Lady Deception

by Bobbi Smith

  "I missed you," she said simply.

  "We had some business to take care of, but we're back now."

  Cody felt a desperate need to touch him, and she rested her hand on his chest over his heart. She felt the powerful, heavy beat beneath her palm, and she lifted her hungry gaze to his. "Would you like to go upstairs?"

  "Very much."

  "I could arrange for you to have a hot bath."

  "I want more than a bath." His voice was a low growl.

  Cody smiled as she let her hand trail lower. She remembered seeing Candy, the bar girl, do that to cowboys when she'd been working in the saloon as Delilah, and as Cody recalled, it was a teasing action that always got the man's full attention. And it did.

  "Bring your bottle. We'll have a welcome-back celebration in my room."

  Luke picked up his belongings and moved off with her. Things were working perfectly. He would play along with Armita as if everything were normal, but as soon as he could slip away, he'd be gone. Her suggestion of a bath was appreciated after all the time in the saddle, and the thought of what would come afterward was exciting and welcome, too.

  Cody hated what she had to do, but there was no way around it. She had a vial of a drug she and Stalking Ghost had used to subdue certain prisoners, and while she was helping Luke with his bath, she was going to put a large dose of it in his whiskey. In a few minutes, he would be out, and, with Stalking Ghost's help, they would be on their way.

  It didn't take them long to move the tub into her room and fill it with water. It wasn't the hottest bath Luke had ever had, but right then it didn't matter. All he wanted to do was get clean as quickly as possible, and bed Armita.

  It seemed Armita had other plans, though. He found her watching him as he undressed, and he smiled when she turned down the lamp to a soft glow. He stepped into the tub and sat down, ready to start washing right away. But she stopped him.

  "Lean back. Relax." Cody cooed as she set a small table beside him and put a fresh glass of whiskey on it within reach.

  Luke leaned back with a contented groan. She'd shown him a little heaven the other night, and it looked like he was going to have another taste of it tonight. The thought appealed. Armita was a passionate woman who knew exactly how to please a man. This time with her was just what he needed, and when they were through, he would do what he had to do. For now, though, he was going to bide his time and enjoy it, for if he was seen leaving her room too quickly, there would be questions asked.

  "Would you like me to wash your back?" she asked softly, moving behind him.

  "You can wash whatever you want," he replied with a rakish grin as he looked up at her over his shoulder.

  "Why don't I start here, while you take it easy. Have a drink," she urged, eying the doctored whiskey.

  "In a while." He sighed, leaning forward to give access to his back. "Right now I only want to enjoy myself." There was no way he was doing any heavy drinking tonight. He had to stay sharp. There were too many risks involved.

  Cody was momentarily stymied. There was nothing she could do but go along with the scenario she'd set up. At least she had him alone. Now all she had to do was get him to drink the damned whiskey.

  Dipping the washcloth in the water, she rubbed the soap to a lather and began to scrub his back. His shoulders were powerful, and the muscles flexed beneath her touch whenever he moved. It was a fascinating display, and she took her time, enjoying the moment.

  "That feels good," Luke said. "You aren't stopping now, are you?"

  "What did you have in mind?"

  His arm snaked out and snared her, drawing her near. "There's a lot more of me that could use your attention."

  Cody gave a throaty laugh as she knelt beside the tub and rinsed the cloth in the water. She tried not to look at his more intimate parts, concentrating on lathering the soap again. Keeping her gaze on his chest, she took care to stay above the waterline, yet teasingly went lower and lower as she washed that hair-roughened, muscular width.

  "You really should take a drink. It might ease some of the tension I feel in you," she said.

  "There's only one thing that's going to ease the tension in me."

  She looked up at Luke and was suddenly caught by the heat of his gaze. She stopped her ministrations, mesmerized by the desire she saw there. She remembered his kiss and his touch and the glory of being his in all ways.

