"Anyone back there?" Lucas moved past Brogan to look for himself. The cells were empty. "You let Baxter go already?"
"Yep," Brogan replied after putting the articles outside. "His wife came for him. From the looks of it, he's going to suffer more at home than he would have if he'd remained here." Brogan settled behind the desk and pulled open a drawer. "Got a telegram from Casper. They've issued a warrant for the Carver brothers."
While Brogan spoke of the current situation with known outlaws in the area, Lucas couldn't shake the feeling something else was happening. There didn't seem to be a good reason for the men to gather nearby. There was nothing of interest in Silver City, Idaho to attract such a large gang. He studied Brogan and the large Scot scowled. "You're trying to figure it out too aren't you?"
Interesting how being friends for the last few years meant they could almost read each other's minds.
"Do you think it's us? Did we bring this mess with us?"
Just a few months earlier, they'd been hunting down the Bill Burns gang before being ambushed and gunned down. Someone or something had scared off the outlaws because both he and Brogan had survived the attack. Now, it was possible the outlaws were regrouping. "Why else would they bring others in?"
"Hopefully, it's not us. If it is, we'll be ready for 'em," Lucas replied. Although internally, he wondered if bringing others in to the trouble that came for him and Brogan was worth it. Sure they could round up a large group of men. But in his opinion, his life was not worth losing the lives of innocent people. Perhaps the repose was over and it was time to go back to the nomadic life of a US Marshal.
If the outlaws wanted blood, then it meant either leave, or put the entire town of Silver City in grave danger.
CHAPTER TWO
"HE'S STILL THERE," Camille told her friend, Sarah, three days later. "The man comes by every day to check on me. I'm not sure what to think." She peered out the window to see Deputy McKade had made himself comfortable in front of her small shop. He sat in one of the rockers she provided for anyone needing a rest.
Sarah laughed. "I think he's sweet on you and is taking advantage of the fact you were hurt as an excuse to see you."
It was hard to keep from showing her true feelings toward the man. Her body reacted to his presence in such an unsettling manner she often had to steel herself to keep from shivering. Never had she had something so peculiar happen and Camille wasn't sure she liked it.
The one relationship in her past had been hurtful and dark. Most of the time, when she recalled any experience with the man, the only emotions she could muster were disgust and anger. How she'd ended up with such a cruel man was a matter Camille tried to keep from recalling.
For now, she was content in the life she'd constructed for herself. She owned the small apothecary, surrounded by the scents of herbs and dried flowers, along with perfumed oils. Her current situation was quite the contrast to the way she'd lived up until moving to Silver City.
Instead of days spent outdoors and moving from place to place, she had stability and could actually breathe. The only thing that could ruin everything was to become entangled with someone like Lucas McKade. Not just a man, but also a lawman.
"Camille?" Sarah watched her with interest. "Are you sure everything is all right with you? Seems to me you keep drifting."
"I was thinking." Camille ensured her voice was light. "I may go on a short trip. Visit family."
"Oh, goodness," Sarah exclaimed covering her mouth with her right hand. "Camille, you don't have any family. You told me so yourself when we first met."
The thing about lying was remembering what story you told who. Now, Camille attempted to keep Sarah from dragging her back to the clinic and insisting she was somehow daft from falling out of the tree.
"I have an aunt. She's very old, my only family, actually. I hadn't thought of her in a long time. I received a letter a week ago. She’s very ill."
Although her friend's expression remained guarded, her brow crinkled and eyes narrowed, Sarah nodded slowly. "I am not sure you should make plans to travel so soon after such as a scare."
"I'm fine. Really, I don't know why you and Mr. McKade are making such a fuss." Camille smiled at Sarah. "I do have to admit, it's nice to have someone who cares. Thank you for that, Sarah."
"You should thank Lucas, too." Sarah's eyes twinkled with mirth. "I think he's adorable and quite handsome, too. Have you not noticed?"
Of course she'd noticed. But she wasn't about to admit it out loud. "He's a nice man. But I am not at all interested in any assignation with a man at this point in my life. I know you are about to marry Sheriff Hage, but don't you wonder how they happened to come here out of the blue?"