Callie bolted up the stairs to the second floor. Chip’s footfalls thudded right behind her as she ran down the hallway to the room she and Ruby shared.
She reached for the door handle, but Chip stopped her. “Someone could be inside. I’ll go first.”
He opened the door a crack, looked in the room and heaved an audible sigh. “It’s all right. There’s no one here but Ruby.”
Callie shoved past him, burst into the room, sat on the bed and pulled the sobbing girl into her arms. “It’s all right, sweetheart. We’re here.”
Chip rested a hand on Callie’s back. “I’m going to check on Jasper. I’ll be right back.”
Ruby clung to Callie, her tiny body shaking. Callie rubbed the girl’s back, rocked her and murmured words of comfort.
In no time, Chip was back, holding Jasper in his arms. Chip inclined his head toward Ruby. “How is she?”
“She’s beginning to settle down. I think she had a bad dream. Has she had them before, Jasper?”
“I don’t think so. Least, I don’t remember any times.”
Callie spoke softly beside Ruby’s ear. “Are you doing better now?”
Ruby lifted her head and looked at Callie, her tear-streaked face just visible in the low light. “I dweamed the b-bad lady—” she drew in a shuddering breath “—comed to get me.”
Chip sat Jasper on the bed beside Callie and kneeled next to her. “What bad lady, princess?”
“The one at Mama Tess’s house. She was with the bad men who took Papa away.”
Callie’s gaze met Chip’s. A look of understanding passed between them. Ruby had just confirmed their suspicions. Not only did those who had killed Mr. Tate know his children were living at the Double T, but the murderous trio was also bold enough to send a member of their team to investigate. If they would risk exposing the woman’s identity, they must not have found the jewels and believed the children had information on their whereabouts. Even worse, they appeared to be intent on doing whatever it took to get it out of them.
Well, those horrid people weren’t about to get anywhere near Jasper and Ruby, not if Callie could help it. She would do whatever it took to keep the children safe. Chip would do the same, as would Spencer, Tess and every single person who worked at the Double T.
Jasper used the sleeve of his nightshirt to wipe his sister’s tears. “I won’t let the bad lady get you. I’m a cowboy carpenter now, and I’ll hit her over the head with one of Mr. Chip’s hammers if she comes back here.”
Chip placed a hand on Jasper’s shoulder. “I know you want to help, pardner, but there are lots of grown-ups at the Double T who will take very good care of you. You’re safe here. Now, it’s time to get you back upstairs.”
Jasper gave Ruby a hug and followed Chip out of the room.
It took Callie a good half hour to get Ruby settled down again, at which point she hurried down the stairs and entered the playroom. “Oh, Chip, I—”
She came to an abrupt stop. They weren’t alone. He was helping a ranch hand set up a cot just inside the front door of the huge room. Another cot sat by the back door.
The men finished, the ranch hand left and Chip joined her. “I spoke with Spencer and Tess. He’s arranged for two of his men to sleep here, and they’ll be armed. No one will be able to get past them.”
“That’s good.” Disturbing, but good. She’d hoped to keep the children from knowing the danger they were in, but they were well aware of it now. The best thing she and Chip could do would be to assure Jasper and Ruby that no harm would come to them. Having bodyguards in place overnight should do that.
“Tess said the ranch hand she’d sent to follow the woman couldn’t find her. He rode down the road toward town, but her footprints ended abruptly. Apparently, one of her accomplices had a horse waiting for her.”
Callie stepped outside, rested her hand on the porch railing and scanned the area, with Chip at her side. Everything appeared peaceful. The children were all inside. Even the animals were settling down for the night. The squeak of the weather vane on top of the barn as it shifted direction slightly and the rustle of leaves as a gentle breeze blew were the only sounds. “It makes me sick to think that those awful people are out there somewhere. They need to be caught.”
“I agree. So does Spencer. He’s going to have a deputy come out and talk with us in the morning. You and Tess can give him a description of the woman, and Jasper can give them some information about the men. He got a good look at them the day we found them and filled my ear with his recollections after I took him back up to our room.”
“I’m not surprised. He’s bright and observant. We should have talked with him about the abduction earlier…like you suggested. I wanted so much to believe that those awful people posed no threat to the children, but I was wrong.”
