Miracle Jones

by Nancy Bush

  “She let you sleep on her cot! Don’t tell me what to worry about. I know’d what went on –”

  “Say another word, and I’ll cut out your tongue!” Miracle yelled at her uncle.

  Harrison grinned, then quickly wiped the smile off his face at Horace’s dark look. Her fearless savagery was one of her most dubious attributes, but it only made him love her all the more.

  He was astounded by the thought. Was he really in love with her? Was that why he wanted to marry her?”

  “I’m going after Brody,” he told Miracle, setting down his cup.

  “Don’t you dare. You need to take care of yourself.”

  His Stetson was downstairs in the shop. Seeing it was useless to argue with her, he headed down the steps without another word, in search of his hat.

  Miracle flew down after him. “You can’t go after Brody yet! Harrison, don’t be so damn stubborn! Raynor’s men will find him. Stay out of it.”

  “Lady, I’m doing this for you as much as for any other reason.”

  “For me?” Miracle frowned even while a part of her mind registered that he’d called her “lady,” which was certainly more endearing and respectful than some of the names he’d tossed at her.

  “You can recognize Brody. Let’s catch him before he figures out you’re the only one who can put him behind bars.”

  “What about Jace? He knows what Brody looks like, too.”

  “If I save Jace’s hide, it’s only by default.” His green eyes became positively glacial. “I don’t give a damn what happens to Garrett – even if he is your half-brother.”

  Harrison was out the front door before Miracle could offer another protest. She glanced back up the stairs, knowing she needed to explain to Uncle Horace. Then, with a sound of frustration, Miracle chased after Harrison, catching up with him on the infirmary steps. He lifted a brow and held the door for her.

  “Glad to see you’ve changed your mind,” he said.

  “I haven’t changed my mind. I still insist that you stay in Rock Springs. And I’m going to tell Tremaine the same.”

  There was no one in the infirmary reception room. Though it still early, Harrison found that strange. “Billy!” he hollered.

  It was Tremaine who appeared from down the hall, his expression so grim that Harrison asked instinctively, “Jace?”

  “No, not Jace. He’s fine.” Voices sounded from the back. Harrison could pick out Raynor’s. He glanced questioningly at Tremaine who said, “They found Brody.”

  Miracle heaved a sigh of relief.

  “He was dead. Shot right through the skull.”

  Harrison barely heard Miracle’s gasp of horror. “Shot. Who shot him? What about the woman he was with?”

  “No sign of her. Raynor has no idea who shot Brody, yet, but the wagon was found in a ditch on the road to Malone, a ways from where Raynor found you, apparently.”

  Harrison swore with suppressed violence. “Then Brody wasn’t the last member of the gang. God knows how many more there are.”

  “Where are you going?” Miracle demanded as she watched Harrison head toward the back of the infirmary.

  “To talk to Raynor and help him find these outlaws once and for all.”

  Miracle stared after him, dazed and sick with worry. She had to stop him. She had to. But how?

  Billy came through the door from the surgical rooms, glancing over his shoulder. “Mr. Garrett’s awake again,” he said. “He’s asking for his wife.”

  “I dispatched a message to her last night.” Tremaine scowled. “She should be here by now.”

  “Maybe she don’t want to come,” Billy offered, shooting a disgusted look over his shoulder in the direction Jace must be.

  Miracle’s mind was a whirl. Brody was dead, and that meant Blue must have killed him. There was no one else. And unless she told someone about Blue, Harrison would be her brother’s next victim.

  …if you breathe a word of this, I promise I’ll hurt Harrison Danner. I’ll make him scream in agony…

  She shivered at the memory of Blue’s threat. Fury built inside her. She’d kill Blue herself, if she had to.

  She was on her way to join Harrison when he returned from the back room where Brody’s body lay, his expression set and stony and hard to read.

  “I’m going with Raynor,” he told Tremaine.

  “I’m coming with you,” Miracle said.

  “The hell you are,” Harrison growled.

  Just then the front door of the infirmary burst open. Both Kelsey and Emerald strode inside.

