Gray Justice

 

The Chance City Series Book Four

 

 

Robin Deeter

 

Will love bridge the divide between Walt and Ellie?

Defense attorney Walt Gaines and Deputy Ellie Jeffries have danced around each other after a failed relationship. Walt has made no bones about his love for her, but Ellie’s lingering fear from events in her past prevent her from falling into his strong arms.

That all changes when Walt’s young ward, Toby Perkins goes missing. Ellie’s tender heart goes out to the Irishman, who’s frantic with worry for the boy he’s come to love so much. Although an unlikely time to rekindle their romance, Walt nonetheless jumps at the chance to reclaim the woman who holds his heart when Ellie lets him into hers.

However, they’re soon tested when they find themselves on opposite sides of the law. Can they navigate the gray areas of justice and keep their love alive, or will deceit and dark forces tear them apart forever?

 

 

 

Robin loves hearing from her fans. Connect with her on social media and sign up for her email alerts by visiting: https://linktr.ee/authorrobindeeter.

 

 

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Dedication

 

This book is dedicated to all of you brave readers out there who are continuing to accompany me on this adventure. We have new characters to meet, exciting events to share, and new places to explore together. Bringing this series to life has been a tremendous joy and the enthusiasm with which it has been received is humbling and satisfying. I hope you enjoy reading their story as much as I enjoyed writing it. As always, your support, faith, and kindness are so very appreciated. Happy reading!

 

 

Other books by Robin Deeter

 

 

Chance City Beginnings

(Prequels to Chance City Series)

 

Part One

Part Two

 

Chance City Series

 

Mail Order Mystery

Mail Order Mystery Audio Book

Mail Order Mystery Print Book

On the Fence

Crossroads

Gray Justice

When the Thunder Rolls

And the Lightning Strikes

A Very Decker Christmas

 

 

The Paha Sapa Saga

 

Sacrifice and Reward

Sacrifice and Reward Audio Book

Sacrifice and Reward Print Book

Winter Moon

The Bear, Part One

The Bear, Part Two

The Phantom Horse Bridge Series

 

Phantom Origins Book 0

Phantom Heat

 

Wolf Junction Series

 

Silver Bell Shifter

 

Chapter One

 

Deputy Ellie Jeffries looked up from the report she worked on when the door of the Chance City Sheriff’s Office opened forcefully. Walt Gaines, one of the defense attorneys in town, hurried over to her desk.

“Any news on Toby?”

Ellie’s heart went out to Walt. The boy he’d adopted the year before had gone missing two days ago and Walt was frantic with worry. Hope shown in his hazel eyes and Ellie felt terrible because she didn’t have good news for him.

“I’m sorry, but no one’s found him yet. We’re working hard on his case, though.”

Walt shoved a hand through his already messy dark brown hair, making a few strands stand up. “I know ya are. I can’t figure out where he’d go. He wouldn’t run away. He was so happy when he left for school the other day.” Walt smiled. “He has a sweetheart now and he couldn’t wait to see her. Jessica Driscoll is quite the pretty lass and a nice girl besides. As smitten as he is with her, I know Toby wouldn’t run away.”

Fighting the urge to fix his hair, as she’d done many times in the past, Ellie said, “We’ll find him. He’s a strong, smart boy. I’m sure he’s all right.”

“Aye. He’s a resourceful lad. Thanks for all yer doin’.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Well, I’ll leave ya to it. I know how busy ya are.” He gave her a tight smile and turned to go.

Ellie played with the pencil she’d been writing with as indecision gripped her. Finally screwing up her courage, she said, “Walt, please wait.”

He came back to her desk. “Yes?”

“Maybe this isn’t the right time, but I’ve been putting this off long enough. I need to talk to you about things between us,” she said.

Walt arched an eyebrow. “Oh? I didn’t know there was an ‘us’. Ya made it clear that there wasn’t.”

Ellie was glad that she was alone in the office at the time. “I know. I’d rather talk about it privately.”

Hope grew in Walt’s heart as he looked into her lovely ice-blue eyes. “All right. When?”

“Is tonight too soon?”

Walt hid his elation. “I s’pose that’s fine. Come to the greenhouse. We’ll have a bite to eat while we talk. Around six-thirty?”

Ellie nodded. “That sounds good.”

Walt stifled the excitement that zinged through his body. “See ya then.”

“Yeah.”

Ellie watched him leave with a mixture of anticipation and dread. There were things she needed to know, but she feared the answers. Walt had pursued her for several months before she’d finally given in and agreed to see him. However, that had only been because of a deal she and Deputy Brock Guthrie had struck. If he called on Daphne Decker, she would accept Walt’s invitation to dinner.

It had worked out for Brock and Daphne, who were now happily married and trying to start a family. Ellie hadn’t been so fortunate. There were things in her past that kept her from getting too involved with any man. However, Walt wasn’t just any man.

From the first night they’d had dinner, she’d found Walt fascinating. Most of the time, the Irishman was affable and humorous, but she’d discovered that he had a somewhat dark, mysterious side to him. There was a hint of danger about the man that drew her to him.

It also scared her, but she couldn’t say why. Walt had never been anything but kind to her until they’d had the fight that had ended things between them. She’d actually hit him that night because of a nasty comment he’d made in the heat of anger. That had been the last straw for Walt, and he’d called it quits.

That had been earlier in the year and Ellie had missed Walt since then. He’d been fun, attentive, and considerate. With his dark brown hair, vibrant hazel eyes, and angular features, he was a very handsome man. Underneath his often rumpled and ill-fitting clothing lay a muscular, toned body that Ellie had enjoyed touching.

Walt’s kisses and embraces had set her on fire and there had been several occasions when she’d almost succumbed to the desire he created in her. The night they’d broken up, he’d told her that he knew how to do things to a woman that would make her scream for mercy and beg for more. It had been such a fierce, exciting, and frightening statement for him to make. It seemed out of character and yet not.

Walt was an enigma and Ellie’s intense curiosity made it difficult to resist attempting to unravel him. Her inquisitive nature was just one of the things that made her a great deputy. She could be crafty, enabling her to draw information out of people through seemingly innocent questions.

Her excellent fighting skills and prowess with weapons were well-known and she was a force to be reckoned with when provoked. She might only stand five-foot-three, but she packed a mighty punch and didn’t back down from any opponent.

Yet, she behaved cowardly when it came to romantic relationships, or more specifically, one with Walt. She had her reasons, but it wasn’t fair to keep Walt in the dark about them since he’d been so open about his feelings for her.

As quitting time approached, Ellie’s stomach began to ache with anxiety, and she came close to calling Walt to cancel. Then she berated herself for her cowardice and resisted that urge. Come hell or high water, she was going to finally clear the air with Walt.

 

 

Sweat ran down seventeen-year-old Toby’s nose, dripped off the tip, and landed on his thigh. The cabin was sweltering in the early September heat. The faint, hot breeze that reached him through the partially open windows brought little relief with it.

He sat tied to a wooden straight chair, wearing only his knee-length underwear. The gag in his mouth prevented him from screaming and the ropes that bound him were so tight that they didn’t budge when he struggled against them.

Toby willed himself not to cry, forcing his fear and pain down deep. His captors had informed him that screaming wouldn’t do him any good because the cabin was too isolated for anyone to hear him. Therefore, he’d conserved his energy, concentrating on finding another way to escape instead of wasting it on useless actions.

Toby’s whole body ached from sitting in the chair for most of the past three days. He was only allowed out of it when they took him to the outhouse. He longed to lay down, even if only for a little while. His eyelids drooped even though he fought hard to stay awake. Just as he was about to drift off, an idea came to him.

He couldn’t loosen the ropes, but he might be able to break the chair. Was he strong enough to smash it against the wall or floor? Were his captors close enough to hear him if he tried? Deciding to risk it, Toby attempted to get up on his feet, but discovered that the way his ankles were tied to the chair legs prevented him from walking.

Groaning in frustration, he slumped down heavily on the chair. A sharp crack echoed against the shack walls. Toby’s heart beat faster as hope sprung to life within it. Rising again, he sat down as hard as possible, and was rewarded by another crack. He did it twice more before the seat gave way completely.

He fell to the floor as the seat split and the back broke. As the wood splintered, a large, sharp piece pierced the back of Toby’s right thigh, driving deep into the muscle. Another wooden shard stabbed the inside of his left arm. Toby cried out from the searing pain.

He lay on his right side and got his bearings before moving. The chair back had come apart in such a way that he was able to get his hands free from it. However, his hands were tied behind his back, hampering his ability to untie his feet.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Toby rolled over as far as he could on his back and slammed the bottom part of the chair against the floor. More of it broke away and his feet came loose from the legs. His injured thigh and arm throbbed and sweat ran in his blue eyes.

He rested for a few moments and then bent his legs up behind him as high as he could. His kidnappers had tied his feet separately, which helped him be able to get his hands down over them so that Toby could bring his arms around to the front.

The movements drove the piece of wood in his thigh even deeper, making Toby gasp from the pain. It also strained his shoulders, but he couldn’t take long to rest. He had to get out of there before they came back.

