by Sue Heasley
Rex smiled as she knew he would. “And you can remind me to put you over my knee and give your bottom a good spanking for leaving me behind at the ranch.”
“I’m sorry.” Lillie struggled to say her next words. “Our son has been kidnapped. I had to look for him.”
“We’ll find Ben. Let’s get out of here,” Rex suggested. “Before someone gets trigger happy.” They backed away toward the door. Two men were in the process of removing the dead body while everyone else returned to their previous entertainment like it was a normal day at the saloon.
“Wait,” the prostitute who had been flirting with Jed walked toward them. Quietly she whispered, “Are you looking for a little boy?”
“Yes, have you seen him?” Lillie and Rex tried to lead her outside the saloon for privacy.
“No, stop.” The prostitute pulled away and whispered, “I can’t let them see me talking to you. Try the jailhouse.” She turned away and hurried toward a poker table.
“He’s across the street.” Lillie headed toward the front door.
Rex stepped in front of her, grabbed her arm, and pulled her close. “Wait.”
“Let me go.”
“No,” Rex whispered. “That is exactly what they are expecting us to do. We have to outwit them.”
“Jose won’t hurt me. I’m the woman he wants to marry so he can take over my ranch, remember?”
“I still don’t like it.” Rex grabbed both her arms. “It’s dangerous. Let me handle this.”
“I have to find Ben. Please, trust me.” She gave him a quick peck on the lips.
A surprised expression crossed his face.
She poked his chest. “I wouldn’t go out there if I were you. Jose would shoot you outright.”
“Dammit woman, I hate it when you’re right.” He turned his back to her while looking for the back entrance. “I’ll go out the rear door of the saloon and circle around to the side of the jailhouse.”
Before Rex even finished his sentence, Lillie slipped out the front door of the saloon. She ran toward the jailhouse.
****
Jose glanced out the window of the sheriff’s office to see where the gunfire came from. “That’s Lillie’s horse tied up across the street.” He tensed as he observed Rex standing inside the doorway of the Broken Steer saloon firing his pistol. He hadn’t been sure how things would go down. But he hadn’t counted on Rex shooting at his men. He figured he would’ve hightailed it out of town once Lillie had been returned home. Then it occurred to him that Rex was helping her look for Ben. His decision to take her son had been a bad one. Lillie would be furious with him.
Jose squinted as his headache increased. He ground his teeth together. His plans were failing. His thoughts drifted to Mable. Guilt had already begun to eat at his soul for killing his first woman. He gripped his pistol tighter. She had played with his emotions and turned him into an angry man. His hand rubbed his eyes. Confusion and the feeling of loss suddenly overwhelmed him.
“Sounds like trouble.” The sheriff walked up beside him. “Lillie’s ranch hands went inside not long ago. My gang is still in there as well.”
“You mean my ranch hands,” Jose snarled at him. “They’re not Lillie’s anymore.”
“Um, sure. Sorry.” The sheriff backed away from him.
Jose took a deep breath to compose himself. “I doubt they will be much good to us now. They’ve all been drinking. Time to get the hell out of here.”
“What’s your plan?” The sheriff strapped on his gun belt.
“I’ll explain later.” He grabbed the door handle. “Head to the Cohen ranch.”
“Hey, what about the kid?”
Jose hesitated half way out the door. “Leave him. He’ll slow us down.” He grabbed his horse’s reins and quickly led him down the side alley of the sheriff’s building. Once out of view of the saloon, he swung up into his saddle. He didn’t wait for the sheriff to catch up. He urged his horse into a full gallop. Poor Charlie would be his next victim. He would force him to sign the ranch over and then kill him. Maybe Lillie would marry him to save her father’s life.
Chapter Sixteen
Lillie burst through the jailhouse door. “Ben! where are you?” The sheriff’s front office was empty. “Ben.”
“I’m in here, Ma.” he called out.
She ran to the jail cells. Ben stood with his little fists clutched to the hard metal bars.
“Honey, are you okay?” She checked him all over for injuries.
