by Gold, Ciara
“That mad, huh? Well, can’t say I enjoy the silent treatment. I ain’t—I have never seen you at a loss of words before.”
“There isn’t a whole lot left to say. I came to confront a few ghosts, but thanks to you the whole graveyard is gathering for a party.”
“Your father needed to know what kind of danger you’re in.” He’d be damned if he’d feel guilty for doing what was right.
“I would have told him in my own time.”
“Is that before you meet your ghosts here on earth or after you would have joined them six feet under?” He yanked his hands from his pockets, thinking he could throttle her for being so obstinate.
“I think you enjoy the idea of my difficulties, so you can play protector of the innocent. Whatever danger I might have been in died when you shot James.” She wrapped her arms across her chest. “The way I figure it, we may never know why he wanted me dead. Either way, it’s over.”
“You might be willing to see it that way, but I’m not.”
Kaitlin touched the misted glass with her palm. “It’s cold.”
He knew she referred to more than just the outer temperatures. He, too, felt the frigid mood between them.
“How long do you plan to stay at the Silver Saddle?” Bryce asked.
“It’ll be days before the temperatures warm enough for us to travel. I also wouldn’t mind taking a little time to look over my property. You’re more than welcome to head on back without me, though.” She glanced over her shoulder at him.
“Nice try, but where you go, I go.”
“Fine, but try to stay out of my way. Okay?” She lifted one brow.
“Whoowee, I think the temperature just dropped another ten degrees.” He shook his head, wondering why he kept pushing. She obviously didn’t want him around, yet he couldn’t seem to leave. She needed him whether she thought so or not. “You know just how to freeze a man where he stands, Katy.”
“Just don’t melt into a puddle at my feet,” she replied with her usual sarcasm.
“Only if you promise not to heat my blood with those calf eyes of yours.” He tried to pick a tone purely meant for seduction. He smiled when he was rewarded with her tempered reaction.
She faced him fully now, hands on hips. “Calf eyes? What kind of lame compliment is that? You have this thing for comparing me to animals, Mr. Stanton, that doesn’t set quite right.”
Bryce laughed. The incredulous look on her face was priceless. She sure was fun to pick on. “There’s nothing more endearin’ than a calf who looks at you balefully, like you’re its best friend. He trusts you to feed him, care for him when he’s sick, and rescue him when he strays too far. You have a way of lookin’ at me in just such a manner sometimes.”
She pointed her index finger at him. “Let’s get a few things straight. I do not need taking care of. I never have and I never will. When this storm clears, I want you to go on back to Denver. I...I need time to sort through some things. I’ll join you later.”
“You’re right. You don’t need takin’ care of. You’re quite capable, and I admire you for it. Take all the time you need. When the storm lets up enough to see where I’m goin’, I’ll move back out to the bunkhouse, but I’m not goin’ back to Denver without you.”
She let out a big sigh. “This is all about that kiss. I knew it. That kiss didn’t mean anything, you know. It was just an experiment, a need to feel something other than pain.”
“I hear tell experiments should consist of many case studies before a final conclusion can be drawn.” He took a step closer. “Care to experiment a little more?”
“I should never have let you stay in those hotel rooms with me. Three nights together has given you ideas you don’t need to have. I can see now I should have put my foot down and demanded you find your own room.”
“I believe you did stomp around a bit, but you had little choice once my mind was made up. Besides, you didn’t argue a whole lot when I slept beside you that first night.” He continued to advance on her while she tried to hold her position. “And I was quite noble in sleepin’ on the floor the other two nights.”
“The fact I didn’t protest is of little consequence. You caught me in a vulnerable moment.”
“But, I never took advantage.”
“No...No, you didn’t take advantage.”
“But, I’m goin’ to take advantage now,” he murmured as he closed the gap between them.
He stood with just a feather space between them, not touching, but close enough to feel her breath. Close enough to see the movement of her shirt as her heart beat erratically. He bent his head. She leaned away. He smiled, enjoying her reticence. He moved his face toward hers until his lips hovered over hers without yet touching.
