When a Texan Gambles (14 page)

“I might,” Sam answered. “What business is she of yours or the sheriff’s? I paid her fine. She’s free and clear.” For the first time since the man arrived, Sam looked as if he might care why Jacob Dalton had taken the trouble to look him up.

The Ranger stood and faced Sam. “I’ve been trailing you for two days. Is she safe? Is she still alive? The storekeeper who calls himself Mr. Moon said you had a woman with you yesterday when you left town, but he didn’t give out any information about you without a good bit of encouraging.”

“Of course she’s alive!” Sam shouted. “What do you think; I bought her out of jail so I could kill her and cut her up for jerky?”

Jacob looked as if he was considering the point. “I’ve heard some tales about you, Gatlin.”

“You live another five years, Ranger, and I’ll hear some tales about you as well.” Sam smiled. “But thank you for your concern about my bride.” His words left no doubt that he didn’t appreciate the interest. “She is pretty as an angel. She’s also mine. Which makes her none of your business.”

The Ranger backed down ever so slightly. “Look, Gatlin, I don’t believe most of what I hear in these parts about you or any other man, but I do need to talk to your wife.”

“Tell Sheriff Riley he doesn’t need to be checking up on me. My wife is fine.”

“It’s not that.” Jacob took a deep breath as if making a decision. “I’ve been chasing a worthless old buffalo hunter by the name of Zeb Whitaker over half the state. It appears your wife and two other women ran into him before me, and they all confessed to killing the man.” The Ranger laughed. “Which would have done me a favor if it were true.”

Sam folded his arms over his chest and waited for the man to finish.

Jacob poured himself more coffee. “A few days before your wife killed him, he ambushed a rancher who supposedly carried a saddlebag full of gold coin.”

“She doesn’t have any coins,” Sam answered.

“I figured that or she would have bought herself out of jail instead of getting bridled to the likes of you.” Jacob grinned up at Sam. “I also figure you didn’t make this coffee.”

Sam growled. Jacob’s laughter sounded nervous.

“I’m not here to cause her any harm, but to warn her. The day after you married her, we started hearing rumors that Zeb was still alive and looking for the three women who tried to kill him. Seems he believes they have his money. The sheriff warned the other two, but he asked me to track you down.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying Zeb Whitaker is coming after your woman, and if he doesn’t get the right answer, he’ll kill her. Word is he’s got half a dozen men riding with him. He’s promised them a cut of the gold and a turn at any one of the three women he finds.”

“Over my dead body,” Sam swore.

Jacob shrugged. “From what I hear you’ve been trying to make that a possibility. Picking up lead like it was on sale.” He looked directly at Sam. “I didn’t know how badly you were hurt. I needed to reach you and tell you I’m willing to help.”

“I don’t need any help. I’ll take care of her.”

The Ranger leaned close and added, “Zeb Whitaker is coming after your wife. You and I both know, if he makes it through you, she won’t have a chance even if she’s a crack shot. Much as you hate the idea, you need me to back you up this time, Sam.”

“I don’t even like you, Jacob Dalton,” Sam admitted. “You are nothing but a snot-nosed kid who’s been lucky enough to stay alive for a few years as a Ranger. Which is better than most, but it doesn’t make you invincible. You’re only interested in my wife because you see her as bait to catch Zeb Whitaker.”

“Maybe,” Jacob agreed. “But you’ll take my help because you’re not willing to risk her life on it. We’re not dealing with some gunslinger or bank robber. Zeb’s survived a long time out here in this wild country. He’s tough as rawhide and smarter than most. I’d be willing to bet that the six or so men with him are cut from the same cloth.”

“You think you’re up to three-to-one odds?”

Jacob smiled. “Sounds about fair to me. When the shooting starts, you take the three on the left, I’ll take care of the ones on the right.”

Sam nodded as if the Ranger had a plan.

Jacob settled in. “Now, all we need is a safe place to take her for a while. If Zeb thinks he can’t get to your wife, he’ll go after one of the other women. Riley and his deputy can worry about them.”

