by Connie Mason
"I'm sure Sheriff Diller will straighten everything out when he returns. For now, however, there's little I can do but keep you behind bars."
Suddenly a thought occurred to Jess. It might not work but it certainly was worth pursuing. "Deputy, do you know Mr. Wingate from the bank?"
"Everyone knows Mr. Wingate. He's a mighty important person around here."
"It's imperative that I speak with him. Immediately. Can you send someone to fetch him?"
"If you robbed his bank, how do you know he'll want to talk to you?"
"I don't. But my future is at stake and I'm willing to take that chance. Could you just ask him to come down here? What can it hurt?"
"Nothing, I reckon," Wayland said, sounding not at all convinced, "except I'd hate to interrupt an important man like Wingate at his supper."
Jess gave it one last shot. "I'm not a bank robber, deputy. I'm a doctor."
Wayland stared at Jess a long time. "You sure don't look or act like any bank robber I ever saw," he admitted. "All right, I'll fetch Wingate here myself. But there's nothing I can do if he refuses to come."
"I know, and I thank you for listening to me. I'd appreciate anything you can do to convince Wingate to see me."
Jess plopped down on the hard cot after Wayland left to marshal his thoughts. He had no idea why he'd insisted on seeing Wingate when he was unlikely to change the banker's mind about the robbery. But he couldn't just sit here and do nothing.
Steeped in misery, Jess's morose thoughts continued as his mind turned to Meg, the only bright spot in his otherwise dismal life. The fact that Meg loved and believed in him demanded that he restore his name and reputation and clear his record of the crime he did not commit. He wanted to settle down with Meg, raise their children, and use his medical skills to help people. Was that asking too much?
Minutes lengthened into a half hour. Just when Jess gave up all hope of challenging Wingate face to face, the door opened. His spirits fell when he saw Wayland enter alone, then hope was restored when Wingate appeared in the doorway. Wayland immediately unlocked the cell door and swung it open.
"You're free to go, Gentry. Mr. Wingate will explain everything to you. If the sheriff was here this wouldn't have happened. I hope you understand that I was simply doing my duty."
Jess took a tentative step beyond the cell door and stopped, as if fearing this was all a hoax, that he'd be thrust back into the tiny cell if he tried to leave.
"It's all right, Gentry," Wingate said, motioning him forward. "I explained everything to the deputy. There was no bank robbery. I lied. Sheriff Diller is aware of the whole fiasco and how it came about."
Still unable to believe he was a free man, Jess followed Wingate from the cell area into the sheriff's office. He didn't let himself hope this was for real until Wayland unlocked the desk drawer and handed him his gunbelt and guns.
"I really am a free man?" Jess asked skeptically. "What about my brothers?"
"This needs to be discussed in private," Wingate said. "Come to my house and I'll explain everything over a snifter of brandy."
Jess strapped on his guns and followed Wingate out into the cool night air. What he really wanted was to find Meg and tell her his good news, but he was owed an explanation before he could put this matter behind him. And he needed to know that his brothers were no longer wanted men.
Wingate's home was only a short walk away. Wingate ushered him inside and led him to a room Jess assumed was a study. Wingate said nothing as he poured brandy for both of them and asked Jess to have a seat. Jess sat down in a comfortable leather chair, but he was far from relaxed. Wingate handed him the brandy and took a chair behind the desk.
Jess sipped appreciatively, letting the smooth liquid slowly roll down his throat. "Good stuff," he said. "Now about that explanation."
"Have you seen your brother, Rafe, recently?" Wingate asked.
"Not since we left Dodge with the posse breathing down our necks."
"Then you don't know he turned up in Dodge a month or so ago with his wife. That wife of his is some woman."
Surprised, Jess splashed brandy on his lap. "Rafe is married?"
"That's right, and she's quite a woman. Her name is Angela. She's a missionary or evangelist of some kind."
Jess gave a hoot of laughter. "Rafe married a woman with a religious calling! That's rich. Are you sure you're talking about my brother, Rafe Gentry?"
