“She knows you were using her place to hide, and she was mighty surprised. You had her fooled. People don’t like being fooled, Carrie.”
The redhead doubted Mrs. Thayer was really angry with her. Now, her new friend understood the meaning of her letter. With luck, Mrs. Thayer would give her the benefit of explaining before she judged her too harshly.
“Mount up so we can get out of here,” Martin ordered.
While they were talking, Jess had doused the fire, packed the supplies, and saddled the horses. Her hands were bound again, and off they rode at breakneck speed just as the sun was rising.
It was clear and hot, so Carrie Sue realized it wasn’t going to rain. She noticed the air was very still again today, and she could use a nice breeze. She realized that T.J. would guess their pace from the condition of their tracks, and hopefully he would race to catch up with them. Yet, he had used a great deal of time riding back to Naiche’s camp, so she couldn’t surmise how long that trip would take. Then, he had to battle that Apache scout and track her. With this pace and so few stops, could her love overtake them? He and his horse would already be tired from their long ride, and he would probably doubt that Martin would keep such a fast pace on this terrain.
A terrible thought came to mind: what if Martin had ordered the scout to conceal their departure trail? What if T.J. didn’t guess who the scout worked for, or withdraw clues from the Indian before slaying him? How would he know where to search for her?
Following that alarming talk with herself, the day went by sluggishly despite their rush.
A shot rang out from behind them, and Jess fell to the road. Carrie Sue twisted in her saddle to see who was coming. Her heart fluttered with excitement.
Martin guided his horse in front of hers, his hand extended backwards to hold her reins as he positioned her between himself and T.J.’s gunfire. She realized the Tucson rancher was making a desperate race for town while using her as a shield. They were near the Old Spanish Trail, making Tucson about twenty miles up the road.
Carrie Sue could not allow them to reach town. She took hold of Charlie’s mane and leaned forward. When she had herself steadied there, she released her grip and struggled to loosen the animal’s bridle. She forced it over the mare’s ears and shoved it down Charlie’s forehead. The animal instinctively opened its mouth and the bridle was yanked free. Instantly the redhead caught Charlie’s mane and tried to halt her swift gallop so she could turn around and ride toward her lover.
The moment her reins went loose in his grip, Martin pulled back on his own. Before Carrie Sue could gain full control over her startled mare, Martin was beside her, a revolver aimed at her chest. He shouted, “Stay back, Rogue, or she’s dead!”
She and Martin were sitting sideways in the road. She saw T.J. stop. Nighthawk paced apprehensively, and her lover did not pull out his rifle. She knew Martin could not shoot T.J. with a revolver at that range, nor could her lover shoot her captor without his rifle. She wondered what was going through T.J.’s mind, as he was not a man to surrender or retreat. Her heart pounded with fear.
Martin backed his mount until she was between the two men again. He handed her the bridle and ordered, “Put this on!”
It was obvious to everyone that T.J. didn’t have a clear shot at Martin. “I have to dismount first,” she told the villain.
“Do it, and no tricks!” the annoyed and scared man shouted. “Go for that rifle, Rogue, and I’ll fill her with bullets!” he warned.
Since Martin had his attention on her lover, Carrie Sue decided to use a clever dismount to get the upper hand. As she was moving her right leg over the saddle horn, she was muttering, “Jess should have put it on correctly, and he should have been guarding our—” Carrie Sue forcefully kicked Martin in the stomach and knocked him to the ground. She hurriedly put her boot back into the stirrup and galloped toward safety with her love, who was racing toward her.
“Get down!” T.J. shouted as he took the right side of the road.
Carrie Sue urged Charlie to the left and bent over the animal’s neck. The moment she had attacked Martin, T.J. had drawn his rifle and galloped toward them. She heard shots behind her, but didn’t know if Martin was shooting at her or her rescuer. T.J. returned Martin’s fire.
Carrie Sue gently tugged on Charlie’s mane. When she turned, she saw Martin Ferris lying on the ground and T.J. approaching him. She guided Charlie back to the scene to find her captor dead.
