Texas Lawman

by Ginger Chambers

  “We’re goin’ straight back to Colorado,” Rufus interrupted him. “We got a girl to bury.”

  They ducked into the back seat of the patrol car and the second deputy drove away.

  “Whew!” Rafe breathed after a moment in which no one seemed able to move. “That’s pretty well one of the worst things I’ve ever had to witness.”

  LeRoy nodded, while Harriet buried her face in his shirt.

  Rio swaggered off the porch. “I was pretty sure it was him all along,” he bragged. “I didn’t want to say nothin’, but—”

  Tate looked at him as if he were a worm. “You still here?” he asked.

  Rio held out his hand. “I wanna thank you,” he said grandly. “Jodie told me you found Joe-Bob.”

  Tate seemed of two minds whether or not to accept. He finally did, but the handshake was brief.

  Jodie hurried down from the porch. She’d seen the way Rafe was glaring at Rio and knew it wouldn’t be long before he’d toss him off the ranch. And even though she’d just as soon not draw attention to herself, knowing what would follow, she felt she had to intervene. “Rio, you know where the bunkhouse is if you want a shower. And I’m sure you could talk one of the boys out of a change of clothes.”

  Rio looked down at himself. “Yeah, I could sure use one.”

  “Yeah, you stink!” Rafe agreed. But everyone knew he was referring to more than Rio’s ripe body odor.

  Tate shifted position, drawing Jodie’s attention. She knew he was angry—because of the way she’d gone against his directive, because she hadn’t told him about the time limit, because he seemed to think that she and Rio were closer to each other than they really were. She wanted to speak privately to him, to explain. But there was no chance of that at the moment. She could feel her family’s pent-up questions bursting to be asked. There was no way she and Tate could go off alone together. And no way, from the look of him, that Tate would even agree.

  “I’d better get back to town,” he said. “I have to make a call or two and see to the county’s newest guest.”

  “What’ll happen to him?” Harriet asked.

  “Sheriff Preston’ll probably send somebody to get him, or he might even come himself. Either way, it won’t be our worry for long.”

  “Poor girl,” Harriet whispered, still leaning against LeRoy. “She must have had a terrible life.”

  A horn tooted repeatedly as the black Cadillac tore down the road, then turned into the compound driveway. Mae and Gib were returning.

  “Tell Miss Parker I’ll talk to her another time,” Tate said, climbing into his patrol car.

  “Will do,” Rafe said, then added, “Hey, Tate, thanks. We appreciate everything you did.”

  “Yes,” Jodie said softly.

  “Sure do!” Rio added.

  Tate’s brown eyes went from Jodie to Rio and back again. Then with a tight little nod, he drove off.

  Almost at the same instant the black Cadillac rocked to a halt. And after only a little trouble getting out, Mae stood by the front fender, ready to stare everyone down. Even with wisps of white hair trailing from the normally impeccable knot on top her head and her increasing reliance on a cane, she still cut a formidable figure. Her dark eyes whipped round them. “Well, what’s happened?” she snapped. “We met two county patrol cars comin’ from this way, then we see another one parked out front, and it leaves before we can get here. Was it Tate? What did he—”

  Her barrage of questions instantly broke off when she spotted Rio and did a double take. Her gaze had touched on him before, but his presence was so unexpected it hadn’t registered.

  The moment might have been comical in other circumstances. Mae’s eyes widened as she realized just who Rio was. She gasped, then in a voice that could cause shivers to run up and down any listener’s spine, she demanded, “What in heaven’s name is that worthless sack of misery who calls himself a cowboy doin’ here in my front yard?”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “THAT’S THE MOST foolhardy thing I’ve ever known anyone to do!” Mae railed from the comfort of the overstuffed sofa in her living room after the family moved indoors. Rio had slunk off to the bunkhouse immediately after Mae learned of his exoneration to scrub the days of dirt and grime from himself. “How could you, Jodie?” Mae continued. “How could you? I don’t think I’ll ever understand!”

  “What gets me, Jodie,” Rafe said, joining in, “is that you were doin’ it all along! When did Rio first contact you? You didn’t know he was here when Tate came to tell us about him, did you? You sure acted surprised.”

