"I can't believe you actually took that, Sam," Trudy said as she flopped on the bed beside the redhead in order to get a closer look at the black ledger they swiped from Winston's house.
"It was too dangerous for us to stay there and read it." Sam shrugged, not overly concerned.
"If Dev or Father ever find out what we did—"
Sam leveled her green eyes on the younger woman, and then said firmly, "If there is a problem, Trudy, you were not with me and you don't know anything about it, okay?"
"It would be okay, Sam, except that I don't lie very well, and Father would know."
Sam nodded, and then grinned. "Dev said you were a poor liar. Don't worry, Trudy. It isn't likely that Winston will dare go to Devlin and report this as stolen."
"How can you be so sure?" Trudy's blue eyes reflected her doubt.
"Look here," Sam ordered. "It's a record of all his illegal activities for the past several years, beginning in New York City. And look at this." She turned to the very front of the book. Written in meticulous script were the words Property of Winston Deal. Sam said excitedly, "I was right all along! Fred Winston isn't who he says he is. His real name is Winston Deal!"
* * * * *
Winston Deal cursed loudly, and then looked around his study in disbelief. He searched the secret compartment once more, but came up empty. His record book was gone! He hid his face in his hands and tried to calm his erratic breathing. Had his enemies found him? No. They wouldn't take the book and leave. They would have waited for him to return to the big, empty house he lived in alone. He quickly looked around the room, terrified he was being watched by his enemies.
Maybe Marcella had tracked him down? No, his wife was much too stupid to do that. She was probably still living at her father's house, too afraid to set foot outside for fear her neighbors would mock her because her husband had left her. Marcella was the least of his problems.
If it wasn't his old colleagues, or his fat wife, then who would dare enter his house and steal his ledger?
* * * * *
"Hey, Dev. It's a good day, ain't it?"
"Sure is, Billy." Dev smiled at the store clerk. "I need some more nails."
"Sure thing. I'll fetch 'em right away." Billy hurried off to the back room, and Dev waited patiently until the young man returned. "You seen the Mayor today?" Billy asked.
"Sure thing. He is helping me on the new building," Dev replied.
"That little girl of his was in here today buyin' herself some pants and a gun. Thought maybe he should know."
"Trudy?" Dev asked in surprise.
"Yep. What do you reckon she wants with them?" Billy asked curiously, only too willing to speculate.
"I guess Artie will have to ask her that," Dev replied noncommittally. "Put these on my account, Billy," he said as he picked up the sack of nails and walked out of the store.
"What's wrong with you, son?" Artie asked when Dev handed him the nails.
"I am not sure, Artie, but I think those two girls are up to something. Trudy was in the store buying pants and a gun today. I would bet my last dollar they are for Sam."
"You are probably right. Trudy already has her own."
"I am going to take a walk over to your place and see what they are up to, and God help Samantha if she is not inside that house, Artie." He had given her a mild punishment, instead of the spanking he longed to give her since there were extenuating circumstances, but if she left the house after he told her not to, well, she wouldn't be able to eat her supper sitting down, and that was a promise.
* * * * *
"Hello. Would you like a glass of lemonade?" Doris greeted him cheerfully when he entered by the kitchen door.
"Thanks, Doris. It sounds good." Doris wasn't the least bit upset or nervous, he noticed, so maybe his fears were unfounded. "Where are Sam and Trudy?" he asked casually as he accepted the glass from her.
"Upstairs talking the last I looked," Doris said with a smile. "They certainly are getting along well. I think it has been wonderful for Trudy to have someone to talk to. She won't tell her Father or me a thing about what is bothering her." Her pretty eyes revealed her concern.
"She probably had a set to with Mason, and it will be all over by the time he gets here," Dev predicted, then said, "I think I will go up and say hello since I'm here."
"Fine," Doris beamed at him, and Dev felt foolish for thinking the worst.
"Hi!" Sam motioned for him to come in their bedroom. "What do you think?" she asked, turning to face Devlin and show him her new hairdo.
