Rosanne Bittner (17 page)

Sage welcomed a chance to talk with Kate, one of the few people from his past he was happy to see again. She was the only woman he knew who smoked cigars. She lit one now as he finished his stew and leaned back to enjoy a cup of coffee. “Sure feels good to be clean and dry and well fed.”

“Yeah, well, I miss the times when I
shared
a tub with you,” Kate teased.

Sage grinned. “We did have some good times back in the day.”

Kate nodded, keeping the cigar in her teeth. “So, tell me about the wife you said you once had.”

Sage sobered. “I knew her in San Francisco. You already know what happened to me there. It was Joanna, the one her parents sent away to school and I never saw again, until she found me and Paradise Valley. She came running into my arms like a lost lover.” He set down his coffee. “Would you believe I fell for it?” He began rolling a cigarette. “Turns out she was only after my money. When she realized how lonely and remote ranch life is, let alone the fact that I’m not the type to mix with high society, she left. Simple as that.” He licked the cigarette paper and sealed it.

“Oh, I doubt it was all that simple. I see the hurt in your eyes, Sage Lightfoot.” Kate set her cigar in an ashtray and drank her own coffee. “Are you sure you’re done with her?”

Sage couldn’t help the small bit of love left in his heart for the woman who didn’t deserve it. “I’m sure. Trouble is—I got a letter from her just before I left on this trip. She claims she wants to come back, but it’s a sure bet she’s after something again. I don’t intend to fall for any more of her bullshit. There isn’t an honest bone in her body.”

“And what will you do if she’s at the ranch when you and Maggie get there?”

Sage got up to pour himself more coffee. “I’ll send her packing.” He bent down and lit the end of his cigarette from the hot plate on the wood-burning stove. “If she needs money again, I’ll probably help her out one last time. But I don’t want her back, Kate, not with a woman like Maggie at my side.” He came to the table and sat down with his coffee.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Kate said with a nod. “Maggie said the same about you.”

“So, you approve of her?”

Kate waved him off. “Do you
need
my approval?”

Sage grinned. “You’re a damn good judge of character, Kate. Your opinion means a lot to me.”

“Of course, I approve. I love seeing you happy.” She reached out and touched his arm. “Tell me exactly what it is about her that you love, besides the fact that she’s sweet and beautiful, and that it’s nice to have a woman to bed while you’re on the trail for weeks on end.”

Sage ran a finger around the rim of his coffee cup, staring at it reflectively as he spoke. “She’s everything a rancher’s wife needs to be, Kate, and she understands me because she’s been through a lot of the same things I have, as far as never knowing real love.” He drew on his cigarette then set it in an ashtray. “She’s a fighter, a survivor. There’s a lot of punch packed into that tiny body. She grows on you till you wonder how you’d get by without her. She’s damn strong and brave as a she-cat protecting her cubs. She can cook and hunt, and she’s… well, she’s about as opposite from Joanna as she could be, no frills, nothing false about her. She’s as honest as the day is long.”

Kate nodded. “She sounds like the perfect woman for you, so you’d better make up your mind about your feelings for Joanna. Don’t be hurting Maggie even more than she’s already been hurt in this life.”

He met her eyes. “I don’t intend to hurt her, but final decisions can’t be made until we settle what we came here for, Kate. I worry about how dangerous that is for Maggie. She almost got herself shot back in Atlantic City.” He finished his coffee. “I ran into an old enemy there… John Polk… remember him?”

Kate closed her eyes. “I remember what he did to one of my girls once… and what
you
did to him afterward.”

Sage stretched his legs. “He was there at a barn dance in Atlantic City. One of the men I was after showed up, and I shot him. Maggie was involved in the fracas. Things moved so fast I didn’t even realize Polk was watching. I hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him since running into him earlier in the day. Just after the shooting, he ran into the dark and rode off. I’m worried he knew the other two, and now, if he knew where they were, he’s had time to find them and warn them that I’m on their trail.”

