Setting Things Straight

by Patricia Pacjac Carroll

  He looked so sad. “I was sure my story about the lost cattle herd would have found a home by now and made us good money.”

  Summer leaned against him and looked up. “It will. It was a great story, Spencer.”

  He frowned. “Aren’t you going to open your letter?”

  “Do you want me too?”

  Reluctantly, he nodded.

  They went outside the store and sat on the bench. Summer gently pulled the envelope open and took out the letter. She read silently, her excitement growing. “They bought my story about the dog finding his owner. A Cowboy’s Herder.”

  Spencer sighed. “That’s great.” Yet there was no joy in his words.

  She pulled out a check. “Oh, Spencer, look. Two hundred dollars. We can afford your apartment for six more months. By then, some of your stories will have come through. We can get married Saturday.”

  He looked at her, his eyes a mixture of anger and disappointment. “I can’t let you support me. That’s not how it works, Summer.”

  Her joy turned to dust. “Why can’t you be happy for me? I know your stories will sell. You’re a great writer, Spence.”

  “Apparently not as great as you. I just don’t know if I can compete against you and always lose.”

  “Lose? Aren’t we a team? That’s what you said on the way to town.”

  “That was before you got the check, and I got nothing. It won’t work, Summer.” He stood and walked to the end of the store. “Our apartment is paid for another week. I’m going to go and clean it out. Get ready to move. No sense in keeping it if we’re not getting married.”

  “Move? Where? Not married?” Frantic, she kept up with him as he walked down the street.

  He glanced at her. “Somewhere that I can get good stories on my own and not have to share them.”

  Summer felt as if her world had come to an end. “Your uncle has room for you. If you want, I won’t write anymore.”

  He stopped and looked at her with a kind smile. “I wouldn’t do that to you. Don’t ask me to live in a way that I can’t. This is something I have to do.”

  She watched him walk to his apartment. Sad beyond belief, she went back to the sheriff’s office and gathered the reins to Jillian’s big roan. The horse was anxious to run, and she was just as ready to get out of town. Spencer could take care of his own horse. She was going home. Alone.

  Chapter 9

  Jillian was thankful that Theo stayed with her. She was feeling stronger, so she went outside with him to care for the animals. She’d asked Summer to ride her horse as he wasn’t used to being cooped up. A gust of wind caused her to shiver.

  Theo put his arm around her. “Are you sure you should be outside?”

  “I’ll be fine.” She buttoned her jacket. Well, Summer’s jacket. Hers was in the trash heap with the rest of her clothes. Suddenly, she felt so ashamed.

  “I guess I should go back. Pa and my brothers will be looking for me. Oh, not that they care, but they’ll want me to cook for them.”

  Theo shook his head. “You’re never going back to them. What if they aren’t even your real family?”

  She looked confused. “But I’ve been with them for as long as I can remember.”

  “But you just told us about seeing your parents killed.”

  “I don’t know, it’s all so confusing. My pa and brothers are all I know. I’m not sure where that memory came from. It could be a dream.”

  “Dream! That’s a nightmare.” Theo hugged her to him. “I know this, I’m not letting you go. Never.” Then he held her at arm’s length and stared into her eyes. “I care for you, Jillian. I want to take care of you.”

  Jillian’s heart warmed. She liked Theo. Maybe even loved him. But was it because she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him or because he’d saved her? “We’ve only known each other such a short time.”

  “Long enough for me.” His voice was husky and honest.

  Deep inside her, hope came alive and filled her heart. If only. “I have to break it off with pa and my brothers. I don’t want them coming after you.”

  “You owe them nothing.” Theo petted Dreamer and laughed as the black and white dog rubbed against Jillian’s legs. “The dog likes you.”

  Jillian pet the tail-wagging dog. “Pa never let us have a pet. I never had anything.”

  Theo tilted her head so that she had to look up to him. “You’ve got me.”

  “Thank you, Theo. But you don’t know me and what I’ve been. I’m an outlaw.”

