Comanche Eagle

by Sara Orwig

  “Couldn’t go to one anyway.”

  “Shut up, Brett.”

  She stared at the two of them and then focused on Brett Black Eagle. “You’re running from the law.”

  “That I am. If my brother will just bandage me up again, ma’am, I’ll be out of here and you’ll never be bothered by me again.”

  “You’re not in any shape to travel,” Travis said, grinding out the words as he checked Brett’s wound. As she watched him work, her anger churned. His brother was a desperado, wanted by the law and harbored in their barn. It went against everything she believed in and stood for and had sworn to fight. She should turn Brett Black Eagle in to the law.

  “You’re an outlaw.”

  “You could say that, yes,” Brett answered.

  “I swore to uphold the law.”

  “Crystal, this is my brother. Would you have turned Ellery away?”

  She stared at Travis. His dark eyes were like two knives cutting into her. She hated the question because it was ridiculous. Ellery had never broken the law.

  “Look, folks. I don’t want to come between husband and wife. Just let him bandage me up, and I’ll get on my horse and ride out of here. Just minutes, ma’am, and I’ll be gone.”

  “He’s been hiding here in our barn all this time?” she asked Travis, ignoring Brett.

  “He’s been here nights so I could feed him and change his dressing and take care of him. During the day, he’s been hiding down along the creek.”

  “And Turtle River and Zachary knew about him?” she asked, her anger that she had been deceived still growing.

  “Turtle River knew. He helped clean the wound. He was shot, Crystal.”

  “Doing what?” she asked Brett and looked into wide, dark eyes that were the same color as Travis’s but held none of her husband’s fire.

  “Your Honorship, I don’t think you really want to know.”

  Her fury soared. “Yes, I do want to know!”

  “Crystal, take Jacob home and we’ll talk when I get there,” Travis ordered.

  She gazed into his eyes and felt the clash that she used to have with him when she first met him. She turned away.

  “Ma’am—”

  She glanced at Brett.

  “I’ll say it again, I’m sorry to have caused trouble. Don’t blame Travis. He’s a law-abiding citizen and he couldn’t help it if I rode in and asked for his help. And I’m glad to have met you, Judge, and glad to have seen Travis’s boy.”

  She tugged open the barn door and stepped outside, pulling it shut behind her. Enraged, she stormed back to the house. She wanted to get a horse and ride for the sheriff. The man was an outlaw, harbored at her own house! And Travis had hidden him. She paused as she crossed the porch and looked at the dark barn. Travis had let his outlaw brother stay. He knew how she would feel about it. He had gone against her wishes and hidden his brother. A deception if there ever was one.

  “Hellfire and damnation, Brett,” Travis swore as he bent to wrap the bandage around his brother.

  “Sorry.”

  Travis straightened and looked into his brother’s eyes. “I’m glad you came to me for help, but it’s hell to pay now. I don’t know how she knew where I was. She was sound asleep when I left.”

  Brett chuckled. “Your wife must not sleep well if you’re not right beside her. You got yourself one pretty woman there.”

  Travis glanced down at his brother and wrapped the tape tight across his wounds. “I knew her over a year and half and was married to her before I saw that she was pretty. You take one look at her and realize that.”

  “You’re going blind if it took you that long to see it.”

  “Well, it’ll be hell now. Crystal can only see things as absolute. It’s either right or it’s wrong.”

  “She doesn’t know about Texas?”

  “No, she doesn’t.” Travis finished and stepped away. Brett stood up and pulled on his shirt. He strapped on his gunbelt and reached for his coat. With care he pulled it on.

  Travis studied him. “You stay right here.”

  Brett shook his head. “I’ve caused you enough trouble tonight for a lifetime.”

  “You can’t go until you heal. You need rest and you’re safe here. I’ll keep Crystal from going into town, and you stay here until you mend.”

  “I’m a hell of a lot better than I was when I came. I’ll be okay, Travis. You get back to your wife. You’re going to have to do some mendin’ with her.”