“Darn blizzard has me claustrophobic already. I never could abide being forced inside,” Sarge grumbled as he rounded the corner.
Bryce couldn’t help the bubble of laughter as Kaitlin quickly skidded away from him. He held his position even with Sarge’s untimely interruption. Kaitlin needed to know exactly who was in control here.
“Well, don’t expect me to entertain you,” Kaitlin snapped. “I’m sure the two of you can find things to amuse you both. I’m going back to my room to read.”
Bryce followed her departure with his gaze, unmindful of Sarge’s presence. Once she was gone, he focused his attention on Sarge. The old coot had a smile that could light an entire campsite. Bryce chuckled. Sarge knew exactly what he’d interrupted, and he was likely enjoying Bryce’s discomfort.
“I know that look. I had it once myself when Kaitlin’s mother was still around. I have no problem with you courting my girl, but I’ll tell you this once and only once. If you hurt her, I’ll make you wish you’d never heard of the Silver Saddle Ranch and Sarge Kanatzer. Katy’s gone through enough heartache. If you plan to play, you better play for keeps.”
“Spoken like a man who truly loves his daughter. Maybe if you told her just exactly how you feel, you and she might begin mendin’ your relationship.”
“Just remember what I said,” Sarge said. He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a pipe. From another pocket, he produced a small package of tobacco. With fluid execution, Sarge filled the pipe, tamped it down, and lit the aromatic indulgence.
“You have nothin’ to worry about from me. I only want the best for Kaitlin. She’s quite a woman.”
“Yes, she is.” He drew on the pipe, sucking in a lungful of smoke and letting it out slowly. “Now that we’re alone, tell me exactly what’s been going on. I feel like Kaitlin’s keeping important information from me. How much danger is she really in?”
Bryce pondered the question. He wasn’t sure himself. There were some things that didn’t add up, didn’t make sense. The key to solving the mystery was just within his grasp.
“Quite frankly, I don’t know. I could sure use your help to figure out a few things. For instance, the big question is, why would James want her dead? What would he have gained from her death? That question kept me awake last night until I realized I was lookin’ at things all wrong. I need to break it down into smaller components.”
“All right. I’ll do whatever you want. Name it.”
“For now, I just need someone to listen while I think through some smaller questions. We’ll start with location. The only thing of value that Kaitlin owns around these parts is her land. Accordin’ to her, it isn’t worth a whole lot. But the land is the only real connection we know of between her and James.”
Sarge shook his head. “Not really. After she left him standing at the altar, Kaitlin continued to work the land. She was determined to finish out her five years so the land was fully hers. According to my sources, James moved to Denver and began working at odd jobs.”
“You had him followed?”
Sarge nodded, but before answering he inclined the pipe toward Bryce. “Care for a smoke? I think I have another pipe in the other room.”
“Never developed a taste for it, but th
anks.”
Sarge inhaled deeply, held it for a moment and blew out the smoke. “I wanted James permanently removed from my daughter’s life. I had him followed and threatened. There was no way I was going to allow that man to hurt Kaitlin again.”
“Think he might have had revenge in mind? A man doesn’t normally take too well to being threatened.”
“Possibly, but it’s been over two years, almost three now. That’s an awful long time for a man to hold a grudge.”
“Here’s another question to scratch your head on. James had to know Kaitlin was on her way here. He was waitin’ for her on that road, but the thing is, her trip wasn’t planned. She didn’t have much time to prepare as she decided on the spur of the moment to follow me. Either James was watchin’ her for just the right moment, or someone told him of her plans.”
“Let’s assume he found out and managed to travel ahead of her,” Sarge said. “He must have had murder in the back of his mind for some time, and her unplanned journey here gave him the perfect opportunity.”
“So, we’re back to the why.” Bryce studied the tips of his boots while pacing the small confines of the room. After a brief lapse in the conversation, he glanced up. “He moved back to Denver where he got odd jobs. Assume he got a job workin’ for one of those saloon owners. Kaitlin and her small group of suffragists have managed to do a little bit of damage to the saloon business. I could see where a bar owner might want to stop Kaitlin’s protests.”
“But murder? She can’t be damaging the liquor trade that much.”
