In the Arms of an Angel (Brides of the West Series Book Ten)

by Rita Hestand

  "I see. So you want to set this up like some kind of benefactor thing."

  "That's the general idea. She doesn't have to know where it came from, but this will change her life…for the better. Now, are we talking about more than $1000 or not?

  "To be honest, I don't know without seeing her. But the $1000 would be a retainer and if there were more charges I suppose we could set up a deposit account for you."

  "That would be great doc. Thanks." Les stood up now and handed him the money in cash.

  "Son, if you love the woman that much, don't you think you are cheating her by not telling her about this?"

  "No, I've got an arrest to make and I'm not sure how it's going to come out, doc. I want this taken care of now. I want to know she can get the surgery she needs. And I want to know, if I die, that she's taken care of."

  The doctor's brows met and his stern glance penetrated Les. "You don't expect to succeed in your arrest?"

  "I don't know, sir. But knowing she's taken care of will sure set easier on me. One less worry. Thanks doc, let me know if this isn't enough." Les smiled, shook his hand and started to walk out.

  The doctor walked to the door of his office, "Son…it'll be enough. But let me give you a piece of advise if I may."

  "Sure doc."

  "I always found when facing life and death situations that the best way was a positive attitude."

  Les smiled, "Thanks, I'll remember that."

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Without any word from Les, Anna felt herself slipping into a depression. She hadn't forgotten that hard but possessive kiss he'd given her before he rode out of her yard.

  She silently wondered why Tatum refused to believe that Les was a Ranger. She hadn't liked Tatum. He was such a bully.

  Frankie came home one day from school to find Anna staring out the window wistfully.

  "What's wrong Ma?" Frankie asked, coming to stand beside her.

  "Nothing darling…" She sighed heavily.

  "You miss Les don't you?"

  She glanced up at him, "I guess I do."

  "I do too ma." Frankie told her. For the first time in a while, he crawled up on top of her, hugging her to him.

  Anna took him in her arms and snuggled against him.

  "Do you think he'll ever come back?" Frankie asked her, staring out the window too now.

  "I don't know…" Anna admitted.

  "I think he will Ma."

  Anna smiled at his temple and kissed him. "What makes you think that?"

  "'Cause I think he loves us as much as we loved him." Frankie said and hugged her tighter.

  "Oh Frankie…."

  But three days later Tatum showed up again. He pounded on her door as she came to answer it. "Sheriff, what are you doing here?" She asked, annoyed that he was back.

  "Mrs. Prescott, just came to give you some news, and see if Les had showed up here."

  "Why would he?"

  "I know you are in love with him, Mrs. Prescott. I don't know if it goes both ways, but I aim to find out."

  Ann rolled her self into her kitchen and waited for the Sheriff to come in.

  "I checked up on that Les Harper, Rangers never heard of him…But thought you'd want to know, one of the robbers died the other day from a snake bite."

  "Who?" Anna looked startled by the news.

  "Colby."

  Anna sighed, glad to know it wasn't Les. She tried not to show her emotions. Tatum taunted her for some reason and she didn't know why.

  "You're in love with that Harper fella, aren't you?" He asked as though he had every right to know. "Well, it won't do you much good, he's as good as dead if I get my hands on him. He was a part of that holdup, and maybe even the killings."

  "How do you know that?" She gasp at his audacity.

  "Oh, it's my business to know, Mrs. Prescott. I aim to catch him. Has he been back here?" Tatum chuckled.

  "He has no reason to return."

  "Maybe, but I'm gonna be watchin you Mrs. Prescott." Tatum warned.

  "I've nothing to hide…" She said softly now. "I'm not part of the gang, or is that what you are trying to prove, that I am?"

  "No ma'am, I think you sympathize with all of them. You fed them, housed them, and took care of Les. I think you are very involved with them, ma'am. You're Jewish aren't you?"

  Anna felt like he'd slapped her. What did that have to do with anything? Where was he going with all of his questions?

  "Yes," she sighed again. "I'm Jewish."

