Branches and leaves crashed in front of him. In the dark woods, he could just make out a human form running in the opposite direction. He knew it couldn’t be Eva. She’d never run away from him. Perhaps it was her attacker.
“Eva!” Panic rose higher. He moved through the woods with no sense of direction, just putting one foot in front of the other.
“Eva!”
Please, Lord. Please.
“Eva!”
Oh, Lord. Please. Please. Please.
He tripped with the next step, and even before he hit the ground, he realized what his foot had caught on. A human body.
Jonesy pulled himself up to his knees. When he recognized the still form, fear gripped him with an unrelenting fist. “Eva, sweetheart. Oh, please, God. Can you hear me?”
She moaned, and he thought his heart would stop.
“It’ll be all right, honey.” He smoothed back her hair, and his hand came away slick with blood. The thought of anyone harming his Eva made him nearly insane with anger. But more urgent was the need to get Eva to the doctor.
He lifted her in his arms. She moaned again as he stood.
His heart clenched. There was no time to see if she had any broken bones. No time to worry about whether or not movement would cause her more pain.
He buried his face in the curve of her neck. As he carried her back through the woods, tears flowed down his face.
He couldn’t risk riding with her on horseback. Instead he cradled her against his chest and walked toward town, not caring if his horse became the next in a line of horse thefts. He moved with swift footfalls. His sobs were the only sound on the lonely road.
Wails of agony awakened Eva from deep, nightmarish unconsciousness. When the pain hit her full force, she realized the wails were coming from her own throat. She forced herself to be silent and tried to make sense of the pain. The darkness. Searing pain stabbed her sides, her head, her leg.
A moan escaped her lips.
A door creaked open.
“Wh–who is it?” Darkness engulfed her as if she were entering a cave without a candle.
Ma’s soft voice reached into the darkness. “Darling, it’s all right. You’re safe.” Gentle hands took hers between them. “Ma?”
“Yes, Eva, it’s me.”
“Why can’t I see anything?”
“Your eyes are swollen shut. But Doc Smith says you’ll be able to open them soon.” Her voice caught in her throat, and Eva could tell she was fighting to keep from breaking down. “I’m so glad you’re finally awake. I’m going to send Pa to town. Doc said to let him know the second you woke up.”
Panic gripped her. Eva made a grab for Ma’s hands before she could take away their warmth. “No, wait, Ma. P–please don’t leave me.”
“All right, darling. We’ll wait until Pa comes in from his shop. Then he can go get the doc.”
Relief that she wasn’t to be left alone in the dark flooded her. “What happened to me?”
“You don’t remember?”
Eva shook her head. “Not entirely.” She’d been riding Patches at a run when all of a sudden a shot rang out. Patches fell, and she hit her head. She gasped. “Patches. Is he all right? I remember hearing a gunshot. Did someone shoot Patches?”
“Yes, darling, but it’s only a little wound in one of his hind legs. His running-wild days might be over, but he’ll live. He’s in the barn getting fat on oats.”
Eva nearly wept with relief, but the swelling of her eyes kept tears at bay. “I don’t understand, Ma. Who would want to shoot Patches?”
Feeling a thick wall of hesitation, Eva squeezed her mother’s hand. “It’s all right. I need to know.”
Ma’s breath came in shaky bursts. “Eva. A man dragged you into the woods. He beat you and …”
Eva’s throat went dry. Horror slashed through her mind as more clarity returned. She remembered being dragged through the woods. She remembered…. Oh, dear God. She remembered it all.
“Ma!” Her own shrill voice sounded foreign. She pressed her hands against her ears.
“I’m sorry, my darling. I’m so sorry.” Ma’s arms surrounded Eva. But no comfort came this time. In fact, Eva felt nothing as she rested her head against her mother’s shoulder.
“What all is wrong with me?” she asked in a flat tone.
Ma pulled back. “Several broken ribs. Your leg is sprained. The doctor thinks that happened when Patches fell. You’ve been unconscious for four days, so Doc Smith wasn’t sure about the extent of your head injury. But praise the Lord, it appears you’ll be fine. No memory loss or brain damage that would have kept you unconscious forever, which is what he’d feared.”
