As long as he lived, he wouldn’t forget holding Cady Tanner in his arms, smack in the middle of the desert. With blue sky above and the smell of sage and sand around them, he’d kissed her senseless. It was the dumbest thing he’d ever done, and by far the most exhilarating. At least this time when he kissed her, they had been out in the open and she couldn’t back into the fire. He, on the other hand, was still burning.
But bedding Cady would be the worst thing he could do.
Standing behind his desk, Kane folded his arms over his chest. “So what is this life-and-death matter, rifle practice? Hand-to-hand self-defense? Explosives? I think R. J. could help you there.”
“I demand that you send out a patrol to warn Jack that Cuchillo has sworn to kill him.”
He wasn’t sure what he’d expected her to say, but that wasn’t it. “I can’t order my men to put their lives on the line for the sake of one or two people who may or may not be in danger.”
Her green eyes filled with hurt and anger. “Can’t or won’t?” she asked, her voice filled with contempt. “Would you go? Or are you afraid?”
He was afraid, but not of the Indians. He’d faced death so often it was like an old friend. He welcomed the challenge because that was what an army officer did. But
Cady Tanner could harm him far more than the Apaches. The look in her eyes made him want to do whatever she asked, for her sake. But he didn’t have the manpower or supplies to send a patrol into the Superstitions to warn one man. It would be stupid and suicidal. He had to think of the men in his command first. He couldn’t believe he was giving her harebrained suggestion even this much consideration. Sighing, he offered a compromise.
“Mac is taking a patrol out tomorrow. I’ll tell him to make sure Jack gets the word. That’s the best I can do.”
“Is Lieutenant Thorne going into the Superstition Mountains?”
“No. He’s heading in the other direction.”
“Then how will Jack get the warning?”
“Mac will pass the word. It spreads fast out here. Besides, Jack’s guard will be up.”
“Can you guarantee that? He doesn’t know it’s personal with Cuchillo. Someone has to tell him so he’ll come out of the mountains until Cuchillo is caught.”
“I’m sorry, Cady.”
It nearly killed him to refuse, but Cady’s request was based on emotion, something an army officer couldn’t afford. He couldn’t put his command in unnecessary danger for the welfare of one man.
So it didn’t make sense that he felt like a snake.
He shook his head again. “Jack knew the danger when he went up there. He accepted it. I can’t endanger my men—”
“I see.” Her chin lifted slightly. “Then I’ll go and warn him.”
“Like hell you will!” For the first time since she’d walked in, he wanted to move around his desk and shake her. If he knew it would make her see reason, he’d shake her till her teeth rattled.
As if she could read his mind, she took a small step
back, but her voice was steady when she spoke. “There’s no need to swear, captain.”
“The hell there isn’t!” He took a deep breath and tried to still his thundering heart and the blood roaring in his ears. “What kind of a harebrained idea is that? Why don’t you just wave a flag for Cuchillo and holler ‘Come and get me!’ at the top of your lungs?”
“It’s not harebrained. I will study and prepare properly for the journey. I already know how to use a gun, thanks to you.”
“And you think that will keep you safe from a band of bloodthirsty Apaches bent on revenge?” His hands curled into fists.
“Planning is the key,” she said.
He could almost hear her precious Miss Biddle spouting that platitude. If anything happened to Cady because that stupid woman had filled her head full of romantic bull….
“Planning, my backside. You will not go out there on your own to warn your brother.”
“Then send one of your men with me. Brewster would go.”
“You could bat your big green eyes at any man on this post, and he’d drop everything to help you. But they won’t disobey my orders.”
“What about one of the scouts? I bet Nathan Eagle would be able to find Jack.”
“I’ll bust any man who helps you down to private. And if he already is one, I’ll see he never makes it to corporal. Is that what you want?”
She bit the corner of her lip and shook her head. Then she nodded resolutely. “You leave me no choice. I’ll go by myself.”
“You can’t be serious.”
He saw the stubborn, contrary gleam in Cady’s eye
and knew there was nothing he could say to keep her from going out there on her own. That didn’t mean his hands were tied. There was one thing he could do. And if it was the only way he could stop her, he would do it in a heartbeat.
