by Stacy Henrie
She leveled a gaze on his partially covered face, trying to communicate that she recognized him. But he ignored her. Something in his rigid stance told her to keep quiet, let things play out without her interference.
“Who in tarnation are you?” King demanded, aiming his revolver at Caleb’s head. Jennie swallowed hard. She hoped Caleb’s plan—whatever it might be—would work.
Caleb lowered his shotgun, but only a little. “I’d ask you the same question. This here’s my hideout and I don’t take kindly to strangers using it for their hostages.” The girls’ crying rose in volume. “Silence,” he barked at them before turning back to King. “Seeing how you’ve got me outnumbered, though, I’d be willing to share it with you gentlemen.”
“We’re conductin’ a little business meeting.” King trained his gun on Jennie again. “So if you don’t mind steppin’ outside, I’d like to finish up.”
Caleb lifted a hand in surrender. “Fine by me.” Pushing the girls ahead of him, he headed out of the cabin. Jennie watched numbly as the door swung shut. She rushed to her feet, but King pushed her back to her knees.
“Sit down, Miss Jones.”
Caleb, she wanted to scream. Come back.
As if he’d heard her thoughts, the door opened again and Caleb stuck his head inside. “Could you show me the spot where you hid your horses? I need to get mine out of sight, too.”
King exhaled loudly. “They ain’t hidden—this young lady let ’em go.” He pressed the gun harder against Jennie’s temple. She swallowed, trying to ignore the ache behind her eyes and praying Caleb had a good plan.
“That little slip of a thing released your horses?” Caleb chuckled. Jennie scowled at him. This was no time for jokes.
“Is that funny to you, boy?” King growled, swinging his gun from Jennie to Caleb.
“Nope.” Caleb sobered immediately. “If you do need some horses, I’ve got a few extras.” He straightened up, his tall frame filling the doorway. “I’ll sell ’em to you cheap. Send one or two of your men out here to pick what you want.”
His gun still pointed at Caleb, King narrowed his eyes. Was he really considering Caleb’s proposal? Jennie held her breath. She had no idea how Caleb meant to rescue her.
“All right.” King motioned with his gun at Smith and the cowhand with Jennie’s pistol. “Haws and Smith, you go check out the horses. Make sure they ain’t old or feeble.”
The two men followed Caleb outside and the door closed behind them. Jennie released her breath in a soft rush and contemplated her chances of escape. Two men would be easier to handle than four, but she still didn’t have a weapon.
King frowned. “Let’s get this over with.”
Jennie eyed the window. Perhaps she could make it before King shot her. Just as she tensed to move, a loud cry followed by a heavy thud sounded outside the cabin. All three of them turned in the direction of the door.
Please, come back, Caleb, Jennie silently cried to the walls. Had King’s men done something to him?
“What was that, boss?” the remaining cowboy asked.
“Don’t know,” King snapped, his face turning red with irritation. “Go find out what’s goin’ on. I’ll tie her up.” Glaring down at Jennie, he gripped her wrist hard and added in a low hiss, “I don’t need no more interruptions.”
The cowhand hurried through the door. Before it swung shut again, Jennie strained to see outside as King pulled a rope from his belt. She hesitated too long in her decision to stay put or run, and the rancher had her wrists tied before she could move.
Another shout floated in through the gaps in the logs. King cursed and slammed his fist against the nearest wall.
“Time to end this.” He aimed the revolver at Jennie again. His jaw tightened in deadly resolve, and his lips lifted in a sneer. “Who’s got the upper hand now, Miss Jones? You got no friends or guns to help you this time. It’s just you and me.”
Jennie licked her lips, keeping her chin held high even as she prepared for the inevitable shot.
“Any last words before I pull the trigger?”
“Yeah. Step away from my girl!”
Sucking in a sharp breath, Jennie felt her whole body sag at Caleb’s words. She’d been so focused on the gun barrel trained at her head, she hadn’t heard him enter. Now he stood in the doorway, appearing every bit as strong and capable and handsome as the day they’d met on the trail. The bandanna around his face had been removed, and he pointed his shotgun straight at King.
