"Yes, we'll get the money from Doan's Crossing, and then report it, and I'll be hanging up my badge."
"Hanging up your badge, but why?" Shannon looked shocked. "You're so good at it."
"A lawman going soft on his prisoners?" Jesse questioned.
"But you were right. Jimmy John didn't belong in prison. He saved my life."
"That's one of the reasons I let him go." Jesse said throatily.
Shannon shut her mouth, surprised that Jesse had said that.
That evening they made camp once more.
But the whole outdoors wasn't big enough for the two of them. Shannon was restless as a cat. She made all the right moves, making the coffee, getting their food and the pots and pans she needed, but she felt so strange.
He'd done it for her! She couldn't quite get over it. Why? Why had he done it for her?
"So…want to tell me what you think about me turning them loose?" He asked her as he built the fire that night.
"I'm glad you did, but I thought you'd wait until we got there to do it." Shannon replied. "I kind of miss them."
"I could have waited, but I had my reasons for turning them loose now." He saw she wasn't satisfied with that little of information, so he continued. "For one thing, if anyone I knew saw them there would have been questions to answer. It's better this way. I don't have to lie. I hate lying to my boss." He insisted, breaking up the smaller pieces of wood to add to the fire.
"Still…I kind of miss them…" She smiled sadly into the fire.
"Yeah, me too." Jesse slouched down on the ground and stared at her through the fire. He noticed she was sitting on the opposite side, as though afraid of him now. He didn't want to scare her.
"Are you going to give the money back to the people at Doan's Crossing?" She asked, stirring the fire a bit with a stick.
"No, it has to go through all the channels first. It will be recorded at the Ranger headquarters, and then after the case is finally closed, the money will go back to the Crossing where it belongs." Jesse told her pushing his hat back and folding his arms over his chest.
"Seems like a lot of extra trouble." Shannon looked at him through the flame.
"It is, but it's how things are done. The Rangers have to know that this is the money that was stolen so they can close out the case. Then it's given back to the original owners. Otherwise, the case might still be open. And we don't want that."
"Do you think Jimmy John will go straight now?" She asked.
"I hope so. I'd hate to think at his age that he'd keep trying to outwit the law. I'd hate to think of him rotting in jail somewhere after all we've been through." Jesse sighed.
Shannon prepared them a meal and afterwards she bedded down for the night.
"What about Darrel and Susan. Do you think they have enough in common to make it together?" She murmured as sleep evaded her.
"I don't know. It's hard to tell. She's been through a lot, and so has he. I think they are probably more mature than we give them credit for."
"I wasn't at all sure she could forgive him for letting us give her baby away like that." Shannon sighed heavily.
"I've thought about that a lot. I felt guilty making that decision to some extent. I was more concerned about you than her. I know that sounds cold, but none of us knew her very well, except maybe Darrel."
She shot him a strange glance, her eyes softening on him.
"But…that baby has a chance of having a good life with them. Being the grandson of the chief means something to those people. They will respect him and he won't be picked on. Living in a white world, he'd have had one problem after another. He could cut his hair, and dress like a white, but people would know and that would make the difference. The life of a breed is sometimes more harrowing than being a full-blooded Indian. Quanah Parker is a half-breed; he leads his people in war against the whites. I only hope that baby doesn't do that. I hope he seeks peace." Jesse said, his voice lowering with respect.
"I don't think I'll ever forget Little Hawk." Shannon smiled, pulling the covers over her.
"You know when we headed out of Oregon, I had no idea it would end like this. We've met a lot of people, warred a lot with the Indians, had some injuries, some deaths, and now I'm packing away my guns."
"Are you really sure you want to do that?" Shannon asked.
"Yeah, when a lawman lets emotions enter into what he's doing, it is time to drag up. Quit." Jesse murmured.
"I don't understand how you can give up something like that, it's been your whole life, and you are a good lawman. I think this trip has simply made you grow from an ordinary lawman to an exceptional one. Because now you see both sides of the coin."
