Christmas Miracles: Mega Mail Order Bride 20-Book Box Set: Multi-Author Box Set

by Jenny Creek Tanner

  On the ride out, Zeke reflected on how surprised he'd been by his passion for law enforcement. Volunteering to become a sheriff's deputy was something Zeke had done on a whim, largely because it appealed to the contrary aspect of his nature. As someone who'd literally been on the edge of a hangman's noose when Lottie claimed him, it amused him endlessly to be on the other side of the fence.

  But he'd helped the sheriff catch more criminals than either could count in the months since Zeke had been married, to the point where Wyatt always called him first whenever trouble broke out.

  All of which meant that something he'd done as a way to avoid ranch chores had turned into a second career for Zeke, and he was now known as much for his law enforcement prowess as he'd been in his prior life as a rustler and horse thief.

  That didn't mean there weren't dark moments, though. And this was one of 'em, sitting in a canyon on a cold rock that had been coated with snow just moments ago. Waiting for a varmint he'd already outthought to make his move, Zeke listened to the wind howl through the canyon as he watched the sheriff for the signal.

  Then, finally, he saw it.

  A single wave, which meant the sheriff had seen the robber move back toward the front of the canyon. The signal also meant the robber thought that Zeke and the sheriff had left, so maybe he'd gone around to that back hole.

  It was the move Zeke had known the robber would eventually make, and he hoped the sheriff would have the patience to wait until the crook showed himself in the open so the capture would be easy.

  But he didn't. Unfortunately, Wyatt could be a bit of a hothead from time to time, especially when he was on the verge of capturing a crook.

  When Wyatt moved out from behind the rock too soon, it wasn't the first time the sheriff had acted in haste, and Zeke knew it probably wouldn't be the last. But it forced Zeke to make his move as well, and that meant Zeke would lose the element of surprise.

  Zeke saw the robber before Wyatt did, the crook having circled around to make a run for it, using several large boulders as camouflage. The next thing he knew the robber was lining up his shot, with Wyatt squarely in his sights, and Zeke jumped out from behind the rock, knowing it was now or never.

  His move put him in the robber's peripheral vision, though, and Zeke barely had time to try to line up his own shot when he realized the robber had seen him. Then the varmint's gun was pointed right at him, and Zeke realized a new plan was in order.

  He had to dive back behind that rock promptly, or Zeke would be a dead man for sure.

  Zeke made his dive, and that was when he heard the shot.

  Meanwhile, Lottie was staggered by the first contraction, which took place about 20 minutes after Sarah Tucker arrived.

  Sarah knew nothing about the bank robbery, of course, and she had no idea that her husband's life had been in jeopardy. She also didn't know that Zeke's life hung in the balance at that very moment, depending on whether or not he was able to dodge the robber's bullet.

  She only knew one thing—that she had to catch Lottie before she hit the ground.

  Which she managed to do, but just barely. Sarah dropped the teacup she'd been carrying over to Lottie, which was filled to the brim with a cup of fresh chamomile, and she heard the cup crash to the ground and shatter into a dozen pieces.

  “Lottie!” she said breathlessly as she caught Sarah under the shoulder. “Are you all right?”

  Lottie managed to get one of her hands down just before the fall, which made it easier for Sarah to support her. Then she was able to roll over onto her side, which kept her from landing on the baby. She struggled for breath as she heard the teacup shatter, and some part of Lottie foolishly wanted to run over and clean up the mess.

  “I think so,” she gasped, looking to see that Sarah was all right. She was behind Lottie, sort of, and slowly Sarah crawled in front of her to check on Lottie's condition.

  “Thank goodness,” Sarah said, fussing about to make sure Lottie wasn't hurt.

  Normally this was something Lottie hated, but under the circumstances it seemed understandable. Lottie bit her tongue to keep from saying something sharp or sarcastic, ever conscious that she was a staunch Christian woman.

  “Can you help me up onto the couch?” Lottie asked, struggling to get her breath under control. “If you can do that I think everything will be fine.”

