The Rancher's Courtship & Lone Wolf's Lady

by Laurie Kingery

  * * *

  Tom hadn’t ridden as far from the ranch as he’d hoped when he’d heard a gunshot and a child’s scream. He didn’t know how or why—just that the unthinkable had happened.

  The thought that Katie hadn’t kept her word hadn’t crossed his mind. She’d promised not to leave the house, and he believed her. It was as simple as that.

  He rode as fast as he could, following the sound toward a field of wildflowers before reaching a thick grove of cottonwoods.

  As his eyes landed upon a patch of dried leaves soaked in blood, Tom stopped abruptly, his heart pounding.

  No body, but a trail of crimson drops led deeper into the trees. If Jeremiah had hurt either Katie or Sarah Jane, Tom would make sure justice was served if he had to join the posse that went after him.

  Walking lightly, he followed the blood trail. At first he thought he might only have imagined Katie’s voice, but as he moved closer, she spoke again. His movements stilled as his senses keened.

  “What do you think you’re going to do after you’ve killed us? Tom will come looking for you.”

  Jeremiah gave Sarah Jane a push, then stepped closer to Katie and nudged her with the barrel of his gun. “I’d just as soon shoot that Indian as look at him. And nobody will care about the death of a half-breed. That’s the way of it in these parts.”

  “Then I suggest you watch your back,” Tom said, his gun already drawn.

  Jeremiah grabbed Katie, jerked her close and pointed his own gun to her temple. “Drop it, McCain, or I’ll shoot.”

  If he’d held another hostage, anyone except Katie, Tom might have refused to lower his gun, might have tried to call his bluff. But he couldn’t risk the life of the woman he loved more than he dared to admit.

  As Tom lowered his gun, he spotted Lobo, creeping along on his haunches, bloodied and battered, his dark eyes on Haney. As the Colt .45 dropped to the ground, Lobo jumped toward Jeremiah’s leg, grabbing his thigh.

  “Aah!” Jeremiah loosened his hold on Katie, but before he could aim the gun at Lobo, Tom lunged forward, knocking both the dog and the man off balance.

  With one hand gripping the wrist that held the six-shooter, Tom landed on top of Jeremiah. He swung his fist, striking the man squarely in the jaw.

  “Back off, Lobo,” Tom called.

  The wolf-dog growled and snapped one last time before obeying the command.

  A crack sounded as Tom’s fist connected with Jeremiah’s nose. Slamming the hand that gripped the weapon to the ground, Tom managed to jar the pistol free. Then he snatched the gun and aimed the barrel at Haney.

  His finger strained against the trigger. So intense was his anger at the man who’d surely murdered Caroline and would have killed Katie and Sarah Jane that, for a moment, Tom didn’t know whether he’d fire or not.

  “They’ll hang you for shooting me, half-breed,” Jeremiah said, his eyes wild with fear. “That’s the way it is around here.”

  Haney was right. And nothing would ever change that. Tom could rid the world of a cruel, evil man, and then he would be punished for the deed—all because of the blood that ran in his veins.

  But more than that, there was God’s law to worry about. And it wasn’t up to Tom to judge the man.

  Letting Haney live would be more of a punishment because Jeremiah Haney, a pillar of the Stillwater community, would be tried, convicted and executed for what he’d done to Caroline.

  At that point, several of Harrison’s men arrived, with guns drawn.

  “Can one of you get a wagon?” Tom asked. “I’d like to haul my dog back to the house. He was injured trying to protect Harrison’s great-granddaughter.”

  Katie, who’d knelt to comfort Sarah Jane, slowly rose, lifting the whimpering child, who clutched her with a grip not likely to loosen anytime soon. “It’s over, sweetheart. You don’t have to be afraid any longer. Tom will see to it that you and I are safe—now and forever.” Then she turned to Tom and smiled. “I knew, if I kept him talking long enough, you would come to find us.”

  “I’d hoped your clever wit would come in handy. It looks like we’ve both found some things we admire about each other.”

  “I agree.”

  “We can talk about this later, but maybe we ought to consider forming a permanent partnership.”