"It looks okay, but I like it better down," Dev told the truth.
"He is right, Sam. I am not very good with hair." Trudy put the brush on the dressing table, and then sat on the bed. "What are you doing home this time of day?" she demanded of the tall man.
"I came to see what you two ladies were up to," he admitted with a grin. "Billy told me you were in the store today, purchasing pants and a gun. Were they for you?" he asked directly, but the guilty look on Trudy's face was a dead giveaway.
"Yes, they're for me." Sam didn't bat an eye. "I wanted to be prepared if you ever get around to taking me out to see your ranch."
"We will go someday soon, honey," Dev promised, then added, "I think a riding skirt would be more appropriate than pants."
"Think about it. What was I wearing when we met? Pants. I wear pants. I wear a gun. That is not debatable. I will respect propriety here in town, but when I put my backside in a saddle, I will be wearing pants."
"If it means that much to you, then I guess I can live with it," Dev said thoughtfully. It was a small compromise, but if he didn't give Sam some room to be herself, she would choke.
"It does," Sam said forthrightly, and then she smiled. "Thank you for understanding."
"We will take that ride soon," he repeated, then said his goodbyes, anxious to escape the bedroom before his feisty wife could take him to task for assuming she had been up to mischief of some kind.
"I can't believe you stood up to him like that," Trudy whispered so he wouldn't overhear her as he made his way downstairs.
"He just didn't want me to take his head off for thinking we were up to something he wouldn't approve of," Sam grinned. "Dev didn't expect to find either of us inside this house."
"Oh."
"It is a darn good thing we got back when we did."
"And it was pure luck you heard him downstairs talking to Mother," Trudy answered.
"Luck didn't have a thing to do with it, Trudy. I knew Devlin wouldn't be able to resist coming home to check up on me sooner or later. That is why I kept opening the door and listening for him. I sure as heck didn't want to get caught with that book in my possession before we have ample time to look through it and see what we can learn."
* * * * *
"Trudy was fixing Sammy's hair," Dev said with a sheepish grin in answer to Artie's unspoken question.
He chuckled, then said, "Sammy wouldn't dare leave the house today after what you told her at breakfast."
"Do you think I was too hard on her, Artie?" Dev wanted to know. "Mary chewed me out for treating Sam like a child."
"A day at home won't hurt her none." Artie shrugged.
* * * * *
"I would like a word with you, Foster," Winston Deal said as politely as possible, assessing the dark eyes when they turned on him.
"What is it, Winston?" Dev still felt like breaking the man in two for threatening to whip Samantha, not to mention the way he sicced those men on Mary.
"I was told your wife was seen near my house today."
"That is impossible, Winston. She has been home all day."
"I see. Are you positive of that?" Winston had been lying about someone seeing the redhead, just to gauge the Sheriff's reaction. He had nothing to go on but a gut reaction, and he had learned a long time ago to go with his feelings. They had saved his life back in New York when his business partners decided he had become too greedy and planned to eliminate him.
"Sammy has been with my wife and daughter all day, Winston," Artie said coldly. "Not that it is any of your business."
"Very well." Damn! He had been so sure the bitch had taken his ledger!
* * * * *
"What do we do now, Sam?" Trudy wanted to know.
"We need to see if we can find the two men who assaulted Mary," Sam decided. "They live in Blue Willow."
"That is a long ride from here," Trudy informed her. "Right through Comanche territory."
"Doesn't it figure?" Sam smiled grimly. "I will leave first thing in the morning."
"You can't be serious?" Trudy exclaimed.
"I have never been more serious in my life. I am going to bring those two in and see them punished for what they did to Mary, and in the process, convince them to testify against Winston Deal."
"You can't go alone," Trudy said stubbornly. "I will go with you."
"No, you won't. I will be in enough trouble as it is without dragging you along."
"If you don't agree to let me go, I will tell Father and Dev what you are planning," she threatened. "Besides, I figure I have about one more day of freedom before Mason shows up, and I don't want to be here when he arrives. He deserves to sit and cool his heels a bit."