Chip leaned back against the railing of the wraparound porch and crossed his arms and his ankles, a masculine pose she found quite appealing. She couldn’t make out his face in the waning light, but his tone was kind. “Bringing it up earlier wouldn’t have made that much difference. Until the woman showed up here and Ruby confirmed her identity, we had no way of knowing for sure that the children were in danger.”
“It’s kind of you to make excuses for me, but I should have listened to you. The sheriff and his deputies would have had more accurate descriptions to go on.”
“They will now, and I trust they’ll find the culprits. It’s obvious they’re still in the area and have no plans to leave.”
Callie rubbed her arms and willed herself not to think, not to feel.
Chip straightened and draped an arm around her shoulders, a comforting gesture that meant a great deal to her. “You’re cold. We should go back inside.”
“I’m fine. It’s just that I know what it’s like to live with that kind of fear.”
He dropped his hands to his sides. “What do you mean?”
“I, um, have a similar story. My parents were held at gunpoint during a robbery, and—” Memories assailed her, dark, bleak and terrifying in their intensity. Masked intruders. Gunshots. Splintering wood. Retreating footsteps. Eerie silence.
Her throat constricted, and she struggled to draw a breath, but her throat was too tight. She swayed and clutched Chip’s arm.
“Here. Let’s take a seat.” Chip wrapped an arm around her waist, guided her to the steps and helped her lower herself onto the top one.
She fought the urge to lean against his shoulder. “Th-thank you. I’ll be all right. I just need a minute.”
He sat beside her, saying nothing but offering his comforting presence. Mere inches separated them. His warmth seeped into her, melting the ice-cold fingers of fear that had slipped past her defenses, bringing with them the sense of hopelessness that she’d kept at bay ever since that dreadful day when she was twelve. She’d clawed her way back from the depths of despair and vowed never to go there again. She wasn’t about to return now.
If she recited the events as quickly as possible, she would reach the joyful conclusion before the pain of reliving that horrid day could consume her. “My father refused to open the safe and give the robbers what they wanted. He and Mother paid for his greed with their lives. I managed to crawl under a table during the scuffle. The cloth over it hid me from view, so I was spared. Mom and Pop Marshall arrived a short time later and took me to their house. They were such a blessing.” She sighed. “Not a day goes by that I don’t miss them.”
Chip placed a hand on either side of her face. They were the callused hands of a hardworking man with a kind heart, but his caress was gentle.
“I’m sorry for all you went through, Callie.” He leaned toward her.
Was he going to kiss her? Anticipation swirled in her chest. She slid her eyes closed and waited for his mouth to claim hers.
He tilted her head down, pressed his lips to…her forehead? Clearly, he had no feelings for her. That was the kind of kiss he gave Ruby.
“I understand now why you wanted to spare the children any pain.”
She did her best to sound cheery. “I’m sure they’ll be fine. They have so many people looking out for them.”
“What about you? This is sure to have dredged up—”
“Don’t worry about me. I put all that behind me.” She didn’t like cutting him off, but spending time in the past did no good. They needed to look to the future.
She’d thought Chip might have been considering the possibility of having her as part of his someday, but she’d obviously misread things. Well, so be it. She didn’t need a man to be happy. Her new position at the Double T gave her what she’d hoped for—a place to belong and children to love.
Chip would only be working there a few more weeks. She could ignore her growing feelings for him and keep things professional that long. Couldn’t she?
* * *
“I know it’s hard, Jasper, but anything you can remember might help.”
Chip sat on a bench opposite the sheriff’s deputy, with Jasper at his side. Breakfast had been served an hour ago, so the dining hall was empty, but the scent of bacon lingered. “Did your papa tell you where he put the jewels after he picked them up down in Sacramento City?”
“He said he hid them.”
The deputy leaned forward. “That’s good. Did he tell you where?”
Jasper shook his head. “I wanted him to draw a treasure map, but he said he didn’t need to ’cause everything was stored in here.” He tapped his head.
“That’s it? He didn’t say anything else?” Frustration furrowed the deputy’s brow.
“No! I told you everything. Can I go now? Mr. Chip is gonna show me some tricks on the parallel bars.”
Chip rested a hand on Jasper’s shoulder. “You’ve done a fine job. If you’ll wait by the door, I’ll have a quick word with the deputy. Then we can have our fun.”
