Holding Out for a Hero

by Ana Leigh

  “It’s a long story, sir, and I’m tired as hell and need some sleep. I’ll make my report in the morning.”

  “You’ve earned it. Great job, son. Great job.” Hardy paused in the doorway. “Don’t suppose I could convince you to join the army? I could pull some strings and get you a commission.”

  Rico tried unsuccessfully to stifle a huge yawn. “Not interested, sir. Good night.”

  The colonel departed, and Rico turned off the oil lamp, fell onto the bed, and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

  Maude Evans glanced at the wall clock behind the bar of the Boots and Saddles. It was eleven o’clock, and she was looking forward to closing up the bar in an hour. It was Saturday night and Colonel Hardy didn’t permit the sale of alcohol on the Sabbath.

  She and Frank had barely slept in the four days since the girls had been abducted. She was too much of a realist to believe they were still alive, but she kept up a positive front for Frank’s sake. Lord knows his grief would be tenfold when Rico Fraser returned with the bad news.

  She loved Frank Burke. She understood the man better than most, and tolerated his gruffness and bombastic outbursts about his daughter. That’s why she was content to let their relationship continue for fifteen years with no talk of marriage.

  And she liked his daughter, too. As proper as the girl was, Jenny appeared to harbor no animosity toward her for her relationship with Frank. The same was true of his sister, Andrea. Neither woman was uppity like some of the women in town, who looked down on her because she ran a barroom.

  It was an honest job. She didn’t water down the liquor, didn’t charge the soldiers as much for a drink as the fort tavern, and she didn’t hire prostitutes—she left that to the ladies in the whorehouse down the street.

  Frank and her husband, Cal, had been close friends in Missouri, and the two couples had come west together. Cal had opened a bar and Frank had gone into ranching. Then Ellie Burke had died twenty years ago giving birth to Jenny. Five years later, when Maude’s husband had died from consumption, the twenty-five-year-old widow had decided to remain, rather than return to St. Louis.

  Due to the long-existing friendship it was only natural that she and Frank gravitated toward each other, and somewhere along the way, the friends had become lovers.

  Never in the past fifteen years had Frank asked her to marry him. She had come to enjoy her independence as the best of both worlds. Yet in her heart, she’d give it up tomorrow if Frank asked her to be his wife. For despite how much she liked her independence, she loved Frank Burke.

  From habit, she poured a shot of whiskey when she saw Sam come through the door. “You’re late getting in tonight, Sam. And where’s Tucson?” she asked, shoving the drink at him.

  Sam gulped it down, and motioned for a refill. “Had some trouble on the road. Half a dozen gunmen tried to rob us, and Tucson caught a bullet in his shoulder. He’s at the doc’s office in the fort.”

  “Is it serious?” she asked.

  “Busted a bone. Long time before he’ll be able to ride shotgun again.”

  “How come you’re still in one piece, Sam?” one of the fellows at the bar asked. “You ain’t gonna try to tell us you outgunned six men tryin’ to hold up the stage?”

  “Ain’t said I did. We’d of been fish in a barrel if it weren’t for Rico Fraser. He helped kill off four of ’em, and the other two turned tail and scrambled.”

  “Now we know you’re blowin’ hot air, Sam. Rico Fraser and an army captain named Masters are out trailin’ the Slatter gang, who hit the Double B and took off with Burke’s sister and daughter.”

  Sam was now the center of attention of all in the bar, and he made the most of it. “You got part of it right.” He paused, downed his drink, then wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “’Cept I jest left Rico at the doc’s in the fort. Cap’n Masters got pretty shot up.”

  Maude slammed down the bottle. “For God’s sake, Sam, what about the girls?”

  “They looked to be in pretty good shape, Maude. Doc’s wife took them home with her.”

  “Oh my God! Frank. Frank!” She raced up the stairs.

  The patrons in the bar hurried out to spread the word.

  Within moments Frank Burke came rushing down the stairway, pulling his suspenders over the unbuttoned shirt he’d donned. Maude followed as they left the bar.

