9781615722945

A few feathers from the bodice loosened and drifted up into Odessa’s face. She waved them away and crinkled her nose. “I don’t think so.”

“Look, little lady.” Flo tossed the dress aside and put her hands on her hips. “I don’t give a damn which one you wear… hell, come downstairs naked for all I care. I’m through wastin’ my time here when I can be makin’ money elsewhere.” She turned and left, slamming the door behind her.

“Ohhhh,” Odessa ranted.” I hate them all.” She held her head and screwed her face into a scowl. The warning that Alf waited brought her tantrum to an end.

Resigned to her fate, she covered her eyes with one hand and pointed with the other, then peeked at her selection. The red one! She grimaced. Not one the same color as Flo wore. Nibbling her bottom lip, Odessa picked up the yellow one and eyed it with disdain. Maybe the feathers would disguise the low cut bodice.

She shimmied out of her blue gingham and slipped the yellow gown over her head. The dress fit like a glove—a very tight one, and hid very little of her chemise. She couldn’t very well go without something beneath the scanty number.

Searching through the armoire, she found a low-cut corset then black net stockings like those Flo wore. Odessa swallowed hard, removed the feathered dress, her undergarments and shoes, then working until she was breathless, finally managed to lace up the corset, doing the best she could without help. Next, she hitched up her leggings and secured them with black garters, shaking her head at such a useless piece of attire. A glance down at her bulging bosom made her mouth gape.

She wriggled back into the yellow dress and smoothed it down over her hips. The feathers tickled her throat, yet the satiny material felt elegant against her skin. Stepping to the dresser, she peered into the mirror. Her eyes widened.

Odessa glanced down at her exposed chest. “As much as one can be in this getup.”

A smile crinkled Flo’s cheeks. “Why so glum? You look beautiful, and the dress is a perfect fit. Turn around.” The proprietress circled her index finger in the air.

“You needn’t. Alf will be so pleased, but… ” Flo’s appraisal fell silent. She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and studied Odessa’s face. “Something’s missing…” She waggled a finger in the air. “I think your hair needs—”

“What’s wrong with my hair?” Odessa patted the tresses she’d pulled back with a ribbon.

Odessa perched on the mattress’ edge, her muscles tense, but allowed Flo free reign. After a few moments and several moans and groans, Odessa approached the mirror with downcast eyes, and raising her gaze, gasped. Although Flo had pulled Odessa’s blonde locks atop her head in a pleasing mass of curls and left tendrils draping the side of her face, the gaudy peacock feather protruding from the top stole her glee. She stared at herself, speechless.

“I-it’s very…different from how I usually wear my hair. But…but I like it.” She had no desire to upset the woman again.

Flo stepped closer. “A little color on your lips and cheeks and you’ll be set.” Odessa reached her breaking point, no longer caring whose ire she raised. She shook her head and backed away. “No thank you!” She intoned her voice with firmness. “I’ve made enough concessions by wearing this… this ridiculous frock.” She fanned out the skirt. “And I have more feathers on me than a chicken. I absolutely refuse to paint my face. I thought Mr. Rearden hired me for my singing ability, not…”

Flo dipped her head and laughed, then looked at Odessa. “Forget the makeup. Your cheeks are glowing hotter than an ember in January right now, and your lips… I’m sure you’re fine as you are. Let’s go before someone comes lookin’ for us.”

Odessa started for the door and realized she was shoeless. She stared back at her brown boots by the bed then up at Flo.

The woman shook her head. “Not unless we can’t find something better. Let’s check the armoire.” She dug in the bottom of the wooden chest then turned, dangling a pair of white button-up boots in the air. The toes were scuffed and the heels much higher than Odessa usually wore. Uncomfortable came to mind, but she sat and tried them on only to find they were nearly a perfect fit—just a tad too big, but nothing tight lacing wouldn’t solve. After Flo’s approving nod, Odessa hobbled out into the hallway, feeling like she might topple over in the slightest breeze. She held tight to the banister and made her way downstairs amidst the whoops and hollers, and indecent comments coming from men who lined the bar and filled the chairs around the tables. Her heart hammered hard beneath the yellow feathers adorning her bodice.

Odessa froze a few stairs up and clung to the banister with whitened knuckles. The blasted boots she wore didn’t help steady her trembling knees.

“Whoa, you bunch of randy devils.” Flo stood on the bottom step and held back the sea of charging men. Some had dirty, whiskered faces, and others looked old enough to be grandfathers. A strong smell of sweat hung over the bunch.

Flo turned and gestured to her. “This here is our new songbird, Miz Odessa—”

Right.” Flo faced the men. “Miz Clay is here to sing, and that’s all. So get back to your roosting places. The other gals and I will take care of your real entertainment needs.” Her bawdy laughter made Odessa’s wince at the image.

With slumping shoulders and groans, some of the group slogged back to their tables while others returned to leaning on the bar, nursing their drinks. Odessa took a deep breath, descended the last few stairs with great care, and searched for Alf Rearden.

“Go on over to the piano.” Flo gave her a gentle shove. “Alf’ll be here directly.”

Odessa nodded. Granny’s voice rang in her head, reminding her to show respect and appreciation. “And, thank you kindly for your help, ma’am.”

“No problem. Jes knock ‘em dead, honey.” Her hand on her hip and an exaggerated sway to her behind, Flo sashayed toward the bar with the confidence of a skilled hunter.

A sudden feeling of dread settled in the pit of Odessa’s belly. Despite the room’s warmness, a chill shuddered through her and she questioned her decision to take a saloon job. A quick glance around, at the hungry stares and lusty looks aimed at her made her feel totally naked. She wobbled to the piano on leaden legs and stood with her back to the bar, flipping through the sheet music but not seeing a single word. Where was the defiant and determined feeling that came so easy when she argued with Zach?

She started at Alf’s voice behind her. With a big breath, she turned and forced a smile. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I imagine.” An invisible fist clenched her throat.

His gaze began at the top of her head and drifted to the toes of Pearlie’s well-worn boots. “My, my, Flo did a great job dressing you, didn’t she?”

“Yeah… g-great.” Odessa’s breath fluttered the yellow feathers around the neckline when she looked down in dismay at the twin globes of her breasts so boldly displayed.

Alf plopped on the piano stool and turned toward the keys. “What do you wanna sing first?”

Nerves seized her throat; the urge to flee through the swinging doors overpowered her. “Last Rose of Summer. I really like that one.”

She raised her brow. His hands weren’t even on the keys yet. “What do you mean?”

“You can’t just stand there like a lump of dirt.” He rolled his eyes. “Sidle up to the piano and lean on it in a… a suggestive sort of way. And hike up one foot and rest it against the wall. You know… show some skin if you want these pigeons to feed ya.”

Despite the little voice in her head telling her to run away, Odessa slung one arm atop the edge of the piano lid and pressed one booted foot against the wall. Cool air drifted up her exposed leg, and feeling ridiculous, she cleared her throat as Alf plunked out the song’s introduction. Nerves caused her voice to quiver through the first few verses, but the ovation she received after the final note built her confidence. She squared her shoulders and nodded to a smiling Alf. “I think they like me.”

Odessa’s throat burned from hours of singing. Alf had allowed her a few sitting breaks, but she’d spent most of the night on her feet. She couldn’t wait to get out of Pearlie’s high-heeled boots. The glass jar atop the piano held a few coins tossed in to show appreciation of her talent—not nearly the amount she expected or hoped for.

At first, the crowd had clapped wildly at the finish of each song, but as the night wore on, drinking dimmed their enthusiasm. The painted and carousing women became the men’s center of attention. Odessa’s feelings teetered somewhere between jealousy and relief. But feelings of smugness surged through her tired body. Zach had been wrong about the danger. Other than an occasional off-color remark, she’d remained perfectly safe… at least, so far.

“Oh, not again,” she muttered, as Alf pounded out the beginning of Camp Town Ladies for the third time. The joyful strains seemed to bring more people to the dance floor. Odessa heaved a sigh, but joining on cue, forged through the now-familiar lyrics. After finishing the last note, she cast the piano player a pleading look. “How much longer?”

Shades of orange and red visible through the front windows predicted the approaching sunrise. Her eyes burned from cigar smoke and her forced pose left her with a cramping knee. Sleep beckoned.

Most customers had staggered out during the past few hours, but a few valiant souls still danced and drank. He cracked his knuckles over the keyboard. “As long as we have folks to entertain, Flo pays me to play.”

Odessa frowned, but shifted to another pose. Leaning on the piano came naturally in her tired state, but she absolutely refused to keep her leg bent for a minute longer. Her knee felt stiffer than Grandpa’s whiskers.

While Alf leafed through sheet music for a song to play, a drunk weaved his way across the room. His bloodshot gaze focused on her, and his mouth curled into a lecherous smile. He wavered to a halt mere inches away. “Ain’t you that Johnson guy’s woman?” Whiskey breath washed over her.

Odessa leaned away and crinkled her nose, but curiosity niggled at her. How did a stranger associate her with Zach? Not liking the trapped feeling between the sot and the wall, she side-stepped around him and walked to the table where her water glass sat. After a sip, she met his bleary gaze. “Who wants to know?”

“Your man and me’ll be working together.” He winked and brushed his knuckles against her cheek. “I swear, if’n you was my lady, you wouldn’t—”

She slapped his hand away. “Despite what you believe, sir, I’m not anyone’s property.”

Alf leapt to his feet and spun the man away from Odessa. “C’mon Burt, leave Miz Clay be. Go on back to the bar and tell Orin to pour you a free one on me.”

His head bobbing, Burt teetered back and forth. Odessa feared he might fall, but he released a loud breath and steadied himself with a hand on the wall. “Thas mighty generous of you, Alf, but I’ll share a li’l secret with ya.” He pressed a gnarled finger to his lips.

Switching his source of support to the corner of the piano, the drunk leaned in. “Come next week, I’ll be able to buy you a drink—maybe loss and lossa drinks.” His attempt at whispering was lost in a drunken slur that Odessa overheard.

Zach paced the room. His pallet on the floor remained as neatly made as Odessa’s bed. Sunrise loomed beyond the tattered curtains and replaced the darkness inside with light enough to make out the sparse furnishings. How much longer before she finished at the saloon?

His gut had been in a knot since he’d stood outside, concealed in the shadows and peered through the window at her. The innocent girl he’d brought to Charleston had transformed into a saloon whore, clad in yellow feathers and little else. He admitted she looked darn good, but watching other men ogle her raised his dander and forced him to leave before he did something stupid.

He unclenched his fists and massaged his furrowed brow. How in the world had he made her so desperate that she’d cheapen herself so? Now he had even more reason to rob the stage. Not only was his father’s farm in jeopardy, so was the woman he loved.

He paused and blinked at his own admission. Loved? No use denying it. He wasn’t an authority in the romance department, but no other female had ever made him feel like Odessa did. All he wanted was to protect and provide for her, and damn it, that’s what he planned to do.

The door opened and he turned. Odessa, outlined by light from the hall stood in the doorway, dressed in her own gingham, her hair loose around her shoulders. Her eyes mirrored his own weariness.

She shuffled across the room and plopped on the bed. “I wondered the same thing myself.” She stretched her arms over her head and opened her mouth in a huge yawn.

“You look plumb worn out.” He knelt in front of her and unlaced her left boot.

Zach moved to the other foot, struggled with a knot and untied it. He removed her right boot, and for the first time, noticed the thin sole was nearly worn through. Guilt plucked at him. She deserved better.

“Not really.” She pulled her feet up and curled her legs under her skirt. “But, I overheard something that caused me to wonder.”

“Hmmm, name sounds familiar, but I don’t rightly remember why.” Zach rubbed his chin. “Why do you think I know this fella?”

Odessa swiveled around and faced him. “Well, according to Burt, you and he are going to work together.”

The names Spence had reeled off popped into Zach’s brain. “Oh… that Burt.” He stared into his lap and fidgeted. “I haven’t actually met him.”

“He certainly seemed to know about you… and me. At least enough to suggest I’m your woman.”

Zach stood and fidgeted for words. “Y-you best get some sleep, you’ve been up all night.”

She eyed the undisturbed pallet on the floor. “Appears you didn’t get any rest either.” She rose and uncoiled into another stretch.

“Tell me,” she peered up at him, stifling another yawn. “What exactly do you plan to do with this Burt person? He doesn’t seem much like someone I imagine you befriending, let alone working with.”

She’d backed him into a corner. What did he say now? Zach reached around her and turned down the covers. “Sleep first, talk later,” he stalled.

“I only caught bits and pieces, but he seemed to suggest that whatever job he planned to do with you would result in his having more money. Know anything about that?” Her stare burned him.

Zach cleared his throat. How did he get out of this predicament? He inched backwards and plopped down in the rocking chair. “Of course he’ll have money. Isn’t that the very reason you’re singing at the saloon? People get paid to work.”

“I suppose you’re right, but you still haven’t told me what kind of job you came here to do.”

“It’s nothing important.” He clasped his hands behind his head and rocked.

“I’m not a child, Zach.” She folded her arms. “You won’t tell me what you plan to do, but you were in an all-fire hurry to get here. And your attitude suggests that in a very short time, you’ll have money enough to save your father’s ranch. I don’t have a very good feeling about your association with this Burt person, and I’m wondering if what you plan to do is legal.”

She dropped to her knees in front of him, her hands on his thighs. “Please, I beg you. Don’t get involved in anything dangerous. I-I just couldn’t live if anything happened to you.” She looked away. “There, I’ve said it.”

Zach lowered his arms and clasped her hands. A growing lump threatened to choke him. She deserved the truth, but how could he be honest and still deserve her respect, let alone her love?

Odessa just admitted her feelings for him. There, sitting back on her heels in front of him with her hair loose around her shoulders, her skin fresh and smooth, the memory of her bosom heaving despite the feathers in that ridiculous whore’s costume she wore while she sang… Words failed Zach for a moment. “Looks like the shoe is on the other foot now. I fretted about your safety in the saloon, and now you’ve worked yourself into a tizzy over me gettin’ hurt.”

She rose on her knees. “Just tell me you aren’t about to do something foolish.”

The caring he saw in her eyes tugged at his heart. If he told her his plans, disappointment and repulsion would surely replace the love he glimpsed. Just one time, that’s all he needed. One time to rob a stage and secure his father’s ranch. Hopelessness drove a man to do things he wouldn’t normally do, and right now desperation trumped romance.

“Would I have come this far if I didn’t?” She brushed a kiss against his hand.

Her lips sent warmth spiraling up his arm and awakened his desire. God, how he wanted to pull her into his arms and taste every inch of her, instead, he swallowed hard and met her gaze again. “What I plan to do may not be the right thing. But if I don’t do something, Pa is going to lose everything he and Ma worked for. I can’t just stand by and watch that happen.”

Odessa leaned away from him, her brow knitted with worry. “Can this something you have planned get you killed?”

Death was a possibility, but a chance he had to take. He swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. “I suppose I’ll face some danger, but I made a promise to get you to Phoenix, and I plan to come back in one piece.”

“Come back? From where?” She sprang to her feet and paced to the other side of the room. She jerked around and glared at him. “I’m sick of talking in circles.” Her jaw clenched and her hands fisted at her sides. “Why can’t you tell me your plans and stop beating around the bush?”

“I’m joining the Spence gang and robbing a stage.” The words blurted out before he could stop them.

He rose and crossed to where she stood. He caressed her upper arms and searched her eyes for a hint of understanding. “I had this planned long before I met you.”

She stiffened. “I don’t care if this is something you dreamed of as a child, it’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.” She side-stepped him and sank onto the bed. Tears rimmed her eyes. “Don’t you realize you’ll be a wanted man? You’ll never be able to go anywhere without looking over your shoulder.”

He heaved a sigh and rubbed the nape of his neck. “I’m fully aware of the risks involved. Trust me, I’ve thought of little else since we met… and before. A normal job won’t get me the money I need. Not in time to stall off the bank that holds the deed to Pa’s ranch. And no one is willing to grant us a time extension. What else can I do?”

She gulped and stared at him with wide eyes again. Plunging her hand into her pocket, she withdrew two wrinkled bills and a few coins. “This is all I made last night.”

She clenched the money in her hand. “H-how did your Pa get that far behind?”

Zach sagged down next to her. “After Ma died, he lost interest in everything.” Reliving the scene brought a lump to Zach’s throat. “Pa took to his room, wouldn’t eat for a while and refused to take care of business. When I finally convinced him that Ma would want him to go on, he broke his leg when his horse threw him. Things went from bad to worse. I tried to keep things going, but we lost most of the ranch hands because Pa couldn’t pay them, and then the bank in Phoenix called in the note.”

“Sounds like a mess to me.” She rested her hand atop his. “Does he know what you plan to do?”

Zach jerked his head around and stared at her. “Hell no! Pa thinks I took a one-time job that pays a big dividend—riding shotgun on a stage loaded with the miner’s payroll.”

