Rico (The Rock Creek Six Book 3)

by Lori Handeland

  “Have either of you seen Carrie?”

  She let out a long breath, which was echoed by Johnny. “Not since Sullivan carried her out of here kicking and screaming again yesterday.”

  “Rico is going to have a fit.”

  “If you can’t keep her where she belongs and Sullivan can’t, either, what good are you?”

  He looked sheepish. “You don’t know Carrie.”

  “I’m beginning to.” And Lily was starting to like child more than she had any right to. “I’ll wake Rico.”

  “I’ll get acquainted with your brother.”

  Lily shot a look at Johnny. Not that he’d blab anything secret; still, she he should be careful.

  In Lily’s mind R.W. owed her a lot more than a run-down saloon in a tiny Texas town for all the years she’d sung for her supper and... Well, she wasn’t going to think of what she’d done to keep a roof over her head. And he owed Johnny more than a roll of dirty money. But R.W. wouldn’t see it her way.

  The boy didn’t look at her, but Reese did, and that made Lily hurry upstairs. His curious gaze burned the middle of her back. The man was too smart and too observant for Lily’s peace of mind. He knew she’d been warning Johnny about something.

  At the top of the stairs, out of sight of those below, she leaned her hot forehead against the cool wall. What did she have to fear from the schoolteacher? She should be more worried about Sinclair Sullivan. He would be the one contacted if anyone connected Betty Lillian with Lily Fortier, although she really didn’t see how that could happen.

  New Orleans was always a madhouse at carnival, and the night she’d run had been no different. She doubted there was anyone talented enough to trace her to Rock Creek. Besides, R.W. was a miser. It would take more money than he was willing to spend to find her here. She had to believe that or she’d be jumping at shadows for the rest of her life.

  Lily straightened, smoothing her skirt and her tightly bound hair. Just feeling the bun at her nape and the no-nonsense fabric made Lily feet better. Things were different here. She was different. For some reason, Reese and his sharp eyes had cut through to the fear she’d been suppressing. She hadn’t killed anyone; she’d just run away from a bad situation. R.W. didn’t own her. Even if he thought that he did.

  She stopped in front of Rico’s room and listened, but she heard not a sound that would indicate he was awake. She tapped on the door; still she heard nothing.

  She hated to wake him. He’d seemed exhausted last night—make that every night since they’d taken Carrie away the first time—exhausted from the inside out. But he’d want to hear about Carrie. He’d drag himself out of bed and onto a horse as fast as he could, then race out into the hot sun to search for her.

  Lily opened his door. “Rico,” she whispered. “Reese is here and—”

  The sight that greeted Lily froze the rest of the words in her throat. She could do nothing but hover in the doorway, half in the room, half out.

  Despite the stubble on his chin, Rico looked very young, very innocent, undeniably beautiful, as he slept. His dark hair stuck up, stark against the white pillow, which had made an endearing crease along his cheek.

  He still wore his clothes, though he’d managed to remove his boots and his socks. The sight of his long, pale, bare feet peeking from beneath his dusty jeans only made him seem nearly as young as the little girl curled up to his chest.

  The longing for something she could never have, didn’t dare want, pierced Lily, sudden and unexpected.

  A man, a child, a home—dreams like those did not come true for a woman like her.

  Chapter 9

  Rico became aware even before he opened his eyes that he was not alone. Though he might have begun life as the pampered only son of a wealthy rancher, leaving that life at fourteen had molded him into a far different man than he would have become back in San Antonio.

  Years of living on the edge, first alone, next with Sullivan, then the others, during the war and after had honed Rico’s survival skills to razor sharpness.

  He cracked one eye and peered down at the warm bundle burrowed against his side. Funny how a few short years of living safely in Rock Creek had softened him to the point that little girls could sneak into his room without waking him. If that kept up, he was going to die young.

  “Psst!”

  He reached for the knife in a sheath that wasn’t on his hip, where it belonged. He was going to die soon.

