The Outlaws: Sam

by Ten Talents Press

"I'm a man of my word, Cramer. If I say I'll sign your damn paper, then I'll do it."

  "I have the ability to put you back in jail if you refuse to sign," Cramer advised. "I can always change my mind and say you were the man who tried to kill me."

  "Don't worry, Cramer. I said I'd sign and I will."

  "And leave town immediately afterward."

  "What choice do I have?" Sam bit out.

  Cramer grinned. "None that I can see. I'll go get Sheriff Hale."

  "Bastard," Sam spat.

  Cramer returned a few minutes later with the sheriff.

  "What's this all about, Mr. Cramer?" Sheriff Hale asked.

  "I fear I was mistaken. It wasn't Mr. Gentry who tried to kill me after all. He explained how he had discharged two bullets at the man who tried to kill me and I believe him. I'm sorry about the misunderstanding."

  "Are you sure, Mr. Cramer?" Hale queried. "You seemed convinced that Gentry was your assailant."

  Cramer smiled obsequiously. "It was an honest mistake, but fortunately I've discovered my error before an innocent man was brought to trial. Set Gentry free, Sheriff. I'm dropping the charges."

  "Are you sure this is what you want?" Hale repeated.

  Sam held his breath and let it out slowly when Cramer said, "I know what I'm doing, Sheriff."

  Hale fumbled with the ring of keys on his belt, removed one and fit it into the lock. The cell door swung open and Sam stepped out.

  "Am I free to go?"

  Hale nodded brusquely. "I don't want to see you in my jail again, Gentry. I don't know what's going on here, but I'm giving you fair warning. Stay out of trouble."

  "Mr. Gentry is leaving town," Cramer said.

  Hale seemed surprised. "What about the ranch? Is Miz Lacey planning on selling out?"

  Sam said nothing until Cramer nudged him. "My wife won't be joining me. She and Andy are remaining behind."

  "Now that that's settled," Cramer said before Hale could ask any more question, "we'll take our leave. Good-bye, sheriff."

  "My lawyer is waiting for us," Cramer said after they exited the jailhouse. "You can sign the document in his office.

  Sam nodded grimly and followed Cramer. The sooner he got this over with the sooner he could get on with his life.

  The moment Sam met Lawyer Oakley he knew the man was cut from the same cloth as Cramer. Both were men who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. But what exactly did Cramer want? He didn't appear to be madly in love with Lacey, nor did he like Andy. Sam was inclined to think it was Lacey's land Cramer coveted, though he had no idea why. During his short stay he saw nothing special about Lacey's land to set it apart from other spreads in the area.

  "You both know, however, that the document requires Mrs. Gentry's signature to make it legal," Oakley said after Sam affixed his signature. "Nor can I guarantee the divorce will be granted in a timely fashion."

  "Yes, yes," Cramer said impatiently. "Mrs. Gentry will sign, no problem there. And I'm sure you'll do your best to expedite things. I'm paying you plenty to push it through without undue delays."

  Sam had heard enough. "I'm leaving. You two can hammer out the details in private."

  "Don't forget the conditions of your release, Gentry," Cramer cautioned. "You're to leave town immediately."

  "Don't worry, Cramer," Sam growled. "I have no desire to see Lacey. I wish you joy of her. She's a hot little piece, but I suspect you already know that."

  Sam slammed out the door with more force than warranted. He was angry. Angry enough to spit nails. He hadn't asked to encounter Lacey again after all these years, and wouldn't have done so deliberately. But their meeting had proved something to him. Though he had fought it for six years, he could not deny the fact that Lacey still provoked strong feelings in him, feelings other than hostility.

  Making love to Lacey had been a revelation. She had wanted him as badly as he wanted her. She might want to marry Cramer but it was Sam who aroused her passion, Sam's name she called out during the heat of climax. God, that had been a sweet moment.

  Sam got his horse from the livery and rode out of town. He headed west, away from Denison and away from the ranch. He had little money and nothing of value. The few items in his saddlebags could be described as worthless. But he rode away with the memory of one night of unspeakable bliss with a woman who cared nothing for him.

