The breeze caressed her bare shoulders. Water lapped at the curves still encased in black lace. He trailed his hands up her arms, rounding her shoulders and finally settling in the curve of her neck. From there he massaged with his thumbs until he reached her lips.
His full attention was on her mouth. Her lips quivered under the heat of his gaze, the magic of his touch. With one thumb he caught her lower lip and pulled it down. His head lowered in slow motion until his lips brushed hers.
He pulled back at her sharp intake of breath and smiled. His fingers gently massaged her neck. “Does this feel better?”
She lowered her head in a slow-motion nod. “It’s not cooling me off,” she informed him.
His laugh reverberated in the canyon, rich and full-bodied. “We’d better put our attention back to your healing.”
She smiled her agreement, unable to tell him she’d prefer to pursue the other. But she held back, not trusting her instincts just yet. She still felt vulnerable and weak from her night in the cave.
Jess must have sensed her hesitation because he shifted his attitude from male appreciation to a more impersonal tone. He took the bandanna from her numb fingers and, careful not to hurt her or touch sensitive parts of her body, continued to bathe her.
He tried to be casual, but she wasn’t doing very well. His naked chest glistened in the sun. She wanted to smooth her fingers over the copper skin. His wet hair clung to the angled planes of his face. She wanted to feather her fingers in the thick strands. His lips were pressed firm in resistance to his emotions. She wanted to brush hers across the thin line and sample the masculine taste of him.
She did nothing, but remained still while he bathed her. Finally, she could take no more. She grasped the bandanna from his hands and smoothed it over the hard muscles of his chest, back and arms. His eyes were full of desire. Her heart was full of love.
The cry of the eagle interrupted her thoughts. He soared past, his sharp eyes on the lookout for prey.
“Swift eagle,” she murmured.
Jess leaned back, the desire in his expression suddenly gone. “What did you say?”
“The eagle.” She pointed to the bird as it soared overhead. “He’s swift. That’s all.”
“My grandmother told me a woman would remind me of my name.”
His distant tone puzzled her as much as his words. “Is Swift Eagle your Apache name?”
He started to deny it, then changed his mind and nodded. “The women of the family name a child with a characteristic they see in that person.”
In spite of his manner, she smiled. “Did they also have a dinner to celebrate your first laugh?” She hoped the mention of the custom would make him smile. It didn’t.
“We’d better get out now and head for the canyon.”
She grabbed his arm. “What’s wrong, Jess? Why the sudden rush?”
“We do have to get going, and…”
She interrupted. “I know that, but there’s more. Every time we touch on your Indianness you back off.”
“Indianness?”
“I made it up.”
He smiled at that, but then grew serious again. “I honestly don’t know how this is going to work. When you first arrived, I didn’t believe you’d be that interested in The People.”
She started to protest, but he held up his hand.
“I know you’ve proven you are sincere and that’s what bothers me. I don’t want to be involved with the ways of The People.”
“How can you say that after last night? If it hadn’t been for Real Tall Man, you wouldn’t have found me.”
“I haven’t dealt with that yet, and I need to before I can allow anything to develop again between us.”
With a growing awareness and dread, she realized what he said was true. They needed to discuss this in depth and would, she vowed. Now was not the time. She was still too weak from the night in the cave. If Jess had been up all night, his nerves had to be stretched beyond reason also.
She groped underwater for her blouse and held up her hand for help out of the stream. “You’re right about that. We do have a lot to do before we get involved. One thing is to get out of here and find those men.”
He lifted her into his arms. “We’ll talk about this. I promise.”
He paused and glanced at the eagle before continuing. “When I understand it myself.”
With that, he carried her to the grass. After getting a cloth for her to dry off with, he went to prepare the horses.
Autumn didn’t pursue the discussion. At least he hadn’t refused to talk to her. A promise was better than silence. She wrung out her blouse before putting it on, while she watched him wipe down his horse and tighten the cinch.