  “And what was it Tate said about you pressing charges against the Hammonds?” LeRoy asked. “Why would you want to do somethin’ like that? Unless...”

  Jodie had completely forgotten her ailments. The pain in her knee and hip was fading, and the blisters on her hand were barely noticeable.

  Shannon had come in from the kitchen to sit with Harriet on the second sofa. Both women looked at her with dismay and compassion. Neither had condemned her.

  Her father, who’d been just as shocked as everyone else, stood just a little outside the group.

  Jodie cleared her throat, her first chance to speak. “I didn’t do it to spite anyone or to go against what you said. I helped him because I believed him. I told you I did.”

  “Yes!” Mae fired back. “But you didn’t tell us everything, did you?”

  “I only learned about it after the barbecue. That’s when he found me and asked—”

  “He asked you to hide him?” Rafe interrupted.

  “He asked for my help.” She gazed at each of them, silently appealing for their understanding. “He’s changed. He’s not the same person you used to know. He was only twenty-two then. He—”

  “He was old enough to know better!” Mae snapped.

  “I never said he was perfect,” Jodie retorted. “Or is. Just that he’s different.”

  “What you did was against the law, Missy,” Mae came back. “It’s a wonder Tate didn’t arrest you, too!”

  A light tap sounded on the door, and when Shannon answered it, Rio stepped hesitantly inside. As if to add credence to Jodie’s words, he looked different than he had a short half hour before. Clean, with fresh clothes, his hair combed, his beard shaved and his mustache trimmed, he might have been a neighbor’s son come to pay a call. But he wasn’t given that kind of reception.

  Rafe jerked to his feet. Mae strained forward on the sofa.

  “You’re pressin’ your luck comin’ into this house, aren’t you?” Rafe drawled darkly.

  Rio swallowed, then motioned to Jodie. “I just wondered... I’d like to talk to Jodie for a minute. I wanna thank—”

  “You can do it from where you are,” Rafe growled. “Then you can get goin’. You have about five minutes to cart your mangy hide off this ranch.”

  Rio ducked his chin nervously and worked his old black Stetson in his hands. He glanced at Jodie.

  Jodie jumped up, angry that what should be her decision was being taken away from her, but she kept her voice studiously calm as she countered, “I’ll talk to you, Rio. And we’ll talk for as long as we want. This is either my home or it isn’t.” Her gaze moved around the room. “Everyone’s also forgetting that Rio is an innocent man. He didn’t hurt that Hammond girl, so he shouldn’t be treated like a criminal.”

  She waited for someone to contradict her. No one did.

  She followed Rio out onto the front porch, feeling everyone’s eyes on her as she did. Once outside she drew a deep breath. Contesting the conventional Parker wisdom, especially when they presented a united front, was never easy. As a youngster she’d fought against the authority of her elders—mostly Mae—and sometimes even succeeded, but she’d always felt herself in the wrong. As if she was a spoiled child, misbehaving. Now she didn’t. She had a right to feel the way she did and to do whatever it was she wanted to do. They were just going to have to learn to trust her judgment. Mae especially.

  Rio w
histled low under his breath. “Wow! That took guts!”

  “Let’s go out in the courtyard,” Jodie suggested. Several lawn chairs were in place under the trees, but Jodie ignored them. She wanted to talk to Rio, but she didn’t want the talk to be extended.

  “Jodie,” he said, still holding on to his hat, “I truly do want to thank you for all you did. You saved my life.”

  “Tate did that really.”

  “He wouldn’t have helped if you hadn’t asked him.”

  Jodie shrugged.

  He stuffed his hat on his head, grabbed her hand and held it against his chest. “From the bottom of my heart I want you to know I’m a changed man. I used to think only of myself, nobody else. If there was a cute little gal around, that was all I lived for. But not any more. You changed me. Crystal changed me. Crystal most of all, I guess.” His face brightened. “I wish you two could’ve met! You’d’ve liked each other. She was...” The brightness faded and a bleak look took its place. “I’d like to go to her funeral, if Rufus Hammond’ll let me. If not, I’ll wait around until after they leave, then go pay my respects.” He lapsed into silence, obviously thinking about what lay ahead.

