It must have been a ruse. Because this man had just killed another in cold blood. And, somehow, she didn’t see him just letting her go if he found the gold. Annie was going to have to be smarter than that. “There was no other letter, Jasper. Were you with him when he bought the paper? How much did he buy?”
She could see him grit his teeth. “I only ever saw him buy the one piece. It cost him, too. But he said that he told you and here you are.”
Annie’s brain started working fast. “Maybe he lied to throw you off the trail.”
Jasper stepped right up into her face. “I don’t believe that you came all this way to talk. I know you know.”
She stepped back and bumped into Rake. His fingers lightly stroked the small of her back; it was soft and comforting. She could only hope that Rake had rethought his position and would side with her. Because she was in trouble. “Jasper, I don’t know what to say. That letter was it. I came because there was nowhere else to go. I needed to settle the past to have a future, and I was ashamed―“
“Were you ashamed to have married Garrett?” His voice growled out.
She shook her head vehemently. “I was ashamed of what a mess I had made. I nearly died in a gutter in St. Louis. What does that say about me? Rake, if I’ve been difficult to get to know it’s because I didn’t think anyone would like me when they knew what a fool I had―“
Jasper grabbed her arm, giving her a shake. “Don’t talk to him, talk to me. Where is the gold?”
“I don’t know.” His hand squeezed harder. She took a deep breath to think through the pain. “How far back does the cave go? Have you searched all of it?”
“A decent amount, I would say. But I haven’t searched all of it. Why?”
She licked her lips. She had to do the next part very carefully. “He mentioned the heart of the cave in the letter. But…” she let her voice drift off and watched as Jasper’s eyes filled with hunger. His lips curled into a joyless smile that made her shiver. His greed allowed him to buy the lie. She knew where the gold was and it wasn’t way down deep in the cave.
“Let’s go find it,” he snarled, yanking on the arm he was still holding.
“Is it difficult getting down into the cave? Do…do you think we could eat a little something first? I haven’t had anything all day, I need my strength. Please, Jasper.”
He assessed her with calculating eyes. A softer smile replaced the cruel one that had been on his lips moments before, and his grasp loosened. “Of course, Annie. I’m sorry I got a little hot. I want this for Garrett too, you know. Annie you was always so pretty. I was jealous. Garrett always got the best girls. But Annie, you and me could have a future.” He rubbed her arm, and the gesture was gentle but his eyes were still stone cold.
Fear trickled down Annie’s spine. With Reverend Michaels, she knew she was dealing with a bad man. But Jasper, he could turn himself into whatever he thought the other person wanted to hear. He was trying to put her at ease. Would he kill her when he found the gold?
Her heart knew the answer and her brain screamed that she needed to stall for as long as possible. She also had to win over Rake. Together, they might have a shot. She could only pray that Mack wasn’t too hurt and that he would come find her. Because if he was gone, Jasper may as well leave her in that cave.
He moved away from her and she stole a quick glance back at Rake. He stepped next to her, as his hand came up and touched her arm. “Offer to cook and go slow.” He whispered so low she almost didn’t hear him.
She didn’t respond but moved to do as he said. “Jasper, why don’t you let me cook something for you?” She gave him what she hoped was a winning smile.
“Well that would be nice, Annie. I remember your cookin’ from the trail. You always did a good job.” He sat himself in a chair. Carefully, he laid his pistol across his lap.
“Rake, I’ve been meanin’ to tell you that if you’ve got any guns or knives, you need to hand them over now.” Jasper waved his pistol at the other man.
“Jasper,” Rake started.
“I ain’t askin’. I don’t trust you not to change your mind on gold huntin’.”
She watched as Rake’s fingers twitched over his gun. Her breath caught. Would they fire at each other or would Rake turn over the weapon? Annie wondered how these two even knew each other. Reverend Michaels must have introduced them. What were the odds? Rake finally put his pistol on the table and Jasper reached for it, stuffing it into the waist of his pants.