Jasper stomped across the room and stood with his arms folded, scowling. Chip could understand Jasper’s irritation. He’d endured ten minutes of questioning. Sitting still that long wasn’t easy for Jasper, even when he was talking about something he liked. Having to stay put all that time while dredging up memories of the darkest day in his life was more than any child should have to bear.
The deputy stood, and Chip did the same. “I’m sorry Jasper couldn’t be of more help, but he’s told you everything he’d told me—and then some.” The deputy’s prodding had led to Jasper recalling what his father had said regarding the jewel’s hiding place, not that the information was of much use.
“His descriptions will be useful, but if he happens to recall the whereabouts of the jewels, let me know right away. Once we have them and spread the news, we can eliminate the threat to the children.”
Chip gave the deputy his assurances and saw him off.
Jasper grabbed Chip’s hand and tugged. “Come on.”
“Let’s see if Miss Callie and Ruby want to join us.”
The eager fellow scoffed. “Girls don’t play on the bars.”
“No, but your sister might like to swing.” With the other children tending to their Saturday morning chores under their group leaders’ direction, the playground was empty. Since it would be just the four of them, perhaps Ruby would feel comfortable enough to enjoy the time outdoors. She’d been shy before her nightmare, but that morning she’d clung to Callie and begged her not to go to breakfast. They’d taken her anyway, but the slip of a girl hadn’t eaten more than two bites. She’d kept her head down and jumped whenever there was a loud noise.
Chip and Jasper entered the woodshop. Chip spoke with Callie, who was hard at work doing some planing. Ruby sat in the corner clutching her doll and staring into the distance, a blank expression on her face.
Chip squatted before Ruby. “How would you like to go outside, princess? Miss Callie said she’ll take you for a ride on the swing.”
Ruby slowly turned and focused on him, her lower lip trembling. “But the b-bad people could be out there.”
“I looked all around, and I didn’t see anyone. You’ll be safe. I’ll make sure of that.”
“The bad lady comed here alweady. She could come back.”
“Miss Callie and I will be there, and so will Jasper, won’t you, pardner?”
Jasper plopped down beside his sister and pulled her close. “Mr. Chip is big and brave. He won’t let nobody hurt you, and neither will I. I’m a cowboy, and cowboys are tough.” He tugged on his much-loved cowboy hat.
Callie set the plane down and joined them. “I know what we need. A dog. I’m sure Mama Tess would let us borrow theirs if I asked. She said Woof has always been a good watchdog. If a stranger were to come anywhere near us, he would bark.”
Woof was hard of hearing and moved slowly, but if having him there would calm Ruby’s fears, Chip would get the old fellow.
Jasper embraced the idea with his characteristic enthusiasm. “Woof is real nice. Luke said he fell in a hole when he was little like me, and Woof barked and barked so Mama Tess could find him. We’ll be safe with Woof there. So, we can go now, can’t we?”
Ruby stared at Callie for several seconds and nodded. “I’ll go, if Woofie is there.”
“Great.” Chip stood. “I’ll go get him and meet you in the playground.”
Callie lifted her lovely lips in a smile, but it lacked its usual warmth. She’d seemed distant all morning. She was probably concerned about Ruby.
Minutes later, Chip strode across the playground with the trusty dog ambling along beside him, tail wagging. When Tess heard why they wanted Woof’s company, she’d been happy to send him. She’d given Chip two good ideas, as well. As soon as he could get Callie by herself, he’d see what she thought of them.
“Mr. Chip, you’re back! And you got Woof.” Jasper loped over to them sporting a grin. He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around the friendly dog’s neck. “Howdy, fellow.”
Callie sat on one of the swings with Ruby in her lap. Callie looked their way, but Ruby’s focus was on her doll.
Jasper stood, beckoned to Chip and headed for the three sets of parallel bars. “C’mon. Teach me all the big boys’ tricks.”
He led Jasper to the lowest set of bars. “I’ll show you some of them, but you’re not old enough to do everything they do. We’ll start at the beginning. Grab the bars with your hands even, jump up and hold yourself in position with your shoulders strong.”
Jasper practiced until he could hang in place with the correct form. “I wanna do something else.”
