“If Zach loves me and wants to marry me, then we’ll discuss a minister, but not before,” Meg said, knowing she had to make certain Zach was the type of man who followed the law. Sure, he was a sheriff, but his brother had caused him to lose his way. Could he find his way back?
“What now?” Ruby asked, limping over to a chair in the room.
“We go to the restaurant and see if Zach wants us to help him find his brother. If not, well then we go home.”
If he told her he was going to find Simon and help him escape, then she would hunt Simon down herself. If Zach planned on turning Simon in, she would stand by him and help him bring his brother to justice.
“That’s horse hockey,” Ruby exclaimed. “I’m not letting a good bounty get away.”
Annabelle just shook her head. “He’s wanted. The bounty should be ours.”
“The bounty is not what’s important. Zach is who is important,” Meg said, knowing her love for Zach had influenced her decision.
“Maybe for you,” Ruby said quietly.
Zach hurriedly dressed in the hallway of the hotel, knowing if anyone came out their door, he’d look like the biggest damn fool, also recognizing there was real danger in that bedroom. He’d known Ruby was injured and Annabelle took care of the farm, so what had caused the sisters to come looking for Meg?
They would have hurt him if he hadn’t given them Meg. There was pure meanness oozing from those women who protected one another better than the southern cavalry. Wiley, tough sharpshooters, who were protective of one another, he was lucky he’d gotten out of there alive.
And the threat of a wedding…now that was one risk he didn’t mind taking, but Meg had put a halt to that idea right away. He wanted to marry her, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, watching her create dresses and raising his children. But instead they were chasing after his brother while her sisters hunted them.
At this moment, he needed a cup of coffee, something to clear the cobwebs from his brain, and a chance to regroup before the sisters descended on him again. He needed a plan of action that would satisfy Meg’s sisters and get her to the altar. And a plan of action to help save his brother.
He walked into the café, sat down at a table, and promptly ordered a cup of coffee. The waitress brought the hot steaming mug, and he’d taken his first sip, when in walked Simon. Stunned, Zach’s brain flooded him with memories of Simon as a child, and his hands clenched trying to hold on to the goodness of that little boy.
Why had Simon chosen now to show his face? Did he think he was invincible?
“Hello, brother,” he said with a smile as he walked right up to Zach’s table.
Zach closed his eyes and shook his head with disbelief. “You have stupid timing.”
“What are you talking about?” Simon asked, his eyes narrowing. “Last I saw, you were laying on the ground with a bullet in you.”
“Yeah, thanks for thinking about me and checking to make certain I wasn’t dead. That bullet was meant for you,” Zach said, knowing he would never have ridden off if his brother had been lying on the ground. Why couldn’t he just let the consequences catch up to this boy?
“Thanks. You’re okay?” Simon questioned, standing before him. “Look at you. It must not have done too much damage.”
The ache in Zach’s shoulder reminded him of waking up with Meg bent over him, removing the bullet. She’d stayed behind to take care of him. She’d made certain he was healing. Not Simon.
“The McKenzie sisters are over at the hotel and should be arriving here any minute now for breakfast with me. They’re hungry for the bounty on your head,” Zach warned.
Simon looked back over his shoulder. “Those bitches are crazy.”
No, they were three women who cared about one another, looked out for each other, and would die trying to protect one another. Unlike Simon.
Zach took another sip of his coffee. “Simon, if you weren’t my brother, I’d hand you over to them.” The image of his mother’s distraught face caused his guts to cringe like he’d eaten bad food. “I’m probably going to regret this decision, but I better get you out of here.”
It would mean going against Meg. It would mean going against his law career. It would mean helping his brother, but most of all, his mother. Though he’d sworn to uphold the law, Zach couldn’t turn his brother in. Sometime last night in talking to Meg, he’d reached the conclusion that even though it meant giving up what he loved, he’d save his brother and keep the family together.