The knots in the ropes at his ankles were easily untied, but he couldn’t untie his hands with his teeth because they’d bound his wrists too tight. He would have to get them off once he was far enough away from the shack. He pulled off the gag and was able to breath better with it gone.

He stumbled to his feet, but the piece of wood lodged in his thigh stopped him from walking. Twisting around, Toby was able to grasp the wood with his right hand. He took a deep breath and held it before yanking it from his flesh.

A long groan escaped him, and he trembled from the intense agony that gripped him. When the worst of the pain subsided, he stumbled to the door. Dehydrated from lack of water and weak with hunger, his head swam, forcing him to lean against the wall until the dizziness passed.

Disappointment and frustration crashed down on Toby when he discovered that the door was locked from the outside.

“Window,” he mumbled.

He opened the window nearest the door and stuck his head through it. The wooded area appeared to be deserted, but he listened for a couple of minutes to make sure. He stuck his left leg out the window and slowly slipped the rest of the way through it, dropping to the ground.

Another wave of dizziness washed through him, and he swayed on his feet. He took deep breaths until his fuzzy mind cleared. Slowly, he made his way to the tree line and treaded lightly through the woods, trying to make as little noise as possible.

When he felt he was far enough away, Toby started running as fast as his injured leg allowed. Darkness had started to fall, so he wanted to travel as far as he could before his escape was hampered by lack of light to see by. He wasn’t much for religion, but Toby prayed that he would reach help soon.

 

 

Chapter Two

 

Sitting in his unusual greenhouse, Walt worried over his young ward. He’d come to love the tough, mischievous boy and the thought of him being hurt or lost somewhere sorely grieved him. When he’d come home three days ago to an empty house, Walt had begun looking for him.

Toby was a creature of habit. Unless it was one of his days to work at Silver’s Mercantile, he always came home right after school to do his homework. However, he hadn’t been scheduled to work that day. Toby hadn’t been at Jessica’s house or at any of his friends’ places, either. Walt had travelled and called all over town without any luck.

At that point, he’d gone to the sheriff’s office to file a missing person’s report. Walt was friends with all the law enforcement staff except for Hunter Stetson. He had a strong dislike for Walt, but no one could figure out why. Despite that, Hunter had worked as hard as the other officers to find Toby.

“Where are ya, Toby?” Walt mumbled.

Had he run away? Walt had completely dismissed that idea. Was Toby somewhere hurt and hungry? Then the question he’d been refusing to ask surfaced. Was Toby dead?

Walt took a deep breath and forced it away, staying positive. They would find Toby and bring him safely home. He wouldn’t accept any other outcome.

He sat facing the greenhouse door, so he saw Ellie right away when she opened it and came inside.

Ellie’s gaze took in the tall, lush, exotic plants and trees that grew around the glass walls, providing privacy from the outside world. Instead of wood or even earth, the greenhouse floor was made of a thick carpet of soft, vibrant green grass.

Ellie took off her shoes and sat them to the side so she could walk barefoot and wouldn’t damage the grass. She loved Walt’s greenhouse and his residence. Mirror House was named so because it was essentially split in half, with each half an exact replica of the rooms on the other side.

As Ellie padded over to the blanket Walt had spread out, he smiled at the sight of her small, pretty feet. He’d missed seeing them. He recalled the times he’d tickled them until Ellie had been breathless with laughter. With a pang of desire, he also remembered all the times they’d kissed until they’d both been out of breath.

Ellie gave Walt a tight smile. He looked good in his old white buttoned-down shirt and jeans.

“Hello,” he said as she sat down cross-legged across the blanket from him. “I’m glad ya decided to actually come.”

Ellie startled a little. It was a little unnerving that Walt always seemed to know what she was feeling and thinking. “Me, too. I need to do this.”

That didn’t sound encouraging to Walt. “All right. I had Mrs. Turner make us a cold supper since I wasn’t sure if ye’d make it on time or not. I know how things sometimes come up at the last minute.”

Ellie picked at the hem of the blue cotton dress she’d changed into. “That sounds good, but I’m not all that hungry. I don’t know how to start this.”

Walt hated to see her so uncomfortable. “Ellie, love, this doesn’t hafta be so hard.” The term of endearment slipped out before he could stop it. “Just tell me why ya keep yer heart on a shelf. What have I done to make ya distrust me so?”

Tears blurred Ellie’s vision as she continued to play with her dress. “Why are you possessive?”

Walt’s eyebrows shot up. “Possessive? When was I possessive with ya? Sure, I wanted to take care of ya, but I never meant to smother ya. Why didn’t ya just say somethin’ to me?”

Ellie shook her head and wiped her tears away. “You weren’t. You were always so kind and considerate of me. You didn’t make me feel bad when my job got in the way of our plans. It’s just that someone told me that you were very possessive, and it scared me.”

Walt’s brows drew together. “Who told you that?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Ellie replied. “Why would anyone say that about you?”

Walt knew exactly why. “Remember when I told ya that the woman I’d been in love with cheated on me?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I’d suspected for a couple of months that she was runnin’ around on me. Ya can understand why I’d question her, can’t ya?”

Ellie nodded. “Why did she cheat on you? Were you fighting a lot or something?”

The old anger surfaced, surprising Walt. His jaw clenched and he looked away for a moment as he suppressed it. “It was my money. She was tryin’ to make me jealous so that I’d propose. She wanted me to be possessive. I wasn’t movin’ fast enough for her. She didn’t love me at all, Ellie. Just my fortune.”

Walt had told her that the reason he didn’t live in a mansion and wear fancy clothing was because he didn’t want to advertise his wealth. He wanted people to like him for himself and not his money.

“So. when I broke things off with her, which she wasn’t expectin’, she spread rumors that I’d followed her around and done all sorts of bad things.” He shrugged. “So that’s where whoever told ya that about me got that idea. It took a while for it to die down, too. It was embarrassin’, to say the least.”

Ellie felt terrible. She’d misjudged the situation when she’d listened to Rob. She’d let her fear of history repeating itself cloud her judgment and she’d needlessly hurt Walt.

“I’m so sorry, Walt. I’m sorry that I messed everything up.”

Walt leaned towards her, trying to get her to look at him. “Ellie, please tell me what this is all about.”

Panic squeezed Ellie’s chest, and she couldn’t breathe properly. “I can’t. I shouldn’t have come. This was a mistake.”

She rose and hurried toward the door, but Walt was quick and caught her before she got very far.

Grasping her shoulders, he turned her to face him. “Please talk to me, Ellie. What makes ya so afraid of me?”

She shook her head vehemently. “Not of you, Walt. Not exactly. Yes, sort of, but—oh, I don’t know!”

The sheer panic on her face alarmed Walt. What in the hell had she been through that was making the usually brave and composed deputy turn into a completely different woman? He gathered her to him, using brute force to keep a hold of her.

“Shh. Ellie, it’s all right. Yer all right.”

His caring attitude and comforting touch broke through her fright, calming Ellie down enough to gather her wits. For just a few moments, she put her arms around him, the familiar feel of him soothing her. Then she pulled back, looking up at him.

“I’m sorry I lost my head like that.”

He put his hand against her cheek. “Don’t be sorry. Just talk to me.”

His hazel gaze was warm and concerned. Ellie nodded and took a steadying breath.

“Let’s sit back down,” she said.

Walt didn’t want to sit down. He wanted to keep holding her, to feel the softness of her skin against his palm, and to continue gazing into her lovely blue eyes. Reluctantly, he released her, and they resumed their previous positions.

Ellie looked around the greenhouse, noting that there were some different plants. It had been a while since she’d been there, so that wasn’t surprising.

“I was seventeen when I caught the eye of a boy when we lived in Tulsa. I was young and he was the first boy who showed more than a passing interest in me. He was handsome and very nice at first.” Ellie smiled tightly. “His family was well-to-do, and he bought me things and took me places, with my cousin Bridget along with us, of course. We’d been courting for about six months when he started to change.

“He became very controlling and would get mad when I couldn’t do things with him. I was afraid to tell my parents about it because Pa worked for their family, and I didn’t want him to get fired. He tried to control everything; what I wore, how I styled my hair, and who I was friends with. I finally couldn’t take it anymore and tried to end things with him.”

Ellie paused and Walt knew what was coming next. He didn’t want to hear it but knew that she needed to say it.

“He beat me that night and I wound up in the hospital for three days. We moved to Chance City after that, and I started learning how to fight and got interested in law enforcement. I’ll never be a victim again. No one is gonna control me again, Walt. Ever.”

His wounded expression made Ellie feel badly, but he needed to understand that she wouldn’t go through that sort of ordeal again.

Walt took off his glasses and cleaned them with his handkerchief. He didn’t put them back on right away, instead dangling them by an earpiece and swinging them back and forth a little. “Ellie, ya already know that I love ya, but I think ya need to know why.”

Ellie’s cheeks warmed and she smiled a little. Walt had never made any bones about his feelings for her. “Okay.”

“I was impressed with ya from the first moment I saw ya. I walked in the sheriff’s office and there ya stood, as pretty as a flower and yer eyes as bright as a sunbeam.”

Ellie laughed at the dramatic way he put a hand to his chest and deepened his Irish accent. “Stop it.”

