Logan shifted uneasily in Janie’s line of fire. He struggled to make eye contact with her, pained with the knowledge that he had hurt her. Still, Janie’s stare was relentless. Logan removed his hat, wiping the trail’s dust from his face with a handkerchief. He glanced toward Sara, waiting for Janie to ease away from her accusations.
“I am sorry, Sara, I nearly forgot…this is my brother, Logan Payne. Logan, this is Sara Bailey, Tom’s sister. She traveled to be with us for Tom’s trial and will be staying for a while until we can figure out what to do about all of this.”
Logan silently nodded his greeting to Sara, resting his gaze on her momentarily. This lovely young woman who stood before him meant one more person affected by the situation in their home. There was a sadness in his eyes that told Sara he had been dreading this moment. Her heart went out to him as he studied his sister.
“Janie, I came as soon as I heard that Tom was in prison,” he explained. “It takes time for word of such matters to spread over the area.”
“If you had stayed here like you promised, and had watched over Tom like I asked you to, he would still be here with us! You broke your word, and now my husband is in prison. Logan, this is on your shoulders!” Janie snapped as tears began to drip down her cheeks.
Logan grimaced under Janie’s accusation. His fingers ran over his pocket where the money for Tom’s debt was tucked safely away. It was not easy taking the blame for Tom’s actions, and Janie’s words stung. At least he could be assured that Tom had held up his end of the bargain, refusing to tell Janie of their deal. He knew the divide that would result if she found out that it was Tom who had put him back to bounty hunting.
What Logan could not understand, however, was why Tom had not steered clear of Levi Moran and his men. After all the work he had put into gathering the two thousand dollars, it angered Logan that Tom had thrown it all away. What could have possessed him to assault Moran’s men? Undoubtedly he had been provoked, but Logan’s warning to him had been clear. Quickly, his eyes lit up as Charley and Carter scrambled through their bedroom door.
“Uncle Logan!” they shouted, rushing to him.
He stooped down and swept them up into his broad arms. Their tiny arms wrapped around his neck, holding him tightly until Charley reached up and playfully took Logan’s hat. Janie turned away from them, still wrapped up in the pain of the moment.
If she only understood how hard these past six months away from the family had been for him! He had missed her and his nephews terribly. On those long, hot days on the trail, always looking over his shoulder for the next outlaw ready to take a shot at him, the idea of coming home was what had kept him going.
“I’ll put your hat away!” Charley announced, wriggling to the ground and rushing for the hook near the door.
Logan stepped further into the house, taking a seat in the living room where he could hold both boys in his lap. He cautiously glanced up at Janie, who had gone into the kitchen. He knew that she welcomed his doting on the boys under normal circumstances, but right now she hated it at the same time. Still, Janie was not one to keep a grudge against her brother for long, and she was sure to come around with time. He decided to leave her alone to cool off for a bit.
“We have a puppy!” Carter excitedly announced, rushing to the bedroom and returning with a ball of wiggling feet and ears. The little hound dog crawled over Logan’s lap as Carter dumped him there.
“What exciting news!” Logan smiled down at the boys. The joy in their young faces reminded him of why he had been forced to leave in the first place. Their innocence in the situation was worth anything he had to give in order to keep their family together. No child should have to face the harsh truths of the world at such a tender age. That innocence had been stolen from him by his own abusive father, and Logan was prepared to do anything to protect it in Charley and Carter. Whatever shortcomings Tom might have, at least he loved his family.
Sara lingered in the doorway for a moment, watching Logan with his nephews. His genuine love for them shone through his eyes. Janie’s sniffles from the kitchen beckoned Sara to join her.
“I apologize for throwing you into the middle of all of this,” Janie said through clenched teeth. “I simply cannot believe that he put us in this situation.”
“I remember you writing to me about Logan, but it had not occurred to me that he should be here,” Sara replied, taking a basket of potatoes from beneath the cabinet and beginning to peel them.
“Yes, he lives in the bunkhouse with the cowhands. When we settled on this land, he stayed here with us, promising to leave behind the dangers of his nomadic existence as a bounty hunter. Charley and Carter have never known this place without him. They were crushed when he left.”
“Why did he leave?” Sara asked, looking to Janie for a pan to put the potatoes in.
“I don’t know. It was all rather sudden and strange. I mentioned to you that Tom had been spending time in Moran’s gambling saloon. I was growing increasingly worried about him, fearing the trouble that he might get himself into either through drink or gambling. Over these last few years, Tom and Logan had formed a strong friendship. Because of that, I thought that Logan might have more influence over him than I did.
