Relentless (4 page)

It was getting late when Sarah sent Andy on to bed and took up her vigil at the wounded Ranger’s bedside. Their father hadn’t returned from Eagle Ridge yet, and she knew there would be trouble when he finally did come home, but for the moment, the only thing that really mattered was keeping watch over the injured man. She would worry about her father later.

Ever so gently, Sarah touched the Ranger’s forehead. She was relieved to find he hadn’t developed a fever. She turned the lamp on the bedside table down to a softer glow and sat back in the chair to keep watch over him.

Frank regained consciousness slowly, coming back from the peace of oblivion to the agony of reality. The throbbing in his head was nearly unbearable.

A sudden sense of panic filled him—

There was danger—

Something was wrong—

He opened his eyes and looked around to find himself in a darkened room that he had never seen
before. His panic worsened, and he was suddenly sure he needed to get out of there fast!

He tried to move, but the pain in his side stopped him cold, and a low groan of pure misery escaped him as he fell back on the bed.

Sarah had dozed off for a moment. The sound of the Ranger’s groan startled her—and thrilled her—for she knew it meant he was finally coming around.

“You’re awake—Thank God—”

The sound of the unknown feminine voice so close beside him shocked Frank, and he looked over to find a beautiful, fair-haired young woman sitting by the bedside. He frowned.

“Who are you?” he asked, confused. She was so pretty, he knew he certainly would have remembered her if he’d ever seen her before. He tried to lever himself up on his elbow, but she put a hand on his shoulder to stop him from moving.

“Stay still. You’ve been hurt. My name’s Sarah.”

He looked up at her as he lay back, trying to place her, but he had no memory of ever meeting her before. Yet here he was lying in a bed with her sitting beside him. “Should I know you?”

“No—I’ll tell you everything that happened, but, first, tell me—what’s your name?”

For one long moment, his dark-eyed gaze met hers, and she could see the haunted look in his eyes.

Frank desperately searched for a clue to his own identity, but his mind was a total blank. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly.

“What?” Sarah was stunned by his revelation.

Frank lifted one hand to his head and realized he was bandaged. “I have no memory of anything—What happened to me?”

“My brother Andy and I heard some gunshots, and we went to see what was going on. We found you at the bottom of a ravine. Someone had shot you and then your horse must have thrown you. Luckily, the bullet had just grazed your head.”

Believing someone was out to kill him, he knew he had to take action. “I’ve got to get away from here—They might be still out there—”

“No, don’t try to get up—Please—” She pressed him back down again. “You’ve been here for hours now, and no one has shown up. We didn’t see anybody near where we found you either. Whoever shot you must have gone on, thinking you were dead.”

Frank was surprised by how weak he was. The pain in his side was excruciating, not to mention his headache.

“Here—let me show you something. It might help you remember—” Sarah went out into the front hall and got his Ranger badge from where she’d left it on the table. She came back into the bedroom and handed it to him. “You’re a Ranger. You were wearing this when we found you today.”

Frank frowned as he stared at the Texas Ranger badge. He concentrated, trying to remember anything that would help him recall his past, but there was nothing except the pain that ravaged him. “I
don’t remember—” He gripped the badge in his hand, a tortured look on his face.

Sarah understood his misery and wanted to help, but she knew there was little she could do at that moment. “The best thing for you to do right now is rest,” she told him. “Your memory will return. It’s just a matter of time.”

“I hope you’re right—”

“Do you want something to eat or drink?”

“Water—”

She quickly brought him a glass of water and helped him sit up slightly so he could take a few sips. Just that little exertion exhausted him and he lay back wearily on the bed.

“I’ll be right here if you need anything,” she said, starting to move away.

Frank looked over at her again. “Sarah—”

She quickly turned back to him, thinking something was wrong.

“Thank you.”

Sarah gently touched his arm. “I’m just glad we found you in time.”

“So am I.”

They said no more as he closed his eyes, seeking release from the pain.

It was almost midnight when Sarah heard her father ride up to the house. She slipped quickly from her bedroom, closing the door quietly behind her so the Ranger wouldn’t be disturbed.

“What’s going on? What the hell are you doing up this late?” Nat Miller snarled as he staggered
into the house to find his daughter still up and fully dressed.

“Waiting to talk to you, Papa. Something happened while you were gone, and I wanted to tell you about it right away.”

Nat swore vilely as he threw his hat aside. It was then he noticed the strange gun belt on the hall table.

“What’s this doing here?”

“It belongs to the Ranger—”

“Ranger?” He frowned.

“Papa, let’s go into the kitchen. We have to talk.”

