by Linda Broday
“I’m in this thing for the duration,” Strayhorn growled. “Time to rid ourselves of this riffraff. No one’s safe.”
Rand straightened in the saddle. “Count me in.”
“And me,” Brett said, mounting up.
“Then let’s ride.”
***
High on the bluff that overlooked Fire Creek, Tolbert Early hunched in the cold rain, watching the scene below through narrowed eyes. Misery went all the way to the bone, making him more determined than ever.
His leg throbbed where they’d shot him. He glanced down at the bandanna tied to stanch the flow of blood. He’d dug the bullet out but had left a bloody mess. The makeshift bandage was now grimy and soaked.
Leading his horse to an overhang out of the downpour, he removed the saddle and dried the faithful animal as best he could. He’d have given anything for a sack of grain. But at least there was plenty of grass. With the horse cared for, he turned his attention to the men in his crosshairs.
How he itched to show them that they wouldn’t get away with what they’d done. It might take a while, but he’d hunt each of them down and he would find revenge.
He’d show Cooper Thorne what it felt like to be shot and lose the ability to perform.
He’d make Cooper know the living hell of being unable to find pleasure even though desire coursed through his body every waking minute and kept him awake at night.
He’d get satisfaction each time he pulled the trigger. This living hell would belong to the three brothers.
Soon Cooper Thorne and Rand Sinclair would know what it was like to yearn for release and never find it.
This would be their punishment.
An eye for an eye.
How he’d laugh when they begged. But he had something else in mind for Brett Liberty. That one would be the best of all. The boy had stolen his prized gold watch. No one stole from Tolbert Early. Laughter rose from the depths of despair. A bunch of scraggly orphans would finally get what was coming to them.
Seeing that Pete hadn’t returned and the fact Thorne and the rest had ridden to Fire Creek meant they’d captured his recruit. Pete always did have loose lips. Good riddance. It was better this way.
Now, he could work without nagging worry.
And when he was done, he’d be able to sleep again.
***
Riding hard and fast, Cooper, his brothers, and the sheriff covered a lot of ground. They’d checked out all the places Pete had marked on the hastily drawn map and came up short.
Where had Early gone? Some new hideout?
Cooper took comfort in knowing that his old adversary evidently didn’t work for any of his neighbors. That would’ve made the job harder.
Rand leaned on his saddle horn. “What now?”
The position of the sun poking through the rain clouds told Cooper that it was early morning, around eight or so. His stomach growled and he knew his wasn’t the only one. “Head back to the ranch to get food and fresh horses.”
“I want to ask Pete more questions,” the sheriff said.
“In my opinion, I really don’t think he knows much,” Brett said quietly.
“All the same, it doesn’t hurt to find out. His dumb act might be a ruse.”
Cooper met Strayhorn’s eyes. “It wouldn’t hurt to make sure, all right.”
The foursome set out for the Long Odds, where they could regroup. Getting a bit of nourishment would definitely improve things.
Delta jumped from a chair on the porch and ran to meet them as soon as he came into view from the house. Cooper swallowed hard. The pleasant feeling of someone waiting for him at the end of a long ride curled inside his chest as though it belonged there.
But it didn’t belong.
He was a loner. He couldn’t afford to give her the wrong impression.
He could never take a wife.
Yet the memory of her gentle touch and the way her soft curves fit against him refused to leave his head. The recollections had taken up residence and staked their claim on his heart.
“You’re back.” Delta glowed with happiness. “I was so worried.”
Cooper waited until Rand, Brett, and Strayhorn moved toward the barn before he dismounted. He struggled with the need to pull her into his arms.
To kiss her. To touch her silky skin.
This strong-minded, sassy woman who’d appeared out of the blue shouldn’t have caused such an upheaval in his life.
But she had, and Lord knew he’d never be the same.
Clearing his throat, he forced out the words that he had to say. “I don’t want you fretting about me. Understand? Whatever we have here can never lead to anything.”
The gruff words erased her smile. Angrily she lifted her chin. “I guess this is the talk you said we’d have. Well, you can take your words and your kisses and…”
Quick tears filled her eyes, but it was her quivering lips that undid him. He called himself every name he could think of. Now what? He’d made a real mess of things. He’d taken liberties, given her false hope that she fit in his plans somewhere.
How could he tell her that having his father’s rotten blood coursing through his veins made it impossible to claim her?
How could he explain the murderous thoughts that filled his head? He was a dangerous man, and she needed to run as far as she could away from him.
And how in God’s name could he keep from destroying her?
“Look, what I’m trying to say—and doing a rotten job of it—is that I can’t live with myself if I keep letting you think that I have anything to give you,” he said quietly. “I wish things could be different. I really do. In another lifetime I’d scoop you up and never let you go.”
Through narrowed eyes, he watched her stiffen. Without a word, she strode toward the house.
He was nothing but a bastard. He’d hurt the only woman whose light could remove the darkness inside him. But even now, even knowing all the reasons why he couldn’t give in to his desires, intense craving for her buckled his knees.
