by Bobbi Smith
The sheriff knew his proposal made sense. Having Slade secretly under the same roof with the women would certainly add an element of surprise to their defense of them. Anything they could use to their advantage against the Kid and Zeke was important.
"Let's tell the ladies what we're going to do. I'll make sure Alyssa has an escort to and from her office every day," Rob decided.
The men were grimly determined as they went back outside.
"Is everything all right?" Loretta asked. She was upset and angry.
"Nothing's missing as far as we could tell," Rob assured her. "And there was no vandalism to speak of. We'll get the locksmith over here right away and get your door repaired."
"Thanks. Then it's all right for us to go in now?"
"First, let me tell you how Slade, Ken and I want to handle this," Rob said. He quickly related their plan.
"Having Slade in the house can only help," Loretta agreed. They had a spare bedroom, and she knew she would rest easier having him close at hand. "We want to do everything we can to help you catch the Kid. If there's anything you need from us, just say so."
Rob smiled at the older woman. "We will. Mostly, I just want you to be constantly aware of your surroundings and to make sure you don't give the Kid a chance to hurt you."
"Don't worry. We won't."
Ken looked at Emily, who appeared a bit more relaxed. "Are you feeling better?"
Now that her initial terror was over, she wasn't about to let him know that she'd needed him.
"Of course. Deputy Hawkins here reassured me that everything is just fine," she said, looking up at the deputy adoringly.
Ken turned and walked back around to the front of the house, his jaw clenched in irritation. Women!
Loretta and Emily went on inside as Rob and the deputies began to unload the coach. Slade looked over at Alyssa.
"Before you go in...I have to tell you, one of them tore your bedroom apart. It doesn't look like they took anything, but you'd better check and make sure."
This time she couldn't suppress the shudder that racked her. "It's an awful feeling to know that they could get into the house so easily."
"The good news is, you weren't here when they broke in."
"But next time-" She looked up at him, fear evident in her expression.
"If there is a next time, I'll be waiting for them,"
She managed a smile then, and they went inside together. As horrible as the discovery of the break-in was, it thrilled her to know that Slade would be close.
The rest of the day passed quietly. They learned that Deputy Clemans had gone by their house two days before and nothing had been amiss. Ken went with Rob and the deputies to ask around town to see if anyone had seen any strangers or noticed anything unusual recently, but their quest turned up nothing. Discovering that the Kid had been there so recently was unsettling, but it also encouraged them that they were doing the right thing by waiting in town for him and not getting up a posse to go on a wild-goose chase around the territory.
The Kid had said he was after Alyssa, and Slade knew they could believe him. The outlaw leader was out for revenge.
Even after the lock on the back door had been replaced, Loretta did not feel entirely secure anymore. Only Slade's manly presence helped to calm her. When it was finally time to retire, Loretta and Emily said good night and went upstairs to bed, leaving Slade and Alyssa alone in the parlor.
"I'm glad you're staying here with us," Alyssa said. "I doubt I could have gotten through today without you."
He smiled gently at her. "Sure you would have. Look at what you've been through in the last few weeks."
"Sometimes I get tired of being strong," she admitted out loud. "Just thinking about the Kid and Zeke being here in the house makes me want to scream! I hate them!"
"You're not alone in this, sweetheart," he told her softly as he went to sit beside her on the sofa.
"Slade, I was wondering.. .1 found a small, oneshot derringer in Papa's desk drawer, and I thought maybe I should start carrying it with me. What do you think?"
"I think that would be smart. It would be difficult for you to carry your six-gun all the time, but the derringer can fit in your pocket."
She nodded. "I'll do it, then. I'll feel better if I have it with me, since you and Rob can't be here all the time."
Slade realized it was time to tell her what had happened between him and Rob. "There's something I need to tell you-"
"What?" She looked at him questioningly.
"That second night of the trip when we were enjoying our view of the sunset-" he said, with a halfsmile.
"Yes?"
"Well, Rob was standing guard, and he got worried about us because we'd moved out of sight. He went to check on us to make sure we were safe, and he saw us together."
"Oh." She was saddened by the news. "How did you find out?"
"He took me aside and spoke with me about it. I would have told you sooner, but this is the first time we've been alone since it happened."
"How is he?"
"It wasn't easy for him, but he knows how we feel about each other now, and he's handling it."
"I'm so sorry.... I wanted to tell him myself when we got back here and things quieted down."
"I would have picked a better way, too, but it's too late to worry about that now."
She looked at Slade and could only imagine what the two men had said to each other. "I hope he finds happiness some day."
"I do, too. He deserves it."
Slade caressed her cheek as their gazes met, and then he kissed her as he'd been longing to do all day. He wished the terror was over, so he could concentrate on her and their future, but reality had too firm a grip on him. He had to make sure they got the Kid and Zeke first. As long as the gunmen were on the loose, he couldn't afford the luxury of dreaming about living happily ever after with Alyssa.