  Luke leaned toward her, and slipping a hand around the nape of her neck, he coaxed her to him. His mouth settled over hers in a passionate claim, letting her know that he'd had enough of his bath. He drew her to her feet as he stood, and then lifted her in his arms. Stepping clear of the tub, he moved straight to the bed and laid her upon the softness of it.

  Hadley sat at the table in the cantina with the other gang members. His expression turned serious as he began to read the note a messenger had just handed him. When he lifted his gaze to the man who'd brought him the letter, the look in his eyes was savage and deadly.

  "You can go," he said.

  The man quickly disappeared. He could tell the news he'd just delivered was not good. He knew all about this gang, and he didn't want to be around to see what happened next.

  "What is it, Hadley?" Jones asked, seeing the barely controlled fury on Hadley's face.

  "Seems we've got a little trouble to take care of," he said, tossing the note on the table for the others to read.

  Sully grabbed it up first and quickly scanned it. When he looked up at Hadley, he was wearing a feral smile. "The bastard's mine."

  "Who's yours? What's this all about?" Jones snatched the note from Sully as the other man rose from the table and pushed his chair back in a single motion. "I've been waiting a long time for this moment, and I'm going to enjoy myself."

  "I'll help you!" Jones offered.

  "No." Sully cut him off. "I'm going to be the one to kill Majors. He's been asking for it for weeks now, and the time has come."

  "Don't you want somebody with you, just in case?" Jones said.

  The look Sully shot his way was terrifying. "I don't need no help-not from you or anybody else. You stay the hell down here and make sure nobody goes up those steps after me. I just might take my time. It could be interesting."

  "All right," he said, quickly moving out of Sully's way. Jones saw no reason to incur Sully's wrath over this. If he wanted to be the one to kill Majors, he was welcome to him.

  "Majors is mine." With that, the gunman looked at Hall where he stood behind the bar. "Which room is the singer's?"

  "End of the hall at the back," Hal answered, knowing better than to hesitate or try to lie. He was only interested in self-preservation and wanted to live to see tomorrow.

  Sully started up the stairs.

  "Sully," Hadley called out.

  "Yeah?" He stopped and looked back.

  "Make sure this is done right. I want him dead. There can be no mistakes this time." Hadley remembered all too well what had been revealed by Carlos. Majors now knew El Diablo was female. He couldn't be allowed to leave the gang with that information.

  Sully nodded and continued on.

  It was late, and there was no one out in the second-floor hall. He made his way quietly down its length, not wanting to alert them that he was coming. This was going to be a surprise.. .a big surprise.

  Cody knew she should resist Luke. Though his every kiss and caress took her closer and closer to mindlessness, the warning voice in her head cautioned her that she shouldn't do this again. But even with the knowledge that she should stop him, she couldn't summon the willpower to deny him. She knew she should try to distract him, to get him drinking and talking, but with each breathtaking kiss, she lost more and more of her common sense. A slow-burning heat grew within her, leaving her craving more of him, wanting him to go on... and not to stop.

  Luke rolled over then, taking her with him and leaving her on top of him. It was then that Cody saw the chance to escape his embrace for at least a moment. She kissed him wildly and
then slipped from his arms.

  "Where are you going?" he asked, his eyes aglow with his need for her.

  "I thought you might want a drink while I undress for you," she said in a sultry voice as she moved toward the table to get his glass.

  Luke started to come off the bed, intent on only one thing. "The only thing I want right now is-"

  It was then that it happened. The locked door burst open, the jamb splintering from the force of Sully's attack, and the outlaw charged into the room, gun in hand.

  "You're mine, you son of a bitch!" Sully swore, ready to kill Luke.

  Luke reacted instantly, diving for cover, cursing the fact that he was stark naked and that his gun was out of reach.

  It was Cody who reacted coolly and with lethal intent. Snatching her father's gun from where she kept it hidden on the dresser, she fired a single shot that took Sully squarely in the chest. He was thrown backward, crashing against the door and slamming it shut again.