  Sam looked around at the suddenly deserted room. “Well I’ll be durned!” he muttered, “They didn’t even wait to hear about the wheel rollin’ off.” He reached for the bottle and poured himself another drink.

  After delicious bowls of soup and chicken sandwiches, then hot baths and clean nightgowns and robes that the doctor’s wife had dug out of a chest, Jenny and Andrea were relishing their second cups of tea for the evening when a pounding at the door interrupted their conversation.

  “Evening, Mrs. Wallace,” Frank Burke said. “I’ve been told my—”

  The doctor’s wife nodded and stepped aside, and Frank Burke rushed past her.

  Jenny’s eyes brimmed with surprised tears when her father’s arms closed tightly around her. Her father never displayed any affection for her, and it felt good, feeling the strength of his hug.

  As if embarrassed, Frank stepped back. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine, Father.”

  Frank turned to his sister and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek. “What about you, Andrea?”

  “Nothing worse than a twisted ankle, Frank.”

  “That’s good. How’d your face get so bruised?” he asked Jenny.

  She shrugged off the question with her usual flippancy. “Compliments of Mr. Slatter.”

  Her father’s jaw hardened in anger. “What else did he do to you?”

  “Other than making a lot of threats, he just shoved us around a lot.”

  “That’s not quite true, Frank,” Andrea interrupted. “She came very close to Slatter killing her. Not only had he dragged her across the ground and ripped her knee open, but he was about to cut her throat when Rico and Don Masters arrived. She’d be dead today if not for Rico. We all would be, Don included. You owe that man a big debt, Frank.”

  “I always pay my debts, Andrea. You can be sure of that. I told him he could name his price.”

  Mrs. Wallace retired to the kitchen with Maude to give the reunited family some privacy. Shortly after, Frank and Maude departed and Jenny and Andrea went to bed.

  As they lay side by side in the comfort of the bed, Jenny said, “Do you believe, it’s really over, Aunt Andrea? We’re finally safe.”

  “Yes, we are. But I won’t feel secure until I’m sure Don made it safely, too.”

  Jenny reached for her hand. “He will, Aunt Andrea. He’s strong, and he has a great incentive to recover. He has your love.”

  They slipped into slumber, still clasping hands.

  12

  Early the next morning, Jenny and Frank Burke rode back to the Double B. It was hard for her to believe she’d only been gone for four days—so much had happened that would live in her memory forever.

  As they approached the house, she glanced at the small cemetery surrounded by a whitewashed fence. Her mother’s grave was set apart from the crosses that marked the final resting place of crew members who had died while working at the ranch. She felt a lump in her throat at the sight of the two new additions.

  “Maude came out and put the place in order,” Frank said when they entered the house. “Those bastards tore it apart pretty badly.”

  “I heard they were looking for money.”

  “I’m going out to feed and water the stock. How soon before we head back to town?”

  “I just have to change my clothes and pack up some clothing for Andrea.”

  “How long is she planning on staying in town?” he asked.

  “You’ll have to ask her, Father. Probably not until she’s sure Captain Masters is out of danger.”

  “Just when did my sister and Masters get so friendly?” Frank asked
gruffly.

  “It could be when Captain Masters almost died trying to save her.”

  Her sarcasm was not wasted on him. “Well, just the same, she might be making too much of it. Some of these army boys—”

  “Captain Masters is not a boy, Father.”

  He frowned. “Okay, some men wouldn’t hesitate to take advantage of a softhearted woman like Andrea, no matter how old she is.”

  “That’s right, Father. Just like you do.”

  His brow knit into a frown. “Blast it, girl, that’s no way to talk to your father. You know what I meant! It’s no wonder I get short with you.” He thumped out, slamming the door behind him.

  It never takes long for us to be at each other’s throats, Jenny reflected as she climbed the stairway.