He laughed. “Ye think I’m kiddin’ ya, but I’m really not. That’s the way it seemed. Like ya were standin’ in a fairy ring with the sun shining down on ya. I was so intrigued because I’d never seen a lady deputy before, and I couldn’t believe that Rob had hired ya. But I’ve always been grateful that he did because I might not have met ya otherwise.

“I love ya because yer different, Ellie. I like it that ya don’t take any guff from anyone and that ya can fight and shoot a gun. It’s sort of excitin’, I guess. Do I worry about ya when yer on the job? Sure, I do, but I know how good ya are at it and I’m proud of ya. I could go on, but the bottom line is that I love yer spirit and I would never try to break it, my lovely lass,” he said. “I don’t want to control ya at all.”

Done saying his piece, he put his glasses back on and waited.

Ellie considered everything Walt had said, weighing it against her fear. Could she let go of the past and look toward the future? That was the decision she faced. His patient, earnest expression tipped the scales in his favor. He wasn’t trying to rush her or cajole her.

He’d stated his case and was now letting the jury of one make up her mind. She recognized his courtroom tactic but couldn’t fault him for using it. She tended to do the same thing sometimes. In their professions, it was hard to ever leave the job completely behind.

Giving him a small smile, Ellie lifted the lid on the picnic basket and peeked inside. “What did Mrs. Turner make us? Are you gonna pour us some wine or not?”

Walt grinned. Her questions meant that she was at least staying for dinner. He wasn’t exactly sure where that left them, but he wasn’t going to worry about it for the moment. It was enough that she was there with him.

Halfway through their meal, complete darkness had fallen, and Walt’s appetite failed him. He stared through the top of the glass wall he faced, noticing that the moon was on the rise and that stars twinkled in the sky. Where was Toby watching them from now?

He caught Ellie watching him, sympathy in her eyes. “This is killin’ me. Now I understand what Ma and Da went through whenever I went somewhere with my friends for a couple of days without tellin’ them. Where the hell is he?”

Frustrated, he got up and walked to one of the windows, looking out into the inky night. Ellie knew how hard this was on Walt. His kindness in taking in a troubled boy who’d been a stranger to him had astounded her. Over the past eleven months, she’d watched their bond deepen. He’d taken on the role of parent and protector and had excelled at it despite never raising a child before.

Ellie went to him, putting a hand on his arm. “We’ll find him, Walt. Cy, Cotton, and Sly are out looking for him.”

“Aye. I know. I should be with them, but I’d just slow them down. I don’t know how to tell time by the sun, and I can’t walk through the woods silently. I’d be more of a liability. I feel so powerless. I need to help him, but there’s nothin’ I can do,” he said. “I don’t even want to leave the house. What if he comes home and I’m not here and he needs me?”

Ellie said, “Do you have any work that you can’t put off right now?”

“Court later in the week, but nothin’ for a few days. I can do paperwork here at home.”

“It might be a good idea for you to stay home then,” Ellie said.

“Aye. Thanks for comin’ tonight. Not only for talkin’ to me about us, but for distractin’ me for a while,” Walt said.

“I’m glad I did. It feels good to clear the air. I should’ve done it long ago.”

Walt nodded. “Right. Ya should’ve. There’s nothin’ ya can’t tell me, Ellie.”

Ellie said, “Okay. I’ll remember that.”

“So why didn’t ya?”

“Didn’t I what?”

“Clear the air with me. What held ya back? What did I do that make ya think that I was unapproachable?”

Ellie wasn’t sure that this was the right time to talk about it, but she didn’t know how to get around it now. “Walt, has anyone told you that you can be sort of …scary?”

“Scary? Me?” He let out a laugh. “How so?”

Ellie grinned sheepishly. “I don’t know how to describe it.”

“Hmm. Perhaps that explains why Deputy Stetson doesn’t like me. I didn’t realize that I seemed so dastardly. Ye’ve never mentioned it before now. Why is that?”

There was a glimmer of what she’d been talking about in his eyes. Something predatory and dangerous. “I’m not sure you’re even aware that you’re doing it.”

Walt certainly did know when he was doing it and he knew that she liked it when he did. “Ya must be right. I don’t. Maybe it’s just that my courtroom persona sometimes carries over into my personal life?”

Ellie shook her head a little. “No. I don’t think that’s it.”

He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “No?”

His touch made her pulse jump. “No.”

Walt skimmed a thumb over her full bottom lip and a strong wave of desire rolled through Ellie. His own hunger shone in his eyes that had turned a little greener. “What is it that I’m doin’ that makes ya think I’m dangerous?”

She was trapped by the intensity of his gaze and the suddenly huskier quality to his masculine, lilting voice. Her gaze lowered to his sensual mouth, clearly recalling how supple and warm his lips were, how talented and tantalizing they could be.

“Don’t look at me like that, lass,” he said. “It’s been far too long since I’ve held and kissed ya and with the mood I’m in, I’m not going to want to stop. Of course, I never did.”

As he spoke, Walt slid an arm around her waist and cupped the back of her head. If she didn’t stop him, he was going to kiss her, and if he did, Ellie knew she’d be lost. If just his touch sent her heart racing, his kisses would devastate her, and there would be no refusing him.

“I should go,” she said firmly, finding the strength to step away from him.

Walt held back a sigh of frustration. “Aye. That’s probably best, because if ya don’t, ye’ll wind up in my bed, sweet Ellie.”

The heated, knowing glint in his eyes told her that he knew exactly how to make that happen and her body wanted him in the worst way. Her breathing came a little faster, betraying her excitement with the quicker rise and fall of her chest.

Walt advanced on her again. “I don’t know why ya won’t let me give ya pleasure. Let me show ya how much I love ya. Yer in my heart, Ellie, and I’ll never get ya out. I don’t want to. I know yer not in love with me, but ya would be if ye’d just let yerself fall. Ye don’t have to be afraid.” He put his arms around her, slowly pulling her against him. “I’ll catch you, Ellie, and I’ll keep yer heart safe, love.”

Ellie bit her lip in indecision. A few months ago, she’d told Cy that what she felt for Walt was too strong and that it scared her. Did knowing the truth about what had happened between Walt and his former fiancée ease that fear? And what about the danger she sensed lurked beneath Walt’s otherwise pleasant, fun demeanor?

Much of Ellie wanted to see more of it, to know where it came from, and why it was there. Despite what he said, she could tell that Walt had secrets and that he knew precisely what he was doing to her. She longed to solve the mystery and yet was afraid of what she might find.

“Walt, what are you hiding from me? I know there are things about you that you’re not telling me. I can feel it. And you are dangerous somehow, but I … I like it. But it scares me,” she said.

“Perceptive as always. Another quality I love about ya. Yer right. There are things about me that ya don’t know, but I can’t tell ya if ya don’t let me in.”

“That’s emotional blackmail.”

He smiled as he caressed her back. “It’s not. It’s an honest statement. Yer not the only one who has fears, Ellie. Ya held back on me for so long. I’m willin’ to tell ya anything ya want to know, but I can’t unless I know yer devoted to me and won’t tell other people.”

Her body heated under his hands, and she laid hers on his chest, running them over his hard, chiseled muscles. “You mean like how I’ve never told anyone that you throw cases?”

He grinned. “Exactly, and I’m grateful to ya for that.” He let out a soft groan and stepped back. “Don’t do that. Ya know what yer touch does to me and since yer not gonna let me make love with ya, we need to stop now before I get more excited.”

“How do you know I won’t let you?” she asked.

“Because I know. Call it intuition.”

He was right. Again. “I want to, but I need to think about some things.”

Walt nodded. “Aye. And I have to find my boy.”

Suddenly he was the other Walt again, any hint of danger gone. Anxiety over Toby’s fate had completely replaced the seductive, predatory behavior of only moments ago.

“We will,” Ellie said. “I’ll call you as soon as we know anything, and you do the same if he comes home. I’ll call you anyway, just because I want to talk to you.”

“Good. It’ll be a comfort to hear yer voice. I’ll walk ya out.”

Ellie nodded and went with him to where she’d tied her horse. Turning to him, she said, “Walt, I want to love you. I do. Can you be a little patient with me?”

He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “I’m glad to hear it. Just don’t make me wait too long. It’s been long enough.”

Ellie nodded. “I know.” She mounted and smiled down at him. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, if not sooner.”

“Right. Careful goin’ home,” he said.

She trotted away and Walt’s smile faded. So close, but it wasn’t the right time with Toby missing. His heart heavy with worry, Walt went to gather their dinner things from the greenhouse. There would be little sleep for him that night.

 

 

Chapter Three

 

 

Dawn found Toby cold, ravenous, and more miserable than he’d ever been in his life. His wounded thigh and arm throbbed continually, and the night had turned chilly. Since he wore only his underwear, he’d had no protection from the weather and his teeth chattered uncontrollably.

He’d found a clump of bushes to hide in that had helped protect him from the cutting wind. His body had finally succumbed to exhaustion, and he’d fallen asleep at some point. Now, as the sun came up, he moved to stand up and groaned in pain. At least he’d been able to get the ropes off his wrists.

His leg and arm had stiffened overnight and moving them was sheer torture. He fought through it and managed to get to his feet. Taking in his surroundings, Toby tried to determine which way was the best to travel.

