When All My Dreams Come True (39 page)

Bobbie ran to Jace’s side. They worked together and pushed Grant
off to the side. Jace struggled to his feet. He pulled her into his arms and held her. He pressed his lips against her hair.

“Are you all right?”

She nodded. “I’m ready to go home.”

He gave a weak laugh. “Me too.”

They headed toward the shack but Jace stumbled. After a few more steps, he dropped to his knees.

“Jace?” Bobbie knelt next to him. “What’s wrong?”

He held his hands over his stomach and looked up at her. She pulled his coat back. Blood oozed from a slit in his shirt.

“You’ve been stabbed?” She looked at his face. He was so pale. “Lie down, Jace.”

He fell into her arms as she helped him to the ground. She pulled the kerchief from her neck and pressed it against his side. He gasped, and his face gleamed with sweat.

He was losing blood too fast. Panic clawed at her. She pushed it away and tried to think clearly. He couldn’t ride a horse. She’d need to find another way to get him home.

Jace groaned. She ran her hand over his forehead and cheek. He felt warm. She fought back her tears, then bent and kissed his forehead.

“Stay with me, Jace.”

She dashed into the shack. The cot caught her eye. Bobbie kicked at the legs until they broke off, then dragged it through the doorway and placed it next to Jace. After saddling Mack and leading him to the cot, she tied ropes to the cot and then to the saddle. She knelt next to Jace.

“All right, Jace.” He didn’t stir. She checked his pulse, found one, and thanked God. “Hang in there. Don’t you leave me.”
I love you too much to lose you too
.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she grabbed him under the arms and hauled him onto the cot. She covered him with her blanket and moved to Mack’s side.

“Bobbie?”

She jumped and pulled out her pistol in one smooth move.

“It’s me, Bobbie. It’s Sheriff Thomas.” He stepped into the clearing.

“Morgan!” She wanted to cry with relief. “Jace has been hurt. I’ve got to get him home.”

Morgan knelt next to Jace and looked at the wound. “Hang on a minute.” He went to his saddlebag and pulled out some cloth. “I want to pack that cut. Maybe it’ll slow the bleeding.”

Jace moaned as Morgan covered the wound.

“Who did this, Bobbie?”

“Grant Wilcox.”

“Wilcox? The wrangler Jace fired?”

Bobbie nodded.

“Where is he?”

Bobbie pointed toward the trees. “Right over th—” Her hand fell to her side. “Where’d he go? He was right there, Morgan. I shot him in the shoulder. I saw the blood.”

Morgan stood next to her. “It’s all right, Bobbie. If he’s hurt, he’ll be easy to find. Right now, let’s just get off this mountain.”

Bobbie pulled herself onto the saddle. “Morgan, you need to look under the table in that shack. I think it might be the evidence you need for all the bank robberies. Maybe even for Jace’s stolen cattle.”

Momentary indecision flashed across Morgan’s face.

“Go on, Morgan. Grab what you can and then catch up.”

He nodded and disappeared inside.

Seeing the stallion and Jace’s horse, Bobbie dismounted, grabbed their reins, and climbed back in her saddle. Bobbie nudged Mack with her heels and headed home as fast as she dared.

Morgan caught up with her a short time later. “I don’t know how much money he had stashed under the floor, Bobbie, but I got all I could see. He even took notes on how much money they stole from each bank, what he got for Jace’s cattle, and how he divided up the
cash.” Morgan shook his head. “He just put the noose around his, Will’s, and Coop’s necks.”

Bobbie stopped a few times to check on Jace, but she didn’t waste any other time getting down the mountain. She and Morgan spent a great deal of time looking for any sign of Wilcox. They didn’t want him surprising them. Bobbie prayed most of the ride home for God to keep Jace alive.

When they were close to the ranch, Bobbie fired her gun three times. Dew raced to meet them.

“Bobbie? What happened?” he said as he rode next to Jace.

“Go get the doctor, Dew. It’s bad. Hurry!”

Bobbie watched him rush off, praying the doctor would be in town. They couldn’t afford any more delays. She stopped at the kitchen door of Annie’s house. David and Beans waited for her. Sonny hobbled as fast as he could to catch up.

“Take him in and put him in my room,” she told them.

Bobbie slid from the saddle and dashed forward to hold the door open. Her heart sank when she saw Annie. Every moment her friend had spent worrying could be seen on her face.

“Bobbie!” Annie pulled her into an embrace. “I’m so glad you’re all right.” Annie stepped back and looked at her. “So, where’s Jace?”

David and Beans came in with him at that moment. Annie gasped and followed the men into Bobbie’s room.

David and Beans stepped back to let Annie near her brother. Bobbie choked on tears hearing Annie’s heart-wrenching cries. She moved into the kitchen and put some water on the stove to boil. She had a feeling the doctor would need it.

