Twilight in Texas (34 page)

Dawn crept up the street. Miller rushed out of his store and began pulling the hurriedly made coffins from the wagon. He didn’t bother carrying them inside, but let them crash to the ground.

As soon as they were out of the wagon, he glanced back toward his store. In a sudden burst of panic, he ran for freedom.

“Miller!” one of the Diggers shouted. A rifle barrel slid out a crack in the door opening.

Miller didn’t glance back. He made it to the center of the street before a shot rang out. When the bullet hit him, he stopped and raised his hands.

Molly thought he might be surrendering, but a second later, he crumbled. Blood poured from the center of his back.

She folded Callie Ann behind her skirt. The shot drew early risers. Another shot rang from inside the store, and Molly screamed. “Wolf’s in there alone and unarmed with three killers!”

Josh didn’t move.

A body crashed through the window. The man had been propelled so hard, he flew for several feet before landing in the street.

Josh and Molly stared at the lean-faced man lying like a broken toy in the dirt. “Two killers,” Josh corrected.

They could hear the fight now. It sounded like ten men were inside Miller’s place slugging it out. The dull thud of blows against flesh. The sickening sound of cries cut short by newly landed strikes. The slamming sound of bodies hitting walls.

“We have to help him!” Molly tried to pass Josh. She couldn’t stand by and let Wolf die.

The young ranger held her back. “No, we can’t. It’s dangerous. You could get hurt in the fight and then the captain would kill me. Plus, I don’t want to insult him. He can handle them alone.”

Molly glanced at Josh as if she were certain he’d lost his mind.

Carrell Digger staggered out the door moaning in pain. He tried to make it to the wagon but crumpled before he could climb up. The horses spooked, dragging him several yards down the street before someone stepped out to stop the team.

When Molly turned back to the open door of Miller’s store, she realized all was silent. She couldn’t breathe. “Wolf’s not dead!” she told herself over and over.
He’s not dead
.

Several people hid behind doorways and buildings. All watched the store. All waited.

A huge man stepped into the breaking sunlight. For a moment, Molly could only stare as Wolf moved into the open, dragging the body of Francis Digger behind him.

Josh and several others ran forward before Molly could make herself move. She stood there, staring at the man she loved, watching his eyes narrow as he searched from face to face.

Their gazes met. He’d found what he looked for. Though he was surrounded by men, Wolf stared only at her. He smiled and nodded slightly, telling her everything was all right.

Molly lifted Callie Ann and walked slowly toward her husband.

People seemed to be everywhere asking questions, wanting to see, talking about what must’ve happened. Wolf didn’t say a word. When Molly reached him, he put his arm around her and held her close.

She couldn’t keep from brushing her hand over his chest, making sure there was no injuries. “Are you hurt?” she asked quietly amid the chaos.

“No,” he answered. “Funny thing, I feel like I’m the luckiest man alive. Francis fired right at me from five feet away and missed me completely. He was so shocked, I had two blows on him before he realized I wasn’t dead.”

Callie Ann moved from Molly’s arms to Wolf’s. As she always did, she stroked his whiskers as if petting a cat. “Uncle Orson said to tell you, you’re welcome,” she whispered in Wolf’s ear then laid her head on his shoulder.

Wolf glanced at Molly and raised a questioning eyebrow. He shook his head. “Come along, ladies. I’ll take you home.”

Hours later, Molly had had a bath and a nap. Callie Ann slept soundly in one of the extra bedrooms. As Molly headed downstairs, old Dr. Harley met her coming up for his turn on watch.

“How are the patients today?” he asked in his usual monotone.

“I just checked on them. Better, I think. Charlie drank half a cup of broth, and Early’s dressing was almost free of blood when I changed it.”

Harley smiled. “They’re going to make it, thanks to you, Doctor.”

“I only helped.”

Harley protested then put his hand on Molly’s shoulder. “You’re a fine doctor, even if you think of yourself as a druggist. We’ve been talking. If you’d like a job at the state hospital, there’s one waiting for you.”