Water. He needed water and decided to look for a stream or creek. His pace was slow as he limped along. When he ran a hand over the back of his thigh, he discovered that it was hot and swollen. Most likely there were a lot of splinters inside the wound, and he worried about infection.

The sound of running water reached him and he hastened towards the source. As he came to the end of the tree line, he scouted the area carefully before he walked out into the open. He stopped and listened, but no one jumped out of the woods to capture him, so he continued down to the water.

Mindful of his bare feet, he found a place that was free of rocks and walked in. He didn’t need to hurt himself further by cutting his feet on sharp stones. He waded in until the water was waist high. Bending over, he’d only drank a couple of mouthfuls of water before his stomach cramped and he almost vomited when it protested the sudden influx of liquid.

Toby waited until the nausea passed and drank another mouthful, letting it go down slowly. Then he took off his underwear and thoroughly washed himself, getting rid of the layer of sweat and grime that covered his body. Finished with that, he drank some more water, which helped ease his hunger pangs.

However, he had to find something to eat soon. As if in answer to that thought, he spotted a patch of wild raspberries a little way down the creek from him. Feeling somewhat refreshed and clear-headed, he made his way to the bank.

Then Toby remembered that he was naked and that he was holding his soaking wet, blood-stained underwear. He found a couple of rocks and scrubbed the garment as best he could. It helped somewhat, but the stain wouldn’t come out completely, especially because he had no soap.

He wrung them out as much as possible and hung them on a tree branch to dry. There was no way for him to help his state of undress. The men who’d captured him had taken his clothing, shoes, and hat, leaving him with nothing more than his skivvies.

Hurrying over to the berries, he plucked them off the bush and shoved them into his mouth, barely chewing as hunger consumed him. After a bit, he slowed down, allowing his stomach time to adjust to the food. He didn’t want to throw up the berries and waste the precious nutrients.

He ate all the ripe berries he could find, and his stomach didn’t feel as hollow. Feeling a little more energetic, he got moving again. His underwear was still damp, but they’d finish drying as he walked along. Toby figured that if he followed the stream, he was bound to come to a farm or even a town.

As he travelled, he kept an eye out for any sign that his captors had found him. Sometimes he walked in the stream to hide his scent, just in case they had tracking dogs. By midday, he’d grown exhausted again and needed to rest. His leg was on fire, his arm hurt, and he felt dizzy. It was hot by then, so he found a shady place to lay down and soon fell sound asleep.

 

 

Winnie and Faith Phillips wandered along the stream, searching for berries. They knew where the best patches were and were going to gather as many as they could, so they could bake pies to serve along with cake at Winnie’s upcoming wedding reception in a couple of days. Winnie was to be Arnie Brewer’s second wife, something which she wasn’t happy about, but, as a Mormon woman, there was nothing she could do about it.

“There are some.” Winnie pointed to a blackberry patch not far ahead of them.

“They look nice and plump, too,” Faith commented.

They worked quickly, filling their baskets with the juicy bounty. As she came to the end of the row of berries, Faith turned her head to the left and gasped at the sight of a boy lying on the ground under a tree.

“What is it?” Winnie asked, hurrying over to her.

“A boy.” Faith pointed.

“Where did he come from?” Winnie asked.

Faith gave her an annoyed look. “How would I know? I just saw him.”

The two young ladies cautiously moved closer to the boy, expecting him to jump up any moment. However, he never moved.

“Is he dead?” Winnie asked. “Why is he only wearing his garments?”

The boy was so still that Faith had wondered the same thing. He did look rather bedraggled with his wild brown hair and almost being in the all-together. She blushed because his underwear did little to hide the fact that he was indeed of the male species.

“I don’t know.” Faith cleared her throat. “Hello? You there. Boy? Excuse me.”

He remained motionless.

Drawing to within a couple feet of him, Faith saw him shiver. His pale pallor concerned her, and she noticed that there were scratches on his face and several welts on his calves.

“He’s hurt.” She knelt next to him and put her hand on his forehead, which was hot and dry. “He has a fever.”

“What are we going to do with him?”

“We have to help him. Go get Pa. He’ll know what to do,” Faith said.

Winnie shook her head. “I can’t leave you here alone with him. It isn’t proper.”

Faith rolled her eyes. “He’s sick and injured. He’s not going to hurt me. Go get Pa and Bishop Talbot. Go!”

Winnie picked up her basket of berries and flounced off, clearly put out with her sister.

Faith looked the boy over, finding him very handsome. Her cheeks flamed when her eyes came to rest on his manly parts. She wouldn’t want some strange boy looking at her if she were in his position, so she took off her apron and draped it over his lower half to preserve his modesty.

Then she sat quite far from him so that when her father and Bishop Talbot arrived, they would see that she had remained a respectful distance from the boy while alone with him. It didn’t take long for Winnie to arrive with the two men.

Their father, Dr. Ivan Phillips, looked approvingly at Faith when he noted how far she sat from the boy.

“Well, daughter, that’s some raspberry you found,” he teased her, his dark eyes twinkling.

Faith smiled. “I certainly wasn’t expecting to find a sick boy.”

Ivan knelt by the boy and noticed Faith’s apron lying over him. Lifting it up, he saw why she’d covered the young man. He frowned but approved of her actions. However, he didn’t want his daughters to see any more than they already had.

“You girls go on home. Bishop and I can take care of this,” he said.

“What will you do with him?” Faith asked, rising from the ground.

Ivan smiled. “We’ll bring him home, of course. Go on and make sure the sick room is ready for him.”

“Yes, Pa,” Faith said.

She and Winnie did as their father said.

Ivan waited until his girls were out of sight before taking the apron away and beginning his assessment.

“Well, young fella, let’s see what we have here.”

 

 

Birdsong woke Toby, the melodic sound coaxing him from slumber. Gradually, he opened his eyes, expecting to still be sleeping underneath the tree. However, he discovered that he had somehow come to be lying in a bed covered with fresh, clean white sheets in a simple, white-washed room.

He jumped at movement near the foot of the bed. A woman did some sort of work at a small table with her back turned toward him. Her black hair was done up in a bun at the nape of her neck and she wore a simple green cotton dress with a white apron.

“Hello?” Toby queried.

She whirled around, alarm in the loveliest pair of green eyes he’d ever seen. “Oh! You startled me. You’re awake.”

Between the fever that still gripped him and being in a strange place, Toby’s normal mental filters were out of whack. “Did I die and go to Heaven? Are you an angel? You sure are pretty enough to be one.”

Faith’s face turned pink, but she smiled at his blurted compliment. She’d never had a boy say something so nice to her before. “You shouldn’t say things like that, but thank you, anyhow. It’s good to see you awake.”

Toby tried to sit up a little but sucked in a breath when his injured leg vehemently protested. “Holy crap!” With a groan he sank back down in the bed. “Where am I? What happened?”

Faith ignored his rough language. “We found you by the stream yesterday. We saw that you were in a bad way, so we brought you to our village. Pa is a doctor and my brother, George, helps him. Your leg was full of puss, so they had to open it up and clean it out.”

“I don’t remember anything like that. Last I knew, I fell asleep under a tree.”

“You were very sick, so I’m not surprised. You still need to rest,” she said.

Toby judged her to be around his age. “What’s your name and where am I?”

“I’m Faith Phillips and our village is outside of Cold Springs, Kansas,” she replied.

“Kansas?” He stared at her in disbelief. “I didn’t realize they brought me so far. Of course, I was unconscious for most of the first day after they grabbed me.”

Faith’s eyes rounded. “Who grabbed you? What do you mean?”

“Never mind,” Toby said. “I need to get word to my foster father, well, I don’t know if you can call him that exactly. Anyway, I need to get word home to him. Where can I send a telegram from?”

“In town, but the telegram office burned down last week,” she said. “I’ll go tell Pa that you’re awake so he can check on you.”

She enjoyed talking with Toby, but she knew it wasn’t proper for her to be alone with him. She sent him a small smile and left the room. The doctor’s office and sick room were attached to the back of their house. Going through the door that led into the kitchen, she found Dr. Phillips sitting at the kitchen table, drinking hot cocoa.

“Pa, the patient is awake. I forgot to ask him his name,” Faith said.

Ivan nodded. “All right. I’ll be right there. How does he seem?”

“Confused, but nice. He wants to send a telegram home. He didn’t say where that was, but he did say something about someone grabbing him. And that he didn’t know that they brought him so far,” she answered. “I don’t know what that means.”

Ivan finished his cocoa and rose. “It might be his fever talking. Maybe he dreamt it. Are you done cleaning?”

“Almost.”

Ivan nodded. “I’ll examine him and then you can finish up. I’ll let you know when I’m done.”

“Yes, Pa.”

Ivan had to rouse Toby when he checked on him. “Good afternoon, young man. I’m Dr. Phillips. And what do we call you?”

“Toby Perkins, sir. Thanks for patching me up.”

Ivan smiled. “You’re welcome. How did you come to be in this condition?”

“I can’t tell you. I need to get word home that I’m—” Toby stopped, rethinking his answer. “I just can’t tell you. That’s all.”