"Very sure. Rafe was in jail here, awaiting trial. Mrs. Gentry pleaded with me to tell the truth about the bank robbery." He gave Jess a sheepish look. "I refused, of course. But she wouldn't give up and finally enlisted the help of my daughter."
Delia helped Rafe's wife clear up this travesty of justice?"
Wingate took a long sip of brandy. "Delia didn't know I'd tried to blackmail you and your brothers into marrying her. She set me straight about her feelings on the subject. By the way, Delia is married now, to the father of her child."
"So you finally admitted the truth," Jess said bitterly. "Had you done that from the beginning, none of this would have happened. Does Sam know?"
"Not to my knowledge. Do you know where he can be reached?"
"No, and I'm sure Rafe doesn't either. What about our farm?"
"I'm sorry. The bank repossessed it and I gave it to Delia and her husband as a wedding gift. They love the farm and are restoring to it's former productiveness. There's no way I can restore it to your family."
"What did Rafe have to say about that?"
"He didn't seem troubled by it. He and his wife own a gold mine near Canyon City, Colorado, where they intend to settle down."
"What about those wanted posters in circulation?" Jess asked.
"Sheriff Diller took care of everything. He saw to it that they were removed from circulation, but he couldn't guarantee one hundred percent success. He gave Rafe a document absolving him of the crime. He'll probably do the same for you."
"If you hadn't lied, we wouldn't have been pursued by the law," Jess charged angrily. "Do you have any idea what it feels like being pursued by the law? All I wanted to do after the war was practice medicine and settle down. Because of you, I was able to do neither of those things."
"I'm not proud of what I did, but you'll better understand my motives when you're a father. The thought of Delia having a baby out of wedlock completely unstrung me."
"I can't say I'll ever forgive you, but perhaps I'll understand when I have a child of my own. At least I know Rafe is safe. Now all I have to worry about is Sam. Lord knows what he's up to."
"How can I make it up to you?" Wingate asked. "Do you need money, or..."
Jess's lips flattened. "I don't want a damn thing from you. I left a thriving practice in Cheyenne, and I intend to return to it as soon as possible. I also have a woman I love beyond all reason. We'll be wed soon."
"Then I wish you good luck," Wingate said, holding out his hand.
Jess ignored Wingate's extended hand. "Good night, Wingate. I'm going to find my fiancée now."
After the way Wingate had disrupted the Gentry brothers' lives, shaking hands with the man was too much to ask. All Jess wanted now was Meg. He needed to hold her, to tell her they were free to live their lives without interference. A home, a viable practice, and family were no longer just dreams, and it felt damn good.
"I'm sorry," Wingate repeated as he saw Jess out the door. "I nearly lost my wife and daughter because of my pride, and that fabricated bank robbery. If Rafe hadn't returned to Dodge to clear his name, I might have let the lie continue."
No answer was forthcoming. Jess was anxious now to get away from Wingate and all he represented. The door closed behind him and he strode purposely out the front gate. Then he stopped, suddenly aware that he had no idea where to look for Meg. Obviously she had gotten herself a room for the night, but where? Dodge sported several boardinghouses and hotels.
Jess knew Meg wasn't hurting for money, so he figured she'd probably head for a decent hotel instead of one of
the rundown boardinghouses usually found on a side street. Using his prior knowledge of Dodge City, Jess decided to try the best hotel first and work his way down. The Dodge House was at the top of his list.
Jess's steps were light and springy as he continued down the street. He felt as if an immense load had been lifted from his shoulders, and he supposed Rafe had felt the same. If only he knew where to find Sam. Thank God they had all agreed to meet in Denver in a few months, so they could share their experiences and assure one another of their survival.
The lobby of the Dodge House was quiet this time of the evening. Jess walked up to the desk. The haughty clerk took one look at Jess's rumpled clothing and bristly chin and sniffed disdainfully.
"This is a high class hotel. Our rooms aren't cheap. If you like, I can direct you to a more modestly priced establishment."
"That won't be necessary," Jess said, hanging on to his temper by a slim thread. "Did a young woman named Meg Lincoln check in here today?"
The clerk looked down his nose at Jess. "I'm sorry, we don't give out information about our guests."
"Miss Lincoln is my fiancée. I was to meet her here," Jess returned shortly.