  Chapter Seven

  Lacey spent a fretful night. The thought that Sam had attempted to shoot Taylor in the back disturbed her, but she had questioned Rusty and some of the hands and learned that Sam's gun had indeed been smoking. Even more damning was the fact that no one had seen the man Sam said had fired the shots at Taylor.

  Deliberately Lacey had kept work of the shooting from Andy. Andy had been napping and apparently had missed the commotion. Lacey had warned the hands not to discuss the incident in front of the boy. She wasn't going to tell him anything until she learned the truth about the incident.

  When Andy looked for Sam at the supper table the day of his arrest, Lacey told him that Sam had business out of town and would be away several days. If worse came to worse, she supposed she'd have to tell Andy the truth. But for now, the less he knew the less upset he'd be.

  Lacey had already eaten breakfast and was now preparing to ride to town to see Sam. She had to know the truth about the attempt on Taylor's life and Sam was the only one who could give it to her. Except for a small, lingering doubt, she was almost convinced that Sam wouldn't shoot a man in the back.

  "Where are you going, Mama?" Andy asked as he skipped into the room.

  "To town, honey. I won't be long."

  "Can I come?"

  "Not today. Don't give Rita any trouble while I'm gone."

  "Are you gonna see Papa? Tell him I miss him."

  Lacey hesitated. How much did Andy know? Or had he merely surmised that something was amiss? "I'm not sure," she hedged. "I should be home for lunch. Meanwhile, why don't you go out to the barn and look for Fluffy's new kittens?"

  Andy's eyes lit up. "Can I pick out one to bring into the house?"

  "I suppose."

  Andy gave a whoop of joy and took off at a run.

  Lacey jammed her hat down on her head and headed out the door. She had just led her horse out of the barn when she saw Taylor Cramer ride into the yard. Her heart plummeted when she noted the smug expression on Taylor's face. He appeared inordinately pleased about something and she wondered if it had anything to do with Sam. Her gut told her it did.

  "Taylor, what brings you here? I hope this won't take long, I'm on my way to town."

  Taylor dismounted and grasped Lacey's arm, pulling her back toward the house.

  "What are you doing?" Lacey snapped.

  "If you're going to town with the intention of visiting Gentry, don't bother. He's not there."

  Lacey dug in her heels. "What do you mean? Of course Sam is in town. You're the one who had him dragged off to jail."

  "Gentry's been released," Cramer revealed. "I'll tell you all about it inside the house."

  "Released?" Lacey gasped. "I don't understand."

  "You will in a moment." He opened the front door and all but pushed her inside.

  Lacey walked into the parlor and whirled to confront Cramer. Cramer's superior grin set her teeth on edge. "Well," she said, tapping her foot impatiently. "Kindly explain."

  Instead of explaining, Cramer removed a document from his inside pocket and handed it to Lacey. "This will explain a great deal."

  Disbelief marched across Lacey's face as she scanned the document. When she saw Sam's signature on the bottom of the page, the breath exploded from her lungs.

  "This is a divorce document! How did you get Sam to sign it? Where is Sam now?"

  "One question at a time, my dear. "First, you are indeed holding a divorce document. My lawyer drew it up and I presented it to Gentry yesterday. Second, Gentry signed the document quite willingly after I presented it to him. And third, I have no idea where he is at the p
resent. He left town shortly after his release from jail."

  "Left town?" Lacey repeated dully. "That doesn't sound at all like Sam. What did he have to do to get himself released from jail? Did you drop the charges."

  "Rather decent of me, don't you think? Sheriff Hale agreed that the evidence against Gentry was flimsy. I'm the only one who saw him with the gun, after the shots had been fired," he added. "Even though I was certain he was the shooter, there was a reasonable doubt. Sheriff Hale decided there wasn't enough evidence to bring him to trial."

  "Let me get this straight," Lacey said slowly. "Sam was released, signed the divorce papers, and lit out of town without a word to me or Andy."

  "That's correct, my dear."

  "That doesn't sound like Sam."

  "The man's a no good drifter without a sense of responsibility," Cramer spat. "He abandoned you once, his leaving a second time will surprise no one." His gaze settled on the divorce document in Lacey's hand. "You have pen and ink, I assume? Sign it now and I'll take it back to my lawyer so it can be filed immediately. I understand these things take time, but we will be married the moment the divorce is finalized."

