“I THOUGHT YOU SAID TY didn’t want you riding anywhere alone?”

Emma brushed off Sarah’s concern with a wave of her hand. “I need to get home. Since your housekeeper came back early, now is a good time for me to go so I will be home before dark.” She sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m so happy for you, Sarah. Abby is a beautiful child.”

Her friend wrapped her hands around Emma’s. “If you hadn’t been here….” Her face lost a bit of its color and her voice trailed off.

“No ifs, Sarah. I was here and you told me what to do. Everything worked out fine, and now I have a beautiful niece by choice.” Even though I was scared out of my wits and had no idea what the hell I was doing. She arched a brow. “Who knows, maybe one day you can return the favor.”

Sarah laughed. “I hope so, Emma, I truly do!”

Henry entered with a food tray and Emma stood so he could place it on the bed. “Gertie is so upset over not being here, I fear she may over-feed us all.”

Emma’s mouth watered at the food-laden tray. “Beats the hell out of my bacon and eggs.”

“Emma’s riding back tonight.” Sarah’s proclamation held a note of censure.

“I’ll go with you,” said Henry, “just give me time to saddle up.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Sarah needs you and I am perfectly capable of riding alone.”

“I have no desire for your husband to kick my ass from here to sundown cause I let you ride out alone knowing full well he wouldn’t like it.” He smiled at Sarah. “Gertie will be worse than a mother hen.” He placed a quick kiss on her brow. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Then he pointed a finger at Emma. “And you will not leave without me. Is that clear?”

She straightened and managed a pitiful salute. “Yes sir!”

Henry chuckled. “Poor Ty. I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.”

True to his word, Henry waited outside for her. “Just for the record, and so I can tell your husband I said so, you should wait at least until tomorrow.”

“There is absolutely no reason for you to accompany me.”

“Other than knowing Ty would insist.”

She had the grace to be ashamed. “Well, yes, there is that.”

“And it will be dark by the time we get there, so we need to get moving.”

“I just hate taking you away from Sarah at a time like this.”

“Sarah’s fine. Let’s go.”

The sun touched the western horizon as they approached the entrance of Twin Oaks and Emma pulled to a stop. “This is far enough. I can make it from here without the boogeyman getting me.”

“I’ll see you all the way.”

The stubborn set of his jaw reminded her of Ty and she grinned. “Henry, you have a wife and new baby daughter waiting at home.” She pointed ahead. “We can see the house from here. You and I both know he’s going to be upset and I don’t think you want to be a party to that.”

Henry looked toward the house, then back to Emma. “You got a point there.” He blew out a breath. “I’ll watch until you reach the yard.”

“Fine.” She took off at a gallop, turning when she reached the yard to wave him off.

Lamplight glowed through the parlor windows as she tied Midnight’s reins to the post. She paused a moment at the door, contemplating putting her horse up first. She wanted to see Ty first, so she took a deep breath and mentally braced herself for the argument sure to erupt when she walked in, knowing he would be upset. Then she smiled. Quarrels led to making up.

She turned left toward the parlor and saw Rafe sitting in his chair by the mantel, an open book in his lap, talking with Leo, whose back was to the door.

“Where is it?” snapped Leo.

“Where is what?”

He whirled around at Emma’s question, and she saw the gun in his hand. “Leo? What’s going on?”

“Dammit! You’re not supposed to be here!” He motioned with the gun to join her father and she complied.

“Papa? Are you all right?”

He patted the hand resting on his shoulder. “I’m fine.”

“I ain’t asking again old man. Where is it?”

Emma looked from her father to Leo. “Where is what?”

His jaw muscles moved, but Leo didn’t answer.

“He wants the amendment to my will.” Rafe faced the angry cowboy. “Ty has it. He’s taking it to the sheriff.”

Emma stared at her father. “Why on earth would Ty take it to the sheriff?”

Footsteps in the hallway made her heart jump. Oh no! Lupe!

Leo quickly holstered his gun and turned as she entered.

“More coffee – Señora, I did not know you were home. Have you eaten?”

“Yes, I have, thank you.” She endeavored to keep her voice light. “Why don’t you go on home? I’ll take care of anything left in the kitchen.”

She smiled brightly. “Si, I will do that. My José has been feeling ill today. There is fresh coffee on the stove. I will see you in the morning.”

Leo pulled his pistol again and tilted his head toward the kitchen, presumably listening for the back door to shut. His voice was calm, his gaze steady as he looked at Rafe. “You’re one tough ole buzzard.”

“Thank you,” said Rafe, voice heavy with sarcasm.

“If you’d just died like you was supposed to, everything would have worked out fine.”

“Leo!” Emma stared at the young man she once considered a friend and realized he was a stranger.

He stepped forward, gun steady despite the nervous twitch in his face. “I would have done anything for you.”

Emma stared, afraid to speak.

