Randall Renegade (11 page)

Megan turned to stare at Jim. “What do you mean? Did she save your life?”

“Nothing. He’s exaggerating.”

Jim gave her a hard look. “I don’t think so. When the general and his lieutenants attacked us, I told Patience to go on with Tommy. She ignored me. When one of the lieutenants snuck
around behind me and had me in his sights, Patience shot him just before he shot, knocking his aim off. Otherwise, he would’ve hit me in the heart.”

“You don’t know that. Maybe he was a poor shot!” Patience insisted.

“I saw him shoot that day I trained the troops. He hit every target dead-on.”

Patience had no response to that. Besides, she didn’t have a chance to say anything before Megan threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly. “I can never thank you enough, child.”

“I killed him,” Patience muttered. “I need to tell the sheriff.”

“That won’t be a problem. You were saving Jim’s life.”

“I’ve never shot anyone or anything before,” Patience added. “I feel like I did something wrong.”

Megan hugged her again. “No, you did something very, very right. You may have taken a life, but it was in order to save another. To save yours and Tommy’s, as well.” She stepped back wiping her eyes. “Thank you.”

Patience was embarrassed. And she still felt as if she’d done something wrong. That moment was going to haunt her for a long time.

“I need to go gather my things.” She hurried from the room.

Megan drew a deep breath before she said to Jim, “I think I embarrassed her, but we owe her so much.”

“Yeah. I looked down the barrel of that guy’s gun and knew I was dead. It took me a minute to realize he’d been shot. Then he fell facedown in the snow.” He gave a soft chuckle. “Patience has always been hard to order around. I was really grateful for that trait.”

“Yes, definitely.”

“Will Dad be in to see me this evening?”

“He’ll want to. It depends when they get in. But if he doesn’t come tonight, he’ll be in first thing in the morning. And he promised Drew he’d tell you that Drew begged to go with him.”

“Drew? He’s too young to go!”

“That’s what I thought about you, too,” Megan said with a smile. “I think I’ll head home. You don’t mind, do you, Jim?”

“Of course not. Thanks for being here and keeping an eye on Patience—and for convincing her to stay awhile.”

“We’ll do our best, Jim,” Megan told him as she kissed his cheek.

She left him with a wave and headed for Patience’s room to take her home with her.

W
HEN THE
R
ANDALL MEN
and the sheriff got far enough down the mountain trail to see the two trucks and trailers waiting for them, they picked up their pace.

Chad muttered, “I never thought I’d be so glad to see a cushioned seat. I must be out of shape.”

“You’re not out of shape for your age,” Jake said. “You’re just getting old.”

“I’d argue with you if I didn’t think I might creak when I get off this horse.”

Pete, who was riding right behind Chad, said, “It’s not your age as much as it is you were worried. Worrying about our kids makes us old.”

“You got that right,” Griff joined in.

“Well, I think we can all agree on that,” Brett said.

“Makes me glad I never married and had kids,” Sheriff Metzger said.

Jake looked down at the two trucks. “I sure hope B.J. drove one of those trucks. I’ve missed her.”

When they got to the bottom of the trail, they
saw that B.J. was indeed one of the drivers. The other was Red.

“Red! What are you doing here?” Brett asked.

Jake, with his arms around B.J., asked, “Couldn’t you find someone else to drive the second truck?”

“Too many people,” Red assured him. “You’ve been missed.”

Jake smiled, but he turned his attention to the sheriff. “Metzger, you’ll come to the house for dinner, won’t you? There are things that need to be addressed.”

The sheriff nodded. Everyone was thinking about the bodies that needed to be dealt with. “You bet.”

“Well, let’s get the horses loaded.” Jake started the process, opening the door of the four-horse trailer, while the sheriff did the same to the two-horse trailer.

“Griff,” B.J. said, “Your wife will be at the house by the time we get there.”

“Good. Is she speaking to me? Camille wasn’t too happy about my heading off into the mountains.”

Jake frowned. “You didn’t tell us she was upset.”

“She’ll get over it. Besides, I needed to be with you all at a time like this.”

“Any more word on Jim?” Chad asked. B.J. nodded. “He’s recovering nicely from the surgery. Everything looks real good.”

