Yellowstone Deception (Yellowstone Romance Series Book 5)

by Peggy L Henderson

  Dan released her. He stepped to the side and wordlessly continued walking toward their destination, running his hand through his hair. It was a sure sign that he was mad or frustrated about something. Jana jogged to catch up to him. She hooked her arm around his.

  “I’m going to tell her we’ve become very close,” she said when he finally glanced down at her. His impenetrable expression made him look more like Daniel than ever before. It suddenly became clear to her why he had this need for acceptance from her. He’d been so self-assured since she’d first met him, but today, he acted more like a little kid looking for validation.

  “Daniel can be quite . . . intimidating, can’t he?” she asked casually, hoping her hunch was correct.

  Dan scoffed. “When I was little, my grandpa told me stories about Daniel Osborne, the legendary mountain man. A man who wasn’t afraid of anything, and held his family above everything else. I didn’t pay too much attention to the stories before, because the deeds of the mountain men have always been exaggerated. Now that I’ve met him, I know that the stories about him are all true.” Dan stared straight ahead. He lifted his face to the sky for a moment and laughed, sweeping his arm in front of him as he spoke. “And here he thinks I’ve done this noble thing by coming to the past to warn him of a threat to his family.” He kicked at a rock on the ground. “And what do I do? I lie and deceive, and I’m to blame for this entire mess. Can’t wait to see his reaction when he learns the truth,” he added, his voice full of self-loathing.

  “You’re his family, too. He’ll understand you made a mistake, and are here to correct it,” Jana said softly. She didn’t know what else to say to him to make him feel better about himself.

  He turned his head to look at her. “I meant what I said this morning, Jana. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, in this time and in the twenty-first century. If I die tomorrow or the next day, I just want you to know I love you.”

  Jana’s forehead wrinkled, and she shook her head.

  “Stop talking nonsense,” she said uneasily. “Why would you die? You survived a goose attack. You can handle anything.” She hoped her attempt at humor would snap him out of his bad mood.

  “Daniel’s going to kill me when he finds out my part in the danger to his son.” Dan’s voice was firm, as if he truly believed what he was saying. Now that he’d met his ancestor, Dan seemed more remorseful than ever about his mistake. Jana wondered what it would take for him to truly forgive himself.

  ****

  They continued their journey in silence. Jana thankfully left him alone with his thoughts. Dan’s heart and mind were in turmoil. How Jana presented him to her best friend seemed to be important all of a sudden. He couldn’t explain his sudden need for total acceptance. It had been Jana who had reservations about their relationship, but she seemed to be comfortable with the idea now. Meeting his ancestors, and the fact that he was to blame for the trouble that was descending on them weighed heavily on his mind. Daniel was a force to be reckoned with, and Dan found himself severely lacking in his ancestor’s presence. Try as he might, he couldn’t shake off his irrational sense of insecurity, accompanied by a feeling of doom.

  They’d been following the river for the last half hour, and the Madison Valley widened ahead of them. The heavily forested mountains to the left became sparser with trees, and a dark-colored straight-faced mountain loomed ahead in the distance. The river veered slightly to the left around a low rising butte. Once they rounded the bend, Jana expelled a loud breath of air.

  “We’re here,” she said in awe. The valley stretched before them, and what looked like a newly built cabin came into view to the north of the river. Another, smaller cabin stood a short distance further back, nestled against a grove of lodgepoles.

  A woman knelt by the river, dipping something into the water. It looked like she was washing clothes. It was obviously not Aimee. This woman looked short and rather plump, her long black hair hanging in straight strands freely down her back. She wore a simple tan-colored buckskin dress. Her head turned suddenly in their direction, and she jumped to her feet. Shouting excitedly, she ran toward the larger of the two cabins.

  “I guess we’re being announced,” Dan said lightly, trying to hide the heaviness he felt in his chest. Now that they had reached the end of their journey, he already missed the solitude and closeness he’d shared with Jana over the weeks they’d spent in the wilderness. A sense of possessiveness took hold in him. He knew he was being unreasonable in his thinking, but he didn’t want to share her attention with others just yet. Not since they’d made love so recently. Combined with his sense of inadequacy around Daniel, and the reason for being here, his mood had slipped into a quiet sulkiness.

