Confessing to the Cowboy

by Carla Cassidy

  He grunted in pain and then laughed, the laughter of a man who knew he had won and it was just a matter of time before he claimed his prize.

  At that moment a crash sounded from the front door. One of the large flower pots Mary kept on either side of the entrance flew through the glass, followed instantly by Cameron, his gun drawn and his eyes holding a killing rage.

  In the split second of his appearance and Mary’s stunned surprise, Jason grabbed her and pulled her tight against him, the edge of his knife at her throat.

  A sharp sting marked the area where tip met skin and a warmth of blood trickled down her neck. She scarcely breathed, knowing that by the simple act of swallowing she could be hurt more severely.

  “Put the gun down, Cameron,” Jason said. “Put your gun down or I slit her throat right now.”

  Hesitation tempered the rage that darkened Cameron’s eyes. She wanted to tell him not to listen, that if he was just patient he might be able to get off a shot that wouldn’t kill her, too.

  But Jason pressed the knife a little tighter against her skin and she could tell more blood seeped from the superficial wound. “Don’t think I’m bluffing,” Jason said.

  “You know you’re a dead man.” Cameron laid his gun on the counter where he and Mary had sat for so many nights over the years to talk. “It doesn’t matter if you kill her or not, you won’t leave this building alive. I’ve already got deputies on their way.”

  “Then I guess I’d better hurry,” Jason replied.

  “I punched three for 911.” Junior’s voice came from the floor, momentarily startling Jason who eased his grasp on her. As the knife floated away from her neck, Mary slumped down and threw her weight to one side.

  She hit the floor at the same time Cameron launched himself at Jason. As the two men began to grapple, Mary scooted around to where Junior had sat up, his eyes filled with the same horrifying fear that froze Mary’s heart.

  She placed an arm around his shoulder and watched in terror the two men fighting. Cameron appeared to have no respect for the knife Jason possessed. He threw himself at Jason and the two of them hit the floor.

  Sobs began to escape her as Jason sliced Cameron’s arm and then attempted to stab him in his leg. They rolled and tussled and finally Cameron sat on Jason’s chest. One hand held Jason’s wrist and the knife gleamed between them, the tip of it pointed at Cameron’s chest. Their hands shook with their efforts to overwhelm and sweat beads popped out on Cameron’s forehead as blood ran down his arm from the wound Jason had inflicted earlier.

  Jason’s neck muscles were taut, the amused smile that had been on his face now gone, replaced by a fierce concentration and an ugly sneer.

  The knife shook violently between them and Mary’s heart nearly stopped when it moved closer to Cameron’s body. He was losing the battle, she thought frantically. She realized that in the scuffle that had taken place between them Jason’s knife had done more damage than she’d thought.

  There wasn’t just the slice on his forearm that was bleeding profusely, but his jeans had darkened with blood on his upper thigh where obviously Jason had gotten beneath his defenses for a quick stab.

  Cameron was losing blood, losing strength and she didn’t know what to do, how to help him. Junior clung to her like a frightened baby monkey, his long arms nearly engulfing her as his heartbeat tattooed against her own.

  A scream ripped from her throat as Jason won the physical battle for the knife and plunged it into Cameron’s chest. Cameron listed to the side and fell to the floor beside Jason.

  Jason rose to his feet, prompting Mary to untangle herself from Junior. “Dial three, Junior, and tell them we need an ambulance.” Her voice sounded high-pitched, hysterical to her own ears. He couldn’t be dead. Cameron couldn’t be dead.

  And then she spied the gun.

  Cameron’s gun on the countertop. She grabbed it and pointed it at Jason, who stopped in his tracks and smiled at her, that crazy, condescending smile that had always frozen her blood.

  “You don’t have the guts,” he said with a laugh.

  In a hundred million circumstances he was right. She would never have the guts to shoot to kill a man. But with the sound of Junior’s soft sobbing and the sight of Cameron’s unmoving body on the floor nearby, she didn’t hesitate.

