The Heart's Pursuit Read online

  It had been a good six months, probably closer to eight or ten, since his path had last crossed with Doug Gordon’s. The Pinkerton detective was based out of Washington, DC, but his work often brought him west of the Mississippi.

  Jared pushed open the swinging door of the saloon and walked inside. Doug looked up from his cards as Jared passed by the table, but there wasn’t even the faintest glimmer of welcome. Yet Jared knew in his gut that Doug had seen and recognized him. Which meant the detective was on the job. Fine. Jared could wait.

  At the bar, he ordered his usual sarsaparilla, then turned and leaned his back against the counter. There weren’t many customers in the dimly lit, musty-smelling saloon. Two men sat at a table closest to the doorway with glasses of beer in their hands. The only other occupied table held Doug with two card players and a dealer.

  About five minutes later, Doug won the pot in the center of the table. One of the other men rose, grumbling, and left the saloon. Jared took his half-empty glass and carried it to the table. “Mind if I join you?” His fingers touched the back of the recently vacated chair.

  “Not at all,” Doug answered.

  “My name’s Jared Newman.” He pulled out the chair and sat down.

  “Jess Stone.”

  That confirmed Jared’s suspicions. Doug was working. He didn’t want anyone at the table to know his real identity or occupation.

  Jared glanced toward the other player.

  “Perkins,” the man said, sounding less than friendly.

  The dealer said, “Five-card stud,” and began shuffling the cards.

  Jared turned back to Doug. “Are you from around these parts, Mr. Stone?”

  “I’m here to look at some property, but I’ll be returning to the East soon. And you?”

  “Arrived today. Headed for Virginia City, Nevada.”

  The dealer put cards, facedown, before each player.

  “And what takes you there?”

  Jared shrugged. “A hunch that I might get lucky.”

  “My mother told me a man had to make his own luck.” Doug tossed his ante into the center of the table.

  “So I’ve heard.”

  Silver checked the watch pinned to her bodice. It was six thirty and still no sign of Jared. He’d left her cooling her heels once again. It made her feel frustrated and angry and a little bit lost. Exasperating man! Well, she wasn’t going to wait for him all night. She was starved half to death.

  Looking about, she motioned for the waitress and placed her order. When her food arrived, she ate, but without enjoyment. Not even the berry pie, which had sounded so good as she read the menu, could brighten her spirits.

  Jared was the cause. As usual. Such a difficult man to understand. There were moments when he treated her with kindness, when she caught a glimpse of a gentleman, but then the silence would return. Oh, the unyielding silence. Of course, she didn’t truly care if she understood him or not, but some pleasant conversations might make the journey seem less long. Not to mention giving her less time to dwell in her own overactive imagination.

  She checked her watch again. Where was he? Had he run into trouble of some kind? A bounty hunter must know any number of nefarious characters, some of whom could be in Green River City. He could be lying in a pool of blood somewhere, for all she knew.

  No. That was her imagination at work again. If he were hurt, she would hear about it. News such as that would sweep through Green River as quickly as gossip did in Twin Springs.

  But what if he hadn’t taken the horses to the livery? What if he’d ridden out of town and left her behind? Although he hadn’t threatened in recent days to send her back to her parents, he didn’t like having her along. He’d made that clear enough. At best, he tolerated her presence. He might decide to leave her.

  Silver paid for her meal and left the restaurant.

  Outside, she saw about half a dozen horses tied up outside the saloons and heard tinny piano music playing from one of the establishments. Otherwise the town was quiet as the mantle of evening settled over it. Silver hurried along the boardwalk toward the livery stable at the far end of the street.

  “He wouldn’t just leave me here. He might not be as friendly as I’d like, but the Hanovers think he’s an honorable man. An honorable man wouldn’t desert a woman in a strange town with little money.” Her attempt to convince herself died in her throat when she entered the livery. A lantern hung from a post, casting a yellowish light onto the hard-packed dirt floor. “Hello?” she called.

