Emma's Blaze (Fires of Cricket Bend Book 2) (14 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY

When afternoon came the next day, it was time to say farewell to the men she’d befriended. Each and every one of them came to her on horseback or foot and sent her off with best wishes and hugs. Johnnie, Nick, Hiram, Blue. When she gave Ollie a kiss on the cheek, she saw him blush bright red.

Jess, his head wrapped in a white bandage, handed her a sealed letter.

“Post this for me once you reach town, would you?”

“Is this for your Clara?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Is it a proposal of marriage? It better be.”

“Something like that.” Jess winked at her. “If she’ll have a rascal like me, that is.”

“I’ve known far worse rascals than you,” Emma replied as she embraced him.

Pete was up next, and swatted at the brim of her hat. “Give ’em hell.”

“I surely will. You keep practicing with those cards, you hear me?”

“I’ll be the best damn cheater at the table next time we meet, I promise you.”

All she could do when Saul walked up was hold him close and kiss him on the cheek. He held her tightly right back.

“Thank you for Maggie, and playing your songs, and so much more.”

“Be safe out there,” he whispered.

“I will,” she answered. “I’ll send Bill back to you all in one piece.”

“You write to us,” Appie said. As he came up to her, he took her shoulders in his hands. Emma thought maybe he was holding back from letting his eyes water, but he was doing it so well she wouldn’t have bet on it. “I’ll remember you, boss lady.”

She threw her arms around him a little too hard, and nearly knocked him off-balance. He’d been kind to her from the first moment, when he’d taken a chance and trusted her to assist him. He’d taught her things she’d needed to know. She’d never know what having a father was like, but she imagined Appie was about as close as she’d ever get. Letting go of him was one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do.

“I’ll meet up with you,” Bill told them all. “If anything changes, I’ll wire one of the towns down the trail. Check the telegraphs if I don’t come back by the time you reach one of them.” He turned to Emma. “You ready?”

Tearing her eyes away from the friendly faces of the men she would truly miss, she mounted Maggie and grabbed the ropes of her reins.

“Goodbye, boys. I’ll be grateful for all of you until the end of my days.”

“Goodbye, Miss Sparrow,” she heard in response. She turned Maggie away from them, and toward the land she and Bill needed to cross in order to get to Cricket Bend.

She glanced at the cowboy by her side, and wondered if Bill would say more than a few words to her during the days it would take to reach the town. She hoped they wouldn’t get into bad weather, or encounter Andrew or other troublesome men along the way.

But she’d survived in the woods, ridden a horse across a river, and lived through a stampede. Emma felt she could handle just about anything.

Except the idea of Bill never speaking to her again.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-ONE

Cricket Bend, Texas

Bill

Cricket Bend hadn’t changed since he had been there last, which was about a year ago. Every horse or wagon that went down the street kicked up a cloud of dust, same as always.

“Shouldn’t there be a bend?” Emma asked as she tied Maggie and surveyed the town. “I mean, it being part of the name and all.”

“That’s what I think every time I get here.” Never had there been a town with more of a straight main street than Cricket Bend, name be damned. “I’m told it’s not the town that has the bend, but a stream a few miles west.”

“How many times have you come through?”

“About every year since I was fourteen,” he answered. Almost fifteen years had passed since his first visit, and there he was again, riding into Cricket Bend in spring looking for something. This time around, it wasn’t to track down his wayward brothers and spring them from the jail. This time, he had come to help the woman he loved.

Love. He still loved her, lies and hidden truths aside.

Watching as Emma looked around and took in the buildings and wooden walkways of the town, Bill wished he could take back the night he’d learned of her marriage. Everything he felt for her remained. Each time she moved, he felt an ache, because he couldn’t touch her. For the two days they’d been riding together toward town, he’d been sneaking looks, wanting to say something, but wanting her to speak first. Every bit of his desire for her was still there, burning inside him. Each time she moved, his mouth went dry, and he wished he could go back to the part where they were simply two new lovers out on the open range. Those days were gone, scattered like the plentiful dust kicked up in the street.

How he could love Emma so much, and be so mad at her at the same time was maddening.

It was not jumble of feelings he appreciated.

Emma pointed to a sign in front of one of the buildings.
‘
Callie’s
.’

Bill nodded. “Last year, that was Porter’s Saloon. Callie Lee was his upstairs girl. Good for her, if she took over the place. It’s the best saloon around these parts. No doubt she’s making good money. You want to go in?”

“No,” Emma replied. Her pretty features had suddenly gone cold.

“You all right?”

“Why isn’t it still called Porter’s?”

It was a good question. It was a damn good question, in fact. Bill realized what she was thinking. “Let’s go inside and find out.”