He walked around the desk and stopped in front of her. “I’ll give you thirty seconds to change your mind about this.”
“I don’t need any time. I’m not changing my mind. Jack is my brother. Tanners take care of one another.”
“Don’t make me do something I’ll regret.”
“If something happened to Jack and I didn’t try to protect him, I couldn’t live with myself.”
As much as he wanted to wring her pretty little neck, he envied the family loyalty that drove her to put her life on the line. No one except his own soldiers had ever done that for him. How would it feel to have a woman on his side that fiercely? He’d never know—and neither would Jack. Kane knew her brother would applaud any means he took to stop her and save her from herself.
“You leave me no choice. I’m sorry to have to do this, Cady.”
“What do you mean?” Her eyes widened in alarm.
“I’m putting you in protective custody.” He took her upper arm.
She tried to pull free but he tightened his grip and headed for the door, taking her along.
“What are you doing? Where are we going?”
“The guardhouse.”
“How dare you!” Outrage wrapped around every word. She started to struggle.
When yanking her arm didn’t free her from his grip, she tried to pry his fingers loose, one by one. He took no satisfaction in using his superior strength to control her. Soon she was breathing hard from her efforts.
Kane felt like the town bully. She had forced him to do this, he reminded himself. If she was one of his soldiers and he could trust her to follow orders, she could go about her business. She would be safe as long as she stayed under military protection within the perimeter of the fort.
But Cady Tanner acted first and thought about it later. When he had met her two years ago, she had run away from her fancy eastern boarding school and showed up without warning in Arizona. This time she wouldn’t get her way.
When he tried to move her toward the door, Cady dug her heels in. “Wait, Kane.”
He stopped, wondering what she had on her mind. Her voice was too calm, too controlled. But the tight set of her mouth told him what she was feeling and he couldn’t help thinking that she was planning some trick.
“What?”
Anger grew in her eyes. “You can’t put me in prison.”
“It’s not prison.”
“You’re evading the issue.”
He kept trying, but she wouldn’t let him get away with it. “Unless you have something to say that will change my mind—”
“If you lock me up, who will warn Jack?”
“I’ve already told you, I’ll do what I can.”
“Don’t you see that’s not good enough? Let me go!”
“I can’t. You’ll die out there by yourself as surely as if someone put a gun to your head and pulled the trigger. I’d never forgive myself if I let you go off on this fool’s mission and something happened to you.”
“So no matter what I say, you’re going to put me in prison?”
Equal parts of guilt and irritation warred within him. “It doesn’t matter what you call it. I’d put you anywhere there was a lock on the door as long as I had the key.”
“Why won’t you let me help my brother?”
“I can’t. I’m damn well going to lock you up, and I’ll damn well keep you there for as long as it takes for you to calm down and come to your senses.
“Any more questions?” he asked. When she didn’t say anything but just stood there simmering, he said, “All right. Let’s go.”
She tried digging her heels in again, but one firm tug had her jumping forward. He opened the door and pulled her out into the cool night air.
Cady couldn’t believe this was happening to her. Kane pulled her down the steps and into the sand. Maybe here she could get a grip and slow him down. She tried to make herself dead weight. He glared down at her. “Pick your feet up and march or you won’t like the alternative.”
“I am not one of your soldiers. I don’t have to do what you say. I don’t have to follow orders.”
“You do while you’re under my protection.”
“You call this protection? This is an outrage!” She used all her strength to try to pull her arm away from him. “You’re the one I need protection from.”
He stopped and scowled down at her. “I don’t have time for this. Just remember, you were warned.”
He slid his hand down to her wrist, bent at the waist, and hoisted her over his shoulder. When he straightened, his shoulder dug into her abdomen, driving the air from her lungs. The ground suddenly looked very far away, and she realized he truly meant to lock her up. She should have kept her intentions to herself.
She wanted to order him to put her down, but if
angry words had had any effect, he would have released her arm after the fuss she’d made. She had to try another way.
She lifted her upper body a little and tried to see his face. She only managed to get a better view of his broad back. The muscles beneath his uniform shirt flexed from his struggle to hold onto her. His sheer strength and size convinced her that words were her only weapon.
