Rogue Gunslinger & Hunting Down the Horseman

by B. J Daniels

  Eve wondered at how the woman could have faced everyone after learning of such a betrayal, but said nothing.

  “That night I took all the money I had and packed a suitcase for my sister. Downstairs, I got my father’s gun from the cabinet where he hid it, loaded the gun and went into the woods. They were both there waiting for me.”

  Eve tensed, waiting.

  “Paul was as remorseful as my sister. He begged my forgiveness. I told them there was only one way. They both had to leave town, never come back, never contact me or anyone we knew, never tell anyone about the baby. If they broke their part of the agreement, I would kill them. When I pulled out my father’s gun, cocked it and pointed the barrel at Constance’s head, they believed me.” Mary Ellen said the words with such a lack of emotion that Eve shuddered.

  “Are you telling me that you never heard from your sister again?” Eve had to ask when Mary Ellen didn’t go on.

  “I only wish that were true.” She took a sip of her coffee her expression as bitter as the brew. “Constance broke the agreement six months later when she called my mother.”

  Eve waited.

  Mary Ellen shook her head, her gaze distant as if lost in the past. “She left me no choice but to do what I had said I would do. I came to Whitehorse. My mother thought I was coming here to save my sister and bring her home. She still believes that. But, of course, that was the last thing I planned to do.”

  “You didn’t kill her,” Eve said, shaken. Otherwise Eve and her brother wouldn’t be here now.

  “No, I got there too late.”

  Eve shook her head. “You were young and hurt, but I don’t believe you would have harmed her.”

  Mary Ellen smiled at that. “I had already harmed her by sending her away at that young age with Paul, who was only a few years older, forcing them to live apart from family and friends with nothing but each other and their shared guilt over what they’d done.”

  “They weren’t entirely innocent.”

  “No, but I wanted them to suffer the way I suffered. I hoped it would destroy whatever they’d felt for each other and that the pregnancy would make matters worse. I got what I wanted. Constance told my mother she’d been living a nightmare. I took great enjoyment in that.”

  “I don’t know that I wouldn’t have done the same thing,” Eve said. Her thoughts went to her husband, Carter, and how he had betrayed her when she was a senior in high school. She’d sworn she’d never forgive him. It had taken years. “I have a hard time forgiving.”

  Mary Ellen glanced at her watch. “There is much more to tell and it’s so late. I’m weary. If I promise to tell you the rest tomorrow, will you trust me to do so?”

  Eve looked into the woman’s eyes, eyes so like her own.

  “I can tell you that I never break a promise,” Mary Ellen said.

  Eve believed her. She nodded and rose.

  “Leave your cup. I’ll straighten up in the morning.”

  “What time shall I come back?”

  “Ten. It will be good if we both get some rest.”

  Eve heard the warning in the woman’s tone. Eve would need her rest before hearing the conclusion of this story. “I’ll be here at ten.”

  * * *

  MILES AWAY AT the film encampment, a figure stood in the dark having watched as Jud Corbett took the new stuntwoman into his trailer.

  A small faint light was still burning at the front of the trailer, but there hadn’t been a sound coming from inside for almost an hour.

  What had Faith Bailey told him? She couldn’t have been in any shape to tell him much.

  I shouldn’t have turned my back on her. I thought she was out cold. Who knew she’d wake up so quickly and head back toward the camp?

  It was the last that caused concern. If she’d been able to run away, if she was conscious enough to head in the right direction—back toward the camp, then she might have been cognitive enough to tell Jud what she’d seen.

  But wouldn’t he have called the sheriff, and wouldn’t the sheriff have been here by now?

  There was only one thing to do. Wait. Let Faith Bailey spill her guts. But who would believe her if there was nothing to find? Actually, this could be an advantage.

  No reason to panic. Everything was going according to plan. This turn of events might work out perfectly.

  There was just one fly in the ointment. If Faith Bailey became too much of a problem. Obviously the doll hadn’t scared her enough to butt out.

  She might need a stronger warning. Or if she became too much of a problem...well, accidents happened all the time on movie sets. She should have learned that with the runaway team.

  And if Faith didn’t talk...well, no one needed to know about tonight.

  But if she continued to hang out with Jud, then she would be jeopardizing Jud Corbett as well as herself. And that would be a shame.

  Chapter Ten

  Faith woke wrapped in a warm cocoon to the sound of voices outside her trailer. She snuggled deeper, refusing to open her eyes. The room felt cold and she wasn’t ready to get up.

  For a few moments she couldn’t remember where she was. She thought she was at her family’s ranch house and that the voices she heard were her sisters downstairs making breakfast. She sniffed the air, hoping against hope for the smell of frying bacon. Pancakes would be good, too. With lots of butter and homemade chokecherry syrup. “Mmmmmm.”

  Someone stirred next to her.

  With a jolt, she shot up in the bed and instantly felt lightheaded, even before she glanced behind her and saw Jud Corbett, where only seconds before he’d been spooned against her.

  “What in the—” She was fighting the covers trying to get out of the bed when he grabbed her.

  “Easy. I can explain.”