  "Thought so…" He said and started walking toward the door. "I'm going to be keeping y eye on you."

  "Fine," Anna said as though it didn't bother her. But it did. Why did he harass her? What was he really after? "What is it you are really after, Sheriff?"

  "The money, what else? I got an idea Les Harper hid that money here, on your property. That's why I'm pretty sure he's gonna show up here. Sooner or later."

  Anna felt her heart skip a beat. She hoped he did, but she didn't tell Tatum that.

  "The money is not here. The night he came here he was passed out in the barn from losing so much blood."

  "That may be true, but he was here a week. He could have buried it somewhere during that time. He stayed here, for no apparent reason, I'm guessing to keep an eye on that money."

  "What do you want to do? Dig up my entire farm to find it, Sheriff?"

  "No, I’m gonna catch him, and let him dig it up."

  Anna turned to stare into his cold green eyes. "Sheriff I'd appreciate it, if you would please leave now."

  He eyed her sharply. "Sure, but you and him won't get away with it."

  "Good day…" She told him.

  He put his hat on his head and left.

  The next day Ledbetter showed up on her property. He knocked on her door and smiled when she answered it.

  "Come in Mr. Ledbetter, I'm glad you are here."

  He took his hat off and walked inside.

  "I'll fix us some coffee," she smiled.

  "I heard about all the ruckus around here. Sounds like you had some hard times, Miss Anna." He was saying.

  "Yes, I have actually. Sheriff Tatum from Sweet Water has been harassing me about the robbery. I don't know what he thinks I can do one way or another."

  "Heard about Mr. Harvey too. That's a real shame."

  "Yes, I feel terrible about that." Anna hung her head.

  "Well, I've come with a proposition for you."

  "Good, I'm listening."

  "Well, I thought it over greatly about you selling some of that water property and I've come up with a solution that will benefit us both, I think." He laid out some paper work, one was a map of the area.

  "Oh, to tell the truth I'm glad. I do know that the community suffers without water Mr. Ledbetter and I'm not trying to hog it all. Everyone in the area needs some. What conclusions have you come up with?"

  He pointed to the lower three quarters of the creek. "You see here, if you sold this section to me, then I'd have plenty of water for my cattle and you'd still have the rights to the northern tributaries so it would mean plenty of water for the both of us."

  Anna nodded, she stared at the map and then looked up at him. "On one condition."

  "I'm listening."

  "That you declare that strip of land open to all the other ranchers in the area."

  "We could do that. In fact, if we incorporated it into city land, it would automatically be free land. Then the city would purchase it from you and the community would benefit, how does that sound to you?"

  "Like a good solution, actually." She chuckled.

  "I'm glad we came to this decision. And I'm sure I can get the city of Plainville to purchase that strip of land from you. That way, you'd have some money yourself."

  Anna smiled, "It's a grand plan, I accept, so where do we go from here?"

  "Well, I'll have my lawyer draw up the plans for it, and submit it to the town counsel. We could have this sewed up in a couple of months." He announced prou
dly.

  She stuck out her hand to him and held it for a moment. "I'm so glad we worked this out. It's a relief to know that it will help the community and there'll be no more fighting over it. Maybe, with this deal people won't recent me being Jewish so much…" She laughed.

  "I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time about that. I'm a Christian man myself. I should have known better, and I've got to admit I didn't enjoy being the heavy in this."

  "Neither did I."

  They enjoyed conversation about the land, the robberies and the deaths and sipped coffee and ate pie.

  When Mr. Ledbetter left Anna felt as though a huge burden had been lifted from her.

  And she couldn't wait to tell Frankie.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Les wanted to see Anna again. He wasn't sure it was wise, but he was about to go up against Tatum and it might be his last chance.

  As he neared her place, a single cottonwood creaked from the slight wind that blew. One lone cloud drifted slowly across the horizon. Grasshoppers flew through the grasses as he suddenly sped up.

  He rode into her yard that morning, not knowing exactly what to do or say to her.

