Immortal Cowboy

by Alexis Morgan

  Did Wyatt even realize that his hands had strayed down to grip his pistols?

  “Seems Earl had been sent ahead to do some scouting for the gang, to see if the mine had been producing. They’d already run through the gold they’d stolen last time. He was surprised to see me, but figured I was there for the same reason he was.”

  Wyatt looked pale, the memories obviously taking their toll. Maybe she shouldn’t have insisted on hearing his story, but until she knew what had happened that day, she had no way of knowing how to help him.

  “Why don’t we go inside? I can fix us some dinner and then you can finish telling me.”

  “I’d rather just get this over with.”

  She hated seeing him looking so stressed. Some of it might stem from the fact he wasn’t used to thinking about eating and drinking.

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m tired from all this hiking and everything. Would you mind sitting on the porch? I’ll get us some cold drinks and maybe some snacks.”

  “That sounds good.”

  He followed her onto the porch, settling in the same chair he usually took. He sank into a dark silence. Not wanting to leave him alone for long, she grabbed some bottled water and crackers and cheese and hurried back outside.

  He resumed talking as soon as she sat down beside him, his words coming in a rush. “I played along with him to find out as much as I could about their plans. Finally, I ran him out of town at gunpoint with orders to tell my former associates that they’d have to face me if they came back to Blessing.”

  “Did that work?”

  “You know damn well it didn’t. I should’ve known that I couldn’t do anything right. I was better with a gun than any of them, but they had me beat in sheer numbers.”

  “And none of the other residents of Blessing would stand with you?”

  “I wouldn’t have let them if they’d offered. They were miners and storekeepers, not gunfighters.” He took a long drink of water. “I think I wanted them to look at me like some kind of hero, especially Amanda and her son.”

  “And did she?”

  For the first time in hours, Wyatt’s mood lightened. “No, she railed at me for hours. Said I was a fool for thinking I could stop them. That there’d always be more gold and more men to steal it. What good would I be to anybody if I was dead?”

  Then his smile faded. “Turned out she was right, but I was willing to die to protect her and the boy.”

  He was up and pacing now. “As long as no one ever stood up to those bastards, the attacks would never end.”

  “You were courageous for even trying, Wyatt.”

  “Don’t go trying to make me out to be a hero, Rayanne. People died that day.”

  He stopped to stare out toward the woods. She followed his line of sight, already knowing what she’d see out there. Or rather, who. A ragged line of people, all wearing clothes right out of a history book, stood at the edge of the meadow, staring back at Wyatt. Right in the front of the bunch stood a young boy. When he raised his hand to wave, Wyatt turned his back, his face contorted in a mask of grief and shame.

  “And it was the wrong people who died.”

  Then in a flash of light, he was gone.

  Chapter 16

  The sun was coming up when Rayanne sank back down in her chair on the porch. The night had not been one bit restful, her bed lonely, and her dreams empty and so damn sad. Her heart hurt for Wyatt, plain and simple. She now understood the burden of guilt that he’d carried around on his broad shoulders all these years. He’d died on the dusty streets of Blessing, gunned down by men he’d once ridden with, but he’d willingly taken that risk.

  The problem was that somehow Amanda’s son had died, too.

  She scanned the surrounding woods. Where had Wyatt gone? How long would he stay away this time? Always questions and no answers. If he didn’t show up soon, she’d head into town to see if he was back in Blessing. Even if she couldn’t see him, she’d give anything to simply feel his presence, to know that he was all right.

  It hadn’t hit her until she’d been in bed that the last few minutes before Wyatt had disappeared, he’d been wearing his duster again, even though he’d left it hanging on the railing back in Blessing. Obviously, at some point he’d returned to his ghostly state, and she hadn’t even noticed.

  That was because no matter what form he took, Wyatt was real to her. A man, not merely the memory of one. And she loved him. What would he do if she told him? Would it help heal his wounds or only make them worse?

  There was one way to find out. With so many other ghosts drifting through the woods, she hadn’t wanted to risk running into them in the dark. Once the sun was up high enough to chase away the worst of the shadows, she’d head straight for Blessing and hunt for Wyatt.

  She finished the last of her coffee and took the cup back inside, trading it for her backpack. Once she found Wyatt, she’d make it damn clear to him that she wanted to be with him regardless of the events of the past.

  Maybe she was being overly optimistic, but she’d made sure to wear another pair of her drawstring shorts—just in case. Her bed might be more comfortable, but she’d happily settle for saloon-floor sex, too. She smiled at the memory of the conversation they’d had over what was hot and what was really hot.

  As she stepped off the porch, she realized there was a noise in the distance, one she hadn’t heard since the day Shawn had driven off in a huff. Damn it, just what she needed. Someone was coming. Her first temptation was to take off for the woods, but there’d be no hiding her trail through the dew-dampened grass. Besides, with her car parked by the cabin, they’d know she was around somewhere.

  No one would drive this far without good reason. Maybe it was Phil dropping by for a visit, but she couldn’t be that lucky. She sat down on the porch step and waited.

  Sure enough, a few minutes later she caught sight of her mother’s car. Maybe she should have run for Blessing and stayed there until her mom gave up and went home. God knew what kind of tales Shawn had told her.

