The Lawman's Agreement (Entangled Scandalous) (15 page)

When he’d filled his senses to bursting with both her taste and the gentle caress of her hand, Zack raised his head and met her gaze. “I’m not that tired,” he insisted. “Honest.”

Fortunately, there were only two people in the hospital and Suzanne was done with her rounds in less than thirty minutes. After giving the nurse on duty her orders for the evening and on through the night, Suzanne met Zack in the lobby of hospital.

“I’m ready,” she said, coming to his side.

“Good, I prefer we leave while it’s still light out. It makes the short walk a bit safer.”

…

They arrived at her cottage within minutes and, ever the cautious lawman, Zack opened the door, escorted her across the threshold and then raised his hand to request she not speak. Once he’d locked the door behind them, he moved cautiously from room to room keeping her behind him until he’d cleared every room of the small home.

“I really don’t believe all this is necessary,” she said. “I’m neither a McLeary nor a McCade, so they have no beef with me.”

Zack stared down at her, but said nothing. She could tell something was going through his thoughts, yet he seemed reluctant to share his concern.

“What’s for supper?” Zack asked, raising his gaze and heading in the direction of her kitchen.

“I’d planned to retrieve something from the smokehouse out back, a small ham or some bacon perhaps. I have biscuits and bread and some canned pickles and there are vegetables in the pantry.”

“I’ll go out and grab a ham,” he told her. “Why don’t you start a fire in the stove?”

“I can peel some carrots and potatoes as well, if you’d like.”

Zack nodded and then slipped out the back door for the twenty foot walk to the smokehouse. Suzanne stood at the door watching, as Zack moved cautiously through the yard, his gaze assessing his surroundings, always coming back to the cottage door.

Suzanne wasn’t sure how to broach the subject of her “schedule”, yet she could tell Zack was hoping for something more than she was physically able to give.

“For two people who rarely cook, that was a tasty meal,” Zack said, pushing his plate aside.

“I’d always pictured a lawman as someone who could live off the land, camp out for days, and obviously fend for himself.”

“We can. However, that usually means living on hardtack and beans, not a nice slice of ham with vegetables and fresh biscuits.”

“Why don’t you go ahead and fill the tub while I clean up in here?” she asked.

“Sounds like a great idea to me,” he said.

By the time Suzanne reached the bathroom, Zack had already stripped himself of his clothes and was stretched out in the tub. Not nearly as opulent as the large bathing tub in the suite at the hotel in Vicksburg, it gave Suzanne the excuse she needed to not join Zack beneath the water.

“If you’d like, I’ll soap your back,” she offered, kneeling on the floor beside the tub.

“What I’d like is to figure out a way to squeeze you in here as well.”

Suzanne shook her head. “Not enough room, I’m afraid.”

Zack looked up and met her gaze, a wicked grin crossing his face from ear to ear. “Well, then, I guess we take turns. You soap me, I’ll soap you.”

“Why don’t we start with you and go from there?”

Suzanne picked up the washcloth and bar of scented soap and went to work on Zack’s large, muscular body. With each stroke of her hand across his back, his strong arms, the firm contours of his well defined chest, Suzanne’s excitement grew. Mentally, she kept reminding herself of her self-made calendar, of her belief in her own calculations based on her patients’ histories. If she were right, these next few days were prime for conception. As much as she’d come to care for Zack, quite possibly even love him, she wasn’t ready for pregnancy, let alone motherhood.

What would Zack think if he found out she was beginning to yearn for a real engagement rather than a bogus one?

Suzanne purposely avoided any extended contact with Zack’s obvious arousal and each time she bypassed the very prominent part of his anatomy he would groan as if she’d mortally wounded him.

She’d just made a quick pass over his body once again when Zack said, his voice husky with desire, “It won’t bite, you know.”

“I know. I’m fully aware of the male penis’ capabilities.” Suzanne did her best to keep a straight face, but when Zack started laughing she couldn’t help but join in. “Now, let’s get you out of the tub.”

Zack stood and sluiced the water from his body with a firm brush of his hands. Beneath the thin cotton sleeves of her dress, Suzanne’s skin tingled. The thought of Zack’s hands skimming across her body in the same way made her heart race.

She pushed aside the thought and laid the towel to Zack’s back, soaking up the water from head to toe. Then, her plan in place, she took his hand and led him from the bathroom and back into her bedroom.

