When All My Dreams Come True (26 page)

David and Sonny led Coop back to Jace at gunpoint. Blood dripped down Sonny’s temple. Blood oozed from an eye and from each corner of Coop’s mouth, and he turned to avoid looking at Jace.

“They jumped me up in the mountains, Jace.” Sonny touched a finger to his temple. “I didn’t know they were there.”

Jace nodded, though he never took his eyes off Coop. Never before had he wanted to thrash a man as much as he wanted to thrash Coop. The questioning would have to wait.

“Tie him up good and tight. Then take these men in to the sheriff’s office. Tell Morgan to lock ’em up. Tell him I’ll be in as soon as I get Bobbie settled at the house.”

“You got it, Jace.”

“Sonny.” Jace directed a firm look at the young ranch hand. “You make sure they get there no worse off than they are now.”

“Yes, sir.”

Sonny and David helped the two men into their saddles before escorting them toward town. Jace turned his attention to Bobbie. Never before had he felt so helpless.

“Are you all right, Bobbie?” She nodded slightly but didn’t look at him. “Then let’s get you home.”

He stepped back to let her walk to her horse, but she fell to her knees and retched. He didn’t think he could feel any worse than he had earlier, but seeing her in this condition proved him wrong. Waiting until she finished, he pulled the kerchief from his neck and helped her clean her face. Her hands trembled. She looked so weak. His heart moved to his throat at the complete despair he saw on her face.

He picked her up in his arms, set her in his saddle, and swung up behind her. He grabbed one of Mack’s reins and then headed
for the house. They didn’t get far before he heard Bobbie choke. He stopped to let her be sick again. Afterward, he cradled her tightly in his arms as she went limp. He again headed for home, which suddenly seemed much too far away.

   TWENTY   

B
obbie lay motionless in Jace’s arms. Maybe if she stayed still and kept her eyes closed, he wouldn’t be inclined to talk or ask questions. She didn’t want anything to do with anyone right now. She wanted to be alone. So why did she feel secure in his arms?

The acrid taste in her mouth begged for water. The vomiting had done nothing to purge the foulness of what had happened. Her skin ached to be cleansed, but she knew nothing could wipe away the filth that clung to her from that man’s touch. She took a deep breath and fought not to retch again.

Jace’s arms tightened around her. Part of her wanted to enjoy the comfort they provided. The other part wanted to lash out at him and all men. But she would forever be grateful to him for saving her from that horrid man. She felt Jace press his cheek to the top of her head. Her thoughts jumbled. The safety and contentment she felt in his arms went directly against all the hurt and anguish his distrust of her produced.

“We’re home,” Jace whispered.

A door slammed. “Bobbie? Jace, what’s wrong with Bobbie? Is she hurt?”

“Let me get her into her bed first, Annie. Then I’ll try to explain what happened.” Jace took his time dismounting. Bobbie knew he exerted extra effort to be careful with her.

She squirmed to be set down. “I can walk.”

He released her legs, only to scoop her up again when they threatened to collapse under her. In moments, she felt the softness of the bed beneath her, but it did nothing to erase the memory of the rocks against her back.

A cry escaped when she felt the unexpected tug of her boots being removed. Annie’s cool hand caressed her cheek.

“It’s just us, Bobbie.” Annie leaned down and gave her a hug. “I’ll be right back.”

She pulled a blanket over her. Bobbie grasped it and pulled it up to her chin.

Jace’s voice ebbed and strengthened from the doorway. “Coop was a part of it.” He sounded angry.

“Coop?” More mumbling took place before Annie reappeared at her side. “I’m going to clean that cut on your forehead, Bobbie.” A warm rag stung the open wound. Annie went about her task in silence, dipping the cloth on occasion for fresh water. “There. That looks better, but I still want the doctor to take a look at it.”

Bobbie’s gaze flashed in Annie’s direction before looking away. “I don’t need a doctor.”

“That gash might need a stitch or two.”

She didn’t argue, but she didn’t like the idea either. She just wanted to be left alone.

“Look at me, Bobbie.” Her cheek was cupped in Annie’s tender palm. She applied pressure until Bobbie looked her way. Love and compassion filled Annie’s expression. “None of this was your fault, Bobbie. You can’t take the sins of another man on your shoulders. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Bobbie’s tears flowed as sobs wracked her body. Annie gathered her into her arms and held her until the weeping ceased. She took the damp cloth and wiped Bobbie’s face.

“Would you like a bath?”

