side, giving him a fierce, hard as whetstone appearance.
The cowboy tipped his hat to Claire and backed away until he was sure he was going to be allowed to leave. Then he turned and scurried—that was the precise word that came to Claire’s mind—scurried away.
She turned to the man who had caused the cowboy to flee and asked, “Do you always have that effect on people?”
“Afraid so.” His lips curled in disgust. “I’ve never gotten used to it.”
“I’m glad you came, Jake.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t?”
“I was worried when I didn’t hear from you.”
“I was busy. Had some business to finish for theRangers. When I got your message I was already halfway up the Chihuahua Trail, so I decided to come ahead rather than stop somewhere to wire I was on my way.”
Claire noticed the five-point star hammered from a Mexican
cinco peso
coin that was pinned to Jake’s shirt, half-hidden beneath his black leather vest. She had never been so grateful that her brother was a Texas Ranger as she was now. Jake would make certain that the man, or men, who had robbed and murdered Sam were brought to justice.
Claire longed to step into Jake’s arms, to give comfort, and to receive it. Things weren’t that easy with her brother. She stood there feeling awkward, letting her eyes say everything her lips didn’t.
Thank you for coming. I’m frightened. I need your help
.
Jake realized Claire was slowly but surely dropping the package in her arms. He took it from her and was amazed at how heavy it was. “What’s in here?”
Her smile accentuated the lines of grief on her face. “Coffee and peaches. And bullets.”
He raised a black brow. “Expecting a little trouble?”
“More than a little.”
Jake was forced to put a hand around Claire’s shoulder or watch her fall. “Where can we get a cup of coffee?”
She gestured toward the cantina and Jake headed off in that direction past a row of one-story adobe and wooden buildings. There was no sidewalk, and the spring rains had left the street muddy. Claire’s hem gave mute evidence to the fact she had already done some walking in town. Not that there was much to the town, just two rows of facing buildings that had grown up around the springs. It was enough to justify a stop by the Overland Stage.
All eyes turned toward them when they entered the dingy adobe building. There was a decided hush as Jake walked all the way to the back of the cantina. He seated Claire at a round wooden table, then took a chair that put his back to the adobe wall. As soon as they were settled, the cantina erupted in whispered exchanges.
A withered Mexican woman came to wait on them, and Jake ended up ordering a steak, pinto beans, rice, and tortillas to go with his coffee. When the food arrived, he wolfed it down like a starving man and asked for a second helping.
Amused, Claire asked, “When was the last time you ate?”
“Don’t remember,” Jake managed between bites. “Must have been day before yesterday.”
During the meal, Claire took advantage of the opportunity to tell Jake everything she knew about what had happened to Sam. It wasn’t much.
“He had sold the cattle in Colorado and was on the last leg of his journey back home when the stagecoach was held up. They brought his body back to me.”
Jake stared around the room rather than confront the despair in Claire’s hazel eyes. He scowled when he realized several of the men in the cantina were surreptitiously ogling her.
He could hardly blame them. Even with reddened eyes and exhausted from lack of sleep, his sister was a beautiful woman. Even more enticing was the appearance of vulnerability caused by her huge, doelike eyes. Her upswept honey-colored hair had begun to fall down in wisps at her brow and nape. Though she had a woman’s body, she was tiny enough to raise a man’s protective urges.
She would have been a prize for any man, even without the ranch. Only, from what Claire had said,the men
The cowboy tipped his hat to Claire and backed away until he was sure he was going to be allowed to leave. Then he turned and scurried—that was the precise word that came to Claire’s mind—scurried away.
She turned to the man who had caused the cowboy to flee and asked, “Do you always have that effect on people?”
“Afraid so.” His lips curled in disgust. “I’ve never gotten used to it.”
“I’m glad you came, Jake.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t?”
“I was worried when I didn’t hear from you.”
“I was busy. Had some business to finish for theRangers. When I got your message I was already halfway up the Chihuahua Trail, so I decided to come ahead rather than stop somewhere to wire I was on my way.”
Claire noticed the five-point star hammered from a Mexican
cinco peso
coin that was pinned to Jake’s shirt, half-hidden beneath his black leather vest. She had never been so grateful that her brother was a Texas Ranger as she was now. Jake would make certain that the man, or men, who had robbed and murdered Sam were brought to justice.
Claire longed to step into Jake’s arms, to give comfort, and to receive it. Things weren’t that easy with her brother. She stood there feeling awkward, letting her eyes say everything her lips didn’t.
Thank you for coming. I’m frightened. I need your help
.
Jake realized Claire was slowly but surely dropping the package in her arms. He took it from her and was amazed at how heavy it was. “What’s in here?”
Her smile accentuated the lines of grief on her face. “Coffee and peaches. And bullets.”
He raised a black brow. “Expecting a little trouble?”
“More than a little.”
Jake was forced to put a hand around Claire’s shoulder or watch her fall. “Where can we get a cup of coffee?”
She gestured toward the cantina and Jake headed off in that direction past a row of one-story adobe and wooden buildings. There was no sidewalk, and the spring rains had left the street muddy. Claire’s hem gave mute evidence to the fact she had already done some walking in town. Not that there was much to the town, just two rows of facing buildings that had grown up around the springs. It was enough to justify a stop by the Overland Stage.
All eyes turned toward them when they entered the dingy adobe building. There was a decided hush as Jake walked all the way to the back of the cantina. He seated Claire at a round wooden table, then took a chair that put his back to the adobe wall. As soon as they were settled, the cantina erupted in whispered exchanges.
A withered Mexican woman came to wait on them, and Jake ended up ordering a steak, pinto beans, rice, and tortillas to go with his coffee. When the food arrived, he wolfed it down like a starving man and asked for a second helping.
Amused, Claire asked, “When was the last time you ate?”
“Don’t remember,” Jake managed between bites. “Must have been day before yesterday.”
During the meal, Claire took advantage of the opportunity to tell Jake everything she knew about what had happened to Sam. It wasn’t much.
“He had sold the cattle in Colorado and was on the last leg of his journey back home when the stagecoach was held up. They brought his body back to me.”
Jake stared around the room rather than confront the despair in Claire’s hazel eyes. He scowled when he realized several of the men in the cantina were surreptitiously ogling her.
He could hardly blame them. Even with reddened eyes and exhausted from lack of sleep, his sister was a beautiful woman. Even more enticing was the appearance of vulnerability caused by her huge, doelike eyes. Her upswept honey-colored hair had begun to fall down in wisps at her brow and nape. Though she had a woman’s body, she was tiny enough to raise a man’s protective urges.
She would have been a prize for any man, even without the ranch. Only, from what Claire had said,the men
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