“Wait,
cher
,” he said. “It’s your turn in the tub.”

“Not tonight, Zack.”

He met her gaze and Suzanne could have sworn he was seeing clear through to her soul.

“Your schedule, I presume?”

She nodded. “Tonight and the next two are off limits.” She laid her hands on Zack’s shoulders and pushed him into the narrow chair opposite the dressing table. “However, there’s no reason you should suffer.” The words barely spoken, Suzanne lowered herself to her knees and pressed a string of kisses to Zack’s midriff. Immediately, his body sprung to life. “There are other alternatives for your pleasure.”

“Ah,
cher
,” Zack mumbled when she closed her mouth around him. He threaded his fingers through her hair and cupped the back of her head, holding her gently to her task. His breathing quickened. With each bob of her head, each slide of her tongue, he gasped. “Don’t forget” he said, his words catching on each ragged breath. “I’m from New Orleans. We’re all about giving as good as we get,
cher
.”

There was little chance she could forget anything where Zack was concerned. With each day, each shared intimacy, a little more of her resolve slipped, a bit more of her need to remain unaffected crumbled like a poorly constructed wall.

They’d set such an ambitious, elaborate plan of deceit in place. Yet, each time they were together, the idea of a real engagement ran helter-skelter through her thoughts.

She raised her head, her task complete, and pressed her mouth against Zack’s bare thigh. He shuddered in the aftermath of his release, his big body reverberating from head to toe.

If the physical was all they had, she’d embrace it wholeheartedly. If somewhere along the way they decided on a real relationship, she’d do her best to become part of a couple. Anything, to keep Zack in her life for as long as she could.

Chapter Seventeen

Suzanne completed her rounds early the next morning and then waited until Zack called for her so they could join Jake and the others for coffee at Miss Maribell’s café. He’d left their bed in the middle of the night to take up his spot on the stoop of her porch, for all intents and purposes he appeared to be nothing more than her guard, rather than her lover, another ruse in their ongoing attempt to keep the Greenville gossips at bay.

Deep in thought, it was a moment or two before she realized Zack stood on the threshold of her office door. “Ready to go?”

“Yes. I’m looking forward to everyone’s update on the search for those horrible men.”

The short walk to the café complete, Zack held the door open and ushered her inside.

“I received an update from the marshal’s office in Jackson,” Zack said, just as they took their seats. “There were unable to find anything in their files on Collier or Ripley. However, a wider search into Louisiana and Tennessee showed both men have been questioned in a number of scams involving local businesses.”

“What type of scams?” Jake asked.

“From what the head office was able to uncover, the men settle themselves into a new town, one as a potential business owner, the other as an organizer of businesses. They promise to stump for better access to the individual business, assist with expansion loans, and representation with the local and state governments.”

“There’s been talk of organizing a businessmen’s association here in Greenville,” Jake said. “Theodore Gosling mentioned it the other day when I was at the bank.”

“I heard something too from Mr. Canty at the mercantile,” Pete Bailey added.

“It would make sense that either Collier or Ripley would go through an already established businessman to start things up, seeing as how neither of them have a vested interest in the town,” Zack said.

“But what’s in it for them?” Suzanne asked.

“My guess is they talk one of the locals into starting up the concern, offer to help organize it and then, once the businesses have paid their dues to the organization, Ripley and Collier make off with the money. The fact that Ripley bought into the mill makes his interest seem even more legitimate,” Zack explained. “However, I have it on good authority Collier’s second payment to McLeary didn’t clear the bank. And, of course, now that Collier’s on the run, McLeary has his mill back to himself.”

“Can they truly get in and out of a town that quickly?” Jake asked. “I mean it takes time to garner trust.”

“That’s why they use someone already set up in town. In a couple of instances, the existing businessmen were part of the scam and in a couple others, they were only pawns in the overall scheme,” Zack added. “It’ll be up to me to determine whether or not the men here in town are part of this or innocent bystanders.”

“You’ll have to pry into everyone’s business,” Jake acknowledged.

“Even yours, cousin.”

Jake raised his hands as if signaling no contest. “Go right ahead, Zack. I’ve got nothing to hide. And for the record, I turned down the notion of a businessman’s association. I’d much rather form an advisory council of sorts, possibly overseen by the mayor, to deal with all town-related business.”

“I’m going to have to question everyone who’s shown an interest,” Zack said. “I just hope they see it as trying to protect their interests, not as an accusation.”

