A Family for the Holidays (21 page)

“It was you.” Understanding finally dawned on Lily. “It was you all along.”

“I had a good thing going. No one notices a bunch of women. They think we're stupid. I've been running all sorts of scams out of Frozen Oaks, and no one is the wiser. Not Vic, not the sheriff, not anyone. Then Vic had to go and ruin everything by losing the hotel. I needed the cover of the business. I can hide trunks full of contraband in a hotel. I can hide my customers as hotel guests.”

“Then you were the person selling the guns.”

“A man came to Vic last year wanting to sell a shipment of stolen guns. Vic refused the offer because the guns were junk. Relics from the War Between the States. That's the problem with Vic—he lacks imagination. I bought them for a considerable discount and sold them to the Indians for a tidy profit. They didn't know the guns were worthless, and I made a lot of money. That's imagination.”

“The US marshals were looking for those guns. How did you smuggle them out of town?”

“A layer of petticoats. I told you. No one pays any attention to ladies. If your trunk is heavy, they don't even blink an eye. One of the railroad detectives even offered to help the porter carry the extra weight. I tipped him. He was such a wonderful help.”

“You're very clever. Vic was the perfect cover. He makes a convincing villain.” Lily frantically searched the countertop for some kind of weapon. “Why did you intercept the messages from Emil?”

“I needed to buy some time. After Emil sent the telegram saying that he'd broken his leg, I searched the barbershop. He was too smart, though. He'd taken the deed with him. I guess he figured Vic couldn't be trusted.” Regina's lips curled up at the edges. “He was right.”

“Is that when you decided the children were a more lucrative scam?”

“After I read the newspaper story I figured I'd use the children to get the hotel back, and make some money in the process. You certainly weren't a threat. I hadn't planned on Jake, though. I hadn't planned on a gunfighter turned nanny. Locking the sheriff in his own jail cell was inspired. Wish I'd have thought of that. Koepke was hopping mad.”

All along they'd been chasing the wrong villain. “Then Vic and the sheriff were in the dark about all your dealings?”

As long as Regina liked to brag, Lily was willing to stall her. Maybe she'd set down the gun or drop her guard.

“Vic makes a very nice smoke screen. As long as everyone was paying attention to him, no one was paying me any mind.”

“But why did you burn down the boardinghouse if I wasn't a threat to you? What purpose did that serve?”

“Because you deserved some punishment after forcing me to chase you across the countryside. I don't like being inconvenienced. You didn't even have the decency to show up on time for the grand inferno. I snuck in the same window I used all those years ago when Mrs. Hollingsworth locked me out.” Regina tapped her chin with the barrel of the pistol. “When you think about it, I had my revenge on both of you. You should be thanking me instead of glowering and plotting a way to turn this gun on me. Losing the boardinghouse was for your own good. Mrs. Hollingsworth was never going to sell that place.”

“You'll forgive me if I don't send a note,” Lily said. “You enjoyed setting that fire, didn't you?”

“I won't lie. I enjoyed giving the old biddy a little payback for all the times she looked down her nose at me.”

“Someone might have died.”

“Lots of things might have happened, but they didn't.” Regina waved the gun. “Everyone got out all right. All's well that ends well.”

“You took your sweet time in coming to Cimarron Springs. What took you so long?”

“I lost track of you again after I burned down the boardinghouse. The inferno was beautiful, and very distracting. I never expected you'd marry the gunfighter. I thought I knew you. I remembered you from when I stayed in St. Joseph. You were always making lists and harping on routine. That sort of person is easy to predict. I had a watch on the nearest hotel. I figured you wouldn't drift far from home. Strays never do. Except you're full of surprises.”

“It's over, Regina.” Lily reached behind her, groping for the knife she'd left on the counter. “They'll catch you.”

“Don't be silly. I've worked too hard. I'm not giving up now. I'm not giving up when I'm this close to having everything I want on a silver platter. That would just be foolish, wouldn't it? But please, as long as we're divulging all our deep, dark secrets, you must confess. I still don't understand why that gunfighter helped you. He didn't seem the rescuing type.”

