His friend, Bobby, who was five years older than Jack, had also lost his family. From a young age, Bobby had worked with his father building houses and wanted to continue the business. When they were young men, he and Jack decided to come west and make a new start. Their venture had grown slowly, but with the new railroad coming through town, they now had more work than they could handle. Jack was considering stepping down as sheriff and helping with the business full time.
Jack asked Kenna about her parents, and she adapted her story to fit the time period, with the plane crash becoming a stagecoach that missed a turn and went off a cliff. As they got to know each other with each passing day, it became more difficult for Kenna to think about leaving. But Jack still hadn't talked about marriage. There'd been no mention of wanting a wife or a family—just short conversations after dinner about what had happened in town that day and a few personal details, and then they would find a private place to make out for an hour or so.
Their routine was becoming comfortable and familiar, and Jack was a good boyfriend. Kenna looked forward to seeing him every day and wanted more than anything to carry this relationship to the next level. She wanted to go to bed with this man each night and wake up with him every morning. It grew harder for her to say goodnight and go their separate ways after they'd been together, but she had no idea if he felt the same way.
He didn't show a lot of emotion, and she couldn't read how he felt when they parted at the end of their evenings together. She knew he was attracted to her, and they got along well and laughed often. However, the subject of marriage and family never came up. He spoke to her about Bobby and how happy he was that his friend had found such a good wife and had two healthy children. But there was no mention of whether or not he hoped for a similar future. She didn't want to be pushy and ask him. He liked to be in control of the relationship, so she knew he would want to be the first to talk about marriage. If that's what he wanted.
Under normal circumstances, the pace of this relationship was moving quickly. If this relationship had started back home, they would have generally only seen each other once or twice per week for at least a couple of months. In Kenna's limited experience, it would take a while before a new boyfriend would want to see her every day. Her relationship with Jack was progressing quickly, and she knew she should be happy. But she was running out of time! These were not normal circumstances.
The day came when the comfortable routine had to end. It had been three weeks, and she knew it was time to make her last journey to the base. She had waited an extra week so that the moon would be full enough to see the trail in the dark. Leaving town before dawn was her only option if she were to avoid questions and the possibility of Jack trying to prevent her from going. She knew that as soon as Pauline found the note she had left, Jack would be informed.
Kenna didn't let herself sleep at all the night before she left because it was too tempting to stay in her warm, cozy bed and sleep late. She lay awake and thought about what she truly wanted. Three weeks ago, she was convinced that going back home to financial security and convenience was her best option. After spending all that time in town with Jack and this new life she was creating, she was seriously doubting her decision.
There was no one crucial waiting for her at home, only an empty apartment and a steady, modest income to look forward to. It would be a comfortable life, but she knew she'd never meet another man like Jack. Convenience was terrific, but she liked the more physical lifestyle of this century. It felt good to be up and moving throughout the day rather than sitting in a cubicle. There were no phones to answer here, and the people communicated face-to-face. There was a feeling of community and connection that she didn't have at home. Was this worth giving up for money? A final decision had to be made today.
When she was sure that everyone had been asleep for a couple of hours, she eased herself out of bed and onto the floor. She knelt down and felt for the loose floorboard under the bed, then cleaned out the few remaining items, just in case she decided to leave for good. There were only a few Advil, a couple of chocolate bars and the empty canteen. She quietly shifted the board back into place as she tried to push away the nagging sadness that fell upon her when she thought about leaving this new life she had built for herself in such a short time. She shook her head, telling herself to keep her mind focused on getting out of town as quickly as possible. She got dressed and snuck out of the boarding house well before dawn.
Kenna moved briskly through the shadows of the sleeping town and saddled Arwen noiselessly. She had waited to leave until Saturday morning because Wyatt usually drank too much at the saloon on Friday nights and didn't get to the barn until noon. She was relieved that he had followed his regular routine this week.
She rode cautiously out of town and then urged Arwen to a canter. They would have to move hastily to get to the base without getting caught. It was a stressful three hours for both horse and rider. Kenna found herself looking over her shoulder during most of the ride, and Arwen was exhausted and heaving by the time they got to the mountain because Kenna had allowed her horse only brief walk breaks.
They were both relieved to get inside the base, where it was cool and they could rest. Kenna rubbed her horse down with a towel and put a blanket on her so she wouldn't catch a chill. She made sure Arwen cooled down, only drank a little water at a time and was comfortably settled in her box stall before she headed to the workstation to start the uplink.
Kenna noticed two cases of her favorite chocolate bars sitting on the launch pad of the time portal. They looked normal and intact. She packed the treats over to the kitchen counter and ripped the cases open to get one of each, then got a can of pop out of the fridge and went to the console to wait for the computers to link.
By the time she had finished her chocolate, there was a loud beep and Arthur appeared on the screen.
"Hey, Kenna! Good to see you. We thought you'd forgotten about us!" he said good-naturedly.
"No, I just had to wait for the moon to get bright enough to allow me to follow the trail before dawn and for the guy who runs the stable to get drunk and pass out for the night. It's getting more difficult to get out of town undetected."
