Whirlwind Reunion (9 page)

They covered the short distance to town in silence. Annalise's mind whirled, her emotions swinging wildly from one to another—first sadness, then bitterness then a bone-deep longing for him and what they used to share. Which unsettled her to no end. Ruthlessly, she reminded herself that she hadn't been able to count on him before. Why would now be any different?

She had never expected his remorse or apologies. Or this sweet, sharp longing for what they used to be. She had no idea how to handle it. How to handle
him.
All she knew was she needed to get away from him because she wanted to be around him. And that terrified her.

 

Neither of them spoke for the remainder of the journey. Or when they unhitched her buggy at the livery. Or as they walked down the street toward her clinic. Matt offered to carry her bag, but she declined. She didn't tell him to leave her be, which he took as a good sign. Of course, she didn't talk to him either.

His gut said stay quiet so he did. Tension vibrated in every line of her body.

When she'd apologized for not telling him about the baby's marker, he'd thought they'd made some headway in getting beyond their past, especially when he expressed his remorse over believing she lied about knowing she was expecting. But she had withdrawn into herself.

Matt was glad he'd apologized, but it didn't appear to have made much difference.

He'd felt her surprise, her shock. Maybe she didn't believe him. She sure as hell didn't trust him and Matt didn't know if she ever would again.

“Who is that?” Her quiet voice broke through his thoughts and his gaze followed hers down the moonlit street to the clinic. Two tall men draped in shadow stood at the front door. They turned as Matt and Annalise drew near, and in a patch of pale light, he could see it was Davis Lee and Jericho.

Annalise recognized them at the same moment and hurried toward them. “Has something happened? Josie?”

Davis Lee shook his head. “Josie's fine and no one's been hurt that I know of.”

Beside him, Matt felt her exhale in relief.

“But Jericho and I do need to talk to you.”

“You, too, Matt,” the former Ranger added.

Concern etched Annalise's features as she hurried up the steps and unlocked the door. All three men followed her inside and Matt closed the door as Annalise set her bag on the floor and lit the lantern on the table near the window.

Jericho began in his calm voice. “A man I used to ranger with stopped at my house a while ago. He's been on the trail of the Landis brothers.”

Matt removed his hat, his muscles going tight.

“Dale tracked them through Indian Territory and lost their trail about five miles west of Whirlwind.”

Dread knotting his gut, Matt shared a look with Davis Lee. “So the bastards are in this area?”

“That's what Dale thinks,” Jericho answered. “Just after they crossed the Red River, he shot and injured
one of them. He followed their blood trail for a couple of miles. Some time later, he came upon a bundle of bloody rags. He recognized the nearby hoof prints as belonging to their horses.”

“So one of them needs medical attention.” Biting off a curse, Matt shoved a hand through his hair.

Annalise looked from him to Jericho. “What's going on? Do you think they might come here to the clinic?”

“Or to Catherine,” Jericho answered tersely.

“Like the McDougals did,” Matt said. A pulsing abrupt silence came over all three men at the mention of the murderous gang.

Two years ago, Jericho had arrived at Catherine's house, shot and near dead. He'd been chasing Andrew Donnelly, who he believed had killed his partner after getting involved with those same outlaws.

Annalise frowned. “I don't understand.”

Davis Lee shifted his gaze to her. “About two years ago, there was an outlaw gang wreaking havoc all through the state.”

“They killed Ollie Wilkes, Cora's husband, among others,” Matt added. “The leader took Catherine hostage because they knew she's a nurse and his brother needed to be treated for consumption.”

“He roughed her up.” A muscle flexed in Jericho's jaw, his words cold and controlled. “And almost got her killed.”

Annalise frowned, concern in her green eyes.

Davis Lee pinched the bridge of his nose. “Riley, Jake, Jericho and I cornered them and killed three of them. The fourth escaped, but was later captured.”

Matt's chest burned as though it was being crushed. What if one or both of the Landis brothers came to Annalise for aid? What if they took her forcibly the way the
McDougals had done with Catherine? The possibility raised the hair on the back of his neck.

