{"id":15308,"date":"2017-09-24T01:26:41","date_gmt":"2017-09-24T05:26:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15308"},"modified":"2026-09-16T15:32:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T19:32:13","slug":"when-angels-cry-by-jc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15308","title":{"rendered":"When Angels Cry (by JC)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0<\/em>Summary:\u00a0<\/strong> The arrival of a range detective in Virginia City means trouble for Adam in more ways than one. \u00a0(A WHI for The Flannel-Mouth Gun, part of the Ties That Bind AU series)<\/p>\n

Rating: T\u00a0 (13,258 words)<\/p>\n

Ties That Bind series<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ties That Bind<\/a>
\nImperfect Memory<\/a>
\nA Pearl Without Price<\/a>
\nA Piece of Cake<\/a>
\nSomething About Amy<\/a>
\nGuarding the Henhouse<\/a>
\nWhen Angels Cry<\/a>
\nNo Ordinary Day<\/a>
\nWinter of Discontent<\/a>
\nInterval<\/a>\u00a0<\/a>
\nNot to Me<\/a>
\nGently, Full of Grace<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Angels Cry<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Author\u2019s Note:\u00a0<\/em>In this rewrite of\u00a0 \u201cThe Flannel-Mouth Gun,\u201d my firm objective was to maintain the integrity of the original story while weaving in a secondary plot as seamlessly as possible. The incorporation of dialogue from the script by Leo Gordon and Paul Leslie Peil is in no way intended to infringe on their rights<\/em>. Sherman Clegg, Ira and Cynthie Tatum, Alf Simmons, Phil Shelton, the Denton brothers and Doc Dawson are their creations, for which I thank them.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter One<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright propped himself against the buckboard, arms folded, eyes half-closed, wrapped in the glow of a day so lovely it could almost break your heart.\u00a0 September\u2014the \u00a0delicious shiver of nights, the snap of mornings that melted into languid green-gold afternoons like this one\u2014small wonder it was his favorite time of year.<\/p>\n

After the choking heat of July and August, September’s gentle warmth was a welcome respite, invigorating and intoxicating, like the scent of a beautiful woman in your arms. She made a man breathe deep and stand tall in a last dance with summer, one that could go on for days or end at any moment. \u00a0As fickle as any woman he\u2019d ever known, that was September, and Adam was irresistibly drawn to her.<\/p>\n

The cloudless azure sky evoked a watershed memory from another lifetime.\u00a0 On a day when summer lingered as though it would stay forever, winter crept in reminding him that nothing ever does. \u00a0\u00a0Two days later he stood at the fresh grave of his stepmother beneath a canopy of gray, with snow falling like angel tears. He thought it poetic at the time, but the years since had convinced him it was merely the caprice of September. You could never lay odds as to what she might do.<\/p>\n

\u201cPenny for your thoughts.\u201d<\/p>\n

His reverie interrupted, he looked up and grinned. “I must be getting old. I didn’t even hear you come out.”<\/p>\n

Jilly smiled. \u201cYou were someplace else\u2014with a girl, maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you say that?\u201d<\/p>\n

“I saw you and Violet Baines after church on Sunday.”<\/p>\n

“I was just being polite.”<\/p>\n

“You don’t have to make excuses. She’s very pretty. I think you two would make a lovely couple.”<\/p>\n

“You do, huh? Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but she’s not my type.”<\/p>\n

“Hmm, tall, blonde, beautiful…I see what you mean.”<\/p>\n

“For your information, little Miss Matchmaker, beauty isn’t everything, as if you didn’t know.”<\/p>\n

“So what’s wrong with her?”<\/p>\n

“Let’s just say, she suffers from a dearth of imagination.”<\/p>\n

“Dull, is she?”<\/p>\n

“Like ditchwater.”<\/p>\n

She shook her head, feigning disappointment, but he read the laughter in her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not sure you can afford to be so choosy anymore, Adam \u2013 you know, there aren\u2019t that many eligible women around here, and you\u2019re not getting any younger. She could be your last chance. Still, there is Miss Jones,\u201d she reminded him, trying not to smile. \u201cShe’s very bright.\u201d<\/p>\n

“If those are my only options I think I’ll just stay a bachelor, thank you very much. Why do you want to marry me off, anyway?”<\/p>\n

“Because I would love to have some nieces and nephews, and besides, you need to someone to take care of you in your old age.”<\/p>\n

“Oh, so I AM old, huh?” He drew her into a playful headlock.<\/p>\n

“I think you must have been born old.” She struggled, shrieking as his fingers found her ribs. “Adam, don\u2019t\u2026no\u2026stop!”<\/p>\n

“If I had known you were gonna give me so much grief, I’d have packed you off to St. Louis with Pa and the others.”<\/p>\n

Her cheeks were pink with laughter when he let her go. “It\u2019s too late now.”<\/p>\n

“Yeah, looks like we’re stuck with each other for awhile. But if you just keep your cute little nose out of my personal life I guess we’ll muddle through.” He winked at her. “You ready?”<\/p>\n

“Whenever you are.”<\/p>\n

He boosted her into the wagon and climbed in beside her. “I don’t know how long I’ll be tied up with this meeting today. You think you can find enough to do in town to keep you busy?”<\/p>\n

“I’m sure I can. I’ll go to Mrs. Cameron’s, see a few friends.”<\/p>\n

“Anyone in particular?”<\/p>\n

“Tell you what. I\u2019ll keep my \u2018cute little nose\u2019 out of your personal business if you promise to do the same for me, how\u2019s that?”<\/p>\n

“Uh oh, now I know I should have sent you with Pa.”<\/p>\n

He was teasing, of course; in fact, he was looking forward to their time together before she returned to school in San Francisco.\u00a0 The only thing he wasn\u2019t looking forward to during his family\u2019s absence was the Cattlemen\u2019s Association meeting. \u00a0Rustling had become rampant, with some ranches suffering substantial losses over the past few months, and though there had been a lot of speculation about the thefts, no one had been able to produce any real evidence. Tempers that were already running high were further fueled by an aggressive new president. According to Pa, Alf Simmons was a hothead with a talent for stirring people to the wrong side, and his campaign to indict every small rancher in the territory seemed to be gaining momentum even among the more moderate members.<\/p>\n

His father warned him about Simmons as he gave him his proxy almost with apology.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s liable to have his way, whatever he wants, because the Ponderosa is just one vote after all. Yours may be the only voice crying in the wilderness, but I know you\u2019ll do what you think is right, son.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Like it or not, he\u2019d have a chance today to see for himself what Mr. Alf Simmons was all about.<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can defend those greasy sack outfits all you want, Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe the Ponderosa can stand losing twenty or thirty head a month, but the rest of us can\u2019t.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got to do something about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was already tired of listening to the man at the head of the table. His father\u2019s assessment of Simmons certainly rang true. \u201cThose greasy sack outfits you\u2019re referring to are our neighbors, and until we have some real proof I suggest we take the losses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProof from Sheriff Coffee?\u201d\u00a0 Simmons spewed the name as if it were poison.\u00a0 \u201cThe only thing he\u2019s proved so far is how worthless he is.\u00a0 Besides, we\u2019ve got a right to protect ourselves from cow thieves.\u00a0 And there\u2019s only one way to handle \u2018em\u2014chase \u2018em all off!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t just lump people into a group like that,\u201d said Adam, frowning.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s true, maybe one or two are guilty of some rustling, but just because a man has a small outfit or a run of bad luck or can\u2019t afford to join the Association doesn\u2019t mean he\u2019s a thief.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s got a point, Simmons.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMake up your mind, Jameson,\u201d he snapped. \u201cDo you wanna go broke or do you wanna put an end to this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow?\u201d asked Jameson.<\/p>\n

Simmons leaned forward on his elbows, eager to share his plan. \u201cThe same way they did it up in Montana a couple of years ago \u2013 bring in a range detective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can’t be serious.\u201d\u00a0 Adam stared hard at Simmons.\u00a0 \u201cA range detective is nothing more than a hired killer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCoffee can’t get the job done, so we hire someone who can.\u00a0 What’s wrong with that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don’t you ask the people up in Montana?\u201d Adam replied.\u00a0 \u201cA dozen good men dead, homes burned to the ground, and a hate that will live for years — is that what you want here?\u201d<\/p>\n

His question met with an uneasy silence from the other men in the room, except Simmons, who continued to push his agenda by trying to discredit his challenger.\u00a0 \u201cAs I recall, Cartwright, it’s your father who’s a member of this Association, not you.\u00a0 We don’t have to listen to your opinions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou all know that my father is in St. Louis.\u201d\u00a0 Adam pulled a piece of paper from his jacket and handed it to the man across from him.\u00a0\u201cHe left me his proxy to vote as I see fit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks legal to me,\u201d said Jameson.<\/p>\n

Simmons scowled. “All right, let’s put it to a voice vote.\u00a0 As President of\u00a0the Virginia City Cattlemen’s\u00a0Association, I propose that we hire a range detective to put a stop to these losses before we all go bankrupt. All those in favor, say ‘aye’.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seven voices united in affirmation. Simmons sneered\u00a0as the lone dissenter rose from the table. \u201cLooks like the Ponderosa’s been outvoted, Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stepped outside onto the sidewalk, crowded by a group of small ranchers excluded from the meeting. \u00a0Ira Tatum greeted him with a look of concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’d sure like to know what’s goin’ on in there, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phil Shelton, a squirrelly man with a pinched face, spoke up before he could answer.\u00a0 “You expect him to tell us anything?”<\/p>\n

Adam ignored the slur directed at him.\u00a0 “The Association voted to bring in a range detective.”<\/p>\n