  She blinked at him, then at the trailer. This wasn’t hers. That meant—“What am I doing in your trailer?”

  “You were sleepwalking. At least, I think that’s what you were doing.”

  “Sleepwalking?” He had to be kidding. She hadn’t sleepwalked since she was a child.

  “I found you wandering around the camp in a white nightgown. You were soaked to the skin, muddy and freezing cold.”

  “And?” she asked, not sure she wanted to hear this part.

  “And I put you in the shower, warmed you up—”

  “Exactly how did you ‘warm me up’?”

  “With hot water, then I dried you and put you into my bed and covered you up.”

  “That’s it?”

  “What? Did you expect me to take advantage of you?”

  She narrowed her eyes at him.

  “I’m insulted,” he said, drawing back from her. “You really don’t trust me, do you? No, don’t answer that. It’s obvious,” he said, getting out of bed.

  She noted that he wore pajama bottoms—not that it necessarily proved anything. Glancing down, she saw that she was naked. She pulled the comforter up to her chin. “Where are my clothes?”

  “I just told you. All you were wearing was a white nightgown. I hung it up to dry in the bathroom.” He moved to the accordion door that separated the living room from the so-called master bedroom/bathroom. “Check if you don’t believe me.”

  She waited until he closed the door all the way before she climbed out of bed and padded into the bathroom. Just the sight of her muddy white nightgown gave her pause. A memory flirted at the edge of her consciousness.

  Shivering, she recalled being cold and muddy and...hurt. She stumbled to the mirror over the sink, her fingers going to the bandage on her temple. As she drew back her hand, she realized that Jud might actually be telling the truth.

  She’d sworn that he’d never get her into his bed—and he had. But apparently nothing had happened. Unless you considered the fact that he’d stripped her naked and apparently given her
a shower, dried her and put her to bed.

  She was no prude, but if Jud was going to see her naked, this scenario wouldn’t have been her first choice.

  “You all right in there?” he called through the thin door.

  “Yes.” She felt embarrassed for being angry with him, since apparently he’d saved her. Again. Now she was embarrassed on general principle. “Thank you.”

  “No problem.” He sounded gruff. She couldn’t really blame him, since she’d questioned his integrity.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m sure it came as shock to wake up next to me.”

  Something like that.

  She could hear people moving around in the camp. She pulled down her nightgown from where he’d hung it to dry. It was still damp. Along with the mud, there was some blood. Her blood, apparently.

  “I can’t go out like this,” she said, glancing down at her naked body and feeling herself flush at the thought of Jud Corbett’s hands touching her. Damn, she wished she hadn’t missed that.

  “I could go to your trailer and get you some clothing. If that’s all right. I’ll be as discreet as possible.”

  “That would be nice.” She was going to be seen coming out of his trailer. There would be no getting around that.

  As she waited for him to return, she found herself staring again at her nightgown. Bits and pieces of memory played tag in her brain. Just when she thought she could catch hold of one and make sense of it, the darned thing escaped.

  She stopped trying so hard, convinced that, given time, it would all come back.

  Jud returned and handed her two filled plastic bags through the door. Inside she found a black lace bra and matching panties. Had she been the kind of girl who blushed, she was sure she would have. He’d also brought her a pair of jeans, socks, boots and a Western shirt.

  She drew on the clothing, stuffed the soiled nightgown into one plastic bag and opened the door between the rooms. The smell of coffee dragged her like a lasso into the kitchen.

  Without a word, Jud handed her a cup. “No reason to go tearing out of here. Everyone’s at breakfast.” In other words, in plain sight of his trailer.

  She nodded, said “thanks” and took the cup. The coffee tasted heavenly. “You’re a lifesaver.” She meant it because of the coffee, but she realized it covered the situation pretty well.

  “How do you feel?” he asked, motioning for her to take the small recliner while he took the couch.

  “Fine.”

  “I just want to make sure there are no ill effects since we have a stunt to do this morning.”

  “I’m fine and I apologize for jumping to conclusions this morning.”

  “Not necessary. I suppose I would have been just as suspicious under the circumstances. Have you always sleepwalked?”

  “Not since I was a child.”

  “You don’t remember anything?”

  “I feel like the memory is just out of my reach. The last thing I recall was going to bed. But apparently I didn’t stay there.”

  “I just want you to know, about last night, I didn’t feel anything, you know...”

  She feared she did. “You really don’t have to—”

  “No, I do. It wasn’t sexual. I just wanted to get you dry and warm and make sure you were all right. I wasn’t turned on. I guess that’s what I’m trying to say.”

  “Please. Stop.” She felt her face heat.

  He looked as flustered as she felt. “It’s not that I don’t think you’re attractive. Or that I wouldn’t like to—”

  “Jud! Please. I understand.”

  He nodded, looking uncomfortable—something rare for him.

  Faith got up to glance outside from behind the curtains. The breakfast crowd was dispersing as the sun rose up out of the prairie, bright and golden. She would be working today after all, since apparently the other thunderstorm the weatherman had called for was nowhere in sight.

