by Aimée Thurlo
“If this is the legendary bowl, why do you think she was chosen?”
“I have no idea. Maybe it has something to do with the bond between you.”
Gabriel started to deny that any bond existed, then changed his mind. He wasn’t good at lying.
The two brothers walked back to the living room. “How soon will you be leaving?” Gabriel asked.
“I’ve just about finished my rounds. Once I’ve checked on Marlee’s leg, I’ll pack my gear, gather some supplies, then go. I’m going to have to hike quite a ways, so I want to be prepared.”
“Intimidated by a little walk?” Gabriel grinned. “That’s what you get when you have too many women all trying to feed you.”
Lucas glowered at Gabriel. “You’re a real…”
Marlee came into the room just then, carrying a tray of chocolate-chip cookies. Seeing Lucas near the door, she gave him a hopeful smile. “Ready for a snack?”
Lucas glared at his brother as if daring him to open his mouth, then turned and smiled back at Marlee. “I can’t stay long today. I’ve got a long trip to make,” he said gently. “But before I go, I should see how my patient is doing. How’s the leg?”
“Much better, thanks.”
Lucas helped Marlee to a chair, then helped her flex the knee. Working carefully, he checked for signs of swelling around the cast. “You seem to be doing much better than last time. In about a month, the cast will come off, and all this will be behind you.”
“But you’ll come by once in a while as a follow-up?” she asked with a hesitant smile.
“Oh, I’ll be around from time to time.”
Gabriel watched his brother try to sidestep Marlee’s questions. If there ever was a confirmed bachelor, Lucas was it. But women always looked at him wistfully, as if the fairer sex simply couldn’t resist trying to tame something wild.
Lanie came into the room as Lucas stood up. “I’ve got the bowl tucked away now,” she said, looking at Gabriel, then at Lucas.
“That’s good,” Gabriel answered, his mood somber.
“Why do I get the feeling that you two are keeping something else from me? What is it about that bowl?”
Fear shadowed Lanie’s eyes. Gabriel fought the sudden urge to kiss her and let desire replace the dark emotions mirrored there. “We don’t really know much yet. Hang tight. We’ll let you know more as soon as we can. Until then, just stay on your guard.”
As he looked into her worried eyes, he felt a fierce protectiveness stealing over him. He had saved this woman and brought her here. He would not allow anyone or anything to harm her. Whoever or whatever threatened her would have to get past him first.
“Maybe I shouldn’t keep the bowl here,” she said hesitantly. “I don’t want anyone hurt because of it. Let me give it to you so you can put it someplace safe.”
Though her voice was even, he could see the uncertainty mirrored in her gaze. “I can’t take it. It’s yours now, and with it, the responsibility.” Seeing her confusion, he added, “Let me say goodbye to my brother. When I come back, I’ll try to explain.”
Gabriel matched his brother’s strides as they walked out to the truck. “I know it’s a lot to ask of someone used to hot meals and a soft bed, but hike in and out of the desert as fast as possible, okay?”
“That’s it,” Lucas said, stopping in midstride and facing his brother. “You’ve hassled me enough today. Want to take me on, Fuzz?”
Gabriel grinned. They’d done this a million times, and he was hard-pressed to say which of them enjoyed it most. “Sorry, little Shadow. I’m going to have to pass this time. If I break your legs, then you won’t be able to help me by finding the people I need to talk to,” he said, knowing the reply would irritate Lucas.
“You’re just getting old,” Lucas replied. “Can’t back up your words anymore, can you?”
Gabriel was just about to answer when he heard a soft rustle to their right. “Trouble,” he warned just as two men wearing ski masks jumped out of the shadows.
As one swung a two-by-four at Lucas’s back, the other aimed a kick at Gabriel’s jaw. Gabriel ducked, evading the blow, and slammed his fist hard into the man’s midsection. His opponent recovered quickly and, recapturing his balance, took a quick jab at Gabriel.
Gabriel saw the punch coming and stepped back, blocking with his forearm, blunting the attack. As he glanced to the side, he saw his brother hadn’t escaped the initial attack unscathed. The strike from the piece of lumber had knocked the breath out of him.
