CHAPTER SIX

Jess slowly drove the buckboard out of town. His horse, tied to the wagon, followed peacefully. As soon as the town was no longer seen, Jess expected her to talk, but as mile after mile passed, she said nothing. The only words she had spoken were directions to her ranch.

Jess admired the way she sat straight as if an iron bar was pressed against her back. Though he kept the buckboard in the well-traveled ruts, dust flew up showering both of them, yet not once did she cough or brush off the dirt. Even when he purposely hit a pot-hole, she made no complaint. She only kept staring straight ahead. Jess stole many glances at her, but she kept her thoughts hidden from her face.

Jess wanted to immediately ask what was going on, but his curiosity about her made him silent. He could be patient when he wanted, and right now he wanted to see what her game was. This had to be connected to the gunmen sent after him, so he had to see where this led. If this were a trap, he would find out quickly enough. He didn’t tie the thong back on his gun. He was ready to draw at a moment’s notice.

After an hour of traveling, they arrived at her house. Jess gave her a sharp look as he pulled back on the reins. White crowned sparrows fluttered from the underbrush, loudly protesting the invasion of their privacy as Jess stopped the horses behind a grove of trees, several yards from the house. He wasn’t sure if there was someone in the house waiting to bushwhack him, but he was sure that the trees would offer protection from someone’s aim if a killer were waiting to welcome him with a bullet.

Quickly, she glanced at him with uncertainty, but he paid no attention, for his eyes were surveying the ranch. He caught every detail of the house, the barn, and the corral. If someone was waiting for him, he wanted to know, but he saw no movement. Everything looked peaceful. Still his hand rested on the butt of his revolver.

As Jess quickly took inventory of the place, he immediately noticed that this ranch was bigger than Slim’s spread, but it had seen better times. There was a corral with four horses. The barn needed painting, but the cabin is what drew his attention. She had flowers planted along the sides. The blue bonnets looked out of place next to the faded wood.

At last convinced that they were indeed alone, Jess focused his attention on her. Jess knew the isolation of this place and by the way her hands were twisting her lacy handkerchief, he figured she too knew how alone they were. Yet as she finally faced him, she looked neither scared nor alarmed; but only regarded him with inquisitiveness.

He leaned forward. She kept her eyes glued to his face as he drew nearer and nearer to her. She could feel his breath on her face. His head tilted. His eyes started to close. His lips parted.

WHACK! The slap of her hand hitting his face was loud. Jess backed away.

“You sure were friendlier in town,” he observed as he rubbed his face, the thought of what they had shared still very fresh in his mind.

.

She clutched the side of the wagon as if any moment she would need to climb down, her knuckles turning pale from holding so tightly.

“What’s this all about?” Jess asked bluntly.

“Please, Mister Harper...” She started to climb down from the buckboard.

Jess’ hand snaked out and grasped her hand. “Not ‘til I know what this is all about.”

“You’d be more comfortable in the house.”

Again his eyes swept the length of the porch, watching for any movement from the house. “No one’s going anywhere until I find out what this is all about. Now I’m asking polite.”

She settled back down in the seat. When he let go of her, he noticed that she brushed her fingers against her dress as if she had dirtied her hand.

She said very softly, “People in town think we’re engaged.”

“Engaged?” he questioned. “Engaged to do what?”

“To marry!” she snapped.

“Marry!” he repeated with a cringe. Just hearing the word made Jess move back away from her. “Marry? You and me? Marry? You mean wed?”

She only nodded.

Jess’ gaze never left her. “Where did they ever get a fool notion like that?”

Her voice shook slightly, “From me. I told everyone that we were engaged to wed.”

Jess was seldom speechless, but now he just stared. His blue eyes bore into her green eyes as if trying to pierce her very soul. Finally, he asked, “But why? We ain’t engaged. Though the way you kissed me in town, you were familiar enough, but I ain’t engaged to anyone! I don’t even know you! As far as I know, we ain’t never even met before today.”

“Of course, we’re not engaged. I wouldn’t marry someone like you.”

Jess drew further back as if she had again struck him. He had never seen such condemnation on anyone’s face like he now saw on hers. “What do you mean someone like me?”

“I know all about you. Your reputation, Mister Harper, is quite...” she searched for a word before saying, “colorful.” Her eyelashes lowered but for a second he had read criticism in her eyes.

“I want to know what this is all about,” Jess ordered. “Nothing’s made sense since I rode into town.”

She only cowered, trying to squeeze herself into the corner of the buckboard seat.

“Look, I’m trying to be patient about this. I’m willing to hear you out, but I want the truth. You owe me that. Now why did you tell everyone that we were engaged to be married?”

She had heard the expression, calm before the storm, but she now realized that the softer his voice became, the more dangerous he was becoming.

“I needed protection.”

She had whispered so softly that Jess leaned forward and asked her to repeat her answer.

“I needed protection, Mister Harper.”

“From who?”

“Jack Phillips.”

Jack Phillips! He had become a thorn in Jess’ side, yet he still didn’t know who this man was. “Who’s Jack Phillips? And why do you need protection from him?”

“His ranch borders on mine.” She pressed her lips together and glanced at him.