“Is Megan at the house?” Chad asked B.J. as they settled into the truck.

“Yes. She’s helping Patience settle in.”

“So she agreed to stay at the house?”

“Yes. Since Jim is afraid that Kane fellow may still be coming for Patience and Tommy, he wanted them protected. Until he’s out of the hospital, she’s promised to stay with us.”

Chad nodded. Then B.J. added, “She saved his life.”

“What? How?” B.J. told him the story as Megan had told it to her.

When she finished, Chad could only say, “We certainly owe her a lot.”

T
HE TABLE IN
the Randall kitchen could seat as many as twenty people. When Patience came down to dinner, she stood to one side, out of the flow of people, wondering what she should do.

“There you are, Patience,” her mother said, as if their being in the Randall kitchen was nor
mal. “I told Mildred you’d mix up your special dressing for the salad.”

“You don’t mind, do you, Patience? I tasted it at one of the potluck dinners and I’ve been meaning to ask you for the recipe,” Mildred, Red’s wife and B.J.’s aunt, said.

Patience agreed at once. Anything was better than everyone praising her as a hero. Megan had told them that Patience had saved Jim’s life. Patience tried to explain that she owed Jim for his help, not the other way around.

She moved over to the cabinet and told Mildred what ingredients she needed. Mildred was a kind soul and soon put her at ease.

“Now, we’re going to call the younger ones to dinner, so the men can have room to eat when they get back,” Mildred explained.

Patience dreaded facing the men who had ridden into the mountains after them. Especially the sheriff. She would have to find a time to talk privately with him.

She’d thought if she got Tommy back, everything would be right with her world. How wrong she’d been. Not only did she still need to worry about Kane trying to get Tommy, but she also had to deal with her feelings for Jim.

She missed his strength, his calm appraisal of
situations. She missed his warmth, a feeling that surrounded her when she was with him. He made her a stronger, happier person. Most of all, she loved his sense of humor.

She blinked rapidly to dispel the tears that filled her eyes.

Megan moved to her side. “Everything’s okay, Patience, I promise.”

Patience gave her a smile and nodded. She knew differently, but she wasn’t going to tell Megan that.

When the first round of dinner was announced, Tommy came running to the table. His grandmother demanded a kiss, and Tommy willingly gave her one.

“You want one, too, Mommy?” Tommy asked.

“That would be nice.” Patience smiled at her little boy.

Tommy threw himself into her arms and kissed her cheek as she bent down. “I’m having so much fun! Davy has some video games. He’s teaching me how to play.”

“I’m glad, sweetie. Don’t forget your manners during dinner, okay?”

He grinned. “Okay.”

She watched him follow Davy to the table.
Her heart swelled with pride when he did as Elizabeth told him. He was a good little boy. And Kane was a bastard.

Thanks to Jim, she had her little boy back.

She helped with the serving, making herself useful where she could. It took her mind off her problems. The meal was almost over when the back door opened and the four Randall fathers, plus the sheriff and Griffin Randall, entered. Immediately the wives went to greet their husbands.

Even Camille, who had protested Griff’s decision to accompany his cousins, threw herself into Griff’s embrace. Patience couldn’t hold back a smile. It was good to see the love that existed between these couples.

After the greetings, the women quickly cleared the table and placed clean dishes on it. All except Megan. She remained in a corner, talking with her husband.

When they finished talking, Chad stepped to Red’s side and conferred with him. Then, to Patience’s surprise, Jim’s father turned to her.

“Patience, Megan’s told me about you saving Jim’s life. We can never thank you enough for that.”

“Mr. Randall, I owe Jim for saving me and
Tommy from Kane. You don’t owe me anything.”

“You’re a gracious woman, Patience. But we still owe you. Megan and I are going in to see Jim now. Do you want to come with us?”

Patience blushed. “Oh, no, I talked to him today. I’ll let you have some time alone with him. I think he’s doing very well.”

“We Randalls are fast healers,” Chad assured her with a smile.

“I’m glad.”

“Yeah. Any messages for Jim?”

“You can tell him again how grateful I am.”

Chad smiled and left.

Half an hour later Patience asked the sheriff, who’d just finished his meal, if she could talk to him.

He agreed and suggested they use Jake’s office.

She followed him, her knees shaking.

