Careful, Allie.
She made her expression bland as she wrapped a length of bandaging around one of Big Mack's front legs. "I've known Mr. Gabriel for a long time. Since I was about your age, in fact. We lived at the same orphanage."
"Like what we're going to have?"
Allie glanced back over Jay's shoulder, resisting the urge to shush him. Brandon was asleep, and anyhow, he'd have to know of their plans soon, she thought reluctantly. "Yes. But ours will be better. A happy place." I hope.
"How did you stop those men from killing him, Mama?"
Allie turned to look into Jay's chocolate-dark eyes. Nothing but the truth would do. She hoped he would understand.
"I had to shoot Jimmy's pa in the leg, Jay. He was the ringleader."
To her surprise, Jay only nodded, accepting her statement with stoic eight-year-old wisdom.
After a moment, he said, "I'm glad. But I wish I could've helped you. How many were there?"
Allie shook her head. "I'm not sure. And it's over now." A lie, if she'd ever told one.
Jay didn't respond. His body was tense, and he turned worried eyes to her. Now, she heard it too. A horse, cantering in slowly. Finishing the bandaging, she wiped her hands on a rag and rose. She took the shotgun from the corner where it stood.
Cocking it, she lifted the edge of the blue gingham curtain to see what she could by the light of the rising half-moon. The rider stopped several yards from the front porch.
"Allie! It's Doc Wilkins. May I come on in?"
Allie sank her teeth into her lower lip. Truth to tell, she'd be glad to have the older man look at her handiwork with Brandon's wounds. But was he alone? And was he here for that purpose, or had he come to deliver a message from the others?
She crossed the room and opened the front door a crack. "Are you alone?"
"I am."
She pulled the door wider and leveled the gun at the darkness. Her breathing was steady and even. She would shoot the first person through the door if it wasn't Doc Wilkins. He damn well better be alone.
He'd never given her reason to mistrust him. Somehow, she felt he'd been unaware of this afternoon's plans. But one man couldn't have gone up against the entire town anyway, she reminded herself, even had he known.
He walked his horse slowly to the rail at the front porch and dismounted slowly. Suddenly, Allie was aware of the age in the doctor's carriage. His stooped shoulders and slow gait spoke of a man who was no longer young enough to make these evening housecalls. When he crossed the threshold, she saw it in his eyes, as well.
He gave her a steady, reassuring look, motioning at the gun she still held. "Would you mind, young lady?" He held a leather medical bag in one hand. "I brought one of my smaller bags with me. Lighter, you know, since I was on horseback. I didn't want to bring the buggy."
She understood. It would attract more attention, if anyone was watching. Pushing the door shut, she bolted it quickly and set the shotgun back in the corner.
"How's your patient?" He glanced toward the back bedroom and started in that direction, but Allie stepped in front of him.
"I have to know something, Doc." She laid a hand on his arm. "Whose side are you on?"
He eyed her steadily. "I'm here, young lady. That's not easy for an old man to do on these rough roads in the dark."
He was trying to tease her, but she knew there was truth in what he said by the way he'd dismounted so stiffly. He reached out and took her hand in his, and she felt the twisted joints of his fingers, a sign of painful arthritis. A wave of guilt washed over her.
"I'm sorry. It – what happened this afternoon – well, it's been really hard. He's hurt bad." She glanced at Jay, sitting silently beside Big Mack.
"Why, hello, Jay," the doctor said with a quick smile. "I didn't see you there." He looked over the rims of his glasses. "What's wrong with Big Mack?"
"Tangled with a wild cat, Doc," Jay said, a tremor of the anxiety he was feeling in his tone. "Can you see to him too, before you go?"
Doc winked at him. "Sure thing, son. Don't you worry now. It's getting late – probably about bedtime for you, isn't it?"
Allie took the hint. "Yes, Jay, why don't you get cleaned up and ready for bed?"
"Won't you need me to help? I mean, with Mr. Gabriel?"
Allie shook her head. "Doc's here now. He'll see to him just fine. But you'll need to sleep in here again tonight in case Big Mack needs you."
Immediately, Jay got to his feet. Allie smiled at him, running a quick hand over his dark hair as he walked by her.
She turned to Doc. "Ready?"
"After you. I don't want to get plugged." His grin froze and faded at her look. "What's wrong?"
Her voice was low. "I'm not so sure that's going to be something to worry about, Doc, ever again. I did my best on his hand, but…they really hurt him."
The doctor gave her a kind smile and a pat on her arm that brought sudden tears to her eyes.
"Let me have a look."
Chapter 6