Randall Renegade (7 page)

He saw the horses in the corral. His dad and uncles had repaired the corral before they’d repaired the cabin. “Got to take care of our ani
mals first,” his dad always said. They wouldn’t get home tomorrow without their horses.

Patience had fed and watered them, he could see. He rubbed Jasper’s nose affectionately and then climbed the porch. When he opened the door, Patience was standing near it, a narrow log in her hands.

“Building up the fire?” he asked.

“No. If it wasn’t you, I was going to hit whoever it was on the head.”

“I’m glad you recognized me,” he said with a grin. Before he could say more, Patience put down the log and threw her arms around him.

“I’m so glad you’re here!” she exclaimed, burying her face in his neck.

“Easy, sweetheart,” Jim soothed, holding her against him. “Did you have any problems?”

She backed away slightly to meet his gaze.

“No…except you didn’t mention the key.”

“I’m sorry. But it looks like you found it.”

“Well, actually Tommy did. He reminded me that my mother hides a key over the door outside.”

“Where is the little guy?”

“He fell asleep as soon as he ate.”

“You found enough food?”

“Yes. I’ve got it all ready for you. There’s canned meat, beans and instant potatoes.”

“I’m starving,” he said. “That all sounds good. Glad to have running water and plenty of canned goods. Listen, you go ahead and get some sleep. You don’t have to sit up and watch me eat. I know you’re tired.”

“I want to,” she told him with a soft smile that made his stomach flip.

“Okay,” he agreed, hoping his face didn’t show how much he wanted her there.

He washed up in the spartan bathroom and came back to sit at the table. Patience had put out a plate of food. “This is great,” he said with a grin, inviting her to relax. “Clearing our tracks took a lot of energy.”

“Did you get them all erased?” she asked.

“Mostly. It would take a really sharp eye to see what’s left.” He took a bite of food, watching Patience. She was still tense. “Except for the lock, everything else went all right?”

“Well, I didn’t know what to do about the wolves following us. Are the horses safe in the corral?”

“Yeah. The tin nailed to the lower rails keeps vermin out and the horses safe.”

He took another bite. She
still
seemed tense. “And Tommy made it all right?” he asked.

“Sure. Except for asking every few minutes when Mr. Jim was going to come.”

“I think maybe we’d better teach him to just call me Jim. I’m not used to the ‘Mr.’ part.”

“I want him to show respect to adults.”

“Yeah, that’s a good thing, but I’d rather be his friend, Patience. Like I hope you consider me to be a friend.” He reached a hand across the table and she took it. The warmth of her hand was such a contrast to the cold of the night, he never wanted to let go.

“Since you left university, have you…regretted not getting your degree?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I never had a major, you know. I’m not sure what I would’ve done after I graduated. It made me feel guilty. I mean, look at your cousin Caroline, going off to make the world a better place. Or your other cousin Tori, doing investments and accounting. They made their degrees count for something.”

“You might have found your niche. A lot of kids don’t declare a major until their junior year,” Jim said, watching her.

“Maybe. When I got home after our…
argument, I found Faith dying and her baby ready to enter the world. Kane walked out and Mom was in shock. Tommy needed me. Sitting in classes seemed unimportant compared to that.”

“I guess so.”

“Are you doing what you want to do?”

“Yeah. But I never expected to change my job because of school. Mom and Dad insisted on it. I’m raising my own herd. I’m breeding Charolais cattle. They’re known for the weight they can carry.”

“Yes.”

“How are you and your mom making a living?”

“Dad had a good insurance policy. Tori invested it for us and we live on that. We can’t spend wildly, but we make it.”

“Good. That gives you time with Tommy.”

“Yes.”

She pulled her hand free and began gathering up the dishes.

“Don’t worry about doing the dishes, Patience. I can do them.”

“It won’t take but a minute. We want to leave the cabin ready for the next person who needs
it.” With her back to him, she said, “Do you think your family will mind coming to get us?”

“Of course not.”

“They might not approve of me.”

“Why wouldn’t they? My mother thinks you’re special.”

“We haven’t told anyone about Faith’s… I mean, everyone knows she’s dead, but they don’t know how it happened. She and Joseph left town right after they got married and didn’t come back until she was ready to deliver. We didn’t want to tell anyone about Tommy’s father.”

