“Don’t go there, Pa. That was a good twenty-seven years ago, if you go by Evie’s age.”
“Sometimes it seems like yesterday.” Jake walked down to where Ben was starting to dig again. “That’s quite a pile of dirt there, Ben. Go ahead and start another hole down past Stephen.”
“Yes, sir.” The kid’s hair was whiter than ever because of exposure to the sun, and his ruddy complexion just made his hair look even lighter. He walked farther down to start digging another hole while Jake checked Stephen’s. “You did a good job getting this one started, Stephen. Makes my job easier. Go ahead and start a new one.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You going to give me an order too, Pa?” Lloyd teased, walking past him with his own posthole digger.
“Yeah. Give poor Katie a rest.”
Both men laughed. They walked together past the boys to start their digging again.
“You should know that from their letters, Katie and I are pretty sure her folks are going to sell their farm next year and come out here to live on the J&L,” Lloyd told his father. “You know Mrs. Donavan. She’ll take over the mothering to the point that Katie will have hardly anything to do. She’ll be a big help.”
“Good! That’s real good, Lloyd, for Katie’s sake. I love that beautiful woman to death, and the Donavans will be a big help in a lot of ways. Those brothers of Katie’s too, if they come. If they’re sure, we should start building a place for them to live in.” He shook his head. “There will be enough family on the J&L to start a small town,” he joked.
“Looks that way.”
They both started digging again.
“You okay, Pa? Seems like you’re doing a lot of thinking about the past lately,” Lloyd said before ramming the digger into the earth. “You be careful about going too far back in that mind of yours.”
Jake dug quietly for a few minutes. “Just a lot of things catching up with me for some reason. Maybe that’s what old men do—think about the past and all their mistakes.”
“Well, there is nothing old about those muscles I see you using to dig these holes. You’re lean and mean.”
Jake jammed the digger down again. “No doubt about the mean part.” He grimaced with pain in his left shoulder, a leftover ache from a gunshot wound in Denver. The memory stabbed at him like a sword in the heart, but he’d never regret putting a hole in Mike Holt’s head. He paused a moment to wait for the pain to go away. That was when he noticed it…a fancy buggy coming from the southwest range. At the moment, it was nothing more than a wavy silhouette, almost unreal, but it definitely was coming toward them. “Who the hell do you think that is?” he asked Lloyd.
Lloyd stopped digging to look. He shaded his eyes and squinted. “I don’t know, but it looks like two people, and I think one of them is a woman.”
The boys stopped digging as they waited for the buggy to come closer. As always, out on the open range, it took close to twenty minutes for the rig to get close enough to make out who it might be.
“Jesus,” Jake muttered. “If I see who I think I see, that’s Gretta MacBain.”
“What the hell would the richest whore in Denver be doing coming out here?” Lloyd commented.
Jake grinned. “I guess we’ll soon find out.” He turned and walked to the supply wagon to grab his shirt.
Lloyd shook his head. Only Jake Harkner would respect a whore enough to go put a shirt on. “Get your shirts on, boys,” he told his son and Ben. “As far as your grandfather is concerned, there’s a lady coming.” He smiled, walking to the wagon to get his own shirt.
Thirty-three
The canopied buggy finally drew close enough for Jake to be sure it was indeed Gretta MacBain, the most notorious prostitute in Denver. She was riding in the front seat beside her guard and constant companion, a man Gretta called Sam. Jake had never learned Sam’s last name.
Terrel and Cole rode beside the buggy, apparently the outriders who’d first spotted it. Jake thought it a bit comical that Gretta wore a prim gray dress with no frills and a high neckline. Her red hair was pulled back at the sides and pinned under a tiny straw hat. She wore hardly any paint on her face and just one tiny pair of diamond earrings—no other jewelry. Her look was a far cry from the wanton prostitute he’d met back in Denver and who’d sat in the courtroom talking about her profession proudly, as though it was no different from teaching or owning a millinery. She actually looked prettier and younger without the paint.
“Jake!” Gretta called out. “You handsome outlaw, you! I didn’t think I’d run into you clear out here! Figured we’d have to go all way to the homestead to find you!”
