Wanton Desire

by Ruth D. Kerce

  “What a witch,” Willie and Emma mumbled at the same time. With a surprised look, they both stared at each other. Then they smiled and erupted into laughter.

  * * * * *

  Out at the Roberts’ ranch, Joe stood beside the small corral, talking to Cal’s hired hand. He watched a group of horses, mostly mares and their foals, plodding around behind the fence and nibbling at some feed laid out for them. More horses would be grazing in one of the nearby pastures. “No sign of rustlers?”

  “Not for a couple of weeks now. Thank goodness. Still, I’ll be glad when Cal gets home. I’ve been praying for that little girl of his.”

  Joe nodded. “I think the whole town has been.” Just about everyone he encountered lately had voiced their concerns for the child. They had some good, caring folks here. “I’ll pass on any news I get.”

  “Appreciate it.”

  “If you do run into trouble, you let me know.”

  “Yeah, I’ll do that. Thanks for checking up on me. It’s been a handful out here all by myself, especially at night when every sound makes me wonder if someone is coming for the horses. But so far I’m managing.” He gestured behind them. “I’ve gotta go tend to a couple of sick mares in the barn.”

  “All right. I’ll be back out in a few days.” Joe shook the man’s hand then mounted his horse and started for the Sinclair ranch.

  The Roberts and Sinclair properties were separated only by a small river. Though Wade owned the most land by far, the two brothers didn’t argue much over property lines and they shared resources whenever necessary.

  He’d ask the foreman to send an extra hand back from Wade’s crew to help out with Cal’s spread until the family returned. He felt uncomfortable with only one man being out this way.

  The sight of a lone rider approaching didn’t make him feel any better and he tensed. He wasn’t certain why. Instinct maybe. He slowed his horse and rested his hand on his pistol.

  As the rider neared, Joe squinted his eyes against the sun. He thought the man looked familiar but he couldn’t place him.

  The cowboy raised a hand in greeting. “Joe! Hold up there!”

  That voice… Something clicked in Joe’s memory. He knew who the rider was and silently cursed. He stopped his horse and waited for the man, who pulled up his mount beside him. “Slim.” After a moment of silence, he continued, “What are you doing in New Mexico?”

  A scowl crossed the man’s face. “Great to see you too, cuz. What kind of greeting is that?”

  “The best one I can muster.” He felt like turning his horse and just riding away.

  “Well, hell. Makes me feel right unwelcome. I heard you was in the area and I wanted to say howdy.”

  A tense few seconds passed before he replied. “Howdy.” Joe never thought he’d see Slim again. And that would have been just fine with him.

  “I hear you’re the sheriff hereabouts now.” The tenseness on Slim’s face eased as he pointed to the star on Joe’s chest.

  “That’s right.” He relaxed on the saddle, but the move was deceptive, given what he was feeling. “I don’t want any trouble, Slim.” He already had enough to worry about and to prove. A former gunslinger never completely escaped his past. Slim being here was just proof of that. “I’m not the same man I used to be.”

  “You’ve turned all dull and upstanding, is that it?”

  Even though Slim was smiling now, the question told him that his cousin was up to no good and was feeling him out about something. “If that’s the way you want to put it.”

  Slim shook his head. “A shame.”

  “How long do you plan on staying around here?” Any longer than one day was too long for his liking.

  “I don’t rightly know yet.” He glanced around, before his gaze returned forward. “Depends on how profitable things are.”

  Joe assessed Slim’s words and body language before answering. “Things are not profitable here for outsiders.”

  “Well, I think they could be. For the both of us. We used to make a good team.”

  Joe saw trouble in his cousin’s eyes, heard it in his voice. No way would he let Slim disrupt the life he’d built for himself here or jeopardize the safety of anyone under his watch. “Bygone days. I take my job very seriously, Slim. Any vermin who think to make their profit at the expense of others around Elk Valley will find themselves at the business end of my gun.”

  Slim visibly stiffened. “That sounds like a threat.”