“Yes.” He frowned. “Jose locked me up. This is where the sheriff puts bad guys. I’m not a bad boy, am I, Ma?”
“No, honey. Jose is the bad guy. Let me find the key, and I’ll have you out of here in a minute.” Just as she turned around, Rex stood there with the keys. He had been in the background listening to their conversation. As he held them out to her, she smiled at him.
Lillie leaned in and whispered, “Why don’t you let your son out of jail.”
Rex’s eyes had widened at the sight of Ben. It occurred to her that this was the first time he looked at Ben as his son. He stared at him as he unlocked the cell. Even though he spoke no words, she could tell his emotions were genuine.
“Thanks, mister.” Ben ran into his mother’s arms. “I missed you.”
Lillie picked him up in a big bear hug. “I missed you too. I have something to tell you about this man.”
Rex shook his head. “We’ll do this later. Right now, we need to get back to the ranch. Your father is there all alone. All the ranch hands are in the saloon. Wait here while I get the horses.”
“Ben, do you know where Jose is? Did you hear them talking?”
“The sheriff and Jose were arguing. They left after hearing gunfire.” He took her hand. “Can we go home now?”
Rex stuck his head through the door. “Let’s go.”
Lillie climbed up onto her horse. Rex took Ben by the waist and placed him in front of her. She rode side by side with Rex all the way back toward the ranch. She caught him constantly staring at their son, and she smiled. Deep inside she had always known he cared about her. But did he care enough to stay and become part of their family? Would it be enough to keep him from wandering away again? Could she fulfill all his needs?
****
Rex couldn’t keep his eyes off his son. His unbelievable son. Part of him wanted to be angry with Lillie for never telling him that their love making had created this handsome little boy. But then again, she had no way to get in touch with him after he hightailed it out of town. He’d been a fool for staying away so long. He had even disappointed Charlie. But foremost, he’d abandoned Lillie and his own son. How could he ever forgive himself?
Rex thought about all the towns he had visited over the years throughout Texas and California. He had worked odd jobs wherever he could find them. He even worked on large cattle ranches from time to time. After a few months, they all reminded him of the ranch where he grew up. He’d start feeling guilty about the past, and he’d move on to another cattle outfit. But his heart had always remained in Colorado. Then one day he found himself wandering into his hometown of Chelsea with Lillie on his mind.
“Look, smoke,” Lillie yelled out as she reined in her horse.
Rex stopped beside her. White smoke billowed above the tree tops in the distance. “Your father is home alone.” Before he offered the suggestion that Ben and her wait while he investigated, Lillie urged her horse into a gallop leaving him behind.
“Lillie, wait.”
She didn’t even look back.
“Damn it all to hell.” Rex galloped after her.
From about a half mile away, he could see two horses tied up in front of the ranch house. The spiral of smoke had come from the bunkhouse where Mable’s dead body resided. No doubt Jose had tried to cover up his deadly deed. He galloped up beside Lillie’s horse and shouted.
“Stop. You need to let me handle this.”
Lillie glanced at him. “No, you gave up your right to handle a
nything when you left me years ago.”
Rex pulled up his horse. Something deep inside his chest ached with regret as he watched her ride toward the ranch house. Would Lillie ever forgive him? He urged his horse back into a gallop and started after her. Okay, she hated him. He got that, but he couldn’t let her handle Jose on her own. He had killed once. There was no telling what he would do next. Lillie wasn’t thinking straight either, for she had just taken their son into a dangerous situation. Instead of following Lillie to the front of the ranch house, he decided to head toward its back entrance.
****
Lillie reined in her horse and climbed down. She lifted Ben to the ground and knelt before him. “Honey, you need to wait here. There are some bad men in the house with Papa that I need to talk to.”
Ben placed his hand on her shoulder. “It’s Jose, isn’t it?”
She touched his cheek. “Yes, honey. You’ll be safe here. You can watch my horse.”
He nodded. “Okay, Mama.”
Lillie took the front steps to the house two at a time. She could see her father looking out at her from the other side of the front window. He sat in his chair, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. She burst through the front door.
