by Jodi Thomas
“Nell,” he whispered against her ear, figuring if he were wide awake, she might as well join him.
“Yes,” she mumbled.
“Mind if I touch you again?”
“No,” she answered. “I don’t mind.”
“I mean really touch you, darling, like I did out on the porch.”
She stretched slightly and raised her arm above her head. When she moved again, he felt her body warm and soft beside him.
He moved his fingers from her waist to her shoulder. She felt so good. With only her gown and robe on, he could feel the outline of her body beneath, and every inch of it felt like perfection.
He slipped his hand beneath her robe and molded his fingers around the fullness of her. She felt like heaven, all warm and willing.
“I could get used to this,” he mumbled against her ear. “Turn your head so I can kiss you.”
She did as he requested. Her mouth was slightly open when his lips touched hers, and the pleasure of it warmed him several degrees. He took slow pleasure in exploring the kiss as his thumb crossed over the peak of her breast.
When he pulled an inch away, it took several minutes for his breathing to slow and his brain to form thoughts. He moved his hand back to her waist, fighting the urge to pull up her gown and feel her flesh against his.
“Good night,” she whispered as if the kiss had been no more than a way to say sweet dreams. She moved so that the breast he’d been holding pressed lightly against his chest.
“Good morning,” he answered and closed his own eyes, deciding she was definitely driving him crazy. The strange thing was, at this point, he didn’t even care why.
CHAPTER 24
A FEW HOURS LATER, JACOB SLIPPED FROM NELL’S SIDE and walked to the window. The sun was high, but he heard nothing moving in the house. He glanced back at Nell, not wanting to think about how good she’d felt beside him, how right. He’d fallen asleep with her in his arms, but a part of him never totally relaxed. Old habits were hard to break. He’d heard the rider coming even before anyone on the porch would have been able to see someone approaching.
From the window lookout, Jacob spotted Sheriff Parker, his old hat flashing white in the morning sun. As he always did on what he called his “good days,” he forced himself to sit a horse. Unfortunately, with one glance anyone could see the ride gave him far more discomfort than riding in a buggy. His days in the saddle were nearly over, no matter how much he swore he still enjoyed the freedom of being on horseback.
Most men the sheriff ’s age could sit back and retire while their sons ran the family business, but with lawmen, there was no retirement. Most didn’t live past their forties, and those who did usually switched to a safer career.
Parker had no family and nowhere else to go, as far as Jacob knew. He’d spent his life alone.
The ranger was down the stairs by the time Harrison let the lawman inside. While the sheriff poured himself a cup of coffee, Harrison explained why everyone else in the house was still asleep.
If the bookkeeper thought Jacob’s being upstairs was unusual, he didn’t comment about it.
“What did the little fellow look like?” Parker didn’t seem to care what the answer would be.
“Pink,” Harrison answered. “Tiny and loud, very loud.”
Parker nodded as if he recognized the breed. “Yeap. That about sums it up. Except it takes quite a while to fix that noise part. Years, from what I can tell.”
The sheriff rummaged through the bread tin until he found muffins to go with his coffee and asked Harrison and Jacob to take a seat. “We need to talk,” he mumbled between bites. “While the women are still all asleep.”
Jacob pulled a chair out and sat. There was no hurrying Parker; he’d tell what he wanted them to know in his own good time.
“First, I thought you’d like to know, Dalton, the posse brought in the three outlaws you let slip away.” He said the words as if Jacob had simply waved farewell to the robbers and not been lying at the bottom of a gully after being stabbed and falling ten feet.
“I know.” Jacob smiled. “Careless of me to leave them running around out there, wasn’t it?”
Parker took his time nodding agreement and then continued, “One of the three fellows, Hank’s pa, didn’t look so good. I think he must have suffered as much as you in that fight you said the two of you had. Maybe more. Both his eyes are black and one, the left one as I recall, is swollen shut. He’ll be lucky if it’s open by the time they hang him.”