  “Of course!” Sarah exclaimed, helping Lottie gently to her feet to take the remaining few steps to the couch. Lottie had turned white as a sheet, and suddenly Sarah wondered how she was going to get the doctor out here in time.

  “I think it might be time,” Lottie said faintly, as if she'd read Sarah's mind. “You might have to do this with me, just the two of us.”

  “Oh!” Sarah exclaimed. She'd been hoping to be with child herself, and Sarah had been preoccupied by Christmas possibilities of her own recently, not having told Henry that she'd missed her time of the month a few weeks ago. “I've never done anything like this before!”

  Lottie gave her a weak grin. “From what I'm told its rather simple,” she said. “But I don't think I can do it alone.”

  “Of course not!” Sarah said, gently hauling Lottie up onto the couch. “Just tell me what you need.”

  Lottie struggled to give Sarah all the help she could, and finally she was on the couch, safe and sound, huffing and puffing like a beached whale. At least I won't have to be rolled around like some kind of tumbleweed anymore, she thought to herself, lying down carefully on the couch while Sarah propped a pillow under her head.

  “There,” Sarah said with some satisfaction when Lottie looked more comfortable. “What now?”

  “The doctor said something about counting contractions,” Lottie said. “Something about timing them, or some such nonsense. I can't say I really remember all the details.”

  “Well, we can certainly try that,” Sarah said. “I'm game if you are.”

  Lottie laughed, although it came out as more of a cough. “I really don't have much choice at this point,” she noted.

  “What I really need is for Zeke to show up.”

  As much as he wished to be present for the birth of his child, Zeke had more pressing business to attend to. He felt the bullet graze his shoulder as he dove for the rock, and Zeke prayed for all he was worth that there wouldn't be a ricochet.

  He ate dirt for a moment once he was behind the rock, and when he was sure it was safe Zeke sat up and checked his shoulder. It was slightly bloody from a flesh wound, courtesy of the bullet, but other than that he was fine, more or less.

  Zeke watched for a moment as the robber turned his attention back to the sheriff, who should have found a rock to call his own. But the sheriff was running straight ahead, out in the open, heading for a rock that was further ahead. Which meant it was all on Zeke to take care of this mess.

  He knew he only had one chance. Zeke wasn't sure he could drop the robber from where he was, and he knew he wanted to take the scalawag alive. So Zeke carefully lined up his shot, going straight for the heel of the man's boots, hoping his aim would be true.

  He also knew that if he didn't, the sheriff's life would basically be over.

  Zeke calmed his breathing once the shot was lined up, knowing that rushing would force an error he couldn't afford. He squeezed the trigger slowly, then waited for the response that would tell him that he'd gotten the job done.

  “Owwww!”

  That was it. He'd caught the robber right in the heel, exactly where he'd aimed, and the man yelped in pain. Zeke saw the heel go flying off his boot, and that was when he knew it was a crack shot, if he did say so himself, one that had probably saved the sheriff's life.

  Wyatt knew it as well, and he didn't hesitate to do what came next. The sheriff whipped around in mid-sprint, rushing over to the robber just as the man landed on the ground, taking out his six shooter on the run.

  The robber was momentarily stunned, and Zeke knew he'd try and get up before he could reach him. But Wyatt was fast and rel
entless, and he arrived before the robber could move, stepping on the man's arm with the heel of his boot just as the crook tried to push himself up off the ground.

  “Owwww!” he wailed again. “Yer breakin' my arm!”

  “That'd serve you about right,” Wyatt said, grimacing as he brandished his six shooter in the man's face. “If I had my way I'd shoot you right here and now.”

  “You wouldn't dare!” the robber gasped.

  The sheriff cocked the trigger of his gun just as Zeke got to them, and for a moment Zeke thought he was going to take the shot. He ran the last few steps to stop a miscarriage of justice from taking place, although truth be told Zeke wasn't sure it would have been much of a miscarriage at all.

  “Hold up there for a minute, Wyatt,” Zeke said, gasping for breath from his brief run. “I want this one alive.”

