Married to Claim the Rancher's Heir

by Lauri Robinson

  “Was interested in what made you happy rather than making others happy,” he said quietly.

  “Yes.” Her throat burned at the bile coming up from her rolling stomach. “Anna didn’t like him, said he was too snoopy. Neither did Thelma, but I didn’t listen to them.”

  “He’s a con man, Janette. Knows what to say and do to get what he wants.”

  “I was so foolish.”

  “No,” Gabe said. “You were just being human.”

  “Not much of one,” she said.

  * * *

  Gabe had thought he knew himself, but listening to her made him take a look at how he’d been behaving lately. She would be safer at the ranch, but she wouldn’t be happy there. He wanted her there because that would be easier for him. Make him happy. He’d wanted Max to stay at the ranch for himself. Not for Max. Max had never wanted that. He’d stewed about Max’s leaving all these years because he’d been trying to justify he was in the right and Max in the wrong. He’d been doing that to her, too. Since the day they’d met.

  In less than a week, this woman had taught him more about himself than he’d learned in all the years counting up until this minute. She might have shown him something else, too. Something he wasn’t ready to face or admit.

  She twisted about and produced a sad smile. “Thanks for listening to me. For letting me...complain.” Huffing out a breath, she glanced toward the house. “I should go help Thelma with the dishes.”

  He now understood why she was so thin. Thelma’s cooking. Another reason he wanted to get her back to the ranch and another selfish thought. Nodding, he replied, “I should go let Kent know that you’re all right. He was concerned he’d upset you.”

  “He didn’t,” she said. “I did that all by myself.”

  Grasping her waist, he pulled her forward. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’ve been through a lot lately.”

  “That’s no excuse.”

  He was full of his own excuses, and the sadness in her purple eyes twisted his mind into believing one more wouldn’t hurt. Lifting her chin up, he lowered his head and met her lips before the reasons why he shouldn’t kiss her convinced him not to.

  Her lips met his firmly, sweetly and with mutual consent, but he didn’t force the kiss to grow stronger. Instead, he just let it be gentle and tender. Like her. It also felt natural. Like the most natural thing he’d ever done.

  She released a soft sigh as their lips parted, and as he caught a glimpse of her smoldering purple eyes, he glanced away. His will was being challenged enough. Taking her hand, he said, “I’ll walk you to the house.”

  Falling in step beside him, she squeezed his hand. “I meant what I said, Gabe.”

  “What was that?” he asked.

  “Thank you.” She drew in a breath and let it out before continuing, “Thank you for letting me ramble on, and thank you for being here. For doing things you didn’t have, don’t have, to do.”

  His first impulse was to say she didn’t need to thank him, but, sensing she’d felt she’d needed to, he merely said, “You’re welcome.”

  When they arrived at the porch, he stopped but held her hand while she walked up the steps. “I’ll be back later.”

  Her gentle smile was so endearing he instantly wanted to kiss her again. And again.

  “Do give Mr. Nichols my apologies.”

  “I will.” He squeezed her hand one last time before letting it go and then nodded at the deputy who had politely looked the other way when they’d approached the porch.

  Walking around the edge of the house, he noticed Kent walking toward the street. “Hold up!” Gabe shouted while jumping over the fence.

  “Is everything all right?” Kent asked. “With your wife?”

  Gabe couldn’t be certain about that, so he said, “She’s been through a lot lately. It’s getting to her.”

  “Understandably.” Kent held up a note. “Maybe I’ll learn something to ease her mind. A message was just left for me. I’m on my way to meet my supervisor.”

  “Where?”

  Kent grinned. “I can’t tell you that.”

  Gabe nodded that he understood. “Mind if I walk a ways with you?”

  “Not if I can ask why.”

  This was one time he had to act before thinking. “I need to find a judge. Know of one?”

  “It’s getting late.”

  Walking beside the other man, Gabe said, “It’s Kansas City. With the right amount of money, it doesn’t matter what time it is.”