  The front door of the cabin opened, and another woman emerged, she being even rounder than the Indian woman who came to meet her.

  “Aimee,” Jana whispered, and her pace increased. Despite his mood, a slow smile formed on Dan’s face. Jana’s happiness made him happy. The short, petite blonde stepped from the cabin, and waddled as fast as her heavy bulk allowed toward them.

  “Jana, ohmygod! Jana,” she called.

  “Come on, Dan,” Jana urged, and grabbed for his hand. She pulled him along, nearly breaking into a run.

  When they reached each other, Jana awkwardly threw her arms around Aimee’s neck, trying to stand away from her swollen belly as best as possible. Dan wondered quietly how she hadn’t exploded yet. She’s carrying twins, he reminded himself, and wondered what today’s date was. The journal had mentioned July 20th as the birthday of Zach and Matthew.

  Both young women sobbed and cried, and laughed all at once.

  “What on earth are you doing here?” Aimee asked between sobs, after they both released each other. “And how did you get here?”

  “I’ll tell you everything, but first I want you to meet someone very special.” Jana stepped away, and looked at Dan. He’d remained a few steps behind her. The soft, loving look in her eyes beckoned him closer.

  “It’s an honor to finally meet you, uh . . . Aimee,” Dan said, unsure whether to extend his hand to her, or try and embrace her. He wasn’t sure how to appropriately address her.

  “Oh . . . oh my,” Aimee said, her eyes widening as she assessed him from top to bottom. “Elk Runner sure wasn’t embellishing the truth this time,” she said, and stepped toward him. Her arms reached up and around his neck, and he bent forward to give her a light hug. Her taunt stomach pressed against his was a strange feeling.

  She smiled warmly up at him, her deep blue eyes sparkling with joy. Her pretty face was framed by her free-flowing blond waves of hair that hung loosely past her shoulders and halfway down her back.

  “Daniel said you’re our descendant. Genetics can do funny things, can’t it?” She glanced at Jana, and her smile widened. She clasped his face between her hands, tilting his head first one way and then the other, examining him.

  “Your resemblance to Daniel is absolutely amazing. After my experience with time travel, I thought I’d seen pretty much everything.” She studied him for another minute, then said, “Come on. Let’s get you two to the cabin before Morning Sun comes and locks me in my room for being out here.” She laughed, and pointed a finger at Dan. “And don’t you dare call me grandma.” Turning to Jana, she hooked her arm through Jana’s and they turned to head toward the cabin. “When we get to the house, you’re going to tell me everything.”

  “You’re huge,” Jana commented. She touched Aimee’s stomach, and they both laughed.

  Aimee glanced around quickly, as if looking to make sure no one else was within earshot. She leaned toward Jana. “I know I’m carrying twins,” she said in a hushed tone. “But I didn’t dare tell Daniel. He’s already scared to death of this birth.” She glanced toward Dan. “I think seeing you is giving him courage that I might actually live through it.”

  Dan couldn’t picture the idea of Daniel being afraid of anything. He did notice the hand Aimee held pressed
to her back.

  “What’s the date today?” he asked impulsively.

  “July 20th.”

  Chapter 28

  “So, Jana, tell me about Dan.” Aimee didn’t waste any time the moment she was alone with Jana. Daniel had met them in front of the cabin, and after the introductions were made with Daniel’s sister-in-law Little Bird and foster mother Morning Sun, the two women were now alone in Aimee’s bedroom. Daniel wanted to talk to Dan about Hastings, and Aimee had said her back ached, and she needed to lie down. Full of concern for his wife, Daniel had ushered Aimee to their bedroom, and asked Jana to sit with her.

  Jana exchanged a quick glance with Dan before following Aimee, and she could see it on his face what he was thinking. Today was July 20th. The day of the twins’ birth according to the journal. It was already late afternoon.