“Stop, Kane. You win.”
“What?” he asked.
“I said you win. Obviously you feel very strongly about this. I’ll do as you say.”
Kane stepped up onto a plank walkway and came to a stop in front of a door with wooden bars where the top part should have been. He bent at the knees until her toes touched the ground and then grabbed her upper arms to steady her on her feet.
He stared down at her, assessing her. His look was skeptical. “You’ll do as I say?”
“Yes. You’re right, of course, about the danger. I can’t imagine what I was thinking even to consider going off into the desert by myself.”
He raised one brow doubtfully. “Is that right?”
She nodded vigorously. Her hair, done up so neatly for the literary society meeting, was coming down around her face. She brushed it out of the way impatiently. “That’s right.” She smoothed her skirt and checked to make sure her blouse was neatly tucked into her waistband. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m late for my meeting.”
She had started to walk down the step when she felt his hand on her upper arm.
“What do you take me for, a bloody idiot?” His tone was irritated, but she could swear beneath the surface
he was laughing, or at least smiling a little. If she didn’t know differently, she might have noticed a touch of admiration there too.
“Of course I don’t think you’re an idiot.”
He opened the door to the guardhouse, put her inside, and shut it, sliding the latch into place before she could say fiddlesticks.
“If you think for one minute that I believe a word you’re saying, think again, Cady. I’m nobody’s fool.”
She looked at him through the bars. He’d done it! He’d really done it! He’d locked her up!
“You let me out of here!” In frustration, she stamped her foot so hard she felt the jolt all the way up her leg. “What about Jack? You can’t do this to me!”
“I think I already have. I’ll see you later.” He turned and walked down the steps.
“Kane Carrington, you come back here this minute or you’ll regret this,” she called. “You can’t leave me here. I’m not in the army. You have no right.” She took a breath. “What about my meeting?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.” He motioned to a passing soldier to approach him.
The young man, hardly old enough to draw a straight-edge across his face, saluted. “Yes, sir?”
“Private Duncan?”
“Yes, sir. What can I do for you?”
“I’m putting you in charge of the prisoner.”
“But, sir, I’m off duty. I was on my way to the literary society meeting the schoolteacher is puttin’ on.”
“There’s not going to be a meeting, private.” He cocked his thumb over his shoulder and indicated Cady.
She glared daggers at Kane, then waved and smiled sweetly at the young soldier. He started to wave back and his eyes widened. He looked at Kane and instantly
dropped his hand to his side. She could see a thousand questions racing through the private’s mind as his gaze shifted from her to Kane and back to her.
“What’s she done, sir?”
“Nothing, yet. I plan to keep it that way.”
“But, captain—”
Cady could see Kane’s profile. His jaw clenched, and the muscle in his cheek moved rapidly.
“Guard the prisoner, Duncan!” The man backed up a step. “And if you’ve ever believed anything in your life, believe this: If she gets out of there, you’ll have an easier time with the Apaches than you’ll have with me!”
“Yes, sir.” The private started to move toward her, then stopped. “Should I get my rifle, sir?”
“I don’t think you’ll need it.” Kane sent her a dark look. “Will he, Cady?”
“Private Duncan, I learned rule number one about guns today. Don’t ever point one at anyone or anything you don’t plan to shoot. So do
you
think you’ll need your gun?”
“No, ma’am.” His boots rang on the planks as he took up guard position next to her door. “That don’t mean I won’t follow orders, though.”
“I understand,” she said.
Kane looked her straight in the eye. She wondered if he might change his mind and let her out, but there was something hard and unbending in his expression. Then he turned away. She watched him walk toward the mess hall, and from the way he stomped his feet she knew he was angry.
He wasn’t the only one.
She whispered to herself, “If I get out of here, you’ll be sorry, Kane Carrington. That’s a promise. And Tanners always make good on their promises.”
When R. J. heard the men’s
angry voices just around the corner, he pressed his back against the outside wall of the mess hall. If he was paint on wood, he couldn’t have been closer. He wanted to hear why Kane had come storming into the literary society meeting looking mad enough to kick his own dog. R. J. knew it had something to do with the schoolmarm. Until she showed up, Kane had never got so mad and now it was happening regular. He wanted to know what in blazes was going on.