Bryce waved his hand in the air, trying to clear his mind. “No, no. Let’s not get hung up on the why again. We need to concentrate on the how. How did James find out she was comin’ here?”
Sarge’s chest heaved noticeably with a big sigh. “Who would she have told?”
“Maggie and Charley.”
“Maggie’s that black woman she took in, isn’t she?” Sarge’s voice took on a distinctly nasty ring.
Bryce bristled at his tone. “Maggie’s that very nice woman who happens to be a friend of your daughter’s. They’re very close. If you want to win your daughter back, I’d keep any prejudices you might have to yourself.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. I had a few slaves until the war ended the practice. Life seemed simpler back then. I have trouble thinking about those blacks taking jobs for lesser pay. Jobs our white boys needed so they could get back on their feet again. For a few years there, things were mighty tough for our returning soldiers.”
“They were tough for everyone. Did you fight?” Bryce redirected the subject somewhat, not wanting to get into a debate over the rights and wrongs of the war.
“Naw. I provided livestock for the Confederacy. With no one to watch over my property, I couldn’t just leave. But I supported our boys in other ways. How ’bout you?”
He shook his head. “My brother William spent a year with the Texas Mounted Riflemen until problems with the ranch brought him back home. The rest of us were too young. By the end of the war, the Comanches proved a constant threat in our area and every able-bodied man was expected to help ward off attacks.”
They were both silent. Bryce couldn’t help but reflect on those tragic years. Times had been tough. He supposed the Stanton family had been miraculously lucky. Unlike neighboring ranches, they’d somehow escaped the wrath of the Comanches. Others weren’t so lucky. The destruction of the Wilsons’ ranch seared his mind with tragic imagery. Such brutality had a way of humbling a man, making him appreciate all he had.
“We got off track,” Sarge murmured, still puffing lightly on the pipe.
“Where were we?”
“Kaitlin told Maggie and Charley. I know who Maggie is. Who is Charley?” Sarge asked.
Bryce’s eyes grew wide as he realized his mistake. In all the trauma of Kaitlin’s attack, he’d forgotten to inform Sarge that he had a granddaughter. Would he be happy? Would he accept a bastard child born from a disowned daughter?
“Charley is the reason I’m here. Charley’s my ward and—your granddaughter.”
“Explain.” Sarge demanded, pulling the pipe from his mouth.
“I was good friends with Bethany, and not in the way you’re thinking. We were only friends. Before Bethany died, she asked me to take Charley and raise the girl for my own. I owed Bethany my life, so I had no problem with repayin’ her this way, and I’m mighty fond of the girl.”
“How...how did Bethany die?”
Bryce looked down. He never lied. Lying didn’t set well with him, but at this moment, he was tempted. Kaitlin had never asked, a fact he thanked God for. He took in a deep breath and expelled it slowly. Sarge had a right to know the truth. “She killed herself.”
Sarge made no comment. He nodded, accepting Bryce’s words as fact. “A granddaughter,” he replied a few moments later, somewhat in awe. Bryce was glad the old man tried to concentrate on the good, the miracle of having a granddaughter, rather than the circumstances surrounding Bethany’s demise.
“I want to meet her.”
Bryce blinked. He should have thought of that. “I want you to meet her. I’ll see what I can do to get her here. In the meantime, we’re still back to only two people Katy could have told.”
“We could ask her.”
“Yeah, I guess we could at that. But before you ask, I just had a thought. Maggie’s been seein’ a man who just happens to have invested a hefty sum into one of Denver’s newest saloons. Not only that, but the man who owns this particular saloon is also in the runnin’ for our next governor. Of all the saloon owners out there, Farley Kaufmann stands to lose the most from Kaitlin’s actions. It’s a far stretch, but...”
“But, it’s all we have. I think you need to confirm that Maggie’s beau knew about Kaitlin coming here before you take this idea further.”
“Agreed. I also think I need to go back to Denver and ask more questions there.”
“Those letters? You said that some of them were postmarked from Oresonville.”
“That’s right, but not all. And they weren’t all in the same handwritin’ either.”
