The Redemption of Jake Scully (18 page)

Jewel went still. “How’d you know Buddy wants to marry me?”

“So he
did
ask you.”

“So you were guessing.”

“Yeah, but it wasn’t hard to figure out. It’s easy to see the kind of fella Buddy is, and nobody can miss the way he looks at you.” Rosie paused. “He risked his life when he faced Riley down, Jewel. He did it for you—not for me.”

Jewel did not respond, allowing Rosie to say, “Buddy saw the look on your face, and he heard the threat in Riley’s voice. He stepped in before you could get hurt. I’m telling you, if I had a man like that wanting to marry me—”

“What Buddy and I do is none of your business, Rosie.”

“Just like what Riley and I do is none of
your
business, you mean?”

When Jewel did not answer, Rosie stood up and said, “I don’t mean to seem ungrateful, Jewel. You got in the middle of things for me, and if you didn’t and Buddy hadn’t interfered, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”

“Riley’s not a fool. Scully backed him off the first time, and Buddy took care of the rest. Riley won’t be back because he knows what’ll be waiting for him if he does.”

“That’s right, Buddy took care of the rest—and he’d take care of you, too, if you’d let him.”

“I don’t need anybody to take care of me.”

“Why are you so stubborn, Jewel? Buddy loves you!”

“I don’t believe in love.”

Silent for a moment, Rosie said, “I don’t think I could live with believing that.”

“So you’re telling me
you
believe in love after you’ve been lied to and tossed aside by every man who ever said those words to you?”

“Those words do mean something to some people.”

“Oh, I forgot. You’re the expert.”

Rosie glanced away and Jewel took a conciliatory step toward her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just that no man I’ve ever trusted has proved worth his salt, so I’ve learned to depend only on myself.”

“Buddy’s not like that.”

“No, I don’t really think he is.” Startling Rosie with those words, Jewel blinked back the moisture that had sprung into her eyes and said, “But if he isn’t, he deserves better than getting stuck with a Gold Nugget woman for the rest of his life.” Jewel forced an expression of emotionless acceptance as she continued, “Buddy will get tired of waiting when he figures out I’m not what he thinks I am. Then he’ll find himself a woman who’s everything that I’m not. Until then, whether it’s right or wrong, I’ll enjoy things as they are. Can you understand that, Rosie?”

Her eyes moist, Rosie rasped, “I can understand it, but I don’t think—”

“Don’t think, Rosie. Just let me be. Will you do that for me?”

“Jewel…”

Jewel waited for Rosie to continue. She stood still as a tear slipped down Rosie’s cheek. She remained silent as Rosie hugged her tightly, then slipped out of the room without another word.

Chapter Eleven

M
ary McInnes looked at the disreputable-looking fellow standing on her doorstep, then at the sun that had barely risen in the morning sky. It was early…too early to open the door to an unwashed undesirable like Blackie Oaks, and
far
too early to be subjected to his overwhelmingly unpleasant body odor.

Mary’s lips tightened. She could never understand the tolerance the good people of Weaver had for this man and his partner. Nor, for that matter, could she understand the respect most townsfolk had for Barret Gould, the man who “so generously” employed Blackie and his partner at odd jobs. As far as she was concerned, the town of Weaver would be better off without the three of them. For that reason, she had never been overly friendly with any of them—and for that reason she had been surprised to find Blackie standing at her door so early in the morning. She had been even more stunned at his question.

Somehow incredulous, Mary shook her head. “You’re asking me if I have a room to let to you in my boarding house, Mr. Oaks?”

“My name is Blackie, ma’am.” Blackie’s mouth widened in an unappealing smile as he continued, “I heard in town that you had a room available, and I rushed right over here to see if I could get it.”

“There must be some mistake. I don’t have any empty rooms. Almost all my boarders are of long standing.”

“You’re sure…I mean, maybe somebody told you they might be moving, or maybe—”

“Nobody’s moving out of my boarding house at this time. You were misinformed.” Mary took a backward step in an attempt to avoid the man’s aroma. Unable to escape it, she brought the conversation to a quick halt by saying, “I’m sorry you wasted your time. Good day.”

“Wait a minute, ma’am!” Blackie jammed his foot onto the doorway, preventing Mary from closing the door. He smiled at her annoyance as he said, “I’ve been hearing about the great meals you serve your boarders. Even if you don’t have a room to let, I was wondering if you’d have room at your table for me and my partner on a regular basis. We ain’t been getting too many decent meals lately, and we’d be willing to pay any reasonable price you’d set.”

“That’s out of the question.”

“Why? I mean, couldn’t I talk you in to it?”

“No, definitely not. Sadie serves very good meals at her restaurant, and she serves everyone. You should have no complaints if you go there. Now, if you wouldn’t mind taking your foot out of my door…”

“Oh, sorry, ma’am.” Blackie smiled again. Mary cringed at the sight as he continued, “I just want to say that I hope you’ll keep Larry and me in mind if things should change here.”