  She aimed and fired, the bullet exploding Jason’s left knee. He screamed in pain and before he fell to the floor she squeezed off another shot, this one smashing his right knee.

  He was on the floor, writhing in pain. Primal screams mixed with curses and her name, Samantha...the name of the woman she’d once been, the name of a woman she’d never be again.

  She dropped the gun to the counter as Adam Benson, Ben Temple and several other deputies rushed inside. She was at Cameron’s side before the others reached the counter. She threw herself to the floor next to him and grabbed his hand.

  His breathing was labored and as he opened his eyes to look at her, everything else fell away. Jason’s screaming, Junior’s sobbing and the noise and chatter from the deputies all became white noise that didn’t matter. All that mattered was Cameron and the distant sound of a siren approaching that she hoped and prayed was an ambulance.

  “Help is on the way,” she said, tears misting her eyes and falling down her cheeks. “You hang on, Sheriff Evans. You hear me? You hang on because this town needs you.”

  His eyes fluttered closed and she thought he’d become unconscious. “Please, Cameron. Stay with us. We all need you. I need you,” she whispered.

  Before she could say anything more, the ambulance arrived and chaos reigned. She was grateful to see the ambulance not only load up Cameron, but also a handcuffed, still-screaming Jason.

  Once they were gone, Ben Temple tried to interview her about the events of the night, but the only place Mary wanted to be was at the hospital.

  As Adam interviewed Junior, Ben agreed to drive Mary to the hospital as long as she answered some questions on the ride. Mary would have agreed to sit naked in the snow if it got her to the hospital and closer to Cameron as quickly as possible.

  On the way, she tried to recount everything that had happened from the moment Brandon Williams had wheeled out of the men’s restroom and stood to face her until the time the deputies had shown up. Although she tried to speak clearly, coherently, her thoughts were all for Cameron. Had his chest wound been lethal? How bad was the cut on his thigh, a slash that had bled badly enough for her to see his blood soaking his jeans?

  When she reached the emergency room no answers about Cameron’s condition awaited her. He’d been rushed directly into surgery.

  She slumped down on one of the plastic chairs to wait, knowing that she might be there for the rest of the night. Jason would never hurt another person again, but she had to know if he’d claimed one final victim before he’d gone down.

  Chapter 18

  Pain.

  Cameron came to with a pain the likes of which he’d never known before. His chest felt as if it had been bisected and his upper left thigh was on fire. With his eyes closed he remained still, afraid to move. The constant beep of nearby machinery let him know he was in the hospital.

  Mary! Her name flew through his head and he jerked up, instantly regretting his sudden move as darkness once again claimed him.

  When he came to again the pain was tolerable and midafternoon sunshine flowed through the nearby window. How long had he been here? Somehow he knew it had been longer than just overnight.

  Mary? He had to find out if she was okay. He fumbled to find the nurse call button and pushed it. He heard the responding ding from the nurses’ station outside of his room and it took only a minute for RN Kerry Killian to scurry inside, a bright smile on her face.

  “Ah, you’re finally awake.” She moved to his side, bringing with her the scents of antiseptic hand sanitizer and vanilla perfume.

  “How long have I been here?” he asked, his throat scratchy and raw.

  “Three days.”
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  “Mary? Mary Mathis?” A frantic fear rushed through him as he stared at Kerry with the painful need to know.

  “Mary is just fine. She’s been here to visit you during the afternoons and evenings.”

  “And Jason McKnight...Brandon Williams?”

  Kerry frowned. “He’ll probably never walk again so he’d better hope they let him take that scooter of his to prison with him.” She patted his shoulder. “And now I’m going to get the doctor and tell him you’re back among the living.”

  Cameron relaxed back against the pillows. Mary was safe and apparently his backup team had arrived in time to take care of McKnight. Whatever physical injuries Cameron had suffered didn’t matter. The bad guy was behind bars, his town was safe and most important of all Mary was okay. That’s all that truly mattered.

