by Bobbi Smith
Then Cody remembered the moment when Sully had challenged him when Luke had first grabbed her up back at the revival. She remembered the coldness in Luke and the steel in his voice. She remembered his lethal intent and the tension in his body. He had seemed every bit the gunfighter then, but why would he be so concerned about her? It didn't fit, and for the first time since she'd been on his trail, she began to question her belief in his guilt. Luke Majors was a confusing, puzzling man, and Cody didn't like puzzles. She liked answers.
"What is your biggest failing, Luke? Where are you the weakest? Where do you most need the Lord's help?" She was hoping for an honest answer from him. He seemed truly involved in the conversation, and she wanted to learn all she could about him.
Luke glanced down at her, seeing the complete earnestness of her expression. The last thing he needed was her prying. He smiled slowly, appreciatively. The look in his eye was decidedly leering as he answered, "I tell you, little girl, your ears just aren't ready to hear about my weaknesses. Especially the one I have for innocent little preacher women like you."
"Oh." She stared up at him, her eyes rounding, her throat going dry. She met his gaze and saw for a moment a flicker of desire that could sear a woman's very soul. She knew he was taunting her. She knew he was just teasing her to get her to shut up, but the effect of that heated regard upon her set her pulse racing and her heart pounding within her breast.
Cody tightened her grip on the Bible so her hands wouldn't shake. Luke Majors was definitely a force to be dealt with, and in that instant Cody was completely thankful for her disguise. Had she been facing him as herself, she seriously doubted that she would have been able to handle him. The thought both frightened and excited her. Heat rushed through her and she could feel her cheeks start to burn.
"You, sir, are no gentleman," she said, turning away from his mesmerizing gaze.
"You're an astute judge of character, Sister Mary." Luke laughed. He'd enjoyed watching her expression as the realization of what he was implying had sunk in. The truth was, he found her reaction appealing. The women he was used to being around these days never blushed. It was a pleasant reminder of the gentler side of life.
To save herself from further embarrassment, Cody moved quickly ahead of him. The sound of his mocking laughter was still ringing in her ears as she disappeared inside the cabin.
Frustration was the name of the game for Jack as he bided his time in Del Fuego. He was a man of action, and it wasn't easy for him to sit and wait for news either from Luke or from Cody Jameson. Jack knew patience was his most important ally, but with each passing day it became harder and harder to wait. The plan he'd set in motion the night he'd recruited Luke could yield far more than he'd ever dreamed-if things went right. But it was the not knowing what was happening that was driving him crazy.
Jack left the hotel and headed off to meet with Halloway. He had gone only a short distance when he heard two women speaking behind him.
"They've done nothing, Caroline! Nothing. They sent that Ranger down here to help, but he hasn't done anything. Sam would have had them all locked up by now." There was a pause and a sharp intake of breath. "Look, that's him now. That's Ranger Logan. The coward!"
At that Jack stopped and turned to find Sarah Gregory glaring at him.
"It's amazing you're brave enough to face me!" Sarah was deliberately insulting.
"Sarah, you really shouldn't be saying these things." Caroline tried to stop her.
"Afternoon, Mrs. Gregory," Jack said with a tip of his hat as he walked toward her. "Ma'am." He nodded toward the other woman.
"Ranger Logan," Sarah said coldly. "Has there been any news about my husband's killer? Have you found that terrible Luke Majors yet?"
"No, ma'am," he answered respectfully, understanding her frustration and pain. "But we're doing all we can."
"Oh, I can see that." She was deliberately sarcastic. "That's why you and Fred are just hanging around town waiting for Majors to ride in and turn himself over to you."
"Mrs. Gregory, there is no proof that Luke Majors is the man who murdered your husband."
"Of course he's the one! He shot Jonathan, didn't he?" she demanded.
Facing Sarah Gregory reminded Jack of the reason he had to stay in Del Fuego. "We want to see justice done."
"I can tell. That's why you're just sitting here day after day, while those killers are running loose and my husband is lying dead in the graveyard! Why aren't you out there searching for his murderer? What are you afraid of?"
"Sarah, you don't mean what you're saying." A soft voice spoke from behind Jack.
Jack recognized Elizabeth Harris's voice immediately, and he quickly turned to her.
"Elizabeth." Sarah was surprised to see her friend.
"Hello, Sarah... Jack," she said, looking up at him and giving him a soft smile. She touched his arm.
"Hello, Elizabeth," he returned, once again struck by her delicate beauty.
"Sarah, I've spoken with Jack on several occasions, and I know he and Fred are doing everything humanly possible to see that the ones responsible for Sam's death pay for their crimes."
"Then why haven't they found them yet?" Sarah's voice broke, her anguish real.
Elizabeth went to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "They will. I'm sure of it."
"That's right," Caroline put in.
"But why is it taking so long?" Sarah was openly weeping now.
Caroline took her friend's arm to guide her away. "Come on, Sarah. I'll take you home."
"I'll be in touch as soon as we hear something," Jack promised, wishing this whole thing was over, yet knowing there was no simple solution.
He stood quietly with Elizabeth by his side, watching the two women walk away.
