Jodi Thomas - WM 1 (46 page)
Read Jodi Thomas - WM 1 Online
Authors: Texas Rain
Roy said he’d be back as soon as he could and left. When he was gone, Travis said as calmly as he could, “You shouldn’t have done that.” He’d considered yelling but knew it wouldn’t change her mind. She’d run into trouble full speed since the night she’d met him and thought she was saving him from the cowhands. She’d done it again to save Sage.
She faced him. “I can’t hide forever. I’ve been thinking about it. If Eldon knows where I’m at, he’ll come after me. I’ve got you and Roy to protect me. Mamie may be hiding somewhere with no one watching over her.”
Travis read her mind. “You know where the slave is, don’t you?”
She raised her chin. “I have a good idea.”
“This isn’t a game, Rainey. Mamie may already be dead. You’re betting your life here.”
“Then why didn’t you stop me?” She moved closer.
He shrugged. “Because I’d have done the same thing. The longer we wait, the less the threat seems real. In a few days, a week, we’ll get reckless, take chances we shouldn’t. If trouble’s coming, I’d just as soon face it now.”
He circled his arm around her. “And if trouble comes for you, he’ll have to step over me to get you.”
CHAPTER 34
AT TWILIGHT RAINEY LIT THE LAMP IN THE KITCHEN and felt a shift in the air. A breeze, as if someone had opened a window in another part of the house. Only there were no windows in Dottie’s kitchen.
She glanced at Travis and saw him lift his head ever so slightly. He’d felt it, also, but he made no sudden move.
The day had been exhausting but they were still both on full alert. First, when Roy returned just before noon, he brought two Rangers with him. He said that if she wanted to make pies, they’d go get her supplies from the Langland place and bring it over. He also said Dillon had told him to unblock the front door. The restaurant might not be open for business, but they were no longer hiding. The Rangers would bring her supplies in through the front.
When Rainey nodded, Roy winked and added, “We all think you are one brave lady, and we’ll do our best to protect you.”
“Thank you,” she said, hoping the best would be enough.
An hour later Dottie’s dead husband’s partner showed up to demand they leave. He claimed the smell of pie was filtering through to his half of the building, and he was losing customers. Apparently the smell reminded the drunks that they needed to go home.
Dottie stood up to the man. She was surprised how fast he backed down and started acting respectful. She didn’t see Roy standing behind her checking his gun. By midafternoon the little kitchen was as busy as a train station with Rainey making pies and Dottie visiting with people who stopped by to see what was going on.
The judge dropped in to tell Travis the group of lawyers had approved him to the bar. Judge Gates promised if he’d hang around for six months and intern, the judge would sign his state license to practice.
Rainey was surprised at how little the news seemed to matter to Travis, but she had a feeling the judge understood.
Pearl and Jason followed the Rangers carrying supplies over to make sure Rainey was all right, and she stayed to hear all the details.
Even the three sisters came over with their protectors in tow. Rainey had to admit that they all looked fine, dressed for their stroll.
By the time she finished baking, everyone in town knew where she’d be staying for the night. The place was finally quiet. Dottie, Rainey, and Travis ate the soup she’d made while Duck played on the floor. He’d eaten too many slices of pie to want supper.
“Roy will be back before it’s late. He just went home to say hello to his wife,” Travis volunteered to break the silence.
Rainey wasn’t hungry, but she took another bite. She hadn’t been alone with Travis all day and knew there would be no chance of it now. He’d want to stay with Duck and Dottie to make sure they were safe. Anything said between them would be heard by all.
“This is good soup,” Travis added, as if he were making an effort to say something.
“Thank you.” She smiled at him over her cup of tea. He hadn’t mentioned marriage in a while, and she wondered if he even wanted to marry her any longer. She told herself that it wouldn’t be a bad thing if they were friends, maybe even lovers. She’d see him whenever he came to town and they’d write.
It surprised her to realize how much more she wanted from Travis. She wanted to sleep with him. She wanted to wake up with him beside her. She would almost give up her freedom for the pleasures of being with him as man and wife. Almost.
She touched the tiny bag at her throat and remembered what her mother’s life had been like. She also remembered the promise she’d made to herself the night she’d boarded the train. Never would she be worthless again.
Dottie cut another slice of the bread Pearl had brought them. “You going to take the judge up on his offer?” she asked Travis. “He told me he’d swear you in as a lawyer any day you wanted. The judge and I talked about it, and we thought we’d give you a party at his house after the ceremony.”
Travis looked at Rainey. “I haven’t decided yet. I’m not sure I have a reason to stay in Austin.”
She didn’t meet his eyes. She knew how much his love meant to her, but she couldn’t return it. She couldn’t give up the freedom she’d fought so hard to get.
Something rattled beyond the door and all were silent. It was probably only the bartender moving down the stairs for more beer, but still they listened and waited.
“I locked both the doors when the sisters left,” Travis said.
Dottie nodded, but didn’t look reassured. “Want to play some poker?”
Travis declined. “I’ve never won at that game. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a waste of time to play.”
Rainey agreed just to calm Dottie. Travis stood and paced around the room. He barely limped, but she noticed when he thought no one was looking he sometimes rubbed his leg as if to force the pain out.
“Roy will tap three times when he wants in.” He told them the code they already knew. “Once he’s here, we can settle down for the night.”
Rainey tried not to look like she was watching him, but she knew Travis was on edge. Every now and then he touched the handle of his gun, and his gaze circled the room every time a log snapped in the fire. Somehow his gaze always ended on her as if watching her relaxed him.
Rainey took a deep breath and jumped at the sudden crack of wood. Duck dived beneath the table, disappearing completely in an instant. Dottie’s cards flew across the table.