  “I’d like that.” Katie tossed him a smile, then gently placed Sarah Jane onto the ground, took her by the hand, and led her back to the house.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Back at the Lazy G, Sarah Jane stood watch as Katie and Maria tended Lobo’s wounds and refused to leave her heroic friend’s side until she was sure he would live. The bullet had cut a deep gash across the dog’s head, nearly taking off his ear before striking his shoulder.

  Katie worried that someone might suggest putting him out of his misery, especially in front of Sarah Jane, but she hadn’t needed to be concerned about that. Tom had insisted they treat the animal as if he were human, and she had no objections whatsoever.

  A couple of Harrison’s men had summoned the sheriff, and when he arrived, he found Jeremiah under armed guard, his hands and feet bound. Before taking him into custody, the sheriff took statements from both Tom and Katie.

  “If you don’t mind,” Sheriff Tipton said, “I’d like to question the little girl.”

  “She’s been traumatized,” Katie said. “Please don’t press her too hard.”

  “I’ll go easy on her, ma’am. I have a couple of little ones of my own. But she’s a witness to more than just this incident.”

  Katie nodded, then followed him into the hacienda and to the sitting room, where Sarah Jane sat beside a sleeping Lobo, stroking his fur. The dollhouse, now forgotten, rested just a few feet away.

  “That’s a fine family of dolls you have,” Sheriff Tipton said.

  Sarah Jane nodded. “They belonged to my mama.”

  “Did they now.” The sheriff took a seat in the chair closest to her, removed his hat and learned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “Miss O’Malley tells me you were playing with these dolls earlier today, before all the trouble began.”

  Sarah Jane nodded. “I wanted to find some wildflowers to decorate the rooms, just like my mama used to do. So me and Lobo went outside for a walk in the meadow where they grow. And that’s when Mr. Haney came and got us. Lobo tried to help me, and Mr. Haney shot him.”

  “You have a very brave dog.”

  She nodded. “He’s the best dog in the whole world.”

  “That he is.”

  Sarah Jane gave Lobo a soft and gentle hug.

  “Is this the first time you saw Mr. Haney?” the sheriff asked.

  Sarah Jane slowly shook her head. “He’s the man who hurt Erin when we were going to the mercantile. He wanted us to go with him that day, and she told him no because she didn’t like him. Mama didn’t like him, either. But he kept telling me and Erin that we had to go with him or else.”

  “Or else what?” the sheriff asked.

  “I don’t know. Something bad would happen, I think. She told him to turn her loose, and then he hit her really hard. And he kept hitting her. I cried for help, and when Blossom came running, he grabbed my arm really hard and pulled me with him. I thought he was going to take me away, but I kicked him and bit him, and he let go. Then I ran as fast as I could.”

  “You’re a smart girl. And very brave. Did you tell the sheriff who hurt you and Erin?”

  “I was afraid to tell. Because when we were in Taylorsville, Mr. Haney told me that if I ever told anyone about him, he’d push me down the stairs, too.”

  At that, Tom eased closer to the child. “He’d push you down the stairs, too?”

  Sarah Jane nodded, the tears welling in her eyes. “Just like Mama.”

  “I knew it,” Tom said. “That fall wasn’t an accident.”

 
“Tell me about the day your mama fell down the stairs,” the sheriff asked. “Who was at home?”

  “It was almost dinnertime, and Erin went to see Mrs. Phillips about a job because they didn’t need her to work at the restaurant anymore. Mama was in the kitchen.”

  “Was Mr. Haney there?”

  “Yes. Mama never liked it when he came. When he left, she always cried. But this time, it was different. Their voices were loud. I heard them go upstairs. She told him to leave, but he wouldn’t.”

  “Where were you?” the sheriff asked.

  “Downstairs, in Erin’s room playing with my doll. But I opened the door and came out.”

  “What were your mother and Mr. Haney doing?”

  “He was all red in the face and angry. And Mama was crying. She told me to go back into the room, so I did. But then I heard her scream. I thought someone really big ran down the stairs really fast. When I came to see what happened, Mama was lying on the floor. And there was blood.”

