Jenny

by Bobbi Smith

  To Cole, it seemed he and Dan had been riding for hours, searching for some sign of Jenny or Gene. With each passing minute, he'd grown more and more worried. He remembered all too well what had happened to Paul. He could not allow himself to even consider that something like that could have happened to Jenny.

  They rode on, determination driving them. They would not abandon their search. Cole just prayed that they would locate them before sundown.

  It was nearly dusk when Cole caught sight of Jenny lying motionless on the trail.

  "There!" he shouted and put his heels to his mount's sides.

  Cole raced ahead, leaving Dan to catch up. When he reached Jenny he all but threw himself from the horse. Running to her side, he dropped to his knees beside her inert form.

  "Jenny," he called in an agonized voice as he gently, carefully turned her over.

  His heart was in his throat when he saw the blood on her face, and he feared she was dead. Only her groan reassured him that she was still breathing.

  "She's alive!" he shouted to Dan, relief pouring through him.

  Dan rushed to his side. "What happened? Was she shot?"

  "Yes, and thank God, the bullet only grazed her," he told him.

  "What do you want to do?"

  "We've got to get her to the doctor." Cole's mind was racing as he tried to figure out the best way to transport her to the ranch house. He didn't want to wait for Dan to ride back and get the buckboard. That would take too long. He wanted to get her there as quickly as possible.

  "What about Gene?"

  They looked around and spotted him lying a short distance away. Dan ran to check on him.

  "How is he?" Cole called out.

  Dan shook his head and hurried back to Cole as Jenny stirred.

  "Cole-" Jenny whispered as consciousness slowly returned. The pounding in her head was fierce, but the strong, warm arms holding her gave her comfort.

  Cole was thrilled that she was coming to, but worried about her condition.

  "Easy, love, I'm here," he said softly, knowing she must be in great pain.

  "Gene how's Gene?"

  "I'm sorry-"

  "Oh no-"

  "Ah, Jenny"

  "My head "she groaned and lifted her hand to her forehead again. "It hurts"

  "I know, darling, and we're going to get you help just as fast as we can."

  "What happened?" Jenny asked in a weak voice.

  "Someone shot you." Cole spoke quietly, but he was tense.

  The mere thought that she had come so close to being killed tormented him. The urge to seek revenge was fierce within him.

  "Why?" she whispered, lifting a tortured gaze to his.

  "I don't know, but I promise you, whoever it was will pay."

  Jenny's eyes drifted shut. Cole gently wiped the blood from Jenny's face with his bandana. She flinched beneath his careful ministrations, but she did not make a sound. The wound appeared to be a clean one, and he didn't believe it to be life-threatening.

  Cole wished there was something he could do to make the trip back to the ranch easier on her, but there wasn't.

  "Help me carry her. I'll mount up and hold her in front of me now that she's conscious. We won't be able to travel fast, but at least we can make steady progress."

  "Do you want me to ride ahead for help? I can send someone back for Gene."

  "Yes, and when you get to the ranch, send someone into town for the doctor. Then come back for us with the buckboard."

  "I'll do it," Dan promised; then he lifted his gaze to scan the hills around them, searching for a clue to what had happened. He saw no disturbance, no sign of anyone around. "Who do you think did this? Who would have a reason to hurt Jenny or Gene?"

  Cole's eyes narrowed as he remembered his fight with Richard at the dance. "When you send one of the men into town for the doc, make sure he stops at the marshal's office and tells Marshal Trent what happened at the social. I want him to find out where Richard Donathan was earlier today."

  "You think he might be involved in this?" Dan was stunned by the thought, then realized Cole had good reason to suspect the other man after that night at the dance.

  "I don't know," Cole said tersely as he held Jenny close and got to his feet. He moved as slowly as he could, not wanting to jar her. "But I want to find out."

  Dan, coming to his aid, took Jenny from Cole to give him time to swing up into the saddle. Then he gently handed her up into Cole's keeping.

  "Cole-" Jenny clung to him as he held her sideways before him, carefully cradling her to his chest.