"And you think that's a good thing."
She sat up all of a sudden and looked over at him. "Yes, yes, I do. Because now, you can cull out the bad ones from the a-little-bad ones. Now you can weigh what you do with temperance and good judgement."
"A lawman needs to do his job, Shannon. I gave into this one. Would I do it again? I don't know. Lawmen are not paid to judge, they are paid to bring the suspect in and let the judge and jury decide. This time I decided who would be the villain. It was plain to me that Thornton was the really bad guy here. We may never know about Wes, he was so quiet. Elmer, he was getting older and tired of running. Billy, well, let's just say it's probably better the way things worked out. Because with his attitude, he'd have probably hung. Darrel wasn't a bad sort to begin with. I think he must have been looking for a way out all along. I must admit Jimmy John is the one I misjudged. He had a mouth, but he also had a heart. Real villains don't have heart."
"See…you are a better lawman."
"So you think I should stay with the Rangers?" He frowned at her.
She shrugged. "It's your decision of course, but I think you are much wiser now, than before. I think you'd be one of the best of them…"
His eyes sought hers. "I'll sleep on it."
"Good…" She sighed and rolled over and went to sleep.
Jesse stared into the fire for a long time, and then he glanced at her, and smiled as he went to sleep.
Chapter Eighteen
The next day they rode for a long time, mostly quietly, by evening they were both weary.
They came to a cabin and Jesse seemed to know the people inside. A man had come to the door and they shook hands. They were invited in for supper.
"Shannon this is my good friend Phillip and his wife Margaret. They've invited us for supper." Jesse introduced her.
Margaret was very pregnant and looked as though she might have her child any minute. Shannon eyed her for a moment, and then she had to ask. "When are you due?"
"Now, any time now that is. I'm a bit nervous, Phillip went to get the doc, but he's out of town. I sure hope he gets back before my time comes…" She said as she finished making the meal and began putting it on the table. Shannon rolled up her sleeves and helped her, not wanting her to work so hard.
Shannon was concerned that this woman was working as normal and about to deliver a baby. She studied her for a long moment.
The woman was thin except for the baby. She looked healthy and in good humor, but she also noticed that every now and then she winced. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Oh, yes, just a little twitch in my back is all."
"I'm a doctor, Margaret. If your doctor doesn't make it, I'd be glad to help you…that is if Jesse will stay until it's born?" Shannon said glancing at him at the table.
Amusement lit Jesse's eyes as his lips twitched with a crooked smile. Shannon wondered if he knew how that smile affected her. "I guess that would be alright. I don't have a deadline to get my report in…" He smiled at his friend. "I see you have been busy."
Phillip laughed. "A little…"
"Well, all I can say is, it's about time." Jesses let loose with a hearty laugh.
Margaret sat down; her face was a little pale. Shannon felt certain she would deliver within the next twenty-four hours.
Phillip sai
d grace.
As they began to dig into the food Phillip took several scoops of potatoes, then glanced at Jesse, "So what report are you making exactly?"
"Jimmy John's gang." Jesse sighed.
"You caught him?" Phillip beamed. "I don't believe it. It took you long enough."
"Yeah…caught up to him in Oregon. We are just now getting back." Jesse explained.
Phillip looked around and didn't see anyone else. "So where is he, then?"
"Dead!" Jesse lied.
Shannon knew it bothered him to lie to his friend just from his facial expression but perhaps for now, it was best.
"What happened?" Phillip inquired.
"Indians mostly. We lost Wes and Elmer first, then Billy. The others came later, you see…we picked up this captive white girl in the middle of nowhere and she was escaping from the Indians. She had a baby. Turns out the baby was the chief's grandson, so naturally they were anxious to get him back. They attacked us several times. They actually kidnapped Shannon here."
"Dear God, what did you do?" Margaret grabbed her chest.
"We ended up trading her for the baby."