  “Shh, the woman I see standing before me is not an outlaw. She’s beautiful, kind, and good. Give her a chance. Give us a chance.”

  Jillian couldn’t believe what Theo was saying. She’d lived the outlaw life and didn’t deserve a chance. Despite wearing Summer’s clothes, Jillian felt dirty and undeserving. “Theo, I don’t want to ruin your life.”

  He swung her around. “Ruin my life, you’ve made me happier than I have ever been.”

  “What if the sheriff comes to arrest me? I was stealing cattle when you roped me.”

  “You didn’t know what you were doing.”

  She put a finger to his lips. “I did know. I’ve done it before. I’ve taken from homes that we snuck into. I’ve stolen from stores. The horse I was riding was stolen. I’m an outlaw, Theo. I don’t want to ruin your life.”

  “You let me say what I can and can’t do. I don’t think any judge would put you away after hearing your story.”

  “But that’s just it, you don’t know my story.”

  “I heard enough this morning. Summer and Spencer are going to sort it out, and I am going to keep you from going back to that horrid family. You’re staying here. And I’m taking care of you.”

  If only. Yet Theo didn’t know how ruthless Pa and her brothers were. They’d stop at nothing to get her back. Not because they cared, but because they’d had no one else to do their chores and also to make sure she didn’t talk to the sheriff.

  Jillian faced him. “I don’t want you or the Vances hurt. I know how cruel my family can be. As soon as Summer and her father return, I’ll leave. That is after Summer brings my horse back.”

  “You’re not going. Not alone.”

  Jillian didn’t want to argue. She knew what was best. And the more Theo talked to her and became dearer to her heart, the harder it would be to leave him. She couldn’t risk him getting hurt because of her. “I am tired. I think I’ll go and rest in my room.”

  Theo walked her back inside and to her room. “I’ll be here. If you need anything, ask me.”

  He looked so anxious to care for her. She smiled at him and wished things could be different. But she was an outlaw, and there was nothing she could do about it.

  ***

  Spencer sat in his room and looked below onto the busy street of Belle, Wyoming. The paper in front of him was still blank. He shook his head. He could not write when he and Summer were fighting. Not a word.

  It was as if she were his muse. Only when they were together and in love would the words flow. He figured maybe they came from his heart, and when he was mad at her or she mad at him, his broken heart couldn’t give out the stories.

  He got up and began pacing the room. Why did he let Summer’s success get to him so easily? Why did it make him so angry that her story had sold and his hadn’t? He hadn’t even heard if his stories had been rejected.

  Yet, he couldn’t live off of his wife. That wasn’t proper. His father had drilled that into him. It was bad enough Spencer had turned down his father’s offer in the firm. He’d been so sure his stories would sell by now.

  And he’d sold some. But then he’d hit a dry spell. It had been two months since he’d heard anything about the books that he’d turned in. Nothing. As for Summer, everything she turned in, she sold.

  It was enough to destroy any man’s ego. Surely, Summer couldn’t expect him to live off her income. He slammed a fist onto his desk and the blank sheet of paper. “On the other hand, I can’t l
ive without her, either.

  He gathered his pad and pencil, put on his coat and scarf, and ran down the stairs. The street was darkened by long shadows. Spencer had the fearful thought that Summer had left without him. Foolish girl. She should be in the hotel. Not even he believed she would have ridden home alone. The roads outside of town weren’t safe.

  The sheriff had warned them both. But would she listen? No. Summer didn’t listen to anyone. If he didn’t stay with her, there was no telling what kind of troubles she’d get into. How was he to write when he had to spend all of his time keeping her out of danger?

  Already, he’d had to save her from a herd of stampeding cattle. It seems she wanted to get in front and see what it really looked like for the book she was writing. If he hadn’t gone riding to her and scoop her up, well, he shuddered to think.

  That her father was relieved that he had turned the responsibility to Spencer to look after Summer was evident. Aaron Vance was a good man, but even he was at his wits end in dealing with his daughter. “Summer, I hope you didn’t ride off.”