  “Harrison,” Kelsey said, stopping short. Her gaze traveled from his bandaged arm to Miracle, who stood by his side.

  Emerald sniffed, curling her lip. “Well.”

  “How’s Jace?” Kelsey demanded anxiously, turning at once to Tremaine.

  With the ease of long friendship Tremaine put his arm over Kelsey’s shoulder, leading her to the recovery room and the bed where Jace lay. Emerald, her haughtiness vanishing behind a look of pure fury, rustled after them. She nearly knocked Billy over while he vainly tried to hold the door open for her.

  Alone, Harrison turned to Miracle. “Raynor’s men have been searching the area. It looks like whoever killed Brody did it in cold blood. No sign of a struggle. No sign of the woman, either. Raynor thinks she was one of the Half Moon’s whores. If there’s a chance she still alive, I have to help find her.”

  “Then let me come with you. I can take care of myself, and I can help.”

  “I appreciate your talents for rendering your enemy helpless,” he said, half smiling. “But I want you safe here in Rock Springs.”

  Her hand suddenly clutched his sleeve, surprising him. “I don’t want anything to happen to you,” she said in a strained voice.

  Pleased that she cared so much, he gazed down into her lovely face, seeing fear for him in her turquoise eyes. “I told Jace about the box being yours.” Her eyes widened. “He doesn’t want to believe you’re his sister.”

  “He doesn’t want to believe a half-breed’s his sister.” Her gaze was steady, her tone bitter.

  “You’re better than he is, Miracle. Keep that in mind.”

  She glanced away, and he was amazed to realize how much his words meant to her. Didn’t she realize how he felt about her? “I don’t care what color you are.” He touched her face. “You’re beautiful.”

  “Have I interrupted something?” Emerald’s voice was scathing with contempt.

  Miracle stiffened, and Harrison inwardly groaned. He fixed Emerald with a cold green glare. The woman was staring at Miracle as if she’d crawled from beneath the rock.

  She knows, Harrison thought. Jace told her.

  “If I were you, I’d leave Rock Springs immediately,” Emerald snarled at Miracle. “Breeds aren’t welcome in the Garrett house.”

  “You hypocritical bitch,” Harrison growled, but Miracle cut him off in a crisp, cool voice that rivaled Emerald’s in haughtiness: “I wouldn’t set a foot inside your door if I thought it could save my life. I would rather be full Chinook than possess even a drop of Garrett blood!”

  “Just try to get your filthy hands on one penny of Garrett money, and I’ll see you hanged for thieving!” Emerald vowed.

  “Say another word, and I’ll cut out your tongue!” Miracle threw back.

  Harrison suddenly grabbed Miracle, pinning her arms to her side. “Don’t think it,” he said on a suppressed laugh.

  Miracle struggled furiously. She wanted to rip the woman’s black hair out by the roots. “I wasn’t going to really cut out her tongue.”

  “You’ve made your choice, Harrison Danner,” Emerald added venomously. “And it’ll be your downfall. You have my word as a Garrett!”

  ¤ ¤ ¤

  There was no convincing Harrison that he should stay. Miracle’s heart was full of fear, but nothing she said had changed his mind. He was bound and determined to do his duty to the citizens of Rock Springs and insure that she was safe and free of fear. Lor
d, if he only knew she was scared for him, not for her!

  I should have told him.

  It was too late now. Harrison had left with the lawmen, and she’d returned to her shop to pace the plank boards until she was certain she’d worn through a groove. Uncle Horace was silent, watching her thoughtfully. Miracle was grateful for that. She didn’t want to hear his reprimands on top of her own self-recriminations.

  She’d had to face Raynor, of course; he’d wanted her to identify Brody. Then he’d asked her dozens of questions, and though several times she’d opened her mouth to tell him about Blue, her brother’s threat kept filling her head, turning her stone cold with fright.

  It hadn’t helped that Harrison had stood beside her, frowning at her careful statement of facts. Did he know she was hiding something from him? She’d promised not to hide anything, but she was afraid Blue would kill him straight out with no chance for explanations if he found she’d told Harrison about him.