  He brought her a present, and it was one reason he thought to see her again, knowing full well, it was an excuse.

  He set the present down on the ground and hobbled his horse.

  He went to the door with trepidation and exhilaration.

  When she came to answer it, she broke into the most pleasured smile he'd ever seen.

  His heartbeat drummed so loudly he was afraid she'd hear it. That smile melted all over him. Happiness bubbled inside him.

  "Les," she rasped.

  "Anna…" he called softly.

  They stood there staring at each other through the doorway. His gaze raked her boldly, as though reassuring himself she was all there.

  His quick appraisal was swift, thorough and heart rendering.

  "Come in…" she offered in a husky whisper.

  He took his hat off and hung it on the familiar peg. He glanced around the house. Not much had changed since his last visit, but the memory of it, sobered him fast.

  "It's good to see you," she turned to the stove and set the coffee pot on. But he saw the slight tremor in her hands.

  He'd cleaned up nicely, he wore polished boots, dark pants, a leather vest and white shirt. She turned her chair to stare into his face, unable to read his expressions.

  "Everything okay, here?" He asked, putting his hands on the table. Aside from taking her straight into his arms, he didn't know what to do with them.

  She stared uncontrollably. Her lips curved into a slight smile, her eyes sparkling.

  "Yes, everything is good now. I just spoke to Mr. Ledbetter and we've actually worked things out about the water." She smiled.

  She turned to get the coffee off the stove and poured him a cup.

  He drank it black and sipped it because it was hot.

  "That's great, how'd you manage that?" He asked with enthusiasm.

  "Well, he's submitting a bid to the town counsel to buy a stretch of the property for the town of Plainville, so that the water would be free to the city."

  Les looked surprised and pleased, as a smile lit his face. "That's wonderful. I'm proud for you. I thought maybe if you could both sit down and talk it out, things would work out."

  "Yes. So, how are things with you?" She asked a bit shyly. As she ran a finger over the top of her cup.

  "Well, Colby is dead, snake bite."

  "Oh," she wasn't distressed over it, but he was glad that she didn't seem to hold a grudge against the man. "I’m sorry for him. That's a nasty way to go."

  "Yeah, it wasn't a pretty way to die."

  "How'd it happen?"

  Les leaned back in the chair, knowing they were talking about unimportant things, but they had to get it out of the way. "I threw the money in an abandoned well…when he went down to get it, he got bit. We got him to town and to the doc, but it was just too late. He had taken his boots off to go down there and his gun."

  "Oh that's tragic. And the others?"

  "I caught up to Bird…"

  "Did you…kill him?"

  "No, he's in jail awaiting trial in Waco."

  She nodded, "Waco…Ranger headquarters?"

  The way she said that, it sounded as though she were just now sure he was a Ranger. "That's right."

  He saw the smile on her lips.

  "And Swanson?"

  Les smiled and pushed his hat back. "You won't believe it."

  She chuckled, "What?"

  The feeling of being home went all over him. Her smile did that. "On the way to get Bird, he met this woman…and well…to make a long story short, they are living down in Mexico together."

  Anna's head turned in surprise. "You let him go?"

  Les relaxed now. "He's turning states evidence for us, so yeah, I let him go. When he gets through, Bird will hang and maybe Dobbs, the army informant too."

  "Well, he was the more decent of the three of them." She smiled. "That night he made you all go to the barn, he was decent to me, and polite. I have to admit. I didn't feel threatened."

  "Yeah, I was glad about that too. Swanson wasn't a bad fella. He never killed anyone, and we got most of the money back."

  "Most?" She turned her head in question.

  "I'm afraid I have one more arrest to make." He announced solemnly. Now that he could look at her, he drank her in, his eyes going all over her. He wanted to pick her up in his arms and kiss her so bad, but he knew he should refrain, it was enough to be able to look at her this way.

  "Can you tell me who?" She asked.

  "Sheriff Tatum…" He said flatly. "Of Sweet Water."

  She gasped now, and moved her chair around closer to him, "Tatum?" She repeated.

