The Outlaws: Jess (28 page)

Meg dropped her bag beside the door and took
the chair Taylor had just vacated. She pulled the posters out of
the packet and made a great show of studying each one, though what
she was really interested in were the two telegrams lying beside
the stack of posters. One consolation, however, was her failure to
find a posters featuring the Gentry brothers among those she
perused.

"Find anything interesting?" Taylor
asked.

"I'm not sure," Meg hedged. "I need a little
more time."

As she spoke, she deliberately knocked the
posters off the desk, along with the telegrams. "Oh, how clumsy of
me."

Taylor sprang forward. "Here, let me help
you."

Before Taylor reached her, she plucked the
two telegrams from amid the scattered posters and stuck them down
the top of her half boot.

"Thank you," Meg said, carefully stacking the
posters she and Taylor had picked up. "I believe I have seen
enough. Nothing here interests me. I appreciate your help."

"No problem, Miz Lincoln. Any time."

Meg retrieved her bag from where she'd left
it beside the door and emerged from the office into the dying sun
of late afternoon. She paused on the sidewalk as the tenseness left
her body, breathing deeply to calm her frazzled nerves.

What if she'd been caught purloining those
telegrams? What if Deputy Taylor associated her with their
disappearance when it came time to give them to the sheriff? Too
late for recriminations, the deed was already done.

Without conscience thought, Meg's feet
carried her toward Jess's office. She had to see him, even though
he might want nothing to do with her. She wanted to tell him his
secret was safe. That she had removed the last incriminating piece
of evidence. She felt sadness for Bill Towers, his death was
tragic, but she couldn't help thinking that his demise severed the
last link to Jess's past.

The reception room was empty when Meg entered
Jess's office.

"I'll be out in a moment," Jess called from
the examining room. "I was about to close up for the day."

A few moments later Jess walked into the
reception room, spotted Meg, and stopped dead in his tracks. He had
just finished putting away his instruments when he heard the bell
above the door jangle. He thought Zach had returned to badger him
and he really didn't want to see Zach again. Jess had already
agreed to go to Denver to find out what the hell was going on with
Meg, what more did he want? But it wasn't Zach, it was Meg, looking
as beautiful as he remembered, and his anger exploded.

"What the hell did you come from?"

"I don't blame you for being angry," Meg
said. "I should have explained why I left the way I did."

"You don't owe me a damn thing. You preferred
Skully. I accept that."

Meg held her hand out, as if in supplication.
"It wasn't like that at all. Will you listen to me?"

"No. I have no patience to listen right now.
Do you have any idea how I felt when I was told you had boarded the
train with Skully? I didn't want to believe it. I made all kinds of
excuses, but none of them could dispel the truth. Was my proposal
of marriage so abhorrent that you had to run away? Or did you want
nothing to do with me because I'm wanted by the law?"

He turned around and walked away, his heart
heavy. He'd never been in love before and had no idea it would hurt
so much to have the women he loved abandon him for another.

"Wait! Don't go. Let me explain."

"Sorry, Meg, I'm not in the mood."

Jess had one foot on the bottom stair when
the door opened and Zach burst in.

"I was on my way home when Deputy Taylor
hailed me and said Meggie..."

He saw her then and his face lit up. "Meggie!
It's true! You did come back."

He held out his arms and Meg rushed into
them.

"Why did you leave, Meggie-girl? You loathe
Arlo Skully. Did you tell Jess what happened?"

"I tried, Zach, but he doesn't care to
listen."

Zach pinned Jess with a censuring look. "What
the hell is wrong with you, Doc? Why won't you let Meggie
explain?"

Jess shrugged. "It's too late. She should
have explained before she left."

"You were ready to go to Denver after her,"
Zach charged.

Meg's eyes widened. "You were?"

"If I didn't, Zach would have, and we all
know Zach isn't up for another long trip so soon after his last one
to Philadelphia. That won't be necessary now, will it?"

Jess couldn't bear to look at Meg. He
remembered too well their last night together. How she had clung to
him, how she had loved him. A woman couldn't do what she'd done
unless she loved a man, yet Meg had driven him to the brink of
madness with her hands and mouth, taking him further, higher, than
he ever dreamed possible.