Jake walked up and helped her out of the buggy, sweeping Gretta into his arms and whirling her around. “Gretta MacBain! What the hell are you doing on the J&L?”
Gretta hugged him around the neck, and Ben and Stephen just stared, grinning.
“That’s that lady who said nice things about Grampa at that hearing last year in Denver,” Stephen told Ben.
“I know. She’s one of those bad ladies Pa always said we should treat good even though they’re—you know—I think they sleep with men for money.”
“I like her. She was nice to Grampa.”
“Oh, she was nice to Grampa, all right,” Lloyd put in, smiling.
“Jesus, Gretta, you look like a schoolmarm,” Jake told her. “Have you changed professions?”
Gretta threw back her head and laughed. “Well, I can’t go traveling around in the general public with my breasts hanging out and a face full of paint, can I? I have to look respectable when I travel.”
They laughed, and Lloyd walked closer when Jake let go of Gretta. She stepped back to eye both of them.
“My God, is it you, Lloyd? I can’t believe it! After seeing you lying in blood on the floor at that cattlemen’s ball…” She put her hands over her mouth, and her eyes teared. “I know you were starting to get around at that hearing, but I never really thought I’d see you standing so tall and strong again.” She put out her arms. “Give me a hug, you gorgeous hunk of man.”
Lloyd took her up on the offer. “Just a light one. We’ve been working out in the heat, and we’re all sweaty. Hugging us can’t be that enjoyable right now.”
Gretta laughed. “Harkner men? I’ll take a hug from you two any time and any way I can get it. Hell, it’s not like I’ve never been around sweaty men before, and you two smell good even when you need a bath.” She patted Lloyd’s back and kissed his cheek, then turned to Jake. “And you! Last I heard you got yourself all shot up in Boulder. You just keep coming right back for more, don’t you?”
“I learned by the time I was eight years old that you have to be tough, Gretta.” Jake put an arm around her and turned her to face the boys. “Meet my adopted son, Ben—the big one there with blond hair. Can you believe he’s only thirteen?”
“By gosh, he looks eighteen! I saw all these kids at the hearing in Denver last year, but I wasn’t sure which one is which, except for that Little Jake of yours. He stood right up to that prosecutor, didn’t he? I thought he was going to sock the man. He’s all Harkner, that one!”
Jake grinned. “I’m afraid he’s the biggest troublemaker. He belongs to my daughter, Evie, who is the gentlest, kindest, most gracious Christian woman who ever walked. Trouble is, she has Harkner blood, and some of the orneriest came out of her in the form of Little Jake.” He pointed to Stephen. “That handsome kid there who is too tall for his age is Lloyd’s son, Stephen.”
Gretta walked up and gave the boy a once-over. “Of course he is. He has his father’s and grandfather’s dark good looks. And this one—” She tousled Ben’s wild, thick mane of white-blond hair. “He’s going to be a big man someday. He’ll be one of your best workers, I’ll bet.” She looked at Jake. “How’d you come upon an adopted boy?”
“Back in Oklahoma. Caught his father beating t
he hell out of him. I took the belt out of his hand and used it on the man himself so he’d know how it feels.” He walked up and crooked an arm around Ben’s neck, giving him a hug. “The sonofabitch decided he didn’t even want his son anymore, and even if he did, I wouldn’t have let him leave. I took Ben home with me, and that was that.”
“Well, now, I keep learning things about you that just don’t fit that reputation of yours. You’re a complicated man, Jake Harkner.”
“My wife keeps telling me that.”
Gretta shook her head, studying his still-fine build with great appreciation for what she saw. “Too bad about that wife. Do you know how hard it is on a woman like me to be around men like you and your son and know you’re unavailable?”
Jake grinned. “There are plenty of men about two hours from here who can help you out.”
Cole spoke up from his horse. “There’s two of them sittin’ right here.”
