"Damn! Who is he? Did he confess?"
"I think you'll recognize the name. He calls himself Monk."
"Monk? Is he big and mean looking? Yeah, I know him. He came here looking for work but I refused to hire him. Something about him set my teeth on edge. He's not the kind we want on the B&G."
"Seems that he had a grudge against Cramer for firing him. The sheriff took him off to jail and Andy positively identified him as the shooter." Sam's chest puffed out. "He's the smartest five year old I've ever seen. I can't wait until my brothers meet him."
"Think a jury will convict Monk?" Rusty asked.
"I wouldn't be surprised. He had a reason, weak as it is, to want Cramer dead. I suspect he'll crack under questioning before he comes to trial."
Sam placed an arm around Lacey's shoulders. "We'll talk tomorrow, Rusty. Lacey and I need some time alone right now."
Sam's blunt words made Lacey's face glow a becoming pink.
"Don't worry about Andy interrupting you," Rusty said, grinning. "I'll keep him occupied till Rita calls him in for supper."
"Much obliged," Sam said, returning Rusty's grin.
"Sam Gentry!" Lacey scolded after Rusty left. "You didn't have to be so obvious."
"We've just been given a couple of uninterrupted hours," he murmured, pulling her against him. Then, to the delight of everyone who happened to be looking, he scooped her up and carried her into the house. He didn't put her down until they reached their bedroom.
"What exactly did you have in mind?" Lacey asked as he set her on her feet.
"We haven't made love in days. The night before we boarded the stagecoach, to be exact. We're still newlyweds, in case you've forgotten."
"Hardly newlyweds. We've been married six years. As far as I'm concerned, neither the annulment nor my brief marriage to Taylor counted."
"I was wrong to let you believe I was dead," Sam said as he began unbuttoning her bodice. "My brothers are gonna be shocked when I turn up in Denver with a wife and five year old son."
"Andy will be six soon."
Her bodice fell away. Lacey tried to concentrate on the conversation but Sam's hands on her breasts made coherent thought difficult. "Will you take Andy and me to Denver with you?"
"I wouldn't leave you behind for anything in the world. I want to show you and my son off to my brothers."
He pushed her skirt and petticoats down her hips and lifted her out of them. "Enough talk. I can't wait, love, I want you now."
Instead of putting her down, he carried her to the bed and deftly removed her drawers, stockings and shoes. With shaking hands he removed his gunbelt and skimmed his trousers down his hips. Lacey gaped at his arousal. His swiftness to respond never failed to surprise her. His trousers were still bunched around his ankles when, with a fulminating groan, he lowered himself on top of her, spread her legs, and thrust into her waiting warmth.
Their loving was fierce and frantic. Neither seemed to want a gentle, unhurried coupling. Both were primed and ready for the breathtaking climax that splintered through them much sooner than they would have liked. It seemed like an eternity before Sam found the energy to lift himself off and away.
"Give me a few minutes and we'll do this again, only next time we'll take our time."
"We have a lifetime to make love," Lacey said, snuggling against him.
"Given the frequency of our loving, it could result in a brother or sister for Andy," Sam warned. "Would you like more children, love?"
"Ummm?" she murmured sleepily.
"Children, Lacey. Shall we have more children?"
Lacey gave an exaggerated yawn. "I'm afraid we don't have any choice in the matter. I've suspected for a long time but now I'm sure that Andy is going to have a brother of sister whether he wants one or not."
Sam went still. "You mean you're... My God, I'm going to be a father again! Why didn't you tell me before now?"
"I wasn't sure until I missed my second cycle."
"You won't have to go through this alone, love. This time I'm going to be with you every step of the way. No more riding, no more heavy work, no more..."
Lacey roused herself to mock anger. "For heaven's sake, Sam, I'm not a China doll. I gave you a healthy son, there's no need to smother me. Trust me to give you another healthy child. Can I go to sleep now?"
"Only if you let me wake you up in an hour. That will give us time to make love again before Andy comes bouncing in on us."