“He's a good man.”

“Oh dear. I certainly didn't see that coming.” Regina tsked. “That's the problem with this world, there are far too many do-gooders mucking up the works. Do-gooders are bad for business.”

Regina poked a loaf of bread. “Enough chatting. Let's get on with this. I don't want to miss lunch.”

Lily's knees grew weak. She was rapidly losing ground.

“You're certainly cleverer than all the men. How did you arrive here before Emil?” Lily tucked the knife against her back. Regina responded to flattery, her one constant. “How were you smart enough to find us before anyone else?”

“The telegraph lines. Funny thing about Western Union, they tend to hire women. There's been quite a bit of chatter back and forth from Cimarron Springs to Beatrice.” She nudged her gun in the direction of the door. “Tell me where I can find the children. I'm growing weary of your voice.”

“This is ridiculous.” Lily turned, keeping the weapon hidden in the folds of her skirts. “How can you ransom the children without their grandfather?”

“Emil is on his way. I'm not stupid, Lily. I sent for him first. Your little trap won't work. Ah, I see by your expression that you assumed help was coming. I thought you were more loquacious than usual. Tut tut. Let's put a lid on that optimism and get this over with.”

“All right, all right.” Dread settled in Lily's stomach. “The children are out back. They're playing in the barn.”

There was no way she was leading Regina to the children, which left her with no other option.

She tightened her grip around the knife. She'd have to take her chances with Regina alone. She had to think of a plan quickly. If something happened to her, Jake would never forgive himself. She wouldn't let him wallow in guilt.

With nothing left to lose, she'd finally accepted that she loved him, and she sensed there was a part of him that cared for her, too. A part that went deeper than playacting. She desperately wanted to survive long enough to discover if her instincts were correct.

Regina waved the gun barrel. “Come along. Your destiny awaits, Miss Winter.”

“Mrs. Elder,” Lily corrected. “If you're going to kill me, at least get my name right.”

* * *

The door to the marshal's office slammed open and an extremely agitated elderly man stood on the threshold. “Where are my grandchildren?”

The man was tall and fit with graying hair. He carried a cane in one hand and his leg had been splinted. He was of average height and build, with neatly trimmed sideburns that touched his chin.

Jake stood. “Emil Tyler?”

“Yes.” Emil brandished a telegram. “Apparently someone named Lily Winter has kidnapped my grandchildren. She's asking for a ransom. I'm supposed to stay at the hotel in town and wait for the next instructions.”

“You've been misinformed.” Jake's chest seized. They'd been double-crossed. Someone had beaten them to setting a trap. “Lily is not the kidnapper.”

Grasping the implications as well, Garrett came out from behind his desk. “We'd best have the whole town on alert for Vic Skaar.”

“Vic is in Frozen Oaks,” Emil said. “He's not responsible.”

“How do you know?” Jake asked.

“I ain't stupid. I won money off the man. Ida works over at the hotel and keeps tabs on him for me. He hasn't left town.”

“Then who? The sheriff?”

Garrett shook his head. “From what you've said, Vic would never send him for this kind of job.”

“Regina,” Jake exclaimed. “We've been blind to everything. This is about Regina.”

He reached for his gun belt and hat.

Emil held out his arm. “How can you be certain it isn't this Miss Winter person?”

“I know.” They'd all been duped, even Vic. The irony was impressive. “This was about Regina all along. Get everyone you can. If she's in town already, she'll go for the children. Which means Lily is in danger, as well.”

David burst through the door. “Someone has Lily.”

“A woman?”

“Yep,” David replied. “I was watching the house like you asked. I saw a woman go inside. I didn't think too much about it since we weren't looking for a woman. I heard them arguing and snuck closer. The woman pulled a gun on Lily.”

“And you left her there?” Jake snatched the man's lapels and shook him. “Alone?”

“Hold on.” Garrett blocked his exit. “You can't go storming in there without a plan.”

“The woman wants Lily to lead her to the Tyler children,” David said. “There was nothing I could do.”