“We’d better get ready to move out. A search party should fly by soon. I want to be near a good landing place.”
He wanted to send her away. Autumn closed her eyes. It didn’t matter. Strong intuition advised her to be silent for now. She had a feeling his resistance wasn’t toward their relationship, but involved a battle he waged within. She was so very tired. Later she’d confront Jess and they could work out the shaky renewal of their relationship.
.
CHAPTER 15
By the time they reached the end of the box canyon and had returned to the main gulch, Autumn’s clothes were dry. From her position astride the pinto, she could see that Jess’s Levis were still damp around the seams. The darker material stretched with the movement of his horse.
When they came to a clearing, Jess pulled his horse’s reins and waited until hers came up beside him. “We’ll wait here until a chopper comes. This will be a good place for it to land.”
“You’re sure one’s coming?”
“Real Tall Man promised. He’ll fly one himself if he has to.”
Somehow, the image of her grandfather piloting a helicopter didn’t fit. If she hadn’t been so tired, she would have smiled. “Will he call the sheriff?”
He nodded. “They have a big chopper that can haul out the rest of the party. He’ll probably call Sam at the BLM, too.”
“Does Sam know about your involvement on this task force?”
He hesitated for a moment and nodded. “He’s one of the few.”
She understood the underlying tone that told her not to ask questions about it. He’d probably already told her more than would be approved by his peers. She wouldn’t endanger his trust.
“I’ll have them take you to my place first. I want you to stay there and rest.”
The thought of going to Jess’s house gave her an odd sense of homecoming. She had no right to feel that way, but in spite of Jess’s hesitation, she sensed that there was hope for them. Being in his territory, where he was surrounded by the security of the familiar, could prove to her advantage. His defenses might ease some.
They had just settled in the shade of a cottonwood when the sound of an approaching helicopter reverberated like gunfire in the canyon. The steep walls contained the noise, magnifying it to a deafening proportion. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught jackrabbits bounding with fright. Several birds took flight and headed down the canyon.
As the helicopter descended, its blades stirred up the fine grains of sand in the wash. Autumn covered her face as best she could and noticed Jess had lowered his hat to protect his eyes. When the large machine landed, she could see the government insignia of the county sheriff and recognized a deputy piloting the craft. Sam was in the passenger seat.
The silence was deafening when the powerful engine shut down. The side door slid open, and to her surprise, Real Tall Man stepped out of the chopper.
Concern was reflected in his expression. Autumn smiled reassurance and waved. She yearned to go to him now. Jess had told her that the medicine man knew of his son’s death, but confirming it would sadden his heart.
The pilot remained in the helicopter. She and Jess waited under the tree for Sam and Real Tall Man to come to them. The horses were too skittish from the noise to leave them
alone. Jess held on to the lead rope with a firm hand.
“You are here,” Real Tall Man said, satisfaction showing in his smile.
Jess didn’t waste time, but started explaining what had happened. When he came to the part about Arlo, he paused and turned to Autumn. She stepped forward, wanting to grab her grandfather’s hand and ease the pain she knew was coming.
He must have sensed her hesitation. He spoke first. “It is not good news you have, my granddaughter.”
She shook her head and swallowed, trying to clear the sudden dryness in her throat. She peered around at the cliffs that sloped upward. Birds called to their mates as they flitted in and out of the saltbush that stretched in a line along the stream.
She faced Real Tall Man. His expression remained steady and she knew she had to find courage.
“My uncle died trying to save my life. I’m sorry,” she murmured, keeping in mind The People would no longer refer to Arlo by name now that he was dead.
A slight flinch in his shoulder was the only clue to Real Tall Man’s feelings. Her muscles tightened with nervous tension as she continued to explain the events of the last thirty-six hours.
“I’m sorry this had to happen to you. I didn’t understand why my sons did not trust you. At least that concern has been taken care of,” Real Tall Man apologized. “This has all been so unnecessary.”