  "I'm taking you home, Jenny. Just hang on. I'll go as slow as I can to keep the pace steady for you," he told her quietly.

  Cole kept an arm supportively around Jenny as he urged his horse back toward the ranch house back toward safety.

  Dan mounted up and rode to his side.

  "You sure you'll be all right riding alone with her?" Dan asked worriedly.

  "Yes. Just hurry up and get back here with the buckboard. I'll be watching for you."

  Dan galloped off, determined to get to the Lazy S as quickly as he could.

  Cole kept Jenny nestled against him, taking care not to make any sudden moves. He figured they had less than an hour of daylight left, and he hoped Dan made good time going back. Jenny rested quietly in his arms as they rode on toward home.

  Horror reigned at the ranch after Dan rode in and alerted everyone to what had happened. He quickly sent one of the hands who'd stayed behind at the house into town to get the doctor and to speak to Marshal Trent and directed another to bring back Gene's body. Then he loaded up the buckboard with pillows, blankets, and a lantern.

  Evelyn and Rose insisted on going with Dan to help take care of Jenny. The three of them were solemn as they rode from the ranch. They knew the going would be difficult. Still, they were determined to get to Jenny as soon as they could.

  Cole's progress had been slow and painful for Jenny. He'd tried his best to protect her and keep her safe, but any movement at all was hellish for her. He was tempted to stop and make a camp for the night, but he knew the sooner he got her back to safety, the better.

  Though it appeared that whoever had done this to Jenny was long gone, Cole couldn't let his guard down. He was alert and watchful, ready for trouble, even as he tried to soothe Jenny and reassure her.

  It seemed an eternity before Cole finally heard Dan's shout and saw the buckboard in the distance. He reined in.

  "Dan's back with the wagon, Jenny," he told her gently.

  Jenny rested against him, relieved that they weren't riding any more.

  "We got here as fast as we could," Dan called out as he stopped next to Cole and Jenny. He handed the reins to Rose and jumped down to help Cole.

  Jenny was trying to be brave, but a whimper escaped her as Cole handed her down to Dan.

  Cole heard her cry and hurried to dismount. He took her back in his arms from Dan and carried her to the buckboard. As gently as he could, he laid her on the blankets. Evelyn and Rose were waiting and they were beside her in an instant. They lighted the lamp they'd brought along so they could see.

  "Oh, God," Evelyn cried softly at the sight of Jenny so wounded. There was dried blood on her face and hair. She was pale and lying deathly still as they tended to her.

  "Jenny?" Rose said as she took her hand in hers.

  Both women waited breathlessly to see if she'd respond, and they almost burst into tears of joy when her eyes slowly opened.

  "Aunt Evelyn Rose "she whispered.

  "We're here, sweetheart," Evelyn said in a voice choked with emotion.

  "Aunt Evelyn-"

  It seemed Jenny had something to say that was important, so both women leaned close to hear her better.

  "Cole saved me again-" Jenny finally managed. She tried to smile, but it hurt too much.

  Cole was standing beside the buckboard, close enough to hear her words. Instead of feeling good, though, Jenny's words were like a knife in his heart
. She might think he'd saved her, but to his way of thinking, saving her would have meant keeping her from harm. In that, he'd failed miserably. She could have been killed

  Cole was furious with himself and with whoever had caused Jenny harm. Once he married her, he was going to make sure that Jenny never came to any harm again.

  "Cole was wonderful," Evelyn said gently. "We're just so relieved he found you. Now we're going to get you home safe and sound."

  "Cole?" Jenny called out to him.

  He quickly climbed into the buckboard to speak with her. "I'm here, Jenny."

  "Stay with me, Cole-"

  He remembered the last time she'd begged him to stay and he'd walked away. This time he knew that for as long as she wanted him, he would be there with her. "I won't leave you again, Jenny ever."

  Her heart sang at his words, but she was too exhausted to say any more. When he took her hand, she clutched his fingers and let her eyes close. Only now did she feel safe again. Cole was with her.

