The Last Cahill Cowboy

by Jenna Kernan

  Chance Cahill: Most-wanted bachelor or tortured renegade?

  Bounty hunter Chance Cahill blows into town like tumbleweed, a rootless drifter with danger written all over him. For this man doesn’t care whether he lives or dies. It’s what makes him so fearless—and so deadly.

  Ellie Jenkins, plain as brown paper, is determined to marry for love. It’s only when she comes face-to-face with childhood friend Chance that she realizes what she’s been waiting for.

  But then Ellie sees the empty look behind his eyes, and she knows that to win this cowboy’s heart will take a risk so big it may destroy them both.…

  Cahill Cowboys Texas’s Finest

  Cahill Cowboys

  Texas’s Finest

  In the heart of America’s Wild West, only one family matters—the legendary Cahills.

  Once a dynasty to be reckoned with, their name has been dragged through the cattle-worn mud, and their family torn apart.

  Now the three Cahill cowboys and their scandalous sister reunite.

  With a past as dark as the Texas night sky, it’s time for the family to heal their hearts and seek justice….

  SNOWFLAKES AND STETSONS

  “Christmas at Cahill Crossing”

  by Carol Finch—October 2011

  THE LONE RANCHER

  by Carol Finch—November 2011

  THE MARSHAL AND MISS MERRITT

  Debra Cowan—December 2011

  SCANDAL AT THE CAHILL SALOON

  Carol Arens—January 2012

  THE LAST CAHILL COWBOY

  Jenna Kernan—February 2012

  Author Note

  Are you as excited about this release as I am?

  This is my first continuity. The collaboration between Carol Finch, Debra Cowan and Carol Arens has been the most rewarding part of constructing this story. Together we created a town full of people who felt real to me—streets, businesses, life. What fun!

  I’ve been waiting for Chance to ride back into Cahill Crossing and now he has finally returned. You know he’s going to shake things up and cause trouble, because that is what he does best. Quin would like him to be more responsible, Bowie would settle for just having him stay out of jail and Leanna wishes he’d settle down, but Chance has his own ideas. Get ready for a rough ride!

  I have more about Ellie and Chance and the writing of this story on my website, www.jennakernan.com, and readers who want more insight into my day-to-day writing life can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jennakernan.

  Finally, I’d like to thank my editor Ann Leslie Tuttle and the UK editorial team for all their hard work on this series.

  Enjoy the adventure and giddy-up!

  Jenna Kernan

  Jenna Kernan

  The Last Cahill Cowboy

  Available from Harlequin® Historical and

  Jenna Kernan in ebook format:

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  “The Sheriff’s Housekeeper Bride”

  Gold Rush Groom #1055

  *The Last Cahill Cowboy #1075

  *Cahill Cowboys

  Also available from Harlequin Nocturne

  Dream Stalker #78

  Ghost Stalker #111

  Soul Whisperer #126

  JENNA KERNAN

  is every bit as adventurous as her heroines. Her hobbies include recreational gold prospecting, scuba diving and rock climbing. Indoor pursuits encompass jewelry-making, writing, photography and quilting. Jenna lives in New York State with her husband and two gregarious little parrots. Visit Jenna at www.jennakernan.com for excerpts from her latest release, giveaways and monthly contests.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Epilogue

  Prologue

  Texas, 1880

  Chance Cahill checked the soles of his boots before entering Ma’s parlor and then felt the gut punch as he remembered where he’d just been. Ruby Cahill would never again care if he tracked mud into her house. His sister, Leanna, squeezed his elbow and he glanced down at her pretty face, marred with dark smudges beneath her red-rimmed eyes. The black silk dress did not suit her normally cheerful personality and seeing her in her mourning garb only served to make Chance feel worse.

  His two older brothers were already going at it. Quin, the eldest, had been ordering them around for as long as he could remember and it looked as though today would be no different.

  He ushered Leanna in and then they separated as she took the center spot on the sofa and he moved to the fireplace, to watch and wait—wait for orders, wait to be noticed, wait for an opportunity that would never come. He’d given up on hoping he’d earn an equal place with his brothers. They couldn’t see he’d grown up. Twenty-five now with a man’s wants and desires for independence. Foremost, he wanted out of here. He’d known it before the wagon accident that had ripped their parents from them forever. He just hadn’t gotten up the nerve to tell his pa. Now he’d never have to.

  He glanced out the window. They were both out there now, buried on the land they’d ranched. He clenched his fists in rage and guilt. He couldn’t stay here; he didn’t belong, not anymore. He’d made a terrible mistake, one that could never be put right. Now all he wanted to do was run.

  He scanned the room, seeing his mother everywhere except in his father’s big leather chair, which Quin now used as a coat hanger. Chance wanted to knock his brother’s black jacket to the floor. Instead, he closed his eyes, shutting out the sight, but not the voices.

  “Pa talked about expansion and that’s what I’m aiming for. We’ll pour the profits of the ranch and the town rents back into the 4C.”