Jess urged, “Keep talking.”

“As you can see this is relay station.”

Jess’ eyes swept across the yard. He only noticed four horses. He would have never guessed that this was a stage relay station. “Where’s your stock?”

“In the corral.”

“Four horses? That’s barely enough to keep a stage going. The line makes us have at least twelve. Lady...”

“My name is Laura Sullivan.” She raised her chin as if she was royalty and he but a humble servant.

“Well, Miss Sullivan, I don’t understand. You say you run this relay station?”

“I do.”

“You and who else?”

“Just me.”

This had to be a joke! A prank. Was Slim hiding in the house? Who else would do this to him? “What! You? A lady? By yourself?”

Her eyes bristled. “Yes, me! I am capable of more than sewing and cooking, Mister Harper.”

He shook his head as if she was an irritating bug. “You don’t look as if...”

“This was my father’s place. I grew up here. I may not look it but I can ride a horse as if I was born in the saddle. And you better know that I can even shoot if I have to. And I’m a good shot. I often put meat on my table.”

Again his eyes closely scrutinized her. “Where’s Jack Phillips come into all of this?”

She swallowed hard and for the first time, Jess realized how very nervous she was. “It might not look like it but this use to be a pretty successful ranch. My pa even had a few ranch hands. We sold cattle and horses, but then came hard times. The drought hit everyone around here hard, so pa turned this into a relay station. What the stage line pays...well...that money comes in handy.”

“I know that.” His head bobbed as he encouraged, “Go on. I’m listening.”

“Trouble is the stage line only needs one relay station around these parts. Jack Phillips wants me out of business.”

“Why?”

“He claims he wants to run a relay station. Like I said the drought hurt us all. Without water; no cattle, Without cattle; no income. The stage line provides a steady check each month. I wouldn’t survive without this relay station.

Jack never thought I’d last without pa, but I did! Jack was quite patient when pa was dying. He had no doubt that I would quit this place and go back East. I’ve been in Boston for four years being educated, but after pa died, Jack become quite impatient to get me to leave. No one runs me off my land. No one!”

“Sounds like you should be talking to the sheriff.”

“You saw what kind of sheriff Carson Springs has.”

“Miss, I’m awful sorry to hear about your pa, but relay stations are hard to operate. Slim and I got our hands full and we’re men. Maybe you’d be best off if you did sell...”

Her finger jabbed against his chest. “Don’t talk to me as if I’m a child or a simpleton. You sound like Jack Phillips.”

“Now simmer down!”

Her voice only rose in pitch, “I have a brain. I’m sure you’re not used to that characteristic in women from the places you frequent.”

“Meaning I wouldn’t know a decent woman? Or a decent woman wouldn’t know me? So where does that leave you?” He shot back.

Seeing anger radiate off him as if it were hot embers, she became icy calm.

“So just where do I fit into all of this?” Jess waited but she again grew quiet. “I’m waiting for your answer, and I’m not a patient man.”

She took a deep breath before saying, “I needed a man’s protection. Three weeks ago that corral was filled with horses. Jack Phillips ran them all off.”

“You know that for sure?”

“Maybe I never saw him or his men actually stampede them., no they did that when I was in town, but when I rode back into town and accused Jack...”

“Whoa!” Jess raised his hand for silence.

She flinched as she saw his arm move.

Jess asked, “You accused Phillips of horse rustling? In front of everyone?”

She argued, “Who else has a motive? No one! I tell you that Jack Phillips has approached the stage line saying I can’t do the job. Well I can! He made sure I didn’t have any horses to pull the stage, but I outfoxed him. I still had enough money to buy four.”

Jess glanced at the horses. By the looks of the stock, she had bought four that even a tenderfoot would have avoided. “Lady, what have you got me into?”

She started to speak but he cut in, “I’ll tell you! You got me into a hornet’s nest of trouble. Making an accusation the way you did is just going to lead to gun play.”

“I would think a man like you wouldn’t be afraid of gun play.” She looked at him as if he was a cold-blooded killer.

His anger sounded in each word as he replied, “And I would think that someone like you would know accusing someone of horse rustling is not a healthy thing to do. You don’t accuse someone of horse rustling unless you want trouble.”

“Mister Harper, I am not afraid of trouble. I’m not afraid to...”

“Get yourself killed? ‘Cause that’s what you’re aiming to do, if you go around accusing a man of being a horse thief.”

“That’s why I told everyone we were engaged,” she explained quickly.

Jess slid closer to her. His arms formed a lasso around her as he gripped the sides of the wagon. “Now you explain where I come into all of this.”

She again swallowed before speaking. “I heard about the ranch hand that Slim Sherman hired a few weeks ago. I was told that he was someone who’s very good with a gun, and that he had hired his gun out before he signed on with Slim Sherman. I needed a gunman to keep Jack Phillips at bay, but I couldn’t afford to hire one.”

Jess leaned back in the seat, shocked at her revelation. “I’m awful curious about how you heard about me. Wait a minute! Mose! He told you about me, didn’t he? That old coot! He’s the only driver I know that talks more than drives.”

