Ambushed!

by B. J Daniels

  “Those are the Bighorn Mountains,” Cash said, pointing in the other direction.

  The mountains were the same snowcapped ones she’d seen from his house this morning. They stretched across the horizon, deep purple except for the snow-covered tips.

  “We run our cattle on summer range up there,” he said as he turned onto a dirt road.

  “How many cows do you have?”

  “That’s something you never ask a rancher.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said quickly and he laughed.

  “It’s all right. I don’t mind. We run about a thousand head and still keep longhorns mostly just for tradition since they were what the ranch was started with. Our main herd is Herefords.”

  She heard the pride in his voice. “I’m surprised you became a sheriff instead of staying on the ranch.”

  “Oh, I still help ranch. It’s in my blood,” he said. “But I needed to do my own thing.” He was silent after that.

  She stared out at the land. What could keep a person here where there was little more than rocks and trees? Just inertia. That’s what Max had always said kept most men in one place. Laziness or inertia. “They just don’t know or want any better.”

  Not that moving around had seemed to make her life better or her father’s. But it did fight boredom. She feared she would grow stagnant if she stayed too long in one place. But then she didn’t seem to belong anywhere.

  Dust boiled up behind them as the road trailed alongside a sparkling creek. The water rushed in a tumble of white spray through large boulders, pooling dark in eddies, hedged in by bright red bushes.

  “That’s Rosebud Creek,” Cash said. “Those are wild rosebushes growing along the edge. The taller trees are cottonwoods and willows.”

  “What are those?” she asked.

  “The red? Dogwood. The other bushes are choke-cherry trees. By the end of August the branches will be heavy with fruit.”

  She looked over at him, hearing a kind of reverence in his voice. “How long have you lived here?”

  He laughed. “I was born here. So was my father. As I mentioned last night, my grandfather brought one of the first herds of longhorn cattle to Montana from Texas. The minute he saw this land, he knew he’d found his home.”

  What was it like to have roots that ran that deep? As she looked out at the countryside, she tried to imagine being one of the first white men to see this. The landscape looked inhospitable to her. She couldn’t imagine fighting to tame even a small part of it for a home.

  “Was your grandfather married?” she asked, unable to see a woman wanting to live this far away from civilization even now let alone a hundred years ago.

  Cash laughed at her question. “Not at the time.” He was smiling at her.

  “What?”

  “You’re trying to imagine why anyone would live out here.”

  She started to deny it, then laughed. “Sorry. I’ve always lived in cities.”

  “At least the part of your life you remember,” he said.

  She realized her mistake. “Yes.”

  As they came over a rise, he said, “There’s the ranch.” He drove under a huge log entry that read: Sundown Ranch.

  She remembered the old cabin she’d seen in the photograph last night in the hallway at his house. But what she saw instead made her catch her breath. A cluster of buildings, the barns red-roofed, the house at the center rambling and huge, scattered across a grass carpet.

  The ranch house was built of logs, just like the first homestead, but these logs were massive and golden in the sun. There was a tan rock chimney that towered up one side and a porch that ran across the entire front of the house.

  She remembered the photograph she’d seen on Cash’s desk, the one of his family, and knew it had been shot on that very porch.

  The memory, like the ranch house, sparked a yearning she’d never felt before. Not for the ranch or the beautiful home. But for the family. Tears burned her eyes.

  She hurriedly wiped at them. “I had no idea it was so…” She waved a hand through the air, unable to find the right words.

  “My father built the house. It’s nothing like the places you’ve lived.”

  He was right about that—just not in the way he meant, she thought as he pulled into the yard and cut the engine.

  She stared at the sprawling two-story, log ranch house with its red tin roof and tried to imagine what it would be like to grow up here, to be raised in a large family like that. It was beyond her imagination.

  Through the big window, she could see the wide staircase, almost feel the homey, inviting warmth of the furnishings. She was hit again with that sense of yearning. It felt a lot like the emotion she’d experienced last night when Cash had taken her in his arms and kissed her.

