Texas Lawman (22 page)

As mean and disagreeable as Rufus Hammond was, it was difficult to look at him and not think of his shattered life.

Tate inquired evenly, “You want to get your son a local lawyer?”

“Who?” Rufus inquired flatly.

“The lawyer in Del Norte’s pretty good. Her name’ s—’ ‘

“I meant, get who a lawyer. I only have one son and he’s right here. He don’t need a lawyer.”

Tom Hammond stared hard at the ground. Tate nodded. “Sure. Okay. I guess I can see The deputy started to Phil away. called plaintively. ” I didn’t mean to hurt her none. erything just. “

Rufus turned his back and made sure Tom wise.

Nothing was said as the deputy put his prisoner into the patrol car and drove off.

Moments later Rufus Hammond cleared his

“I, ah, owe everyone here an apology,” he

“If there’s any hurt feelin’s, I’m sorry. The way turned out…” He swallowed, then shook his head, able to go on.

Tate motioned to his deputy. “Why don’t you . these people back to their truck,” he said “Then maybe help ‘em find their way to the main way. We’re sorry about your losses, Mr. Hammond. And if you change your mind and want to see”

“We’re goin’ straight back to Colorado,” Rufus interrupted him. “We got a girl to bury.”

They ducked into the back seat of the patrol car and the second deputy drove away.

“Whew!” Rafe breathed after a moment in which no one seemed able to move. “That’s pretty well one of the worst things I’ve ever had to witness.”

LeRoy nodded, while Harriet buried her face in his shirt.

Rio swaggered off the porch. “I was pretty sure it was him all along,” he bragged. “I didn’t want to say nothin’, but”

Tate looked at him as if he were a worm. “You still here?” he asked.

Rio held out his hand. “I wanna thank you,” he said grandly. “Jodie told me you found Joe-Bob.”

Tate seemed of two minds whether or not to accept. He finally did, but the handshake was brief.

Jodie hurried down from the porch. She’d seen the way Rafe was glaring at Rio and knew it wouldn’t be long before he’d toss him off the ranch. And even though she’d just as soon not draw attention to herself, knowing what would follow, she felt she had to intervene. “Rio, you know where the bunkhouse is if you want a shower. And I’m sure you could talk one of the boys out of a change of clothes.”

Rio looked down at himself. “Yeah, I could sure use one. ‘

“Yeah, you stink!” Rafe agreed. But everyone knew he was referring to more than Rio’s ripe body odor.

Tate shifted position, drawing Jodie’s attention. She knew he was angry—because of the way she’d gone against his directive, because she hadn’t told him about the time limit, because he seemed to think that she and Rio were closer to each other than they really were. She wanted to speak privately to him, to explain. But there was no chance of that at the moment. She could feel her family’s pent-up questions bursting to be asked. There was no way she and Tate could go off alone together. And no way, from the look of him, that Tate would even agree.

“I’d better get back to town,” he said. “I have to make a call or two and see to the county’s newest guest.”

“What’ll happen to him?” Harriet asked.

“Sheriff ston’ll probably send somebody to get him, or he might even come ms elf Either way, it won’t be our worry for long.”

“Poor girl,” Harriet whispered, still leaning against LeRoy. “She must have had a terrible life.”

A horn tooted repeatedly as the black Cadillac tore down the road, then turned into the compound driveway. Mae and Gib were returning.

“Tell Miss Parker I’ll talk to her another time,” Tate said, climbing into his patrol car.

“Will do,” Rafe said, then added, “Hey, Tate,

thanks. We appreciate everything you did. ” ” Yes,” Jodie said softly. ” Sure do! ” Rio added.

Tate’s brown eyes went from Jodie to Rio and back again. Then with a tight little nod, he drove off.

Almost at the same instant the black Cadillac rocked to a halt. And after only a little trouble getting out, Mae stood by the front fender, ready to stare everyone down. Even with wisps of white hair trailing from the normally impeccable knot on top her head and her increasing reliance on a cane, she still cut a formidable figure. Her dark eyes whipped round them. “Well, what’s happened?” she snapped. “We met two county patrol cars comin’ from this way, then we see another one parked out front, and it leaves before we can get here. Was it Tate? What did he”

Her barrage of questions instantly broke off when she spotted Rio and did a double take. Her gaze had touched on him before, but his presence was so unexpected it hadn’t registered.

