But killing MacPherson would take everything he had… Shuttling the dark thoughts aside, he locked them away. Tomorrow or the day after, he would consider his options. “Have we satisfied your argument?”
“Yes,” she agreed readily and guilt pricked at him. She wasn’t truly done, but he could see the worry in her expression.
“Olivia, I believe you. I know you were teasing.” He softened his voice. “We can most certainly keep fighting if you wish.”
It was the right thing to say because she burst out laughing. “Thank you for your permission, but I am ready to go back to enjoying being with my husband without the disagreement. I know you will do the right thing and you listened. I cannot ask for more than that.”
Her trust was a beautiful burden. “Thank you.” Catching her hand he drew her over to the outcropping and set out a blanket, then helped her to sit. He loved it when she sat in the cradle of his thighs, her back to his chest and leaned into him. “We have time,” he told her.
“Time for what?”
“To watch your first sunset.”
He was glad for the time, because it let him drink in the radiance of her smile. His future was no longer a clear-cut path. He would have to make changes, but in the face of her joy, he discovered that might not be a bad thing at all.
Chapter 13
Olivia, The Main House
One Week Later
* * *
They’d managed two whole weeks in seclusion, but with a search now on for the men reportedly having followed Kid’s paramour to San Antonio, they’d elected to return to the main house. Olivia found herself unpacking her braille books and writer in an unused salon that Jed presented to her and Jason along with a small suite of rooms. Through mutual agreement, they would continue to use his bedroom for the time being, but Olivia liked having a dedicated space of her own.
It had taken her a day to acclimate to the room’s layout. Fortunately, it had been a lady’s library, Miss Molly’s she supposed. Jason said he and his brothers had rarely been in the room while growing up. It had been cleaned recently, wood oil with a touch of lemon scented the air. The only other scent was that of tallow and a hint of kerosene from the lamps in the room. She wouldn’t have to worry about that during her work.
“I have a request that may trouble you.” Jason had brought up the subject their last night in the cabin. She’d understood what he wanted before he’d even vocalized the request.
“You don’t want to tell anyone what we can do.” Keeping a secret so profound should trouble her, she’d recognized the concern in his voice.
“No, it is not a purposeful lie, but it is withholding the information until we understand all the ramifications.” But that was not the whole of the reason.
“You’re worried about their reaction to it? Or the idea that they know of something so intimate between us?” For her, the ability to see through his eyes was a gift of staggering enormity and it overwhelmed her each and every time. She couldn’t gaze through his eyes for too long a period. Almost as though her mind rebelled after a certain point, but it was far better at dusk and dawn than in the brightness of midday.
“My only objection to their reaction would be if they hurt you.” Something very unfriendly echoed beneath that sentiment. “I sincerely doubt it would be deliberate on their part, but this is new, it is…private.”
His true meaning sank in a moment later and it rent her heart. The intimacy of it—sharing her joy—it was a private thing and as personal as their marriage bed. “We know and it is ours.” So they kept their own counsel, and Jason promised to show her the new salon later, when they were alone.
Finally locating the text she’d been searching for, she carried the book over to a sofa and settled in. She’d been halfway through the book when the time came to travel and she wanted to finish the history detailing the founding fathers breakdown of their government. Unashamedly, she’d asked her instructors for books on law and government, thinking it would help her to better understand Jason’s work and she’d discovered she adored reading the philosophies and arguments behind the choices that went into government structure.
She’d been reading for nearly an hour when she heard footsteps followed by a quiet knock on the door. More than ready for an interruption, she turned her face to the door. “Come in.”
“Mrs. Kane, I presume.” Colonel Stanley, the man who’d used Jason as a weapon. Her spine stiffened.
“Colonel Stanley.” She tightened her grip on the book. Her walking stick lay just within reach as well. “I didn’t realize we were expecting your visit.”