“Dang it, Odessa. Don’t try to burden me with guilt.” He pulled his hand from beneath hers and raked it through his hair. “I don’t even wanna think what Pa would do if he knew I was going to rob the stage instead of guard it. He begged me not to leave in the first place.”

“I think I like your pa, and I haven’t even met him. We share something in common. Both of us love you and don’t want to see you dead, or in jail.”

“I don’t plan on getting shot or arrested.” He spoke through clenched teeth, but savored her words. She loved him.

Odessa covered her face with her hands and shuddered, then turned a burning gaze on him. “No one plans to get shot, Zach. Or locked up. Have you considered what will happen to your Pa and his ranch if you do? What will happen to me?”

He refused to consider his demise, and being jailed wasn’t an option either. He pushed her negative suggestions to the back of his mind. “Like I said, you’ll just have to trust me. This is something I have to do.”

Her eyes clouded. “I see nothing I say is going to change your mind. So, when will you go?”

She opened her hand and shoved her wages toward him. “Then go pay for a couple more nights here at the boarding house. Flo offered me a room at the saloon, but I’d rather not stay there.”

Zach tried to shrug off the money, but she placed it in his palm and forced his fingers closed. “Take it. You’ve done so much already; it’s time I helped out.”

“I’ll take it on one condition.” The thought of her staying in the saloon filled him with unease.

“Don’t go back to the Golden Horseshoe.” He didn’t mean for his request to sound more like an order. “Give me time to get the money we need to get out of this place.”

She lowered her gaze again, appearing to ponder his words, then looked at him and nodded. “Don’t worry about me. If you’re so determined to act the fool, then focus on what you need to do and come back to me.”

Regret stabbed at his heart. She hadn’t promised as he hoped. He stood and paced to the other side of the room. “I wish I hadn’t told you the truth.”

She walked to where he stood and peered at him with those sky blue eyes he adored. “I’d rather know you don’t keep secrets from me. Of course, I’ll worry more about you, that’s for sure. But,” she caressed his cheek, “I’m still relying on you to get me to Phoenix.” The movement of her palm against his stubbled skin created a soft grating noise.

She inched her hand around his neck and pulled his face down to her level. Her sweet breath washed over him. “Kiss me like you plan to come back to me…not like you’re saying goodbye.”

His mouth pressed against hers. At the insistence of his probing, she parted her lips and allowed his tongue to dart inside. She stiffened at the sensation, but sagged against him when her shock turned to delight. The swirling dance of mouthy flesh with flesh excited her, tugged at her womanly parts and stirred feelings she’d never experienced. His taste, the warmth of his mouth, the delving, licking, nibbling—sensations new, yet enticing enough to stir her cravings for more. Her arms crept tighter around his neck. She sucked his tongue deeper and deeper until her brazen actions elicited a throaty moan. Was it his or hers?

Something hard jabbed at her belly—a part of Zach she could only imagine. Fear and her ignorance of anything sensual dulled her feelings of foggy bliss and blotted out the sparks ignited by his kiss. Mating scenes she’d witnessed on her father’s farm flashed through her mind. She’d started something she couldn’t handle, and she shuddered. Zach’s arms held her so tight she couldn’t breathe. Filled with foreboding, she leaned away from him, licking the moistness from her lips.

His eyes flew open, and an evident question lingered in their depths. He released her from his embrace and searched her face.

“I’m sorry,” she sputtered. “I-I don’t know what came over me.” She backed away and ran sweating palms down her skirt.

“It was just a kiss, Odessa. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’ve wanted to do that for days.” His voice sounded oddly raspy.

Her cheeks warmed. “T-that was my first kiss. I’m not very experienced, you know? I’ve heard things, but…”

“For a first-timer, you did great.” He cupped her chin. “But, I see fear in your eyes. You needn’t worry. I won’t push you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.” He sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and stared at her for a moment. “As much as I’d like you to believe I know everything about making love to a woman… I don’t. We’ll go slow and learn together. Do we have a deal?” He stepped closer and attempted to embrace her.

With a chuckle, he accepted her offered palm then used his other hand to stifle a yawn. He swiveled her toward her bed. “Now that everything’s out in the open, can we get some rest? I have to meet Spence and the boys at the stable this afternoon.”

She sank down on the welcome softness. “I could definitely use some sleep.” She looked up at him. “And since we’re being honest, I have to tell you that I really didn’t enjoy singing all that much.”

He laughed. “I know you can sing, so I’m not gonna say I told you so…but now I know you’re just as stubborn as I am when you have your mind set on something.” He bent, kissed her forehead, then straightened and turned toward his pallet.

“Lay with me.” She edged back on the bed and patted the space in front of her.

“Honey,” he said with a grin, “that’s about all I have the energy for right now.”

Zach’s eyes popped open. His pulse thudded. How long had he slept? His arm was numb under the weight of Odessa’s head. As much as he hated the idea, he had to leave the pleasure of her body spooned against his.

Gently, he slipped his arm from beneath her and inched off the bed. Taking care not to wake her, he picked up his boots, plopped on his hat, and tiptoed across the floor to where his gun hung. Still sleeping, Odessa rolled over and drew up her knees, exposing the same shapely legs he’d lusted over through the saloon window. A tiny mewl escaped her bow-shaped lips. While Zach fastened his holster, he etched her beautiful face in his mind before sneaking out the door, boots in hand.

In the hallway, once shod, he straightened his Stetson and made his way down the stairs. His gut twisted. The danger he’d downplayed to Odessa suddenly seemed all too real. What if he had just glimpsed her for the last time?

Helplessness engulfed him. But he’d come too far to back out. Everything rode on being careful and not doing anything stupid to get himself killed. He’d already been beaten up for being late, so what were the chances Spence would spare him for chickening out? The odds were in Zach’s favor if he kept his promise to the gang. He had no other choice.

He noticed the street appeared fairly empty. Most people still having their mid-day repast, he supposed. His stomach growled, having missed two meals himself, but he hastened his steps toward the livery. A breeze fluttered newly hung orange posters nailed to structure-supporting beams and storefronts, but he dared not take time to read one. His body couldn’t take another pounding for being tardy. He stood outside the stable for a moment and took long, slow breaths, then crept inside.

Zach moved in the direction of the voice and found the group, minus one. To keep his nervous hands from shaking, he hooked his thumbs in his belt. “Where’s Axel?

“He rode out about an hour ago,” Spence explained. “We’ll lessen suspicion if we don’t leave town together. You and T.J. will ride out to the east, and circle back. Burt and I’ll go in the other direction.”

Spence flicked an icy glare at Zach. “You ask too damn many questions. You sure you aren’t a lawman?”

Despite jangled nerves, Zach laughed. “T.J. can tell you I’m not.” He nudged the man. “I’m not even a good poker player, am I?”

T.J. nodded and focused on Spence. “He’s all right, boss. Like I told you, he’s just hungry for money like the rest of us.”

“I took your word for it, T.J. If I find out different, you’re both dead men.”

Zach’s shoulders tensed, but he said nothing. By process of elimination, he eyed Burt, but spun his glance away before giving into the urge to pummel the bastard. How dare such filth touch Odessa!

“Saddle up, you two and get going.” Spence glared at Zach and T.J. “We’ve got a fifteen mile ride ahead and I don’t want to cut time too short between our arrival and when the stage passes by the appointed place. I checked on the way here and the board outside the station says the coach is running on schedule.”

The sun blazed bright in the western sky, creating a dynamic background to a landscape filled with saguaro cactus and scrub brush. Sweat trickled from Zach’s brow and dampened his shirt. Storm kept pace with T.J.’s roan. They’d left Charleston, circled back as Spence had directed, and rode at a medium pace. The clopping hooves filled the awkward silence and niggled at Zach’s nerves. “So, why did you join the gang?”

T.J. turned and looked at him. “Same as you. Money.” He turned his gaze forward again, his voice lowered. “I lost my wife to cholera a few years back. We’d sold the ratty shack we lived in and joined a wagon train. I planned to homestead a piece of land, build a decent home….” His Adam’s apple bobbed with a hard swallow. “After she died, I took my two sons to my folks, but there wasn’t room for all of us to live there. I’ve been driftin’, trying to find a job so I can build a proper home and get my children back, but….”

The sorrow and longing in the man’s voice tugged at Zach. “Sorry for your loss. I understand your urgency. Like I told you in Phoenix, I joined up in order to save the land I share with my pa. Since then, I’ve met a gal I’d like to take home and maybe build a future with.” He recalled the shocked look on her face when he finally came clean. “She was none too pleased when I told her my plans, but I couldn’t keep the truth from her forever.”

T.J.’s gaze swept over him. “Well, if we do this right, no one will ever know our identity, and both of us might have a future—you with your lady friend and me with my boys.”

Cold shivers ran down Zach’s spine. “What could go wrong?” He hated to ask, but needed to know.

“A lot if we’re connected to Spence’s gang.” His lips thinned and he yanked the brim of his hat lower. “Like you, this is my first time at breakin’ the law, so no one knows me from Adam. But the other three already have bounty hunters tailing them. Wanted posters often take a long time to reach across state lines, so the sheriff and others in Charleston probably have no idea about Pete Spence and his sidekicks.”

“I’m not in any rush to have my picture plastered all over the place, and I certainly never intend to do this again.” Images of orange posters flashed in Zach’s mind, but he didn’t say anything. Instead he forced a chuckle. Could he really trust T.J.?

“Bank robbing, mostly. But I know they’ve have been laying low since they got to town, especially after they killed those people at the way-station.”

Cold shivered Zach to his core. Memories of the bodies he and Odessa had buried burned in his mind. “Where at?”

“One not far from Charleston. Said they gunned down a man, his wife and some businessman waiting there for the next stage.” T.J. nudged his mount faster. “We’d better hurry.”

Zach followed, his heart racing in sync with Storm’s hoof beats. If Spence and his cohorts could gun down innocent people, they wouldn’t blink an eye at shooting him. What had he gotten himself into? All the questions he should have asked raced through his mind, and one by one, answers came. He didn’t like any of them.

T.J. veered off the beaten path. His roan sped up a rocky knoll and halted near a large out-cropping of rocks. Zach followed and reined in his horse. He surveyed the area and noticed one boulder jutted out over a well-traveled trail and provided the perfect ambush spot. He dismounted and joined the others, who appeared to have recently arrived, and waited for instructions. Fear and dread pooled in his belly. At least he could rest assured that Odessa would be safe and sound in the boarding house. But for how long? a tiny voice niggled.

Shivering atop the covers, Odessa woke in her dim boarding house room. She glanced over her shoulder and found herself alone, but wasn’t surprised. Zach had warned he’d be leaving. She missed the feel of his body pressed against hers and the safety of his arm draped across her waist while they slept. How long had he been gone?

She wriggled beneath the blanket, rolled onto her back and stared at the stained ceiling. The memory of his kiss lingered in her mind and brought warmth to her chilled body. Her fingers to her lips, she pictured his handsome face and listened to strains of bridal music in her head. The smile curving her mouth turned to a frown when the worry she’d pushed to the back of her mind ate away at the pleasant image and replaced it with visions of a corpse.

She’d done all she could, and now she’d endure the torturous wait. But for how long?

She dragged herself up and sat on the edge of the bed. With a sigh, she splayed her fingers through her hair. Between worry and idle hands she was bound to go stir crazy. She hadn’t been awake five minutes and already she felt restless. “Please God, let Zach come back to me,” she prayed. “I don’t know what I’ll do if he doesn’t.” Her mind whirred with “what ifs.”

A rapping sound brought her to her feet. She padded to the door and cracked it open. “Yes?” She pushed her face into the opening and saw the scrawny desk clerk from downstairs.

“Ma’am.” He nodded. “Mr. Johnson paid for the rest of the week. Said I was ta look in on ya and make sure you had everything you need. Is there anything I kin get you?” He swiped his hand beneath his nose and stepped closer.

The man’s seedy appearance gave her the shivers. Filled with apprehension at his beady eyes, she tightened her grasp on the doorknob. “I-I’m getting ready for work now,” she lied. “I’ll be down to the dining room to have a bite before I go, but I’m fine for the moment, thank you.”

When he nodded again and descended the stairs, she closed the door and leaned against it. Releasing a sigh, she wondered why in the world Zach would announce to anyone that she was alone. Even more, she might be alone forever if Zach didn’t come back. What if he did die? She covered her eyes. “Oh my God, he can’t get killed. I love him.”

She lowered her hands and studied the four bleak walls. If she stayed holed up, she’d go stark raving mad. Why had she told Zach she’d give up her job? At least it would keep her mind occupied and some money in her pocket. Wait! Had she actually acquiesced—said the words? She recalled her conversation with Zach and realized she had only nodded, and that could mean anything. Maybe she was splitting hairs, but Mr. Rearden expected her to show up tonight. And didn’t she owe it to herself to hold onto the position and keep earning money…just in case? She shook her head and chomped down on her knuckle. There was no “just in case” involved. Singing was only a way to bide her time until Zach returned.

In Pearlie’s old room, Odessa lifted her foot to the bed and laced one of the same scuffed white boots she’d worn the night before. The departed harlot had left enough dresses to outfit Odessa for over a week, and tonight, an emerald green frock had won her selection method of blind finger pointing. The soft, silky material clung to her like the peel on a cucumber, and she fretted over fresh rips in the black-netted stockings. No use crying over spilled milk, she reminded herself, then switched feet and tied the laces of the other boot. She straightened and turned to the mirror. Exposing so much body seemed sinful, but what choice did she have?

She pulled her gaze from her bosom and focused on her face. Flo would insist on doing something outlandish to Odessa’s hair. Better she fix it using something less flamboyant than that blasted peacock feather. She copied the previous night’s upswept style, leaving fringes alongside her cheeks, but added only a bow in a matching color just above her right ear. Worry had left her pale, so she added a smear of red to her cheeks and a touch to her lips. She licked away a little of the excess color from her mouth then rolled her eyes. She might be only the singer, but blended in with the saloon’s “tarnished angels,” one would be hard pressed to tell the difference.

Sighing, she turned the doorknob and ambled out into the hallway. She stopped at the banister and peered over the railing. The stale smell of booze, cigars, and sweat drifted up to meet her. Already, a row of cowboys lined the long bar. Flo and her girls, dressed in bright rainbow colors and adorned with feathers and frills mingled among them. The men swigged down drinks as if they’d just crawled in from the desert. Perhaps they had. Cattle drives were frequent in most towns, why not Charleston? The fellas certainly looked the part. Powdered dust discolored their sweat-stained hats and covered their shirts. Sprouting whiskers marked days without a razor. Despite similarities, these men were not part of the unkempt group from last night who Flo insisted were regulars.

Alf looked up, smiled, and motioned for her to join him. He wasn’t the only one happy to see her, if the cacophony of catcalls and solicitous invitations were any indication.

Her heart pounded beneath her partially exposed bosom, but she averted her gaze from the bar area and focused on getting safely down the stairs. High-heeled boots would never become a preference. As she teetered toward the piano, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

“Hey… uh…pretty miss.” A dark-haired young man whisked off his hat and smiled. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and repeatedly cleared his throat. His gaze drifted to her bosom, but bobbed back up as his cheeks reddened. “H-how ’bout joining me for a few drinks?”

Long locks, in sore need of a barber, almost reached his shoulders, and a stray curl, freed from confinement, plopped onto his forehead. Through the dust he created as he slapped his hat against his leg, he looked much younger than Zach.

Odessa held her hand to her nose until the cloud cleared, then returned his smile. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m only here to sing. And I don’t imbibe.”

He pulled out a chair at the table nearest the piano and sat. “Well, if you sound as good as you look, I’m sure we’re all in for a treat. So, I’m gonna perch right here and give a listen.”

Feeling a flush creeping up her neck, she forced a grin. If he sat any closer, he’d be in Alf’s lap. The young gent’s puppy dog eyes made her palms turn damp. She moved to the stack of sheet music atop the piano and began sorting through the pages.

“You’re a vision of loveliness.” Alf’s voice drew her gaze. His slicked hair still looked wet, and he had shaved. His signature suspenders were tightly fastened over a shirt not nearly as stained as the one he wore yesterday. When cleaned up, he didn’t look half bad—through still not nearly as handsome as Zach.

“Thank you,” she muttered, trying to ignore the adoring eyes peering over Alf’s shoulder.

He glanced at the bar. “Looks like we’ve got a whole new crowd this evenin’. And…it appears you’ve already gained an admirer.” He flicked his gaze to the table behind him then back to her, a grin curving his lips.

Odessa’s cheeks heated. “Can we just move along, please? I’ve arranged the sheet music in my preferred singing order.”

He pulled down the first sheet. “Camptown Ladies? Weren’t you grumblin’ about this one last night?”

She smiled. “I suppose I was, but it’s inevitable you’re going to play it several times, so we might as well begin with it.”

As the piano plunked out the tune, Odessa’s voice joined in. Flo and her girls picked their partners and dragged them out onto the dance floor. Clapping hands, stomping feet, and an occasional “yee haw” gave the evening a lively start. The clanking of coins in the jar atop the piano sounded as sweet as rainfall in a drought.