“Try shifting your weight from side to side while lifting up your hands, one at a time, like this.” Chip grabbed the highest set of bars and demonstrated. “Think of the pendulum on a clock. That’s what it’s like.”
Jasper raised himself into position and mimicked Chip’s motion. “Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.” He said the words in a singsong voice as he swung to and fro. “Can you see me, Miss Callie? I’m doing it.”
“Yes, you are. You’re a quick learner with an excellent teacher.”
Callie’s compliment eased some of the tension in Chip’s shoulders. Perhaps he was right and her aloofness earlier had nothing to do with him.
When Jasper had mastered that skill, Chip taught him how to travel forward and backward down the bars. They moved on to an L hold. The energetic boy’s arms trembled, but he kept at it until he could lift his legs and hold them parallel with the bars.
“You’ve done very well, pardner, but you need to take a break, or you could find it hard to move later.”
Jasper hopped down and looked up at Chip. “Can you do fancy tricks like the big boys?”
“Some, yes.” He’d spent many a recess on the parallel bars.
“Show me. Please.”
“Sure.” He didn’t need to be asked twice.
Callie set Ruby down, took her hand and headed for the bars, with Woof walking along behind them. The wood chips beneath the play equipment crunched under their feet. “Ruby and I would like to see what you’re doing, too.”
“Since I have such an eager audience, I’ll do my very best.” He mounted the bars, straightened his arms and completed a series of basic lifts, followed by walks. A quick glance at Callie showed her attention riveted on him.
“Mr. Chip is real strong.” Jasper’s voice held the awe Chip had experienced when he’d watched the older boys years ago.
“He is, but I already knew that. All you have to do is watch him saw a board. His muscles are so—” Callie inhaled sharply, cutting herself off at a most inopportune moment.
“So what?” Jasper’s question echoed the one Chip wanted to ask.
“So, um—” she cleared her throat and lowered her voice “—well developed.”
She watched him when he worked, did she? And apparently she appreciated what she saw. All the more reason to show her what he could do.
He launched into a routine that included every exercise he’d ever learned—swings, rolls, handstands and more. With practiced ease, he executed each swiftly and crisply, just the way he’d been taught. His last feat included a trio of full extension swings, releases and underarm catches with a backward somersault into his dismount.
Jasper cheered, Ruby clapped and Callie stared at him, her lovely mouth agape.
“That was incredible, Chip. I’ve never seen anything like it. You were moving so quickly, and yet you looked so graceful. How did you learn all that?”
“The older boys taught me when I was in school, but I enjoy the doing all the exercises and have continued to practice.” He’d built a set of parallel bars at his place for that reason. One day he would have sons of his own and teach them all he knew.
“I’m quite impressed. You have so many talents. Every time I walk past Humpty Dumpty House and see the sculpture you carved sitting in its place of honor on the porch, I stop and admire it. The woodshop, the furniture, this playground equipment you built—” she swept a hand toward it “—showcase your many skills. It seems there’s nothing you can’t do with wood. Your house must be a work of art.”
Normally, his heart would slow its rapid beating fairly quickly after exerting himself, but with Callie gushing the way she was, it continued to race. “Thanks. I do my best, but so do you. I’ve never known a woman as interested in woodworking as you are. You’ve impressed me.”
She gave an airy laugh. “You don’t have to flatter me just because I paid you a compliment.”
Not a compliment, but compliments. She’d given him one right after the other. He’d store them up to revisit later, but for now he had to convince her of his sincerity. “I meant what I said. You could be a fine carpenter.”
“Thank you. Since you appreciate my interest and don’t find it odd, I wondered…” She caught her lower lip between her teeth, drawing his attention to her supple, kissable lips.
She realized where his gaze was focused and lowered hers, focusing on his mouth. Could it be that she wanted him to kiss her? If only their two little chaperones weren’t there.
The moment stretched, filling Chip with a sense of certainty. One day, he would kiss her. The sooner, the better.
She took a step back and slowly raised her head until she was looking into his eyes once again. “As I was saying, I wondered if you’d be willing to let one of the older girls here at the Double T come and help us sometimes. Tess said the girl expressed an interest after your carving demonstration and has continued to ask if she could come over when Freddie does. She’s fourteen, so I’m sure she would be of help.”
“A girl wants to learn? Wonderful. I’ll tell Tess to send her over this afternoon.”