  "Armita?" Luke had seen the quickness of her move and the accuracy of her shooting and was shocked. "Are you all right?"

  "I'm fine," Cody said through gritted teeth. She hated killing, but knew sometimes it was a matter of survival. No wonder her father had drilled her so thoroughly on keeping her wits about her and on reacting quickly and surely in unexpected situations.

  "Sully?"

  "He's dead."

  "I've got to get out of here," Luke said as he got up and hurriedly began to throw on his clothes. "They'll be coming up here after him."

  "I'm going with you."

  Luke paused as he pulled on his boots to look at her. He thought of leaving her, but realized she was the one who had pulled the trigger. They'd kill in her a heartbeat if they found out. "Can you ride in that dress?"

  "Looks like we'll find out," she said tersely, trying to steady herself. "Give me a hand here."

  Luke went to her side and they dragged Sully's body away from the door, then pushed the full tub against the broken portal to slow anyone coming to check on the shooting.

  "Let's get out of here."

  Luke buckled on his gunbelt, donned his shirt, and grabbed up his hat. He'd been intent on leaving, but he hadn't planned to do it this way. He went to the window and threw it wide. After climbing out onto the back porch roof, he turned back to give Armita a hand.

  Cody had paused only long enough to tear off her multitude of petticoats and pull on a blouse to cover her bare shoulders. She grabbed up the small purse she carried and jammed her father's pistol in it. She took Luke's hand and climbed awkwardly through the window, the skirt impeding her even without the petticoats. When she had safely made it out, they closed the window behind them, then moved slowly and silently toward the darkest side of the building. Luke jumped down, landing lightly on his feet, then caught her as she tried to lower herself.

  "Do you have a horse?"

  "In the stables," she whispered in answer to his hushed question.

  He nodded. "I don't know how long we've got. We have to move and move fast. Get over to the stable. I'll get my horse and meet you there."

  Cody hurried off, staying in the shadows, moving undetected through the streets. She hoped that Stalking Ghost had been watching and had seen all that had happened, for there was no time for her to find him or to get a message to him.

  By the time Luke reached her at the dark, deserted stable, she'd already claimed her own horse and was saddling him. They rode from town as soon as she was mounted.

  The rest of that night passed in a blur as Luke and Cody rode like the wind. The sky was cloudless, and the half-moon gave them just enough light to travel fast. They stopped only long enough to rest the horses, then moved on, never allowing themselves the luxury of stopping to think, only knowing they had to run as far and fast as they could if they wanted to stay alive.

  It was near dawn before Cody finally broached the subject of where they were heading; Luke had been riding east. She was having a heck of a time riding with her skirt and longed for more practical riding clothes. "If the Rangers are looking for you, wouldn't it make more sense to head deeper into Mexico instead of east? Where are we going?"

  "Del Fuego. It's the only safe place for us. I have a friend there."

  Cody couldn't believe her luck. Things couldn't have turned out any better if she'd wanted them to. Luke was riding right into her arms. All she had to do was grab him once they were closer to town. "Is your friend going to be able to save you from not only the gang but the law as well?"

  His expression was grim and he didn't answer. He just kept riding. He had to get to Jack as quickly as possible.

  Hadley and the rest of the gang were shocked when they discovered that Sully was dead and Luke and the singer had run.

  "Let's go after them!" Jones said feverishly, wanting to see Majors dead for trying to betray them.

  "Let's ride." Hadley was furious, not only because Majors had gotten away, but because Sully had been stupid enough to get himself killed after El Diablo had warned him how dangerous Majors was.

  Hadley led the gang in their pursuit, but the darkness hindered them. Had it been daylight, they might have been able to track Majors and the singer, but after several hours of attempting to trail them, they gave up. It wouldn't do for the gang itself to be discovered, not with the way things were right then. They were wanted men, and the deeper into Texas they rode, the more likely it was they'd be caught.

  Reining in, Hadley gathered the men around him. He was relieved that Majors had been found out before he could do any damage to them, but he still wanted to see the bastard dead.