“Careful, boys, there are young ears around.” Gretta sobered. “Besides, I’m not here for that. And I wouldn’t even think of coming to a man’s homestead and behaving that way. Too many little ones and decent women around.” She looked up at Jake. “I’ve got another reason for looking you up, Jake, but it’s best we go to your home first. And it’s probably best your wife and daughter are a part of all this.”
Jake folded his arms, studying the sadness in her eyes. “All what?”
Gretta shook her head. “Not now. Let’s just go to your house, unless you think I’m unfit to go inside. It’s fine if you want to talk someplace else instead.”
“Are you kidding?” Jake walked up and lifted her in his arms, carrying her to Outlaw and plopping her on the saddle. He mounted up behind her, taking up the reins and moving his left arm around her before turning the horse. “Get everything together and bring the wagon and the boys back,” he told Lloyd. “We’ll send a couple of the other men up here to keep going for the next couple of days. I’m taking Gretta to the homestead myself.”
Gretta settled against him. “Well, now, I didn’t plan on this at all! I get to ride in this man’s arms for the next two hours? My God, how much is a woman supposed to take?”
“You be good, Pa,” Lloyd joked.
“Believe me, it’s no fun answering to your mother when I’m not.” Jake turned the horse and kicked Outlaw into a gentle lope.
“Good God almighty,” Lloyd muttered. “Mom will sure as hell have something to say about Pa riding in with Gretta MacBain in his arms.” He grinned and turned to Sam. “What the hell is she doing here, Sam?”
The big, burly, bald-headed man shook his head. When he spoke, his missing front tooth was visible. “Not sure. I guard the woman, kick out the no-goods that abuse any of the women, service Gretta myself when she wants a man who actually cares about her, and we’re good friends—but there’s some things she never tells me. She just said she needed something from Jake Harkner and asked me to bring her out here.” He looked around. “You have a beautiful place here, Lloyd. Really beautiful. I can’t believe how healthy you look, considerin’.”
“Yeah, well, if you were to punch me in the gut right now, I’d go down pretty hard. I’m still not totally healed on the inside. I can tell.”
“Well, you look big and strong enough that I still wouldn’t want to take you on.” Sam grinned. “I’m real glad to see you lookin’ so good. I’ll never forget the look on your father’s face that night. I’ve never seen anything that dark and vicious in a man’s eyes as when he put that gun to Mike Holt’s head.”
“Yeah, well, we have tried to put it all behind us.” Lloyd looked at Cole and Terrence. “You two take Sam on in. I’ll be along pretty quick with the wagon and the boys.”
“Sure, boss.” Cole took off toward the homestead, and Sam followed. Lloyd glanced farther across the broad expanse of green and yellow grass to see Jake headed north toward the homestead. “This should be interesting,” he said, turning to the boys.
“Will Grandma be mad?” Stephen asked.
Lloyd just grinned and shook his head. “Hard to say, boys. Hard to say. I know she appreciates the things Gretta said at that hearing last year, and your grandma knows your grandpa pretty good. Women like that were mother figures to your grandfather, so he’ll always show them respect.” Lloyd picked up a role of wire and a posthole digger. “Grandma understands that. I’m just not sure how she’ll feel about your grandpa riding in alone with Gretta MacBain. She’s beautiful and has quite a reputation.”
The two boys looked at each other and giggled as they started picking up tools.
“Yeah, and we know why,” Ben teased, sharing a laugh again with Stephen.
Lloyd threw the wire and digger onto the wagon. Most ranchers used barbed wire, but he hated the stuff. Too many cattle and wild animals had died slow deaths from it. He walked over to pick up another posthole digger. “You boys remember to treat Gretta with respect when we reach the homestead. She’s one of those bad women with a good heart, as your grandfather would put it.” He stopped and wiped at sweat on his brow, looking across the grassland again. He couldn’t see his father or the horse anymore. What the hell are you doing here, Gretta?
Thirty-four
“Jake, this is beautiful! Just beautiful! Magnificent is an even better word. Hell, Sam said we’ve probably been on J&L land the last day or two.”