“They weren’t at the hotel last night. How do you know they’re over there now?” Simon asked.
A sigh escaped from Zach’s lips. Sometimes this boy’s head contained nothing but a bag of rocks. “Because I just left them arguing and wanting to fill my backside with buckshot. They were going to meet me here for breakfast. Do you want to stick around and have pancakes with us?”
Simon frowned. “Not with that bunch of crazy women. Ruby would just as soon shoot me as turn me in, and Meg…” he stopped and stared at Zach, his face tilting. “You and Meg…”
“What about us?” Zack asked, not liking the direction of Simon’s thinking.
“You’re sweet on her, aren’t you? They’re over there arguing about the two of you,” he said, a frown drawing his dark brows together. “They’re probably arguing over me, too, but I think this has something to do with the fact you and her were together last night.”
“What makes you say that?” Zach asked.
“I saw you ride into town together.”
He didn’t want his brother even saying Meg’s name, let alone talking about his suspicions of what had transpired last night. “Yeah, and we rented two rooms,” Zach said, pulling change out of his pockets, not looking at Simon.
“No, you didn’t. I tried to visit you last night, until I learned you weren’t alone,” Simon said, smiling at him.
Uneasiness filled Zach, clenching at his stomach with the realization that Simon knew he’d slept with Meg. It gave the younger man something he could hold over his older brother, and that couldn’t be good. “I think you better stick to your own business if you want to survive,” Zach said, throwing some change on the table. “Let’s get out of here before the McKenzie sisters arrive and hog-tie you one more time.”
“Damn, I think I hate those girls,” Simon said as they walked out the door.
“So, what were you doing coming into the café?” Zach asked. He wanted to leave Meg a message. He wanted to let her know he’d be in touch. But right now, he had to get Simon off the streets before Meg and her sisters came out of the hotel and took Simon into custody once again.
“I wanted to talk to you. That’s why I came to the hotel last night, and that’s why I’m here now. I need your help,” he said. “I think we visit Mama then go to Mexico.”
When Meg walked into the restaurant, she glanced around searching for Zach. The homey café was filled with patrons who lived in the small town, the clientele sipping on coffee, eating their breakfast, and catching up on the local gossip. As she stared into the faces of the cowboys, she realized Zach wasn’t here. Queasiness began to build in her stomach, quivering and rolling like a bad boat ride. Where was the man who’d spent most of the night wrapped in her arms, making her feel special and loved? Where was Zach?
Her sisters gave her stares that told her they believed he’d just left her high and dry in the desert without water. No, Zach wouldn’t leave without speaking to her.
“Knowing Zach, he ran down to the sheriff’s office. Let’s just get some coffee and wait on him,” Meg said, sinking down into a nearby chair. Zach Gillespie had better show his face in this restaurant in the next five minutes or have a really good excuse.
Annabelle and Ruby pulled out chairs and sat down to wait with her. Ruby began to drum her fingers on the table and glance about the restaurant. “Meg, Simon is his brother. He’s going to help him. He’s gone to warn him and let him know we’re in town.”
“Ruby,
give Zach some time. He’s the sheriff. He loves his job and knows what he has to do,” Meg said, staring at her younger sister, while Annabelle didn’t say a word. She just sat there taking notice of the café.
After a few minutes, she said, “The waitress must be on break. No one has offered us coffee.”
“You know too much about how a café runs,” Meg replied.
“And you’re not looking at all the obvious things around you,” Annabelle said. “You’re in love…”
Ruby started to laugh. “I think we need to make you stay at home on the farm. At least until you get over this love sickness you’ve contracted. Annabelle can go with me, when I get well.”
Like a volcano ready to spew at any moment, frustration rose inside Meg. She’d reached her limit of her sister's sassiness. Yes, so maybe she’d gone against what they’d been taught, but she was the oldest, and she was still in charge.
“Look you two. I kept going after Simon, even when I learned about his brother. That bounty will be enough so neither one of you will ever have to go bounty hunting again. Do you understand?”