“I’ve got a safe place.”

“Here?” Jacob laughed. “Half the men who walk into Denver’s bar know about this place. The only reason you weren’t followed here is because it’s so hard to get to. The multitudes who want to kill you are probably just waiting it out in town knowing you’ll have to come in for supplies sooner or later.”

“While you were getting all the answers, Ranger, what did you find out about the man who stabbed me, then brought his gang in to use me for target practice?”

“Levi Reed?” Jacob guessed. “He left town thinking you were dead, but it won’t be long until someone tells him the truth. Rumor is he headed for the Fort Worth-Dallas area. As for his gang, I think they are all kin, so you can bet they’re still together. Like a nest of rattlers, they claim the rocky land north of town. The body they left behind in your hotel room turned out to be Levi’s youngest brother. He was mean, but more a pest than an outlaw.”

“I’d seen the younger Reed’s picture on a few posters. There wasn’t enough money on him to make him worth my time to hunt, but since he was dead, I figured I might as well claim the reward.” Sam laughed. “Just between you and me, I think he was shot by one of Levi’s men when he turned and started to run. I wouldn’t waste a bullet on him.”

The Ranger grinned. “You didn’t shoot him?”

Sam shook his head. “But I’m sure I’ll get the credit.”

Jacob poked at the fire. “Levi probably wants you dead more than Zeb Whitaker wants your wife. It might not be too healthy hanging around you two. I don’t need to go out looking for the bad guys, I can just travel with you newlyweds. If I were guessing, I’d say there are likely twenty more such as Reed across the state. Men you tried to claim the bounty on or outlaws who know you put one of their relatives in the ground.”

Sam saw no point in arguing with the truth.

Jacob finally looked straight at Sam. “So why don’t you tell your bride to step out from wherever she’s hiding. She might as well meet one of the few people in this state who are not trying to make her a widow.”

TWELVE

SAM WATCHED ADMIRATION PARADE ACROSS THE Ranger’s face as he shook hands with Sarah. Gatlin didn’t know whether to be angry or proud. Jacob Dalton was closer to Sarah’s age and Sam had heard more than one saloon girl refer to the young Ranger as handsome. But Jacob acted the fool, complimenting Sarah on the day, as if she had something to do with it, and waiting until she sat down on a box before he took the other seat, as if they were at some fine restaurant.

Groaning, Sam decided Jacob smiled way too much for a proper lawman.

He didn’t know what to make of the man he once thought of as being able to handle himself. If Dalton grinned that way around an outlaw, he’d have those pearly whites knocked down his throat in no time. If fact, if Jacob didn’t stop smiling soon, Sam might be tempted to perform the service.

Fighting the urge to grab Sarah and pull her behind him, Sam stood like a statue while they talked. Sarah was full of questions about the other two women who had been in jail with her. Were they safe? Did Jacob know who they married? Were they happy?

The Ranger finally stopped her questions and told her about Zeb Whitaker.

To Sam’s surprise, Sarah moved away from Dalton as the Ranger talked and inched closer to him, resting her hand on his arm just above where she’d bandaged it the day before. Sam covered her fingers with his hand and felt her tremble. He knew she needed to be warned about Whitaker and the danger she faced, but he didn’t like the idea of her being frightened.

Sam growled; he didn’t like much of anything happening this morning. If he had his way, he’d just as soon go back to bed and forget the Ranger ever rode up. And he knew that if he ever ran into Zeb Whitaker, he would make sure his killing lasted a bit longer.

Jacob finally stopped talking and walked close to the fire to pour himself more coffee.

Sarah looked up at Sam with those blue eyes he couldn’t get enough of. “Whitaker aims to kill me?” she whispered.

Sam saw no reason to lie. He nodded. Fear widened her eyes. Before he realized what he was doing, he put an arm around her and pulled her close. “Don’t worry about it, Sarah. I won’t let him close enough to hurt you.”

She pressed her cheek against his shoulder. “I don’t want to have to kill him twice.” She wrapped her arms around Sam’s waist as though suddenly needing his warmth.