  They put out the lantern, ready to finish the long, painful trip home. Dan tied Cole's horse to the back of the wagon, and with the women sitting up front with him, they started off.

  No one at the ranch was able to rest. The hours passed with dreadful slowness. Some of the men who'd gone looking for Jenny and Gene had returned emptyhanded and learned what had happened. They waited impatiently and worriedly with Frances, Tillie, and Melanie for Jenny's return.

  It was very late by the time Dan drove the buckboard up to the house. At the sound of their arrival, everyone came running out to meet them.

  Cole immediately jumped down when Dan stopped the buckboard. He carefully lifted Jenny from the wagon. His expression was stony, his manner rigid as he started inside with her.

  "Bring her upstairs, Cole," Frances said from the porch, where she was holding the front door open for him.

  He entered the house, and at Frances's direction he carried Jenny upstairs to her room. Jenny mustered strength enough to loop one arm around Cole's neck, and just that little gesture relieved Cole's fears greatly.

  Dan stayed with him in case he needed any help, and Rose and Evelyn went along, too.

  Frances already had her bed turned down, so Cole ever so gently laid her upon the welcoming softness.

  "Thank you, Cole," Jenny said quietly as she looked up at him.

  Their gazes met.

  Unable to help himself, Cole reached out and tenderly touched her cheek. He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her to his heart and never let her go, but he couldn't for fear of hurting her. He had to force himself to step away as Frances took charge.

  "We've sent for the doctor. He should be here soon. Let me see what I can do to make you more comfortable. Cole, you go on downstairs. This is no place for you or Dan either," she said, shooing the men from the room.

  Cole went reluctantly, unaware that Jenny's gaze was upon him until Frances closed the door. He stood in the hallway with Dan, feeling totally useless.

  "I guess we can go downstairs and wait for the doc," Dan suggested, feeling just as lost as Cole.

  Evelyn and Rose had already gone down and were in the parlor with Tillie and Melanie. As Dan and Cole descended the stairs, they could hear Rose talking. Dan's heart lightened. He needed to see Rose right now. He needed her to smile at him. There was something about being with her that made everything seem all right.

  But as they reached the bottom of the staircase, Dan could hear her crying.

  "Aunt Tillie, I am sorry we ever came to this place!" Rose said vehemently, sobbing as she spoke.

  "You don't mean that," Tillie said, trying to calm her.

  "I do! I do! I wish Jenny's father had never had his accident. Then we'd all be back in Philadelphia where we belong! And Jenny would be safe and sound. What horrible thing is going to happen next around here? First there was the rustling, and now that ranch hand was murdered and Jenny is almost killed shot down in cold blood for no reason! I hate it here! I want to go back to the city! I want to go back to civilization! I want to go home!"

  Dan stopped where he was. He was shocked by Rose's revelation.

  Rose hated it here

  She wanted to go back to Philadelphia

  Dan's expression grew grim. He'd thought they might have a future together, but now he realized the painful truth. Rose had never been serious about him. To her, he'd only been a diversion, someone to pass the time with while she waited to go back home.

  In the study, Tillie opened her arms to Rose, wanting to comfort her. "Oh, darling."

  Rose was sobbing as she went into her aunt's protective embrace.

  Dan and Cole made their way to the parlor doorway and silently observed the scene before them.

  Up until that moment Dan had believed that Rose was the woman of his dreams-the woman he'd been waiting for. He'd honestly believed he'd been falling in love with her and that they would live there in Durango happily together.

  Now, though, having heard the truth of Rose's feelings, Dan knew they had no future together. His dream of a life with Rose was over. He would leave for Durango once he was sure Jenny was going to be all right, and then he would never see Rose again.

  Cole and Dan spoke briefly with the women, then retreated to the porch to watch for the doctor's arrival. They said little. Both men were too worried about Jenny to speak of anything else.