After six songs, Odessa took a break and fetched a glass of water from the bartender. Rather than risk offending the young cowboy, she carried her drink over to his table. “Mind if I join you? I’m taking a short respite.”

He jumped to his feet, and pulled out the chair in front of her—the one opposite his dusty hat. He flicked a shaggy curl from his ebony eyes. “Please, ma’am, I’d be honored.”

She sat and inched her chair forward. With her elbows on the table, she leaned in so he could hear her over the loud voices in the room. “Are you far from home?”

She leaned on her palm. “I think I’ve heard of it. But, Show Low seems a strange name for a town.”

“My name is Odessa. If you keep calling me ma’am, I’m going to start feeling like your school marm.”

“Up in the White Mountains, about a three or four day’s ride from Phoenix. As for its name…according to a tale told around those parts, two men who settled a no-named parcel of land didn’t get along and decided to let a poker game determine who’d have to move. One of the men supposedly said, ‘If you can show low, you win,’ and when he turned up the deuce of clubs, he did.”

She laughed. “Strange way to name a town, don’t you think?” She took a sip of water and swallowed. “I don’t believe you’ve told me your name.”

She peered down her nose and grinned. “What did I tell you about calling me ma’am?”

“In a way, I suppose. My ma read a book a long time ago about a place far away called Russia. She came across Odessa as the name of a region there. I’ve heard tell that Odessa, Texas is named for that very same place.”

“It’s a right pretty name.” John lowered his gaze. “And it suits you.”

“I’ve always liked it, although my father called me Dessie most of the time.” Memory’s knife stabbed at her heart as she recalled the last time she’d heard Pa’s voice. Her thoughts drifted back to that day in the desert when she’d left him behind. The same anguish she’d felt then returned and multiplied her worry over Zach.

“Do you like being called Dessie?” John’s voice pulled her from her painful reverie.

“Only by Pa, because he gave me the pet name. But, he’s gone now, so I don’t allow anyone else to call me that. Besides…sounds too much like Bessie, and that was the name of one of our cows.” She smiled.

The legs of John’s chair squealed against the floor when he pushed away from the table, stood and pulled out her chair. “Thank you for the visit, Miz Odessa. It was real nice makin’ your acquaintance.”

“I enjoyed meeting you, too, and I even got a little history lesson about Show Low in the deal.” She bobbed a quick curtsy and moved to her place next to the piano.

Odessa returned from her third break of the evening. John Harper, quite the polite young man, had provided a welcome respite to worrying about Zach. She’d learned more about John and his family and shared some of her own past. She steered clear of any conversation that might lead to questions about how she ended up in Charleston.

The crowd grew rowdier as the night progressed, and Alf had come to her defense several times when a few trail hands made inappropriate comments or tried to drag her onto the dance floor. Not wanting to draw any more attention to herself, she dropped her suggestive poses and stood with hands clasped at her waist. The jar atop the piano behind her was half-full, and now she’d find out if her singing or her sleazy stance had earned her the extra money.

She joined in on cue when he played Oh Susanna. She tapped her toe to the music and sang in her loudest voice, although she couldn’t help but wonder how someone came from Alabama with a banjo on their knee. The crowd clapped, and some even joined in the chorus. Odessa, caught up in the fun, did a do-si-do with a heavyset and obviously inebriated customer during a piano interlude. But when she sashayed back to her place, she realized he wasn’t ready to end the dance.

Odessa tried to brush off his clutching hands and continue with the song, but her actions only narrowed his eyes and flared his nostrils.

The drunk punched Alf and sent him sprawling, then blasted him with an icy glare. “Now get up and play, you bastard,” he slurred. “I plan to finish what I started with this here whore, or my name ain’t Augustus O’Reilly.”

People who had glanced over when the music stopped had gone back to their banter and drinks. Alf plunked out Red River Valley, but his gaze rested on Odessa. His face displayed the fear she felt.

Time moved in slow motion. Visions of another encounter with an inebriated man flashed in her mind, only this time there was no Zach to come to her rescue. Her racing heart echoed in her head and she felt helpless. Fingers bit into her skin.

Odessa craned away from the burly man. “You’re making a mistake, Mr. O’Reilly. I’m only here to sing.”

“Right.” He guffawed, leering at her chest. “You ain’t showing off those pretty little titties jes to belt out a few tunes.”

O’Reilly reeled her closer and squeezed her right breast. The pain confirmed she wasn’t in the middle of a bad dream. She slapped at his hand but he only laughed.

“I’m gonna make you feel real good, little lady.” His fetid breath sickened her, and she turned away, but he cupped her chin and forced her face forward. “And I wanna taste these titties right now.” His giant arm held tight around her waist while he lowered his head and slathered his tongue across the tops of her breasts.

She clenched her teeth, squinted her eyes, and struggled, but she was no match for his strength. His mouth delved deeper inside her dress, making the hair at her neck’s nape stand on end and her stomach roil.

Odessa opened her eyes. John Harper stood with a wide stance, his arms at his side, his fingers flexing near the holster on his right hip. “Guess no one else is gonna step in and save the lady, so I’m asking you to let her go.”

O’Reilly raised his head and stared at John. “And if I don’t, whadda you plan to do about it?”

“Test me and find out,” Hunter warned. His words sounded brave but fear wavered in his eyes.

The man still gripped Odessa with one arm, while his opposite hand hovered over his pistol. “You don’t scare me. I doubt you can even shoot. You don’t look old enough to be dry behind the ears.”

“I don’t want no trouble, so let Miz Odessa go.” Sweat beaded John’s brow.

“Miz Odessa is it?” O’Reilly sneered at her. “She’s a mighty tasty treat and one I plan to savor for a while, so why don’t you just go back to whatever it was you were doing and leave us be.”

Odessa’s breath hitched as O’Reilly’s grip tightened around her waist. “Please, both of you…”

“This thing of being a hero, about the main thing to it is to know when to die. Prolonged life has ruined more men than it ever made.” —Will Rogers.

Odessa pried at her captor’s thick fingers to no avail. “Can’t we just forget this happened and go back to singing and dancing?” She nodded toward the other side of the room. “Look over at the bar. Everyone else is still drinking, laughing and having fun.” Her voice sounded light despite the heaviness in her chest.

Why was everyone else in the place oblivious to her plight? Didn’t they care? Surely, even in a saloon, some sort of law prevailed.

O’Reilly released her, and jaw twitching, faced John Harper. “You’re annoying me, boy.”

Odessa cowered against the piano, legs trembling and stomach churning. “Please, fellas,” she tried again. “This isn’t worth someone getting hurt… or worse.”

“He needs to have more respect for you, Miz Odessa.” John addressed her but his eyes remained fixed on O’Reilly.

“Someone needs to,” John muttered. “But the important thing is that you let the lady go.” He pulled out his chair and started to sit when a loud blast rang out.

Odessa covered her ears and winced. The smell of gunpowder drifted back toward her and fear choked off the scream in her throat. She craned around O’Reilly’s bulk and searched for John. With a leering grin, the drunk looked back at her and holstered his gun. “That’ll teach the little bastard to mind his own business.”

“John! Oh my God, John.” Odessa scrambled to where he lay and fell to her knees beside him. Blood oozed from a bullet hole in his forehead and puddled on the floor; his dark eyes stared vacantly at the ceiling. She pressed her ear to his chest, but heard nothing but her own panting.

“He’s dead,” she screamed. Anger turned her body rigid. “What’s wrong with you people?”

Those at the bar turned to her, but only for a moment before they went back to drinking, talking and laughing. O’Reilly staggered out the swinging doors like nothing had happened.

Alf came, knelt and put his arm around her shoulder. She turned and peered at him through blurred eyes. The room behind him appeared wavy and off-kilter. “W-Why?”

She didn’t hear an answer because darkness descended on her like a cloudless night.

Odessa opened her eyes to the worried faces of Alf and Flo. Her gaze darted around. The smell, the pillows, the bed covering—Pearlie’s room. How had she gotten upstairs? She tried to sit up but Flo urged her back down. “You’ve had quite a shock and scared us pretty good, too.”

Odessa, puzzled at first, covered her mouth and bit back a sob as the details of John Harper’s death flashed through her mind. He’d done nothing but try to protect her from an overgrown brute. He didn’t deserve to die.

Scooting up against the headboard, Odessa shook her head. “Why did he kill that nice young man?”

Flo shrugged. “Happens more times than we can count.” She flicked a glance at the piano player. “No offense, Alf.” She looked back to Odessa. “Men are like dogs. They have to piss on their territory and prove something to everyone. You don’t see women killin’ one another.”

“Pulling hair is more like it.” Alf chuckled. If his joke was an attempt to lighten the mood, his humor failed.

“We sent for the sheriff, but if the shooter has left town already, the law’ll decide if finding him is worth the effort.”

“What about John Harper? We don’t even know if he has family. Who’s going to bury him?” Tears blurred Odessa’s eyes. Responsibility for his demise gnawed at her like a dog with a bone.

Flo patted her arm. “Don’t you fret about young Mr. Harper. He’ll be buried proper. We already had his body taken to be fitted for a casket, but as for family…”

Odessa lowered her gaze and sniffed. “I guess there’s nothing more can be done.”

“Yeah, kid,” Alf said, “Take the rest of the night off. I don’t feel much like playin’ mahself.”

The door closed behind them. Odessa settled back on the pillows and draped her arm across her eyes. Thoughts of Zach danced in her head and renewed her anxiety. What if something happened to him? How would she know? Would someone tell her, and then, how would she reach his pa? She gnawed her bottom lip and tried to push the thoughts aside. She’d already lost most of her family, except for an aunt she barely knew. The last thing Odessa wanted was to tell a father he’d lost the son he loved. That wasn’t the way she wanted to meet Zach’s pa.

Surely God wouldn’t be that cruel and take away her reason for wanting to make a new life. She squared her shoulders, but they sagged beneath niggling doubts and fear. Sobs wracked her, both for the loss of a nice young man and the worry over another she truly loved.

Odessa woke to sunlight filtering through the window in Pearlie’s room. Dust motes danced lightly in the beams. Usually amusing, today they did little to inspire a good mood. Her eyes felt gritty and swollen. She’d evidently cried herself to sleep—deep sleep as nothing had disturbed her.

Throwing aside the coverlet, she inched to the bed’s edge and stood. She still wore the same gaudy green gown, although now the emerald material was wrinkled and splattered with blood—John Harper’s blood. It may as well be on her hands. Tears welled again as she questioned her responsibility for his death.

Had he not taken a fancy to her and her singing, he’d still be alive. Perhaps taken a fancy to her as a woman. Being sheltered by her family hadn’t given her much experience to draw from. Regardless, she couldn’t do this anymore. Zach had been right. Saloons weren’t fitting places for a decent woman to work. She’d tell Alf right away that she was through. Surely he’d understand.

She opened the armoire and withdrew her own gingham dress, shoes and undergarments then changed. Dressed, she turned to the mirror, not surprised at eyes that were red and puffy. Her hair hung in unruly strands and the coloring from her lips and cheeks smeared the bedclothes. She felt as pale as she looked. After letting down her hair, she pulled a brush through the tangles then drew her tresses back in a single blue ribbon. The smell of liquor wafted from beneath the door and made her queasy. Bidding the Golden Horseshoe goodbye wouldn’t be hard at all. More difficult was believing Zach would come back to get her.

Downstairs, the bar was nearly empty, but a few old codgers leaned there, ogling her with raised brows as she descended. She supposed in her own clothing, she stood in stark contrast to the few painted ladies who hadn’t yet retired upstairs. Judging from the attention they paid the grizzly men, the women still hoped for some paying company.

Suddenly she realized how. Perhaps she was destined for such a fate. Alone, no money, no prospects for a decent job. Flo had already indicated this wasn’t what she wanted to do with her life… more what life forced her to do. Zach had to come back; he had to return and save Odessa from a doomed fate in this hellhole of a town.

She paused at the bottom of the stairs, sickened by sight of the proprietress running her fingers through one customer’s greasy hair while she giggled in his ear. “Flo,” she interrupted. “Do you know where Alf is?”

Flo turned her back to the bar and leaned on her elbows, hooking her heel over the foot rail so that her already bulging bosom jutted further. Too much fleshy thigh defeated her attempt to be alluring. “He’s gone to bed. Why?”

“I-I wanted to tell him I’m quitting. I won’t be back tonight—or ever. This just isn’t a place for me.” Odessa clasped and unclasped her fingers. She glanced at the dark stain on the floor where John Harper died, then back to Flo.

The redhead straightened. Her eyes turned serious. “Well, hell’s bells. We’re shore gonna miss you around here, but I understand, truly I do. I think Alf will too. After we came downstairs, he mentioned it might be best if you left. I think he feels guilty about what happened.”

“Oh, please tell him he shouldn’t.” Odessa pressed her palms together beneath her chin. “I appreciate the chance he gave me to sing, but I got far more than I bargained for. Tell him I wish him well.”

The geezer next to Flo made an improper grab. She clucked her tongue. “Not now!” She slapped his hand away and walked towards Odessa. “What do you plan to do now, hun?”

“I’m not sure. There isn’t much in this town. I’m hoping my… my friend returns soon. He’s on business and is supposed to come back and deliver me to Phoenix. I have an aunt there. That’s where my pa and I were headed when he died.”

Flo lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry for your loss. I didn’t know.” Her face fell into a frown. “We didn’t really have a chance to get to know one another, did we?”

“No, I guess we didn’t. But maybe it’s for the best.” Odessa chuckled to ease the moment. “I might have taken a liking to you, only to have to turn around and leave town and a good friend.”

“That’s true.” Flo patted her shoulder. “Well, take it easy, Miz Odessa Clay, and have a good life.”

Flo turned back to her customer, and Odessa crossed to the piano where her money jar stood almost full—a welcome sight and safety for a few more days at the boarding house. As she clutched the glass container to her chest and passed through the swinging doors, she took a deep breath. “Anytime now, Zach. Anytime.”

Zach listened to Pete Spence spout off directions on how the heist was supposed to go—grab the payroll, frisk the passengers for their goods, then turn loose the team and leave them all stranded while the gang departed for parts known only to the boss.

When he ordered that anyone who didn’t cooperate be killed, Zach’s mouth gaped. The man was a hotheaded ass with a need to be in control. The more he talked, the more Zach disliked him. Abel was already at his post, stretched flat on his stomach atop the boulder, keeping an eye out for a cloud of dust on the horizon. The twisting in Zach’s belly increased as time for the coach’s arrival grew nearer. He pondered his decision and worried about Odessa.

His sneer relayed his anger at being ignored. “I said, you and T.J. get down to the back of the bluff and wait. Stay out of sight. Burt and I will stay mounted, then spring out in front of the stage and stop the horses. Axel is keeping aim on anyone who tries anything funny. Once we have the coach halted, you and T.J. get the passengers out and take what valuables they have. Everything! Keep your eyes open and your gun handy. And don’t forget to wear your bandanas to mask your face.”

Zach nodded, but his palms dampened. He didn’t join on to kill anyone, and ever since he’d heard from T.J. about the way station, he knew for certain Spence and his cronies had no qualms about murder.

“As I’ll ever be.” Zach tied his horse, too, but wished he could jump astride and ride away with the speed of the wind. A bullet in the back would probably be his reward, so he thought better of leaving. He’d gotten himself into a hole and couldn’t see a way out.

Together, he and T.J. walked down the trail to the bottom of the boulder, and huddled together inside a rocky recess. Zach’s mouth went dry as cotton. Why hadn’t he brought his canteen? He smacked his lips.

“Reckon so.” He stared at his feet. “I’m sorry I got you into this. I don’t think I fully understood what was involved. I don’t want to kill anyone. The job sounded so simple—rob a stage, get the money I need, disappear, and live happily ever after with my kids.”

“You don’t owe me an apology. I walked into this with my eyes open. But like you, I’m not sure I’m cut out for killing. Don’t think I could live with myself afterwards… unless it was to save my own life or that of someone I love.”

The word “love” plucked at his heart. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to keep Odessa safe. But how could he do that if he was a wanted man, or even worse, dead? Why had he been such a blithering idiot and agreed to this?

“I been thinking about a way to get out of this.” T.J.’s voice sliced the silence.

“What do you say we turn the tables and take control? I’ve got a bad feeling if we carry out this plan, either way, we’re going to end up dead. I don’t trust Spence or the other two.”

Zach leaned out and made sure no one else was near. “Do you think we could take ‘em?”

“I have some rope back on my mount. Axel would be easy to take out. He’s watching for the stage. Pete and Burt are down front waiting, they won’t be any the wiser.”

“Me. I’ll simply sneak up on him, give him a gun butt across the head, tie him up, and muzzle him with his bandana. You come along as backup, but when the stage stops, follow my lead.”

T.J. smiled. “Mine, too, but if we’re going to make a move, we have to act now.”

