When Storm glanced at her, Jessica crossed her arms under her breasts and whirled to put her back to them both. Men!
Chapter 21
Jessica's pique didn't last long after they broke camp. Her mind quickly turned to cataloging the various repairs and improvements the gold would allow her to make on the ranch. After, that is, she paid Ned back every single penny he had expended on her behalf.
The leather pouch rode securely in Ned's saddlebag, since Jessica adamantly insisted she didn't feel comfortable carrying it herself. They could leave it hidden in the cave, she informed Ned — safe while they planned their next move.
The flatter land in the river valleys quickly rose into hills as they neared Tobias's ranch. The tall grass muffled the sound of the horses' hooves and the three riders kept a leisurely pace, each lost in their own thoughts. Storm finally decided to alter their course in order to bypass Tobias's place at the same moment the first faint echo of shots reached their ears.
Storm pulled Spirit to a halt. "That's coming from over by Tobias's place!"
"Oh my God," Jessica breathed. "Do you think it's...?"
"I'd bet my life on it."
"Then, let's go. We have to help him!"
Ned's hand shot out and grabbed Cinnabar's bridle. "Now you just hold on there, Jes. You ain't riding into any shootin' match!"
"Ned, let go. We're wasting time. Prudence and Tobias need our help!"
"And you're the one keepin' us from doing just that, Jes," Ned informed her grimly. "I want your promise that you'll go straight to that there cave and wait for us. We can't help them if we gotta worry about you."
"Storm?" Jessica met the same flat stare in Storm's eyes when she turned her plea on him.
"You're holdin' us up, Jes," Ned reminded her.
Jessica pulled her reins from Ned's hand. "Go then, damn it."
"Your promise, Jes," Ned insisted.
Jessica could almost feel Ned's eyes center on the corner of her mouth. With a determined effort, she thinned her lips out and nodded her head, while her hand slipped down behind her leg to hide her crossed fingers.
Both men stared worriedly at her for an instant longer.
"I said yes," Jessica finally spat at them. "What more do you want?"
"Hold Cinnabar, Ned," Storm said quietly.
"What...?"
Storm snugged Spirit's head close to the horse's chest and reached out his arm. He pulled Jessica close to him and kissed her firmly.
"Please, pretty lady," he said when he released her. "I can't take another chance on losing you."
Jessica shyly glanced over at Ned, but he winked solemnly at her and nodded his head. When Storm placed his finger under her chin and tipped her face up to his, she gave a resigned sigh. How could she lie to him when Storm looked at her with so much love clear on his face? She lifted her hand from its hiding place and uncrossed her fingers.
"I promise," she said.
"Thanks, pretty lady."
Jessica kept a tight rein on Cinnabar as Ned and Storm galloped away. Waiting until after they disappeared from sight, she kneed Cinnabar in a slightly different direction, which would take her unobserved past Tobias's ranch.
The closer Jessica cantered to the ranch, the more clearly she could hear the shots, even over the hilltop cutting off her view. At last she could stand it no longer, and pulled the stallion back into a slow walk as she glanced up at the top of the hill. She could at least see how things were going. The firing had increased dramatically in the last few seconds. Ned and Storm must have arrived.
Jessica turned Cinnabar up the hill, pulling him to a stop a few feet from the crest. After removing her rifle from the scabbard, she dismounted and moved in a running crouch the final short distance.
Good Lord! How long had they been fighting down there? Not one window remained unbroken in Tobias's cabin and bullet holes pockmarked the logs on the entire front of the structure. Splinters of wood littered the front porch.
The clear view she had of the destruction almost made Jessica reach for the fieldglasses at her eyes before realizing she hadn't even brought them with her from her saddlebag. She was close, too close. She started to duck her head and scramble back below the hill crest, but froze when she saw a man behind a rock near the cabin.
The man's arm came back and a torch arched through the air to land on the cabin roof. Immediately the dry wooden shingles caught and within a few seconds smoke billowed over the scene.