"I'm not allowed..."
At the end of his patience, Jess grasped the clerk's lapels and pulled him over the counter until they were nose to nose. "I'm asking politely," he all but snarled. "Tell me if a Miss Lincoln is registered here or you won't not like the consequences."
The clerk's eyes widened and he swallowed, his Adam's apple moving convulsively as his arms flailed helplessly at his sides. Suddenly he spotted someone behind Jess and made a squawking sound that could have been a plea.
"What's going on here?"
Slowly Jess let the clerk slip from his grasp, then whirled to identify the intruder.
"This man is doubtlessly demented," the clerk complained in a voice two octaves higher than normal. "He belongs in jail, deputy."
"Howdy, Mr. Gentry," Deputy Wayland said, touching the brim of his hat. "I was just making my rounds and happened to look in. What's the problem?"
"No problem," Jess said through clenched teeth. "When I ask a civil question and expect a civil answer."
"I can't give out information about our guests," the clerk insisted.
"I was merely inquiring about my fiancée," Jess retorted. "She may have checked in here."
"And I said..."
"Tell Mr. Gentry what he wants to know," Wayland ordered. "I can see no harm in that."
"You know this man?" the clerk inquired, obviously surprised.
"I'm surprised you don't," Wayland said. His name is Jess Gentry, and he's a doctor. He used to live in these parts."
"Gentry. Gentry," the clerk repeated. "You don't mean one of the outlaw Gentrys, do you?"
"That was all a mistake," Wayland explained. "Just tell Gentry if his woman is a guest in your hotel."
Though obviously reluctant, the clerk gave Jess what he was looking for. "A Miss Lincoln checked in here a few hours ago. She's in room 225, second floor, third door on the left."
"Much obliged," Jess muttered, sending the clerk a satisfied look. "You, too, deputy. I'm glad you happened by."
"No problem, Gentry. From what I gather, the law hasn't been good to you and your brothers. Anything I can do to help is little enough for what your family has gone through." He tipped his hat. "Good night and good luck."
Jess spared the clerk a triumphant look as he strode resolutely toward the staircase. In a few scant minutes he'd be with Meg, and all would be right with his world again.
Meg perched on the edge of the bed, tired of pacing but unable to sleep. She'd rehearsed what she intended to say to Mr. Wingate when she'd called on him in the morning at least a dozen times. Her single nagging fear was that her words would fail to move the conscienceless banker.
Weary and distraught, Meg slipped into bed, adjusted her shift, and pulled the blanket over her. Though the bed was the most comfortable she'd occupied in days, she felt a hollowness, a bone-deep loneliness that only Jess could assuage. Would they ever be together again? she wondered dismally. Would they ever obtain that home and those children Jess longed for?
Her hand splayed protectively over her stomach. It was entirely possible that she already carried Jess's child. The signs were all there, if she was reading them correctly. But she couldn't tell Jess. Not yet, anyway. He had enough problems to deal with without her adding to them.
Meg closed her eyes and hunkered down into the blankets, willing sleep to come. She was just starting to doze when she heard someone rapping on the door. Her eyes blinked open and she jerked upright, staring at the door with trepidation. Who would be calling on her at this at time of night?
Gingerly Meg rose, turned up the lamp, and approached the door. "Who is it?" she called through the panel.
"Meg, open up. It's me-Jess."
"Jess! No, it can't be."
"I'm not a ghost, sweetheart. Open the door."
With a cry of gladness, Meg turned the key and flung open the door. Seconds later she was in Jess's arms, absorbing his strength, his warmth, savoring the closeness she despaired of ever having again.
"What happened? Did you break out of jail? We can leave as soon as I get dressed. We'll have to steal horses. Do you have a destination in mind?"
She heard Jess chuckle and she frowned. She saw no reason for levity at a time like this.
"Whoa, love, there's no reason for us to steal horses or skip out of town in the dead of night."
"No reason! Are you loco?" Meg scolded. "How did you break out of jail?"
"I didn't. My brothers and I are free men, love. I can go where I please and no one will stop me."
The breath left Meg's lungs in a great rush of air. "You're free? I don't understand."