Hearing her ma use the term “praise the Lord” brought an anger to Eva that she had no idea was possible to feel. Praise the Lord that she’d been beaten but not killed? How much better if she’d never been found. She surely would have died.
“Jonesy found me, didn’t he?”
“Yes. As soon as he realized you’d left the dance. He walked three miles carrying you back to town before your pa and I happened upon him. That man loves you with every ounce of his being. He’ll be so relieved to know you’ve come to. He’s been here every day. As a matter of fact, I expect him anytime.”
“Ma, no.”
“No what?”
“I don’t want to see him.”
“Oh, Eva. Jonesy doesn’t blame you for what that man did to you.”
Deep, soul-crushing pain nearly pushed the breath from her body, leaving her an empty, nonbreathing shell. Dead. That’s what she should be. She’d known she was going to die that night. Had wanted to die. And then she’d heard Jonesy’s voice calling to her. Her eyes burned with tears that had no way to escape.
“I don’t ever want to see him again.”
“Eva, give yourself a few days to adjust. You’ll feel differently.”
“What good will a few days do? Will my eyesight erase the fact that I am not fit to be a wife for a good man like Jonesy?”
Eva heard a soft gasp escape her mother’s lips. “Eva. That is not true. Of course you’re fit to be a wife. No one thinks any of this was your fault.”
“But it was. I knew better than to ride off like that. But I did it anyway. I might as well have offered myself to that man.”
“Don’t talk like that.” Ma’s tone was harsh with shock and distress. “You are as pure in the eyes of the Lord as you were before this wicked, horrible thing happened to you, darling. Jonesy knows that.”
“Oh, Mother, please.” Eva turned toward the window. She knew light must be shining through. If Pa was still working, nightfall hadn’t arrived. Still, darkness surrounded her. Deep, all-consuming darkness that invaded her soul.
Ma’s hand rubbed along her leg. Eva’s skin crawled, and she had to fight the urge not to shake her off. Even that small touch caused her pain. Not physical, but another kind of pain, one she couldn’t identify. But she knew something was different inside her.
It was fear. She’d never been afraid.
“Eva, believe me. Jonesy loves you.”
Eva gave a short, bitter laugh. “He would never take back his proposal. But you can be sure he’s been praying every night that I won’t wake up or, if I do, that I’ll let him out of it by refusing him.”
“Eva Riley. You know Jonesy better than that.”
Ignoring her ma’s interruption, Eva continued her thought as though she’d never spoken. “Since I’ve obviously awakened, I’m going to have to give him the second option. I’ll just have to refuse to marry him and send him on to Texas without me.”
“Don’t make rash decisions after the ordeal you’ve been through. Take some time to think about it.”
“My mind is made up. I don’t want to see him. If you love me, please respect my wishes. I don’t want to see Jonesy.” She winced as pain stabbed her head.
“We won’t talk about this for now. You’re in too much pain to think clearly. Dr. Smith left some laudanum for
you, but I’m not sure you should have any until he examines you.”
“Please, Ma. The pain is unbearable.”
“All right. I’ll give you less than he suggested. That should still help some.”
Ma left and returned a moment later. She spooned the bitter liquid between Eva’s swollen lips. “There you go, darling. You get some rest now.”
“Stay with me until I fall asleep?”
Ma patted Eva’s hand. “I’ll be right next to your bed in that chair.”
Almost immediately Eva grew drowsy. Despite her inability to see past her swollen eyes, in her mind she couldn’t escape the vivid images of her brutal attack. She welcomed the approaching sleep.
Perhaps this time she wouldn’t wake up.
six
“What do you mean, she won’t see me?” Hurt slashed at Jonesy as he stood on the Rileys’ porch, staring into Andy’s brown eyes. Eyes so like Eva’s.
“Give her some time, son. She’s been through quite an ordeal.”