  “Take it as you will.”

  “Somehow I thought you’d be pleased to see me. Or at least willing to hear me out.”

  Joe grunted. “I’ve heard enough. Whatever you’re cooking up, take it out of my jurisdiction. How’d you find me anyhow?” Had Slim been in town long? If so, he was losing his touch, for he’d never even seen the man.

  “I heard mention of you in Fox Valley. Then I talked to someone last night in Elk Valley who said that you might be out this way today.”

  “Really? Who’s that?” Most of the townsfolk knew his personal routine but very few of them would be apt to tell a stranger.

  Slim shrugged. “I’m not much for names.”

  His cousin was lying, protecting someone. He’d always been able to read him clearer than any words put to paper. “I think maybe it’s best that you don’t stick around Elk Valley, Slim. Not even for a friendly visit.”

  “Not going to invite me to take a meal with you, at least, before I go?”

  “No.”

  “You’ve changed, Joe.”

  “Like I said.”

  “Well, I’ll think about what you said.” A slow smile spread across his face—a smile that held little humor. “Just so you know… No one runs me off before I’m ready to go. Last I looked, this territory was still open and free to travelers.” He turned his horse’s head and urged his mount into a trot.

  Joe stared after him a long while, his stomach tightening as it did when he felt trouble on the horizon. He patted his horse’s neck. “That man’s about as worthless as a pail of hot spit. I’ll wager we haven’t seen the last of him.”

  Chapter Four

  Montana stepped out of the Crooked Trail. The wooden doors flapped closed behind him. He squinted against the bright sun as he glanced down one side of town, then the other.

  Where the hell was Slim?

  According to the bartender, he’d been drinking in the saloon last night, then disappeared with one of the girls. But nobody had seen him today.

  Maybe he’d gotten jumped. Or killed by someone. Slim had a way of making enemies and had been shot twice in the last year and a half alone, once in the arm and a second time in the leg, which left him with a slight limp.

  Montana started down the boardwalk. He’d check the livery to see if Slim’s horse was still there. He disagreed with Slim a lot of the time—hell, most of the time—but he didn’t want to see the man dead.

  He passed the sheriff’s office, which still looked empty. He’d already checked there earlier. No one in the cells and Joe Jackson was apparently out for the morning. He hesitated. Maybe Slim had met up with Joe somewhere and they were making plans. Without him.

  He shook his head and continued down the boardwalk. “I’m getting more mistrustful than a rat in a cathouse,” he murmured.

  When he turned the corner, he ran squarely into someone a good head shorter and a lot softer than he was. “Dang it.” He grabbed the stranger’s shoulders.

  “Oh!” A young woman’s high-pitched voice echoed his own surprise then cut off after that one short sound.

  It was the girl from the night before. He smiled down at her without even really knowing why. She quickly stepped back at the same time that he released her. When she looked up at him, a light blush colored her cheeks.

  Today, in the sunlight and close up, he could see her big brown eyes. Nice. She looked older than he’d thought last night. Probably sixteen or seventeen even, though she hid her age well. On purpose?

  She had a bandage o
n her forehead that concerned him. Before he could ask her about it, she murmured something. “What?” he asked, not catching her words.

  “I said, I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching.” She pulled the gun from her belt. “Here.”

  He stared down at the pistol. “I gave that to you. It’s yours now.”

  “It’s too heavy for me.” She handed it back to him. “Um, I don’t have your money. Sorry.”

  He stuck the gun in his belt. “I didn’t expect it back.”

  “I shouldn’t have taken it to begin with.”

  He could see how uncomfortable she felt. Pride. He understood pride. “I’m headed over to the livery. My horse could use a good brushing, if you want to pay me back a kindness.”

  She visibly relaxed and a smile crossed her face. “I can do that. I like horses. They don’t much care who you are as long as you treat them well.”

  “I suppose that’s about right.” He started forward and they walked side by side toward the livery. “What happened to your head?”

  She touched the bandage. “Those boys cornered me again this morning.”