Ivan examined Toby’s arm and took his temperature. “I know it’s going to hurt, but I need you to roll over so I can check your leg.”

Toby bit his lip as he complied, not wanting to show any weakness. Moving made his leg feel like it was being ripped open again and he couldn’t hold back a soft groan. Ivan finished and had him roll back over.

“Crap!” Toby said when the throbbing pain increased even more.

Ivan frowned. “Son, I know you’re in pain, but we don’t allow cursing or taking the Lord’s name in vain. So, while you’re here, you remember that.”

“Sorry,” Toby mumbled. “Where is here? Faith said that this is a village of some sort near Cold Springs, Kansas.”

“That’s right. Have you ever heard of Mormons?”

Toby nodded. “Yes, sir. You’re Mormons?”

“That’s right and this is our village.”

Dr. Phillips seemed like a nice man, but Toby had heard how strict and scary some Mormons could be when provoked.

He smiled. “How many wives do you have?”

Ivan responded to the mischievous light in Toby’s eyes. “Two, but don’t you worry about that,” he said, smiling.

“Okay. How long until I’m better?”

Ivan held up a finger to quiet Toby while he listened to his lungs. Finishing, he said, “Well, that’s up to the Lord and how well you obey my orders. Are you a Christian, Toby?”

Toby shrugged. “I guess so. I don’t know. I don’t think about it much.”

“You should,” Ivan said. “It seems to me like you could use some help with whatever trouble you’re in.”

Toby said, “God hasn’t done much for me so far—”

“I beg to differ with you, Toby. Other than the wounds you’ve suffered, you’re a healthy, strapping, intelligent boy. Someone is taking good care of you and I’m sure you go to school, don’t you?” Ivan asked.

“I was just lucky that after my brother was killed that this lawyer in town decided to take me in. I don’t know why. It was strange. I didn’t have anyone else besides my brother, so I guess he felt sorry for me,” Toby said, wondering why he was telling this to the Mormon doctor.

Ivan chuckled. “Well, that’s Divine Intervention if I ever heard it. I’m sorry about your brother, but I’m glad this nice lawyer took you in. What do you suppose made your paths cross? What do you think would move a total stranger to take in a boy he didn’t know?”

Toby narrowed his eyes. “Look, Doc, I appreciate you taking care of me, but I didn’t ask to be brought here and I didn’t ask for a sermon, either. If that’s the way it’s gonna be, I’ll be on my way.”

“No sermon, Toby. Just some friendly advice. As for leaving, I don’t think you’ll get far on that leg,” Ivan said. “You mentioned wanting to get word home to your lawyer friend. Where’s home?”

Toby was torn. He yearned to go home, but would it be safe? He wasn’t just frightened for himself, but for Walt, too. But shouldn’t he warn him that he could be in danger?

“I think I’ll hold off on sending a telegram right now. Besides, Faith said the telegraph office burned down.”

“Yes, it did, and they haven’t gotten a new telegraph machine yet. I could go over to Ashley and send one for you,” Ivan said, growing more curious about Toby.

“No, sir. Not right now. Thanks, anyway.”

Ivan knew he couldn’t force Toby to talk, so he just nodded. “All right. You’re welcome to stay if you need to, but there are rules you’ll be expected to follow. Faith helps with my patients sometimes, so she might bring you meals and so forth. I expect you to be respectful and chaste towards her, or any other woman.

“We do not tolerate cussing or taking the Lord’s name in vain, as I said. We don’t drink coffee, tea, or alcohol. And there will be no tobacco use here, either. Once you’re well enough, you’ll attend church on Sunday, too.”

“No offense, Doc, but once I’m better, I’ll be leaving,” Toby said.

“And where will you go without any money and knowing where you are?” Ivan asked.

“I’ll get a job in town and save up some money and then decide where to go,” Toby said. “You can’t hold me hostage here.”

Ivan said, “Of course not. No one’s trying to do that. Now, I’ll have one of my wives bring you something to eat. Rest until then.”

Toby laid his head back against the pillow once Ivan had left the room. What was he going to do? There was nothing he could do right then. He had to heal before he could leave, which would give him time to decide a plan of action. Closing his eyes, he tried to clear his mind of all the worry. The fever helped him, drawing him into slumber.

 

 

Chapter Four

 

 

“And then do you know what your uncle did, C.J.? He punched that guy right in the nose and arrested him.”

“Brock! Don’t tell him that,” Daphne Guthrie scolded. “That’s not a suitable story for a baby.”

Brock smiled at his wife, his blue eyes glinting with mischief. “Honey, he’s a baby. He has no idea what I’m saying. Besides, I’m saying it in a nice voice. It’s just like a dog. You can say anything to them as long as it’s in a nice voice. Right, Queenie?”

The beautiful tri-colored collie let out a soft woof.

“You’re terrible,” Daphne said.

“But I’m not wrong, am I?” Brock teased. “Well, C.J., I hate to, but I have to go to work now. You be good for your ma and Aunt Daphne, okay? And keep that sister of yours in line. She’s a troublemaker if I ever saw one.”

C.J.’s little brow puckered as his eyes focused on his uncle’s.

“He looks just like Cy when he does that,” Brock said, smiling as he played with C.J.’s little hand.

Daphne smiled at the sight of her big, rugged husband holding the infant. They were all enamored of the Decker twins, including Brock, who didn’t mind changing a diaper or holding them. In fact, there were times when he argued with Cy over giving whichever one he had back to him. He looked good holding a baby and Daphne couldn’t wait until they had one of their own.

All of them enjoyed when Johnny changed a diaper. His normally chatty nature carried over during the unpleasant task and the things he told the babies were often amusing. Leigh had commented several times that she wished they could record Johnny whenever he changed the twins.

Brock rose from the table in the big kitchen of the Deckers’ new house. They’d come over to help Leigh with the babies and to make breakfast since Cy was still away.

He kissed C.J.’s forehead and handed him to Daphne. “Duty calls, buddy.” He caught the look in his wife’s eyes. “Soon, honey. I have no doubt that any day, little Guthries will start coming along.” He grinned. “Ma is chomping at the bit for grandkids, so we better keep practicing.”

Daphne laughed. “I swear every time we go over there, she wants to ask me, but she never does. She just watches me like a hawk, trying to see if I have any of the signs.”

Brock chuckled. “Yeah, that’s Ma for you.”

The kitchen door opened, and Cy trudged into the house, followed by Pudge and Slink. He looked scruffy, exhausted, and disappointed. Not everyone would have picked up on that around Cy, but Daphne was attuned to Cy’s moods and Brock was learning what to look for.

“There you are,” Daphne said. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah,” Cy said. “I’m fine. Disgusted, but fine. There’s just no sign of him. We checked the woods all around town, went to Woodward and some of the other towns, but no one’s seen him. I’m glad we didn’t find him dead somewhere, but I hate like hell to tell Walt we came up empty handed, without even one lead.”

Daphne teared up. “That’s terrible. He’s going to be devastated.”

Cy hung his saddlebags near the door. “Yeah. I think someone kidnapped him.”

Brock nodded. “I’ve been thinking the same thing.”

Daphne asked, “What makes you say that?”

Cy went over to the sink and washed his hands well. “Well, Toby’s not trained to cover his tracks or how to hide his identity. He’d be fairly easy to find. He’d need money and Walt found a wad of cash in one of his dresser drawers. He’s been saving some of his allowance. If he was going to run away, he’d have taken it with him.”

Brock nodded. “Plus, none of his clothes were missing, no saddlebags taken, and he has too much here to stay for. Him and Walt are close now, he’s made friends at school, and he has a sweetheart. He’s got a good home and he likes school. As far as anyone knows, there’s nothing else that would make him leave home. The question is who would want him and why?”

Cy nodded and held out his hands to take his son from Daphne. He’d missed his wife and kids and couldn’t wait to hold the baby. “I won’t hold him real long. I need a bath, but I just have to visit for a couple of minutes.”

As he took his son from his sister, the strength of the love that flooded Cy’s heart amazed him. It always did. He now understood just how strong a parent’s devotion was for their child and he’d fight to the death to keep his children safe. He’d work his fingers to the bone to keep them fed and happy, too.

“Pa missed you so much,” he said, smiling at his namesake. “You got bigger. You’re not supposed to do that when I’m away so I don’t miss it.”

“Where’s Burt?” Brock asked.

“With Sly. He decided to keep looking farther afield, so I told him to keep Burt with him in case he needed backup. I don’t think he thinks he’ll find Toby. I think he just wanted some time alone to think about some stuff. It’s hard for him to do that here at home since Daniel’s always right up his ass,” Cy said.

Brock laughed. “Yeah, I’ve noticed that. Sly never says anything, though.”

Daphne chuckled. “That’s because he has the patience of Job. I’m surprised Daniel didn’t go with you.”

Cy frowned. “He wanted to, but with that chip he has on his shoulder, I knew it would only be a matter of time before he’d wind up in a fight and we didn’t have time for that.”

“He needs to grow up,” Brock said.

Cy gave C.J. back to Daphne. “He has reasons to be angry, but he needs to get rid of that anger before it gets him killed. I’m going to go see Leigh and Anna for a few minutes and then take a bath. I’m so glad that Johnny and company were able to rig us up our own water tank. Sure beats having to haul water.”

