Ain't No Angel (28 page)

Laney swallowed. “You’re right, Gabe. I have no idea what you’re talking about. You sent for a mail order bride for Tyler, so here I am.”

Gabe laughed again. “Well, you see, Mrs. Monroe, therein lies the problem. I never sent for a mail order bride. My letter went to a whorehouse in Philadelphia, asking for one of the whores to come west and marry a prominent rancher.”

Laney’s eyes widened. “You wanted Tyler to marry a prostitute? Why?”

“Took me a while to figure out why you were acting all proper like. At first, it looked like you were doing just fine, going right along with what I told you in my letter, but after a while, you started acting like a decent woman. We had a deal. I had it all worked out before that horse race ever took place. You ruined my plans, Laney.”

“You’re crazy, you know that? What sick joke are you playing?” Laney’s jaw dropped. Rage consumed her when his words registered in her mind. “You planned for this before Rap lost his race, didn’t you? That means that . . . you’re the one who injured that stallion. Why would you do something like that?”

She continued to squirm and pull back against his tight grip on her. Her voice rose in anger with each word she uttered. None of this was making sense to her. This man was Tyler’s brother. The two of them were close friends. Why would he play such a sick joke, and hurt an animal on top of that?

“My plan is to make Tyler’s life as miserable as possible,” Gabe sneered.

Laney shook her head and closed her eyes. None of this made sense to her. Before she could speak, Gabe continued.

“When I heard that conversation between you and the reverend, it finally became clear to me why you weren’t upholding your end of the bargain. I always wondered how you knew him when you first came here. He’s not exactly what he seems, is he? He’s hardly ever around. Your strange conversation that you come from another time was quite interesting. You ain’t here because of me. That reverend is the one who sent you here, ain’t he? You didn’t come from back east. Tell me, Laney, does Tyler know? Have you told him that you are from another . . .  time?”

Laney glared at him. What should she tell him? Gabe chuckled, and rubbed at his chin. “I had my doubts, actually. Sort of hard to believe, ain’t it? Traveling though time seems like a farfetched idea. I had to think on it a lot after I heard you talking to the reverend. I’m still not sure what to believe, but judging by the look on your face, I’m guessing it must be true.”

“There seem to be a lot of things that Tyler is unaware of around here,” Laney said between clenched teeth, for lack of something better to say. “It’s about time that he gets clued in about everything, don’t you think?” she challenged. “You also planted that sick colt, didn’t you?”

Her mind raced, trying to understand this man’s animosity toward Tyler. Tyler didn’t like whores, because of his mother. She finally understood what Gabe had been trying to tell her when he mentioned it. He wanted Tyler to marry a whore to make him miserable. Gabe’s rudeness toward her made sense now, but why he would harbor such hatred for Tyler to scheme to ruin him and his ranch was beyond her comprehension.

“It ain’t none of your concern what I did and why.”

“Tyler’s going to find out when he comes home,” Laney threw at him. “I’m tired of lying to him about where I come from, and he deserves to know the truth. He’s also going to find out what you’ve done to his horses, not to mention Ian’s horses.”

Gabe laughed, and pulled her roughly away from the stall.

“Ty ain’t gonna find out anything. You may have ruined my original plans, but this might just work out even better. Tyler is so taken with you, it’ll kill him when you’re gone. And the beauty of it is, no one will ever find you.”

“What the hell are you talking about now?” Laney’s heart hammered in her chest. She squirmed against Gabe’s grip, but she was no match for his size and strength.

“A few weeks ago, you told the reverend to send you back home. You’re going to do exactly that. You’re going to go back to that future time you came from.”

Laney’s jaw dropped. “No, I won’t. I made up my mind that I’m staying here. I don’t even know how to get home.”

“I’m sure the good reverend knows of a way. If you don’t, well, lots of things can go wrong on a horse drive. Men have been known to get killed.”

Tyler’s words echoed in Laney’s mind. These drives were dangerous, and accidents happened all the time.

“Are you threatening me, Gabe?” She glared at him with what she hoped was anger in her eyes, rather than the rising fear that enveloped her. She couldn’t allow him to see the panic that raced through her. He was consumed with anger. There was no telling what a madman would do.