"Yeah, I figured that might happen. It's not normal for a woman to go out riding by herself."
"Uh huh. Especially after people start to get to know you. It's a small town and news travels fast." Kenna rolled her eyes.
"Well, speaking of news, you'll be happy to hear that we've resolved our technical issues. I want to run some more tests, but if all goes well, you can come home today. Our new engineer, Jayden, is ready to come through the portal and take over the base."
Kenna forced a smile as her heart sank. "That's great news," she said, trying to sound enthusiastic but not succeeding.
Arthur raised his eyebrows. "I thought you'd be more excited than that. What's going on with you?"
"I'm happy that you've fixed the portal and that I have the option to go home," she said cautiously. For the last few weeks, she'd been thinking about what she'd do at this moment but the only thing she was certain of was that she wanted to have options.
"Option? What do you mean?"
She looked at the friendly face on the viewing screen. Kenna knew that she had to be very careful how she handled herself. Arthur may look amiable, but he was all business. She had a contract to fulfill and had to negotiate a way to make this work.
"Before I say anything else, I want to assure you that I'll help you with all the tests you need to do and whatever Jayden needs for the jump. I won't leave like Barrett did."
"You want to leave?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure. I really like it here, and I've met someone. I haven't been here long enough to know whether I want to stay or not."
"I see. What do you want?"
Kenna noticed Arthur's fingers flying over his keyboard and flipping a switch. She knew he was informing their boss about this conversation.
"My contract stipulates that I h
ave to find this base, try to get Barrett to come back if possible, get the uplink going, help to make sure the portal works, be replaced by an engineer, and then jump back. If I complete the tests today and Jayden successfully jumps to the base and takes over, then my contract is fulfilled. Except for my return."
"That's right. You'll have done everything required by your contract."
"Right. Is it possible for me to return to the town for a few months, and then if things don't work out, head back here and jump home? Can you give me some time?" Kenna fought to keep her voice from wavering with all of the emotions she was feeling.
"Let's get the testing done and Jayden over to you, and then we'll talk about this some more. I've already let Management know what you want to do, and they said they'd get back to me shortly," Arthur said in a noncommittal tone.
"Okay. Let's get started."
As they worked, Kenna's mind raced with possibilities. She knew it would be out of her control if she waited for Jayden to arrive. He would force her through the portal if that was what Management wanted. She had thought long and hard about whether she would be happy about returning to her old life. What were the chances of meeting another man like Jack? She could live out her entire life and never feel such an intense connection again. But if she stayed, would it last? The few women who'd admitted to feeling this rush of emotions never regretted it. No matter how much it hurt when the relationship ended. It was always worth it.
Kenna did what she was told as Arthur walked her through the tests, but her head was not in it. What should she do? She could finish the tests, then run to Arwen and ride back to town tonight. Would someone from her time come after her? She doubted it. The engineers assigned to a base were highly trained scientists, and the lab wouldn't want to risk their lives to track down someone like her. She was expendable. They hadn't even sent anyone to track down Barrett. She knew that she had to make sure Jayden made it safely to this time and she wouldn't abandon him if he needed help.
It was early evening before they were done with the testing and it was time for the engineer to make the jump.
"Before Jayden comes through," she said, "I need to go to the bathroom and grab something to eat. I'm feeling a bit light-headed. And I should check on my horse too. I rode her really hard to get here this morning."
Arthur smiled slightly. It wasn't the friendly smile that he'd worn when they were working together. He looked suspicious. "You aren't going to run away, are you?"
"No. I gave you my word that I wouldn't. I was up before dawn and haven't had a break, so I'm tired. I'm just being practical. If something goes wrong with the jump, I want to have a clear head."
"Yeah, sorry, Kenna. I kind of forgot that you've had a long day. Go ahead and take an hour to yourself. We'll get Jayden ready on this side."
"Sounds good. Thanks, Arthur." She tried to look calm as she leaned over to the screen and turned it off. She kept the uplink going, but she could no longer see them. She was pretty sure they had cameras in the room somewhere, though. She had to look as normal as possible.
She went to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face. Could she do this?
Kenna went to Arwen's box stall and saddled and bridled her horse. She didn't think there would be cameras in there. If there were, she would say that she had gotten ready to leave just in case they approved her request. Her horse was ready to go, now it was her turn. She hadn't changed out of her riding clothes, and she looped her gun belt over the saddle horn, then gently eased the gun out of the holster and tucked it in the back of her pants and under her shirt, which she had untucked when she arrived at the station. The gun was well hidden.
She wandered casually back to the kitchen, always aware that her every move was likely being watched. She washed her hands, got a can of pop from the fridge, boiled water for instant noodles, and grabbed a couple of chocolate bars. Kenna put her food on the coffee table and sat down carefully on the couch, mindful of the gun. She turned on the big screen and watched the latest newsfeed as she ate her meal slowly. With a twinge of disappointment, she realized that she should have shoved some chocolate bars in her saddlebag. Oh, well, she'd eaten four today. That was a respectable binge. But no more of her favorite chocolate after today. She hoped she wouldn't live to regret it!