Sam felt the day going a bit better than it had started. He liked the way her head fit right under his chin and the way her hair smelled like fresh rain. She was a woman made to be held, he thought.

“Well, I’ll be!” Jacob shouted from several feet away. “The lady really does appear to like you, Gatlin. Sheriff Riley told me, the night of your wedding, he gave her a chance to back out, but she stepped up beside you like you were the pick of the litter. Mr. Moon even said she must have been crazy about you the way she hung on you, but I didn’t believe it possible. A walking, breathing woman actually likes the mighty Sam Gatlin.”

“Walk softly.” Sam glared at Jacob over Sarah’s head. “I don’t take lightly to any man questioning my wife’s judgment.”

Conflicting feelings bombarded Sam’s mind. Normally, he thought of himself as void of emotions, but suddenly it was raining in the desert. He liked the idea of Sarah moving close, of her needing him, of her holding on to him now as if she might drown in trouble if she let go. Sam wasn’t at all sure she liked him, but she trusted him and maybe that was more important in this country.

Sarah laughed as if unsure whether Sam’s warning was only a joke. She patted his chest. “Stop trying to frighten the lawman, dear.” She looked across to Jacob. “Of course I like my husband.”

Jacob tilted his head, obviously trying to see Gatlin in a better light. “You ever hear any of the tales told about your husband, ma‘am?”

“Yes,” she answered. “Most I don’t believe.” She rubbed her hand across Sam’s shirt. “All I know is he’s never hurt me.”

There she went again, Sam thought, patting on him like he was a pet. The woman had no idea who she was dealing with. Maybe Jacob was right, someone should question her judgment. He was not a man women hugged and touched, but now didn’t seem like a good time to inform her of the fact.

Jacob looked from her to Sam. “I almost feel sorry for Whitaker. He thinks he’s going after a helpless little woman. He has no idea he’ll have to down a legend even to get near her.”

“That’s right.” Sam looked straight at Jacob, silently making a promise.

An understanding passed between the two men as Sarah turned away. They talked while she made breakfast. Jacob voiced no doubt that Sam held Sarah’s welfare as a top priority.

With Jacob’s back to the trees, Sarah had little trouble delivering biscuits stuffed with bacon to the children. Her attempts at being sneaky kept Sam distracted as he talked with the Ranger.

About the time she finished packing the supplies, the men had formed a plan. Sam decided it would be better to take Sarah to a safe place than meet up with Jacob. They thought it made more sense to find Zeb than to wait around for him to storm across their lives. Jacob had a few leads. They’d try to locate the outlaw before he harmed one of the women. Jacob even made Sam promise to bring Zeb in alive. But first they had to make sure Sarah was safe.

“Want to tell me where you’re taking her?”

“No,” Sam answered. “The fewer who know the better. If you’ll ride back to where the wagon turned into the river and wait a half hour to make sure we’re not followed, I’ll do the rest. Within the hour my wife and I will have disappeared completely. I’ll see her out of harm’s way and meet you back in Cedar Point in three days.”

Jacob voiced his objections to the plan. He wanted to make sure Sarah was safe before he left, but Sam didn’t think he needed help and there was a good chance Sheriff Riley in Cedar Point might. After all, he was trying to keep up with two women. Jacob might be needed in town more than here. The first week or so everyone would be on guard. But after a while they’d start to slip, and that would be when Whitaker struck.

The Ranger swung onto his saddle. “Three days, four at the most. I’ll be looking for you!” he yelled to Sam then smiled and tipped his hat to Sarah. “And don’t forget to stay out of Reed’s way. Once we take care of Whitaker, I’ll help you find Reed in Fort Worth.”

“I don’t remember asking for any help, Ranger. But Fort Worth is the last place I’d be heading right now.”

Sam crossed his arms and watched the Ranger splash into the water and disappear around the bend in the river. He was a good man, despite his youth. Sam glanced at Sarah and grumbled, “If something should happen to me, find Dalton. He’ll see you’re safe.”