  The need to run practically made her throw open her door and take off at a trot. She was just beginning to realize what she’d gotten herself into. Even if Vince and Angel hadn’t come to town, she needed to leave. Even if Jasmine’s enemies didn’t want to kill her again, she needed to distance herself from this place, from these people. She’d thought she would be safe here. She’d been wrong on all counts.

  Nothing was safe about getting this close to Cash. Or his family. Her very thoughts weren’t safe, let alone the emotions Cash evoked in her. She would leave him a note confessing everything. He wouldn’t come after her. She was sure of that. He would be too disgusted.

  He had climbed out of the pickup and gone around to open her door for her. She’d been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she’d hardly noticed. But now she felt shy, as if they were on a date, and anxious about meeting his family and seeing his mother again. If she could just get through this day—

  “I should warn you,” Cash said as he led her up the steps to the porch. “My family can be—” The front door flew open. Molly could hear raised voices as a young woman emerged from the house, slamming the door behind her, then halting in surprise to see them on the porch.

  “—a little much,” Cash finished. “Dusty?”

  The young woman was pretty, dressed in western attire with blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, no makeup, and even paler blue eyes than Cash’s.

  “Dusty?” he said again.

  The young woman’s eyes widened at the sight of Jasmine. Obviously Shelby had warned the rest of the family.

  “This is Molly,” Cash said, as if purposely not calling her Jasmine.

  Dusty continued to stare.

  Molly could see that Cash’s sister was both curious—and protective of her brother.

  “But Shelby said—”

  Cash made a strangled sound. “She looks like Jasmine but we haven’t verified that she is yet. So for simplicity’s sake, let’s call her Molly.”

  Molly felt a surge of gratitude toward him. He was trying to protect her. Maybe especially from his mother, and whatever Dusty and Shelby had been just fighting about.

  Dusty seemed to make up her own mind. She threw her arms around Molly’s neck.

  Molly stiffened for a moment in surprise, then raised her arms and embraced the young woman, looking over her shoulder at Cash in surprise.

  He groaned again. “Dusty, you’re embarrassing her.”

  Dusty pulled back, her eyes full of tears. “I just know how much my brother loves you, how much he’s missed you. Whatever happened in the past, it doesn’t matter. The two of you belong together.”

  Molly felt the full weight of the young woman’s words. “Dusty, I might not be Jasmine—”

  Dusty smiled and cut her eyes to her brother. “Don’t you think Cash would know his own fiancée? The love of his life?”

  It would seem so, Cash thought, looking over at Molly. She seemed different today. In fact, when he looked at her, he wondered what had made him so sure she was Jasmine. She was so different from the woman he’d known.

  But like Jasmine, this woman had secrets. And that alone almost convinced him she was Jasmine. That and the fact that he needed Jasmine to b
e alive for strictly selfish reasons.

  And by tonight, his friend at the FBI would have called with the fingerprint results.

  “What’s going on?” he asked Dusty, indicating whatever he and Molly had interrupted.

  “Shelby,” Dusty said, as if that explained it all.

  “I thought the two of you were closer after working on Rourke and Cassidy’s wedding,” he said.

  Dusty rolled her eyes. “Like one wedding is going to change everything?”

  He realized it was a subject best dropped as his father appeared in the doorway. Cash tried to see Asa McCall through Molly’s eyes. A large, still solid man, his blond hair graying at the temples, his eyes a blue much like Cash’s. There was strength of character in his weathered face and in his ramrod-straight posture.

  Cash had always respected his father. Not that he wasn’t acutely aware of his faults.

  “This is my father, Asa McCall,” he said, feeling a sense of pride that surprised him.

  Molly stepped forward, her hand outstretched. “Please call me Molly. It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”

  Asa seemed amused. “My pleasure.”

  Shelby appeared then. Clearly, she had intended to ignore Jasmine.