Emma didn’t move. In his head, Bill had imagined a hundred versions of what Emma’s confrontation with Hank would be: a brawl, a crying fit, a fainting spell. Somehow, her being too scared or nervous to even step inside the saloon hadn’t seemed a possibility. Neither had the idea that Hank Porter might not actually be in Cricket Bend.

If he wasn’t in Cricket Bend, where the hell had he gone?

“Mister McKenzie!”

At the sound of the jovial greeting, Bill turned to see a man with a gray beard and a slight belly striding toward them. The doctor of Cricket Bend headed toward them, his smile bright as the sun.

“Doc.” Bill extended a hand. “Good to see you, sir. You’re looking well.”

“Now, there’s no need to lie,” the Doc quipped. He gave Bill a friendly slap on the shoulder. “I must say, I’m surprised to see you. Usually, your arrival is predated by a few of your boys winding up in our jail, but it’s been quiet around here in recent weeks. Too quiet, probably. I should have guessed the McKenzie crew would be by eventually.”

Bill thought of the last time he’d been there. His brothers and hands had come to town and caused trouble—a brawl in the street, and found themselves in jail. Bill had come to bail them out. “Quiet is good,” he said. “My brothers are under orders to steer clear and leave you folks in peace.”

Doc seemed to breathe easier at the news. Bill knew he remembered the previous year as well as anyone. He’d been the one who’d tended to Theo’s body, cleaned off the blood of his murder, and packed him for the wagon ride out to the drive for burial. Theo had been a hellion, and hadn’t earned the fine treatment he’d received at the Doc’s hands. “Luke’ll be glad to hear it. But, on a brighter note, who is your lovely friend?”

Bill had to smile at the change in the doc’s face and tone as he took in Emma. “Doc Gray, this is Emma Porter.” He hated the way her name sounded on his lips even as he said it.

“Porter.” The clever man caught the name immediately. “As in, Hank Porter?”

Emma spoke in a clear voice. “It’s nice to meet you, Doctor Gray. Do you happen to know where I might find Hank?”

Doc shook his head. “I haven’t the vaguest idea.”

“Excuse me?”

“He’s not here.”

Both Emma’s and Bill’s faces went pale, so Doc kept talking. “We had some trouble last year with that man who killed your brother. It’s a longer story than you need to hear, but Hank was involved. He lit out before the end of things, and we haven’t heard from him since.”

“What kind of trouble?” Emma asked.

Glancing around, Doc dropped his tone. “The kind most respectable folks don’t talk about.”

Emma jumped on his words. “Who was she?”

“Excuse me?”

“The trouble Hank most often finds himself in tends to involve women. Who was she?”

Doc’s face hardened at the line of questioning. “She is a young woman I happen to love like a daughter, and one I will not see hurt again.”

“I don’t intend to hurt anyone. I just need to speak with her. Please.”

“Are you Hank’s sister?”

“I am his wife.”

As if Emma’s words had been a key that unlocked a door, Doc sighed. “All right, come on.”

“To where?”

“Where do you think? The saloon. You two look like you’ve been riding for fourteen years. Don’t tell me a drink or two isn’t top of your list right now.”

If the blonde curls hadn’t guided Bill’s eyes to Callie Lee immediately upon entering the saloon, the rowdy laugh would have. Callie looked as fine as Bill remembered, dressed in a surprisingly respectable gown, which didn’t show off her voluptuous form. With her hair twisted up, away from her face, she appeared every bit a successful businesswoman. Bill knew of her former occupation, and admired her pluck.

“I look a fright,” Emma muttered.

Bill realized that the both of them, in their dirty and worn trail clothes, stood out. They looked unwashed and tired, which was likely how Emma felt. Bill couldn’t imagine how devastated she must be, to come all that way just to learn Hank wasn’t even in Cricket Bend anymore. Bill’s own disappointment was overwhelming, and it wasn’t even his quest.

“Callie,” Doc called as they entered the saloon.

“Just a second, honey.” Callie leaned over a table where three older men sat playing cards. Over the shoulder of one man, who had a gray walrus mustache, Callie plucked a card and set it on a pile in the center of the table. The other men let noises of displeasure, but Callie laughed and came around the tables.

The smile on her face vanished when she saw who stood in her saloon.

“Emma.”

“Callie.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Nice to see you too. Looks like you’re doing well.” Emma’s tone was flat and sarcastic.

“Don’t you start with me.”

“You two know each other?” Bill stepped in between the two women. As he did so, he couldn’t help but feel like he’d come between two cats ready to claw each other to bits.

“Indeed we do,” Emma said. “Remember when I told you Hank ran off with a whore? That was Callie.”

“I don’t do that anymore.”

“Bully for you.”