"You're a very kind man, Jack Logan," Elizabeth said.
Jack glanced down at her and managed a tight smile. "She's got every right to be upset. Her husband was shot down in cold blood. It doesn't get much uglier than that. I don't blame her for being angry."
"But it's not your fault. None of this is," she championed him.
He appreciated her supportive words. "Thanks. How are you?"
Sadness shadowed her eyes for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "I'm fine."
"And your husband?"
"He's much the same," she said quietly.
"Has he improved at all?"
"He is eating, but he's still so angry..." She stopped herself from saying too much. "I really shouldn't trouble you with my problems."
"I don't mind. I just wish I could do something more to help you."
She smiled at him, but there was no happiness in it. "You already have helped me, more than you'll ever know. I'd better go. Jonathan's waiting for me."
Elizabeth started to walk away.
"Elizabeth?"
She stopped to look back at him.
"If you ever need anything, anything at all... let me know."
She nodded, her gaze meeting his for one fleeting moment, and then she hurried on.
Cody lay awake long into the night. Things were getting far too complicated. When she was tracking her man, she liked to be in control. That was why she did so much research before setting out on a job. But the checking she'd done on Luke Majors's background after meeting with Jack Logan hadn't yielded much useful information, and now she was trapped in a camp of outlaws with this man who was a mystery to her.
Glancing over to where Luke lay sleeping, she could see that the harsh guardedness that was so evident in his expression when he was awake was gone. He looked devastatingly attractive. She felt an odd tugging at her heart. He had not complained about not sharing the bed, and strangely her female vanity was hurt by his complete lack of interest in her as a woman.
Her feelings were ridiculous, she told herself. She was there to arrest him, not seduce him, but still there lingered the memory of his kiss. She had to admit to herself that she had been greatly affected by it. But judging from his reaction since, i
t hadn't seemed to affect him at all.
Cody supposed she should be grateful that he hadn't made any demands upon her that way. She glanced down at the Bible that lay on the floor beside the bed. She had it with her for protection, but she had never dreamed it would work this well. She glanced at Luke one last time before she reached down and opened the Bible for just a moment. There was just enough light in the cabin for her to see her father's revolver secured in the cutout space at the center of the book. Yes, the Good Book was offering her protection in more ways than one.
Cody let the lid close again and lay back down. She tossed and turned the rest of the night trying to figure out exactly what she was going to do. Worries about Stalking Ghost troubled her. She couldn't keep playing this role much longer. She had to take some action soon. It was near dawn when she finally fell back asleep.
Luke was growing extremely restless. He needed to keep busy, to do something, but there was nothing to do in camp until Hadley and the others returned from their meeting with El Diablo.
He glanced over to where Sister Mary was work ing with several of the women and children. Over the last few days there had been times when he'd caught her watching him, and he'd seen how troubled her expression was. A part of him wanted to relieve her worries, to confide in her and tell her the truth. He wanted her to believe that no harm would come to her while he was with her. Certainly he'd kept his word about not touching her. Surely that had counted for something. He didn't know what more he could do to convince her that she was safe, and it troubled him.
Luke knew things might turn ugly when Sully returned. He wasn't sure how long he could keep the other man away from her without a fight. It was a difficult situation. His only real hope was to get Sister Mary out of camp as quickly as he could without raising any suspicions and then close in on El Diablo. He could not effectively hunt for the leader of the gang and worry about her safety at the same time.
A call from the lookout that riders were coming in echoed his way, and Luke felt a renewed sense of purpose. He looked over at Sister Mary again and saw that Juana had come out to join her.
Juana glanced up at him then, saw him watching, and gave him a sultry, inviting smile. Luke smiled blandly in return, not wanting to encourage her. She was one dangerous female, and he wouldn't have bedded her even if Sister Mary hadn't been there.
Luke liked honest women, women who told the truth, women who were soft and gentle without a deceitful bone in their bodies. He'd had all he could take of cunning and lying with Clarissa. If he was going to spend time with a female, he wanted the woman more than anything to be forthright and honest. He supposed that was why, for all the aggravation she was causing him, he liked Sister Mary. She was a completely honest woman, a rarity.
Luke got up from where he'd been sitting and went to stand off to the side where he could see the trail into camp more clearly. He caught sight of the riders coming in and counted them, hoping there would be an extra man, hoping El Diablo was returning with them. But his hope was dashed.
As the outlaws drew near, the women hurried out to greet them. Juana ran to Sully and threw herself at him. He dismounted and gave her a hot, wet kiss before dragging her off into her cabin. The other men quickly dispersed with their own women.
Luke found Sister Mary keeping a low profile as she carefully edged his way. She was carrying a bundle he hadn't seen before, along with a widebrimmed sombrero.
"What are those?" he asked.
"I desperately need to wash my clothes, and Maria was kind enough to give me these to wear." She held up a pair of trousers and a man's shirt.
"You're going to wear pants?" he asked, amazed that she would even consider it.
"The Lord has provided, and since cleanliness is next to godliness," she said with a grin and a shrug, "I thought I would sleep in them while I let my dress dry overnight."