  “Not sure why,” Wyatt said, taking the robber by his elbow and hauling him up off the ground. “I heard this one tied up a teller when he robbed that bank.”

  “Yeah, well, that ain't gonna happen again,” Zeke said. “The only thing this fella's gonna be tied from is the end of a hangman's noose.”

  Wyatt chuckled, remembering Zeke's history. “Well, you sure would be the one to know about that,” the sheriff said.

  Zeke rolled his eyes. “Don't remind me, please,” he said sardonically. “It was painful enough the first time.”

  Zeke held the man up while Wyatt pinned his arms behind his back and tied them together. When that was done, Zeke stepped back, his hand still on his gun, and finally they walked the robber over to the safe spot behind a large rock where they'd hidden their horses.

  “You got this under control, sheriff?” Zeke asked, suddenly feeling very preoccupied now that everything was under control.

  “Absolutely, Zeke,” Wyatt replied. “You've saved my life once again. Can't thank you enough, I'm afraid.”

  “No time for that now,” Zeke said, giving him a rakish grin. “Something tells me I'm needed elsewhere.”

  “Agreed,” Wyatt smiled. “I think I can take it from here.”

  “Much obliged,” Zeke said, and then something that felt a cross between a thought and a lightning bolt hit him in a flash. Zeke had no idea how he knew, but Lottie was in trouble of some sort, and she needed him by her side.

  Right now.

  Moments after the robber yelped in pain, Lottie felt an entirely different kind of agony. Her contractions were coming hard and fast, and the last one wracked her to the core, sending a wave of pain through her that was like nothing she'd ever felt before.

  “Oh my goodness!” Lottie gasped. “That was a bad one.”

  “I'm so sorry,” Sarah said. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “I don't think so,” Lottie murmured, trying desperately to catch her breath. “I think you've done everything there is to be done—at least from what I remember of the doctor's instructions.”

  “Is there a wet nurse available?” Sarah asked, becoming concerned that she wouldn't be able to do this alone. “Or the doctor?”

  “Sadly, no,” Lottie said, relieved that the contractions seemed to have passed, at least for the moment. “There's only one wet nurse in the entire territory that I could find out about, and she's kept busy traveling constantly, as you can well imagine.”

  “That's too bad,” Sarah replied, knitting her hands in concern. “And what of the doctor?”

  Lottie tried to relax a bit, feeling muscle cramps building in the back of her legs and her lower back from the contraction.

  “He's available,” Lottie said, managing a slight chuckle. “Unfortunately, I was supposed to give him a bit more notice before all this started.”

  “I guess we'll just have to make do, then,” Sarah said, standing and beginning to pace.

  “It'll be fine,” Lottie replied, trying to believe that herself. “All the other mail order brides who have done this told me that pain from contractions is just part of the experience.”

  “It does make one think a bit, though,” Sarah said, grabbing a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from Lottie's brow.

  “It does indeed,” Lottie said, feeling another volcanic eruption starting to build deep inside her body. She managed a small smile. “Didn't you say you also wanted a family at some point?”

  “I did,” Sarah replied, her face etched with concern. “But perhaps not, if this is part of the bargain.”

  Lottie gritted her teeth, preparing for the next contraction. “It does seem like a bit of a devil's deal to be sure,” she said. “Let's just hope Zeke is safe and on his way back.”

  Zeke pushed Flapjack as hard as he could. The horse responded wonderfully, loving the sudden action as they made their way out of the canyon. It was a long ride, though, and Zeke knew he had to save something for when they got back to Parson's Trail.

  Zeke thought about the robber for the first few minutes of the ride, but his musings about catching the crook quickly faded once he was out of the canyon.

  The closer he got to Parson's Trail, the more he felt like Lottie was in trouble, and when he finally got there he made a decision that felt more than a little rash and impulsive.

  He pulled up at the fork in the trail, mostly to give Flapjack a chance for a brief rest. The horse was breathing heavily, but he seemed eager to go after a few seconds, probably because the beast had picked up on Zeke's sense of urgency.