  His hand curled into a tight fist. He should have warned them off her for good. No-accounts, all of them. “Did you shoot them?”

  She gave him a sideways glance. “No. I gave one a black eye and another a bloody nose.”

  “And the third?”

  “He ran screaming for his mama. He was the youngest and I didn’t feel right hitting him.”

  Montana smiled. Good for her. She was a tough one. He admired that and understood how hard it had to be on her to take care of herself like that. He wanted to ask about her family and where they were, but didn’t. Somehow that seemed too personal. He didn’t like talking about his family, especially not with strangers. So he’d respect her privacy in the matter. “Why are they after you so much?”

  She shrugged. “Because I’m not like other girls…I guess. I don’t much try to figure out jackasses.”

  Montana laughed at her attitude, though he suspected inside she probably didn’t feel as self-assured as she pretended. Being on the receiving end of mean-spirited folks, who acted like animals that turn on their own when they sense something different, wasn’t fun. They stepped into the livery and the owner greeted them.

  “Howdy, mister. Here for your horse?”

  “No. We’re here because I’d like this little lady to brush my mare down, if you don’t mind. It’s the bay over there,” he told her, then turned his attention back to the livery owner. “I need to ask you about something.” He didn’t see Slim’s horse anywhere and that worried him.

  “Sure enough. The brushes are on the shelf over there.” He pointed toward the rear of the building. “Help yourself. But don’t steal nothin’.”

  Montana’s eyes narrowed and he tapped the handle of his pistol.

  The livery owner shifted uncomfortably. “Just making sure. That girl’s a hard one to trust. What did you want to ask?”

  The girl stuck her tongue out at the owner.

  Montana couldn’t help but smile. After she headed for the rear, he asked, “The man I rode in with, is his mare still here?”

  “Nah. He came in and got his horse earlier this morning.”

  Montana dragged a hand across his chin. “Did he say where he was going?”

  “Not a word, but he’ll be coming back, I expect. He asked how much I would charge to board your horses an extra day or so.”

  Hmm. “Thanks.” He stared out at the road and the people going happily about their business. An uncomfortable feeling swept over him. What the hell was Slim up to now?

  * * * * *

  Joe pulled his horse to a standstill on the hill. He glanced around, peering into the distance then turned in the saddle and looked across the range behind him. Something wasn’t right.

  He felt as if he was being followed but he didn’t see anyone. He knew enough not to discount the feeling though. His gut feelings had kept him alive a lot of years.

  Maybe Slim was out there somewhere, watching him. Assessing. His cousin was planning something. And whatever it was wouldn’t be good. Slim could be targeting someone’s herd, a merchant’s till, the bank, or even the next stage. He’d have to keep a close watch, in and around town, until his cousin went on his way.

  When it came to blood relations, Joe could have done without most of his. He envied Skylar and her family. They all loved each other so much. And looked out for one another. Well, except for her pa. He was the one bad apple. Every family had to have at least one, he supposed.

  Skylar and Wade, Beth and Cal, and their children—they were the best. Maybe that’s why he’d been unwilling to leave Elk Valley. He’d become a part of their family and he liked it. A lot.

  “No one’s taking that away from me.” His thoughts promptly returned to his cousin. “Not even you.” If Slim hurt anyone, and people found out they were cousins, the townsfolk might not look so kindly toward him anymore. “Damn past biting me in the ass.”

  Joe sat straighter in the saddle as he continued to search the range. Completely empty. Not even a bird in the air today. When things turned this quiet, he got nervous.

  Maybe it wasn’t Slim’s presence he was feeling. Maybe rustlers were still in the area, despite things being quiet lately.

  He’d just come from checking on Wade’s ranch. Everything had been running smoothly out there. While at the ranch, he’d spoken to the foreman. The man had agreed with his assessment and ordered a hand over to Cal’s spread to help out. They’d both agreed that Cal’s place was at least a two-man operation and Wade always employed more hands than he needed anyway.