"I don't intend to leave much of a note, Trudy," Sam warned, "so if you're thinking we will be overtaken within a day or two, you had better reconsider. I won't come back here until I have Baker and Forest in custody."
"I know better than that," Trudy said quietly, then asked, "Are you sure you can handle this? The Comanche are nothing to mess with, and if they get their hands on you after the way you bested them? Well, it won't be pretty."
"We will just have to make sure they don't spot us, then," Sam said grimly.
* * * * *
Samantha decided to make the night one her husband would remember for the rest of his life. She seduced him with her eyes all through dinner, and then invited him to help her with the dishes, all the while blowing him little kisses, and making suggestive, naughty remarks that had him more than ready to retire to their room when they were finished with their task.
Dev watched in delight as his lovely bride slowly stripped down to her glorious, silken skin, and he held his breath when she divested him of his clothing, one piece at a time, kissing each patch of skin as she bared it to her gaze.
By the time Dev was as naked as she, Sam was on fire. She never even suspected that a fiery, lusty wench lived inside her virginal body, not until she met Dev. And now she couldn't seem to control her voracious appetite. She wanted him, and didn't mind letting him know it.
Devlin loved her, well and truly, and it was nearly dawn before either of them got any sleep.
* * * * *
"I am sorry, son. I know how upset you are, and I wish there was something I could say to make everything right." Artie shook his head sorrowfully.
"Damn it, Artie, I am a rancher, not a frigging lawman!"
"What would you have me do, son?" Artie asked with patience. "I have said all I can say. It isn't like we haven't been looking. Every time we settle on a new sheriff, they up and die on us. This poor Jenkins fellow got shot in the back."
"I know, Artie. You showed me the wire." Devlin was disgusted. He wanted to take his new wife home to his ranch. He wanted to pin his badge on someone else, and let them worry about locking up the drunks, and breaking up the brawls. In short, he hated being the sheriff. He was a damn good rancher, and that was where he wanted to be.
"You know I wouldn't ask you to stay on if there was one other man as qualified as you in the whole town," Artie attempted to placate the younger man. "And, besides, Doris says Sammy has been awful good to our Trudy. We aren't ready to lose you yet. You've become family to us."
"That's not fair, and you know it," Dev complained.
"Maybe it ain't, son, but it is the gospel truth." Artie was nothing but sincere.
"I am not going to vote for you in the next election, no matter what you say," Dev said with a genuine grin for the man.
"It won't make me mad, son. I intend to submit your name for the job the next time so I can get some rest!"
"The hell you are!"
* * * * *
"So what did Mason do to cause you to leave?" Sam asked the silent, brooding Trudy in an effort to pass the time as they rode side by side. They were going to be on the trail for hours yet.
After a few moments of silence, Trudy replied, "He ignores me, and I can't abide being ignored."
"Did you tell him how you feel?"
"Yes. And when that didn't work, I started doing outrageous things. He still ignored me, and so I left him."
"What kinds of outrageous things," Sam asked with a grin.
"I put pepper all over his food for one whole day! He ate it and didn't say a word."
"Maybe he likes his food hot?"
"Maybe he didn't even notice," Trudy said with a sigh. "I spilled perfume all over his duty shirts; he wore them anyway. I even flirted with an enlisted man, and Mason didn't care! If he doesn't show up in Pineville, Sam, I don't know what I am going to do."
"He will show up, Trudy," Sam said with more confidence than she felt, "And if he doesn't, then you are better off without him."
"That's what I have been telling myself, but the problem is, I love the darn fool."
"Then you need to tell him so, and insist he spend more time with you," Sam advised, feeling like Ann Landers.
"Trust me, Sam, if Mason comes after me, I intend to make my feelings on the subject well known!" Trudy replied. "Okay, we have discussed me for the past hour. Now it's your turn."
"My turn?"