  “It is so nice to see you again,” Molly said extending her hand.

  Shelby had no choice but to take it. Her expression seemed to change from cool indifference to a scowl. Cash promised himself he wouldn’t leave here without finding out why his mother hated Jasmine so.

  “I feel like we got off on the wrong foot,” Molly was saying to Shelby. “I know I look like Jasmine but I don’t feel like her. I have little knowledge of her. I’m finding out things about her though that are very disturbing. Especially her behavior before she disappeared.”

  Shelby’s eyes narrowed at such frankness.

  “If I’m Jasmine, I’m very sorry if I hurt your son,” Molly said. “I can’t imagine a woman who wouldn’t appreciate everything about Cash. He’s a wonderful man who deserves to be happy.”

  Shelby seemed to thaw right before his eyes. Cash had never seen anything like it.

  “We’re going for a ride around the ranch,” he said into the uncomfortable silence. “We’ll be back in plenty of time for dinner.”

  “I would like to help,” Molly said. “I’m not used to being waited on.” She blushed. “At least not during any of the life I can recall.”

  “Come into the kitchen when you return,” Shelby said. “I’m sure I can find something for you to do.”

  Molly smiled. “I’ll do that.”

  Cash quickly ushered her out of the house. It wasn’t until they were headed for the horse barn, out of earshot of the house, that he looked over at her. “How did you do that?”

  She seemed surprised. “What?”

  “Shelby. My mother. You completely turned her around in there. How did you do that?”

  Molly laughed. He could no longer remember how Jasmine laughed, no longer cared. More and more, this woman was becoming Molly to him. Jasmine would never have handled his mother like that. Jasmine would have gotten mad, done her I’m-superior-to-all-of-you-people routine and made an enemy of his mother for life.

  Molly’s laugh hung for a moment in the clear morning air. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, head held high as she headed off across the field ahead of him.

  He watched her for a moment, thinking he didn’t know this woman but he wanted to.

  Molly smiled when Cash caught up to her. He chuckled softly as he walked beside her, realizing how much he liked her. He found himself half hoping she wasn’t Jasmine, even knowing that would mean he’d still be a suspect in Jasmine’s murder.

  MOLLY GLANCED OVER at the man beside her as they fell into a companionable silence. She refused to think about tomorrow. She would enjoy this day, enjoy Cash and take the memory with her.

  “See that tree,” Cash said. “I fell out of it when I was five and broke my leg. It was J.T.’s fault. He said I couldn’t climb as high as he could.”

  “But you did,” she said, smiling over at him.

  He laughed. “Oh yeah.”

  The day was bright, the sky a clear, deep blue, the cool morning air filling her lungs, filling her with…happiness.

  The word surprised her, but she realized she was happy, a word she wouldn’t have used to describe most of her life.

  Cash made her feel good. So did his family. She’d even made progress with his mother. She knew none of that should have mattered. She had to leave tonight. She would never see any of them again.

  But for today, she’d let herself be happy. She’d enjoy being a part of his family. She was safe. She wouldn’t think about tonight. Or tomorrow. For today, she wasn’t running anywhere.

  “I thought you might like to ride Baby,” Cash said as he pushed open the barn door and led her to one of the stalls.

  The mare raised her head, blinked big brown eyes at Molly and came over to nudge her hand on the gate. Molly heard Cash’s intake of air.

  “She likes you,” he said.

  Molly rubbed the white star between Baby’s ears, surprised by the connection she felt. She’d never had a pet as a kid. Not with her and Max moving all the time. Not as an adult for the same reason. The horse was spotted brown and white and reminded her of western movies she’d seen. “What is she?”

  “A pinto.”

  “She’s beautiful.”

  “She’s yours. As long as you’re here,” he added and looked embarrassed.

