by Smith, Bobbi
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” the older woman replied. “If Eve’s trying to get something out of your father, she’d use any tactic she could come up with to get what she wanted.”
Jennie imagined the strain her father had been under all these years, keeping up the pretense of being a widower, and she felt her admiration for him grow. She was sure that it had been a difficult time for him, and she could easily understand why he had chosen to lie to them when they were small.
“Maybe it’s time we set the record straight. I think we should all go in to town and face her. She probably thinks that she’ll be able to pit us against Mac, but we know where our loyalty lies,” Jake said with firm resolve.
“I agree” Carrie wanted to see the woman who could so callously abandon her own family.
“I’ll go have your horses brought up to the house,” Rick offered, and he gave Jennie a reassuring look.
“Will you ride in with us, Rick?” Jennie asked quickly before he could leave the room.
“If you want me to.”
“Please,” she told him gratefully. “I’ll need you with me.”
“Hildago?” Jake asked as he stood up. “Would you like to go along?”
“No. I will stay here.”
“But why? You have as much at stake as we do.”
“Probably more,” Carrie put in.
“That may be true, but I want to wait here for Mac. I am sure that he will come to me as soon as everything has been taken care of.” She rose and made her way from the room.
“All right.” He didn’t understand her reasoning, but he respected her decision. “Todd? What about you? Do you want to come with us?”
“If it’s all the same to you, why don’t I take a few of the ranch hands and try to catch up to Pablo and Lucia? If what Chica said is true and they are heading for town, I’ll probably meet up with you there.”
“Good idea. Thanks. I’d forgotten all about them in all this confusion” Jake ran a hand nervously through his hair and looked over at Carrie. “I guess you’d better change, unless you’d like to take the buggy?”
“No. The buggy’s too slow, and I want to get to town as fast as we can. I’m interested in seeing this mother of ours as soon as possible.” Her tone was filled with bitterness. “I’ll be ready to go by the time Rick gets back with the horses.”
When everyone else had gone, Jennie looked at Jake. He seemed to have aged in these last few minutes, and she wondered how he’d deal with the shock of seeing Eve McCaine again. Jake was the only one who could remember their mother, and over the years his few memories of the fair-haired woman had been magnified by all of them into an almost cherished recitation of love. But now that had all been shattered, and in the cold, cruel world of adulthood, they were facing for the very first time the truth about the blond beauty they’d always referred to as their mother.
“Jake?” Jennie went to him and hugged him.
He returned her embrace warmly, resting his cheek against the softness of her dark hair. “This is probably going to be the hardest thing any of us has ever had to do.”
“I know. I’m afraid, and yet, I know we have to do this. We have to see her so we can come to understand why she didn’t want us. Do you suppose it was something we did?”
“We were only children, for God’s sake! There’s no way we should feel guilty because she left, but can you just imagine what her desertion did to Pa?”
“I know. I don’t know how he handled it. Thank heaven for Hildago.”
They moved apart then and were silent as each meditated on the upcoming confrontation.
“What time is it?” Malo demanded gruffly as he moved to look out the window again.
“I don’t know for sure, but it’s probably after eight.” Pablo supplied.
Grunting in reply, Malo said nothing but went to lie back down on the bed.
“How long has it been since the messenger got back?” Lucia asked.
“About half an hour. The McCaines should be arriving within the next hour, I’d say.
“Keep a close watch. I want to know as soon as they arrive in town.”
Malo started to settle back on the bed when Lucia’s whispered call brought him back to her side.
“Look!”
“What is it?”
“Mac McCaine’s left the saloon.
“Where’s he going? To the hotel?”
“No.” Pablo looked at them both nervously. “He’s heading in the direction of the sheriffs office.”
“Relax, Pablo.” Malo scoffed. “If Mac McCaine was after us, he wouldn’t have waited all this time to go to the sheriff. I’ve got the feeling there’s something else on his mind this morning.”
“Like his wife?”
“Exactly. Just keep watch for Rick Peralta. He’s the only one I’m interested in right now.”
“Malo?”
“What?”
“When this is over, then what?”
“We walk calmly out of here to where I’ve got our horses tied up out back.”
“You don’t think anyone will challenge us?”
“There’ll be too much confusion. We should be safely away before they even figure out where the shots came from.” His eyes were glittering at the thought of paying Rick back for his double-cross.
Lucia read the emotion in his gaze and smiled at him knowingly. “I am glad that we found you, Malo.”
He turned to her then and, grasping her by the arm, pulled her up to him.
“Are you, Lucia?” he asked in a low, suggestive voice as his eyes roamed over her. “How glad?”
Thrilled that he was no longer ignoring her, Lucia wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a passionate kiss, paying no attention to Pablo. Malo released her abruptly.
“I am sorry for what I did,” she told him, hoping she sounded suitably humble.
“We will talk of it later, when we are alone,” he told her curtly and then walked away to lie down on the bed. “Let me know the minute the McCaines show up.”
