Code Name: Cowboy

by Carla Cassidy

Cameron smiled and Alicia felt the power of that smile deep inside her. “Because I’ve got a secret.”

  Rebecca’s eyes shone bright. “A secret? What kind of a secret?”

  “I have a magic lariat. Do you know what a lariat is?”

  Rebecca nodded proudly. “A rope.” She frowned. “Why is it magic?”

  “Because no monsters can come inside the circle I draw with it.” He stood and mimed holding a rope. “Even though my magic lariat is invisible, its power is awesome and strong. Why don’t I throw a lasso around your bed, then no monsters can come and get you while you sleep.”

  “Yes, please,” Rebecca said earnestly.

  Alicia watched as Cameron pretended to circle a length of rope over his head. As he “lassoed” the bed, she leaned back against the wall in the hallway.

  She’d seen Cameron’s passion, had experienced his desire in a beautiful act of lovemaking. But this...this kindness with her daughter, this patience and understanding of people monsters touched her as nothing else.

  Maybe it was time she trusted somebody. Maybe that somebody should be Cameron. Perhaps he could see a way out of her troubles. Yes, it was time to tell Cameron from whom she was running and why.

  Chapter 9

  Alicia had no opportunity to speak to Cameron alone the next morning. Rebecca got up earlier than usual, then couldn’t find her homework assignment. As she and her mom scoured their rooms for the missing papers, Cameron left for the day. He wrote her a note, indicating that he was driving into Billings and would be gone all day, but should be home for dinner.

  The missing homework assignment was found under Rebecca’s bed but by that time she’d missed the bus. Alicia drove her to school, then decided to treat herself to a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll at the café.

  Stella, the waitress who had served them a month before when she and Rebecca had first come to town and stopped at the little café. greeted her with a wide smile. “Hey, nice to see you again. Heard you were working for Cameron Gallagher,” she said as she poured Alicia a cup of steaming coffee. “That’s one man who is definitely easy on the eyes.” Stella winked and laughed as Alicia’s cheeks warmed. “Oh, don’t tell me you haven’t noticed the man is a hunk.”

  “I’ve noticed,” Alicia admitted with a wry grin.

  “I’ll be right back with your roll.” With another hearty chuckle, Stella left Alicia’s booth.

  Alicia settled back in the booth and sipped her coffee. Several of the patrons smiled and waved to her and she recognized them as people she’d met at the Halloween dance. Good people with moral fiber and a sense of community she’d never felt anywhere else.

  She would miss Mustang. If circumstances were different, she and Rebecca could have been happy here for years to come. Again she thought of telling Cameron about their troubles, wondered if perhaps he could help. Oh, it would be heaven to stop running, stop hiding, stop going to sleep each night with fear in her heart.

  She smiled as Stella returned holding a saucer with a huge iced cinnamon roll bulging over the edges. “Just out of the oven,” she exclaimed.

  “It looks positively sinful,” Alicia replied.

  “Enjoy,” Stella said. “I’ve got to get back to the kitchen.”

  Alicia enjoyed every bit of the sweet. Her work at the ranch was caught up and with Cameron gone for the day, she decided to linger over a second cup of coffee.

  She overheard snatches of conversation around her. Several ranchers at a nearby table bemoaned the coming winter. Two young women talked about a wedding, their voices shrill with excitement as they decided on flowers and colors.

  Weddings. Alicia remembered her own, a furtive affair at a justice of the peace. Robert and Alicia both had known his parents didn’t approve of Alicia and so they hadn’t attempted a traditional church ceremony.

  Still, for those brief moments as the justice of the peace had said the words that would make Robert and Alicia husband and wife, Alicia had been filled with happiness.

  She hadn’t know how difficult the years to come would be, how much her husband was controlled by his cold, autocratic parents. And she hadn’t counted on Robert dying and leaving her at the mercy of Broderick and Ruth.

  “’Morning Alice. Mind if I join you?”

  She looked up to see Jesse Wilder. Clad in his khaki uniform, he looked clean-cut and handsome. Her heart thudded an uneven rhythm that had nothing to do with his attractiveness and everything to do with his job. “Not at all.” She forced a smile as he slid into the seat across from her.