“Well, I’m glad you had a chance to explain it to Newell earlier and describe those men to him. Rest assured, he’s out on the town tonight to see if he can find out anything. If they’re in town, Newell will know it.” Kate puffed her cigar one last time before stamping the end in the ashtray. “I’ve known Newell a long time. He’s a good man, Sage. You can trust him.”

Sage finished his cigarette. “I figured as much.”

Kate rose. “Well, for now, you need some rest yourself. You leave things to Newell tonight, and we’ll talk about it over breakfast in the morning.” She leaned down and kissed Sage’s cheek, then walked to the stove and checked the coffeepot. “I’d better make a little more. I am never without a pot of hot coffee for whenever my customers might want a cup.”

“You’ve always been an obliging woman, Kate,” Sage told her with a wink.

Her eyes sparkled with humor, and she laughed lightly. “And you’ve always had the devil in you, Sage Lightfoot.”

“And you, my lady, are an angel.”

Kate shook her head, sobering. “I hope Newell can help, Sage. I’d hate to see any more bad things happen to Maggie or to you.”

Sage rose from his chair. “Worry about Maggie, but don’t worry about me. You know I can take care of myself.”

“Yeah, well, I dug a bullet out of your leg once. Don’t forget that.”

“And I’m alive and well and will be forever grateful to you.” Sage put out his arms, and Kate walked into them.

“A good hug from a man like you does a woman good. I can’t help wishing—” She pulled away. “Well, you know.” Kate grinned and winked. “Go climb into bed with the lucky woman who
will
get more than a hug. I have a lot to do yet this evening. Boarders mean a lot of work, but it’s an honest living—for once.”

Sage watched her take some dishes out of a cupboard. “You’re still beautiful, Kate. Time hasn’t done anything to change that.”

Kate laughed robustly at the remark. “And you’re a lousy liar, Sage Lightfoot.” She pointed toward the hallway. “Third door on your right. All your things are already in there, including a pretty little woman in your bed.”

Sage grinned. “See you in the morning.” He walked down the hallway and quietly entered the bedroom Kate indicated. He closed the door and undressed by dim lamplight. He quietly moved to the bed, leaning close. “You awake?”

Maggie pulled back the covers. “I decided I’d better stay awake to make sure this is the bed you came to tonight.”

Sage smiled and joined her. “Did you actually doubt where I’d sleep tonight?”

Maggie moved her arms around his neck. “No—but only because I can tell Kate wouldn’t take you to her bed as long as I’m here. But if I weren’t…”

Sage moved on top of her, pushing up her nightgown. “I know Kate. She’s a great lady and loyal friend, but if I’d
wanted
to go to her bed, I have a feeling it wouldn’t have mattered if you were here or not.”

“Well, I guess we’ll never know, will we?”

Sage met her mouth hungrily. He couldn’t think of one thing not to love about this spit of a woman.

He moved a hand under her firm bottom, relishing every curve, groaning with the want of her, the feel of sliding into her. Knowing what this had been like for her before they met made this all the more necessary and enjoyable. He wanted her to take pleasure in a man loving her, and he couldn’t imagine another man giving her that pleasure. Paradise Valley would be more of a paradise once he shared it with Maggie Tucker. He pushed aside any thoughts about Joanna. Maybe when they got back to the ranch, Joanna wouldn’t even be there.

Maggie sipped her second cup of coffee as Newell McCabe came into the kitchen after morning chores. He hung up his hat and took a chair at the table.

“We’ve been waiting for you,” Kate told him. “Want your breakfast?”

“Sure, Kate.” Newell turned his attention to Sage, who was finishing off a plate of scrambled eggs. “Got some information for ya.”

Sage waited while Kate poured him another cup of coffee. “Let’s hear it,” he answered, pushing his plate aside.

“I was out to a saloon called Chet’s last night,” Newell told him. He rolled himself a cigarette.

Maggie studied the many lines in Newell’s face. She could tell he’d been a good-looking man when he was younger. His skin was sun-darkened, which made his eyes look incredibly blue. There was an honesty in those eyes, a hard-living—“this is the kind of person I am—take it or leave it” kind of honesty—the kind she saw in Ma Pilger and Kate, and often in Sage too. Good or bad, none pretended to be anything but their true selves.

