Texas Lawman (13 page)

“Damn straight,” Morgan agreed softly. “So I’m plannin’ to be here to prevent it.”

Rafe’s dark eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened. “You don’t think we can do that?”

Tate answered carefully. “I’m sure you’ll want to, but they may not let you. From what Sheriff Preston tells me, they went berserk when the girl died. They’re not goin’ to want to listen to reason. Think how you’d

feel if the same thing hat] happened to someone you love. “

Jodie made a soft sound that Tate steeled himself not to respond to.

Rafe’s jaw set even harder. “I’m still not giving ‘em free run of the ranch.”

“I don’t expect you to. All I want is for you to let me hang around and help keep the lid on things when they get here.”

Rafe’s dark eyes bored into him. A prototypical Parker, the strength of his will was awesome. Through sheer nerve, hard work and fierce determination the Parkers had carved a place for themselves in this rugged and often hostile land the previous century. That same determination carried through to this day.

Tate returned Rafe’s gaze unflinchingly.

“All right,” Rafe said after another moment passed. “You can stay. We’d rather not have this meeting get out of hand, either. Like you say, these people are hut-tin’.”

“It’s that danged Rio Walsh!” Mae spit. “I knew the first time I set eyes on him that he was gonna be trouble. I should’ ye put my foot down right then.”

Rafe relaxed a bit as a slow smile tilted his lips. “That must be the first time in history you ever kept your feelings to yourself.”

Morgan smiled, too, but wisely didn’t comment. Mae sputtered even as Rare continued, “Rio was a damn fine cowboy—that’s why he got the job. If he’d stuck to that, he’d probably still be here.”

“A skunk can’t hide its true colors for long,” Mae declared.

“Shouldn’t that be ‘smell’?” Rafe countered teasingly.

Mae lifted an eyebrow. “Hush up, boy. We have business to aRe nd to.” She turned to late. “You’re welcome to stay as long as it takes, Tate. Now, first order–have you had anything to eat lately? Rare and I ha vet I was goin’ to get Made to put some sandwiches together for us before all this came up. She can easily make more.”

Tate couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten. “A sandwich sounds good, thanks.”

“She’ll make enough for everyone. Jodie, go tell her.” Jodie didn’t move. She didn’t seem to have heard.

Suddenly she gave a start and apologized, “I’m sorry,

I “

“Go tell Made to make some sandwiches,” Mae repeated. “Enough for everyone.” And maybe some of that potato salad we had yesterday. It could be a long evening. “

A tinge of pink lent color to Jodie’s cheeks. Her hair was beginning to grow out, soft curls starting to feather and fluff. She’d always had wonderful eye-catching hair, both the shade—flaming copper—and the sheer abundance. Tate wanted to touch her hair again now, only this time not lightly as he had yesterday. He wanted to thread his fingers into the soft silkiness, then pull them through and watch as the late-afternoon sun turned the strands into fiery rivulets of red and gold.

Their eyes met and for a second Tate lost the ability to breathe. The way she looked at him did she know what he was thinking?

She urned away to do her aunt’s bidding, and the world settled back into plak:e, leaving, it seemed, only Tate shaken. ,

“Tate?” Mae said his name as if she was repeating it. He moved his gaze. “Are you plannin’ on staying the night?” she asked. “Because if you are, you can have one of the guest rooms in my place. They both overlook the driveway.”

“No, thank you, Miss Parker. I’ll stay in the patrol

Car. “

“I won’t hear of it!” Mae exclaimed. “You couldn’t be comfortable there!”

“I’ve done it before,” Tate replied, smiling. “Well, I wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink thinkin’ about you. At: the very least let us set up a cot in the living room. You’ll be just a few steps away from anything that happens, I won’t accept less.”

She’d said it and she meant it. As gracefully as he could, Tate accepted her autocratic hospitality. If he had a need for it. Personally he hoped the Hammonds would just show up and get the whole affair over with. He was planning to escort them into Del Norte and house them at the town’s lone motel overnight. That is, if they behaved. If they didn’t, the county would pick up the tab. They couldn’t get up to much mischief from the inside of a jail cell. And tomorrow they could all start over.