Frantically Jessica's eyes scanned the hillside behind the cabin for a sign of Storm or Ned. She caught the flash of a rifle and saw Storm run from behind a rock to another one, a little further down the hill. But two rifle shots, one from the direction of the rear of the barn and one from behind the horse trough, pinned him into place. He would never make it close enough in time to fight the fire!
Heart in her mouth, Jessica stared back at the little cabin. The door flew open and horror stole over her when Prudence appeared, back bent as she pulled on something just inside the door. Jessica peered through the smoke until Prudence tugged Tobias's shoulders through the doorway before she remembered the man behind the rock.
Jessica instinctively snapped her rifle to her shoulder and fired. The man jerked and the shot he had aimed at Prudence went wild. He dropped the rifle and clasped his hands over a billowing dark spot on his chest as he slowly collapsed on the ground.
Jessica aimed her rifle at the horse trough. The shot spattered water into the air, but the man behind it scrambled away unscathed and ran toward the back of the barn. A moment later she heard horses' hooves and two men disappeared over the hill behind the barn. She sent another shot winging after them, just to assure herself they wouldn't return.
A whiff of smoke brought Jessica's attention back to the cabin as Storm and Ned ran into the yard. Ned grabbed Prudence and carried her wildly struggling body away from the burning cabin while Storm pulled Tobias a safe distance from the shooting embers carried on the breeze. They would need all the help they could get to put out the fire, though.
Jessica whistled for Cinnabar and swung onto his back even before the horse could stop beside her. Grasping his mane to keep herself in the saddle, she sent him plunging and sliding down the hillside.
Though she expected a tongue lashing for her disobedience, Storm hardly glanced at her when Jessica slid from Cinnabar's back beside where he knelt over Tobias.
"Help Ned with Prudence," he ordered her, then stood and raced back toward the cabin.
Jessica ran over to Ned and managed to grab one of Prudence's flailing arms. "Prudence!" Jessica shook the arm, then reached to pull Prudence's face around to meet her eyes. "Prudence, it's me. Jessica. You're going to be all right!"
Prudence wrenched herself free from Ned's hold to bury her face in Jessica's neck. The silence of the heart wrenching sobs wracking Prudence's body only served to make them more wretched, and Jessica felt her heart go out to the young woman. It must have been horrible for her and Tobias inside the now desecrated cabin.
"For God's sake, Jes," Ned said. "Get her under control and see what you can do for Tobias."
"Ned? Where are you going? The fire...."
"We'll never get that fire out, just us," Ned said grimly. "Only thing we can do is try to save what we can from the cabin."
"You and Storm be careful. Please!"
Ned nodded and determinedly turned away to join Storm, leaving Jessica to deal with the hysterical Prudence. Jessica comforted Prudence for only a second longer before she pushed her away and gripped her by the shoulders.
"Stop it now, Prudence! Stop it! Your brother's lying over there hurt and we have to help him!"
Immediately Prudence stilled and wiped at her eyes. When Jessica hesitantly released her, Prudence hurried over to kneel by Tobias and Jessica followed her somewhat reluctantly. She'd had a glimpse of Tobias's white, drawn face before Storm sent her to help Ned with Prudence.
Jessica knelt beside Prudence and forced herself to te
ar open Tobias's blood soaked shirt. Swallowing her nausea, she stared at the gaping wound just under Tobias's rib cage, near his lung. The man couldn't possibly still be alive. Storm had probably realized that when he sent Jessica away.
Tobias drew in a gurgling breath and Jessica's astonished gaze flew to his face.
Prudence scrambled to Tobias's head and pulled it into her lap. Her eyes implored Jessica to help her brother.
"I'll get the medicine kit," Jessica told Prudence. She stood and called Cinnabar to her. With her canteen and the medicine kit in her hands, she knelt back down, all the while knowing there would be nothing in the kit that could help Tobias. She had to try, though, for Prudence's sake.
The sun slipped behind the hills while Jessica worked, the flames from the burning cabin lighting the area around them. She cleaned the wound as best she could. The blood-soaked ground around Tobias stained the knees of her riding skirt with a nauseating wetness that made her stomach roil.