"You gave them the baby?" Margaret's eyes widened.
"It was a choice we had to make. That little baby boy would have faced bullies and mean hearted people all his life as a half breed in a white community. However, as an Indian he has a chance to become a chief someday. He had a tribe of people that will embrace him for what and who he is. He's better off there. But I will say it was a hard decision and his mother took it extremely hard."
"Well I should think. That's the saddest thing I've heard of."
"It's all part of my job. Making decisions. Not everyone will agree with those decisions, but someone has to make them. That baby will grow up and do well where he is at. And Shannon can go on healing people." He glanced at her and winked.
"Lord have mercy. Well, I'm sorry for you. Did you recover the money?" Phillip asked.
"One of them, and we're headed to get the last of it now."
"And how do you fit into this story, ma'am?" Phillip grinned at Shannon.
"Oh…I'm his shotgun bride, from Oregon…" She smiled demurely.
"Shotgun bride?" Margaret cut into the conversation once more. "However did that happen? Sounds mighty interesting."
"I'm a doctor. And I had gone to treat a bullet wound in Billy's shoulder. I got the bullet out, and he began to recover when Jesse came out of the bushes at me. He gathered up all the outlaws and I was headed home, with them when these people from the hills came out of nowhere. They wanted to know what I was doing traveling with a pack of men, and not married to any of them. Some sort of code they lived by up there. No unmarried women traveling with rangy men, I believe that's what she called them."
"Oh my, hillbillies you say?" Margaret put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing aloud.
"They insisted I would have to marry one of the men. Jesse sort of volunteered…So here I am."
"Volunteered? I thought they'd have to hogtie you to get you to marry. But then a shotgun is a big persuader. Well I'm glad to see it, myself. It's time you were settling down." Margaret chuckled.
"Shannon came with me to put an end to this marriage as soon as possible." Jesse explained.
Shannon couldn't stop the flush to her face. There it was. Laid out for all to see. Shannon felt at a loss for words.
"Oh…" They both said aloud.
"Well, I figured if I didn't follow him, he might not make it back with all those outlaws to tend to. So I came along. It's been some journey." She admitted.
"I'll bet." Margaret took her hand.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Phillip said then looked up at them as they were staring at him. "I mean…that you don't want to stay married."
"You have to understand, when we started out, we didn't know each other at all."
Margaret seemed to understand. "Married life can be a wonderful thing…"
Shannon glanced at Jesse who wasn't saying much now. His eyes seemed to evade hers. She couldn't read that face of his. He deliberately kept his mouth closed.
"Are you wanting to get back to Oregon, then?" Margaret asked her.
Shannon paused with her fork in mid air. "I'm not sure about that. You see, I'm originally from Boston, and I thought by coming west I would be able to set up a practice easier, with the great need they have for doctors out west. But it wasn't so. I barely made enough to keep myself going up there. So I'm looking for a place…that can accept a woman doctor."
Margaret stared at her for a moment with her mouth open. "Really, well, I don't see much difference in letting a woman doctor work on me as a lot of mid-wives work on you and they haven't even been to school to study."
"That's true. It's all in the attitude." Shannon explained.
"People around here would love to have you…" Margaret blurted. "We got one doc and he travels for miles around to take care of people, but sometime, like last winter, he couldn't make it out to the Delroy farm and Mrs. Delroy died. He was clear on the other side of the valley."
"I'm so sorry to hear that. Was she sick, or expecting?"
"She was expecting. Come to find out the baby was too big, and broke his neck during delivery. The mid-wife wasn't schooled in how to handle it, and Emily died too, the doc checked her later before we laid her out. She'd hemorrhaged. Doc Withers just had too many that winter to tend to. I will bet anything, he'd love to have someone like you to help him."
~*~
Jesse stared at Shannon waiting to see her reaction to that news.
"Well, maybe when we figure out what we are going to do about our situation…I might come back here, then and talk with him." Shannon smiled.
