This Side of Forever (Book Five of the Brides of the West Series)

by Hestand, Rita

  He needed Amy.

  She called him father; he wanted to call her sweetheart.

  He went toward the jail, it was almost dusk now and not many were on the streets. Reaching the back of the jail, he had avoided being seen. He peeked inside.

  George was pacing, demanding to be let free.

  Dell, the old deputy was chewing tobacco and he spit it out in an old can that he used. "Can't let you lose George. You done killed the Sheriff. Don't you know they'll hang you for that?"

  "It was self-defense." George cried aloud.

  "Don't matter, he was the Sheriff. You can't kill a lawman, George and get away with it. You'll hang for sure."

  "You better let me out right now, or you'll be in big trouble. Wait until Martin Clark finds out about this. I'm to be his son-in-law. You think he'll let you live after what you've done to me."

  "Nope…probably not, but I got my rifle, I can handle him too."

  "Why you want to risk your life?" George asked.

  "It's my job."

  "I'll hire you out at the ranch, you'll make twice as much as you make here. Just open my cell, that's all you have to do." George encouraged. "You can say I escaped."

  "Nope. Don't want to work for a killer. Now you just sit back and be quiet a while. I'm getting a little tired of you and your mouth."

  George flopped on the bed and leaned against the wall. He had to figure something else out. Dell was old and stubborn.

  Martin listened to them chatter for a while, until darkness came, then he burst into the Sheriff's office and unloaded his gun on Dell. There hadn't been time for a fight; he just shot him dead in the blink of an eye.

  He laid the rifle down and took out his gun from the holster.

  Dell grunted, and fell to the floor; a pool of blood surrounded him.

  George saw it all and laughed. "I knew you'd come."

  Martin nodded, "Uh huh."

  Martin reached for the keys to the cell, and then looked at George.

  "I ran into Clay Reno." Martin paused the key in his hand.

  "Yeah, tell me later, we got to get out of here." George said, wishing the old man would shut up and let him out.

  Martin stared through the bars at him. "Is it true?"

  "What?" George shouted.

  "Did you hurt my Amy?" Martin wanted to know.

  "It was an accident." George muttered. "Now let me out of here, and we'll go find her."

  "Why did you do it, George?" Martin scrutinized him now.

  "Come on, Martin, someone's liable to come in here, any minute." George complained.

  "What did you do to her?" Martin insisted.

  "She fell against the wall, and I tried to catch her, but my hand hit her face…that's all. She's fine, will you hurry up." George pleaded.

  "Why…I want to know why?" Martin insisted, his lip curling with anger as he spoke.

  George paused a moment. "She called off the engagement…for Clay Reno."

  "Of course she did…but not for him…" Martin laughed. "She loves me…."

  George stared at him, his mouth hanging open in shock.

  "You're crazy, you are her father!" George frowned at the old man. He wasn't making any sense.

  "No, I'm not. That's a lie, and always has been."

  "Martin, people will have heard the shots, you got to get me out of here now. We'll talk about this later."

  "Sure." As he unlocked the door, he aimed his gun and shot George dead. Blood leaked on the floor.

  Martin looked at the two men on the floor. "You shouldn't have done that George." He laughed. "You shouldn't have hurt my Amy."

  Then he walked out quietly and went home.

  He heard footsteps as he left on the boardwalk, but he managed to get out just in time.

  He'd taken care of Dell and George, now all he needed to do was find Reno and Beatrice and he was home free. He could take Amy away from here. Nothing could stop him then.

  He checked his guns and went to the barn to put a saddle on his horse. He rode quietly out of town that night, nodding to passersby.

  He was on his way to kill his wife and Clay Reno!

  He would end his misery tonight.

  Chapter Twenty

  Clay went into Amy's room and saw her laying there. She looked beautiful, even with a black eye. He scooped her up in his arms and hurriedly carried her down the stairs and into the lobby and then into the wagon he had waiting just outside the hotel. Clay nodded to the desk clerk, as he passed him. "I'll be back for their things later."