  Lacey stared at the document as if she expected it to bite her. She carried it to the writing table and placed it in a drawer. "I'll sign it later."

  Cramer frowned. "Is there a problem? I went to a lot of trouble and expense to obtain this as quickly as I did. Sign it now, Lacey."

  Lacey stared at him. His voice had changed subtly. From gentle coaxing to demanding. Her jaw firmed. She wasn't going to be coerced into signing until she read the document and studied all the ramifications. Something wasn't right but she didn't know what. She might not want to remain married to Sam, and she needed Taylor's money, but she found this whole affair puzzling. Taylor had something up his sleeve.

  "I told you," Lacey persisted. "I'll sign the document after I've had time to read it."

  Cramer's face turned an ugly shade of red. "I thought you wanted out of your farce of a marriage."

  "I do."

  "Then sign the document now."

  "I will, in my own good time."

  "Damn you," Cramer cursed.

  It was the first time he'd cursed at her and a prickle of uneasiness slid down Lacey's spine. Had he kept his true nature hidden from her? Had she not needed him so desperately she might be tempted to tell him their marriage was off. But what would she and Andy do when the bank foreclosed on the ranch? Where would they go without money? The thought of no roof over their heads or food it their stomachs was an unpleasant one. Few jobs were available to a woman with a child.

  Cramer must have realized that Lacey had no intention of following his dictates for he said, "I can see you're being difficult today. I'll return when you're in a better mood. Perhaps later today. I can see no reason why you shouldn't sign. Apparently Gentry is as glad to be rid of you as you are him."

  "I'm sorry, Taylor. I don't mean to be difficult. By all means, come back later this evening. After Andy is in bed," she advised. "I don't want him to know about any of this. He's grown fond of Sam, I want to tell him about the divorce in my own way."

  "I understand, my dear," he said coolly. "Until tonight, then." Without warning, he pulled Lacey into his arms and kissed her. Lacey didn't resist, nor did she participate. She merely endured.

  Sam rode away from Denison, away from Lacey and away from Andy, certain that what he was doing was right. He could give Lacey and Andy nothing in the way of monetary support. They needed money to save the ranch and he had none. He was a wanted man. He could spend years in prison if convicted of bank robbery. Rafe and Jess could already be in jail for all he knew. He wouldn't learn their fate until he met them in Denver for their reunion one year from the day they had parted.

  Sam drew rein at a creek about five miles from town to allow his horse to drink and rest. He dismounted, knelt at the stream and drank his fill. Then he sat back on his heels and stared into the blue water. He blinked repeatedly at the reflection peering back at him. His wasn't the only face he saw. Andy's accusing blue eyes stared back at him. His gut clenched. He shouldn't care what the boy thought of him, but he did.

  Muttering an oath, he plunged his hands into the water, scattering the reflection. But Andy's image was still with him, imprinted upon his brain. As was the image of Andy's mother. Lovely, deceitful Lacey. He would have loved her forever had she not betrayed him to the Yankees. Part of him wanted to forgive her. Making love to Lacey had opened his eyes to many things. Her response to him had been very real. Either that or she was a very good actress. Sam was experienced enough to know when a woman wanted him, and Lacey had definitely wanted him.

  Sitting here thinking of Lacey and Andy weren't doing him a damn bit of good, Sam decided as he mounted and continued on his way.

  "It's just you and me now, Gallahad," Sam said, patting his horse's neck. "No wife to complicate my life. No kid calling me Papa. I kinda liked it, even though I knew Andy wasn't mine. Dammit, Gallahad, leaving them without a word leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

  Of course Gallahad didn't answer, but he did turn his head and roll his eyes at Sam.

  Several hours later, Sam did something he knew he would regret. Cursing himself for a fool, he jerked on the reins and spun Gallahad around in the opposite direction. He didn't give damn about Cramer's threats. He'd never backed down from a fight yet and he wasn't about to now. He wanted the chance to tell Andy good-bye. And Rusty. And...damn his soul to hell...he wanted to convince Lacey that he wasn't a back shooter before disappearing from their lives.