  “Brett, don’t go.”

  Brett grinned and reached out to hug Travis. “Don’t hug me back. My ribs can’t take it.”

  “Dammit, I don’t want you to go. You might have a U.S. Marshal on your trail.”

  “He won’t find me and he sure as hell doesn’t know to look here.” Brett settled his hat on his head and looked at Travis. “Just remember, no matter what you hear, I didn’t kill Abner Kendrick. Outside the war, Travis, I haven’t ever killed anyone. Robbed a hell of a lot of places; but in all those robberies, there were no killings.”

  “I believe you,” Travis said. “And I wish you’d at least stay tonight and sleep. Go at dawn if you have to go.”

  “You go home and tell her I’ve already ridden out of here. You won’t see me again until I can live like you do.” He looked at Travis solemnly. “You were the smart one. You always were. It took me a long time to see it, but I’m tired of the life of an outlaw. I’m tired of running, of never having a woman like that to come home to, of never having a child. That’s a fine-looking boy you have.”

  “He and Crystal are my whole world,” Travis said, thinking about Crystal and knowing she was hurt and angry. He was certain her anger would outweigh her hurt.

  “I’m ready to settle. I’ll go off somewhere like you have and start all over with a new name and a new life. And when I get honest enough and settled enough, Travis, I’ll let you know.”

  Travis felt a knot in his throat. Even though it had been years since they had seen each other, he loved Brett. Time and the years of separation simply fell away and vanished as if it were only last week he was riding with Brett.

  “Dammit, I wish you’d stay. And I hope you mean what you say about starting over. I’ve never once regretted it. Far from it, Brett. I’m damned thankful for this life.”

  “I know. I was on my way to Idaho and going to begin again when this happened. I didn’t kill the man.”

  “You can take one of the blacks if you want. Then you’ll have two horses and you can switch off if necessary.”

  “I’ll be all right. I’ve got a good horse.”

  Travis nodded. “You have the food I brought. Crystal’s no cook, but it’s food.”

  Brett grinned. “If she were in my bed, I wouldn’t give a damn about her cooking.”

  Travis smiled. “I don’t. She’s good to Jacob and that’s why I married her.”

  “If that’s the only reason, your mind is unhinged. I’m beginning to worry about you, brother. Now go back to her and start making peace.”

  They gazed at each other a long moment and then Travis turned and left. He knew by the time he reached the house Brett would be gone.

  As he crossed the porch, he glanced back at the darkened barn. He knew it was empty, the lantern extinguished and Brett riding away. Travis said a quick prayer for his brother and then one for himself. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door. First thing, he checked for Ellery’s revolver and, to his relief, saw it was on the high shelf. A lamp was burning, but Jacob was back in his bed. Crystal stood in front of the fire and her green eyes held their own fires of rage.

  “He’s gone, so you can calm down. You won’t see him again.”

  “How could you bring him here and keep it from me!” She shook with anger, and he glanced past her to see what was within her reach that she might toss at him.

  “I didn’t bring him here. He came on his own. He’s my brother and he was wounded and I wasn’t about to turn him away.”

  “Th
en why didn’t you tell me? You deceived me.”

  “I didn’t tell you because you only see right or wrong. You see no excuses, no possibilities of circumstances. And I knew it would upset you to have him here.”

  “Yes, it would upset me. A criminal under my own roof when I’m the justice of the peace and sworn to uphold the law! And right now our district judge just died of pneumonia, so I am the only law in these parts!”

  “There’s the sheriff; and you’re not creating law, you’re just ministering justice, Crystal. Brett is on the run, but he’s gone, so it no longer matters.”

  “It matters. Who’s after him? Should we expect a posse? Has he killed someone? I should have asked more questions about your family, except you wouldn’t have told me the truth.”

  “No, I wouldn’t have because you have a closed mind when it comes to law.” He looked at his tall, beautiful wife and wished she would just listen and give a little.