  “You’re right,” Kent replied. “I know of one. A decent one, and his place is along my way.”

  Several blocks later, Kent stopped on a street corner. “Judge Riley’s house is on the corner up there. The gray house. Tell him I sent you.”

  Gabe appreciated Kent hadn’t asked any questions. “Thanks, I owe you one.”

  Kent shook his head. “I just want to get this case solved, with no one getting hurt.”

  Gabe nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “With any news I can share,” Kent said, turning to walk in the opposite direction.

  The judge was home, an older man with more gray hairs on his face than his head, and he listened to all Gabe had to say with interest. “I usually have visitors at this time of the night because people want to get married, not unmarried.”

  “As I said, it’s a unique situation,” Gabe said, sitting in the man’s book-filled office.

  “It is,” the judge said. “And you’re sure about this?”

  “Yes.” Gabe kept his face expressionless but couldn’t do anything about his insides. It was the right thing.

  “If you change your mind, it won’t be easy to get your rights to your niece back.”

  “I understand that, but Janette is more what she needs than I’ll ever be.”

  “From what I’ve just heard and see, I think you’re cutting yourself short.”

  “I’m not,” Gabe said.

  “It’ll take me a few minutes to draw up the papers,” the judge said, opening a drawer. “Would you like some coffee while you wait? My wife always has a pot brewing.”

  “No, but thanks.”

  “There’s a stack of newspapers on that shelf if you want to read something while I’m writing.” The judge gestured toward the wall beside the door.

  Because he wasn’t as sure as he let the judge believe, Gabe collected a couple of papers. Sitting back down, he pretended the newspapers held his attention while arguing silently with himself that this was the right thing to do. For Janette. For Ruby. And for him.

  The judge looked over the rim of his round glasses a couple of times. Gabe used those glances as a reason to flip the newspaper to a new page.

  When the man finally laid down his pen, Gabe kept staring at the newsprint, acting as if he hadn’t noticed.

  “This decree will need to be signed by both of you and then filed at the courthouse,” the judge said.

  Gabe laid the paper on his lap and nodded.

  Leaning back in his chair and folding his hands over his barrel chest, the judge asked, “May I offer a suggestion, Mr. Callaway?”

  Gabe nodded again.

  “I usually wouldn’t offer advice, but considering you’ve read that entire paper upside down, I’d suggest you give your wife a choice.”

  Gabe’s reaction was to glance at his lap and the upside-down newspaper. With chagrin stinging his neck, he let out a sigh and asked, “What sort of choice?”

  * * *

  Janette couldn’t sleep. Every wagon that rumbled along the road had her holding her breath and listening for a door to the house to open. Gabe had been gone for hours. She had no idea where he’d gone, and her mind was running wild with possibilities and outcomes that frightened her. What if he went searching for Bollinger and had gotten hurt? He could be lyi
ng somewhere, dying. Or already dead.

  Tossing aside the sheet, she shot out of bed, heart racing. Gabe was smarter than that. Then where was he? At a saloon? With a barmaid hanging on his shoulder?

  Rubbing her chest, where her heart ached and raced at the same time, she walked to the window. Moonlight shone down, casting shadows so she couldn’t see the exact spot where Gabe had kissed her. Wonderment filled her. That kiss had been so amazing. So perfect and fulfilling. So had the way he’d held her hand long after she’d climbed the steps onto the back porch. She turned to glance at the bed. Last night, sharing the bed with him had been amazing. Actually, just knowing he was near was... She couldn’t explain it, but it made her feel whole. Almost as if a part of her had been missing all these years.

  What had happened to her? Meeting him, being with him, had changed her. Today, while talking with customers, she hadn’t been excited, thrilled at the idea of designing and sewing a new gown. It could be because so many things needed to be taken care of before she could start sewing again, but she had to wonder if even then the enthusiasm would return.