Sighing heavily, he led the tired buckskin toward the barn and the sack of oats that waited, wishing that life came with a set of instructions.
Hell and damnation, he could even use a torn, beat-up map.
***
Clearly, it was a mistake to come here.
Shaking, Delta gathered her thoughts. She had to get back to town and she didn’t care what she had to do to get there. She’d walk, if she must.
Cooper had just thrown her back into the creek again.
Only this time, she was too tired to fight the current.
There had to be a limit to how many times a person could reject another, didn’t there? She told Jenny she’d be leaving.
“I could see something’s troubling you.” Jenny laid a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, dear. Cooper’s messed up again. Want to talk about it?”
“No, I’d rather not.”
“I’d go with you, only I can’t do that to Ben. He sets such store by this ranch, and the fresh air does us both good.”
“You should stay a little while longer. At least until I get this garden club up and going.”
“Promise to let me know how the first meeting goes. I so wanted to be there.”
“There’ll be others. The main thing right now is to do what’s right for your son and gain more of your strength.”
“Be sure and save some work for me to do.”
Delta hugged Jenny. “I will. Thank you for understanding.”
As much as it killed her, she avoided Cooper the rest of the time. When he rode back out with the others, she sought out Zeke O’Grady. “Would you please show me a horse that I can hitch to the buggy?”
Zeke scratched his head. “Ma’am, it ain’t a good idea to leave, especially alone. Did Coop say you could?”<
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Delta drew herself up straight. “I’m not a prisoner here and I certainly don’t need his permission to leave. All I want you to do is show me a horse that I can use. I’ll see that it gets back to the ranch.”
“Here’s what I’ll do, Miss Dandridge. I’ll take you back to town myself, if’n you got your mind made up that’s what you wanna do.”
A kiss on his wrinkled cheek brought a wide smile and a twinkle to his eye. She liked Zeke. “Thank you.”
“Don’t rightly know what all this is about, an’ I’m sure I’ll catch hell for it, but I cain’t stand to see a pretty woman all down in the mouth.”
One thing was certain: Delta learned from her mistakes, and this latest one was a whopper. From now on she meant to protect her heart more and avoid those sharp hooks that had nice juicy worms dangling from them.
“I don’t want to get you in trouble with your boss, Zeke.”
“Aw, I’ve been in hot water before, an’ I doubt this’ll be the last time.” He patted her arm. “You just leave it to old Zeke. Cooper would be angrier if I let you go back to town alone, with this hooded bunch runnin’ around. Sometimes you jus’ have to pick your poison an’ down it real fast before your nose can smell it.”
“You’re a saint if I ever saw one.”
“Just give me a minute to tell the men to watch over Miss Jenny and Ben until I get back. The hands are trustworthy. They won’t let anything happen to those two.”
A little over an hour later, Zeke pulled in front of Abercrombie’s Mercantile in Battle Creek. He helped Delta from the buggy.
“You don’t know how much I appreciate this, Zeke.”
“Now, don’t you worry none. It’ll all come out in the wash. Whatever’s got Cooper by the short hairs won’t stay that way. An’ I’ll take the buggy back to the livery.”
“You’re too, too kind.” Delta watched him move down the street, then she opened the door of the mercantile and stepped inside.
John glanced up and relief spread across his face. “I heard there was some shooting out at the Long Odds. I’d hoped you didn’t get caught in it, but since you weren’t at work this morning, I assume you were.”
“Yes, it was a frightful night. It scared Jenny and me out of our wits.” She told him about the mounted attack.
“The good thing is you’re all right. Do they know who this hooded gang is or what they want?”
“If Cooper knows, he didn’t share that with us.” She didn’t add that she strongly suspected there was more to it than anyone was saying. Grabbing her apron from the nail behind the counter, she put it on. “Now, what do I need to do?”
“Just handle the customers while I unload a wagon of merchandise that arrived.”
“John, I’m really sorry I wasn’t here first thing this morning. I would’ve been if I was able.”
He walked over and put an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t give it another thought. We can’t always do what we want.”
“All the same, I’ll try not to let it happen again.” In fact, it wouldn’t happen again because she wasn’t going anywhere near the Long Odds Ranch. The devil could take Cooper Thorne.
Delta watched John Abercrombie head toward the back door. The change in the man continually amazed her. She recalled the first day she’d walked in and asked for a job. John had nearly run her out of the store. If Mabel King hadn’t warned her of his surly attitude and the reason behind it, she’d have scurried into the nearest hole. Now, she gladly counted him a good friend.
The rest of the day she waited on customers, and in between she unpacked some of the boxes John unloaded off the wagon. His new order would stock the shelves quite nicely. With business picking up, it was more of a struggle to keep the shelves full.
Darkness fell and quitting time arrived before she knew it. She was getting ready to close up when the bell over the door jangled. Dressed all in black from his head down to his boots, a stranger stood there. His stringy, long gray hair fell onto his face, hiding his features.
