by Bobbi Smith
“So do I. I’ve wished that a thousand times over the years. He was such a good man . . . handsome, too. I have a small portrait of him.”
“Could I see it?”
Eileen opened the locket she wore on a long gold chain around her neck. Inside there was a tiny oil painting of a very handsome young man. He had blond hair and dark eyes, and Amanda could easily understand how her friend had loved him.
“He was very handsome, your Andrew.”
“I know. There were many girls chasing him, but he loved me. It’s that thought that’s sustained me all these years. I know, some day, we will be together again. It won’t be in this lifetime, but I know he’s waiting for me in heaven.”
“That is so beautiful.”
Eileen smiled a sweet-sad smile as she closed the locket. “That’s why I keep prodding you toward Jack. I sense something there between the two of you. I’ve seen the way he looks at you when you don’t know he’s looking, and I’ve seen the way you react to him. He’s a wonderful man, who’s been through a lot. You could do a lot worse, you know.”
Amanda laughed at Eileen’s matchmaking. “I could?”
“Of course, just look at Ted—not that he isn’t nice and all,” she amended, “but next to a man like our Jack—”
“ ‘Our’ Jack?”
Eileen gave her a sly look. “I’m fond of him, and you are too, if you’d just admit it.”
“Oh, sure, I’m fond of him the way I’m fond of rattlesnakes,” Amanda said.
“Just because he keeps you out of trouble is no reason to be angry with him. That’s his job, you know. That’s what your father hired him to do.”
Eileen’s use of the phrase “that’s his job” reminded Amanda of Jack’s words in the back of the freight wagon, and her irritation grew. “Papa hired him to bring me safely home, and then he hired him on as a worker for the stage line.”
“I overheard one of their recent conversations by accident,” Eileen replied. “Your father specifically hired Jack to guard you and keep you safe.”
“That’s ridiculous. Jack said—” She stopped at the look Eileen gave her. She had been angry with Jack when she’d come into the house, and now, if possible, she was even angrier. “I don’t believe this!”
“It’s true. Your father was worried about you, what with the robberies and all, and he wants Jack to make sure you’re guarded all the time.”
“But I don’t need protecting! I’m even carrying my own gun now!” She dropped her hand to the revolver on her hip.
“Well, darling, you have to learn that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. Your father is a man of the old school who believes that women should be cherished, guarded and protected. You are his precious daughter, and since he can’t take care of you himself, he’s having Jack do it.”
“I should have realized something was going on when Jack said he was staying.”
“Don’t be angry with Jack. He obviously cares about what happens to you. If he didn’t, he would have gone after the Sheldons as soon as he’d turned you over to your father.”
Amanda didn’t believe there was anything heroic about Jack’s decision to stay. “I am sure that Jack doesn’t care about me the way you think he does, Eileen. I’m sure money had a lot to do with his decision to stay on.”
“Maybe, maybe not, but just remember how I lost my Andrew. I don’t want you to lose something precious, too.”
Amanda almost snorted at Eileen’s use of the word precious. There was nothing the least precious about Jack Logan to her way of thinking.
“We’ll see,” Amanda replied evasively. She’d done all the talking about Jack that she wanted to do for one night. “I’m going to go take a bath and get cleaned up.”
“Do you want dinner? I ate about half an hour ago.”
“Could you just bring up something on a tray for me in my room? I’m tired and I think I’ll go to bed after I get cleaned up and tell Papa good night.”
“I’ll have your food up to you in a few minutes.”
“Thanks.”
Amanda started up the steps, feeling suddenly very tired. She needed some quiet time alone to think about all that had happened and to try to figure out what to do. The story of Eileen’s lost love stayed with her through the night.
Jack quickly threw on his clothes and returned to town. He had wanted to speak to Dan that night, but knew it would have to wait. He was in no condition to have an intelligent conversation with him. He thought about stopping by the bar, but chose to return to the hotel directly. After eating a quick meal there, he went up to his room and stretched out on the bed. He didn’t have to be anywhere or see anyone until the following morning, so he knew he could relax.