  A quick chat with the doctor let Cameron know that he’d received eighteen stitches in his thigh, and ten in his chest. He’d received a blood transfusion to replace what he’d lost and he’d also suffered a punctured lung, which was healing nicely. The doctor thought he could go home in another day or two.

  It wasn’t long after the doctor left that Mary stepped through the door. The sun shone bright on her blond hair and her beautiful blue eyes radiated warmth.

  To Cameron’s embarrassment, tears filled his eyes. Before he could swipe them away she sat in the chair next to his bed and grabbed his hand, her own eyes also misty.

  “Oh, Cameron, you had me so scared,” she said, laughing as they each wiped their eyes.

  “I felt the same way about you. My last thought was that I was dying and there was nobody to save you.” Anguish welled up inside him.

  “But you did save me. You braved Jason’s knife without any weapon of your own. You almost died because of me.” Once again her blue eyes welled up with tears.

  “I would have died for you and Matt.” He hadn’t meant to say the words. He hadn’t meant for her to know how he ached for her love, how there were moments he wasn’t sure he could breathe without seeing her face.

  He cleared his voice. “Thank God, my men got there to take care of Jason.”

  “Actually, they didn’t.” She pulled her hands from his as her face paled. “You were on the floor and I thought you were dead. Junior was so traumatized he couldn’t stop sobbing and there was nothing left but me, Jason and your gun on the counter.”

  Cameron stared at her in surprise. “You grabbed my gun? You shot Jason?”

  “I wanted to shoot him through his cold, black heart, but despite what I thought I’d done years ago, I’m not a killer. I saw his power scooter and thought about the charade he’d played here for so long, the honorable vet who’d nearly given his life for his country, and had certainly given his legs for the cause. So, I shot him in his kneecap and then I shot him in his other knee.”

  She raised her chin, as if expecting him to chastise her, but instead, to his surprise a bubble of laughter escaped his lips. Her eyes widened and suddenly they were both laughing. It was the laughter of survival, of returning from hell, the sound of victory in the face of what might have been defeat.

  As it faded away, once again she took his hand in hers. “You have your town back,” she said. “The bad guy is gone and all is right in Grady Gulch.”

  He nodded and squeezed her hand. “And you have your life back. You’ll never have to be afraid of Jason McKnight again. You’re free to run your café without fear, to build your future without secrets and to find the man who can share your life with you and your son. If I can’t have your love, Mary, then it’s enough to know that you’re happy.” The words hurt but he knew they were the right ones to say.

  She was silent for a long minute and then released a deep sigh. “Oh, Cameron, I’ve been so screwed up about all this love stuff.” She released his hand and sat back in the chair. “For so many years I’ve been afraid to let anyone get too close for fear they’d find out that I was a murderer. Even if I could get over that fear, I had to question my judgment when it came to any man I might choose to be with.” Her face twisted in self-disgust. “I mean, look who I chose to marry.”

  Cameron started to speak but she stopped him by leaning forward and taking hold of his hand once again. “Then I found out Jason was alive and we fell into bed together and I told myself I couldn’t be in love with you because we hadn’t even dated.”

  His breath caught in his chest and it had nothing to do with the injury he’d suffered. It had to do with the dazzle in her eyes, a glittering that promised something wonderful about to happen.

  “Every night that I turned that Open sign in the window to Closed it was with the anticipation that you were going to show up for that last cup of coffee. I loved the intimacy of sharing that time alone with you, talking about our day, our lives, our dreams. That’s when I realized we’ve been dating almost every night for the past eight years and that’s when I realized I could trust what I feel for you.”

  “And that is?” Once again his mouth was dry and his heart beat painfully fast. He didn’t want to hope and be crushed and yet he couldn’t help the hope that surged up inside him.

  “I love you.” She smiled, pure joy radiating from her gorgeous eyes. “I love you, Cameron Evans, and I want you in my life. I want you in my son’s life forever.”

