After the Storm: Clean Historical Western Cowboy Romance Novel (Dawson Chronicles Book 2) (10 page)

              “Hmm.  You should have kept me in the battle with you.  We could have found a trench for two,” Hailey said, batting her eyelashes at him.

              Art broke into laughter.  “Damn!  You’re right!  I shoulda.  I’d have kicked Dwyer out, too.”

              “Told you,” she said.

              “See?  That’s what I mean.  Don’t tell me you don’t know how to flirt.”  He was glad to see her confidence returning. 

              “Thanks, Art.”

              “For what?”

              “Making this easier and for making me feel better about myself,” she said, meeting his eyes.

              “My pleasure.  I’ll start her up,” he said, getting out.

              In a few short minutes, they arrived in camp and parked behind her house.  When they got out, Art took her hand and it felt natural to Hailey.  His hand was strong and it felt nice wrapped around hers.

              Art chuckled.

              “What?” Hailey asked.

              “I was just remembering that handshake you gave me when you jumped down in our trench.  I had no clue you were a woman.  I thought you were just a young kid.  It’s no wonder you fooled everyone,” he said.  “But I like holding your hand this way better.”

              “Me, too,” Hailey said.

              He shook her hand a little.  “So are you gonna teach me how to snare rabbits tomorrow morning?”

              “If you want me to.”

              “I want you to.  Same time as today?”

              “Yeah.”

              He raised her hand, giving the back of it a quick kiss.  “Goodnight, soldier,” he said, mounting his horse.

              “Goodnight.”

              She watched Art ride across the clearing to the trail that would take him to the Benson ranch. 

*****

              Art hadn’t gotten too far before he heard someone call his name.  He stopped his horse and turned around.  Hailey jogged in his direction.

              “What are you doing?” he asked.

              Hailey gathered her courage.  “I didn’t get my friendly kiss goodnight.”

              “I didn’t get mine, either.”

              “I think we should fix that, Corporal Perrone.”

              “I think you’re right,” he said, dismounting.

              Hailey didn’t allow herself to think about what she was doing.  She just put her arms around Art’s neck and pressed her lips to his.  When he cupped the back of her head lightly and held her in place, she stiffened a little and then relaxed when he softly stroked her cheek with his thumb. 

              Art ended the kiss in increments and looked into her eyes.  “That was some friendly kiss, Dwyer.”

              “I’ll say.”

              He smiled and stepped back from her.  “You better get back before your pa thinks I kidnapped you.”

              Hailey arched an eyebrow.  “I don’t need permission to go anywhere or do anything.”

              “Yeah, yeah.”

              As he rode away, Art was glad that she couldn’t see the broad grin on his face, but if he’d have been looking back at her, he would have seen the same grin on hers.

              Renee smiled to herself as she closed her apartment door after kissing Tim goodnight.  She locked it and picked up Romeo when he came to her.  It was now almost the end of April and the past month had been magical.  Tim was everything a woman dreamed about.  She kept scolding him about it, but he spoiled her terribly and he wouldn’t stop.  They had so much fun together and he made her feel cherished. 

              She pet and played with Romeo as she changed for the night.  Then she went to the kitchen to fix some tea.  The cook stove was only lukewarm, so she stirred up the coals and put on some small pieces of wood that would catch fire quickly.  Tim always made sure to bring an armload of wood up with him whenever he came.  He did little things like that for her all the time.

              Someone knocked on her door and she chuckled.  Tim sometimes came back like that for one more kiss goodnight or just to tell her something he’d forgotten.

              She opened the door.  “What is it this ti—” 

              Her smile died when she found herself facing two men with what looked like pillowcases over their heads.  She tried to close the door on them, but the first one caught the door and shoved it open, knocking her backwards forcefully.  Renee tripped over the shoes she’d kicked off when she’d arrived home.  She stumbled and went down.  Immediately, she tried to scramble to her feet, but her nightgown hampered her movements. 

              A hard kick to her ribs flipped her over and she screamed.  It was cut short when one of the attackers cracked her across the face.  Then the man roughly grabbed her face, squeezing it hard.

              “Ready for some fun, sweetheart?” he asked.

              “No.  No.  Please don’t,” she said.  “Please leave.”

              “Well, you have good manners, but we’re not going anywhere just yet.”

              Her face and ribs ached, but Renee’s strong spirit rose and she decided that this wasn’t going to happen without a fight. 

              “I asked nicely,” she said before boxing him hard on both ears at the same time.

              She hadn’t spent so much time around the Lakota without learning a few things.  Although she wasn’t a proficient fighter, she was strong from the sort of work she did, and her anger gave her added strength.  The man cried out in pain and Renee struggled out of his grasp.  If she could just get to the kitchen and grab a knife she might have a chance.

