Sharon Poppen (23 page)

All talk ceased as Charles Willard carried the bright-eyed little baby into the room. “Sorry we’re so late,” Charles apologized. “The baby slept late and then we had so much fun feeding him, listening to him laugh and try to talk that we just lost track of the time.”

“Yes, so sorry,” added Agnes as she slipped into one of the empty chairs.

Once everyone was seated, the sheriff began. “I’ve thought on this all night. We have no way of knowing the names of the Mexican couple, where they come from or if they have any relatives.”

Hannah nodded, but added. “Still, it seems wrong to deny these children their birth family, if they have any.”

“That’s the problem,” said the sheriff. “If. It’s a big word, but I agree with Hannah.”

The Kimble’s nodded sadly, as did the Willard’s and Dearborn.

“So, I come up with an idea early this morning.” He paused as Martha refilled their coffee cups, then stood next to Zach to listen. “I think you folks should decide amongst yourselves who will take these children home. I’ll have a poster drawn up and keep it in my office. If someone questions the disappearance of a Mexican couple with a couple of kids, I’ll investigate some and if it turns out they’re legitimate family, I’ll send them out to your places. Until that time, you can raise them as your own.” He looked from couple to couple to Dearborn.

“Yes,” agreed Will Kimble immediately. “I think that’s a fine idea.”

“Oh, yes,” said Abby Kimble as she ran her fingers through the hair of the toddler on Will’s lap.

John and Agnes looked down at the baby seated on John’s lap. The little fellow was nibbling on a hard roll provided by Martha.

Dearborn glanced from couple to couple, bit his lip and nodded. “I think it’s the best solution, sheriff.” He stood and offered his hand to Charles. “Congratulations, Willard. I know what this means to you and your missus.”

Agnes touched Dearborn’s arm. “Matt, Charles and I stayed up all night watching the child and thinking about what’s best for him.” Her voice broke and she couldn’t go on.

Charles leaned toward her and put an arm about her shoulders. “What she’s trying to say is that this little fellow deserves folks who are young and have plenty of energy. He’s an active tyke with inquisitive eyes. He’s right eager to learn to talk, to walk. Hell, I believe he’s going to be a handful. A fun handful, but a handful nevertheless.”

Agnes nodded and regained her voice. “Matt, we decided early this morning, that he should be with a young couple. Look at us. We could be your parents.” She turned and kissed the baby on the forehead. Charles got up and offered the child to Dearborn.

“I don’t know what to say.” Dearborn was too shocked to move.

Charles smiled and put the baby into Dearborn’s arms. “Say you’ll love him and give him a good home.”

Dearborn touched the black curly hair. “Thank you. He’ll be loved. He’ll be loved.”

Hannah had tears in her eyes. “Charles, Agnes, I think you are wonderful.”

Charles took Hannah’s hand and kissed it. “There’s been a lot of wonderful things going on in the past few days and you seem to be in the center of most of it, young lady.” He turned to Liam. “You take good care of Hannah. She’s one of a kind.”

Liam smiled. “Yes, she is.”

Folks finished their breakfasts, promises were made to stay in touch, and good-byes were bid. The couples left for home, Zach went to work and Martha left to tend to hotel affairs. Liam and Hannah sat alone with the sheriff.

“Any word on Drake?” Hannah asked.

“Not a word.” The sheriff answered. He glanced from Hannah to Liam and back. “You saw the article in the paper about the family up north, didn’t you?”

“Yes and my gut tells me Drake had a hand in it.”

“Crossed my mind. I must agree.”

Liam shook his head. “Good God, don’t encourage her.”

“Well now, them cattle men and sheepherders been fighting with each other for years. But, nobody ever got killed, much less …”

“I know, I know,” Liam had to agree. “Can you fill us in on what’s been going on up there?”