Brock said. “I’ll let Rob know that you’re back but that you won’t be in today. You need to rest and see your family.”

Cy nodded. “Okay. Thanks. Will you call Walt and fill him in?”

“I intended to,” Brock said. He kissed Daphne. “I’ll see you tonight, honey.”

“All right. Be careful,” she said.

“Will do.”

 

 

 “You had one job to do! One job and you couldn’t even do that!” Max Billings glared at Todd Moss.

Todd looked away, guilt and misery filling his expression. “I’m sorry. I plum forgot about the boy.”

Max took off his hat and raked a hand through his graying brown hair. “How in the hell do you forget about a prisoner?”

“I’m sorry, Max.”

“You sure are.”

Max quickly drew his gun and fired, hitting Todd dead center in his forehead. He felt a little remorseful about it, but he couldn’t afford any mistakes and Todd had been dead weight for a while now. He couldn’t keep him around just for sentimental reasons.

Turning to the other men with him, he said, “Let that be a lesson to you. Do what I tell you or else. Now, let’s get moving. That boy has over a day’s lead on us. We need to find him pronto.”

He swung up in his saddle and looked at the cabin in disgust. He had to admit that Toby had been crafty in escaping. When they caught up to him, Max would make sure not to underestimate him again. Apparently, he’d learned well from his brother and would bear close watching. Putting his heels to his horse, Max took off at a canter, trying to make up for lost time.

 

 

Walt opened his door when the bell rang, surprised to see Ellie on the porch. “Hello, there. What a nice surprise. Come in.”

Ellie stepped inside, dreading imparting bad news to him. “I wish I wasn’t here on official business.”

Walt’s stomach plummeted as though someone had just dropped a ten-pound chunk of lead into it. “What is it?”

“Cy got back this morning. They didn’t find Toby.”

The wide range of emotions that crossed Walt’s face was startling. Disbelief, disappointment, anger, and grief flitted over his handsome features in rapid succession. “Damn it!”

He stomped away from Ellie, turning right into the one parlor. He swore the whole time he poured a drink of whiskey from the wet bar. Then he rapidly drank two shots.

Ellie wished with everything in her that the search for Toby had been fruitful. “I’m so sorry, Walt. Don’t give up hope, though. Sly is still looking.”

Walt shook his head. “Thanks, but it’s been five days. He could be anywhere by now. I’ve worked around law enforcement enough to know how a lot of these cases turn out. I just hope and pray that he’s alive and well out there somewhere and not sufferin’ or that he’s dead and out of his misery.”

“Walt! How could you say that?” Ellie was horrified.

Walt turned to her, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity she’d never seen before. “Ellie, I’ve seen firsthand what torture looks like. I knew people who … let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. I can’t say for sure, but I know someone had to take Toby. He wouldn’t just run away! If someone did kidnap him, they might be deranged or twisted somehow and do God only knows what to him. As much as I want him to be alive and well and come home, I’d rather he be dead instead of being tortured. And ya know that I’m right, so don’t try to tell me otherwise.”

Ellie said, “There might be another explanation. Let’s walk through some things, okay?”

Walt pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes against the burn of tears. “Aye. I know yer on duty, but how about some coffee?”

“Coffee would be fine.”

They went back into the hallway and Ellie couldn’t resist peeking into the parlor on the other side, checking to see if it still looked exactly like the other one. It didn’t appear to have been changed at all.

Walt chuckled, remembering how she’d done that every time she’d come over. Her fascination with the house was a great source of amusement to him.

“Still the same,” he said.

Ellie sent him a sheepish smile as they went into the dining room and through it to the kitchen. “I can’t help it.”

“I know,” Walt said. “Which is another thing I love about ya. Yer curious nature.” He fixed the coffee pot and put it on the stove. “Yer parents must’ve had a devil of a time keepin’ ya from findin’ the Christmas gifts every year.”

Ellie grinned as she went to the ice box. Opening it, she found a small crock of butter, which she sat on the table. She’d been to Walt’s house enough that she knew where things were kept. They’d fixed plenty of snacks and meals together, so it was easy to fall back into the routine despite having not been involved for several months.

Walt watched her go to the bread box and pull out the loaf of bread that Mrs. Turner had left that morning. Then Ellie went to the pantry and brought back a jar of strawberry jam.

“Ya didn’t eat breakfast, did ya?” he asked.

Ellie wasn’t surprised that he knew this. “No. I got up late, so I had to rush around to get to work on time.”

“And the reason ya were late getting’ up was because ya forgot to wind yer clock last night, isn’t it?” he said with a smug smile.

“I don’t like know-it-alls.”

She got a spoon and knife from the silverware drawer, put them on the table, and took out coffee cups and two saucers from the cupboards.

Walt leaned a hip on the counter. “I’m not bein’ a know-it-all. I just pay attention, Ellie. Off the job, yer one of the most disorganized people I know. Ya don’t wind yer clock, and sometimes, ya don’t set the alarm. Ya wait to do yer dishes until ye’ve got half a sink of them, and ya forget to eat half the time unless someone reminds ya. And when it comes to money? I don’t know how ya even know how much ya have because ya don’t keep track of it.”

It irked Ellie that he’d remembered all that about her. It also annoyed her that he was right.

She smirked at him. “Well at least my clothes aren’t all wrinkled, and they fit properly. You’re such a good-looking man, Walt. Why do you hide it? You have nice clothes, and you look so handsome when you wear them.”

He smiled as the coffee pot finished perking. Once he’d poured them each a cup, he sat down with her. “I’m glad to hear that ya find me attractive. It certainly seems as though ya do.”

Ellie slathered butter on the slices of bread she’d cut. “Yeah, I do. My being attracted to you has never been the problem. Anyway, let’s not get into that right now. I’m here to discuss Toby.”

“Right. So what are ya thinkin’?”

“How much has Toby told you about his brother and the other men he was with the night they attacked Brock and Daphne?” Ellie asked.

Walt frowned. “I’ve thought about that a lot. He would never tell me very much. He just said that his parents died when he was young and that his brother finished raisin’ him. He had no one else, so he stuck with his brother even though he didn’t like him very much.”

Ellie finished fixing the pieces of bread and scooted a saucer over to Walt. “I know that the only way you could’ve known so quick about Toby was because those men had come to see you. How did they know about you?”

Walt grinned. “That’s one of the things I can’t tell ya. Aye, they came to see me. The one who was shot in the leg seemed to be fond of Toby and said that he’d need help, but that he hadn’t done anything wrong.”

Ellie gave him a disapproving look. “You should’ve called us right away to tell us they’d been here.”

“And tell ya what? They didn’t say what they’d done, just that Toby was at the jail and that he was innocent of any wrongdoin’. Then they rode away, and I haven’t seen them since,” Walt said.

Ellie took a big bite of bread, savoring the combination of rich butter and sweet jam. “Mmm. That’s so good.”

“Do ya have any idea how much I want to smear that jam all over ya and lick it off every inch of that luscious little body?”

His question made the bite of jelly bread stick in Ellie’s throat. She quickly took a swallow of coffee to push it down to her stomach. “Don’t say things like that to me.”

The hunter had returned, hot of the trail of his prey. “Why? Because it’s not proper? We’ve done many things that weren’t proper, Ellie. A lot more improper than me sayin’ erotic things to ya.”

The images his statement created in her mind made Ellie glad that she was sitting down. If she’d been standing, her knees would have buckled with the force of the desire that hit her.

“We’re not married, so we’re not going to bed,” Ellie said emphatically, even though she wanted him intensely.

The next moment, he yanked her chair over to his and dropped down on his knees between hers. “But we could be. I’ve proposed to ya twice, gotten down on my knee and practically begged ya to marry me. Both times ya turned me down.”

Resting her hands on his shoulders, she pushed him back a little. “I’m not gonna marry you just so we can sleep together, Walt.”

He took her face in his hands. “Of course not! Damn it, Ellie! I want ya to marry me because ya love me. I know ya do, but yer fightin’ it so hard! It drives me near insane with how much I want ya, but not just in the physical sense. I want to share everything with ya. When ye’ve had a bad day and yer exhausted when ya come home, I’ll make sure ya eat, rub yer back, whatever ya need.

“I’ll do almost anything ya ever ask of me. I’d strip down and run naked outside if ya asked, I’d buy ya anything ya wanted, just to make you smile, and take ya anywhere ye’d like to go.” His expression turned ferocious and that element of danger about him intensified. “I’d kill for ya, Ellie, if ya told me to. I know ya don’t think ya need it, but I’d protect ya as much as I could. Anyone who tried to hurt ya would regret it.”

His expression softened again. “I want to give ya pleasure and have children with ya. I want to raise our wee ones and do all sorts of fun things—listen to me, lass! Ya turn me into a blitherin’ idiot, but I don’t care. The only thing holding me back—us back—is you.

“I’ve respected yer wishes and stayed away, and if ya still want me to, I will. It’ll kill me, but I’ll do it. Doesn’t the fact that I’m down on both knees, pourin’ my heart out to ya tell ya how devoted I am to you? If ye’ll only say the word, I’ll make ya happier than ya ever thought possible. Just. Say. Yes.”