"Yes. I have the feeling you are hiding something from me, and I want to know what it is?"
"What makes you think that?"
"You are not like anyone I have ever met. You say exactly what you think, and sometimes you use words I have never heard, or words that mean something entirely different when I ask you to explain. And, you don't let anyone tell you what to do. You know how angry Dev is going to be when he discovers what you're doing, and yet, you go right ahead and do it! Aren't you afraid to face him?"
"I am not actually afraid of Dev, but I know he will probably spank me. It doesn't make me happy to know that he will be upset with me, but I must do this. I owe it to Eddie and myself to bring Deal down."
"Mother and Father told me that you lost a dear friend. Is Eddie that friend?"
"Yes," Sam acknowledged, then said softly, "Eddie is why I have to do this, Trudy. I need evidence to bring Deal to justice, for Eddie's sake. I owe it to him, and to myself. I know that doesn't make much sense to you, but I can tell you it is something I have to do, and if Devlin is upset with me, I will deal with it when the time comes. I trust Dev not to harm me, although my butt will probably never be the same."
"And I can tell you for a fact Father will take a paddle to the both of us for this," Trudy warned. "The only thing that will stop him is if Mason and Dev get to it first," she predicted.
"Then why did you agree to come along?" Sam asked softly.
"Because anything is better than sitting around waiting for a man who may or may not show up, even a punishment session in Father's study," Trudy said. "And," she added with a grin, "I just love to do things that other people think are too dangerous for a woman to do. I like to prove them wrong."
"So do I!" Sam laughed.
"We will remind ourselves of this conversation when we are both too sore to sit down!" Trudy laughed along with Sam.
* * * * *
"Well, I'll be darned!" Artie exclaimed, and then hurried down the ladder to greet his son-in-law. "It's about darn time you got here, Mason." He extended his hand and shook hands with his son-in-law.
"You were expecting me? Does that mean my bratty wife is here?" Mason asked with a frown.
"She is here, and I hope to hell you intend to tell me what is going on with the two of you. Trudy won't tell us a thing."
"I'll be damned if I know," Mason growled. "I was hoping you could tell me what's wrong with the little termagant!" Mason nodded at Dev when he walked over, then greeted him, "Dev. It's good to see you."
"It's good to see you, too, Mason. Come to collect your wife?" he asked with a grin.
"Don't look so smug, Foster," Mason said defensively. "One of these days you'll learn that there is no living with the creatures!"
"Dev's already married, Mason. A pretty little redhead." Artie beamed proudly.
"Sammy and Trudy have become good friends," Dev said with a smile. "Sam has taught Trudy all kinds of rotten tricks to pull on an unsuspecting husband."
Mason snorted. "Is Trudy at the house, Artie?"
"Probably so, unless Mother sent her on an errand of some sort. Are you planning to talk to her, or throttle her?"
"I'll be darned if I know what to do. Part of me wants to shake her until her teeth rattle, and the other part of me wants to hug her close and never let her go. Do you realize she left in the middle of the night, on horseback, while I was on an assignment?"
"Why would she do that, son?" Artie asked calmly.
"I don't know. I really don't know." Mason was telling the truth.
"Is there another woman she could have found out about?" Artie was nothing but direct, especially where his daughters and their happiness were concerned.
"No, sir," Mason answered truthfully.
"Did you whack her fanny for something?" Artie questioned.
"Not since that first time, when I lost my damn temper and acted without thinking first. She may have deserved it, but I don't believe in beating on women."
"Maybe she was just homesick?" Dev suggested, thinking it was the most obvious solution.
"Maybe so, but why didn't she simply tell me instead of running off the way she did?"
"I guess you're going to have to ask her that, son," Artie said with a shake of his head. "Do I have your word you aren't going to hurt Trudy?"
"I have never raised a hand to her before," Mason replied with dignity. "And I don't intend to start now."
When he walked away, Artie looked at Dev and said glumly, "I was afraid he was going to say that."
"You want him to hurt Trudy?" Dev was shocked.