“Real lucky.” Jacob nodded, remembering how he’d heard bone break when he’d smashed his fist into the man’s face. “He wasn’t much of a pa to the boy. I heard him say he wished he’d left Hank to starve to death. From the little I remember, I think Hank’s mother is dead.”
The sheriff agreed. “When they brought him in, Hank’s pa seemed more angry that the boy was alive than happy to see him. He’s a mean one. Been picking at the kid all morning, like it gives him some kind of pleasure. The sheriff in Fort Worth thinks he may be one of several men who killed a few guards down in Huntsville and broke out of prison a few months back.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised.” Jacob remembered how he fought and how the man smiled when he’d drawn blood. He wasn’t just trying to knife Jacob in the fight, he was trying to cause as much pain as possible. Men like that take years to get so mean.
Parker took a drink and made a face. “Who made this coffee? Worst darn stuff I ever drank.”
“I did.” Rand Harrison frowned. “Everyone else was still asleep.”
“Tastes like you boiled the beans in mud.”
Jacob’s patience for waiting grew thin. Time was short. “What else is new? You didn’t ride all the way out here to complain about the coffee.”
Parker took another bite of muffin, chewed for a while, then said, “The posse’s got two men mending over at the doc’s place. They got hurt in the fight when they took the outlaws. It might have been a dozen men to three outlaws, but the bandits didn’t go down without a fight. One of the posse took a bullet to the leg, the other to the shoulder. As soon as they’re able to travel, they want to take the train robbers back to Fort Worth, and I’m glad to let them. Trouble is, we got a problem.”
“What’s that?” Harrison appeared interested in the conversation for the first time.
The sheriff pointed his cup at Jacob. “It seems Dalton here brought the boy in. I can’t release a prisoner of a Texas Ranger’s to anyone without the ranger’s permission. I can let them take the other three, but Hank stays in my jail until you give the word. The railroad man riding as head of the posse didn’t like it much, but I can’t change the law.”
The sheriff leaned closer. “I’ve been told his whole posse is hired guns. If that’s true, they’ll lose money if they leave one here.”
Jacob shook his head. “I don’t want Hank tried with the others. He’s not like them. He proved it by bringing me home when he could have left me along the road anytime.”
“I know that. I’m even keeping him in a separate cell, though that don’t keep his pa from screaming all kinds of insults at him.” Parker shook his head. “But, no matter how you look at it, Hank is one of them. There ain’t nothing no one can do about that. If they hang, he’ll hang, too. That’s the way the law works.”
Jacob knew the sheriff was right. He didn’t need a reminder. But the boy who’d handed him a cup of coffee that morning crossed his mind. That kid was more afraid of his father than of what might happen to him if he got caught robbing a train. Jacob would bet Hank went along with it all out of fear. That’s why, when he had the chance, he stayed with Jacob and didn’t ride north to find his old man.
“I’ll not release him to the posse.” He looked straight at the sheriff. “You know as well as I do that the odds are not good that the outlaws will even survive the trip back to Fort Worth. One of them makes the wrong move, and they’re all dead. The guns guarding them get the same money whether they bring the outlaws i
n dead or alive.”
“I know. And to tell the truth, most of the men riding are young and nervous. They’re good men near as I can tell, but they’re not seasoned enough to handle the outlaws. I’d guess they might shoot first and think later. They already see the prisoners for what they are, cold-blooded killers, so even the best among them probably won’t lose any sleep one way or the other.”
“Except for the kid,” Jacob said. “From what I understand, Hank didn’t kill anyone. He doesn’t deserve to be shot down like a mad dog.”
Parker nodded. “But he can’t stay here. I’m worried that even a few more nights in my jail may not be good for his health. Two of the men killed during the robbery were from around here. There’s talk about stringing them up now and saving time. I think we’re safe as long as I’ve got the posse around to act as extra guards, but once they’re gone, I’m not sure the boy will be safe, even behind bars.”
“I’m not turning Hank over,” Jacob said for the third time.