Annie started pulling ingredients out of a box. She stoked the fire and reached for a pan. It was filthy.
“Jasper, got any water for me to give this a wash for you?” Her insides shook but she kept her tone light.
“Over in the corner is a bucket. Wash it and then Rake here can go get us some more.” He gave the other man a long look.
“Sure,” Rake responded in agreement but his tone was acid.
She cleaned the pan, taking as long as she dared and then hung the pot over the fire. She threw some pork fat into the pan and then began cutting potatoes. Rake watched as she chopped and then he moved to the mouth of the cave and grabbed the bucket, heading out of the entrance and down the hill.
Nervousness rose in Annie’s chest, but she pushed it back down, taking a deep breath. She did not want to be alone with Jasper.
“We have a bit of a pickle, Annie,” Jasper called to her as she cooked.
“What’s that?” She asked the question casually. She could see how she was in real trouble but apparently they were going to talk about Jasper’s problems.
“That Rake. You think I should trust him?” Jasper still held his gun in his hand.
Annie straightened up, taking a deep breath. The question was a trick one. If she were honest, Jasper shouldn’t trust Rake. He had just double-crossed Mack. But she didn’t want to say that, since Rake might be the only one to keep Jasper from killing her. If she said that he should trust him, then he would know she was trying to get away. Instead she shrugged, “You got me. He never liked me very much. Not unlike you.”
“I liked you just fine, Annie. Mostly I was pissed that you married Garrett. I know he was a looker but that man barely had half a brain. Until the end, I could get him to do whatever I wanted. You seemed like a smart girl. Why would you run off with a man like that?”
Tears threatened to leak out of her eyelids but she refused to cry now. She had always known Jasper had been playing Garrett and here was the proof. Her old suspicion that Jasper had been responsible for Garrett’s death came back. Garrett had defied Jasper at the end. Would Jasper kill over that? “I was desperate, Jasper. My father was going to marry me to an old man. I wanted a way out and Garrett had a good heart.”
“Heart. He mentioned heart in the letter. I would hear you two whispering sometimes,” he got out of his chair and came to stand next her. His finger trailed down her cheek. She tried not shiver in revulsion. “What does it mean?”
Swallowing, Annie forced herself to meet his eyes. “He called me his heart.” It was a lie plain and simple. The second Jasper knew the truth, her life became a lot less valuable.
His eyes studied her face but she didn’t look away. Jasper was smart and he was sniffing around the truth. “If I was jealous, then chances are, Rake was too. That leaves me with two options, we disappear into the cave to hunt for gold while he is gone or I kill him.”
“Disappear,” she said without thinking.
“You aren’t sweet on him are you? Or are you thinking he’s going to save you?”
She shook her head. She had to remain cool and detached. “I don’t dislike him enough to watch him die. If Mack dies, though, I’ll shoot him myself.”
Jasper quirked a brow. “You’re engaged to that Mack fellow, are you?” His hand moved from her cheek to her hair. Tangling his fingers within the strands he began pulling with just enough force to make her uncomfortable.
Annie cursed to herself. She shouldn’t have brought up Mack. It was just t
hat the image of him lying on that dock had been dancing around in her head. What if he wasn’t all right? Rake said he hadn’t hit him hard enough to hurt him, but what if he was wrong? “Yes.”
His hand came up and stroked her cheek. “I know, Annie. You needed someone to take care of you. But now that we’re together, I will take care of you. From the second I saw you standin’ by your front gate, I knew that you was supposed to mine.”
She gave a small nod. She would die before she was Jasper’s but he didn’t need to know that.
“You know why Rake agreed to help me?” He tilted her chin to look in his eyes.
She shook her head. “No, I don’t.”
“He’s sweet on you. Did you see the way he protected you? Now, knowing that, I can’t have him around.”
Annie’s heart started to pound. Rake was her only hope of getting out of here and back to Mack. “You can’t kill every man you think might be sweet on me. You’ll end up in jail.” She made her voice as light as she could.
