A Love to Last Forever

by Tracie Peterson

  Lacy shook her head. “I don’t think that’s possible. A great many folks don’t bother to think at all.”

  “Well, I’ve been thinking plenty. I want you to stop trying to find your father’s killer. I know you made a promise to Gwen regarding it.”

  “I also told her I couldn’t keep that promise,” Lacy replied.

  “There’s too much at stake here, Lacy. You’ve got to realize you’ll only end up getting hurt.”

  She frowned. “There is a lot at stake, and that’s exactly why I can’t stay out of it. I should have known better than to tell you about Cubby and what he’d heard. I should have known that if I wanted anything done, I’d have to do it myself.”

  Turning to leave, Lacy was shocked when Dave grabbed her and pushed her up against the trunk of an aspen. “You listen to me, Lacy Gallatin. This isn’t serving coffee with laudanum to keep cowboys from drinking themselves into a reckless state of mind.”

  “I never thought it was,” she said, feeling rather lightheaded. There was something about Dave Shepard’s touch that left her unable to think clearly. “I only . . . I just don’t like . . . well, that you aren’t doing anything about it.”

  “I’ve been doing more than you realize. I already had suspicions about Rafe and Wyman and what they might know. I don’t need you getting in the middle of it. In fact, if you’re not careful, you’ll ruin all the hard work I’ve already done.”

  “What hard work?”

  He shook his head but continued to hold her fast. “Lacy, I’m good at my job. That’s why the sheriff hired me. I’m good at figuring out people. When you add that to my tracking abilities and the fact that I’m a crack shot, I make a pretty decent deputy, if I do say so myself. I think there is far more going on than meets the eye, where Rafe is concerned. I think he might very well be tied in with the highwaymen, as well as hold the key to unlocking the truth about your father’s death.”

  “Then why haven’t you arrested him?” Lacy asked in an accusing tone.

  “Lacy, you’ve got to understand that I don’t have enough evidence to hold him. And until I do, I don’t want to scare him off or cause him to do something foolish to cover his tracks. I want him relaxed. I want him to think that he’s played all of his cards just right and that no one has any reason to suspect him.”

  “I don’t see how that makes sense.” She suddenly felt very self-conscious. Dave had been holding her in place for several minutes now, and it felt as if his fingers were burning holes right through the material of her dress and into her shoulders. She tried to move, but he held her fast.

  “The idea is to give him enough rope with which to hang himself,” Dave explained. He seemed oblivious to Lacy’s attempts to break his hold. “Rafe and Wyman are evil, there’s no doubt about it. But I have to handle this in a way that will result in a legally successful conclusion. If I act too fast or arouse their suspicions too soon, we might very well never know the truth.”

  She searched his face. “Why have you never told me this before?”

  “Because the less you know, the better. I don’t want anyone trying to see what I know by getting to you. I won’t put you in danger that way, and you need to not put yourself in danger, either.”

  “But I could help,” Lacy offered. “I’m a good tracker and rider. You know I can handle a gun.”

  “No.”

  “But why?” Her voice held a pleading tone. “Why won’t you let me help you?”

  Dave pulled her tight against his chest and bent her backward ever so slightly. Lacy didn’t even have time to close her eyes before his mouth captured hers in a long, passionate kiss.

  When he pulled away, Lacy felt as if every thought she’d had in her head had fled. She looked at him in stunned silence while he watched her, assessing her response.

  Finally Dave chuckled. “I wish I’d known earlier it was that easy to shut you up.”

  Cubby saw Dave Shepard kissing Lacy and pounded his fist against his side. No wonder she won’t consider courting me.

  She already has someone. He frowned.

  “That ought to be me kissing her,” he muttered.

  He thought of marching over to the cemetery and challenging Dave to a gunfight. Cubby played the scene out in his head. He would stand at one end of the road, and Dave would be at the other. They’d walk toward each other and when they got close enough, he would draw his gun and shoot Dave dead.