“From what the sheriff up there tells me, the cattle folks want fences and the sheep folks want free range. Soon as a fence goes up, it gets torn down again. No one’s ever caught the shepherds at it, but they get accused all the time. Lots of fights in the saloons over accusations. But, like I said, never been a killing before.” Things got quiet around the table and the sheriff stood up. “You’re going to head up there, aren’t you?”

“Against my better judgment,” grumbled Liam.

“Well, good luck to you. Oh, the sheriff’s name up in Blanco County is Beechum. Cal Beechum. You can get more information from him once you hit Johnson City.” He tipped his hat and left.

“Liam, maybe I should go on up there by myself and check things out. If I’m right, I’ll send word for you to join me. I hate to keep you from your brothers, your aunt’s ranch.”

Liam stared at her like she was a stranger. He shook his head, got to his feet and stormed out of the dining area without saying a word to Hannah.

“Liam,” she called as she followed him up the stairs to their room.

As soon as the door closed, Liam picked her up and threw her on the bed. Hannah had barely landed, when Liam straddled her thighs. He leaned forward, grasped her hands and pinned them at her shoulders. Liam bent over and placed his lips just short of her forehead, and then keeping no more than an inch between his lips and her face, he began to move his head down her face, her chin, her throat. His husky breathing began to dampen the cloth covering her breasts. After a slight moan, he retraced his path until their eyes met.

Chapter 31

Finding a Connection

Hannah recognized the hurt in Liam’s eyes. Her heart ached and she felt the stir of a growing desire between her legs. “Make love to me,” she whispered. She felt his need seeking release as it throbbed against her thigh.

Continuing to keep her hands pinned near her shoulders, Liam kissed her deeply and worked his lips across her cheek until he reached her ear. After caressing it with his lips, teeth and tongue, she heard his husky request. “Marry me.”

“Make love to me,” she answered and pressed her body up into his.

“Marry me,” he repeated.

“Liam, I …”

“Damn. Damn. Damn.” He released her and rolled over on his back.

She turned on her side and slid her arm across his waist. “Liam, I …”

“Stop,” he said and grabbed her hand and pulled it against his chest as he turned on his side to face her. “You love me?”

“Yes.” Her answer came without hesitation.

“Yet you won’t marry me.”

“Not yet.”

His serious expression began to soften into the sly smile that she’d come to love. “You’re driving me mad.”

“In time –

“Time!” He stopped her words by caressing her lips with his index finger. “Time is driving me mad. And now, you not only want time, but you want to go on alone.”

“Oh, no. I don’t want to go on alone. But, --

“Woman! You are the most, … the most …, the most wonderful woman I’ve ever met and I love you.” He brushed his lips across hers. “Exasperating, but wonderful.” He kissed her again, got out of bed, and extended his hand to her. “Now, let’s get packed and go find Drake. Together.”

*****

After two quiet days on the road, the pair rode into Blanco, Texas. The dusty main street consisted of the usual array of establishments that catered to the needs of rural Texans: a general store, a hotel-boarding house, a livery, a church, a sheriff’s office and, of course, the saloon. Hannah and Liam stopped at the sheriff’s office.

A slim fellow, with at least sixty years of sun wrinkles across his brow and a head of thinning white hair greeted them. “Sheriff Beechum here. Can I help ya?”

“We hope so. My name is Hannah. Sheriff Butler down in San Antonio said you might be able to help us find someone.”

“Who’re ya looking for?” The sheriff spoke to Liam.

Liam extended his hand. “Name’s Liam Canady. But, I’m just riding with the lady.” He motioned to Hannah. “You need to talk to her.”

The sheriff glanced between the two a couple of times and then spoke to Hannah.

“Like I said, who’re looking for?”

“A gambler that goes by the name of Drake.”

The sheriff nodded. “Seen him. Awhile back. He’s moved on.”

“Any idea where?”

“Man didn’t make friends. Didn’t talk much to anybody. Just slept, drank and gambled. Why’re ya looking for him?”

Hannah hesitated and Liam jumped in. “Got a debt to settle with him.”