Callie gripped his upper arm. “Thank you. I know it will mean a great deal to her. A girl is rarely given an opportunity like that. But you’re not like other men. You appreciate people for who they are. Like me and Isaac.”
Jasper shoved his way between them. “How long are you two gonna talk? Ruby and me want to play. Don’t you, Ruby?”
The little girl nodded.
“She can’t do the bars, and she don’t really like swinging.”
“If she doesn’t like swinging,” Callie said, “perhaps we can think of something else.”
She was so good with the children. He could picture her standing in front of his house with a flock of youngsters around her, smiling at them as she was at Jasper now. She stared at the sky and tapped her cheek with a fingertip, giving Chip an opportunity to admire her captivating profile. She’d make a fine wife, too. For the right man. He wasn’t ready for that. He had things to do first, but a man could dream, couldn’t he?
He could have admired Callie a lot longer, but she snapped her fingers and turned away. “I know just the thing. Stay here with Mr. Chip, and I’ll be right back.”
Jasper watched her head to the garden shed. “What’s she gonna do?”
“I don’t know, but whatever it is, I’m sure you and Ruby will like it.” He hoped she would, anyhow, but she was as withdrawn as ever. He scooped her into his arms. “Do you have any idea what Miss Callie is up to, princess?”
Ruby clutched her doll and said nothing, shaking her head instead.
Callie returned shortly with her hands behind her back and a sunny smile on her face. “Who wants to see what I have?”
Jasper hopped from one foot to the other, his hand waving in the air. “I do! I do!”
“And how about you, princess? Would you like to see what I brought with me?”
She nodded.
“I want to hear you say it. Go ahead. Ask me what I have in my hands.” Callie’s persistence was admirable, but getting Ruby to say an entire sentence was a challenge.
Ruby stared at Callie for the longest time, but Callie stared right back, smiling her encouragement. At length, Ruby relented. “What are you hiding?”
“Jump ropes.” Callie held out her hands, from which four ropes dangled. “I haven’t used one of these since I was a girl, but I used to love skipping rope. Have you ever done it?”
The reticent girl started to shake her head again, but stopped. “No.”
“I haven’t, either,” Jasper said, “but I wanna try.”
“Let’s do it, then.” Callie passed out the ropes, giving short ones to the children and a nice long one to Chip. She grinned at him. “I’m sure you’re a champion rope jumper, aren’t you?”
He chuckled. “As a matter of fact, I held the record for jumping the most times without missing when I was a schoolboy.”
“Then perhaps you’ll show the rest of us what to do. I was often the first one to get tangled in my rope, so I could use a few pointers.”
“I find that hard to believe, but I’d be happy to teach Jasper and Ruby what to do.”
The next half hour was one of the happiest Chip had ever spent. Jasper took to skipping rope with ease, which was no surprise. He called it lariat jumping and did it with his cowboy hat firmly in place. What did surprise Chip was seeing how much Ruby enjoyed the experience. She left her doll sitting on a nearby bench watching the proceedings and tried over and over again to get the rhythm down, giggling with glee the entire time. Why the activity had captivated her, he didn’t know, but he was glad it had.
As he suspected, Callie had intentionally downplayed her skill. She challenged him to see who could jump the longest without missing and gave him a good-natured pat on the back when he outlasted her by a full forty-two revolutions. She raced Jasper up and down the playground while they skipped rope with loping strides. What Chip enjoyed most was helping Callie turn a rope while Ruby skipped it. The little girl had only been able to manage a successful jump or two while practicing on her own, but with their help, she got all the way to fifteen. The pride on her face rivaled the surge of pride in his chest.
Callie stood by his side watching the children play. Ruby had picked up her rope again and was studying Jasper, who had taken on the role of teacher.
“You gotta be ready to jump when the rope gets in front of your feet. Watch me.”
The tenacious girl tried again and mastered the feat, jumping over the rope six times in a row. “I did it!”
Callie clapped her hands together with a loud smack. “Yes, you did, sweetheart. I’m so proud of—”
Ruby looked their way and shrieked. She raced over to them and buried her face in Callie’s skirts, muttering something about a bad man.
Chip wheeled around, spotted the new ranch hand headed their way and heaved a sigh of relief. “It’s all right, princess. That’s Mr. Hardy. He works for Papa Spencer.”
