“I bet so.” Jake had grown tense.
Rena looked at him. “Don’t you think it was funny?”
“I was thinking of something else.”
“That’ll teach me to tell you a story like that again.” She nudged him.
“Rena, I want you to tell me stories for the rest of our lives. But I thought of something that I should’ve told you before our wedding.”
“Don’t tell me you had an affair with Mirabel Jefferson.”
He gave her a small grin. “No. I didn’t have anything to do with Mirabel Jefferson.”
“I’m glad. I’ll forgive you many things, but I’m not sure I could forgive you for that.”
“I’m not sure you can forgive me for this either.” His face took on a sober look. “It may even make you stop loving me.”
“Nothing could make me stop loving you, Jake.”
“I hope not, but I should’ve told you this before our wedding.”
“You’re not going to tell me you’re already married, are you?”
“No, Rena, I’m not married to anyone else and never have been. Mirabel Jefferson alluded to it and I’m sure others will say something. I want you to hear the truth from me.”
Rena grew serious. “You’re scaring me, Jake. Tell me whatever it is you think you should, but as I said, there’s nothing that would make me stop loving you.”
Jake took a deep breath and silently prayed that it wouldn’t make Rena hate him. He took another quick deep breath and blurted, “My grandmother was a Shoshoni Indian.”
Rena didn’t say anything and Jake swallowed. He figured it would hit her hard, but he didn’t expect her to clam up. When she continued to remain silent, he asked, “Aren’t you going to say anything?”
“I was waiting for you to tell me whatever it was you had to tell.”
He frowned. “I just did.”
“No you didn’t.”
“Rena, I did. I told you my grandmother was an Indian.”
“So. What has that got to do with anything?”
He was stunned. “You mean you don’t care?”
She lifted an eyebrow at him. “Should I care?”
“Most women would run in the other direction if they knew I had Indian blood.”
“I don’t see why. If I told you my grandmother was a French peasant would you be upset?”
“Of course not.”
“Well, she was. She left France and came to this country with a brother looking for a better life. Her brother and my grandfather became friends and I think that’s how they met.”
Jake could hardly believe this. Rena acted as if made no difference at all to her. Did she fully understand that he was a fourth Indian? Would it dawn on her later?
He pulled the horses to a stop and fastened the reins on the break stick. He turned her to him and looked into her eyes. “Do you understand what I said? I’m one fourth Shoshoni. Our children will be an eighth. Doesn’t that upset you?”
“No. Why should it? I hope every one of our children have beautiful dark hair and eyes like their father.” She frowned. “Wait a minute. How many children are we talking about? I don’t like pain and I don’t think they have epidurals in this century.”
“Rena, again I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, but I know you’re the most wonderful woman on this earth.” He swallowed hard, but his eyes became moist. To keep her from seeing him become emotional, he pulled her against his chest. “Don’t you ever change. I want my twenty-first century wife to always surprise and delight me like you do now.”
“If not caring that your grandmother was an Indian is all it takes to make you happy, then you’re the easiest man to please I’ve ever seen.” She leaned up and kissed his chin.
“Things must be a lot more tolerant in your time.”
“Some things are. Others not so much, but most people who claim to have a few drops of Native American blood in their veins fight tooth in nail to keep it there. They’ll even go so far as to vehemently swear it’s there, even if someone looks up their family tree and finds no Indians in the background.”
“What the hell is a family tree?”
“It’s a record of all your ancestors.”
“Well, there’s Indian blood in our family tree.”
“You know, I should write some of this stuff down for our children and grandchildren.
People were terrible about keeping records in this century. I want to see that doesn’t happen to our future generations.”
“I want to work on our future generation today.” Jake let her go, unwound the reins and signaled the horses.
“As if you haven’t been working on it already.”
As soon as the horses were moving, he put his right arm around her. “There’s a great little patch of cottonwoods not far from the fork where the road leads to town from our place. We’ll be there in an hour. I think we should stop and rest the horses a spell.
“Sounds good.” She gave him a coy smile.
* * * *
Jake nudged Rena. “Look what I see in the distance.”
“What?” She grabbed his arm and peered ahead. “I don’t see anything.”
“Relax, honey. That grove of trees to your right is where we’ll rest the horses.”
“Don’t you think we should go on home?” She sounded a little scared.
“The horses need to rest. It’s a long pull for them with this load.”
“I see. Maybe I’ll spread out a blanket and rest a few minutes, too.”
“In my arms, I hope.”
“Jake, my love. There isn’t anywhere else I can relax except in your arms.”
“Good. Keep it that way.” He frowned.
“Is something wrong?”
“I hope not. I see some riders coming, off to the left. Look at the dust.”
“What should we do?”
“We’re going to head for those cottonwoods, but I’m not sure we can make it before they catch us.” He put both hands on the reins and slapped the horses with them. “Hold on tight, honey.”
The horses jump into a fast gallop and the buckboard bounced wildly as they headed across the prairie. Rena didn’t say anything because she didn’t want to distract Jake. She wondered if this had anything to do with the men who were talking about Jake and Silas in the restaurant. She was sure they didn’t say anything about following them. Besides, Yellow Creek was behind them and these men were coming from another direction. Yet, her uneasy feeling grew.