  "Sure…that will be fine. Is she gonna be alright?"

  "I'm taking her to the doc's now."

  He drove up to the doc's house and waited for Beatrice to come out. The doc came with her. "How's my patient?"

  "Better, thanks to you." Clay nodded.

  Doc took a quick look at her. He gave her a teaspoon of laudanum and told them it would help dull the pain of riding.

  "Get in, we're going to my place," he ordered Beatrice. "Hurry. I don't know how far behind Martin is. So we need to hurry. Thanks Doc."

  She didn't hesitate. He had laid Amy in the back of the wagon on several blankets, and covered her up. Beatrice glanced at her and then nodded.

  "Did he get in?"

  "No…and he's not there now, either. Don't know where he went, but he's not in the hotel. I thought it best to get the two of you out of there right now. Sorry it's such a rush, but I don't want him to know where I've taken the two of you. You'll be safe at the ranch." Clay said, casting a quick glance over his shoulder at Amy. "Doc, when you can, come out and check on her."

  "I'll do that. Be careful."

  She was nearly asleep again.

  "I want to thank you, Clay. I don't know what we would do without your help." Beatrice put a hand on his arm.

  "No thanks needed." Clay checked behind him to see if anyone was following, he saw no one.

  "My brother and Juan are on their way back to the ranch. By the way, George is in the jail now. He killed the Sheriff and deputy." Clay told her and the doc. "We saw them burying them."

  "Oh my God, I couldn't believe it when you first told me. It just didn't register. But then a lot of things don't right now. Then it's true. He's lost his mind too!" Beatrice put her hand over her mouth.

  "It's true." Clay shot doc a glance. "Thanks for all the help again, Doc."

  "Take care." Doc waved and went inside.

  "We got one of the deputies that used to work for Haney, the old Sheriff and he's watching George as we speak." Clay told her. "Dell's old, but he's good. He knows his job."

  "What if Martin tries to get George out."

  Clay looked at her strangely, "If that happens, George might be dead before hanging. I told Martin about Amy being beaten. The look on his face was incredulous."

  "He'll kill George, you must warn the deputy." Beatrice pleaded. "I'm sorry, I feel so helpless in all of this. Martin is a very dangerous man."

  "I'm sorry, but my first concern is you and Amy, I don't have the time. Dell knows. I did tell him to arm himself and get help if he needed it. And Juan and Billy told a couple of men to go over there and help Dell if he needed it. He seemed to know what he was doing. He was sitting in front of the cell, with a rifle." Clay tried to ease Mrs. Clark's fears.

  "Poor Dell. He's a good man."

  It took nearly an hour to get to the ranch and Clay was driving the wagon as fast as he could. The dust was flying. He heard Amy moan a time or two, but it couldn't be helped. He knew it was a shaky ride, but he had to get there as fast as he could. He had to get them to safety once and for all.

  When they arrived, Becca and Billy came running out to help. Juan came running from the barn.

  "Martin's on a rampage, and hopefully George will stay in jail. Dell is watching the jail, and the men you talked to will help him. When and if he figures it out, we'll have some trouble. So be sure everyone has plenty of ammunition." Clay ordered. "It's gonna get loud around here."

  Jua
n nodded and went to tell his men.

  Billy helped him carry Amy into the house. Mrs. Clark and Becca went to the kitchen and Becca offered her some food and coffee.

  "I don't mean to be a bother," she told Becca.

  "Mrs. Clark, you are no bother. We are so glad you and Amy are all right. Clay has been out of his head worrying over the two of you. It's good to see him finally relax a little."

  Once Amy was back in a bed, Billy left the room. He knew Clay wanted to talk to her.

  "Clay…" she called him over to the bed when he was checking the window to see if he was followed.

  "Amy…how do you feel?" He came to sit beside her. He raked his hand over her forehead; she didn't have a fever that was good.

  "I'm okay…really. Is mother here, too?" She asked bewildered.

  "Yes, she's in the kitchen with Becca." He looked into her eyes; she could almost open her black eye now.