“I heard Jason had gotten married and I’ve been waiting to pay my respects.” Apparently he hadn’t waited long enough. He circled the room, but she could almost feel the weight of his regard. Jason and his brothers weren’t home, but she imagined Scarlett was somewhere within the house and Miss Annabeth had promised to fetch her for a meal and tea later so they could chat.
It was not yet midday, and Olivia wasn’t entirely certain how close the salon was to the kitchen. “I will be sure to give your regards to Jason.”
It wasn’t appropriate for the colonel to stay. Certainly he would understand that. Was Mr. Kane in the house? She’d spoken to him briefly at breakfast, but he’d been on his way to the barn. Micah had said they’d had two foals born the night before and Jed had wanted to check on the new arrivals.
How long did that take?
“Please forgive my surprise, Mrs. Kane, and my bluntness, but you are not what I expected for Jason—at all.” In any other circumstance, Olivia might have forgiven him, but this was the man who’d turned Jason into a killer. She was hardly in the custom of biting her tongue, but silence in this case, might purchase her the time for a fortuitous interruption.
“I find your manner mildly offensive, Colonel Stanley. Our acquaintance is not one open to such bluntness.” Nor would it ever be. She wanted to rail at the man, but awareness of her own vulnerability and worse, of how Jason would feel if anything happened, firmed her resolve.
“My apologies, Mrs. Kane.” He paced over closer to her and she shifted her hand to the walking stick. Wrapping her fingers around the wood, she tracked his movements. “Truly.”
He was right in front of her.
Fear coiled through her. “For what precisely are you apologizing, Colonel? And would you mind taking a step back?” She shouldn’t have added the last, because a quiver in her voice could have betrayed her.
A movement behind her made her jerk. She’d been so focused on the colonel and his pacing, she hadn’t heard anyone else. Strange arms clutched her and a sticky, sweet cloth was stuffed over her mouth. The world went sideways and she fought the hands shackling her wrists to no avail. In the distant part of her mind she heard a crash, and then she heard nothing.
Jason, Hell
“What do you mean he’s not here?” Jason couldn’t quite wrap his mind around the news and he wasn’t the only one. Sam’s expression turned thunderous and Cody’s gaze flattened.
Jimmy gestured to the empty cell. “We had an issue in town, several horses from the livery got free and were stampeding. I was out helping round them up—”
“When you came back, he was gone.” Sam swept the room with a look as though some answer would present itself, but Cody prowled out the door and Jason scanned the town.
But they all knew what the result would be—Ryan, the doppelganger, was gone. Jimmy was furious with himself, with the situation, it didn’t matter.
“We’ll find him.”
Jason didn’t share Sam’s confidence. The doppelganger had no reason to return to Dorado. He’d approached them only because he thought he had something to trade and they weren’t buying. It aggravated him, but if they were lucky then Ryan had run and run far, except—
“Who helped him?” Cody paced back into the marshal’s office. Unfortunately, no one had an answer. By mutual consent, Sam sent a rider to the ranch to get Micah, Buck, and Mariska. It
took them a couple of hours, but they organized two search parties to begin tracking.
“You coming?” Sam paused at Jason’s side.
“Not yet.” Jason continued to scan the town’s population of residents and workmen, one at a time. He’d sent Jimmy to ask questions. What had they seen? What had they heard? Recall was an unspecific thing, but if directed by a question Jason could skim their surface memories. It took a hell of a lot of concentration. The more he learned, the colder Jason grew. He’d found a common thread amongst those who’d been in the street before the horses bolted the livery.
“They all saw the same people.” Jason told Jimmy when the sharpshooter rejoined them at the office. Why would the army men have stirred up trouble in the town? After the incident on with Kid and Ben on Flying K land, Stanley had kept his men on a tight leash.
“I noticed, but there were no army men here when the horses scattered.” Jimmy scowled.
