Jodi Thomas - Texas Rain

Travis looked at the boy. He knew there would be all kinds of trouble if he tried to make Duck leave him, but he didn't want to think about the boy being in harm's way. "Do you understand?"

Duck nodded and leaned against Travis.

Travis whispered, more to himself than the boy, "They'll be coming after Rainey, if they come. I'll need to be protecting her, so I have to know you're safe."

Duck pulled the knife Travis had given him from his pocket. It wasn't large, but it was still too big for him to open.

Travis smiled. "I guess we're about as ready as we can be."

Duck nodded and slipped his knife back into his pocket. He pulled out a string and began playing with it. Travis watched him for a while in the silent stillness of the morning.

Roy wandered in with a cup of coffee and sat down across from Travis. He watched Duck for a few minutes and said, "Beats me how kids and women take to you, McMurray. You're about as friendly as a rattler. I never see you say one nice thing to that pretty little Rainey Adams, and you growl at the kid like you're a bear fixing to eat him."

"Mind your own business," Travis said without looking away from the window.

"You see." Roy pointed at him. "That's what I mean. We've been riding together off and on for years, and I didn't even know you have a ranch north of here. Wouldn't know now if Rainey hadn't told me."

Travis changed the subject. "Do all women talk so much?"

Roy laughed and straightened. Now they were on a subject he considered himself an expert in. Women. He opened his mouth to start twice, then stopped. Finally he simply said, "Yes."

They sat in silence watching the street beyond the boarded window come to life.

Roy finally remembered his coffee. After he took a drink, he put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. "They found some interesting things in Mrs. Vivian's room last night. It seems she was a bit of the thief. She not only stole from her boarders from time to time, but she lifted things from homes around her block when she knew her neighbors were away. Even furniture. She must have had some help because there was no way one woman could haul a dresser down the street."

Travis listened without being surprised.

Roy continued. "She'd been selling some stuff off. According to her accounts at stores around town, she was in deep debt, but the day of the kidnapping she paid for everything with cash."

Travis grew more interested. "You think someone paid her off to be gone during the kidnapping?"

Roy shook his head. "I think someone paid her to tip them off that Sage was coming that morning."

"But she knew I was a Ranger and always traveled with Sage."

Roy nodded. "I think she was planning on that. She took the money and tipped the Normans off thinking that you'd be in the foyer like always and you'd save the day. Then her house would be talked about in a good way. Sage would be safe. The Normans would be in jail or dead, and she could keep the money. I think the old crow thought she'd come out ahead."

Travis agreed. "And since she was gone at the time it happened, no one would look in her direction."

"Right. There was only one person close enough for her to pass the message to when Sage came."

"Haskell," Travis answered. "No matter which way we turn, his name keeps coming up."

Rainey stepped into the front room. "Morning," she said, aware that she had broken up their conversation. "Sorry to interrupt."

Roy stood and offered her a chair, claiming she'd always be a welcome interruption.

Travis studied her. Something had changed about her. She hadn't said a word all morning, but he could tell something was different. She moved with more confidence. There was a glow about her. He grinned, wondering if it could be something as simple as the fact that she knew she was loved.

"Rainey," Roy commented. "Are you sure there were four horses?"

Rainey frowned. "It all happened so fast. I could be wrong."

"The undertaker put Seth's out front of his store yesterday as soon as he got the box made. Several people walked by and identified him before they nailed the lid on." Roy glanced at Travis. "We kept a man watching. No sign of Eldon or Old Man Norman."

Rainey looked from one to the other. "You were hoping Seth's body would draw them out?"

"It was a chance. We'd like to get this wrapped up."

"It would be a bigger chance of him coming out if he knew where I was."

Travis wanted to call her a liar. But she was right. He also knew she was drawing a target on her back.

Rainey straightened her shoulders. "Tell Dillon I'm tired of hiding. Dottie and I have been talking about opening this place back up as a bakery someday. Tell Dillon someday is coming tomorrow."

Roy said he'd be back as soon as he could and left. When he was gone, Travis said as calmly as he could, "You shouldn't have done that." He'd considered yelling but knew it wouldn't change her mind. She'd run into trouble full speed since the night she'd met him and thought she was saving him from the cowhands. She'd done it again to save Sage.

She faced him. "I can't hide forever. I've been thinking about it. If Eldon knows where I'm at, he'll come after me. I've got you and Roy to protect me. Mamie may be hiding somewhere with no one watching over her."

Travis read her mind. "You know where the slave is, don't you?"

She raised her chin. "I have a good idea."

"This isn't a game, Rainey. Mamie may already be dead. You're betting your life here."

"Then why didn't you stop me?" She moved closer.

He shrugged. "Because I'd have done the same thing. The longer we wait, the less the threat seems real. In a few days, a week, we'll get reckless, take chances we shouldn't. If trouble's coming, I'd just as soon face it now."

He circled his arm around her. "And if trouble comes for you, he'll have to step over me to get you."

At twilight Rainey lit the lamp in the kitchen and felt a shift in the air. A breeze, as if someone had opened a window in another part of the house. Only there were no windows in Dottie's kitchen.

She glanced at Travis and saw him lift his head ever so slightly. He'd felt it, also, but he made no sudden move.

The day had been exhausting but they were still both on full alert. First, when Roy returned just before noon, he brought two Rangers with him. He said that if she wanted to make pies, they'd go get her supplies from the Langland place and bring it over. He also said Dillon had told him to unblock the front door. The restaurant might not be open for business, but they were no longer hiding. The Rangers would bring her supplies in through the front.

When Rainey nodded, Roy winked and added, "We all think you are one brave lady, and we'll do our best to protect you."

"Thank you," she said, hoping the best would be enough.

An hour later Dottie's dead husband's partner showed up to demand they leave. He claimed the smell of pie was filtering through to his half of the building, and he was losing customers. Apparently the smell reminded the drunks that they needed to go home.

Dottie stood up to the man. She was surprised how fast he backed down and started acting respectful. She didn't see Roy standing behind her checking his gun. By mid-afternoon the little kitchen was as busy as a train station with Rainey making pies and Dottie visiting with people who stopped by to see what was going on.

The judge dropped in to tell Travis the group of lawyers had approved him to the bar. Judge Gates promised if he'd hang around for six months and intern, the judge would sign his state license to practice.

Rainey was surprised at how little the news seemed to matter to Travis, but she had a feeling the judge understood.

Pearl and Jason followed the Rangers carrying supplies over to make sure Rainey was all right, and she stayed to hear all the details.