She melted against him, savoring his kiss and his nearness. She had been so wrapped up in her studies with her father that she'd never really thought she'd fall in love. None of the men around town had intrigued her or delighted her the way Slade did. He was everything she'd ever wanted in a man, and she couldn't believe the circumstances that had brought them together.
"I'm glad you asked me to dance that night," she said when they finally moved apart.
They were very aware of her mother's and sister's presence in the house, and so had to control their desire. Not that it wouldn't have been sweet to give in to their need, but Slade respected Alyssa too much to cheapen their love that way.
"I am, too, although I must have been crazy to do it...or maybe just in love."
"You believe in love at first sight?"
He smiled at her. "Why not?"
"What about Emily? Weren't you attracted to her? Every single man at the dance seemed to be vying for her attention."
"Your sister's beautiful, there's no doubt about that, but when I looked at you-" He leaned closer, giving her a soft kiss. "I knew you were the woman I wanted."
"I like the sound of that." She lifted her arms around his neck and drew him to her for another fiery kiss.
They were both breathing heavily when they broke apart. They sat quietly, just enjoying being together.
"You're lucky to have such a wonderful family," Slade told her.
"You would have liked my father," she said, sadness coming into her eyes. "And he would have liked you."
"He must have been a good man to have so many friends."
She smiled at Slade as she thought of her father. "Papa was. He was honest and fair, and he never knew a stranger. I don't think we'll ever really be convinced that he's gone forever."
"Death is like that." He was solemn.
"Tell me about your family," Alyssa said. "Where do you call home?"
"I was raised in St. Louis, but my parents both died of the fever when I was seventeen. I've been on my own ever since."
"You didn't have any other relatives to take you in? No brothe
rs or sisters?"
"No."
"What did you do? You were so young to be by yourself-"
He shnigged slightly, preferring not to think about those hard times. "I headed west to Kansas and began working on the cattle drives. From that I got work as a range detective for a while, and then I met Ken on a trip to Denver. He recruited me to be a Pinkerton, and I've been working as an operative ever since. It's been just over five years now."
"Do you enjoy the work?"
"Some days I do.... Like the days when I see the outlaws I've been chasing finally locked up. That makes it all worthwhile, but sometimes, like in the situation with your father, it's hard being undercover ... real hard."
She reached over and touched his hand. "I love you, Slade Braxton, and I know that you had nothing to do with my father's murder. There was no way you could have stopped it."
His gaze met hers, and he saw reflected in her eyes all the peace, acceptance and understanding that his soul so desperately needed.
"I love you, too, Alyssa."
He crushed her to his heart, loving the feel of her soft curves pressed against him. His mouth slanted across hers in a hot, possessive kiss that could easily have led to more.. .much more.
With a groan, Slade realized he had to set her from him right then, or in another moment, he might not be able to release her at all. In a herculean effort of self-mastery, he ended the embrace and stood up.
"You'd better go on up to bed now," he ordered. "I'll stay down here and keep watch."
Alyssa ached to kiss him and touch him and love him, but she also knew he was telling her to leave him because he wanted to protect her, not hurt her.
"Good night, Slade." Her voice was soft as she rose and left him standing there alone.
He raked a hand through his hair as he stared off in the direction she'd gone. If he had known at that moment exactly where the Kid and Zeke were hiding, he would have gone after them that very night, just to put an end to the fear and terror that was threatening their lives.
He resented being forced to play the Kid's game, and that was what they were being forced to dowhether they liked it or not. But with Alyssa's life at stake, he had little choice in the matter.
Slade turned off the lamps and sat down in the darkness alone, watching and waiting for trouble he hoped would never come.
Rob came to escort Alyssa to her office bright and early the next morning. Her mother and Emily were ready to reopen the store, too, so they all left together. When they had gone, Slade retired after having been up all night. It was near noon when the sound of Ken's knock roused him from a deep sleep. He quickly got up to let him in.
"What brings you here?" Slade asked wearily. "Did you find something out?"
"No, things are very quiet. I sent a wire to Denver, letting them know where we were and what we were doing. If they have anything to tell us, they'll contact me here."
"Good. This waiting isn't sitting well with me."
"I know. I feel the same way. I want this to be over. I want Alyssa out of danger."
Slade nodded. "I just wish we'd get some kind of break. The Kid's managed to elude us at every turn. Even after all my weeks of riding with him, I never did learn anything that would help us identify the informant in the express office. I'm beginning to wonder if there's any way we can still find out."
"I don't know. The good news is that they're working on it from the other end, too. The last I heard, we had a man undercover in the office itself."
Slade nodded. "Good, because I just don't see the Kid robbing another train any time soon-or ever again, once we bring him in."
"Amen."
"How's Emily?"
Ken shot him a quick glance that was less than kind. "How should I know?"
Slade tried not to grin at him, but he couldn't help himself. "I thought you liked her."
Ken muttered an expletive. "I'm working on a case. I don't have any time for women."
"That must be why I heard her talking about how Deputy Hawkins wanted to come courting her as soon as her mourning period was over. And here I thought you were the man she wanted."
Ken gave a snort of derision. "She's just a baby. She's barely out of the cradle."