Her face gentled, “Mister Mose has been very kind to me, and I’ve known him for years. My pa and he were good friends. So when I said that I wish I could afford to hire a gunslinger, he may have mentioned...”

Jess’ frown was so large that she stopped speaking in mid sentence.

“Saying it is one thing, but how did you get the town to believe we were engaged?” Jess asked.

She smiled looking like the cat who ate the canary. “Your letters convinced everyone.”

Jess’s face again lit up with confusion. “What letters? I never wrote you any letters.”

“Three weeks ago, I took a stage trip to Laramie. Passed right through your relay station.”

He studied her closely. “I don’t remember...”

“You only caught a glimpse of me. I wore a hat and I was careful about where I stood, mostly inside the house, peeking out the window as if I was interested in the goings on, but I was really watching you. I needed to know what you looked like, and Mister Jonesy seemed all too ready to sit and talk a spell. Then I spent a week in Laramie. I heard some more about you there. When I got back, I told everyone how you had swept me off my feet; courted me. Oh it was a wonderful courtship, Mister Harper. You were very gallant, even if you are a gunslinger.” She smiled as if they had shared wonderful memories.

“Now look, lady...”

“Laura. It’s Laura.”

“I ain’t a gunslinger.”

“Oh.” The tone of her voice showed that she disagreed.

He bit back his words as his eyes narrowed with anger. “What about the letters?” Jess demanded.

“Mister Mose was kind enough to bring them to me each week. Oh you wrote regular. You never missed a week of sending me a letter. You were so smitten with me.”

“I never wrote!” Jess snarled.

“Oh I know,” she agreed with a bob of her head. “While I was in Laramie I penned them all. Wrote like I thought you would write. Then I gave the whole bunch to Mister Mose. Each week he delivered one of the letters, telling everyone in town who it was from, and of course I wrote back. I explained since you worked at the relay station, it only made sense for Mister Mose to deliver them instead of posting them. Those letters kept Jack Phillips at bay.”

Jess felt compelled to inform her, “Maybe for you, but he sent two gun men after me.”

Her face broke into astonishment. “I’m...I’m sorry. I had no idea. I thought I had out-smarted him and everything was fine. Mister Mose never mentioned a thing about that, and I did inquire about you. I really am sorry, Mister Harper, but what Moss told me must be true for you must be a very good gunslinger to survive two gun men.”

Jess stared at her as if he had never seen a woman.

“Mister Harper...”

“It’s Jess.”

“Jess,” she repeated, “I never meant harm to come to you. Truly I didn’t.” Her eyes begged him to believe her.

Jess showed no mercy as he growled, “And what did you think was going to happen? How long were we going to be engaged before Phillips began getting suspicious why I was never around here?”

She shrugged. “I guess I didn’t think that far ahead. I had hoped to hire some ranch hands once I built this place back up. I’ve been able to save a little money. But I have to buy more stock first, and I don’t have nearly enough saved yet to do that.”

“I noticed.” Jess shook his head as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Of all the fool notions I’ve heard, this beats them all. Well we’re heading back into town. You’re going to set the town straight about our engagement.”

“I can’t do that!” Every part of he body spoke defiance.

He answered with the unyielding authority of a man used to being obeyed. “You will do that.”

“I simply can’t.”

“You don’t understand. I ain’t askin’...”

“And I ain’t going!” she mocked as she folded her arms across her chest.

Jess untied the reins from the brake bar. “Oh you’re going. I’m taking this buckboard to town and...” He raised his arms to slap the leather against the horses.

“Oh you can drive me to town, Jess, but when we get there the sheriff is going to hear how you tooled with my affections. It’s called breach of promise, I think. There is a lawyer in town I could consult. I have your letters remember?”

“You’re loco!” Jess yelled, his voice so loud that it startled the horses. “Easy boy,” he said quickly, pulling back on the reins, steadying the horses.

“I only want to survive,” she explained. “It’s the only way I know. Now I’ll break off the engagement...eventually. but now is just not the right time.”

Jess took off his hat and slapped it against his knee. “If you were a man...”

“But I’m not!” she cut in with a small smile. “And I just can’t believe that even a gunslinger such as yourself would hurt a woman.” Her voice sounded strong with confidence but her eyes crinkled with worry.

“There’s always a first time,” Jess mumbled.

She refused to turn away from his glare. She stared back at him, just as hard as he stared at her. “You must be hungry. I’ll start supper while you put up the horses. There’s not enough room in the barn for your horse. I stall mine each night. So you’ll need to turn your horse into the corral after you stall my horses. You’ll find grain and hay in the barn.” She climbed down from the buckboard.

Jess slammed his hat back on his dusty hair. “Before you give any more orders, you best know, I’m riding back to Laramie tomorrow, and I will be talking to Mose. He won’t be delivering any more letters.”

Her face paled. “Well then I’ll just have to figure out another way to stop Jack Phillips from stealing my place.”

“You best let the sheriff handle this,” he advised.

She said nothing. She only turned and walked towards the house.

It was then he noticed that she had been holding a small derringer, hidden in the folds of her skirt.

Back to Fanfic

Back to The Hired Gun

Chapter Seven