Ira frowned. “Oh, so that’s why they kept us out.”<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won’t be satisfied until you drive us all out, will ya, Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got a pretty short memory, Shelton,\u201d said Ira.\u00a0 \u201cHadn’t been for the Ponderosa, most of us would\u2019ve gone under a long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shelton spat on the ground in contempt. \u201cYou just talk for yourself, Tatum.\u00a0 As far as I’m concerned, Cartwright’s no different from Simmons or any of the rest.\u00a0 They ain’t gonna let us get big enough to give ’em any competition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShelton, you talk too much and think too little.\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s reply was curt.\u00a0 As far as he was concerned, men like Shelton would always be small.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least I don’t go around callin’ my neighbors cow thieves just because they can’t afford to belong to some fancy Association.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alf Simmons leaned in the doorway behind them, relishing his victory with a cigar.\u00a0 \u201cWould you like to change your\u00a0vote now, Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stiffened at the smugness in his voice. He kept his back to Simmons as he walked away. \u201cNo, I think you’re still wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t pay any attention to Shelton, Adam,\u201d said Ira, cuffing him on the shoulder. \u201cHe\u2019s just a loudmouth fool. We know where you stand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks. Have you seen Jilly, by any chance?\u00a0 I left her at Mrs. Cameron\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, that\u2019s where we saw her.\u00a0 She went with Cynthie to pay a call on the Reverend and Mrs. Fordham a little while ago. They\u2019re around here somewhere. \u00a0You know, Cynthie\u2019s real fond of Jilly, and we both thought it was a fine thing she did, takin\u2019 on those boys while their mother was sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smiled.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s a good kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKid?\u201d Ira raised an eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019d better look again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam followed his gaze across the street to the winsome brunette at Cynthie Tatum\u2019s elbow, in animated conversation with Sheriff Coffee. \u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d he said with a grin.\u00a0 \u201cI tend to forget sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

After an early supper at the International House, brother and sister headed home in companionable silence. \u00a0Jilly could see that Adam was steeped in something, most likely the Association meeting that afternoon; and all she could think about was Mitch Devlin.<\/p>\n

The boys in San Francisco were different from the ones Virginia City spawned, she had decided, and those encounters seemed merely academic now compared to Mitch.\u00a0 Cast from the same mold as the strong men who raised her, his blue-eyed, bronzed vigor had piqued her feminine interest early, while he merely thought of her as Joe Cartwright’s little sister. At least that was true until this year.\u00a0\u00a0Over the summer she saw him frequently during her weeks in town with the Fordhams, and it pleased her to note that he seemed to view her in a different light. \u00a0It wasn’t a complete surprise when he asked her to the July 4th picnic, and the fact that he was her most frequent partner at the dance a couple of weeks later wasn’t lost on her brothers or anyone else. Just the light touch of his hand on her waist was enough to make her stomach flutter in a most peculiar way, but she still wasn’t prepared for her feelings when he kissed her goodnight.\u00a0 What began as a tender offering turned into something more urgent and needful, and in its breathless aftermath it was hard to say which one of them was the more shaken, but from the look on Mitch’s face she suspected it might have been him \u2013 especially since Adam happened upon them at that particular moment.\u00a0 Mitch apologized profusely when he saw her the next day at church, and though he took full responsibility for his actions, he also cautioned her.\u00a0 \u201cYou ought not to let a fella kiss you that way, Jilly, not even your brother’s best friend.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0She reluctantly agreed that they shouldn’t see each other alone anymore, at least for a while.\u00a0 It didn’t stop her from thinking about him, though,\u00a0and remembering. \u00a0She wondered if\u00a0he\u00a0remembered too, and if maybe that\u00a0was why he took that job with Enos Milford, and if he would even be back in time…..<\/p>\n

\u201cJilly, you haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm?\u00a0 I’m sorry, Adam.\u00a0 Were you talking to me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, there\u2019s no one else here.\u00a0 Is something bothering you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you ask?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were lost in a pretty deep frown.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just thinking about Mitch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid something happen between you two?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat’s that supposed to mean?\u00a0 Of course nothing happened between us.\u00a0 How could anything happen between us when he’s not even here?\u00a0 By the time he gets through over at Enos Milford’s I’ll probably be halfway to San Francisco, so you don’t have to worry, because apparently nothing’s going to happen.\u201d\u00a0 She squared her\u00a0shoulders and took a\u00a0breath.\u00a0 \u201cBesides, Mitch is mostly just a friend…\u201d<\/p>\n

Maybe if she said it often enough she would convince herself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Two<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cYou made these?\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s fork paused in midair as he slowly chewed.<\/p>\n

Jilly nodded.\u00a0 \u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re good.\u00a0 In fact, Hop Sing couldn\u2019t have done any better.\u00a0 Are you sure he\u2019s not hiding in the kitchen?\u201d<\/p>\n

She made a face at him as she poured his coffee.\u00a0 \u201cWould you like this in your cup or in your lap?\u00a0 I don\u2019t know why you\u2019re so surprised. Anyone can make hotcakes — even you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFeisty this morning, aren\u2019t we?\u00a0 But you\u2019ll have to admit you\u2019ve come a long way since your first culinary attempt.\u00a0 Joe still gets a little green around the gills whenever anyone mentions apple pan dowdy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re never going to let me forget that, are you \u2013 was it really that bad?\u201d\u00a0 She sat down across from him and unfolded her napkin in her lap.<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, I wouldn\u2019t exactly call it \u2018bad\u2019\u2026more like\u2026just plain awful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her response was a hearty laugh.\u00a0 \u201cI guess it was.\u00a0 Thank goodness, I’ve learned a few things since then.\u201d<\/p>\n

He grinned. \u201cI’ll say.\u201d\u00a0 He caught her staring at him as he lifted his saucer to his lips.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re the only person I know who drinks coffee that way.\u00a0 You didn\u2019t learn it from Pa, so where did you learn it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom a man named Peter Bremer.\u201d\u00a0 As the name rolled off his tongue, he smiled at the memory of the face that belonged to it, ruddy and round, with a copper-colored beard and bespectacled eyes as blue as Lake Tahoe.\u00a0 \u201cHe joined our wagon train after Ash Hollow.\u00a0 His wife and son had died of a fever back in Ohio, so he was even more alone than we were.\u00a0 He and Pa became friends, and he sorta made it his business to help look out for Hoss and me.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He leaned back in his chair, idly tracing the rim of the saucer as he recounted some of the stories, songs and the rare and unexpected treats of peppermint and licorice that helped make a young boy\u2019s hard life a little more bearable.\u00a0 \u201cHe was a good man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe settled in California for a while. Last we heard he was somewhere in Oregon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jilly\u2019s expression had changed from amusement to something else as he spoke.\u00a0 \u201cI think this is the first time I\u2019ve ever heard you talk about those days.\u201d<\/p>\n

He resumed eating. \u201cNo reason to, except you asked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou weren\u2019t much older than Deke back then. You really didn\u2019t have much of a childhood, did you? \u00a0I can\u2019t imagine what that must have been like for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He knew that look, the empathy she shared with Hoss for hurt things and people.\u00a0 Her affection for Reverend Fordham\u2019s youngest son was no secret, and enough to bring a tear to her eye picturing him in her brother\u2019s place.<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s past is past.\u201d \u00a0There was no point dwelling on it, mourning what could not be changed.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s true that I wouldn\u2019t wish it on any other child, but it\u2019s a part of who I am.\u00a0 Anything different wouldn\u2019t necessarily have been better in the end.\u201d\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t sure he believed as firmly as his father did that everything happens for a reason, but under different circumstances the Cartwrights might be a very different family. \u00a0\u201cBelieve me, Jilly\u2014there is too much good in my life that I wouldn\u2019t be willing be risk even if I could change the bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her smile lifted the cloud that had momentarily fallen over the room.<\/p>\n

He smiled back at her.\u00a0 \u201cWhat would you like to do today?\u00a0 I\u2019m all yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

A knock halted her answer before she could give it.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not expecting a gentleman caller, are you?\u201d\u00a0 He teased her over his shoulder as he unfastened the latch and opened the door.<\/p>\n

Sheriff Coffee stood on the porch looking grim in the gray light.\u00a0 \u201cMornin\u2019, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMorning, Roy. Come on in. Have some breakfast?\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head. \u201cNo thanks, Adam. Mornin\u2019, Jilly.\u201d\u00a0 He removed his hat.\u00a0 \u201cSorry to trouble you folks, but somethin\u2019s come up, Adam, and I thought you might wanna know about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I figured it had to be business to bring you out this early.\u00a0 What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome fellas brought Jake Denton into town last night, found him out in Black Oak Canyon, shot clean through the brisket.\u00a0 Looks like somebody might have caught him in the act.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRustling?\u201d\u00a0 Adam had heard rumors about the Denton brothers.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had my suspicions about Jake and Sam for awhile but just hadn\u2019t been able to catch up with \u2018em.\u00a0 Looks like somebody else did, though.\u00a0 Me and Mr. Simmons and some of the other ranchers are gonna ride out there to take a look, see what we can find out, thought you might wanna come along.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.\u00a0 \u201cSure.\u201d\u00a0 He was strapping on his gun belt when he remembered Jilly.\u00a0 \u201cOh\u2026\u201d\u00a0 He offered her an apologetic glance before turning back to the sheriff. \u201cYou and the others go on ahead.\u00a0 I\u2019ll catch up with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Closing the door behind Roy, he turned to Jilly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right,\u201d she said, handing him his coat. \u201cHere, you might need this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks. Will you be all right here by yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want you to know that I\u2019d much rather spend the day with you than go off with a posse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n

