Lincoln County Series 1-3 (10 page)

Cameron pulled her down by her skirts. “Sit down! You’re going to get yourself killed!”

Ken pushed greasy hair out of his beady eyes and pierced Cameron with a thoughtful look. The entire room fell to silence as he took in every inch of her. Reaching out he pulled her to stand. Hot breath heated up her neck. “Be a good girl and you won’t get hurt.”

Ken slid out of the hotel with her in his powerful, tight grip.

He placed her directly in front of him. “Come out Engel, all I want is you. Show yourself or this pretty little thing is going to suffer an unfortunate fate. I understand she might mean something to you.”

She tried to remain stoic, all the while knowing she would die if Thomas didn’t come through and save her.

“It’s over. Let her go.” Thomas surrendered his position.

“Thomas,” she whispered, her heart pounded hard in her chest.

“Toss your gun over here and tell your men to stand down,” Ken ordered.

Thomas lowered his gun to the ground and Cameron noticed he refused to look at her. She was surprised as anyone he actually capitulated to an enemy. Did he truly care about her then?

Swiftly, Ken raised his weapon and aimed it straight to the heart of her brother. She screamed, “No!” and hurled herself in front of him, taking the bullet deep into her side.

Lying on the boardwalk and gasping for air, she looked up to see Jake standing above her, firing over and over again—two, three, four rounds. He finally stopped when the only sound left was the clicking of his empty gun.

Chapter Sixteen

Two weeks later Dr. Colvin succumbed to Cameron’s pleading to go home. “On one condition,” he said with mock sternness, wagging an old, crooked finger at her. “I spoke to Jake this morning and he offered to carry you home.”

She sat up prepared to argue.

He’d hear none of it. “Now, listen to me. The hotel is two streets away. I don’t want you jostled about even a little bit in a buckboard and walking is clearly out of the question. So, you stay here for a few more days and keep me company, or you’ll swallow your pride and take the man up on his offer.”

She sat back, folded her arms across her chest, pouted and contemplated.

Within the hour she was engulfed in the nearness of Jake. Having no other way to hang on, she looped her arms around his neck while he carried her, without any sign of strain or exertion. She was mortified.

“You best get some meat on your bones. Starting today, I’m going to have Cook broil you up a big ol’ steak with potatoes and peas, smothered in his famous gravy. I suggest you eat up a whole pie as well.” He peered down and her breath caught.

She was soon deposited into an overstuffed feather chair that Lacey had set out in front of the hotel. “I don’t need to be fussed over,” she said to Jake. “I’m nearly all healed up.”

Ignoring her protestations, Jake announced he’d go in just the same and check on her supper.

She felt ridiculous sitting outside, but was grateful to see the town appeared back to normal. A moment later, a shadow passed over, blocking her view. She shielded her eyes by her hand to see Thomas standing awkwardly above her.

“Nice to see you about,” he said.

Cameron gripped the sides of her chair to pull herself up straighter and scooted to the edge of her seat.

“Thomas?”

He pulled his eyes to hers.

“Mama died of pneumonia,” she said, wanting to rush their conversation should he bolt before she could say her peace.

She watched him work his hands at his sides, clenching them in and out, like one would do prior to a gunfight.

“She wanted me to find you, so that...so that we might be a family, you and I.” She waited in the intense silence for a reply.

“What do you want me to say?” He asked bitterly. “You don’t want me
.
I am not the ideal family. I fight outlaws for lands sakes!”

On shaky legs, she stood to her feet. “Just where do you think
I
lived? In a grand house somewhere? It’s been mama and me for the past eleven years, working for every bite we took and her scrimping to save every penny she earned. I’m not used to an
ideal
family.” Her face felt flushed and she wavered a moment, balancing herself by holding on to the arm of the chair.

He noticed and took a step forward to help. “I wish you didn’t do what you did,” he said, less upset. “I can’t believe you ran in front of that bullet—it was a stupid thing to do,” he admonished. “I live a dangerous life. I will never bring you into my world.”

“Don’t I have a say in this?”

He shook his head and backed away slowly. He unhitched his horse without a word, mounted with ease and set off without looking back.

“I’m not going away, Thomas Engel! I’m staying put, right here!” she shouted indignantly.

*** *** ***

Cameron was alone in the restaurant late that evening folding napkins, after insisting she do something to earn her keep. Lacey learned well enough to leave her be in this after she refused to sit up in her room another moment. Andrew wandered in, no doubt checking why a lantern was on at such an hour.

“Would you like some tea?” She asked, reaching for the nearby teapot.

He looked at her curiously. “I would.”

“I’m afraid it’s only lukewarm.” She placed his drink in front of him. He was already sweetening it with sugar when she asked, “How was the service this morning? Your first since the… fire, yes?”

“It was difficult, but pleasant enough. It’s not the same in the schoolhouse but I suppose it’s not about the building, is it?” He looked down. “Forgive me, I am wrong to complain.”

“There’s nothing to forgive you for.”

She noticed, not for the first time, how appealing his nature was. Although a relative of Lacey’s, they hardly resembled anything like each other. Andrew had hair the color of hay, deep brown eyes and dark-toned skin, which strongly contrasted Lacey’s porcelain-like features and silk black hair. He wasn’t built as broadly as Jake Collins, but she concluded that Andrew was no weakling either.

“I would be happy to have you join us should you ever choose to come.”

