by Bobbi Smith
"No. He won't be back," Suzie managed.
Brenda gave her a gentle hug. "You're safe now, and we'll be right here if you need us."
"Thanks."
They left her there in the doctor's capable hands and went to wait in the outer office.
Roni went with them and locked the office door to make sure no one else could come in, then she hurried back to see to her patient. The young woman had obviously been assaulted, and she didn't want to take any chances that the man who'd done it might have followed her there.
"Let me take a look at you," Roni said, closing the door for privacy.
With great care, she helped Suzie lie back on the table and then checked her over to see if she'd suffered any broken bones. Luckily, nothing was broken, but she was badly bruised. The abuse she'd suffered had been cruel. Physically, Roni knew she would make a full recovery. Emotionally, she wasn't so sure.
"You will be all right, but it's going to take a while for you to heal," she explained as she helped her patient to sit back up. "Suzie, what happened? Who did this to you?"
Suzie had been mostly quiet while Roni examined her, but at her question, she began to cry. "He's never been like this before—"
"So you know this man?"
Suzie managed to nod. "I don't know what happened tonight. He was in a strange mood. Usually, he doesn't want anyone to know he's there with me, but tonight—tonight, everything was different. He was so angry, and he just started slapping me for no reason—"
"Do you want to tell the sheriff?"
"No!" she gasped. "Oh, no, I could never do that. Antonio said he'd never let him set foot in the Ace High again. It's just that—" Suzie paused and stared around herself.
Roni could tell she was still recovering from the shock of it all.
"I know some of the other girls have had to deal with men who get rough with them, but I never thought Chet would do anything like this. Not Chet."
"Chet Harrison?" Roni repeated, stunned and horrified by her revelation.
Suzie nodded miserably.
Roni struggled to control her reaction to the news. She couldn't let the other woman see how it upset her. Roni knew now it was no wonder Stacy had been having second thoughts about marrying Chet. Her friend must have sensed something wasn't right about him. There was obviously more to Chet than anyone had known.
Roni gave Suzie some medication for pain and told her bed rest would be the best thing for her during the next few days. She helped her down off the examining table.
Suzie steadied herself and looked up at the doctor. "Thank you for everything."
"You be careful." Roni helped her out into the outer office where Antonio and Brenda were waiting for her.
"How is she?" Brenda asked, quickly going to her friend's side.
"She's going to be all right," Roni told them.
Antonio came to help Suzie, too. He looked up at the doctor and thanked her before starting to lead Suzie from the office.
Roni unlocked the door and watched them move off down the street for a moment. Then she went back inside and stood just inside the door, staring around with unseeing eyes. She couldn't believe the brutal beating the young woman had suffered, and the knowledge that Chet was the perpetrator left her in shock.
Roni locked up and then went back upstairs to try to get some rest, but sleep wouldn't come. Thoughts of what Chet had done to Suzie stayed with her, infuriating her and filling her with a great sense of fear for Stacy. Roni was certain Stacy didn't know anything about this part of Chet's personality, and she feared that once they were married, she would find out—the hard way. She lay awake long into the night, trying to figure out what to do, and she finally decided to go to Jim and talk to him. She was certain Jim would be able to advise her.
After tossing restlessly for the remainder of the night, Roni got up early and went to see Jim at his house. She didn't want to risk anyone overhearing anything she had to say to him.
Jim was surprised by the early-morning knock at his door, and he was even more surprised to find Roni there.
"To what do I owe the honor of this visit?" he asked, smiling as he invited her in.
"I need to talk to you about something that happened last night."
He ushered her into his parlor. "What is it?"
"I had an emergency late last night. One of the saloon girls was brought in. She'd been beaten and abused."
Jim could tell Roni had been disturbed by what she'd seen, but he didn't understand what it had to do with him. "Is she going to be all right?"
"She should recover, but I've been up all night, worrying about this and trying to decide what I should do." Roni's expression was deeply troubled.
"You've already done everything you could." He was growing even more confused.
"You don't understand. The reason I had to talk to you about this is, the man who beat her so badly—"
Somehow, suddenly, Jim had a feeling he knew what she was going to tell him.
"It was . . . It was Chet."
Jim swore violently under his breath as he got to his feet to pace the room. "That man is such a damned fool!"
"What should I do about Stacy?" Roni worried. "Should I tell her what happened?"
When Jim turned to her, his expression was fierce. "She has to be told. We can't let her marry Chet without telling her the truth about him. I mean, if he ever laid a hand on her, I'd—" He stopped himself from saying any more.
Roni stared up at him, a look of wonder dawning in her eyes. "Oh, my God. You love Stacy, don't you?"
"Don't be ridiculous," he said quickly.
"You do. You love her."
"You don't know what you're talking about," he declared, trying desperately to deny the truth of his feelings.
"I know you kissed her."
"What?" Jim glanced at her sharply.
"Stacy told me."
He looked uncomfortable. "It was a mistake."
"Are you so sure?" she challenged.
Jim hesitated, and then answered, "No."
They were both quiet for a moment.