It had stirred R. J.’s curiosity more than a little when Kane motioned Mac Thorne outside. R. J. had sneaked out the back door and around the side of the building to hear what he had to say.
“Why the hell did you tell her that her brother was in trouble?” Kane demanded. R. J. let out a breath, glad he wasn’t on the other end of the conversation.
“Thought she had a right to know.”
The sound of boots shuffling on the boardwalk carried to R. J. “Well, now she knows,” Kane said. “And she demanded I send a patrol out to warn him.”
“You can’t do that.” Now Mac sounded mad too.
“That’s what I told her. She said she’d go by herself.”
“Shit.”
“She won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?” Mac asked.
“Because she’s in the guardhouse.”
R. J. covered his mouth with his hand to keep from laughing out loud. He’d give almost anything to have seen the look on her face when Kane did that. Bet it took the starch right out of her.
“Guess one of us has to go in there and tell all those men there’s not going to be a meeting.” It was Mac’s voice.
“I’ll do it.” Kane didn’t sound sorry at all. Fact was, he sounded eager to call it off.
It was quiet for a minute, and R. J. took a chance and peeked around the corner of the building. The two men stood practically nose to nose. He could only see their faces from the side; even so, Kane was staring at the other man, mad as all get out. Mac looked like it didn’t bother him none, just stood there loose as you please.
Mac grinned. “You didn’t lock her up to keep her away from me, did you?”
“Why the hell would I do that?”
Yeah, why would he want Mac to stay away from her? R. J. wondered. He liked Mac almost as much as he did Kane, and he’d swear Mac was trying to make Kane mad. But why? On account of Miss Tanner? R. J. scratched his head. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure what either of ‘em saw in that old schoolteacher.
“How long are you going to keep her locked up?” Mac asked.
“Overnight. I have no cause to keep her there longer than that.”
R. J. wanted to ask why not; he almost blurted it out. If she stayed in the guardhouse, there wouldn’t be any school tomorrow.
“What are you going to do if she still wants to go find her brother?” Mac wanted to know.
Kane let out a long breath. When he did that, R. J. knew he was just about as mad as he could get. “I’ll watch her like a hawk and make sure she doesn’t do something stupid.”
Well, isn’t that just dandy! R. J. thought. Kane had already been spending his free time with her, teaching her how to shoot, riding with her. And to make matters worse, she was still riding Prince! If Kane started watching her all the time, he’d never have time for anyone else.
Why in tarnation didn’t Kane let her do what she dang well pleased and go find her brother?
R. J. froze. Now there was an idea, one of the best he’d ever had. He turned away, moving carefully so the two men on the boardwalk couldn’t hear him.
Cady paced the floor of her prison. She felt as if she’d been locked up for days, but she knew it hadn’t been more than a couple of hours. With every minute that went by, she grew angrier, more frustrated—and frightened for Jack.
She kicked the wall beside the door, and pain shot through her foot.
“You all right in there, Miss Tanner, ma’am?” Her guard peeked through the bars.
“Yes, private, I’m just
fine
,” she said, through gritted teeth.
“Just checkin’. Heard something.”
“What could possibly happen to me with you so vigilant outside?”
“Sorry, ma’am. Don’t rightly know what vijeelant means. Only know I gotta stand here till the captain says different. Orders is orders.”
“Yes. I can see that.”
He yawned, then quickly slapped his hand over his mouth. “Sorry, ma’am. Been a long day. Ain’t you sleepy?”
“No. What time is it?”
He looked up at the evening sky. “I’d say some-wheres around ten.”
“Is that all? Feels like midnight.”
“Don’t it, though?”
“Why don’t you get some sleep?” She put her hands around the bars in her door and shook it. There was no give. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He grinned at her. “Nice try, ma’am. But orders—”
“Is orders. So you said.” She sighed. “Well, I believe I’ll lie down. It appears there’s nothing else to do.”