She knew he referred to Arlo’s death, as well. “If I’d known, I could have cleared up some of the confusion. My family would have come to talk to you.” She directed this to Jess, as well.
“We cannot change the past,” Real Tall Man explained. “We must solve the present problems. The men who did this evil are still around.”
Jess spoke up. “We’ll get on it as soon as we fly you out of here.”
Real Tall Man looked at Autumn. He didn’t hide his concern for her and it melted some of her sorrow. “You be careful, my granddaughter. These men are evil.”
“Don’t worry, Grandfather. I’ll take care.”
“My heart is full of love for you. I don’t want you hurt.”
How she’d longed to hear those words.
She forgot her Indian stoicism, which was still foreign to her, and leaned forward to clasp Real Tall Man in a hug. “I love you, too.” She pressed her cheek to his, savoring the scent of wood smoke that clung to his skin—a scent she would always associate with him.
His hands reached hesitantly to pat her back, and then he succumbed to his emotions. He wrapped his strong arms around her. Tears brimmed in her eyes. She barely managed to keep them from overflowing.
“You are safe. That is what matters.” His voice sounded husky as he pulled away.
“Will you come with us to the ranch?”
“Not to stay. I must prepare the family for the news.”
She knew there would be no formal ceremony for her uncle. The People wanted as little to do with the dead as possible so their spirits wouldn’t stay to plague them. Elaborate precautions would be taken by the family with her uncle’s possessions. Real Tall Man was needed for that.
Regret reflected in her eyes. “I won’t be able to go with you.” Real Tall Man nodded and then turned to the others. “You must find these men.”
“Do you know who they are? Have you seen them with your son before?” Sam asked.
“No. But I’m sure he’s talked about them a couple of times. From your description, they were in the army with him.”
Jess joined in the conversation. “Sam, can you have his military record checked out? It fits. They’re probably part of the demolition team he was on. It explains how he got into their camp without any problem.”
“It also explains how they’d know this area,” Sam added. “They’ve probably been visiting for years on the pretext of past friendship.”
Jess turned his attention to Real Tall Man. “Would you recognize them if you saw them again?”
Real Tall Man nodded. “I don’t need to see them with my eyes. My heart will find who murdered my son.”
Determination mixed with sadness in his tone, and it tugged at Autumn’s heart. She wanted to comfort her grandfather, but didn’t know what she could say that would make up for the loss.
The men conferred for several minutes. Autumn listened, willing to let them handle the situation with their expertise. She’d help when she could, but at this point, she’d done all that was possible. Fatigue was setting in fast.
Jess’s words sounded from a distance. “You take Autumn and Real Tall Man to the ranch, Sam. I’ll go get Arlo’s body. The cavern has to be up this canyon.” He gestured to an adjacent canyon.
His voice faded. She didn’t try that hard to concentrate. She was on her way to Jess’s place, where there was a real bed—no more bedrolls stretched across hard sand. That was all that mattered.
Her eyelids grew heavy. The canyon walls swayed. Black darkness closed in.
Jess stopped talking the minute he heard the soft thud. When he saw Autumn crumpled at his feet, he sped into action. Lifting her into his arms, he shouted at the other two men while he headed for the helicopter.
“We’ve got to get her to the ranch. Sam, you get Meg and have her look Autumn over. I don’t think she needs a doctor, but Meg can check to be sure.”
His foreman’s wife had a nursing degree, which came in handy at an isolated place like Eagle Heights Ranch. The woman had saved his hands many trips into town for treatment of minor illnesses and injuries. She’d know if Autumn needed further medical attention and get her to the hospital if she did. After more instructions to have Sam meet him, Jess waved them off.
The cavern was easier to find than he’d expected, but it took a full hour to retrieve the body and head for the canyon where the helicopter would return. Jess barely made it before the deputy and Sam landed.