Lacey gave a sleepy laugh. "You're a greedy man, Sam Gentry."
"I'm only greedy for you, love. Always and forever."
Chapter Twenty-one
The Reunion
Rafe Gentry stood beneath the crystal chandelier in the lobby of the Antlers Hotel, a worried look on his handsome face as he watched the door. He'd been in Denver two days, waiting for his brothers to show up. The suspense was tormenting him. He had no way of knowing if either of his brothers were alive. For all he knew one or both could have been captured and sent to prison before they knew the charges against them had been dropped.
A smile touched his lips as he recalled how his Angel had braved banker Wingate and fought to restore the Gentry brothers' good name. There was no one in the world like his Angel. He wished he had brought her along with him, even though she was due to deliver very soon.
Rafe glanced at his pocket watch. It was nearly two o'clock and he'd been standing beneath the chandelier since noon. The lobby was crowded, but he spied an empty chair positioned where he could keep an eye on the front entrance. But first he made a detour to the front desk.
"Are you sure neither Jess nor Sam Gentry has checked in?" he asked the clerk.
"As I explained this morning, sir, you're the only Gentry registered," the clerk replied.
"Thank you."
Rafe began to worry in earnest. One or both his brothers should have arrived by now. He turned away and headed for the empty chair, determined to keep watch all day, if need be. And the day after that and the day after that.
"Rafe! You're here!"
Rafe whirled, a smile chasing away his gloomy thoughts when he saw Jess hurrying toward him. "Jess! Thank God. I was beginning to worry."
The brothers embraced, then stood back to look at one another.
"You don't look any worse for wear," Jess said, grinning. "I reckon I have you to thank for taking us off the wanted list."
"Not me. My Angel made it all possible. She refused to give up until Mr. Wingate admitted he'd lied about the bank robbery."
"I heard you were married. Where is this paragon?"
"I had to leave Angel home and I'm not happy about it. She's due to deliver our child very soon. You should see my Angel, Jess, she not only sings like an angel but looks like one. She saved my life. What about you? Are you practicing medicine somewhere?"
Jess beamed. "I have a successful practice in Dakota Territory. Where did you end up?"
"Right here in Colorado. Angle owns a gold mine near Canon City. We lived at the site for a time, until we bought our ranch. How did you learn that the charges were dropped against us?"
"I got tired of running and returned to Dodge, hoping to clear our name. That's how I found out. Do you suppose Sam knows? Is he here yet?"
"Sam hasn't arrived yet but that doesn't surprise me," Rafe said. "If you recall, we never knew what Sam was going to do from one minute to the next. After he came back from the war, there was something of a mystery about him. I always felt he was keeping something from us."
"He'll show up," Jess predicted.
Suddenly Rafe became aware that Jess wasn't alone. His gaze settled on a lovely green-eyed, dark haired woman who stood behind Jess. She smiled and held out her hand.
"I'm Meg, Jess's wife."
"Forgive my lapse," Jess apologized. "I was so excited at seeing Rafe that I forgot to introduce you to my brother. Rafe, this is Meg."
Rafe extended his hand. "Welcome to the family, Meg. The past year has been eventful for both of us, brother," Rafe
teased, eyeing Meg's bulging stomach. "Meg and my Angel have a great deal in common. I'm surprised you let Meg travel in her condition."
"Have you forgotten? I'm a doctor."
Rafe glanced at Meg's pale face and said, "Meg looks exhausted, Jess. Why don't you get her settled in. We can talk later. Let's can meet for supper in the dining room."
"I am tired," Meg acknowledged. "A bath and a long nap before supper sounds wonderful."
"What about Sam?" Jess asked. "Are you going to stay down here and wait for him?"
"I'll stay a while longer," Rafe said. "I sure hope nothing has happened to our little brother."
"Sam has had lots of practice getting himself out of scrapes. Don't worry, he'll be here."
The brothers embraced again, then parted. Rafe glanced around the lobby, then seated himself in the chair he had spotted earlier. He was still there when Jess joined him an hour later.
"How's Meg?" Rafe asked.