“Gambling?” The sheriff raised an eyebrow and looked at Hannah.

“No, not gambling.” Hannah’s voice had been almost a whisper, but it grew stronger as she turned the conversation back to Drake. “I read an item in the San Antonio paper about a terrible killing up here.”

The sheriff nodded. “Bad. Worst I’ve ever seen. In fact, I called in the Texas Rangers. Made them sick, too. Bad, real bad.”

“May we sit down and talk about it?” asked Hannah.

“Why?” The sheriff looked up at Liam. “You a lawman?”

“No. We aren’t lawmen. But we think there may be a tie between this Drake fellow and the killings.”

Again, Beechum evaluated his two visitors for a moment, then walked behind his desk and sat down. He motioned for Hannah and Liam to have a seat on the wooden bench facing his desk.

“You say this Drake fellow might be involved? How so? Those cattlemen and sheepherders have been bickering for years.”

“But Sheriff Butler said that there’d never been a killing before this,” said Hannah.

“That’s a fact. Lots of words exchanged, maybe a couple of pushing and shoving matches over at the saloon, but never a killing. They’re all family men. Even if tempers got hot and they did kill one another, I don’t believe they’d hurt any of the children.”

“That’s why we thought that Drake could be involved.” Hannah cleared her throat and went on. “You see, Sheriff, Drake killed his own mother when she got in his way.”

“Dear Lord! His own mother?”

“Yes. In cold blood. Without any hesitation. She was in his way. Liam, tell him about what Charly and Hank told us he did to the kid.”

“Drake led a half dozen of life’s losers on a rampage of robbing, raping and killing up in the northeastern part of the state last year. When the law got too close, they broke up with an agreement to meet in San Antonio to split their stolen loot. Some members of the gang got hung or jailed before they could hook up with Drake. We talked with two, Charly and Hank. They told us that one member of the gang called The Kid, was really bothered by some of the terrible things they’d done to people, especially women. His regretful mumbles got on Drakes nerves. On night over a campfire, Charly and Hank said Drake shot The Kid. Then,” Liam hesitated for a moment before he shared the gory details, “then, Charly said Drake and his brother Johnny cut up the body, boiled some of it and they ate it.”

The sheriff shook his head. “There were some signs of cannibalism at the killing site.”

“That’s why we came here,” said Hannah. “We think Drake may be involved.”

“What about his brother?”

“He was killed in San Antonio trying to kill me,” said Liam.

“So, Sheriff, can you help us? Can you take us out to the ranch?”

“Well, ma’am, I guess that’d be all right. The Texas Rangers checked the place over real good, talked with folks, both cattle and sheep folks. Then they went back to Johnson City. Said they’d work on it and get back to me. Haven’t heard a word in over a week.”

Hannah stood up. “Thank you. We’ve our horses right outside.”

“Whoa there, young lady. It’s late afternoon. I’ll take you out there in the morning.” The sheriff walked over to the door. “I think you can get a room at Sadie’s place for the night. Tell her Cal sent ya on over.”

“But, sheriff I’d really like to –

Liam took Hannah’s arm as he interrupted. “We’d really like to thank you for all the information. What time do you want to leave tomorrow?”

“I drop by Sadie’s for breakfast every morning ‘bout seven. We can leave right after we eat.”

“Thanks, Sheriff. We’ll see you then.” Liam tipped his hat and guided Hannah to their horses.

While they walked toward the livery, Hannah scowled up at Liam. “I wish you wouldn’t interrupt me.”

“I wouldn’t have to if you’d slow down a tad.”

“But the more we slow down, the further Drake gets from us.”

“Dearest, he’s already long gone. All we can hope for is a clue pinning Drake to the killings and, if so, where he’s headed. Sounds like dozens of folks have tramped all over the place, so there’s probably nothing new we’d find today that won’t be there in the morning. Besides, I’m getting –

“Hungry.”

“Now’s who’s interrupting,” he teased.

Their arrival at the livery ended their tease filled debate.