by Sable Hunter
“If this is true, it could change everything!” George was shouting.
“Look at the report, it’s in black and white.” Dallas said calmly.
“Why wasn’t she told?”
Lennon moved closer. The last question was asked by one of the other rangers. She strained to hear the answer Dallas would give.
“I don’t know. The clerk at the courthouse said the report was on file. Apparently someone decided to hide the truth from Lennon.”
“What truth?” she asked entering the room.
All of the men stopped to look at her. A shadow passed over Dallas’ face. Lennon couldn’t help but wonder if it were because of the possibility she’d found out about the bank note or maybe it was the possibility she might be pregnant.
He cleared his throat and handed her a piece of paper. “You told me about the man from the university who came to take soil samples.” Lennon nodded. “These are the results.” He pointed at a column of figures and a typewritten paragraph. “There are minerals on your land. The same minerals that are on Round Top, only your land contains a higher concentration of them.”
“Are they valuable?” She said the words slowly.
“Extremely.”
Lennon had to find a place to sit down.
“Do you feel well? Do you need a drink of water? Are you nauseous?”
Dallas fired questions at her so fast that she became dizzier than she was already. “I’m fine, just stunned. Do you know any more about who helped Keel? Who shot at us?”
“No, but we did find some spent shells and a pair of wire cutters. We’re running them for fingerprints. We should have word soon.” This answer was given by Chance. Dallas had left and was only now returning with water for her.
“Thank you.” She accepted the glass and took a sip. Holding his gaze, she spoke quietly. “Could I speak to you, in private?”
“Of course. Just one moment.” He held up a finger to indicate he wouldn’t be long. Conferring for a moment with the other rangers, they left to take up their posts.
“I’d like to talk to you, Lennon.” George inserted. “When you have time, that is.”
“I won’t be but a minute.” She gave her elderly friend a quick hug.
“I spoke to Sally this morning. She misses you.” George said, in an almost accusing tone.
Lennon frowned at him. “Is something wrong?”
“I’ll wait.” He raised his hand and waved to indicate she should carry on with her affairs.
“All right.” She glanced at Dallas and started toward her room, knowing he would follow. As soon as they were behind closed doors, she put her hands on her hips and stared at him. “You paid my note. Why? I told you I had it under control.”
Dallas pressed his lips together in a straight line. He took off his hat and held it, the fingers of his other hand stroking the gray felt. “Yes, I did. I couldn’t stand the thought of you putting yourself in danger with those damn bulls again.”
“I appreciate your concern,” she grabbed his hand, holding it in hers, “but I’m not your responsibility.” Lennon was almost daring him to argue with her. “Am I?”
Dallas felt as if all the oxygen was being sucked out of the room. “I’m not trying to make you my responsibility. I was trying to help. You are my…friend.”
Lennon had never hated the word friend before. “Okay. Yes, you’ve certainly been a friend.” God, she wished she were brave. “I’ll pay you back as soon as possible.”
“Hell,” Dallas waved his hat in the air, “you’re going to have enough money to do whatever you want to.”
Lennon wasn’t sure about that fact. “I don’t know anything about this. I don’t want to let some mining company come onto my land and dig it up until its unrecognizable.”
“I’m sure there are ways around that,” Dallas muttered. “You need to get some expert advice.”
“I will,” she assured him, wishing he would help her. She really just wished he loved her. If he did, nothing in the world would ever worry her again. “I’m appreciative, truly.” Lennon stepped closer until she was near enough to press a gentle kiss to his cheek.
“Are you going to take a pregnancy test?” Dallas couldn’t help but ask. Thoughts of Carly and their little boy had been bombarding his mind. If Lennon were pregnant…that would change everything.
She shook her head. “I didn’t think to stop and get one. I will, soon,” she promised. The look on his face reminded her of what he’d been through. “Don’t worry. I would never harm my baby.” Lennon couldn’t tell if her words brought him comfort or not, for he hurriedly took his leave.
“I’ll check back in after a while,” he said on the way out the door.
