Gregory, Jill

by Warm Stranger Cold Night

  "I escaped, lady!" he barked. "Killed me two guards doing it. Every lawman in the country is gunning for me now. You know how much the bounty is? Five hundred dollars. Someone's gonna grab me, somewhere. But I made myself a promise. Before they do, I'm gonna make Lassiter pay. Yessir, because he did this to me."

  "You did it to yourself." Maura could keep quiet no longer. Her chin lifted and revulsion shone from her eyes. "You deserve everything that's happened to you. And worse. You deserve to hang!"

  "Shut up, you damned back-talking bitch!"

  Eyes narrowed, he struck her and sent her spinning to the ground.

  "Maura!" Nell gaped at her in horror. "Are you all right?"

  But before Maura could even clear her head, Luke Campbell reached down and dragged her back to her feet.

  "It's time for me to have a little taste of Lassiter's woman," he said with a sneer. "Boys, help yourself to the other one while we have ourselves a little fun. Guess Lassiter didn't have the guts to join the party."

  He lugged her away from the precipice and closer to the campfire. Bracing a hand to each side of her head, Luke dragged her close and clamped his wet, greedy mouth over hers.

  Maura reacted on sheer instinct. She brought her knee up with a lunge and kicked him with all her might. He grunted and fell back, pain half closing his startled eyes.

  Ned and Lee sprang forward, yelling, but suddenly a hail of bullets sprayed the dirt at their feet and they froze.

  So did Maura.

  Behind her, Nell screamed.

  Quinn stood at the rear of the clearing. He seemed to have emerged from within the sheer rock that rose at the back of the ledge. Both of his big Colts were drawn and at the ready—one each leveled at Ned and Lee.

  "Maura, get over by Nell!" he commanded. The icy deadliness of his tone sent a shock wave through her.

  She moved to obey, but Luke moved faster.

  He grabbed her, pain still suffusing his face. Before she could try to tear away he had her before him as a shield.

  "Drop your gun, Lassiter, or she dies right now!"

  Through a haze of fear, Maura felt the six-shooter pressed against her head.

  She met Quinn's eyes, saw the fear flash across them. Never before had she seen him look afraid. Of anything.

  He's afraid for you. Afraid of losing you.

  She twisted at her bonds, and felt them giving way. She worked them frantically, sliding her wrists back and forth, painfully, again and again. The knot was loosening, she could feel it.

  Quinn's low voice resounded across the clearing.

  "Let her go, Luke. If you harm one hair on her head, you'll suffer in ways you never dreamed of in your worst nightmares."

  "I'm gonna harm more than the hair on her head," Luke shouted.

  At that moment, the rope gave way. Maura's hands flew up, free, and she shoved against Luke with all her might. Caught off guard, he tumbled sideways toward the campfire and stumbled over it, barely missing being snagged by the flames.

  "Get down, Maura!" Quinn yelled, and then Luke aimed the six-shooter at him. But Quinn was already diving forward. He fired from the ground and Luke Campbell went down screaming.

  At the same moment Lee and Ned both sprinted for cover behind the trees. Guns at the ready, they took aim at Quinn, but before they could fire, two more shots rang out.

  Lucky Johnson, crouched by the wall of rock at the rear of the ledge, fired and fired again. And then so did Maura. Even as Lucky felled Lee Campbell with two clean shots, she aimed Serena's derringer at Ned and squeezed the trigger.

  She hit him in the shoulder. Grunting, he spun around and, with an oath, leveled his gun at her.

  He died before his finger could pull the trigger. Quinn killed him with a bullet between the eyes.

  Then everything happened at once. Suddenly the ledge swarmed with men. Where had they all come from? Maura wondered, blinking in confusion. How had they crossed the canyon unseen?

  Through the commotion, she saw that Luke was still alive, writhing on the ground. But he was surrounded now and no longer a danger to anyone. Dazedly she turned and saw Lucky kneeling down beside Nell, reaching for the rope that bound her. The girl's dark head drooped forward against his shoulder as he worked to set her free and Maura saw her chest heaving with sobs. Then all she saw was Quinn.