Still facing Jennie, King didn’t move a muscle. But Jennie detected the glint in his eye just before he swung around toward Caleb.
“Caleb, look out,” she shouted.
Jumping to her feet, she plowed her shoulder into the lower back of the giant rancher. King’s gun blasted above their heads, bringing bits of wood and dirt from the ceiling raining down on them. Jennie hit the floor hard enough to crush the breath from her lungs a second time and cause the room to spin around her. When her vision cleared, she scrambled to sit up in time to see King kick Caleb’s shotgun away. Caleb lunged toward him and drove a fist into King’s gut. The man grunted, but connected a punch to Caleb’s lower jaw, sending Caleb backward.
As the two wrestled each other, Jennie brought her boot to her bound hands and managed to pull out her knife. She twisted her hand and sawed at the rope. A loud groan brought her head up. In horror, she watched Caleb curl into a ball and roll away from King.
“Caleb!” she screamed.
Spinning on his heel, King lumbered toward her, his eyes wild and dangerous. Jennie dropped the knife and tried to crawl away, but she couldn’t move fast enough with her bound hands. King grabbed her foot and yanked her back. She shut her eyes, fear turning her blood to ice in her veins. A grunt made her open her eyes. Caleb had pulled King back to the floor, but she could see the weariness on Caleb’s face. She had to help.
With renewed energy, Jennie found the knife again and cut at the rope until it slipped off. Finally free, she searched the floor for King’s revolver. She located his gun on the floor and picked it up. Standing, she crossed to King and Caleb, still locked in a battle of strength.
She offered a rushed prayer for help and lifted the gun in the air. She waited until King rocked back on his heels, breaking from the flurry of swinging fists and feet. Seeing her chance, she brought the revolver down as hard as she could against the man’s head. The rancher roared with pain. Caleb seized the pause in momentum and plowed a fist into King’s jaw. This time the rancher crumpled to the ground and lay unmoving.
Jennie sank to the floor with a cry and set down the gun. Her hands were shaking too badly to hold it anymore. She bit her lip, hard enough to taste blood, to keep from crying.
Caleb crawled over to her. His nose and lip were bleeding and one arm cradled his stomach. He pulled her to him with his free hand. “Thanks for the help.” He released her to pick up the rope near her feet. “We need to tie him up.”
“I’ll do it,” she said, knowing he was in pain. She looped the rope around King’s wrists and attempted to tie a knot, but she had to pause until she stopped trembling. Finally she secured his hands. “How long do you think he’ll be unconscious?” she whispered, peering into the man’s battered face.
“It might be a while,” Caleb said. “The sheriff can deal with him—if he and his men ever show up.”
He sat on the ground beside her and wrapped her protectively in his arms again. Jennie pressed her ear to his chest, more grateful than she could ever say to hear his heart beating beneath his dusty, blood-stained shirt.
Releasing her, Caleb pushed her sweaty hair off her face. “I thought you weren’t going to do anything foolish.”
Jennie managed a laugh. “I didn’t plan to, until I found the money. I got it out of the cash box without King knowing.” She pointed in the direction of the box, still sitting underneath the chair. “I meant to leave after that, but I thought I should get rid of their horses first...” She let her voice trail of
f; he could guess the rest.
Caleb pulled her close again and rested his chin against her hair. “You crazy girl. I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Mr. Johnson?” A feminine voice hollered.
Jennie eased back. “Who’s that?”
Caleb managed half a smile. “Come meet your other rescuers.”
They emerged from the cabin, and the two young women Jennie had seen earlier hurried over. They didn’t appear helpless now. From their lavish dresses and dark rouge, Jennie suspected they’d worked in a saloon.
“You all right, Miss Jones?” the dark-haired one asked.
“This is Ellen,” Caleb said, motioning to the girl who’d spoken. “And this is Clara.” He pointed to the blonde. “They were passengers on the stage. After today’s performance, I think they ought to join an acting troupe.”
Before Jennie could respond, a thin gentleman rushed up to them. “Did you find the cash box?” he asked.