Lucas was still gasping as he evaded another wild swing, then kicked up, knocking the piece of wood from his opponent’s hands. “Don’t worry, Fuzz.” He panted. “Now that I’ve disarmed this idiot, I’ll finish up quick and come save your butt.”
His brother’s goading inspired Gabriel to make quick work of the thug attacking him. Moving fast, Gabriel grabbed his opponent’s arm and, with a quick sidestep, threw the man to the ground. As the thug scrambled back to his feet, Gabriel caught a glimpse of Lucas tackling his own opponent and reaching for the concealing mask.
Gabriel moved toward his own attacker, intending to finish the fight once and for all, when the blast of a shotgun exploded behind him.
Lucas jumped behind cover as Gabriel spun around, drawing his pistol. Gabriel stared at Lanie in surprise. The pair who’d jumped them had taken off in a run. He lowered his weapon and scowled at her.
“Take this shotgun, will you?” she managed to say in a shaky voice. “Marlee insisted I help you two by firing off a round into the air. I’ve done it, but I’m never touching this thing again.”
Chapter Six
Gabriel holstered his handgun and took the shotgun from her shaking hands. “Why did you fire? It wasn’t necessary. In another minute, we would have had them.”. Gabriel’s eyes narrowed as he watched Lanie’s expression, searching for nuances that would reveal her thoughts far more than words.
“I was just trying to help. From inside the house, it didn’t look like either of you was doing so great.”
Gabriel could hear Lucas sprinting through the woods, chasing after the pair. He wouldn’t have a chance. Lanie’s move had given the men the opportunity they needed to escape. “If you hadn’t interfered, we would have had both suspects in custody right now. Instead, we have nothing except a vague description that could fit half the known world.”
“Next time I’ll be sure to stand back and watch you get your heads pounded in.”
“None of the Blackhorse brothers have ever lost a fight,” he answered, his voice matter-of-fact.
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Testosterone doesn’t impress me.”
“It should. That one hormone can compel much more than a fight. I’d love to demonstrate sometime.” He watched her face turn a lovely shade of pink, and he had to smile.
Hearing running footsteps, Gabriel turned his head. Lucas returned, short of breath. “I couldn’t catch up. They drove off long before I even got close. They’d parked about fifty yards from here.”
“I’ll go back there in a minute. Maybe I can tell what kind of vehicle they had.”
“I already checked that for you. I never saw it, but to me it sounded like a pickup,” Lucas answered.
“Which won’t give us much. Around here, everyone has at least one truck.”
Marlee came out slowly, favoring her leg. “Are you two all right?” Her gaze strayed over Lucas gently.
Lucas smiled at her. “Sure, we are. We can take a few punches.”
“But they still hurt,” she added, her voice whisper soft.
Gabriel saw the concern in Marlee’s eyes and wished he could have seen the same in Lanie’s when she looked at him. What he had seen in hers was annoyance. Of course, that was his fault Maybe he should have thanked her first before pointing out the dismal results of her actions.
“Do you think this all happened because of my bowl?” Lanie asked.
Gabriel took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t
know. They had no intention of killing us—otherwise they would have tried to grab my pistol, or they’d have been armed. I think they were hoping to rough us up enough to get us out of the way for a while.”
“Optimistic of them,” Lucas scoffed.
Gabriel flexed his hand. His knuckles were raw and skinned, and his burn throbbed. Meanwhile, Marlee was holding his brother’s hand, fussing over him, and Lucas was eating it up.
He looked at Lanie, and she gave him a haughty stare. “Don’t expect any sympathy from me,” she snapped. “Didn’t you say you had the fight under control?” She continued, not expecting an answer. “Well, then, I’m sure bruises were all part of your plan, too.” She turned and strode back into the house.
Gabriel followed her back into the boardinghouse, then went to his room to wash up. Lucas came in a moment later. He closed the door, then burst out laughing.
Gabriel glowered at him. “What’s with you?”
“You looked like a pup who has lost his supper dish.”