“Yes…of course.”

Mary closed the door with a firm click, and Blackie’s smile sagged into a sneer as he turned away. He wondered what the old lady would say if she knew that he wouldn’t take a room in her old rattletrap of a house even if
she
paid
him.

Still mumbling under his breath, Blackie turned the corner of the street and waited impatiently for the sound of a familiar footstep. As Larry came into view, he whispered, “Did you get it?”

“Yeah, I got it.” Larry tapped the sack he held in his hand. “But I barely got in and out of the boarding house before the old lady came back into the hallway. It’s a good thing that Bible was in clear view or by the time I found it, she might’ve seen me climbing back out through that window. Then I would’ve had to fix her good, and the boss wouldn’t have liked that too much.”

“The boss is going to be happy about this.”

Larry gave him a look. “I wouldn’t count on it. He ain’t going to be too happy if he doesn’t find the old man’s map in there.”

“And if he does find what he’s looking for?”

Larry did not bother to reply.

Barret paced his office floor, then glanced out the window at the sunlit morning street beyond. He was perspiring profusely. He glanced at the small wall mirror in passing, and noted that sweat was leeching through the underarms of his custom-fitted jacket in the most common way.

With a grunt of disgust, he pulled off his jacket and tossed it onto the chair, then pushed back a straying strand of dark hair and mopped his handkerchief across his brow. Work was piling up on his desk…mundane work, boring work, in a town that was just as mundane and boring, and which he had barely tolerated for the past ten, endless years. He had come to his office without stopping to eat the breakfast his housekeeper had prepared, and had been forced to suffer her disapproving glances as he left. He had been waiting for what seemed an eternity for his hirelings to bring him the small volume that would eliminate his present torment forever.

They still had not arrived.

Barret looked again out his office window, then stopped dead in his tracks. He did not move until the door opened and two unkempt figures pushed their way into the room. He glanced down at the small sack Blackie carried, then asked, “Did you get it?”

“Of course.” Blackie’s smile was cocky. “Did you think we wouldn’t?”

Barret snatched the sack from Blackie’s hand with a sound that clearly bespoke the response he had not needed to utter. He looked into the sack and took a relieved breath. It was there. He had it in his hands. The waiting would soon be over.

“Get out.”

Blackie and Larry both frowned at Barret’s tone, but they did not move. He repeated, “You heard me.”

Blackie blustered, “We thought you’d be—”

“I don’t know what you both thought, and neither do I care. I intend to examine this prize you’ve brought me
privately,
without interruption. That means, I will do it behind closed doors with the drapes drawn. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, but—”

“Privately means without either of you present.”

“But—”

“I’ll call you when I need you. Get out.”

Blackie stumbled backward at Barret’s admonition. Tripping over Larry behind him, Blackie hardly waited for his cohort to clear the doorway before pulling the door shut behind him.

Barret shook his head with disgust. Their behavior was so typical of their limited mentality that it was not even amusing.

Barret took the few steps to the door in an expectant rush. He turned the key in the lock and pulled the heavy drapes closed over the windows before returning to his desk.

His heart pounding, Barret withdrew the Bible from the sack with an extravagantly ceremonious gesture.

His moment had come.

“It’s gone, just like I told you. It’s just…gone!”

Lacey took a breath and swallowed against encroaching tears as she faced Scully solemnly in the silence of her room. She had come back to the boarding house after finishing work at the restaurant. Her intention had been to pick up her Bible and the next lesson she had prepared for Rosie and Jewel. The papers had been where she’d left them, but the Bible was not. She had searched the entire room, but it was nowhere to be found.

Panicking when she realized further effort would be wasted, she had left her room and asked Mary if she had seen her Bible, only to remember belatedly that Rosie and Jewel were waiting for her at the church. She had then returned swiftly to her room, snatched up the written lesson and dropped off the papers for the two women with a brief explanation before rushing back to search her room again.

Lacey attempted to swallow the lump in her throat. She wasn’t certain when Mary had sent for Scully, but he had arrived at the door of her room a few minutes previously. Relaxing her rules as she had once before, Mary had again allowed him inside to help with the search, leaving the door open at her silent exit.

They had not found her Bible.

Lacey fought to control her trembling. “Where could it be, Scully? I left it on my nightstand. I always leave it there.”

Scully did not reply.

“Do you think somebody took it?” Immediately she countered, “But that doesn’t make sense. Why would anybody steal an old Bible? It isn’t worth much to anybody but me.”

“Somebody obviously took a fancy to it.”

“Who would want a Bible enough to steal it, especially since Reverend Sykes would gladly provide one for anybody who asked? And how would somebody get into my room? Mary has been home all morning.”

“Was your window locked?”

“It was when I left.”

“Your door?”

“I don’t have a key, just a latch on the inside, but Mary said her boarders are totally dependable. She’s never had a problem with anything being missing.”