  He signaled Stella for coffee, then smiled at Alicia. “So, what brings you to town this morning? It’s rare for you to make an appearance.”

  She relaxed slightly. Surely he wouldn’t be making small talk if he intended to arrest her. “Rebecca missed the bus this morning so I drove her to school. I decided to treat myself to one of Stella’s cinnamon rolls before heading back to the ranch.”

  “Won’t be long and the snow will fly, making travel from Gallagher’s ranch into town impossible. All the forecasters are calling for a harsh winter.”

  “I thought that’s the only kind Montana got.”

  Jesse laughed, tiny lines wrinkling out from his dark eyes. “Yeah, winter can be pretty rough here. But I imagine you’re used to it. Back east they get some pretty good snowstorms.”

  She nodded, hoping he didn’t pursue this particular topic. Being born and raised in Texas, Alicia had rarely experienced bad winter weather.

  Stella appeared at the booth, carrying cup and saucer and a pot of coffee. “If Cameron sees you sitting here flirting with his woman, he’ll have your hide,” she said as she poured the sheriff a cup of the brew.

  Jesse laughed and Alicia’s cheeks flamed hot. “I’m not Cameron’s woman,” she protested. “I’m his housekeeper.”

  Stella grinned and winked. “You can’t fool me, Alice. I saw the way the man looked at you at the Halloween dance. And you had that same gleam in your eyes when you looked at him.”

  “Don’t worry,” Jesse said. “Stella is just stirring you up. If she had a man of her own she wouldn’t have to be so interested in everyone else’s love life.”

  Stella stuck out her tongue at the handsome sheriff “You’re a heartless man, Jesse Wilder, and that’s why no woman will have you.”

  Jesse chuckled as Stella flounced away, then turned his gaze back to Alicia. “So, how are you liking our fair little town?”

  “It’s wonderful. Everyone has been very kind to me.”

  “It’s a town of good people...some better than others, but all of them basically good.” Jesse sipped his coffee then set the cup back down. “Makes my job incredibly boring.”

  “Not much crime?”

  Jesse grinned. “One of the waitresses down at the Roundup occasionally gets mad and threatens to shoot a customer, Wes Slader gets drunk once a month and has to be hauled in for disorderly conduct... not exactly violent crimes. Although in the spring when we get an onslaught of wranglers coming to town looking for summer work, I occasionally see more incidents of petty stealing and bar fights.”

  “But that’s one of the things that makes Mustang a terrific place to raise a child,” she replied.

  He nodded. “And I hope I never have to deal with the kind of crimes officers deal with in bigger cities. Boring is fine with me.” He took another gulp of his coffee, then stood. “And speaking of boring... guess it’s time for me to get back to work.”

  “Me, too.” Alicia also stood. “Nice seeing you again, Sheriff,” she said.

  “Jesse,” he corrected her.

  She smiled. “Nice seeing you again, Jesse.”

  Within minutes Alicia was back in her car heading toward home. As she drove, her mind skittered from thought to thought, never landing on any one for too long until she thought of Cameron.

  A soft smile curved her lips as she remembered how he had thrown the imaginary lasso around Rebecca’s bed, promising the magic would keep people monsters at b
ay. It didn’t seem fair that fate had sent her to a man like Cameron, a man whom she could love, if her life wasn’t filled with such chaos.

  She was nearly to the ranch when the car suddenly went dead. The power steering locked up, the tinny radio stopped playing as the car coasted to a halt.

  Grabbing the key, she twisted it and pumped the gas pedal. Nothing. No lights. No power. Nothing. Terrific. She got out of the car and pulled her coat collar closer around her neck. She opened the hood and stared at the dirty engine, the dusty wires, all the pieces and parts she’d never understood.

  Helplessly she gazed up the road, then down, hoping for an approaching car. Nothing. No hint of a dust swirl to indicate a vehicle. Sliding back in behind the steering wheel, she tried to find a comfortable position to sit and wait for help.

  She hoped she wouldn’t have to wait long, although this road wasn’t particularly well traveled. If worse came to worse, she supposed she could walk the rest of the way to the ranch. It couldn’t be more than two or three miles. She groaned at the very thought.