There was nothing relaxed about his thoughts, though, as he lay there going over in detail all that had happened with Amanda. He hadn’t meant to make love to her. Not that he regretted it—loving her had been magnificent, but it shouldn’t have happened. He’d known from the beginning how she felt about him. Her parting words had certainly conveyed the full depth of her affection—or lack of affection—for him.
He swore silently to himself, wondering what he was going to do. Logic told him to leave, head out first thing tomorrow. But his promise to Dan held him in San Rafael. Of course, if Dan learned what had happened between him and Amanda, Dan would personally run him out of town on a rail.
Jack wondered how he’d gotten himself into this mess. And the answer came to him, as visions of Amanda played in his mind. He saw Amanda smashing liquor bottles in the bar and standing up to the outraged barkeep. He saw Amanda trying to help the abused woman and then suffering abuse herself at Jennings’s hands. He saw Amanda surrendering to him as they made love on the bed of grass only hours before. She was unlike any woman he’d ever known. There was no deceit in Amanda. She said what she thought and did what she believed best, no matter what the consequences. She was a rare woman, indeed.
And he loved her.
Jack had no idea what he was going to do about it, and he knew he had to come up with something fast. They were scheduled to make a run to Comanche Pass together the following afternoon, and somehow they would have to work this thing out between them by then.
He loved Amanda. . . .
The thought made him smile and then frown. He’d been in some difficult situations before, but this one topped them all.
It was going to be a very interesting trip.
Amanda was up before dawn. She’d tossed and turned for most of the night thinking of Jack. It was sweet that Eileen believed he was there because he cared about her, but she knew different. Jack had told her that it was his job, and he’d told her that he was sorry they’d made love. It didn’t get much plainer than that—Jack didn’t care about her. She had thrown herself at him, he’d taken what she’d freely offered and he’d regretted it later.
It was for that very reason that Amanda knew what she had to do. She had to leave. She had to get away from Jack. She needed time to pull herself together. She needed time to become strong again, because right then, remembering Jack’s lovemaking, she didn’t feel strong. She felt only devastation and pain and anger at herself for her own weakness.
And so, she was dressing in her work clothes and strapping on her gun to get ready to ride. Isaac and Ted were scheduled to go to Las Brisas at five-thirty this morning. Instead, she would go. One of them would have to stay behind and go with Jack this afternoon. She didn’t care if they complained or not. She was the boss, and it was her decision. She wanted to be long gone before Jack Logan even got out of bed.
Amanda left a brief note for her father and one for Eileen, too, so they wouldn’t worry. She quietly crept from the house, not wanting to disturb anyone. She wanted to get away as quickly and as quietly as she could.
Isaac and Ted were already at the office getting ready to leave. They were both surprised to see her.
“What are you doing here so early?” Ted asked. He was pleased because he thought pe
rhaps she’d come down just to say good-bye to him.
“I’ve decided that I prefer to make the morning run today, so one of you will have to stay behind and ride this afternoon with Jack,” she explained quickly, not giving either of them the chance to argue or question her decision.
“I’ll take it,” Ted said quickly, glancing over at Isaac.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Isaac asked. Dan had told him about how he’d hired Jack to guard Amanda, and he wanted to abide by Dan’s wishes. He knew for a fact that Ted was not that good a shot.
“It’s a fine idea,” Amanda stated firmly. “Ted can do the driving, and I’ll ride shotgun.”
Isaac saw the look in her eye. She was running the place, but he still didn’t like it. “But your father—”
“Put me in charge. I’m taking the morning run.”
“Well, I guess I’ll go get me some more sleep,” Isaac agreed, reluctantly.
“I didn’t inform Jack of my change in plans, but it shouldn’t make any difference to him.”
“I’ll tell him when he shows up.”
“You ready?” She looked at Ted.