The hairs on the back of her neck rose. Icy fear swept the length of her. She clutched on to a counter for support. If only John hadn’t already left.
“May I help you?” She projected politeness she didn’t feel.
“I don’t know, can you?” he answered in a surly tone.
“I’m in no mood to play games, mister.” Though the words seemed to get stuck in her throat, Delta forced a measure of firmness into her voice. “If you need something, I’ll be glad to assist you. Otherwise, I must lock up.”
The stranger moved on inside, turned the lock on the door, and flipped the sign to Closed. Trembling, Delta glanced around for a weapon. The ax handles were too far away. She’d never reach them in time. A pair of scissors lay on the counter. She snatched them up. At least they would offer some protection.
Go for the eyes, came a voice in her head. Failing that, she’d plunge them into his throat.
“I know who you are, girlie.” His gravelly voice gave her chills. “You cain’t get away.”
“Are you new to town?” she forced out. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around. What’s your name?”
The wooden floor creaked when he slowly moved forward, walking with a noticeable limp. Since he stood between her and the street, the only way to freedom was out the back. Keeping an eye on him, she inched toward it, praying that John had left it unlocked.
“Name’s not important,” he said.
“How do you know me?” She took two more steps backward.
“I seen you around. I see ever’thing, even things nobody wants me to see.”
Great shuddering fear enveloped Delta. She gripped the scissors tighter. This was no time to be fainthearted. To survive, she’d fight with all the strength she had.
“Ain’t nowhere to run, girlie,” he said quietly.
And then she saw what he held in his hand and froze.
Twenty-seven
The black-clothed stranger raised a long bowie knife.
Stark terror plunged Delta into a dark pit. The hope she had faded. Her scissors would be no match for that deadly blade. She didn’t know what he planned to do, but it couldn’t be good.
Thoughts of all the things she had envisioned for this town she loved and never would get a chance to implement filled her head. She’d only wanted to make a difference. To matter in someone’s life.
“There’s no way out,” he said.
Would anyone hear if she screamed?
She gripped the scissors and took two steps back when he came closer. “What do you want, mister?”
“You.”
“Why? What have I done? I don’t even know you.”
“No more stalling, girlie. I got plans for you.”
Two more steps closer to the back door.
If she lunged for it, could she make it before he plunged the knife into her?
“Ain’t nobody gonna come to save you.”
That certainly appeared true, she thought, as despair took hold. But as long as she had breath in her body, she had hope. Maybe someone walking past would look in the window, see this hideous stranger, and stop him before he snuffed out her life.
“I can help you if you’ll just tell me what you need,” she bargained. “This store is full of anything you might want.”
“Except something to make a man whole. Ain’t nothing can do that but one thing.”
“Did something bad happen to you?”
He stood so close, his putrid breath gagged her. “Ask Cooper Thorne.”
Cooper? Her heart pounded. He was in serious danger and she couldn’t warn him. This man clearly meant to kill them both.
She grasped for a bit of reason amid the madness that had her in its clutches. “Since he’s not here, I can’t very well do that.”
“Don’t matter. Doubt he’d
tell you the truth.” He reached out to lift a strand of her hair between his dirty fingers. “You an’ me got business now.”
The time had come to make her move. Just as she prepared to lunge with the scissors and blindly stab until she ended this man’s miserable life, the back door flew open.
She gave a cry and whirled. Cooper’s big frame filled the doorway. His cold gray eyes and chiseled jaw were enough to strike fear in anyone’s heart. Her savior held a deadly Colt in each hand.
“Tolbert Early, you’ve reached the end. I’m going to make sure you stay dead this time.” Cooper bit out the hard, brittle words.
Delta realized she stood between the two men and Cooper couldn’t fire. Before she could step out of the way, Tolbert Early ran to the front and launched himself through the glass window into the street.
Pushing past her, Cooper released a volley of gunfire as he gave chase.
Numb with disbelief, Delta hurried to the shattered window. The night had swallowed up both Cooper and his prey.
What if this Tolbert Early doubled back and returned?
She shivered, recalling the words that had struck such terror. Ain’t nobody gonna come to save you.
Only this time, Cooper had. He’d appeared when everything seemed lost, when her very life had hung in the balance. Of course, it couldn’t mean anything. No. She refused to let hope back into her heart. It hurt too much when he tossed her back into the cold, swirling current with the hook still in her mouth.
Most likely Cooper took pity on her the way he did Bandit and Ben and Jenny. He probably considered her no different than one of his cows that got mired down in some thick mud and was in need of a hand.
But how had he known she was in trouble?
People began to gather to see what had caused the ruckus. Delta took comfort in having friends around her. Tolbert Early couldn’t get her now.
In the midst of explaining what happened, John Abercrombie pushed through the crowd. “I came as soon as I heard. Are you hurt?”
“Just shaken up.”