"Dammit, Jess, you're not being reasonable!"
Zach chided. "Give Meggie a chance."

"Don't waste your breath, Zach," Meg said,
lifting her skirt and removing the two telegrams she'd stolen from
the sheriff's desk from her half boot. Quickly she scanned both
telegrams and handed one to Jess.

"What's this?" Jess growled.

"Just read it?"

Reluctantly Jess opened the telegram and read
the words Skully had sent to Sheriff Bufford. Then he handed it to
Zach.

Jess's intense gaze pierced her. "Where did
you get this? It's addressed to the sheriff."

Meg's chin rose fractionally. "I stole
it."

Jess's jaw tautened. "From where?"

"The sheriff's desk. It arrived after he'd
left with the posse."

"Who sent it?"

"Arlo."

"I told you so!" Zach crowed.

"Keep out of this, Zach," Jess warned. "I
can't think straight right now. Leave, both of you. Come back in a
few days. Maybe I'll be more inclined to hear Meg's explanation
then."

"But the telegram..."

"I know what it says, Zach, but I need time
to gather my thoughts and cool off."

"I'm not going anywhere, Jess Gentry," Meg
blasted, hands on hips, eyes blistering him with her determination.
"You can hate me if it will make you feel better but you're going
to listen to what I have to say. If my words don't change anything
I won't bother you again."

Jess couldn't, not now. Even as angry as he
was with Meg all he could think about was carrying her up to his
bed and making love to her. In a day or two, after his temper had
cooled and his need abated, he could be a more objective
listener.

"You two can let yourselves out," Jess said
as he started up the stairs. "I think there's a lot Zach wants to
tell you, Meg."

Her shoulders sagging, Meg watched Jess
disappear up the staircase.

"You ain't gonna let him get away with that,
are you?" Zach asked.

"He doesn't want to talk to me, Zach. I can't
force myself on him."

"The Meggie I know could and would. She ain't
afraid of anything."

"Jess doesn't understand, Zach. I hurt
him."

He led her to a chair. "You want to tell me
about it?"

"Arlo knew about Jess," Meg began. "He caught
me stealing Jess's wanted poster from the sheriff's office and
remembered where he seen Jess before. He'd just come from Kansas,
where Jess's poster had been widely circulated."

"The bastard threatened you, didn't he?"

"Worse. He threatened Jess. I couldn't let
Jess go to jail so I agreed to accompany Arlo to Denver."

Zach paled. "He didn't...you didn't...the
bastard!"

"No," Jess was quick to assure him. "We
didn't...do anything. I insisted upon separate rooms. He held card
games in his room and I was there to distract his customers while
he cheated. He threatened to expose Jess if I didn't comply."

"You told him to go to hell and he sent that
telegram," Zach guessed.

"Something like that," Meg hedged. She wasn't
about to go into detail.

"Where is Skully now? Can we expect him to
show up in Cheyenne?"

"He's dead. He cheated a man out of a silver
mine and the owner took exception. He was found dead the next
morning in an alley. Inspector Faulkner said his killer might never
be found and suggested I leave town, that my own life might be in
danger since I was with Arlo at that game and might be considered
an accomplice."

"Damn," Zach said, apparently stunned to
learn of Arlo's death. "The bastard got what was coming to him.
What are you gonna do now? Maybe you should come home with me now
and get some rest. You look done in. I got a lot to tell you,
honey."

Meg glanced toward the stairs. "I'm not
leaving, Zach. Not until Jess agrees to listen to me. I want you to
go home without me. But first, tell me quickly about your trip to
Philadelphia."

Zach grinned. "I'm rich, honey. My wife's
folks left her a fortune and I'm her only heir. I asked Mary to
marry me, if that's all right with you."

"Why wouldn't it be all right? I'm happy for
you and Mary. You've been seeing her a long time, it's about time
you two got married."

"My wife's death made it possible," Zach
explained. "I ain't the kind to let my wife support me, and now I
won't have to. My health ain't the best, but Mary is willing to
take me as I am. I can spend the years I have left with a woman I
care about. There's plenty of money for you, too, Meggie. You'll
never have to take up bounty hunting for a living again."

