Jayne straightened her posture. She looked pointedly at his work-roughened hand where it rested against the shirt. Slowly, Cade released her. Something sparked in his eyes, but was quickly hidden from view. She was in no mood to spar with the surly cowboy, but she wasn't about to let him bulldoze her, either.
"I don't intend to pretend it didn't happen," she said quietly. "Believe me, I'll see he gets what he deserves, but you said you didn't want to know any details so I won't bore you with any. I can handle it from here."
She spotted the telephone, then realized she couldn't dial the phone and hold the baby at the same time. Cade came to the same conclusion.
"I'll take her."
"Thank you."
This time there was no physical reaction to his touch. She wouldn't allow it. Cade wanted her gone and she wanted that, too. She pushed the familiar buttons, aware that he watched her.
When she brought the phone to her ear there was no sound. She waited a second and still nothing, so she hung up.
"No one home?"
"The call didn't go through."
She picked up the receiver again and put it to her ear. "There's no dial tone."
"Let me have that!"
Cade took it in his empty hand and held the receiver to his own ear.
"Don't you dare swear while you're holding the baby," she warned before he could utter the curse she saw forming on his lips.
"Take her."
For all his irritation, he handed her the baby, with tempered care. Then he strode down the hall bellowing Hap's name. Jayne followed in his wake. There was no sign of Hap as she stepped onto the front porch. Cade didn't pause. He crossed the porch, put one hand on the railing and swung himself over the rail, landing lightly on the ground at the side of the house. Jayne followed curiously. She leaned over to see what he was doing.
Cade paused next to the air-conditioning unit and bent down to look at something. When he stood, there was murder in his eyes.
"Cade?"
"Someone cut the phone line."
The hairs on the back of her neck and along her arms raised in alarm. Was Zed part of the baby ring?
It was possible. The man in the silver car must have noted Cade's license plate back at the feed store. That would have led him right here. She'd just put Cade and Hap and everyone associated with this ranch in grave danger.
Maybe Cade didn't want to know the details of her shooting, but he was going to listen to her nonetheless. But before she could say anything, a cloud of dust caught her attention. A white SUV roared up the rutted road leading to the house.
"Cade?"
"Get inside! No, wait. It's okay. It's Rio."
Her heart pounded against the back of her throat. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. That's Rio."
"Cade?" Hap called running up.
"Someone cut the phone lines," Cade told him.
"Bam, too. I was coming to tell you that."
"Where's Zed?" Cade demanded. "I would guess the bunkhouse. His horse is in a stall."
"I'll be right back."
Hap grabbed his arm. "You need to stay with her. I'll bring him here to the house."
The SUV lurched to a stop. Hap pivoted and set off for the back of the house at a trot. A reedy young cowboy stepped down holding several grocery bags.
"Cade?" His pockmarked features stared at Cade in shock. "How did you beat me back here?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I coulda swore I saw your truck outside Sully's when I went past."
Cade moved toward him so fast the man called Rio flinched back as if expecting to get hit.
"You saw my truck outside Sully's? Today?"
"Well, yeah. As I was leavin' town. I mean, I thought it was yours. Had that same dent in the right front fender. It was sittin' right there in plain sight."
"Did you see who was driving it?"
"No one was driving it, Cade. It was just parked there, you know? Kind of off in the corner by the trees. I just wondered why—"
"And you didn't see anyone near it?"
He pushed back his hat and scratched his head. "No. There wasn't nobody around at all."
Cade's gaze flew to her. "I think we can safely rule out your husband as a car thief."
Rio gaped, plainly at a loss.
"How do you figure that?" she demanded, not bothering to try to correct his assumption.
"We didn't pass his car on our way back to the ranch. I was watching for it. He would have had to drive close to the line shack in order to steal the truck. Must have been a drifter after all."
"Someone stole your truck?" Rio asked sounding dumbfounded.
"And left us stranded out at the line shack."