  Instead of heading for the ranch, though, Zeke turned abruptly toward Last Chance. It would add time to his trip, but Zeke knew he needed to find a doctor, or someone with enough medical knowledge to help Lottie through this.

  He pushed Flapjack hard again, and the horse charged down the trail, seeming to know what Zeke wanted. He gave the horse free rein, flying toward town, thinking that perhaps this wouldn't take as long as he'd originally thought.

  They made it to town in half the usual time, and by the time they arrived Zeke knew exactly where he wanted to go. He rode straight for the office of Dr. Aaron Jessup, knowing he was the right man for the job.

  And fortunately for Zeke, the doctor was in.

  Zeke jumped off Flapjack, not even bothering to tie him to the hitching post. He did make sure there was enough water for the horse to drink, but not so much that Flapjack wouldn't get bloated for the ride back out to the ranch.

  Zeke burst into the office, his sense of urgency growing by the minute. Somehow he managed to calm himself enough to act civilized about the whole thing, especially when the people waiting to see the doctor looked up at him like he was a maniac.

  Fortunately, though, Rachel Jessup was a bit more friendly. She knew Zeke's reputation as a lawman, which had spread all over town, and she also knew that Lottie was pregnant. Moreover, she could tell from his expression that Zeke's urgency probably had something to do with Lottie's condition.

  “What's up, Zeke?” Rachel said, stepping out into the office from her perch behind her desk.

  “It's Lottie,” Zeke said, trying to calm himself. “She needs a doctor.”

  “Has she gone into labor?” Rachel asked patiently, trying to slow him down a bit.

  “I don't know. . .I think so.” Zeke took his cowboy hat off, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. He put his hands together, then finally just decided to voice his thoughts.

  “Look this is gonna sound crazy,” he began. “but I just know Lottie needs a doctor right away.”

  “How was she when you left her?” Rachel asked calmly.

  “She was all right,” Zeke said, stammering slightly. “She said something about the labor just getting started, but I'm not sure. All I know for sure is that she's in some kind of trouble. . .call it a sixth sense about that.”

  “All right,” Rachel replied. “So what exactly do you want to do?”

  Zeke nodded with determination. “I want the doc to come out to the ranch with me.”

  “Now?”

  “Uh huh.” Zeke took a deep breath. “Look, I know this really ridiculous, and I
'll make it up to you if I'm wrong, but I just know I have to do this.”

  “All right,” Rachel said, still slightly dubious but wanting to put Zeke's mind at ease. “Let me go talk to Aaron for a moment.”

  “Thanks,” Zeke said gratefully, breathing a huge sigh of relief. “I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.”

  Dr. Jessup emerged from his office a couple of minutes later, carrying his medical bag, which Zeke took as a good sign. Then he smiled, and Zeke realized he was going to be accommodated.

  “So I hear you want to take a little side trip,” Aaron said, coming over to Zeke so they could have a private conversation.

  “Yeah,” Zeke said, blushing, which was something that rarely happened to him. “I know it don't make much sense, but this isn't just about me being worried.”

  “I understand completely,” Aaron said. “I never ignore it when a patient tells me something based on intuition, and I know enough about your situation with Lottie not to ignore your feelings about whatever's happening now.”

  “Thank goodness,” Zeke said. “And if I am wrong, I'll repay you for this in spades.”

  “No need,” Aaron said, tilting his head and shrugging. “So how do you want to do this?”

  “Do what?” Zeke asked, suddenly confused due to all the excitement.

  “Do you want me to ride with you?” he asked. “I'm assuming you don't want me to ride out on my own. . .that would take much longer.”

  “Yeah,” Zeke said. “So if you don't mind being a passenger?”

  “Not at all” Aaron grinned. “Let's go.”

  When they got to the ranch, the situation was dire. Lottie had gone downhill considerably; her complexion was whiter than pale, and she was drifting in and out of consciousness. Sally had done all she could to help, but she looked nearly as bad as Lottie from all the worrying she'd done.

  “Thank goodness you're here,” she said when Zeke came charging in the door with Aaron. “The last hour hasn't been good at all.”