She dismounted and stared at the man’s bloody chest. Weariness and dejection filled her. “What now, Rogue? They’ll surely hunt us down for this so-called murder of an upstanding citizen. No one will believe he wasn’t taking me in for that reward. Merciful Heavens, another false charge against me!” she scoffed bitterly. “Now you’re involved. I’m sorry.”
This was one time the law knew she wasn’t to blame for a foul deed, and T.J. couldn’t help but wonder how many other charges against her were either false or exaggerated or self-defense. Her mood tugged powerfully at him. He reasoned to comfort her, “He was trying to shoot you in the back, not kill me, woman. I had no choice but to get him first. You had nothing to do with this shooting,” he vowed as he drew his knife and cut her hands free.
Carrie Sue rubbed her chaffed wrists as she explained, “You don’t understand, T.J.; it’s another charge against me. They just keep piling up no matter what I do or where I go. I’ll never get out of this mess alive; it’ll never be over, for either of us.” she glared at Martin’s body and wanted to kick it in frustration. “I have only myself to blame. If I weren’t an outlaw, things like this wouldn’t happen to me. I wouldn’t be forced to do the things I do and keep breaking more and more laws.”
He argued, “He was trying to kill you; it was self-defense.”
She sighed deeply. “In my position, nothing is viewed as self-defense. The law will say I murdered him while trying to escape capture.”
“But I know better, woman.”
“What difference does that make? They’ll only charge you for siding with me. They’ll say you’re just as guilty and you’ll be in as much trouble and danger as I am. This isn’t fair to you, T.J. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this mess.”
“I’m in it, so it’s too late. Forget it for now.”
She asked, “How did you overtake us so quickly?”
“I met Naiche halfway back to his camp, so I wasn’t away that long. He agreed to take his tribe across the border for a while. When things quiet down, he’s going to try for another truce.”
She smiled in relief and said, “That’s good. How did you elude that Apache scout Martin left behind to ambush you?”
“I didn’t. He’s dead. When something’s wrong, I get this crazy itch. I sneaked back through the rocks to take a look around before I whistled for Nighthawk. I got the drop on him first.”
“And he told you who captured me?”
“Nope, and he’d brushed away most of your trail for a ways.”
She looked baffled. “Then, how did you know where to find me?”
“An Apache can hide a trail real good, but not from another Apache, and I was trained by them. I turned his horse loose; he can graze until he’s found by someone or he’ll join up with a herd of wild horses. I hid his body, so no one will be suspicious of us.” He chuckled. “I guess Martin forgot I’d seen his scout in town, so I knew who had you. I took a shortcut by Dragoon Springs and found where you’d camped for the night. Not a comfortable one I could tell. Besides, Nighthawk is one of the fastest horses alive.”
“What are we going to do now, partner?” she asked again. She told him about Ben Myers getting the wanted poster and telegraphing she was gone. She also revealed what had been said and done between her and Martin.
“That’s perfect, Carrie Sue. It’ll give us time to rest before we get out of this area. I know a place we can use, a large cave off the Old Spanish Trail, not far from here. We’ll hide the bodies and horses there. You’ll feel better after you�
�re rested.”
She smiled at him and said, “This is the fifth time you’ve saved my life. Won’t that become a tiring job?”
“Fifth time?” he said, surprised.
“During that holdup, during our picnic, with that sheriff in my room, with those Indians, because there’s no telling what they would have done to me if you hadn’t been along, and today. That’s five.”
He didn’t expound on her remarks because those incidents had sapped some of her confidence. Yet, he had to point out how much she needed him to strengthen their bond. “You’re a skilled, smart, and brave woman, but you can’t take on every lawman and bounty hunter alone. I told you I was needed to guard this pretty backside.”
She admitted he was right and she couldn’t do it alone. “You’ve convinced me I need your help and protection, T.J.”
To lighten her somber mood, he tugged on her braid and teased, “No matter what happens, I’ll stick with you. I’m surprised you weren’t worried about me.”
“Why should I have been? You’re the best.”