  “I believe people should do what’s right. That’s pretty simple. What’s he done and who is after him?”

  Travis had anticipated the question and feared that the answer would wreck all that had been building between them. But he would not lie to her about Brett. A cynical voice inside him reminded him that he had as well as lied to her about himself.

  “A man was shot and killed and other men have tried to hang the guilt on Brett because he was new in the area. And maybe because of the color of his skin,” Travis replied. He didn’t want to go any deeper into it because it would only stir up Crystal more. Abner Kendrick was a stockman who’d fought his neighbor Whit Odell constantly over water rights. Brett had said that one of Odell’s men had shot Kendrick and then tried to pin blame on Brett, but there was no need in going into it with Crystal. If Brett got away, the incident would die down and be forgotten, wiped out by the next killing. With the regular occurrence of shootings on the frontier, this killing would fade quickly from people’s minds.

  “He has robbed and stolen in the past, but now he’s wanted for a murder that he didn’t commit,” Travis continued, “and a U.S. Marshal might be after him.”

  She closed her eyes and rubbed her temple. “A marshal! A U.S. Marshal may ride in here and discover that I have harbored an outlaw.”

  “Crystal, he will discover no such thing unless you tell him. And I’m asking you to keep it to yourself and give Brett a chance. He’s tired of the life he has led—”

  “Oh, please! How often do men say that when things are going badly or they have been caught!”

  “I think he means it. He wants to start over and uphold the law. He wants a chance, Crystal.”

  “How can you believe that if for years, he’s robbed and done heaven knows what else? Damn you, Travis! How could you hide him here?”

  “I’m asking you not to tell the marshal, or any lawman. No one has to know Brett is my brother or that Brett was here at all.”

  “I can’t promise any such thing! I’ve sworn to uphold the law.”

  Travis stared at her. They were getting nowhere. He jammed his hat on his head. “I’m not wanted here, so I’ll leave. Good night, Crystal.” He closed the door behind him and strode into the night, heading back to the barn.

  Crystal shook with fury. She sat in front of the fire, rocking, trying to calm herself, yet every time she thought about Brett Black Eagle, her anger soared. A U.S. Marshal would show up here trailing him. And Travis expected her to help hide his brother. An outlaw was an outlaw—outside the law—and should have to pay the penalties.

  She watched the logs she had put on the fire until they burned down to ashes before she finally had calmed enough to feel drowsy again. She went to the cold, empty bed and felt a pang, torn between wanting to be in Travis’s arms and furious with him for harboring his outlaw brother.

  She didn’t see Travis again until he returned home with the other men at the end of the day. The moment he stepped through the door, her pulse jumped. As soon as they ate, Turtle River and Zachary left to go back to work. While Travis played with Jacob, he watched her with hooded eyes and an unfathomable expression.

  Her anger still simmered. “If your brother returns, will you tell me?”

  Travis stared at her for a long time before he nodded. “All right, Crystal, I’ll tell you; but you know it will only cause a bigger division between us.”

  “If a marshal comes, I can only tell the truth.”

  She saw the chill settle on Travis’s features and knew she had angered him, but he might as well know what she would do. He stood abruptly. “I don’t understand how you see only the law, the right or wrong, and not the person or the circumstances. More than one man has been hanged for a crime he didn’t commit.”

  She raised her chin. “The law might err, but your brother is not completely innocent.”

  “No, he’s not. But he’s going to change.”

  “I don’t see how you can possibly believe him.”

  “Sometimes you just have to have faith in people.” He strode past her and got his hat and coat and left, and she knew she would not see him again that night.

  The next night he left when the other men did and she supposed he was sleeping in the barn again.

  As she began to see less and less of him, she missed him in so many ways. She hated to admit it, but she was aware of it constantly. Her husband became a stranger to her again, and hopes for a baby vanished.

  The second week in May, Crystal dressed for court. She wore her hair tied behind her head with a black ribbon and she felt fluttery about the ride into town with Travis.