“I asked him to keep an eye on Tom and to guide him in the right direction. He was always an anchor in my world, offering a steadiness through many tumultuous times. I thought that he might lend the same stability to Tom. But instead of honoring my wishes, he packed up and disappeared one day. There was never any doubt as to where he had gone, but his reasons for doing so were and still are beyond me.”
Sara nodded, unsure of what to say. Having never met the man before, she had little ground on which to defend him. He did not seem as unconcerned as Janie made him out to be. But that was not Sara’s place to say.
Janie began cooking the steaks for supper, still storming about the kitchen. “Do not misunderstand me; I am well aware that Tom is a grown man, and responsible for his own actions. But when a person is acting out of character, sometimes they need a little guidance back onto the right path. Why my brother would deny him that still confounds me. And perhaps, more than anything, it angers me. Five long years of our lives are now turned upside-down, and he dares to come walking back through my door!”
“I understand that you are upset, and apparently for a good reason,” Sara began cautiously, “but the boys seem genuinely thrilled to see their uncle. As much as the situation is hurting you, their peace of mind ought to come as a relief.”
“A relief, perhaps, but they are still unaware of the weight of the matter. How can I explain to those innocent minds that Logan’s return has come with a great burden?” Janie retrieved plates from the cupboard and began plating the meal. “How can I keep from telling them that this could have all been avoided? Either I make their father look bad in their eyes, or else I place the blame on their uncle. Either way, it will destroy their faith in one of the men who are so important to them. Logan has put me in an impossible position.”
Sara shied away from any further response, knowing that there was no simple answer to the situation. She finished boiling the potatoes in silence, pondering the man who had so mysteriously shown up. By the time Janie and Sara had supper on the table, the sun was sinking behind the barn. The aroma of steak and potatoes filled the house, and Sara soon had lemonade placed in front of each chair.
“It is time to eat,” Janie called into the living room, bringing Logan to the table with both boys in tow.
Sara waited for Charley and Carter to take their places before cutting Carter’s steak into bite-sized pieces. Though still decidedly angry, Janie paused and allowed Logan to give thanks for their meal before taking her seat. Logan rubbed his hands together as he eyed the steak placed before him. It had been weeks since he had enjoyed a meal as lovely as this. He heartily dug in, devouring the massive plate of food Janie had dished up for him, leaving his nephews in awe.
Sara could not help but steal a few
secretive glances at Logan across the table. Really, she did not have a need to be so furtive, as Charley and Carter vied for their uncle’s attention. Sara wondered what was hidden behind his kind eyes. The pain that had riddled them upon his arrival melted away in the presence of his nephews. Watching as he paid particular attention to Charley’s tale of riding the mare by himself, she knew that his affection for the boys ran deep.
Logan did not strike her as the type of man who would walk away from his family without an excellent reason to do so. There had to be more to the story that he was not telling them, she felt sure of it. And Janie’s letters had colored him in a much different light than she had painted in the kitchen. The strains of the year had worn on them all, and it did not seem fair to assume that Logan should be immune to them.
She could not deny that his sudden reappearance lingered in her mind as much as his reasons for leaving; reasons that were undoubtedly none of her business. Whatever the story behind this mysterious man might be, Sara knew she herself had come to Oakmede with a purpose. She had traveled to see Tom acquitted at his trial, but it was not meant to be. With her brother now in prison and Logan back at the house to help care for Janie and the boys, there did not appear to be any need for Sara to remain here.
Surely Logan’s return meant he was prepared to resume caring for his family. And if so, then it was time for Sara to return to her life in Baltimore. Her mother needed her, and she could only go so long without pay from her job. Even now, Sara was carefully holding back the funds required for her return trip. Her plans of using her sewing experience to help with the finances had been alright under the impression that she would be staying, but she could be of far more help with a steady income.
Once the boys had finished their meal, they eagerly turned to Logan. “Will you put us to bed, Uncle?” they pleaded. Janie winced, still angry at her brother, but it did not make sense to deny the boys their wish. A nod from Janie was all Logan needed.
“Of course I will, and I have a new story for you tonight,” he said, grinning as they bounded off into their room. The puppy followed along, jumping at their heels. Logan stood in the doorway behind them, waiting for them to dress into their nightclothes and crawl into bed.
The women could just hear him tucking the boys under the blankets and the creak of the bed as he sat next to them. He began spinning a tale for them of two little cowboys who rode across the wilds of the frontier on their trusty steeds, running out the baddies and taking them to justice. It was not long before the boys drifted off to sleep with adventure on their minds.
Logan quietly stepped out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He hesitated to join Janie, knowing that her anger with him had not yet subsided. Still, he found Janie and Sara sitting at the dining room table with a cup of tea each, and the kettle was being held warm for him.