  Opening the door to her bedroom, hot air swarmed to greet her. The sun always blazed in the western windows in the afternoon, and now, with the drapes left open and the room closed up for days, the heat was stifling. She opened the windows to let in the morning breeze.

  For a long moment she gazed at the rainbow of color below in the garden—her Garden of Eden. It was the only thing on the ranch that she devoted her heart and soul to maintaining.

  Blooming cacti literally carpeted the white-picket-fenced area with the brilliant scarlet blossoms of Mojave cactus, stunning clumps of white from saguaro, the gold from fishtail, and the fragile strawberry blooms of hedgehog, set amid the shade of several palm and olive trees.

  She breathed their sweet fragrance deeply and thought of the past few days. Soon Rico would be leaving. Her heart told her to try to convince him to remain; her common sense told her it would be wiser to let him leave, for once he found Ben Slatter, he’d simply move on to the next wanted man. That was the life he preferred; he’d never settle down to raising a family.

  She moved away from the window. As she began to shed her clothing, she paused and studied her image in the mirror. Many had told her she was beautiful, but her looks were something she gave little attention to. She leaned closer and stared at her reflection. Did Rico think her body was beautiful? She certainly thought his was.

  Jenny Burke, you’re acting as lovesick as Andrea. Why? You aren’t in love with Rico Fraser, any more than he is with you. The events of the last few days have created a feeling that normally wouldn’t have developed between us, so what does it matter, whether he thinks I’m beautiful or not?

  She turned away and dressed quickly, then sat down on the bed to put on her shoes. The volume of Shakespeare she’d been reading before her abduction still lay open on the nightstand next to her bed, and as she picked it up, the words seemed to jump off the page.

  “This above all: To thine own self be true.”

  I intend to do exactly that, Mr. Shakespeare. My eyes are wide open when it comes to Rico Fraser—and myself.

  She closed the book and laid it back down on the table.

  Rico decided to leave today rather than tomorrow, and he had a number of things to do before departing.

  He had promised to take Jenny to dinner that evening, but decided he’d make it up to her when he returned. After a bath, a shave, and a hot meal, he packed up his saddlebags, replenished his ammunition, and checked on Bucephalus. Then he stopped at the dispensary before departing.

  Doctor Wallace had completed the surgery on Tucson’s shoulder and Don was sitting up in bed, on the road to recovery, his fever checked and new dressings on his wounds. Andrea sat at the bedside.

  “Thought I’d stop and see how you’re doing before I pull out,” Rico said.

  “So you’re moving on?” Don asked.

  “To find Slatter. Once I do, I figure on heading back to California.”

  “Did you say good-bye to Jenny?” Andrea asked.

  “I will after I leave you folks,” Rico said.

  “I’m afraid you’ve missed her. She and Frank went back to the ranch, early this morning but I expect them to be returning soon.”

  “I thought the two of you were staying at the doctor’s quarters last night.”

  “We did. But Jenny needed a change of clothing, as do I. They should be back shortly, and she’d be upset if you rode off without saying good-bye.”

  “Tell her that as soon as I locate Slatter, I’ll be back,” Rico assured her. “I better get on my way.”

  Andrea hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you. Those two words are so inadequate for the debt we owe you, Rico. Be careful, and come back safely.”

  “You better come back, Rico. We’re hoping you’ll stand up at our wedding,” Don said as the two men shook hands.

  “It would be an honor. When’s the happy day?”

  “I’d like it to be today, but my future bride says we wait until I’m back on my feet again.”

  “You need at least a week,” Andrea replied. “You’re still bedridden, you know.”

  “I was under the impression that’s where most newlyweds spend most of their time,” Don teased.

  Andrea blushed. “Shame on you; you’re embarrassing me.”

  “Well, I’m looking forward to the wedding, so get well, Don. I can’t make any promises about getting back in a week. If I don’t make it, I’ll be thinking about the two of you.”

  “And you take care, Rico,” Don warned. “I’m hoping Slatter has died from those gunshot wounds.”

  “If he did, I’ll find out somehow.”