JODIE SLIPPED into a downstairs bathroom after delivering Mac’s message to Marie and ran a cool damp hand over the back of her neck. She had to stay focused. She’d already set her course of action—tell

Tate. And Tate was even here, removing her need to seek him out. All that remained was to get him off by himself andA quiver of emotion played along Jodie’s spine, an excited little trill of anticipatio She’d caught the look he’d given her moments before and recognized it for what it was. That it had happened in the midst of all this turmoil surprised her. But very little had ever been as expected in her life.

—and tell him. About Rio, about Joe-Bob, and all she knew about the Hammonds! She She wanted to do more than talk to him. She wanted to look deeply into his eyes and watch as they ignited with desire. She wanted to feel his arms go around her and pull her close. She wanted to feel his lips press hungrily on hers.

—she had to beg for his help! Only, would he help when she refused to tell him where Rio was hiding?

She looked at herself in the mirror. At the short hair, pale face and serious expression. She was changing. Somehow, somewhere deep inside herself a shift was taking place. She could sense it even though she didn’t understand it—or even begin to grasp the implications. Did it have something to do with Tare?

She forced the thought away. There simply wasn’t time at present to search for an explanation. The Ham-mon ds could be here any moment.

She took a bracing breath and stepped back into the hall. Mae would want to know that she’d accomplished her mission.

!

I,

JODIE SAT ON PINS and needles all evening, desperate to talk privately with Tate, but the opportunity never presented itselfi Finally, at midnight, the watch was called off until morning, and she had no other option but to go home with her father, who’d eventually joined the gathering.

“You coulda knocked me over with a feather when I found all of you at Mae’s,” Gib said with a chuckle as they walked down the long driveway to their house. “I thought I’d missed a command performance or something’. I thought, Uh-oh, Mae’s gonna have my hide.t Then it turns out to be more stuff about Rio.” He gave Jodie a considering look. “You okay with that?”

lo die shrugged. There wasn’t much about any of this she was truly okay with. “I’m fine,” she fibbed, then changed the subject, “Where were you earlier? Off painting?”

He opened the screen door to their house, switched on the overhead light and saw her inside. “Mmm. That and thinkin’. Here, I have something’ to show you.” He moved past her to retrieve an envelope from a side table.

“What is it?” $odie asked.

“It came in yesterday’s mail. Read it,” he said.

Jodie did as he instructed, then looked up, smiling. For a moment she was able to slip free from the worry that had gripped her all evening. “They want you to show some of’ your work? At a cowboy-art exhibition?

Dad, that’s wonderful! You must be so excited. “

He nodded diffidently.

“You’re going to do it, right? I mean, you wouldn’t refuse, would you?” From her father’s body language she could see he was considering doing just that. “Oh, Dad, don’t! You’re good. Really good. People have nothing but praise for your workmwhen you let them see it. Didn’t you have some paintings on display in San Antonio early this year? And weren’t they a success? You wrote me about it, remember?”

“That was just a little gallery,” he said uncomfortably. “Friend of a friend, that kinda thing.”

“Daddy!”

He continued to look uncomfortable as he folded the letter back into the envelope and returned it to the table. “Well, that’s what I was thinkin’ about most of the daymwhether to do it or not.” He cocked his head. “You really think I should? It’s a big show. Lots of big names. I’ll probably get lost in it.”

“Your work is good, Daddy. It’ll stand on its own, proudly. I’m not just saying that, either. I’d tell you that even if you weren’t my father.”

“Wonder what Mae’ Il say if I do,” he mused.

“For once, don’t care,” Jodie advised, seemingly flippant, yet actually serious.

Gib nodded, but Jodie knew he was only agreeing to consider what she’d said, not necessarily to act on it.

JODIE COULDN’T WAIT. She h to talk to Tate. If someone saw her sneaking back over to Mae’s house, they’d just have to wonder at the aa use She doubted that either Rare or Morgan, who was staying the night at Rafe’s place, would get much sleep. They’d probably stay dressed and in chairs near the front door, their ears fixed for any unusual sounds. Now would be as good a time as any for her to seek out Tale.

Jodie slipped into her lightweight jacket and left the house, her stomach doing its usual flip-flops the closer she got to Mac’s. What she was planning to do could get her into a lot of trouble, not to mention make everyone in her family angry if they found out.