“Mr. Fulman is the bank man from Nevada,” Caleb explained.
Jennie smiled, grateful for both her sake and the bank man’s that she had the cash. “Your money is safe, Mr. Fulman—all of it. I’ll get it for you just as soon as someone tells me how all of you managed to get rid of King’s men.”
“It was Amos’s idea to have them come out to see the horses,” Caleb said. He pointed north to where the stagecoach sat behind some trees. “That’s him on the driver’s seat. He’s the shotgun messenger. Took a bullet in the thigh, so he’s acting as guard.”
“When those thugs left the cabin,” Clara interjected, “we knocked ’em out and tied ’em up. We just finished putting them all inside the stage.”
“Best time of my life.” Mr. Fulman brushed at the front of his dirty suit and chuckled. “Beats sittin’ behind a desk all day. Maybe I should become a deputy.”
Jennie joined his laughter. “Thank you, each of you, for your help. I’ll get your money, Mr. Fulman.”
She headed for the tree where she’d tied Dandy, but she hadn’t gone far when a hand gripped hers. Turning, she found Caleb beside her, his face somber despite the twinkle in his blue eyes.
“You coming, too?” she teased.
He nodded and squeezed her hand. “I plan on stickin’ extra close from now on, Jennie Jones. I don’t need any more bandits or lawmen or cattle spiriting you away. Deal?”
Laughing, Jennie gently kissed the corner of his mouth that wasn’t bleeding. “It’s a deal, cowboy.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Jennie collected the money from her saddlebag and untied Dandy, recounting for Caleb how she’d managed to pilfer the cash out of the box. Only then did she notice the state of her brown dress. It was dirty, sweaty and torn at the hem. She felt bad for ruining the dress Caleb had paid for, but she consoled herself with the possibility that Grandma Jones might be able to salvage it.
She and Dandy followed Caleb back to the cabin and she gave Mr. Fulman the money. The bank man sat right down on the ground to thumb through it. He placed the bills inside the cash box he’d removed from the cabin.
“We ought to check on King again,” Jennie said, not wanting to give the man a chance to escape.
“He was starting to moan when I crept in there,” Mr. Fulman said. He shut the lid to the cash box and stood. “The money appears to be all there—thank you.”
“Better load King into the stage while he’s fairly unconscious,” Caleb said. “Will you help us, Mr. Fulman?”
Jennie tied Dandy near the stage before trailing Caleb and Mr. Fulman into the cabin. Sure enough audible groans came from King’s split mouth, but his eyes remained shut. Caleb hefted his shoulders while Jennie and the bank man each took hold of a leg. They lifted King and started slowly from the cabin.
Halfway to the stagecoach, Jennie heard the sound of approaching horses. She glanced toward the east and saw four men riding at a gallop toward them. “I think the sheriff has finally arrived.”
“Miss Jones?” someone shouted as the riders drew closer. Jennie recognized the sheriff’s voice.
Shifting the weight of King’s leg, she gave a quick wave. “I’m here, sheriff.”
The sheriff and his deputies came to an abrupt halt beside her. “Miss Jones.” The man’s eyebrows rose sharply as he took in the scene before him and the nearby stage filled with groaning captives. “What in the world happened?” he asked as he dismounted.
Jennie met Caleb’s amused look over her shoulder. “It’s a rather long story, sheriff.”
“I’m anxious to hear it.” He waved a hand to include the rest of the stage passengers who had gathered around. “All of you will need to come to my office for questioning.”
He barked orders for his men to carry King to the stagecoach. Jennie relinquished her post gladly—her head and muscles had begun to ache again from all the drama. Once the rancher had been placed inside the stage, the sheriff walked up to her, his face somber. For one dreadful moment, Jennie worried he’d changed his mind about not pressing charges. Then his face broke into a smile.
“My apologies, Miss Jones, for my delay. I hadn’t the foggiest idea what you were going to do when I heard you’d come out here alone. I wondered at first if you were taking the money for yourself. But I couldn’t quite believe that. So I figured you had to be either crazy or extremely stubborn.” The sheriff shook his head and chuckled. “Now I see it’s a bit of both.”
