chapter Two
A hot breeze stirred the southwest Texas air, and beads of sweat curled lazily past the bones of Trace’s back. He could feel the full strength of the sun as it pressed its rays upon the earth. The moisture gathered along the sides of his face clamped the stray ends of his shoulder-length hair to his skin. Removing his hat, Trace Castillo lifted his head to glance at the sun hanging overhead. The heat turned the leather of his saddle into a hot griddle. Yes, a cold drink, a fine woman, and some shade would be in order. Perhaps they could make him forget the conversation he’d had with Rand Weston. But where can I find such a willing woman?
Those words conjured up the beauty from yesterday. He wished he hadn’t gotten close enough to see those blue eyes spark when he told her man to put her on the stage. Now the vision of her haunted him, and he wondered if he’d used good reasoning. He ran his hands along the inside of his hatband and recalled the tilt of her lips as they pulled into that pout. No doubt she thought it gave her power over men. Maybe other men, but not him.
Those lips, he decided, may have looked like heaven but would be lethal poison to kiss. Experience had taught him the bitter lesson of what a woman hell-bent on power could do. No good would come of dwelling on a woman like that. He sighed. Ever since his entanglement with Amelia, he had avoided such women. Sought pleasure, yes, but he’d vowed never again to be placed under a spell.
With a sigh, he lifted his arm and pulled the sleeve across his brow in a futile attempt to remove the perspiration before it slithered into his eyes and set them on fire. Settling the hat back on his head, he tightened his grip on the reins, signaling his horse to move on.
The trail ran along the backside of a dry wash and then climbed gently to a broad flat meadow, good grazing land for the surrounding ranches. Those cattle had attracted men who swung a wide loop in the first place and gave the track its name, Rustlers’ Way. Taking the path at a slow and steady walk, he tilted his head to allow the deep shadow of his hat to cover his face. If any eyes were watching, he appeared to be just a vaquero, nodding off in the heat of the day. “Cottonwood Springs is not too far away. I think you and I will pause for a much-needed drink.” His horse flicked its ears in response.
He swerved to the path on the right and took a deep seat as the trail sloped down. Another rivulet of perspiration inched toward the belt of his low-slung trousers. Gripping the loose cotton of his chambray shirt, he shifted it away from his damp skin.
For a moment, he almost didn’t catch it. Yet it stirred again. A cold breath of apprehension wrapped its long fingers around the nape of his neck and lifted the hairs along his shoulders. Trace’s heart gave two quick beats.
Something wasn’t right. A new level of alertness traveled along his body and transferred to his horse, which sensed the change. The animal’s head rose, ears pitched forward, and he felt the gelding’s muscles dance. “Easy,” he murmured, placing a comforting hand on the horse’s neck. Keeping his voice low, he pulled his hand back and grazed the leather safety on his .45. It sprang free.
Off in the distance, where the image blurred like water, a thin spiral of black smoke rose in the warm air above a grove of cottonwood trees. Overhead, a gathering of birds, as dark as the night, rode the currents in a sinister lazy circle. Trace’s mouth ran dry, and the chill in his blood turned to ice.
“I am thinking this is not a good thing.”
At his horse’s snort, he grasped tight the reins between his fingers and gave a light touch with his heels. Diablo sprang to life, and Trace leaned low as the horse raced along the trail.
Galloping around the edge of the clearing, the only thing that greeted him was the sickly sweet odor of decomposition. He reined his horse into a sliding halt, stepping from the stirrups to the ground in a single fluid motion as if he and the animal were one blur of movement. Gun drawn, his stance braced, Trace eyed the perimeter. The whispers of a thousand dangers prickled his body until his skin crawled as if alive, yet nothing moved.
Alert, he stepped over to inspect the carnage. A lone wagon lay on its side, still smoldering. Through the flicker of the flames, he could see the once proud red paint peeled back and blistered by the heat, leaving only the blackened wood behind. Two bodies lay motionless, one near the front of the wagon, the second behind, only his booted feet visible. Between them, the wagon’s contents were strewn across the ground.
“Madre de Dios,” he whispered.
