Ana Leigh (28 page)

Chapter 28

“D
ammit!”.

Rose jerked up her head. Surely that wasn’t the doctor who’d cursed, and she doubted it was the orderly, either.

“Be quiet or you’ll wake the whole house,” someone hissed. The voice sounded faintly familiar.

She stood up. Her hand trembled as she picked up the Colt, but she felt surprisingly calm. She’d run from these men long enough, and the time had come to face them. She quietly cocked the pistol and pointed it at the door as the footsteps drew nearer.

“Maybe he ain’t here either, Josh.”

Josh? There was no Josh with the Tait gang, she thought, just as a shadowy figure filled the doorway.

“Don’t take another step or I’ll shoot,” she ordered.

“Don’t shoot, ma’am, we don’t mean you any harm.”

Rose turned up the lamp and her face broke into a smile. “Josh MacKenzie!”

The tall figure in the doorway gaped in surprise. “Rose? Rose Dubois? What in hell are you doing here? And put down that damn pistol before it goes off.” His gaze swept the room and came to a halt at the bed. “How is he?” He hurried over to Zach.

“I think he’s getting better.” Suddenly her legs felt like they couldn’t support her, and she sank back down on the chair.

“Rose, this is my cousin Cole.”

“Ma’am,” said the younger man who had followed Josh into the room. Tall and rangy, there was no mistaking him for anyone but a MacKenzie. The two men leaned over the bed. “He sure don’t look too perky,” Cole said.

“I can assure you, he looks a hundred percent better than he did yesterday,” she said. “He came to earlier, but the doctor’s given him an injection to help him rest more comfortably. How did you fellows even know where to find us?”

“My dad. I’d sent him a telegram about where Cole and I were staying for the night. When he got the news about Zach, he wired me back and said that Zach was here, wounded, and needed help. We’d gotten Zach’s telegram before, and Cole and I were headed for Brimstone. We were lucky enough to catch a train and double back. When there was no sign of Zach at the hotel, we figured we’d check out the doctor’s office.”

“I’m glad you’re here, Josh. The four men who are trying to kill Zach are in town. They don’t know we’re here, though.”

“I thought the Tait gang was after him. There’s five of them,” Cole said.

“Zach killed Jess Tait in Brimstone.”

“And the others came all this way just to get even? That sure don’t sound like the gang I knew.”

“Tait had stolen money from a rancher before killing him. We escaped on Tait’s horse, and the money was in the saddlebags. They’re after the money.”

“Where is it now?” Josh asked.

“I burned most of it.”

“You what?” Cole exclaimed.

“Zach was burning up with fever, but shivering with cold. I had to make a fire, and I used the money to get it started.”

“Miz Dubois, did you ever hear of wood?” Cole asked.

“I was desperate.”

“Where is this gang now?” Josh asked.

“I have no idea. Cynthia Kincaid said she saw them ride into town when she was at the telegraph office.”

“Cynthia Kincaid is here!”

“Yes, so is Beth Carrington. They’re upstairs sleeping. If it weren’t for them, we’d never have made it this far.”

Josh shoved his hat to the top of his forehead. “Well, I’ll be damned!” His warm chuckle was so like Zach’s that her breath caught in her throat. “Rose, I don’t understand why you didn’t ask for help from the sheriff. Ben Morgan is a tough old lawman who runs a clean town.”

“Cynthia checked. He’s out of town and due back in the morning.”

“Maybe we should look up this gang, Josh. I used to ride with them, so I know what they look like,” Cole said.

“No, let the law handle this. It’s almost daylight. We’ll just sit tight right here with Zach until the sheriff gets back. If the gang shows up before he does, then we’ll handle it.”

“What’s going on here?” Dr. Serene stood in the doorway.

Josh and Cole pivoted, their pistols clearing their holsters as they turned. Seeing the irate little man in a belted robe, his gray hair disheveled from sleep, they uncocked their Colts and holstered them.

“Get away from my patient,” the doctor ordered.