Lucia wondered at his indifference to her as he stretched out comfortably. She wanted to know if he was going to make her his woman again, but she decided not to push him. She knew how vicious he could be when he was angered.
As he left Dolly’s, Mac inhaled deeply of the fresh morning air. The hours had been slow in passing, but at last it was time for him to act. Emboldened by the half bottle of whiskey he’d consumed, Mac knew that he was ready to deal with Eve this one final time.
Striding purposefully toward the stage office to speak with Silas, he couldn’t help but wonder what she planned to do this morning. No doubt it would be something dramatic, but at this point Mac didn’t really care. The only person she would be hurting, if she chose to make a scene, would be herself.
Silas Stratton had just finished unlocking the office door and bracing it wide with a doorstop when Mac entered.
“Good morning, Mac.” Silas greeted him easily, having known him for a good many years. “I see you stayed in town all night.”
“I had some more business to take care of,” he said obliquely.
“Anything I can help you with?” Silas offered solicitously, all the while wondering if it had anything to do with that pretty woman who claimed to be his wife.
“I need to know your schedule for today.”
“You going out of town?” He peered at Mac over the top of his glasses.
“No. I’m not, but I have a friend who is, and I need to know what you’ve got passing through today.”
“Where is your friend heading?” he asked logically.
“Wherever your stage happens to be going,” Mac said sternly.
Silas’s eyes widened at his statement, but he knew better than to question Mac any further.
“Let me see.” He bent worriedly over the ledger. “We’ve only got one due in and it’s on a run to Yuma.”
“That’ll be fine. What time?”
“Hard to say. Probabl
y some time early this afternoon, but if they have any trouble on the road, they’ll be late.”
“How much?” Mac asked, pulling out his money, and when Silas quoted him a figure, he handed over the cash without comment.
“I’ll send Billy to find you and your friend when the stage comes in. Where should we look for you?”
“The hotel.”
“Fine, Mac. Thanks.” Silas looked up, hoping to draw him into a longer conversation and find out what was going on, but Mac had already turned and was walking out of the office.
Mac had one more important stop to make before he went back to Eve’s room, and he started down a side street. He paused only a moment outside the small office and then, determined as ever, he opened the door and walked in.
“Mac?” John King was more than a little surprised to find Mac McCaine in his office so early in the morning.
“Good morning, John.”
“What brings you to town so early in the day? Something I can help you with?” he said rising from his desk and movig to shake hands with him warmly.
“I hope so. This is very confidential, and you’re the only person I can talk to about it.”
“Please, sit down. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“No. Thanks. I just want to get this over with as quickly as possible,” Mac confided as he sat in the chair in front of John’s desk.
“All right.” The other man locked the door and pulled down the shade so that no one would be able to see them. “Now, why don’t you tell me what’s troubling you.”
Mac waited until John had seated himself behind the desk before beginning. “I have some legal work I need for you to handle.”
“Of course. I’d be glad to. What does it entail?”
“I need you to take care of divorce proceedings for me,” Mac said harshly.
“What?” John was stunned. “Mac, I didn’t know you were married.”
“Well, I am, but I intend to remedy that as soon as you can draw up the papers.”
“To whom are you married?”
“Eve.” He said her name with such loathing that John could only stare at him in confusion.
“But you said that Eve was dead.”
“I know what I said, but Eve is very much alive, and she’s finally come back. In fact, she’s staying at the hotel right now.”
“You mean all these years—”
“That’s right. I’ve been living a lie to protect my children.”
“But why, Mac?”
“Eve deserted us, John. I didn’t want Jake, Jennie, or Carrie to ever find out about it, so I’d told them that she’d died. It was that simple. I’m just sorry that she’s shown up now, but at least it solves one of my problems.”
“What’s that?”
“Now that I know where she is, I can divorce her. So draw up whatever it is you have to draw up. I want her out of my life forever!”
“It’s not quite as simple as you would have it, Mac.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that it takes time. I can file the proper papers, but it will be a while before it’s final.”
“What’s a while?”
“Several months, at least.”
Mac almost groaned at the news. “All right. Do whatever it is you have to do.”
“I’ll need some more information from you.”
It was over a half an hour later when Mac emerged from the office feeling more satisfied with himself than he had in years. Soon his relationship with Eve would be legally terminated, and he would be free to marry Hildago!
Mac could hardly wait to tell Hildago the news, and it dawned on him then, as he started to the hotel to meet with Eve, that he had told Hildago that he would be back before dawn. He knew she would be upset, but he hoped the marriage proposal he had for her when he returned would ease any distress she’d been feeling.
Chapter Thirty-five
Since dawn, Eve had been anxiously awaiting Mac’s return. Hovering by the window, she had kept constant watch over the street below, hoping to catch sight of him on his way back to the hotel.
During the long hours since he’d walked out so abruptly, she had struggled to find the solution to her dilemma in dealing with him. Mac had crudely proven to her that he was basically immune to her sensual prowess, and with that knowledge came a tempering of all her plans. No longer could she try to seduce him into giving her her own way; instead, she would have to face him with the facts and deal with him as logically as possible.