“Barn fires can kill a person, too.” He leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

“You set that barn on fire?” Her eyes widened, then her forehead furrowed. She shook her head. “But you helped Tyler get the horses out. You told him I was in there.”

Laney stared up into the face of a desperate man. Although he acted crazy, and had given her the creeps over the weeks she’d known him, she’d never considered him dangerous.

“I hadn’t planned on you being in that barn, Laney. But you’ve interfered enough. I’m going to bring Tyler to his knees one way or the other, and you’re going to help me, just like I intended all along.”

“I’m not going to help you, and you can’t force me back to the future.” She glared at him. She had finally found happiness. How could it all end like this, so abruptly?

“If you want Tyler to come back from his delivery alive, you’ll do exactly that,” Gabe sneered. “We’re going to ride into town, and you’re going to tell the good reverend to send you home. I’ve already got your mare saddled. No one’s gonna come to help you. I’ve got Sammy and Eddie patrolling the north fence today. They ain’t gonna be back until sundown.”

He shoved her roughly toward the barn door. Laney dug in her heels, dragging straw and dirt along the ground.

“I’ve never struck or otherwise hurt a woman, Laney,” Gabe warned in a deep and quiet tone. “My momma taught me better than that.”

“Well then I guess you’re going to have to now,” she challenged, glaring at him. “If you think I’m just going to come with you because you say so, you’re dead wrong.”

Gabe’s jaw clenched. He yanked her up against his solid chest. “If you want Tyler to come home safely, I suggest you do exactly as I say. If something happens to him, it’ll be in your hands.”

Laney swallowed. His features gave no indication that he was bluffing. His eyes, so much like those of the man she loved, reflected no emotion.

“You can go back to your time or wherever it is you came from without making a fuss, or your man ain’t comin’ back alive,” Gabe continued, driving home his point. “Either way, the two of you ain’t gonna stay together. When we get to town, you’re going to march into that church, and you’re going to tell the good reverend to do whatever it is he needs to do in order to send you away.”

Laney swallowed back the apprehension in her throat. Could she risk Tyler’s life? She had no choice but to believe Gabe’s warning. Reluctantly, she nodded her head, then bit her lower lip. Bile rose in her throat at the thought of what she had to do to ensure the safety of the man she loved.

Chapter 26

Tyler’s gaze roamed the valley below him. The ranch buildings that sprawled out before him were the most welcome sight he’d seen in months. His pulse increased with anticipation, almost as much as it had the first time he’d caught a glimpse of his wife stepping off that stage in Landry. His eyes lingered on the house. Laney would be waiting for him. He couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms. The last eight days had been the longest of his life.

Tyler patted Charlie’s neck, and guided the weary gelding down the slope toward his home. Beau and the rest of his wranglers had stopped in town for a drink at the saloon. They had been paid well, and needed to celebrate a successful horse drive and sale.

In hindsight, Tyler wished he had taken the time to stop at the bathhouse and wash away the dust and smell of eight days on the trail, but the desire to return home had overruled his rational thinking. He smiled. Laney would forgive him for looking and smelling worse than if he’d fallen into a hog pen. He only wanted one quick kiss, then he’d go clean up. If she didn’t forgive him, well, there were ways to make her come around.

He chuckled. If his charms didn’t work, surely the new pair of britches he’d bought her at the mercantile in Bozeman would make her forgive his indiscretion. The proprietor had told him that he needed a larger size, and Tyler had almost said that the britches were for his wife, but caught himself just in time. He’d eyed several of the dresses and fancy underclothes on display, but he was certain that Laney would appreciate a pair of britches more than anything frilly or fancy he could ever buy.

Although his horse had to be worn out from the many miles they’d covered, Charlie’s strides quickened the closer they came to the house. The gelding was as eager as he was to get home.

The bunkhouse door opened the moment he rode into the yard. Eddie darted out, his large frame moving faster than Tyler had ever seen him move. The wrangler ran a few paces from the building, then stopped. Even from a distance, the stricken look on his face was visible. Tyler frowned, and his heart sped up inexplicably. Something was wrong.

Tyler dismounted his horse, and loosened the cinch on the saddle.

“Tyler, am I ever glad to see you,” Eddie panted. “We wasn’t expecting you back for another day.”