  And she was certain he would find out. Blue was half Indian, and he could move like a shadow. She’d learned that for herself. Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to possess this same trait; otherwise she would slip silently away and take care of him her own way.

  She shivered, wondering if she could actually kill him. If he were threatening Harrison, yes, no doubt. But if she just had to face him and make a decision in cold blood…

  Well, it didn’t bear thinking about. She would leave and that was that.

  “You let that blond doctor friend of yours sleep in your bed,” Uncle Horace observed, shaking her from her thoughts.

  “He was hurt. I insisted that he stay here.”

  Uncle Horace groaned. “You’re gonna get a reputation like your mama’s.”

  Miracle clamped her lips together. She didn’t think she could bear a lecture on behavior today! Should she tell Uncle Horace that the bounty hunter was really Blue? And that Blue was really the chief?

  No. Blue had threatened Uncle Horace, too. If she told him, she would also be putting his life in jeopardy, and Uncle Horace had no chance of defending himself. He wasn’t young or strong like Harrison, nor was he handy with a gun. No, her first plan of leaving town seemed the safest solution. If Blue meant what he said about wanting her to leave with him, by all rights he would chase her down first before taking vengeance on Harrison and Uncle Horace. If she were extremely clever, she could lead him on a merry chase before he ever caught up with her. Of course, when he did catch her, her plight would be pretty desperate. But she couldn’t think about that now.

  “This Harrison Danner is engaged to the Garrett woman. He won’t be havin’ you.”

  “He’s not engaged any longer.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because he told me so himself.” Miracle scraped back her stool and sat down at the plank-board and barrel table, glaring across at Uncle Horace, who was looking at her through anxious eyes.

  “Don’t mean he’ll marry you,” he pointed out.

  “Did I say anything about marriage?” Miracle demanded furiously. “I don’t lie to myself, no matter what you think. Harrison wants a mistress and nothing more. The only way he’d marry me was out of guilt. And that’s the reason I can’t stay in Rock Springs any longer!”

  Uncle Horace’s chin dropped. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean I’m leaving,” she said with finality. “I’m going away.”

  “Not without me, you’re not. What about finding your father? That man’s got to be here and –”

  Miracle held up one hand. She didn’t want to go into that, either. “I don’t want to find my father. You and Aunt Emily are all the family I need. I should have realized that before.”

  Touched, he gazed at her affectionately, reaching a hand out to enclose hers. “What about Blue?”

  “You were right. Aunt Emily didn’t know what she was talking about. Blue isn’t coming here.”

  He shot her a suspicious glance. “You’re bein’ entirely too agreeable, Miracle, my girl.”

  “Honestly! You’re always bellyaching about my not agreeing with you. Now that I have, you should be happy!” She jumped restlessly to her feet.

  “What are you doin’ now?” he hollered as she headed for the stairs.

  “Packing” was Miracle’s taut answer.

  ¤ ¤ ¤

  From the moment they’d gotten back to the house Emerald had been acting mysterious and secretive, Kelsey thought to herself. She’d called several of the farm hands inside, the only ones who could stomach her, and she’d given them secret orders. They’d ridden off a few minutes later.

  What was Jace’s scheming wife up to?

  Kelsey caught up to her sister-in-law in Emerald’s pink and silver boudoir, expecting to find her primping in front of her mirror. Instead she was standing at the window, gazing across the open fields to Danner land, smirking.

  “What are you doing?” Kelsey demanded.

  “Oh, Kelsey! You gave me a fright.” In truth Emerald had nearly jumped from her skin. “What do you mean by coming in here uninvited?” she added indignantly.

  “I heard you talking to Jace at the infirmary. I talked to him after you left.”

  “So?”

  “So Miracle Jones had my tin box all these years, and Harrison thinks my father gave it to her because she’s half Garrett.”

  Emerald’s lips pinched together. “Jace and I don’t believe it.”

  “Why not? From what I’ve heard of my father, he had lots of mistresses.” Kelsey hid her bitterness. She had no love for her father, an uncaring philanderer without a shred of conscience.