  He turned his head, expecting to see the barrel of a gun pointed at his nose. People did not sneak into the room of a man like him just to see if they could. The sight of Lily made Rico go light-headed with relief. Dying he could live with. Dying in front of Carrie was another matter altogether.

  Lily had an odd expression on her face—near to longing. Her serious eyes had gone dreamy, as if she wanted to reach out and brush Carrie’s fine brown hair away from her face but was afraid.

  Such a gesture would not be like Lily at all, but then, neither was any trace of fear. Maybe that was why he could not stop thinking about her even when he knew that he should.

  She caught him looking at her and straightened. Whatever he’d thought he’d seen in her expression vanished. “What’s she doing here?”

  “Sleeping. As I was until you woke me.”

  “If you don’t want visitors, you should lock the door.”

  “There was never any need.”

  “Your ego is going to get you killed one day.”

  She was right. With both Cash and Nate gone, Jed, too, testy folk from their years as hired guns after the war might decide to settle scores when the odds were in their favor. While the six were together, few wanted to tangle with them. But separated? Anything could happen.

  Footsteps on the stairs, then in the hall, made Rico consider jumping up to meet his captain in the hall. Utter a lie, hide the child, keep her safe in any way that he could. But Carrie’s pale face and slack mouth, the exhaustion evident in the dark rings beneath her eyes, made him stay right where he was and face Reese lying flat on his back, with the evidence in his arms.

  The disappointment on his friend’s face hurt more than the angry words. “Dammit, Rico, what is she doing here? You’re asking for a jail cell when Sullivan finds out you’ve kidnapped her.”

  “Hush, mi capitan. Do not wake her.”

  “I don’t think a cyclone would do that,” Lily said. “Poor thing is done in.”

  “She sneaked out another window. Was that your idea, Kid?”

  Despair filled Rico’s heart. No matter what he did, he would always be a kid to this man. Even when he’d done nothing, he was accused of everything. At least at home he’d done everything and been accused of nothing less.

  “Maybe you should ask him if he’s guilty before you fashion a noose.” Lily’s voice was tight with annoyance.

  “Never mind,” Rico said.

  “I do mind.” She put her hands on her hips and faced Reese down as few men had the courage to do. “He was sleeping when I came in here, and he was as surprised to see her as I was. She admitted she hid in the first place to scare everyone enough to let her stay with Rico.”

  Reese’s eyes sharpened. “Manipulative.”

  “I call it clever. The child is alone. She’s doing what she has to do to feel safe. If Rico makes her feel safe, why don’t you let her stay with him? He’s not as big of a moron as y’all seem to think.”

  “Gracias,” Rico muttered.

  “Think nothing of it.”

  “Certain folks aren’t going to like it if she stays here,” Reese said.

  Reese spoke as if he meant to let Carrie stay. Why Rico wanted the responsibility of a child, he couldn’t say. Maybe to try and erase the mistakes of his past with a fresh new future?

  “On your say-so everyone will like it,” Lily said. “Or at least keep quiet.”

  “You give me a lot of credit, Miss Fortier.”

  “Not me, the people of this town. They look to you as the leader. So lead
. Do the right thing for that little girl.”

  Carrie slept on, oblivious to her life being discussed all around her. Rico tightened his arm around her, afraid if he let her go this time, she’d be gone forever.

  Reese fixed Rico with a look straight from those days when each of their lives had depended on him. “Do not screw this up.”

  “I will do my best.”

  “You will do it.”

  “Si, mi capitan.”

  “She needs to be in school this afternoon.”

  “I will see to it.”

  “Good.” He glanced at Lily. “I’ll be taking Johnny with me.”

  “All right, Captain.”

  “I’m not the captain.” He strode away.

  “You could have fooled me,” Lily murmured.

  “Me, too.” Carrie sat up then bounced on the bed. “Bossy, bossy, bossy.”

  “How long have you been awake?” Rico asked.

  “Since ‘Dammit, Rico, what is she doing here?’”

  “Do not swear,” Rico said automatically.

  “I didn’t. Mr. Reese did. I can stay with you now, right? He said I could, and everyone listens to him.”