  “You’re going back to Colorado?” Jodie asked, removing her hand from his grasp.

  “I have to take my friend’s truck back.”

  “Then what?”

  “Look for work. Not with the Hammonds of course.”

  “In Colorado?”

  Rio shrugged. “For sure not Texas! Rafe’d track me down if I did that.”

  “I can get him to change his mind.”

  “They’ll think you’re sweet on me again,” he teased.

  “Rio, seven years is a long time. Too long to hold a grudge. I was just as much at fault for what happened between us as you were. I used you almost as much as you used me. The only difference was, I made plans for the future.”

  “If I’d married anybody back then, it would’ve been you!”

  Jodie smiled. “Sure it would.”

  “Naw! I mean it!” His smile widened, the old Rio making another comeback.

  Jodie cocked her head. “Just how many times have you used that lucky coin since you used it with me?”

  He dug in his pocket and brought out his key chain. The silver coin dangled from its loop. “Tell you what,” he said, pulling it off. “I’m gonna give it to you—for old time’s sake.” He handed it to her. “Take it,” he urged. “Then, if you ever get into any kind of trouble—hopefully not the kind of trouble I was in—you just send it to me and I’ll come runnin’!” He smiled until she took it. “I wonder,” he said quietly and with as much sincerity as he was capable of “do you think we could be friends? I’d like it if we were. Friends, now, nothin’ else. Not unless you—”

  Jodie slipped the coin into her jeans pocket. “How about we just take this one step at a time? But it can never go beyond friendship, because I...I think I’m in love with someone else. So...”

  “Tate Connelly,” Rio said. Then, at her surprised expression he explained, “I saw the way you looked at him.”

  Jodie gave a half nod, but didn’t answer.

  They parted a moment later. Friends, but not friends. Odd confidants from a fractured past. Jodie had wanted to shake hands, but Rio wasn’t satisfied until he leaned close to kiss the side of her mouth.

  “You always were a good kisser,” he said.

  “Drop me a line. Let me know what you’re up to,” she called after him.

  He tooted the truck’s horn and waved as he pulled out of the driveway.

  Jodie watched him go. Who would have thought their relationship would end this way? She doubted she’d ever hear from him again. And that would be fine with her.

  She walked slowly back into the house, bracing for what waited. She would meet the inquiry head-on, with her chin up, her back straight and the light of confidence in her eyes.

  “I’m sure Tate told you everything there was to tell,” she said once she’d rejoined them. “But if you insist, I’ll go over it again. What would you like to know?”

  In the pause that followed Gib moved close and put his arm around her shoulders. He looked at the others. “Don’t you all think she’s been through enough? Do we really have to ask more questions? We know what happened. She helped save Rio’s sorry ass and now he’s gone. He is, isn’t he?” he asked Jodie.

  She gazed into her father’s dark eyes and saw the warmth of unconditional love. In that moment she couldn’t have loved him more. She nodded. “Yes.”

  He smiled. She’d noticed a few days back that he didn’t chew as much gum as he used to. Maybe as he’d gained confidence in his painting, he didn’t feel so emotionally exposed in his everyday life, and he’d been able to conquer the nervous habit. She rested her cheek against his shoulder.

  “There is one thing,” Mae said stiffly. She seemed the only one still wanting a hearing. “What LeRoy said earlier—about pressing charges against the Hammonds. Is that why you were limping last night? You pretended nothing was wrong, but somethin’ was. Did they hurt you?”

  Rafe, who’d settled back in his chair content to follow Gib’s lead, grew tense. “You were hurt?” he asked.

  Jodie wasn’t about to tell them everything. The Parker men could easily take it into their heads to catch up to the Hammonds and vent their displeasure. “It wasn’t all that much,” she said. “They wanted to talk to me, I didn’t want to talk, and I ended up slipping. I hurt my leg a bit, that’s all.”

  “They knocked you down?” Mae demanded, looking fierce.

  “I fell.”

  Mae’s frown showed she didn’t believe her.