It didn’t take long for Jess to place the body in the cargo bay of the chopper. The deputy would see that it was buried as soon as possible. Jess tried to view the task as an Anglo, but felt the urge to chant a few incantations to protect himself.
Other matters pressed. He gave Sam directions to the gunmen’s camp, anxious for the chopper to take off so that he could return to the site himself. He wanted to check for clues to the men’s whereabouts. He had a feeling their stash would be in the vicinity of the camp. It was possible they’d taken the artifacts there, as well. They were worth a good sum, especially on the black market.
The sun was at its zenith by the time he made it to the canyon where the camp was. In case the men were in the area, he approached with caution.
After he tied his horse in the shade of a tree, he stole back to investigate the site. He thought about climbing up the cliff again, but scratched the idea. The distance had hindered him last time.
Suddenly, he heard a noise. He paused and looked around before slipping behind a boulder. He crept toward the camp. He could see some of the gunmen’s belongings still strewn about. So they hadn’t been back.
A moan came from the left of the fire ring. Jess tensed, ready for action. The sound had been human. He slipped in closer and dove behind another rock.
Again the moan sounded. Someone was there, and it sounded like he was hurt. It could also be a trap. As he neared the site, he slipped his knife from his boot.
He inched his way around the rock. A breeze wafted across the campsite and he almost gagged. The stench of death assaulted him. He closed his eyes and told himself to go on. He knew what he would find, but he didn’t want to see it.
A moan sounded again from his left.
Something was dead, but someone was also alive. Senses alert, he walked into the clearing, knees bent and knife ready for defense.
A dead mule lay inert in the desert sand, its hide caked with blood and dust.
“Ohhh.”
Jess spun around. A man in the brown and tan uniform of the BLM lay behind the rock.
He ran to the man’s side. His face was turned away. Blood stained the back of his shirt. Carefully, he
rolled over the injured body. Frank Riker.
Frank flinched when Jess settled him on his side. His lids flickered until his glazed eyes managed to focus on Jess’s face.
“Glad to see you, Barron.”
“Don’t talk. I’ll get water.” He shrugged off his pack and unhooked the canteen. “What happened to you?” Jess asked as he unbuttoned Frank’s shirt to search for further injury.
“I heard… the shots.” Frank tried to lick his lips with his swollen tongue.
“When was that?” Jess asked as he thought back to yesterday morning.
Frank took a ragged breath and barely got the words out. “Yesterday, around sunrise.”
That meant only one thing—the men had doubled back to the camp. Jess cursed. What a fool. If he’d hung around, he could have…
Frank moaned again.
“Where… is O’Neill? She left Coyote Springs with you, didn’t she?”
She followed me.” Jess lifted Frank’s head.
“Is she…”
“Alive? Yes. But they tried to kill her. They knocked her cold and left her in a cave to die. They shot Ross.”
“No big loss there.”
Frank jerked when Jess swabbed at his wound harder than necessary. For a fleeting moment, Jess considered leaving the man out here to die. In his opinion, the world would be better for it.
“Don’t make a bigger ass of yourself than you already are.”
Frank jerked away, but ignored the comment. “How does it look?” he asked.
“The bullet didn’t go through, which isn’t a good sign.” Jess squeezed a few drops of water onto his cracked lips. “How about it, Riker? Do you think it’s near anything vital?”
He shook his head once. “I moved earlier. Hurt like…” He flinched.
“You’ll live, if we can get you out of here.”
“There’s a radio. It’s in—my pack.” His hand moved as if he were trying to point toward the bushes.
Jess rose and searched the area until he found the government-issue backpack.
He settled beside Frank and rummaged through the contents. He found a first aid kit and took it out. He then turned Frank onto his stomach so that he could cleanse the wound. The movement caused the blood to ooze and it took a while to stem the sticky flow. By then, Jess had Sam on the radio. He promised to be there within fifteen minutes.
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