  “For the time being.”

  She threw her arms about Rico’s neck.

  “She’ll need a room of her own.”

  Carrie let go of him and scowled at Lily. “Do not. I can stay in here with Rico.”

  “There are plenty of rooms. Pick one.”

  “I can’t afford the one I have, remember?” Rico hadn’t thought past keeping Carrie. Typical of him, and he had to stop. For both their sakes, he needed to think ahead. He couldn’t wander about anymore, picking up odd jobs, helping Cash or Jed or Nate. He would have to stay here. And what was he going to do in Rock Creek? It wasn’t exactly a thriving center of commerce.

  “My offer still stands.” Lily gave an impatient huff at his blank stare. “The manager position? Keep out the riffraff. Think you can handle that?”

  “Rico’s the best. He can do anything.”

  Carrie patted him on the head like a good dog. Rico hoped she never found out any different.

  “So I hear.” Amusement tinged Lily’s voice.

  Rico cut a glance at her. What did that mean?

  “Room and board for you both,” she continued, “and a salary once Three Queens starts making a profit.”

  Still he hesitated, until Lily said the one thing that gave him hope. “I need you for this, Rico. You’re the only man in town I can trust to do it.”

  He glanced at the little girl who believed in him with all her heart, then at the woman who had thought him as worthless as the rest of the world but no longer seemed to. If he took her offer, would he be sorry? Would he disappoint them both as he’d disappointed everyone else who had ever loved him?

  But if he didn’t take the job, Carrie would suffer, and that he could not allow. He’d make a deal with the Devil himself to give her the life she deserved.

  “Deal?” Lily held out her hand.

  Rico placed his in Lily’s. “Deal.”

  Though her skin was soft, her fingers were strong, and when they closed about his, a ripple of awareness passed over Rico.

  Make that a deal with the Devil herself.

  * * *

  Carrie couldn’t believe her luck. Mr. Reese had said she could stay with Rico, and when he said something, it happened. She’d learned that quick enough once he’d begun teaching instead of Miss McKendrick—who was now Mrs. Reese.

  While his wife might have let Carrie miss a day of school before she came looking for her, Carrie had tried the same on Mr. Reese and discovered he was not amused. The quivering lip and tear-filled eyes that had worked so well on the Mrs. didn’t make Mr. so much as blink. She could not smile and wheedle and cuddle up to his knee as she did with Rico, either. Just the thought of trying it scared her to death, and Carrie wasn’t scared of much.

  Except bein’ alone or bein’ sent away from Rico for always. But now she could stay with him, and some of the fright that had caused her to act so badly since her granddad dropped dead began to fade.

  The only thing that made her nervous was Miss Fortier and the way Rico looked at her—as if he wanted to cuddle up to her knee and beg her to let him stay right there forever. She’d never seen Rico look at anyone the way he looked at Lily Fortier. Which made Carrie hate her, even though she knew that hating was wrong and would get her sent to hell quicker than her granddad had gone there.

  “Carrie, come along and pick a room,” Miss Fortier called from the hall.

  Though she wanted to say something naughty or at the very least stick out her tongue, Carrie did not think it was smart to press her luck any more than she already had. She glanced at Rico, who, despite their early-morning victory, didn’t look all that happy or that well.

  “Maybe I should stay with you.” Carrie set her hand on Rico’s forehead.

  He rolled off the bed. “I am all right, chica. Go with Lily. I will get your things from Mary and apologize for your rude leave-taking.”

  “I’m sorry I ran away from Mrs. Reese. She’s a nice lady.”

  “Then why did you do it?”

  “She isn’t you.”

  Miss Fortier appeared in the doorway, and Rico got that annoying, dazed look that made Carrie want to kick him in the shins until he stopped. What was so special about her?

  “How about the room right next door?”

  “Where’s your room, Miss Fortier?” Carrie asked.

  “Since we’ll be living under the same roof, you may as well call me Lily. My room is on the other side of the hall.”

  “Good.”