              She made it to her feet before the other man tackled her, bringing her back down to the floor with him.  He flipped her over and hit her several more times until she almost lost consciousness.  Renee lost track of time after that and wished more than anything that she had passed out.  Finally her torment ended and blackness eventually claimed her.

*****

              Tim whistled as he jogged up the stairs to Renee’s apartment the next morning.  He was going to surprise her by cooking her breakfast before she went to work and he carried a grocery bag with him.  Reaching her door, he rapped on it.

              “Good morning, Snuggle Bunny.  Your chef has arrived,” he called through the door.  When she didn’t come to the door, he knocked again.

              He heard Romeo let out a squall and smiled.  “Go get your mama, Romeo.  Did she oversleep?”  He knocked louder, but there was still no answer.  “Renee!”  She was always still home at that hour, so he thought it was odd that she didn’t answer.

              He tried the knob and found the door unlocked, which was also strange.  She always kept the door locked.  Opening the door slightly, Tim called out again, but still no answer.  Then he saw her foot peeking around the doorway into the kitchen and the hair on the back of his neck rose in alarm.

              “Renee?”  He hurried to the kitchen and almost went down when he slipped on blood. 
Renee’s blood.
  “Oh, God,” he said, as he looked at her. 

              Her nightgown was torn and bloody and it seemed as though she was battered everywhere.  He thought for sure that she was dead, but as he knelt next to her, he heard her take a breath. 

              “It’s ok, honey.  I’m gonna get you help.  I’ll be right back,” he said before rushing downstairs.  Sawyer wasn’t at his shop yet, so Tim ran out into the street, ramming right into Lyla Samuels.  He grabbed her by the shoulders.  “Lyla, go to the telegraph office and call the hospital.  Renee’s been attacked.  Have the doctors come and then call Mitch.  Go!  Hurry!”

              Lyla didn’t question him, taking off down the street as Tim ran back upstairs.  He knelt next to Renee.  He didn’t know where to touch her, so he stroked her hair. 

              “I’m here.  It’s Tim.  Help is coming.  Hold on, Renee.” 

He ran into the parlor, snatching a quilt from the sofa and covering her with it.  God only knew how long she’d lain there and it was chilly in the apartment now.  Not caring if he got blood on himself, Tim lay down beside her, putting the quilt over the both of them to trap his body heat so that she would warm up that much quicker.

The whole time he waited for help to come, Tim talked to her, urging her to stay with him and telling her that it would be all right.  It felt like forever, but it was only a matter of perhaps ten minutes before he heard multiple people on the stairs.

“Careful!” he shouted.  “There’s blood there.  Don’t slip on it.”

Sheriff Mitch Taylor’s face came into view as Tim looked at the kitchen doorway.

“I’m keepin’ her warm.  She’s been attacked and she’s hurt really bad.  I don’t know how long she’s been here,” Tim said.

“Ok, son,” Mitch said calmly. 
Good God,
he thought, looking at Renee.  A couple of doctors are on their way.  It’s good that you’re keeping her warm.”

“I came to make her breakfast like I sometimes do and she didn’t answer the door.  She always answers.  When she didn’t, I tried the door and came in.  That’s when I saw her.  I went to get help right away and sent Lyla.”

“Ok, Tim,” Mitch said as more people arrived.  He moved back as Marcus came to the kitchen.  “He’s been keeping her warm.  I don’t know what you’re going to find.”

Marcus nodded curtly as he took in the scene before him.  He saw the blood on the floor and the condition of Renee’s face and clenched his teeth.  “Tim, you did real good, but I need to get in there to assess her, ok?”

Tim nodded and pulled the quilt off her.  Marcus barely suppressed a gasp.  He traded spots with Tim and knelt beside her, listening to her heart and lungs to determine if there was any fluid buildup.  Her heartbeat was a little sluggish, but not as much as he’d feared and her lungs were clear. 

Marcus gently went over her, checking for broken bones that would need to be stabilized before they moved her.  Finding none, he motioned for his nephew and fellow doctor, Mike Samuels, to come in with a stretcher.  Carefully, they put her on it and covered her with several blankets.  The doctors’ eyes met, the same anger reflected in each gaze.

Slowly, they carried her downstairs, putting her in Flynn Booker’s hearse.  Dawson didn’t have a dedicated ambulance at the time, so the hearse doubled as an ambulance, as was done by many communities at the time.  Marcus climbed in with her and Flynn slowly pulled out onto the road. 

Tim had ridden one of their horses into town and he mounted up, urging the stallion after the hearse.

*****

              By this time, the rest of the Kellers had been alerted and they were waiting when Renee was brought in.  It took several people to keep them back so they could get Renee to the accident room.