  “Where was Mr. Haney?”

  “Upstairs. He came down and looked at Mama. Her neck was crooked. And she wasn’t moving or talking. She just laid there with her eyes open. Then he looked at me and said, ‘I’m leaving now. But if you tell anyone you saw me here, I’ll come back and push you down the stairs, too.’ Then he left, but not out the front door. He went back upstairs to Mama’s bedroom. I think he must have climbed out a window.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “I knelt down by Mama, but she just laid there for the longest time, making funny noises. When Erin came home, she called the doctor. But Mama never woke up again.”

  Tom cleared his throat and said, “They told me in Taylorsville that Caroline broke her neck. She lived for a few hours, but never regained consciousness.”

  “Sarah Jane,” the sheriff asked, “did you tell the sheriff what you saw and heard?”

  She shook her head no. “I was scared. I thought he would come back and hurt me.”

  “And you didn’t tell Erin, either?”

  “No. Am I in trouble?”

  “Of course not. Jeremiah Haney is the one who’s in trouble. He’s a bad man. And he’ll be punished for what he did.”

  “Sarah Jane,” Tom said, “I have a question you might not be able to answer. But I’m going to ask it anyway. Why did you and Erin move from Taylorsville? I thought you might have left because you were both afraid of Jeremiah.”

  “We left because someone took all the money Mama had been saving. And Erin couldn’t pay the rent. After Mama died, Erin looked for it in Mama’s bedroom, but it wasn’t there.”

  Had Jeremiah stolen it? Is that what they’d fought about?

  Either way, the child’s account of her mother’s death was enough evidence to charge him with murder.

  After the sheriff and his deputy took Jeremiah back to town, Sarah Jane finally collapsed into tears.

  Nearly an hour later, Katie still held her while she wept. The poor little girl’s grief tore at Katie’s heart until she wondered if the tears would ever stop. She glanced around the sitting room at Tom, Harrison, Abel and Maria, noting her concern was mirrored by them all.

  Finally, Tom got to his feet and strode across the tiled floor. “Can’t you do something? It’s killing me to see her cry like that.”

  Katie continued to hold the girl, rocking her gently and stroking her back as she sobbed. “I think it’s best if we allow her to grieve.”

  Maria nodded in agreement. “Sí, she has kept too much inside for too long.”

  She was right. The self-imposed silence had surely taken a toll on the child. Tom sighed and looked to Harrison as if hoping for a suggestion.

  The old cattleman sat stoically in a chair next to Abel, his face pale, his jaw taut. Finally, he got to his feet, too. Then he shuffled forward, placing a frail hand upon Sarah Jane’s head. “Sweetheart, I swear to you, Jeremiah Haney will pay for what he did to your mother.”

  Sarah Jane continued to cry as though her great-grandfather’s words held no comfort whatsoever.

  Katie knew she had to soothe the child for the sake of the adults who suffered along with her, all of them wanting to help but unable to ease her pain. “I know you miss your mother something awful. But I want you to know something. She’s in Heaven with the angels now,” Katie said.

  Sarah Jane’s cries began to abate just a bit, and Katie knew she was listening.

  “You can’t see her, but I know she was there with you today. She watched over you until we found you.”

  The little girl took a deep breath, shuddering as the racking cries began to subside little by little.

  “Now that your mama has angel wings, she’ll continue to be with you, even though you can’t see her. She’ll watch out for you always.”

  “But,” Sarah Jane began, lip quivering and words coming slowly. “I can’t...ever hug...her again. I...can’t...tell her...that I love her.”

  “No,” Katie said. “You can’t hug her here on earth, but I think there will be times she’ll be so close that you’ll feel warm and loved and safe. And you’ll be able to hug her again someday in Heaven.”

  “I miss her.”

  “I know you do, honey.” Katie brushed a strand of hair from her wet cheek. “But there’s something important she wants you to do.”

  Sarah Jane sniffled. “What’s that?”

  “Your mama wants you to enjoy all the earthly things she can no longer experience.”

  “How can I do that?”