  As she started to drop the curtain back in place, she saw Nancy Davis headed in the direction of Jud’s trailer with the call sheets for the day and groaned.

  Dropping the curtain, Faith hightailed it down the hall, motioning to Jud, who just looked confused. An instant later there was a knock at the door. Jud answered it.

  “Mornin’,” Faith heard him say.

  “Have you seen Faith Bailey?” Nancy asked without returning the greeting.

  “As a matter of fact, she just stopped over for coffee,” Jud said smoothly.

  Faith stepped out, holding her coffee cup in both hands. “Good morning.” She smiled at Nancy as she took her revised call sheet. Nancy didn’t smile back, her eyes darting between her and Jud.

  Faith let out a low curse as Jud closed the door. “She thinks we spent the night together.”

  Jud laughed. “We did.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “So she thinks we spent all night making love,” Jud said, his words soft and seductive as a caress. “It doesn’t matter if she does.”

  Faith wasn’t so sure about that. There was something about Nancy Davis that bothered her.

  * * *

  FIVE MINUTES BEFORE TEN, Eve Bailey Jackson pulled up in front of motel. She sat for a moment, so relieved to see that the rental car was still there that she was trembling.

  She’d slept some. Carter had beaten her home and she’d had to make up an excuse for being so late coming home.

  “I wanted to spend time with Faith,” she’d said. Not a lie exactly. “I’m worried about her. You heard about the accident on the set.”

  They talked about that for a while, then went to bed. Eve was glad when her husband pulled her close and began to make love to her. She lost herself in his touch, needing the escape from her thoughts, her fears, her worries about what Mary Ellen Small would tell her come morning. What if the woman changed her mind and left?

  After their lovemaking, exhausted and content, Eve surprised herself by falling asleep.

  This morning she hadn’t had to come up with a plausible story for her need to be in town by ten. Carter had gone off to work. She’d watched him leave, feeling guilty for not telling him about Mary Ellen. But then she would have had to tell him everything, and she wasn’t ready to do that yet.

  She had to hear the whole story.

  As she got out of her car and headed for the motel room door, Eve felt another stab of guilt at the thought of Bridger. She pushed the guilt aside. There would be time to tell him everything.

  Knocking on the door, she realized that the truth about their parents might be a secret she would have to keep to protect him. She prayed that that wasn’t the case, but she had a bad feeling as the door opened and she saw Mary Ellen’s face.

  * * *

  THE RUMORS ABOUT Jud and Faith ran like a wildfire through the film encampment. Brooke overheard someone in props talking about it before breakfast. She tried not to let it bother her, since everyone grew quiet when she walked past.

  They thought she and Jud were an item and that she was brokenhearted by this turn of events.

  It made her furious. She knew what people were saying. That first Brooke had lost her job to the bitch and now the bitch was sleeping with Brooke’s man.

  “Good morning,” Jud said, joining her. He sounded too damned cheerful for his own good.

  She grunted in response.

  “Is there a problem?” he asked.

  “You tell me,” she snapped.

  “None. None at all,” he said, meeting her gaze.

  Faith showed up then from the makeup and costume trailers, apparently ready for her stunt. Brooke noticed the bandage on her temple. Makeup had tried to hide it behind her hair, but it was still visible up close. The camera wouldn’t pick it up since there wouldn’t be any close-ups.

  Brooke shot a glance to Jud in qu
estion.

  He shrugged and shot her one of his grins. She began to relax. Everything was fine. This woman couldn’t come between the relationship that Brooke had with Jud. She felt better than she had all morning.

  Faith Bailey was a nobody. After this film, she would melt back into obscurity. Jud would forget her just as he had all the other women. The only true bond between a man and woman was friendship. And hers and Jud’s was stronger than any film affair, Brooke told herself as she watched Jud whisper something into Faith’s ear.

  * * *

  “ARE YOU SURE you’re up to this today?” Jud whispered to Faith.

  “I’m fine,” she said under her breath.

  “I’m just worried about that knock you took on your head,” he whispered, shifting his body so Brooke couldn’t read his lips. He’d seen how intently she’d been watching the two of them. No doubt the rumor mill had been running full tilt all morning.

  Faith turned so that they were facing each other, so close that he could smell the scent of his soap on her skin. “I can do this. I’m fine.”

  He shrugged and stepped back, knowing that Brooke probably wasn’t the only one watching them. He couldn’t have cared less about what people were saying. But Faith cared.

  Jud wanted her mind on the stunt they were about to perform—not on what the crew was saying about the two of them.

  “Then let’s do it,” he said and grinned, hoping to relax her. They’d run through this stunt several times, and Faith knew what to do.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Brooke’s impatient expression. Everyone was standing by. He knew Zander would have another panic attack if this film were delayed any further.

  “We’re ready!” he called.

  The scene would be shot primarily from behind them as they rode along on horseback through the tall grass side by side. When they reached the mark, she would make her horse rear. The rattlesnake would be added later digitally.

  Her horse would take off. Jud would chase her down, the film crew racing along beside him. He would ride up next to her horse and pull her over onto his horse, rein in and drop to the ground to take her into his arms.