Ellie’s heart raced along as she took in everything he said. She’d known that he loved her, but until that moment, she hadn’t understood just how deep his dedication to her ran. What woman in her right mind would refuse the love of such a handsome, thoughtful, intelligent man like Walt? He was funny and kind and—

There’s something wrong with him...wrong with him...wrong with him…

Hunter’s words suddenly echoed in Ellie’s mind as she stared into Walt’s beautiful hazel eyes. Was such intense love natural? Did Rob feel that way for Lynette? What about Cy and Leigh? Brock and Daphne? She knew that they were in love, but how much in love? Suddenly it seemed to her that Walt’s feelings for her bordered on obsession.

Walt saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. “Ellie, I don’t want to control ya. I won’t ever try to tell ya where ya should go, what to do, what to wear, or anything like that. I love that yer independent and I’d never insult yer intelligence by actin’ like I know best. I promise ya that. I’ll draw up an agreement about it, if ya want.”

Ellie smiled at the idea of signing such a document. Then she sobered. “What exactly are you asking me right this moment?”

“What do ya want me to ask? I’ll ask only as much as ya want me to. I’ll ask ya to just let me court ya for now if that’s what ya want. Or, even though we’re not on a romantic dinner or some other special place, I’ll ask ya to marry me. Whatever ya want,” Walt replied.

Hope flowed strong within him. He felt how close to the edge she was, how much she wanted to step over the precipice, and he’d never wanted anything more than he wanted to catch her and hold onto her forever.

Ellie didn’t know what to do, what to say. She wanted all those things with Walt, but something had made her turn him down in the past. However, they’d discussed her fears, and he’d twice promised her that he didn’t want to possess her. Never had she imagined that a man would want or love her so much.

It was intoxicating and made her feel cherished and something else she couldn’t name. She tried to put a finger on it. Powerful. The longing on Walt’s face made her realize that she had the upper hand. She was the one in control in a relationship for a change and it was a heady feeling.

Something a little dark rose up in her in answer to what she felt in him. But an emotion even stronger, more consuming coursed through her. Trustworthy. Hadn’t Walt proven that to her? She’d seen women look at the handsome lawyer, but whenever she’d been with Walt, he’d only had eyes for her. He was pleasant to other women, but it had been her that he’d focused on.

It was a rare man who kept asking a woman to marry him. Another sign of his loyalty, love, and devotion. How could she refuse him now when she wanted to be with him more than anything? She’d told Cy that what she felt for him was too much, too strong. It seemed as though her need for him was as potent as his for her.

Love so deep, so true reached out from her heart to his and Ellie tumbled, fell completely over the edge. But instead of being scared, she felt exhilarated and free. She let her heart swell, breaking the chains she’d kept around it for so long.

Sliding her hands over his shoulders until they rested on either side of his neck, she said, “Ask me that last question.”

Walt saw it in her eyes. Finally, she would be his. He didn’t give her another moment in which to change her mind. “I swear that I’ll do everything within my power to make ya happy for the rest of our lives. Elena Constance Jeffries, will you do me the greatest honor in the world by becomin’ my wife?”

Her stunning smile rendered him speechless. “Walt, you’re right. I do love you. I have for a while, but I was so scared that I couldn’t admit it. I want everything you just said, too. I love you and, yes, I’ll marry you.”

Blinding joy suffused Walt’s spirit. He crushed her to him, taking her lips in a possessive kiss that sent her senses reeling. She held him just as tightly, twining her tongue with his as he ran his hands down her back.

Walt craved her, but he wanted to respect her wishes, so he pulled away from Ellie, despite her moan of protest.

“Ellie, love, I want you more than life itself, but ya have to go back to work. I didn’t intend to ask ya right now like this, but I’m not sorry I did,” he said.

Ellie smiled. “I’m not, either. I don’t need a fancy dinner or anything like that. The way you just proposed to me was even more romantic than the first two times. Now where’s that gorgeous ring?”

Walt laughed and moved to rise. “Uh oh. My feet are numb from being down here for so long, but it was worth it.”

They laughed as Ellie helped him up and he wiggled his feet in his shoes to get the blood flowing again.

“Come with me,” he said.

Ellie followed him upstairs to the last door on the right side of the long hallway. She’d never been in his room before, but she’d known where it was located.

Walt gave her a rakish smile. “Ready to see the place where we’ll make love?”

Ellie nodded eagerly, her eyes alight with curiosity. “Yeah.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t show ya yet since we’re not married,” he teased.

“Walt, I want to see the place where you’ll bed me once we get back from our honeymoon,” she said wickedly.

His ache for her intensified, but he relished it. “Jaysus, Ellie. As ye wish.”

He opened the door and motioned for Ellie to go on in.

 

 

Chapter Five

 

 

Ivan sat in his small office outside of the sickroom, listening to Toby and Faith talk. He’d been there for two days and had been respectful of the rules Ivan had laid out for him. He hadn’t sworn, at least out loud, although Ivan was sure from a few of the dark scowls that had crossed Toby’s face that he’d been cussing in his mind.

Toby had been respectful of all the women, answering them politely and thanking them for anything they did for him. He hadn’t complained about the food except to say that he was used to eating more meat and that he missed coffee. However, he was still resistant to religion, and he’d groused a few times about attending Sunday services whenever he became able.

Ivan had steadfastly and patiently informed him that he was free to leave any time if he chose to. No one was holding him there.

Now that Toby’s fever had broken and he was fully alert, Ivan no longer allowed Faith to be completely alone with Toby. He wasn’t blind to the way his daughter looked at the good-looking boy and he’d caught Toby giving Faith the onceover, too. From their banter, it seemed as though they liked each other and would bear close watching.

“Faith, it’s time to go help your mother with supper,” he said.

In his mind, he could see her roll her eyes, which made him smile. She was the more spirited of his two daughters, requiring the most discipline.

“Faith,” he warned when she didn’t answer.

“Yes, Pa,” she said, coming out of the sickroom. “I’ll bring Toby a plate once it’s done and let you know we’re ready.”

Ivan said, “No, Faith. Ruth will bring his supper tonight.”

She frowned at his stern look, but didn’t say anything before going on her way.

“Hey, Doc, here’s an idea; how about I come to supper? I’m not a leper or anything,” Toby said.

Ivan smiled. “I didn’t say you were. I’m just not sure that leg is up to sitting on a chair yet.”

“Only one way to find out. Besides, I’d like to wear some britches again if it’s all the same to you. I’m tired of this room, too. It’d be nice to see something else besides white walls and those scraggly bushes outside the window,” Toby said.

Ivan chuckled as he walked into the sickroom. “Well, you’ve got a lot of complaints today. I anticipated that you’d be getting antsy by now, so I brought you some of George’s clothes. You’re about the same size.”

“You mean I gotta wear Mormon stuff?” Toby asked.

Ivan nodded. “Afraid so, son. That’s all we have here. Now, since you’re a Gentile, I won’t give you any garments.”

Toby cautiously slid over to the side of the bed. “How are you gonna give me clothes if you don’t give me garments?”

Ivan chuckled. “Temple garments are what you Gentiles might call underwear, but they have special significance to us Mormons.”

Toby sucked in a breath as he put weight on his leg. “Holy cow! I didn’t think it would hurt that much.”

Ivan said, “There were a lot of splinters to remove from the wound and that piece of wood was in deep. It did as much damage coming out as it did going in. I’ll give you a pair of crutches. If you try walking on it, you might tear the stitches. I’ll be able to take them out in a week.”

Toby eyed the strange, one-piece, cotton garment that looked like union jack underwear. However, unlike the union suits, they had tie closures in the front and a collar around the neck. “Where are my regular underwear?”

“They were ruined and not suitable even if they hadn’t been,” Ivan replied. “I didn’t even know they made underwear that short.”

Toby said, “They’re starting to get more popular. They’re a lot more comfortable and they make it easier when you gotta go to the outhouse. You should try them.”

Ivan tried not to be offended because Toby obviously had no knowledge of the Mormon religion, but a small prick of irritation made his lips thin. “They’re sinful and they left too much of you exposed. I’m glad Faith covered you up when she and Winnie found you.”

Toby’s eyes widened. “Faith found me?”

“Yes.”

Toby’s face suffused with color. “I didn’t know. It wasn’t my fault, though. They took all my other clothes, so that was all I had to wear. Sorry about that.”

“Toby, who are ‘they’? We can’t help you if you don’t trust us,” Ivan said kindly as he showed Toby how to put on the garments.

Looking down at himself, Toby asked, “Where’s the crotch?”

The split garment had a gap at the leg juncture, and it was disconcerting to Toby to feel air between his legs like that.

Ivan couldn’t help chuckling over his discomfort. “You’ll get used to it soon.”

“Oh, no I won’t. I’m only here until I heal enough to leave.”

Ivan said, “You mean until you go back home, don’t you?”

Toby’s gaze lowered. “I’m not so sure I’m going back there, either.”

Ivan helped him put on a pair of dark trousers. “Why not?”

Over the past couple of days, Toby had concluded that he couldn’t bring danger on anyone and that the best thing for him to do was to disappear.

“I’m just not, that’s all.”

