by Lise Fuller
“Sorry, Marie,” he slurred as he squinted his glazed eyes and passed out.
Suddenly the place erupted. A chair flew toward the bar.
“C’mon, honey, we gotta go.” Katie appeared by her side. She grabbed Marie’s arm, and yanked her up.
“This way, ladies.” Slim materialized out of nowhere and blocked a cue stick that flew their way. He took a punch to his back then turned and locked the attacker’s arm with a quick twist.
“Weehaw,” Katie yelled as she pulled Marie down and shimmied under a table. “C’mon, honey. We’ll be safe under one of these.” The table broke under the weight of a body as Katie scurried out of harm’s way toward the back wall.
Marie pumped her hands and knees into motion to follow her to another safe haven.
“Look at him. Ain’t he a dream?” the rowdy Katie burst out as she settled under a table in a booth and pointed to Slim.
Dazed and confused, Marie looked in his direction. He fought three men at once.
“I thought these things only happened in the movies,” Marie mumbled in bewilderment and leaned forward to get a better view.
“It’s all in fun, Marie.” Katie laughed as a pitcher of beer crashed on the edge of the table and splashed onto the bodice of Marie’s outfit.
“Oh.” Marie jumped back and cringed underneath as the cold brew trickled between her breasts.
“You okay, honey?” Katie pulled her closer to the wall.
“Fine,” Marie nodded as sirens wailed in the distance. She scowled. “Just fine.”
Katie patted her on the back. “It’ll be all right. Jake’ll get us out of this.” Marie half listened and leaned forward to look for an escape but Katie yanked her back. “That is, if you don’t get hurt. Honey, this is a spectator sport. Yuh gotta keep outta the way.”
In moments, the sheriff’s department burst through the bar doors.
—
Word travels fast in a small town. Jake listened to Jesse’s television program that played in the other room as he poured Cal a second shot of whiskey. His foreman rattled on about the getup Marie wore to the bar and again Jake paced the floor. It was all he could do to stay put. He took a bitter sip of his own drink when the police band crackled.
“Code 3. Disturbance at the Slow Dog Saloon. All units respond.”
“Shit.” Jake slammed the clear glass against the desk.
“Go.” Cal laid a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll take Jesse to my place.”
“Thanks.” Jake ran to his room. In seconds, he rushed down the hall as he buckled his gun and holster on his hip.
“Dad, what’s wrong?” Jesse ran to meet him. The boy looked worried. “Is Marie coming home?”
Jake had seen that look before. It broke his heart. He knelt in front of him and hugged him. “She’ll be home soon.” Then he held the boy at arm’s length so he could look into his face. “Count on it.”
Coatless, he rushed out the door, oblivious to the cold snow that fell around him.
—
The loosely hung door squeaked as the frigid gust hit it. Jake felt the blast on his back and brushed the melting snowflakes off his sleeves. He stood in the doorway to survey the damage. The bar stood empty except for a few folks that cleaned up or treated wounds. Two tables leaned on busted legs. Others were upside down. Several stools were missing pieces and a broken pool cue lay across the bar. A shattered bottleneck christened it with beer. In the middle of the floor stood one of his deputies who held a very pale-faced Marie.
His jaw set and he exhaled between his thinned lips. Pissed, he pushed up the brim of his hat then looked at Marie and saw what remained of her dress. His mood grew blacker.
“They were fightin’ over her, Sheriff.” The bartender nodded matter-of-factly as he mopped up the riverbed of beer and broken glass that flowed over the bar.
“I don’t doubt it,” Jake growled.
“I didn’t do anything.” Marie stomped her foot.
Jake’s glare fixed on her as he walked forward and nodded to his officer. “Evenin’, Pat.”
“Evenin’, Jake. Kept her here like you asked.”
“’Preciate it.” Jake eyed her pale face for several moments as the deputy exited then let his gaze travel slowly down her body. Her long, soft hair flowed over her shoulders and one of her sleeves was torn. The wet dress clung to her, outlined her generous curves and accented the trim legs and dirty knees exposed beneath the thigh-high hemline. If he hadn’t been so angry, he’d be paying the devil to keep his hands off her. As it stood, he worked to keep a strong jealous streak in check. He knew why the men fought over her. If he’d been there, he’d have been one of them.