Lennon didn’t get a breather. As soon as he was gone, George tapped on the door.
“Come in.” She smiled, but her greeting wasn’t returned. “What’s wrong?”
George took off his striped cap. “I’m moving out,” he stated flatly.
“You’re what?” Lennon gasped. “Why? I don’t want you to move out!”
He tapped his cane impatiently against the floor. “I can’t stand by and watch you get your heart broken. That man is going to walk away from you…and you’ve…” He cut off the words as if they were distasteful.
“Are you upset because I slept with him?” Lennon asked with disbelief. “George, I’m twenty-six years old. What prospects do I have? Where am I going? Do you resent me having even a little bit of happiness?” She did not want to talk sex with this man. She loved him, but she just couldn’t do it.
“No, I’m not upset. You’re like a daughter to me,” he spoke low, just above a whisper. “With me here, you’ll never leave. You won’t walk away from the ranch. You could marry Dallas, take Sally and go live with him.”
“Dallas hasn’t asked me to marry him, George. I don’t think he will. I’m not exactly the kind of woman men want to give up their freedom for,” she answered as honestly as she could. “And if he did, who’s to say we wouldn’t live here?”
“You’re a catch in anybody’s book, even without the ranch. But I’m not going to argue with you, I’m in the way, and that’s that,” he turned. “I’ve already called Shady Hills and they have a room waiting for me. I’m headed over to the house to pack my gear.”
“Wait!” she demanded. There was no way she was going to let George leave their home. “I’m not through talking.”
Buzz! Buzz!
“Dammit!” Lennon reached for her phone. “George, wait!” she called, even as she lifted the phone to her ear. “Hello?”
“Ms. Haley?”
“Yes.”
“This is Rooster Daniels. Do you remember me?”
Lennon didn’t have time for this. “Yes, I do. I still don’t want to sell my land. I know about the minerals, Mr. Daniels.”
Rooster laughed. “I heard the Ranger got his hands on the report,” he sighed. “Ah well, all’s fair in love, war and business. That’s my motto. But since you know, I’m changing my offer. I want to go into business with you. Partners.”
The number he whispered in Lennon’s ear was astronomical. She swayed on her feet. “Are you serious?”
“I am. When can we talk?”
Lennon felt herself begin to tremble. “I don’t know. I’m in the middle of some things.”
“That’s fine. Do you have my number?”
“I have caller ID,” she said, still unsteady on her feet.
“Good. I’ll be waiting for your call. I think we can come to some mutually agreeable terms.”
As she ended the call, Lennon was flabbergasted. She still couldn’t believe the amount of money he had offered. Oh well–she had more important things to worry about.
George.
Throwing her phone down, she ran out to follow him. Her mind was so full of everything that had happened, she wasn’t paying close attention. A noise in front of her–a crackling–made her look up. When she did, she saw Colin Ferguson coming ou
t the front door of her house with a gas can in his hand. “Oh, no!” she screamed. “George!”
When she yelled, Colin saw her. Instead of running away, a look of hatred came over his face and he ran right at her. The same rush of adrenaline swept over her as when the bulls would charge. The only difference was that the animals were scared and this man was undoubtedly crazy. “Lennon Haley, you’re an ugly little bitch. If I can’t run you off your land, I’ll just kill you. My uncle is on the Board at the bank. After you’re dead, the land will revert to the bank and then I get it.”
“You know about the minerals,” she said simply. “You’ve known about them all along.” He grabbed Lennon by the hair of the head, dragging her toward the house. The nearer they drew, the more distinctly she could smell smoke. “You set my house on fire! George!” she screamed as loudly as she could.
“Yes, I knew. The geologist at the university is a friend of mine. I also want to get my hands on those springs. They’re wasted with you; you don’t know how to handle a ranch like this. I’ll make something of this place. Everyone will think you set it on fire for the insurance.”
“No, they won’t. I don’t have any insurance. And I can make something out of the place now, Colin. Rooster Daniels offered me a fortune to become partners with him.” Even as she argued, Lennon struggled to get away. “George!” she screamed again.