  Lacey pushed her food around her plate with her fork. She wasn't hungry. She still hadn't signed the divorce papers and was puzzled by her hesitation. It was what she wanted, wasn't it? Obviously it was what Sam wanted.

  "When will Papa be home, Mama?" Andy asked, disturbing her troubled thoughts.

  "He's only been gone one day, honey."

  I miss him. I asked the hands where he had gone but Rusty said I should ask you. None of the hands would tell me anything. Is something wrong, Mama?"

  Despite his meager years, Andy was no fool, Lacey thought. He sensed something, and she knew from experience that he wouldn't let it rest until he had the truth.

  "I don't have time for explanations now," Lacey hedged. "I'm expecting Mr. Cramer tonight and I want to get you settled in bed first."

  Andy made a face. "Why is he still coming around? You already have a husband."

  "We'll talk about this tomorrow. Have you finished your supper?"

  Andy pushed his plate away. "I'm not hungry."

  "Run along then. Put on your nightclothes and I'll be up in a moment to tuck you in and read you a story."

  Andy slid from his chair, his expression troubled. "Don't be long, Mama."

  Lacey scraped back her chair and walked to her writing table in the next room. She pulled out the drawer and removed the divorce document. She even picked up the pen and dipped it into the inkwell. Her hand shook. A blob of ink fell onto the paper. She set the pen down, blotted the ink and shoved it back into the drawer without signing it. She slammed the drawer shut and walked upstairs to tuck Andy into bed. She would sign the paper later.

  It was late, Andy had been asleep for hours and Rita had gone home, but still Taylor hadn't arrived. Lacey decided not to wait up for him. She wasn't all that anxious to sign the divorce document anyway, thought as she locked the doors and downstairs windows, doused the lamp in the parlor and made her way up the stairs. A lamp in the upstairs hallway, left burning for Andy's benefit, provided sufficient light for Lacey to undress and find her bed. Crawling between the sheets, she drifted into an uneasy sleep.

  Sam rode up to the barn and dismounted. The house was dark but for a dim light visible through an upstairs window. A glance at the darkened bunkhouse told Sam that everyone inside was sleeping.

  Sam led Gallahad inside the barn, removed his saddle and rubbed him down. He planned to bed down for the night in the loft, but a compelli
ng inner voice drew him outside. He glanced up at Lacey's room. The leafy branches of the elm tree growing beside the house swayed in the breeze, nearly obscuring the window, but he could tell that it was open and the room beyond dark. He fought a battle with himself; the devil inside him won.

  Sam placed one foot in the crook of the elm tree and hoisted himself into the branches. He climbed steadily, until he was even with the window. Then he crawled onto the sill and dropped silently into the room. The light in the hall cast a golden glow though the open door, revealing a bed and the slight figure huddled beneath the blanket.

  Sam removed his boots so he wouldn't awaken Lacey and crept toward the bed. He wasn't certain what had driven him to enter through the window, his mind was hazy about that, but some driving force inside him commanded his actions. Lacey was a temptation he couldn't resist. Abruptly his expression darkened when it occurred to himi that she might have plotted with Cramer to get rid of him. Suddenly Lacey stirred and he stepped back into the shadows.

  Lacey awoke to the tingling sensation that she wasn't alone. She sucked in a shallow breath, afraid to move or open her eyes. She knew the intruder wasn't Andy for he would have climbed into bed with her. Lacey had enough wits about her to know that whoever had come uninvited to her room could only have entered through an open upstairs window. Her window.

  She heard a slight movement and cranked one eye open. A slash of moonlight fell across a large figure hovering in the shadows beside the window. Panic shuddered through her. The intruder was big and threatening. She opened her other eye so she could take in all of him. He stood in his stocking feet, tall and intimidating. His legs were long, and even in the poor light she could see the bold ridge of his aroused sex beneath his tight denims.

  Had the intruder come with rape on his mind? Was he a drifter who had found his way to the B&G by accident? Lacey didn't want to believe one of her own hands had broken into her house, but she couldn't discount anything. Her legs shifted nervously beneath the covers. Then she froze, wondering if he had noticed her sudden movement.