Determined to be in control of their meeting this morning, she had dressed with care. The gown she’d chosen was a sophisticated one that enhanced the fairness of her blond hair. She looked worldly and wise and totally at ease with herself. Pleased with her choice, she smiled warmly at her own reflection, feeling confident that, after today, all of her troubles would be over.
The knock at her door surprised her and she jumped, startled by the intrusion,” Yes?”
“Mrs. McCaine?”
“Yes, who is it?”
“It’s me, ma’am, Ace.”
“Ace?”
“I’m the handyman around here, ma’am. Mrs. Bates sent me up. She said your door needed fixing.”
“Oh, well, fine,” Eve opened the broken portal to allow him to do his work.
“How are you this beautiful morning?” Ace asked as he set to work on the lock.
“Very well, thank you.” She kept her tone deliberately aloof and, not wanting to encourage the little man in conversation, she turned her back on him and went to sit by the window.
But Ace, renowned in town for knowing everything about everybody, ignored her attempt to cut him off and kept up the flow of chatter, trying to break down her defenses.
“Glad to hear that. I’m feeling fine, myself, too,” he told her, even though she hadn’t asked. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he looked over to where she sat, and his boldness grew. “You know, folks around here have been mighty curious about you.”
Eve was caught off guard by his brazen statement. “Oh, really? Why is that?”
“Well, we didn’t know ol’ Mac was married,” he said cautiously.
“You mean he’s never spoken of me?”
“Oh, yes ma’am. He talked about you but always in the past tense.” Ace wondered if she knew about Mac’s charade.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“Why, Mrs. McCaine. He told everybody you were dead!” He watched with interest as her features paled at the news.
“He what?”
“He told everybody years ago that he was a widower, even his own—pardon me, ma’am—your own children believe it.”
“The children?” Eve was, at first, shocked by the news, but as she thought about it, it all began to make sense. It certainly explained why Mac was so determined to keep her away from Jake, Jennie, and Carrie.
“They’ve always thought that their mama died when Miss Carrie was just a baby. And you know, that’s why everybody was so surprised when you showed up and registered as Mac’s wife.”
Eve smiled coolly, pleased with the position she found herself in because this new knowledge gave her a powerful weapon to use against Mac in her effort to force a settlement from him.
“How interesting,” she told him drolly.
Ace went on easily as he continued to work on the door. “You know, you and Miss Carrie do look a lot alike. You sure can tell that you’re related. She’s one pretty little gal.”
The thought struck Eve that, if indeed she and Carrie did bear a resemblance to one another, it might prove entertaining to meet her. She decided to ask Mac about the possibility, and she smiled as she imaginged his reaction to the suggestion. Determined to use everything Ace had just revealed to her best advantage, Eve settled back calmly in the chair to await Mac’s arrival.
“You were right, Malo,” Pablo told him as he continued his surveillance from the bedroom window.
“About what?” Malo quickly ro
se from the bed to stand at his side.
“McCaine. He just went into the hotel.”
“Has there been any sign of the rest of them yet?”
“No, nothing yet.”
Malo nodded, growing more tense with each passing minute. He knew that they had to be ready to act as soon as they had Peralta in their sight for they might not get the opportunity to take a second shot at him. But, until he showed up in town, there was nothing they could do except wait.
Picking up his rifle, Malo sat down on the edge of the bed to check it once again. After making certain that it was loaded, he set it aside and leaned back against the headboard, waiting impatiently for word from Pablo that they were coming.
“Jennie?” Rick guided his horse closer to Jennie’s so he could speak with her.
She looked over at him quickly. “What?”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” He posed the question she’d been asking herself for the past hour.
“Rick, I don’t want to, but I know that I have to.” The anguish she was feeling was clearly reflected in her eyes.
Rick wished that they were alone somewhere so that he could take her in his arms and comfort her, but he knew the time for that would come later.
“All right, sweetheart, but I’ll be right there with you the whole time, if you need me.”
Jennie gazed lovingly at him. “Thank you.”
Rick gave her a reassuring smile. “There’s no need to thank me, Jennie. I love you and I want to help.”
“I just wish it was that simple.”
“Well, we should be reaching Mesa Roja soon, and then it will all be over.”
Jennie nodded tersely in response. Yes, very soon she would be face to face with the woman she’d thought long dead. Why had Eve done it? Why had she deserted her family? The questions tortured Jennie, and she knew she had to find the answers.
As Carrie rode silently alongside them, her thoughts, too, were tortured and confused. She was going to meet the woman who had given birth to her. Carrie supposed that she should be excited at the prospect, but instead she felt angry and resentful. Since she’d learned the truth from Hildago, her feelings for her mother, the beautiful Eve McCaine, had changed from worship to hate. Carrie was not sure exactly why she felt it was necessary to see her, but she knew that she had to, just this once.