"She's exhausted but otherwise fine. I left her sleeping."
"Sit down," Rafe said, indicating the recently vacated chair beside him. "We've lots of catching up to do. For starters, how did you meet Meg?"
Jess chuckled. "Believe it or not, Meg was the best female bounty hunter in Dakota Territory. We met while she was tracking three outlaw brothers who robbed a bank in Deadwood and killed the guard. I was camped outside Deadwood when two of the outlaws stumbled on my campsite. Meg found us and mistook me for one of the brothers. It was a natural mistake, but Meg bit off more than she could chew. One of the outlaws shot her. I saved her life."
"That must have been Meg's lucky day, you being a doctor and all. I reckon one never knows where one will find love."
"You can say that again, brother. Not only do I have Meg but the thriving practice I've always wanted."
"Doctoring isn't a lucrative profession," Rafe mused. "Are you getting by all right? Angel and I can help out if you need it. The Golden Angel mine is producing well. We've got more money than we need."
"Thanks, brother, but Meg and I are just fine. Her foster father came into some money and settled a portion on Meg. We've got more than we need and are considering sponsoring an orphanage in Deadwood. Money never really mattered to me. Medicine and my family are my life."
"What do you suppose Sam has been up to?" Rafe speculated.
"Knowing Sam, I suppose he's brawled and whored in every town he's passed through."
Jess chuckled, then sobered. "Did you encounter trouble after you fled Dodge?"
"If you call sitting beneath a hanging tree with a rope around my neck trouble, then the answer is yes. I was being sought for murder before the Dodge City charges were dropped."
"My God! Who were you supposed to have murdered?"
"The passengers on the stagecoach I was accused of robbing. And after that, Angel's husband of one day."
Jess whistled softly. "My problems were nothing compared to yours. Fortunately we both came out winners. You appear to adore your Angel every bit as much as do my Meg."
"What do you think the chances are of Sam showing up with a wife?" Rafe said thoughtfully.
Jess guffawed. "You're kidding! It won't happen. After Sam returned from the war he vowed he'd never marry. Wonder what happened to evoke those sentiments?"
"We may never know."
"It doesn't look like Sam is going to show up today," Rafe said. "I'm going up to my room and get ready for supper. I'll see you later in the dining room. How does six o'clock sound to you?"
As they spoke, a man with a young boy hanging onto his hand and a pregnant woman at his side walked past them. The brothers paid scant heed to the small family who approached the desk to check in as they headed for the stairs.
Suddenly the man whirled and stared at the brothers.
"Rafe! Jess!"
The brothers spun around. Rafe spotted Sam first.
"There's Sam!"
"How did we miss him?" Jess wondered aloud.
"Probably because of the woman and child with him." Rafe grinned. "I can't wait to hear Sam's explanation. It promises to be more interesting than either of ours."
The brothers greeted one another exuberantly, embracing and pounding each other on the back. "I knew you'd both show up," Sam crowed. "Lacey told me not to worry. She said if both my brothers were as resourceful as me, I had nothing to worry about."
Andy tugged at Sam's sleeve. "Papa, are these my uncles?"
Sam beamed down at Andy. "They sure are, son. Rafe, Jess, I'd like you to meet my son Andy." He pulled Lacey forward. "And this is Lacey, my wife."
Greetings were extended all around. "I reckon the Gentry brothers don't let any grass grow under their feet," Rafe said, staring at Lacey's middle. "Jess and I are both married and our wives expecting, just like yours."
Sam puffed out his chest. "Lacey is expecting our second child. We already have a six year old son."
"Don't you mean stepson?" Rafe said without thinking. He hoped his thoughtless inquiry wouldn't be misconstrued. But it just wasn't possible for Sam to have a six year old son for he was off fighting a war then.
"I know this is going to come as a shock, but Lacey and I have been married for seven years. We married in Pennsylvania and became estranged afterward. To make a long story short, Lacey and I met purely by accident in Texas after I left Dodge last year. I was shocked to learn I had a son and...well, Lacey and I settled our difference and discovered we still loved one another."