  He sprinted toward her, his face the same ashen gray as the rocks.

  "Did they hurt you?"

  Never had she heard that hoarse, desperate note in his voice before, never had she seen such naked fear in his eyes.

  "No. No, Quinn, I'm fine." He drew her into his arms with a gentleness that stole her breath and she felt shock, terror, and confusion sliding away. His arms were tight around her.

  Safe. She was safe.

  "Quinn." She clung to him, reveling in his solid strength, the warmth and energy that flowed from him as he locked her in his arms.

  "How did you cross... the canyon?" she whispered. "There was no sign of you—of anyone..."

  "Seth Weaver knew a back way in. We came through a cave that led us right out to the rear of Skull Rock. Climbed up a few ledges, trying like hell not to make any noise, and we were here. Nearly too late," he added grimly, holding her closer, burying his hands in the riotous softness of her hair.

  "I was so afraid."

  "I'm sorry." He cupped her chin. "I wish I could have spared you that."

  "I was afraid for you. They would have killed you the moment you came close enough. I thought there was no way out—"

  "Shh, Maura, don't," he said as she trembled like a feather in his arms. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder.

  "The baby." He held her tight, rocked her, and wondered how he had ever lived before she came into his life. "Are you sure you're all right?"

  "I think so. I'm tougher than I look, and the baby is too. After all, he or she is half yours."

  "I've been thinking," he said slowly, stroking her hair, finding blessed peace just in the feel of her pressed against him. "About names. For the baby."

  "You have? Since when did you have time to think about that?"

  "While we were digging out the opening in the cave. What do you think of Maureen, if it's a girl? Named after you."

  "Well, I was thinking of Kate—Katharine, after your mother."

  Through the gloom of impending dusk, he smiled. "Kate," he repeated. "Kate. Katharine Maureen Lassiter."

  "And if it's a boy?" Maura began to prompt, fascinated and amazed that he was thinking about the baby at a time like this, but finding a marvelous peace in it, for she'd much rather snuggle in his arms and think of baby names than have to face this bloodied ledge littered with bodies.

  "If it's a boy," Quinn began, and his big hand stroked tenderly down her dirt-streaked cheek, "I was thinking of—"

  "Quinn!" John Hicks's voice interrupted. Maura started out of Quinn's arms. "Oh, Mr. Hicks— thank God they didn't kill you!" she exclaimed.

  "No, ma'am, but Luke Campbell's about to croak. He's a goner," he told Quinn with satisfaction as Quinn glanced over at the fallen outlaw.

  "Wait here," Quinn told Maura, and stalked over to where several men stood over Luke Campbell, who lay in an ever widening pool of blood.

  Shadows now shrouded the rocks and the last rays of light had vanished. Cool, mysterious darkness cloaked Skull Rock, but the outline of grim-faced men and the stench of gunpowder and death remained.

  Maura turned away from it all. She walked wearily toward Nell, then stopped short. Nell was nestled within the circle of Lucky's arms.

  They glanced up and saw her, and she smiled through the thin gray darkness.

  "Are you all right, Nell?" she asked softly.

  "I am now." Despite her pallor, Nell's young face shone like a delicate moon. A glow of pure happiness radiated from her eyes.

  "Lucky gave me a note for you today. I never had a chance to deliver it."

  "I delivered the message in person," Lucky s
aid. "At least part of it. There's more." He gazed down at Nell, who lifted her face to his, and she seemed to melt even closer against him. "Much more," he vowed in a low, intense tone.

  Maura tactfully retreated as Nell stretched up to touch her lips to those of the young cowhand.

  Turning back, she saw Quinn standing over Luke, and even through the deepening darkness she could discern the chilling, ruthless expression in his eyes. She wanted to go to him, draw him away, bring back the loving man she had only begun to discover. But she held back.

  He had something to finish first.

  "Damn you... Lassiter," the outlaw gasped. His voice was no longer boastful and loud, it was weak, yet still filled with hatred. "How'd you... get up here? You son of a bitch..."

  "Save your breath for your last prayers, Campbell. That's more than your cousins had time to do. More than you deserve."

  "Prayers... you're the one who oughta..."