“You okay?” His voice sounded hoarser than he’d expected.
“Yes.” She nodded and licked her lips. Her body shook.
He didn’t want to tell her it’d be all right. Instead, he glared at her as he fought to control the struggle between his overwhelming urge to hold her and his need to shake her for wearing such a getup unescorted. “You’ll have to make a statement.”
She lifted her chin. “I already made one to your deputy.”
He stepped closer and looked down at her. “Then I think it’s time we went home.”
She crossed her arms. “I’m not going with you.”
“The hell you’re not.” An arctic blast swirled through the broken door. Marie shivered violently. Jake clenched his teeth as her breasts peaked under the flimsy fabric. “Where’s your coat?”
“It…it’s lost.” She trembled again. “I’m not going with you, Jake, and that’s final.” She picked her purse up from a nearby table and brushed past him. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m leaving.”
He grabbed her arm. “Marie, you can either explain at home or at the station why I shouldn’t arrest you for this. It makes no difference to me.”
“What?” She pulled her arm free. “Jake Colder, I told you I didn’t do anything.”
“You incited a riot.” The stench from her beer-soaked dress reached him. “And from the way you smell, you’re not driving anywhere.”
Katie stood up from the corner booth where she nursed Slim’s swollen jaw. “It’s like she said, Jake.” The woman walked over to them. “She didn’t do anything. We were only sittin’. Fact is Marie had just com’ outta the bathroom.”
“Katie, stay out of this,” Jake warned her.
“Yeah, Katie,” Marie scoffed. “Otherwise he’ll arrest you too.”
“Slim.” Jake eyed the cowboy who looked at him with a fat-lipped grin. “You think you can escort Miss Katie home?”
“No problem, Sheriff.” With a wry smile, Slim Jim picked his hat up from the table and put it on his head. “As long as I know you’ll take care of Miss Marie. Katie won’t let me leave otherwise.”
Jake nodded. “I will.”
Quickly Slim ushered a protesting Katie out the door.
Jake turned and pointed to where Marie stood. “Stay right here. And I mean stay. I have a few things to take care of and then we can talk.”
Marie pursed her lips and folded her arms as Jake sauntered toward the bartender and spoke to him in a low voice. Talk? Who did he think he was? He didn’t have any right to hold her and she certainly didn’t have to stay…did she?
Another officer came to the door and signaled Jake to come outside. Jake waved to the deputy then followed him out—and left Marie to stand alone in the cold, wrecked saloon.
“Leave me here to freeze to death,” she mumbled and briskly rubbed her arms.
The bartender jerked his chin up then shook his head. “Lady, you’re one lucky woman.” He snorted then threw his towel across the bar and put his palms on the aged wood. “I’d like to say the same for myself. It’ll be weeks before I get this place going again.” A slow grin captured his lips. “Although, I do say—” He looked at her and nodded, his mouth curved upward from one ruddy cheek to another. “It was one helluva fight.” He snickered as he went into the bathroom and s
hut the door.
“Hmph.” Marie crossed her arms in disgust.
The wind whistled through the open doorway. The breeze carried the men’s muffled voices from outside. She rubbed her arms to take the chill away and clenched her teeth. She didn’t need to be a ninny and stand there like an icicle. She slunk toward the sound of Jake’s voice. “This is ridiculous,” she softly chided herself. She couldn’t think of one reason for her to stay. It wasn’t her fault. Jake or no Jake, she was leaving.
She peeked out and spied the sheriff at the far end of the lot. He was engaged in a conversation with the deputies. “Hah,” she huffed. She could do this. She reached in her purse for her keys and tiptoed out of the tavern, able to slip unseen around the corner of the building.