“Hold it right there.” Jose aimed his gun at her. “Throw your whip away. Don’t try anything, or Charlie will have a third eye.”
Lillie dropped her whip on the floor and kicked it away. She lifted her hands away from her side and observed the sheriff standing behind her father’s chair with his gun pointed at his head.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded. “Don’t give him a damn thing, honey.”
The sheriff shoved him. “Shut up, old man.”
Lillie stepped forward. “Leave him alone.”
“Charlie’s a tough old bird. He’ll be fine.” Jose stepped closer to her. His eyes narrowed, and the corner of his mouth turned up. “Where’s Ben and Rex? Is he babysitting while you do a man’s job? I expected him to come through that front door so I could shoot him.”
Lillie drew in a deep breath and couldn’t get her words out.
“Don’t make him ask twice.” The sheriff shoved the gun barrel closer to her father’s head.
“Ben is outside with my horse. I don’t know where Rex is. I left him a couple of miles back. We had an argument.” Lillie took in everyone’s position. How was she going to get herself out of this predicament? She should have waited to listen to Rex’s ideas on approaching the house instead of making a smart remark and riding off.
“Jose, why are you doing this? We’ve always treated you like family. I don’t understand.” She had to find a way to reason with him. “Why did you lock me in that jail cell at the old mining camp?”
Jose’s hand rubbed his forehead. “Everything went as planned until your old flame showed up.” His voice turned a deep angry tone as he paced in front of her. “I refused to let him take everything away from me. I had no other choice. Mable and I framed him for the bank robbery.”
“Mable? Why would she do such a thing?” Lillie knew the answer to her question as soon as she asked it. The cook used to talk about wanting to go back east all the time.
Jose gave her a smug look. “Both her and the sheriff offered to help me in exchange for some of the bank money. Poor Rex didn’t have a chance. He should have hanged.” Jose stepped toward her father and pointed his gun at him.
“Please, don’t harm him.” Lillie dared not take a step forward for fear of how the sheriff might react.
“Damn you, Charlie.” Jose’s voice turned angry. “You ruined everything by ordering Lillie to rescue Rex. I had no choice but to help, or my true motives would have been revealed. I’m surprised you actually wanted to save him after he turned his back on both of you.”
“You bastard.” Lillie drew in a deep breath and tried to control her anger. “Why go to all this trouble? What is it that you want from us?”
“You don’t know?” Jose walked toward her. He shoved her back against the wall.
“Stay away from her, or so help me God, I’ll kill you the first chance I get,” her father yelled.
“Shut up, old man.” The sheriff knocked him in the head with the butt of his gun.
Her father moaned. Blood dripped from his forehead. “Pa, Pa.” Lillie cried out. “Don’t hurt him anymore. I’ll do whatever you want?”
Jose leaned into her. His finger skimmed along her jawbone. “I want this ranch. I want the gold up at the old mine. But most of all, I want you, sweetheart.” He squeezed her cheeks tightly and brought his face closer. “You will marry me, or others will suffer.” He examined her facial features. “Woman, you’re even more beautiful up close.” He kissed her on the lips.
Bile rose in Lillie’s throat. This was her only chance. She thrust her knee as hard as she could into his groin. Jose doubled over in pain and fell to the floor. At the same time, shots rang out. The sheriff collapsed as Rex strode up the hallway from the back door with his gun in hand. Lillie ran to her father’s side. She attempted to push the sheriff’s heavy body off him while at the same time pain radiated through her upper arm. She cried out. Rex appeared beside her and shoved the dead sheriff to the floor.
“You’re shot,” Rex and her father said in unison.
Lillie glanced at her blood-stained sleeve at the same time her legs buckled.
Rex caught her before she hit the floor. He set her in the chair where her father had been sitting. Both the men in her life hoovered over her. Rex ripped her sleeve open.
“You’re okay. The bullet went all the way through.” He kissed her forehead. “Where’s Ben?” Rex glanced around the room. “Dammit, Jose slipped out.”