He grinned. “Now that is true. That is what I need in a woman. Smarts. So we have him help us find the gold then?”
Annie shrugged. She couldn’t seem eager. Jasper would see right through it. “Do what you think is best.”
He bent towards her; he wasn’t much taller than she was. His lips brushed her cheek. “We’re gonna get along just fine.”
Her hand wanted to reach up and smack him but instead, she reached for a large wooden spoon and stirred the food in the pot. Jasper turned and went back to his chair.
Rake returned with the bucket of water. Relief washed through her at the sight of him.
Annie pulled the pot off of the fire and set it on the ground, then got out three metal plates and served up the meal, handing each man a plate.
“This is good, Annie. Thank you kindly.” Jasper talked as he ate, his gun still in the hand that held the plate.
“You’re welcome,” she replied. This farce was ridiculous.
A noise outside the cave caught her attention. She took another bite of food, pretending like she hadn’t heard anything. Her nerves fluttered and she could barely swallow the lump of lunch in her mouth but she forced it down.
Rake’s eyes caught hers and he looked at the entrance several times, then back at her. What was he trying to tell her?
A twig snapped and Jasper looked up from his plate. “You hear somethin’?” he asked.
“I don’t think so. Would you like some more?” She gave him her best smile and stood to serve him again.
“Get over here, Annie.” She did as he asked but carried the pot with her. “Everyone, quiet now.” They stood listening to the silence. There was nothing. Her shoulders drooped.
Finally, Jasper sat back down. Forcing herself not to look towards the mouth of the cave, Annie piled more food on Jasper’s plate.
Rake suddenly stood and moved towards the fire. “Mine’s a little cold. I think I’ll warm it.” He held the metal plate up to the flames. Annie scrunched up her face; the food was piping hot. But then a movement caught her eye. All at once she realized Rake was blocking Jasper’s view of the entrance. Rake had changed his mind.
Annie caught sight of Mack and nearly cried with relief. As their eyes locked, her brain screamed to run to him but her legs felt like she was moving through water.
Her eyes darted back towards Jasper, he was looking at her with narrow eyes. It was almost in slow motion that she watched him stand and glance towards the entrance.
A shot rang out in the cave and Annie watched in horror as Rake fell to the ground. A scream built in her throat but before it could come out, Jasper grabbed her arm, pulling her back in the cave.
Part of her wanted to rip her arm away and run to Mack but the other part was afraid Jasper would shoot her or Mack, so she ran along with him. “Where are we going?” She stumbled over a rock.
“We’re gonna find that gold, Annie.”
“Do you even know where the center of the cave is?” Regret reverberated through her. Why had she encouraged him to drag her down into the depths of a cave? How would Mack find her down here?
The light grew dimmer and they had to slow down. She tripped again and this time she allowed herself to fall. Her palms stung as they hit the gravelly floor and she cried out.
“Hush,” Jasper hissed.
“My ankle,” she cried. Her ankle was fine.
“You’re going to have to walk on it.” He pulled her up.
Annie gritted her teeth. If Mack thought she was hurt, he would have carried her a hundred miles. How Jasper could ever think she could care for him was beyond her. But she pretended to hobble along behind him.
“I don’t think he would have hidden it in a place that was too hard,” Jasper said. “We just have to look. Did he leave any other clues?”
“No. How long will it take to get to the center of the cave? Can we get there without a light?” Annie could barely see in front of her face.
Jasper was silent, though she could hear him rustling around. Annie stopped walking. Her eyes attempted to adjust but it was no use. She reached out her hands and felt for the wall. Finally, her fingers brushed cold stone and she pressed closer. Inching backwards, she could only hope she was moving away from Jasper.
A flint struck and Jasper’s profile flickered into view a few feet away. It went out again and Annie backed up a few more feet. The wall bent to the right and she pressed closer, carefully moving around the bend without tripping. The flint struck again and it sent a tiny bit of light down tunnel. The ceiling was only a few inches above her head. She backed up more quickly and began moving faster back towards the surface. She could see a little and she broke into a slight run.