He sent a look to the other two men. “Do y'all plan to join Dale in tracking the Landis brothers?”

“Yes,” Davis Lee said. “As soon as we leave here. Lydia and Catherine have agreed to look after Josie.”

Matt took a step toward Annalise. “You need to move to the Fontaine. Tonight.”

“What? Why?”

“Did you hear what we just said?” he snapped.

“Yes, but there's no need for me to stay somewhere else. Do you really think these men would show themselves in town?”

“Don't be stubborn, Annalise. Just because I'm the one who suggested you go to Russ's hotel doesn't mean it's a bad idea.”

She raised a questioning brow, her gaze encompassing Davis Lee and Jericho, not Matt.

“It might be smart,” Davis Lee agreed.

Jericho's eyes flashed. “At least until we get back from scouting the area.”

Matt opened his mouth to argue again for the hotel, but Annalise leveled a look at him. “Moving to the hotel would only put other people at risk as well.”

“Staying in the clinic isn't the best idea.” Why did she have to be so hard-headed about everything?

She ignored him, looking at Jericho. “If those outlaws needed medical attention and were nearby, wouldn't they have already stopped in if they were so inclined?”

“Possibly,” the former Ranger answered. “It's hard to know.”

Matt braced his hands on his hips. “You would only need to stay at the hotel until they're caught, Annalise. The three of us will head out shortly to see if we can find
them or figure out where they're going. You shouldn't stay here alone.”

Her green eyes flashed. “The sheriff lives right behind me.”

Matt spoke through clenched teeth. “The sheriff won't be here tonight. He'll be scouting for these SOBs. Please move to Russ's hotel.”

“I'd still be at my clinic during the day. What's to prevent them from coming then?”

Not one damn thing, he thought.

Davis Lee frowned at her. “Do you have a gun?”

“Yes, I had to carry one in Philadelphia when I went to unsavory areas.”

“If you aren't already carrying it, you should start,” Jericho said.

She nodded. Matt was ready to chew nails. The woman frustrated the fire out of him. He'd tried wheedling and cajoling. Neither worked. He sure as hell knew she wouldn't do it as a favor to him.

He fought to keep his voice level. “Annalise, please go to the hotel. If for no other reason than to…”

The stubborn slant to her jaw had his words trailing off. He knew that look and he was wasting his breath.

Davis Lee opened the door to leave. “We wanted you to be aware, Annalise. Keep your eyes open.”

“I will, and thank you. You too, Jericho.”

The former Ranger nodded. “Remember, Ef is nearby, too, if you should need anything.”

“All right.”

Matt followed the two men outside then stopped on the stoop and turned.

Before he could even open his mouth, she said, “I'm not going anywhere.”

“I know that, you dad-blamed stubborn woman.” He
wanted to grab her and shake some sense into her. “I was going to say watch your back.”

“I will.”

With one last look at her defiant expression, he muttered a curse and slammed his hat back on.

Short of slinging her over his shoulder and marching her to the hotel himself, there was nothing he could do. And yes, Ef was nearby, but how would that help if one of the outlaws managed to get inside Annalise's clinic without being seen? At least at the hotel, the risk of being spotted was likely too great for the outlaws to sneak in there.

Agreeing to meet Davis Lee and Jericho in front of the Fontaine in fifteen minutes, Matt started across Main Street for the Whirlwind Hotel where he'd left his horse.

For once, he fumed, why couldn't she do as he asked? Just the possibility of the rustlers being nearby had been enough for Matt to insist on escorting her to the Eight of Hearts Ranch earlier. Now that he knew the Landis brothers had been spotted outside Whirlwind, there was no way he was leaving her without some kind of protection.

Well, if she wouldn't take more precautions, then he would do it for her.

His mind quickly went through a possible list of candidates who could keep an eye on her while he was gone. He planned to ask Ef to watch over her during the day, but there should be someone for after dark as well. The other choices he considered were either too young to stay up all night watching the clinic or weren't good with a gun. Except one.

Matt stopped and turned, his gaze going to the news
paper office. It was dark. He hoped that meant Quentin was at home.