"Oh, wow. I wonder if it was that kid Terry said was askin' about you over at Sully's."
Chapter Six
"What kid?" Cade demanded, but a cold certainty settled in the pit of his stomach.
Luis.
"Hey, take it easy, man. I don't know what kid. Terry said some Mexican kid was askin' for directions to the Circle M. A young kid."
"How young?"
"Beats me. Terry just said young. He figured the kid was a runaway lookin' for work."
Or an ex-brother-in-law looking to cause trouble?
"When was this?" he asked Rio.
Rio shoved his hat up on his head and scratched at the exposed thatch of hair. "Terry didn't say."
"I don't suppose he gave you any kind of description of the kid."
"No. If I'd known it was important, I woulda asked.''
There was no point in taking out his frustration on Rio any more than on Jayne like he'd been doing since he walked into the line shack and saw her looking like something out of a men's magazine. Guilt gnawed on him. He'd acted like a jerk because he wanted her. He was pretty sure she hadn't set the scene to provoke him, only he couldn't forget the way Bonita had liked to manipulate him. Who knew what a woman was thinking?
Glancing at Jayne now, he realized she looked done in completely. He had a feeling only her pride was holding her upright.
"Never mind."
"You think this kid stole your truck?" Rio asked.
"He would have needed a horse or a four-wheel drive to get out to where we were. We didn't see any signs of another vehicle so if it was him, he must have tethered a horse near the road and walked in."
"And did what with the horse?" Jayne suddenly asked. "I don't think a horse could climb into the back of your truck."
"No, but he could have been tied to the bumper and led back to town."
"Why?" Rio asked pushing back his hat to scratch his head. "This got somethin' to do with all the stuff goin' on around here?"
"Maybe.""
"You know who the kid is," Jayne stated.
She saw entirely too much despite her injury. He was starting to think she hadn't lied about being twenty-four.
"I know who I think he might be," Cade corrected her. "I need to get into town to find out if I'm right."
The desire to jump in the SUV and head back to Darwin Crossing was powerful, but he had to take care of Jayne first and find out what his good buddy Zed knew about things like cut telephone lines.
"Your friend Terry didn't say where the kid was staying, did he?" Cade asked.
"No, but there aren't too many places to stay around here unless he's campin' out."
And that left a whole lot of territory.
Rio shifted nervously. "Uh, Cade, did you know Sven quit?"
"Hap told me."
"Well, uh, some of the others are startin' to get worried, too. I mean with all that's been happenin' and everything. You know, the fire, the stampede…"
Cade struggled not to show his thoughts. "Does that include you, Rio?" he asked quietly.
"No. No. I was just sayin'…"
Rio squirmed under Cade's steady gaze and shook his head. Cade found Jayne watching the scene beneath half-closed eyes. Her features were ghostly pale. She was fading fast.
Her injury hadn't affected her ability to glare.
"Rio, see if Hap needs help. I want to talk with my old friend, Zed."
And this time when he got his hands on Zed, he was going to do more than knock the bronco rider across a room. Was it possible that Zed and Luis were working together?
Rio disappeared with a nervous darting glance at Jayne. Apparently her glare made an impression on him. She swayed slightly and Cade reached for her, but she jerked back out of range.
"I was only going to take Heather," Cade lied.
Without a word, she relinquished the infant. Their fingers brushed. As had happened before, touching her had a strange effect on his senses. He wanted to draw her closer, to hold her and keep her pain at bay.
"Come on," he said in grouchy defiance of his inner thoughts. "Bedrooms are down the hall. I need another look at that shoulder."
"No."
Her eyes burned with determination as well as fever, but she led the way down the hall, stopping when he indicated his grandfather's room. She didn't comment on the room, not that there was all that much to notice. His grandfather hadn't spent any time on homey touches. Until this moment, Cade hadn't given much thought to changing that.
This was the largest of the three bedrooms. Jayne watched silently while he pulled back the covers on the double bed and set Heather down on the far side.