The moment might have been comical in other circumstances. Mae’s eyes widened as she realized just who Rio was. She gasped, then in a voice that could cause shivers to run up and down any listener’s spine, she demanded, “What in heaven’s name is that worthless sack of misery who calls himself a cowboy doin’ here in my front yard?”

“THAT’S THE MOST foolhardy thing I’ve ever known anyone to do!” Mae railed from the comfort of the overstuffed sofa in her living room after the family moved indoors. Rio had slunk off to the bunkhouse immediately after Mae learned of his exoneration to scrub the days of dirt and grime from himself. “How could you, Jodie?” Mae continued. “How could you? I don’t think I’ll ever understand!”

“What gets me, Jodie,” Rafe said, joining in, “is that you were doin’ it all along! When did Rio first contact you? You didn’t know he was here when Tate came to tell us about him, did you? You sure acted surprised.”

“And what was it Tate said about you pressing charges against the Hammonds?” LeRoy asked. “Why would you want to do something’ like that? Unless…”

Jodie had completely forgotten her ailments. The pain in her knee and hip was fading, and the blisters on her hand were barely noticeable,

Shannon had come in from the kitchen to sit with Harriet on the second sofa. Both women looked at her with dismay and compassion. Neither had condemned her.

Her father, who’d been just as shocked as everyone else, stood just a little outside the group.

Jodie cleared her throat, her first chance to speak. “I didn’t do it to spite, anyone or to go against what you said. I helped him because I believed him. I told you I did.”

“Yes!” Mae fired back. “But you didn’t tell us everything, did you?”

“I only learned about it after the barbecue. That’s when he found me and asked”

“He asked you to hide him?” Rafe interrupted. “He asked for my help.” She gazed at each of them, silently appealing for their understanding. “He’s changed. He’s not the same person you used to know. He was only twenty-two then. He”

“He was old enough to know better!” Mae snapped.

“I never said he was perfect,” Jodie retorted. “Or is. Just that he’s different.”

“What you did was against the law, Missy,” Mae came back. “It’s a wonder Tate didn’t arrest you, too!”

A light tap sounded on the door, and when Shannon answered it, Rio stepped hesitantly inside. As if to add credence to Jodie’s words, he looked different than he had a short half hour before. Clean, with fresh clothes, his hair combed, his beard shaved and his mustache trimmed, he might have been a neighbor’s son come to pay a call. But he wasn’t given that kind of reception.

Rafe jerked to his feet. Mae strained forward on the sofa.

“You’re pressin’ your luck comin’ into this house, aren’t you?” Rafe drawled darkly.

Rio swgllowed, then motioned to Jodie. “I just wondered… I’d like to talk to Jodie for a minute. I wanna thank”

“You can do it from where you are,” Rafe growled. “Then you can get goin’. You have about five minutes to cart your mangy hide off this ranch.”

Rio ducked his chin nervously and worked his old black Stetson in his hands. He glanced at Jodie.

Jodie jumped up, angry that what should be her decision was being taken away from her, hut she kept her voice studiously calm as she countered, “I’ll talk to you, Rio. And we’ll talk for as long as we want. This is either my home or it isn’t.” Her gaze moved around the room. “Everyone’s also forgetting that Rio is an innocent man. He didn’t hurt that Hammond girl, so he shouldn’t be treated like a Criminal.”

She waited for someone to contradict her. No one did.

She followed Rio out onto the front porch, feeling everyone’s eyes on her as she did. Once outside she drew a deep breath. Contesting the conventional Parker wisdom, especially when they presented a united front, was never easy. As a youngster she’d fought against the authority of her elders—mostly Mae–and sometimes even succeeded, but she’d always felt herself in the wrong. As if she was a spoiled child, misbehaving. Now she didn’t. She had a right to feel the way she did and to do whatever it was she wanted to do. They were just going to have to learn to trust her’ judgment Mae especially.

Rio whistled low under his breath. “Wow! That took guts!”

“Let’s go out in the courtyard,” Jodie suggested. Several lawn chairs were in place under the trees, but Jodie ignored them. She wanted to talk to Rio, but she didn’t want the talk to be extended.

“Jodie,” he said, still holding on to his hat, “I truly do want to thank you for all you did. You saved my life.”

“Tate did that really.”

“He wouldn’t have helped if you hadn’t asked him.”

Jodie shrugged.