She gave him a quick hug. "We'll see. Go on
home now. I'm going upstairs and make Jess listen to me."

Zach sent her a skeptical look. "You
sure?"

"Very sure. The most he can do is throw me
out."

"Meggie, I don't..."

"Go on, Zach, I'll be just fine."

"I wouldn't leave you if I thought Jess was a
violent man. But I taught you to take care of yourself so I reckon
I'll just mosey on home."

Meg locked the door after Zach, dragged in a
calming breath, and started up the stairs.

Jess paced the length of the room and back,
his temper still high. He didn't know whether he was angrier at
himself for letting Meg get to him or at Meg for making his life a
living hell. It had taken all his considerable willpower not to
turn around on the stairs and beg Meg not to leave.

If that telegram was meant to disarm him, it
had served the purpose. She said she'd stolen it from the sheriff's
desk. Did she really? Had it actually been sent by her lover? Or
was she lying? Where was Skully now?

Jess hated being an outlaw on the run,
wondering who would recognize him next and when it would happen. He
wasn't cut out for that kind of life. He wanted to settle down in
one place and be the best doctor he knew how.

He wanted a home, a family, a special woman
to love, one who would love him in return. He thought he'd found
that woman in Meg. He'd disregarded logic and proposed when he had
no business asking a woman to accept the kind of life he now
led.

Suddenly Jess knew exactly what he had to do,
what he should have done long ago. And if things worked out the way
he hoped, he'd return to Cheyenne and listen to Meg's explanation,
if she was still willing to give one. He dragged his bag from
beneath his bed and began tossing clothing into it.

Immersed in misery, Jess failed to hear the
door open.

"Jess?"

Jess whirled, stunned to see Meg standing in
the doorway. "What the hell are you doing here? Didn't I make
myself clear? I don't want to see you now. Go home with Zach."

She stepped into the room, her expression as
fiercely determined as his. "Zach left without me. I'm not going
anywhere, Jess, not until you hear what I have to say."

He dragged his hand through his rumpled hair.
"Leave me alone, Meg."

Meg's gaze settled on the bag he'd been
packing. "Where are you going?"

He snapped the bag shut. "I can't live this
way any longer."

"But you have nothing to worry about now.
Arlo is dead. He's the only one who knew about the poster."

Jess inhaled sharply. "Did you kill him?"

She shook her head. "Someone got to him
first. He was found dead in an alley."

Jess turned away. "I'm sorry your lover is
dead."

"Arlo wasn't my lover and I'm not sorry he's
dead. I despised him. I was planning on doing him in myself.
Someone saved me the trouble."

"Tell that to someone who will believe you.
You went off with your ex-husband without so much as a good-bye.
What the hell was I supposed to think? After the night we spent
together I thought... I'm a damn gullible fool. I thought you and I
were..."

"No, you were right. That night meant a great
deal to me. I knew I was leaving the next day and would never see
you again. You have to understand. I had to go, Jess."

"Of course you did," Jess snarled. "And now
that your lover is dead, you decided I'm the one you want after
all. Go home, Meg, I won't listen to anything you have to say.
Perhaps when I return,
if
I return," he stressed, "I'll be
in a mood to listen."

Jess turned away, more disgusted with his
behavior than with Meg's. He should at least have the courtesy to
listen to her. But pride was all he had left. Obviously he hadn't
counted on Meg's determination. He couldn't believe his ears when
he heard the metallic click of a gun hammer. Whirling, he looked
down the barrel of the Meg's revolver.

"What the hell...!

"Sit down, Jess Gentry," Meg said in a voice
he'd never heard before. "You're going to listen to me."

Stunned, he plopped down on the bed, but it
only took a moment for him to regain his wits. "You're not going to
shoot me, Meg."

"I might."

Jess's mirthless grin should have warned her.
Before she had time to react, Jess wrested the gun from her hand,
tossed her onto the bed, and flung himself on top of her. She
arched and twisted and succeeded only in arousing more than Jess's
anger.