  She’d just about decided to walk when she heard the sound of an approaching pickup. She smiled in relief as the truck pulled up behind her and Trent and Elena got out.

  “Got trouble?” Trent asked as he approached.

  “Yes. It just quit running. Everything stopped.”

  “You okay?” Elena asked as she reached Alicia’s side.

  “Fine,” Alicia assured her. “Thankfully it coasted to an easy stop.”

  Trent disappeared beneath the hood, poking and prodding as if he knew what he was doing. “Good thing we happened along,” Elena said.

  “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you. I had just decided to walk back to the ranch, and I’m not into long hikes.”

  Trent reappeared, dusting his hands off with a handkerchief. “Well, it’s beyond me. We’ll take you home and call Wally at the garage. He can tow it in and figure out what the problem is.”

  Hopefully fixing the car wouldn’t cost too much. Alicia thought of her small cache of money. Expensive car repairs were definitely not in the budget and yet the car was her escape should trouble find them.

  Alicia slid into the back of the king cab, next to the car seat that held Trent and Elena’s little boy. He slept soundly, one thumb tucked firmly in his rosebud mouth.

  Her heart softened as she caught the scent of the baby. She’d once wanted a houseful of children, but she hadn’t been able to get pregnant after Rebecca. Now she realized it was a blessing that she hadn’t had more children. But there was a part of her heart that still harbored maternal instincts unused.

  When they got to Cameron’s place, Trent called the garage and arranged for the car to be towed.

  “Wally said he’d call you and let you know what the problem is,” he said as he hung up the phone. “He’ll do right by you. He’s a rarity, a good, honest mechanic.”

  “Thank you so much for bringing me home,” Alicia said.

  Elena gave her a quick hug. “You’ve been good for Cameron. He’s seemed more at peace lately than I’ve seen him in a long time.” She smiled. “You’ve become a friend, Alice and I’m very glad you came to Mustang.”

  Long after Elena and Trent left, Alicia felt the warmth of Elena’s words swirling within her heart. Friends...people who cared. She and Rebecca could have that here in Mustang.

  She hoped Cameron hurried home. She needed to talk to him. It was time to trust him, and she prayed he’d have some ideas that would make her and Rebecca living in Mustang not just a futile dream...but a reality.

  Cameron pulled down the winding driveway that led to his house. The lights burning at the windows of the structure provided a sense of welcome. Although it was just after six, darkness had fallen early and abruptly with a layer of thick clouds obscuring the sky.

  For a long moment he sat in the car, staring at the ranch which for the last month had begun to feel more like a home than ever before. And he knew it was because of Rebecca and Alice’s presence. Rebecca had filled the house with childish laughter and sunshine smiles, and Alice had brought a new warmth and passion to him.

  He raked a hand through his hair, irritated with his meandering thoughts. He was just tired. It had been a hell of a long day. It was nearly a four hour drive to Billings. He’d arrived before noon and had gone to Jack’s office, hoping to discover any additional information about Samuel’s present whereabouts.

  Cameron had hoped to find him, confront him away from the ranch, away from all he held dear. If Samuel was after retribution, then Cameron didn’t want him here in Mustang to taint what Cameron had managed to build here.

  He’d gone to all their old haunts, the diner where they’d eaten so many meals together, the tavern where they’d hung out to celebrate their many successes. He’d even gone back to his old apartment, and asked the couple living there if anyone had been asking for him. They told him no.

  He’d thought Samuel might return to the places he’d been just before his arrest, but nobody had seen him and the trip to Billings proved a waste. He knew he’d learn nothing of substance. But, he’d needed a distraction, any distraction from Alice and the desire he felt for her.

  When he’d come out of the stables late the night before, he’d caught sight of her at her bedroom window. Her pale-colored nightgown had appeared translucent with the light shining behind her and he’d wanted to run inside, take her once again and possess her better, more completely than any man ever had...ever would.

  That’s why he’d run today. Run away from Alice, run away from the feelings and emotions she brought forth from him. With the specter of Sam looming over him he couldn’t afford any sort of vulnerability. He had no room for any other emotion except the expectation of Samuel returning to his life seeking revenge.