Suzanne reached across the table and laid her hand atop Zack’s. “I’m sure you’ll do just fine, Marshal. You know you have our support in any way we can help.”

…

Suzanne returned to the clinic a while later under the watchful eye of Deputy Stiles. With only three scheduled appointments for the afternoon, she wondered if there were something else she could do afterward to assist Zack in his investigation of the proposed association.

Her last patient of the afternoon happened to be the proprietress of the café, Miss Maribell and Suzanne thought to ask, “Have you been approached about this proposed business association?”

“Yes, I was,” Maribell told her. “Needless to say, I told that young upstart to take his association and put it back in his saddlebag. I’m not paying no fifty-dollars when my business is more than I can handle as it is.”

“Zack may be by to ask questions about the men who are trying to start the association. Please tell him exactly what you just told me. I know he’ll be happy to see there are some members of the community unwilling to participate.”

“Sounded like some sort of a flim-flam to me, even though it came with both Mr. Canty’s and Mr. Gosling’s endorsement.”

Suzanne nodded. “That’s exactly what it was, a hoax, so I’m happy you didn’t fall for it.” As an afterthought, Suzanne asked, “Just exactly what type of endorsement did the men claim to have?”

“They were carrying a letter on bank stationary, signed by Mr. Gosling, talking about ways to improve the town and, in turn, our businesses. Mr. Canty had initialed the letter as well.”

Suzanne was certain both Gosling and Canty were duped and didn’t think they would be in cahoots with the two con men.

Zack arrived at the hospital just as Suzanne was finishing her rounds.

“So, how did your day go out among the townspeople?” she asked. “I hope none of them accused you of mistrusting them.”

“For the most part they were cooperative. Miss Maribell mentioned that she and you talked earlier today and you suggested she speak with me regarding her meeting with Collier and Riley.”

“Yes, I encouraged her to tell you exactly what she told whichever of those two scoundrels approached her.”

Zack took her hand in his and led her away from the front entranceway of the hospital and into an empty patient ward. “You’ve got to be careful, Suzanne. Asking questions may put you at risk.”

“Exactly what would Miss Maribell do? Slap me upside the head with a wooden spoon?”

“You know what I mean. If word got out that you were investigating the businesspeople in town, it might get back to either Collier or Ripley.”

“With all the men you’ve got scouring the outskirts of town, as well as the main roads, I’d almost be willing to bet they’re already on their way to the next town and their next mark.”

“As much as I’d like to believe that, I can’t. They’ve both got a score to settle here in Greenville. They wouldn’t have begun their elaborate plan if they didn’t intend to see it through.”

Suzanne took a few steps forward until she stood toe-to-toe with Zack. “You know Marshal, as much as I crave my own independence, I find your desire to protect those close to you rather enticing.”

Zack raised his hand and laid it against her breast, using his thumb in the most devilish of ways to stroke her nipple through the thin material of her cotton shirtwaist.

“And I find your insistence that you’re not in danger aggravating. Yet, there’s something arousing about the thought of protecting you, especially on the night shift. Assuming, of course, we don’t get caught with our pants down.”

Suzanne took hold of Zack’s wrist in one hand and reached for the buttons at the front of her shirtwaist with her other, flicking the first two from their holes. When she’d bared the skin just above her chemise, she guided Zack’s hand beneath the thin cotton covering.

The warm contact of his hand against her naked breast nearly buckled her knees. When he snagged her nipple between two fingers and squeezed gently, it was all she could do to keep from drawing him across the room and onto one of the ready-made beds.

Zack lowered his head and took her mouth in a thoroughly demanding kiss. In return, Suzanne pressed her hand against the bulge at the front of his trousers, drawing a tremble from his large frame as her reward. When she moved her hand up and down, stroking him through the thickness of his clothes, he groaned and deepened an already perfect kiss.

“Do you have anything else to do here in town?” she asked the moment he raised his head.

“Nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow. How about you? Are you done here at the hospital?”

“Just as soon as I give the nurse orders for the patients.”

Zack released his grasp on her breast and stepped back. “Why don’t you go do that so we can get out of here?”

Suzanne nodded, her hands trembling when she tried to restore order to her dress. She was about to step away, when Zack asked, “What about your schedule,
cher
?”

“I’m going to recalculate my dates. However, if we have to, we can always get around it like we did last night.”

