Just One Kiss (The Dream Catcher Series-Book Two) (23 page)

Lee looked into her eyes and smiled once more. “Tonight I want you to just undress and let me hold you all night long. No clothes, just you and me snuggled together all night.”

“Is that all?” She lifted a brow.

“After we make love a couple of times.” He smiled, pulling her under him and kissing her all over.

He kept his promise and after they made love several times, he held her through the night close, and they slept.

But when morning came, she got up and dressed and began making breakfast when he came to the kitchen to find her. It was still early; dew was still on the grass as he glanced outside.

Later, after she had the coffee perking on the stove, he spotted her hanging the wash out and was headed her way when a shot rang out and Lee ran outside.

A rider took off and Lee spotted him. He grabbed the shotgun near the back door where he kept it handy. He fired three times, and thought he winged him. Only then did it occur to him what the man was after. He whirled about and his nightmare stared him in the face.

“Hattie…” he screamed, running toward her lifeless form on the ground near the clothes line.

She moved. He thanked God as he threw himself down and on the ground beside her. She’d been shot, but he couldn’t tell how badly. Blood oozed from his hand as he tried to lift her up.

Joe came running up to them and knelt to his knees. “Lord, what have they done?”

“Help me get her inside,” Lee hollered. His eyes were wild, his breathing ragged, as he stared down at her.

She opened her eyes slowly. “Lee…” she cried.

“It’s okay, baby. We’re going to take care of you. We’ll get the doc out here.”

Joe nodded. “I’ll go now.”

“Mama!” Violet ran to her mother.

Lee laid her on the bed and checked the damage. She’d been shot in the shoulder and thank God they hadn’t gone any lower. He busied himself with cleaning the wound as all the kids gathered around her bed. Sam pouched out his lip. “Who did this?”

“I don’t know Sam…but I got an idea.” Lee grimaced. “If you’ll watch things for me, I’ll be trackin’ him now.”

“Who was it?” Sam asked, his brows meeting in a frown.

“Sam, I know you love your sister. I know you want to get who did this. But please, let me handle it. Trust me…” Lee put his hand on his shoulder.

“Even a kid knows you don’t go shootin’ a woman…” Sam wailed.

“I know Sam, and believe me, he’ll pay for this…” Lee promised.

Hattie must have heard him as she moaned aloud, “No…don’t go after him…”

“Sorry honey, I have to. Whoever did this is gonna pay,” he hollered as he grabbed the shotgun and nodded to Sam. “You can’t let people walk all over you.”

Sam immediately tried to soothe his sister and the kids.

“I’ll be back, Sam…” Lee promised.

Sam had tears in his eyes. “Want me to go with you?” he managed.

Lee glanced at him with a slow smile. “No, but thanks for the offer.”

Lee saw the direction the rider was going and, since he winged him, he figured he wouldn’t be hard to catch. He was right. Evidently, he had shot him. The man left a blood trail for Lee to follow…

He was going into the heavy brush, trying to hide out. Lee meticulously followed.

By nightfall, he was almost upon him. He saw his fire and wanted to check out the camp before he went barging in. He recognized the man instantly; it was one of Jeffries’ other sons, Tor.

He figured if he could get the drop on him, he’d go in, his gun pointing. Once Tor settled in for the night, Lee rushed into the campsite.

“Drop it, Tor,” Lee commanded.

“Who the h…” Tor whipped around to see Lee staring at him. “What do ya want?”

“I’m taking you into town,” Lee informed him.

“Fer what?” Tor asked, his eyes blazing at Lee’s gun.

“For trying to kill my wife, that’s what for,” Lee answered. “You aren’t getting away with it, Tor.”

Tor stared at him then broke out in a huge grin. “You don’t think they’ll arrest me for shootin’ a Negro, do ya?”

“I do…” Lee said, but his mind did war with the fact that he could get off free. It irritated him to think it, but it was possible.

“They ain’t gonna believe it and even if they do, they won’t do anything about it,” Tor boasted.

Tor started to reach for his bedroll. “Don’t do it, Tor. Don’t give me an excuse to kill you.”

“You gonna kill me over that black b…”

“Shut up. Not one more word.” Lee eased his hand on the trigger. He didn’t need much more reason to shoot Tor, but he tried to calm down. He knew he was emotional right now, and Tor had that on his side. He had to think straight on what to do.

“Why’d you shoot her?” Lee asked.

“Do I need a reason?” Tor chuckled.

“Yeah, you do…” Lee frowned, coming closer.