Chapter Nine

Once Patience was seated in one of the big leather chairs in front of Jake’s desk, she clasped her hands tightly together. Her voice strained, she said, “Sheriff, I killed a man.”

Sheriff Metzger had been a law officer for a long time and had seen his share of crime. Calmly he asked, “Did you?”

“Yes. We were trying to get away from Kane and his men. We were almost home when they found us and started shooting at us. This man had snuck up on Jim and was going to kill him. I couldn’t let him do that. I shot him.” She let out a sigh. “Are you going to file charges against me?”

“Well, seeing as how you didn’t seek these men out with the intent to kill and that you had been fired on first, no. All you did was try to
protect Jim and Tommy and yourself. I’ll interview Jim and if his story matches yours there will be no charges.”

“Are you sure? I feel so bad about it.”

“Patience, life is harsh. No decent person seeks to end someone else’s life. But there are times when you have no choice. This was one of those times. And if, as we think, Kane is still alive, it’s possible you’ll face him again. I hope you’ll seek legal recourse at once so that he can’t get hold of Tommy again.”

“Do you think I have a chance to get custody of Tommy?”

“Yes, I do. His father is obviously not a stable man. Go to Nick Randall and ask for his help.”

“He would be very expensive, but…” She began considering her options, hoping she could do as the sheriff suggested.

“Just talk to him. I’m sure he’ll offer you some good advice.”

“Thank you, Sheriff Metzger, for talking to me. I feel better now.”

“I’m glad you’re staying with the Randalls for a while, where you’ll be safe. I’ll let you know right away if I get any hint that Joseph Kane is back in town.”

“Thank you.” She’d have to let the sheriff know when she moved back home, as she fully intended to do in a few days…

J
IM WAS USING
his left hand to feed himself. He was managing okay, except for the peas. Balancing the small peas on his fork took more talent than he had, so he abandoned that part of his meal.

When he heard the door open, he looked up and was pleased to see his parents. “Dad! I’m glad you’re back.”

Chad didn’t hesitate to hug his son. But he was careful of his injured shoulder. “Did Jon check you today?”

“Yeah. He said I might go home tomorrow.”

“That’s wonderful, dear.” Megan went to him and gave him a hug, as well.

“Is Patience at the ranch?” Jim asked.

“Yeah,” Chad answered. “I thanked her for saving your life. Your mother told me.”

“Yeah.”

“We found two dead bodies.” Chad looked at his son, waiting for his response.

“Those were two of the general’s lieutenants. They caught us the last day. I shot one and Patience shot the other.”

“Did you see the general escape?”

“Yeah. He was with the one I shot, and I think he saw the other one fall. That’s when he rode off in the other direction.”

“Toward the cabin?”

Jim frowned. “Yeah. Why? Did he use the cabin?”

“I think he burned the cabin. We saw the smoke the afternoon before, which would’ve been while you were coming down.”

“Damn him! I’m sorry, Dad. Patience, Tommy and I spent that last night in the cabin so we could have a hot meal and get a little rest. Patience had been up all night the day before.”

“It was a good plan, son, and it worked. You got down safely.”

“Thanks to Patience. The kids will really miss going to the cabin this summer, though.”

“Maybe we’ll rebuild and you can do some hammering.”

“That’s a deal, Dad,” Jim said.

T
HE NEXT MORNING
, after she’d made sure Tommy had eaten breakfast and was happily playing with Davy, Patience came downstairs. “Is anyone going to town today?” she asked.

Megan immediately told her she was going in
to pick up Jim. “Did you want to come with me?”

“Well, I need to pick up my car and I have some errands to run.”

“Then of course I’ll be glad to give you a ride. Or I could drive you around if you need to shop or something.”

Patience knew Megan was curious about her errands, but she didn’t want to tell the Randalls that she was going to go see their cousin, Nick Randall.

After an awkward pause Megan said, “I’ll be ready to leave in about fifteen minutes, if that’s all right.”

“Yes, I’ll be ready.”

On the ride into town, Megan didn’t ask any more questions. Patience was grateful. Nick Randall was the best lawyer around. Patience wasn’t sure she could afford him, but she had to start there. She needed to make sure that Tommy was legally hers. She should’ve done it long before now.