“Shut your fuckin’ mouth.” He slapped her hard. “I’ll go into business with Daniels. He won’t care who it is, not as long as he gets access to those minerals.”
Lennon tried to go limp, she tried to drag her feet. “Dallas!” she screamed. Where was he? Could he hear her?
Colin pulled open the door and flung Lennon inside. Flames were on every hand. He’d doused the curtains with gasoline. “Oh, my God, no. George!” Smoke was already too thick to be able to breathe very well.
“Shut up, you little dyke!” He hit her again. “No one is going to come to your rescue. The old man is either dead or knocked out. I hit him with the butt of my gun. And the rangers are all out by the road. They didn’t see me. I came from the opposite direction. The gap was cut just to fool you. I’ve had a boat in the river all along. No one ever thought to watch the border.” With that explanation, he drew back the gun and brought the end of it hard against her temple.
Stars exploded in Lennon’s brain and she felt herself go down. The temperature of the room was growing with every beat of her heart. “Don’t do this, Colin. Please.”
“It’s already done,” he snarled. “I’ve hated you from the first moment I laid eyes on you. Each time you smiled at me, I wanted to throw up. You had all of this land, and you were too stupid to know what to do with it. You don’t deserve it.”
Lennon tried to roll out of the way, but the steel toe of Colin’s boot caught her in the ribs. “At least save George, please,” she begged.
“He’s old, it’s time for him to die.” Colin dragged her up and hauled her across the room. When Lennon realized he was going to lock her in the hall closet, she panicked. “No, no! You’ll pay for this, Colin. Dallas will arrest you.”
“Oh, your Ranger won’t live to see the sunrise. I’m going to lay in wait for him to see this fire and I’m going to put a bullet between his eyes.”
As he dragged her across the room, Lennon spied the fireplace poker. She reached her arm out as far as she could and grasped onto it. When Colin opened the closet door and was about to throw her in, she brought the heavy metal object down on his head as hard as she could. Lennon screamed as blood bloomed on his head. God, she’d killed him. She threw the poker down and looked at the blood spatter on her shirt.
Tears streaming down her face, she ran back to George’s room. The heat was so intense and the smoke was so thick, she became afraid she’d pass out before finding him. Fighting her way into the room, she located George on the floor. Kneeling at his side, she shook him. “George! George! Wake up! We’ve got to get out of here!”
Nothing.
Feeling sick, gasping for breath, Lennon tried to pull on George’s arms, but he was too heavy. She just didn’t have the strength. Realizing she had to go for help, Lennon ran to the front, throwing open the door. By that time, her voice was so hoarse from the smoke, she could barely speak. “Dallas!” she gasped and coughed.
On the other side of the barn, Dallas had just finished feeding the chickens. He’d even brought the little rooster a piece of bread, trying to entice him to eat. Next, he intended to feed the sheep. Whatever burden he could take off of Lennon for the short time he’d be here, he wanted to do it. As soon as he got the report back on the fingerprints, they’d be able to go after the real culprit. After that, he’d be going home. Unless…
“Dallas!” He thought he heard someone yell. Being still, he listened again. Had it been his imagination? The voice had sounded like Lennon’s. Not willing to take a chance, he threw down the bucket and ran out into the yard. Smoke was billowing from the house and Lennon was on her knees near the front door, covered in soot. “Oh, Jesus, a fire! Lennon!” He ran to her. “What happened?”
She coughed, trying to tell him. “George is in his room. Unconscious. Colin Ferguson is in there too. He started the fire!”
“You stay right here!” he demanded. “I’ll be back.”
Grabbing a handkerchief from his back pocket, Dallas held it over his face and went in. He bypassed Ferguson, wondering if Lennon had cold-cocked him. Good for her, he thought. Running to the back, he bowed his head to the smoke, trying to keep his breath. All of his training as a member of the VFD came to mind. He hunkered down, knowing there would be more oxygen closer to the floor. If only he had one of the breathing apparatus, this wouldn’t be so fuckin dangerous. In a few moments, he had George and was carrying him to safety. When he reached the front door, the fresh air hit him like a welcome mountain bridge. “Here, Lennon. Call the ambulance.”