A cold flake landed on her nose then another. When had it started to snow? She glanced around. The ground was dusted with the white stuff. She hurried. When she reached her car, she pressed the button for the entry on her key chain and hopped inside. She shifted gears, started the engine then flew into reverse. She needed to get out of Dodge, or at least, out of Fort Bridger.
Her tires crunched on the gravel lot and the few flakes on her windshield swirled in front of her. Normally she drove with safety in mind but now was not the time. She forgot about her seat belt as she heard the car automatically lock. She exited onto the road and looked in her rearview mirror to see if Jake followed. She stared for a moment, wanting him. Jake watched her. The snow gusted about him. It’d be the last time she’d see him. Her heart caught in her throat. She crushed the sentiment. Now was no time to second-guess herself.
She gripped the steering wheel and stomped on the accelerator.
—
“Sounds like ol’ Gardner tried to protect your claim, Jake.” The deputy referred to the man who’d landed the first punch. Pat slapped his back as Jake heard the sound of the screeching tires and turned in time to see Marie’s Beemer pull onto the road.
“You want me to go after her?” Pat asked.
“Nope.” Jake glanced at the deputy. “You finish up here. I’ll take care of this myself.” He sprinted for his cruiser and jumped inside.
His stiff, frozen fingers flipped the lights and siren on and he cussed a blue streak when he pulled out after her. Why was the damn woman so stubborn? Couldn’t she see he was trying to help? In moments, he followed her but Marie refused to yield.
She passed the fort and turned onto Katie’s street. Jake cut the siren as she pulled into the driveway behind her. He forced his temper under control then stepped out of the cruiser and marched over to her open door. “You’re supposed to pull over when an officer flashes his lights at you.”
She got out and stood a hairsbreadth away from him.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay put?” he growled.
“Jake, I was freezing.” She slammed the door. “I saw no sense standing in the cold.”
“The building wouldn’t have been so damn cold if someone hadn’t yanked the door off. Besides,” he loomed over her, his voice hard, “you were told that you could either talk to me at the station or at home, not Katie’s house. At any rate,” he glanced at Jim’s parked truck and then at the darkened house, “I think she’s rather occupied.”
Marie crossed her arms and glared at him.
“Get in the cruiser. I’m taking you home.”
She lifted her chin. “I will not. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Get in the car,” he commanded through his clenched teeth, “or I’ll take you down to the station house and put you behind bars.”
“For what?” Her voice squeaked as it began to rise. “I haven’t done anything, Jake Colder,” she yelled at him. “You have nothing to arrest me on. Nothing.” She poked his chest.
He locked his hand around hers and pulled her to him. Towering over her, he spoke slowly and deliberately. “Try drunk and disorderly, inciting a riot, driving under the influence, failing to heed an officer, speeding…”
“Speeding?”
“You didn’t even have your seat belt on, did you? I can tell by how fast you got out.”
“My seat belt? Jake Colder, you just want me to come home. I hardly drank a thing and I’m not going to put up with this.”
“You had two glasses of red wine. That’s enough.” His baritone voice rose a few decibels.
“How would you know?” Her eyes narrowed.
“It’s my job to know,” he bit out in a lowered voice. “Now get in the car.”
“You asked the bartender about me, didn’t you?” She tried to jerk her captured hand backward but Jake tightened his hold. “This is ridiculous.” She struggled harder. “Jake, let me go.”
“You’re coming with me.”
She stomped her foot and struggled against him. “I—will—not.”
“You want to go to the station?”
“Jake, I did not start that fight.”
“Tell that to poor Russ. That is after he’s made the repairs. Do you know how much this is going to cost him?”
“Jake,” she squeaked and grabbed her trapped hand with her free one to use the weight of her body to pull harder. “I’m—sorry—about—Russ.” The words faltered as she fought him. “But the fight wasn’t my fault.”
“Not your fault? The way you were dressed?”
“You arrogant, bullheaded hick. I wasn’t the only woman who wore a skirt.” She yanked her hand harder. “Oooh, if I was a man I’d hit you.”
“You threatening a police officer?”
“Threat… Erg, Jake, I’m not going with you and that’s final. Now, let—me—go.” She pulled against his hold and kicked him in the shin.