  “Then she’d love me,” Cubby said softly. “If there were no Dave Shepard, Lacy would have to love me.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  “Bishop has sent that no-good Lassiter and his nephew to Bozeman to get the legal papers for the land,” Rafe told Wyman. “I’ve agreed to give Ellie over to Hank as soon as I have the signed deed in hand.” He gave a maniacal laugh. “I didn’t say, however, what kind of shape she’d be in.”

  Wyman offered Rafe a look that suggested he didn’t exactly get his boss’s meaning. “What kind of shape should she be in?”

  “The last thing I need is for this mess to give any of the other girls an idea as to how they can earn their freedom. I’ve never been one to tolerate sass or defiance, and them that’s been with me for a while know it full well. Giving in to Bishop’s demands might suggest that I’m getting soft. I don’t need that kind of reputation.”

  “Well, I don’t know what you can do about it now.” Wyman rubbed at his jaw. “You’ve already agreed to the deal, and while it wasn’t accomplished as fast as Bishop wanted it, it’s too late to go back on it now.”

  Rafe shook his head and poured himself a beer. “I don’t intend to go back on it. I merely intend to put across my point to the other girls.”

  “And how will you do that?”

  “That’s where you come in.” Rafe tossed back the beer, then slammed the mug to the bar. “I want you to teach Ellie a lesson, and I want the other girls to know exactly what’s going on.”

  Wyman smiled, and understanding flooded his expression. “I think I’m going to enjoy this.”

  “Just don’t enjoy it too much. I don’t want her dead.”

  Wyman shrugged. “I don’t have to kill her to prove a point.”

  “So I presume Nick and Beth got off on their trip,” Patience said as she served Gwen hot tea and cakes.

  “Yes. They’ll only be gone a few days, but I think it will be good for them to be alone.”

  Patience nodded. “I completely agree. Are you taking care of Justin?”

  Gwen leaned back in the soft, cushioned chairs and shook her head. “No. He’s with Simon, and frankly, I’m glad. I’ve been so tired just trying to keep up with the chores that I would never have the ability to keep up with a young boy.”

  “They can be trying. I remember when Dave was little. Goodness, but it was often like he was three or four children instead of just one.”

  Gwen nodded and picked at the cake. “Lacy was that way, too. She could run rings around Beth and me. So maybe it’s not just a boy thing.”

  “Has Lacy been able to take on some of the extra chores in Beth’s absence?”

  “She has, but she’s got enough of her own work to handle. And,” Gwen said, picking up her cup of tea, “Lacy isn’t nearly as thorough as Beth. If Lacy sees a stain on the tablecloth, she’ll give it a good scrubbing, but if it doesn’t come out, she lets it go and moves on to something else. Beth would work with it until that stain was gone. I’ve seen times when she was battling a mark for hours in the evening, long after the rest of us had concluded our work.”

  “Sometimes those things become personal challenges,” Patience said. “Oh, did I tell you that young Ben Mills came to work for us? Jerry hired him off the Koeber ranch.”

  “I hadn’t heard.”

  “Jerry wants to expand. He figures with the railroad finally coming in—even if it’s not through Gallatin Crossing—it would be profitable to increase the herd size and offer to sell beef to the workers.”

  “That does sound smart,” G
wen said, suppressing a yawn. She put down her tea and closed her eyes for a moment while Patience continued talking about their plans. The last thing she remembered was Patience saying something about Jerry also purchasing some piglets to fatten.

  When Gwen woke up a little later, she found Patience had covered her with a blanket. She noted from the clock on the mantel that she hadn’t been asleep much more than an hour, but she was embarrassed to have nodded off like that.

  “Patience?” Gwen called out, pulling the blanket away.

  “I see you’re awake. Did you have a good rest?” Patience asked as she came into the room. She smiled lovingly. “I couldn’t bear to wake you. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

  “I was thinking much the same—hoping you would forgive me for falling asleep.” Gwen stood and began to fold the blanket. “I feel so ashamed. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. Sometimes I don’t sleep very well at night, and with all the worry about Ellie and Simon and Beth’s wedding plans . . . well, I’ve met myself coming and going.”

  “Might there be something else?” Patience asked, coming to take the blanket from Gwen.