“Dr. Serene, these are Zach’s cousins. They’re here to help him.”

“Then they can help him by not disturbing him. If you’d all step out of the room, I’d like to examine Mr. MacKenzie. Mrs. King is preparing coffee. I suggest you go into the dining room.”

They filed out, and Rose led them to the dining room. By the time the coffee was ready, Cynthia and Beth had come downstairs.

Rose sat with her elbow propped on the table and her head cradled in her hand. Half-asleep, she listened to their chatter. She was glad there was someone else to fill in the details for the new arrivals. Dr. Serene soon joined them, and Mrs. King brought in heaping bowls of oatmeal and a large platter of scrambled eggs and fried ham.

After a few bites, Rose lost her appetite and shoved back her chair. “Dr. Serene, is Zach awake?”

“He slips in and out, Rose. At this stage it’s due to the medication, but I don’t want to withhold it, because he needs it to fight the infection.”

“He hasn’t eaten in days, other than a few bites of my sandwich last night. Should I try to feed him?”

“You might try the oatmeal and some liquid, of course. Liquid is the most important thing, to avoid dehydration. I don’t recommend anything much heavier on his stomach until he’s able to sit up.”

Daylight streamed through the window by the time Rose returned to Zach with a bowl of the cereal and a glass of milk. She shook him lightly on the shoulder and he opened his eyes.

“Good morning. Do you feel up to a bowl of oatmeal?”

“You going to feed it to me?”

“Like I would an infant.”

“When do I get the steak and potatoes?”

“When you can sit up.”

“I’m ready to do that now.”

“Sure you are.” She helped him drink the glass of milk, then eat the bowl of oatmeal. By the time he’d eaten half of it, he couldn’t keep his eyes open.

As she carried the tray back to the kitchen, the bell tinkled above the door. When the orderly opened it, the tallest man she’d ever seen stepped through the door. He wore a star on his vest.

“Howdy, Robert. Can I talk to the doc?”

“I’ll get him, Sheriff.”

“Excuse me,” Rose said, setting the tray aside. “Are you Sheriff Morgan?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, doffing his hat.

The man emanated such an aura of dignity, she couldn’t help but trust him. His face was tanned and weathered, but whether from age or exposure to sand and wind was hard to say. She guessed him to be in his mid-fifties, but his body appeared to be that of a younger man—solid muscle without a wasted ounce of flesh on it.

His eyes were the clearest blue she’d ever looked into, and never wavered from her own when she introduced herself.

“I was told a Mrs. Kincaid was looking for me.”

“I’m Cynthia Kincaid,” Cynthia said. She came into the foyer followed by all the others, each one trying to be heard above the other.

“Please, one at a time,” the sheriff declared.

When he heard the full story, Morgan let out a long, low whistle. “So these fellas managed to flatten Zach MacKenzie. I’d hate to be in their boots if Flint ever runs into them. If the gang’s still in town I’ll arrest them, but I’ll need you three ladies, who were personally involved, to sign complaints.”

“You need any help with that arrest, Ben?” Josh asked.

“You’re damn right—I’ve only got one deputy. You and Cole come with me; I’ll deputize you.”

“I know the bastards,” Cole said. “Bull’s the most dangerous, Joe’s the least. Pike and Cain are downright mean.”

“If they draw on us, I’ll take Bull. Josh, Pike’s yours, and Cole can take Cain. My deputy can take this Joe. Let’s go.”

The three men departed before anyone could even wish them good luck.

Rose joined Beth and Cynthia on the front porch. The men had been gone for fifteen minutes, and Rose waited anxiously for their return. She became increasingly uneasy with every moment that ticked by. If the outlaws had left town, they’d still represent a threat to Zach. She wanted the whole situation to end right now.

A sudden gunshot rent the air, then a stillness settled over the town. A few early risers came out and looked up and down the street, then went back inside and closed their doors.

“What do you think?” Cynthia asked.

“I don’t know,” Rose replied. “I only heard one shot, didn’t you?”

“Here they come now,” Beth said solemnly.