Bobbie nodded and blew into the handkerchief Annie held to her nose. “That sounds good.”

“Stay put. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”

“Thanks, Annie. For everything.”

Annie smiled but Bobbie couldn’t get her lips to return the gesture.

Jace stood in front of Coop’s jail cell wishing his hands were gripping the man’s neck instead of the iron bars. Coop refused to speak, wouldn’t even look up at him. A curse word came from the next cell over. Doc struggled to patch the hole Jace’s bullet had made in the other man’s shoulder.

“Keep yer mouth shut, Coop. They ain’t got nothin’.”

“Quiet,” Doc demanded, “or I’ll shoot you full of morphine until I finish putting you back together.”

The man only grumbled and continued his cursing.

“Let me in there, Sheriff,” David said. “I’ll get them to talk.”

“Take it easy, David. They’ll talk or they’ll hang for what they did to Bobbie. May hang anyway.” The sheriff sat at his desk going through wanted posters. Every once in a while, he’d stand and hold a poster up to the man’s face, only to return to his seat again.

Still gripping the bars in his hands, Jace turned to his men. “Go back to the ranch, David. You too, Sonny. I’ll be along when Doc is finished here. I want him to take a look at Bobbie.”

“We can wait with you.”

“No, it’s already dark, and I need you to go on back and get the chores finished up. You’ll have to do Bobbie’s too.”

They looked reluctant to leave but obeyed without further argument. Once they were gone, Jace went to the sheriff’s desk.

“This isn’t working, Morgan. Let me in there to talk to Coop.”

Morgan looked up from his papers and almost smiled. “Not a chance, Jace. You were mad as a scalded cat when I told you Bobbie
was a
suspect
in bank robbery. I’m not sure I can trust how you’ll react if Coop still won’t cooperate.”

He opened his mouth to argue, then clamped it shut. He stood and returned to his position at the bars.

“Talk to me, Coop. Why would you tell me all that stuff about Bobbie, and then turn around and try to kill her?”

Coop looked up. “I didn’t—”

“Shut up, Coop!” the man bellowed from the other cell. “They can’t hang us if they don’t know nothin’.”

Coop returned to staring at the floor. Maddening frustration rolled through Jace. “Can’t you shut him up, Doc? Knock him out or something.”

“I’m just about done, Jace. No need to knock him out now.”

Jace pushed away from the bars to pace in front of Morgan’s desk. Coop seemed terrified of the other man. Maybe if they could get them away from each other...

“Why don’t you go out and find my deputy, Jace.” The sheriff eyed him with a look of compassion. “I want to talk to Bobbie, and he needs to be here while I’m gone.”

“I told you, Morgan, Bobbie’s in no frame of mind to talk to you or anyone else for that matter.”

“I still gotta try.”

Jace headed for the door. “I’ll see if I can round up your deputy. I’m not getting anything accomplished here.”

Bobbie climbed onto the bed while Annie held back the covers, then she sat on the side of the bed. “Feel better now?”

She couldn’t answer. Annie touched her chin, forcing Bobbie to look at her. She had been so kind and loving, even being moved to tears when she saw all the bruises on Bobbie’s body. She deserved an honest answer.

“I can still feel him touching me. It seems dirty somehow.”

Annie leaned over and looked at her long and hard. “But it’s
his
dirt, Bobbie, not yours. He had evil on his mind. Don’t let that man and what happened steal anything from you. Don’t let him change who you are. You’re a fighter, Bobbie. I’ve seen it. Fight these feelings of yours. I know you can beat them.”

The kitchen door squeaked open, and the sound of several pairs of boots echoed down the hallway.

“They’re here.” Annie patted her hand. “I’ll go meet them and make sure Doc knows it’s just your forehead he’s to look at.”

“Annie?” Pete called for his wife.

“Coming.” Annie met Bobbie’s gaze as she tucked the covers up under her chin. “It’ll be all right.”

Bobbie nodded, and Annie walked out into the hall. She returned minutes later with Doc, Morgan, and Jace on her heels. Bobbie glanced at each of them but couldn’t hold their gaze, especially Jace’s. She didn’t know exactly how she felt about him. The hurt from his distrust clung to her heart.

Doc reached down and squeezed her hand as she gripped the top of the covers. He smiled. “All right, Bobbie, let’s see what we have here.” His touch to her forehead as he went to work could only be deemed professional. “You did a good job cleaning it, Annie. It looks good. Won’t take much to fix up that wound.”