"Stacy needs to know about this. She needs to know what kind of man Chet really is before she marries him, and maybe she needs to know how you really feel about her."
"I'll ride out and talk to her today," he said, not at all sure how he would handle the revelations that must be made.
"Are you going to talk to her about everything?" she challenged, smiling at him sweetly.
"Roni, I don't know. I'll see when I get there."
"Do you want me to go with you?" she offered.
"No. This is going to be hard enough as it is."
Roni got up and went to him. "Thank you. And let me know how it goes when you get back."
"I will."
She left him, knowing she and Jim were doing all they could to keep Stacy safe, just as Walker had asked them to.
Stacy and Jim stood facing each other, alone in the stable of the Dollar. She wasn't overly glad to see him, considering how he'd acted the last time they'd been together, and she wasn't sure what to expect from him today.
"What is it? Why are you here?" she challenged a bit coldly.
"Roni came to see me this morning."
"So?"
"Something happened in town that she thought you ought to know about."
"What happened?" She was uneasy as she waited to hear his news.
"It's about Chet," Jim began.
"What about Chet?"
He knew it was an ugly tale, but he also knew she had to hear the truth. He quickly filled her in on what Roni had told him about the saloon girl's brutal encounter with Chet.
Stacy was glad they were alone in the stable as she listened to his horrible tale. "That can't be true," she denied.
He understood her pain at hearing the truth. "I wish it wasn't, but it is."
"Chet would never deliberately hurt anyone."
"Stacy, I know this is hard for you to accept, but Roni believed you needed
to know what happened."
"Why would Chet do such a thing? It doesn't make any sense," she countered, trying to defend the man she'd agreed to marry.
"From what Roni told me, the girl said Chet was acting strangely, and when she got him upstairs, he started beating her."
Stacy cringed, completely disgusted with Chet. Then she frowned as she remembered how angry she'd gotten with him over his plan to buy the Thompson place, and how she'd practically thrown him out of the house. He had seemed calm enough when he'd left her, but what if—
Jim saw the change in her expression, and he wondered at it. "What are you thinking?"
"Chet and I did have a big argument before he left here yesterday," she told him.
"What about?"
"He came out to see me, and he was all excited about the Thompson place going up for sale. He wanted to buy it, but I told him no. I've got enough to handle just running the Dollar. I don't need or want the Thompson ranch, too."
Jim remembered the conversation he'd had with Chet at the bank some weeks before. "Did you know he came to me a while back and wanted to take out a loan to buy the Thompson ranch?"
Stacy looked up at him in surprise. "No. Chet never said a word to me about taking out a loan."
"He tried to buy it on his own, but I was hesitant to give him a loan since he doesn't have the collateral he needs to finance it. He said he'd have the Dollar soon and believed that would be enough, but I told him since you two weren't married yet, you were going to have to sign on the loan for him in order to get the money. He didn't say much at the time, but now—"
"He what? He wanted to put my ranch up as collateral?"
"That's right."
"What do you mean he couldn't use his own ranch to back the loan?"
"He owes too much on his place."
"I can't believe any of this. I know he has big plans for our future, but I never—" She turned away from Jim, outraged by what she was learning about Chet's secret activities.
Jim could tell she was deeply troubled by his revelations. "Stacy, I'm sorry I had to be the one to tell you all this." He went to her and put a hand on her shoulder to turn her back to him.
She looked up at him.
Jim saw her strained expression. He wanted to comfort her, to find a way to make things better for her. He slowly drew her closer.
Stacy had been so hurt by his apology the last time he'd kissed her, she wasn't sure what to expect from him now. She watched him cautiously.
Jim bent to her and sought her lips in a gentle exchange.
Stacy knew she should move away from him.
She was still engaged to Chet, and it was wrong for her to feel this way about Jim.
But at that moment she didn't care.
She just needed the peace she found in the haven of Jim's embrace.
It was the distant sound of one of the ranch hands returning that finally drove them apart.
Jim's expression was serious as he gazed down at her. He knew she was deeply troubled by everything she'd learned. "If you need anything . . ."
Stacy was confused and conflicted by all that had happened, and she could only nod to him as he turned to leave her.
Zach came into the stable a few minutes later. "Stacy, is everything all right? I just saw Jim leaving."
"Everything's fine."
She answered him so quickly, Zach didn't really believe her, but he didn't pressure her. He went on back to work.
Stacy returned to her work, too, but her thoughts stayed on the news about Chet and the unnerving reality that she must break off their engagement as soon as possible.
Chapter Nineteen
It was well after dark as Walker covered the final miles to Two Guns. He wanted to race back into town to Roni, but he knew he was a wanted man. He had no doubt the prison authorities were still searching for him, and he was sure they would be watching the Dollar and Two Guns for any sign of his return. He moved slowly and quietly, not wanting to draw any attention to himself.
It was after midnight when he reached the outskirts of town.
He left his horse tied up a few streets from Roni's office and then moved in silence through the deserted alleyways, taking care to stay in the shadows.
He took no risk.
He had come too far to get caught now.