With a wary eye, he moved toward the closest body and knelt down. Trace grimaced and noted a bullet wound in the man’s chest. He hoped it had ended the driver’s life before someone brutally scalped him. Making the sign of the cross first, he reached over, lifted the edge of the man’s jacket, and found a brown wallet against the victim’s unmoving chest.
A feeling of dread twisted his gut. He flipped the wallet open and a string of curses poured from his lips. On the leather, embossed in gold print, he read the name Daniel Thornton. Trace rose, his heart pounding against his chest. Of course, the man with the woman would attract attention. Now, where was she?
He hurried to the second victim. His presence stirred the angry buzz of the bottleflies trying to get their fair share of the dark blood staining the soil. Trace drew his arm over his nose as he stepped close and peered down. To his relief, it was another man, most likely the second driver, the one called Moe Horne, killed in the same manner. Yet no sign of the woman.
Backing around the edge of the wagon, he began to search in a widening circle. The prints where ponies, both shod and unshod, had milled around, tearing up the ground before heading out, were obvious. Trace followed the direction of the tracks toward the desert, noting one wagon burned and one missing. Why? What were they carrying?
Rumors Rand had told him about the renegades moving along the border seemed to be true. If these were Mescalero raiders, he knew the price they took on their captives. He’d hate to think they’d taken the woman with them.
He stubbed his toe and looked down to see a broken piece of crate. The numbers burned into the wood leaped out at him: 4506, followed by the letter U and a partial letter he quickly assumed would be an S. He bent down and rescued it from the dirt. His gaze moved from the ground to a break between the trees, the footpath down to the spring. Something fluttered. Laying down the piece of wood, he rose carefully and walked toward the small cottonwood at the top of the path. A strip of white cloth fluttered in the breeze. His mouth ran dry.
She was in trouble. He knew it. As he moved to the path, he paused to remove the scrap from the snag, fingering the material. The soft cotton glided along his fingers. Material this delicate was something that wouldn’t chafe a woman’s skin. Bringing it to his nose, he inhaled the scent of fresh flowers and store-bought soap. Trace’s worry increased. Thornton was a damn fool to bring that type of woman along, the type a man couldn’t keep his eyes off no matter how much he tried.
Keeping to the south side of the embankment, he stopped to examine the scuff marks in the soft dirt, marks as if someone had fallen. Beyond him, the gurgle of the water filled the echoing silence. At the turn in the path, booted footprints and the smudge from a hand marked the trail. Taking a deep breath, not knowing what to expect, he rounded the corner—but found no one.
Trace glanced back. It was easy to see the prints led in but not out. His gaze rolled over the shallow canyon. There was no way out. His brow furrowed as he thought of the places they might have hidden her body. A thicket of scrub bushes near the north end of the spring caught his attention. Praying he wouldn’t have to see that cream-colored skin beneath the clear water, he moved with slow, deliberate steps, looking for any sign of life.
A discarded canteen lay near the water’s edge. Crouching down, he picked it up by the strap and shook it. Still full. Over the sound of the gurgling water, he heard a boot scuff against a rock. Alert to someone’s presence, Trace felt a rush of adrenalin roar through his veins. He turned, gun leveled, ready for a fight. Instead of the dark menace of the Apache, a wounded pair of blue eyes stared back. He had found her.
Trace tried to relax, but the rush of air from his lungs burst across his lips in a startled gasp. Frightened by the sound, she faded back, the branches rattling as they closed around her. A sense of urgency nearly overwhelmed him. He needed to take it easy. Licking his dry lips, he slid his gun back into its holster.
“Ma’am.” He spoke in an even tone so as not to frighten her. “Are you all right?”
Her eyes, illuminated with fear, stared back. Yet she did not speak.
Smile, he told himself and pulled his lips back over his teeth in an easy manner. “You remember me? We met yesterday.” He paused, waiting for her to remember. “At Cobb’s Crossing.”
She stilled, her brow wrinkled in thought.
Trace moved closer. The jangle of his spurs drew her attention, and he watched her eyes widen. Stopping, he crouched down so they were at eye level, close enough for him to see the bruise at her chin and the dirt ground into the sleeve of her right shoulder.
“You are hurt.” He held out his hand. “Please, let me help you.”
He studied her face and watched those eyes contort in pain. The hurt cut at his heart. “Come.”