Ivan’s irritation simmered into anger. “Now look, Toby. I’ve been patient with you, but I deserve some answers. You told Faith that someone kidnapped you and now you don’t want to go home. Who are you running from?”

Toby shook his head. “You don’t want to know. As soon as I can, I’ll leave. I won’t bring anyone trouble, and that’s what’ll happen if I stay here or go home. They’ll find me one way or another.”

Ivan put a hand on Toby’s shoulder. “Where would you go? If these people are as terrible as you say they are, they’ll track you down.”

Toby said, “I’ll go to Mexico. They won’t come after me there.”

“And how are you going to get there without any money?”

“You’re just trying to get me to stay so you can convert me,” Toby said, buttoning the white shirt Ivan had given him. “I’m not gonna become a Mormon or a Catholic or a Buddhist monk or anything like that. So you can just forget that idea!”

The boy is as stubborn as the day is long. Seeing that he wasn’t going to get any answers out of Toby, Ivan let the issue drop for the time being. “Let’s go to supper. It’s never a good idea to keep your wives waiting a meal on you.”

He went to the office and came back with a pair of homemade crutches for Toby, who took them and started out. Just being upright again felt good despite the throbbing pain in his leg. He slowly made his way to the door that led into the Phillips’ kitchen.

“Look who decided to join us for supper,” Ivan announced.

As Toby took in Ivan’s two wives and all the kids, he thought that it was good that the kitchen was so big. It was a battle not to adjust his crotch as he moved towards the table. The strange underthings felt so different that it was hard to pay attention to other things. He caught sight of Faith and his face heated as he remembered that she was the one who’d found him almost naked.

Keeping his eyes averted, he let George help seat him and looked around shyly as Ivan introduced him to everyone else. There had to be ten kids of various ages and Toby knew that he wouldn’t remember who was who. He bowed his head during Ivan’s prayer and then started passing dishes of food around like the others.

He wasn’t used to eating with a lot of other people unless he went to a friend’s house. At home, it was just usually him and Walt. A wave of homesickness washed through him, and he felt hot tears prick the backs of his eyes. He bowed his head as one escaped and dropped onto the table.

I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry.

Mentally reciting those words had a calming effect on Toby and he was able to rein in his emotions. That only lasted until someone mentioned Irish stew. He missed Walt’s lilting accent and the way he teased him about Jessica. He missed his room and the crazy house they lived in.

His breath hitched in his chest, and he suddenly needed to get away from the table, out of that house. Rising awkwardly, he moved as quickly as he could to the kitchen door and went outside. There was a picnic table under a little pavilion a short distance away. He hobbled over to it, sitting down gingerly on a seat.

Trying to contain his grief, shock, and fear only seemed to make the turbulent emotions stronger. Finally, he gave up the fight, put his head in his hands, and let it all pour out. Someone sat down by him, but he was too caught up in his misery to pay much attention. A kind hand rubbed his back as he cried, but no words were spoken.

Eventually, his tears subsided, and he raised his eyes when a handkerchief was held out to him. Looking to the right, he saw an old man with snow-white hair and blue eyes smiling at him.

“Who the hell are you?” Toby asked, forgetting about the no cursing rule.

He took in the austere black suit and the black hat with the wide, flat brim and figured that he must be someone important.

“I’m Bishop Talbot. And you’re Toby.”

Toby nodded and blew his nose. “You know who I am?”

“Of course, I do. It’s not every day that we rescue a Gentile boy from the jaws of death,” Bishop Talbot said.

Toby shoved the handkerchief in his pocket. “Well, don’t worry. Once I’m better, this Gentile boy will be leaving. God, this underwear is killing me!”

“I’m certain that Brother Ivan must have warned you about taking the Lord’s name in vain,” Bishop Talbot said sternly.

“Yeah. Sorry. How do you wear these all the time?” Toby said, scrooching around on the bench a little.

The bishop saw what Ivan meant about Toby. His crude behavior was annoying yet amusing.

“You’ll get used to them.”

“No, I won’t. I’ll leave as soon as I can and give them back to you. I’d rather go without anything than wear them,” Toby replied.

The bishop grunted. “Seems to me that you have bigger problems than underwear right now.”

Toby scowled at him. “Yeah. Like this leg. If it wasn’t for that, I’d have left already. As it is, I wouldn’t get very far. I don’t have a choice but to stay unless you kick me out.”

Bishop Talbot saw anxiety pass briefly over Toby’s face. “We won’t kick you out unless you break the rules. You’re a guest and we expect you to obey the rules while you’re here. Do you understand?”

The hard look on the bishop’s face made Toby uneasy. “Yes, sir. Sorry for swearing and all.”

“I’ll overlook it this time, but if it keeps happening, there’ll be consequences.”

Toby smiled. “Like making me say a bunch of Hail Mary’s or something?”

Bishop Talbot barely suppressed a smile. “We’re not Catholics. Just don’t push your luck.”

“Okay.” Toby eyed him for a moment. “You know, I might not like these skivvies, but I kinda like your hat. Do I get one?”

The bishop’s chuckle turned into a laugh and Toby grinned.

“We’ll have to wait and see about that, son,” Bishop Talbot said, rising. “And you have until tomorrow to tell us where you came from and why people kidnapped you. I understand that you’re scared, but I have a duty to protect our village. So, in exchange for our kindness and medical care, you’ll give us the information we want. It’s only right.”

The steely glint in the older man’s eyes told Toby that if he didn’t comply, he’d be tossed out. He wasn’t stupid. He needed these people at the moment, so he’d better appease them. He didn’t have to tell them everything, just enough to satisfy them.

“Yes, sir.”

The bishop gave a satisfied nod and walked away.

 

 

Sly Lone Wolf felt free as he rode through the woods. The solitude was exactly what he needed. Yes, he was trying to find Toby, but he was also trying to find the peace he so desperately craved. It had been almost a year since Catherine’s death, but sometimes it seemed as though he’d just lost her.

He knew that people thought he should be able to move on by now, but his love for her had been too strong to fade quickly. Guilt also weighed down his soul and he’d found little joy in life since she’d died. He needed to find some happiness again, but it was elusive. Being alone gave him a chance to think, to just be.

The big German Shepard/Husky mix dog ran beside his horse, constantly scenting the ground and breeze in search of the scent he’d been given. Burt had been content to stay with Sly and was happiest when he was working. Sly smiled when a couple of deer crossed their path and Burt barely paid them any heed. When he was on duty, nothing deterred Burt from his objective.

As they traveled along a stream, Burt suddenly veered off to the left toward a stand of trees. He frantically sniffed all around and then barked excitedly.

Sly’s heart beat faster. Could Burt have really picked up Toby’s scent? They were traveling in the lower part of Kansas and the trail would’ve been very cold by now unless Toby had been there recently. Was it possible?

Dismounting, Sly took out Toby’s dirty shirt out of his pack and held it out to the dog. “Urarᵾ. Urarᵾ, Toby,” he commanded in Comanche.

Burt took one whiff of the shirt and went right back over to where he’d been sniffing and sat down. He barked twice, indicating that he’d found the trail. Elation flowed through Sly as he mounted again.

“Go!” he said in Comanche.

Burt took off and Sly rode right behind him, following the big dog along the stream.

 

 

The next morning, Ivan informed Toby that they were going to the bishop’s house where a council meeting had been scheduled so that the officials could hear Toby’s story. He was determined to keep the worst of the information to himself. Tension cramped his shoulders and his stomach churned, but he forced himself to eat breakfast so that he didn’t seem concerned.

He didn’t participate in any conversations and after a couple of unsuccessful tries to engage him, Ivan left him alone. Toby’s thoughts turned inward as he ate, mentally preparing himself for the coming meeting, but also working on a plan to get to Mexico. He’d have to work just long enough in each town he came upon to earn money to buy supplies and stretch them as far as he could. Determination set in, and he wasn’t going to let anyone get in his way.

Once breakfast was over, he followed Ivan to the bishop’s house, where he was introduced to several other men. He smiled and responded politely to their greetings but wasn’t overly friendly. A chair had been sat before a long table, behind which all of the men sat.

Bishop Talbot indicated that Toby was to sit on the single chair, and he had the strong impression that he was on trial. He carefully sat down and tried to remain relaxed.

Bishop Talbot smiled at him. “Now, then, Toby. Kindly tell us how you came to be here.”

Toby met each pair of eyes briefly. Walt had told him that good eye contact was important when telling a story because it helped create a connection between the speaker and the listener.

“Well, I was on my way home from school when these men waylaid me. I took the shortcut through the woods that I always use, and they jumped me. They put a sack over my head and knocked me out. I don’t remember much after that. Just flashes of being carried on a horse.

“When I came to, I was tied to a chair in a cabin. There was a man standing there and he kept asking me about some money. I kept telling him that I didn’t know anything about any money. He got the wrong kid. He threatened me and kept hitting my legs with a switch.

“They took all of my clothes except my underwear. I don’t know what money they were talking about. The guy said that they were gonna leave me to think about it for a while, but that I’d better tell them what they wanted to know. Seems like a lot of that going around.”

That was a preview of Gray Justice: The Chance City Series Book Four. To read the rest purchase the book.

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