Zach followed behind as T.J. climbed back up to where the horses were tied. His heart thundering in his chest, Zach walked softly and stayed close to the rock’s base while T.J. crept to the horses. Zach held his breath, hopping the animals wouldn’t whinny and draw attention. They didn’t.

“Got it,” T.J. whispered and held out his lasso. He began climbing to where Axel lay. Zach pulled his pistol and kept watch.

He heard nothing but his pulse in his own head. In a few minutes, T.J. was back, breathing heavily but smiling.

“Piece a cake. He’s out like a light, hogtied with his bandana stuffed in his mouth and mine tied around it. He’s goin’ nowhere anytime soon.”

“Just take your cues from me. We’re gonna be sure to get our money. Just not exactly as Spence planned.”

Zach shook his head and sucked his bottom lip between his teeth. Was he making a bigger mistake by following T.J.?

“I’ve never hanged a man. It is the law that has done it.” —Judge Parker

Odessa paced the room. Boredom and worry had become her constant companions and she grew weary of them. She’d spent most of the day combing Charleston for another job, but there were none to be had. A family ran the mercantile, the eateries were all well-staffed, and although Sheriff Brody displayed an ad in his window for a deputy, she wasn’t suited or equipped for the job. Shoulders sagging, she’d returned to the boarding house.

She stared at the jar of coins on the dresser. Her room and board was paid through the end of the week, but surely Zach would be back before that. How long could it take to rob a stage? Did she have enough money to get to Phoenix? She had no idea about the costs of things, though a small voice warned she might have to learn. She turned a deaf ear.

Her jaw tightened. Why couldn’t she have talked him out of such a dangerous plan? The foolishness. If he truly loved her, why hadn’t he found another way to make money? She gnashed her teeth. How fair was she to condemn him for not listening? She hadn’t heeded his warnings either. Maybe if…when God brought him back safe and sound, they could grow old together and build a decent future—like Ma and Pa had done until…

The room grew stifling and too confining. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her it must be dinnertime—or past. She ran a brush through her hair, blotted her eyes, and slipped out the door. A mixture of wonderful cooking smells greeted her on the landing and made her mouth water.

She descended the stairs and met the uncomfortable stare of the skinny boarding house clerk. He stood at the dining room door and viewed her as if she was on the menu. “Well, Miz Clay, don’tcha look mighty pretty.” The spittle in the corner of his toothless mouth almost killed her appetite. In her discomfort, she fisted her hands in her skirt.

“I’d like a table for one, please.” She flashed a polite smile, but wished him gone. He certainly didn’t look like Mrs. Hughes, the person for whom the boarding house was named. Maybe his mother? An aunt? Regardless, she pitied the woman.

The clerk raised a hand in the air and snapped his fingers at the apron-clad redhead who’d treated Odessa with such disregard before. “Bess, give Miz Clay our best table, and dessert is on the house.”

The server rolled her eyes at him, but waved Odessa to a table in the corner. “Will this do your Highness?” She sneered and pulled out a chair.

Odessa sat, but cocked her head toward the woman. “I have no idea why you dislike me so. If serving me upsets you to the point of rudeness every time, point me to the kitchen and I’ll fetch my own dinner.”

The server released a heavy sigh. “I reckon I’m just tired.” Her nasty attitude melted away before Odessa’s eyes. The woman put pencil to pad. “What can I get you this evenin’?”

“Comin’ right up.” Bess turned away, but glanced back. “And I ‘pologize for my behavior. I’ve had about all I can stand of my brother and his high-handed ways of runnin’ this place.”

Bess nodded. “Unfortunately. When our mother died, she left this place to us, but Rooney acts like he’s the boss and I’m only someone he hired off the street. In fact, he won’t pay anyone to help me…thinks I can do it all: cook, clean, serve, change the bedding. He does nothing but stand behind the counter and snap orders at me. I have a good mind to—”

“I’m sorry you’re so troubled.” The last thing Odessa wanted was to be dragged into anyone else’s problems. She didn’t mean to cut the woman short, but had enough worries of her own. Besides, now she was really hungry.

“Oh, fiddle dee dee,” Bess exclaimed with a wave of her hand. “Here I am telling you my tale of woe, and you don’t know me from Adam. Let me get your dinner.” She scurried into the kitchen.

Odessa’s gaze wandered to the gaily papered walls and the other patrons in the room. Utensils scraped against china, and voices engaged in conversation created a low murmur. What she wouldn’t give if Zach were there to enjoy dinner with her. Where was he? Was he alive and well? She imagined his beautiful eyes staring back across the table at her. Too bad, it was only an illusion. She sighed.

A makeshift calendar on the far wall with red checks marking the days caught her attention. The month: May… and if the calculations shown were right, her birthday was less than a week away. The only gift she wanted could be anywhere by now.

Zach’s shaking hand rested on the butt of his holstered gun. “I’m nervous as a bug on a lily pad in a pond fulla frogs.” He chuckled, but the lump in his throat belied his attempt to be light-hearted.

“Don’t fret. Jes follow me.” T.J. walked back up the trail they rode in on.

Obeying, Zach crept along with his friend, but his nervous gaze darted back over his shoulder. “Where are we going?” he whispered.

T.J. swiveled around, his brows arched. “I know what I’m doing,” he hissed. “If we use the boulder to keep out of the other two’s line of vision, we’ll catch the stage before it gets here.”

“We’re gonna tell the driver and guard we know there’s a planned holdup ahead.” He continued onward. “Now quit wasting time with questions or you’re going to spoil everything.”

“Look,” T.J. pointed. “There’s a definite hump in the trail. Once the stage dips down, we’ll make our move. Spence and that oaf with him can’t see from their hiding place.”

Zach flashed a pointed look at his companion. “I’m puzzled how you know the layout of the land so well. I’m starting to think you had this planned all along.”

Zach wondered if he’d jumped from a log into the flames. What made him so sure he could trust T.J.? The heat he’d ignored because of nerves and worry now seemed more intense and stifling. He swiped at the sweat on his brow and released a pent-up breath. He’d come too far to turn back now.

He waited for T.J. to make the first move. As soon as the stage barreled down the incline, T.J. stepped out and began waving his arms. “Wait up!”

“Whoa, gals,” The man holding the reins leaned back, planted his boot against the footboard and brought the stage to a halt. The fellow riding guard atop pointed a rifle at T.J. and Zach. Beneath a sweat-stained hat and bushy brows, the driver peered down at them. “What the hell’s going on here?”

T.J. fished in his front pant pocket and pulled out a badge. “I’m Deputy T.J. Bennett from Maricopa County. I’m here to warn you that the Spence gang is waiting ahead to stage a hold up and relieve you of the payroll you have on board.”

Worried faces peered out the windows: an older man and woman, a girl not yet in her teens, and a man of the cloth.

Zach looked from T.J. to the passengers then back to T.J. again, his brow arched, his eyes wide. “Deputy?”

“Sorry, I couldn’t tell you. But I had to make sure you were as honest as I believed you to be.”

T.J. held up his hand. “I don’t have time to explain right now, but I will later, I promise. Right now, we have to take care of business.”

Zach nodded, but anger turned his blood fiery. What gave T.J. the right to play with someone’s life? Humbled by his own actions, Zach dipped his chin. No one had put a gun to his head and forced him to make a stupid decision. He’d done that all on his own. He took a breath. Thank God, he’d followed T.J. and taken the right path.

“Zach,” T.J. pointed. “Get inside. I’ll join you as soon as I discuss my plan with these gentlemen.”

Zach climbed aboard, amidst tense bodies pressing away from him. He flashed a friendly smile. “Things’ll be fine, folks. I’m with a Maricopa County lawman and we’re here to prevent a robbery.”

“Now, now, dear. Don’t give yourself a case of the vapors.” The older gentleman patted her hand. “I’m sure this strappin’ young man will see nothing happens to us.” He looked at Zach, hope shining in his eyes.

“I’ll do my best, sir.” He smiled at the young girl then nodded to the minister. “Parson, you might want to say a little prayer for us.”

A huge Adam’s apple bobbed above the man’s white collar. “I certainly will.” He closed his eyes then bowed his head.

T.J. opened the door on the coach’s opposite side and climbed in. “Howdy, folks. Sorry if we’ve frightened you, but I wager you’ll be happy we came along. This way, you get to keep your property, and more importantly, your lives.”

“Mr. Johnson and I are here to protect you, so try and relax. Nothing to worry about.”

Rolling his eyes, Zach pondered T.J.’s assurance. Not worry? Two hired guns…three if Axel had worked himself loose, were nothing to discount. Why hadn’t Zach listened to Odessa? Would he ever see her again? His palms dampened and a lump formed in his throat. What had happened to the brave man he professed to be?

The stage lurched forward. He braced himself with a boot against the seat, his heart beating a rapid cadence. Powdery dust thrown up by the wheels obscured the passing desert beyond the window and sifted through the coach. He pinched his nose to stop a sneeze.

“Get ready, Zach,” T.J. ordered. “We’re almost there.” He turned his attention to the passengers. “When the stage stops and we jump out, I want you people on the floor.”

The woman’s wide eyes plucked at Zach’s heart. She reminded him of his departed ma, and he felt a need to comfort her. He dared touch her knee. “Don’t worry, ma’am. This will all be over soon and you’ll be safely on your way.”

Her smile provided a reward, but his serenity ended when T.J. threw open the door while the coach still moved.

“Out we go,” he announced as he leapt to the ground and rolled. Zach took a deep breath and followed.

T.J. came to his feet with gun drawn and brows knitted together. “Let’s get this done.”

Zach drew his own pistol and slunk alongside the lawman. They scurried to catch up with the slow moving coach and ran alongside.

Burt rode in front of the team and grabbed the reins. T.J. squeezed off a round and the plump man tumbled off his mount. Before Zach had a chance to circle the stage, another shot rang out. The noise pulled his gaze to the top of the coach, where the guard stood with rifle trained and still smoking. Looking in the direction the barrel pointed, he turned his head and saw Pete Spence slumped in his saddle. The man’s hand clutched his shoulder, and blood dripped through his fingers.

The driver looked down at Zach with a smile. “I guess they got more than they bargained for.”

“Zach,” T.J. called before he could answer. “Tie up the boss man, then go fetch Axel. Bring him down so we can tie him with the rest of this riffraff.”

The guard leapt down next to Pete Spence. “I’ll take care of this one; you go see to the other.”

Zach took a deep breath. Was it finally over? Had he escaped unscathed? He climbed the hill behind the boulder and scaled to the top. He drew his pistol and steeled himself for payback to the man who’d beaten him in the alley. But, instead of finding Axel, securely tied as they’d left him, only empty ropes lay on the rocky top. Zach’s breath hitched then swelled with urgency. “T.J., we have a serious problem.”

After dinner, Odessa climbed the stairs back to her room. Bess had found time to take a break and sit with her for a while, and the welcome companionship avoided eating another meal alone. The woman wasn’t nearly as abrasive as she appeared, and like Flo, believed herself trapped in a life she hadn’t chosen. Pity, that two caring women were locked in such unhappiness. Odessa feared she might suffer the same fate, but struggled to remain certain of Zach’s return and a happy ending for them both. Rather than stay in Charleston, she’d find a way to Phoenix and her Aunt Susan—somehow.

The heat and mustiness of the room greeted her when she opened the door. The closed window kept out the bugs, which she considered far worse than the offensive heat. Growing up in Arizona, she knew nothing different. The gingham she wore clung to her like a second skin, and perspiration trickled between her breasts.

She marched straight to the washbowl and dampened a cloth, then bathed her heated face and neck. The upstairs was so much hotter than the lobby. She arched her neck and drizzled the cooling liquid down her chest. “How much longer, oh Lord?” she asked, while her eyes were turned toward heaven. “I just want to go home, but I don’t even know where that is.” She mashed the wet cloth to her lips and stifled a sob.

Scuffing sounds alerted Zach to someone scaling the rock. T.J.’s face crested the boulder; his brows met in one giant curve when he spied the empty ropes.

“Damn,” he growled, pulling himself upright, “I thought I tied him good enough to keep him from escaping.”

“No tellin’. And since we have no idea which way he went, tracking him is almost impossible.”

Zach frowned. “And I wanted the pleasure of personally delivering him to the law.”

T.J. laughed. “Right. If I remember, he gave you quite a welcome to town.” He slapped Zach on the back. “The important thing is we got the most wanted man. Pete Spence has a hefty price on his head. You’ll be able to pay off your pa’s debt and then some.”

A weight lifted from Zach’s shoulders. Finishing this whole ordeal, returning to Charleston for Odessa, and beginning a new life was what he wanted more than anything. His stress melted into a smile as he followed T.J. down to the coach where Pete and Burt sat tied against one of the multi-spoked wheels. Someone had opened Spence’s shirt and bandaged his shoulder. The kerchief pressed against the wound had already darkened with blood.

“Well, gentlemen,” T.J. addressed the driver and guard. “Thank you both for your help. We’ll take these two off your hands now and escort them to the nearest jail. It’s time they paid for their bad behavior.” He bent and yanked Spence to his feet by his collar, then Burt. “Go on, you two. Get mounted.”

“You’ll pay for this,” Spence leveled an icy stare at Zach. “No one double- crosses me and gets away with it.”

“Looks like someone did.” Zach laughed and boosted the boss man into the saddle. In his head, he already counted the reward and all the things he’d buy for Odessa at the mercantile before they set off for Phoenix.

Odessa hungered for company. The room seemed to be growing smaller and more confining. She’d kept to herself since noon, and now dinnertime approached. A short nap had lessened time spent fretting, but she awoke to hair plastered to her sweaty face and clothing damper than those hung out in a spring rain. Maybe a walk would do her good. She washed up again, pulled a brush through gnarled locks, and captured her smoothed hair with a ribbon. Her curious side wondered how Alf and Flo were doing. And more importantly, if the Sheriff had any information on John’s murder. She didn’t dare venture back to the saloon, but maybe she’d pay a visit to the local lawman’s office. Discovering that O’Reilly would pay for his killing ways was the only thing that’d give her as much joy as having Zach back in her life. Holding to a glimmer of hope on both counts, she made her way downstairs.

Odessa waved at Bess, who stood inside the dining room, then passed through the front door onto the walkway outside. The building deflected the searing sun that heated her room, and a gentle breeze fluttered the hair across her forehead. The stench of horse urine drifting from the hitching post spoiled the pleasant moment and made her wince.

A passing woman smiled and her escort tipped his hat. Odessa acknowledged them with a nod, thankful her short time spent singing in the saloon kept townsfolk from looking down their noses at her. She glanced in both directions to get her bearings. Which way to the sheriff’s office? She clucked her tongue. If she had to pass the saloon, she preferred to do so, on the other side of the street. Lifting the hem of her skirt, she stepped down onto the street and made her way across rutted dirt littered with horse droppings. On the opposite walkway, she paused at her reflection in the mercantile window, smoothed her skirt and adjusted her posture as a distinguished-looking gentleman passed by and touched the brim of his stove-pipe hat. He looked sorely out of place.

Odessa’s heels clicked against the weathered wood and she stepped wide, playfully avoiding the patches where sun crept between the buildings and shone on the sidewalk. She pushed her worries to the back of her mind and enjoyed being free from the confinement of the boarding house.

A man bolted from an alleyway and fell into step alongside her. She gasped when he locked his arm through hers. “Keep walking and don’t say a word,” he rasped. Something hard and cold pressed against her side. She lowered her gaze and saw a pistol. A shudder rippled through her.

“W-who are you? What do you want?” Her heart thundered so loud she heard it.

She blinked back tears and swallowed the urge to scream for help. No doubt her abductor would pull the trigger and kill her before a sound passed her lips. She wasn’t willing to test him.

“B-but, I-I don’t have any money, if that’s what you’re after.” She pushed her words through a lump of fear.

Hazed eyes made it difficult for her to focus, yet she put one shaking foot before the other and allowed herself to be led down the street. The man smelled of horse, sweat and wood smoke, and from the corner of her eye, he appeared to have missed far too many baths and shaves. The sleeve of his plaid shirt gaped at the shoulder.

Why didn’t someone notice her plight? Couldn’t passersby see the fright etched on her face? That same helpless feeling she experienced in the saloon enveloped and smothered her. Had she done something to anger God?

At the end of the block, the man dragged her around the corner to where two horses stood tethered to an outdoor staircase. He released her arm and gave her a shove. “Mount up. We’re goin’ for a ride.”

She wrung her hands. Her shoulders sagged. “Won’t you please tell me what you want from me?”

Dread sunk like a stone in the pit of her stomach, but she planted her foot in his palms and hoisted her leg over the saddle. She jerked her skirt down, denying him a chance to ogle her exposed calf.

“P-please, mister.” Her voice wavered when she peered down at him. “Don’t make me go with you. Maybe… you have me confused with someone else?”

He laughed. “I know exactly who you are. You’re Zach Johnson’s whore and I aim to teach him a lesson.” The man untied the reins, taking control of both horses, then hefted himself onto his own mount.