"You married during the war and we never knew?" Rafe charged, stunned. "Dammit, Sam, how could you have kept something like that from us? Why did you abandon your wife and child?"
"It's a long story, Rafe, and we've traveled a long way. Let me get Lacey and Andy settled in our room first."
"We're all meeting later for supper," Jess said. "Since there are so many of us, I'll arrange for a private dining room. Our wives can get to know one another and we can talk to our heart's content."
"We're all here except for Angel," Rafe corrected. "I've got a couple of ideas about how you all can meet her. I'll tell you about it at supper tonight."
"Can I tell you about my adventures?" Andy piped up. "A bad man took me away from Mama and Papa. Far, far away."
Rafe looked askance at Sam. "Is that true?"
Sam's mouth thinned. "All too true, I fear. But it ended well."
"The bad man got killed," Andy announced grandly.
Jess's eyebrows arched upward and Sam quickly set him straight. "I didn't do it, Jess. Someone else got to him first."
"You can tell us all about it tonight, Andy," Rafe said. "Your mama looks tired. Why don't you and your papa take her to her room."
The brothers parted, each anticipating their reunion later that evening and the recounting of their adventures.
"I like your brothers," Lacey said once they were settled in their room. Like you, they must have encountered many adverse situations after they fled Dodge City. They appear to have thrived. And both are happily married."
"That is a surprise," Sam allowed. "I thought all Jess cared about was medicine, and Rafe never seemed interested in taking a wife. They both appear as happy as I am."
"You're all special men, Sam.
Meg was awake when Jess returned to their room. "Sam arrived," Jess said. "He took us both by surprise. Not only did he arrive with a wife, but he has a six year old son."
"You mean stepson?"
Jess laughed. "No, I mean son. It seems Sam has kept a secret all the years since the war. He married early in the war and fathered a child."
"And he never told you? Why didn't he bring his wife and child home to Kansas with him after the war?"
"Evidently he abandoned his family because of a misunderstanding. He found them living in Texas. I don't know the whole story but I'll bet it's a whopper. Had Rafe or I known, we would have made him face up to his responsibilities. Sam always was a maverick. I can't wait to hear his explanation."
"Neither can I," Meg enthused.
&nb
sp; "How are you feeling, love? The trip from Deadwood was a grueling one."
"I'm fine, Jess. Just a few twinges. I doubt we'll make it back home before I deliver though. We might be stuck here longer than we anticipated."
"I took that into consideration before we left," Jess said. "I arranged with the new doctor in town to take over my patients until I return. The town has grown so much, there's plenty of room for another doctor."
He placed his hand on her stomach. "Our babe is active tonight."
"Takes after his father," Meg said with a twinkle. "I can't wait until we can make love again."
"Nor I, love. Did I tell you that Sam's wife is expecting?"
"All the Gentry wives are pregnant? Good heavens, what a crowd we'll have at our family reunions."
"I hope there will be many family reunions," Jess said wistfully. "We've all seemed to settle in different parts of the country. Sam in Texas and Rafe in Colorado."
"I don't think anything could keep the Gentry brothers apart for long," Meg predicted."
Jess and Meg were the last to arrive in the private dining room. Meg was introduced to Sam and his family, then everyone started talking at once. Being the oldest, Rafe acted as moderator while each brother in turn related his adventures, or misadventures, as it turned out. The conversation was temporarily interrupted while the meal was being served, but continued long after the meal had been consumed.
After everyone had run out of questions and explanations, Rafe called everyone to attention and made an unexpected announcement.
"I want you all to come to Canon City to meet my wife. It will involve another stagecoach ride and a couple of nights on the road, but Angel will be thrilled to have you. A family reunion in a hotel isn't much fun. What do you say? I don't like leaving Angel alone so close to her time."
Sam and Lacey agreed immediately. Jess and Meg spoke together in low tones before they, too, agreed to the visit.
"Will tomorrow be too soon for you? There's a noon stage we can take."
The Outlaws: Sam Page 29