His brow arched at her nonchalant tone.\u00a0 \u201cYou could act more disappointed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI might if I thought it would make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll make it up to you, I promise. Thank you for the lovely breakfast.\u201d He kissed her on the forehead.\u00a0 \u201cNow be sure and keep this latched while I\u2019m gone,\u201d he warned, closing the door as he left.<\/p>\n

He hurried toward the barn, pulling on his coat with a grimace.\u00a0 He might well be shedding it by noon, but for now it was a cold morning, and certainly not one he had planned.<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

A pale sky hung over the canyon where Jake Denton drew his last breath a few hours earlier.\u00a0 Hunching his shoulders against the steel edge of the air, Adam eased his way down a rocky slope toward the men at the bottom.<\/p>\n

\u201cFind somethin\u2019, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust these, Roy.\u201d\u00a0 He pulled from his pocket the two cartridges he had picked up on the rim and passed them to the sheriff. \u201cNot much to go on, though. There are a lot of folks using a .44 rifle these days.\u201d\u00a0 He breathed into his hands in an attempt to warm fingers stiffened by a cold he had underestimated, wishing for his gloves.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis runnin\u2019 iron should prove he was a cow thief,\u201d said Alf Simmons. \u201cLooks like somebody did us a favor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy frowned.\u00a0 \u201cMurder\u2019s never a favor, Simmons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simmons pointed to an object on the ground.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like a two-bit piece,\u201d said Roy, stooping to pick up.<\/p>\n

\u201cMust\u2019ve fallen out of his pocket.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sheriff looked doubtful.\u00a0 \u201cWith him wearin\u2019 chaps?\u201d\u00a0 He addressed the rest of his party, which included Ira Tatum and Phil Shelton.\u00a0 \u201cAny of you men ever see the Dentons one without the other?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d said Ira.\u00a0 \u201cJake and Sam were always together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d better check their cabin,\u201d said Roy.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe Sam\u2019s still there.\u201d<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

\u201cSam!\u00a0 Sam Denton!\u201d<\/p>\n

There was no answer from the cabin, though the saddled horse tied up outside suggested it wasn\u2019t empty.\u00a0 Roy dismounted, unbuttoning his coat to expose his holster as he approached the front, calling again.\u00a0 \u201cSam Denton!\u201d<\/p>\n

The door opened, and a stranger sauntered onto the porch with a plate of food.\u00a0 \u201cAin\u2019t nobody here but me, gents.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sheriff frowned. \u201cWho are you?\u00a0 Where\u2019s Sam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess he high-tailed it outa here \u2018bout an hour ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSherman Clegg.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSherman Clegg?\u201d\u00a0 The surprised response came from Shelton.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see you heard of me, huh?\u201d\u00a0 Clegg grinned.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s nice.\u00a0 I like to be well known.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had also heard of Clegg, whose services had obviously been secured prior to the Association\u2019s approval the day before.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t bother to hide his disgust as he addressed the man on his right.\u00a0 \u201cPretty sure of yourself, aren\u2019t you, Simmons?\u00a0 Took it for granted the Association would go along with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSimmons?\u00a0 Are you Alf Simmons?\u201d<\/p>\n

A smirking Simmons nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got your letter, Mr. Simmons,\u201d said Clegg.\u00a0 \u201cI got here as quick as I could.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy scowled. \u201cClegg, I know you by reputation, and as much as I\u2019d like to, I can\u2019t stop the Cattlemen\u2019s Association from hirin\u2019 a flannel-mouth gun.\u00a0 But I\u2019m givin\u2019 you my warning; you\u2019d better watch your step around here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s pretty unkindly, Sheriff.\u00a0 I\u2019m a range detective.\u00a0 I get along fine with the law.\u00a0 I do my job, I don\u2019t bother the law and the law doesn\u2019t bother me.\u00a0 In Arizona at my last job I didn\u2019t have any trouble with the sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though Clegg\u2019s manner was amiable and confident, Adam wasn\u2019t ready to buy it. \u201cOr up in Montana?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right, no trouble at all.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t get your name, friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf the Ponderosa Cartwrights?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way I hear it, those two-bit cattle thieves been pesterin\u2019 you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot enough to bring in a man like you.\u201d\u00a0 Adam held his gaze steady, knowing that Clegg was sizing him up as well.<\/p>\n

If Clegg took offense at the remark, he gave no indication. \u201cSorry you feel that way, Cartwright, but you know how it is. A man gets around, he throws a long shadow.\u00a0 He\u2019s bound to get a reputation that\u2019s all colored up.\u201d\u00a0 He pointed his fork at Shelton.\u00a0 \u201cHey, you down there on the end, I\u2019ve seen you someplace before, haven\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shelton sneered. \u201cNo.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you try throwin\u2019 no scare into me, Clegg.\u00a0 Your rep don\u2019t mean nothin\u2019 to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou got it all wrong, friend.\u201d\u00a0 Clegg took another bite and studied him coolly.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll have to get together and talk it over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClegg, I\u2019m gonna ask you one question,\u201d said Roy.\u00a0 \u201cDid you kill Jake Denton?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean that man I caught changin\u2019 brands in the canyon?\u00a0 Yeah, I killed him.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that why you hired me, Mr. Simmons, to stop the cattle rustlin\u2019 around here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat gives you no right to kill a man and you know it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff, I wanted to bring him in to you nice and legal like, but he drew a gun on me.\u00a0 I had to shoot him in self-defense.\u00a0 The other hard case that was with him would vouch for that, if you can find him.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Clegg turned on his heels and set his empty plate inside the cabin.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Simmons,\u201d he said, closing the door behind him, \u201cI\u2019m ready to ride into town if you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow look, Clegg\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Sheriff, if you wanna talk to me again, I\u2019ll be around.\u00a0 Nice to meet ya, Cartwright.\u00a0 Maybe I\u2019ll stop by and see ya sometime, if that\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody is ever turned away from the Ponderosa.\u201d Adam delivered his response without a smile, being more fact than invitation. A visitor wouldn\u2019t be turned away, but some might be less welcome than others.<\/p>\n

Watching Clegg and Simmons ride off shoulder to shoulder gave Adam a feeling colder than the morning.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t sure which one was the more dangerous, the one who made his living by killing or the one who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.\u00a0 It was a formidable pairing, a match made somewhere other than heaven, and there was bound to be the Devil to pay.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Three<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, Miss, but if you\u2019re havin\u2019 a problem with that maybe I can help.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lazy drawl belonged to a lean, broad-shouldered cowboy atop a big chestnut roan.\u00a0 Jilly frowned as she continued to fumble unsuccessfully with the cinch of her saddle.\u00a0 \u201cI can manage, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ignoring her refusal, the stranger dismounted and walked over to stand beside her.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like it\u2019s worked loose. That could be dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know. That\u2019s why I\u2019m trying to fix it.\u201d\u00a0 She was frustrated and tired, and it was hard to keep the irritation from her voice.\u00a0 Did he think she was an idiot? If there was anything she disliked, it was being treated like a child, or worse, an incompetent female.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if you don\u2019t mind my saying so, you\u2019re not doin\u2019 too good a job of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose you could do much better.\u201d<\/p>\n

A pair of warm brown eyes crinkled as he smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI believe I could if you\u2019d let me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The friendliness in his face softened her.\u00a0 Besides, she knew he was right, and without his help she\u2019d be facing a long walk home and a furious Adam when she arrived overdue.\u00a0 Figuring her pride wasn\u2019t worth that much, she sighed and moved out of the way.\u00a0 \u201cBe my guest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Strong hands and nimble fingers made quick work of the problem. \u201cThat oughta hold ya.\u201d He stepped back, satisfied.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy pleasure.\u201d\u00a0 Tipping his hat, he grinned.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d hate to think of you takin\u2019 a tumble on account of somethin\u2019 like that.\u00a0 There aren\u2019t enough pretty girls to go around this territory as it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

She blushed in spite of herself.\u00a0 He was handsome, taller than Mitch, she noted absently.\u00a0 If she had to guess, she\u2019d place him around Adam\u2019s age, give or take a year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry I was rude before.\u00a0 I appreciate your help, Mr\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClegg. Sherman Clegg.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clegg\u2026hadn\u2019t she heard that name somewhere before?\u00a0 She smiled, extending her hand. \u201cI\u2019m Jilly Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou kin to Adam Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, do you know my brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve made acquaintance.\u00a0 So you\u2019re a sister.\u00a0 That figures \u2013 thought you were kinda young to be a wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t be from around here or you\u2019d know there are no Cartwright wives.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father\u2019s a widower and my brothers all seem to be confirmed bachelors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many brothers you got?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree.\u00a0 I was supposed to be number four.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree older brothers, huh?\u00a0 Do they know you\u2019re out here all by yourself with a stranger?\u201d\u00a0 He cocked his head, a half smile playing on his lips. \u201cI could be a dangerous man for all you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

She could feel her heart racing as she stared at him, answering with a question of her own.\u00a0 \u201cAre you a dangerous man, Mr. Clegg?\u201d<\/p>\n

A shadow seemed to fall across his face.\u00a0 \u201cSome might think so.\u201d<\/p>\n

All at once she remembered where she had heard that name before.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re the range detective, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n

She broke away from his gaze with a little laugh, shaking her head. \u201cI\u2019m sorry for staring.\u00a0 It\u2019s just that you\u2019re not at all what I expected.\u201d\u00a0 What was it Mr. Holzmeyer called him earlier \u2013 judge, jury and executioner?\u00a0 \u201cThe way people talk I thought you\u2019d have horns or something.\u201d<\/p>\n