“I couldn’t agree more, sir.” Caleb took her hand in his. She pretended offense at his words, but inside she felt only deep gratitude and love for him.
The sheriff sized up Caleb. “Who might you be?”
“The man I love,” Jennie answered with a smile at Caleb. “Mr. Johnson’s also our hired hand and the finest cowboy around.”
The sheriff’s gaze sparked with pleasure at her confession before he turned and swung onto his horse. “I want to get these men to the jail, so let’s load up.”
Jennie climbed onto Dandy, grateful to be heading closer to home, and waited as Caleb mounted Saul. Mr. Fulman volunteered to drive the stage again, and Ellen and Clara piled on the back of two of the deputies’ horses.
With everyone situated, the sheriff waved the stagecoach forward. He and his deputies took up positions on either side while Jennie and Caleb rode at the back. They hadn’t gone far when Caleb yelled for the sheriff to stop.
“What’s wrong?” Jennie asked.
“We forgot Ol’ Phil, the stage driver.”
Caleb rode ahead to tell the sheriff. The entourage headed southwest under Amos’s directions until someone spied the stage driver near a patch of sagebrush.
The sheriff and his men, along with Caleb, went to assess the body while Jennie sat in the saddle, chewing on her thumbnail and praying the man wasn’t dead. Somehow she felt it would be her fault if he was, since she hadn’t intercepted the stage sooner.
Was this the sort of weighty guilt Caleb had carried after Liza’s death? The knowledge he’d tried to fix things—even if he believed it was the wrong way—struck her as ironic. Perhaps his past had made it easier for him to forgive hers. That thought brought a measure of peace to her troubled mind.
When two of the deputies hoisted the man, Jennie saw his lined face contort into a grimace. Gratitude coursed through her. The sheriff made one of the cowhands ride on top of the stage so the driver could be placed inside.
Jennie nudged Dandy next to Caleb and Saul as the whole group started their trek eastward again. “Will the driver be all right?”
“I think so. He got a bullet in the hip and one to the shoulder, but they think the doctor can fix him up. He ought to be driving again before too long, though he may end up with a limp.”
Jennie gave a quick nod and turned away from him. Now that the whole ordeal was almost over, she couldn’t restrain her tears anymore.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve been a fool.” Her voice cracked on a sob, and she had to clear her throat to continue. “I realized that as King’s men
were dragging me back to the cabin and I saw him standing there with his gun. I jeopardized my life, your life and the lives of all these people...” She waved her hand to include those on the stage and those riding beside it. “All because of my stubborn insistence on doing everything myself.”
“Jennie, look at me.”
She regarded his kind face, now furrowed with concern.
“Everything’s going to be fine. Amos is going to heal, the stage driver will, too, and you got the bank’s money back. You’re free to live your life, to do and be whatever you want now.”
Jennie sniffled and rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. “I’m still going to lose the ranch.” She hated how the words tasted on her tongue—full of defeat and pain.
“I love you, Jennie,” he said, prodding his horse closer to hers. “I’m proud of you for doing the right thing.”
She smiled at him through her tears. “Now I just have to find a way to pay back the money I stole by the end of the month.”
“You can start with the money I gave you. Then we’ll just do the best we can to come up with the rest until all of it’s paid back.”
Jennie murmured agreement, grateful he wanted to help, but she didn’t want to use Caleb’s hard-earned money to pay for her mistakes. She hated to think he wouldn’t be able to have his freight business because of her.
“King told me he planned to lay claim to the property once I lost it. I suppose he still can.” Jennie frowned at the thought of such a horrid man taking over her beloved home.
Caleb shook his head. “I think he’s going to be locked up for quite a while.”
“One of his men could still do it for him.” She studied the prairie and the green-flecked mountains on both sides. “Maybe Grandma Jones, Will and I should go up north with you.”
“You mean that?” The hope was unmistakable in his voice.
The events of the past twenty-four hours made the idea of starting over in a new place very appealing. Especially if it meant being close to Caleb. “Do you think you could stand to have us nearby, after today?”