He grinned in pleasure and gratitude. “I’m glad you have so much confidence in me, but you’re downing yourself too much. You’re just as good as I am in most areas. Are you forgetting you saved my life at that picnic? If you hadn’t been there to shoot at them, it would have been three-to-one odds, and I might have been killed.”
“You’re only trying to swell my head, Mr. Rogue. I recall how you took on more bandits than that during the stage holdup. Besides, there wouldn’t have been any danger to you if not for my presence.”
He shook his ebony head and refuted, “You’re wrong, woman. Martin did it because we’re old enemies. If his men hadn’t attacked me out there, they would have ambushed me another time.”
“What’s to stop those three men from coming after us now? They know who I am and probably know Martin came after me.”
“They can’t; I got rid of them before we left town.”
Sadness troubled her mind and heart. “You’ve had to kill too many times to save my miserable life, T.J. It has to stop.”
“I didn’t kill anybody who didn’t need killing or who didn’t provoke it. You’re not to blame, Carrie Sue,” he murmured and caressed her flushed cheek. He wanted to yank her into his arms and kiss her soundly. Lordy, she was getting a powerful grip on him! “We can’t stand here jawing. Somebody might come along and there’s a storm brewing. Let’s get these bodies loaded and get to the cave.”
T.J. retrieved Jess’s body and horse, then loaded Martin Ferris on his. He guided her to the Old Spanish Trail cut-off and headed toward the Rincon Mountains which were twenty-two miles from Tucson.
They rode for a few miles, then left the trail to head into the hills. It was an area of small trees and bushy scrubs, mostly mesquite and catclaw. Large clusters of prickly pear, yuccas with tall shoots, towering agave plants, and numerous saguaro cactus were scattered around them. The land was rolling in places, and many dry washes ominously cut across the terrain. They journeyed uphill where rocks ribbed the landscape. Finally, they reached the cave’s yawning mouth which was almost concealed by rocks and brush until one was right on it.
They dismounted near sunset. T.J. pointed out the Sonora Desert, the highest crag of the Santa Rita Mountains, and peaks which were in Old Mexico. It was a lofty spot, a perfect hideout with a view of the surrounding area. They entered the hollow mountain, and she was surprised by how cool and refreshing the interior was with a temperature in the low seventies.
“Wait here at the entrance while I fetch some brush for a fire. We’ll need light and something to cook over. I’m starved. I haven’t eaten since I took off after you,” he confessed before leaving to gather wood. When he returned and unloaded it, he guided her to a large cavern not far into the hillside. He built a fire for light, then took the bodies into a side tunnel to keep her from having to look at them. After unsaddling the horses and hobbling them, he smiled and said, “I’ll be back soon. I want to cover our trail and see if I can get some fresh meat to roast. Don’t leave here. Understand?”
“I promise. Please, be careful,” she urged.
Carrie Sue sat on a low ledge in the dancing shadows of the campfire, anxiously waiting for her love’s return. She wasn’t afraid of the darkness which engulfed the rocky tunnels in all but the area where she was standing. She was aware of every minute that passed. She recalled what he had said about a storm brewing and the area outside this protective cave was a flash flood location. She knew how treacherous dry washes were when they gushed with violent water.
Carrie Sue jumped when it thundered loudly. She grabbed a torch and rushed to the entrance. The storm broke overhead. The lightning and thundering seemed continuous, powerful, endless. The rain poured so heavily that she couldn’t see outside to watch for T.J.’s approach. With visibility near nothing, how could he find his way back? What if he got injured in the obscuring storm?
Suddenly she realized he had known the storm was close! He knew the signs and dangers of this territory. Why hadn’t he let the rain conceal their tracks? Why couldn’t they eat the food from Naiche, or eat from their supplies, or from Martin’s? She panicked again…
Chapter Thirteen
Carrie Sue paced the entry tunnel from the opening to the first cavern. She knew T.J. was planning to return because he had left his supplies with her. But, she fretted, where had he gone and why? Had he ridden into Tucson to send a telegram to someone, perhaps the same person he had telegraphed last Monday? Who? For what reason? To let someone know he had been delayed by this grim set-back? Could he possibly be a bounty hunter who was after, bigger game than her? Was he hoping to romance her into leading him to Darby and his gang? T.J. Rogue was a loner and a talented gunslinger, but a man who stayed just within the boundaries of the law, a man who made his own decisions and went his own way, not a man to become just another gang member, even to be with her.