The light returned to his eyes when he smiled again.\u00a0 \u201cJust goes to show you can\u2019t believe everything you hear, don\u2019t it?\u00a0 Course, you can\u2019t judge a devil by his horns, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was standing very close to her, and she felt herself blushing again as she looked up at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I ask you somethin\u2019?\u201d\u00a0 His voice was sweet and low, barely above a whisper, as he leaned toward her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHm?\u201d\u00a0 For an instant she thought perhaps he was going to kiss her, and she vaguely wondered what she ought to do. At that moment she wasn\u2019t sure her legs wouldn\u2019t work \u2013 but she had no desire to run.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow old are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

His question surprised her, but she found breath enough to answer.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m almost sixteen.\u201d<\/p>\n

He admonished her with a slow shake of his head and a boyish grin. \u201cThat makes you fifteen by the numbers. And even if you weren\u2019t, you\u2019d still be a Cartwright with three older brothers.\u00a0 I reckon I\u2019d better stick to my own brand of trouble.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He walked back to his horse and gathered the reins. \u201cI\u2019ll be on my way, unless you need me to ride back with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She bristled at his insinuation.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m perfectly capable of getting myself home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t doubt it.\u201d\u00a0 He swung himself into the saddle with a swift seamless motion.\u00a0 \u201cPleasure meetin\u2019 you, Miss Cartwright.\u00a0 Hope to see you again sometime.\u00a0 Give my regards to brother Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lifting the brim of his hat in farewell, he gave her a smile that sent her pulse racing again.\u00a0 She stared after him, marveling that a complete stranger could make her feel this way without laying a finger on her, and the fact that it would have been highly improper was not enough to keep a small shameless part of her from wishing that he had.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Four<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cynthie Tatum’s kitchen was cheerful and tidy, like the woman herself, and the sunny curtains adorning the window matched the yellow of her dress.\u00a0 She hummed as she lit the stove to heat the coffee and then filled a kettle for tea.\u00a0 \u201cIt’ll just be a few minutes,\u201d she said, smoothing her apron as she turned to Jilly with a smile. \u201cLet’s sit down and visit a while. Are you enjoying your last few days at home before you go back to San Francisco?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I am,\u201d said Jilly, taking the seat opposite her at the table. \u201cI’ve had a more of a summer than usual but it has passed so quickly it feels like I just got home. It seems the longer I stay, the harder it is to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn’t take a person long to get used to something when it’s comfortable. Is Mitch still working over at Mr. Milford’s?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs far as I know\u2014I haven’t heard otherwise.\u201d\u00a0 Jilly felt a twinge of anger, though she knew she had no right to it. She and Mitch had no claim on each other, she reminded herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cMitch is a fine young man.\u00a0 Mrs. Fordham seems to think he’s sweet on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jilly had thought so too, but now she wasn’t sure. \u201cI don’t know about that.\u00a0 We’ve known each other since we were kids.\u00a0\u00a0 He and Joe have been best friends for as long as I can remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I knew that.\u00a0 He certainly grew into a handsome young man, didn’t he?\u00a0 And I can easily understand what he would see in you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why did he leave and not say a word to me?\u201d\u00a0 The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.<\/p>\n

Cynthie’s gray eyes were kind.\u00a0 \u201cJilly, men and women don’t always feel things the same way at the same time.\u00a0 Some things that make a woman happy can scare a man to death. The funny thing is that a man who would never run from a fight sometimes tries to run from his own feelings.\u00a0 He just needs time to figure them out. Be patient with him, if you care for him.\u201d\u00a0 She smiled.\u00a0 \u201cYou do, don’t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d\u00a0 That was probably an understatement.\u00a0 She had adored Mitch for years, and ever since the night he kissed her at the dance she could think of little else. \u201cCynthie, how does a woman know if she’s in love?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think you’re in love with Mitch?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI honestly don’t know, but when he kissed me, I felt something I’d never felt before. It was like we were the only two people in the whole world, and nothing else mattered.\u00a0 Afterwards, I almost had to remind myself to breathe. If Adam hadn’t come along…\u201d Her voice trailed off as she recalled Mitch’s strong arms around her, pulling her closer than propriety would permit even on the dance floor, and the feeling that her feet no longer touched the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think would have happened if Adam hadn’t come along?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t know, maybe nothing. It just felt like there was more that didn’t happen, if that makes any sense, which it probably doesn’t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cynthie patted her hand. \u201cOh, believe me, it does.\u00a0 Jilly, the feelings you’re talking about don’t necessarily have anything to do with love, but they can be very powerful.\u00a0 They can make people think and do things they might not ordinarily do, things they might even regret.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jilly’s eyes widened as the import of her words sank in. \u201cOh no, I would never do that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoney, no one ever plans to.\u00a0 Well, some obviously do, but I’m not talking about them.\u00a0 What I mean is that it happens, and not just to those we might think of as ‘bad girls’.\u00a0 I knew someone…,\u201d Cynthie’s face clouded. \u201cShe was sweet and lovely and everyone loved her, including the handsomest boy in town.\u00a0 One day she found herself in a very unhappy situation and he was nowhere around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did she do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was so ashamed of disgracing her family, especially her father.\u00a0 He was a minister, and she was sure he would never be able to forgive her. She killed herself\u2026Papa never got over it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was your sister\u2014how awful for you. I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a long time ago…I’ve never told anyone except Ira, and I probably wouldn’t have brought it up now except that you do remind me so much of Anna, with your sweet spirit and angel face.\u00a0 She never meant to get in trouble; she just fell in love with the wrong person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cynthie took both of her hands.\u00a0 \u201cRemember this, Jilly.\u00a0 Falling in love is the easy part.\u00a0 It’s like drinking champagne \u2013 it makes you feel all lightheaded and warm, but you can’t live on it.\u00a0 Real, true love is like bread and water. It may seem plain sometimes, but it keeps you alive when there’s nothing else, and there are times when it’s all you want.\u201d\u00a0 She smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI don’t expect you to understand it now, but you will someday. Now I think we’d better get this coffee out to Ira and Adam, don’t you?<\/p>\n

Jilly rose with her.\u00a0 \u201cCynthie?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cynthie returned her affectionate embrace with warmth that matched her words.\u00a0 \u201cYou are so welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Holzmeyer came to see me yesterday morning,\u201d said Adam. \u201cHe said he got a \u2018warning\u2019 from Clegg. He wanted me to buy his place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know,\u201d said Ira.\u00a0 \u201cHe just sold to Simmons and pulled out about an hour ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSold to Simmons?\u201d\u00a0 Adam hadn\u2019t expected this, and he felt a pang of regret for not being able to help the man.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right.\u00a0 We\u2019ve all had a standing offer from Simmons for a long time \u2013 real generous, too\u2014fifty cents on the dollar. \u00a0Of course a man doesn\u2019t quibble when his life is being threatened. \u00a0Clayborn left last week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClayborn, huh\u2014he get a warning, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes.\u00a0 Well, maybe he stole a head of beef here and there rather than eat his own, but Holzmeyer\u2019s as honest as the day is long.\u00a0 That\u2019s the trouble, Adam.\u00a0 We\u2019re all gettin\u2019 blamed for a few bad apples.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey look to you, Ira. You\u2019re one of them.\u00a0 Can\u2019t you do something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t give a man courage when the fear of death has been thrown into him.\u00a0 That Clegg has got \u2018em all panicky.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019s only one man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne man with a gun and the cold blood to use it\u2014and he\u2019s put a bull\u2019s-eye on the back of every small rancher around here.\u00a0 Innocent or guilty, any one of us might be the next target.\u00a0 I can\u2019t understand why you let the Association bring him in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed, thinking once again of his father\u2019s impeccable timing. \u201cIt was a vote, Ira.\u00a0 The Ponderosa doesn\u2019t control the Association or Alf Simmons.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019d better take a long hard look at Mr. Alf Simmons.\u00a0 He\u2019s just been here two years and already\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam interrupted him. \u201cI\u2019m way ahead of you \u2013 if he runs all you little ranchers out, what next, the Ponderosa, maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cynthie\u2019s willowy frame stepped through the doorway, followed by Jilly.\u00a0 \u201cHere\u2019s that coffee I promised you gentlemen.\u00a0 Sorry it took so long.\u00a0 We were just enjoying some girl talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fine.\u00a0 I know Jilly gets a little tired of being the only female on the ranch, and with everyone else away I think she\u2019s pretty bored. I\u2019m afraid I haven\u2019t been much company lately.\u201d\u00a0 Adam smiled an apology to his sister which she didn\u2019t see, her attention focused on something beyond him.\u00a0 As he turned to see what it was, Cynthie spoke up.<\/p>\n

\u201cIra, he\u2019s at the barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sherman Clegg was examining hides from Tatum steers, seemingly unimpressed by the fact that Ira was bearing down on him with a Henry rifle.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet away from those.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just about done, Tatum.\u00a0 These all look like clean brands to me.\u00a0 Hello, Cartwright.\u201d He nodded to Cynthie.\u00a0 \u201cHope I didn\u2019t alarm you, ma\u2019am.\u201d\u00a0 His tone was benign, almost cheerful.<\/p>\n