  “Are you feeling okay?” Jana asked, instead of responding to Aimee’s demand.

  “My back hurts worse than usual. I think I might be in early labor. I can’t wait to get these babies out of me.”

  “Have you had any contractions?”

  “A few false ones this past week.” Aimee stared at her, and her eyes widened. “You know when these babies are going to be born, don’t you?”

  Jana simply nodded. She didn’t know what to tell Aimee. There was a lot of stuff she could tell her about the future.

  Aimee waved a hand in front of her. “Don’t tell me anything. If you’ve read my journal, I’m sure you must know my life’s history, and I’d rather not be told anything.” With a groan, she eased herself onto the fur-covered large bed in the center of the room. Afternoon sunlight brightened the room from the open square that served as a window.

  “So, what’s going on with you and Dan? And how did you ever meet him?” Aimee prodded again, a wide smile on her face.

  “The day I found your journal, I met him. He’s a park ranger, and at first I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Jana said, sitting down beside her friend.

  Aimee laughed softly. “I bet. There’s no question those two are related. What’s he like?”

  Jana smiled up at her. “He’s like you. Full of passion for Yellowstone.”

  “And you’re in love with him.” It wasn’t a question, just a simple statement of fact. Jana’s eyes widened, and Aimee beamed. “It’s pretty obvious. And it’s obvious he absolutely adores you.” She leaned over and put her arms around Jana’s shoulder. “Now we can really say we’re related, don’t you think?”

  Jana just stared at her friend. Aimee had accepted her relationship with Dan without question. She had known without being told.

  “And Elk Runner was happier than a bison wallowing in the mud when he came here this morning, announcing he had successfully played matchmaker.” She leaned back, her eyebrows raised, and studied Jana’s face. “Obviously the two of you spent quite a bit of time together before now, but did you know that in the Tukudeka tradition, you’re considered a married couple if you spent the night with him?”

  Jana could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She studied her hands in her lap, and tried to work some dirt out from under her fingernails. “Yes, Dan told me about that,” she mumbled.

  “Did he ask you to marry him?” Aimee’s voice was full of excitement. For a moment, Jana and she were back home, sitting together after school, talking about boys.

  “He says he wants a committed relationship, but he hasn’t asked me to marry him.” Jana looked Aimee in the eye. “I’ve only known him for about a month, Aimee. How can I have such strong feelings for him in such a short amount of time?”

  Aimee laughed. “I think I knew I was in love with Daniel a few weeks after I met him. When it’s the right man, it can happen fast.”

  “And you’re okay with me . . . and Dan? I mean, he’s your descendant. You’re his ancestor. I have to tell you, it was weird for me at first. I resisted the idea that I was attracted to him.”

  “Stop being the serious Jana I know, and let yourself go. You found a good man, it seems. Hold on to him. Why should his relation to me have anything to do with it?”

  “That’s what he wanted to know, too.” Jana laughed. The weight was fully lifted from her shoulders.

  Aimee eased herself back against the headboard of the bed, groaning softly. She rubbed her hands across her swollen abdomen, and Jana lifted her friend’s feet onto the bed. Her fingers made indents in the skin of Aimee’s swollen ankles.

  “I’m glad you’re here, Jana, even though I still don’t know why.”

  Jana was glad she could talk to Aimee in private about why they had come. Explaining it all in detail with Daniel present, or even Dan, would have made the telling a lot more difficult. She wondered what Dan was telling Daniel at this very moment. She started at the beginning, when she first met Dan, and how he’d called her months later. She told Aimee about Dan’s lies and motives, and how remorseful he was now, and of their journey these last few weeks since coming to the past.

  “Sounds like he made an impulsive stupid mistake. You made him see that there are more important things than his ambitions,” Aimee said. Her forehead wrinkled. “What I don’t understand, though, is how the time travel device sent you to Lamar Valley. Daniel and I never went there, certainly not with the device.”

  “And shouldn’t we have stayed together after we traveled?” Jana wondered. “We were split up until Dan found my tracks and followed me. I was scared at first that I had come here alone.”