Lillie shoved herself out of her chair. “Ben is outside by my horse.” She cried out, “Jose!”
“Sit down.” Her father ordered as he blocked her path. “Rex, take care of him and find my grandson.”
“My pleasure.”
The last thing Lillie saw is the man she loved rushing away to save their son.
Chapter Seventeen
Rex stepped outside the ranch house with his gun drawn. He scanned the surrounding area. Where did Jose and Ben slip away to? The horses were still out front. His gaze focused on the barn. Then he noticed drag marks in the dirt headed in that direction. It looked like his son had put up a fight. He ran toward the barn. Once there, he leaned against the outside wall before entering. He peered around the corner. Nothing inside caught his eye. Then shuffling coming from the hayloft drew his attention. Pieces of hay slipped through the floorboards and floated to the stalls below. Rex hurried to the gray wooden ladder and climbed it to the top. Jose had his gun pointed at Ben.
“Hurry up, kid. Pull that bag of money out from behind that bale of hay.”
Rex holstered his pistol. “Let the boy go. It’s me you want.” He held his hands up to surrender. His main goal, to get his son to safety. He would die for him if it came to that.
Jose whirled around and smiled. He put his arm around Ben’s shoulders. “I’ve gotten attached to this young man. I think I’ll take him with me when I leave. After all, he is my son.”
Even though his words set off a fire in Rex’s gut, he kept his composure in check. Jose had tried to provoke him. Ben gasped and glanced up at him. Disappointment on his face.
“Ben, don’t listen to him. He’s lying.” Rex stepped closer.
“Hold it right there.” Jose pulled the trigger back on his .45.
Rex noticed a tear sliding down Ben’s little cheek. “Let the boy go to his mother, Jose. Then you and I can talk, man to man.”
“I don’t think so. I think the boy should hear this.” He pulled Ben close to his side. His facial features tensed and changed to sudden confusion. In a low shaky voice, he spoke, “You and Lillie betrayed me.”
“How do you figure that?”
“I’ve always been in love with her. You see, the day you and Lillie made love in the hayloft all those years ago, I happened
to be cleaning out the stall below.” Jose started to perspire on his forehead. His voice tensed. “I heard everything. The both of you broke my heart that day. How could you do that? I had confided in you about my feelings for her the day before.”
Rex drew in a deep breath finally understanding the insanity behind Jose’s actions. He had forgotten about his confession. Although he never had admitted to Jose about his true intentions toward Lillie, he had figured everyone at the ranch knew how he felt. Lillie and he had been inseparable growing up. He had followed her around like a puppy. Now, he finally understood the brunt of his past actions and how much Jose hated him. He hadn’t planned things that way. Making love to Lillie that day had been unexpected and natural. He’d never forget it. She had haunted his dreams for years.
“I loved her too, Jose. We didn’t think about how our actions would affect you. We didn’t do it on purpose. Why don’t you put your gun down? For the boy’s sake.”
Jose walked closer and yelled, “You never loved Lillie like I did, or you wouldn’t have skipped town.”
Rex tried to shut out the reality of Jose’s harsh words. They cut like a knife stabbed into his gut. Guilt and regret hit him hard.
“I have always been there for Lillie. She cried in my arms when you left. It took a long time for her to get over you.” Jose waved his gun in the air. “Did you know we’ve been courting? I had plans to ask her to marry me when you suddenly showed up.”
“I had no idea. I didn’t come back to interfere with your plans.” Rex tried to sound sincere.
“You gave me no choice but to set you up to take the fall for that bank robbery. I couldn’t let you destroy my dreams. This is going to be my ranch.” Jose pounded his chest with his fist, his face turning red. “Everything is mine, you son-of-a-bitch. Including Lillie and her little brat.”
Rex drew in a deep breath. His life can’t end this way. Maybe he did deserve to be put out of his misery. But he could never envision Jose with Lillie, especially after all his recent crazy antics. But most of all, no one calls his son a brat. He had to look for a way to take him down. Just then, Ben kicked Jose on the shin as hard as he could.