She clung to the saddle horn with both hands as he led her spotted mare out behind the building into open spaces. Her eyes widened when she finally realized what the man had said.

Zach!” she cried. “You know Zach? Is he alive? Hurt? Where is he?” She blurted out questions faster than a repeating rifle spit out bullets.

The burly man snapped a stony gaze back at her. “Shut yer yap. I don’t know where Johnson is or how he fares. One thing’s for sure, I have something he wants, and when he attempts to rescue you, I’ll get my revenge.” He ran an appraising leer over her. “Course, you might be a little worse for wear, but…” He nudged his horse in the sides, and Odessa tightened her grasp as her neck jerked in response to the rapid start.

With Pete and Burt secured to their saddles, Zach mounted Storm and took the lead reins. T.J. settled atop his roan. “All we need to do is get these two polecats back to town, and you can reunite with your little lady.”

The words were like a balm to a burn. He couldn’t wait to see Odessa again, hold her…then tell her he hadn’t done anything to make him a wanted man. They could plan a life together without fear or worry. Eagerness bubbled in him like soup in a pot. “That sure sounds good to me. She’s going to be so surprised, and happy to see me, I hope.”

“Then let’s get going.” T.J. smiled. “I’m anxious to get back to my kids, too.”

They kept a slow and steady pace back to Charleston. Zach wasted no words. Instead, he passed the time thinking about the future he planned with Odessa. Aside from the plodding hooves, the only sound was an occasional moan from Spence.

Lost in thought, Zach didn’t see the buildings loom in front of him. His stomach rumbled as he’d had nothing to eat all day, and the sinking sun told him dinnertime was quickly approaching. He heaved a sigh when he stopped at the hitching rail in front of the sheriff’s office. Only one more chore to finish, then he’d find her.

After dismounting, he secured the reins of his and the other two horses to the hitching rail while T.J. jumped down from his roan and strode inside.

An orange paper fluttered in the breeze, and Zach yanked it off the pole. His smile broadened when he read the print.

One thousand dollars for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the recent murder of three people at the Charleston-east way station. See the Sheriff.

T.J. reappeared with Brody. “Here they are, Sheriff. Just like I told you—Pete Spence and Burt Boehme.”

Brody hooked his thumbs in his belt and eyed the duo. “Well, well, gentlemen. I’ll wager there’s a special space reserved for you at Yuma.” He turned his attention to T.J.. “Mr. Spence, or Spencer as he’s also known, has been a guest of the territory before, but under the name of Elliot Larken Ferguson. Seems the man can’t figure out who he wants to be when he grows up.” The sheriff laughed.

Zach stepped up on the walkway and waved the poster. “How about making their next stay an extended one…or even a hanging, Sheriff? These are also the men who killed your friends.”

Brody turned steely eyes to the pair after T.J made them dismount. “Is that so?”

“That’s right, Sheriff. They told me all about what happened that day. As a sworn deputy, I’ll be happy to testify at their trial.” T.J. patted Zach’s shoulder. “And I’d like my friend here to get the reward for their capture.”

“Yep.” T.J. nodded. “I’ll get my share for saving the payroll.” He turned his attention back to the Sheriff. “Can you arrange for Zach to get the money as soon as possible?”

Brody smiled at Zach. “Is tomorrow soon enough? Meet me at the bank in the morning and we’ll settle up the finances.”

The sheriff grabbed Pete Spence by the arm and shoved Burt toward T.J.. “Now, deputy, if you’ll join me, I’d like to get these varmints inside and locked up. Then we can take care of the paperwork you need to get your just reward.”

Zach shifted from one foot to another. He kept glancing toward the boarding house down the street. T.J. gave him a shove. “Go on… find your lady. I’ll see to your horse.”

Tipping his hat, Zach loped toward Mrs. Hughes’. More light-hearted than he’d been for days, his arms itched to hold his beautiful Odessa and give her the good news. He burst through the door beneath Mrs. Hughes’ swinging shingle and took the steps two at a time. At the top of the stairs, he threw open the door, prepared to surprise Odessa. The room was empty.

Her hairbrush was on the chest, the dress she wore the day he found her hung on the back of a chair, and the rumpled bed showed she’d slept there. Maybe she was in the dining room. He turned and raced back down to the main floor, poking his head around the corner and scanning the tables for her beautiful, familiar face. She wasn’t there.

Slowing his rapid breathing, he stopped at the counter where the clerk stood. “Pardon me, but have you seen Miss Odessa Clay?”

The gangly, toothless man shook his head. “Not today. Did you check with Bess?”

“My sister. She waits tables in the dining room. She and Miz Clay have become quite friendly.”

Zach doffed his hat and raced into the dining room. The woman he assumed was Bess stood with her back to him. He tapped her on the shoulder. “Excuse me, ma’am, but have you seen Odessa Clay today?”

The redhead turned and tipped her gaze to him. “Earlier. She waved at me when she left.”

A man seated at the nearest table cleared his throat and eyed the coffee pot in Bess’ hand. She turned toward the patron but glanced back at Zach. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work.”

Zach tapped his chin. Where could Odessa be? Not at the saloon? Maybe the mercantile? He raced back outside and sprinted across the street. Only one customer stood at the counter and looked up when the bell on the door tinkled. No Odessa. Zach nodded at the clerk and ducked out.

He charged toward the Golden Horseshoe and slammed through the swinging doors. A minimal evening crowd had gathered, and Zach scanned the room.

Alf Rearden swiveled around on his stool and greeted him with a smile. “Nice to see you again. How’s Miz Clay doing?”

“Well, I haven’t seen her since the unfortunate circumstance that led her to leaving my employ.”

“What unfortunate circumstance?” Zach’s brow arched. “She wasn’t hurt, was she?” His heart pounded.

“Not in the way you worry about.” Alf shook his head. “She was distraught, though.” He swiveled back toward the piano. “Said she felt responsible for the young man’s death.”

Zach grabbed Alf by the shirt, spun him around so fast the man’s eyes bulged, then leaned his face a hair’s breadth away. “Stop talking gibberish and tell me what happened!”

Alf craned away. “Yes sir. Some rowdy tried to assault Miz Clay, and the young man who defended her was killed in the fracas. She took it poorly and said she’d never step foot in here again.”

“I’m surprised she came back here at all since we discussed the dangers before I left.” Zach tamped down his anger with a breath. “So, you haven’t seen her since?”

Zach straightened. “I have to find her, but I’m running out of places to look.” Worry replaced his eagerness. His gut told him something wasn’t right.

“Axel,” he muttered, clenching his fists. Without another word, he darted through the doors and headed for the sheriff’s office. His heart pounded in rhythm with his soles against the worn wooden walkway.

A pink ribbon scrolled across the sky as the sun settled beneath the western horizon. Odessa’s tired body swayed with each plodding step her horse took. The silhouettes of cactus in the distance resembled people in various positions; some with arms raised in surrender, others stooped with age, some even missing limbs. If she stared long and hard enough, the shrubs appeared to be moving instead of her. A lone cry from a coyote made her shudder and brought back terrifying memories of the night Pa died. Now she faced a different kind of varmint. A sigh fluttered her lips.

Gone was the stifling heat. The evening’s cool air swept over the perspiration on Odessa’s body and formed goose bumps on her arms and turned her nipples hard. She’d gone from hot to cold in a matter of seconds. The man leading the way kept her reins pulled taut, so she gripped the saddle horn with both hands and tried not to concentrate on how miserable she felt.

Leather chafed her thighs, and coarse horsehair bit into her calves. She’d rather walk, but how she traveled—where she traveled—wasn’t her decision. Biting her lip, she sniffed away tears. She’d already displayed fear; her pride refused to let her captor see more of her weaknesses.

She squared her shoulders, sat straighter and studied the man in front of her. Where was he taking her? Who was he, and what did he want? The twists and turns her life had taken boggled her mind. Lifting her left leg from the stirrup, she eased her burning skin for a moment. Where was Zach? Was he safe? Did he even know she was gone? The memory of his smile faded with a fiery sensation in her other inner thigh. Freeing her right foot brought instant relief. She wished for a wagon seat, but settled her foot back in the stirrup and adjusted her position for the hundredth time.

With only fingers of daylight clinging to the sky, an outbuilding came into view. Her abductor halted the horses in a clearing between a weathered house and a corral. The place struck a familiar chord. She squinted, and in the distance recognized three distinct crosses highlighted by the day’s end. The unpleasant memories of the burial washed over her. She feared there would soon be a fourth cross. Fear danced on her nerves like sparks on a damp log.

Zach burst through the Sheriff’s door, panting to the amazed stares of T.J. and Dan Brody. “Y-you have to help me.” He gasped for breath. “I think Axel took Odessa.”

T.J. stood, his brow furrowed. “Slow down, partner. Are you sure she’s even missing? Maybe she went shopping, or…”

The sheriff leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. “Eating perhaps?”

“For God’s sake, that was where I looked first. She’d only eat at the boarding house, and that was the last place anyone saw her.” Zach’s patience wore thin. He removed his hat and raked his fingers through his hair. “This is my fault. I never should have considered robbing the stage. When I found her, I should have just taken her to Phoenix….”

“There were extenuating circumstances.” T.J. interjected. “I talked him into it, knowing full well he wouldn’t go through with it.”

“You told me earlier that you figured me for an honest person, but did you really know I couldn’t finish the job?” Zach asked.

“Sure did, my friend. I knew from the minute you sat down and started talking to me that you were between a rock and hard place. I played on the love you have for your father to get you involved because I knew I could count on someone with your morals and—”

“But,” Zach yelled, “in the meantime, Odessa is paying the price for my poor judgment.” The urgency to find her bubbled in his chest. “You have to help me find her.”

“Just a gut feeling,” Zach admitted. “She wouldn’t leave without taking her few belongings. Besides, Axel is mad as hell at me and T.J. for turning against the gang and cheating him out of his share of the loot, so how better to pay me back than taking what I value most?”

“I don’t know.” Zach massaged his brow, feeling his urgency to search swelling into a headache. “We have to do something.” He opened the door.

“Wait.” T.J. held up a hand. “You can’t go off half-cocked. We hafta have a plan.” He kicked a chair toward Zach. “Close the door and have a seat. Think! Where would Axel take Odessa? The place would have to be somewhere known to you if he didn’t leave any clues behind. She’s the bait to draw you to him.”

Zach remained in the doorway. “I don’t know this area well. I have no idea where they might be, but I can’t just sit and do nothing. Who knows what he might do to her?” His stomach turned at the image of Axel having his way with Odessa. He’d kill him if he so much as harmed a hair on her head.

She teetered to retain her balance and avoided eye contact lest he glimpse her recognition of the place. “What is this place? Won’t you please tell me what you want from me?”

“Lady,” he muttered, leading the horses to the pen, “you ask more questions than a nagging wife. That’s why I don’t have one.”

With the animals inside the corral, he closed the gate, walked back to where she waited, and gave her a shove. “Get inside and see if there’s any grub you can rustle up. I’m starvin’.” He pushed open the door.

After fishing in his pocket, he found a match, struck it, then meandered around the room until he located an oil lamp. Flickering light soon danced off the walls and highlighted the blood puddles dried on the floor beside a table still bearing traces of uneaten food. The stick he held burned too close to his fingers while he studied the room, and a muttered oath escaped him.

He killed the match with a few flicks of his wrist then glanced around the room. “Hmm, someone came and cleaned up the mess we left.” He snickered and scuffed the toe of his boot against a dark stain on the floor “They should have done the dishes and mopped the floor while they were at it.”

A cold shiver ran down her back. Had he just admitted to taking part in the murder of three people? She stood frozen in the doorway, not daring ask for details. But the silence begged her to say something. “Isn’t this a way-station?”

“Used to be.” He nodded. “I heard talk in town that Wells Fargo has crossed this place off their list of stopping places. If you’re thinking we’ll be discovered, forget it. This place is as dead as the previous tenants.”

Her stomach fisted into a knot. He’d just killed her hope as easily as he and the “we” he referred to had snuffed out three innocent lives.

“Enough to keep from starving. B-but I always like to know the name of the person I’m cooking for.”

“You ain’t gonna give me any peace until I tell you, are you?” He displayed stained teeth in a devious smile. “Axel’s the name. Now come in and shut the door.”

“Well, Mr…Axel.” She inched closer. “Can I also know why I’m forced to endure your company?”

A kitchen chair squealed against the floor when he pulled it out and straddled it. He rested his arms on the spindled back. “That’s not a very nice thing to say. Some ladies might find my company quite pleasing.”

A thousand insults begged to be hurled. His shirt barely met across his big belly, and his hair hung in greasy strands beyond a frayed collar. His pock-marked face and bulbous nose made him the least attractive man she’d ever met, but she wasn’t dumb enough to engage him. She carried the dirty plates to the counter beneath a small window overlooking the endless desert outside, then turned. “I only meant to inquire why it was necessary to bring me here. And you mentioned Zach. Can you at least tell me how you know him, and why you seem so angry?”

Axel turned a beady stare on her. “Your beau is a double-crossing, back-stabbing son-of-a-bitch, and I aim to see he pays for cheating me out of my share of the heist.”

“Was. Because of him and that polecat, T.J., I didn’t get a chance to share in the loot.”

“What do you mean?” She pulled out a chair across from him and perched on the seat’s edge. Her heart thudded.

“They got greedy. Guess they didn’t want to share the wealth. Knocked me out and left me trussed up like a steer at branding time.” His lips thinned. “Reckon they didn’t figure I was smart enough to work my way loose.” He stared at the wall, a smile curling his lips. “But, I’ve got what Zach Johnson wants, and when he comes to rescue you, I’ll get my share of the money and his too.”

He turned an icy gaze on her. “What I aim to do and what I will do is my business. Now get your pretty little fanny out of that chair and fix me some food.”

Odessa rose and walked back to the counter. She pushed aside material hiding the shelves next to the window and perused the cans there. “There are only beans.”

She jumped at the noise. “I-I’m sorry, but I can’t fix what we don’t have.” She kept her back to him, clutching the counter with whitened knuckles.

“Oh, hell. I guess eatin’ beans is better than starvin’. Go ahead and heat some up.”

Odessa glanced at the cold cook stove, then at the pile of ashes in the fireplace. She swallowed hard. “I will if you start a fire.”

Axel rose and gathered an armful of wood from a basket next to the stove. “You’re a helpless little filly, aren’t ya?” Despite his grumbling, he opened a small, iron door and tossed the wood inside, then added a handful of fodder from another basket. Producing a second match, he struck it against the rough stovetop. “There ya go, now get ta fixin’.”

Plopping into a white rocking chair with wide arms and a floral cushion, he clasped his hands behind his head. “So, lil’ miss…how did you meet your back-stabbin’ beau?”

“I don’t see what difference that makes.” She lifted her chin despite struggling to open the can with a chisel, before dumping the contents into a pot.

“I like your spirit. I see you’re scared to death, but you fake being brave real good.”

His words ignited a flame of anger. She spun from the stove. “I’d like to see how you’d handle being snatched from an innocent walk on the street and dragged to a place in the middle of nowhere. I doubt you’d like it much.” Her eyes misted.

“Oh, don’t get all weepy on me. I don’t aim ta hurt ya. It’s Johnson I want.” Axel ran a leering gaze up and down her body. “Although, I hafta admit, I might scratch an itch I’ve got. But that might be something you’ll enjoy.”

Bile rose in her throat. She swallowed the bitter taste and turned back to the stove. The thought of his touch made her cringe. But how could she stop him? She was no match for his strength.

With shaking hands, Odessa carried a steaming bowl, along with a spoon, to the table. “I hope this’ll do.”

Axel moved from the rocker to the kitchen chair. He lowered his nose and sniffed his dinner, then stared up at her. “You gonna join me?”

“You soon will be, so you may as well eat now.” He slurped a spoonful of beans into his mouth and winced. “Whew…hot.”

She rolled her eyes. Did he think steam rose from a cold bowl? She held her tongue, still standing and afraid to make a move.

“Fill yerself a bowl and have a seat.” His invitation sounded more like a command. His gaze locked on her bosom, and he licked his lips. “You’ll be needin’ your energy, if you get my drift.”

He lifted the spoon to his mouth, but this time blew a cooling breath on the beans.

As instructed, Odessa returned to the chair across from him. With nerves knotting her stomach, she sat and forced herself to take a bite. Her hand trembled and a bit of juice splattered the checkered tablecloth.

Axel smiled. “See, I know’d you was more scared than you let on.” He took another bite, chewing with his mouth open and ignoring the sauce dripping in his stubbly beard. He paused between spoonfuls. “We’ll need to turn in soon. I haven’t been to bed in a while, and I don’t aim to be sleepin’ when your beau shows up.”