“Then why are you considering giving it up?” Annabelle almost snarled.
“Because I’m waiting to see what Zach chooses,” Meg snapped. If he’d left without her, it would show her he’d chosen to save his brother.
A frown drew the skin together on Ruby’s forehead. “I kind of like being a bounty hunter. It’s fun, it’s exciting, and it’s dangerous.”
Annabelle shrugged. “I’ve only been once. So far it’s been fascinating. We haven’t caught a bounty, but I’ve learned a lot.”
A man brought the coffee pot over to them. “Would you ladies like a cup of coffee?”
“Yes,” Meg said, knowing she needed something while she waited, hoping Zach would show up, and her sisters would then know what she said wasn’t a lie. Zach was going to help them capture Simon and turn him in. She’d given him her heart. He wouldn’t stand her up now, would he? “Have you seen a tall man with dark hair and brown eyes, wearing a plaid shirt?”
The man gazed at her like she was crazy. “I’m sorry, but that describes half the men in this room. I’m the cook. I’m always in the back, unless Opal is taking a break like she is now. Give her a few minutes, and she’ll be back. Ask her then.”
He walked away, and she gazed at her sisters. “I bet Zach’s at the sheriff’s office. He’ll come in here any minute and have a perfectly good excuse for being late.” She would strangle him, the next time she saw him. If he’d stood her up, she would take her rope, and instead of it going around his wrists and ankles, he would find it around his throat. She’d never felt more on edge than she did right now, waiting for him to appear.
“Well, we know Zach Gillespie is good for his word, don’t we?” Annabelle said, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.
“We know he’s good at sweet-talking our dear sister,” Ruby said. “Let’s see, I had to clean the chicken coop for nearly a month after you caught me kissing boys. What kind of punishment are you going to receive for sleeping with him?”
“Shh,” Meg said, glancing around at the other patrons in the café. “Could you keep that information to yourself?”
Ruby shrugged and smiled. “Maybe. But I think you owe me a month’s worth of chicken coop cleaning.”
If they hadn’t been in the restaurant, Ruby would have received a tongue lashing that would have left bruises. “I’m not fifteen years old. In fact, most people would consider me an old maid. Keep up this conversation, and you may find yourself cleaning the chicken coop for years.”
“Sorry, I have a bum ankle, and I'm not supposed to be on it for long. So tell me how long you’re going to give this guy?” Ruby asked.
Oh God, it was the question of the century. If she walked out, that would mean Zach had left her behind to go searching for Simon without her. That would mean last night had meant nothing to him if he could leave her behind without so much as a goodbye. The last words he’d said were “I’ll meet you at the café”. So where was he? Had something bad happened to him? “What if he’s been hurt?” she asked.
Annabelle looked around the floor. “I don’t see any blood splatters anywhere.”
Meg gave a little shudder. “If something had happened, they would have cleaned it up right away.”
“Not necessarily,” Annabelle said. “Remember, I’ve worked in a restaurant before.”
“Wouldn’t the cook know if someone had gotten hurt?” Ruby reminded them.
The girls were growing restless. Fifteen minutes had passed with no sign of Zach. Meg didn’t know how much longer she could hold them off, before they rushed out of here. Cozy restaurant or not, she hoped to never see this place again. It would always be remembered as the place where she didn’t know what Zach would do. They were some of the worst minutes of her life.
“Okay, let’s wait until the waitress comes back, and then we’ll know what direction to take,” Meg said and took a big gulp of coffee. She set her cup on the table. “You know when you guys first showed up this morning, I was ready to give Simon over to Zach and let him have him. But if he’s stood me up…I’ll go after him with a vengeance.”
“We’ll all go after him with a vengeance,” Annabelle said.
“He won’t get away,” Ruby affirmed.
The waitress came back on duty, and they waved her over. Meg felt like her heart had expanded, filling her throat, as she waited to learn the truth about Zach.