"I'll help you get undressed," he offered.
"No."
Just the one word as she held his gaze.
"Suit yourself. I need to take care of a couple of things, then I'll make you something to eat."
He strode to the kitchen and filled a large glass with ice water. When he returned, he found she'd toed off her shoes and was sitting on the edge of the bed looking lost and very young. Her spine straightened and she raised her head the instant she realized he was there. Proud defiance gleamed in her feverish eyes.
"You need another pill."
She didn't respond, but she held out her hand for the antibiotic. He added a pain tablet and she swallowed them down without comment, draining the glass of water.
"Can I do anything else for you? Bring you something else to drink?"
"No."
She needed fluids, but she'd only argue with him in her current mood. "All right." He tried for a softer tone and resisted an urge to touch her again. She looked so fragile. His careless words earlier had hurt her, he realized. He wanted to explain why he'd been so abrupt but wasn't sure that he could.
"I'm sorry about earlier, Jayne."
He hadn't meant to say that. The words just tripped . past his brain. He should get out of here before he said something stupid. But he was inexplicably drawn to her when he shouldn't be thinking any such thing. She simply looked at him.
"Get some rest. We'll talk later."
"Just remember that your friend didn't have to give me this medication," she said unexpectedly. "Before you beat Zed to a pulp, you might want to listen to what he has to say."
"I thought you didn't trust Zed."
"I don't. Not for a minute. He's entirely too smooth. But I do believe in innocent until proven guilty. Would you close the door on your way out?"
Her dismissal hurt almost as much as her indictment. The latter, probably because it was so close to the truth. He had planned to sink his fist in Zed's face and ask questions afterward.
If only he hadn't brushed her off when Jayne had tried to talk to him. Certainly he hadn't done it for the reason she must be thinking. The truth was, he hadn't wanted to know about her with another man. And his reasons why didn't bear examination right now.
"If you want to talk—"
"I'll save it for the sheriff."
He sighed and ran a hand across his jaw, rubbing the stubble growing there. "I'll be back," he said quietly.
Jayne didn't bother to open her eyes.
In the living room, Zed stood between Hap and Rio. His expression was tight with suppressed emotion. "Do I get a hearing before you beat the hell outta me?" he demanded as soon as he saw Cade.
Jayne's caution replaced the anger that churned in Cade's chest. She was right. He didn't know that Zed had anything to do with the problems at the Circle M. There were crease marks down one side of the bronco rider's face as if he'd been sleeping on his side. They were fading rapidly beneath his spreading anger.
"Bunkhouse lines were cut, too," Hap said fiercely.,
"And I'm responsible, huh?" Zed responded.
"You were the only one here," Hap replied.
"Take it easy, Hap. What do you know about the phone lines being cut?" Cade asked.
"Nothing but what your foreman said, but I don't expect you'll believe that. I stabled Lafferty, went over to the bunkhouse, took a shower and fell asleep. I didn't see or hear a thing."
Hap snorted. Rio shifted, looking puzzled. His gaze went from one man to the next. Zed stood defiantly, legs spread, hands at his sides. And it was his expression that made Cade hesitate. Zed didn't expect to be believed. And he had taken a shower. He'd even shaved.
Because of Jayne?
Cade shoved that thought aside. "You didn't see anyone when you rode up?" he asked.
"No," Zed replied bitterly.
Cade expelled a long breath. "Okay."
"Okay?" Hap gaped at him. "What do you mean, okay?"
"The lines could have been cut at any time," Cade explained. "We don't know when it happened. I haven't made any calls in a couple of days, have you?"
"But—"
"I'll use the radio in the SUV and try to raise the sheriffs office. We'll let them investigate the situation. You'd better get back to the herd, Hap. Move them over toward the line shack. I laid in some extra supplies over there. Zed and Rio can stay here tonight and I'll send Zed out to help you in the morning when I drive Jayne and her daughter into town."