“Night, ma’am. Don’t let the bedbugs—” He glanced sideways at her. “Just an expression. I’m sure that there bed’s just fine.”
If she hadn’t been so furious, she would have laughed at his obvious discomfort. “I’m certain it is. Thank you, private.”
Cady backed away from the door and flopped disgustedly on the hard cot, the only piece of furniture, if one could call it that, in the small room. Above the bed there was a barred window, and a cool breeze drifted through it, giving her some air. The walls were thick adobe. Even if she had some instrument to use to dig her way out, it would take weeks.
Her mind raced, trying to come up with a plan. She thought about playing sick to get Private Duncan inside. Then what? He was thin but looked to be over six feet tall. For all his shy manner, she sensed a wiry
strength in him and knew she couldn’t overpower him. Orders were orders. He’d keep her there, no matter what. She thought about the trick her brothers had shown her to use against a persistent suitor, but even the length of time it would take him to recover wouldn’t be enough for her to get away. When he did get his wits back, he’d put out the alarm.
Nor was she about to go off into the desert without proper preparation. She needed a horse, a gun and ammunition, supplies, a map—she had no idea how to get to the Superstition Mountains. Resting her elbows on her knees, she put her chin in her hands. Her heart sank as she let out a long breath. She was very much afraid she couldn’t help Jack unless someone helped her first.
“Psst.”
Cady sat up straight. Half turning, she looked at the window behind her. R. J. Wexler stood there, red hair hanging in his eyes.
He put a finger to his lips, to show she should be quiet. She nodded, letting him know she understood and he handed a note through the bars.
She opened it and angled it so that the moonlight shining inside illuminated the words.
be reddy, i’ll git you owt, i’ll git you to yer bruther
.
She looked at the paper, biting her tongue to keep her teacher’s comments about spelling and punctuation to herself. Then she knelt on her cot and leaned toward the window, their faces only inches apart. After glancing over her shoulder to be sure Private Duncan wasn’t checking in on her, she looked at R. J. and mouthed one word: “Why?”
His only response was a sullen shrug. Cady knew this had more to do with getting rid of her than with his desire to help her get to Jack. Although she suspected Kane wanted nothing to do with her, R. J. had flat out
told her he wished she was gone so the captain would have time for him. The boy was lonely. In spite of the way he’d treated her, Cady’s heart went out to him. She knew she might get him in a lot of trouble, but there was no other option. When she came back with Jack, Kane would be more likely to go easy on the boy.
Through the barred window she whispered, “Can you get me a gun and the supplies I’ll need?”
He nodded.
She glanced over her shoulder to see if she’d been overheard. When she knew all was quiet, she looked back. If she had had any choice, she would have refused to cooperate with the boy, no matter what his motive for helping her. The truth was, without him she was stuck.
She leaned close to the bars and whispered, “Do what you can. I’ll be waiting.”
He nodded and slipped away. Cady sighed and sat down on her cot and prayed that R. J. could do what he said. He had managed to put an entire fort on alert. Getting her out of prison should be a piece of cake.
She was counting on him.
R. J. climbed back into his bedroom after getting the schoolteacher past the perimeter and into the desert beyond without getting caught. He was real proud of himself and wished he could share his cleverness with Kane. But he knew that was impossible.
Just as he was pulling his shirt over his head, he heard someone tapping on his window. He opened it, surprised and pleased to see John Eagle. Then he reminded himself that they weren’t friends anymore. That empty feeling opened up inside him again, making him miss their friendship more than he ever had before.
John climbed in and folded his arms over his chest. “I saw what you did.”
“What d’you mean?” R. J. asked.
“You helped Miss Tanner get out of the guardhouse and gave her supplies to leave the fort.”
No point in denying it. R. J. nodded. “What’s it to ya?”
“It’s too dangerous out there for her. That’s why the captain locked her up in the first place.”
“She was set on goin’. Even Kane said he couldn’t keep her prisoner more than overnight. Come morning, she was gonna hightail it outa there anyways.”
John was frowning at him. “At least when the captain let her out he would have been able to watch her.” John shook his head as worry slid into his black eyes.
Nervous now, R. J. narrowed his gaze at the other boy. “You tell anyone about this?”