Zack leaned forward and nuzzled her ear before whispering, “I find either option perfectly acceptable.”

…

It had been nearly a week without a sight or sound of the two fugitives and Zack was about to concede what everyone else had suggested: that the men had given up and gone onto the next town. Warnings had been shared with the U.S. Marshal headquarters in all the surrounding states and sent by telegraph to every town from one end of Mississippi to the other.

He’d spent the last five days going over the gathered information on his friends, his neighbors, even his family. He felt bad about having to delve into the practices of Greenville’s businessmen but, thankfully, everyone had come up with a relatively clean slate and none appeared to be in cahoots with Ripley and Collier.

Zack approached the mill office for the third time in as many days. McLeary’s assistant had assured him his boss would return from his out of town deliveries by mid-morning and Zack needed to put the last piece of this confusing puzzle in place. The last item on his agenda was to speak with William McLeary about how he had ended up in business with Butch Collier.

“Morning, Marshal,” McLeary said as he walked into the cramped office.

“Morning.”

“Any word on Collier or his partner?” McLeary asked.

“None whatsoever and darned if I know if that makes me happy or anxious. I feel like there’s a cloud hovering over the town about to unleash a storm in the middle of everything.”

“What can I do to help?”

“For starters, you can explain to me how you ended up in business with Butch Collier in the first place, given your family’s history.”

“That’s just it, Zack. Until Jake reminded me this company was started with land and stock bought from his grandfather, I’d never suspected there was a history. It took a lot of digging in my father’s and grandfather’s files to find record of the purchase, much less the name of his competitors.” McLeary shook his head in resignation. “Heck, I was only a kid at the time. I barely remember my grandfather, much less the business the man conducted.”

“So you had no idea who Collier was when he showed up at the door offering to buy into your operation?”

“Even though I didn’t realize there was a history, that’s not to say I wasn’t suspicious of where he’d come from and how he knew I needed financial help. Of course, at the time, I had no idea my new foreman was his inside man. Collier claimed he’d heard about the accidents from someone in town and had overheard some of the workers at the saloon worried about getting paid. He claimed he had some money to invest and was looking to settle down. At the time, I was desperate because I couldn’t pay the men, at least not full wages, and that bothered me.”

Zack shook his head in resignation. “I tried getting more information out of McGinty, but he’s as closed up as a gulf shore clam and won’t part with the details of Ripley’s plan, same for the fellow in the Vicksburg jail,” Zack explained. “I don’t understand why when they’re faced with jail time or worse, they won’t give up information that could save their sorry hides.”

“Well, the one good thing, if there is something good to come out of all of this, is that the mill is running fine and dandy with no accidents. Production is up and I even made enough money over the last few weeks to pay for Larson’s funeral. It was the least I could do for his widow.”

“That was very generous of you, William. I’m sure she appreciated it.”

“What do you plan to do next, Marshal? Will you keep looking for them?”

“Construction has started up again at the hotel and they should be opening just a few weeks behind Jake’s original schedule. We’re keeping armed guards there in the evenings and overnight after the workers leave, just in case.”

“What about Jake’s family?”

“My cousin can protect his own,” Zack said. “And, he has one of his best men on the lookout when he’s away on the
River Maiden
.”

“When Deputy Bailey told me about their targets, he said they included Dr. Martindale. I assume, her being your fiancée and all, you’ll be taking care of her protection.”

Zack chuckled. “As well as she’ll let me. She seems to think she’s in no danger and that’s likely my fault. I never told her about the map and how they’d marked out your mill, Jake’s house and hotel, and her house. In hindsight, I probably should have, but I didn’t want her to worry.”

“Something tells me, Marshal,” William McLeary said, “you’re worried enough for the both of you.”

…

When Zack arrived at Suzanne’s cottage later that evening, he found her reading in the parlor. “A new medical journal?” he guessed.

“Yes, it arrived today. I’m excited about the article on new types of sedation drugs. There are so many new procedures to learn.” She held up the magazine so he could see the rough drawing that accompanied the article she was reading. “It’s amazing. They can now graft skin from one part of the body to another. It will be such an advancement for burn victims.”

Try as he might, Zack couldn’t hide the grimace that came with the very thought of such a surgery. Yet, he also couldn’t deny the pleasure he took from watching Suzanne, her eyes alight with wonder, her entire body nearly trembling with excitement over new ways to care for her patients.