  A gust of wind hit him from the west. He glanced up. Looked as if darker clouds were moving in. He should get back to town. Back to Emma.

  His cock immediately responded. “Hell,” he whispered. “If I don’t get inside her soon…”

  * * * * *

  Late in the afternoon, Emma finally headed out to the Sinclair property. She remembered the area well and felt a sense of peace out on the open range that had been missing in her life for quite some time. It brought back good memories of happier days.

  She stopped the buggy at the bottom of a hill. This was it. She stepped down and looked out over the land that Wade and Skylar owned. One of the largest spreads in the area—a combination of two separate properties joined after they’d married. They’d done well, overcoming their obstacles and finding true love. Beth and Cal had done the same. She sighed and wondered if she would ever be as blessed.

  A rumble in the sky drew her attention upward. The white fluffy clouds that had filled the sky earlier had now darkened considerably. She should have come out here earlier in the day, instead of waiting until so late, but somehow, she hadn’t been able to force herself into making the trip.

  Most of the day, she’d spent cleaning the clinic and going over papers at the bank. She hadn’t signed anything yet, still hesitating about what she should do with the two-story building as well as a patch of land her father owned but had never developed. Lifting her skirt slightly, she trudged up the hill to where her father was buried.

  She was surprised to see an actual headstone. Those were quite costly. Wade had been responsible for that, no doubt, for it was similar to the headstone she saw on the other grave, where Skylar and Beth’s mother was buried. Somehow she’d pay him back for his generosity.

  A tear rolled down her cheek. “I don’t know what to say, Papa, other than I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you.” She kneeled down and brushed her fingers across his name etched in the stone. “I’m going to miss you more than you’ll ever know.” She sniffled.

  She’d thought she would have a lot of years yet with her papa. All this had completely turned her inside out. Life was not fair and caused too much pain. She wiped away a tear. Sometimes she wondered what living was all about and why people had to endure such tragedy before going to their final reward.

  Silence settled around her as memories of her chi
ldhood played through her mind. She’d grown up as her papa’s shadow, following him everywhere. As she got older, she had admired his skills as a doctor and had come to love helping him in the clinic. Because of him, she had been determined to become a doctor someday. To make him proud. Now he’d never know how her life and hard-fought education had turned out.

  The sound of a horse quickly approaching made her look up. She recognized the rider even from a distance. Joe. She stood as he got nearer. She’d hoped to be alone with her feelings out here, so for just a time she wouldn’t need to put on a mask of strength in front of anyone.

  Joe dismounted and waited at the bottom of the hill for her to come down. He looked agitated.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, doing her best to hold back her heartbreak. She didn’t want him feeling sorry for her.

  “I was out this way, checking for signs of rustlers, and I saw the buggy from a distance. A bad storm is moving in. The main road from town floods worse than ever, since we lost Miller’s Tree Grove to the fire last year. You should come on out to Wade’s ranch and wait out the weather, just to be safe.”

  “Actually, I really should get back to town. I can probably make it before it floods.”

  “Not in the buggy. The storm’s already hit Elk Valley. You can see the rain from here. By the time you get past the bend, you’ll be cut off.”

  She looked toward the horizon. Sure enough, she saw what appeared to be a sheet of rain moving this way from the direction of Elk Valley.

  “It would be safer for you, actually both of us, to be in the ranch house. There might be some pretty bad lightning with this one.”

  She glanced up at the sky directly overhead. He was right. The greenish-gray clouds and whipping wind, along with an odd feeling of static in the air, indicated this storm would be severe and would probably last for several hours at least, if not longer.

  She’d always hated being alone during a storm, ever since she was a little girl, so heading out to Wade’s actually sounded like a good idea. It was the closest and best shelter. “All right. Let’s go.”

  Joe helped her back into the buggy and she followed him to the ranch. As they approached the large gate in front of the main house, a streak of lightning and a loud clap of thunder filled the sky. Emma looked up and cold rain fell heavily to the ground, drenching both of them. “Oh!”