  "You're the one who's dying. And going straight to hell."

  "I'll see you there...one day."

  "Maybe. Maybe not." Quinn glanced toward Maura, watching him with silent understanding and love in her eyes. Maybe that beautiful woman carrying their beautiful child would be his redemption. And his salvation.

  He glanced back down as a shudder shook the outlaw's chest and writhed through his entire body. Luke opened his mouth, but no words came out. He blinked rapidly and then another spasm gripped him. His eyes widened, then stayed open, staring emptily up at the purple sky.

  Quinn felt the icy whiff of death brush his flesh.

  Hicks knelt down beside the still figure of the outlaw.

  "He's gone."

  Quinn looked around the ledge. Death. Blood. Darkness. Shadows and ghosts.

  He turned back toward the pale, lovely woman with the tumbling auburn curls, the woman who carried his child, the woman who held his heart in her eyes.

  She was everything he wanted. Everything he needed. Love, peace, hope, life. Most of all, life.

  Men swarmed around Skull Rock, but he walked to Maura in silence and drew her into his arms. She felt right there. It was, after all, where she belonged.

  He spoke quietly against the silk of her hair. "Let's go home."

  Chapter 34

  In the end, it was Lucky and Slim who brought her home. Quinn found himself obliged to help deal with the carnage on Skull Rock and to assist in getting poor Seth Weaver back to town and into the care of Doc Perkins. While going through the cave, Seth had suffered a fall, and it seemed likely that his leg was broken. He'd been helped out of the cave safely, but it wasn't until the women were safe that anyone remembered him, waiting alone on the ledge among the rocks and boulders that had been so hastily removed. While John Hicks and Jim Tyler rigged a litter for him, Quinn helped Maura mount the banker's horse.

  "Weaver really came through for me—for us," Quinn told her. "I owe it to him to get him back to town and see that Doc Perkins fixes him up right."

  "It looks like the whole town came through for us." Maura glanced gratefully around at the men who'd aided in the rescue. "I don't even want to think about what would have happened if not for that hidden way through the canyon."

  Quinn nodded, the tight muscles in his neck relaxing somewhat as he remembered how all the men of Hope had pitched in together as a team. "I reckon it's not always a bad thing to have friends and neighbors," he said gruffly. Then he rounded on Lucky and ordered him to get Maura home safe and sound.

  After pumping water for a quick bath and changing into a clean, soft ivory nightgown, Maura set yesterday's soup on to boil, and placed biscuits left over from the morning into the oven to warm. It wasn't much of a supper, but it would tide them over until breakfast. She knew Quinn must be hungry, and though she wasn't, she did feel weak and figured it would be good for the baby if she had something to eat.

  She didn't want to think about the fact that she had shot a man tonight. That man had been on the verge of shooting her husband. She'd done what any woman would have done, what any human being would have done to save someone they loved, just as Quinn had been forced to kill tonight to protect her.

  The shock of the violence was still with her, but the cozy confines of her home were comforting, and she wrapped herself in that, forcing herself to think not of the cruelty and killing and bloodshed that had taken place, but of the expression on Quinn's face when he'd come to her and taken her into his arms.

  Did he love her?

  She thought she'd seen love in his eyes. But perhaps it was only relief. After all, it wasn't as if he didn't feel fond of her. Fond. What a weak little word, she thought on a sigh. Then she remembered how he'd looked when he'd begun speaking of names for the baby...

  The sound came to her as she was setting out bowls and plates and a dish of butter on the table. A soft whoosh was all she heard, all she had time to hear, before she felt a hand snap over her mouth, another swoop around her body and pin her arms to her side.

  The shriek gurgled helplessly in her throat.

  A silken, clever voice came from behind her. "If you scream and bring those ranch hands running, I'll have to kill them. Is that what you want?"

  Helplessly, her heart thundering, she shook her head.

  The Campbells were all dead on Skull Rock—who was this man holding her so ruthlessly, frightening the wits out of her?

  His voice didn't sound familiar. She wracked her brain trying to think who would attack her here—and wondering just what he wanted.

  Then just as suddenly as he had grabbed her, he let her go. He gave her a shove that sent her reeling toward the hot stove, but she caught herself in time and spun around to confront him.