“Daddy and the rest of us didn’t take too kindly to you killin’ our brother. He feels he’s entitled to retribution. He knew if we killed her, he’d get it.” Tor laughed. “So…is she dead?”

“I don’t know… I ought to beat the livin’ daylights out of you,” Lee hollered.

“Yeah, a one armed man beating me up.” Tor laughed.

“You want to try it?” Lee asked.

“Sure, I done whipped you once.”

“Let’s try it again,” Lee said, taking his gun belt off and laying his gun aside. As soon as he did, Tor went at him, his head butting him in the gut. Lee groaned and put his hand on his shoulder to shove him away.

They fell to the ground and rolled, jabbing each other with their fists. The dust flew.

They nearly rolled into the embers of the camp fire, but Lee got to his feet in time and moved to knock Tor down. Tor jumped up in a second and ran at him again. Lee dodged.

On and on it went, one hitting the other until they could barely stand.

Then Tor reached for his knife and they rolled to the ground in a battle for control. Tor nearly had it aimed for Lee’s head, when Lee flipped him and he scrambled to his feet once more.

Tor still had the knife but Lee dodged it. Lee tried a head-butt on Tor then went back to the ground, rolling, the knife cutting Lee’s shoulder.

Lee winced and struck Tor in the mouth. Tor’s mouth bled and he groaned. It was just enough to let Lee get control. He tried knocking the knife away, but Tor had a death grip on it.

Suddenly, they rolled over and Tor became very still. He rolled onto his own knife. But he wasn’t dead. Just wounded badly.

Lee grabbed his gun. “Alright, that’s enough. On your feet, we’re goin’ in.”

Tor grumbled but moved when Lee stuck the gun to his rib. His side was bleeding pretty badly and Lee wanted to get into town quickly.

All the way into town, Lee had listened to Tor’s laugh at how the Sheriff wouldn’t do anything. Several times Tor grunted from the wound and stopped his horse, but each time Lee prodded him on. “Let’s get into town and get a doctor for you.”

“A doctor? What do you care?” Tor shouted.

“I don’t, but your father will.”

He took him over to the doctor and left him. He then went to the Sheriff’s office and explained what happened.

Sheriff Harding, known for his fair play, agreed that Tor needed to be locked up.

“I know his daddy will have him out in no time and no judge would send him to prison but if you could manage to keep him in jail ‘til we can get out of town, I’d appreciate it,” Lee said.

“I can do that.” Harding firmed his lips and studied Lee for a moment. “I heard you sold out to Jeffries. Never thought I’d see that.”

“I sold the water rights to Harvey though, and I wanted you to know it. Harvey is a fair man. He’ll give Jeffries the watering rights for payment. I’ll be long gone and there won’t be any more trouble.”

“Well now, that’s a right smart thing you did there. And you’re right about Harvey. I’m glad to hear all this Lee. Makes my job easier. And…don’t get me wrong, I like you well enough, but once you are gone, most of the trouble around here will stop. Especially since you did Frank in.”

Lee smiled. “I’ll fetch Tor over to ya. Thanks.”

Lee tipped his hat and went over to get Tor. Doc Witherspoon patched Lee’s knife wound and handed Tor over to him.

Lee took him into the sheriff’s office and told him what had happened.

The Sheriff scratched his chin and glanced at Tor.

“You ain’t gonna lock me up for shootin’ a Negro, are ya?”

“‘Fraid I gotta, Tor. Don’t want to but I gotta. Don’t worry, your father can get you out on bail in a day or two,” Sheriff Carter said as he headed him to a cell.

Satisfied, Lee returned home to check on Hattie.

The old retired doctor, Doc Smithers, was there when Lee returned. Lee had known him most his life, a contrary old doctor who stirred up trouble most of the time with his constant gossiping. Lee guessed Sam didn’t know anything about Doc Smithers or he would have rode into town and fetched Doc Witherspoon from town. “How is she?” Lee asked as the old man came out of her room.

“I got the bullet out. She’s resting. She’ll mend. I guess I should congratulate Joe.”

Lee twisted his head in question. “Why? What do you mean?”

“She’s pregnant.”

“She’s…she’s pregnant?” Lee repeated. “Are you sure, doc?”

“Well, it is early, but she complained of being sick in the mornings and so I told her I’d do a thorough check on her if she didn’t mind. And yes, she’s pregnant. You want to tell Ole Joe or should I?”

Lee stared at the doc for a long moment, his smile fading for a second. “Doc…you don’t understand. It’s my baby…”

“Yours?” The old doc frowned up at him.

