Texas Angel, 2-in-1 (86 page)

He thought of that day on the picnic when he had grabbed his rifle at a mere sound. He’d been ready to kill. There was such a fine line between simple survival and being a killer at heart. Especially in this untamed country where dangers were very real. On which side of the line did he stand? He did not know.

Micah rode up to an oak and reined his mount. He’d seen this tree from a distance while with Hays and wanted a better look. It was old and gnarled with twisted branches, and even with its summer foliage, its long sprawling limbs made it appear barren. It was standing in the middle of a grassy meadow, the only tree for quite a distance. He liked the look of it and was glad it was on his land. He felt akin to it in many ways. But this oak must have strength and deep roots for it to remain green and sturdy so far from water.

Suddenly Micah realized what he had just thought.
His land?
Could he make roots like the oak? Strong enough, deep enough to offer shade and shelter to the woman he knew he loved? Shelter and not strife. They had already had far too much strife.

Shots in the distance grabbed Micah’s attention. Riders were galloping in his direction. He saw four Mexicans being chased by three gringos. Micah jumped off Stew and slapped the mule’s rump, making him race off away from the chase. Then Micah took cover behind the oak. He could not outrun the Mexicans and he saw no reason to become embroiled in a situation until he knew more. The Mexicans were probably bandits, and the gringos might well be rangers. But the Mexicans
could
be locals, and the gringos could be mere troublemakers.

Not far from Micah, the Mexicans split up, two racing off south while the other two headed north toward Micah’s position. The gringos were closer now, and Micah thought he recognized Big Foot Wallace’s mule and Bert Long’s chestnut. Wallace and one of the rangers took off after the bandits heading south. Bert Long raced north.

Long fired, striking one of the two bandits he was chasing. The Mexican hit the dirt. The remaining bandit took aim. He had a revolver, but Micah saw Long had only used his percussion cap pistol and was going for his second pistol. He could not possibly draw it before the Mexican fired. He’d be dead if Micah didn’t do something.

Having no choice, Micah drew his revolver, but in the split second before he fired, he saw the bandit’s face. He hesitated, and the bandit got off his shot anyway, and Long fell. Micah fired just as the bandit wheeled his mount around. His shot struck the bandit’s horse and the animal reared, throwing his rider into the dirt. The bandit rolled once and, amazingly, as he gained a squatting position, still had his gun in hand and was aiming at Micah, who also hit the dirt. The bandit’s shot went astray.

In the next instant both men poised to fire again and at the same moment saw they’d both end up dead if they followed through.

A grim smile twisted the bandit’s face. “I think you gringos call this a Mexican standoff.”

“It appears to be just that,” Micah agreed.

Carefully, each eyeing the other, both men drew to their feet. The bandit cocked a brow, arrogance and disdain marking his features. “I recognize you. Sinclair, isn’t it? The man who killed six of my best men in one bloody battle.”

“And you are Joaquin Viegas,” Micah said coolly. “You’ve killed a few of my friends as well.”

“So now what?”

Suddenly Micah threw his gun into the grass. Viegas could have killed him instantly then but was obviously too stunned to react to the unexpected gesture.

“I ain’t gonna kill you, Viegas, so no sense drawing this out any longer.” Micah hadn’t realized until the instant he tossed down his gun that he was going to do it, but now he realized it was all he could do. All he would do.

“
Qué es?” mumbled Viegas. “Why?”

“I’m plain tired of killing. Besides, killing you would hurt too many folks I care about.”

“What do you mean by this? Speak clearly or I will shoot. I have every reason to kill you for what you did to my men.”

Viegas’s eyes were hard and steely, but Micah saw something else in them. More than a hint of Lucie’s eyes were there. And around Viegas”fs nose and chin there was Reid Maccallum. But how could Micah explain all he was feeling to his adversary when he didn’t understand half of it himself? He could have killed Viegas five minutes ago while he was mounted and aiming at Bert. But he hadn’t, and he knew his skill well enough to know when he had fired, he’d missed on purpose, even if at the time he had not pointedly told himself to miss. Had it been instinct? To miss? To spare a life instead of take it?