The daring desperado admitted that ten thousand dollars was a lot of money, and the capture of the Texas Flame would bring any man a lot of glory. Why would a legendary gunman ignore both to help her? If he loved her, he hadn’t said so. He seemed to be enjoying their wild and wonderful romance, but did he consider it a permanent one, a special one? Or something to pass the time? Although he was passionate and protective with her, he was also mysterious and guarded. Maybe what had her so anxious was that he was a little too glued to her for a loner like he was and a fugitive like she was! If he was so crazy about her that he was willing to put his life and reputation on the mark, why didn’t he tell her? Why couldn’t she trust him fully?
Carrie Sue had never surrendered her heart and body to a man before, and she prayed she wasn’t wrong about him. Because of her lifestyle, she had been given very few opportunities to be romanced by any man except outlaws like Kadry Sams and Dillon Holmes. She trusted few people, and she feared she couldn’t trust her lover or herself. Maybe that was the problem, the source of her apprehensions. Maybe she was trying to convince herself she didn’t and couldn’t trust him because she was afraid of what it would mean to believe and accept him.
She was so confused. By pushing him away, was she only trying to spare herself from a hard and painful choice? Was she only trying to prevent his possible betrayal? Or was she trying to keep him safe from the dangers that haunted her? She was scared to trust him and to yield fully, scared he wasn’t for real, scared he wasn’t as serious about her as she was about him; and she was scared he was for real and she would lose him or destroy him.
Her head was spinning from dismay. Even if she was mistaken about his good feelings and motives, would he soon tire of her and this unlawful adventure and betray her? She had to clear her wits because he was too disarming. He could be so gentle and persuasive, but he was also tough and hard, and something was eating at him. Yes, she was leery of this enchanting rogue and distressed by her own warring emotions. She hated these fears and doubts, but she couldn’t seem to master them. Her next actions
depended on what he said and how he acted when he returned to the cave…
Carrie Sue walked to the ledge and took a seat again. She scanned her surroundings. The ceiling in this area was sootblackened, no doubt from fires used by ancient people, Indians, outlaws, and others. She—
“Carrie Sue,” her lover’s voice broke into her musings.
She hurried to the entrance to find a drenched T.J. and Nighthawk coming in out of the violent storm. He handed her a pail and asked her to fetch rain water for the horses while he unsaddled his stallion and fed the horses the bound hay he was carrying. She noticed a lantern tied to his saddle horn. She questioned, “Where have you been, Rogue? You could have let the rain wash away our tracks.”
“I know,” he agreed, then chuckled. “But we needed something for the horses to eat because I can’t let them roam outside and be seen. We needed light, and a pail to give them water. This cave is dry.”
She followed him inside to get her answers. “A campfire would give light,” she hinted.
“And use up too much wood. If it went out while we’re sleeping, this cave gets mighty dark. We’re camping way back in there,” he told her, motioning to the tunnel to their right.
“Go back in there?” she murmured almost inaudibly, her eyes widening in astonishment as she glanced in that dark direction. “What if we get lost?”
T.J. set the lantern aside and removed his soaked saddle. He tossed it on the ledge where she had been sitting so it could drip. There was no need to hobble Nighthawk, so he guided the animal to where the others were standing. He cut the cord around the bundle of hay and spread it on the rock floor so they could eat.
“Did you hear me, Mr. Rogue? What if we get lost in there?”
“Sorry, woman, my head is getting dizzy from hunger and fatigue. We won’t get lost. I’ve been here plenty of times. This was one of the Apache tests for entering manhood. You were taken way back into the tunnels, given a small torch, and told to use your wits and courage to find your way back before the torch burned up. The area we’ll camp in is where boys were taken to spend the night waiting for visions. It’s flat and sandy, and we’ll be safe there if anybody shows up. Don’t worry; I’ve camped, explored, and played here many times.”
Kiss Of The Night Wind Page 24
