Wichita, then what?"
"I wait."
"For what?"
He shrugged and got to his feet. “For Scott to show up in the local saloon. For someone to recognize him from his wanted poster."
"Don't you think that's dangerous? What if he sees you first and shoots you in the back?"
"I'll take my chances,” he said, arranging the bedroll next to the fire.
The sinewy muscles of his back moved beneath the fabric of his shirt. Megan blinked but didn't turn away. “That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. You're going to get yourself killed."
He didn't answer.
"Don't you care that this man is a ruthless, coldblooded killer? He could shoot you down and never blink an eye."
He turned to pierce her with a steely glare. “Like I said, that's a chance I'm willing to take."
She threw up her hands in defeat. “God save me from senseless, out-for-justice, idiotic men. You in particular,” she said, jabbing a pointed finger in his direction.
A short chuckle filled the night air, but then his face once again fell into an unemotional mask. “I thought you understood what I have to do."
"I do. Or at least I understand why you think this has to be done. What I don't understand is how you can go through life caring for nothing but revenge. Look around,” she said, waving an arm to encompass their surroundings. “Do you even see it? Do you see all the stars twinkling above your head? The moon lighting up the night sky? Do you hear the swift current of the river as it rushes by? The birds chirping? The rustle of leaves?” Her voice rose with the mention of each of nature's individual delights. “Do you ever notice any of it, or are you too obsessed with murdering Silas Scott?"
She took a deep breath, trying to calm the blood rushing through her veins. Lucas stared into the distance, but he didn't seem to be focusing on anything in particular. Her heart plummeted with the knowledge that her words had fallen on deaf ears.
"I see it,” he said finally. “I see the moon and the stars. I hear the river and the birds. And all I can think is that Annie and Chad won't enjoy those simple pleasures ever again."
"What about you?” Megan didn't know what caused her to press on. She only knew that if she could get Lucas to realize what he was missing, she might be able to convince him to put aside his quest for vengeance and start living again.
"Annie and Chad are gone,” she continued. “No amount of grieving, no selfless act of revenge is ever going to bring them back. But you're here, you're alive, and there's so much good that you could do."
"Like what?” he scoffed. “My ranch is gone. Everything I worked so hard for—everyone I loved—has been destroyed."
"You could start another ranch,” she suggested.
"I won't go back there,” he said through gritted teeth.
"There are plenty of other places to build a home. And what about your talent with a gun? You were a bounty hunter, so I'm assuming you're a decent shot. You could get a position as sheriff or marshal in some small town. I'm sure they'd be grateful to find someone with your abilities. If all else fails, you could open a mercantile. Or ask your friend Brandt to get you a job with the railroad."
"I don't think Union Pacific would appreciate having someone like me on the payroll."
"They would be crazy not to hire you."
"Yeah, but they won't like knowing they've got a murderer in their midst. And I'll be one just as soon as I take care of Scott."
Megan jumped to her feet and faced him, hands on hips. “Haven't you heard a word I've said?” she yelled. “You don't have to kill him! You can give all the information to the marshal in Wichita and let him take care of Silas Scott. Scott's already wanted; I'm sure a lawman would be happy to bring him in and hold him for trial."
"Scott killed my family,” Lucas said evenly. “It's my responsibility to see that he pays."
All of a sudden the air went out of her argument, and she dropped onto the scratchy blanket. “Fine. Go
"I wait."
"For what?"
He shrugged and got to his feet. “For Scott to show up in the local saloon. For someone to recognize him from his wanted poster."
"Don't you think that's dangerous? What if he sees you first and shoots you in the back?"
"I'll take my chances,” he said, arranging the bedroll next to the fire.
The sinewy muscles of his back moved beneath the fabric of his shirt. Megan blinked but didn't turn away. “That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. You're going to get yourself killed."
He didn't answer.
"Don't you care that this man is a ruthless, coldblooded killer? He could shoot you down and never blink an eye."
He turned to pierce her with a steely glare. “Like I said, that's a chance I'm willing to take."
She threw up her hands in defeat. “God save me from senseless, out-for-justice, idiotic men. You in particular,” she said, jabbing a pointed finger in his direction.
A short chuckle filled the night air, but then his face once again fell into an unemotional mask. “I thought you understood what I have to do."
"I do. Or at least I understand why you think this has to be done. What I don't understand is how you can go through life caring for nothing but revenge. Look around,” she said, waving an arm to encompass their surroundings. “Do you even see it? Do you see all the stars twinkling above your head? The moon lighting up the night sky? Do you hear the swift current of the river as it rushes by? The birds chirping? The rustle of leaves?” Her voice rose with the mention of each of nature's individual delights. “Do you ever notice any of it, or are you too obsessed with murdering Silas Scott?"
She took a deep breath, trying to calm the blood rushing through her veins. Lucas stared into the distance, but he didn't seem to be focusing on anything in particular. Her heart plummeted with the knowledge that her words had fallen on deaf ears.
"I see it,” he said finally. “I see the moon and the stars. I hear the river and the birds. And all I can think is that Annie and Chad won't enjoy those simple pleasures ever again."
"What about you?” Megan didn't know what caused her to press on. She only knew that if she could get Lucas to realize what he was missing, she might be able to convince him to put aside his quest for vengeance and start living again.
"Annie and Chad are gone,” she continued. “No amount of grieving, no selfless act of revenge is ever going to bring them back. But you're here, you're alive, and there's so much good that you could do."
"Like what?” he scoffed. “My ranch is gone. Everything I worked so hard for—everyone I loved—has been destroyed."
"You could start another ranch,” she suggested.
"I won't go back there,” he said through gritted teeth.
"There are plenty of other places to build a home. And what about your talent with a gun? You were a bounty hunter, so I'm assuming you're a decent shot. You could get a position as sheriff or marshal in some small town. I'm sure they'd be grateful to find someone with your abilities. If all else fails, you could open a mercantile. Or ask your friend Brandt to get you a job with the railroad."
"I don't think Union Pacific would appreciate having someone like me on the payroll."
"They would be crazy not to hire you."
"Yeah, but they won't like knowing they've got a murderer in their midst. And I'll be one just as soon as I take care of Scott."
Megan jumped to her feet and faced him, hands on hips. “Haven't you heard a word I've said?” she yelled. “You don't have to kill him! You can give all the information to the marshal in Wichita and let him take care of Silas Scott. Scott's already wanted; I'm sure a lawman would be happy to bring him in and hold him for trial."
"Scott killed my family,” Lucas said evenly. “It's my responsibility to see that he pays."
All of a sudden the air went out of her argument, and she dropped onto the scratchy blanket. “Fine. Go
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