Luke grinned, trying to imagine her in the boyish garb. "It'll certainly be a change."
"I have to do something. This is the longest I've ever gone in my life without clean clothes."
He realized then just how dirty his own clothes were. "Since you're so inspired, while you're at it, you can wash some of my things, too."
Cody had a difficult time not telling him what he could do with his clothes. She told herself that she had to stay in character. "It's good that you care about cleanliness. A bath for you certainly would not be out of order either," she replied with dignity.
"Do you want to help me wash?" he invited.
"I'm sure you are perfectly capable of washing yourself, but if you need some help, I expect I could get Juana to come to your aid," she countered quickly, drawing a scowl from him.
"That's all right."
"There's soap in the cabin, should you decide to use it."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Majors!" The call came from Sully as he emerged from Juana's shanty fastening his pants.
"Stay here," Luke commanded Sister Mary as he headed toward Sully.
"But I was supposed to go play with some of the children for a while..." she started to argue, but the look he shot her quelled any further protest.
Luke strode to where the outlaw was standing. Sully looked quite pleased with himself.
"Juana tells me the preacher woman satisfies you," Sully began, his mind still on the same track.
"She does," Luke answered stiffly.
Sully eyed him hatefully and was about to say more when Hadley walked up.
Hadley had seen the two together and thought that trouble might be brewing.
"We met with El Diablo, Majors."
"I know. The others told me that was where you'd gone."
"El Diablo says that we are to trust you, that you are one of us now." Hadley watched Luke closely, wanting to see his reaction.
At his announcement, Luke smiled.
"You're happy about that?"
"Ver" Y•
"So is El Diablo. The boss was pleased that you had chosen to join us. A gunfighter with your reputation will make us even more feared and more respected." Hadley thought Luke's reaction seemed honest enough, but, as El Diablo had said, he'd still keep an eye on him.
"When do we ride?"
"There are plans being made, but nothing is set yet. We have to wait until the time is right."
"It seems all I've done since I joined you is wait," he complained.
"Ah, but you have the preacher woman to entertain you," Hadley remarked knowingly. "Our next job is worth waiting for. It will be our biggest ever. As soon as I get word from El Diablo of the exact day the shipment is to go out, we'll ride on it. If all goes well, we'll cross the border right af terward, sell the merchandise there, and wait in Rio Nuevo until things quiet down."
"The job's that big?"
Hadley met his regard. "It's that big."
"Let's hope it doesn't take too long. Sitting around here can drive a man loco."
"Enjoy your woman... relax," Sully put in, not distracted from his original thought.
Luke smiled tightly. "I'm looking forward to the job and to meeting El Diablo. Does he ever come into camp?"
Hadley answered guardedly, "When El Diablo is ready to meet you, it will happen. Not before."
Sully was staring hard at Luke, wondering at his eagerness to meet the boss.
Cody stayed where she'd been told, but she'd been straining to hear what was being discussed. From what little she could pick up, there was a big robbery coming up. She had no idea where or when, but she did know that afterward the gang would be hiding out in Rio Nuevo. She'd heard the place mentioned when she'd questioned her father's friends about the gang before she'd taken the job. Had she not located Majors in El Trajar, she would have gone to the border town next. Her informants had cautioned her about Rio Nuevo, and now she understood why. Cody went back to the cabin to wash her things.
Luke remained with Hadley and the others. They started drinking, and as the sun went down, their celebrating continued. The women j
oined them, and it was a scene of decadence straight out of Sodom and Gomorrah. The flames of the fire burned bright and hot, while Juana and some of the other women boldly propositioned the men. Couples disappeared for a time, then reappeared to continue their revelry.
Cody only looked out occasionally from her refuge in the cabin. Everyone seemed to have forgotten she even existed, and that was just fine with her. She had taken the time to wash out her dress and undergarments, and now she sat on the bed with her hair down, wearing the pants and baggy shirt, trying to smooth some of the tangles from her wayward mane. She was wishing for a good brush, but knew it was pointless. She had to make do with the simple comb Maria had been kind enough to give her.
Cody was intent upon her hair, and she started nervously when she heard the door being opened. Her heart was in her throat as she grabbed her Bible. She feared that Sully might have managed to sneak away from the others and come after her, and she was determined to be ready for him. She opened the Bible partially and slipped her hand inside. Her courage was bolstered as her hand closed over the butt of her father's gun.
"Sister Mary?" The door opened wider and two of the children peered around it, looking for her.
Profound relief swept through Cody, and she quickly withdrew her hand, lest one of them notice that all was not what it seemed. "Chica, Rafael ... you surprised me. What are you doing here?"
"We missed you, Sister Mary. We wanted to see you. Our mama told us we should stay inside, but when we didn't see you with the others, we hoped you'd be here," Rafael said earnestly.
"Can we stay here with you, Sister Mary?" Chica asked, jumping in fright as wild gunfire exploded outside followed by the drunken guffaws of some of the men.
Cody had no choice. She got up from the bed, set the Bible aside, and opened her arms to them.
"Of course you can," she said sweetly, meaning it. She could understand how frightened they were by all the lewd behavior, and she hugged them to her.