She glanced at the riders, who were now behind them. Her brow wrinkled; it didn’t make sense. “Jake, either we’re outrunning them or they’ve slowed. The distance between us is getting larger.”
He glanced around. “You’re right, but we’re still heading for cover.”
The gap between them and the riders widened more.
The cottonwoods were less than five hundred yards away. “We’re going to make it, honey.” Jake smiled at her.
He reined up the horses and jumped from the wagon. As he came around to her side of the wagon and was reaching up for her, a man stepped out from behind one of the trees and fired his gun.
The bullet hit Jake in the back. Rena screamed. Before she could see how badly he was hurt, a rough hand grabbed Jake’s shoulder and pushed him to the ground. He fell face down in the dirt beside the wagon. Rena started to climb after him, but the man shoved her back.
“Hello, beautiful,” he said gruffly. “Surprised to see me?”
Rena’s teary eyes looked into the hate-filled eyes of Jasper Wigham. “You!”
“Yes, me, my dear.” He glanced down at Jake. “You didn’t think I’d let him get away with marrying you, did you? If for no other reason, he deserved to die today.”
“Why did you have to kill him?” she shrieked.
“Because he had you first. Now you’re damaged goods.” He laughed an evil laugh. “He’s taken your purity, but I’m going to have fun with what’s left.”
Rena began
to sob. She couldn’t believe it could end this way. The man she loved more than life was dead, and now she was going to be taken by her husband’s enemy.
The riders pulled up. “Worked like a charm, didn’t it, Boss?”
“It sure did, boys. Jake Haywood is dead and I’ve got his pretty little widow right here. “I’m taking her to my ranch where I can console her all night long.”
The riders all laughed and a big burly man said, “Want me to put another bullet in him to be sure?”
“Nah,” Wigham said. “He’s as dead as he’s ever going to get. I want you to unhitch these horses and run them off.”
“Can we go through the wagon?”
“No. We don’t have time for that. You didn’t damage the other wagon enough and Finn might be along any minute. Chase these horses away and bring mine up.” He glanced down at Jake and then glared at Rena. “Ready to go get a taste of that consolation, bitch?”
She looked down at Jake with a deeper sadness than she’d ever felt. Oh, Jake, she cried inside. I can’t believe this is happening. We had so little time together and now we’ll never get to have those beautiful children.
Then she saw it.
Jake’s fingers on his right hand moved. It wasn’t a nerve reaction. They were actually moving. Oh Lord, what if Wigham sees him? He’ll shoot him again. What can I do?
With a quick jerk she slid to the other side of the wagon bench and announced, “I’m not going with you, Jasper.”
Wigham came around the wagon. He took hold of her knee and laughed at her. “Think if you get off on this side the boys will move their horses and let you run away?”
“Don’t touch me.” She jerked her legs away from him.
He laughed at her again and turned as the two men who had unhitched the team and drove them away rode up leading a big black gelding and a smaller pinto. “The team’s almost out of sight already, Boss.”
“Good.” He looked up at Rena. “Let’s go for a ride.”
“No!”
“We’ll see about that.” He roughly picked her up and sat her on the pinto. Turning back to his crew, he said. “Go on to the Silver Slipper. Get liquored up, gamble a little, have a few arguments, then get you a whore for the night. Make sure you’re seen by a lot of the town folk. Then whenever Jake’s body is found, nobody will think you had anything to do with it.”
“What about you, boss?”
“I’m going to take this little wildcat here back to the ranch and start taming her. Cook will swear I haven’t left the place today.” He gave Rena an evil look and she glanced away.
“Boss, when’re we going to kill the other Haywood?”
“Soon. Before it’s over, we’ll have killed them all. Then there’ll be nothing standing in my way.”
“How about not killing the other one’s wife,” the big burly man said. “I’d kind of like to make a whore out of that good woman.”
“I guess you’ve earned it, Newt.”
“Thanks, Boss.”
“Now, head out. I don’t want any of you around when Finn’s wagon rolls in.”
Chapter 23
Owen rode Spider up beside Finn’s wagon. “Jake’s wagon’s there under those cottonwoods.”
“I bet he took his woman there to do some smooching.”
“Maybe so.”
“Can’t say as I blame him. I wouldn’t mind doing a little smooching with my woman either.” Finn reached over and patted Belle’s knee.
She blushed.
Owen’s brow wrinkled and he pushed back his hat. “There’s no horses hitched to the wagon.”
“Maybe Jake hobbled them.”
“I don’t think so. It’s strange he unhitched them.”
“You’re right. Jake don’t do things like that.” Finn looked worried.
“I didn’t think so. I’m going to ride ahead and see what’s going on.” Owen pulled his hat down and turned Spider toward the trees.
Things were quiet when he reached the cottonwoods. “Jake,” he called. There was no answer and he called again. Still nothing.
He dismounted and drew his gun. Using the wagon as a shield, he eased himself to the other side. It was then he saw Jake sprawled face down on the ground, his back covered in blood.