  One hour before, they had been standing by two open graves. Quin did not even have the decency to allow them to grieve. One glance at Leanna’s tightly pressed lips told him she felt the same. She cast him a look of frustration, but neither Quin nor Bowie noticed, because Quin was all over Bowie like grease on an axle. The two had butted heads about everything and only Pa could ever make them stop. But Pa was gone and Chance felt his stomach cramp as he watched Bowie’s jaw tick.

  “I’m assigning you to raising, breeding, training and sale of the horses,” said Quin.

  Neither cared that Chance’s only joy, besides shooting, was working with horses.

  “I have a job, in case you’ve forgotten, brother,” snapped Bowie. “I can hardly oversee the horse operation, the livestock and hired hands if I’m already working as the sheriff in Deer County.”

  Quin didn’t seem to hear a word, just ignored him as usual, so he missed the murderous look Bowie shot him when he turned to face their sister.

  “Annie, you’
re in charge of the household, meals, staff and supplies…everything Ma did.”

  Leanna’s eyes rounded at the mention of Ma, then narrowed on Quin. Her anger did not stem the tears that had been streaming down her cheeks all day.

  Quin turned next to him, ticking down the list and the pecking order all at once.

  “You’re working under me.”

  The hell he was. Chance stood in silence.

  “Helping with the breeding and cattle and you’ll give the orders to the cowboys while I’m gone on roundup come spring and fall.”

  Quin had been gone when the accident had occurred, although he’d promised to be back. It was that promise that had made Chance decide it was safe to skip out and go shooting instead of driving the wagon as Pa had requested. Quin was always where he was supposed to be—just not this time.

  “So, I’m your hired hand?” Chance ground out.

  Bowie cut in. “Now just hold on. We should all have a say in what we do.”

  Chance nearly laughed. A say, that was rich. Like they’d listen. Leanna was trying to get Quin to lay off, taking exception to his timing, which was lousy as usual. The neighbors would be arriving any minute with their pies and casseroles. Chance glanced out the window again, looking for escape from the lecture Quin had started on family responsibility. Bowie butted in again, arguing about his job.

  Chance was jealous that Bowie had escaped and understood it perfectly. Pa had been a tough taskmaster and Quin was unbearable. Bowie had had the guts to leave and Chance admired him for it. Plus Bowie had found something to do that he loved and was good at. But Chance had also seen how his leaving had disappointed Pa and that stopped Chance from doing the same. But it hadn’t stopped him wanting to.

  Quin didn’t miss the opportunity to jab Bowie by repeating Pa’s harsh words about walking away to defend strangers instead of doing his duty at the ranch. Chance watched the barbed tip of the arrow hit home.

  “And who do you think got stuck with the extra work? It sure wasn’t Annie or Chance.”

  No matter how quiet he was he still got dragged into their fight every time. The raised voices and heated words made Chance’s head pound. He just wanted quiet.

  Bowie and Quin always clashed as Bowie tried to get the upper hand, while Quin was determined not to lose his place on top. They made it easy for Chance to just disappear. The two of them together filled the room without any help from him.

  Bowie countered by reminding Quin that it was a whore in Dodge that had kept him from being here to drive Pa. Quin winced as Bowie’s words tore flesh and he doubled down, leaning in and lifting his finger like a cocked pistol.

  “You knew I was gone.” He jabbed a finger at Bowie. “You should have been here, taking up the slack. Especially when you learned about Pa’s broken wrist. You knew he couldn’t drive that wagon.”

  “I was working that day,” Bowie gritted out. “I had a dangerous prisoner in my jail.”

  Any minute now they’d recall that he was the one Pa had asked to drive him, not Quin, not Bowie—him. But he hadn’t wanted to go to Wolf Grove. Hadn’t wanted the new suit that Ma had insisted he have for the family photo commemorating the founding of the new town, Cahill Crossing. So he had snuck off before they left to practice target shooting with his new repeater. Chance fingered the crisp trouser seam of the stiff black pants that Ma had picked out for him, realizing she’d managed to get him into this damned suit, anyway. Chance steeled himself against the burning in his throat, fearing he might cry.

  It was his fault they were gone and he had to get out of here before Bowie or Quin said aloud the words that were already tearing at his heart.

  He stepped between them. “I’m not staying to take orders from either of you anymore. If I do, I’ll never be anything but y’all’s kid brother. Pa’s gone and I’m through being a ranch hand.”

  Quin rounded on him. “You’re part owner of this ranch! As such, you have to work just like the rest of us.” He glared at them all, his quicksilver eyes flashing. “We are doing what is best for the 4C.”

  Chance had expected that, but he’d steered the conversation away from the accident, away from his shame.

  “Ranching isn’t in my blood. I only stayed this long for Pa,” he said.

  Quin exploded. “Ma and Pa are barely in the ground and y’all are jumping ship. I’m trying to hold everything together so we can become the family and the ranch Pa worked so hard to build. We’re the most influential ranching family in Texas. Pa wanted it to stay that way.”

