by Cyndi Raye
Samuel was determined to protect Callie at all costs. She was determined to ride hell bent for leather into the ranch and save the day. He had to convince her otherwise.
Men were evil. They caused ill will and had wrong intentions. She was naive in that department and he needed to make sure nothing happened to her.
At all cost.
He wanted to keep Callie around for a long, long time.
His brother Adam looked over at him just as he realized how much he cared for Callie.
“Uh oh,” he heard Adam say to Luke.
Luke watched him with guarded eyes. Then he nodded to his younger brother. “Yep, looks as if,” but didn’t finish the sentence.
Samuel kicked in his heels. He felt Callie’s hands grip his waist as he raced down the road away from them, daring his brothers to keep up. This was one thing they were all good at, and he was in a silent race to cross over the finish line.
<><>
Callie hung on for dear life. She almost lost her hat at one point but knew the brothers were all racing each other. A shout from her mouth came out almost before she realized. This was fun. Samuel was fun.
Even though she was scared out of her mind, Samuel was trying to distract her. She knew the odds were against Uncle Jessie if he got to the ranch before the rangers did. The only good thing was the fact the Double J was being investigated. Did that mean someone was already there, maybe undercover? If so, perhaps Uncle Jessie would be safe. Still, she couldn’t help but worry about his safety.
As they went flying down the road, she clung onto Samuel’s waist. His muscles tightened as he leaned forward, trying to beat his brothers to the next town. Callie laid her head against his back, laughing out loud, urging him on because she was rooting for Samuel to win, even if they weren’t racing for any one thing.
The three riders made it to the town of Terrell in no time flat. The horses were winded so they let them rest and feed at the local livery. Callie found a small café down the street where they had a small meal.
“We’ve got to keep going,” she told them, wiping her mouth with a cloth napkin. “Do you think the horses will be rested up by now? I am so nervous for Uncle Jessie?”
“We sent a telegram to Wichita Falls where Sheriff Montana will get it to the rangers. If he can’t find them, he’ll go himself. Don’t worry, Callie, your uncle won’t be alone.”
Callie shuddered, even though she knew he was right. “He’s had a good head start.”
“He left late last night so he had to hunker down somewhere. Even if he headed out at daylight, he’s not that far ahead of us.”
Callie felt Samuel’s hand over hers. It was warm and comfortable. She basked in this new feeling. No one had ever taken the time to make her feel as if everything was taken care of.
“On an older, weaker, worn out horse, I may add,” Luke mentioned.
“What makes you think it’s an older horse?”
Luke threw some bills on the table as he scooted back the wooden chair. “From what I saw the horses at the Poor Farm were not in tip-top shape. Your uncle will have to rest the horse more often than not. If we are lucky, we may get there the same time he does or before.”
“I sure hope so.” Callie was worried because she was sure Uncle Jessie left their without any money. He was a tough man but he was getting older. How would he get back to the ranch without food or water?
She fingered the little metal box in her lap. Callie simply refused to keep it in the saddlebags when they left the horses at the livery, even though there was a nice man overseeing everything. Still, she didn’t trust anyone.
Samuel stared at her for a few moments. “Are you ready to hear the story of our adventure at the hotel in Dallas?”
“Yes, certainly.”
Samuel and Adam took turns while Luke filled in some of the parts about Melody’s ex-husband, who had divorced Melody but made her life so miserable she had been forced to leave town. Then, the three brothers came back and humiliated him in the hotel ballroom, in front of his partners and co-workers.
“It was hilarious and Samuel thought it up,” Adam told her. “When the lady and her mother came through the door declaring he was the father of her baby, the whole room gasped.”
Samuel grinned. “I bet he is long gone from Dallas.”
Callie began to laugh, clutching at her belly. She almost doubled over.
“It was funny.”
She laughed harder.
“Callie?” Samuel grinned.
Luke and Adam began to chuckle.