“When the weather clears, I’ll ride into town and find out if James has been seen coming or going from there. Either he made the trip often enough to mail a few letters, or the man had an accomplice.”
Bryce nodded. “When the storm allows, I’ll return to Denver. Katy plans to stay here, and with you and Bangles looking out for her, I ’spect it’s safe enough. I’ll follow the few leads we discussed, but I feel better about Katy not goin’ back to Denver just yet. I’ll let her stay here two weeks, then I’ll come back for her. I’ll bring Charley with me when I return. How does that sound?”
“Am I interrupting anything?” Bangles entered.
“Come on in. We were just discussing James Latham,” Sarge said. They filled Bangles in on the key points of their discussion. Bangles seemed sympathetic to their dilemma, but could offer very little in the way of constructive help. He was as baffled as the rest of them.
“On a brighter note, Bryce tells me I’m a granddaddy. Can you imagine that?”
“How?”
“Bethany had a daughter. Her name’s Charley.” Sarge glanced at Bryce. “How old is she?”
“Eleven, but she’ll be twelve next month.”
“Guess you brought Charley to Denver just to meet her Aunt Kaitlin, didn’t you, Bryce?” Bangles asked.
“You hit the nail square on its head,” Bryce replied.
Bangles chuckled. “Just to meet Kaitlin or to try and enlist Kaitlin’s help in raising the girl?”
“Another square hit on that nail.” A touch of humor danced on Bryce’s vocal chords.
Sarge laughed out right. “Wish I could have been there for those fireworks. I’m sure Katy wasn’t too fond of the idea of instant motherhood.”
“She wasn’t exactly keen on the idea. You could say she was rather adamantly opposed.” Bryce shrugged. “I wanted Charley to get to know Katy and vice versa. T
hat was the main objective, but if by some luck, Katy wanted Charley to stay with her, I wasn’t goin’ to object.”
“It ain’t easy raising a girl by yourself.” Sarge narrowed his eyes. “I know.”
“I confess. I was also hopin’ to find a bride I could take home with me. I’d been correspondin’ with a woman who lived in Denver, and I pinned my hopes on askin’ for her hand.”
“So what happened?” Bangles asked.
“Someone asked her before me, and I found her already engaged. In fact, her fiancé’s the saloon owner I told you about. Farley Kauffman. His name sure does seem to pop up quite a bit. Think it’s just coincidental?”
“I always said if it smells like a skunk...”
“It’s gotta be a skunk,” Bryce finished. “Whatever the case, my plans to find a mother figure for Charley have been put on hold. Lookin’ out for Katy has taken top priority over findin’ a wife.”
“’Pears to me, the two go hand in hand. Katy would make someone a mighty fine wife,” Sarge replied carefully.
Bryce glanced at Bangles. The man wouldn’t meet his eyes. Bryce laughed. If only they knew. Those were exactly his same thoughts. Kaitlin wasn’t cooperating as he’d hoped, though. On the other hand, she had invited him to kiss her, a major victory in his book. However, until he and Kaitlin could work things out to their mutual benefit, he didn’t think it was fair to her to involve Sarge.
Without giving anything away, Bryce answered. “I couldn’t agree more. She will make someone a terrific wife.”
Twenty Seven
“Uncle Bryce!” Charley greeted Bryce with a strong hug. “I’ve missed you.”
“I wasn’t gone all that long.” He’d have returned sooner, but the blizzard took two days to clear. The ride home had been fraught with challenges, but he’d managed. Bryce pulled away from her grasp to look at her, his hands still locked on her forearms.
“It felt like forever.”
She was right. He hadn’t expected to miss her so terribly, but it had seemed like forever. Seeing Charley again, he wondered how he ever thought he could give her up. Even if Kaitlin offered to take Charley, he wasn’t so sure that’s what he wanted anymore. Charley needed a woman in her life. He still felt strongly on that point. But she also needed him. He was the one constant in her life, always had been and always would be. The interaction between Sarge and Kaitlin made him realize how important it was for Charley to have a strong father figure in her life. Kaitlin had missed out on so much. He didn’t want that for Charley.