“What’s wrong?” Tyler glared at the burly man, then his eyes roamed the yard. Everything looked to be in order. His gaze lingered on the house. Laney hadn’t come out to greet him, as he expected her to.

“Well, ah . . . Tyler.” Eddie pulled his hat from his head, and gripped it tightly in front of him. He didn’t look at him.

“Spill it, Eddie. What’s going on?” Apprehension flooded him. Had something else happened to his horses while he was away?

“It’s Miz Laney, Tyler.” Eddie’s eyes nearly bulged from their sockets when he met Tyler’s stare. “She’s gone missing.”

“What?” Tyler roared. The blood drained from his head, and his pulse drummed fiercely in his ears.

“What the hell do you mean, missing?”

“No one’s seen her in five days. Gabe and Sammy are out looking for her again. They told me to stay here in case you came home.”

Laney was missing. Impossible. She wouldn’t up and leave. A multitude of thoughts raced through his mind. She was happy here. He’d made sure he’d made her happy, dammit! She hadn’t wanted him to go to Fort Ellis. He refused to believe she’d just up and left.

The hazy image of his mother swam before his eyes, coupled with his distraught father, after she’d simply left one day. No, dammit! He refused to believe Laney had left like his mother. She was missing. A cold wave of dread and worry doused him. He tossed Charlie’s reins at Eddie, then ran for the house. He pushed the door open, his head darting from the kitchen to the living room, and down the hall. Nothing was out of place in his house. In fact, he’d never seen it cleaner.

He rushed to his room. One quick glance told him what he already knew. Laney wasn’t there. On impulse, he opened the door to his parents’ bedroom. A bucket of dirty water stood in the middle of the floor. Sunlight streaming in through the window illuminated some chards of broken glass on the ground, making them shimmer like little jewels. Tyler’s forehead wrinkled. He stepped further into the room, his eyes quickly scanning the interior. His gaze fell to the picture frame on the dresser. He’d found the source of the broken glass. Tyler held up the photograph of his parents. That image had been captured around the time his mother disappeared. His father, although unsmiling, still looked content. So did his mother.

Tyler ground his teeth in frustration. Why would a photograph prompt Laney to leave? He set the broken frame back where he’d found it, and rushed out of the house, back to the barns. Riders approached from the east. Tyler headed for the corrals and selected a chestnut gelding. He led the animal from the pen, when Gabe pulled his mount to a stop in front of him.

His face looked as somber as Eddie’s had.

“Eddie told you?” Gabe asked, dismounting his horse.

“Why didn’t you keep an eye on her, Gabe?” Tyler glared at his foreman.

Gabe removed his hat and slapped it against his chaps. “I can’t keep an eye on that woman, Ty.  She does whatever the hell she pleases. I told her not to go off riding while no one was at the ranch. She wouldn’t listen and told me to mind my own business.”

“I trusted you to look out for her.” Tyler’s voice raised in renewed anger and frustration. He refused to believe that Laney left him. Something bad had to have happened to her. Gabe just confirmed that she’d gone off riding. Dammit! He’d specifically told her not to.

“You also told me to keep an eye on the fences. I can’t be in two places at once, Ty. How was I supposed to know that she would make a run for it and leave?”

Tyler’s head snapped toward Gabe. “What makes you think she left? She’s gone off riding before. Have you searched for her?”

“Sammy and I have been over every inch of this ranch. She’s nowhere, Ty. The mare came back the following day.”

Tyler cursed again. He ran a shaky hand through his hair.

“When Beau and the others get back, organize another search party. I’m heading out on my own.”

He had to find her. If she’d been thrown, she was probably hurt, or . . .

Gabe grabbed his arm. The serious expression on his face was so unlike the carefree look he usually wore. “She left the day the stage came through, Ty, and I already asked in town. She wasn’t one of the passengers.”

Tyler yanked his arm away. “Organize that search party, and comb through every inch of this property again,” he said forcefully. He swung his saddle onto the chestnut’s back, and tightened the cinch. Without another glance at his men, he leapt onto the horse’s back, and kicked the gelding into a run.

Tyler raced his horse off the main road toward Ian’s ranch. The older man appeared surprised at the news that Laney had gone missing.

“No one came to tell me, or I would have conducted a search myself,” Ian said. “I’ll get some of my men together, and we’ll comb the hills. How long did you say she’s been gone?”