  “That’s what you want, Quin,” Bowie snapped.

  Chance nodded. “I’m going.”

  “Me, too,” Leanna said.

  Quin stared at the three of them. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

  “Watch me,” said Bowie.

  Leanna tried to get between them, but they brushed her aside.

  Quin leaned in, his jaw locking like a wolf trap as he fixed his cold silver eyes on Bowie for a long moment before he threw down his challenge. “Be a man and do your part.”

  Bowie shoved Quin against the wall. Quin fell into Ma’s treasured porcelain bowl. Chance took a step in that direction, but too late, as the bowl exploded on the hardwood planking. Leanna gave a cry and fell to her knees before the scattered pieces, the silk of her skirts billowing out around her like a black ocean. Quin lowered his shoulder and shoved Bowie back, sending him sprawling over Pa’s big leather chair.

  Bowie scrambled to his feet, his face flushed a deep red. “Go to hell and take your orders with you!”

  Leanna let the single shard of blue and white porcelain fall from her fingers as she stood and stepped between her brothers again. Their fighting always upset her and she’d tried to stop them more times than Chance could count.

  “Stop it.” She latched on to Bowie’s arm, clasping his clenched fist with both her hands. “What do you suppose Mama and Papa would think of us? Can’t this wait…?”

  “Stay out of this, Annie,” Quin ordered.

  But she didn’t. She never could disappear like Chance because she felt everyone’s pain as if it were her own. He’d told her that her big heart would get her into trouble and she had countered by telling him that someday he’d find a problem that was too important for him to walk away from.

  Maybe they were both right. But why did she have to bait Quin to protect Bowie? He knew that look and saw it all coming before she let the words fly.

  She rose on her tiptoes and still didn’t reach Quin’s shoulder. “No one made you ruler of us all, Quin!”

  She’d done it. Chance could tell by the look on Quin’s face that he’d forgotten all about Bowie. She had succeeded in stopping the fight by getting Quin to turn on her instead.

  Chance had never before seen Quin so mad that the blood vessels at his throat pulsed. Chance stepped closer, ready to do whatever he had to in order to protect Leanna. But Quin never lifted his hand. Instead, he opened his mouth.

  “Grow up,” Quin growled. “You’re not fit for anything other than looking pretty and playing games.”

  Bowie stepped up beside Chance. One of the few things they’d ever agreed on was protecting Leanna, even from herself.

  Leanna glanced at them and Chance silently begged her to back down. But there was fire in her blue eyes and a familiar set of her jaw that Chance knew spelled trouble. She turned back to Quin.

  “I say we sell the ranch and each take our share.”

  Chance froze. Bowie’s head jerked toward her. It was as if she had thrown a live mortar into their midst. The silence in the room was so loud Chance could hear the ticking of the clock in the hall.

  Quin recovered from the bomb Leanna had hurled first.

  “Have you lost your damned mind?”

  Leanna flushed as if only just realizing what she had said. But Chance knew she’d never take it back. She was too damned stubborn for that, and anyway, it was what they all were thinking—all, that is, except Quin.

  “Ma and Pa are b
uried on this land, you spoiled little brat.” Quin no longer raised his voice, but there was a cold inflexibility there that was more brutal than his shouting.

  “You can’t run it alone. It belongs to all of us. Bowie has his own life. Chance doesn’t want yours and neither do I.”

  “And just what are you fit for, Miss China Doll? We sell over my dead body. Ranching is who we are. That’s our destiny.”

  “Yours, maybe. Not mine,” said Chance to Quin. Then to Leanna. “You coming?”

  She nodded and he took her elbow, heading out of the room.

  Quin bellowed from behind them. “You’re not worthy to be called Cahills.”

  They reached the front door.

  “This ranch stays intact, as Pa stated in his will,” he shouted.

  Chance held the door and waited for Leanna. To her credit, she hesitated only an instant before leaving the only home she had ever known. A moment later, Bowie joined them. Chance lifted his twin holsters from the peg beside the entrance and strapped the gun belt beneath his new black jacket.

  Quin stilled, realizing perhaps that Chance was really going, for he knew his little brother well enough to understand how much those pistols meant to him.

  Chance followed Leanna and Bowie out.

  “Don’t come back!” yelled Quin. “You hear me? If you walk away now, don’t you ever come back.”

  The three crossed the porch with Quin dogging them as far as the steps.

  “Fine. You go and see how you do without your family to back you! But I’ll be here where I belong, keeping the 4C Ranch alive like Pa wanted. And if you’re going, you go with a horse and the clothes on your back.”

  “More than I expected,” muttered Chance, and then cursed.

  “You think leaving here will help you find out who you are?” Quin stood on the porch waving his fists. “I can save you the trip. You’re quitters and I’m ashamed to call you family. None of you are worthy to bear the Cahill name.”

  Chance kept walking. He’d gotten his wish. He’d severed the ties between himself and this ranch. But the price was high. He’d earned his freedom at the cost of his family.