Ira frowned. \u201cYou\u2019ve been nosin\u2019 around my place all week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I get paid for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI got a right to put a bullet through you for trespassin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s some people who might think different about that.\u00a0 They might think you shot me to cover up for somethin\u2019.\u00a0 You haven\u2019t got anything to hide, have you?\u00a0 Least I haven\u2019t found any such evidence yet.\u00a0 I\u2019m gonna give you a clean bill of health, Tatum.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo whom?\u201d\u00a0 Adam asked.\u00a0 \u201cSimmons?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo the Association, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they\u2019re one and the same,\u201d said Ira.\u00a0 \u201cIf I catch you sneakin\u2019 around my place again scarin\u2019 my wife, I\u2019ll kill ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou couldn\u2019t do that, Mr. Tatum.\u00a0 That\u2019s just plain murder.\u00a0 Good day, gents.\u00a0 Ma\u2019am.\u201d\u00a0 He touched his hat in deference to Cynthie and then turned to Jilly.\u00a0 \u201cNice to see you again, Miss Cartwright.\u00a0 Glad to know you made it home safe yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jilly\u2019s heart fluttered in her throat as he winked at her and smiled.\u00a0 Something in the way he looked at her made her feel like he could see right through her, and she could no more keep from blushing than she could sprout wings and fly.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t until after he rode away that she became aware of the other eyes on her, most notably Adam\u2019s.\u00a0 Though he didn’t say anything, he didn\u2019t have to.<\/p>\n

It was bound to be a long ride home.<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I don’t know why you’re so upset.\u00a0 I didn’t do anything wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never said you did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to say it for me to know you\u2019re angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u00a0snorted his\u00a0frustration over the subject at hand.\u00a0 \u201cI’m not angry with you, Jilly.\u00a0 I’m just sick and tired of all this business with Clegg and the Association, and I’d like to forget about it long enough\u00a0for us to have dinner in peace. Can we please\u00a0do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell I can, but I’m not so sure about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He wasn’t sure either.\u00a0 Sherman Clegg might as well have been sitting between them.\u00a0 Adam stabbed a slice of roast beef\u00a0and began cutting it in silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m sorry I didn’t tell you about our meeting before.\u00a0 I should have, I realize that.\u00a0 But it was perfectly innocent.\u00a0 I’ve already told you, nothing happened.\u00a0 Don’t you believe me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe you.\u00a0 I’m sure he was a perfect gentleman \u2013 as charming as a snake, no doubt.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 And\u00a0Jilly was as\u00a0trusting as Eve,\u00a0far too independent for her own good.\u00a0 \u201cI don’t want you riding alone anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

She slammed her fork on the table. \u201cThat’s not fair.\u00a0If you’re not angry, and if I didn’t do anything wrong, then why are you punishing me?\u201d<\/p>\n

He stared at her as he chewed, mulling his next words.\u00a0 He needed to win her, not push her toward defiance, so he\u00a0decided to avoid\u00a0Clegg for the moment. \u201cThis is not punishment, Jilly, it’s common sense. If you think about it, I know you can see that.\u00a0 With all that’s going on right now, who knows when this situation might escalate into something more dangerous. Now a range war may not seem likely, but rational people can be pushed to do some pretty irrational things, and\u00a0innocent people often suffer in the process.\u00a0If it’s not fair of me to want to keep you safe, all right, I’m unfair. I’m sorry if that makes you angry, but I’d much rather have you mad\u00a0at\u00a0me than hurt or worse.\u00a0 If anything ever happened to you, I’d\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

The\u00a0angry lines of her face softened. \u201cYou’d what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI’d be in big trouble with Pa, that’s what.\u201d\u00a0 His\u00a0teasing response\u00a0drew a smirk from her.\u00a0 \u201cCome on now. Do we really need to fight about this?\u201d<\/p>\n

She sighed into her plate, her shoulders sagging.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI suppose not.\u201d<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

Their evening was short, its atmosphere subdued.\u00a0\u00a0Jilly declined Adam\u2019s offer of a game of cribbage after dinner, retiring early to read instead.\u00a0 Her door was open when he passed by on his way to bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMind if I come in?\u201d<\/p>\n

She glanced up\u00a0briefly\u00a0from her book. \u201cOf course not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted to say good night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs everything all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly.\u201d\u00a0 Her tone was non-committal.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut…\u201d he\u00a0prompted her.\u00a0 \u201cIf there’s something you want to say, go ahead. I’m listening.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laid the book in her lap and tilted her face to meet his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t be treating me like this if I were Joe. \u00a0I’m not a child, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were times lately when she reminded him so much of Marie that it was almost startling\u2014less in looks than in ways more subtle and inherent, yet achingly familiar. This was one of those times.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou’re right.\u00a0You’re a young woman, and that’s the point.\u00a0 I’m sorry if it seems unfair, but you have to admit, Jilly, a woman is\u00a0by nature\u00a0more vulnerable than a man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA bullet can kill a man as quickly as a woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m not talking about bullets, and I think you know that.\u201d\u00a0 He sat down on the edge of her bed.\u00a0 She wasn’t a child, and yet she was in some ways, and it wasn’t just the naivet\u00e9 of inexperience. She still possessed the optimism and self-assurance of youth that often leads to the belief that \u2018bad things can happen to other people, but not to me, because I’m too clever.\u2019\u00a0 The truth is often a sobering comeuppance, a series of painful lessons learned the hard way, if Joe was any rule of thumb.\u00a0 Adam was determined to keep their sister from such a path if at all possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cJilly,\u00a0you have no idea what some\u00a0men see when they look at someone like you.\u00a0\u00a0You wouldn’t have to do anything \u2018wrong\u2019 to be hurt, except be in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd by the wrong person you mean someone like Sherman Clegg.\u00a0 But you don’t even know him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you, honestly?\u201d\u00a0 She didn’t answer. \u201cI don’t have to know him to see that he’s the kind of man who invites trouble by his reputation.\u00a0 Even if he’s not looking for it, sooner or later trouble comes looking for him.\u00a0 Don’t be fooled by charming manners and an easy smile.\u00a0 He is what he is.\u00a0 Not all devils have horns. \u00a0Remember that.\u201d<\/p>\n

A slight frown creased her forehead. \u201cFunny, that’s almost exactly what he said.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her thoughts seemed to be somewhere else, and he wondered if he had gotten through to her at all.\u00a0 He raised her chin with a finger, drawing her attention back to him.\u00a0 \u201cWhat I meant to say before was that if anything ever happened to you, I’d never be able to forgive myself if I thought it was because of something I didn’t do.\u00a0 \u00a0I’m only trying to protect you.\u00a0 Please tell me you know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do.\u201d The corners of her mouth turned up slightly.\u00a0 \u201cI’m sorry for thinking only of myself.\u00a0 I know you have a lot on your mind right now, and I don’t want to add to your worries.\u00a0 I’ll be good, I promise. I’ll even try not to complain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I won’t hold you to the part about no complaints,\u201d he grinned, rising. “I’m not looking for miracles. You want me to put out the lamp?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo thanks, I think I’ll read a while longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodnight then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her\u00a0lamp was still burning an hour later when he\u00a0started downstairs to the kitchen for a\u00a0cup of tea.\u00a0 He peeked inside the room\u00a0to find her asleep,\u00a0her book still in hand, so he slipped it from her grasp. Sense and Sensibility.<\/em>\u00a0 He smiled, studying her for a moment. And which one are you, my dear?<\/em><\/p>\n

He\u00a0laid the book on the table and put\u00a0out the light, leaving her\u00a0to what he hoped were\u00a0sweet dreams.<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

Jilly woke suddenly, her nightgown plastered to her trembling body.\u00a0 She sat up and\u00a0managed to get the lamp going, even though her fingers were shaking.\u00a0The familiarity of her room was small comfort, and even the brightest flame could not dispel the darkness of the dream she could not remember.\u00a0 Shivering, she pulled her knees to her chest and huddled against the headboard trying to will back the tears that refused to obey.\u00a0 She didn’t know why she was so afraid, but she had the desperate feeling that she had somehow committed a terrible sin, one that could not be forgiven.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Five<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sherman Clegg dropped from his horse and tied him to the hitching post in the yard.\u00a0 It was a nice house by any standard, but he had expected something more.\u00a0 Then again, if Adam was any indication, he figured the Cartwrights to be a pretty understated bunch with the exception of the girl, maybe.<\/p>\n

He smiled recalling the look on her brother\u2019s face that day at Tatum\u2019s place. It was obvious she hadn\u2019t told him about their meeting.\u00a0 He probably shouldn\u2019t have winked at her, but he couldn\u2019t resist the temptation.\u00a0 She sure was a pretty thing.<\/p>\n

A small oriental man answered his knock.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m lookin\u2019 for Adam Cartwright,\u201d he told him.<\/p>\n

\u201cMistah Adam not home.\u201d His scowl was visible through a crack in the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know when he\u2019ll be back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019d like to leave a message for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can leave it with me.\u201d\u00a0 The door opened wider and there was Miss Pretty.\u00a0 She smiled at him. \u201cIt\u2019s all right, Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The little man frowned at her as he moved aside, grumbling something about somebody \u201cnot gonna like.\u201d<\/p>\n

At her invitation, Clegg took off his hat and followed her into the great room.\u00a0 It was spacious but not showy \u2013 a man\u2019s room in which the most feminine element was standing in front of him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat brings you out here, Mr. Clegg?\u201d\u00a0 She motioned for him to sit.<\/p>\n

\u201cCattle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you looking to buy?\u201d<\/p>\n

He could tell from her smile that she knew better. \u201cNo, I\u2019m lookin\u2019 to return.\u00a0 I found close to 300 head of your brand up in a little meadow about three hours from here.\u00a0 I figured your brother would want to know about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he would.\u00a0 Adam should be back soon.\u00a0 You\u2019re welcome to coffee if you\u2019d like to wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