Anger flared in Hap's expression. His lips compressed in a thin white line. Zed appeared shocked by Cade's words, while Rio simply looked puzzled by it all.
"I would do things differently if I were running this ranch," Hap stated. "I hope you know what you are doing, amigo." He pivoted and strode out the front door, letting the screen bang shut behind him. Cade would have to find a way to smooth things over with the older man later. He knew in some ways, Hap resented Cade's authority. But he was a good foreman. More like part of the family than hired labor.
"Thanks," Zed said.
Their eyes locked. Cade inclined his head. "Don't make me sorry. If I find out you had anything to do with what's been happening here, Zed, I'll make the bull that hurt you look like a pussycat."
Zed's body tightened, but he gave no other outward sign of his thoughts.
"I need you and Rio to make a complete sweep of the area," Cade continued. "If someone is hiding nearby I want him found. If more trouble has been rigged, I want it discovered. Take your rifle," he told Zed. "Have you got a firearm, Rio?"
Rio blinked in surprise. "Yeah. Sure, Cade."
"Keep it on you, but don't shoot anyone unless your life is threatened, got it?"
"Sure, Cade. But…I mean…do you think we need guns?"
"I hope not, but sooner or later, someone is going to get hurt. I don't want it to be one of my people. Are the keys in the SUV?"
Rio's head bobbed.
"I'll try to reach the sheriff. Holler if you see anyone or if anything looks wrong.
"Sure. Okay."
Zed simply nodded.
Cade followed the men outside, handing Zed the rifle. He reached for the radio and stopped. Fingers of fear lifted his hair and coiled his gut.
"Rio!" he shouted, even as he squatted down for a look under the dash. Torn wires dangled uselessly.
Both men turned back in concern. Cade stood and shut the door carefully. His gaze swept the perimeter around the house. Zed did the same, his stance alert, the rifle in a half-raised position.
"When's the last time
you used the radio, Rio?"
"When Hap called and told me to pick up that stuff for you. Why?"
"You didn't use it after you went into the store?" Rio shook his head. Zed met his gaze head-on. "If someone got to that, too, I guess it lets me out."
"I guess it does. They yanked the wires out. It'll be a job to fix."
"I didn't know!" Rio immediately protested. "I didn't use it, honest, Cade."
"Did you see anyone near the SUV when you were in town?"
"No. But I wasn't watchin' it."
"You figure it happened in town or out here?" Zed asked quietly.
"I'd give a lot to know that answer," Cade said.
"Whoever it was would have had to be fast. We were standin' right inside the door. And Hap just left."
The trail of dust he'd raised was still visible. And Cade had no way to call him back and let him know. "More than likely it happened in town." Luis. "But let's have a look around to be sure."
Zed shook his head.
"What?"
"You gotta stay here. You can't leave the woman and the baby inside unprotected. Rio and I will search."
It went against every instinct, but Cade knew he was right. He couldn't risk Jayne or Heather. "Come back here when you're finished."
Zed nodded. "Come on, Rio."
Looking spooked, Rio fell into step beside Zed. Cade turned and went back inside. Could he trust Zed?
Did he have a choice?
Cade walked through the house checking every room, every closet, every place a person could hide and every place a person could have tampered with something. He came up empty. His last stop was the room Jayne occupied. He found her sitting on the edge of the bed, struggling with buttons, the silvery thread of tears reflected on her cheeks.
"Want some help?"
She brushed her cheeks before looking up. "I can't get the stupid thing off." Her voice was weak and her fingers were shaking.
"I'll do it."
"I hate being helpless!"
"I know the feeling."
"Something else happened, didn't it?"
Her eyes were tiny pinpoints. The pain pill had taken effect, but it hadn't dulled her brain completely. Tersely, he told her.
"That doesn't make sense."
"I have an enemy. It doesn't have anything to do with you."
Someone's Baby Page 9