"I want him to wear the pants in his family. If my Doris ran off like that without a good reason, I would put her over my knee, and that is what Trudy needs. Mason has some strange ideas where women are concerned."
The men concentrated their efforts on finishing the floor, and were surprised when Mason returned, rolled up his sleeves and pitched in.
"Don't tell me that Trudy threw you out of the house already?" Artie asked with raised eyebrows.
"No one was home," Mason explained with a shrug. "I spotted a note from Mother Hastings on the kitchen table, and I imagine Trudy is with her."
"You could always go and fetch her home," Artie suggested.
"No. I need the time to cool down," Mason replied. "Give me a handful of those nails."
Devlin could barely resist grinning as he watched the other man pound the nails with a vengeance. He knew how he would feel if Sam dared to leave him. Maybe Trudy was lucky Mason chose to take his frustration out on the nails instead of her backside.
* * * * *
"Well, if this isn't a fine how-do-you-do!" Artie complained when they entered the house by way of the kitchen door. "We have worked hard all day, and there isn't one damn pot on the stove." He spotted Doris's note on the table where Mason said it was, picked it up and read aloud:
Artie, dear,
Dr. needed help with Jacobs family. I may not be home for several days.
Much love,
Doris
She didn't mention anything about Trudy or Sammy going with her." Artie looked at Devlin.
"I wonder where the heck they are?" Dev said with a worried frown.
"If Trudy spotted me, she is liable to be on the run again," Mason predicted.
"Now why in hell would she do that?" Artie dismissed the idea. "And why would Sammy go with her? No, they are around somewhere. Maybe they went out, and don't know that Mother is gone," he suggested. "I will check upstairs."
"I'll look in our room," Dev offered, hurrying up the steps. To his surprise he found a note propped on the bed. "I found a note from Sam, Artie," he called out.
"What does it say?" Artie asked when he entered the room, Mason right behind him.
"The damn little fools!" Devlin swore. "I cannot believe Sam would do something so goddamned stupid!"
"What now?" Artie demanded, taking the note from Dev and reading:
Dear Devlin,
I am leaving you this note so you won't worry. I have found evidence linking Deal to the assault on Mary. I am going to arrest and bring in the men he hired.
Trudy decided to accompany me. Please don't worry about us. This is what I do best. We should be back in a week or two.
Love,
Sam
"I'll be damned!" Artie swore.
"Maybe someone saw them leave?" Mason said calmly. "We'll talk to anyone and everyone until we learn which way they went, and then I am going after my wife!"
Dev didn't say a word. He was already on his way down the stairs.
Two hours later, they got lucky. One of the Peterson twins remembered seeing the two females, dressed in pants, riding out of town early in the morning as he was going fishing.
"They are heading into Comanche territory," Dev said grimly.
"Why would they do that? Trudy knows better, even if Sammy doesn't," Artie said fearfully.
"My wife has been pulling stunts like this for the last two months, Artie," Mason admitted. "This time she has gone too damn far. I won't tolerate her risking her life just to get at me. I swear, if she is still in one piece when I catch up to her, I am going to raise handprints on her backside."
"If you don't, I will!" Artie promised.
"You aren't coming with us, Artie," Devlin stated flatly.
"I most certainly am too!" Artie blustered.
"No, you are not. We have to ride fast and hard, and you are not up to it. Besides, you need to stay here and take care of Doris. She'll be worried sick when she finds out what those two little fools have done. I also need someone I can trust to head up the construction on Mary's business. Please, Artie?"
"I want to help, son," Artie said with injured dignity.
"You can do that best by staying here and keeping things under control," Dev said kindly. "I promise we will do our best to get them back safely."
Artie was hurt, but he did his best to hide it as he helped the two young men pack plenty of supplies for a couple of weeks on the trail. "You two take care, and when you catch up to those girls, you tell them from me that I will have my paddle waiting for the both of them."
Devlin chuckled wickedly, and then said, "You will have to stand in line this time, Papa."