"You're as good as your word!" Arthur said as she flipped on the video screen. He walked her through the process of getting the portal ready.
"So, have you heard anything from Management?" Kenna asked, successfully sounding neutral.
"No, nothing yet. Jayden's ready to go."
Kenna knew what that meant. She got ready too.
She heard the loud hum of the portal and felt the slight vibration under her feet. The humming increased and a puff of condensation blew up from the portal, then Jayden came stumbling off the platform.
Kenna grabbed his arm and steadied him as she guided him to the couch. She let him sit for an hour or so to regain his senses and make sure he was all right, handing him some ginger ale and crackers to help his stomach calm down. Arthur had asked her to keep the screen on and the uplink going for a few hours after the jump, in case her new arrival needed help. She knew this was unnecessary; any problems would be identified in the first hour.
She smiled at Jayden as they made small talk, then she told him casually that she was going to check on her horse again. He nodded as he slowly nibbled on a cracker. He didn't question her and seemed to be quite happy just to sit and recover from the jump.
She got up from the couch and walked slowly to the front of the station so she wouldn't arouse suspicion. It didn't work! The unsteady shuffle of footsteps on the concrete floor rapidly moved behind her. Kenna turned quickly and pulled out the loaded gun from the back of her pants. Jayden was only twenty feet away from her! Her heart skipped a beat and adrenaline raced through her body. She couldn't falter now! Kenna knew that the next few minutes would determine the rest of her life and remembered to breathe. As Jayden took a hesitant step toward her, she regained her composure.
"Back up. Move back to the couch." She indicated the sofa with the nose of her gun. "I won't kill you, but I'll definitely wound you if you try to stop me." Kenna suddenly realized that she really would shoot him if she had to.
"You won't shoot me, Kenna. Be reasonable. I'm just doing my job. My contract says that I'll get you back through the portal." She could tell he was trying to sound friendly. She also knew he was deadly serious and had bonus money riding on her return.
"I've fallen in love. I'll do anything to get back to him. You know that love drives people to do crazy things. Is it worth it to get shot over this?"
"Come on. You'll go back to your old life and forget all about this guy. You've only been here for, what? Just over a month? As soon as the rush is over, he'll just be another guy. And you'll have ruined your life! It's not worth it, Kenna. Think about this."
"I have thought about it. It is worth it! I'm not wasting any more time. Back up!" she said. "I mean it, Jayden. I'm serious."
She must have convinced him that she meant business because he backed slowly toward the couch. "Crazy bitch. You'll be sorry!"
"Maybe. We'll see!"
Kenna kept the gun trained on Jayden as she grabbed Arwen's reins and retreated through the door of the station. She quickly mounted her horse and fled into the night, back to town. Back to Jack.
11
Kidnapped
Kenna opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry, and if only the unrelenting pounding in her head would stop! She saw two large shapes sitting at a table, heard talking and a shuffling sound. Cards? Were they playing cards? She couldn't make out what they were saying. Then the room began to spin, and her vision narrowed as she drifted back into unconsciousness.
When she awoke again, the pounding in her head had mercifully subsided to a dull ache. She became aware of a loud noise that she identified as a man snoring. She opened her eyes, and it took her a few minutes to adjust to the darkness. The co
ol, bright glow of moonlight shone through a window on the adjacent wall. She had left town three days before the full moon, so she hadn't been here long.
Kenna was lying on the floor on her side with her hands and feet bound by a thick, bristly rope that ran through a metal ring fastened to the wall with a spike. She wiggled her hands and feet in an attempt to free herself, but every movement seemed to tighten her bindings. She examined the rough wooden floor and wall for anything sharp to cut with. Nothing. As she slowly realized the gravity of her situation, she had the grim thought that this likely wasn't the first time someone had been tied up here. She felt a cold chill run up her spine and tried to control the growing feeling of panic.
She looked tentatively at her surroundings and noted that she was in the corner of a kitchen in a log house. The house was one big room with two beds pushed up against the far wall to serve as a bedroom. Each had a dresser beside it. The only other furniture was a large kitchen table and four chairs. All of the furniture was sturdy and obviously handmade. Several oil lanterns stood on the floor ready for use. Maybe she should try to knock one over and start a fire. If she could somehow get to a horse, she might be able to run away. She'd have to wait for an opportunity—if they, whoever they were, untied her.
Kenna lay awake for the rest of the night, thinking about how she'd gotten into this predicament. It had all happened so fast. She remembered backing out of the door of the base and racing down the mountain trail on Arwen in the twilight. She had decided to veer off into the trees and follow a stream for a while in case Jayden tried to track her. The water was shallow, and her horse had navigated the rocks safely enough. Any trace of Arwen's footsteps had been quickly washed away. They'd been picking their way along the stream for a half an hour or so when she saw two saddled horses drinking from the stream. She hadn't noticed them immediately because she was too busy looking behind her to see if she was being followed. They were about a half a mile away, and at first, she didn't think anyone had seen her.
Sheriff's Desire: Time-Travel (Escape To The Wild West Book 1) Page 8