Sickened by his lack of table manners, her gaze wandered the one-room cabin. A rickety bookcase, two of its three shelves empty, stood next to the large stone fireplace. A tin-type of a stiff-backed couple dressed in their Sunday best hung on one wall, while a wreath of dried wildflowers decorated another. The Bible she’d borrowed to locate the names of the deceased still rested on the small round table between a floral settee and the rocking chair. Between a makeshift wall of gingham curtains, she spied a patchwork-covered bed. Her heart sank.

She nodded, rose, and returned with the last of the beans, but remained standing. “Honestly, I’m not hungry, and eating is making me ill.”

“All right, dump the rest in here.” He motioned to his bowl. “No need wastin’ grub.”

She emptied her portion atop his, then carried her dirty dish to the counter. Reluctant to interrupt him, she turned and dipped her chin. “I’ll need some water to clean up the mess.”

“Reckon’ that’s what the bucket there is for.” He nodded. “I ‘spose I can trust you to fetch some from the pump outside. But don’t try nothin’ funny.”

“Dang, what I wouldn’t give for a biscuit to sop up this juice,” he mumbled. Then, holding the bowl to his mouth, he drained the last drop.

She crooked her arm through the rope handle, but paused by the open door. Damn the night-time. While daylight might have presented an opportunity for escape, the darkness defied her possible freedom. “Ah,” she winced at asking for help again. “Sorry, but I don’t know where the pump is.”

He lifted the tablecloth, leaned over and swiped the edge across his mouth. “You really are a useless wench, aren’t ya?” He rose and stomped over to her. “Give me that.” He yanked the bucket from her arm.

She rubbed the skin abraded by the crude handle and stepped aside. Any hope of escape dimmed… at least for now. There had to be a way to get away from this crazed man and save herself and Zach.

Odessa finished putting away the last clean dish and hung the drying towel back on the nail where she found it. She eyed the door. Axel had grumbled something about the outhouse and disappeared outside. He’d been gone for several minutes. She’d considered locking him out, but the sliding bar wouldn’t hold up against a man of Axel’s girth.

Her heart thundering, she scurried about, checking each shelf and drawer for a weapon. She found nothing but a butcher knife. The blade was far too large to stuff in her boot, and she dared not attack him face-to-face. Her mind whirred with ideas.

He’d carried a rifle in a scabbard on his horse, but even if she managed to get to the corral, he’d surely be upon her before she found the gun—or saddled a horse. Doomed to a fate she had little or no control to change, she chewed her bottom lip and blinked back tears.

A headache loomed, and she massaged her brow. What horror lay in store for her next? Her gaze froze on the bed beyond the curtains; her stomach clenched.

Weary and nauseous, she sank into the rocking chair and picked up the Bible. She held little hope that anyone would rescue her from Axel’s lust, but maybe reading a Psalm might give her strength to endure God’s plan. Surely, the Lord had a reason for whatever was about to happen, although she failed to see why his plan called for her continued torture.

Clutching the Good Book to her chest, Odessa let her mind wander to happier, more carefree times. When Pa played his fiddle and she waltzed around the room the way Momma taught her; the Sundays before the church was built, when Granny read passages from the Bible. How Grandpa, before he passed, sat on the front stoop, his rocking chair moving in a steady rhythm, his pipe stem clenched between the few teeth that remained in his mouth, while a halo of smoke encircled his head. She heaved a loud sigh. Hard to believe they were all gone now.

The door opened and startled her. Axel came in, fastening his pants, his mouth open in a wide yawn. He stretched his hands high over his head and smiled at her. “We best get to bed.”

Her body tensed. “If you don’t mind, I’ll make a pallet on the floor for myself.”

“I do mind.” He closed the door and slid the lock into place. “I’m not givin’ you a chance to hightail it for the corral soon as my eyes are closed. Besides, I’m sure I won’t be the first to bed ya.”

“Surely you don’t ‘spect me to believe you and Johnson haven’t rutted like a bull and a cow in matin’ season.”

She swallowed her shock. “You’re wrong. We have only shared sleeping out under the same sky, and in a boarding house room. Zach’s nothing but a gentleman.”

“Oh, I’ll be a perfect gentleman, too. Don’t you worry your sweet little head.”

Tears burned the back of her eyes and a voice in her head screamed for her to run. But where?

Axel grabbed Odessa’s wrist from the rocking chair arm and tugged so hard he nearly yanked her onto the floor. “C’mon, it’s bedtime.”

She stood and shrugged free of his grasp. “I’m not sleeping in the same bed as you, and that’s that!” Maybe showing determination might help. She had nothing to lose.

“Really!” She crossed her arms, but the quiver in her voice belied her bravery.

Quick as a wink, Axel whisked her over his shoulder, nudged through the curtains, and deposited her in a heap mid-bed. She sank into the feathery down with a gasp. With his arms crossed in a mocking manner, he stared down at her. “Not sleeping in the same bed, eh?”

She scrambled to her feet and faced him with shoulders stiff with anger and fear. The smell of sweat surrounding him overpowered her, but she held her ground. “Maybe you’re used to getting your way because your size allows you to push people around, but I refuse to be bullied.” Her heart pounded so hard she was sure he heard it.

She backed away, almost toppling the table holding a white pitcher and washbowl. Her throat tightened. She had no clear idea what to expect. Her mother had been remiss in explaining what transpired between a man and a woman in bed together, but through schoolmates and watching animals on the farm, Odessa had a good idea what Axel had in mind. The thought sickened her. His smell, the sight of his matted chest hair and a bare belly that lapped over his buckle stirred her nausea. Thankfully, the lack of lamplight in the curtained area kept her from the full impact of his repulsiveness. Her pulse thundered in her ears.

Zach’s touch, his mere presence, warmed and excited her. His kiss lit a flame only he could ignite. She wanted him to be the one to claim her innocence, not this filthy pig of a man. Her legs leaden, she stood rooted in place. Axel unfastened his pants while his leering gaze traveled over her body. He sat on the bed and removed one boot. “Go ahead, get undressed. I’m hungry for some sugar.”

He straightened and stared up at her. “And I say you are! Either you undress yourself, or I’ll do it for you when I’m finished shuckin’ my own clothes.”

Panic spun Odessa’s mind in a thousand directions. Hectic, her gaze searched for something—anything—to use against her captor. She recalled the pitcher behind her and without being obvious, reached around and locked her fingers on the handle. Axel, now in his stocking feet, straightened at the same moment she brought the heavy porcelain crashing down on his head. Amidst pieces of shattered glass, he slid to the floor in a crumpled heap.

Blood trickled from a gash on his temple but Odessa felt no remorse. She covered her mouth and swallowed hard. She had to run, and run now. Hiking her skirt and stepping over his limp form, she rushed to the front door and slid back the locking bar with trembling hands. She flung open the door and paused when greeted by a night darker than pitch. How would she see to saddle a horse? She wasn’t an expert horsewoman by any means; in fact she hated the big animals. Their wide eyes terrified her.

She had no matches, and the lamp Axel had lit earlier now dimmed for lack of oil. Finding more would take valuable seconds. And how much time did she have before Axel awoke? She glanced over her shoulder and shuddered.

Getting as far away as she could was what she needed to do, and now. Smacking her forehead, she struggled to form a plan. Maybe doing the unexpected and traveling afoot would throw him off her trail. Or… her breath stalled, perhaps she’d become the prey of some other type of desert scavenger. Visions of glaring yellow eyes reminded her of her previous brush with death. Her legs turned wobbly.

Odessa steeled herself. There was no time to waste, and chancing death was far better than the fate that awaited her with Axel. With a deep breath, she dashed out into the night and headed in the direction of the graves. If she avoided the trail, perhaps she’d have a better chance of evading her horrible captor. As she passed the makeshift markers Zach had erected, her vision adjusted to the darkness. She lifted her eyes to the twinkling canopy overhead and prayed for help.

“Calm down, Zach. We’ll find her. I’ll get a posse together and we’ll fan out and search all the trails leading in and out of town.” Sheriff Brody made no move to rise from his chair. “But we best wait ‘til morning. You’re foolish to think you can track someone at night.”

Zach slammed his fist into the doorjamb. “I can’t wait for sunrise. If I don’t start looking for Odessa now, I’m gonna go stark raving mad.” He squared his hat. “You round up your posse come daylight and start searching, but I’m heading out on the same trail I rode in on.”

Zach shook his head. “Something keeps niggling at me to ride back the way Odessa and I came into town. It’s the only direction I’d know to look for her, and I think Axel could figure that out.”

“Sounds reasonable.” T.J. tightened the holster strap around his leg. “I’m ready when you are.” He smiled. “Guess it’s a good thing I haven’t stabled our horses yet.”

Zach jumped from the walkway to the ground and leaped astride Storm. He waited while T.J. mounted, and as they reined away from the hitching post, an idea popped into Zach’s head. He widened his eyes at his partner. “I’m thinking maybe he’d take Odessa to the way-station where he helped kill those three people. According to the Sheriff, no one has taken over the place and it’s just sitting empty. What better place to hole up and wait.”

T.J. nudged his horse to keep up. “Sounds like a reasonable plan all right. But don’t be the love-starved pup Axel’s counting on you bein’.”

“You can’t ride hell bent for revenge and forget he’s expectin’ you. He’ll be watching the trail and setting up an ambush. And it doesn’t take anyone with half a brain to know that I’ll be comin’ along. Axel’s no fool. He’ll be ready.”

Zach nodded. “You’re right. We’ll have to find a way to take him by surprise. But how?”

“We’ll arrive by the back door. We’ll cut off the trail a few miles from the station. While he’s keeping an eye trained on the normal route in, we’ll sneak up on him.”

“Great idea.” Zach leaned back against the saddle cantle. “You know, I’d have come up with the same plan if you’d given me a chance.”

Zach nudged his boots into Storm’s sides. “Let’s get going. We’re burning moonlight. If we hurry, we should get there late morning.”

Odessa slowed her steps. The hectic pace she kept since sneaking out was taking a toll. Even if she managed to brave mounting a horse and riding bareback, Axel might have caught her before she had a chance to get out of the corral. The thought of a mounted escape had crossed her mind, but she didn’t ride well without a saddle. Her chances of staying on the animal were minimal at best, without something to grasp. She chastised herself for at least not setting the animals free.

Her breath came in rasps, and her heartbeat raced. She glanced over her shoulder for the umpteenth time, and then released a long sigh at detecting no movement. Her fear of Axel far exceeded anything else she might happen upon.

Thankfully, the half-moon overhead provided light enough to see her way and discern foliage from what the eerie silhouettes suggested. She kept an ear cocked for noises, but heard only the scuffling of her own feet.

If only she’d brought water. Her mouth smacked of the dry and cloddy earth she traveled. In her panic, she hadn’t given thought to how much time would pass before she reached help. She hadn’t thought about anything except escaping Axel’s inappropriate advances. Had he regained consciousness yet? Did he know she was gone? She looked over her shoulder again, and consoled herself with the knowledge he wouldn’t know which way she traveled. In fact, she didn’t either.

Odessa blinked hard to keep her eyes open. The hint of sunlight on the horizon to her right predicted the morning’s arrival. She’d walked for miles, and her feet recalled every step she’d taken. Her shoes pinched her toes and bit at her heels, but thankfully, she’d gotten through the night. At least with the rising sun, she had her bearings. She moved in a northerly direction—away from Charleston, the stage station, and sadly, away from Zach and the future she’d dreamed of. Maybe their being together wasn’t meant to be.

Every bone in her body screamed for rest. She wasn’t naïve enough to believe she could walk all the way to Tucson without food and water, but if she could make it far enough to get back to a beaten path, she might be lucky enough to be found. But by whom? She chewed her bottom lip. Would she ever reach a time in her life again when she had no worries?

Tombstone, Charleston, even Tucson were being overrun with outlaws and riffraff. What were the chances a decent person would find and help her? Even with the sadness and fear that grasped her, she lacked moisture enough to cry. She found a spot next to a barrel cactus and, crossing her ankles, dropped to the ground. A short rest and time to think might give her the renewed strength she needed to carry on.

The sunrise sat just below the horizon and highlighted the way station in the far distance. The growing warmth predicted a hot day. Zach reined Storm off the trail and stopped. He swiveled in his saddle and glanced at T.J., halted alongside him. “Should we travel the rest of the way on foot?”

T.J. removed his hat and swiped his arm across his brow. “Probably not a bad idea. Axel will be watching the trail. Better to come in from a different direction and take him by surprise.”

Zach dismounted and pulled the reins over Storm’s head. “Guess we’ll walk, then.” His stomach clenched. She wouldn’t be in the predicament if not for him. Visions he preferred to ignore flashed in his head. He massaged the furrows creasing his brow. “I just hope the son-of-a-bitch hasn’t touched Odessa.”

Odessa remembered a story Pa told about the barrel cactus and how it frequently saved the lives of unfortunate travelers stranded in the desert without water. She licked her dry lips again and eyed the pretty orange flowers blooming atop the prickly plant. How did one get past all those spikes to find the sustaining liquid inside? Driven by thirst, she struggled to her aching feet and scanned the area for a sizeable rock. It took a while, but she found one. Standing over the cactus, she brought the stone crashing down, several times, before the plant split. The exertion left her breathless.

She fell to her knees and gingerly slipped one hand inside, cupping the fleshy pulp, feeling the liquid seep through her fingers. Withdrawing a fistful, she held the wetness to her lips and sucked, then winced at the acrid taste. She slurped just enough to ease the dryness in her mouth and flicked away the rest.

She sat back on her heels and sighed. So tired, she wished for a bed to curl up in. Her gaze scanned the endless desert, and her heart sank. How far did she have yet to walk? Was Axel following? She had to push on. She refused to wait and find out.

Odessa started to get to her feet when she heard a rattling sound. Her heart seized. Holding her breath, she sank back to the ground and looked around. Just beyond the cactus coiled the biggest snake she’d ever seen. Had she walked all this way to die?

“Whenever you get into a row be sure and not shoot too quick. Take time. I’ve known many a feller slip up for shootin’ in a hurry.” —Wild Bill Hickok

Odessa sat perfectly still, barely breathing, her eyes trained on the rattler. She had always heard that when frightened and preparing to defend themselves, snakes coiled. Maybe if she didn’t move and posed no threat, the creature wouldn’t strike. A sharp pebble dug into her calf, but she bit her lip, refusing to shift her weight.

She closed her eyes and waited. Her life been reduced to one nightmare after another starting with Papa’s death. Everything that happened since that horrid day in the desert replayed in her mind. Familiar faces raced through her thoughts: Papa, John Harper, Alf Rearden, Flo, Bess, and her dear, dear Zach. Tears seeped between her eyelids, but she dare not stir. She chanted words of encouragement in her mind to remain strong, but time dragged.

The Arizona sun, which had climbed higher in the sky, beat down with relentless fury. Sweat trickled between her breasts and dampened her brow. She’d sat for such a long time, every muscle in her body cramped. Finally, she peeked through her lowered lashes, her gaze fixed on the spot where she’d last seen the snake. The critter was gone. She swiveled her head from one side to the other, but saw nothing. Relief washed over her like a breath of fresh air. A loud exhalation fluttered her lips and she laughed aloud.

The laugher seemed out of place given her situation. Now, all she had to do was walk until she found help.

The horses, tethered to a sturdy bush behind the lean-to barn, nibbled on dried grass. Zach stood with T.J. and peered around the barn’s corner, watching for any movement within the house. Nothing stirred. Zach motioned for the deputy to circle to the far side of the house, and he crept from the rear toward the front. He stopped every few steps and listened. He heard only his own breath.

On the porch, he drew his gun and steeled himself for confrontation. When T.J. signaled he’d reached his backup point, Zach kicked open the door. “Show yourself, Axel. Come out with your hands up. I’m not alone.”

The room was empty, as was the bed beyond the parted curtains. Zach, moving cautiously, kept his pistol ready and elbowed his way through the hanging partition. The rumpled covers indicated someone had been on the bed. He knelt and swiped his finger through something dark and wet amidst the broken glass littering the floor. Blood! Whose was it? He swallowed hard.

Zach held up his reddened finger tip. “And someone got hurt.” He wiped the blood on his pant leg and lowered his head. “God, what if it was Odessa? What’ll we do now? We have no idea where they went.”

“Let’s take a look outside. Maybe we can pick up their trail in the yard.”

Zach followed T.J. outside. Feeling helpless, he shadowed his friend while he scoured the ground for clues to which direction Axel had taken Odessa. The lawman walked from the corral to where the yard ended at the trail, knelt and traced the hoof prints in the dirt. He peered up while wiping his hand on his pant leg. “Looks like two horses heading south.”

“Let’s get mounted. They can’t have too much of a head start if they’ve been gone since sunup.” Zach sprinted back toward where the horses waited.

“Let’s fill our canteens before we go and check the house for food. I’m starving.”

“I’ll freshen my canteen, but I’m not taking time to eat. If you wanna fill your belly, go ahead. You can catch up with me. I’ll not rest until I know Odessa is safe and sound.”

T.J. removed his hat and scratched his head. “Blast you, Zach. You’re the most determined man I believe I’ve ever met.” He plopped his hat back on his head and clucked his tongue against his teeth. “I reckon I won’t starve either.”