“Wasn’t my aunt Anna involved in saving the baby?”

“Yes. And Dr. Jon Wilson, too, Tori’s husband.”

“And you think my mother wouldn’t know?” He laughed. “Not that she ever spoke to me about you. Mom keeps her secrets.”

“She…she brought a present for Tommy after I brought him home with me.”

“I’m glad. I feel guilty that I wasn’t there for you.”

“You hadn’t made me any promises.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s me. No-promises Jim.” He
stood and moved to the counter beside her. “I was immature, Patience—and scared.”

“Sometimes I’m scared, too,” she said.

“Well, everything’s going to be all right. And my family will be happy to pick us up once we’re able to contact them. I promise.”

“All right.”

“Now, why don’t you go up to the loft? It’s fixed up real nice. I’ll keep an eye on Tommy down here.”

“He won’t wake up. He sleeps like a log.”

“Good. So will I,” he assured her.

When she hesitated, he asked, “Is anything wrong? Other than the obvious.”

“No. I’ll…I’ll go to the loft now.”

She turned and slowly climbed the ladder.

Jim moved over to the bunk Tommy occupied. Curled up underneath the covers, the little boy looked very small. He couldn’t imagine how Patience managed to grieve for her sister and take care of the baby at the same time. Yet Tommy showed no signs of his horrible beginning. Even the two days he spent with the general didn’t appear to have done him any harm.

Jim certainly hoped not, anyway. He was a cute little boy. And smart.

With a sigh, he tugged the cover a little farther
up on Tommy’s cheek. Hopefully tomorrow, he’d have him safe.

Moving to the sink, he put away the dishes she’d washed. Patience was a good woman. He’d done her wrong three years ago. He wished he’d been more understanding, been there when she needed him.

But maybe he could make up for it now. He could make sure she and her little boy got home safely.

He had just taken off his boots and begun unbuttoning his shirt when Patience called him. “Jim, would you come up here, please?”

Chapter Five

It seemed to Jim that he stood there staring at Patience from the bottom of the loft ladder for a long time. But it must’ve been only seconds. “Yes?” he asked.

“I…I’m scared. I can’t go to sleep.”

He climbed the rungs slowly, each step bringing him closer to something he’d dreamed about for the past three years—Patience holding open her arms to him.

He reached for her and wrapped his arms around her, saying, “You need to relax and get some sleep, sweetheart. Tomorrow is going to be tough, but we’re going to make it.”

“I can believe you when your arms are around me, but when I’m alone, I get scared. I know I should be more adult, but…” She dissolved into sobs.

Jim thought she’d held up very well, with no sleep, little food, intense cold and the threat of death hanging over her and her child. He rocked her against him. “Shh, honey, don’t cry. Come on, let’s lie down. I’ll hold you for a while.”

He pulled her down beside him on the bed. He’d already made sure he’d set the alarm on his watch so he’d get up early enough to get them on the trail by five. They would reach the switchback trail down in about an hour. If they got there before the sun came up, they could take a break then.

Bringing up the blankets to cover them both, Patience snuggled against him. Desire shot through Jim like lightning. He was too tired, though, and he couldn’t betray the trust Patience had placed in him. It didn’t take longer than two minutes of him holding her under the warm covers before her even breathing told him she was asleep.

He lay there another two or three minutes—at least that’s what it felt like—when his alarm went off. He quickly turned the watch off and stared at it. It couldn’t be four o’clock. He’d lain down with Patience at eight-thirty.

He realized he felt better. Not back to his usual strength, but better. He moved from Pa
tience with reluctance. Her warmth had reassured him as much as his had her. The thought of crawling into bed with Patience for the rest of his life seemed as necessary as taking his next breath.

When they got home and had Tommy safe, they had a lot to talk about.

He climbed down the ladder and found Tommy still sleeping, looking as if he hadn’t moved all night. After putting on his boots, Jim grabbed his coat and some feed for the horses. They got fed first.

The two horses were huddled together under the shed roof that extended over the corral. The smell of feed roused them. “Eat up, guys. You’ve got another long day before we get home.”