“Speak, gringo!” hissed Viegas. “My patience wanes.”

“I’m acquainted with your family.”

“A mere acquaintance would not cause a man to do what you have done, risked what you have risked. Perhaps I have been lured into some trap.”

Micah shook his head. Why would this man, this enemy, believe him? Yet if Micah didn’t become more convincing, he was going to die. “I happen to be in love with your sister,” he admitted. It was the first time he’d ever ventured such words of love, but Micah knew they were true. He wished it could be Lucie hearing this remarkable confession and not a bandit poised to kill him. “I’d marry her if I thought I was good enough for her,” he added, feeling suddenly rather cocky.

“You?” exclaimed the bandit.

Micah could not tell if it was shock or fury in the man’s tone. Micah snorted dryly. “Guess you’ll kill me for sure now. But if it’s gotta be that way, then so be it. I’d rather that than risk hurting her.”

“And does my sister feel the same toward you?”

“Maybe, but I wouldn’t want to speak for her.”

“But if she does, would not your death hurt her as well?”

Micah hadn’t thought of that. “I only know if you die, especially by my hand, it could destroy her.”

Viegas eyed Micah somewhat dubiously but also with a perplexed crease in his brow. His gun hand, however, was still taut and ready.

“I think you speak truly, gringo,” Viegas said slowly and thoughtfully. “But I have never known a ranger to be squeamish about killing an enemy—for any reason. And knowing who you are, I realize you could have killed me before. Stories of your abilities have spread, and I doubt you would have shot my horse if you hadn’t been aiming at him.”

“Well,” Micah said, “it’s true I wasn’t aiming at you, but neither was I aiming at your horse. He turned and got the round that was supposed to go over his head.”

“Still, you did not aim at me.”

“You and I, Viegas . . . maybe neither of us are killers deep down. Lucie believes in us, anyway. I don’t know about you, but I realize there ain’t nothing I want more than to live up to her faith in me.”

For the first time, Viegas’s expression softened. He lowered his gun. “Find your mount and be on your way, Sinclair, before I decide I prefer a different future brother-in-law.”h

“Gladly, Viegas.” Micah whistled, and Stew, who had not wandered far, trotted up to him. Micah mounted.

“Before you leave, Sinclair, I have one piece of advice for you,” Viegas said somewhat wryly but also with a note of earnestness. “Get out of the rangering business. I do not want to see my sister made a widow.”

“I’ll give it serious consideration, amigo.” Then Micah added, “And here’s some advice for you. Go see your father. He ain’t gonna live forever, and it breaks his heart more every day thinking he might never see you again. He loves you, and he don’t deserve the pain you’ve been giving him.”

“I, too, will consider—” Viegas stopped suddenly and smiled. “No, I will do it. Very soon.”

Micah rode up to where Bert Long lay. He was still alive. Micah hauled him up with him on the mule. Glancing back before he rode away, Micah saw that Viegas had mounted his dead comrade’s horse with the man’s body secured behind. Viegas then rode away toward the south. Would he go to the Maccallum ranch? Perhaps he was just going south to take care of his fallen comrade’s body and then to tie up loose ends, get his affairs in order. It would be a risky prospect for the bandit to go to the Maccallum ranch. It might be his death warrant. Yet Micah felt certain Viegas would go. Viegas did not hate his father.

Micah took Bert to the Maccallum ranch to get patched up. It was the closest destination, and besides, Micah wanted to see Lucie.

“You two gals ought to hang out a shingle,” he said to Lucie and Juana as they followed him to his old room. He had Bert Long slung over his shoulder.

“Imagine that!” Juana laughed. “Dr. Juana Herrera . . . hmm, I like the sound of it.”

Micah deposited Bert on the bed. The ranger groaned. “Hey, Micah! I ain’t no sack of potatoes. Watch it!”