Scully walked out into the hallway, then returned to the room, his expression dark. “The hallway window is open.”

“Mary always leaves it open. She says it’s cooler that way.”

Scully did not comment. He asked, “Has anybody shown an interest in your Bible lately?”

“No, nobody except—” Lacey halted abruptly. Rosie had remarked several times how fortunate she was to have something so precious, but Rosie was too sweet and sincere to be at fault.

Scully pinned her with his gaze. “What were you going to say?”

“Nothing…except some people at the church have remarked about the care I take with it.”

Scully remained silent and Lacey took a shuddering breath. With an attempt to face reality head-on, she said, “It’s gone, Scully. I’ll never get it back.”

That thought suddenly more than she could bear, Lacey collapsed against Scully. She pressed herself instinctively tight against him as she whispered, “I know it’s only an old Bible, but it’s important to me. It’s taken me through so many difficult times, and it’s all I had…all that’s left of my grandfather…of my past.”

Scully clutched her close. Tilting her chin up toward him, the sincerity in his gaze clearly visible, he whispered huskily, “That’s where you’re wrong. You have me, Lacey. You’ll always have me.”

She had known that, just as she suddenly knew, as Scully lowered his mouth toward hers, that he was going to kiss her again.

But Scully’s kiss was different this time. He kissed her slowly, gently, with a tenderness that continued when he finally drew his mouth from hers and pressed his lips to her eyelids, her cheek, the curve of her jaw. Held breathless by the soaring emotion he evoked inside her, Lacey encircled Scully’s neck with her arms to draw him closer. She was lost in the glory of the moment when Scully pulled back from her with startling abruptness. She was unprepared when he said, “I’m sorry. That was…a mistake.”

Lacey shook her head, uncomprehending. How could it be a mistake when being in Scully’s arms felt so right? Surely he—

“Don’t look at me like that, Lacey. You’re upset. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you.”

“You didn’t. I—”

Scully took a backward step. “You’re feeling lost and vulnerable right now. You aren’t thinking rationally, or you’d be telling me to get out of your room.”

“Why? I don’t want you to leave.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying, Lacey.”

“I’m saying that something bad has happened. Someone came into my room. Someone stole my Bible. I don’t know who would do such a thing, or why, but the only person I really trust is you.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t trust me too much right now.”

Lacey took a forward step. She whispered, “Why, because you kissed me? I’m glad you kissed me, Scully.”

“This is wrong, Lacey, more wrong than you realize. Your grandfather wouldn’t have wanted…he didn’t expect…” Scully shook his head. “It’s time for me to leave.”

“No.”

“I’ll get your Bible back for you. That’s a promise.”

“But—”

“Keep your window locked. I’ll tell Mary to lock the hallway window, too.” He paused. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t go yet, Scully!”

Lacey watched as Scully walked out the doorway and disappeared from sight.

Stunned, she stood motionless. She had never felt more alone.

I don’t want you to leave.

Lacey’s simple statement rang over again in Scully’s mind as he exited the boarding house. Out on the street at last, he took a deep breath. He had come so close to losing control when Lacey was in his arms.

Scully forced himself to face a truth he had so diligently avoided. He loved her. Not in the way he had always loved Lacey, as he loved a dear, young girl left in his care; or in a way he might’ve thought he had loved any woman before her—but as a man truly loves a woman.

I’m glad you kissed me, Scully.

She shouldn’t have been.

Don’t go.

He hadn’t wanted to, but the truth had never been more evident than when he had drawn back from kissing Lacey, barely in control of the emotion building inside him, and had seen the innocence in her eyes.

He wasn’t the man for Lacey. Too many years had passed in between, with too many nights for him to ever hope to erase. He had slipped into a lifestyle that was in too great a conflict with hers. Lacey didn’t realize that now because her thoughts were in a turmoil, but when her life was back on an even keel, she’d begin looking at him differently. She’d see him for the man he was—a saloonkeeper, a gambler, a man who took his pleasures at will, while giving little thought to the Book she cherished or its message. No, he was not the man she imagined him to be.

Lacey needed him right now, but when a decent young fellow like Todd Fulton decided to make his move—

Scully forced that painful thought from his mind. He filled the aching void with details that he needed to examine more closely.

He had no doubt that Lacey’s Bible had been stolen. She would never have misplaced it. Accepting that conclusion then shed a different light on the sensation he had had of being watched as Lacey and he had traveled to the remains of Charlie’s cabin.

Were the two incidents related?

If so, who was behind it all, and why?

Possibilities sprang to mind, but Scully was certain of only one thing.

Someone would pay.

“It’s not here!” Barret glared at Blackie, then flashed a similarly heated glance at Larry before continuing, “There’s no map in this Bible. What did you do with it?”

Momentarily speechless as he faced Barret across the still darkened office to which he and his cohort had been summoned, Blackie replied, “We didn’t do nothing with it, boss.”