“If you are. We’re right on schedule.”
“Good.”
They climbed aboard. Amanda took up her position as shotgun while Ted picked up the reins and urged the team out of San Rafael. They were carrying three passengers, mail and a small payroll. Amanda expected it to be an uneventful trip.
Isaac watched them go. He had misgivings about the two of them riding together, but as she’d said, she was the boss. True, she was a decent shot and could handle a team, but Ted had yet to distinguish himself as a good driver. Isaac hoped that everything went smoothly, but somehow something didn’t feel right.
He waited until sunup and then sought out Jack. He wanted to talk to him about what had transpired.
“Yeah, who is it?” Jack called out as someone knocked at his hotel room door just after dawn.
“It’s Isaac.”
Jack got up immediately and pulled on his pants. For Isaac to seek him out, something had to be wrong with the stage line—and that meant Amanda could be in trouble. When he’d finished fastening his pants, he threw on a shirt and didn’t bother to button it as he opened the door to let Isaac in.
“What’s wrong? Has the five-thirty run gone out yet?”
“They left on time.”
“They?” Jack closed the door behind Isaac and motioned for him to sit in the only chair. He settled on the edge of his bed.
“That’s why I came to see you. Miss Amanda showed up just in time to ride out with Ted. She said I should work the afternoon stage with you.”
“I see,” Jack muttered and then swore under his breath. He’d hurt her so badly the night before that all she wanted to do was get away from him. He was tempted to go after them, to bring her back so he could keep an eye on her, but he decided not to. By her actions, she’d made it perfectly clear that she wanted nothing more to do with him.
Still, the thought of her riding with Ted set Jack’s nerves on edge. He would have felt much better if she’d gone with Isaac. He trusted and liked Isaac. He was confident of his ability to handle trouble. Ted, however, was a different story. Jack didn’t want Amanda anywhere near Ted, but he could hardly go after her and drag her back as he’d dragged her out of The Palace. He would have to be patient and bide his time, and that didn’t sit well with him.
“I’ve been thinking,” Isaac began, unsure of how to voice his suspicions, but knowing he had to talk to someone. “Things around here were going real good until Ted showed up.”
“I don’t understand.” Jack frowned as he glanced over at Isaac.
“I mean, it just seems a real strange coincidence to me that there hadn’t been a robbery around here in years, and then Ted comes back to live with his mother and Asa, and the next thing we know all hell breaks loose.”
“Are you saying the robberies didn’t start until after he’d returned?”
“That’s right. He’d been back about a month when the first one happened.”
“Did he ever say anything or do anything to arouse your suspicions?”
“No. Nothing. That’s what’s bothering me. He seems all right, but there’s just something about him—”
“I know what you mean. Something doesn’t ring true.”
“I keep thinking . . . he and his mother were the ones who benefited the most from Asa’s death, but I can’t imagine a woman as nice as Miss Mona being involved in anything like that.”
The mention of Mona’s possible involvement sharpened Jack’s interest. “Never underestimate women. It could mean the death of you. Did you hear about El Diablo?”
“Just that the gang was brought in.”
“Well, El Diablo was a woman. She was running the whole thing, and she was as deadly and vicious as they come. Keep an eye on Mona, and the next time Ted drives, I’ll ride shotgun with him.”
“That’s a great idea. Dan and Asa worked hard to make this line a success. I want things to straighten out for Dan. I don’t want Taylor Stage and Freight going under.”
“Neither do I,” Jack agreed. “When are Amanda and Ted due back?”
“Early tomorrow afternoon.”
“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how things go. You’ll be ready for our trip later?”
“I’ll be ready whenever you are.”
“I’ll come to the office in another hour or so.”
“See you then.”
Isaac had only just departed when another knock sounded at Jack’s door. He expected it to be Isaac again, and he wondered what the other man had forgotten to tell him. He opened the door without pause and was shocked to find himself facing Stalking Ghost.
