Swept Away (25 page)

“I’m not a kid, Ma. And I want out of here as bad as you.” Paul crossed his arms as if he was angry with her for questioning him. And he probably was. Angry for the questions, angry that he’d been forced to leave his home, angry that she’d married Flint to begin with.

“Most of all, we’re going to have to be quiet. Can you do that?”

“Of course I can be quiet. Worry about Janny crying like a little baby.” Paul seemed to want to fight.

“Good, Paul. I’ll count on you. Janny, honey, how about you?” Glynna used her good arm to pull Janet close. Her little girl was much more likely to just curl up in a corner somewhere and be completely silent. Glynna hated that her daughter had turned into such a timid child. She hadn’t always been like that.

“I’ll be quiet, Ma. I can hide for a long time.” Janet leaned into Glynna’s side.

“I just want to warn you. It might be for hours. Maybe even days. And we’re not going to give up, no matter how hard it is.”

Janet tucked her head under Glynna’s chin and sighed.

Glynna had gone over the plan several times. She pulled her children close just as the kitchen door swung open.

Fighting down the urge to shove her children behind her back, Glynna relaxed when she saw it was the old cowpoke, Dodger, who’d recently begun bringing in the milk and eggs. Had he been chosen because he was more loyal to Flint?

How would she ever get the note from Luke if this man had taken over? Then the old-timer set the food down and reached into his pocket. “I’ve got another note from Luke, ma’am.”

He extended a hand and Glynna was terrified to take it. Was this a test? Did Flint know about the notes and now he’d written one to see how she acted?

“I don’t know anyone named Luke. Just leave the food and go, please.”

The man looked steadily at Glynna. There was strength in him that tempted her to trust him.

“I can’t think what to say to make you trust me. And it’s mighty sensible of you not to. Mr. Greer took the boy off the job of delivering to the house and now, if I stay about one minute longer, I’ll be taken off, too. I’ve been meeting with Luke every day. I’m the one who brought the note and gave it to Marty. I’m responsible for the fact that your husband’s been losing hands. When the day comes, and it’s coming soon, that Luke rides in here to reclaim his land, I’ll be backing him because I used to know his pa. Your husband probably murdered him, or hired it done. If Luke
needs to know anything about taking back his ranch and you can help him, this might be your last chance.”

The man was quiet for a while before adding, “Luke told me about his plan. Told me what you were supposed to do.” The old-timer repeated Luke’s plan word for word.

“If you’re in on this with Flint,” Glynna said, “then we’re already doomed because this would mean Flint knows everything.” She thrust the note she’d prepared into Dodger’s hand. “Flint’s gone long hours. Luke is counting on Flint running to town when he can’t find me. But my husband won’t know to chase after me if he doesn’t come home until late. So Luke’s fight may take place after dark. Flint might even wait until the next morning to ride after me, figuring no one in town will help me and there’s no hurry. Luke needs to know that.”

Dodger nodded. “Obliged, ma’am. You’ve done the right thing. I won’t see you hurt by Flint, not one more time. I’m not one who can stand for a man laying his hands on a woman to hurt her, and I’m ashamed I didn’t realize it was going on long ago. I mean to put a stop to that while I’m helping Luke regain the land that was stolen from him.”

Glynna couldn’t resist one more question. “Does Dr. Riker know about this? Because he offered to help me.”

“I don’t know. Luke’s never mentioned the doctor’s name, but I’ll make sure he knows. Now I’ve gotta go. I’ve been in here far too long.”

As the old man left, Glynna knew Flint would hear about how long he was in the house, even though it was mere minutes. But whatever was going to happen, it was going to be soon. Maybe Flint wouldn’t hear about it in time.

She read the note. “It happens tomorrow.”

Janet actually smiled. Paul didn’t, but his eyes shone and
his chin lifted. She saw guarded hope. She almost regretted it because hope, if it was shattered, would destroy her children and it might well destroy her. And what about the men who were planning to save her and her children? How many of them might die?

“Come here and let’s pray.” She rested her hands, one each, on her children, noticing her shoulder was working much better. She was going to be able to do this. And if she needed to fight, she’d be ready and willing.

“We’ll ask God to protect us and the brave men who are coming. Let’s pray no one is asked to pay too high a price for their kindness.”

C
HAPTER 17

It was time. They’d finish this today or die trying.

Ruthy slipped out of Dare’s house while it was full dark. She’d gone out nearly every day but always with Luke, except the first day when she’d been trailing him. But even then he’d been with her, even if he didn’t know it.

Luke was with her now, but only until she got on the trail. He’d helped her pack a bedroll and a good-sized pack with food enough for a night on the trail and extra rope to get the Greer family down that cliff.

“I’ve got you ready to go.” Luke gave her a lingering kiss, then pulled back, frowning. “This is all wrong. I should at least walk to the lookout with you. From what Mrs. Greer said, Flint probably won’t even ride into town until tonight, maybe tomorrow. I’ll go tell Dare we changed our plans.”