  “Well, it doesn’t matter if she is or she isn’t,” Emerald went on tautly. “She’s a breed. She’s not white. She has no rights to anything.” Her black eyes regarded Kelsey hatefully. “All she’s good for is a quick tumble in bed with Harrison Danner.”

  “I think Harrison’s in love with her.”

  Emerald was horrified, but then something out the window caught her attention. “Oh, good heavens,” she declared. “Looks like one of the ewes is caught in the fence. I’d better have MacDougal help her.”

  She rushed out of the room. Kelsey stared after her. Since when did Emerald care a whit about any of the livestock?

  She crossed to the window and looked for herself. The two hands Emerald had sent out were coming back, chasing a frightened herd of Danner cattle into Silver Stream, running them so fast it was likely the poor animals would break their legs unless they slowed down when they hit the creek bed.

  Fury ran like hot lava through her veins. Now she knew what Jace had told Emerald to do: go after the Danners. Apparently getting shot while helping Harrison had been the last straw for Jace. Especially since he refused to believe Kelsey hadn’t wanted out of her engagement. Now Jace wanted revenge. And he was going after Danner blood.

  She ran downstairs to the gun closet. Wrapping her hand in the length of her skirt, she smashed her fist through the glass, unlocking the case from the inside. Grabbing her rifle, she checked the chamber, then she yanked open the drawers below, pulling out extra cartridges.

  “What in God’s name are you doing?” Emerald shrieked at the top of her lungs. She was standing in the archway to the den.

  Kelsey smiled coldly. “I’m going to stop your friends from slaughtering Danner cattle. After that I’m leaving.”

  “Leaving? What do you mean, ‘leaving’?”

  Kelsey walked forward until she pushed a stumbling Emerald backward with the barrel of the rifle. She would take the derringer, too, she decided calmly, though she didn’t like handguns as well as rifles. They weren’t as accurate. Then she would pack some clothes, and some of those breeches she’d saved from when Jace was a boy, the ones that fit her. She would wear them under her skirts so she could ride Sadie Mae astraddle. And Maggie would leave with her, too, she decided, whistling for the rangy mutt even as her plans were formed.

  “Jace will have your hide for this, Kelsey Garrett!” Emerald t
hreatened, sputtering.

  “Jace’ll have to catch me first.”

  ¤ ¤ ¤

  “I won’t let you leave without me,” Uncle Horace declared, positioning himself in the lean-to door, blocking Miracle from leading Gray from his stall.

  “I have to,” Miracle argued. “If I don’t, terrible things will happen.”

  “What do you mean?”

  She couldn’t tell him about Blue, but she could give him an equally powerful reason. Sighing, she said gently. “You know I’m falling in love with Harrison Danner, and like you’ve told me, it can’t work out between us. If I stay, it’ll be worse. I will be like my mother. Don’t you see?”

  “Then I’m coming with you.”

  “Later. You’re still waiting for another shipment. Anyway, I need you to stay to make sure Harrison doesn’t come after me. Lie to him if you have to, but don’t tell him where I’m going.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Somewhere far away. I’ll let you know when I get there.”

  Miracle led Gray past Uncle Horace into the fading twilight of a cold November night. Shaking his head, Horace followed her to the street. Neither of them noticed the still, black shadow that had overheard everything they said.

  ¤ ¤ ¤

  “Trouble out at the Danners,” the deputy said, gasping for breath as he pulled his pony up short in front of the search party. It had taken him the greater part of two hours to find them. Both he and the pony were panting and exhausted.

  Harrison brought his mount around sharply. The deputy had been instructed to stay in Rock Springs. The fact he’d chased them down meant things were serious. “What kind of trouble?”

  “Don’t know exactly. Some livestock’s been killed, and a field’s burning.”

  Harrison whipped around, slapping his reins on the horse’s flanks. What the hell was going on?

  “How did you hear of it?” Raynor asked the deputy.

  “Kelsey Garrett rode into town, rantin’ and ravin’. She thinks her brother’s responsible, if that don’t beat all. But hell, we all know poor Jace is recoopin’ at the infirmary, under Tremaine Danner’s care. It sure weren’t Jace’s fault.”