“Did some askin’ around,” Newell continued. “Told those I know that a buffalo hunter named Jasper owed me money for a saddle. I described him the same way you described him to me.” He lit his cigarette and took a drag. “A fella I know—Johnny Carpenter—said he saw a man who looked like that a few days ago—big ugly scar over his left eye.”

“That’s him!” Maggie said, putting a hand to her chest. “He’s here in Lander?”

“I don’t think so, ma’am.” Newell drank some coffee and turned his attention to Sage. “Johnny said as how the man was sittin’ in a corner drinkin’ with some other fella—bearded man, big… wore a long black coat.”

“Polk,” Sage grumbled.

“Johnny remembered him ridin’ into town the day before. Anyway, him and the fat guy was talkin’ alone—like men do when they’re plottin’ somethin’. Johnny noticed because, well, in places like this, you pay attention when men act like they’re up to no good, you know?”

Sage nodded.

Maggie felt a chill at the thought of how close they were to the men they planned to kill. “Well, anyway, the fat man, he got up and walked out,” Newel continued. “Johnny—he’s kind of the nosy type—he strolled out a minute later and just watched. The big man walked around town lookin’ in stores and such, like he was lookin’ for somebody. Finally, he met up with a younger fella at a dry goods store. They looked to be arguin’ about somethin’. The younger one didn’t seem to want to do whatever it was the big one wanted, but finally, they walked off together—went to the livery and got their horses and gear and lit out, headin’ north. Johnny figured that whatever they was up to, it wasn’t gonna happen in Lander, so he shrugged it off and forgot about it. I asked him if the bearded guy with the black coat was still in town, and he said he’s been in Chet’s the last two nights—didn’t ride out with the other two far as he can tell. He don’t know where he’s stayin’. Most likely, he’s camped outside of town. Johnny said he didn’t look the sociable type—comes into Chet’s to drink, maybe find a card game, then don’t show up during the day.”

“He’s waiting to see if we
do
show up,” Sage grumbled. He turned to Maggie. “It’s just like I figured. Polk came here to warn Jimmy Hart and Jasper that I’m hunting for them. The trouble is, he’s seen you too. Now, the other two know you’re with me. From here on, you’ve got to stay right here, while I take care of Polk and go after the others.”

“No! We’ve come this far together. I’m not staying behind now. I won’t let you go after them alone!”

“Sage is right, Maggie,” Newell told her. “I’m bettin’ them two are headed for Hole-In-The-Wall, and that ain’t no place for no woman, not even whores.”

“He’s right,” Kate added. “I’ve been all over this country, but I never went to Hole-In-The-Wall.” She lit a thin cigar. “Besides, those two might round up some extra men to help them out.” She smoked quietly a moment. “You should go back to Paradise Valley, Sage, and leave this alone.”

“You know better than to tell me that. They owe me, Kate, and it’s not just the money. If I give up now, I’ll always wonder when they might come back to Paradise Valley and shoot me in the back, just so they can quit worrying about me coming for them.”

Maggie’s stomach hurt from a deep foreboding. If Jasper were able to pay others to help him, she and Sage would head into something they couldn’t handle alone. Worse, Sage probably meant it when he said he wouldn’t take her with him this time. She swallowed at the heavy silence in the kitchen. “What’s Hole-In-The-Wall?”

The other three looked at each other as though their days were numbered. “It’s not a place for the likes of you, Maggie, that’s certain,” Sage told her.

Maggie stiffened. “I’m not about to be left behind now, Sage Lightfoot, not after all we’ve been through to get this far!”

Sage rubbed his forehead as though he had a headache. “Maggie, no one gets into Hole-In-The-Wall unseen. That’s why outlaws use the place to hide out. Getting there requires riding single file through a cut in what’s called the Great Red Wall—cliffs so high and straight no man can get past them except by one trail, so it’s easy to guard.”