  He had withdrawn from her, the old barriers coming back up as if they had never vanished. Yet she had her own barriers, too. She couldn’t let go of her anger over Brett. And she knew part of Travis’s anger and aloofness was because she would not agree to keep silent about Brett if a marshal appeared. No matter how she looked at it, she could not keep quiet about an outlaw.

  She heard the wagon and went outside to see Travis jump down from the wagon seat. Longing hit her like a physical blow. He came around the front of the wagon and her pulse jumped again. He was dressed in his black denim pants and a black shirt, and his black hat was pulled down on his forehead. He looked formidable, handsome. In spite of his coolness, she was glad to be with him. He came forward and took Jacob from her arms and his fingers brushed over her, making her heart race.

  Travis set Jacob in the wagon and then picked her up. Her hands rested on his forearms and she felt the flex of his hard muscles.

  The moment his arms closed around her, his dark eyes met hers and she couldn’t get her breath. Yearning for him tore at her and she hated that something had come between them, yet she couldn’t give up her beliefs.

  He set her on the wagon seat and went around to climb up beside her. While they rode in stiff silence, she was aware of him beside her. She ached to touch him, to place her hand on his arm, but it would solve nothing. And she felt as if disaster were hanging over them as she waited to encounter the marshal. Each trip into town, she thought she might see the marshal or hear he had been there, but so far there had been nothing.

  Travis lifted her down in front of the courthouse while Jacob clung to the side of the wagon and watched her.

  “See you later, Judge,” Travis said in a cool, flat voice.

  She merely nodded and waved at Jacob. “Bye, bye, love,” she said to him as Travis walked around the wagon and climbed easily up the wagon seat to drive away. He didn’t look back as she waved to Jacob and he waved to her.

  When she entered the courthouse, one of the first persons she saw was Sheriff Hinckel. “Morning, Crystal. How’s the family?” His blue eyes were wide and friendly.

  “Fine. Little Jacob is growing so fast.”

  “You’ll be chasing him all over the ranch before long.”

  “I suppose.”

  “I had to toss Virgil in jail last night for shooting up the Golden Bear, drunkenness and generally stirring up trouble, so he’ll be in your court today
.”

  She groaned as she reached her door and opened it. “He is a dreadful man, and I’m sure he despises me.”

  “He probably does,” Sheriff said blandly. “They had a killing up north of here. Virgil saw it.”

  Crystal looked back at him. The sheriff was standing in front of his open office door. “A murder?”

  “Yep, a rancher, Abner Kendrick. It’s in our jurisdiction.”

  That sent a chill down her spine. “Who did it?”

  “Virgil said one of Kendrick’s men did the shooting. He was a drifter probably—only worked one day for Kendrick. Shot and robbed him.”

  She stiffened, listening to Wade Hinckel talk about the shooting. She should tell the sheriff that they had harbored the killer. She was becoming part of the crime if she didn’t tell.

  “Virgil and some others heard the gunshot and saw the man robbing Kendrick. The hombre got away for now. I’ve got a deputy looking for him. He probably was an outlaw passing through the Territory.”

  “Which deputy?”

  “Raymond Parnell. He’s a good man for the job … a tracker.”

  “There’s too much fighting and shooting,” she said woodenly, her mind on Travis and his renegade brother. She went into her office and closed the door.

  Murder. In this jurisdiction. Brett Black Eagle couldn’t have ridden far with the wound he had. He was wanted for murder and they had given him aid and shelter. Travis’s brother had killed a man.

  Her fury returned that Travis could turn such a blind eye to the law, brother or not. She thought about Ellery, but then shoved the notion aside because Ellery had not been an outlaw. It was not a consideration to compare how she would feel about her brother to how Travis must feel.

  And if Deputy Parnell caught Brett and brought him back, she would tell the truth. They had hid him at the ranch.

  She opened her door and then went to her desk, ready to begin her morning tasks and look over the docket. She heard footsteps and Sheriff Hinckel reappeared in the doorway.