  Aimee shook her head. “I don’t know. It sent Daniel and me back here together, but we were also holding the device. If Dan touched the snake eye when he tried to take it from Hastings, and you touched Dan at the time, it explains how you two traveled. I wouldn’t expect Hastings to have traveled at the same time.”

  Aimee paused, her face contorted in concentration. Then she continued. “That’s how Daniel’s father sent me here without him traveling along with me. You have to touch the snake’s eye, but unless you’re also holding the device, or the person holding the device isn’t touching the person touching the eye, you stay behind.” She laughed again. “I know it’s a bit confusing. Dan touched the eye, and you touched Dan. Therefore, the two of you traveled. Hastings was only holding the device. It’s not the device itself that is the time travel vessel, if you will, but the snake eye.”

  Jana nodded in understanding. “Dan is convinced Hastings will follow once he figures out how it works. I’m sure he’s already figured it out, and is somewhere close. We couldn’t have that much of a head start on him.” Jana clutched Aimee’s hand. “He’s here to kill your baby, Aimee,” she said urgently.

  Aimee nodded. “We’ll just have to be ready for him,” she said, unusually quiet.

  “How are we going to be prepared? A single shot flintlock rifle is no match against a modern day gun, Aimee.” Jana couldn’t understand why Aimee seemed so calm about all of this.

  “We’ll have to let Daniel and Dan worry about that,” Aimee said, a sudden look of surprise on her face. Her body stiffened, and she sat up a bit straighter. “Because I have other things to think about right now. My water just broke.”

  ****

  Dan stood in front of the hearth, his hand gripping the edge of the mantle above his head. He’d been staring into the crackling fire, the dancing display of the orange flames as they eagerly licked the logs he recently added having an almost hypnotic effect on him. Perspiration formed on his forehead from the heat.

  His mind kept replaying his discussion with Daniel from earlier in the evening. They’d walked along the riverbank together, Daniel questioning him about Hastings. He’d asked for descriptions of the man, what sort of weapons he carried, and what his motives were for coming here. All strategic questions to get to know an enemy’s weakness.

  Dan had cautioned Daniel about modern-day weaponry, and how the old Kentucky flintlock Daniel carried would be no match against a repeating rifle. At the very least, Hastings would carry a .45 Magnum, but Dan suspected he would most l
ikely have a hunting rifle to boot.

  Luckily, Daniel hadn’t pressed him for more information about his role in Hastings coming to the past. Daniel seemed to be focused only on how to prevent Hastings from harming his family, and the reason for his appearance was unimportant.

  “If anything happens to Aimee or your child, I am to blame,” Dan finally said. He had to get it off his chest. The guilt was driving him insane. “I was caught up in my own ambitions, and didn’t see what harm would come from my actions. I was told to bring documents that would benefit Hastings in the future. When he told me he wanted me to kill one of your children, I refused.”

  Daniel walked silently beside him. Whatever he was thinking, he hid it well. He stopped walking abruptly, and turned to face him. Dan met his stare. They were almost the same height, although Dan guessed he stood slightly taller that his ancestor. They might be evenly matched in a test of strength, but Dan held no illusions that Daniel could take him down in the blink of an eye. Even though he’d had defensive training, he could never go up against Daniel’s years of experience of living in this harsh environment, where life and death were tested daily, and a man depended on his wit and brawn to survive.

  “I could easily kill you for bringing this evil upon my family,” Daniel said quietly, breaking the silence between them, and echoing Dan’s own thoughts. “Your mind was led by greed and ambition. That is what you are telling me.” His eyes bored holes right through Dan, but he wouldn’t take the coward’s way out and look away. He nodded, unable to deny Daniel’s words. He felt about as low as a man could get.

  “But you are also telling me that this man, Hastings, asked you to do something that would not cause harm to anyone, but would aid him in the future to fuel his own greed. You have been deceived by this man. Only after you found the device did he tell you of his true intentions. You refused to do what he asked.”