Odessa kept her eyes focused ahead and weaved through the cactus and other plants. Perspiration stuck her dress to her like a second skin. Her grumbling stomach protested either lack of food or the horrid pulp she’d used to quench her thirst earlier. She wasn’t sure which.

Her tired eyes strained at what looked like a trail ahead—a welcome break to continued miles of uneven ground and prickly foliage, and hopefully, a frequently traveled route. She breathed a hearty sigh as she stepped onto the worn path, encouraged that Axel hadn’t followed her. Had she really eluded him? If not so tired, she might dance a celebratory jig, but her legs felt like grandma’s elderberry jelly.

The trail unfurled endlessly in both directions. She looked left then right, and blinked back tears, seeing nothing but emptiness that summoned heart-rending despair. Which way should she walk? Where did the trail lead? Confusion overrode her disappointment and crumbled her courage. The wetness she’d kept dammed, released in a flood—quiet tears turned to loud sobs—and she sank to her knees in the dirt.

With all her tears soon spent, she struggled to her feet and looked skyward. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she tried to determine which direction to go. With the fiery orb almost directly overhead, she was at a loss, and figured if she’d been traveling north as she suspected, then turning west would head her toward Phoenix—at least she hoped.

Her stomach cramping, her feet aching, and thirstier than she’d ever been, Odessa resumed walking. She concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other and pictured happier times with her family back in Tucson—before they all went to join Jesus. How she wished Momma and Granny were alive to offer advice on the emotions churning inside. If there was such a thing as the last straw to push a person to their endurance limit, losing Zach was hers.

It seemed she’d walked for hours. Where she got the strength to continue, she had no idea. Sheer determination to stay alive, she supposed.

The trail ahead, still vacant, blurred with heat rising in wavy lines from the dirt. The silence grated her nerves, and she found a smile hidden beneath her sadness when she started to hum Camptown Ladies. Over her droning tune, she heard a clamor—hoof beats, perhaps. Her feelings of hope competed with her fear of being discovered by Axel. Her heart thudding, she turned and looked. Relief dragged the breath from her lungs.

A wagon, its white bonnet billowing in the breeze, approached. In the distance the conveyance looked more like a toy. She moved to the road’s edge and waited, clasping and unclasping her hands, beseeching God her rescue was nigh.

Drawn by four black horses, the wagon’s true size became apparent as the Conestoga came closer. A man and woman sat on the seat, her face hidden by her bonnet, and his shaded by the brim of his hat.

Odessa frantically waved her arms. “Hello, can you help me please.” Her mouth was so dry her throat hurt.

“Whoa, there.” The driver reined in his team and peered down at Odessa with wide brown eyes beneath an arched brow. “What’s a little lady like you doin’ out here in the middle of nowhere?” He pushed his hat farther back on his head.

She craned her neck and looked up at him. “I escaped from the clutches of a madman. I’ve walked for hours and I’m tired, thirsty, and lost. Can you please give me a ride?”

“Of course.” The woman spoke before her husband had a chance to answer. “You poor thing. You just climb in the back, but mind the baby’s sleeping.”

The tension drained from Odessa’s shoulders. “Oh, God bless you, both.” Happy tears clouded her eyes as she scampered to the rear and climbed over the tailgate. Her dress caught on a piece of splintered wood and ripped, but she freed her skirt and collapsed in a heap on the wagon’s floor. Being off her feet was sweet relief.

“Where you headed?” The man peered over his shoulder and smiled at her. Although bearded, his whiskers were neatly trimmed, as was the hair that barely grazed his collar. Suspenders crisscrossed his back, and something about him reminded her of Pa, earning her immediate trust.

She eyed the infant asleep on a pallet. “I’d like to get to Phoenix,” she whispered. “But I’ll settle for anyplace you’ll take me.”

His smile broadened. “You’re in luck. We’re headin’ to Phoenix and you’re more than welcome to ride along. You just sit back and rest. There’s a canteen in the corner. Help yourself to some water.”

Odessa grabbed the container and took a generous swig. She swished the liquid around in her mouth before swallowing, and then took another drink. Leaning against the wagon bed, she languished in her good fortune.

Her joy was short lived when her thoughts strayed to Zach. She’d sacrificed any chance of reuniting with him, and the reality was like a slap in the face. She had no idea if he was alive or dead. Logic told her she had to think about herself, but that did little to dull the pain in her heart.

“My name’s Nila Rae Freemont, this here’s my husband, Joshua.” The woman’s voice pulled Odessa from the depths of her thoughts. “You can call me Nila. What’s your name?” Her dark eyes sparkled with the same friendliness her husband had displayed.

“Odessa Clay, ma’am.” She shifted her gaze to the little one, still slumbering. “Is your baby a boy or girl?”

“Nine months—at that age where she isn’t content being held or staying still.” She smiled sweetly. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

The woman’s mouth curved into a frown. “I’m so sorry to hear that.” She tightened the yellow ribbon beneath her chin. “So, why are you heading to Phoenix?”

“I hope to find my Aunt Susan. She lives there or somewhere nearby. I haven’t seen her since I was very young. I doubt she’ll recognize me, especially when I look so… so frazzled.” Odessa smoothed her hair that had long ago slipped free of the ribbon holding it in place.

Nila swiveled around on the seat and slid into the wagon bed holding a basket. She rested on her heels and arranged her yellow floral skirt around her legs. “I packed this to eat along the way.” She parted napkins made of flour sacks and revealed the fare.

Odessa eyed the bread, fried chicken, and apples. Her mouth watered, but she waited for an invitation.

Nila passed a drumstick to her husband, then gestured toward the food. “Help yourself. We may not have much in the way of belongings, but we do have food enough to keep us from going hungry and water enough to quench our thirst.” She placed a kiss on her sleeping daughter’s cheek and clambered back up beside her husband. Odessa wondered about the woman’s age, but considered it rude to ask. Nila looked to be in her mid to late twenties, as did her mister.

With her back against the fragrant pine of the wagon bed, Odessa munched a chicken wing and sighed. Her gaze wandered to the few pieces of furniture and crates stacked across from her: the upside down rocking chair, a floral settee, a round side table… all reminiscent of her own home when Momma was alive, and similar to pieces she hoped she’d one day use to decorate a house she shared with Zach. She swallowed hard and focused on Aunt Susan and finally getting to Phoenix. She’d have to hold Zach in her heart along with the memories of all the other people she’d loved and lost.

Zach reined Storm to a walk and allowed T.J. to catch up. He leaned forward to ease a kink in his back, but kept his eyes trained on the trail ahead, hoping and praying to see Axel and Odessa. The endless dirt stretched onward with not a sign of life ahead.

T.J. rode up alongside, his canteen tipped to his mouth. Sweat dampened new stains on his hat and drizzled down his cheeks. He recapped the container and swiped a sleeve across his face. “I’m hotter than a flat stone in an Apache’s sweat lodge.”

“That’s why I slowed the pace. Don’t wanna wear out our mounts and find ourselves stranded out here.” He patted Storm’s neck. “You’ve been a good friend, boy. Sorry, I haven’t been as good a master.”

T.J. asked the very question Zach didn’t want to consider. Facing the loss of Odessa for good was more than he could bear. He glared at his friend. “I’m going to find her. They can’t be that far ahead.”

The words had barely left his lips when he spied movement on the horizon. “Look! Up ahead. I think I see something.” Zach nudged Storm into a canter.

Drawing closer, Zach distinguished the outline of two horses and one rider. His mouth went dry and his mind filled with horrifying scenarios. He assured himself the rider wasn’t Axel, just someone leading a pack horse. But, he soon recognized the familiar silhouette, hat and girth of his hated adversary.

Any plan he had of overtaking and capturing Axel was foiled when the man turned and noticed he was being followed. Releasing the reins of the horse he led, he spurred his own mount into a full gallop.

He pushed his hat down further on his head, and leaned forward in the saddle. His pulse synced with Storm’s pounding hoofs as they closed in on the varmint.

Closer and closer, Zach came to reaching Axel. He smelled the man’s sweat, felt droplets of lather pelting him. When they were dead even, he lunged from the saddle onto Axel, knocking him from his horse to the ground. The two landed with a thud and rolled several times. Zach came up with hands fisted, but Axel, clearly stunned by the fall, lay on the ground staring up at him.

He winced and drew his leg up. “She got away. Hit me over the head, she did. I been lookin’ for her all day, but ain’t seen no sign of her.”

Turning, Zach’s glanced at the deputy. T.J., still mounted, sat with his gun drawn, cocked and pointed. “What the—”

A gunshot sliced through the rest of his question. Smoke spiraled from the lawman’s pistol, and staring wide-eyed at his companion, Zach wondered why he didn’t yet feel pain.

Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or a fool from any direction.

Zach groped his chest, checked his legs, embraced himself and ran his hand up and down his arms. Nothing on his body hurt, he saw no blood. Confusion clouded his thoughts.

“I didn’t shoot you, if that’s what you’re thinkin’. You got careless and turned away. Axel drew on you.” T.J. shook his head. “You’d think you’d know by now not to trust a snake like him.”

Zach turned on shaky legs. Axel’s sightless eyes stared at the sky; his fingers still clutched his six-shooter. Zach blew out a whoosh of air. His cheeks warmed. “I-I didn’t really think you’d shoot me,” he lied.

“Tell that to someone who didn’t see the look on your face.” T.J. chuckled.

“Okay, so I doubted you for a moment, but you saved my life. I was a hair’s breath from being a dead man. I don’t know what to say.”

“Doesn’t seem like enough, but thanks, deputy.” Zach stared at the ground. “I owe you.”

“Nah, just learn from your mistake. When you’ve been around as much as I have, you’ll know who you can trust and who you can’t.” T.J. dismounted. He walked to where Axel lay, bent and placed his palm on the man’s chest. “And never assume anything.” He looked up at Zach. “He’s dead all right.”

“I don’t rightly know. Miz Odessa could have headed in any direction. This is a big desert and I’m not sure how you aim to find her. Me? I’m taking Axel back to Charleston for the reward. You can come with me or strike out on your own.”

Zach stared at the ground, kicked a pebble and sent it flying. “You’re right. I don’t have any idea where to start lookin’ for her.” He glanced up. “Do you suppose she went back to town?”

“Reckon we won’t know until we get there.” He pried Axel’s gun from his hand and tucked it in his own waistband. “Fetch his horse and let’s get him loaded up. The quicker we get back to Charleston, the better. Maybe there’s some good news waitin’ for you, plus you still have some money to claim.”

Zach helped heft and drape the body over Axel’s saddle, wanting to feel sorrow for a life lost. But he didn’t. The world would be a better place without scum like him. Zach sickened at the thought of what the man might have done to Odessa, and prayed she’d escaped before… he couldn’t bear to imagine. Would he ever know what happened to her?

T.J. took the reins to Axel’s mount. “Let’s make the most of the daylight we have left. We’ll ride a piece, then make camp and start fresh in the morning.” He rubbed his stomach. “Sure wish I’d looked for grub back at the way station. Thanks to you, I’m about to starve. Guess we’ll have to make do with the hardtack I have in my saddlebag.”

Odessa and Nila sat in the back of the wagon and played with Raejean. The rutted trail made for a bumpy trip, and the little one fussed when she tried to pull up on something and fell. Her dark eyes and nose mirrored those of her mother, her lips like her father’s. Chubby little legs proved the infant was well fed. Odessa held Raejean’s hands and played a game of pat-a-cake. Nothing lifted sagging spirits like a child’s laughter.

Odessa had traveled with the family for three days, sharing the bed with Nila at night while Joshua slept outside underneath the wagon. She had thanked them a thousand times, but nothing she said would ever be enough to repay them for saving her life. Even though she’d only known them for a short time, she’d grown very fond of Nila and her husband, and had fallen in love with their baby. She pulled the child into her arms and tickled her. Despite the contagious giggles, Odessa mourned the children she and Zach would never have.

Odessa handed Raejean off to her mother, pulled herself up behind the wagon seat and peered out beyond the backs of the team. “Do you think it’s Phoenix?” In her excitement, the words came out much louder than she intended.

“I can’t believe it.” She raised her eyes to the sky. “I made it, Pa. I’m finally here.”

Joshua turned his head and smiled. “I’m sure he’d be right pleased to know you’re safe and sound.”

“I’m certain he would.” Odessa swallowed. “But, I’d be a lot happier if I had any idea how to find my aunt.”

Nila came and knelt beside her, her fingers grasping the seat against the pitching of the wagon. “We’ll help you, won’t we Joshua. Surely she shops or uses the bank. Someone is bound to know her.”

“I certainly hope so,” Odessa said. “I have no idea what I’ll do if—”

“We’ll cross that bridge when and if we come to it.” Joshua raised one foot and planted it on the lip across the wagon front. “My ma always told me not to borrow trouble.”

Odessa rolled her eyes. “I don’t need to borrow; trouble follows me… along with worry.” She kept her eyes trained on the horizon, watched the adobe buildings grow larger and tried to picture what Aunt Susan would look like. Too many years had passed to remember her face. Was she even still in the area? Would she welcome Odessa into her home?

“Worry’s a waste of time and energy.” Joshua chided. “You can’t change what’s meant to be.”

His words rang true and painful. Zach was gone, and nothing she did would bring him back. Although her heart ached at the thought of being without him, she intended to make the most of life. Papa would want that. Zach would, too.

Zach sat, head lowered, in the boarding house dining room and pushed his food around on his plate with his fork. T.J. sat across from him with his mouth so full he resembled a squirrel hiding nuts. He swallowed and swiped his napkin across his mouth. “C’mon Zach, you need to eat. I know you’re upset because no one has seen your lady friend, but starvin’ won’t help you find her.”

“I’ve got no appetite.” He shoved his plate away and glanced up. “What can I do?”

“I got Odessa into this mess, and now I’ve lost her. How can I live with myself?”

Lowering his utensil, T.J. shrugged. “You’ve done all you can. She might still show up. You never know.”

“That’s not enough damn it.” Zach pounded his fist on the table. Water sloshed out of his glass. He stared across at T.J. “I love her, don’t you get that?”

The deputy leaned back in his chair and returned Zach’s stare. “Don’t you think I know the ache of losing someone you love? I have two little boys who don’t have a Momma anymore, and I had to help them understand she’s not coming home ever again. I know exactly how you feel, but I’m trying to be realistic for your sake.”

Zach massaged his chin. “I’d like to stay here for a couple more days, but I need to get home. You?”

“I’m leavin’ in the morning. Anxious to see my sons. That reward we collected is going to come in mighty handy toward buildin’ a new life for them.”

Zach managed a weak smile. “I reckon that’s one more thing I have to thank you for. If not for you, I’d either be dead or a wanted man. Instead, I have the money I need to pay the note on my pa’s land, plus plenty left over.” He lowered his gaze and swallowed the lump in his throat. “Course, I’d planned to use the rest to build a place for me and Odessa.”

“I know, Zach, and I’m sorry, but life goes on. Care to join me on the trail one more time? I’ll travel part of the way with you.”

Zach pushed back from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna find myself a room and get some rest. Goodnight my friend.”

He left the dining room and approached the counter. “I’d like a room for the night, please.” He addressed the gangly clerk.

“No luck findin’ your lady friend?” The man raised his brow and pushed a key across the counter.

The idea of sleeping in the same room he’d shared with Odessa stabbed him like a knife. He slid the key back. “Not that one.”

“Sorry, partner, but that’s the only room I have left.” The clerk scooted the key toward Zach again.

Zack snagged his coins and shoved them in his pocket. “Thanks, but I’ll sleep at the livery.” He turned and left the clerk with his mouth gaping.

Odessa stood with Nila outside the National Bank. She twisted her hands and shifted from one foot to the other. “I’m scared. What if they don’t know my aunt?”

“You’ll never know until you ask.” Nila opened the door and nudged her inside. “I’ll come with you.”

A spectacled man in a dark jacket and starched white shirt looked up from a stack of papers on his desk. “May I be of assistance, ladies?”

“Uh,” Odessa swallowed. “I-I’m trying to locate my aunt, and I believe she lives in or around Phoenix.”

He shook his head. “I don’t believe so, but I haven’t been in Phoenix very long. Let me check our records. Won’t you and your friend have a seat?” He motioned to the armed mahogany chairs, and then disappeared behind a door. Another man behind a small barred window smiled out at them. The room smelled of cigars and wood.

The two women sat. Odessa leaned closer to her friend. “Oh, I hope he can help me.” She nibbled her bottom lip, worry still niggling at her.

Within a few minutes the man returned carrying a thick book. He plopped the leather-bound pages on the desk and slowly shook his head. “This is our roster of customers in last name order. I don’t find a Susan Clay listed.”

Odessa sighed. Her stomach knotted. “I was so hoping you’d know of her. Can you suggest any other place I might check?”

He stared blankly for a moment then pointed to his right. “Try the Gardner mercantile. Most people in these parts shop there. It’s just a few doors down.”