  Voices had her glancing back toward the window. They were muffled, but the increase of her heartbeat told her it was Gabe. Her breathing became uneven as her body started to tingle. Tiptoeing so the floorboards wouldn’t creak, she hurried back to the bed and climbed on, pulling the sheet up to her chin. Lying on her back, she closed her eyes so he’d think she was sleeping.

  The anticipation rippling over her was too great. She flipped onto her side and tried to slow her breathing. He must have entered the house by now. Should be opening the bedroom door at any moment. She bit her bottom lip and shoved both hands beneath the pillow, hoping that would force her entire body to relax.

  She may have lain there for hours, or minutes, it was hard to say, but either way, she couldn’t do it any longer. Kicking aside the sheet, she climbed off the bed. Nothing but chirping crickets could be heard as she opened the door. The idea he may have left again increased her footsteps.

  The kitchen was empty, and, knowing the voices had come from the front door, she headed in that direction.

  “What are you doing up?”

  His voice startled her enough to make her steps falter and also her heart race. Making out his long frame lying on the sofa, she asked, “What are you doing?”

  “I was almost asleep.”

  “There? You’re going to sleep on the sofa?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it’s cooler down here.”

  She’d never experienced the wave of disappointment that washed over her. Or the flash of anger that it instilled. That was something else he did. Challenged every emotion she had in ways they never had been. “Where were you?”

  “I had an errand to run.”

  “What errand?”

  “We’ll talk about it in the morning.”

  “No, we’ll talk about it now.” The image of the saloon girl and him back in Hays flashed in her mind. “Mr. Nichols returned hours ago, so I know you weren’t with him.”

  “I never said I was.”

  “The deputy out front did.”

  He sat up and then stood.

  Her heart went wild. Trying to find a reason for that, she said, “I had no idea where you’d gone. You could have been shot or hurt or—”

  “I can take care of myself, Janette. Been doing it for years and years.” He didn’t move, just stood stock-still as he said, “Go back to bed. Now. Before something happens that we’ll both regret.”

  There was more than a command in his voice. It sounded as if he was frustrated. Troubled. She couldn’t put her finger on it but knew it was because of her. Remorse filled her as she turned around. “Good night.”

  He didn’t reply, and she held off the tears until she’d shut the bedroom door behind her.

  * * *

  The sofa was lumpy and short, but Gabe couldn’t blame it for his sleepless night. That was all on his shoulders. He couldn’t force her to do what he wanted any more than he’d been able to force Max to. This caring about someone else, realizing they may not want what you want, was harder than he’d imagined it would be.

  Janette wasn’t making it easier either. Her eyes were puffy, as if she hadn’t slept well. And Gabe had a solid lump of guilt churning away in his guts worse than the eggs Thelma had served him this morning.

  Last night the judge’s advice had seemed like a good idea, but now it felt as if he was setting himself up for more disappointment.

  Drawing a breath, telling himself he’d abide by her decision either way, Gabe walked into the kitchen. “Where’s Thelma?”

  “Outside,” Janette answered. “Getting water. Why?”

  He pulled the divorce papers out of his shirt pocket and laid them on the table before reaching into his pants pocket. As his fingers encountered the ring, the simple gold band the judge had sold him from a stock he kept on hand for those late-night weddings, Gabe questioned his sanity. He’d never laid his life on the line like this. Not as in life and death but as in his future. His happiness.

  “What’s this?” she asked, picking up the folded paper.

  “Divorce papers,” he said. Pulling his hand out of his pocket, he laid the ring on the table. “And this is a wedding ring. It’s up to you if we stay married or get divorced.”

  Her eyes grew wide, but before she said a word, a knock sounded on the front door. More than a knock. A constant pounding.

  Gabe spun around and headed for the door before whoever it was broke the glass. He reached the door just as Bowling opened it and barreled inside.

  “Recognize this, Mrs. Callaway?” Bowling asked.

  Gabe took a hold of Janette’s arm as she stepped up beside him, looking at the chain the sheriff held and the gold coin attached to it.

  “No,” Janette said.

  “Are you sure?” Bowling demanded, swinging the chain closer.