She pushed her way through the tangle of branches clumped together.
“That’s it.” He relaxed. “Come out—” Trace’s encouragement died upon his lips. As the shadows fell away from her, he glimpsed the bloodstains on her left side.
He stepped forward and boldly took hold of her hand, sliding his other arm around her waist as she stumbled. “You’re wounded,” he said and, instinctively, drew her close.
Her face tilted up, and her eyes searched his, their faces mere inches apart. He stared into the depth of that velvety blue as it shimmered with tears—and became lost.
“Easy now.” He spoke softly, so low that only she could hear, and brought his hand up to sweep away the tendril of copper that lay pressed against her cheek.
Trace could make out the telltale rise and fall of her chest. Her mouth upturned seemed to beg for his lips. He shouldn’t, but he leaned closer anyway. Her eyes closed, and she swooned against him. “Querida,” he rasped, and scooped her boneless form into his arms to carry her up to the clearing.
Her lips parted with a soft sigh as he laid her body on the ground away from the carnage at the wagons. “Mrs. Thornton,” he called out again. When she didn’t respond, he put his hand to his mouth, clasped the supple leather of his gloves between his teeth, and pulled his fingers free.
Laying two fingers against the delicate skin on the side of her neck, he gave a sigh of relief as the steady thump of her heartbeat graced his fingertips. He cut a glance back over his shoulder at the bodies. Trace prayed she had not wandered closer and found the dead. Whoever did this may not have realized she’d survived. She must have spent last night hiding in that thicket. He retrieved his canteen, pulled the bandana from his pocket, and tilted the container to dampen the cloth. A brush across her lips and, to his relief, her mouth parted with a soft sigh. “Good,” he said softly, before his eyes moved to the ragged hole in her blouse. Grimacing, he did his best to pull the matted cloth away from her fragile skin, and she let out a low moan. Trace swore under his breath and cursed her husband as his fingers moved to the buttons.
“Forgive me,” he told her. Working quickly, he undid the top two buttons of her shirt and swept the cloth, plus the strap of her chemise, from her shoulder. A dark, jagged wound cut across it. The bullet had dug deep, but it hadn’t lodged in her shoulder. Easing her flat, he doused his kerchief with water and did his best to clean the wound.
As he dabbed at the dried blood and felt the skin beneath his fingers quiver, his own blood boiled with resentment. He poured more water on the cloth and ground his teeth together in hopes of freeing himself from his anger. “It will be all right, Mrs. Thornton, it will be all right,” he repeated, and wondered who he was trying to reassure, the unconscious woman or himself.
****
Mary Rose ached as if every bone in her body had been shaken loose. A repetitive sound drew her back through the labyrinth toward consciousness. With an urgency she could describe only as fear, she fought through the dark fog that enveloped her and tried to move. A groan of pain broke through her lips to accompany the deep throb in her shoulder.
The sound continued, something biting deep in the earth, a soft swoosh, and a pause as it ripped the dirt away. Torn between wanting to play dead and wanting to know, her heart beat with rapid thuds. Please, God, let me wake up, she prayed. The process seemed so simple; however, opening her eyes meant dislodging the weights that pressed them closed. Her tongue brushed across her lips.
“Help me,” she tried to say. Her words were garbled, unrecognizable from her scratchy throat. She swallowed and hoped for enough moisture to help the raw feeling. “Help me.” She called one more time, drawing from the deep reserve of strength close to her soul. “Help.”
The small stones under someone’s feet crunched as footsteps approached. An odd jingle filled the air. She recognized the roll of a spur.
“Mrs. Thornton?”
She couldn’t recognize the deep male voice, but she knew she’d heard it before.
“If you can, open your eyes. You are safe.”
Safe. The word made her his to command. Unsure of anything except the sound of his voice, she grasped his urging as a lifeline. Holding on to the need to find an end to this nightmare, she battled the sluggishness of her soul. Her lashes parted from her cheek and, at the first glimmer of light, she fought harder. Bit by bit, her eyes opened.
“Yes,” he encouraged her. “Open them.”