He glanced over at Hop Sing who had posted himself at the end of the dining table, arms folded, wearing a very unfriendly expression, and figured him to be enough of a chaperone.\u00a0 \u201cCoffee would be nice, thank you kindly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The cook threw up his hands and turned toward the kitchen, and there was no mistaking his displeasure even if it was in Chinese.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he always like that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot always.\u201d\u00a0 She sighed.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d better go in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

She carried herself with a natural grace, enhanced by a poise suggesting a more refined upbringing than being raised on a ranch in the middle of a wilderness with three brothers.\u00a0 Old man Cartwright could afford to send his daughter off to a fine school, and he supposed she\u2019d had the best money could buy.\u00a0 Not a penny of it would ever be wasted, either, not on someone like her.<\/p>\n

She returned with a tray.\u00a0 \u201cHow do you like yours?\u201d she asked as she poured his cup.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlack.\u201d\u00a0 He took it from her hand, murmuring his thanks. The perfect cup of coffee was just about the color of her hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are you here, Mr. Clegg?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I mean why are you in Virginia City, doing what you\u2019re doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just doin\u2019 the job I was hired to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why are people so afraid of you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my experience it\u2019s usually because they\u2019ve got somethin\u2019 to hide.\u201d\u00a0 He set his cup and saucer on the table next to him and leaned toward her.\u00a0 \u201cBut you\u2019re not afraid of me, are you?\u201d The question was merely rhetorical; clearly, she was not.<\/p>\n

\u201cShould I be?\u201d<\/p>\n

He stifled an urge to smile.\u00a0 She was used to men, but mainly brothers, and he sensed there was a lot she had yet to learn.\u00a0 But not today. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t wanna take up too much of your time this morning, Miss Cartwright.\u00a0 Tell your brother to get in touch with me through the Association if he wants me to help him bring down those cattle.\u201d<\/p>\n

She walked him to the door, and he thanked her once more for the coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

He allowed his eyes to linger on her for a few seconds, mainly because there seemed to be too few things in the world that hadn\u2019t been spoiled, and the memory of a lovely fresh-faced girl was worth keeping.\u00a0 Pink bloomed in her cheeks.\u00a0 He smiled, and so did she.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid anyone ever tell you that you blush like a wild rose?\u201d<\/p>\n

She shook her head, answering softly, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

If there was ever a perfect moment for kissing a woman, this was it, but he had checked that temptation even before the sound of footsteps on the porch and the opening of the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing here, Clegg?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam Cartwright did not look happy to see him.<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, Cartwright, I came out here this morning to do you a favor, and your sister was kind enough to offer me a cup of coffee for my trouble.\u00a0 Now if you don\u2019t want to get your cattle back, that\u2019s fine by me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clegg\u2019s explanation was reasonable, backed up Jilly, though something didn\u2019t feel quite right to Adam when he walked in the room.\u00a0 He would have a talk with her later, but for now the cattle were more pressing.\u00a0 At least he would know Clegg wasn\u2019t skulking around the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

It was nearly high noon when they reached the meadow.\u00a0 Clegg drew up beside him.\u00a0 \u201cJust like I told you.\u00a0 Every one of \u2018em\u2019s got the Ponderosa brand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d you find \u2018em?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my job, what I get paid for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd all this other business \u2013 intimidation, accusations, this war of nerves \u2013 is that part of your job, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not my fault if a man\u2019s got a guilty conscience.\u00a0 Property\u2019s gotta be defended.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes that give you license to trample people\u2019s rights and turn them into frightened animals?\u00a0 You\u2019ve got these small ranchers so rattled there\u2019s no telling what they might do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the whole idea; you get a man panicky enough, he traps himself \u2013 works every time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam grunted.\u00a0 \u201cLike turning a wolf into a sheepfold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCall it what you like, but a man\u2019s got a right, some might even say an obligation to protect his own, whatever it takes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that\u2019s the way you feel, then you shouldn\u2019t have any trouble understanding what I\u2019m about to say.\u201d\u00a0 Adam leveled a hard stare at him.\u00a0 \u201cStay away from my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not still stuck on this mornin\u2019, are you? \u00a0All we did was pass the time over coffee.\u00a0 It was perfectly innocent. You can ask your cook.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think \u2018perfectly innocent\u2019 and you belong in the same sentence, Clegg, but that\u2019s beside the point. \u00a0She may look like a woman, but she\u2019s still an impressionable young girl. \u00a0I\u2019d rather rip my arm off than see her hurt by the likes of you, and there\u2019s more than one way you could do that. Now I\u2019m not asking, I\u2019m telling you.\u00a0 Leave her alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clegg\u2019s expression lost a little of its affability but he didn\u2019t flinch. \u201cYou got it all wrong, Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, I\u2019m not gonna lie to you and tell you she couldn\u2019t turn my head, but I\u2019m just not that big a fool, no matter what you think.\u00a0 I can understand you wantin\u2019 to protect your sister, and I respect that. Reckon I\u2019d feel the same way.\u00a0 So let\u2019s just say we agree on that subject.\u201d He shifted in his saddle, squinting up at the sky. \u201cI gotta be gettin\u2019 back to town pretty soon. Tell you what.\u00a0 I like you, even if you don\u2019t wanna pay me for what I do.\u00a0 So what do you say I help you get these critters back to your spread and you buy me a beer afterwards?\u201d<\/p>\n

As much as he would have preferred not to be further obligated to the range detective, Adam saw no other recourse than to take him up on his offer.\u00a0 On the other hand, a beer was a small price to pay to keep him away from Jilly. \u00a0Nudging his horse to follow Clegg, he wondered if it would really be enough.<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know your cows, Cartwright.\u00a0 I know my corpses.\u201d<\/p>\n

The words were Doc Dawson\u2019s, and the corpse fished out of Frenchman\u2019s Creek was Phil Shelton, shot with a .44 and left with a two-bit piece in his pocket. Clegg\u2019s calling card.<\/p>\n

The doctor estimated Shelton had been dead no more than six to eight hours. \u00a0\u00a0Adam could still hear the cocksureness in Clegg\u2019s voice when Roy asked him his whereabouts that morning.\u00a0 \u201cDo you want to tell him, or should I?\u201d<\/p>\n

Even as he gave the truth, the notion that he might have been set up as an alibi crossed Adam\u2019s mind.\u00a0 While it was certain that Clegg couldn\u2019t be in two places at once, what if the killing had taken place earlier?\u00a0 Frenchman\u2019s Creek was glacier-fed, close to freezing even this time of year. Couldn\u2019t that affect a body?\u00a0 Doc Dawson had taken offense when asked, sticking by his professional opinion.\u00a0 On that basis, Roy had no grounds to hold Clegg as a suspect.\u00a0 To make matters worse, Ira was there, and it hurt to see the recrimination in his eyes when he questioned where the Cartwrights really stood.<\/p>\n

While Adam had no great love for the victim, murder was murder. It also required a motive.\u00a0 Based on the exchange between the two men at Sam Denton\u2019s, he was willing to lay odds they were somehow connected.\u00a0 A man like Clegg doesn\u2019t usually forget a face, and he recognized Shelton from somewhere.\u00a0 No, they weren\u2019t complete strangers.<\/p>\n

Trailing the lengthening shadows back to the ranch, Adam had plenty of time to think on the matter, and while some things were uncertain, one seemed clear.\u00a0 Sherman Clegg was more dangerous than he appeared, and the person who needed the most convincing was waiting at home.<\/p>\n

\u00a0~*~<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look tired, Adam.\u00a0 Are you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine.\u00a0 It\u2019s just been a long day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get your supper,\u201d she said, turning toward the kitchen.\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing made your favorite stew.\u201d<\/p>\n

He caught her arm. \u201cJilly, we need to talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t it wait until after you eat?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her smile was tempered by the faint worry lines in her forehead. Better for both of them to get this over with, he decided.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d rather do it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, about this morning\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll get to that.\u00a0 There\u2019s something else I want to tell you first. Sit down.\u201d<\/p>\n

If he thought the news of Shelton\u2019s murder and his own suspicions about Clegg would open her eyes or least, shake her up a little, he couldn\u2019t have been more wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry about Mr. Shelton, but if Doc Dawson says Clegg didn\u2019t do it, and Sheriff Coffee is willing to accept his opinion, why can\u2019t you?\u00a0 I know you were angry this morning about his being here but that doesn\u2019t mean\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop right there.\u00a0 You\u2019re not suggesting that I would try to put a rope around a man\u2019s neck over a personal matter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not. I know you would never do that.\u00a0 But I also know one of the reasons you dislike him so much is because of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst of all, I don\u2019t like Clegg because of who he is and what he does. \u00a0The man kills for a living, even if he\u2019s able to do it within the so-called law. A man who lives by his gun hurts more than just those he kills. I don\u2019t seem to be able to make you understand how dangerous he is, and frankly, that worries me.\u00a0 I know you said nothing happened, and I believe you, but you should never have invited him in this morning.\u00a0 That was an unnecessarily foolish thing to do, even with Hop Sing here.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was on her feet and angry. \u201cI can\u2019t believe you\u2019re still treating me like I\u2019m five years old!\u00a0 Why can\u2019t you give me a little credit once in a while? I\u2019m not stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the contrary; you\u2019re a bright girl and a fast learner, but you still have a way to go. I\u2019ve been around a little longer than you have, remember? \u00a0Why can\u2019t you give me credit for knowing a few things you don\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam\u2014you\u2019re older and you know a lot more than I do, but you have no idea what it\u2019s like being me.\u00a0 Sometimes I wonder if you know me at all.\u201d She appeared near tears before she turned away from him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t know what it\u2019s like being you any more than you could know what it\u2019s like being me.\u201d\u00a0 Pushing up from his chair, he joined her at the hearth.\u00a0 \u201cBut don\u2019t think I don\u2019t know you, because I know what I see.\u201d\u00a0 He drew her around to face him. \u201cI see someone gentle and lovely who always looks for the good in people, whether it\u2019s there or not. Unfortunately, not everyone is like you. There is pure evil in this world\u2014those who would take without asking, given the chance, and you couldn\u2019t stop them if you wanted to. That\u2019s an ugly truth I hope you never learn firsthand.\u201d\u00a0 He was practically pleading with her. \u201cJilly, I don\u2019t know what it is you think you see in Clegg, but not everyone can be redeemed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes were dry, and he could not read whatever was hidden in their dark depths.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were right, it\u2019s been a long day for both of us, and I think I\u2019d really like to go to bed now if you don\u2019t mind.\u00a0 Your supper\u2019s on the stove.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were at an impasse.\u00a0 He was no longer the big brother with all the answers and she wasn\u2019t the little girl who could be convinced with a wink and a smile.<\/p>\n