Garrett pried Jake's hands free from David's coat. “Did you hear anything else?”

“Lily said the children were doing chores. She said they'd be in the barn.”

Emil's face suffused with angry color. “She's leading them to my grandchildren? What kind of town are you running here, marshal?”

Jake forced air into his lungs. He wasn't doing anybody any good by panicking. “Your grandchildren aren't in the barn, they're at school.”

“Stay here, Mr. Tyler.” Garrett ordered. “We'll explain everything later.”

Jake and Garrett ran full out to the house, David close behind them.

Jake held his finger for silence and they crept around the back of the barn. Voices sounded from inside. Fearful of spooking Regina, Jake kicked over a crate and climbed up to peer in the window.

The two women were locked together, grappling over something. Jake caught a glimpse of steel. His stomach folded. They were fighting for possession of the gun.

Without hesitating he broke the glass with his elbow.

At the commotion, Lily turned.

A gunshot sounded.

Jake dove forward. Both Lily and Regina collapsed to the ground. Bile rose in the back of his throat. He dragged Lily away, cradling her in his arms. Blood spattered the front of her apron.

He frantically ran his hand along her stomach, searching for the wound.

“Not me.” Lily gasped. “I wasn't hit.”

He glanced around as Garrett entered the barn. The marshal kicked the abandoned gun from Regina's grasp and knelt at her side. Blood oozed from a wound in her abdomen.

“I've shot myself.” Regina moaned. “I didn't think she'd fight back.”

“You thought wrong,” the marshal replied.

Regina grimaced. “Never underestimate a woman.”

Alerted by the gunfire, Caleb arrived a moment later. He took in the scene and approached Lily and Jake.

“She's not hurt,” Jake assured the other man. “Regina has been hit.”

Caleb lowered himself to one knee and grimaced. “I've seen this sort of wound before. You'll live.”

“Are you a doctor?” Regina moaned. “I need a surgeon. A good surgeon. Not some country bumpkin with a rusty scalpel.”

“I'm a veterinarian, ma'am.”

Her head lolled to one side. “If I die in this backwater town, promise you'll bury my body in New York. I refuse to spend eternity in Kansas.”

“You're not going to die.”

“I don't find your assurance the least bit comforting.”

Lily clutched Jake's lapels. “Take me back to the house.”

He hoisted her in arms. Garrett and Caleb were well equipped to deal with Regina. He carried Lily through the back door and up the stairs, then laid her on the bed.

He moved away but she pulled him closer.

“What?”

“Don't let go of me.” She shivered. “Not even for a minute.”

He climbed onto the bed beside her and crushed her in his embrace. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”

“It was Regina all along. She was using Vic as a cover.”

“I guessed as much.” He pressed his cheek against her hair. “Coming here alone was risky, even for Regina.”

“I think she simply became desperate. All her plans and schemes were falling apart one by one, and we always managed to be a step ahead of her.”

“She can't hurt us now.”

“Will she live?”

“Caleb thinks so,” Jake replied. “Her fate is out of her hands.”

Lily absently toyed with the buttons on his coat. “How did you know to come for me?”

“Emil arrived. He'd received the telegram.”

Violent shivers tormented her body. He rubbed her back and whispered soothing words.

“You didn't hesitate,” she said. “That's what you were always worried about. When you saw I was in danger, you didn't hesitate.”

“I've never been more focused in my life.”

She pressed their lips together in a desperate kiss. She kissed him as though she could never get enough of him, and hope soared in his heart. She must feel something for him, as well.

Lily broke away from the kiss first. “I love you, Jake Elder. I started falling in love with you when you were an outlaw, then when you were a lawman, but I finished falling in love with you as a husband. I know your job is difficult and dangerous, and I know that craving for excitement is part of who you are. I won't try and change you, I promise.”

He pressed a finger against her lips. “Stop. I've already changed. I love you, too, Lily Winter. I can't picture a future without you. Will you consider staying with me, even if Sam and Peter leave with their grandfather?”