“There’s a wide, beautiful valley that takes you there,” Newell added, giving his attention to Maggie. “Trouble is, anybody atop those cliffs can see you comin’ for miles. If you think you’ve seen big country out here, ma’am, wait till you see the valley on the way to Hole-In-The-Wall. Outlaws graze their horses and cattle there. Sometimes, a lot of them camp right there in the valley.”

Sage rose and paced. “The damn pathway is so narrow it only takes one man to guard it. You could send a whole army up that trail, and one man could pick them off, one at a time.”

“Sage, you don’t know for certain that’s where Jasper and the other one went,” Kate reminded him. “You need to find John Polk and see what he knows.”

“Oh, I’ll find him, all right. If the son of a bitch hadn’t warned Jasper, he and Jimmy Hart might still be here in town, and we could get this over with. Riding to Hole-In-The-Wall is another matter.” He walked to the table and crushed out his cigarette in an ashtray. “Thanks, Newell. Have some breakfast. I’m going outside to get some air. I need to think about this.” He grabbed his hat from where he’d left it hanging near the door and walked out.

Newell glanced at Kate. “I’ll go talk to him some more. I can eat later,” he told her. He drank the rest of his coffee and nodded to Maggie. “Ma’am, Sage is right. Hole-In-The-Wall ain’t no place for the likes of you.” He rose. “See you later, Kate.” He put on his hat and walked out.

Maggie closed her eyes and leaned back. “He’ll try to go without me, Kate. I can’t let him.”

Kate tapped some ashes off the end of her cigar. “Well, honey, it’s a rough trip. Getting through the trail that leads up the cliffs is dangerous enough. You need a damn good, sure-footed horse, and then, you have the problem of what you’ll face when you get to the top. Even the bravest lawmen won’t attempt going there.”

Maggie sighed. “There must be some way. Sage will figure it out.” She faced Kate. “And I know firsthand what men like that Jasper are like. I want to see their faces when they realize that the woman they raped and left behind to die alone on the plains actually came for revenge. You’ve got to help me convince Sage to take me with him. If we end up getting killed, then at least we’ll die together.”

Kate smiled softly, shaking her head. “By God, you are the right woman for Sage.” She leaned closer. “Is there anything left that you’re afraid of?”

Maggie put a hand to her stomach. “I’m afraid of everything, but not when I’m with Sage. I always know I’m safe when I’m with him.” She looked at the skirt of the simple gingham dress she wore, the only dress she’d brought along, except for the fancy one Sage bought for her in Atlantic City. “There is only one thing that truly frightens me, Kate, and that’s Sage himself. I’m afraid I’ll lose him after all.”

Kate frowned. “What makes you say that? The man is crazy about you.”

Every day brought her closer to the truth, and she dreaded it. She’d told herself not to trust anyone she’d just met, but instinct told her Kate Bassett was an exception. “I’m carrying, Kate, and Sage doesn’t know it. What’s worse is that one of the men we’re after is the father. It’s impossible to know which one.”

Kate sucked in her breath and closed her eyes, then let out a deep sigh. “Oh, Maggie, why haven’t you told Sage?”

“I’d like nothing more than to tell him, but it’s a bastard, Kate. He might not be able to accept how it was conceived. I mean to keep it. When I lost my little girl back in Missouri, I wanted to die. My little Susan was so sweet and innocent and loving—the best thing that ever came into my life. This baby is just as innocent. I want to make sure he or she is loved. It’s not the baby’s fault how it came to be.”

“You really should tell Sage, Maggie.”

“Not yet.” Maggie looked at her pleadingly. “Promise me you won’t say a word. I only told you because I thought I could trust you.”

“But… you can’t go riding off to a place like Hole-In-The-Wall with a baby in your belly! You never should have made this trip at all!”

“That’s what Sage would say if he knew. He never would have let me leave Paradise Valley. I
had
to come, Kate, and the deeper I got into this, the more important it was that Sage didn’t know. Then we fell in love, and now, I’m scared to tell him—not because he wouldn’t take me with him to finish this, but because he’d leave me behind for good.”

“He’d understand, Maggie. I
know
him. He’d be upset at first that you didn’t tell him, but he loves you. He’d come around.”