“Stalking Ghost! Come in!” He welcomed him, truly glad to see him. “Did Cody and Luke come with you?”
“No. I came alone to find you.”
“Why? Has something happened to Cody or Luke?” Jack asked.
“No,” Stalking Ghost answered. “I came here to you to let you know what has happened. Your Captain Laughlin came to see Luke and Cody to find out if they knew where you were. He told them how the Sheldons had broken out of jail and were after you.”
“Cody didn’t . . . ?” Jack immediately knew what Cody Jameson Majors would do.
Stalking Ghost nodded. “Once Captain Laughlin had gone, Cody convinced Luke that the bounty was too good to pass up.”
“I hope to hell she doesn’t go getting herself killed.”
“Cody is the best at what she does. She will find them,” Stalking Ghost said with complete confidence.
Jack knew that was true. That was the reason he’d hired her to help him bring down the El Diablo gang. “I know, but the Sheldons are almost as dangerous as El Diablo was.”
“That’s why she wants them behind bars again. She sent me to tell Laughlin that she and Luke were going after the gang. When I found him to give him the message, he told me that he had gotten a message from you and that you were here. That is why I have come—to make sure that you are well. Have you seen or heard anything of the Sheldons yet?”
“Nothing, and I hope it stays that way. I’m here working for the stage line as a favor for an old friend.” He quickly explained what was happening with the robberies and how he was scheduled to ride out that afternoon. “Are you staying here or going after Cody and Luke?”
“I will be near,” he answered obliquely.
Amanda was trying to relax and enjoy the trip with Ted, but it wasn’t proving to be as easy as she’d thought it would be. No matter how hard she tried not to think of Jack, he was constantly in her thoughts. She almost felt like screaming in frustration at being unable to banish her memories of him . . . memories of his kiss, his smile, his touch, the heat of his body against hers. . . . With an effort, she controlled her desire to scream. Not that she wouldn’t have felt better, but she didn’t want to frighten the passengers or have Ted question her sanity.
/> “You’re scowling,” Ted remarked, noticing her dark expression. “Is something wrong?”
“No, I was just thinking about the robberies and wondering why the sheriff can’t find anything out. The first robbery was on this very run, wasn’t it?”
“That’s right. It was just up ahead a ways where the road narrows and the terrain is rocky.”
She nodded. “Good choice on the robbers’ part. It’s next to impossible to track anybody over rock.”
“Whoever they are, they know what they’re doing. Let’s just hope they’ve moved on. We don’t need any more trouble. Things are bad enough as they are now, with all the drivers quitting.”
“That’s the truth.”
“My mother still talks about seeing if your father will sell out, but I don’t know if that’s a good decision or not. I got a look at the books and there’s definitely money to be made here, if everything calms down.”
“I doubt my father would ever sell. It’s been his whole life. It means too much to him. With your help and Isaac’s, I can handle most of the business until he’s recovered and can take over again.”
“But what if the robberies continue even then?”
“The law’s going to have to catch the robbers,” she said fervently. “They murdered Uncle Asa and that passenger. We can’t let them get away with that. The outlaws will make a mistake, and when they do, they’ll be caught. I’m almost tempted to send for the Rangers, but I’m going to give the sheriff another week or two to see if he comes up with any new leads.”
“The sheriff’s a good man. If there’s anything out there, he’ll find it,” Ted said. He really thought the man was just shy of being an idiot, but that was fine with him. It made things much easier.
“I hope you’re right.”
Amanda tightened her grip on her rifle as they neared the site of the first robbery. She felt uneasy and tried to dismiss the feeling, telling herself she was on edge because she was upset about Jack.
“How good are you at driving?” she asked, her gaze sweeping over the surrounding landscape
“I’m learning on the job,” Ted told her with an easy smile meant to ingratiate himself and impress her with his confidence. “Isaac taught me on our first trip together over a month ago, and I’ve been doing the driving ever since.”