he’d broken his promise when he left without telling her?
“I was ther e," he conceded. No point digging a deeper hole by lying. "Just stepped out to get a drink.”
The major glanced at Charley. “Looks like you found trouble.”
"Just a disagreement." Jake shrugged. "My friend’s leaving. I’ll head back to the hotel.”
A bearded man stepped from behind the major, blocking Jake’s path. Henry Stevens . Had to be. That bowler hat and starchy suit were unmistakable, as was the arrogant expression. "You aren’t going anywhere. Not until you answer some questions."
First Charley, and now this cocky rooster. Jake fisted his hands. By Thunder, he’d had enough. "Get out of my way."
The major stepped in. “Mr. Stevens, let me handle this.”
"Aren’t you going to question them?” Henry Stevens glare wasn’t the typical kind a white man gave an Indian. His hatred and anger seemed more personal.
“Fool,” Charley muttered in Tsa-la-gi . He wasn’t talking about Stevens.
Jake rubbed the sweat from the back of his neck. Kate must’ve talked to him. Had she changed her mind about keeping mum? He struggled to keep his expression neutral. “Look, I just got into town. I’m not looking for trouble.”
“Where did you come from?” The major directed the question at Charley, who grew still as a cougar ready to spring
Jake tensed. Surely his cousin wasn’t foolish enough to attack .
Charley broke and ran for his horse.
Voices rose in confusion as he shoved through the remaining spectators loitering near the hitching rail. The men scattered. He leapt into the saddle and wheeled the horse around, waving his gun and yelling for Jake to come with him.
The major clamped a hand around Jake’s arm. “Tell him to dismount and put his gun down before somebody gets hurt.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Jake saw Stevens pull a pistol from inside his coat. He jerked free of the major’s hold and struck the other man's arm.
A loud crack sounded as the gun went off , and smoke burned in Jake’s nose.
Charley crouched low over his horse’s neck, thundering down the street into the darkness.
Jake wrestled with the railroad chief to prevent him from firing again. With a curse, Stevens plowed an elbow into Jake's injured ribs. He fell back, grunting in pain, and cradled his side.
Stevens waved the pistol in his face. "Do that again, and I'll shoot you."
“Put away that damn peashooter," the major roared. "We won't get answers from a dead man."
“ What do you want?” Jake gasped. He couldn't straighten for the pain in his side. He slid an angry glance at the major. “What’d we do?”
Major Bradford rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “That’s what I’d like to know.”
Chapter 7
Kate twisted her hair into a loose knot, letting several strands hang loose around her face. She no longer felt the need to scrape them into submission. She’d hurried through a cold bath, would’ve preferred to have it heated, but didn’t want to take the time. Not when she needed to talk to Jake, find out what was bothering him and tell him about the uncomfortable conversation she had with Major Bradford.
As s oon as she finished arranging their supper with Eden, the major had appeared and started asking questions. She’d given him the same story she’d told his wife. Jake was a tribal council representative in town to negotiate with her father.
Major Bradford’s brown eyes had remained warm, but she sensed he didn’t believe her. Eden had once remarked her husband could detect falsehoods like a hound sniffing out a rabbit. He’d certainly put his nose to the ground, asking what Jake looked like, where Kate had met him, where he'd come from. She’d stuck to her story and at last the major lost the scent. At least, he’d stopped asking questions.
Kate selected a navy skirt and cream shirt. After making do with quick clean-ups in creeks, it was a blessed relief to return to civilization. Another
“I was ther e," he conceded. No point digging a deeper hole by lying. "Just stepped out to get a drink.”
The major glanced at Charley. “Looks like you found trouble.”
"Just a disagreement." Jake shrugged. "My friend’s leaving. I’ll head back to the hotel.”
A bearded man stepped from behind the major, blocking Jake’s path. Henry Stevens . Had to be. That bowler hat and starchy suit were unmistakable, as was the arrogant expression. "You aren’t going anywhere. Not until you answer some questions."
First Charley, and now this cocky rooster. Jake fisted his hands. By Thunder, he’d had enough. "Get out of my way."
The major stepped in. “Mr. Stevens, let me handle this.”
"Aren’t you going to question them?” Henry Stevens glare wasn’t the typical kind a white man gave an Indian. His hatred and anger seemed more personal.
“Fool,” Charley muttered in Tsa-la-gi . He wasn’t talking about Stevens.
Jake rubbed the sweat from the back of his neck. Kate must’ve talked to him. Had she changed her mind about keeping mum? He struggled to keep his expression neutral. “Look, I just got into town. I’m not looking for trouble.”
“Where did you come from?” The major directed the question at Charley, who grew still as a cougar ready to spring
Jake tensed. Surely his cousin wasn’t foolish enough to attack .
Charley broke and ran for his horse.
Voices rose in confusion as he shoved through the remaining spectators loitering near the hitching rail. The men scattered. He leapt into the saddle and wheeled the horse around, waving his gun and yelling for Jake to come with him.
The major clamped a hand around Jake’s arm. “Tell him to dismount and put his gun down before somebody gets hurt.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Jake saw Stevens pull a pistol from inside his coat. He jerked free of the major’s hold and struck the other man's arm.
A loud crack sounded as the gun went off , and smoke burned in Jake’s nose.
Charley crouched low over his horse’s neck, thundering down the street into the darkness.
Jake wrestled with the railroad chief to prevent him from firing again. With a curse, Stevens plowed an elbow into Jake's injured ribs. He fell back, grunting in pain, and cradled his side.
Stevens waved the pistol in his face. "Do that again, and I'll shoot you."
“Put away that damn peashooter," the major roared. "We won't get answers from a dead man."
“ What do you want?” Jake gasped. He couldn't straighten for the pain in his side. He slid an angry glance at the major. “What’d we do?”
Major Bradford rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “That’s what I’d like to know.”
Chapter 7
Kate twisted her hair into a loose knot, letting several strands hang loose around her face. She no longer felt the need to scrape them into submission. She’d hurried through a cold bath, would’ve preferred to have it heated, but didn’t want to take the time. Not when she needed to talk to Jake, find out what was bothering him and tell him about the uncomfortable conversation she had with Major Bradford.
As s oon as she finished arranging their supper with Eden, the major had appeared and started asking questions. She’d given him the same story she’d told his wife. Jake was a tribal council representative in town to negotiate with her father.
Major Bradford’s brown eyes had remained warm, but she sensed he didn’t believe her. Eden had once remarked her husband could detect falsehoods like a hound sniffing out a rabbit. He’d certainly put his nose to the ground, asking what Jake looked like, where Kate had met him, where he'd come from. She’d stuck to her story and at last the major lost the scent. At least, he’d stopped asking questions.
Kate selected a navy skirt and cream shirt. After making do with quick clean-ups in creeks, it was a blessed relief to return to civilization. Another
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