“Eighty-two thousand acres and growing,” Jake told her. “This was Lloyd’s dream, and he damn well deserves it after having my back for over three years in Oklahoma. He didn’t have to do that, but he did…for me. He’s a hell of a son. He has three kids now and another one in the oven.”
“Well, that doesn’t surprise me. What woman could stay out of his bed?”
Jake grinned, keeping Outlaw to a walk to rest the horse. “Sorry I’m such a mess,” he told Gretta. “We’ve been digging postholes all morning, and it’s damn hot—and you smell good, which makes me feel even worse. I like to be bathed and shaved when I’m around a beautiful lady.”
“And only a man like you would call me a lady.” Gretta grasped the arm around her middle. “You don’t really think I care that you need a shave, do you? I take great pleasure in being this close to the handsome outlaw,” she joked. “I’ll never forget how nice you were to me back in Denver.”
“At least you don’t need to worry about Mike Holt anymore.”
“Yes, well, you have quite an unusual way of making sure a man is dead.”
Cole rode closer to them, and Jake looked his way. “Ride on in and let Randy and the girls know we’re coming in and who is with us,” Jake told him. “Tell the girls I said to make some fresh lemonade. And it might be best that Randy has advance notice.”
Cole laughed, looking Gretta over. “I’ll let ’em know,” he told Jake.
Jake knew damn well that half the men at the bunkhouse had visited Gretta’s establishment more than once, and likely some of them had paid good money for Gretta herself. She was probably no more than thirty and still a fine-looking woman, with hair as red as Katie’s and brilliant blue eyes. “You tell the men to stay at the bunkhouse, Cole. No catcalls, understand? I don’t want that around Little Jake and my granddaughters—and it wouldn’t set well with my wife and daughter either.”
Cole grinned. “Well, you ridin’ in with Gretta there on the same horse ain’t gonna set well either.”
“Don’t you worry about that. Just get the hell on down to the homestead.”
“Can the men at least look at her?” Cole winked at Gretta.
Jake grinned. “I don’t think I’ll have much control over that. They’re grown men.”
Cole tipped his hat to Gretta and rode off.
“Jake, I didn’t come here to cause any hard feelings.”
“Don’t worry about it. Randy knows me better than I know myself. She won’t be upset. And Evie sits at the right hand of Christ hims
elf. She’ll welcome you like a long-lost sister. Katie…well, she might be a bit intimidated. She worries about her weight, and now she’s carrying again. She’s a gorgeous, gorgeous woman, but she’s aware of how handsome her husband is, so I wouldn’t make any remarks about Lloyd around her.”
“Well, it won’t be easy, but I’ll be good.”
Jake rode up to Horse Creek, which the summer’s heat had dwindled from its normal rushing force to a gentle trickle. He reined Outlaw to a halt. “I’ve got to wash off at least some of this sweat and water my horse.” He dismounted and reached up to lift Gretta down.
“You sure you’re healed enough to be throwing me around like a bag of oats?” she asked.
“A bag of oats probably weighs more.” He led Outlaw to the creek to drink.
Gretta noticed his ivory-handled .44s hung in a gun belt around his horse’s neck. “Word is you were awarded ten thousand dollars for killing those bank robbers,” she told him. “Congratulations!”
Jake knelt beside the water and washed his hands. “None due. I wouldn’t even have taken the money if it weren’t for this ranch and Lloyd. This drought has depleted our grassland, and a neighboring farmer with a grudge set fire to one of our prime grazing valleys. Almost got himself hanged for his trouble.” He splashed water over his face and dripped some through his hair and over the back of his neck before going to his horse and untying his bedroll. “At any rate, I took the money in case Lloyd has to buy feed for the winter, but I didn’t feel right doing it since I was a wanted man myself once.”
He opened his bedroll and laid it on the ground, taking out a clean shirt that was rolled up inside. “Why are you here, Gretta?” he asked, removing his dirty shirt and tossing it onto the bedroll. “I know I invited you to come and see the J&L, but I’m thinking this isn’t a normal visit.” He faced her as he quickly pulled on a clean shirt. Gretta suspected he wanted to be sure she didn’t see his scarred back.
The Last Outlaw Page 24