He watched her walk up the stairs, thinking he\u2019d done about all he could short of locking her in a tower, hoping he\u2019d said enough of the right things. Whatever happened next depended mostly on her. Sometimes, in spite of his best efforts, a man had no choice but to stand by and watch a tender heart break.<\/p>\n

Staring into the fire a few moments later, he found himself wishing for his father.<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

Alone in her bed, clutching her pillow, Jilly\u2019s tears finally came.\u00a0 She hadn\u2019t lied to Adam, but she couldn\u2019t tell him the whole truth even after she realized it herself.<\/p>\n

It was Clegg, not Mitch, who came to her every night in dreams.\u00a0 Maybe they were both beyond redemption.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Six<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hair tousled and eyes still blurred by sleep, Adam pulled on his robe and met Jilly in the hallway.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs someone at the door?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what it sounded like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this time of night, in this weather?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMust be trouble. You stay here,\u201d he warned her as he started down the stairs.<\/p>\n

He removed his gun from the holster on the credenza before unbolting the latch and opening the door to a dark figure in a dripping poncho.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry to trouble you, Cartwright. My horse fell in the mud, broke his leg four or five miles back, and I had to shoot him.\u201d\u00a0 Sherman Clegg\u2019s tone carried its familiar cheerful bent in spite of the circumstances.<\/p>\n

Adam sighed. \u201cCome in.\u201d He closed the door and put down his gun.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you said no one\u2019s ever turned away from the Ponderosa, and I just thought I\u2019d take you up on that.\u00a0 Howdy, Miss Cartwright. Hope I didn\u2019t disturb you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam directed a sharp look across the room to Jilly, who had clearly ignored his instruction, before turning back to Clegg. \u201cTake off your poncho. What are you doing out here in the middle of the night, looking for your next victim?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know you\u2019re always makin\u2019 it plain, you don\u2019t like me or what I do. I make my livin\u2019 my way, and you make yours your way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith you I don\u2019t think it\u2019s just a living.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo?\u201d\u00a0 Clegg warmed his hands in front of the banked fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019d find a way to do what you do whether you got paid or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno, never thought much about it.\u00a0\u00a0 Pay is pretty good, most of the time.\u00a0 Say, if you\u2019ve got an extra bunk I\u2019d sure appreciate it tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s gaze shifted from Clegg to Jilly and back again.\u00a0 As much as he\u2019d like to, he couldn\u2019t send the man back out into the storm.\u00a0 \u201cUpstairs, second room on the right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll show you,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The chiming of the clock momentarily diverted Clegg\u2019s attention as he joined her on the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s 11:00,\u201d Adam assured him. \u201cIn case we need to remember, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Clegg looked almost amused. \u201cCartwright, you sure got a powerful lot of mistrust for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s only response was a frown as he followed them up.\u00a0 It seemed the night had just gotten a lot longer.<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s an extra quilt in case you need it.\u201d\u00a0 Jilly laid the it on the bed; she had already refilled the pitcher in the basin. \u201cWe have breakfast at 7:00.\u00a0 You\u2019re welcome to join us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMuch obliged.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all.\u00a0 Good night.\u201d\u00a0 She smiled at Clegg, disregarding Adam altogether.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood night.\u201d\u00a0 Clegg let out an almost imperceptible sigh as he watched her go, his smile fading.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want you gone at daybreak,\u201d said Adam.\u00a0 \u201cThe storm will be over by then; I\u2019ll have a horse ready for you.\u00a0 You can leave it at Kelso\u2019s stable, and I\u2019ll pick up it the next time I\u2019m in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d appreciate that. I won\u2019t be goin\u2019 into town, but I\u2019ll see that you get it back.\u00a0 I\u2019m pullin\u2019 out tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

His announcement took Adam by surprise. \u201cWell, that\u2019s the best news I\u2019ve heard since you got here. I\u2019m curious, though, with all the small ranchers still around, why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy business is like a gambler\u2019s.\u00a0 A fella\u2019s gotta know when to take his losses and fold.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam studied him for a moment and decided to take him at his word this time. \u201cSo much the better for everyone.\u201d\u00a0 He turned to go back to bed and then paused.\u00a0 \u201cBy the way, my room is right next door, and I\u2019m a very light sleeper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t ever quit bein\u2019 big brother, do ya?\u201d\u00a0 A wry grin formed on Clegg\u2019s lips.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t worry. I\u2019ll let you say goodbye for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

Jilly sank against the door of her bedroom as she closed it behind her, taking a deep breath to try to calm her runaway heart.\u00a0 How she managed to keep from flaming under that man\u2019s gaze she\u2019d never know, but she did, even with Adam eyeing her like a hawk.\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t help but think what would have happened if he hadn\u2019t come home at the precise moment he did yesterday.\u00a0 Clegg might have kissed her\u2014and she would have let him. She wondered if he was thinking of her right now, and whether or not he slept in the\u2026she quickly tried to turn her thoughts in another direction, because that was the last thing she needed in her head tonight.\u00a0 Oh, she was wicked, all right; and she had no idea how she was going to get a wink of sleep with him just down the hall.<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

Clegg lay on his back, hands beneath his head, the bed covers draped loosely across his bare chest.\u00a0 He wondered if she was still awake; and the idea that his presence in the house tonight was costing her watchdog brother a peaceful night\u2019s sleep almost made him chuckle out loud. \u00a0Well, Cartwright could think whatever he wanted, it made no difference. The girl was off limits, he had already decided, though she did remind him of someone he hadn\u2019t thought of in a long time\u2014 a dark-eyed beauty he met in El Paso about ten years ago.\u00a0 Rosalita was pretty near the same age\u2014a willing pupil, he recalled with a smile.\u00a0 A memory like that could keep a man awake at night\u2026.<\/p>\n

The rain lashing the windowpanes brought him back to the present, reminding him of the reason he was out on such a night in the first place.\u00a0 He had underestimated Alf Simmons, and that miscalculation could cost him more than he wanted to pay.\u00a0 Things were liable to get real ugly, real soon, and he intended to shake the dust of Virginia City off his feet before anyone had the chance to point a finger at him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter Seven<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was such a relief to see Clegg ride off that morning, Adam didn\u2019t really care whether he returned the horse or not.\u00a0 He figured Jilly would probably be more upset than she would let on, but he could handle her; she\u2019d get over it.<\/p>\n

He was pouring his coffee when a flurry of hoof beats pounded the yard.\u00a0 Roy and Ira and a fierce-looking posse met him outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you seen Clegg?<\/p>\n

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. \u201cDon\u2019t tell me there\u2019s been another killing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy nodded, his mouth a grim line.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s really stuck his neck in a noose this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Cynthie, Adam \u2013 he\u2019s killed Cynthie!\u201d\u00a0 Ira\u2019s face was ashen.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast night, just before the storm,\u201d Roy added.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ground underneath the body was dry. He ambushed her in the yard, between the house and the barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re sure it was Clegg?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found a .44 shell and a two-bit piece, and his horse wasn\u2019t too far away, dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

The relief he felt before turned to a sickening dread and sank like a rock in the pit of his stomach.\u00a0 \u201cWell, he\u2019s mounted now.\u00a0 I gave him a horse.\u00a0 He left here just a few minutes ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy frowned.\u00a0 \u201cHow come?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe spent the night here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, he killed Cynthie!\u00a0 You tryin\u2019 to give him another alibi? \u201d<\/p>\n

He flinched under his friend\u2019s accusing stare, the normally stoic visage now etched in pain.\u00a0 \u201cIra, I had no way of knowing\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, was he wearin\u2019 a black poncho last night?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Roy, he was.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sheriff reined his horse to the right and spurred him on.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll get him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stunned by this unexpected turn, Adam didn\u2019t hear Jilly until she was at his side.\u00a0 \u201cWhat did they want? What\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

Anger wouldn\u2019t allow him to mince words.\u00a0 \u201cYour friend Clegg killed Cynthie Tatum.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her horrified expression as the color drained from her face made him regret his bluntness, but only until she spoke.\u00a0 \u201cNo, it\u2019s not true! He couldn\u2019t have!\u201d<\/p>\n

Grabbing her arms, he shook her, furious at her disbelief even now.\u00a0 \u201cJilly, what have I been trying to tell you?\u00a0 What kind of a man kills for money?\u00a0 That is what he does!\u00a0 And now he\u2019s killed the wife of a friend, and I\u2019ve got to go after him because I let him ride away from here!\u201d<\/p>\n

He left her in the yard and went back into the house for his gun.<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