“I would have made you happy,” he said without inflection as he adjusted the gun in his hand.

She eased herself between Leo and her father. “I don’t know what’s going on but I’m sure we can figure this out.”

“Yeah,” he said coolly, “we’ll figure it out.”

Emma struggled for a way out. Where is Ty? “I had no idea of your feelings, Leo, or I would have done things differently.”

“You never even looked at me except to give me orders.”

His voice, flat and devoid of emotion, terrified her more than rage.

“That’s not true. I value our friendship.”

“Friendship,” he spat the word out like rotten fruit. “I loved you.” The gun wobbled in his hand. “Let’s just sit tight till Walker gets here.”

Emma paled. Of course, Walker drew up all her father’s legal papers, so he would be the one who drew up the amendment. But why did he want it back?

“I don’t understand why you would go to all this trouble to get a document that is essentially useless since I married before the deadline and my father is still alive.”

“Because I never saw that document,” snapped Rafe, “much less signed it.”

“You never…” His words bounced around in her head, the implications mounting. “If you didn’t…”

“Then there wasn’t any need for you to get married, was there?” taunted Leo. “But we can fix that, too.”

Ty struggled to keep up the pace Walker set, furious with himself for getting caught off guard.

After the first two shots rang out, nothing more happened for a good twenty minutes, so he eased away from the big oak tree only to be knocked down by Walker whom he never even heard approach.

Now, here he was, tied up like a mustang, stumbling along behind his captor’s horse. Twice he fell and the bastard simply pulled him along until he managed to stand on his own. He had no idea what happened to his own horse. Once he hit the ground, Diablo bolted.

Walker ignored his questions as he searched him for the document he wanted. Ty could only assume Leo was somehow involved and got word to Walker his ruse had been discovered.

In an effort to keep him away from the ranch, Ty told him he left it at the sheriff’s office, which prompted a snort of derision and other hit with the butt of his gun.

By the time they arrived, he was exhausted, his fingers were numb from the tight rope binding his wrists, and his whole body hurt from being drug along the ground. He tasted sweat mixed with blood and dirt from a busted lip, and his barely healed wounds throbbed.

He bit back a curse when he saw Emma’s horse tied out front. Dammit! She can’t do a thing I say!

“Come along, Tyler. I’m sure your wife will be happy to see you.” Walker took in his bedraggled appearance and laughed. “Then again, maybe not.”

Fury nearly choked him as he glared at the lawyer. “You’re a dead man.”

A shadow of fear crossed the other man’s eyes and quickly vanished. “You forget who has the gun.” He waved Ty’s Colt in front of him as he backed up the steps, pulling the rope that bound his hands, causing it to dig deeper into his flesh. “Come along like a good boy.”

Emma bolted from her chair when they entered the room only to be stopped by Leo, who held a gun on her. “Sit down!”

“Ty!” her face paled as she looked him over.

“I’m all right, Em.” He turned his attention to the young cowhand. His temples throbbed with anger, but he spoke deliberately and with deadly calm. “If you so much as muss her hair I will kill you with my bare hands.”

Leo backed up a little, then stood up straighter. “You ain’t the one in charge now.”

“Shut up, both of you,” snapped Walker as he pushed Ty toward an empty chair. “Sit down.” He turned his attention to Leo. “You damn fool. You had one job to do. One.”

Leo shifted from one foot to the other. “He went in the water. I thought he was dead.”

“Oh my God, Leo!” Emma’s green eyes clawed at him like talons. “You shot Ty?”

“He was merely trying to save you from yourself.”

Walker’s patronizing tone made Ty’s teeth ache. He glanced at his wife. If looks could kill, asshole, you’d be buzzard bait right now.

“Let’s just get this over with, shall we.” He focused on Emma. “What’s the combination to the safe?”

“Go to hell.”

“I do like a woman with spunk.”

His smile was feral as he walked toward her and Ty came off the chair.

“Sit down, cowboy,” he pulled the hammer back on the pistol, “unless you want me to finish what that imbecile started.”

“I already told Leo it ain’t in the safe,” said Rafe. “Tyler took it with him to town and gave it to the sheriff.”

Ty kept his expression unreadable. Rafe lied. He knew Ty returned it to the safe before he left, so he could only guess the man was stalling.

“I tried to tell you,” goaded Ty. “The sheriff will no doubt be stopping by any time to discuss the consequences of forgery with you.”

“He went out to the Barker place this afternoon,” said Walker, “and wasn’t back when you were there.” He smirked. “I heard you were in town looking for me. I chose not to be found.”

“I spoke to his deputy. Asked him to give the envelope and my suspicions to Dawson soon as he returned.”

Walker flinched, then regained his arrogant posture. “Good try, Tyler, but I don’t believe you.” He turned back to Emma. “I have worked too hard to get where I am to lose it now. I want that document. Now.” He put the gun to Rafe’s head. “Or he dies. You choose.”