              Marcus stayed behind a moment to talk to the family.

              “I know you’re worried sick right now, but you have to let us do our jobs, folks,” he said kindly.  “We’re gonna take good care of her and either Mike or myself will come out just as soon as we can.”

              Hope felt faint when she saw the blood on Marcus’ white doctor’s coat.  He’d run out of the hospital without his overcoat.  Switch put an arm around her when he saw her turn white.

              “It’s ok, honey,” he said.  “Marcus and Mike will help her.”

              Marcus kissed Hope’s forehead and patted Switch’s shoulder.  “That’s right.  Just hang in there.  You, too, Skip.”

              Skip nodded, tears sliding down his face.  Switch guided Hope to a row of wooden chairs and sat down with her.

              “Justin, come here,” he said, patting the chair on the other side of him.  When Skip sat down, Switch put his other arm around his son.  “Now listen, you two.  Renee is a strong girl and she’s gonna make it through this.  We have to be strong, too, so we can help her.  She’s in the best of care right now.  Ok?”

              Both of them nodded and gained strength from him.  For his family’s sake, Switch combatted the panic that gnawed at him.  They needed him and he wasn’t going to let them down by going off the deep end.

              Tim came running into the lobby, saw them, and changed direction.  “Any news yet?  No, of course not.  They just got here.  Sorry,” he said, sitting down.

              “What happened, Tim?” Switch asked, eyeing his bloody sack coat and shirt.

              Tim told them but left out the more disturbing details, figuring that it wouldn’t do them any good.  Looking down at himself, he realized why Hope couldn’t look at him.

              “Oh, God.” 

He went over to the desk and asked Polly if he could use the telephone to call home.  He asked Lacey to bring him a change of clothes.  In the meantime, Polly gave him a clean sleeping shirt normally given to patients.  Tim stepped into the washroom and changed into the sleeping shirt.  Wadding up his clothes, he came out and asked Polly to throw them away.  He never wanted to see them again.

Lacey and Joe showed up and Tim changed into the clothes she brought him.  Lacey sat on the other side of Hope, offering her support and holding her hand.  There wasn’t much for them to do but wait.  Tim sat silently, staring off into space, trying not to see Renee’s battered form in his mind, but it was impossible.

He didn’t realize that he was crying until he felt a hand on his arm and looked over to see his father sit down beside him.  Joe put an arm around him and hugged him.  Tim stayed there for a moment before his stomach rebelled and he ran outside, getting sick on the little lawn.  Joe had followed him.

“Oh, Daddy, it was so horrible!  And there wasn’t much I could do.  I tried to keep her warm, but I couldn’t touch her.  I didn’t know where to because I didn’t want to hurt her,” Tim said.  “She has to be ok, Daddy.  She just has to be.  I love her and I can’t lose her.”

Joe succeeded in stopping Tim’s pacing and hugged him.  “It’s ok, son.  She’s gonna be all right.  She’s feisty and strong and she’s got a lot of people praying for her.  She’ll pull through.  Those doctors in there working on her are some of the finest doctors in the country as far as I’m concerned and they’ll do everything in their power to make sure she’s all right.”

Tim took a shuddering breath and nodded against Joe’s shoulder before pulling away.  He wiped his tears away and composed himself.  “I’m all right, Daddy,” he said as Sawyer rode up on his horse.

Sawyer jumped down and came over to them.  “How is she?”

“We don’t know yet,” Tim said.

“She’s gonna make it, Tim.  Renee’s as tough as they come,” Sawyer said.  “If she can help break the mayor out of jail, she can pull through this.  I came to help keep Skip calm.”

“What do you mean?” Tim asked.

“Skip’s not like Switch.  It’s never good if he stews too long.  I’m afraid of him trying to find out who did this and going after them.  He and Renee are really close and it’s been hard on Skip not having her around at home much.  He was the same way for a while after Jethro left home.  I don’t want Skip to get hurt, but I also don’t want him to go to jail for murder.  He’s wicked with weapons when he chooses to be,” Sawyer said.  “Hang in there, Tim.”

Tim nodded as Sawyer entered the hospital. 

Joe gripped Tim’s arms.  “Listen to me, Tim.  Under no circumstances do you turn vigilante.  Renee needs you, and you can’t help her if you’re in jail.  I know how you feel because of what happened to Emily.  Had Abe lived, I would’ve been hard pressed not to go after him and put a bullet in his brain.  Let Mitch and the boys do their jobs and don’t interfere.  Your place is here right now.  Understand?”

Tim nodded.  “Yeah, Daddy.  You’re right.”

“Promise me, Tim.”

“I promise.”

“Good.  Now let’s go see if there’s any news.”