  He nodded.

  "He was in on the robbery?" She couldn't seem to believe it.

  "No, no that's the funny part. He kind of threw a kink in the whole thing. He had captured Bird, put him in jail, and for twenty thousand, let him escape." Les told her.

  "Oh my God….Oh Les, he's been here." She cried out.

  "What?" A new tension entered the room now. What in the world was Tatum doing here?

  "He's been here, twice…looking for you!" She cried out. "I had no idea…Or I'd never let him in the house."

  "What did he want?" Les looked concerned now.

  "The money I think. He's convinced you buried it here." She shook her head in disbelief. "He's accused me of everything but stealing it, myself." She cried out.

  His hand came down on hers now, softly, "You? Why?"

  "He thinks I know where you buried it. He's after you Les… And I have the feeling that he's watching this place or having it watched." She admitted, her eyes falling on his hand on top of hers.

  "Well, that settles it, I'm gonna have to force him into a showdown."

  She looked wide-eyed at him. "Oh Les…no. He's good with a gun, I've been told."

  The concern in her voice had his head coming up to stare into her eyes. Just the look in her soft brown eyes told him she cared. He swallowed, God he wanted her. But that too was impossible. "It's going to be fine, I've just gotta take care of this…"

  "Oh Les, I wish you could let this go…" She cried, reaching to touch his hand now.

  "It's all gonna be fine. I just came by to let you know that it would all be fine…and to give you a present."

  "A present…What?" She looked curiously at him.

  He stood up and wheeled her out on the porch.

  "What is it?" She asked.

  He stared down at her, close, your eyes," he said with a smile.

  She chuckled, "All right, they' re closed."

  He leaned down and picked her up. For a moment, he just held her, and she could hear the sigh in his throat. "Don't open them yet," he rasped.

  "I won't…" She said softly.

  He wanted to kiss het so bad, but he moved toward his horse. On the other side was a wood
en bench he'd made her. He had set it under her large oak tree in her yard.

  He sat her down on it and told her to open her eyes.

  When she did, she stared at the seat, her eyes going big, her smile spreading. "It's beautiful. Did you make it?"

  "Yes,…"

  "Les…you made it for me?" she cried…and then his lips touched hers and he held her close. This kiss was sweet and familiar.

  He felt her relax in his arms and her heartbeat was thundering. The kiss melted all the bad things away and promised so much more to come.

  She swooned against him, burying her face in his chest.

  "Yes…for you!" He beamed.

  He bent in front of her, taking her hand in his, his fingers going over the top of her hand slowly. "I got a job to do Anna…but hopefully, I'll be back…"

  "Oh Les…" she cried reaching to touch his cheek. "Don’t go!"

  "I have to. I probably shouldn't have come here, but I wanted to see you again. I am a Ranger Anna. And I've done my job, except for this one. Now I have to tend to it. I've never known a woman like you Anna. You are such a sweet and wonderful woman. I've missed you…"

  "Oh Les…" Her fingers touched his lips and he kissed them, closing his eyes to the sweetness of her. "So have I…" She whispered.

  "How's Frankie?" He asked, his face a wad of emotions and expressions.

  "He's good. He misses you too." She smiled.

  "I'd like to see him…"

  "Can't you stay….he'll be home in a while…"

  "I can't. I've got to finish my job."

  She took a deep breath. "And after you finish…"

  "If I'm still alive…I'll be back…" he said staring into her beautiful face once more.

  "I'll pray for you Les…" She whispered.

  "Pray for us, Anna. Because I love you, you and Frankie. That's what I come to tell you…"

  "Oh…oh, don't say that…" She cried, a tear lodged in her eyes. "I love you for saying that…but don't you see, I’m a cripple…what good am I?"

  "Don't let me ever hear you say that again. Things are gonna work out…Anna, have some faith."

  He came to her now, took her into his arms, and while he held her there, he kissed her with all the pent up emotions of a man so much in love. He looked into her face and smiled. "In the arms of an angel!" He smiled at her and kissed her on the nose.