Her red fingers smeared the wad of bandages Jessica finally pressed against Tobias's side and grimly held in place until she could tape it tightly. When blood still oozed out around the bandage, she sat back on her heels and glanced worriedly at Prudence's face.
Reading the message Jessica couldn't hide in her eyes, Prudence shook her head wildly. She gathered Tobias's head even closer and bent her face down to his as Storm came up to join them.
"P...Prudence."
Jessica gasped aloud when Tobias's eyes fluttered open, willing herself to silence instead of insisting he not talk. He had the right to use his remaining strength in his own way — the same as Uncle Pete did in his last few minutes. When Storm reached down to her, she allowed him to pull her up against him, leaving Tobias and Prudence to some slight privacy for their final moments together.
"Prudence." Tobias managed to lift his hand and weakly stroke Prudence's cheek. "You know how much I love you, Sis."
Prudence nodded her head as the tears streamed down her cheeks. She took his hand and brought it to her lips to kiss it.
"Yeah, and I know you love me. But who...who'll take care of you now?" He tore his eyes away from Prudence's face and fixed them on Jessica. "Miss...Miss Callaghan?"
Jessica pulled herself from Storm's arms and knelt again on the ground. "I'll see to her, Tobias. Don't worry. You have my promise."
Tobias nodded slightly, then looked past Jessica. "You. You saved my sister's life, Storm."
Storm shook his head. "Jessica's the one who shot the man aiming at Prudence."
"Then I...I've got more to thank you for, Miss Callaghan."
"Tobias, don't worry about it," Jessica insisted. "I already love Prudence like a sister. I'll do everything I can to see that she's happy."
Tobias centered his eyes on Storm. "Storm," he said. "I have to tell you...." A wracking coughing spell shook Tobias's body, cutting off his words.
Feeling sure this spell would cause Tobias's final breath, Jessica shifted slightly to reach a comforting arm out to Prudence. She pulled back when Tobias spoke again.
"S...Storm. I have to say it."
Storm joined the group on the ground and placed a hand on Tobias's shoulder. "Don't, man," he said softly. "It's not necessary."
"It is!" Tobias said insistently. His indrawn breath sent another coughing spell through him and a stream of blood ran down the side of his mouth. He let Jessica wipe it away before he again fixed his gaze on Storm.
"P...Prudence told me. Sh...she made me listen while...while she drew those pictures. She...she showed me the sign book you...you left her and wrote them down. I found them in the book and read the meanings. I...I'm sorry I misjudged you. Damned sorry."
"It's over now, Tobias."
"No," Tobias denied. "You're still charged."
"Did she tell you who actually did it, Tobias?" Storm asked.
Tobias shook his head and turned his face up to Prudence. "You have to tell, Sis. Promise me you'll tell, so our f...friend's name can be cleared and the right man can be punished. I...I can't do it for you."
Prudence nodded her head as her shoulders shook with grief.
Tobias sighed in relief and closed his eyes. Though the group around him waited with their own breaths indrawn, his chest didn't rise again.
Prudence flashed a terrified look at Jessica, then bent her head and pulled Tobias's head into her breasts. She tightened her arms around him and rocked him against her, her shoulders shaking in agonized silence.
Jessica reached out, but Prudence shook her hand off. Reluctantly, Jessica allowed Storm to lift her to her feet again.
"Leave her a moment, Jessica," Storm said softly. "She needs this to know how final it is."
"It is, Storm," Jessica said in agreement. "Death is so final. How can anyone kill another....oh, my God!"
"Jessica. What's wrong, darlin'?"
Jessica tore herself from his arms and ran for the horse trough. She gripped the corner of it with one hand, the other clutching at her stomach. Bending her body almost double, she heaved violently. Even long after she emptied her stomach, the wracking gags tore through her body, bringing up sour bile until even that faded. Still she heaved.
Storm stood silently behind Jessica, the medicine pack in his hands. When she continued to heave, he dug into the pack and brought out the bottle of whiskey. Dropping the pack to the ground, he pulled his bandanna from his neck and dipped it in the horse trough.