They stared as the sheriff and his deputies came down the street with three handcuffed prisoners and turned into the jail.

“Looks like it’s all over but the shouting, honey,” Cynthia said, hugging her.

“Bull wasn’t with them,” Rose said worriedly. “I wonder why?”

“Let’s go down and sign those complaints the sheriff mentioned,” Beth said. “We’ll be able to find out then.”

Beth and Cynthia each slipped an arm through hers and they marched up the street arm in arm.

The three outlaws looked woefully at Rose from their locked cells. Seeing them behind bars somehow made them appear less ominous to her.

“Where’s Bull?” she asked. “Did he get away?”

“Bull wasn’t too willing to come with us,” Sheriff Morgan said.

“He made the mistake of drawing on Ben,” Josh added.

“Was that the shot we heard?” Cynthia asked.

Morgan nodded, and handed them each a paper. “Now, if you ladies will just sign these complaints, our business will be over and these men won’t be bothering you anymore.”

Rose was anxious to get back to Zach with the good news. She was relieved when they left the jail to go back to the doctor’s house.

Cynthia slipped her arm through Morgan’s. “Sheriff Morgan, what took you fellows so long to take those men prisoners? We were on pins and needles, not knowing what was happening.”

“Well, Miz Kincaid, seems these fellows were spending the night with a few of Comanche Wells’s soiled doves. It took us some time to round them all up.”

He suddenly looked over to where an engine and several cars had just pulled into the depot. Members of the United States Cavalry were disembarking, leading saddled horses. “What in hell’s going on now? Looks like we’re being invaded.”

Two men who were not in uniform came running toward them. Squealing with pleasure, Beth and Cynthia ran into their open arms.

Perplexed, Rose looked to Josh. “Do you have any idea who those men are?”

“Yep,” he said. “The fellow kissing Beth is Jake Carrington, her husband. And the other guy is Dave Kincaid. He’s married to Thia. I figured it wouldn’t be too long before they’d show up. When you own a railroad, it’s easy to hop a ride.”

With her hand clasped in her husband’s, Cynthia led Dave Kincaid over to introduce him. Rose’s immediate impression was that Cynthia had not exaggerated her husband’s handsomeness.

Jake Carrington was equally as handsome. And the love and adoration both men felt toward their wives was evident in their relief over finding them safe and unharmed. They kept their wives hugged to their sides.

“The family will always be grateful to you for what you’ve done for Zach, Rose,” Dave Kincaid said.

“From what Thia’s told us so far, it sounds remarkable,” Jake Carrington added.

“There was nothing remarkable about what I did,” Rose said, blushing. “The remarkable thing was that Zach survived and is on his way to recovering.”

“I think you’re being much too modest, Miss Dubois,” Jake said. She felt overwhelmed when he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Zach means a lot to all of us.”

“Speaking of people who mean a lot to us, how are my young darlings doing?” Beth asked. “I miss them.”

“Your son and daughter miss you, too, Rusty, and I’ve promised them I’ll never let you out of my sight again. Particularly when you’re venturing out with their Aunt Cynthia. She attracts trouble like honey does bees.”

“Tell me about it,” Dave groaned.

“Lovely as they are, gentlemen, sounds like the town’ll be better off if your wives don’t visit us too often,” Ben Morgan said with a wink. “We’ve kind of gotten used to peace and quiet around here.”

As if to dispute his words, the cavalry, now mounted, came riding up amid swirling dust and snorting horses. A young lieutenant dismounted.

“Wouldn’t he have been better off just walking over here?” Cynthia whispered aside to Rose and Dave.

“Who’s in charge here?” the lieutenant asked officiously.

“Reckon I am, right now,” Ben Morgan said.

“Sir, I’m Lieutenant Keogh. By the authority of the president of the United States, I have been dispatched to the town of Comanche Wells to investigate the condition of Andrew Zachary MacKenzie, and to offer said Andrew Zachary MacKenzie the protection of my command. Can you direct me, sir, to his whereabouts?”