“I simply don’t know what else to do,” Janie was saying. “I don’t want to let Peterson go. He is a good cowhand who knows his work well. But it would be unfair of me to keep him on with a cut in his pay. He needs a decent living wage, and he more than earns it.”
“Perhaps I could be of some help once I return to Baltimore,” Sara offered. “I do not see how much more I can do for you here. But I have a steady job there. Perhaps it would make more sense for me to go ahead and leave, with plans of sending funds back to you. It would not be much, but it might help to hold the ranch over until the cattle drive in the spring.”
Logan filled the cup that was waiting for him and took a seat with the women, pondering their topic of conversation.
“I hate to have you do that, but I may not have any other choice,” Janie sighed.
“Now, let’s not make any rash decisions just yet,” Logan urged. “There are still many options to be explored.”
“I suppose.” Janie eyed her brother. She groaned, struggling to swallow her pride and accept his return. “I am glad you are back, and I do need your help, but I don’t see how I can make a go of this place without Tom. I don’t even feel comfortable going to town by myself, particularly after he upset Levi Moran’s men.”
“That man could have gotten Tom off trial altogether,” Sara shook her head. “He is a wicked man, I am convinced of it. But I don’t know what good it does us simply to know it. He gives me the creeps.”
“That I agree with,” Janie nodded. “I hated running into him without one of the men with us.”
“So you have seen him since the trial?” Logan asked.
“Yes, he came into the restaurant the other day while we were eating lunch. He could not help himself, and had to come over to talk to us,” she explained with a scrunched nose.
“What could he possibly need to say to you? You’ve never set foot in his place,” he said curiously.
“Oh, you know how Moran is,” Janie retorted. “He takes every opportunity to play himself off as a caring citizen. It is so ridiculous. Everyone here knows what kind of a cheat he is. And he is far from caring toward anyone who plays his card tables. Sheriff Graves should have put him behind bars years ago.”
Logan’s mind began to reel with the same questions he had been contemplating for the last few days. When he learned why Tom had been put in prison he had no doubt Moran was behind all of it, but why? His six months to pay off the gambling debt was almost up. Why would he not wait and collect the money?
He was after something, but Logan struggled to pinpoint it. Surely it was not the ranch he wanted. Truth be told, it was no prize. Perhaps in five years it might be worth something, but nothing valuable enough to catch Levi’s attention. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling, playing the possibilities through his mind again.
“I wish he was behind bars. I do not like the idea of you running into him like that,” Sara said, sipping on her tea.
“Neither do I, not the way he lingers and stares right through you,” Janie agreed. “But until the sheriff does something about him, I suppose we will just have to deal with him being a part of the town. And let’s face it, the sheriff has not got the backbone to stand up to him.”
Something finally clicked in Logan’s mind, He stared at his sister as the pieces finally fitted together. It was not the ranch that Moran wanted. It was Janie! That was the only logical explanation for wanting Tom behind bars. Otherwise, he would have his two thousand dollars and be done with the whole situation. Levi stood no chance of benefitting anything else from it. It had always been Janie!
“I think Moran is more of a crook than you know,” he said, allowing it all to form in his mind. “I believe Levi Moran framed Tom. And it is going to be up to us to prove it.”
Janie and Sara stared at Logan in stunned silence. “What do you mean? What good is my husband to Levi in jail? Logan, if you are hiding something, I deserve to know the truth!”
Logan studied his sister, contemplating how much of the picture he should paint for her. “There is something you need to know,” he said, putting his cup aside and leaning on the table. “Ever since we met Levi, I have had a nagging feeling that he has an eye for you, Janie. And believe me when I say that Moran would have no qualms over putting an innocent man behind bars just so he could steal his wife. It is you, Janie, that Levi is after!”
Janie’s expression slowly turned from shock to anger. “How dare you suggest something so preposterous while my husband wastes away in prison! You are looking for an excuse to clear your conscience. If you had been here, Tom would not be in prison at all!” Janie shoved her chair back away from the table and slammed her teacup into the washbasin. “Goodnight, Sara,” she said, glaring at Logan as she stormed into her room and slammed the door behind her.
Logan groaned. It did not seem to matter what he did. Tom’s gambling had put him in an impossible situation. If he told Janie the truth, it would create a divide in her marriage. But if he tried to convince her of the facts that were so obvious to him, without all of the information that backed them up, they came across as ridiculous. He leaned back in his
chair, propping his hands on top of his head.
Sara was taken off guard by Janie’s sudden exit. Now left alone with Logan, she felt somewhat awkward. She did not know what to believe about the situation, or of the man sitting across the table from her. She politely excused herself, slipping into the kitchen to tend to the dishes. Sara pondered what this all would mean for Tom and Janie.
Partners in Justice and Love: A Historical Western Romance Book Page 7