  A slim, good-looking man in a fine black suit and well-cut brocade vest stood before her, the lamplight illuminating his smooth-shaven smiling face, neatly combed dark hair, and beautiful white teeth.

  She'd never seen him before in her life.

  "Who are you?" she managed to choke out. "What do you want?"

  "There isn't much time to spare, Mrs. Lassiter, but I suppose some introductions are in order," he said thoughtfully. "I'm Roy Ellers. And you are the lady I've been searching for over a quite lengthy period of time."

  Maura could only stare at him, as fear swept through her.

  "I can't say that the chase hasn't been enjoyable— especially with all its incumbent risks—but the time, alas, has come for it to end." He tilted his head and smiled at her.

  "You've been searching for me?" Maura hated the tremor in her voice and fought to steady it. "Wh-why? I don't know you—we've never met. What could you possibly want with me?"

  "Prevarication is useless, Mrs. Lassiter. You already know the answer to that question." His glittering blue eyes were fixed on her face, scorching her with their intensity. "I want the diamonds."

  "D-diamonds?" Maura's eyes widened. Now she knew he was crazy. "You think I have diamonds?"

  He made an impatient gesture and she saw the flash of violence in his eyes, then, just as quickly, she saw him clamp down upon it.

  "I'm a patient man, Mrs. Lassiter, but my patience has run out. First I had to track those brothers of yours as they tried to find you. Then I had to wait for an opportunity to get you alone, when your formidable husband wasn't around to guard you—or hadn't set one of those tedious ranch hands to do it. And finally, after the Duncan brothers came here to the cabin in my stead and took the box from you, I thought my mission had come to an end. But, alas"—he shook his head regretfully—"I met with disappointment."

  Horror swept through her. "Do you mean... the jewel box? You killed Judd and Homer for the jewel box?" she exclaimed, her knees going limp. She clutched at the countertop for support as the soup simmered on the stove beside her.

  "Not for the box. For the diamonds. But they weren't there. Before your brothers died, they told me that you must have removed them already. They'd found that the false bottom which hid the secret compartment in the box had been ripped—and the diamonds were
missing. At that moment, I don't believe they were lying to me," Ellers said with a smile. Then he gave a neat little shrug.

  "Not that killing them wasn't a welcome diversion," he added. "I would have killed them anyway, if they'd turned the diamonds over to me or not—because they had no business stealing them in the first place. They took what was mine, and they had to die. No one crosses Roy Ellers and lives," he said softly. "Only ask Justine. She was the first to die."

  "I don't understand," Maura managed between dry lips.

  She wondered how much longer she had until Quinn came back. She'd thought she was safe, that they were both safe, but now this madman had come out of nowhere with his talk of diamonds. A madman who had killed Judd and Homer, who looked as if he was just waiting for the right moment to kill her. She didn't at all like the small muscle that was twitching in his jaw, and the fact that for all his calm talk, his eyes held an eerie, unsettling sheen.

  He wore a gun in his holster, but hadn't drawn it. She thought of the rifle in the corner. What had she done with Serena's derringer? Vaguely, she remembered dropping it on Skull Rock. What had become of it?

  "What does all this have to do with me?" she asked, hoping to stall for time. "I knew nothing about the diamonds until you told me about them. I don't see how they came to be in the jewel box."

  His smile became dreamy, indulgent. "It all began in Hatchett, dear lady. The night of the poker tournament. It was January, and it was snowing. It snowed for days."

  "I remember."

  Good Lord, the night Quinn had come to the hotel. The night they'd made their baby.

  "The luck was running against me that night. I folded early and was eliminated from the tournament. And then I came upon Justine, my mistress, upstairs in one of the saloon's sumptuous bedrooms. She was with another man," he murmured, his eyes shining like hot little blue flames. "She was naked—completely naked—in his bed. The only thing she wore was the diamond necklace which I had given to her."

  The muscle in his jaw began to twitch even faster. Maura held her breath.

  "I didn't let on that I'd seen them, of course. I slipped out as quietly as I had slipped in. And waited for the right opportunity."