"Oh, that would be such a blessing for us, to have you. Just knowing you are here makes me feel better already." Margaret sighed. "I didn't want to alarm Phillip but I was worried."
"Are you feeling alright?"
"Just a little back pain is all. I'm sure I'll be fine." Margaret grabbed her back and got up to pour the coffee, but Shannon would have none of that.
"You sit yourself down there, now and I'll get the coffee. This close to your time, you need to take real good care of yourself."
Jesse saw the doctor in Shannon kick in and he relaxed a bit.
"You mean you don’t know for sure what you are going to do about the marriage?" Phillip asked her.
Jesse wouldn't stop staring at her, as though he too were waiting for her answer.
"Well…we haven't discussed it much…"
"Then maybe you'll stay married. You'd make a fine team, him being the law, and you the doctor." Phillip pointed out.
Shannon felt speechless. They'd backed her into a corner and she didn't know what to say or do.
"Jesse what you got to say about it?" Phillip kept needling him.
"Before there is any settling, I have to make my report and get the money to the Waco office. Then…I might quit the law business."
"Quit?" Margaret nearly shouted. "Now why would you do a fool thing like that for?"
"I've been doing it for ten years. I'd like to live to be a ripe old age." Jesse chortled. "This trip has been fraught with all kinds of problems, one after another. I'd like to try to lead an ordinary life. Maybe get me some cattle…"
"I never thought I'd hear you say that. That's great news. Why, you could get a little spread around here and I'd help you get started. It's time you were settling down. Your right, there is little future in being a lawman." Phillip agreed.
"You think I could handle a few cows?" Jesse laughed.
"Why not, not much different than a contrary outlaw." Phillip nodded.
"We'd love havin' you around Jesse." Margaret smiled at him. "It's something to consider."
"Yes, I think you are right Margaret. It is." Jesse agreed.
"With the two of you in the same area, and already married to each other. I don't see the problem with just staying together."
"Phillip, marriage isn't
about conveniences; it's about love and family."
"I know that…but she's a fine looking woman, and he's in good shape. They'd make some powerful babies."
Margaret scoffed at her husband.
After supper, Margaret went to make them a place to sleep and Phillip talked with Jesse for a long while out on the porch. Shannon went to help Margaret.
"You've grown fond of him, haven't you?" Margaret asked when Shannon was too quiet.
"I guess I have…" Shannon admitted. "But you see, I'm the one that insisted we needed to get it annulled as soon as possible."
"Doesn't mean you can't change your mind." Margaret said.
Shannon smiled. "I've waited for a bit to see if he would say anything about it. If he would just drop me a hint of what he wanted to do, maybe I could speak up, but as it is, nothing has really changed. I may have said it first, but he never contradicted me. I'm not sure he has any real feelings for me."
"Nothing but you're in love with him."
Shannon's head reared at that comment. "I…"
"Of course you are. I can see it in your eyes when you look at him. Jesse's the kind of man any woman would fall in love with, that didn't love another that is. He's kind, clean, good looking, and he's a good man. What is stopping you from telling him? Is it your pride? I know, I can tell you don't want to annul it?"
"Pride, yeah, I guess some of it is pride."
"Well, don't hang on to that. You can't live your old age with pride honey." Margaret laughed. "He hasn't spoken any words to you?"
"No…not really. He's kissed me…"
"Kissed you?" Margaret turned bright red in the face. "Then that man is feeling something, because Jesse doesn't go around kissing women folk, unless they are over 80 years old. Has it been more than once?"
"Why yes. But…"
"Oh honey. Don't you let that man get away from you. He's a gem. Maybe a little rugged, but he's a gem."
Shannon considered her words. Still, she didn't know how to broach the subject. She just couldn't bring herself to talk to him about it, yet. Maybe when the report was made, and the money returned, maybe then they could sit down and discuss it.
Shotgun Bride (Book Six of the Brides of the West) Page 16