Gabriel washed the blood from his knuckles, careful to avoid wetting the bandage Lucas had placed over his burn. “Women don’t fuss over me, because they know I’m not a wuss.”
“Right. That’s why you’re so jealous you can’t see straight.”
“Of you? Give me a break.” Gabriel dried off his hands, trying to think of something constructive. “Did you get in at least one solid punch, something hard enough to leave a mark?”
“You mean like a black eye, or something that’ll make whoever it was easier to identify?” Lucas shook his head. “Not really. How about you?”
“I don’t think so, but if I see anyone around town sporting bruises, he and I are going to have a chat.” Gabriel walked with his brother back down the hall. “You better get going and see if you can find our uncle, or Dad and Josh. I’m going to need all the information I can get, and as fast as possible.”
As Lucas drove away, another truck pulled in. A moment later, Ralph Montoya got out and strode toward the boardinghouse, notepad and tape recorder in hand.
Gabriel saw him approach and had to force himself not to duck away from the entrance. He didn’t personally dislike the man but, as a general rule, he hated reporters.
“Hey, I’m in luck! It’s the real-life hero of the day!” Ralph greeted. “I was hoping to catch up to you!” Ralph glanced down at Gabriel’s tan shirt and noted the torn pocket. His gaze swept over him with the meticulousness of a trained observer, marking his bruised knuckles. “Trouble again?” Not getting a fast enough response, he glanced past Gabriel at the women. “Is everyone here all right? I saw Lucas take off just a moment ago, so I assumed he’d been here taking a look at Marlee’s leg. But it looks like there was a fight.”
“We had some excitement,” Marlee said. “Two burglars—” She stopped speaking abruptly, seeing the warning look on Gabriel’s face. “Maybe you better ask the sheriff,” she said, leaving the room.
“I came here to get the details of how you rescued our newest resident, but it looks like I’m on a lucky streak today.” Ralph smiled at Lanie as she came into the room.
Gabriel saw the hungry spark in Ralph’s eyes. He’d seen that look on members of the press before. Ralph would be genetically incapable of letting it go without an explanation now. “It was just a couple of kids looking for trouble,” Gabriel said, deliberately downplaying the attack. “Not exactly front-page news.”
“What were they after? The pottery bowl?” He glanced at Lanie, then at Gabriel.
Lanie gasped. “How on earth could you know about the bowl?”
Gabriel just shook his head slowly. Too late to do anything now. Ralph knew how to get people talking, and he’d certainly pushed the right buttons today.
“The peddler is a favorite subject of conversation in Four Winds,” Ralph told Lanie.
“What do you know about him?” Lanie asked.
“No more than the sheriff does, I’m sure,” Ralph answered with a glance at Gabriel. “Newsworthy events seem to follow this man’s visits as sunshine follows the rain, kind of like the Pied Piper. But sometimes he brings the rats, too. Would you mind if I took a look at the bowl he gave you?”
Lanie hesitated. “I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll show it to you if you promise to find out all you can about it.” She glanced at Gabriel, who nodded.
As Lanie left the room, Gabriel glanced at Ralph. “I’d appreciate it if you’d show me what you find out before you print it.”
Ralph considered the request. “In turn, will you cut me some slack about parking in front of my office?”
“It’s a fire zone, not a parking area. But okay. Just your vehicle, though.”
Lanie came out, holding the bowl in the palm of her hand, then set it on a shelf that was eye level. Ralph studied the pottery, but when he reached for it, Gabriel quickly intervened. “No, don’t handle it. Oils from your hand might discolor it. Until I’m sure of where it came from, and what its value is, I think it’s best if Lanie is the only one to touch it. It’ll minimize any risk to the piece.”
Ralph made a sketch of the bowl and its markings, then flipped his small notebook shut. “I’ll let you know as soon as I find something out.”
Gabriel waited until Ralph got into his pickup before walking back into the room. When he saw Lanie, a prickle of unease went up his spine. She was holding the bowl, staring at it as if entranced.
“Will you let me take a sample of the clay from that rough spot to send in for analysis?”