  “Carrie,” Rico warned.

  “What did I say?” She turned innocent eyes on Rico.

  He wasn’t fooled, but he didn’t say so—one of the things she adored about him. Rico knew she was a very good wheedler because he was one, too.

  “Run along with Lily.”

  Because Rico asked it of her, Carrie did, even though she didn’t like it.

  She liked it less when she reached her room and Lily said, “I’ll have Yvonne fill the tub in the kitchen. We’ll get you washed for school, and I’ll braid your hair.”

  “Not hardly.” Carrie put her hands on her hips and scowled.

  Lily merely laughed. “And you’ll start wearing dresses and shoes.”

  “What for?”

  “Because that’s what little girls do.”

  “Not this little girl.”

  Lily glanced over her shoulder, then stepped into the room and shut the door. “Listen, fille, you’re going to do what I tell you.”

  “And if’n I don’t.”

  “You won’t be here long.”

  “You gonna toss me out?”

  “I won’t have to. If you continue to run around like a heathen—dirty, barefoot, and dressing like a boy—they’ll use that to take you away from Rico.”

  Lily sounded so certain, Carrie’s heart started to thud a little faster. “It never mattered before.”

  “That’s because you were living with family. A lot can be forgiven family.”

  Carrie pondered all that had happened while she lived with her granddad and how little had been done about it.

  “Why should you care if I stay or if I go?” she asked.

  “Personally, cherie, I don’t. But Rico does.”

  “And why do you care about him?”

  Carrie held her breath, afraid Lily would say she loved him. Rico needed someone to love him more than anyone she’d ever seen. But she wanted to be the one who loved him the most.

  “I’m not sure.” Lily frowned. “I think he needs you, or at least he needs to take care of you. I saw his face when they took you away, and I’ll do whatever I have to do to make sure he never looks like that again.”

  Although Carrie liked hearing that Rico needed her and she was even secretly happy he’d been sad when they took her away, she didn’t like the rest of Lily’s words. Lily might
not love him yet, but she might real soon. What was there not to love about Rico?

  “So are you going to take that bath, let me do your hair, and pretend to be a sweet little girl?” Lily asked.

  “Sure,” Carrie promised, her mind busily plotting ways to make Lily Fortier go away.

  * * *

  Still somewhat stunned at the twists and turns his so-called life had taken in the past few days, Rico made his way toward Reese and Mary’s house, which stood behind the school.

  He’d wanted a purpose. Looked like he had one—raising Carrie as best he could. He had a bad feeling his best was not going to be good enough. Again.

  The children were outside for lunch. A cursory glance found Johnny surrounded by boys smaller than he, but there were a whole lot of them.

  One of the Sutton monsters kicked dirt on Johnny’s shoe. The other shoved him from behind. Pretty soon all the boys were jostling Johnny between them, like an insane game of tug-of-war. Before Rico took two steps, Reese came outside. One glare and all the bad boys drifted off, leaving Johnny alone. After a murmured conversation, Johnny went off, too, and Reese joined Rico, who hovered uncertainly at the edge of the schoolyard.

  “Those Sutton twins are the spawn of Satan,” Rico said.

  “Just the spawn of Sutton. They might be bullies, but they’re nothing if they aren’t together. Johnny’s new, and he’s bigger, so they think they have to put him in his place.”

  “Which is?”

  “Whatever he makes it. Though he doesn’t seem to care much what they say or do to him, he’s going to have to take a stand or they’ll never leave him alone.”

  “You think he will?”

  “Not sure.”

  Johnny sat on the steps and ate the lunch Yvonne had made him.

  “He’s a bright boy,” Reese continued. “A whole lot brighter than I’d have thought from the way Lily talked.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She said he couldn’t read or write, that he hadn’t spoken in over five years.”

  “She’s his sister, she ought to know.”

  “I suspect so.”

  “What else do you suspect?” Rico asked.

  “Not sure,” Reese repeated. “But something’s not right. I see the way the wind blows with you and her, and I don’t want you hurt.”