“Annie,” she heard Jasper call. She sped up. “Annie, get back here.” But it only pushed her faster, and more light filtered into the darkness.
Behind her she could hear Jasper breathing. “Annie!”
She hurtled towards the glow but she was moving too quickly and her foot caught a rock. As she fell towards the ground, she heard Jasper’s heavy footfalls echoing through the cave. She put her hands out to brace for impact when strong hands plucked her up mid-fall.
“Shhhh,” Mack’s voice whispered in her ear as he snuffed out the light.
Annie buried her face into his neck. He picked her up and swept her down the tunnel of the cave. She lifted her head. They were still in the darkness and had not returned to the room at the mouth of the cave.
“Where are we?” she whispered.
“Another tunnel,” he whispered back.
Jasper’s labored breathing boomed around them and she caught a flash of him as he ran by. She squeezed Mack tighter, overjoyed to be in his arms. “I’m so glad you’re all right.”
The back of his fingers trailed down her cheek. “Same here. Will you stay here while I take care of Jasper?”
“Not a chance,” she fired back.
“Tom and Fergal came with me. I won’t be alone.” His lips found hers. “I want you to be safe.”
So glad to be back in his arms, Annie breathed in that kiss. “I didn’t like being separated from you. I was so worried. I don’t want to be apart again. We should be together.”
He sighed. “Fair enough. But will you please stay behind me?”
“Does that sound like me?” She gave him a squeeze. He made her braver. “I would have died if anything happened to you.”
“And I will die if anything happens to you. I love you so much, sweetheart. Please, stay behind me,” his voice cajoled.
“Fine,” she huffed. “I will stay behind you.”
“One more thing,” he lips pressed against her ear, tickling the sensitive skin. “We are getting married as soon as we get out of here.”
“Deal,” she whispered back, her lips finding his.
They crashed together in a brief, intense kiss, and then his hands came to her face. “I love you, Annie Sullivan.”
“And I love you.” She breathed as he pulled h
er towards the entrance of the cave. “How is Rake?”
“He’ll live. If I don’t kill him.”
Annie breathed a sigh of relief. “How is your head?” She tucked her hand into his arm.
“I’ll live.” His strong arm wrapped around her waist. Annie took a deep breath, as his scent filled her nostrils. It was like coming home.
THE GOLDEN RULES OF LOVE
CHAPTER NINE
They moved through the dark tunnels, no longer speaking. Mack took his arm from around her and held her hand as they walked in the near darkness.
“Where are Tom and Fergal?” Annie spoke softly.
“At the entrance. We didn’t want Jasper to be able to―“ Cocking his head to one side, his voice stopped. Annie had heard it too. A pebble had fallen just up ahead.
They were playing cat and mouse now…hiding, searching, evading, hunting. She forced herself to breathe slowly so that she didn’t make a sound. Then she saw it. Just up ahead, the smallest movement in the dark.
In an instant, Jasper stepped out and raised a gun at Mack. Annie launched herself at his arm. She knocked his arm towards the wall and she heard the bullet hit the stone. Several shards ricocheted around them and her cheek stung as one made contact. Mack stepped closer and the sound of flesh hitting flesh and then a bone crunching noise followed as Mack’s fist made contact with Jasper’s nose.
Jasper fell to the ground like a sack and Annie scrambled to grab his pistol. The force of Mack’s blow had knocked him out cold.
Wrapping Annie up in his arms, he hugged her tight. Then leaning back, he wiped the blood from her check. His lips came down softly on hers. “You saved me again, Annie.”
“I only saved you for a second. You went and saved me right back.” She grinned at him, her heart shining in her eyes. “What would I do without you, Collin Mackinnon?”
“Let’s not find out, sweetheart.” He gave her another tender squeeze, then stepped away. Mack flipped the unconscious man over. He picked him up by one arm and began dragging him toward the entrance. “Let’s get him tied up before he comes to.”
The Golden Rules of Love: Western Romance Page 12