Someone else responded to him, but Jason tuned out the conversation. He focused his attention on replaying the data he’d accumulated. The McKennas had seen three men in army blue arriving mid-morning. They’d tied their horses near the general store. Mason McKenna had noticed the men because his sister Jenny had been taking a walk about town. The brother’s protectiveness to his sister aside, he’d been damn sure to note where the soldiers ventured and who they talked to. He hadn’t cared for their presence, but found no objection with their behavior.
Noting that Mason had hurried Jenny away before the soldiers could do anything, Jason decided he’d need to check into the McKennas a little further at another time. Their behavior hinted at a dark worry. Jorge took notice of all three men because they made him nervous, but he’d discounted them when the chaos began because they hadn’t seemed like they were doing anything.
Three men.
No army men were in the town currently. Jason swept it one more time to be certain and found only minds he recognized.
“Jason.” Micah clasped his shoulder. “We’re splitting up. Who are you riding with?” The assumption that he was a part of the hunt for the doppelganger surprised him.
Before he could answer, Sam clasped his other shoulder. “He’s riding with us.”
Jason! Something scrabbled inside his mind and Olivia’s voice cut through him, sharp and strident with need. It cut off so abruptly, he jerked and swung his gaze to see if she were actually there.
“J—?” Glass shattered and Cody swore. “What the hell?”
Arms were wrapped around him and hauling Jason backwards. It took him a minute to realize the arms caging him were his brothers and it took him a half-second to pull back the mental strike aimed at incapacitating both so they would release him. “Let me go,” he ordered.
“Holy hell.” Jimmy’s voice came out in a low whistle. “Tone it down before anyone sees you.”
Olivia needed him. He’d heard her clear as day for too brief a second. The part of his mind she occupied had gone utterly quiet. “Something’s wrong with Olivia.” He had their attention. They crowded around him.
“You have to calm down,” Cody ordered. “Your eyes are glowing and you just shattered the glass. Others are noticing.”
“I’ll take care of them. Call Scarlett.” Sam ordered without preamble. He pivoted and headed off those venturing too close. His presence—and marshal’s star—took care of any questions. Scarlett, she was on the ranch. It was a hell of a stretch and Jason had reached out over distances before…
Scarlett?
It hadn’t taken much. The swiftness with which he located her would have startled him, but he was only grateful it’d worked. Jason?
He didn’t have time for the question in her mental voice. Find Olivia. Something’s wrong. Pulling free of Micah, Jason threw himself up into the saddle. He had to get to her, touching the inflexible barrier he’d wrapped around her mind in his, he tested it. Nothing. No response, no acknowledgement. Maybe he was simply too far away.
“Jason, wait.” Micah was right behind him, but Jason didn’t let the horse slow. He’d kicked him into a gallop and raced for the river crossing. The thunder of hooves following him told him he didn’t ride alone, but he didn’t focus on that.
Can you still hear me? Scarlett’s voice rang louder in his head as he splashed through the river and up the far bank.
Yes. Is she all right? He reined in the horse and waited. Every muscle in his body vibrated and there was more swearing behind him.
“Jason, get it under control. The river has ice in it.” Cody gripped him and Jason glared, his gaze colliding with the wolf’s. “Your eyes are still glowing. I have no idea what the hell is going on, but get it under control.”
She’s not here…in the house at all… I’m—
A dull roaring screamed through Jason. Had she gone exploring? She was so damn independent. She had to be on the ranch.
…Jed are looking…Miss Annabeth said she heard horses earlier… Scarlett’s mental voice cut in and out. Jason shut it down and flung his mind open, dropping every shield he’d ever learned to construct. He listened for Olivia. She had to be out there, and damn his gift if it wouldn’t find her right now.
Could he hear her if she were unconscious? So many perils she could have found. What if she’d gotten into one of the pastures? Or tripped and struck her head? The pond…Scarlett check the pond.
A weak pulse of a response, a blurred word and he cursed himself. It would have been akin to screaming in her head. After a brief affirmative, he let her go and began rifling across the thoughts of every mind on the ranch.
“He’s stiff as a board, do we touch him or not?” Cody asked.