“Have you seen a dark-haired man with brown eyes wearing a plaid shirt this morning?”
She frowned. “There was a man who came in for coffee and then a second man joined him. They spoke for a few minutes. Then the two men got up abruptly and walked out the door. He left me a generous tip.”
“Was the second man black-haired with deep dark eyes wearing his gun low on his hips?”
The waitress thought a minute. “I think so.”
Annabelle pulled out the wanted poster from her pocket. “Did he look like this?”
“Oh yeah, that’s him,” the waitress said, refilling their coffee cups.
For a moment, Meg sat there in stunned silence. Anger rumbled through her chest, leaving her aching with hurt. She felt dizzy with the realization Zach had left with Simon. After everything they’d shared the night before, he’d gone off this morning, leaving her behind, to save his criminal brother.
He’d made his choice. His decision. And it didn’t include Meg.
For a moment, her heart broke, and she felt tears swell in her eyes. But she refused to cry.
“Come on, girls, drink up,” Annabelle said. “Remember, all we have to do is pick up the trail to Zach’s horse. We know what it looks like.”
“How?” Meg asked.
“His horse’s right shoe is missing a couple of nails. It has a distinctive pattern. It’s how we found you.”
Meg swallowed her tears and put on a smile. She pulled her little pot of color from her pocket, dipped her finger in, and smeared the lipstick across her lips. Showtime.
Time to find Simon and collect their bounty. “Come on, girls. Pay the bill and let’s go. We’ve got a bounty to catch.”
Chapter 13
Dust swirled from their horses’ hooves and the warm sunrays beat down on Meg. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she swayed in the saddle to the rhythm of her horse. Spring was coming to a close, and hot summer heat would soon fill the days. And yet, her life felt like a cold winter blizzard had frozen her in time.
She was sick of this life. She was tired of chasing bad guys for money, of being on the trail for days at a time without shelter, with boring food and risks everywhere. This life no longer held any appeal, if it ever had.
She wanted to go home, crawl in her bed, and sleep for days. Sleep until this sadness that pumped with each beat of her heart was gone. Sleep until her chest no longer throbbed with anguish at the memory of the two of them entwined together.
Zach had chosen to save his brother o
ver having a life with her. That knowledge left her feeling hollow like all her blood had emptied out of her body, leaving her bereft and lacking. What she’d thought was love, he’d tossed aside then ridden out of town without so much as a backwards glance.
Now, they were following his trail, and she knew exactly where he was going. He was headed back to his mother’s with Simon in tow. Probably to say his goodbyes before he and Simon headed to Mexico.
Well, there was one little kink in their plans. Her sisters were out for blood. They were furious he’d slept with her and then left without so much as a goodbye. His adios to his mother had better be quick if he thought he was going to slip out of the country unnoticed.
The city of Zenith would need a new sheriff. Someone who upheld the oath he’d pledged when he took office.
She wouldn’t kid herself into believing she could turn in her own sisters if they had disobeyed the law, but they would never murder a man in cold blood. They believed in justice. Their father had raised them to obey the edicts of the land. The only man in danger from them was Zach Gillespie, and while there was a pretty good chance they’d do him some harm, they’d never kill him.
Her sisters had given Meg hell when she’d stolen a ham to feed them. They would rather starve than be dishonest. Frankly, she admired that about her sisters. She would defend their honor with her last dying breath because she knew they were strong, law-abiding, upright ladies who deserved respect. Sure, they weren’t your typical prairie women; they were better. They were stronger.
Still, she’d have thought after their last night together, Zach would have told her his decision. Maybe he’d been unable to face her once he’d made up his mind.
At the thought of Zach, her chest tightened like someone had stabbed her. And she wanted to ask him, how could he just ride away?
Deep down she’d never believed he would choose the wrong side of justice. She’d believed he was a good man who hated what he had to do and wanted to make it easy on his mother and his brother.
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