Beans moved to her side and put his arm around her. “You all right?”

Bobbie turned to him and sobbed on his shoulder. He patted her back as he held her but didn’t say a word. When she calmed, he led her to a chair. She sat even though she wanted to go to Jace.

“Tell me what happened.”

Morgan and the others took a seat, and she recounted the entire story.

“It’s all my fault,” she said at the end. “He wouldn’t have gotten hurt if I hadn’t run off on my own. Jace told me to stay close, but I didn’t listen.”

Beans reached for her hands. “Your wrists are bloody. I thought you said you was fine.”

“I am.”

“Well, from what I know o’ that Wilcox fella, and from what all he’s done to Jace, I think he’d o’ kept on till he killed Jace, regardless o’ what you did or didn’t do. I don’t think you need to go blaming yourself for this.”

The other men nodded in agreement.

The doctor arrived, and Bobbie showed him to her room. He turned and stopped her from entering.

“I’m sorry, Bobbie. I’ll let you know how he is as soon as I can.” He closed the door in her face.

She stood there staring toward the bedroom until Beans took her by the shoulders and led her back to her seat. Bobbie heard the men talking but couldn’t absorb a word they said. Her gaze stayed on the door as she counted the minutes. When it finally opened, she jumped up.

The doctor waved her back down. “He’s going to be fine. The cut wasn’t too deep, but he lost a good amount of blood, so it’ll take a while for him to get his strength back. But knowing Jace, he’ll be ordering you around again in about a week. Maybe less.”

Bobbie laughed through her tears. The men grinned and patted each other on the back before Dew stood and told them it was time to get back to work. Beans didn’t move as the others filed out. He took one of Bobbie’s forearms in his beefy grasp.

“This little lady needs your attention, Doc.” He lifted her wrist for the doctor to see, then sat with her while the doctor cleaned and bandaged her wounds.

“That oughta do it,” Doc said as he stood. Morgan followed him out, and they rode off together.

Bobbie could feel Beans staring at her. She couldn’t meet his gaze, though she appreciated what he’d said earlier about not blaming herself.

“Ya know, Bobbie,” he said in a quiet voice. “If I woulda had a daughter, I’d a wanted her to be just like you.”

Bobbie looked up, then wrapped her arms around his neck, and he enveloped her in his. Her tears made a wet spot on his shoulder.

“Thank you, Beans.”

He patted her back and cleared his throat. “I...uh...gotta go cook now.”

She leaned away. His eyes were red and damp. He took a step away but turned back. “Make sure you eat something. You look too thin.”

She gave him another quick hug before he walked away.

“Bobbie?” Annie stood in the doorway of the bedroom. “Would you like to see him?”

Bobbie’s lips trembled as she smiled and nodded.

“Would you mind sitting with him while I check on the kids?”

“Not at all.”

Bobbie sat on the chair Annie had positioned beside the bed and took Jace’s hand in hers. She stared at his face. She already knew every line, dip, and hollow. She had them memorized. This was the first time she’d ever seen him completely relaxed. He looked too young to have gone through so much.

His hand twitched. She looked down at it. Her hand looked petite next to his. She felt the calluses on the palm as she examined the backside. His knuckles were cut and bruised from the fight. This was the hand that caressed her with tenderness one moment and fought off her captor the next. She lifted it to her cheek as tears slid from her eyes.

“I’m so sorry.” She reached up and brushed the hair from his forehead. “I love you, Jace Kincaid.”

Bobbie stared at his face until her lids grew heavy. She felt someone touch her shoulders.

“Come on, Bobbie,” Annie whispered. “I think it’s time we get you cleaned up and put to bed.”

She stood and allowed herself to be led from the room. Annie had a hot bath ready. Bobbie stepped into the tub and moaned at how wonderful it felt. What seemed only minutes later, Annie returned to rinse her hair and help her from the tub. When Bobbie finished dressing, Annie led her up the stairs and into a different bedroom. The covers were thrown back and waiting. Bobbie didn’t argue as Annie ordered her to bed.

“I’m sorry, Annie.”

“For what?” Annie perched on the side of the bed.

“For getting Jace hurt. It’s my fault.”

Annie clucked her tongue and smiled. “Now there you go again, taking someone else’s sin on your shoulders.”

“I didn’t stay here like Jace wanted.”

Annie raised a hand to stop her flow of words. “I heard you tell the story, Bobbie. I agree with Beans. Grant intended to kill Jace, and he would have tried with or without you.”

“But Annie—”

Annie shook her head. “That’s the end of it, Bobbie. Jace is home and alive because of you. Thank you for that.” Annie leaned down to hug her. “Now, get some sleep.”

Annie left with a swish of her skirts. Bobbie was tired but couldn’t let herself fall asleep yet. She’d told the Lord that she trusted Him to get them through. She had to thank Him for answering her prayers.

   THIRTY-ONE