Slowly, the color of life filled in, and then, to her delight, a face, his features framed by strands of dark hair the color of the night. A strong square jaw, bronze-skinned, emerge. Moving up the face, her gaze settled on eyes the color of the sky at dawn, so sharp, so crystal blue they seemed to hold her own reflection. Eyes that appeared warm, genuine, honest, and filled with concern. Those eyes—his eyes—gazed back.
Something deep inside her somersaulted and took hold of her heart, making it beat with a rapid rat-tat-tat against her ribs. If death was indeed nearby, here stood her guardian angel ready to walk her through the pearly gates. She watched as his lips pulled back to reveal a dazzling smile of satisfaction. “Welcome back.”
“Back?” Her questioning word sounded as hazy as she felt. Where had she been?
He reached beside her and held up a canteen. “Water?”
Her throat seemed raw and inflamed. “Yes, please,” she croaked.
His fingers were cool and comforting against the warmth of her neck as his hand slid behind her head. He lifted her slightly and her shoulder came alive with the stings of ten thousand bees. A gasp stumbled from her lips.
“Easy. I know it hurts.”
Her lashes brushed against her cheek as she squeezed her eyes shut, but not before a tear coursed down her cheek.
“Open,” he said gently.
She felt the lip of the spout touch her bottom lip, and her mouth opened for the reward of cool water. She held it for a moment, then swallowed. The chill of spring water bathed her throat as it meandered down. With the process accomplished, he laid her head back and watched as she opened her eyes again. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome.”
He sat back on his haunches and replaced the stopper. Sunlight caught something metallic on his shirt. Intrigued, she stared at the star that hung on his chest. Her brow furrowed. They had met. She was sure.
“You remember?”
She didn’t want to. She wanted to forget. Her gaze rolled around the clearing. Nothing moved. She looked past the charred wagon, caught the mound of fresh dirt. Her eyes widened as her heart forgot to beat. She swallowed, but nothing would go past the lump in her throat. Her glance turned back to his face. He stared back without emotion. In those dark depths, she discovered the ugly truth.
She took another deep breath and opened her mouth as a rush of remembered sounds assaulted her mind—Moe’s remarks, then her brother’s voice shouting her name, the bark of a rifle, and her own screams. Mary Rose cried out and her eyes shut against the wave of nausea that followed.
“Mrs. Thornton?” His voice, tinged with worry, called to her.
She felt his warm hand take hers, and he covered it with his other. Her eyes opened and she found he’d drawn it to his chest.
Her brother’s name tumbled from her lips. “Daniel,” she whispered.
He shook his head. A deep pain seared across her chest.
His voice, clipped, laced with ire, filled her ears. “You are the only survivor.”
She wondered why his anger seemed directed at her. It wasn’t her fault, or Daniel’s. Her heart lurched, and the tremble that had started in her chin grew stronger. “No.” The shattered word slipped from her mouth. “Please, no!”
Tears moved one after another as the loss of her brother settled across her shoulders. Too numb to move, she felt something brush her cheek as his fingers swept away her sorrow.
“I am sorry, so sorry for your loss,” he said.
What could she do? What else could he say? What else could anyone say?
Taking her silence for acceptance, the marshal spoke again. “Let’s get you into town. Claiborne is too far away. It will be easier to go to Cobb’s Crossing.”
“I can’t go,” she began in a weak protest. Her eyes darted around, looking for a way out of this dilemma. “I can’t go home and leave him here, not alone.”
“I have buried them, Mrs. Thornton.”
Her soft sobs filled the space behind his words. Her brother lay in the ground, dirt filling his nostrils, covering his skin, nothing to protect him from the scavengers. Now the tears came in earnest. Somehow, she found herself cradled against a solid chest.
“Come, I will take you from this place of misery,” he crooned. One hand stroked her hair. “Hush, hush, there was nothing you could do.”
Mary Rose tried to compose herself. So many questions flooded her mind. Her brow furrowed. “I have—” She took in a shattered breath. “My wagons? Where are my wagons?”
“One wagon only,” he replied. “And that one burned. The other is now gone.”
Anger replaced hurt. Almost everything they had worked for was now vanished or destroyed. As quickly as it came, she felt the fight fade and become despair. It hurt too much to care, to think. She stared at the deep red Texas soil and mumbled, “It’s all gone.”