Special Delivery Baby

“The sawbones in Morgan’s Creek died last fall. If they were riding south anyway, and Zeb took a turn for the worse, Cowboy Creek is the logical choice.”

“Good point.” Noah braced his forearm on the bars and studied the outlaw. “Zeb gets shot during the holdup at the church. The gang robs Morgan’s Creek, but Zeb’s wound turns septic.”

“There’s no doctor in Morgan’s Creek,” Will said. “Xavier can’t kill his own brother. Can’t leave him for dead, either.”

“Instead they create a diversion and dump him in Cowboy Creek. They’ve been here before. They know the town. They know we have a doctor.”

Will crossed his arms. “What now? If Xavier risked his life saving his brother, he won’t let us hang him.”

“Which means he’s sticking close.”

“Bad news for Cowboy Creek. If the gang is in the area, they’re bound to be a nuisance.”

“Not necessarily.” Noah pushed off from the bars. “They’d be fools to stir up trouble. Not with Zeb in our jail cell. I’m guessing they’ll lay low for a while, let things cool off and wait for Zeb to heal. That’s when we worry.”

“We’d best double our guards anyway. The Murdoch Gang will need supplies. And they can’t exactly waltz into Longhorn’s and buy grain for their horses.” Zeb groaned and Will studied the sick man. “Let’s hold them off as long as we can. If anyone asks, Zeb is near dying. That’s not far from the truth.”

“What if we spread the rumor he’s already dead?”

“Too risky. We can’t chance pushing the Murdochs to retaliate.”

“Too bad,” Noah said. “One less Murdoch is one less problem. You’re right about Xavier, though. He went to a lot of trouble to save his brother. He’s not going to let him hang.”

Will slanted a glance at the outlaw. “Which means they’ll be back to bust him out.”

“We better be ready when that happens.”

“Don’t worry.” Will spoke with grim determination. “We’ll be ready.”

By the time he’d finished at the jail, Tomasina was nowhere to be found. According to Theo, one of the drovers, she was tracking strays along a creek bed. There’d be no apology today. He’d seek out Tomasina tomorrow. And that meant he’d be carrying another burden for a spell.

The day stretched out ahead of him, bleak and lonely.

Lonely.

He was accustomed to solitude. An only child, he’d grown up without the constant patter of siblings. In the army, his rank had kept him isolated. He valued his privacy. He should be relieved the preacher’s daughter had taken Ava for the afternoon. He could catch up on his work. Yet the thought of spending the day alone left him oddly empty. The feeling itched like wet wool beneath his collar.

Any chance at peace was a long time coming for him.

* * *

Tomasina’s first step was to find James Johnson. A fellow named Butch directed her toward the saloon. Inside, she spotted James’s distinctive fringed vest. He’d had the back beaded in the shape of Texas, and leather fringe dangled from the hem. She thought the vest atrocious, but James had bragged about the ladies admiring his style. She snorted softly. When it came to a handsome face, sometimes ladies didn’t have the sense of a peahen.

Unheeding of the curious stares, she stomped across the saloon, planted a hand on James’s shoulder and spun him around.

His scowl lasted an instant before he masked his temper with a cool grin. “I thought you didn’t like saloons.”

“I don’t. But you and I need to talk.”

He turned his back on her and lifted his drink. “I got nothing to say to you.”

Tomasina planted her boot on the brass foot rail and leaned close. “Pa is dead and you’ve got nothing to say? I thought he meant something to you.”

James’s hand stilled midair, then his drink hit the bar with a thud, splashing his whiskey. “What happened?”

“He went to sleep and never woke up. Smitty thought it was probably his heart.” Her throat tightened. “You didn’t know, did you?”

“Nope.”

The chill in his voice sparked her anger once more. “He never got over you leaving. You know that, don’t you? We took you in when you had no one.”

Not a flicker of emotion showed on his face. That was James, all right. Always stoic. Why did men figure that showing their feelings made them weak? There was nothing wrong with sorrow. Except with James, there was always something to prove.

James appeared to gather himself. “Your pa was a good man, but he was too old for the trail.” Taking a long draw from his whiskey, he fixed his gaze on the mirror behind the bar. “He shoulda quit years ago. He only stayed on as point man ’cause of you.”

“That’s not fair and you know it. He stayed working because the trail was his life.”

“Think about it, Tom.” James cast her a sidelong glance. “Your pa was always working and saving for your future. You weren’t getting married or anything. And he knew once he was gone, you’d never be able to protect yourself. So he worked and he saved. Worked himself right into the grave.”

His words picked at her conscience like buzzards on a carcass. She shook her head. No—James was lashing out to hide his grief. Her pa hadn’t worked himself to death because of her. He’d always been a frugal man. They’d never needed much between the two of them.

“You’re being hateful because of your guilt,” she said. “Taking out your anger on me isn’t going to bring him back. Near broke his heart when you left, and you know it.”

James had all the charm in the world when a pretty face was nearby, but none for her. She wasn’t a woman as far as he was concerned. She was one of the boys. She wasn’t worthy of his fawning attention. That suited her fine. His fake charm was wasted on her. His words were as shallow as a creek bed in a drought.

“Too bad.” James ducked his head. “Maybe your pa should have had a stronger heart.”

“How can you say that?” She hitched in a breath. His indifference cut her to the quick. “After everything he did for you?”

She didn’t know James anymore. He wasn’t the boy she’d grown up with, the boy she’d considered family. This was a stranger. A hateful, bitter stranger.

“I’m not arguing with you anymore, Tom.” He turned away. “I said all I got to say.”

“This isn’t who you are, James.” She felt as though her whole world was tipping upside down. First she’d lost her pa, now she was losing James. “Why are you acting like this?”

He stumbled back from the bar and glared at her. “Why is everyone trying to tie me down? To change me? This is exactly who I am. I do what I want when I want. I’m not beholden to anyone. I stayed on with your pa’s outfit because it suited me. Nothing more.” Shrugging his shoulders, he mumbled, “Doesn’t matter anyway, now. Without your pa, the Stone outfit is finished.”

“At least he didn’t live to see this.” She fisted her hands against her sides. “I’m glad he’s not here to see what you’ve become.”

“Take my advice, Tom. Find a job in town. Your days on the trail are over. Without your pa, you’ll never be safe.”

“Fine talk coming from you.” Though angry, she grasped for one last shred of hope. “There’s no reason you and I can’t carry on the Stone name. We can build on that name and create our own reputation.”

“I’m not a Stone, Tom. And I’m sure not riding trail with a girl.”

“Oh, so I’m a girl now?”

“Let it go, Tom.”