“I wish I could have done more.” He ushered her and Nila to the door, opened it and stood aside. “Good luck and good day.”

Once the door closed, she turned to Nila. “I’m so disappointed. What am—”

“You’re going to do what the man said and ask at the mercantile.” Nila swiveled her in that direction. “I’m going back to the wagon to check on Joshua and Raejean. Meet me there when you’re finished. I’ll expect you’ll have better news this time.”

“It takes practice, my friend. Lots of practice.” She spun on her heel and started for the vacant field at the end of the street where Joshua waited.

Odessa took a deep breath and approached the store displaying J.I. Gardner etched in gold lettering across the window. She opened the door and walked out of the sweltering sun into a room that smelled of rawhide, apples, leather, lamp oil and other less distinct odors. A bell over the door tinkled and announced her arrival. The few ladies perusing a table filled with bolts of material looked up. She returned their smiles and approached the counter. A pock-faced man in a black apron looked up from unloading a crate of canned goods. “Can I help you?”

Aware of her shabby, dirty look, she smoothed her dress, then clenched one hand in the other. “I do hope you can. I’m looking for a woman named Susan Clay—my aunt. I was advised by a gentleman at the bank to inquire after her here.”

He shook his head. “Clay. He tipped his chin and stared at the floor. “Hmm, name’s not familiar and I know almost everyone in these parts.” He lifted his gaze. “Are you sure she lives here in Phoenix?”

Tears burned the back of Odessa’s eyes. She swallowed a lump of disappointment. “N-No, sir, I haven’t seen her in years, but last I heard she lived here or nearby.”

“I appreciate your time, sir. I guess I’m not meant to find my Aunt Susan.” Odessa turned and walked toward the door.

“Do you suppose she might have married? I know a Miz Susan Morgan who shops here on a regular basis.”

“Would you mind if I ask how old Miz Morgan might be?” Odessa clung to the thread of hope.

“I don’t rightly know, and I hate to venture a guess about a lady’s age, but she looks to be about late thirties.”

Her hope broadened with her smile. “That sounds about right. Can you tell me where to find her?”

“Sure can. Follow Main Street out of town.” He pointed in the direction opposite the one Joshua had taken when they arrived. “When you get to the fork in the road, bear to the right and you’ll see a white fence and gate with a big “M” over it. That’s the Morgan place.”

“Thank you so much.” Odessa bolted out the door and sprinted down the sidewalk, crossed the street and arrived breathless at the wagon.

Joshua and Nila sat on a blanket in the Conestoga’s shade enjoying a bite to eat. They both looked up with wide eyes. “So?” Nila asked.

“I’m not certain I found my aunt, but I do have directions to a ranch where a woman named Susan lives. Can I impose on you one last time to take me there?”

Odessa knelt in the wagon bed and peered over the seat between Joshua and Nila. Joshua reined in the team almost under the big “M” the mercantile clerk had described. “Well, here we are,” he proclaimed. “I don’t see any ‘no trespassing’ signs so I guess we can proceed.”

Odessa’s palms dampened, her breath quickened. “I don’t know if I can stand another disappointment, although I should be getting used to them by now.”

“If you want answers, you have to ask questions.” Nila said in a voice too perky. “Besides, you aren’t alone.” She looked over her shoulder and flashed a reassuring smile. “Joshua and I talked about the possibility of you not finding your Aunt Susan, and we have a solution should that happen.”

Nila shook her head. “Not until you make sure the woman who lives on this fancy ranch isn’t your kin.”

Odessa heaved a huge sigh. “Well, take me to the porch and we can all find out.”

The wagon lurched forward. She almost lost her balance, but gripped the seatback tighter. She closed her eyes and prayed to find her aunt.

“Whoa, team.” Joshua halted the horses. The brake clunked into place. He glanced back at Odessa. “Let me come around and help you down.”

“No need.” Before he had a chance to leave his seat, Odessa had cleared the tailgate and dropped to the ground. She smoothed her skirt and hair and took a deep breath. Rounding the wagon, she came face-to-face with a handsome dark-haired man, and stopped dead in her tracks.

On the trail leading out of Charleston, Zach swiveled in his saddle and took one last look over his shoulder. His heart ached for his beautiful Odessa, and he prayed she was safe and sound somewhere, not lost on the prairie or dead as the voice of his worst fear often whispered to him. The guilt of losing her would forever plague him.

A big sigh fluttered Zach’s lips. “Am I that obvious? I understand what you mean, but sayin’ the words don’t make the pain go away.”

“I plan to keep myself busy once I get home.” Zach patted his saddlebag. “This money is gonna allow me and Pa to get the cattle we’ve been dreaming about. There’ll be lots to do on the ranch to keep me busy.” Feeling encouraged, he nudged Storm’s sides. “I can’t wait to see the look on Pa’s face.”

“Imagine how my boys will feel when they see the new home I’m gonna build for them. I plan to give each of them their own sleepin’ space. Right now, they’re crammed in with Ma and Pa. That little cabin is fine for two but was never meant for two rambunctious boys.”

T.J. leaned back against his cantle. “Yep, and I don’t know what I would have done without my ma. Being a lawman kept me away from home a great deal, but I earned enough money to keep everyone fed and clothed, plus visit now and again.”

“Nah, I’ve spent enough time wearing a badge. I’ve always dreamed of owning a horse ranch, so maybe this is my chance.”

“How about that?” Zach grinned. “Both of us ranching. Quite a far stretch from robbing stage coaches.”

Their combined laughter drowned out the plodding sound of hoofs against the hardened trail.

Sweat drizzled from Zach’s brow. The sun sat high in the sky and beat down on him and T.J. with unrelenting heat. After discussing the fate of the Spence gang and their imminent prison sentence, they’d ridden in silence for quite a while. Zach swiped his kerchief across his face and pondered what his future might have been like with Odessa. Despite trying not to think of her, he couldn’t stop her beautiful smile from invading his thoughts.

“Reckon we’ll ever see one another again?” Another reason for sadness plucked at Zach’s heart. He’d grown fond of his friend.

T.J. reined in his horse. “I’m not sure where I’ll be settlin’, but you can bet I’ll look you up if I get up your way. Might even write you when I find a place to hang my hat.” He extended his hand. “It’s been a pleasure, Zach.”

With a lump in his throat, Zach reached across the expanse separating them and clutched T.J.’s hand. “I owe you my life, you know? I hope one day, I’ll be able to repay you.”

T.J. spurred his roan forward, but looked over his shoulder. “Be happy. That’ll be payment enough.”

Zach watched until his friend was nothing but a dot on the horizon before he continued on his way. The surrounding silence doubled the emptiness he felt in his heart. “C’mon, Storm. Let’s go home.”

Odessa cleared her throat and looked up with wide eyes at the man in front of her. In her shock, she struggled to form a complete sentence. “I-I’m Odessa Clay, and I’m looking for my aunt.”

“I’m Jasper Morgan, Miss Clay.” He doffed his black hat then escorted her up on the porch. “Best we get out of that hot sun.” One dark brow arched. “So tell me again how I can help you.”

“I’m looking for my aunt and I’m praying I can stop my search here.” Odessa clasped her hands together for emphasis. “The man from the mercantile told me she might live here.”

“Odessa!” Susan Morgan rushed down the steps and embraced her niece, then held her at arm’s length. “How? Where? “What?” She fired questions but didn’t leave time for answers. Before Odessa had a chance to respond, her aunt smothered her in another embrace. “Oh, my sweet girl. How you’ve grown into such a beautiful woman.”

Her aunt wrapped an arm around Odessa’s shoulders. “Come inside and tell me everything.” The woman paused and glanced at the wagon. “Oh, and your friends too, of course.” She looked to her husband. “Jas, please show them in.”

Inside, the coolness of the adobe provided quite a contrast to the Arizona heat. The clay walls in the kitchen were adorned with shelves holding colorful bowls and pots over a large table with six chairs. Beneath a large glass window sat a counter with a real basin and pump, and adjacent, a large iron cook stove. Floors of polished wood shone bright in place of the swept dirt Odessa remembered from her old Tucson home. Aunt Susan had obviously married well.

“Come, let’s sit in the parlor.” Her aunt ushered her through an archway into a large room furnished with matching floral settees, two dark blue armchairs, mahogany side tables, and a small piano.

“Only a little. But sit, please. Tell me what brings you here. How did you find me?”

Jasper showed Nila, Joshua and the baby in and motioned them to sit. Odessa gestured to the trio.

“These are my friends, Nila, her husband Joshua and baby, Raejean. They saved my life, but it’s a long story to that point and one I’ll share later.” She cast a wistful look at her aunt. “I’m sorry to say, Papa is dead.”

Tears welled at the shock on her aunt’s face. Maybe she should have eased into the bad news instead of blurting it out. After all, Papa had been Aunt Susan’s only brother.

Dust from the Conestoga’s wheels spiraled in the air then drifted back to the ground. Odessa stood with her aunt and new uncle, waving goodbye to her friends until the wagon had passed beneath the big “M” and faded in the distance. Her heart ached at losing Nila’s companionship and understanding, but she’d promised to write as soon as she and Joshua found land and settled.

“They seem like very nice people.” Aunt Susan wiped Odessa’s hair away from her face. “I’m so happy you’re here. You are welcome to stay as long as you’d like. We have plenty of room, don’t we Jas?”

Jasper nodded. “We sure do, and I think Susie will enjoy having another female around to keep her company. I spend most of my time out on the range, and I know she gets lonely.”

The gaze her aunt fixed on her held a sparkle. “I have plans for us, and the first includes a visit to the mercantile to buy material for some new dresses.” She rubbed her hands together and smiled. “In the meantime, I’ll draw a bath for you, and you can slip into something of mine. We look to be the same size.” She brushed a kiss against Odessa’s cheek. “Welcome home, my dear. I’m so happy you’re here.”

Odessa’s eyes brimmed with tears. Pa would be happy to know she finally found her way to his last living kin. Maybe now he would truly rest in peace. She followed her aunt inside and waited while the woman pumped a bucket full of water.

Memories of Zach still invaded Odessa’s thoughts and made her heart ache. For a moment, the recollections shadowed her glee. The least she could do was locate his father and tell him what an amazing son he raised.

“Oh, honey, Jas and I just made the trip to town for supplies, so we probably won’t go for another two weeks or so. I think you can make do with my clothes for a spell.”

“That’s generous of you. By the way, do you know anyone in Phoenix named Johnson?”

“Not right off hand. But this city is growing like wildfire. Why do you ask?” She hefted the bucket onto the stovetop.

Zach sat in the bank and signed a document opening an account in his name. “I’ll be happy to know this cash is safe and sound until I have need of it. You have no idea what I sacrificed to get it.”

The clerk looked over his spectacles. “I’ll bet your pa is glad to have you back.”

“Sure is.” Zach grinned. “Even happier when I brought you the money to pay off his loan. Now the land is all his.”

“Business is business.” Zach said. “But it’s still shameful that hard-working people lose their land when times get tough.”

“I agree, but thankfully, all’s well that ends well.” The clerk gathered the papers into a stack.

Zach pushed himself up out of the chair, squealing the legs against the floor. He held his hat with one hand and shook hands with the other. “Good doin’ business with you. Take care of my money.”

“Oh course, Mr. Johnson. You have a real nice day.” The bank clerk showed him to the door.

Pausing outside, Zach plopped his hat on his head and pulled the brim down. As he walked, he pulled a shopping list from his pocket and perused the needed items. Two weeks and his hearty appetite had already cleaned out the cupboards. Storm was about to work up a lather, toting everything home.

Zach took a breath. The pleasant morning air hadn’t yet heated to unbearable and folks took advantage of the respite. The streets were busy with horse and riders passing, wagons wheeling by, and even an occasional cow or two being herded toward the feedlot at the end of the street. People bustled along the wooden planks, and Zach compared the upscale citizenry to that in Charleston. Phoenix hosted more rooted folks—those who lived and thrived in the area. He’d hoped to bring Odessa here and build a life with her.

Ahead, two attractive women approached from the opposite direction. A searing pain zinged through his heart at the similarity of the younger one. The loss of Odessa was still too fresh. He stared at the sidewalk, a lump forming in his throat.

His gaze popped up. “Odessa?” His words came in a whisper. Could it be her or was this just another haunting nightmare?

Pounding footsteps vibrated the wooden slats. She slammed against him and wrapped her arms around him in a grip a grizzly would envy. Could this be real? She smelled of jasmine and honey, and the softness of the lips caressing his cheek and moving toward his mouth brought pleasure that couldn’t be false.

His arms found their way around the svelte waist. Resulting sparks when their lips met jolted through his body and convinced him he wasn’t dreaming. Odessa was right where she was meant to be.

Odessa waddled out onto the porch of the ranch house she and Zach shared. One hand rested atop her belly and the other massaged the small of her back. Her child was due in less than a month and she was more than ready.

She stopped at the banister and looked out over the white-railed corrals where more than a hundred head of horses grazed. Today, Zach worked the upper pastures, moving more of their herd to an area where new grass sprouted.

Her life had taken a bumpy path to get here. Uncle Jas had sold a parcel of land to Zach and another to Nila and Joshua. All the people who mattered most in her life surrounded her. What more could she want?

Lost in thought, she didn’t hear her husband approach. “Daydreaming, are ya?”

She smiled, believing he grew more handsome each day. “More like pinching myself to make sure this is all real.” She embraced herself. “I’ve got a handsome man who comes home to me after a hard day at work, a new uncle who made our dreams come true, and the friends who saved my life close at hand. Nila and Aunt Susan are going to be a big help when this little one comes.” She cradled her belly.

Odessa rolled her eyes. “At least wait until this one is a few years old before you put me through such torture again.”

“Torture? I didn’t think all that moaning I heard while we made this baby was from agony.”

She stared down at the puddle darkening the wood around her feet. “You’d better go get Aunt Susan, unless of course you’d like to really be able to compare moans.” She flashed a weak grin.

Zach dug his heels into Storm’s sides and left in a cloud of dust. Odessa was alone again, but she wasn’t afraid. She was home, and family was on the way… the rest looked over her from up above.

She glanced at the sky. “I made it, Papa, and you’re about to become a grandfather.”

WILD WEST POT ROAST

by Donald Tomsa

Marinade

4 cups Saspirilla

1 cup wine

4 large onions, peeled and quartered

5 cloves garlic crushed

salt

pepper

Marinade at least 2 hours, strain and save vegetables.

6-8 pound thick cut Blade or Chuck roast

2 tablespoons bacon grease

3 cups water

3 large potatoes peeled and quartered

2 medium turnips peeled and cut into appr. 1 inch pieces

4 large carrots cut in appr.1 inch pieces

3 ears of corn cut in thirds

In a heavy iron skillet heat bacon grease. Sear all sides of roast. Place meat in Dutch oven. Add reserved vegetables and water. Cook 1 1/2 hours over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat cook another 1 1/2 hours. ENJOY

About the Author: missing image file

Multi-published author, Ginger Simpson lives in Tennessee, but her heart and muse dwell in the old west. She retired from her “big girl” job in 2003 and has dedicated her time to writing and enjoying her grandson, Spencer. Husband, Kelly, is her biggest fan.

A previous release, Sparta Rose, received the 2009 Best Historical Read from Love Romance Café, and another of her works finalized in the 2009 EPIC Contest.

You can view her work on her website (http://www.gingersimpson.com) or her blog, Dishin’ It Out (http://mizging.blogspot.com).

More of Ginger’s books from Eternal Press:

White Heart, Lakota Spirit

Prairie Peace

Sparta Rose

Sisters in Time

Sarah’s Journey

Amazing Grace

Chastity’s Charm

Forever Faith

Hope Springs Eternal

Paging Dr. Jones

Virginia’s Miracle

Books coming soon from Ginger Simpson:

The Locket (April 2011)

Also from Ginger Simpson:

Sarah’s Journey missing image file

by Ginger Simpson

eBook ISBN: 9781897559017

Print ISBN: 9781926647081

Romance Western

Novel of 72,000 words

When Sarah Collins set her sights on California for a new beginning, she never figured a war party would attack her wagon train. After her friend Molly succumbs to her injuries, Sarah is the sole survivor, left alone to find her way back to civilization. Stampeding buffalo, the black prairie nights and eerie noises. Just when she believes she’s faced the worst, a rattlesnake bite threatens to accomplish what the Indians failed. Is it her time to die, or does Sarah have a purpose yet to accomplish?

Also from Eternal Press:

Mountain Romance missing image file

by Richard R. Jones

eBook ISBN: 9781770650558

Print ISBN: 9781770650619

Romance Western

Novel of 120,00 words

A good deed never goes unpunished. Red Holden is a cowboy used to hard work and a lonely life. Mattie Sharp is a young woman who knows her mind and seldom lets anything get in her way. What will happen when the two meet on the desert floor? Can Red give up his lonely life for this strong willed woman? Or will Mattie have to accept the man is a drifter, and always will be?