  "What do you want us to do?" Jones asked, ready to keep searching.

  "I want you and Carson to ride for the canyon. Tell them there what's happened and tell them to watch out. The rest of you, go back to Rio Nuevo and wait."

  "Where are you going?"

  "I'm going to let El Diablo know what's happened. Stay in Rio Nuevo until you hear from me."

  Jack sat across from General Larson in his office at Fort Thompson, the fort from which the guns had been shipped. Larson's men had been killed in the robbery, and he wanted the gang that had done it caught.

  "I think there's more to this than meets the eye," Jack was saying after filling the general in on what he knew so far. "I'm convinced El Diablo has an informer, someone who knows what's going on here or who is close to someone who does."

  "Their attack was perfect," Larson agreed solemnly. "Our men were caught completely unaware."

  "That's why I want to know the names of all those who had prior knowledge of the shipment."

  The general quickly listed those at the fort who were aware of the day of delivery.

  "And in town? Did you speak to anyone there about it?"

  The general fell silent as he tried to recall any and all conversations he'd had with those not connected to the military. "I mentioned it to several of my closest friends in town, but that was weeks ago."

  "They are...?" Jack was ready to make note of their names.

  Larson's expression saddened. "I told Sam Greg ory and Jonathan Harris on a night we had dinner together. I might have mentioned it to Fred Halloway, too."

  Jack nodded and wrote down the names. "Thanks. Can you think of anyone else who might have overheard your discussions or had access to any of your information on the shipment?"

  He shook his head. "Other than my wife, no."

  Standing, Jack shook hands with the commander. "I thank you for your help."

  Jack was troubled as he rode from the fort. He was convinced that El Diablo did have access to inside information. Talking to Larson had helped. At least now he knew those who'd had prior knowledge of the shipment. He wasn't sure what connection he would find between the robbery and the names he'd been given, but he would keep looking. There was more going on with this gang than just having good luck in choosing targets, as Elizabeth had suggested. Somewhere there was a clue, and once he found it, Jack was certain he would have a direct
link to the gang and maybe even to El Diablo himself.

  It was nearly dark, and Cody was exhausted as she tended her mount. It wasn't often that she admitted to herself that she'd reached her limit, but she did now. It would have been a rugged ride in her regular clothes, but dressed as Armita, it had been a trial. Her horse cared for, she groaned slightly as she sat down at the secluded campsite.

  Luke heard her and looked over at her from where he was working with his own horse.

  "Are you all right?" he asked, concerned. She was one very special woman. He didn't know many men who could have kept pace with him these last 24 hours, let alone a female.

  "I'm not sure," she replied wearily. The accented voice speaking was Armita's, but the sentiments were her own. So much had happened, and so quickly. She hoped Stalking Ghost had seen their escape, but there was no way to know for sure that he was following until he made an appearance.

  Luke left his horse and went to kneel beside her. Unable to help himself, he cupped her cheek with his hand. "You were wonderful, Armita. You saved my life."

  Cody tried to smile at him, but there was a cloud of darkness in her gaze.

  "What's wrong?"

  She drew a ragged breath. Exhaustion, emotional and physical, racked her. "I've never had to kill anyone before."

  Luke saw the stark pain in her expression and gathered her close, trying to shield her from the hurt he knew she was feeling. "It's a horrible thing, killing a man. You never get over the ugliness of it, no matter if it was to save your own life. It changes you forever."

  "You're speaking from experience," she said, hearing the raw emotion in his voice.

  "I've killed men, but it's always been a matter of survival. I take no pride or joy in it, and I'm sorry you got caught up in my trouble with Sully. I don't know what set him off, but I'm not sorry he's dead. If I hadn't been so distracted by the gorgeous woman I was about to make love to, I would have been ready for him."

  "So is that what your life is always like?" she asked, lifting luminous eyes to his. "Do you always live in constant fear, never knowing who is going to come after you next?"