  No one had ever offered her something so wonderful and with such generosity. She felt tears spring to her eyes as she stared at him. “No one has ever given me…” Her voice broke. He’d meant this horse for Jasmine. Not for the first time, she wished she was Jasmine. To be loved by this man… “Cash, thank you. That’s so…”

  “Romantic?” He laughed softly and touched her cheek.

  The truth was like a stone in her throat. “But I’m not—”

  “I know, you’re Molly.” He smiled. “Baby’s very gentle. I broke her myself. You ready to ride her?”

  Molly nodded. She was touched that she would get to ride her because she knew Jasmine never would.

  She stood back and watched him as he saddled Baby and another larger horse named Zeke. She liked watching Cash’s hands, the way they touched the horses, the way they worked. She understood the calluses she’d seen on those hands, this rancher, cowboy sheriff.

  They rode behind the ranch house through deep wild grass up into the stands of aspens, the leaves rustling in the morning breeze.

  “You ride well,” Cash commented.

  She had ridden horses when Max had been involved with a traveling Wild West show for a while. She felt at ease on Baby, felt even more at ease with Cash.

  She watched his face, saw a peace in his expression that she hadn’t seen in the time she’d known him. This was his home. This land. She envied him the way she had never sought money or fame. She envied him this place that made him so content.

  The air smelled of pine as they rode higher, until they were on a bench overlooking the ranch. Cash dismounted and lifted Molly from Baby. The sun burned down on them. She walked to the edge of the bluff and looked out across the land. McCall land. She felt a lump in her throat. What it must be like to have a connection to all of this, a history, a future. “It’s so peaceful.”

  “I thought we could have lunch by the creek,” Cash said as he took off his saddlebag and motioned toward an outcropping of rocks and trees.

  She could hear water running as she neared the trees. As she wound her way through the huge boulders, she came upon a picturesque creek. The water pooled among the rocks before tumbling down the mountainside.

  Molly stepped to a flat spot at the edge of one of the clear blue pools, the water gurgling around the smooth boulders. “It looks so inviting,” she said, already reaching down to unlace her tennis shoes.

  Cash spread the blanket he’d brought under a huge pin
e and set down the picnic lunch he’d packed. When he turned, the last thing he expected was to see her with her shoes and socks off and stepping into the creek.

  “The water is deeper than it looks and the rocks are slip—”

  He didn’t get his warning out before she slid into the pool and disappeared beneath the water. Hell. Did she know how to swim? Did she even know if she knew how to swim?

  He raced to the edge of the creek, ready to jump in, clothes, boots, hat and all, when her head burst out of the water in a shower of droplets.

  She was laughing, the water droplets glistening around her in the sunlight, her green eyes dancing and that wonderful laugh of hers hanging in the air.

  He rocked back, taken completely off guard by the rush of feelings at just the sight of her. She looked like a drowned rat and couldn’t have been more beautiful, soaking wet and laughing in that blue-green pool of water.

  She also couldn’t have looked less like Jasmine.

  He put out his hand to help her out. She took it, still laughing. “I only meant to get my feet wet.”

  He shook his head. “I thought I was going to have to dive in and save you.”

  She came out of the water and shook her blond head, sending spray into the air. Her hair was curly now, not straight like she’d been wearing it. It cupped her face, making her green eyes seem larger, definitely brighter. The makeup she’d applied that morning had washed off.

  He noticed for the first time that she had a sprinkling of light freckles across her cheeks and nose.

  “Boy was that refreshing,” she said grinning at him.

  He caught his breath as his eyes locked with hers. This woman wasn’t Jasmine. The shock rattled through him. He didn’t need fingerprint results. He knew, soul deep. He grabbed her, gripping her upper arms, turning her to face him.

  Molly saw his expression change an instant before he grabbed her. He looked as if he were about to say something, but then his mouth dropped to hers.

  It was so unexpected, her breath caught, her lips parted and she kissed him back.

  The kiss didn’t last half a minute before Cash pulled back.

  “Cash, there is something I have to tell you,” she blurted out. “I’m not—”