Callie simply rolled her eyes at Emma’s childish response. “What on earth happened to you?”

“I came to find Hank. I had some trouble along the way.”

Callie seemed astonished. “He told me you knew we were leaving. Though standing here now, I’d bet my saloon that was a lie. Never known you to be wearing anything less than the prettiest dress in a room. And I have certainly never seen you in pants!”

“I did not come here for friendly chitchat. Where is he?”

“I have no idea where that rascal has gotten to, and good riddance to him.”

A sharp laugh came from Emma. “So he left you too.”

“By the time he left, I wouldn’t have gone with him for a million dollars.”

Emma reached out to steady herself against the bar. Without thinking, Bill put a hand on her waist. Even though he was mad at her, he knew the information came like a hard blow. She’d worked so hard to get to this saloon, and for nothing.

After a moment, Callie bent over the bar. She grabbed a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. She poured two shots, and handed them to Emma and Bill.

“I did not come here for a drink,” Emma said.

Callie ignored her rudeness. “Well, sugar bean, maybe you need one anyway.”

Emma seemed to agree, because she finished her drink in one gulp. “I thought he’d be here. Brett Baker said he’d mentioned something about his own saloon…”

Callie nodded. “This is the place, all right. I think he would still be here if he could, but he’d likely be shot if he so much as stepped into this town.” She looked at Bill. “Much like some other men I can think of. Mr. McKenzie, are your brothers on their way here? If they are, I’d appreciate some warning so I can lock up the place and get my shotgun before they show up to wreck it again.”

“My brothers are about fifty miles east, and they’re staying there,” Bill informed her. “Most of them, at least. Andrew lit out a few days back, and I’ve no idea what he’s thinking, but I thought you all should know about his disappearance, in case he gets the wild notion that coming here would be a good idea.”

Callie huffed at the news.

“I’m awful sorry,” Bill said. Not a day had passed in the past year without Bill being reminded that Andrew had gotten rough with a woman. Standing in the saloon talking to Callie Lee, the woman herself, Bill felt great shame for his brother’s actions. No woman deserved such treatment.

“I’ll go let Luke know,” Doc said. He headed toward the door.

“Doc,” Callie called after him. “Send Haven this way, would you?”

Casting glances between Emma and Callie, Doc hesitated. “You really think that’s a good idea?”

“No,” Callie said. “It’s a terrible idea, and Luke’ll kill me for it. But she might be the only one who can help Emma.”

As Doc left, Callie generously handed Bill and Emma the whiskey bottle. She slipped away from them to tend to her customers, and no doubt to give them time to talk.

“Haven,” Emma whispered the name.

“If she’s the woman I’m thinking she is, she’s the sheriff’s daughter.” Bill remembered a young woman with dark hair. “Luke Anderson, he’s sheriff around here. His daughter, Haven, was the one Theo went after last year. I never met her, but I know her fiancee. She was engaged to the deputy, Matthew Frank, though I imagine they’re married by now.”

“The sheriff’s daughter.” Emma put her head in her hands. “Hank must have lost his mind. Or he gained himself a death wish somewhere along the way.”

Bill poured her another drink.

“Speaking of the sheriff, are you going to turn me in?” Emma turned her glass around in a circle. “You’ve got my journal, so you have plenty of proof. There might even be a bounty for me.”

He hadn’t forgotten that she was likely wanted for murder. Walking the few doors down to the jail and telling Sheriff Anderson about her would be easy, and if he were being honest with himself, he’d have to admit that he’d had the quickest thought that doing so might lift some of the burden of his troubled feelings. Emma’s journal had ridden all the way from the drive in his jacket pocket. After she’d fallen asleep for the past two nights, he’d finally read it. It backed up everything she’d said. It told her story, every detail matching just as she’d told him.

“No.” Pulling the journal from his pocket, he slid it over to her. She quickly grabbed it, and their fingers touched. Bill didn’t let go of the book. “Don’t you worry about that. From what you’ve said, Angus Keene got what was coming to him.”

When she looked at him, he saw surprise in her eyes. How mad at her did she think he was, if she thought he might doom her to hanging or a jail cell for defending herself from a terrible man years earlier?

“Afternoon, Haven!” one of the men at the bar called.

As Emma and Bill turned, Haven Frank, the sheriff’s daughter, came through the saloon doors. With just one look at her, Bill understood everything. Small in stature, with dark hair that hung down in waves, and with impossibly big dark eyes, Haven was a radiant beauty. Her kind of beauty would catch any man’s attention, and make more than a few of them do stupid things. Of course Hank had been taken with her, despite her father being the sheriff, and of course he’d likely used all of his charm and skills to lure her in. Across her cheek and the side of her nose, there was a scar. It was the only imperfection on her lovely face.