“With all due respect, sir, I know what she’s been through.” Jonesy released a frustrated breath. “I want to be there for her. To help her get well. Why doesn’t she want to see me?”
“Shame, most likely. You don’t understand what something like this does to a woman.”
“I want to understand, Mr. Riley. I want Eva to lean on me. I want to take her away from the memories. I’ll postpone my trip until spring to give her time to heal. Will you tell her that for me? I can’t bear the thought of living the rest of my life without her.”
He’d been so close to marrying her. They should be celebrating. Making plans to travel to Texas. Oh, sure, she hadn’t agreed to marry him yet. Well, he supposed she had accepted his proposal, but he was fully aware she’d only done so assuming they’d remain in Oregon. Regardless, he felt sure she would have eventually come around to his way of thinking. “On second thought, I should be the one to tell her I still want to marry her. If she hears my voice, she’ll know I’m being honest.”
“You’re a decent man, Jonesy. And I know you love my daughter as deeply as I love her mother.”
“Then please,” Jonesy pleaded, “let me see her.”
Andy shook his head. “I’m sorry. But I can’t go against her wishes in this.”
Dejected, Jonesy turned away and mounted Lady Anne. The most frustrating thing in the world to him was that his Eva lay in that bed day after day, hurting physically and emotionally, and he could do nothing to ease her pain. He wanted to hold her, to reassure her. To let his gentle touch soothe away the memories of violence and pain.
As he rode away, helpless fury overtook him. He turned the mare in the direction of town. His throat clogged when he reached the spot on the road where Eva had been accosted, dragged into the woods, violated. Tears burned his eyes.
With single-minded purpose, he guided Lady Anne forward toward town, his mind repeatedly replaying the sight of his beloved Eva when he’d found her.
He halted the horse in front of the sheriff’s office and dismounted.
Billy stood up when he entered. “I expected you a few days ago.”
Surprise lifted Jonesy’s brow. “You did?”
“Yep. I figured you’d be looking for some answers from those two vermin.” He jerked his thumb toward the back room, which was divided into four jail cells.
“Have you questioned them?”
He nodded. “Even tried to cut a deal with them.”
“What kind of a deal?”
“Let one of them go for information on where the others went.”
“How will that help us find the man who hurt Eva?”
“I figure he was the fellow who got away. He’s most likely fled the area. And unless I miss my guess, he’s headed straight to the camp where the others are hiding out with Mr. Compton’s horses.
Jonesy nodded. “That makes sense.”
“The big guy in there says the man who got away has done the same thing to other women. None of the others lived.”
This was all his fault. He should have paid closer attention. If only he could go back and change things.
“So you offered to let one of them go in exchange for information on the rest of the gang’s whereabouts?”
Billy nodded. “I didn’t figure they’d go for the deal. I mean, what good would it do to lead me to the hideout? I’d still arrest them for horse thieving.”
“Can I talk to them?”
“I suppose I can give you a few minutes alone with them. Leave your gun on my desk.”
An idea formed in Jonesy’s mind as he walked from Billy’s office to the room that housed the cells.
The only occupants were the two horse thieves. The older man was stretched out on a bench, one enormous arm flung across his forehead, covering his eyes.
The younger one gave him a shove when he saw Jonesy. “Hey, Randy,” he whispered. “Wake up. We got company.”
“What?” Randy snorted and sat up. He smoothed back his unruly gray hair. A sneer twisted his nasty, half-toothless mouth. “What do you want?”
Jonesy grabbed the wooden chair sitting against the wall opposite the cells. He carried it forward about three feet from the bars and straddled the seat, resting his forearms on the back of the chair, facing the outlaws. “I’m here to offer you a deal.”
Randy let out a humorless chuckle. “Save it. Your sheriff already tried to make a deal. Problem is, he gets unfair advantage, and we’d just get caught again.”
Jonesy inclined his head. “I agree that was a bad deal for you. You’re too smart to be fooled by some lawman who wants to make a name for himself in this part of the country.”