Just the thought of asking Prescott for anything had Matt's back bowing, but there was no doubt in his mind that the other man would do whatever he could to protect Annalise.

Before pride won out, Matt angled across the street and strode past the newspaper office, the saloon, then cut behind the livery to Quentin's modest white frame house. A light burned in the front window. Good.

Stepping onto the wide porch that stretched the width of the house, he knocked on the door. On the other side, the floor creaked, then the door opened. Quentin was still dressed in the white shirt and dark trousers he had worn to the wedding.

From his wheelchair, the sharp-featured man eyed him warily. “Baldwin.”

“Could I talk to you for a minute?”

The man hesitated.

“It's about Annalise.”

“Because she went to the wedding with
me?
” Quentin asked flatly.

Matt didn't like the thought that there might be more between Annalise and the newspaperman than friendship, but that wasn't what mattered right now. “No.”

“All right.” His sun-burnished features softening somewhat, Quentin rolled his wheelchair back so Matt could walk inside and close the door.

The other man gestured toward the small parlor off to the side. “Do you want to sit?”

“No, thanks.”

“What's this about then?” Prescott rested his elbows on the chair arms, his dark eyes shrewd and speculative.

Matt explained about the Landis brothers being
spotted nearby. All he had to do was mention the McDougals for Quentin to understand Matt's concern.

When Prescott heard that Annalise refused to go to the hotel, he nodded. “What do you need me to do?”

“Watch her place tonight. Maybe more than tonight.”

“What if they show up and give her trouble?” Quentin glanced at his crippled legs and a flush spread over the man's neck. “Will I be more of a hindrance than a help?”

The fact that the man was putting aside his pride to ask showed how fond he was of Annalise. Just how deep did those feelings go? Matt wondered.

He nodded toward the Spencer rifle standing in the corner. “You used to be a real good shot. Are you still?”

“Yes. I have to protect myself so I stay in practice,” the man said stiffly.

“That's good enough for me. If there's trouble, you fire two shots in rapid succession, just like any of us do when we need help. Whoever is here will come.”

“All right.”

“There are several of us going out to scout. Depending on what we find, I might be back tomorrow. It could be longer.”

Quentin stroked his thin mustache. “Does Annalise know about this?”

Matt shook his head.

“She wouldn't like it.”

“Why do you think I didn't tell her?” he asked with a rueful grin that got a smile out of the other man. “I'm riding out now.”

“Don't worry. I'll take care of her.”

The possessiveness in the other man's voice didn't sit
well with Matt, but he forced himself to look past that. He might not trust Quentin to have
his
back, but he had no doubt the man would watch out for Annalise.

After shaking Prescott's hand, Matt returned to the Whirlwind Hotel and retrieved Dove. He swung into the saddle, staring for a moment at the clinic.

The downstairs was dark, but a light shone upstairs. She wouldn't be glad to see him again. He should ride on, but even as he thought it, he guided his mare to the building and dismounted.

He knocked on the front door, knowing she would answer in case the visitor was someone who needed help.

After a few seconds, he heard the tap of shoes on the wooden floor and the door opened.

She was still wearing her moss-green evening dress, drawing Matt's gaze to the velvety swells of her breasts where he'd had his mouth earlier tonight.

Upon seeing him, she exhaled loudly. “I'm not moving into the hotel.”

“I just stopped to say be careful. Please.”

She blinked. “Oh. All right.”

Lantern light glided over her mahogany hair, skimmed the graceful curve of her neck. He curled his hands against the urge to brush his fingers down the same path. To press his thumb to the wildly beating pulse in the hollow of her throat, feel the powder-fine texture of her skin. “All right then.”

He remounted and raised a hand in goodbye. She did the same. Just as he urged Dove into motion, Annalise spoke.

“Matt?”

He reined up, looking over to see her put one small slippered foot over the threshold, standing half in and
half out of her house. Her arms were wrapped around her middle, moonlight polishing her skin to a pearly sheen. In the shadows, her eyes glittered like dark gems. “You be careful, too.”