entrance to the cave, but he didn’t try to stop her. Peeking out, she watched the rain falling in torrents. The river at the floor of the canyon was already rising. She turned back to Wolf.
“Will we be safe here?”
He shrugged, refilling his cup. “Safe as anywhere, I expect.”
Restless, she wandered around the cave noticing things she hadn’t when she had arrived last night. This cave must have been used by Ted and the others for some time. There was a load of supplies in one corner, along with extra kerosene for the lamp that hung from a nail pounded into the wall. Ted had been so close yet hadn’t come to see her until he was ready to use her in his crime. Her heart felt as though it were breaking into a million pieces.
She felt Wolf watching her and turned. He was regarding her warily now, no smile left on his face.
“You say you’re innocent. Tell me what happened.”
So she did.
Wolf noticed every changing emotion on her face, every nuance of her body language. He was tempted to believe her, but he had been this route before. It wasn’t often his intuition failed him, but it
had
been known to happen. Especially where the
weaker
sex was concerned.
He studied her earnest face, noting the freckles speckled across her nose. She was neither attractive nor unattractive, but she
was
interesting, though he couldn’t put a handle on why he thought so. He hadn’t been attracted by any woman since Moonwater, and he didn’t relish the idea now.
But then maybe that’s why this woman was so attractive to him in the first place. She had the same coloring as the Comanche. If anything, she looked more like an Indian than he did, though her skin was much fairer and her eyes were the color of the summer sky. Even her scent was unlike any he had come across, soft and fresh like the spring rain. His mouth twisted wryly at his decidedly poetic thoughts.
She finished her story and stood looking at him, expecting him to believe her. And strangely enough, he did. Still, he wasn’t taking any chances.
“That’s all very interesting,” he told her. “Now when you tell it to the judge and jury, maybe they’ll believe you.”
She glared at him. “But you don’t, do you?”
He leaned back against the wall of the cave, one eyebrow lifted upward. “It doesn’t really matter what I believe, does it?”
April got up from the crate and stormed across to her blanket. For some reason, it bothered her that he held such a low opinion of her. Throwing herself down in a huff, she shifted the blanket to make herself more comfortable. If she was going to have to stay there with this giant of an Indian, she might as well make herself as cozy as she could.
She heard something rattle, and lifting the blanket, she found a piece of paper lodged between two rocks on the floor of the cave. She picked it up and unfolded it, recognizing her brother’s handwriting at once.
Sis
,
I had to leave you. It’s for your own good. I’ll be back for you as soon as I can
.
Ted was coming back. Her heart leaped with joy at the realization that he hadn’t deserted her after all, but just as suddenly she was seized with fear. If he came back now, he would come face-to-face with Yellow Wolf. She had to get the ranger out of there somehow. Crumpling the note in her hand, she casually crossed to the fire. When she reached out to drop it into the flames, a large hand wrapped around her wrist. Though the hold was gentle, she knew he could crush her bones if he wanted to.
Prying her fingers open, he retrieved the paper. After reading it, he glared at her.
“So you’re innocent, huh?” He placed the paper carefully in his pocket, noting her attention. “Evidence,” he told her coldly.
“It’s not what you think,” she argued.
“Sit down.”
She wasn’t certain why she felt she had to justify herself in his eyes, but she couldn’t let things stand the way they were.
“Mr. Jackson…”
“I said,
sit down.”
April sat. If
“Will we be safe here?”
He shrugged, refilling his cup. “Safe as anywhere, I expect.”
Restless, she wandered around the cave noticing things she hadn’t when she had arrived last night. This cave must have been used by Ted and the others for some time. There was a load of supplies in one corner, along with extra kerosene for the lamp that hung from a nail pounded into the wall. Ted had been so close yet hadn’t come to see her until he was ready to use her in his crime. Her heart felt as though it were breaking into a million pieces.
She felt Wolf watching her and turned. He was regarding her warily now, no smile left on his face.
“You say you’re innocent. Tell me what happened.”
So she did.
Wolf noticed every changing emotion on her face, every nuance of her body language. He was tempted to believe her, but he had been this route before. It wasn’t often his intuition failed him, but it
had
been known to happen. Especially where the
weaker
sex was concerned.
He studied her earnest face, noting the freckles speckled across her nose. She was neither attractive nor unattractive, but she
was
interesting, though he couldn’t put a handle on why he thought so. He hadn’t been attracted by any woman since Moonwater, and he didn’t relish the idea now.
But then maybe that’s why this woman was so attractive to him in the first place. She had the same coloring as the Comanche. If anything, she looked more like an Indian than he did, though her skin was much fairer and her eyes were the color of the summer sky. Even her scent was unlike any he had come across, soft and fresh like the spring rain. His mouth twisted wryly at his decidedly poetic thoughts.
She finished her story and stood looking at him, expecting him to believe her. And strangely enough, he did. Still, he wasn’t taking any chances.
“That’s all very interesting,” he told her. “Now when you tell it to the judge and jury, maybe they’ll believe you.”
She glared at him. “But you don’t, do you?”
He leaned back against the wall of the cave, one eyebrow lifted upward. “It doesn’t really matter what I believe, does it?”
April got up from the crate and stormed across to her blanket. For some reason, it bothered her that he held such a low opinion of her. Throwing herself down in a huff, she shifted the blanket to make herself more comfortable. If she was going to have to stay there with this giant of an Indian, she might as well make herself as cozy as she could.
She heard something rattle, and lifting the blanket, she found a piece of paper lodged between two rocks on the floor of the cave. She picked it up and unfolded it, recognizing her brother’s handwriting at once.
Sis
,
I had to leave you. It’s for your own good. I’ll be back for you as soon as I can
.
Ted was coming back. Her heart leaped with joy at the realization that he hadn’t deserted her after all, but just as suddenly she was seized with fear. If he came back now, he would come face-to-face with Yellow Wolf. She had to get the ranger out of there somehow. Crumpling the note in her hand, she casually crossed to the fire. When she reached out to drop it into the flames, a large hand wrapped around her wrist. Though the hold was gentle, she knew he could crush her bones if he wanted to.
Prying her fingers open, he retrieved the paper. After reading it, he glared at her.
“So you’re innocent, huh?” He placed the paper carefully in his pocket, noting her attention. “Evidence,” he told her coldly.
“It’s not what you think,” she argued.
“Sit down.”
She wasn’t certain why she felt she had to justify herself in his eyes, but she couldn’t let things stand the way they were.
“Mr. Jackson…”
“I said,
sit down.”
April sat. If
Similar Books