Storm set the whiskey bottle on the edge of the trough and firmly took hold of Jessica to pull her upright. Thrusting the wet bandanna into her hand when she batted at him, he held her tightly until she ran the cloth across her face.
"That'll help, honey." Keeping one arm firmly around her waist, Storm reached down for the bottle. "And this will help more. Here."
When Jessica dropped the bandanna from her face, Storm lifted the whisky bottle to her lips and quickly tipped it up. He managed to get her to take a swallow, but pulled the bottle away when she gasped as the fiery liquid hit her empty stomach. He only waited a second, though, until she caught her breath. Then he shifted his hold to the back of her head and forced several more swallows down her throat.
Jessica finally tore the bottle away from her lips and swiped at it. "You...you're trying to drown me!"
"No, honey," Storm denied. "Just trying to keep you from getting hysterical."
Jessica buried her face in the wet bandanna. "S...Storm," she gulped, keeping her head bowed. "Storm, I k...killed that man."
"I know, darlin'," Storm said soothingly. "But he would have killed Prudence. I was trying to work my way around to him after he threw the torch, because I knew he probably had it in his mind to shoot Tobias and Prudence when they ran out. I never would have made it in time. You had to do it, honey."
Jessica dropped the bandanna and looked up at him as she tried to quell her shaking shoulders. "That's what you and Ned meant, isn't it?" she said forlornly. "When you s...said sometimes people have to do things they don't think th...they can."
"I'm just sorry you had to find out the truth of that so soon, Jessica. It's something a person should never have to face."
"Who...who...?"
Storm remained silent, but Jessica straightened her shoulders and turned away. "I'll ask Ned, then. Or go see for myself."
Storm refused to release her. "He was one of the Lazy B hands," he said reluctantly.
"Not...not one of the men we saw in town! What was his name?"
"Don't, Jessica. It won't help any...."
"Which one?" Jessica demanded again. "Waco or...or Red?"
"It was Red, honey," Storm admitted.
She wished she hadn't asked. It only made it worse, if that were possible, now that she could put a face to the man who crumbled under her bullet. Her stomach roiled again, and Jessica grabbed the whiskey bottle from Storm's hand. Tipping it up, she took two more long swallows.
"Whoa, honey," Storm said as he gently took the bottle from her. "You might have to help us with Prudenc
e. She doesn't seem to take too kindly to Ned."
"Yesh, Prudence," Jessica slurred. "I'll...I'll help you, Shtorm. Wheresh Ned?"
"Oh, honey, I think I already let you have too much," Storm said with a small chuckle. "Ned's up on the hill making sure those men don't sneak back on us. But I don't think there's much chance of that. In fact, I doubt if they ever come back to this territory. They won't want to face the wrath of the Bakers when they find out they failed to kill both Tobias and Prudence. I've got a feeling they won't have any more success in getting this land from Prudence than they did Tobias."
"P...Prudensh. We have ta go to her, Shtorm." Jessica wobbled away from him.
Storm sighed and snugged the cork back into the whiskey bottle. Hearing a footfall close behind him, he turned to see Ned approaching.
"They're gone, son." Ned nodded toward where Jessica knelt again beside Prudence and Tobias. "How...?"
"Tobias is dead," Storm said quietly.
Ned bowed his head for a second, his lips moving soundlessly. When he looked back at Storm, he said, "Think you can handle things around here alone for a while? Someone ought to tell Elias. Man's friends should know when he passes."
"I'll handle it, Ned. We'll stay here tonight — move things into the barn for shelter. Keeping busy will be the best thing for Jessica, though only time will help Prudence."
"How's Jes takin' it?"
Storm immediately knew Ned wasn't referring to Tobias's death. "About like we did the first time we had to kill someone, Ned," he said wryly. He held the whiskey bottle up.
"Yeah, I remember. Look, I'll try to get back before morning. If not, I'll go to the place we camped that Jes told me about."
"Watch your back trail, Ned. I don't think they'll hang around, but you can never tell for sure about skunks like that."
Montana Surrender Page 24