  The car hit a rut just as it came to a stop, causing it to lurch sideways. Her mom gunned the engine, sending up a spray of gravel. Rayanne winced, knowing how much her mom babied her car. If it got scratched, she’d never hear the end of it.

  Her mom parked right in front of the cabin and climbed out of the car. She hobbled her way around to the steps, her shoes totally inappropriate for walking on rough ground.

  “Mother, as usual a call would’ve been nice. Another five minutes, and you would’ve had to sit on the porch all day until I got back or give up and head back down the road.”

  Where she belonged. Lana had never been one for roughing it. The cabin had all of the usual amenities like running water and electricity. However, it failed to meet her mother’s definition of civilization because it was more than five miles from the nearest mall.

  Her mother glared at her. “If I’d have called, you would have told me not to come.”

  No use in arguing that one. It was true.

  “So if you knew I wanted to be left alone, and you hate this place so much, why are you here?”

  Lana gave her a thoroughly disgusted look. “Can’t this discussion wait until we’re inside? I need a cold drink and a bathroom.”

  “Fine. I’ll let you in. Help yourself to anything you want to eat or drink. The bathroom is upstairs.”

  Her mother pushed a button on her key ring, which released the trunk lid. “Get my luggage out of the car for me.”

  Rayanne’s first instinct was to refuse. If the suitcase stayed right where it was, there was always the chance her mother would head back down the road again today. Once the luggage was inside, she’d be staying for sure.

  Rather than immediately fetching it, she unlocked the door and followed her mother inside. “Why a
re you here, Mom?”

  “I was already worried about you, but then Shawn stopped by after you ran him off. I still can’t believe you did that after he drove all the way up here to see you. Seriously, I don’t know why he hadn’t given up on you long before this.”

  Rayanne pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge and handed to her. “Need I remind you that Shawn also showed up uninvited? Not to mention he wanted me to blow off my work and go hang out with him, instead.”

  Lana picked up the water in a white-knuckled grip. “Which is exactly what you should have done. I don’t have to tell you how much you hurt his feelings. Luckily, I reminded him that you’d just lost your uncle. If you make nice the next time you see him, I’m sure he’ll forgive your rude behavior.”

  Enough was enough.

  “First of all, Shawn and I have agreed that there is no future for us except as friends. Secondly, I’m a historian, Mother, and Shawn knows that. I only have so long to do my research and start writing before the summer is over. It’s already getting to be late August. If I decide to return to my job, I still have a lot of work to finish before school starts.”

  Her mother only heard one thing. Her voice went up two octaves. “If? What do you mean if you decide to return to your job? Of course you’re returning to the college. That’s where your life is.”

  Right now Rayanne had more important things on her mind than picking up the pieces of her life down below. Things she couldn’t share with her mother. Yes, eventually she’d have to return to reality, but not until some things up here on the mountain were settled.

  Rather than point that out, she drew a long, deep breath and changed tactics. “Mom, you must be tired from the drive up here. Why don’t you eat something and then lie down? I’ll set your bag on the porch on my way out.”

  Lana planted herself between Rayanne and the door. “Where are you going?”

  “Into town.”

  Her mother brightened and immediately pulled out her keys. “Great. I’ll drive. We can get a hotel room and a spa treatment. My treat.”

  “Not that town, Mom. I’m going to spend the day working in Blessing.”

  Her mom didn’t budge. Instead, she dug in her heels and crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t want you rambling around in that death trap by yourself. Shawn told me that you almost got killed falling through the floor of one of those old buildings.”

  Darn the man. “He exaggerated the danger. Now please step out of the way, Mom. I’ll be back before dark.”

  “Fine. Do what you want. You always do.” Her mother stood her ground a few seconds longer. “But understand that you’re forcing my hand, Rayanne. Living up here allowed my brother to avoid dealing with his problems, and he ended up spending his whole life alone. He could’ve gotten help, and maybe, just maybe, he could have lived a normal life again.”

  She finally gave ground, but her voice cracked. “I lost my brother to this mountain. I don’t want the same thing to happen to you, too. One way or another, I want you back home. Then we’ll see about putting this place up for sale. It’s been a burden to our family long enough.”

  Rayanne understood her mother’s concerns, but her own connection to this mountain wasn’t ever going to change. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Mom. Uncle Ray left this place to me and enough money to live on for years. It was his gift to me, and it will not be going up for sale, ever. If you can’t accept that, I would prefer that you were gone when I get back.”

  She walked out, pausing by her mother’s car long enough to slam the trunk lid shut, leaving the luggage locked inside. Not exactly a subtle hint, but right now she didn’t have time for subtleties. Not with Wyatt gone missing and time growing short.

  * * *

  The first thing she noticed was the silence in the woods. No flutter of bird wings, no scurrying feet in the undergrowth. What were they sensing that had them all hiding? She took a cautious look around. Just as she suspected, there was movement in the trees, but the ghostly forms made no sound as they passed.