“I ran to get my phone. I’ve already called the ambulance and the fire department.” She knelt by George, feeling for his pulse. “Are you okay?” she searched his face.
“I’m fine. I’m going back after Ferguson.”
Lennon wanted to scream for him not to, but she knew Dallas wasn’t the kind of man who could stand by and watch another man burn up if he could help it. “Be careful, please,” she cautioned him.
George was alive. Lennon soothed his forehead. “Wake up, George, please. Help will arrive in a moment.”
A sharp cracking noise sounded over the roar of the fire. Lennon jumped up, trying to ascertain what was happening. A loud crash made her heart jump in her throat. Part of the roof had collapsed. Not hesitating a moment, she flung open the door and reentered the house. She knew Dallas should be right near the door. What she saw horrified her. Colin Ferguson was on his feet and he and Dallas were fighting. Flames were roaring all around them. “Dallas!” she cried out his name.
Her voice caused Dallas to look toward her and when he did, Colin grabbed the same poker she’d hit him with and cracked Dallas across the back of the neck, taking him to his knees. “No!” she yelled.
Ferguson threw down the poker. “You two deserve to die together. I’m getting out of here!” As he ran by, he pushed Lennon as hard as he could and she stumbled to one side, almost falling into a wall of flames.
“Dallas!” she called, righting herself. She had to get him out of here. If she didn’t, he would burn alive. There was so little time, Lennon could hear the roof creaking. In desperation, she saw a path free to the kitchen and she ran to retrieve a couple of dish towels, wetting them in the sink. Stumbling back through the smoke, she came to Dallas, holding the wet cloth over his face. She wanted him to breathe through it and hoped the cool wetness would awaken him. Desperately she held the wet rag to her own face, letting the damp cloth serve as a filter. “Dallas, please, baby. Wake up.” Throwing down the rag, she used every ounce of her strength to try and move him. Her fear spiked to an unreal level and the adrenaline rush it produced was just enoug
h to budge him. Fighting for every inch, she managed to move him a few feet. Overhead, another board cracked and Lennon expected for the structure to collapse on top of them any minute.
“Please, please, please,” she prayed, struggling to pull him just a little bit farther. She glanced backwards and saw she only had a few more feet to go. Dizzy and lightheaded from inhaling the smoke, she tugged and tugged, her breath coming in coughs and gasps. Finally, she reached the door. With one final bit of strength, she threw the door open. The sudden influx of oxygen caused the nearby flames to billow. Lennon felt her hair and skin begin to singe. “No! Dallas!” She refused to give up, pulling him the last few feet to safety. Once she got him out –Lennon collapsed into an exhausted heap.
* * *
Outside her hospital room door, Dallas paced. He couldn’t wrap his head around it–Lennon had saved his life. How could this woman be so different? Carly had destroyed life and Lennon fought for it–for him. When the doctor emerged, Dallas was in his face. “How is she?”
The doctor looked up from his iPad. “She was lucky. Very few burns and abrasions and her lungs aren’t too badly damaged.”
“How about the baby? Did you check to see if she was pregnant?” Dallas held his breath.
“She’s not. The blood test showed no signs of a pregnancy.”
Dallas didn’t know if that was good news or not. He’d half hoped there was a reason…an excuse. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to think.
“You can go in and see her now, if you’d like.”
Dallas didn’t hesitate. When he entered the hospital, he was struck by how small and fragile she seemed. But looks were deceiving, he knew she was fierce–brave–one of the strongest people he’d ever known. He went to her side, placing his hand over her small one. “Lennon?” He couldn’t resist, he bent his head to kiss her one last time. Gently. Tenderly. He savored the taste of her lips, he wanted to remember it forever.
She stirred, trying to open her eyes. Everything hurt. “Dallas?” she whispered hoarsely.