  No one answered, but a horse snorted its objection at her sudden intrusion. Another nickered. A third pawed at the straw on the floor of its stall.

  Silver moved past each enclosure, looking for the familiar pinto, sorrel, and buckskin. She found Jared’s horse in the far corner. At the sight of her, the gelding thrust his head over the stall door. Letting out a sigh of relief, she stroked his muzzle. “I knew I was being silly.”

  The horse bobbed his head as if in agreement.

  Silver turned and spied her mare and the packhorse in another, larger stall across the way. The last of the tension drained from her shoulders. Jared hadn’t left her. Perhaps it was time she began to trust him and stop being afraid.

  Jared leaned back in his chair and glanced once more at the cards in his hand. A moment later he pushed a chip across the green felt surface, his gaze shifting toward the man across from him.

  “I’ll see you.” Doug Gordon added another chip to those in the center of the table.

  Jared laid down his cards. “Full house.”

  “You’ve had a stretch of luck, Newman.”

  “Tonight, at any rate.” He pulled the winnings toward him.

  Doug looked at the dealer. “I’m finished for the night.” He turned toward Jared again. “I see you’re not a hard-drinking man, but may I buy you another one of those?” He pointed toward the empty glass at Jared’s elbow.

  Jared shrugged. “If you like.”

  They rose in unison and walked toward the far end of the bar, where Doug ordered two more drinks. Neither spoke until the bartender had set the beverages in front of them and departed.

  Softly, Doug said, “I could use your help.”

  Jared nodded as he turned his back to the bar and leaned against it.

  “I expect someone to arrive by train in a day or two, if he isn’t here already. My superiors in Washington are anxious to talk with this man regarding some confidential documents that are missing.”

  “Why Green River?”

  “He’s got family on a ranch south of town. I plan to ride out there tomorrow and have a look around.” Doug paused, seeming to want a response. When he didn’t get one, he added, “There’d be some money in it for you, Jared. Enough to buy a train ticket to Nevada.”

  That wasn’t a lot of money, but it was more than he had now. At least he could be thankful he’d more than broken even while playing cards.

  “But more money than you have, right?” Doug said, reading his thoughts.

  Jared shrugged. “I’ll need enough for two tickets. And for three horses.” The words served as a reminder. He’d left Silver sitting in that restaurant for a long time. She’d probably given up and gone to the hotel by now. She’d be angry with him—and rightly so.

  “Two tickets?”

  “Yes. Someone’s riding with me.”

  “Do I know him?”

  “No, you don’t. Miss Matlock hired me to find someone for her.”

  “You’re traveling with a woman?” Doug’s eyes widened.

  “Yes.”

  “A Miss Matlock?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hard to believe.”

  “For me as well. Now, what about that help you wanted?”

  Doug took the hint. “I’ve let it be known around town that I’m looking to invest in a ranch and that I plan to ride out and have a look at different properties tomorrow. But there’s one ranch in particular I need to see, and if the man I’m after is there, I need to
bring him back with me. Are you willing to come along? There could be trouble. I doubt the man I seek will come along willingly.”

  If it meant being able to take the train the rest of the way to Virginia City, if it meant getting there in a couple of days instead of a matter of weeks, Jared was more than willing. “I’ll join you.”

  “Meet me at the livery at noon tomorrow.”

  Jared pushed back from the bar. “I’ll be there.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Full darkness had fallen upon the town while Silver tarried inside the livery, and no light spilled through windows at that end of town. As she followed the boardwalk, she had to watch her step lest she trip and fall.

  “Well, hello there.” A man stepped from a break between buildings, blocking her path. “What’re you doin’ out all by your lonesome, little lady?” Lights from buildings down the street formed a pale outline around the beefy, broad-shouldered man.

  Without answering, she moved to step around him.

  He was quicker than expected and grabbed her by the arm. “That ain’t polite, miss. Not answerin’ me.” He pulled her toward him.