"I heard Alyssa say that she was almost nineteen."
Ken scowled at him. "This is no time to be concerned about females."
"Not even females you love?"
"Who said anything about love?"
"In all the years we've worked together, I've never seen you pay attention to any good woman-until Emily."
Ken looked uncomfortable. "Damn it, Slade, we're investigating a case."
"All the more reason why you can't escape her. She's involved in this, whether you like it or not. You're going to be seeing her daily, whether you like it or not. You may as well face it. You're going to have to deal with the problem."
Ken scowled. "It's a problem, all right."
"I feel the same way about Alyssa. I'd give anything for her not to be involved in this. I want her out of danger. I know my original assignment was to learn the informant's name and bring down the Kid and his gang, but that's all changed. Alyssa, inadvertently, has become a big part of this operation, and now my first and foremost priority is to make sure she comes out of it unscathed. If that's becoming personally involved, then so be it. I love her, and I won't stand by and let anything happen to her-not when I'm partially to blame for what happened to begin with."
"How do you figure any of this is your fault?" Ken asked, puzzled by his statement.
"If I'd only been ordered to bring in the gang, we could have brought them down long before the Kid decided to rob the Black Springs bank. If I'd done that, her father would never have been shot, and none of this would have happened."
"There are a lot of times in life when things happen that you can't control."
"I know. Alyssa even said that no one blames me, but I still wish I could have done something."
"You are doing something. You're helping to bring in his killer. As soon as we bring in the Kid and Zeke, the one responsible for John Mason's murder will pay with his life."
"I was riding with them when it happened."
"It was your job to maintain your cover."
"And watch innocents die?" He voiced the dilemma that had been troubling him for some time.
"If necessary in the line of duty-yes."
They were both grimly silent. As painful as it was, Slade knew that Ken was right.
"So, what are you going to do about Emily?" he asked.
"Nothing."
"You aren't going to let her know how you feel about her?"
"She already knows I care."
"Then why are you avoiding her?"
"Because I don't want to be distracted while I'm working on this investigation with you."
"But aren't you being even more distracted by trying not to be distracted? Go talk to her." Slade waited for him to say something, but he didn't. "Go on. Straighten things out with her. You'll feel better if you do."
"There's nothing to straighten out."
Slade gave him a disbelieving look. "All right. But just remember that Hawkins has been coming by to talk with her, and she's even mentioned how nice Deputy Clemans is, too."
"I'm glad she likes them," Ken ground out, standing up to leave. "I'll talk with you later."
Slade watched him go and would have smiled, if his friend hadn't looked so perturbed. Emily was a light-hearted flirt, but he also knew that she was interested in Ken. He'd watched her as she'd tried to ignore Ken during the last few days. She hadn't been entirely successful in her attempts. He'd seen the flicker of emotion in her expression that had proven to him that her interests lay not with the deputies she was charming, but with Ken.
Ken left the house, determined not to do anything about Emily. As he made his way through town, though, he found himself walking toward the general store. He stopped himself, then deliberately went to the stable to saddle his horse. He rode o
ut of town with no particular destination in mind. As he passed the store, he saw Deputy Clemans coming out, looking rather pleased with himself and smiling quite broadly.
Though he rode for over an hour, Ken's mood did not change. He kept thinking of Emily and wondering what Clemans had been smiling about. Despite his best effort to stay away, he returned to town and reined in before the store.
"Afternoon, Ken," Loretta greeted him as he entered.
"Mrs. Mason," he replied, glancing around but seeing no sign of Emily anywhere.
"What can I do for you?"
"I was just stopping by to make sure you were all right."
"It's been pretty quiet today, but quiet is good right now."
"Have you seen Rob since this morning?"
"No, but Deputies Clemans and Hawkins were both by and said they'd heard nothing new."
Ken nodded. He knew exactly what the Dakota Kid was up to-he was going to stall and make them wait and make them sweat. The Kid was a cautious man. He was a man who liked to be in control. When he finally did make his move, it would be lethal.
"Emily just stepped out a few minutes ago to run an errand for me, but she should be back soon if you want to wait and visit with her for a while."
"No, just tell her I said hello," he said, starting for the door. He didn't need to be there. It was ridiculous that he'd come.
"Oh, Ken?" Loretta called out to him.
"Yes?" He looked back but did not stop his retreat.
As he was glancing toward Loretta, Emily came through the door and almost collided with him.
"Why, Ken, what a pleasant surprise. I didn't know you were going to stop by," she said sweetly, trying to ignore the way her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. He was so handsome-and so irritating.
"I just dropped in to see how things were going."
"Ken, why don't you come by the house for dinner tonight," Loretta asked.
"I'd be delighted, thank you for the invitation. What time?"
"Six-thirty will be fine."
"I'll see you then," he said and then left the store, nodding to Emily as he went.
Emily was annoyed as she watched him go. Wasn't that just his way? Instead of visiting with her for a while, he couldn't wait to escape. She was surprised that he'd actually agreed to come to dinner. He probably had only said yes so he could see Slade for a while. She was sure he wasn't coming to see her.