He stuffed his hat on his head, grabbed her hand and held it against his chest. “From the bottom of my heart I want you to know I’m a changed man. I used to think only of myself, nobody else. If there was a cute little gal around, that was all I lived for. But not any more. You changed me. Crystal changed me. Crystal most of all, I guess.” His face brightened. “I wish you two could’ ye met! You’d’ve liked each other. She was…” The brightness faded and a bleak look took its place. “I’d like to go to her funeral, if Rufus Hammond’ll let me. If not, I’ll wait around until after they leave, then go pay my respects.” He lapsed into silence, obviously thinking about what lay ahead.

“You’re going back to Colorado?” Jodie asked, removing her hand from his grasp.

“I have to take my friend’s truck back.”

“Then what?”

“Look for work. Not with the Hammonds of course. ‘

“In Colorado?”

Rio shrugged “For sure not Texas! Rafe’d track me down if I did that.”

“I can get him to change his mind.”

“They’ll think you’re sweet on me again,” teased.

“Rio, seven years is a long time, Too long to a grudge. I was just as much at fault for what happened between us as you were. I used you almost as much as you used me. The only difference was, I made plans for the future.”

“If I’d married anybody back then, it would’ve been you!”

Jodie smiled. “Sure it would.”

“Naw! I mean it!” His smile widened, the old Rio making another comeback.

Jodie cocked her head. “Just how many times have you used that lucky coin since you used it with me?”

He dug in his pocket and brought out his key chain. The silver coin dangled from its loop. “Tell you what,” he said, pulling it off. “I’m gonna give it to you—for old time’s sake.” He handed it to her. “Take it,” he urged. “Then, if you ever get into any kind of trouble—hopefully not the kind of trouble I was in—you just send it to me and I’ll come runnin’!” He smiled until she took it. “I wonder,” he said quietly and with as much sincerity as he was capable of “do you think we could be friends? I’d like it if we were. Friends, now, nothin’ else. Not unless you”

Jodie slipped the coin into her jeans pocket. “How about we just take this one step at a time? But it can never go beyond friendship, because I … I think I’m in love with someone else. So…”

“Tate Conne!ly,” Rio said. Then, at her surprised expression he explained, “I saw the way you looked at him.”

Jodie gave a half nod,”-but didn’t answer.

They parted a moment later. Friends, but not friends. Odd confidants from a fractured past. Jodie had wanted to shake hands, but Rio wasn’t satisfied until he leaned close to kiss the side of her mouth.

“You always were a good kisser,” he said.

“Drop me a line. Let me know what you’re up to,” she called after him.

He tooted the truck’s horn and waved as he pulled out of the driveway.

Jodie watched him go. Who would have thought their relationship would end this way? She doubted she’d ever hear from him again. And that would be fine with her.

She walked slowly back into the house, bracing for what waited. She would meet the inquiry head-on, with her chin up, her back straight and the light of confidence in her eyes.

“I’m sure Tate told you everything there was to tell,” she said once she’d rejoined them. “But if you insist, I’ll go over it again. What would you like to know?”

In the pause that followed Gib moved close and put his arm around her shoulders. He looked at the others. “Don’t you all think she’s been through enough? Do we really have to ask more questions? We know what happened. She helped save Rio’s sorry ass and now he’s gone. He is, isn’t he?” he asked Jodie.

She gazed into her father’s dark eyes and saw the

warmth og unconditional love. In that moment couldn’t have loved him more. She nodded. “Yes.”

He smiled. She’d noticed few days back that he didn’t chew as much gum as he used to. Maybe as gained confidence in his painting, he didn’t feel so emotionally exposed in his everyday life, and he’d been able to conquer the nervous habit. She rested her cheek against his shoulder.

“There is one thing,” Mae said stiffly. She seemed the only one still wanting a hearing. “What LeRoy said earlier—about pressing charges against the Hammonds.

/

Is that why you were limping last night? You pretended nothing was wrong, but something’ was. Did they you? “

Rafe, who’d settled back in his chair content to follow Gib’s lead, grew tense. “You were hurt?” he asked.

$odie wasn’t about to tell them everything. The Par-kef men could easily take it into their heads to catch up to the Hammonds and vent their displeasure. “It wasn’t all that much,” she said. “They wanted to talk to me, I didn’t want to talk, and I ended up slipping. I hurt my leg a bit, that’s all.”