  His grasp tightened, and fear replaced irritation. Would anyone hear her if she cried out for help?

  “Maybe you and me could spend a little time together.” He brought his face closer, enough that she could feel his breath—stinking of alcohol and unwashed teeth—upon her skin.

  “Unhand me, sir.”

  He chuckled.

  “Unhand me or I shall have you arrested.” She tried to jerk free.

  He only held on tighter. Then she felt the cool tip of a knife press against her throat, ending her struggle.

  “I think you’d better come with me, missy. Real quiet like.”

  Her knees went weak. She wanted to scream, but the sound lodged in her throat.

  “We’ll go back into the livery barn there.”

  She heard footsteps a second before she saw another man’s approach. Something about the way he moved, even in the darkness, told her who it was. “Jared!”

  Her assailant spun around but didn’t release her.

  “Silver?”

  The next moment she was shoved to the ground, landing hard on her side. Pain shot from her elbow up to her neck as she heard the sound of knuckles connecting with flesh and bone. Grunts. Heavy breaths. The shadowy forms of the two men as they grappled above her. She pushed herself away from them and scrambled to her feet.

  And then she heard a groan, different than the sounds that had come before. One man—Jared, she knew by his slighter build—stumbled back, bent forward at the waist. The other, her heavier assailant, turned and ran.

  “Jared?”

  “Yeah.” His voice was soft, strained. “What were you doing out here in the dark?” He straightened. “You were supposed to meet me at the restaurant.” He exhaled a breath.

  “I did go to the restaurant. When you never came back, I decided to check on the horses. I was looking for you. I thought you’d left me.”

  “Who was that man?”

  “I don’t know. He came out of nowhere. I was walking back to the hotel, and suddenly he was in front of me. He grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.”

  Jared stepped closer. “Did he hurt you?”

  “No.” But as she answered, she remembered the knife pressed to her throat, and icy tentacles of fear closed around her heart. She shivered. Shuddered violently and couldn’t seem to stop. If Jared hadn’t come upon her when—

  With one arm he pulled her close to his chest. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “It’s okay now . . . He’s gone . . . It’s okay.”

  She leaned into him, seeking safety in his embrace, grateful for his presence. They stayed like that, standing in the darkness, for a long while.

  Only after Silver’s shivering subsided did Jared release his hold and take a step back. “You sure you aren’t hurt?”

  “I’m sure. You came in time.”

  “Then we’d better get back to the hotel.” He turned to face the town, his hand at the small of her back, and began to walk, guiding her along beside him.

  She felt the warmth of his hand through her blouse. The sensation was both comforting and disconcerting, and she had a sudden longing to get to her room, throw herself onto the bed, and give in to a storm of tears. Determined she wouldn’t let her fear show again until then, she quickened her pace.

  It wasn’t until they were in the hotel and had climbed the stairs to the second floor that Jared released another sound. This time a strangled groan. She looked at him. His face had a strange gray pallor, and his free hand was pressed against his side.

  “Jared, what’s the matter?”

  “Get me into my room. Quick.”

  She saw then that his shirt and hand were bloodied. “You’re hurt. He stabbed you. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Just get me to my room.”

  She reached into the pocket of her skirt and found the two keys, one for his room, one for hers. At the end of the hall, she struggled to put the right key into the lock. She had to bear more of his weight as he weakened. Any moment now, he might crumple to the floor.

  At last the key turned, and she pushed the door open before them. It took effort, but she managed to help him to the bed. With a gasp, he dropped onto the mattress and lay there, eyes closed, blood oozing through the fingers pressed against his side.

  Jared heard Silver’s voice from above him. “I’ll send someone for the doctor.”

  “No. I don’t want a doctor.” He forced his eyes open. “Turn up the lamp and get me some water and a towel.” He slid himself up the length of the bed until he could lean his back against the headboard.

  He’d been hurt worse than this through the years and had developed a sixth sense about wounds. This one wasn’t life threatening, but he did need to stop the bleeding before it drained more of his strength.