Travis pulled his gun and stepped in front of the women. “Get down!” he yelled.
Rainey hugged Dottie, and they joined Duck beneath the table, holding on to one another tightly.
She heard a thump. The door to the cellar crashed open and slapped against the floor.
Dottie screamed as a man tumbled with the door to the floor of her kitchen. He jerked once, twice, then collapsed. The back of his head was splattered with blood.
A moment later Roy appeared with a board in his hand. “Got him, Travis!” He laughed, and a wildness danced in his eyes. “Eldon came through the cellar just like you said he would.”
Travis fired one signal shot that echoed off the walls like thunder. Then, as calmly as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, he turned and held his hand out to Rainey. “Come on out. It’s all over.”
Rainey wasn’t sure she wanted to, but she took his offered help and crawled out from beneath the table, pulling Dottie with her. The little widow jumped up like a jack-in-the-box asking questions in rapid fire.
Travis pointed with his gun. “Ladies, I’d like you to meet Eldon Norman, the last brother. We’ve been waiting for him all day.”
Dottie took a few steps toward the man. “Is he dead?”
“No,” Roy answered. “I kind of hope he wakes up so I can hit him again. He’s sneaky. I never seen a man move so silently. He’d crossed the cellar and was halfway up the stairs before I even knew he’d come in from the alley.”
Roy pulled Eldon to his feet as Rangers stormed both the front door and the back stairs. They’d obviously been near, also watching and waiting.
Rainey stood frozen. It was all over. The nightmare that began when she heard men talking of kidnapping Sage had finally ended. All the outlaws had been caught.
In all the confusion, Travis moved close to Rainey and asked quietly, “If you ladies have no objections, I’d like to have a few of the men take you back to the Baileys’ house. They’ll stay with you until I get there. I’d like to go with Eldon to jail and see what the man has to say for himself.”
Rainey nodded. She was ready for a quiet room, a cup of tea, and a real bed. “What about Duck?”
“He can go with me.” Travis pulled the boy from beneath the table, but when Duck climbed out, he took Rainey’s hand.
Travis raised an eyebrow. “You want to go with her for a while, son? I should be back at the Baileys’ house before you go to bed.”
Duck nodded.
Travis touched the boy’s head as he looked at Rainey. “You don’t mind taking care of him?”
“Of course not. He can be my guard.” She smiled down at the boy, having a feeling that her pies did more to win him over than anything else.
They left by the front door for the first time. The air felt cool and fresh. Rainey couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d taken a deep breath.
“It’s finally over,” Dottie said. “I’m terribly sorry it happened, but it did get me off the rock I’ve been sitting on for a year and back into living. Nothing like worrying about getting killed to make you wanta live.”
The Baileys treated them as family when they came in. Mrs. Bailey ordered them both a bath, and Dr. Bailey wanted to take a look at Dottie’s arm as soon as possible. The housekeeper and Dottie kept Duck busy in the kitchen while Rainey took a quick bath and changed into a clean nightgown and robe.
When Rainey joined them in the kitchen, she heard Duck laugh and it warmed her heart. An hour later when she rocked him by the fire in the tiny sitting room between Travis’s and Sage’s rooms, she hummed softly. “You’re too big to rock,” she whispered, “but thanks for letting me. It’s nice to relax.”
He looked up and smiled, not at her, but at the man standing in the doorway watching.
Travis crossed the room without a word and took Duck from her. He knelt and laid the boy in his covers by the fire. “Sleep well,” Travis said as he covered Duck. “You did a great job of doing just like I told you.”
Duck closed his eyes and Rainey knew that he felt safe for the first time in days.
They moved away from the boy and into Travis’s bedroom, but he didn’t close the door. “What did you learn?” she whispered.
“Eldon confessed to killing the barmaid. She drove him to it, he claimed. Seems he’d always been jealous of Seth and her. He couldn’t understand why she’d be upset about his brother’s death when he was standing right in front of her alive.” Travis shook his head. “He wasn’t too bright. It took Dillon less then an hour to have him confessing everything. He told Dillon about jobs his brothers did that the Rangers hadn’t even connected them to yet.”
Travis leaned against the doorframe and pulled her gently against him. He played with her hair as he talked. “When I left he was claiming he didn’t have anything to do with Mrs. Vivian’s death.”
“Do you think he’s telling the truth? I could swear I saw a shadow, but I was so tired. Is it possible that Mrs. Vivian really did kill herself.”
“Looks that way.”
“And there was no rider for the fourth horse I thought I saw?”
Travis rubbed his big hands over her shoulders. “Forget about it. Maybe they’d thought Sage would ride without fighting.” He combed his fingers through her curls as if touching her were the most important thing he had to do in the world. “It’s over. You’re safe and we’re finally alone.”
Rainey glanced to where Duck was sleeping. “Almost alone.”
Travis smiled. “Almost alone is about as good as it’ll get for the next fifteen years or so.”
She kissed him lightly on the cheek. “You’ll be a great father for the boy.”
He returned her kiss with long slow caresses as he molded against her, letting her know of his need for her.
She didn’t pull away. The feel of him so near seemed right somehow. The warmth of him spread through her, making her feel alive. She felt wanted. For the first time in her life, she felt loved.
Leaning against him made her smile.
He kissed the corners of her mouth as his chest pressed lightly into her breasts. When she moaned softly against his ear, his hand moved over her until her breast filled his fingers and he made her moan again in pleasure.
She circled her arms about his neck and melted against him as he caught her next moan of pleasure in his mouth. His kiss was deep and tender, as his hands slowly moved over her body. The gown and robe did nothing to mask his touch as his hands warmed her and surprised her with their boldness.
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