  Spencer stopped at the hotel. The man at the desk said she’d not checked in. Spencer grew angry with Summer because he was having to spend all his writing time chasing after her, and frustrated with himself that he’d let her go. Well, there was only one thing to do about it, and that was to follow her.

  Spencer stomped down the boardwalk to the sheriff’s office and caught David in a nap. Slamming the door, Spencer waited until the sheriff’s eyes were open. “Did Summer come by and take her horse?”

  Startled, the sheriff stood as if he’d been wide awake. “She dropped in and said that you would take care of your own horse. About an hour ago, I sent my deputy to take your horse to the livery.”

  Spencer put a hand to his forehead. “Sorry. I should have taken care of my horse long before. I don’t know where my mind has gone.”

  The sheriff laughed. “I’d say it went riding down the road with Summer. She left over an hour ago, so she should be near her home by now. I’d feel better if you went after her just to make sure.”

  “You and me both. I’ll get my horse.”

  The sheriff grinned. “She’s a handful of a woman to take care of, but she’ll be worth every minute of it. By the way, Spencer, I think you’re the only man who could handle her. She responds to you.”

  Not wanting to hear any more about how well he handled Summer, Spencer nodded. “I better get my horse.”

  The sheriff stopped him. “Take mine. He’s fresh and fast. I think you can ride him. Go get that girl, Spencer, and never let her go.”

  “Thanks.” Spencer walked outside and hoped the big sorrel wouldn’t dump him in the dirt. The urgency to protect Summer hurried him on. With that thought in mind, he mounted the big beast quickly enough and raced him out of town.

  Spencer didn’t look back. He pictured the sheriff with a big mocking smile on his face. The same kind of smile he’d seen on most of the men in this western town. So, an accountant turned author doesn’t get much respect in the west. He was supposed to write stories and not herd cattle or rope rustlers, he knew that.

  He galloped for a while to get the wild out of the horse. Spencer had learned that was the best way to get the horses to mind. Maybe he ought to do that with Summer. Get her outside and make her run around the countryside. He laughed to himself. Of course, she’d outrun him and make him look the fool.

  “Summer, Summer. How am I going to be your husband when I am always three steps behind you in whatever I do?”

  Chapter 10

  Summer galloped Jillian’s horse over the road until the sun slipped down, and the shadows overtook the light. Summer had to admit, the animal handled like a dream. Not at all like Spencer.

  She should have left a little earlier, but she was hoping to find some clues in the old records in the sheriff’s office. Yet, she’d seen nothing that would help Jillian. Not yet, anyway. And then Summer was disheartened by the fact that Spencer hadn’t made any attempt to find and comfort her for his meanness.

  Summer slowed the horse to a walk and let him rest and grow accustomed to the growing darkness.

  Jillian’s story had really gotten her to thinking. Then Summer felt a little guilty as she was busy trying to think up another book about a kidnapped girl when poor Jillian was suffering from living with such a horrid family, and they might not even be related to her.

  The quicker they found out the truth, the better. Summer frowned. Why Spencer had to go and pout because she sold a story and he hadn’t heard about his, she couldn’t understand. With her check, they could live for several months in town while he waited for his money to come in.

  He really was a brilliant writer, and she loved his stories. Her books were good, but she was nowhere near his ability. Spencer could write a sentence that sent her spirit soaring and her mind thinking.

  But she was learning from him.

  The horse snorted. Jillian’s red roan mustang was a good horse, and the animal was sensing that something wasn’t right.

  Summer looked around but couldn’t see any danger in the shadows. She shook her head and wondered how much of truth and story Jillian was telling them. She was a smart girl. Jillian might have made up the bit about a family who was killed to keep her out of trouble.

  Then Summer remembered the tears and horror Jillian had exhibited. “Jillian was telling the truth.” She patted the horse’s silky neck and kept him at a walk. It was past dark now, and the moon was but a sliver. A chill snaked up her spine. Summer had been foolish starting out when she had. She knew it would turn dark halfway to home.