He watched for a minute to be sure they were okay. Grabbing a nearby log, he broke the ice on the water trough so they could drink. Then he went back inside. Adding a couple of logs to the stove, with its glowing coals, upped the temperature level. They might as well start out warm.

Instant oatmeal didn’t take long to fix. When he had three bowls ready and powdered milk in three glasses, he called to Patience.

“Patience! Breakfast is ready. You’ve got two minutes!”

Then he crossed to Tommy. “Little guy, it’s time to get up and eat breakfast. Come on. I’ll carry you to the bathroom, but you’ve got to hurry. It’s your mom’s turn next.”

It took about ten minutes, but he soon had them eating their breakfast. He wished he’d found more food to take with them. All he had that would be easy to eat on the trail was beef jerky. Definitely an acquired taste, he admitted, hoping Patience and Tommy would eat it.

He poured Patience a cup of coffee to finish off breakfast.

“I want some, too!” Tommy cried, pushing his cup forward.

“Sure, Tommy.”

Patience looked alarmed, but Jim poured several drops of coffee into the boy’s milk, enough to give it a tan. “Try that, Tommy.”

The little boy beamed at Jim. “I’m a big boy.”

“Yes, you are. I know big boys who wouldn’t have done as well as you.”

The little boy drank his “coffee” with pride—and tried to hide his distaste for it.

“Okay, Tommy, one last visit to the bathroom and then we have to go.”

When Tommy had left the table, Patience smiled at Jim. “Thank you for understanding. It made him feel so proud.”

“He’s done well, Patience.”

“And…and thank you for comforting me last night. I shouldn’t have fallen apart.” She kept her gaze down.

Jim chuckled. “You comforted me, as well.”

She turned bright red. “I’m glad.”

“Take your turn with the facilities after Tommy. Then we’ll be on our way.”

“But it’s still dark out there.”

“We’ve got about an hour’s ride before we reach the trail down. I’m timing it so we’ll be there at sunrise.”

Tommy came out and she disappeared into the bath. Jim, meanwhile, helped Tommy with his boots and coat. “Are you going to ride with your mommy today?” he asked.

Patience came out to answer that question. “Yes. He’ll ride with me. He’ll probably sleep a little more.”

She slid into her big coat and pulled a wool cap over her blond hair, then put on her gloves. “I’m ready.”

He took her outside, opened the corral and helped her mount her horse, then picked up Tommy and placed him in front of her. “Do you see where the trail starts off?” He pointed to the slight break in the trees to the east.

“Yes. Jim, don’t make me go on without you.”

He sighed. “Patience, I just want to backtrack a little bit to—”

“That will mess up all you’ve done to cover our trail. Come with us, please?” Her gray eyes pleaded with him.

After a moment he gave in. “Okay, I’ll come with you. But if I tell you to go on without me, next time you have to go. I’ve put a .22 rifle on your saddle so you’ll be able to protect yourself if something happens to me.”

“Okay,” she said.

Jim wasn’t sure he trusted her to do as he asked. Now she knew how weak he was when it came to denying her.

He mounted Jasper and led the way to the trail. At first sight he’d put out the fire in the stove before he left the cabin, and there was no obvious sign that they’d been there.

His spirits were higher today. They were going to make it, he was sure. He’d done what he
set out to do—rescue Patience and Tommy. And he’d made his peace with Patience, which was more than he’d hoped for.

And he intended to grow closer to her once they were home. He’d been an idiot to stay away from her for the past three years. Foolish pride had cost him a lot.

T
HE SNOW WAS
crusty in places, which made it hard going that first hour. And because it was dark, Jim didn’t want to push Patience and Tommy too hard.

In fact, the time just before dawn had a kind of dreamlike quality that lulled him into ignoring any noises. No one could’ve caught up with them that quickly.

A shot rang out.

“Ride on, Patience,” he shouted as he pulled his rifle from his saddle and leaped to the ground, reins still in his hand. He found the nearest tree and began to search the forest behind him.

Shadowy movement drew a couple of shots from him. Then he waited to see what they would do next. He counted three men. That would be the general and his two lieutenants, he thought.

Jim was glad. He could hate those men—but not the innocents he’d spent a day training.