“Damn,” he swore. He holstered his gun and hurried to the wounded man. He had a sick feeling in his stomach as he put his hand on Jake’s neck searching for a pulse. “God I hope he’s alive. I’ve seen all the death and blood I can handle for a while.” He took a quick breath and relaxed a little when he felt a faint thump.
Ripping off Jake’s shirt, he saw where the bullet had penetrated his back. It was still bleeding, which meant it hadn’t happened that long ago. Working quickly, he tore off the sleeves of Jake’s blue shirt and packed the wound with them. He knew he had to stop the bleeding or the man wouldn’t make it, if he wasn’t too far gone already.
By the time he had the wound packed and a bandage made from his own shirt tight around Jake, Finn pulled up. “Are you here, Toler?”
“On the other side of the wagon.”
Finn hurried around. “What the hell happened?”
“He’s been shot.”
“Is he all right?”
“He’s alive, but that’s about all.”
Finn bit his lip. “Rena?”
“She’s not here. Whoever did this must have taken her.”
“Wigham!” Finn said the name with disdain.
“Who’s that?”
“The big rancher next to us. He’s been trying to steal the Flying H. He’s threatened to kill the boys to get it.” Finn looked disgusted. “He wants Rena, too.”
“We’ll look for her later, but right now we’ve got to get Jake to the doctor. He’s close to dying.”
Finn’s face contorted. “He can’t die. He’s got too much to live for now.”
“Then let’s hurry.”
“It’s closer to the ranch than town. The doctor may not even be there, anyway. Let’s get him to the house and send for the doctor.”
“We’ll put him in your wagon and I’ll ride ahead and send somebody who knows the area for the doctor. I’ll let them know at the house what’s happened.”
* * * *
“Welcome to my home, my dear,” Wigham teased as he pulled his horse up in front of the large two-story white house. It resembled the stately homes in the historical district of Atlanta. But it didn’t matter. All she wanted to think about was Jake. Had Finn found him? Was he still alive? She prayed he was.
Jasper continued, “If you hadn’t married that sorry Redskin, this could’ve been yours.”
Rena started to say something, but a cowboy came up from the side of the house and took the reins of Jasper’s horse. “Everything go all right, Boss?”
“Just like we planned. Jake Haywood’s dead and I have his grieving widow right here.” Jasper dismounted. He didn’t offer to help Rena off her mount.
The cowboy grabbed her by the waist before she could protest. “Damn you’re a tiny one,” he said and set her on the ground. “I bet big old Jake hurt you on your wedding night.”
She wanted to tell him that it had been a wonderful night, but she only stared at him. He grinned and walked away, leading the horses.
“Don’t stand there. Come in and see what you missed by giving yourself to that bastard. If you think the outside is pretty, wait until you see the inside. It’s furnished with the best things money can buy. Jake Haywood could never give you anything like this.”
Without a word, Rena stomped up the steps.
Rena didn’t care how impressive Wigham thought his home was. It didn’t impress her. Nothing mattered unless Jake lived. All she wanted was for Finn and Owen to get to him before he bled to death.
On the ride here she’d thought about two things. First, she’d continually prayed that Jake would live. Second, she made the promise that if Jake didn’t live, neither would his murderer. She’d kill Jasper Wigham. And the third thing she
did was watch closely the route they’d taken. She wanted to know which way to run when she escaped. And escape, she would. Nothing was going to keep her away from Jake. She’d either be there to nurse him back to health or she’d be at home to mourn him.
“How do you like my house?” Wigham looked at her.
She ignored his question. “I want to go home.”
He laughed. “Baby, there ain’t going to be a Haywood cabin to go back to when we get through burning the place. So consider yourself home. That is, until I tire of you.” He let out a sinister laugh. “Then, if you’re any good, you might go to work at the Silver Slipper.”
Rena’s mind slipped into her police officer mode. If she was going to get out of this situation and back to Jake, she had to stop annoying this man and use her head.
“I wasn’t talking about the cabin,” she said with a voice as calm as she could muster. “I was talking about Atlanta.”
He frowned. “I thought you were a happily married woman.”
“Maybe you thought wrong. Besides, now that he’s dead, I have no reason to stay here.”
“Of course you’ll stay here. I’m going to show you what a real man can do for you.” He turned and touched her cheek with his forefinger. “Damn, you’re pretty.”
“They made me marry him.” She tried to force a smile, but she couldn’t. Her heart was too near breaking.
Jasper frowned again. “What are you talking about?”
“Could I have a drink of water?”
She could tell he was going to refuse so she gave him a mournful look. “I should thank you.”
“For what?”
“For rescuing me.”
“Rescuing you? You didn’t seem to need rescuing when I shot your husband.”
“That was an act.”
“What do you mean, an act?”
“Please get me some water and I’ll tell you the whole story. I think you’ll find it worth your time.”
She could tell Jasper was intrigued. “All right, but if you’re lying to me, I’ll take you upstairs and strip you naked then beat you with a leather strap until your white skin runs with blood.”
“Oh, Jasper. What a horrible thing to say.” Rena covered her face with her hands.
“I’m sorry,” he stammered. “I’ll be right back.”
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