  Gabe stepped forward, putting himself between the sheriff and Janette. “She said no.”

  Kent walked through the open doorway. “Back off, Sheriff. I have more authority than you do if that is the army gold.”

  Gabe grabbed the chain out of Bowling’s hand to inspect it closer. It was a twenty-dollar gold piece all right, but he had no way of knowing if it was part of the missing gold or not. Turning, he handed it to Kent.

  It took the agent less than a second to nod.

  Gabe pulled Janette to his side as he asked Bowling, “Where’d you find it?”

  “Arrested Ed Bollinger last night,” the sheriff replied. “He said his son had gotten it from your wife.”

  Gabe hadn’t been impressed with Bowling from the get-go, but the man’s attitude toward Janette right now was about to cause him to get a fist in the face.

  Bowling took a step backward while Janette took the necklace from Kent and held it up, inspecting it more thoroughly.

  A gasp came from behind them, along with a rustling of skirts. “Where did you find that?” Thelma asked, rushing from the kitchen doorway. “I thought it was gone forever.”

  “You recognize this?” Gabe asked, taking the necklace from Janette.

  “Yes, it’s mine,” Thelma said. “I lost it years ago.”

  “When?”

  “Where?”

  “Where’d you get it?”

  “Who gave it to you?”

  The questions came from him, Janette, Kent and Bowling. Thelma’s startled eyes shot between them all. Gabe handed the necklace to Thelma. “You’re sure it’s yours?”

  “Yes. Lewis, my husband, gave it to me when I moved here.” Glancing toward Janette, she asked, “You remember, don’t you?”

  “I remember when you moved in with us, but I don’t remember the necklace,” Janette answered.

  Thelma rubbed the coin. “
Probably because I never took it off, except when I took a bath. That’s when it came up missing. Right around the time Anna left. When I couldn’t find it, I wondered if it had accidentally slipped off when I was helping her pack, except that I remembered taking it off and putting it on the table before taking a bath, but then it was gone.”

  “That would be around the same time Sam Bollinger was here,” Gabe said.

  “Who?” Thelma asked.

  “Isaac,” Janette said.

  “Oh, yes, yes,” Thelma said. “He was here around that time. Did he take it? I never did like him.”

  “Did your husband give you any more coins like that?” Kent asked.

  “No,” Thelma said. “He gave this to me so I’d never be without money, but he made me promise I wouldn’t use it unless I had no other means.”

  “Did he give you anything else?” Kent asked. “Around the same time. A bag or box?”

  Guilt glimmered in her green eyes as Thelma nodded, then shook her head. “I didn’t want to keep them.”

  Her trembling hands had Gabe stepping toward her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he asked, “Why? What was it?”

  “Indian scalps,” she whispered. “A whole box of them.”

  Gabe had a solid hunch there was more in that box than scalps. “What did you do with them? With the box?”

  “Buried it.”

  “Where?” the others asked at the same time he did.

  “Under the lilac bush.”

  “There are shovels in the carriage shed,” Gabe said, turning toward the door.

  Kent grabbed his arm. “There’s something else you need to know.”

  The agent’s serious tone had a shiver coiling around Gabe’s spine, and he once again put an arm around Janette as she shuddered visibly. “What?”

  Kent looked at the sheriff. “Did you arrest the other man with Ed Bollinger?” he asked.

  “There wasn’t anyone with him,” Bowling said. “He tried buying a bottle of whiskey with that coin last night. Just so happened one of my deputies was in the same saloon.” Tugging up his britches with both hands, he continued, “My deputy recognized him from the wanted poster and said he’d walked in alone.”

  Kent shook his head. “I met with my supervisor last night. He’d just received a report from the agents assigned to tracking Bollinger and the others since they’d broken out of Leavenworth. It seems they went straight to Mexico and lay low down there for a week, then they were in Texas for a while before coming here, to Kansas City. Sam Bollinger and Carl James left town over a week ago, but Ed and Trent Bass didn’t.”