Randy’s eyes narrowed. “What could you offer that’s any different? You ain’t even a deputy.”
Jonesy leaned closer. “Keep your voice down. I don’t want the sheriff to hear this.”
“What is it?” The younger fellow had stupid written all over his face. His mouth hung half open, and his eyes were round with curiosity.
“Hush up, Timothy. I’m askin’ the questions.” Randy took a swipe at him with the palm of his hand. Timothy ducked out of his way. Maybe he wasn’t quite as dumb as he looked.
Jonesy spoke in low tones. “I’ll get you both out of here if you’ll take me to the man who hurt Eva.”
A scowl creased Randy’s wide face. “That’s the same thing the sheriff offered. I said no to him, and I’m sayin’ no to you.”
Jonesy returned his frown. He was in no mood to be turned down by a couple of thugs with no other options but hanging. “What I’m offering isn’t the same deal.”
“Oh yeah? How’s yours different?”
Jonesy shrugged and kept a steady eye on the criminal in order to gauge his reaction. “I’m not talking about releasing you legally. I could break you out.”
Young Timothy laughed and nudged Randy. “That does sound different, don’t it, boss?”
“It’s a trick, you idiot.”
“If you don’t take me up on my offer, then you’re the idiot.” Jonesy glanced cautiously toward the door, then back to the outlaws.
“So what’s in it for us?”
“Freedom, pure and simple. The punishment for horse thieving is hanging. You have one chance to get out of this cell, and that’s by agreeing to my plan.”
“How do we know you won’t lead the sheriff straight to us?”
“After he figures out that I’ve let you escape and that I’m with you, I’m going to be a wanted man, as well.”
“He’s got a point there,” Timothy said.
Randy nodded thoughtfully, ignoring his companion’s enthusiastic response. “Then why would you take the chance?”
“As long as I get the man who hurt Eva,” Jonesy said with fervor, “I’ll sit in jail for however long I have to.”
“Let’s say I agree to this.” He raised his eyebrow. “And I ain’t sayin’ I am. But just supposin’…”
Jonesy’s heart increased in rhythm, and he fought t
o keep the eagerness from his voice. “All right. Supposing.”
“How do you plan on breaking us out?”
“Easy. Billy is escorting a certain young lady to a town musicale tonight. He’ll be gone for two hours, and most of the town will be at the meeting hall.”
“The sheriff’ll most likely take the keys with him,” Randy pointed out, stroking his stubbled jaw.
“I know where the spare set is. We’ve been friends for months. And his sister is my bride-to-be.”
“You mean the one that Pete—”
“Yes,” Jonesy broke in. “So do we have a deal?”
“You’re just going to walk in and let us out?”
Jonesy regarded him with a grim smile. “You’ll have to keep your wrists tied. I don’t intend to have my throat slit.”
“What’s to stop you from slicing mine?”
“I’m not after you. I’m after your friend. You lead me to him, and I don’t care what you do. Until then, you’ll have to stay tied up.”
“All right. We’ll do it your way. It’s less than a day’s ride, unless they got tired of waiting and left without us.”
Timothy’s eyes grew wide. “You don’t think they did, do you? Sam owes me four dollars for that last ranch we—”
“Shut up, Timothy.”
Jonesy smirked. “I don’t care about all that. I only care about getting the man who hurt the woman I plan to marry.”
Eva stared toward the light. It had been two days since she’d awakened, and she was just beginning to see images and light through the slits in her eyes. The swelling had receded enough to allow little slices of vision. For that, she was grateful.
Fear had taken hold of almost every waking minute as her imagination took her to the dark, shadowed corners of her mind. Horrific memories came back with such startling detail that often she shook in her bed. The man had wanted her dead. Had said angry things that made no sense, as though he were her husband and she had been unfaithful.
She jumped when the door opened. “Who is it?”
“It’s only me, darling.” Ma’s presence afforded Eva small moments of peace. They only lasted as long as she was in the room and only if she didn’t speak of that night or of Jonesy.
Beside Still Waters Page 6