  Andrea sighed. “I still wish you would wait to say good-bye to Jenny.”

  “Tell her I didn’t wait because it’s not good-bye between us. She’ll understand what I mean. And tell her that I haven’t forgotten I owe her a steak dinner when I get back.” He suddenly grinned. “Come to think of it, I’ll tell her myself. How long does it take to ride out to your brother’s ranch?”

  “About forty-five minutes.”

  “Since I’m getting a late start already, another hour and a half won’t make that much difference. Take care of Don, Andrea. He’s a good man,” Rico said.

  She smiled at him. “I already figured that out. I wish you didn’t have to go. Do you really need that reward money?”

  “Don’t you think it’s time you let me tell her the truth about that, my friend?” Don asked.

  “What truth?” Andrea asked.

  Rico nodded. “I suppose you’re right. But do me a favor and wait until I leave.”

  He left with Andrea looking at Don in wide-eyed curiosity.

  In less than an hour, he reached the Burkes’ house. It was much larger and more impressive than the sprawled ranch houses he was accustomed to. Clearly much had been done to improve the original structure. The lower walls were the original brick Frank Burke had used to build the house. Several rooms had been added to extend the first floor, but the biggest change was the addition of a second story clad in gray clapboard siding, with black shutters on the windows and a shingled roof.

  Burke must have seen him coming, because he had walked up to the hitching post and was waiting to shake hands and thank him for rescuing his family.

  “I figure you’d show up. Let’s go inside and settle up,” Frank said. “I said you could name your price, Fraser. How much do you want?”

  “I don’t want anything, sir. I never had any intention of being paid for trailing Slatter; you came to that conclusion on your own. Colonel Hardy will confirm that if you don’t believe me.”

  “If that’s the case, I owe you an even bigger debt than I figured. What brings you out here to the Double B?”

  “I came to say good-bye to Miss Jennifer, sir. I’m moving on; I want to make sure Slatter is dead.”

  “I heard you put two slugs in him. You figure he could still be alive?”

  “I just came from seeing Captain Masters. He took two slugs and he’s very much alive. He and Miss Andrea are planning their wedding.”

  “Wedding?”

  “Yes, sir. I’m sorry to surprise you. I assumed Andrea or Jenny had told you already.”

  “Those women don�
��t tell me anything ’til they have to,” he grumbled. “I keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies, but I’m always the last to know what they’re up to.”

  “I’ve got to get moving, sir,” Rico repeated, “I’d appreciate it if you’d let Miss Jenny know I’m here.”

  “Sure you don’t want to come in for a cool drink before heading out?”

  “Thank you just the same, but I’m in a hurry, sir.”

  Burke shook his hand again. “Good luck, son. And be sure to keep your powder dry,” he added in a lighter tone. “I’ll call my daughter.”

  As he waited for Jenny, Rico looked around him. With the crew absent, the ranch was quiet.

  When Jenny came out of the house, she had on the yellow gown she had worn the first time he saw her. Her auburn hair had been brushed to a satin sheen and was tied back with a yellow ribbon.

  Her glance swung to his bulging saddlebags, then back to him. “So you’re leaving.”

  “I told you I would be.”

  “I guess I didn’t realize how soon that would be.” She walked toward the garden, Rico following, opened a picket gate, and entered. She went over to one of the Mojave cactus and drew a deep breath of the scarlet blossom.

  The gesture called up memories of the afternoon at the river, when she had picked wildflowers and made them into a nosegay.

  “You’re very fond of flowers, aren’t you?”

  Her smile was serene when she turned and faced him. “I planted all this myself, except for the olive and palm trees. I needed the help of a couple of the hands for that.”

  “Wherever did you get olive and palm trees in Arizona?”

  “Father had them shipped here from California. He was excited when I asked for them, because he thought I was going to do something useful.” She sat down on a bench. “He regrets it now.”

  “But why? This garden is a beautiful oasis in the midst of a desert.”

  “My father thinks it’s a waste of time and money, and that I spend too much time here.”