  “Where were you when this happened?” Rafe asked.

  “Outside the hospital, getting coffee. The hospital cafeteria was closed, so I went to a café down the street.” Her explanation petered out.

  Mae’s fierce look deepened. “You left the hospital—alone—when you knew—”

  “I’d forgotten!” Jodie defended. “Driving Christine, I forgot everything!”

  “It was a hair-raising experience,” Harriet contributed, trying to help.

  Mae waited for Jodie to say something more. But Jodie couldn’t. She’d used up all the energy her body had stored for the day. Too much tension, too much worry, too much emotion. She had nothing left to argue with.

  Gib, sensitive to her needs, said firmly, “I’m takin’ her home, Aunt Mae. Any more questions are gonna have to wait till tomorrow.”

  Mae gave a dismissing motion with her cane, but Gib had already started for the door. This time he hadn’t waited for her permission.

  Her father carried her the last steps to their house, then, after she’d quickly changed for bed, returned to her room to tuck her in. “How many years has it been since I’ve done this?” he questioned softly, sitting on the edge of the bed.

  “A long time,” Jodie murmured.

  He adjusted the cover under her chin and ruffled her bright hair. “Do I have to tell you to sleep tight?”

  She shook her head. “I can barely keep my eyes open.”

  It made her feel all warm inside to have her father’s undivided attention. She’d missed these infrequent moments from her childhood. She’d missed them even then, when she didn’t have them.

  He got up to switch off the lamp and was ready to leave when Jodie said, “Daddy...I love you.”

  “I know you do.”

  “And?” It was important to her to hear the words. She needed to hear them from him.

  Her father hesitated, not because he was unsure or because it wasn’t true, but because saying it was difficult for him. “Yes, little girl,” he said at last, “I love you, too.”

  Then he slipped out the door and closed it behind him.

  Tears sprang to Jodie’s eyes and one rolled onto her pillow. She smiled, sniffed, then fell instantly asleep.

  IT GALLED TATE to leave Jodie and Rio together. He knew the Parkers were going to make hanging around the ranch a p
roblem for him—they disliked him intensely—but it was Jodie’s feelings that counted.

  He remembered how he’d felt when, after pulling the Hammonds off each other, he’d glanced up to see Jodie and Rio standing together, looking for all the world like the cover on one of those romance novels—two lovers, bravely facing the world, the hero’s hands tightly clasping the heroine’s shoulders, drawing her back against him. He’d wanted to pull them apart, too!

  All the way into town Tate thought about what he’d like to do to Rio Walsh. Cocky little... It was a good thing no women or children were privy to what was in his mind, because then he’d have to censor himself just as he had Rufus Hammond.

  What if Rio was to get work as a hired hand on one of the surrounding ranches? What if he and Jodie took up where they left off? They certainly looked friendly enough. Where did that leave him?

  He was in a foul mood when he walked into the station. He didn’t say anything to anyone and barely heard what was said to him.

  From the way he felt you’d think he was in love with her.

  “Oh, hell!” he growled, shutting the office door. It was fortunate his mother was off duty. She’d probably have read him like a crystal ball.

  Was he in love with Jodie? Tate raked a hand over his close-cropped hair. He’d never been in love before. Not like this, if that was what this was. So how was he supposed to know? He liked her, wanted to be around her, wanted to get to know her better, wanted to...

  To help keep his thoughts off Jodie, he dialed the sheriffs office in Colorado and found that Sheriff Preston had kept late hours that evening, as well.

  “Got some good news and some bad news,” Tate said levelly, aware of the bombshell he was about to drop in the other man’s lap. “I found out who killed that girl of yours up there, and it’s somethin’ you’re not goin’ to like to hear. Seems Phil Hammond had some strong feelings for her and didn’t take too well to the idea that she was expectin’ Rio Walsh’s baby. He confessed what he’d done in front of his dad and his brother and most near everyone who lives on the Parker Ranch. I have Phil in custody in my jail. His dad and brother are on the way home—they don’t want to have anythin’ to do with him. Won’t even see to gettin’ him a lawyer. So, how do you want to handle it from now on? When do you want to come get him?”