After a moment or two, everyone at the table was laughing, along with a few patrons of the next two tables.
Callie finally settled down. The brothers painted such a vivid picture of their experience it was almost as if she were there, too. “I think we better get out of here before they throw us out for misconduct.”
They left the town of Terrell, heading towards the Double J Ranch. Callie hoped they would meet up with her uncle somewhere along the way.
<><>
“We better stop and rest the horses.”
Luke motioned to a grove of trees. The other riders followed until they were hidden from the main road.
“There is a small stream about fifty yards ahead,” Callie told them. “Follow me.” She led her horse to the small stream so they could drink up.
“How far?” Samuel asked.
“Ten minutes time we’ll be on Double J land.” Her voice shook. Adrenaline was rising at the thought of facing her lazy uncle. She wanted to shoot him for all the worry and ill-will he caused. She also wanted to see his face when she rode in there very much alive!
“What are you thinking about, Callie?”
Samuel was a good man. He seemed to care about her well being. He was also fun and he loved to laugh. She knew with him by her side she didn’t have to fear her uncle. “I can’t wait for him to see I’m not dead after all.”
“He may try to shoot you so I want you to stay close to me. I’ll protect you, Callie. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She turned, placing a hand on his cheek. “Those are the sweetest words I’ve ever heard. Thank you, Samuel.”
He dipped his head and placed a kiss on her mouth. Callie closed her eyes, revelling in his sweet kiss. If things went wrong and something happened, at least she’d have this wonderful kiss.
She was starting to feel different about Samuel. The more she spent time with him, her heart was leading to the fact she wanted to spend the rest of her life in his arms.
Was that a terrible thing? It was only if he asked her to give him an annulment after three months?
She didn’t want to any more.
No, she was falling in love with Samuel.
The way he was looking at her right this very moment made her wonder if he wasn’t feeling the same way.
“We best keep moving. Check your firearms, men.” Luke liked to be in charge. The other brothers followed his lead, checking their guns before heading back down the road. Callie tucked her hair under her hat. She didn’t want her uncle to know who she was until she was close enough to see his face.
It was going to be quite the reunion.
A few miles down the road, someone sat by the side of the road, holding their leg as if hurt. The person waved.
“Be careful,” Luke told them, “it may be a trick. Be at the ready.”
The others fingered their holsters, alert for any danger. Callie held on to Samuel as the horse trotted close to the stranger on the road.
Then she laughed out loud. “Uncle Jessie! Uncle Jessie! Samuel, it’s my uncle! We found him!”
As soon as the horse came to a halt, she slid from the saddle, not waiting for Samuel to help. Kneeling down on the ground, she threw her arms around her uncle, who hugged her back.
“I’m so happy to see you are alive and well,” Uncle Jessie said, holding her face in his hands. He got up from the ground, a little wobbly at first until he found his footing. “Who are
your friends?”
“This is Samuel, and his two brothers, Luke and Adam. We are going to bring down Jacob. There are even Texas Rangers on the case. He’s done some bad things since you’ve been taken away.”
Jessie shook hands with the men. He swiped at the sweat dripping from his brow then pulled his hat down over his eyes to block the sun. “I’m much obliged. Jacob will pay for what he has caused.” The look in her uncle’s eyes didn’t bode well with Callie. This was the first time in her life she was afraid for him.
“What do you plan on doing, Uncle Jessie?”
“I’m not sure yet. Mayhap I’ll send him to the North Texas Lunatic Asylum.”
“He’d sure deserve to go there,” she told him. Her uncle looked thinner. He wasn’t a tall man to begin with, but he was sturdy, and strong. Right now, he seemed weaker. His gray and black peppered beard was longer than usual. It didn’t look as if he was taken very good care of in that place.
“What you got there?” Uncle Jessie asked Adam, pointing towards his mare. “I’ve got one exactly like her. As a matter of fact, she looks almost like my Mary Lou.”