"I'll explain everything, but first let me close the door. I want to see you."
Meg didn't want to let him go for fear he'd disappear in a wisp of smoke, but she had no choice when he gently disengaged himself from her arms and firmly closed the door. He turned and stared at her. She heard Jess suck in his breath, suddenly aware that the light behind her rendered her shift transparent, and that Jess was staring at her body through the thin material.
"God, you're beautiful," he said reverently. "You're mine. All mine. Now that I'm free I want so much, Meg. You, children, a home, a practice...I fear I'm asking too much."
"No, you're not," Meg assured him. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and she dashed them away. "I want those things, too. And we're going to have them," she said fiercely. "Nothing will stop us now. Tell me what happened."
Jess eased her down on the bed and sat down beside her. Then he proceeded to tell her how Mr. Wingate came to the jailhouse and verbally cleared him and his brothers of the charges stemming from the bank robbery.
"Wingate said that Rafe's new wife convinced him to tell the truth."
"Rafe is married?" Meg said. "How wonderful for him."
"I can't believe it. He married an evangelist," Jess explained. "Knowing Rafe, it's hard to imagine, but no one knows where he or she will find love. I'll find out the details when we meet in Denver in a few months. I just wish Sam knew he was no longer wanted by the law. It could change the course of his life."
Meg sat in silent contemplation. Would Jess want to settle in Dodge City now that he was a free man? she wondered. She knew he and his brothers owned a farm in the vicinity. Perhaps he had deep feelings for the family property.
"What now, Jess? Where do we go from here?"
"Home," Jess said, grinning.
"Are you referring to your family farm?"
"The farm is gone, love. Sold to Wingate for back taxes. He gave it to his daughter for a wedding gift. From what I gather, Delia and her husband are making a go of it. That's more than my brothers and I were able to do. None of us are farmers at heart. Home is Cheyenne, where I have my practice and you have Zach."
"I was hoping you'd say that," Meg sighed happily.
<
br /> "I'd never separate you from the man you consider your father. I'm going to be blunt, love. Zach isn't a well man. He should enjoy whatever time God grants him."
"My thoughts exactly. When can we leave?"
"We have to wait for the sheriff to return. He gave Rafe a document declaring him innocent of any crime, and I want the same thing."
"I love you so much, Jess Gentry," Meg whispered, snuggling against him. "Are we through talking now? Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "'Cause if we are, I can think of other things we can do."
"Making love to you is the one thought that kept me sane while I was behind bars," Jess said hoarsely. "But I need to wash the stench of jail from my body before I climb into bed with you."
"There's a bathing room down the hall. It should be empty this time of night. Hurry, love, I'll wait for you."
Jess pulled her against him, his kiss ripe with promise as he seized her mouth, stealing the breath from her. When he would have broken off the kiss, Meg clung to him, reluctant to let him go. She never wanted to let go of him again.
"I'll be back," Jess murmured against her lips.
Then he was gone, gently closing the door behind him. Meg slid into bed, anxiously awaiting Jess's return. It couldn't be soon enough for her. Despite her effort to stay awake, Meg succumbed to the drugging pull of sleep before Jess returned.
Jess returned from the bathing room and quietly let himself into the room. He locked the door and turned toward the bed. A sliver of light from the lamp fell across Meg's face. A jolt of disappointment seared through him when he saw that she was sleeping. Sighing regretfully, he shed his clothing and climbed into bed beside her. He took her into his arms and cuddled her close. Scant hours ago he'd feared he'd never experience the pure heaven of holding Meg in his arms again, and if all he could do tonight was hold her, it would be enough for him.
His body had other ideas.
His hand moved of its own volition to her breast. He felt the rapid beating of her heart and the warmth of her body pressing against him and became instantly painfully erect. He groaned when he felt her body move against him and her nipple tauten against his palm. He stroked the tip and a tiny sigh slipped from Meg's throat. The sound made the blood pound in his temples and throb low in his groin. He wanted her naked, wanted her skin against his. With slow deliberation he worked her shift up her legs and over her breasts. When he tried to pull it over her head, she opened her eyes and stared at him.