  While Silver went to get the requested water and towel, he removed his shirt to have a look. The knife had made a clean entry and withdrawal, and it wasn’t a deep wound. It could so easily have gone a different way. The assailant had had a good forty pounds on Jared. Instead of running away, he could have finished the job, both with Jared . . . and with Silver.

  Memories of his sister as she lay dying flashed in his mind. What if the same thing had happened to Silver? What if the man who’d assaulted her had succeeded? Even the possibility that it could have happened sickened him.

  Silver returned to the bedside, holding the washbowl filled with water and a towel draped over her arm. When her gaze went to his side, her face paled a little. “I still say you need a doctor.”

  “No doctor. It would take money we don’t have.” He lifted his hand. “It’s not as bad as you think. All it needs is a few stitches and a bandage. Are my saddlebags in here?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ve got needles and thread in one of them. In a small pouch.” He chuckled at the look of surprise that crossed her face, then winced at the pain it caused. “You think a man can’t sew? When you live like I do, you have to be able to do your own mending.”

  For a moment, he thought she might smile, but her expression turned grim instead. “You’re going to want me to do this mending, aren’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “I was afraid of that.”

  Silver had to concentrate to keep her hand from shaking as she inserted the needle into Jared’s side. He never made a sound, even though she knew each stitch had to hurt. She didn’t lift her gaze to see if she was right. Better to keep working. Better not to think too much.

  But there was another reason she didn’t look up—embarrassment. Her cheeks were hot with it. Never before had she seen a man’s bare chest or well-muscled abdomen. It felt strangely intimate to be in Jared’s hotel room, seated on his bed, her left hand on his skin while her right drew the thread through his flesh, closing the wound. Of course, there was nothing intimate about the situation. She was nothing more than a nurse to an injured ma
n. But still . . .

  When the last stitch was done, she tied it off and cut the thread with a small pair of scissors. As she set the articles on the stand beside the bed, she heard Jared release a long breath.

  “Thank you, Silver.”

  She looked at him. His eyes had closed, and his face looked even paler than it had been earlier. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Newman?” Jared.

  “No. I’ll be fine.” He paused and grimaced. “A night’s sleep will put me right.”

  She didn’t think one night would be enough.

  “Go on to bed, Silver. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  CHAPTER 17

  There was a part of Jared that would have liked to take matters into his own hands when it came to the man who’d tried to hurt Silver. But when he got up the next morning, he dressed and went straight to the sheriff’s office. After introducing himself and naming a couple of the better-known officers of the law he knew, he described the events of the previous evening.

  “Gotta be Bill Winters or his brother, Mike,” Sheriff Hinkley said after hearing the assailant’s physical description. “More than likely Bill. He’s the bigger of the two. More bear than man. Mean cusses, the pair of them.”

  As if in answer, the wound in Jared’s side gave a sharp twinge.

  “Is the little lady all right?”

  “She wasn’t hurt. Just scared.”

  The sheriff pointed in the general direction of Jared’s wound. “Did you see the doc for that?”

  “I’m fine. Just needed a few stitches.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Are you going to arrest him?”

  “If I bring Bill Winters in and you can identify him, then I’ll arrest him for sure.” He stood.

  “I’m going with you,” Jared said.

  “Not sure that’s a good idea, Mr. Newman. That ride might open up those stitches you got holding you together.”

  “I’ve ridden in worse condition than this.”

  The sheriff stood. “Then I reckon we best get going.”

  Less than an hour later, Jared and Sheriff Hinkley brought their horses to a halt at the top of a rise. Up ahead Jared saw the small house that belonged to the Winters brothers, according to his companion. The surrounding terrain was rolling and treeless, and the small patch of plowed earth seemed good for growing little more than weeds. About twenty or so yards from the house was a lean-to that served as a barn. A large gray horse stood in a nearby corral, head low, tail swatting flies. A saddle hung over the top rail of the enclosure.