Sobbing, Jilly ran to the barn.\u00a0 It was a place where she had sought solace on many occasions, amid the warmth of horses and hay.\u00a0 Even the smell was still a comfort sometimes, because it took her back, if only for a moment, to a time in her life when the world was simple, and choices were easy, and people were what they seemed to be.<\/p>\n

She heard him behind her, but he was so quick she didn\u2019t have time to turn around before \u00a0his hand covered her mouth and she was caught in an iron grip.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep still and don\u2019t scream.\u201d<\/p>\n

His voice, low in her ear, made her shiver, but not in a way she had imagined.\u00a0 Instead, she felt sick in body and soul.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not gonna hurt you, I promise.\u00a0 I want you to listen to me.\u00a0 I did not kill that woman, I swear. I need your help. Please, don\u2019t scream, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

He took his hand away and turned her around. \u201cYou gotta believe me, Jilly. You\u2019re my only chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was the only time he had ever called her by her first name. She knew what she desperately wanted to believe, but she didn\u2019t know if what she saw in his eyes was fear of being wrongly accused or merely getting caught.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake your hands off her and get \u2018em up, or you\u2019re dead where you stand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clegg released her with a pleading look. \u00a0\u201cYou\u2019re wrong, Cartwright.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know nothin\u2019 about that killin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet over here, Jilly.\u201d\u00a0 Adam kept his gun on Clegg as he moved her behind him with his free hand. \u201cWhy did you come in here and hide from that posse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs long I\u2019ve been in this game, don\u2019t you know I can smell trouble?\u00a0 I knew there was somethin\u2019 wrong when I saw \u2018em ridin\u2019 up out there.\u00a0 Look, I give you my word, I didn\u2019t kill that woman.\u00a0 I don\u2019t care what you think, but I\u2019m not that low. It was Simmons, it had to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow why would he do that when he\u2019s got you on call?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just it.\u00a0 We had it out last night.\u00a0 He was drunk, wanted me to get rid of Tatum for him.\u00a0 I decided I\u2019d had enough of him.\u00a0 I was on my way out of town when my horse fell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy the sudden reformation?\u201d<\/p>\n

Clegg acted as though he didn\u2019t hear him.\u00a0 \u201cWhat I don\u2019t understand is why he killed Mrs. Tatum.\u00a0 You give me a chance with Simmons.\u00a0 I\u2019ll get it out of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jilly could see Adam mentally working his way through Clegg\u2019s explanation, though he was still doubtful.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe you didn\u2019t kill her, but you\u2019ve killed others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always had a reason when I\u2019ve done it.\u00a0 They deserved it.\u00a0 And it was always within the law.\u00a0 If it wasn\u2019t, I\u2019d have been behind bars or strung up at the end of a rope a long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t justify you or your methods.\u00a0 I think they\u2019re wrong and should be done away with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s your opinion, Cartwright, but that\u2019s all it is.\u00a0 You\u2019re not God.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not. That\u2019s why I\u2019m taking you back to town and let a judge and jury decide about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou saw the mood of that posse!\u00a0 One of those hotheads will put a bullet in me and I\u2019ll never get to a judge and jury!\u00a0 You know, you\u2019re a great one for talkin\u2019 up for the little guy, but when someone really needs your help, do you give it to him or just give it to those you like?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jilly felt Clegg\u2019s eyes beseeching hers once more even though his words were directed at Adam.\u00a0 \u201cI need help to prove I didn\u2019t murder that woman.\u00a0 Do I get it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, please\u2026you\u2019ve got to help him. You\u2019re the only one who can.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She placed a hand on his arm, and in a moment he lowered his gun.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Clegg, I\u2019ll give you a crack at Simmons. But don\u2019t try any tricks.\u00a0 If you run, I won\u2019t think twice about putting a bullet through you myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

The cold light of morning dimmed through tears as Jilly watched them ride away.\u00a0 Clegg\u2019s thanks rang hollow in her ears as she dropped to her knees in despair over this sudden, tragic shift in the universe, and she was scarcely aware of Hop Sing\u2019s patient hands lifting her up and guiding her back to the house.<\/p>\n

~*~<\/p>\n

The confrontation was over all most as soon as it began.<\/p>\n

Disheveled and drunk, Alf Simmons had seemed surprised when Adam and Clegg walked into his office.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you doing here, Clegg?\u00a0 Don\u2019t you know the whole town\u2019s lookin\u2019 for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would they be looking for him?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe killed Ira Tatum\u2019s wife last night, that\u2019s why!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClegg spent the night at the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re lyin\u2019. He did it. He left a .44 shell and a two bit piece on the body.\u00a0 Everybody knows that\u2019s his way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnybody could\u2019ve left those there.\u201d Adam noted the muddy boots in the corner, along with a rifle.\u00a0 \u201cIs that your rifle? Looks like a .44.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou messed yourself up this time, Simmons.\u201d\u00a0 Clegg stared him down, unsmiling.\u00a0 \u201cWhere were you last night?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you question me\u2014I know plenty about you, remember!\u201d<\/p>\n

Clegg dismissed the threat. \u201cWhat\u2019d you do\u2014mistake Mrs. Tatum for her husband?\u201d<\/p>\n

A sneer formed on his lips.\u00a0 \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what I did,\u201d Simmons replied, pulling a revolver from the desk. \u201cI\u2019ll get a medal for killing you, Clegg. Too bad Adam Cartwright got caught by a stray bullet in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clegg lunged for the rifle near him as Simmons fired and missed.\u00a0 Adam drew and hit his mark, wounding Simmons in the shoulder.\u00a0 The fatal shot came from the .44.<\/p>\n

Adam stood over the lifeless body.\u00a0 \u201cI had him winged\u2014why\u2019d you kill him?\u201d\u00a0 He had a feeling it was because Simmons knew a little too much.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did him a favor, kept his neck out of a noose.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, and you put your own in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alerted by the gunplay, an angry mob flooded the office and quickly had Clegg against the wall; only Adam stood between them. He knew from their faces they were out for blood and wouldn\u2019t be satisfied until they got what they came for.\u00a0 The dilemma of how to hold them off was solved by a shove from behind that propelled him into the crowd as Clegg bolted out the back door.<\/p>\n

The men in the alley made Sherman Clegg\u2019s last journey a short one.<\/p>\n

Sheriff Coffee ultimately settled the question of who murdered Cynthie Tatum.\u00a0 A piece of the killer\u2019s ripped poncho, discovered near her body, proved a perfect match to the one belonging to Alf Simmons. According to Roy, \u201cIf Clegg hadn\u2019t run he\u2019d be alive and free today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam wondered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Epilogue<\/strong><\/p>\n

He was prepared for the worst when he told Jilly how it ended that day, but what he saw in her face was quiet grief and acceptance, almost as if she expected it.\u00a0 As far as he could tell, her tears were for Ira and Cynthie, and she didn\u2019t seem to have any left on this gray afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be glad when Pa and the others get home.\u201d<\/p>\n

She had been mostly silent until now.\u00a0 Adam tried coaxing a smile. \u201cWhat’s the matter?\u00a0 Am I not enough company for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s not that. I don\u2019t know why, but I miss them more now than when I was in San Francisco. \u00a0\u00a0Maybe it\u2019s just too much empty space.\u00a0 Or maybe I\u2019m not as grown up as I thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you were right the first time.\u00a0 Besides, you never outgrow your family.\u00a0 Trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n

This time she did smile, but only for a moment. \u201cAdam, why did he run?\u201d<\/p>\n

He followed her wistful gaze to the fresh mound of earth behind them.\u00a0 \u201cWell, sooner or later, a man\u2019s life catches up with him.\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe he figured that was his best option under the circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe must have felt so alone thinking no one believed him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou believed him.\u00a0 He knew that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her shoulders sagged as she studied her hands in her lap. \u201cI guess it didn\u2019t matter in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

A chill wind caught him by the neck; he turned up his coat collar. \u00a0Jilly clutched her shawl, her expression an acquiescence to more than just the passing of summer. \u00a0He felt it too, and it made him feel old, and not just a little sad.\u00a0 Youth\u2019s innocence had its own finite season. No one could shield her from the rough edges of the world anymore. Like everyone else, her best hope was a soft place to fall.<\/p>\n

The wagon creaked forward.\u00a0 A flock of geese overhead signaled their departure to southern skies.\u00a0 Adam watched them, squinting against the glare of the dying sun as it bled into the mountains. Higher above, the harbingers of winter were beginning to gather.<\/p>\n

It looked like it might be an early snow, after all.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The angels cry as<\/em><\/p>\n

Summer slips beyond the veil \u2013<\/em><\/p>\n

Farewell, September.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The End<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:\u00a0 Adam Cartwright,\u00a0Jilly Cartwright,\u00a0Roy Coffee,\u00a0rustlers,\u00a0Sister<\/p>\n

For a complete, up to date list of my stories, check out<\/strong>\u00a0JC’s Author Page<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0Summary:\u00a0\u00a0The arrival of a range detective in Virginia City means trouble for Adam in more ways than one. \u00a0(A WHI for The Flannel-Mouth Gun, part of the Ties That Bind AU series)<\/p>\n

Rating: T\u00a0 (13,258 words)<\/p>\n

Ties That Bind Series, links to stories of this series included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10253,"featured_media":5779,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1005,7,23,61,27],"tags":[1294],"class_list":["post-15308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adam-cartwright","category-a-u","category-drama","category-missing-scene","category-whi","tag-the-flannel-mouth-gun","wpcat-1005-id","wpcat-7-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-61-id","wpcat-27-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Adam-Stories.jpg?fit=637%2C480&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10253"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15308"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15308\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}