  He got out of the truck and headed into the house, surprised that Alice’s car wasn’t parked in its usual place. Perhaps she and Rebecca had gone into town for dinner, he thought.

  Rebecca greeted him at the door. “Mr. Lallager, we missed you today,” she exclaimed. “Mommy made spaghetti for dinner and you missed it.”

  “I kept a plate warm for you.” Alice appeared in the kitchen doorway, a dish towel in hand. She smiled hesitantly.

  “Thanks. I thought maybe you two weren’t here. Your car is gone.” He followed them into the kitchen.

  “Mommy’s car died,” Rebecca informed him as she sat at the table across from him.

  Cameron looked at Alice for confirmation. “What happened?”

  “According to Wally something with the electrical system quit working. He’s ordered some parts so it will be late tomorrow or the day after before the car is fixed.” She took an aluminum-foil-covered plate from the oven, removed the foil then set the plate before him.

  “Sit down with me.” He was suddenly hungry for chatter, anything that might take his mind from Samuel. “Tell me about your day.”

  Rebecca instantly began to fill him in on everything that had happened that day in school. He learned that Billy Moyer was a bully, Sally Watkins could spit between her teeth and that Brenda Lewis’s mom made dumb sandwiches for Brenda’s lunch.

  As he ate and listened to tidbits from Rebecca’s world, the knot in his stomach eased. Thoughts of Samuel Blankenship drifted away beneath the sparkle of the little girl’s eyes and the soft, indulgent smiles of her mother.

  Once Rebecca had filled him in on the events of her day, she excused herself and went to her room, telling her mom and Cameron that she’d planned a tea party with some of her stuffed animals.

  When she was gone, a deep silence fell between Alice and Cameron. As Alice busied herself cleaning up the last of the dishes Cameron watched her. Even with the hair unnaturally dark and her blouse sporting a spaghetti sauce stain, she looked lovely. He felt a familiar stir of desire, a heat he recognized only she evoked in him.

  “I’m going to my study,” he said as he pushed away from the table, his dinner half-eaten. She looked at him i
n surprise, but said nothing as he left the kitchen.

  In the study Cameron sank into the chair behind his desk. He buried his face in his hands and tried to picture Ginny in his mind. Ginny...the girl he’d believed he loved...the woman he’d planned on marrying. But each time female features came into his head, they somehow transformed into a vision of Alice.

  Damn her. Damn Alice, for making him realize he hadn’t loved Ginny the way a man should love a woman. Damn Alice for stealing that from him, leaving him more bereft than he’d ever been before.

  His love for Ginny had been the one good thing he’d had to hang on to, and now that was gone and there was nothing left, nothing to fill the dark void of despair.

  He jumped as a knock fell on the study door. “Yes?”

  The door opened and Alice peeked inside. “I’m sorry to bother you, Cameron, but Jesse is here to see you.”

  “Jesse?” Cameron rose from the desk and followed Alice to the living room, where Jesse stood, hat in hand. He nodded to the sheriff, who smiled tersely. “Something wrong, Jesse?”

  “I don’t know. Please Alice, stay,” he said as she started out of the living room. “I figured I’d better come by here and tell the two of you that some man was in town this afternoon asking a lot of questions about the two of you.”

  Cameron’s guts twisted and adrenaline soared through his veins. He was vaguely aware of Alice’s swift intake of breath, the widening of her eyes, but he focused once again on Jesse. “What did he look like?”

  “I don’t know. Whoever he was, he didn’t make his appearance known to me. He spoke to Stella at the café and Mike down at the gas station, wanted to know exactly where your ranch is.”

  Samuel. It could only be him, Cameron thought. He’d assumed it would take the man a little time to find him. He should have known Samuel was good enough to ferret him out sooner than expected.

  “Thanks, Jesse. I appreciate the heads-up.”

  Jesse shrugged. “I thought it might be something you needed to know.” Jesse knew about Cameron’s former line of work, apparently had assumed since Cameron’s move here that something or someone from that work might come to haunt Cameron.