  Marshal Jared Trent strode into the Mother Lode Saloon, a man on a mission. He stood quietly just inside the doors, looking around the saloon. He'd just received the news from a Lazy S ranch hand about what had happened to Jenny Sullivan and her hired hand, and he was going to follow up on Cole Randall's suggestion to check on Richard Donathan's whereabouts at the time of the ambush. Cole didn't see the man anywhere in the saloon, so he approached the bartender, Gary Knehans.

  "Evening, Gary."

  "Marshal. Can I get you a drink?" the barkeep offered.

  "No, I'm here on business. I'm looking for a man named Donathan, Richard Donathan. He's from back East."

  "Oh, yeah him."

  "You know Donathan?"

  Gary nodded. "He's been a regular here the last couple of nights. He's a big spender. The girls are enjoying him a lot."

  "Where is he?"

  "Upstairs with Caroline right now."

  "Which room?"

  "The last one on the right," the bartender directed. "What are you wanting him for?"

  "There was some trouble out at the Lazy S. I just want to talk to him about it."

  "What kind of trouble?" Gary was instantly interested.

  "Jenny Sullivan was ambushed and shot and one of her men was killed.

  "Is she alive?" He stared at the lawman, shocked by the news.

  "Yes, thank God."

  "Who'd be low enough to shoot a woman?"

  "That's what I'm trying to find out," Jared said with fierce determination as he walked away.

  Gary watched the lawman run up the steps. He knew what a good marshal Jared Trent was, and he knew it was not smart to mess with him. He hoped the Easterner had sense enough not to cause any trouble. Caroline wouldn't appreciate the interruption, but Gary supposed a lawman had to do what a lawman had to do.

  Jared reached the door of Caroline's room and knocked.

  "Go away!" came a woman's voice.

  "This is Marshal Trent. I need to talk with Richard Donathan," Jared said tersely.

  He could hear muted voices behind the closed door, but was unable to decipher what was said. It didn't really matter. Jared knew he was going to get his answers one way or another.

  Jared waited another minute, giving them time to open the door, but he heard no one moving about inside. He knocked again. "I want to talk to you now."

  Jared was almost ready to kick the door in when he heard the lock turn and the door was opened just enough to let the woman peek out at him.

  "What do you want, Marshal?" Caroline asked. She was standing before him wearing only a red silk wrapper.

 
"Excuse me," Jared said, ignoring her state of undress as he pushed past her into the room. He wasn't there to worry about half-naked women. He was there to talk to Richard Donathan.

  "You want something?" Richard asked in irritation, aggravated at having been interrupted in the middle of enjoying the pretty, young Caroline. He was still lying in the bed with the sheet drawn up to his waist.

  Jared stared down at Richard, noting his black eye and bruised face. "You're Richard Donathan?"

  "Yes."

  "Where were you yesterday afternoon?"

  "Here in town. Why?"

  "Do you have any witnesses to that fact?"

  "I could probably find some. Why, Marshal? What happened?"

  Richard couldn't imagine what had happened. All he'd done since Jenny had returned to the ranch was drink, gamble, and take his pleasure of the girls in the saloons. It had been a rather relaxing time for him, actually, but he didn't feel very relaxed right now with the lawman glaring at him, demanding answers.

  "Get dressed. I want you to come down to the office with me."

  "You still haven't told me why," Richard insisted, growing worried and a bit angry at being a suspect.

  Jared quickly explained.

  "Jenny was shot?" Richard went still. He was completely shocked. "Oh, no! Is she all right?" His concern was real.

  "The doctor's on his way out to the Lazy S."

  "But what have you heard? How serious is it? She's going to be all right, isn't she?" Though he'd been furious at Jenny for her lack of interest in him, Richard had never wished any harm to come to her.

  "I think so, but we probably won't know for sure until the doe gets back to town."

  "Why do you want me?"

  "Because right now you're a suspect, Donathan."

  "Me!" Richard truly was in shock.

  "That's right. Let's go. I want to question you some more down at the jail."

  "Give me a minute to get dressed?"

  "I'll wait in the hall for you."

  Jared started from the room, but Caroline stopped him. She sashayed in front of him and let her wrapper gap open so he could see all her assets.