Walker made his way to the back of Roni's office. He'd been worried that she might have a late-night patient, and he was glad to see that it was dark inside. The second-floor windows were open, so he climbed up on the small porch railing and then pulled himself onto the roof. He stayed down low as he edged toward the nearest window and slipped inside without being seen.
Walker stood unmoving just inside the window of the sitting room. He waited for any sounds of Roni moving around somewhere, but the house was quiet. Ever so cautiously he made his way down the hall to her bedroom. The door was open and he looked in, expecting to find her asleep in her bed. He was surprised and disappointed when he discovered it was unoccupied. He realized then that she was probably out making an emergency call. There was no way of telling what time she would be back.
Trail weary as he was, Walker took the time to get cleaned up as best he could, and then settled in to await her return.
Roni had known from the beginning that her calling to be a doctor would be a hard one. Growing up, she'd watched her father deal with the pain of losing a patient, and as she made her way home now through the deserted streets of town, she was saddened by the death of the elderly patient she'd been caring for. The woman who'd just passed away had known her time was near, but it was never easy to be parted from a loved one, even when the parting was not unexpected.
The thought of the family's loss stirred her memories of Walker, and the sadness that gripped her deepened. Roni wondered if she would ever get over losing him, and, even as she thought it, a part of her rebelled against the reality that he was dead. Deep in her heart, she clung to the wild hope that the notification of his death had been a mistake and that he'd escaped and would come back to her. Logically, Roni knew it was crazy to harbor such a fantasy, but she couldn't let go of the hope. She loved Walker. She always would. He seemed to be always there, hovering in her thoughts. There were times when it even seemed as if she could feel his very presence with her. Roni let herself imagine that if she turned around she would find Walker there. Of course she never would, but she couldn't let him go—not yet.
Roni unlocked her office and let herself in. She locked the door behind her and didn't bother to light a lamp. She knew where everything was. Leaving her bag behind, she went upstairs to go to bed. It had been a long day.
Walker heard her come in downstairs and quickly moved into the extra bedroom at the end of the hall to stay out of sight. He didn't want to frighten her, but he had to make sure she was alone and that it was safe before he revealed himself.
Roni reached the top of the stairs and went into her bedroom. She made her way to the night table and started to take out a match to light the lamp.
Walker moved out of the other room to stand in her doorway.
"Roni."
The sound of his voice shocked her, and Roni spun around to find a tall, broad-shouldered, shadowy figure standing in her bedroom doorway.
"Walker?"
For a moment, she remained frozen in place, unable to believe what she was seeing.
Walker is dead.
He can't be here with me.
But he was.
The moment Roni realized this was no dream, she ran straight into his waiting arms. "Oh, Walker, you're here! You're really here!"
Walker enfolded her in his arms, holding her to his heart.
Roni found herself crushed against his chest, and she clung to him, never wanting to let him go.
Walker didn't speak.
He couldn't.
He could only show her what she meant to him. He bent to her and kissed her, his mouth moving over hers in a hungry, possessive kiss that left her breathless.
/> When at last they parted, Roni looked up at him, her expression one of awe and wonder. Joy filled her heart and soul. "I can't believe you're real."
"I'm real," he told her, his voice husky with emotion.
Unable to resist, he kissed her again. It was deep and heartfelt, and told her without words the depth of his feelings for her.
Roni returned his kiss with abandon, wanting to get as close to him as she could. She never wanted to let him go. She wanted to stay in his arms forever.
"They told us you were dead," she managed in a tear-choked voice. She was surprised when he stiffened at her words.
"What?" Walker was shocked by the revelation.
Roni drew back to look up at him. When she spoke, the words were torn from her. "A telegram came from the prison authorities. It said that you'd drowned while you were working on the chain gang."
"So they think I'm dead." He was amazed, and a tremendous sense of relief swept through him. All this time he'd feared the prison guards were on his trail, tracking him relentlessly.
"Oh, Walker, I never wanted to believe it. I love you." She cried tears of gratitude as she realized the wonderful gift she'd been given.
Her love had come back to her.
Her prayers had been answered.
"I love you, too," he told her, gazing down at her. During all those tortured days in prison, he'd dreamt of this moment, of having Roni in his arms, of loving her. "Will you marry me, Roni?"
All the love she felt for him shone in her eyes as she answered, "Yes. Yes, oh, yes, I'll marry you."
They said nothing more.
There was no need for any more words.
They had been given a second chance, and they were going to take full advantage of the gift.
They moved to the bed and lay together on its welcoming softness. Wrapped in each other's arms, their hearts spoke for them as they came together in a fiery blaze of glory. With each kiss and caress, the flames of their desire grew, searing them with the heat of their need and driving them on in mindless passion.
Walker worked at the buttons on Roni's dress, unfastening them and helping her slip the garment off. He slid down the strap of her chemise and pressed heated kisses to her throat and the swell of her breasts.
Roni had never known such intimacy, and she shivered from the power of the emotions his touch was arousing in her. She helped him strip off his shirt, and she caressed the hard-muscled width of his chest with eager hands.