  "Why are you doing this?"

  He stared into her eyes, looking into her soul. "We'll talk about that later…"

  "No…I want to talk about it now."

  "Amy…" he began, his face was a wad of emotions. She moved restlessly in the bed, and looked out the window.

  When he didn't say anything, she looked at him.

  She ran her hand over his forehead and cheeks. "You look so tired…"

  "I'll be alright."

  "You look as though you haven't slept…What is going on Clay…?" She asked sitting up and pulling on his arm.

  His face was a wad of frowns. How could he begin to tell her? There were so many things he wanted to say to her, but he felt he didn't have the right. She had to give him that right, somehow.

  "I've been taking so much medicine I can't seem to think straight. What's happened?"

  Clay looked into her worried eyes. "Everything is going to be alright."

  "Tell me…"

  He stood up and paced. This wasn't the time. Trying to tell her wasn't an easy task.

  "Your mother had the Sheriff go after George. When the Sheriff didn't return, your mother became worried. So I went out there and checked to see what had happened. They were burying the bodies when we got there, Billy, Juan and I. We got the drop on George and brought him back to town; put him in jail for the murders. Without killing anyone, Amy. Dell's watching him now. In the meantime, you father found out you were hurt and he came over to the hotel. However, I didn't want him upsetting you, so I sneaked you out and picked up your mother over at the doc's and we came here. You'll be safe here."

  "I'm sorry you are involved in this…" She began. "It's not your battle."

  He put his fingers on her lips. "Don't you fret about that. I want the two of you safe."

  Her lips moved against his fingers slowly, sensuously. He stared down at her. "I've missed you Clay…," she barely breathed, searching his face for acceptance and forgiveness.

  It was all the encouragement he needed. He bent to kiss her on the lips, and she swooned. Her arms went around his neck, pulling him ever closer.

  The kiss was filled with all the words he couldn't say, the feelings he couldn't express. Holding her in his arms, he put his arm around her and kept her close as he stretched out beside her and held her. After long breathless moment of a bliss they both enjoyed, he let her relax against him. "It is my battle Amy. Despite the way it looked all this time, I never stopped caring about you. And I never will." He looked into her eyes now and saw the unshed tears. "I had to get you out of the hotel. Your father was demanding to see you. Your mother is afraid of him, and I don't blame her. She was so upset, so I sent her over to the doc's until I could get you downstairs and into the wagon."

  "Why? Why did my father want to see me?" Amy asked, looking up into his eyes.

  "I told him what his friend George did to you." Clay muttered.

  Her eyes got big and round. "He'll kill George." She shouted.

  "No…George is in jail. He'll have to get through the deputy and a few others to get him." Clay assured her. "And after killing the Sheriff, I'm afraid George is going to hang anyway."

  "What a mess. I don't understand all of this. I'm so confused." She cried as she snuggled into his arms closer. "I guess it's the medicine making me so disoriented."

  "You can understand this…" He dipped his head and to make love to her lips. Lips that responded like a fire that refused to go out. "I love you," He whispered, "and I always have. I won't let anyone hurt you…"

  "But…how can you? I've treated you so badly." She cried. Her lips moving against his as she spoke, creating a fire between them, building, nurturing it. "The day you walked into the store…I wanted to…oh Clay…I thought I'd die from the happiness of seeing you again. All this time…and then you were there. Bigger and bolder than I remembered. And you kissed me…and everything fell into place again. I'd been so lost without you."

  A tear rolled unchecked down her cheek and he bent to kiss it. "Don't cry sweetheart…everything is going to be alright now."

  "The only thing I want is you to get well…" He whispered into her hair.

  She raised her chin and his lips found hers again. This time she kissed him back so intensely that he nearly lost all controls. The heat from their bodies fused them; the passion of their kisses fueled them. His heart was thundering, as his lips trailed slowly deliberately down her neck. His kisses were everywhere; he smothered her lips over and over until she moaned the pleasure. He kissed her nose, her cheek, and her lips once more. Nevertheless, he held her like a precious gem, afraid he might crush her.