Molly was flattered. “I’ll think about it.”

Harley accepted her answer. “I heard what happened at dawn. You’re a very brave woman, Mrs. Hayward. Maybe a match for that husband of yours. You know, I heard a rumor once that he was the leader of a group of spies during the war. Saved hundreds of Rebs’ lives by making sure they weren’t in the wrong place when the Yanks came through.”

“I didn’t know that.” Molly had a feeling that, if she had waited for Wolf to tell her, she’d never know.

Harley nodded. “Oh, sure. I heard a man say once that Wolf was a chameleon who could walk back and forth between the lines like they weren’t even there. They say he could blend into Northern or Southern camps without notice. Course, he won’t talk about it. Like most of them boys, he wants to forget the war.”

Molly thanked the doctor for taking a shift and walked out onto the back porch. “Between the lines,” she whispered as she sat in the swing. “Northern or Southern.”

She was still sitting there an hour later when Wolf came home.

He trudged up the steps slowly.

She could see the exhaustion in his every movement.

When he noticed her on the swing, he smiled. “I’m home,” he said simply.

She knew the words didn’t have anything to do with the town or the house.

He lowered himself into the swing beside her and pulled her against him.

Molly waited, not knowing how to start what she needed to say to him. She simply let Wolf rock them back and forth. Finally, they slowed. She looked up to find him sound asleep beside her.

When Molly heard Callie Ann calling her name, she carefully slipped from his arms and moved inside.

She checked on him from time to time, but he didn’t move all afternoon. Molly worried that he might not be comfortable, but there was no way she could carry him upstairs, and she didn’t have the heart to wake him.

Callie Ann played wherever Molly worked. If Molly moved to another room, even for a minute,
Callie Ann would follow. When it came time to put her to bed, the little princess insisted she sleep on the cushion in the windowsill of her own room since both her beds were taken. The space was just long enough for her and she could watch Early and Charlie from her spot.

The nurse wasn’t too happy, but Molly allowed it. Callie Ann needed to feel she was home and, to her, Charlie and Early were part of the family.

Charlie talked without pain in his voice when he was awake, and he seemed to enjoy Callie Ann checking on him. He’d visit with her for as long as she wanted to stay, but his hand never left Early’s arm.

When Callie Ann asked if Early was going to be all right, Charlie said, “Sure, she will, kid. I’m going to hold on and not let her go anywhere.”

In truth, Early rested far easier today. She seemed in a deep sleep, letting her body heal.

When everyone else was asleep, Molly went downstairs, intending to wake Wolf. To her surprise, he sat at the kitchen table consuming half their store of food. Two pie pans were empty, and he’d eaten most of the leftover chicken.

“Have a nice nap?” Molly smiled as she neared.

He didn’t look up.

“I said—”

He swept her onto his lap. “Say it again,” he demanded.

“I said, did you have a nice—”

“Not that,” Wolf interrupted. “Say you love me.”

She didn’t hesitate. “I love you.”

“Again.”

“I love you.”

“Again.”

“How many times do you want me to say it?”

“Every day for the rest of our lives,” he answered.

“All right. I promise, every day for the rest of our lives. Now, if you’re finished eating, I have a bath ready for you upstairs.”

He followed her to their room. She made no excuse as she sat on the corner of the bed and watched him undress. They talked of little things, pulling all the pieces together of what had happened the night before. Carrell Digger was dead, as was Miller. The thin-faced man would live to go on trial. Francis would hang. The judge gave Wolf and Molly custody of Callie Ann until she came of age. Then, if she wanted to go back to her grandmother’s house, it would be waiting for her.

“I’m so sorry,” Molly commented. “She’ll never find a man who’ll have her now that she has money.”

“Nonsense.” Wolf raised an eyebrow. “Any man would be a fool to not love a woman just because she inherited a little money. I’d have a talk with Callie Ann’s fellow myself.”