Ruthy wrapped her arms around his neck. “You know I’ve got nothing today except a long walk and a long wait. You know that. Now go on back in before the sun pushes back the night.” A rooster crowed on the far side of town. A lid slammed in the blacksmith’s shop. “You’ve got to get into Dare’s and hide until Greer shows up.”

Luke shook his head, and for a second she thought he’d
refuse to let her go on her own. It was insulting. And she’d tell him that if she didn’t feel so glad for his protection.

“I know you can handle yourself.” He gave her one last awkward hug, the pack getting in the way. “But I’m going to be worrying about you all day.”

“Fair enough. I’ll worry about you, too. That’ll keep things even.”

He gave her a lazy salute, and she finally turned and strode away down the trail. She could cover a lot of ground on foot before sunrise. Once the sun was up, she’d need to keep to cover and move much more slowly. Before the narrow trail twisted, cutting Luke off from her line of sight, she looked back and he was there, a silhouette in the dark, watching her. She couldn’t see his expression, but she felt sure his worry matched hers. And earlier his smile had matched hers. Maybe even his love matched hers.

She was finding marriage to be a most wonderful arrangement.

“Where’ve you been?” Greer had a look on his face that’d make a man run for cover, but Simon didn’t have time.

“I’ll explain later.” Simon had been a while getting Lana settled back in the cabin, then riding out to find Greer. “I had trouble and it took me a couple of days to straighten it out. If you want to fire me, then do it. But I ain’t got time to talk. I got back last night and found Lana in Broken Wheel and brought her home. She had a run-in with the town doctor.”

Greer’s anger turned away from Simon to focus on Riker. “That man came to the house when he wasn’t needed. He had his hands on my wife.”

Simon almost told Greer what Lana had said, about the doctor killing Simon Jr. But it didn’t sound right. Why would the doctor kill a baby? Simon decided it must’ve been an accident during the birthing, which still made it the doctor’s fault and the man was going to pay.

“He treated my wife wrong, and I’m going to make sure it never happens again.”

“You can go do as you want with the doctor. He oughta be run out of the country as far as I’m concerned.”

“I won’t be long, boss.” Simon reined his horse to head out.

“While you’re in town, put out the word I’m looking to take on more hands.”

Simon almost twitched with impatience. “The word’s out already, but I’ll make sure they know you’re still hiring.”

“You don’t need to be all day about it,” Greer said. “I need you riding this range. And keep your ears open for any word about Luke Stone. I’ve got my money out there convincing people to grab him if they see him, but I haven’t heard a word since they tried to frame him for robbing a stagecoach a week or so back. They had a posse after him, so I’m hoping the kid’s quit the country.”

“He ain’t no kid, boss. When we shot his pa, he was a kid, but not anymore.”

“Not we, Bullard,
you
.
You
shot his pa. And if you let Stone get too close, I’ll make sure he knows where to aim his gun proper.”

Simon faced Greer, and for a second he could see himself drawing his gun. A bullet slamming Greer to the ground. Greer had never been a tough man. He hired his dirty work done. He put up sentries, hired gunmen, then left his safety to them. He trusted others to protect him because he had
money. To Bullard’s way of thinking, that made Greer a weakling and a coward. The money had been good, so Bullard had stayed, but no more. The Rangers knew about him, and with one of their own dead, this area would be too hot for Bullard to stay. He’d never killed anyone west of Texas, so after he had it out with the doctor, he’d pick up Lana and head for New Mexico or even California.

“You reckon Luke Stone is gonna see you hiring a man to shoot his pa as being different than shooting him yourself?”

Rage swept across Greer’s face, and Simon thought it might come to a showdown. But Greer needed him more than he needed Greer. Greer must’ve known that because he didn’t draw. Or maybe he was just yellow.

“I need a man I can count on, Bullard. You tell me right now if you’re that man.”

Simon planned to ride to town, shoot that worthless doctor just to make Lana happy, then collect his wife and ride away, all before sunset. What he’d done to that Ranger left him no choice. But Simon wasn’t about to make Greer killing mad, then turn and ride away. He might get a bullet between his shoulder blades.

“I’m your man, boss. You can trust me.” When Simon rode off, he could feel the itch in his spine. Then he heard Greer’s horse come trailing after him.

Reining up, he let Greer catch him, better than to have the coyote at his back. “Did you forget something?”

“Nope, I’m just thinking about my wife and that doctor. I don’t like it. If you’re gonna shoot the doc, it’ll give me pleasure to tell that to Glynna. I’d like to see her face when she hears. It’s time my wife learned a lesson about being a hussy.”

Simon knew Greer liked to put his hands on his wife in anger. From Greer’s tone it looked as if today was one of those days. Mrs. Greer was going to pay for being a bother to her husband. Simon figured it was none of his business.

With a hard nod, the two men set off for the ranch.

C
HAPTER 18

Glynna took one frantic look out the window and saw Flint riding up at a full gallop.

Simon Bullard, the brute that backed Flint whenever there was trouble, rode alongside. Her single glance saw Bullard split off from Flint without slackening his pace. Riding for town.