“I wish that was true.” Maggie leaned forward and covered her face. “Sage must have told you how his first wife tricked him into marriage to get money. She hurt him really bad, Kate. And when I tell him about this baby, he’s going to think I want someone I can pass off as the father of my baby, someone who can provide for me and the child.” She faced Kate again. “But I
love
him, Kate. It has nothing to do with my baby—honest.”

Kate nodded. “I believe you, honey, but I think you underestimate Sage’s ability to accept this. Men like Sage don’t judge others the way most ordinary people do.”

Maggie shook her head. “I don’t know, especially when I realize he still has feelings for Joanna. She’ll be at the ranch when we go back. I’m sure of it. And once he sees her, and with me carrying a bastard child…”

The room hung silent.

“There’s no chance it’s your husband’s?” Kate finally asked.

Maggie shook her head. “James hadn’t come near me that way since my last time of month. We were too tired from our trip.” She couldn’t help the tears that filled her eyes. “This baby was bred out of violence, and I can’t lie to Sage. It would be easy to say it belongs to James. I could even claim it’s Sage’s, but he’s the type who’d see the lie in my eyes. He knows what happened, and he’d always wonder, so I might as well tell him the truth.”

“And soon.”

Maggie wiped away a tear. “Please don’t tell him. I’ll know when the time is right, and it can’t be until all this is over. I wanted your opinion on how you think Sage will react.”

“Sage loves you. Even if he doesn’t accept it at first, he’ll never let you go, Maggie.”

Maggie glanced at Sage’s gun belt hanging near the door. “I’d like to believe that. If it weren’t for Joanna… what she did to him… I’d have more hope. But Sage hates being duped by a woman, and I’m scared that’s how he’ll see this. Even if I wasn’t carrying, I think Sage needs to face Joanna again and make sure he’s through with her.” She met Kate’s gaze. “I will tell him the truth, Kate, because I’ll have no choice, but he doesn’t need this on his mind when he goes after those men.”

Kate shook her head in resignation. “If Sage does turn you away, you come to me first Maggie Tucker, understand? You come to Lander, and let me help you. Don’t you go running off and try to raise a kid on your own. Promise me that. I know what it’s like to be alone against the world, and it’s hell for a woman. You’ve always got a home here, if you need it. And if that does happen, I’ll pay a visit to Sage myself and give him a good going over for sending you away!”

Maggie smiled through tears. “Thank you. I feel better knowing there’s at least one other woman who understands.”

Kate laughed softly. “There aren’t many things I
don’t
understand. If Sage turns you out, I know damn well he would come looking for you after he had time to think. He’d probably come here first to talk to me. Mark my words, Maggie. That man won’t get by without you any more than you’ll get by without him.” She reached over and squeezed Maggie’s hands. “And when you have that kid, I intend to come to Paradise Valley and pay you a visit.”

Maggie smiled. “I’d love that.”

They heard Sage and Newell outside the door. Maggie quickly wiped away her tears before the two men came inside.

“We’re gonna take a little stroll through town—see if we can spot Polk,” Newell told them. “Might be we’ll have to spend the day at Chet’s waitin’ for him to show up. No sense ridin’ around in the hills tryin’ to find his camp when he’s likely to walk right into Chet’s… where me and Sage will be waitin’.”

Sage reached for his gun belt he’d left hanging on the wall. “Don’t expect us back any time soon,” he told Maggie as he strapped on his gun. “It’s not likely Polk knows we’re here, so if he shows up at Chet’s, he’ll walk right into a trap. And I’ll, by God, get him to tell us where Jasper and Jimmy went.”

Maggie breathed deeply to still her heart. They were closer than ever to finishing what they left Paradise Valley to do. Of all the things they’d been through, she knew deep inside that this was the most dangerous part of their journey. If it meant going to Hole-In-The-Wall, she’d have to do some fast thinking and fast talking to convince Sage to take her along.

First, there was the matter of John Polk. She watched Sage walk out the door, and all she could do was pray she’d see him alive again.