  Father had made her promise not to ride alone since they’d had reports of robbers in the area. But Spencer had made her so mad that she’d left him. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of ruling her life.

  In fact, when she got home, she was going to start writing.

  There was a rustling of brush and horses charging when Summer heard a guttural voice from the side of the road. “There she is. Get her, boys.”

  Riders came out of the woods. How many, Summer wasn’t sure. Someone jumped on the back of her horse. The roan would have reared if another man hadn’t grabbed the reins. Then a sack was thrown over her head.

  She started to scream, but a rough hand jammed a fist in her mouth and soon a rope around the sack and her mouth to keep her quiet.

  “When I get you home, I’m going to tan your hide, girl. Me and your brothers been hungry for a week.”

  Summer couldn’t see them, but she knew they had to be Jillian’s family, and they had mistaken her for Jillian. And she was in trouble.

  ***

  Spencer urged the sheriff’s horse faster. Even though it was dark, Spencer didn’t care. He had to make sure Summer was safe. While she might make him angry, he loved her more than life.

  He was almost to her house when the horse spooked at something in the road. With a sick feeling, he stopped the spirited animal and dismounted. Spencer picked up the shiny bag and his heart dropped. It was Summer’s reticule. She took it everywhere, mostly because she wanted a place to put her notebook and pencil.

  His temptation to look in her notebook was put aside by his fear of what must have happened to her. Spencer looked around and saw hoofprints. Lots of them. His heart rose to his throat. Fearing what he would find, he looked on both sides of the road but didn’t see her.

  Summer had been taken.

  Spence looked back toward town. It was farther away than Summer’s house. Theo and her father should be there. He jumped on the horse and charged down the road toward the veterinarian’s home.

  Galloping up to the house, Spencer reined the horse to a stop and jumped out of the saddle. In three steps, he was on the porch, banged on the front door, and hollering for Theo before barging inside.

  A shocked Aaron, Theo, and Jillian stared at him.

  “She’s gone. Someone took her.” Spencer’s voice quaked. At that moment, he knew if he got Summer b
ack, he’d marry her. Who cared about money and publishing? He needed her. He loved her.

  Jillian grabbed Theo’s arm. “My brothers. Summer was riding my horse. We have to hurry. There’s no telling what they’ll do with her when they find out she’s not me.”

  Aaron grabbed his hat and coat. “Let’s go.”

  Theo was right behind him. “Someone needs to get the sheriff.”

  Jillian ran ahead of them all. “I know where they’re headed. I might be the only one that can save her.”

  Theo grabbed her. “You’re not well enough.”

  “Yes, I am.” Jillian stared at him. “I’m Summer’s best chance.”

  Theo looked at Spencer and then back to Jillian. “Get a jacket and hat. I’ll saddle the horses.”

  Aaron took the sheriff’s horse. “I’ll ride him back to town and rent from the livery. Jillian, you take Summer’s horse. Spencer, you can ride mine.” He held onto Spencer. “Save my daughter.”

  Spencer nodded and looked him in the eye. “I’m going to save my bride. We’ll try and leave you a trail.”

  Jillian came out of the house with her old hat on. “Dr. Vance, tell the sheriff the hideout is below the ridge where the canyon starts.”

  Aaron nodded. “Thanks, Jillian, and what I said earlier goes. You’re welcome here as long as you want.”

  “Thanks, Doc.” She mounted the horse and waited for the men.

  Theo rode beside her, and Spencer followed him.

  She pointed. “It’s near the ridge. Stay with me. I know the way. We’ll have to be careful because the land is rough, but I’ve ridden it at night plenty of times.”

  Spencer let Theo and Jillian ride side by side. If he wasn’t mistaken, there just might be two weddings this weekend. If they got Summer back. He rode behind the two lovers and prayed for Summer.

  Never had he felt so alone, cold, and such a failure. It was all his fault. If he hadn’t thrown such a fit just because Summer had sold her story, and he’d had no word about the fate of his book, they wouldn’t be riding this cold night.