  Gwen threw her a confused look. “What do you mean?”

  “Might you be with child?”

  The question hit Gwen like a bolt of lightning. “Pregnant?” She hadn’t considered the possibility at all. As much as she longed for a child of her own, Gwen hadn’t even been able to stop and think about such things for a long time.

  But with Patience looking at her with a knowing smile, Gwen began to do a mental calculation. She touched her hand to her stomach. It was possible. She looked at Patience. “I’m pregnant?”

  Patience laughed. “Well, only time will tell for certain, but that would be my guess. Some women have horrible morning sickness, while others have fainting spells and dizziness. For me, I was always tired and always hungry.”

  Gwen nodded. “I have had a bit of an appetite lately.” She sank into the chair and shook her head. “But I never once thought about it being a baby causing all the fuss.”

  Patience put the blanket aside and came to sit beside Gwen. “How far along do you suppose you are?”

  “It’s been at least two months since . . . well . . . since my last . . .” She let the words trail off, feeling suddenly embarrassed by the intimacy of discussing such things as monthly cycles. “It might have been three months. I can’t recall clearly.”

  “In another month or two, you should be able to feel some movement. It’s like the tiniest flutter of wings at first. My mama used to say it was the angels keeping the baby company.”

  Gwen smiled at the thought. “Hank will be so excited. We’ve wanted this very much. I was so jealous of Millie that I could hardly stand myself. And then Beth married and instantly became a mother, as well.”

  “And now you will join them. How exciting. Oh, I will start sewing things for the little one immediately. What fun this will be!”

  Gwen could only nod at the thought. She was going to have a baby. The very idea left her feeling both overwhelmed and happy at the same time.

  Lacy heard the first scream and stopped what she was doing to investigate. A second cry came very nearly on the heels of the first. Someone was clearly in trouble, and immediately Lacy thought of the bear. She grabbed up the revolver and headed out the back door with Major at her side.

  “No! Stop!” The cry came from one of the prostitute rooms.

  Lacy couldn’t be sure, but she thought it sounded like Ellie. “Come on, boy. Let’s see what’s going on.”

  She stepped cautiously toward the saloon. The sound of commotion—fighting—could be heard. This was accompanied by a man yelling obscenities and accusations. Lacy listened for a moment but couldn’t clearly make out what was being said.

  The woman screamed again and then came the sound of splintering wood. Lacy pressed on, though apprehension and fear coursed up her spine. She had no way of knowing exactly what was happening, but it was violent and wrong.

  Major growled when they came to the door of one of the rooms. Lacy felt her stomach sicken. It was Ellie’s room.

  She thought to knock but knew she’d never be heard. The man was continuing his tirade and now Lacy could tell it was Wyman.

  She pushed open the door just as Wyman threw Ellie into the wall. The woman slid down to the floor. Her eyes fought to remain open, and Lacy wondered if she could even focus on the man standing in front of her.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Lacy called out. “Get away from her. Stop it!”

  “Mind your own business,” Wyman demanded. He picked Ellie up and slammed her against the wall again. She moaned softly, but this time there was nothing else. He threw a punch into the nearly unconscious woman’s face.

  Lacy grew sick at the thought that she might witness Ellie’s murder if something didn’t stop Wyman. It was then she remembered her revolver. She brought the gun up and pointed it at the enraged man.

  “I said stop.”

  Wyman glanced at her only momentarily, but it was enough for him to spy the piece. “And I said to mind your own business. You’re trespassing. Now get off this land.”

  “Not without her. Rafe has already made a deal with Hank to set her free. I’m taking Ellie home with me.”

  Wyman laughed and let Ellie fall to the floor. He took a step in Lacy’s direction but stopped when she cocked the gun.

  “Are you planning to shoot me over a prostitute?”

  “If need be, I will.”

  There must have been something in her expression that betrayed the truth of the matter to Wyman. He folded his arms against his chest and narrowed his eyes. His gaze was unnerving, but Lacy held her ground.

  “You have no right to beat her. You’ve very nearly killed her—just look at her face,” Lacy said, her anger building.