Parker shook his head. “You’re not strong enough to travel yet or I’d suggest you take a back trail that would be hard to follow. If you tried going with the posse on the train, you’d probably pass out somewhere between here and Fort Worth, and then where would the kid be? I’m too stove up to go with you, and I’m not sure backup Rangers could get here in time.”
The sheriff was right, but Jacob didn’t want to admit it. His body hurt now from carrying Nell upstairs, and she weighed next to nothing. What if the boy turned on him and fought? He wasn’t sure he could handle the kid in a fight right now, and he knew he’d never shoot Hank. Not after the boy saved his life.
Parker finished his coffee with a frown and stood. “I got to get back. You think on it, and maybe you’ll come up with something. I’ve talked the posse into staying over at the hotel across from the jail, so won’t be nothing happening tonight.” He turned to Jacob. “If you’re going to take the kid, I’d take him before the posse leaves.”
Jacob nodded.
Harrison walked the sheriff out. When he returned, Jacob was already checking the gun cabinet.
“You think there’s going to be trouble?”
“I know it’s coming, and soon,” Jacob answered. “I’m just not sure from which way it’ll ride in.”
“Sounds like we have a few days.” Harrison returned to his study.
Jacob nodded. “Only when the posse leaves, I have to be ready. And, if I were their leader, I might consider having no one, not even Parker, know when I would be pulling out.”
He made sure all the rifles were loaded, then pulled on his boots. By the time he’d walked to the barn and back, he felt exhausted. How would he ever be able to stand against a mob in the shape he was in now?
“Two days,” he mumbled Parker’s words. Maybe three. That’s all the time he had to figure out how to help Hank. He’d promised the kid a chance, and he’d see the boy got it.
Jacob wanted to go back upstairs with Nell, but he knew someone would notice. He didn’t much care what anyone in the house thought, but he figured Nell might. So, he lay back on the couch and tried to sleep.
An hour later he was still wide awake when he heard Marla tell Harrison lunch was ready. He and Harrison were the only two who joined Marla in the kitchen. She’d checked upstairs and told him everyone was still asleep, even the baby. No one had to check on the preacher; they could hear him snoring from the porch. He hadn’t even stirred when the sheriff walked past him.
“You think everyone plans to sleep all day?” Jacob asked more for something to say than hope of an answer.
Harrison shrugged. “I’m getting more work done than usual with all the quiet.” He smiled at Marla. “How about you?”
She lowered her head and didn’t answer. Jacob thought he saw the hint of a smile. He couldn’t understand why she’d talk to Harrison, who’d only been around for a few days, but in the months Jacob had known her the woman had never even looked at him.
Jacob finished his soup and moved back to the couch. He figured Marla would never talk with him around, but she might if he left. Sure enough, within a few minutes he heard her whispering to Harrison.
Then Harrison laughed.
Jacob couldn’t help wondering what the shy woman could have said that was funny. He closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. The preacher must have smelled food, for he banged his way through the door and disappeared into the kitchen.
Frowning, Jacob tried to roll over and lie so that nothing hurt. Trying to sleep in the big room was like sleeping in a train station. If he couldn’t sleep here because of the noise, and he couldn’t sleep with Nell because she was so near, and the barn was out, he might as well give up the habit of sleeping all together.
Jacob wasn’t surprised an hour later when Walter Farrow showed up, but he continued to act as if he were sound asleep.
Harrison opened the door, but didn’t invite the stout man in. Like sugar ants, Walter Farrow rushed inside anyway.
He huffed and puffed all around the study.
Harrison tried to explain. “We’ve had some things happen here and Miss Nell has not had the time to make a decision about the Stockard place.”
“Did you remind her that I’m offering a fair price? She can ask anyone in town. She’ll not make more on the land.”
“I told her,” Harrison answered firmly.
Jacob opened an eye and noticed Number Twelve was holding his own. The fat lawyer didn’t frighten him.
“Did you tell her I’m waiting?” Farrow rose on his toes and rocked back to his heels. “I’m paying a great many expenses while she takes her time.”