  He raised his head and looked into her love drugged eyes. "I want you so bad…"

  "I love you too…Clay. I always have…" She cried. "You probably don't believe it, but it's true. I never stopped loving you Clay; I just gave up the idea that you were alive. Then you walked into the store that day…and my heart started beating again. I felt the blood rush through my body; the flames of passion ignite in me. Then…all I could do was tell you I was engaged to George. I saw the raw hurt in your eyes. I felt the pain in your heart. I wanted to run into your arms again and tell you to take me…make me yours."

  "Amy…" He stared at her now, his breathing finally slowing as he backed away to look at her. "I should have written to you. It was my stubborn pride. I didn't want you harnessed to a cripple and for a while, I was a cripple Amy. They nearly took my leg."

  "Oh God…I knew when you went to see the doctor that I hadn't realized the seriousness of your injury. I knew then…"

  "I was just too proud…and too worried I wouldn't walk again. Pride can take everything from you, Amy. I promise you I'll never be that prideful again. But sweetheart…now we've got some problems. I want you to know, this could get bad. Eventually your father is going to find out where you are. And there will be gun fighting. I can't stop that. I won't let him hurt you, or your mother. He's treated her very badly for years. She took it because of you." He assured her, looking into her eyes. "And from the way she talked…he wants her dead too."

  "Oh…dear God. Will we ever have any peace? Oh Clay…we've lost so much time together…" she began, and his lips touched hers once more. He drank the sweetness of her into his soul. "Am I hurting you," he whispered.

  "No…don't stop…," she pleaded, pulling him down to the pillows where he continued to kiss her. His lips traveled to the opening of her blouse and his nose nudged her there, as his lips kissed the swell of her breasts. She moaned raggedly now, her breathing was labored, and he feared he'd gone too far.

  "I want you so badly…," she whispered, as he deliberately moved his head away from the temptation she offered.

  "We haven't lost anything. When this is all over, we'll be married…I promise." He whispered into her ear. "I'm not waiting another minute. I can't. I need you, I know that now. I can't function without you. I guess I never realized that our hearts are already bound together. They say you become one when you marry. Strange…but I already feel that, inside me. All through the war, you got me through it. I
use to stare at the locket and your picture every night before I went to sleep. And when I was trying to walk, I stared and prayed that someday, I'd return and claim you."

  "Oh Clay…I felt the same the day you came back. When you walked away, I knew you took my heart with you."

  His eyes devoured her. Good sense held him rigid though.

  "But…do you understand what I've been trying to tell you?"

  "A-about my father. Yes, I think so. I know I should feel something for him, but…he's hurt mother so much. She's been suffering all these years, because of me. Oh Clay…don't let him hurt her!"

  "Never…he won't touch either of you again." Clay promised.

  "I wish we were married…right now!" She declared.

  "Can you still love me…if I have to kill him?" Clay asked.

  She looked into his eyes and sighed, "The only thing I know for sure is that I love you. And I can't wait to be your bride…And nothing else is that important to me. Nothing…"

  "Don't look at me like that…" He murmured.

  "Like what?"

  "Like you want me to tear your clothes off and finish what we started here." He smiled. "There's so much I want to tell you, but now is not the time for it. We'll have our time though. I promise you that."

  "Promise to never leave me again, I couldn't bear it…" She cried.

  "My God…I won't leave you Amy." He pulled her up and into his arms once more. He felt the heavy thud of her heart, the warmth between them and he closed his eyes and thanked God for the love they still shared.

  He stood up suddenly, knowing he couldn't keep holding her like that without fulfilling what they both wanted so badly. "Look, I gotta go outside, honey. Now you get some rest." He started for the door.

  She sat up in the bed, "You kiss me like that, and tell me to rest?" She looked playfully indignant.

  He looked into her eyes and saw the smile. "We're going to need a preacher real fast when this is over…"He smiled at her.

  "I'll hold you to that."