“Fine.” He’d had enough. He spun her around as he grabbed his cuffs off his belt and shackled her hands behind her. “Add resisting arrest and striking an officer to your rap sheet.” He bent over and whispered in her ear. “Along with whatever else you’ve done but won’t tell me.”
“Jake.” She yelled his name at the top of her lungs as she yanked against the metal. “I hate you.”
He turned her back around so that she faced him then grabbed her legs and hoisted her over his shoulder. “That’s okay, honey. I can’t arrest you for that.”
“Jake Colder. Put me down.” She squirmed on his shoulder. “This is not funny.”
“Sweetheart, trust me. I’m not laughing.”
“Jake. I mean it.” Her voice choked as he marched to the cruiser. “Jake, please,” she cried.
“Woman, give me one good reason why I shouldn’t jail your cute behind.”
“I—didn’t—do—it.”
“Tell it to the judge.”
“Jake, don’t do this. Please?”
He placed her on her feet and held her at arm’s length. “Why?”
Her eyes were downcast and she trembled in the cold air. He lifted her chin. Another pool of tears formed behind her lashes.
“Please?” she asked.
“Dammit, Marie. Why do you have to be so difficult? Why can’t you tell me what’s bothering you?” Jake gritted his teeth and turned away from her so she wouldn’t see the frustration on his face. “Come on.” He took her by the arm. “Get in the car.”
She swallowed as her sheepish eyes gazed at him. “Are you…going to…arrest me?” She choked out the words between sobs.
“It depends on what you tell me when we get to the ranch.”
Her voice caught. “You…you’re not taking me to jail?”
He led her to the rear passenger door and put his arms around her. “No, Marie. I’m taking you home where you belong. Now come along quietly, would you? We’ve already made enough of a scene.”
She pulled away from him. “I don’t belong with you, Jake. The ranch is your home, not mine.”
He wanted to say, “We’ll see about that.” Instead, he bit off the words and took a deep breath. “The cruiser’s warm.” He opened the rear door that led to the cage in the back. “I’ll take those cuffs off if you promise not t
o fight me.” She slowly nodded, and in seconds he’d freed her hands. She rubbed her wrists and her shoulders shook. “Marie,” he whispered resignedly and held her snug against him. Her tears soaked his uniformed shirt. “Shhh, it’ll be all right, honey. I promise.” He rubbed her arms.
“Oh Jake.” She looked into his face. “I’m scared.”
“I know,” he nodded. “I also know that no matter what you’ve done, it’d be better if we faced the trouble together.” He lifted her chin. Her lips trembled. He stroked her mouth with his thumb. Every fiber in him told him to kiss her. Another gust blasted and sent Marie’s hair bouncing over his shoulders. “Come on. Get in.” He sat her in the backseat of the car and put her seatbelt on. Reaching over her, he grabbed the blanket he kept in back and wrapped it around her shoulders. He had to remind himself he was an officer of the law. She didn’t need the amorous attentions he wanted to lavish on her. Not right now.
“Jake. My things. They’re inside.” She looked at her dress. Her eyes darted to the house. She was frightened.
“You can get them later.”
“But, Jake…” She panicked. “I-I need them.” She bit her lip. “Look at me. I’m a mess.”
“No.”
“But I have nothing else to wear. All my things are inside.”
He looked at the darkened house. “I’ll find something, okay?”
Her brows creased. “But, Jake, everything I have is in there. I need my things.”
“I’ll get your bag in the morning. Now don’t argue with me. They’ll be fine here. Trust me.” He leaned over and shielded Marie from the wind. “Whether you’ve noticed or not, there’s a storm brewing. I want to get home and I don’t have any intention of interrupting two people who seem to be enjoying themselves. They happen to like each other and like showing each other they do. Unlike a few other folks I know.” The irritation peaked in his voice.
“Jake.” She lifted her hand toward him. Instead of touching him, she let it fall on her lap. “I didn’t mean to…” Suddenly she stopped and looked downward.
“You didn’t mean to what?”