  “She got mouthy with me. That was reason enough.”

  “There’s never a good reason for hitting another person, especially a woman.”

  Wyman guffawed at this. He threw his head back and laughed so loud that Lacy wasn’t entirely sure he hadn’t lost what little sanity he possessed. The gun grew heavy in her hand. Her arm began to burn from the stress, but she remained fast.

  “What’s going on here?”

  Lacy turned to see Dave standing in the open doorway. “Thank goodness you’re here. Wyman was trying to kill Ellie.”

  Dave gave Lacy a hard look. “Put the gun away.

  “Wyman, what’s this all about?”

  Lacy felt a sense of confusion at Dave’s angry tone. He’d looked at her as if she’d started this entire thing. She uncocked the revolver and put it in her apron pocket. The long barrel made it awkward at best, but it seemed the least threatening thing she could do.

  “It was personal business,” Wyman replied. “An employee situation that Rafe asked me to deal with.”

  Lacy rushed to Ellie’s side and gently lifted the unconscious woman’s face. She was nearly unrecognizable, her face bloody and broken. “Take him to jail, Dave. He would have killed her if I hadn’t come in when I did.”

  “I wouldn’t have killed her,” Wyman protested. “I had no thought to kill her—just punish her.”

  “Well, it seems you’ve punished her enough.”

  “Arrest him, Dave.”

  Dave turned to Lacy. “Let’s put our attention to getting Ellie the help she needs. I can deal with this varmint later.”

  Lacy realized the sense in that. She nodded. “Help me lift her. We’ll take her to Gallatin House.”

  “She’s not going anywhere until Rafe gets his signed papers.”

  Dave was already lifting Ellie in his arms. Lacy stepped up to Wyman and narrowed her eyes. “I still have a loaded revolver, Wyman, and frankly, I would just as soon use it as not.”

  “Not a very Christian thing to say,” Wyman mused. He looked at Lacy as if she were a silly little girl, speaking of things she didn’t understand.

  “I’m not feeling particula
rly Christian at this point.” Lacy could feel the weight of the revolver in her pocket. Her breath was coming in a pant, and her heart raced at the very thought of what she might have to do.

  “You’d best leave it alone, Wyman. She’s mad enough to do it,” Dave said as he moved with Ellie to the door. “If you enjoy life, you’ll leave us alone and go report to Rafe that you’ve done your job.”

  Lacy waited only a moment longer before turning to follow Dave out of the room. She’d never been so angry in all of her life. The hatred she felt at this moment startled her. No, it terrified her. Where was such rage borne?

  “Where should we take her?”

  “The top room, where we worked on the stage man. We can go up the back way. It’ll be quicker.” Lacy hurried to get ahead of Dave. She held the door for him and grabbed towels and water as he carried Ellie up the stairs.

  Lacy squeezed by him in the hall upstairs and hurried to open the bedroom door. She put the towels and water aside. “Put her on the bed.”

  She pulled back the blanket and sheet as Dave lowered Ellie to the mattress. Lacy gasped again to see the brutality Ellie had endured. She put her hand to her mouth. How could anyone do something so heinous to another human being?

  “It’s pretty bad,” Dave admitted. “I’d best go for the doctor. Where are Hank and Gwen?”

  “They’re . . . ah . . .” Lacy couldn’t think. Fear and shock blended with her anger, leaving her weak and helpless. She thought she might even pass out. You have to be strong, she told herself. But it did little good.

  Dave came to her and took hold of her shoulders. “Lacy? Are you all right?”

  “I . . . um. . . .” She shook her head. “I tried my best.”

  “You have to help Ellie. Don’t think about what you’ve seen today or even what she looks like now. You are her only help.”

  Lacy met his sympathetic gaze and nodded very slowly. “I . . . want to help her.”

  He touched Lacy’s cheek. “I know you do. But you can’t help her if you fall to pieces on me.”

  She swallowed hard and drew a deep breath. “But what if she dies?” Lacy’s shoulders began to shake as tears came to her eyes. “What if she dies because I wasn’t fast enough to help her? What if I fail her, too?”