  If they were aware of her, they gave no sign of it. This time it was a group of three men, miners by the look of them. One carried a pickax resting on his shoulder; the other two had shovels. When they reached a patch of sunlight, they flickered out of existence again.

  She kept moving, preferring the open space of town to the close confines of the woods. So far, outside of her dream with Wyatt, none of the spirits had paid the least bit of attention to her. She hoped it stayed that way.

  About halfway down the trail, another ghost appeared, this one much shorter. His shock of red hair marked him as the same boy who had waved at Wyatt. Billy, her long-dead great-uncle. She slowed down, hoping he’d disappear before their paths crossed, but no such luck.

  Instead, he stopped to look directly at her. “You were with Mr. Wyatt by the creek.”

  Maybe she could have ignored one of the adults if they’d spoken to her, but this was a child, and family at that. He shifted from foot to foot, too full of energy to stand still. His overalls had been neatly patched, his shoes scuffed and worn. It was uncanny how much he looked so much like Uncle Ray as a young boy.

  “Yes, I do know Wyatt. He’s a friend of mine. You must be Billy. I hear you play a mean game of checkers.”

  The boy grinned at her. “Chess, too. I’m hoping Wyatt will teach me to play poker, but he can’t while Ma is around to see.”

  She laughed. “He told me that, too.”

  Billy looked back over his shoulder as if watching for someone. “Are you going to town?”

  “Yes, I thought I’d go check on Wyatt.” If he was there.

  She was sure she hadn’t said that last part out loud, but Billy answered, anyway.

  “He’s there, all right. I saw him go in the saloon earlier. I’d take you there, but my ma would tan my hide if she caught me near the saloon. She won’t be happy if she finds out Mr. Wyatt is in there, either. She done told him as long as he rented our spare room, he couldn’t come home stinking like whiskey and those ladies who work there.

  “I don’t know why she said that last part.” He scrunched his nose up in confusion. “Miss Molly smells real nice. I sniffed her when she came into the store one day.”

  Rayanne fought to keep a straight face. Definitely time to change subjects. “I should get going. Want to walk with me?”

  He shook his head. “No, I’d better not. Nice to meet you, Miss—” His eyes widened. “You never said your name.”

  “It’s Rayanne, Billy.”

  “Nice to meet you, Miss Rayanne.”

  Then with a wave, he ran off. A few steps away he blinked out of sight. Goose bumps danced over her skin. Despite all the time she’d spent with Wyatt, she wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to seeing people pop in and out of existence.

  At least the unnatural silence had ended as the usual rustlings in the woods returned to normal. A few minutes later, she left the trees behind and the town came into sight. It looked the same—deserted and falling apart. With everything that had happened and the number of ghosts she’d seen over the past two days, she’d been afraid the missing buildings would’ve reappeared.

  What a relief. After the confrontation with her mother and then meeting Billy in the woods, she could use a bit of normal. Well, if hunting down her ghostly lover could be considered any kind of normal.

  She stopped at the end of the street and looked around. Other than a breeze stirring up some of the dust, the place was still. Empty.

  Billy said Wyatt had gone into the saloon, so she’d look there first. Of course, there was no way to know if Billy meant he’d seen him today or back in the past.

  She stepped onto the porch, wishing the town had come with some kind of instruction manual. It would sure be nice to know what she was doing when people’s lives, or rather, their dea
ths were at stake. Her gut feeling was that she was here for a purpose other than cataloging the history of the town. That somehow, she was meant to play a role in ending the tragedy once and for all.

  Even if it meant never seeing Wyatt again, never sharing another kiss, never making love with him again. She hated the whole idea, but the man deserved some peace. Then maybe she could get back to the life her mother had been talking about, one free of nightmares from her own past.

  After setting her pack down, she stepped through the doors into the saloon and breathed a sigh of relief. He was there. Not visible, but she could feel his energy. She’d take him anyway she could get him.

  “Wyatt, are you all right?”

  There was a shimmer of energy over in the corner near the pictures she had tacked up on the wall. She stepped closer, hoping he would solidify, at least enough so that she could see him, maybe even hear him.

  The struggle went on for several seconds with bright flickers of light fading in and out. A loud pop startled her, but then Wyatt was there. Tears of relief stung her eyes.

  “You’re back.”

  He nodded, looking reassuringly solid. She started toward him, but he held up his hand in warning. When she stopped, he swung his hand at the table. It passed straight through without a sound. The stacks of papers rippled a bit, but that was all.

  “Can you talk?”

  He tried, but no sound came out, at least none she could hear. His clear frustration had him fading again.

  “Don’t worry about it, Wyatt. I’m just glad that you’re here and all right. I was worried.”

  That didn’t seem to please him, either. Somehow she doubted he’d be any happier to find out that she’d met his friend Billy in the woods. Rather than push the issue right now, she’d finish sketching the last building she’d measured out. Even if she was only going through the motions, it might help him deal with the powerful emotions yesterday had triggered.

  She pulled a chair up to the closest table and started sketching. This time she added a few people strolling in front of the store now that she’d seen what they looked like. An hour or more passed before Wyatt moved closer, looking more solid. She’d finished the first picture and started a second, this one a portrait. Drawing Billy was a risk, but it felt right.