Her uncle began to walk to the mare, running a hand down her mane. He began to whisper to the mare while the others watched. Callie turned away to see Samuel watching her.
“You sure he’s alright?” he asked.
Callie nodded. “He loves horses. Has a special love for them, even talks to them as if they are his own child. Don’t worry, he’ll be fine.”
A shout riveted through the air as Callie turned to find her uncle riding like a madman away from them. The three brothers had been distracted, listening to her while her uncle stole their horse right out from under them.
“Uncle Jessie, you get back here! Don’t try to go it alone!” She ran after, waving her arms but it was no use.
She turned to the others.
Adam was already mounted with Luke behind him. Samuel helped Callie up and they began the race for time to catch up with her uncle.
“What made him ride off like that?” Samuel shouted to her.
“He is madder than a hornet’s nest, I’ll tell you that. I would be too after what Jacob did but Uncle Jessie is in no shape to go after him alone. I’m so worried.”
Samuel nodded. “What do you suppose he’ll do?”
“He will ride in there like a warrior and make Jacob face him, one on one. I’m so scared for him!”
Samuel called to the others. “We better hurry.”
They rode as fast and hard as their horses would allow, not stopping until they saw the sign for the Double J Ranch.
s
h
Chapter 6
The riders followed the dust from Uncle Jessie’s trail. He hadn’t gone in through the main road after all.
“I know where he is going,” Callie shouted. “Follow the trail to the right.” She pointed to a small break in the road, where a worn down trail covered in dry grass led into a small grove of trees. “This will take us almost to the main house. I forgot all about this one. My Uncle Jessie is brilliant.”
“How so?”
“It will take us right behind the main house. There is a batch of mulberry trees about a foot from the pantry door. I’d say they are about twenty five feet high so no one will know we are coming. Uncle Jessie does have his senses about him. I was getting worried when I saw how frail he looked.”
“Frail body doesn’t mean the mind is too,” Samuel told her. “Let’s not talk, we don’t want to give ourselves away. I see the house roof up ahead.”
They tied the horses to the first mulberry tree, careful to keep them far enough away so no one heard them coming. The three brothers followed the path through the grove, treading as lightly as possible. Samuel had asked her to wait with the horses but when he saw her face, he clammed up and let her come along. There was no way she was staying behind.
He walked ahead of her, claiming if someone sees them and shoots, he’d get hit instead of her. She almost teared up at the thought of him taking a bullet for her. Did that mean he truly cared? Enough not to annul the marriage in three months?
Callie crossed her fingers and giggled.
“What’s so funny?” Samuel turned his head slightly and whispered.
“Oh, nothing. Was thinking about something wonderful.”
“We’re almost at the door. Keep quiet or you stay outside.”
“You bossing me around, Samuel?” She was teasing. He looked way too serious.
“You bet I am. Here we go. Callie, are you sure you want to come inside?”
“Yes. I want to see his face when-”
Adam opened the back door to hear voices coming from somewhere inside. Jacob was ranting at the cook to hurry up with his lunch before stomping out of the kitchen.
They carefully made their way inside, crowding into the back room that led through to the large open sitting room. Instead of going that way, Callie followed the hallway towards the kitchen, by-passing a large, round woman with an apron. She held a finger to her mouth.
The woman nodded and stepped back, allowing them to pass through.
As they came around the corner, Callie stopped suddenly when she looked out the large window to see the familiar faces of the two rangers walking up the path to the front door. She held up her hand and pointed. Samuel by-passed her and took the lead. He glared at her, probably because she went ahead of him. Men were so strange.
Callie had taken the lead because she knew the house better than any of them. She wasn’t about to jump out and confront her uncle without a plan of action. Not just yet.
Then he stood there, his back to her as he answered the front door. Callie’s legs moved forward until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She hung onto the metal box still in her possession.
“We’d like to ask you a few questions, Mr. Johnson.” Noah Calloway flashed a badge.