She swallowed as she started up the porch steps, her gaze fastened on the front door. She doubted Mae had locked itmshe seldom did. Jodie was just about to test it when a hand clamped down firmly on her shoulder. “Jodie?”

“Fate! He wasn’t inside the house as she’d expected or as Mae had directed. Instead, he’d camped out on the front porch, evidenced by the light blanket thrown hastily across the arm of one of the high-backed chairs when he’d gotten Up.

Tate was the person Jodie had come to see, yet she was hesitant to face him. Everything about him stirred her senses, even his voice. She’d met many handsome ii men over the years, had even dallied with a few, But not one had affected her this way. Made her feel in-stantlym

“Jodie?” he said again.

She quickly collected her self. “You startled me!” she exclaimed, taking care to keep her voice low.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded, his voice as hushed as hers. “Sleepwalking?”

Jodie decided not to prevaricate. “No. i … I need to talk with you.” “

“What about? It couldn’t wait? Or you couldn’t have said it earlier?”

She shook her head.

He glanced at the door, then at the chair next to his. “Where?” he asked. “Inside or out?”

Jodie thought of Mae. Better to keep this outside. She gestured at the chairs. “Over there.”

They both sat, but he seemed determined not to relax with her or to put her at ease. “Okay, what’s up?” he said.

Jodie had prepared what She was going to say and how she was going to say it. But now that the moment had arrived, it was far more difficult than she’d imagined. The words she’d rehearsed in her head evaporated, and she was left to pull the story together as best she could. “I … I think you all should be very careful with the Hammonds.”

“And why do you say that?” His face didn’t give anything away, but Jodie had the impression she’d surprised him.

“Because … I’ve heard they’re bad people.”

He moved slightly. “What do you mean by ‘bad’?”

“They hurt people when they don’t get their way.” “Where did you hear that?” he asked. “Just… from someone.”

“Someone who knows them? And who might that be? I didn’t think anyone

around here knew the Ham mon ds if they do, why haven’t they said something to me?”

The barrage of questions increased Jodie’s nervousness. To combat it, she dug deep inside herself for a little of the Parker hauteur. “Does it matter who told me?” she snapped.

“It might,” he shot back, and waited.

Jodie stood up. This wasn’t going the way she’d wanted. They were already off on the wrong foot.

His fingers curled lightly around her arm. “You know something, don’t you? What is it?”

He was perceptive. Too perceptive. She wanted to break loose and fly away. Why had she ever agreed to help Rio? Especially, as Mae so often reminded, after the way he’d treated her? She must have been temporarily insane. Tare was going to figure it out before she could say anything, and then she’d be the one moldering away in jail, while Rio, after three days, would be off to Mexico and freedom.

She tugged at her arm, trying to gain release. “Just forget I ever came back. I’m sorry I bothered you. I only thought”

His grip tightened. “Tell me.”

Therewas very little light that night. Some high clouds had veiled the moon and the stars. Still, she could see he was watching her levelly, intently. “What … What if I don’t?” she breathed.

Even the chirping crickets stilled. Not a muscle moved in Tate’s face, not an eyelid quivered. Finally he bit out, “Who?”

“Rio,” she choked out. “I wanted him to tell you himself. I told him he should. But he thinks that all

sheriffs are alike, that he won’t have a fair chance to tell his side of the story. He didn’t do it, Tate! He was somewhere else when it happened, playing cards with”— ‘

He let go of her arm so suddenly she nearly lost her balance.

“If I had a dime for every criminal who claimed he didn’t do what he’s accused of, I’d be a rich man! And you fell for it!”

“I didn’t fall for anything. I believe him!”

“Why? Because you used to sleep with him? Or because you still do?”

Jodie gasped. She hadn’t expected his attack to be so personal. “No! I believe him because”

Rafe’s front door jerked open and he stepped off his porch, his long lithe body tense. Morgan was right behind him. They’d heard their raised voices. “What’s goin’ on?” Rafe called.

“Nothing,” Tate said. “Jodie and I are havin’ a little talk, is all.”

“Jodie?” Rare repeated, surprised. “What’s Jo-die” — Morgan put a hand on his friend’s shoulder and said something close to his ear. Rare looked at Morgan hard, then his tension drained away. “Morgan says we need to stay out of this. So … night, folks.” The two of them disappeared back inside.