  Katie smiled warmly. “Well, you can take an extra sniff of a lilac. You can enjoy the warmth of the sun on your face for just a moment longer. And you can walk barefoot in the wet sand along a creek bed a few more steps.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because that’s what I’ve done since my mother went to Heaven.”

  Sarah Jane looked at Katie, eyes red rimmed and puffy, nose runny. She sniffled again. “Do you think our mamas have met?”

  “Absolutely,” Katie told her. “And they’re both smiling right now, knowing that we have each other. I can feel it. Can’t you? Just a little?”

  Sarah Jane wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Maybe. Does that mean you’ll stay with me and take care of me, just like a mother?”

  “Yes,” Katie answered, her heart nearly ready to burst.

  How she would have liked to have had a loving woman hold her, just like a mother. Someone who smelled of lilac and who always had time for a hug or a kiss.

  A daddy might be special in his own right, but he wasn’t a mama.

  “What about Wyoming?” Sarah Jane asked. “Will you take me with you?”

  “No, honey,” Katie said, her decision already made. Sarah Jane belonged in Texas, at least while Harrison was still alive, and Katie wouldn’t leave the child, not now, not ever. “I’m afraid the people of Granville will have to find another teacher.”

  Katie doubted Harrison would turn down her offer to raise Sarah Jane, especially after today, but she would just have to trust God that the details would work themselves out.

  Sarah Jane turned to Harrison. “Can we live here?”

  Relief flooded the old man’s face and he broke into a broad grin, eyes twinkling. “Until long after your children have great-grandchildren.”

  For the first time in hours, Sarah Jane began to smile. She glanced at Tom. “And will you live with us, too? You and Lobo?”

  A hard smile formed on Tom’s face. “I can’t live here, but Lobo can. I’ll come by every once in a while to visit, though.”

  Katie’s heart sank. She glanced first at Harrison, then to Tom and back to Harrison. Surely Tom understood she couldn’t leave Sarah Jane. Not now, and probably not ever. The grief-filled little girl needed her.

  Maria stepped forward. “I have prepared a bath for you, mija. Come with me t
o your mother’s room.”

  When Sarah Jane and Maria left the room, Katie turned to face Tom. “Surely, you can stay for a while.”

  His features were cool and unreadable. “Just for a few days.”

  “But what about Sarah Jane?” Katie asked hopefully. “She needs to feel some stability right now.”

  And what about me? she wondered.

  Tom scanned the faces in the room. “She’ll have everything she needs right here. This is her home. It’s where she belongs.”

  Katie’s heart ached, torn between a man and a child. She doubted she was the first woman to feel that way, but it hurt. And right this moment, life seemed anything but fair.

  At that point, Abel got to his feet, faced Tom and lifted a gnarled finger. “Tell Señor Harrison who you are.”

  Tom didn’t answer.

  “If you don’t want to admit it, then why don’t you tell him what time it is. Pull out that pocket watch you carry, the one your father gave you.”

  Harrison cocked his head and looked at Tom. “What’s he talking about?”

  Tom still didn’t respond.

  Katie wanted to throttle him for not speaking up.

  Harrison stepped closer to Tom. “Let me see the watch.”

  Slowly, Tom reached into his pocket. He withdrew the round, gold timepiece and handed it to Harrison.

  The old man’s jaw dropped and his eyes widened. “This is Robert’s watch. I gave it to him. It was meant to be an heirloom. Where did you get it?”

  Tom took a deep breath then averted his eyes. “My father gave it to me.”

  “Your father?” Harrison asked, his demeanor ramrod straight, focused.

  “My father told me to bring it to you if I ever needed anything, if I ever wanted to convince you of my parentage.”

  Harrison stepped closer, taking in every feature of Tom’s face. “You’re Robert’s son? My grandson?”

  Tom appeared to lean back. “I don’t need anything from you, and I won’t be staying.”

  Harrison opened his arms, reaching out to embrace Tom. At first Katie thought Tom might pull away from the old man, refuse his offer of love. But as Harrison wrapped his arms around the younger man, he seemed to pull Tom right into his heart and family.