“Yes, mine. Hattie and me…well…Well, we’re gonna get married, and be a real family soon. But this is wonderful news, doc. Is the baby okay?” Lee asked anxiously.

“My God, boy, what have you gone and done? You’re a white boy! What are you doin’ with a black woman? A black family? God forgive you…and you fought in the war! I’ll be leavin’ now.” The old doc shook his head and sent him a scornful glance. “You better rethink this boy, and get while the gettin’ is good. You don’t know the abomination you have brought upon yourself.”

“I love her,” Lee said calmly. “As far as abomination, God knows how I feel.”

“Good day, and don’t you be callin’ me no more. You’ve just become white trash to me. And I don’t serve white trash. You go to those city docs, don’t be comin’ round me.” The old man walked out of the house as Joe came into the room.

“Doc gone?” Joe asked.

“Yeah…he’s gone.” Lee firmed his lips. “How’s Hattie?”

“She’s sleepin’. How about you? How’d you make out?” Joe wanted to know.

“It was Tor. I found him; followed the blood trail. We fought and then I took him to town to the Sheriff,” Lee said dully.

“Well, for someone who got his man, you don’t act too happy. What’s wrong?” Joe asked.

“The doc, that’s what’s wrong.”

“That old man? Now what happened?” Joe asked, narrowing his gaze on Lee with questions.

“Hattie’s pregnant.”

Joe sat still for a minute, soaking in that news. He nodded. “Well, I guess that was bound to happen sooner or later, the way you two been goin’ at it. But…I take it you ain’t happy about it?”

Lee paced the kitchen, then turned a chair and straddled it, looking straight at Joe. “You’re wrong, I’m thrilled to be havin’ a baby with that woman I love so much. But…he thought it was your baby.”

“Mine?”

“Yeah…and I told him it wasn’t that, it was mine. He got all upset and left; he won’t be back.”

“Well sir, we don’t need him. We sure don’t. I’m sorry, Lee. I guess he put a real damper on your celebration.”

Lee felt tears stream down his face as he stood up. “I guess it’s hard to accept…people like that. But…Joe…I love her, Joe. I’ve always loved her. I can’t stop. She’s all I ever wanted for myself. And now we gotta baby comin’…I’m so proud I could shout it to the whole world. She’s havin’ my baby!”

Joe stood up and put his arm around Lee’s shoulder. “Don’t go thinkin’ I’m goin’ soft. But I guess I do have my moments. I never had no kids. Always wanted some. But you …and Dil…well sir, you’re the closest I’ve ever come. You do what’s in your heart, boy. People…well, people gonna talk and disapprove and call you names, especially here. But we’re goin’ to Texas…ain’t we?” Joe asked.

Lee glanced up at him, and felt his heart melt at Joe’s words. “Yes sir, we are. As soon as she can travel. So we’d best get to packin’ up. And Joe…you are a part of my family, always have been and always will be.”

Joe smiled slowly and nodded. “Yes sir, we gots to pack up. Does…does she know yet?”

“I don’t know…” Lee looked a little stunned. “We’ll tell her…”

“Yes sir, we will.”

Hattie slept ‘til the next morning and Lee didn’t have the heart to wake her. He knew she’d be in some pain and he didn’t want to see her hurt. He stared down at her that night and prayed to God. “Please take care of her. I love her so.”

The next morning, Joe and Lee fixed breakfast. The kids all gathered around the table. “Can we help, daddy?” Violet asked.

“You bet you can. Set the table, honey.”

Violet set about fixing the table while Lily and Daisy got the butter and syrup on the table as Joe was making flapjacks. The kids watched him because when he flipped them, he flipped them high in the air. The girls all giggled as he caught them with the pan.

As they all sat down, Lee smiled at them. “Want you all to know something.”

Sam came in from feedin’ the chickens.

“Come on in, Sam, want you to hear this too,” Lee called him to the table.

Sam washed his hands and came to the table.

“I got sort of an announcement. You see…we’re going to have a little one in the family.”

Lily and Daisy stared at him wide-eyed. Violet looked at him. “Littler than me?”

“Yes, you see Mama’s gonna have a baby.”

Sam sat very still then turned his head toward him. “Your baby?”

“Yes Sam, my baby. Our baby. Our family is growin’ already.” Lee stared into his eyes.

“This just sorta makes us a real family. Ties us together. Strengthens us, don’t you see?”

“You mean that, don’t you?” Sam frowned.

“With all my heart.”

Sam stared long and hard and then slowly extended his hand. “Then I guess I’m gonna be an uncle again, huh?”