John shook his head.
“Good. There’s nothin’ to fret about. I fixed her up with everything she needs. Gave her a map a blind man could follow. She’ll hook up with her brother. Nothin’s gonna happen to her. And she’ll be outa our hair. No more school.”
No more keeping Kane all to herself either.
“What if Cuchillo finds her? You know what renegades do to women captives.”
R. J.’s eyes widened. He hadn’t thought about that. He didn’t want any harm to come to her; he just meant to get her out of his hair. “She’s got a gun.”
“That wouldn’t do her any good against one warrior, let alone a raiding party.”
“Dang it, John. If you’re on her side, why didn’t you try to stop me from helpin’ her?”
“She wouldn’t have listened, and I didn’t want the guards to catch you. But if anything happens to her,
you’ll be in real trouble. I think you should tell Captain Carrington right now, before she gets too far from the fort.”
R. J. shook his head. “He’ll tan my hide good.”
“If you won’t tell the captain—”
“You gonna tell him what I done?”
The other boy shook his head. “You’re my blood brother. But you have to find her and bring her back. I’ll go with you.”
That big empty feeling inside him closed up quick. In its place, excitement grabbed him, and sheer pleasure at the idea of once again sharing an adventure with his friend. R. J. grinned and nodded.
John Eagle flashed a smile that said he felt the same way. “We’ll wait until almost dawn, even though rain’s coming.”
R. J. poked his head out the open window and looked up at the sky. Stars twinkled brightly; there wasn’t a cloud in sight. “How do you know there’ll be rain?”
“I can smell it.”
R. J. knew John told the truth. He looked at his friend and was mighty glad to have him back. “Not that I ain’t got faith in you, John. You could track a whisper in the wind. But in the rain—”
The other boy grinned again, his white teeth gleaming against his copper-colored skin. It was the best thing R. J. had seen in a month of Sundays. He’d go through hell and back to have his friend again. If it meant they had to find that ol’ schoolteacher and convince her to come back, he’d do it.
“Do you really think we should wait? That’ll give her a pretty good head start.”
“Only two hours. She’ll go slowly, even with the moon and stars to light her way. By morning the clouds will be here. It would be best to find her before the rain.
But I think we can move faster in the light.” John looked out into the desert. “If this storm is as bad as I think, we need to get her back to the fort before the river rises.”
“I’d never have thought about that.” R. J. clapped a hand on John’s shoulder and gave him a shake. “Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat, I’m glad we’re friends again!”
When the other boy grinned back, R. J. knew he was happy too. John didn’t show what he was feeling much, so three smiles in as many minutes said a mouthful.
The sky lightened to gray, and that was the only way Cady could tell it was dawn. She figured she had traveled two or three hours by now. But even if she was experienced enough to determine the time by the position of the sun, she couldn’t because of the thick black clouds. It didn’t matter. She had to keep moving, because she wanted to put as much distance as possible between her and the fort. When Kane discovered her gone, she didn’t want to be close enough for him to be able to bring her back.
R. J. had managed to distract the guard, unlock the door with the key hanging outside, and then replace it so no one would be the wiser. She was rather proud of her contribution to the escape. Her idea to plump up her blanket on the cot to make it look like she was sleeping was sheer genius. He had brought her a horse that she’d never ridden before, a big bay. The animal was high-strung and hard to control. Her arms ached and her inner thighs were chafed from her efforts, her muscles quivered from the exertion. She’d have to stop soon. The horse needed rest as much as she did.
She’d been a little frightened when she first started out. The desert seemed so big and lonely. But she thought
about Jack and forced herself to keep going. R. J.’s map was a good one. The boy had a real talent for drawing, and she had no trouble following the route he’d marked.
After she crossed the Verde River—she smiled a little because it was hardly more than a trickle—the terrain was flat for miles, with only sand and cactus, junipers, and formations of boulders to mark the landscape. It was growing cooler. The wind picked up, and she shivered and turned the collar of her coat against her neck. Holding her floppy black hat on her head, she tilted back to look at the sky. It had been clear during the night, but now the clouds looked like they would open up any minute. Maybe she should try to find some shelter.