“I’ll remember that,” she agreed with him.

Wolf asked about Charlie and Early, listening to every detail.

Molly smiled as she watched him dry his hair on a towel. She thought about how good it felt to be here with him like this. She felt warm and protected and loved. She also noticed he dripped water over half the floor space and he’d left his dirty clothes in a pile.

Molly laughed. He was real, all right. Dream lovers would never do such a thing. Dream lovers never got dirty or spilled things…or made love like the world was going to end any moment if he didn’t hold her.

Wolf pulled the towel off his head and looked at her. “What are you laughing at, darlin’?”

“Nothing,” she answered. “I was wondering if you were going to shave before you came to bed, Benjamin.”

He froze. “What did you call me?”

“Benjamin,” she answered as she stood and began undressing.

Her actions almost erased the conversation from his mind. “I’m Wolf, remember?” he tried to sound gruff, but it was hard when all he could do was stare as her blouse opened. She was so proper, with never a button undone, and here she stood, taking off her top in front of him like it was something she’d done a hundred times.

Wolf couldn’t stop looking. She’d have to do it a few hundred times more before he’d get so used to seeing her that he’d even chance blinking.

She let her blouse drop and twisted to undo her skirt. “I know. You’re Wolf, my husband. The man I love. The only man I’ve ever loved.”

Wolf ran a hand through his hair. “I thought I heard you call me by another name.” He must be hearing things, he decided.

“I did,” she said as her skirt drifted to the floor, revealing the thin white cotton of her underwear. She moved a few feet closer, just out of his touch. “I called you by your first name…Benjamin.” As she spoke, she pulled the ribbon on her camisole. The lace over her breasts parted, showing the curve of her flesh.

Wolf tried to keep his senses about him, but they were mutinying fast. He could smell the rose water of her hair and a perfume that seemed blended into her underthings. He could see the outline of her body clearly through the cotton covering.

“I’m not…” Dear God, he couldn’t lie to her. Not now. Not when she stood so close, playing with the ribbon of her camisole that, any minute, would be tugged just a little harder to reveal her fully.

“It took me a while to figure it out. The night you lay next to me after the fire was so much more than I’d ever known. In my dreams, the two of you kept mixing. You patted the stage, just like you patted the train that day years ago. The way you say you’ll always love me. No one else would put the words together in just that way.” She smiled. “I thought of prying your box open. I have a feeling you signed Benjamin on the marriage license.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I didn’t have to. I know.”

“But, who do you love?” Wolf strangled the towel, trying not to reach for her.

“I love you. I’ve always loved you, but never more than I do right now.” She tugged at the ribbon. The lace fell away from her breasts.

Wolf was lost to words. He closed the distance between them and kissed her wildly as his hands caressed what she’d offered to his full view.

They made love as she knew they would. Like the end of the world would come any moment and there was nothing he wanted, needed but her. Part of him was wild and exciting, part so tender she almost cried when he caressed her. But all of him was hers, and all of her belonged to him.

When they finally lay beside one another too exhausted to do more than breathe, he whispered, “I thought you wouldn’t love me if you knew who I really was.” He wasn’t making excuses or trying to explain, only telling her his thoughts.

Molly moved her hand slowly over his chest. “I’ve loved you in both times, the past and the present. I’ve loved you in two worlds, my dreams and reality. I was meant to love you, Benjamin Wolf Hayward.”

He stopped her hand over his heart. “And I will love you until my heart beats no more, my Molly.”

W
INTER BLEW THROUGH
A
USTIN
, T
EXAS, IN COLD
blasts of icy rain. Wolf turned up his collar and pulled his hat low as he headed home. This was his last trip. Tomorrow, he’d be taking over as sheriff and leaving the Rangers, at least for a time. Being a ranger got in a man’s blood. He knew if he were called up again, he’d serve, but only for a short time. Soon, Molly would be needing him home more.