She smiled easily. “I will be happy to come.”

“It’s a bit late. May I see you to your room? I’d feel better about that rather than leave you down here alone and in the dark.”

After thinking a moment, she said, “It is decidedly late, thank you, Andrew.”

*** *** ***

The first customer of the morning was Jake, and although she’d been hurt by him, Cameron couldn’t help peruse his noticeably handsome self dressed in a white cotton shirt, black vest and black jeans.

In her presence, he took off his hat and put on a nonchalant stance. “Cameron,” he said softly, “I thought that maybe you’d like to come for a ride with me. I want to show you something. Are you feeling up to it?”

Her curiosity was piqued despite the fact she was done trying to earn his affections. “I am.”

Chapter Seventeen

After informing Lacey she would be gone a while, Cameron stepped out into the humid air to see Jake sitting in a buggy. It looked unnatural since she was used to seeing him in a saddle. He helped her into the buckboard with a welcoming smile. Wordlessly he climbed up next to her and smacked the reins.

“Where are we going?” she asked, tying the ribbons of her bonnet underneath her chin.

“Patience. You’ll see soon enough.”

The drive was bumpier than she’d prepared herself for. Jake tried avoiding as many ruts as possible but without much luck—the dirt was packed tight and baking in the sun and rocks and debris were sticking out of the hardened clay. But wherever they were going, their surroundings were becoming greener and lush. Cottonwood trees lined the roadside, and the small, feather-like seeds were floating in the air all around them like a mass of gnats flying about.

“This is beautiful,” she said in awe.

“It’s called Spillman’s Creek.”

“Can we get down and walk?”

“That’s the plan.” He stopped the horses at the mouth of the creek and eased Cameron from the buckboard. “If you’re feeling up to it after that ride. Do you need to rest?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’m tired of resting!”

He held up his hands “Alrighty then.”

“What are these?” She pointed to a bluish-purple patch of flowers. “They’re very pretty.”

*** *** ***

Jake felt a pang of regret for bringing her away from the hotel. Who was he kidding? From Andrew. But selfishness got the better of him—he wanted her all to himself, even if it were only for the day.

He cleared his throat. “They’re called asters. They grow wild—look there, there are hundreds of them.”

She began picking wild flowers at random, making a hefty sized bouquet. “And these?”

“Columbines.”

She thrust some into his hands, unable to hold the whole bundle in her arms.

“How did you know I love flowers? We had a bunch of flowers back home, only I never knew what they were. Once I got a horrid, itchy rash from going out picking one day.” She winced at the memory. “I don’t know which of the flowers was the culprit!” She belted out a laugh. “Look at you, holding a bouquet of color. You look like a nervous suitor!”

He was at a loss for words at her bright, innocent actions. Needing a moment, he brushed passed her. “Come on. Let’s go down to the creek and cool off some in the shade.”

He hadn’t thought to bring a blanket or a basket of food and he was surprised to see she did not even seem to mind. She looked as content as could be to sit on a hard rock, drinking in the coolness of the stream, holding tight to her flowers as if they were a treasure. A trace of pink had finally returned to her cheeks and she didn’t appear to move as if she were in pain. He hoped he wasn’t pushing her too hard.

Watching her sitting there all pretty, arranging flowers in her lap, brought back the knot of self-loathing he felt when his thoughts led him to the night with Charlotte. Cameron’s look of arrant disappointment brought a pang of remorse. Her words had stung, because they had been true.

Jake looked at her now in her dreamy state, smelling her treasures. She could never belong to him. But the harder he fought it, the harder it was to let go his feelings. A stronghold was building, and at this point, he didn’t think it could be defeated.

The blasted weather changed abruptly as thick clouds swiftly overshadowed them. He didn’t know what was coming their way but did not like the feel of it.

“Come on, Cameron, time to go.” He stood up from his place in the dirt and held out his hand to her.

She reluctantly obeyed, not ready to leave the newly coveted place.

The blustery weather picked up as soon as they reached the buckboard, he being as gentle with her as possible during their rush. “Hold on to your hat!” he shouted over the hissing wind. Dirt swirled up fiercely from their path, filling their teeth with gritty sand. Although hindered, Jake untied his handkerchief from his neck and pressed it into her hand. She covered her nose and mouth with it. His hope to make it to town vanished as he watched the first ball of hail bounce off of the dry ground like the rubber balls he’d seen boys in town play jacks with. Then, as though they were coming under fire, more plummeted from the offending sky. Cameron’s flowers were being pelted to shreds.

He knew the hail must be stinging her body just as he felt the effect of the pricking against his own. He dreaded going where he knew he must, but there was no other choice.

He helped himself to the shelter of the nearest barn, getting the horses in, secure and taken care of. Once the hail died down, he brought Cameron out of the barn. He didn’t announce their presence when he entered the familiar kitchen of Thomas’s home. The last memory he had there assaulted him. The very place he was standing in was where Thomas delivered Jenny’s lifeless body to him.

Cameron nudged him to attention and finally he announced their presence.

The tip of Mack’s gun met them where they stood.

“Take it easy. We need to wait out the storm,” Jake said, easing down non-threatening hands.

Within minutes Cameron was wrapped in a blanket and holding a cup of coffee between her hands, delicate fingers wrapped around the big mug as if she were comfortably sitting in her own kitchen. The picture briefly irritated Jake, but then he just wanted to make sure she wasn’t hurt anywhere.