  For a moment he wondered if the final events in the café had altered his comprehension or maybe he was still under the influence of the anesthesia.

  She frowned and loosened her grip on his hand. “Unless, maybe with everything that’s happened you’ve changed your mind about me...about us.”

  “If I was capable right now I’d jump out of this bed and wrap you in my arms.” He saw his dreams shining from her eyes. “Mary, it feels like I was born loving you and I’m certain that I’ll die loving you.”

  She rose from her chair and kissed him on the forehead. “Then hurry up and get well and get out of this place so we can start building our life together.”

  Minutes later as he watched her leave his hospital room to deal with the dinner rush at the café, he knew he watched his future walking away and knew with equal certainty that she would be back. Their love had been strong enough to withstand secrets, a sleet storm and a serial killer. He figured together they could face anything the future might hold.

  Epilogue

  The café bustled with activity and the air smelled of smoked turkey and cornbread stuffing, of tangy cranberry salad and sweet potato pie. All the staff was on duty for the day when Mary provided a buffet style Thanksgiving dinner and this year she’d decided to make the meal free to anyone who lived in Grady Gulch. It was her way of saying thanks to the small town that had stood beside her during the past month.

  Rusty and Junior worked side by side in the kitchen to make sure everything was ready when the doors opened in fifteen minutes. Already there was a crowd of people lining up outside, braving the cold for Mary’s fare and that sense of community that the Cowboy Café offered.

  Cameron, Mary and Matt busied themselves to make sure the tables all had silverware and the water glasses were filled. The buffet itself had been set up across the counter and Cameron had already removed the stools that usually sat there and had taken them to a storage shed just outside.

  The past two weeks had been crazy and wonderful. Mary and Matt had moved into Cameron’s house, Rusty had officially taken over the rooms in the back of the café and even Junior had been rewarded by all the good cheer by Cameron making him an official honorary deputy for his bravery and smart thinking in punching three on his cell phone despite his head injuries.

  Mary was talking to Lila, Junior’s mother about allowing Junior to stay in Rusty’s cabin on the weekends and Rusty had promised to supervise to make sure Junior stayed safe and sound.

  Cameron was even enjoying a new relationship with his father. Although far from perfect, it was better, and Cameron was just pleased that the two of them seemed to be moving in the right direction.

  Mary ran back
to the kitchen to check the final details as Matt and Cameron finished outfitting the last table. When they were finished Matt touched him on the arm. “I was just wondering something,” Matt said, his gaze not quite meeting Cameron’s.

  “And what were you wondering?” Cameron asked.

  Matt gulped visibly and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, obviously nervous about something. “I was just wondering that when you and Mom get married, maybe it would be okay if I called you Dad.”

  Cameron hadn’t thought his heart could get any fuller, but it did as it expanded with love of this boy who had never known his real father, a boy who Cameron had called his own for a very long time. He placed a hand on Matt’s shoulder. “I would be honored to have you call me Dad. You’re already the son of my heart, Matt, and once your mom and I are married I intend to start the proceedings to adopt you, if that’s okay with you.”

  Matt grinned up at him. “That’s more than okay with me.” He gave Cameron a quick hug. “I’ve got a lot of stuff to be thankful for this year,” he said and then turned and headed for the kitchen.

  Mary walked up to Cameron, her eyes filled with curiosity. “What was that all about?”

  “He asked if after we got married he could call me Dad,” Cameron replied, having to talk around the lump in his throat. He pulled her into his arms, loving the way she fit against him. “So that means at Christmas I’ll officially be his dad.”

  She grinned up at him. “You mean by Valentine’s Day.”

  It had been an ongoing discussion. Cameron wanted to be married by Christmas and Mary was holding out for a Valentine’s Day wedding.

  As he gazed down into her eyes, so filled with happiness, so full of love for him, he was vaguely aware of the front door being opened and people starting to make their way inside.

  “I’ve got a better idea,” he said impulsively. “Why don’t we get a license next week and head to the nearest justice of the peace?”