“I have no idea.” Micah’s answer carried doubt and concern.
“Leave him be,” Sam ordered, and the splash of water accompanied his words. “What do we know?”
“Something’s wrong with Olivia.” Micah rode into Jason’s line of sight, but he didn’t really see his brother. Thoughts bombarded him from all sides and the strain of filtering them left his eyes aching.
“His nose is bleeding.” Buck’s curt interruption drew another oath, this time from Sam.
“Cody, how fast can you get to the house?”
“Faster in wolf. But if she isn’t there, it’s a good place to pick up the scent.”
“Send Mariska,” Micah interrupted. “Sorry, please send her—Jo was heading up to the house. She can talk Mariska through it.”
“I can handle it,” Mariska argued.
“No,” Cody disagreed. “If Olivia is hurt or bleeding, you still struggle for control.”
Blackness slapped Jason and he jerked at the idea of blood. He should never have left her at the house. He’d been too damn far away, he was still too far away. Where are you?
Pain exploded against the side of Jason’s jaw and he fell, the ground rushing up to catch him and all the air whooshed out of his lungs. Already bouncing to his feet, he wasn’t prepared for two bodies to slam into him and pin him. “Stop, Jason.” Sam’s voice cut through the roaring. “You’ve got everyone down, stop.”
Blood trickled from Sam’s nose and his eyes were bloodshot. Micah sported a similar bloody face and Jason pulled back, snapping his shields up and it took him a moment to hear the groans of the others. Even the wolves. Ceasing to struggle against his brother, he looked at Sam. “Something’s wrong.”
“I know. We’re going to find her. Together, but you have to hang onto that vaunted control of yours, brother. We need you under control.” Calm and steady in the face of any storm, Sam anchored him.
Jason shuddered, but his shields held. “I have it. You can let me go.”
Trusting his word, his brothers stood and they dragged him up with them. All around the loose circle, everyone had blood running down their faces or spattering their clothes. Buck rubbed at the side of his head, and Cody’s eyes had gone almost pure gold without a single trace of blue. Mariska was the worst off, already shifting, and Cody cleared the horses and watched ov
er his wife.
“I’m sorry,” Jason told him, but the man only nodded, his attention focused on the shift. “I can’t locate her, she should be there.”
“You said you couldn’t read her right,” Micah offered up the sliver of information like a gift. “Maybe that’s why.”
No. He’d always shielded her from his gift. Explaining it would take time, and they didn’t have that now.
Mariska’s growling snap cut through the silence, but she lay next to Cody’s feet panting and he had a hand on her side, soothing her.
“Army men were on the ranch again.” Ben’s announcement swung them around and the young boy glared at Jason. He’d never forgiven him for Kid’s absence and Jason didn’t mind cutting the boy some slack—
“What?” Jason studied him.
“Army men came to the ranch again. You said they wouldn’t come anymore. But the big man keeps coming…”
Stanley.
Jason, she’s not here. Not at the pond or anywhere close that we can find. We’re still looking… Scarlett’s mental voice sounded fatigued.
Micah asked Ben another question and when the boy answered, Cody asked one. Jason barely heard their voices, much less the content. Army men in the town and Ryan escaped. Army men on the ranch and, now, Olivia was missing.
Pivoting, Jason strode toward his horse. It would take him a couple of hours to get to the fort.
“Where are you going now?” Sam demanded, intercepting him at the horse.
“Stanley took Olivia.” The moment it clicked into place, he knew it for the truth that it was. He’d bucked Stanley’s authority and let the colonel know he wasn’t his puppet any longer. Stanley took Olivia—to hurt her or to control Jason, it didn’t matter. The result would be the same.
“You can’t know that.” But Sam didn’t sound certain.
“I do know it. Get out of my way, Sam.” He cut around him when Sam didn’t move immediately. Cool purpose flooded through Jason. He had a target. Time, however, wasn’t on his side.
Wanted: Fevered or Alive Page 25