Ruby didn’t budge. Callie picked up the terrified girl and held her close.
The stocky fellow lifted one shoulder in a sympathetic shrug and addressed Chip. “I didn’t mean to startle the young’un. Spencer wanted me to tell you that he would have time to show young Jasper how to throw a lasso tomorrow, if you’re agreeable.”
Jasper bounded over. “Please say yes, Mr. Chip. I gotta learn so I can be a good cowboy.”
“Yes.”
“Yee-haw!” Jasper twirled his rope over his head as though it was a lasso.
Making the enthusiastic boy happy was easy. Figuring out what to do for Ruby required more effort. They’d gotten a glimpse of the carefree girl she must have been before tragedy struck, like a beautiful carving emerging from a nondescript piece of wood, but she’d hidden herself away again.
His message delivered, Hardy left. Callie coaxed Ruby into skipping rope with Jasper by promising that she and Woof would keep a look out for any “bad men.”
Callie watched the children, who had moved several feet away. She lowered her voice. “I wish I knew what to do for Ruby, but I’m at a loss. Ever since that woman showed up, she’s been even more fearful of others than before. I don’t know how she’ll handle the attention a week from now when everyone is wishing her a happy birthday at the monthly party.”
She’d given him the perfect opening. “I think we should take the children somewhere else next Saturday so she can enjoy a quiet celebration. Somewhere she feels safe.”
“What a great idea. I know just the place. My friend Becky and her husband, James, own an apple orchard in Diamond Springs. The trees would be in bloom now. I’ll write and ask her if we could pay them a visit that day.”
“It was Tess’s idea, actually, but I agreed. She had another suggestion. She thinks that if Mr. and Mrs. Smith do show up, we should let them meet with Jasper. We could use him to pass on information, setting up a trap—”
Callie’s eyes went wide, and she cut him off. “I can’t believe Tess would suggest such a thing. If that woman dares to come back with her husband—if he actually is her husband—we need to send for the sheriff’s deputy, not let the couple spend time with Jasper.”
He held up his hands, palms forward. “Whoa there. You didn’t let me finish. We don’t have any solid evidence. A judge isn’t going to take the word of a five-year-old. If we lure the criminals to a specific spot and catch them searching for the jewels, that changes things.”
She eyed him warily. “And you’re willing to use Jasper to reveal the location?”
“He’ll be fine. They’re not going to try anything out in the open. You and I would be right there with him.”
“But he’s sure to recognize them and say something.”
He’d said the same thing to Tess, but she believed Jasper was up to the task. Taking her years of experience with children into account, Chip had to agree. “We’ll prepare him ahead of time. He’s a bright boy. If we tell him we need his help catching the bad guys, he’ll be more than happy to cooperate.”
“It might not come to that since we’re not even sure they’ll come back.” Callie’s voice took on an edge. “I hope they don’t.”
“The deputy is fairly certain they will. He contacted the jewel supplier down in Sacramento City. Mr. Tate’s order was substantial. If the crooks are set on getting the gems, we believe they’ll show up again to see what information they can get out of Jasper.”
Her lovely brow furrowed. “And if he tells them what they want to know, then what?”
“They would head for the location, and we’d follow them.”
She inhaled sharply. “You’d go? I thought the deputy would see to it.”
“Of course I’d go. He would need a posse, and I’d be part of it.”
“But—” She shook her head.
“What is it?”
“You could get hurt.”
“I’ve got a gun, and I know how to use it.”
She stepped so close that he could inhale her flowery scent. “I’m sure you do, but promise me you won’t take any unnecessary risks.”
Her pleading tone broke through his defenses. It had been years since anyone had cared about him the way she did. He chuckled in an effort to lighten the mood. It was either that or pull her into his arms and kiss her soundly, but this wasn’t the time or the place. “I’ll be careful. After all, I wouldn’t want to deprive you of my company.”
A slow smile bloomed on those tempting lips of hers. “I’m glad to hear that, because I’ve gotten used to having you around.”
He liked having her around, too. Very much. The trouble was that The Plan didn’t call for him to begin courting a woman for another three years. Although he’d considered making an adjustment to it, he couldn’t. To do so could endanger the safety and security of the family he planned to have, and that he couldn’t do.