“What are you hoping to find?” she asked, her voice wary.
“’Hoping’ is the wrong word,” he answered. “It’s more a case of trying to narrow down a few things. For instance, the materials used could tell us where it came from and maybe even its intended purpose. If it is made from ashes, that would definitely indicate that is a skinwalker bowl. Admittedly I’m just fishing, but I figure it’s worth a shot.”
“How do you want to do this? Shall I break off a small sliver from the rough spot?”
“I’ll go get a vial from my evidence kit. Then I’d like you to scrape a little loose clay into it with your fingernail.”
Gabriel retrieved his evidence kit from his patrol vehicle and came in a moment later. He held the vial steady while she scraped a tiny sample of clay dust into it.
“Thanks,” he said, sealing the lid.
“Let me know what you learn?” she asked.
“You’ve got it.” The worry in her eyes stabbed through him. He wanted to take her into his arms, to reassure her, to fill her with other emotions that would leave no room for fear.
But there were matters he had to take care of now. The best way he could protect her was by sticking to his job as sheriff.
“You’re not alone in this,” Gabriel said finally, wishing he were better with the sweet talk women loved. “Remember that.”
As he walked away, he could feel her gaze on him. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this way about a woman. There was a special bond between them. Lanie’s destiny and his were linked, and, what was worse, he couldn’t honestly say he minded.
IT WAS NEARLY MIDNIGHT by the time Lanie finished the household chores for Marlee. Tired, she crawled into bed, craving the oblivion of a dreamless sleep.
As she slipped between the cool sheets, she consciously blocked out all the confusion the day had brought. With her eyes closed, and her body relaxed, her thoughts drifted to Gabriel. She wanted to let go and believe that she could count on someone besides herself, but something continued to hold her back. Maybe it was her survival instincts, honed to perfection after years of disappointment and heartbreak.
She shifted, burrowing deeper into the soft mattress, and allowed the gray mists of sleep to close in around her.
Clouds of darkness gave way slowly to a sea of green and an ever expanding field of grass and sage. She recognized this place. She’d camped here during her travels. But not everything was the same. Ahead, between the cluster of tall pines, stood a be
autiful Pueblo-style home. A low adobe wall encircled it. It was her dream home, one she had created in her fantasies and had held on to throughout the years. Whenever troubles had assailed her, she’d run here in her mind, and had found peace.
But this time she was not alone. To her delight, she saw Gabriel ahead. He was shirtless, chopping wood. He stopped as she approached. His smile was as intoxicating as ever.
“I’ve been waiting for you, my woman.”
She allowed herself to be swept into his arms, glad he was part of her dream. It was as if he belonged there, and always had.
She nestled against him, and his arms tightened around her. “The robin’s eggs hatched.”
She looked up and saw a robin feeding her hatchlings. Contentment filled every part of her. Peace, belonging, a sense of rightness—they were all here for her in her dream.
“Maybe we should think of a family. We could start working on it right now,” Gabriel whispered in her ear.
In her dream, she laughed, feeling a tinge of sadness at knowing that none of this was real. This was the only place where it was okay to let go, to let things follow their own course. “And if it doesn’t happen the first time, we’ll just keep trying, over and over again.”
He laughed “Count on it,” he said, lowering his mouth to hers.
Gabriel’s kiss was pure passion. His tongue penetrated her parted lips, stroking her with the patient expertise of a man who knew how to pleasure his woman.
Suddenly a high-pitched sound ripped apart the fabric of that world. The images melted away, and she felt herself spinning downward. With a gasp, she woke in her bed and turned off the alarm on the nightstand.
Lanie could still feel the warmth of Gabriel’s kiss on her lips. It took a moment for her heart to stop hammering. With a long sigh, she tossed back the covers. It was time to get ready for work. Wishing dreams could last longer, Lanie got up and dressed. Slacks and a wool pullover would keep her warm, and they were a lot safer than the searing fires of the soul. No matter how beautiful the fantasy, she simply knew too much about people to ever trust anyone with her heart. And with her track record, she didn’t want to risk anyone trusting her, either.