“What can I do for you gentleman? I’d invite you in but I need to get to the south end of the ranch to take care of an issue down there.”
“No need. We’ve already taken care of that issue,” Grant Jennings told him.
“What do you mean?” Jacob asked. His voice wasn’t quite as strong and confident as it was a few moments earlier when he yelled at the cook. Jacob ruffled a hand through coarse gray hair.
Callie stood at the doorway closest to them, peeking her head around the corner. Samuel was so close his warm breath fluttered across her cheek. When she turned to give him a worried look he placed a small, quick kiss on her mouth.
How was he able to be so frisky and kiss her at a time like this? As Callie gazed into his eyes, she noticed an intensity that burned for her. She knew right then and there he was in love with her.
Callie sighed. She loved him as well but needed to see this through. As her feet moved forward, Samuel realized what she was going to do. He reached out to grab her arm but she dodged his hand.
Her voice drowned out the others. “Hello, Jacob.”
He swung around, away from the front door where he had been talking to the rangers, which allowed them to step inside. His jaw dropped when she lifted her hat to let layers of hair fall across her shoulders and down her back.
“You are dead!” His eyes widened in disbelief.
“I’m very much alive.”
“Fooled ya, you dirty, low-down rotten scoundrel!” Uncle Jessie came out of nowhere, holding a Winchester rifle. He leveled it at his brother’s chest.
Jacob Johnson was caged in like a tiger in a circus cage. “How’d you get out of the lunatic asylum?” Callie watched as he tried to talk to distract his brother. She looked down to see his cowboy boots sliding discreetly backwards, inch by inch. The movement was so slight, no one would take notice unless they were staring at his boots like Callie was doing.
There was a small desk against the wall he was inching his way towards. Callie bet a loaded gun was on the shelf and there was no way he was going to foil anyone ever again!
She moved so fast S
amuel didn’t have a chance to hold her back. Callie marched towards her uncle, passing by him to stop at the small secretary in the corner of the room. Low and behold, a pistol was tucked in the back underneath a shelf.
As she reached out to grab the gun, her uncle swung away from the others and pushed her away. She fell against the wall.
Hard.
His quick movement took her by complete surprise but she shot back at him, taking the metal box in her hand and bringing it down over the back of his head.
Jacob stiffened for a brief moment before turning to her with the gun in his hand.
Metal slid from leather as each man pointed their gun at Jacob.
“I wouldn’t try anything stupid,” one of the rangers told him.
“You may shoot me but this one is supposed to be dead. Perhaps we should make that happen.”
“Over my dead body,” Uncle Jessie pointed the rifle higher.
“No! Over mine.” Samuel lunged at Jacob before anyone had a chance to get a shot off.
Callie screamed.
A shot rang out.
She watched the man she loved in horror. He stilled. His eyes were hard and intense.
Then he pushed himself away from Jacob as the body lost its footing and fell to the floor.
Jessie stepped closer. He aimed the tip of the rifle and kept it on Jacob. He cocked the lever. “You ain’t dead yet? Don’t you move!”
Jacob bled from his shoulder but he was very much alive. He looked up at Jessie with fear and loathing. “Don’t shoot me, please,” he begged. “I’m sorry! I just wanted a piece of the ranch, I didn’t mean what I did.”
“You coward!” Jessie kept nudging the Winchester closer.
Callie was afraid he’d shoot Jacob dead. “Uncle Jessie, don’t kill him. He needs to have a taste of what you went through. As his kin perhaps you can suggest he spend some time in a lunatic asylum!” She didn’t want him to get arrested for killing Jacob in front of two Texas Rangers.
Jessie spit on the floor near his brother’s side. “I’m a forgiving man, Jacob, and you know this. Except not this time. You fooled us all. There’s no forgetting what you did. What goes around, comes around and you are about to feel the long arm of the law.” He nodded to the rangers. “Get him out of my house!”