“I don’t reckon he’s hurt too bad if he can complain like that,”

Micah said with a chuckle.

Bert had taken a shot in his calf, but the lead had gone cleanly through. There was little bleeding. His worst wound was a nasty gash on his head, which had struck a rock when he fell from his horse. Assured that his friend indeed was not too badly off, Micah beckoned Lucie out into the hall.

“Lucie, I saw your brother today,” he said.

“Joaquin!” Fear and excitement collided in her face.

Micah told her about their meeting. “Ain’t that the most amazing thing you ever heard?”

“I . . . I simply don’t know what to say!” Then, seeming to come to herself, she threw her arms around Micah. “Thank you, Micah!”

“It felt good, Lucie. I know sparing one man don’t make up for all the others, but then again, in a funny way that I can’t explain, it does. Inside me, it does. But I don’t want to analyze it. It was a good thing. That’s all that matters.”

She lightly kissed his cheek before dropping her embrace and stepping away. “Yes, Micah.” She was fairly beaming. “I am so proud of you!”

“I just wanted to let you know I’ll be going away for a while,” he said. And when the light dramatically faded from her eyes, he quickly added, “Just a few days is all! I’m heading north. I figure its time I took the same advice I gave your brother.”

CHAPTER

37

I
N NINE YEARS THE PLACE
had not changed much. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. There were some bright flowers blooming in a small garden by the front steps. And cheery curtains in the windows. There was an altogether inviting look to the place. But still Micah feared that invitation might not be extended to him.

At the edge of the yard he dismounted and walked the mule the rest of the way. He’d barely gotten to the middle of the yard when a squealing little girl came racing toward him from the woods by the house. She fairly screeched to a halt upon seeing him, and all her merry squealing ceased. She appeared to be about ten years old, chubby and rosy cheeked with a mop of golden curls on her head.

Before Micah could address her, another girl jogged into the yard.

“Leah, you give that back to me! I found it—”

Then this girl stopped abruptly as well. Slender and pale with hair the color of strawberries streaked with sunshine, Micah knew her immediately. And she, incredibly, recognized him.

“Micah!” Isabel cried, racing past her sister and throwing her arms around him.

“Yeah, it’s me, but I can’t believe you recognized me,” he said. He felt he surely must have aged a hundred years in nine.

“Of course I do!” She stepped back and smiled up at him. Micah’s heart clenched. She looked so much like their mother. Then she held a hand out to her sister. “Leah, this is our brother Micah. You were too little to remember him.”

Leah bent her head back to get a good look but still said nothing.

“I have never seen her so quiet,” Isabel said.

As if to defy that remark, Leah finally said, “You can’t be our brother.

You’re taller than Papa.”

Micah shrugged, not quite knowing how to answer that. “Well, I am your brother, and I am glad to meet you, Leah. You were nothing but a slip of a thing when I last saw you. And you, Issy!” He gave her an astonished look. “You’re nearly a full-grown woman. How old are you?”

“Sixteen.”

“Well, you’ve grown into a beautiful young lady, that’s for sure.” It warmed him that she blushed with pleasure at his compliment. He remembered when she used to look up to him as a big brother. It appeared as if she still might, though he knew he didn’t deserve it.

Isabel took his hand. “Come on into the cabin and see everyone else.”

“Everyone . . . ?” His throat turned dry as the real reason for his visit suddenly reared before him.

“Except Papa,” piped up Leah, appearing to warm to the stranger who was her brother. “He’s down to the Hunter place, but he’ll be back by supper.”

Relief washed over Micah. He knew he was going to have to face the man eventually, but he just couldn’t feel disappointed about a delay.

“Lead the way,” he said, tying Stew to a post before following the girls up the cabin step.

Inside he was greeted with a buzz of activity, though not chaotic as he remembered when his father had been caring for household matters. Rather, it was a pleasant sound of children’s voices, the sizzling of some good-smelling thing on the stove, and the gentle purr of a woman’s voice.