as he was about to shake her again, Josie moaned and mumbled something. She’s talking in her sleep. Bending down, he put his ear to her mouth and heard the whisper of a name…Grey.
He jumped like he’d touched a hot stove and bumped her arm. Josie’s eyes flew open, and he felt the barrel of her derringer push into his gut. Click went the cock of the hammer. He didn’t dare move—only breathed, and slid a glance her way. Her deep blue eyes stared back at him, but he wasn’t sure if she was fully awake or still half asleep. One thing was certain, however. Her reactions were good.
“Josie, it’s me, Grey,” he said quietly. One wrong move and his intestines would become ground sausage.
“Huh?” She blinked twice.
In a stronger, firmer voice, he issued a command. “Josie, wake up and remove your gun from my belly.”
“What?” Her eyes enlarged. She gazed at the derringer pressed against him, and her cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment. “Grey! I’m so sorry.” She pulled the gun away and scooted up.
“Uncock that thing,” he demanded, scowling.
She did. Then she crawled out from under the blanket and stuck the gun into her pants pocket.
“You could have killed me,” he grumbled, as he lifted her saddle off the ground. He carried it to her mule and slung it over Traveler’s back.
Josie rubbed circles over her eyes with her fists and matched his scowl. “You should know better than to sneak up on a person like that. I have an itchy finger out here on this open land. What were you doing in my face, anyway?” She stretched and yawned.
Grey refused to look at her. Why had she been whispering his name? He didn’t know what to make of it. One thing was certain though. There was no way he would tell her she’d been talking in her sleep. “I was trying to wake you up,” he answered. “You sleep like a log. I told you last night we were going to start out early.” He tightened the cinch under the mule’s belly and checked Josie’s stirrups.
When he bent for the bridle, she marched over and said, “I can saddle my own animal. Give me that.” She grabbed the bridle from his hand and fit the bit into Traveler’s mouth. “My mule doesn’t want you fishing around in his mouth. He doesn’t know where your fingers have been.�
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Grey shook his head and rolled his eyes. He sauntered over to Lightning and stroked his nose. “Try to do a woman a favor…If you have to make water, go and do it now,” he said, over his shoulder. “We need to head out. I woke with a bad feeling this morning.”
“What kind of feeling?” she asked, as she traipsed toward the cemetery. She eased the broken gate open and hurried to hide behind the largest tombstone and then peeked around it to make sure he wasn’t looking. He chuckled. It had to be a difficult task, being a female making water while wearing pants, but apparently she’d figured it out. A few minutes later, she returned with dry britches.
“What kind of bad feeling?” she repeated, as she approached.
“There’s no time for questions. Let’s get on the road. Here’s breakfast. You can eat on the run.” He tossed her the cold biscuit and mounted his horse.
“Wait a minute!” She ran back to where she’d slept and gathered the striped blanket into her arms. “Don’t forget this,” she said, handing it to him. “Thanks for letting me use it last night.”
“Sure.” He rolled up the blanket and tied it behind his saddle. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Josie stepped into the stirrup and settled into her saddle. She knew how to sit a seat, and she was a good rider. Surprisingly, there hadn’t been one complaint from her so far. He watched her bite into the biscuit and then feed a small piece to the mule. The girl liked to eat, and so did her animal. He grinned, despite himself.
“Got your gun?” he asked.
“Of course. It’s right here.” She patted her pocket, where the derringer was stashed. “I always know where my weapon is.” She grinned like the cat that had swallowed the canary. Her comment was an obvious dig at him, since she’d easily stolen the gun right out from under his nose before. “You got the map?” she asked.
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