“Apparently she disappeared two days after I left for Fort Ellis.” Tyler rubbed his hand across his weary eyes.

Coming home to Laney missing was the last thing he ever expected. His insides churned with dread.

“That’s more than five days ago.” Ian shot him a worried look. He didn’t need to say what was on his mind. Five days was a long time. If she had been thrown from her horse and injured, she would probably be dead by now.

Tyler kicked at the dirt on the ground outside Ian’s house. He grabbed for his horse’s reins, and swung up into the saddle.

“Where are you headed?” Ian asked.

“I don’t know.”

Ian grabbed for the reins of Tyler’s horse. “I’ll ride into town, Tyler. You look like you’re about to fall from the saddle. You need rest.”

“I ain’t resting until I find my wife,” Tyler growled.

Ian smiled uneasily. “I’m glad to hear you’re not going to do what your father did, which was allow his anger to take over. But you’re not doing yourself or Laney any favors by running yourself ragged. Go home, and rest. I’ll ride into town and make some inquiries.”

Tyler nodded silently. He couldn’t think straight. He ran a hand over his sweaty face.

“All right,” he conceded quietly. Gabe had already been to town. What would Ian hope to find there, anyhow?

“I’ll ride out to your place if I have any news,” Ian called to him.

Tyler reined his horse in the direction of home, and nudged him in the sides. A sense of loss and helplessness unlike anything he’d ever felt overtook him.

****

Tyler sat on the front porch bench, staring at the sun as it set into the western horizon. The fiery ball cast a golden glow across the valley. He fisted his hands in his lap, his arms trembling as he squeezed his fingers together. He blinked away the moisture in his eyes. This had always been one of Laney’s favorite things to do in the evenings. They would sit on the porch together, hold hands, and watch the sun go down. Her hair would shimmer like spun gold.

 He gritted his teeth. Finally, he ran a shaky hand across his grimy face. He forced his stinging eyes shut, but no matter what he did, the vision of Laney’s face remained right in front of him. His fingers tingled from the memory of her soft skin, and for a moment, he could almost feel her presence sitting next to him, her head on his shoulder. His arm lifted away from his side, ready to wrap it around her, but he was only met with emptiness.

He hadn’t slept in two days. Along with Gabe and the rest of the crew, he had searched non-stop for her all day. His men hadn’t spoken much to him, passing looks of sympathy between each other when they thought he wasn’t looking.

Never in his life had such a feeling of complete helplessness and despair taken over his mind and body. His muscles tensed with the need to strike out at something in frustration. Not knowing where Laney had gone and what had happened to her was killing him. Was she alive? Had she run off like his mother had done so many years ago? Tyler shook his head. No, dammit! She wouldn’t have left him. Why hadn’t he taken her with him to Fort Ellis?

He abruptly rose to his feet. Slamming his fists against the porch rail, he growled in renewed frustration and anguish. He gripped the rail with both hands until his knuckles turned white, and locked his elbows. Leaning forward, he stared off into the distance. Gabe emerged from one of the barns. He stopped and looked his way, then headed for the bunkhouse. Tyler was in no mood to talk to anyone. He needed to be alone with his grief. Grinding his teeth, he turned and headed for his front door. He pushed it open, and was about to step inside, when the sound of hoofbeats caught his ear.

His heart jumped to life in his chest with the irrational thought that Laney had returned and was galloping toward the ranch. Looking up, he spotted a lone rider approach. Ian Frazier. He hadn’t stopped by like he said he would the day before, and Tyler had no expectations that his neighbor brought him any news of his missing wife.

Ian pulled his horse to a stop in front of the porch, and dismounted hastily. He nodded at Tyler, then glanced over his shoulder toward the barns.

“Ian,” Tyler greeted listlessly. His body tensed. He was in no mood for a social visit.

“You look like hell,” Ian remarked, his hard gaze on Tyler’s face.

Tyler’s jaw clenched. “That’s because I’m in hell. What do you want, Ian?”

Frazier’s eyes narrowed. His lips widened in a sympathetic smile. “I have some information for you that you might find interesting.” He stepped onto the porch.

Tyler’s eyebrows furrowed. “What information?” he asked slowly. His pulse pounded in his ears. Had Ian’s men found Laney’s body?