“She knows,” Harrison answered. “But you are free to return to Dallas, sir. She’ll inform you by post of her decision.”
“No.” Farrow stumbled for words. “I’ll wait a few more days. I’d like to talk to her the next time I come. Tell her I expect to be received. I’ll not allow her to treat me like someone who comes begging.”
“I understand. I’ll let her know your feelings.”
“You do that.” Farrow raised one finger. “Tell her I’m not a man to dally with. I have interests all over this state as well as friends.”
Harrison kept his proper manner as he walked to the door. “I think it would be best if you wait until Miss Nell determines the time of the next meeting.”
Farrow looked like he might argue. He glanced over at Jacob. “All right, but when I meet with Miss Nell, I insist on doing so alone.”
“I’ll inform her of your wishes.” Harrison turned the knob. “Now, I must insist on you leaving before you wake anyone.”
Walter Farrow lifted his head and marched out.
Pretending to awaken as the man departed, Jacob held his side and moved to the door.
“He’s going to be trouble,” Harrison said as they watched Farrow head back up the road to town.
Jacob agreed.
“He hinted that he might question the will again. If he does, he’ll never get the land, but he could tie up all of Nell’s holdings for a time.” Harrison rubbed his forehead with his palm. “But, if I were betting, I’d bet he’ll take more direct action, and I don’t even want to think about what it might be.”
“You think Nell should sell him the Stockard place just to get him to stop bothering her?” Jacob smiled. “Let the rattlesnakes feed on him out at the ranch he wants.”
Rand shrugged. “Sounds good. I don’t know what she’ll do. It’s not my decision to even offer advice unless she asks. I just wish I could figure out why he wants it so badly. I rode out there and couldn’t find anything. The land’s no good. Even the shack is falling down.”
“Farrow doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who would want to work to fix up a place.”
“Exactly. So why does he want it?”
Jacob guessed, “Maybe because it was in his family?”
“Maybe,” Rand agreed. “But I’ve been going through the accounts since Stockard died. The place never made
a dime. I don’t know how the old man lived out there as long as he did. Gypsy told me the painting on Fat Alice’s wall was the only one that she knew about him painting. So Farrow’s probably not going to find a gold mine of valuable art in that shack.”
The men moved back into the house and were surprised to find Nell downstairs with Mrs. O’Daniel by her side. Both the women looked rested.
“Morning,” she smiled.
“Afternoon,” Jacob corrected, unable to resist tugging on one of her braids. He hadn’t seen Nell in braids in years.
She made a face at him much like she had years ago when he’d done the same thing to bother her. “Mrs. O’Daniel says today is going to be my first swim. Would either of you gentlemen like to come along?”
Harrison backed away. “No, thank you. I have far too much work to do.”
“What about Wednesday and the baby upstairs?” Jacob looked at the nurse as if she were forgetting her duty.
“They’re fine. The baby took his first meal an hour ago. Gypsy and Marla will see that Wednesday has everything. What the girl needs right now is some time to get used to being a mother. She’ll sleep when the baby does for a few days.”
Mrs. O’Daniel turned to Nell. “But Miss Nell missed some of her exercise this morning, and the thing we need to do now is get caught up. I’m not one to neglect my duty, no matter what happens.” She glared at Jacob as if daring him to question her, then smiled as Harrison offered to carry the bag at her side.
Jacob fought to keep from growling. What was it about women? They all seemed to like Harrison, making him laugh, offering him coffee, being nice to him. Sometimes he swore Nell even liked talking to the bookkeeper more than she liked talking with him.
“What can I do to help?” Jacob offered, thinking he might want to start trying a little harder to be friendly.
“I’ve already asked the preacher to hitch the big buggy that I saw collecting dust in the back of the barn. It will be easier for Nell to get in and out of than a wagon. Gypsy’s packing towels in it now, and I’m wearing my swimsuit beneath my uniform.” She looked at Jacob. “If you’ll come along to help me get her in the water, that’s all I ask. I can handle everything once we’re in the water.”