Nat realized that she’d closed her bedroom door when she’d come out, and he stomped over to open it. The sight that greeted him was a shock. There was a half-dressed strange man lying unconscious in his daughter’s bed. He could see the bandages on the man’s head and chest and he wondered what in the world had happened while he’d been gone.

“Get into the kitchen,” he ordered, shutting the door again.

He followed Sarah there and sat down facing her at the table.

“I want to know everything—now!” The last thing he’d wanted tonight was trouble. He’d done his drinking and he’d even won a little playing poker. He’d been feeling half good until he’d come home to this—

“I was out riding with Andy and we heard some gunshots. We went to check and found the Ranger unconscious in a ravine. He was lucky to be alive. Whoever ambushed him just barely missed killing
him. The bullet grazed his head, and then his horse must have thrown him.”

“How do you know he’s a Ranger?” Nat challenged.

“He was wearing his badge,” she told him.

“So, has he come to yet?”

“Yes. He woke up for a little while earlier.”

“What did he say?”

“Not much. I think he has amnesia,” Sarah said. “He couldn’t even remember his own name. I gave him his badge, thinking it might jar his memory, but it didn’t help. He couldn’t remember anything. It was a little frightening for him.”

Nat wasn’t happy about the state of things, but, even drunk as he was, he knew there was nothing more he could do that night.

“You go wake your brother up. I don’t want you in a bedroom at night with a strange man. I don’t care if he’s injured or not. It ain’t right.”

She started to tell him Andy hadn’t been in bed all that long, but knew what would happen if she tried to contradict one of her father’s orders when he was drunk. “Yes, Papa.”

“I’m going to bed. You make sure I ain’t woke up in the morning.”

“Yes, Papa.” She watched him disappear into his own room and shut the door. Then she hurried off to wake Andy.

Her brother was sleepy, but he understood why she was getting him up. Neither one of them ever wanted to rile their father when he’d been drinking. She told him all that had happened.

“What do I do if the Ranger wakes up again?”

“Come and get me right away. I’ll be in your room.”

Andy went to keep watch over the wounded man, while Sarah sought what rest she could in her brother’s bedroom. But even as tired as she was, sleep would not come. Her concern for the Ranger troubled her. She worried that if the ones who’d tried to kill him learned he was still alive, they would come back looking for him to finish the job. Somehow, she had to convince her father to let him stay on the ranch until his memory returned. Only that way could the man be safe.

It was daylight when Frank awoke to find himself alone in the strange bedroom. He lay there for a long moment, trying to remember how he’d come to be there—what had happened—but there was nothing. His only memory was of the girl named Sarah who’d been by his side the night before and who had told him he was a Texas Ranger. He lifted the badge that he still held clutched in his hand to look at it, but it stirred nothing within him.

His whole life was a blank.

It was as if he’d never existed before now.

A moment of panic threatened Frank. His head was still pounding and his side hurt. He knew only that he’d been injured, nothing else.

Determination filled him. He couldn’t just lie there. He had to move. It took all the strength he could draw upon, but he did it. He managed to swing his long legs over the side of the bed and sit
up. A wave of dizziness swept over him, and he rested his head in his hands as he fought for control.

“You’re moving—” Sarah had been cooking breakfast for Andy and had decided to look in on him. She was glad she had as she hurried to his side. He looked as if he was still in a lot of pain. “Are you all right?”

Frank lifted his head to find the girl he remembered coming toward him. He was glad to see her again. Her pretty face gave him something to focus on.

“I think so,” he managed.

She reached out and put her hand to his cheek.

For a moment, he was surprised by her gentle touch, but her next words explained everything.

“You don’t have a fever and that’s good, but even so, it’s going to take you a while to recover, so don’t try to do too much right away. You’re still weak.”

“I just found that out,” he agreed.

“I’m cooking breakfast. Are you up to eating something?”

“Yes, please.”

“Good.” Sarah knew it was a positive sign that he was hungry. “Sit back on the bed. I’ll bring it in to you.”

He did as he’d been ordered, and as the delicious aroma from the kitchen made its way through the house, he knew he was in for a treat.

“Here you are,” Sarah said, returning to the bedroom several minutes later carrying a plate piled high with food. A young man followed behind her
with a cup of coffee for him. She handed him the plate.

“This is my brother Andy,” she explained, nodding at the young man.

“Glad to meet you.” After shaking Andy’s hand, Frank stared down at the home-cooked food. It had been a long time since he’d enjoyed a meal like this one. There were fried eggs, bacon, fried potatoes and biscuits.

As Andy put the coffee on the small bedside table, he saw the look on the Ranger’s face and hurried to reassure him, “My sis is a good cook.”

“I wasn’t worried about that,” Frank said, managing a half smile. “I was just wondering if there was more where this came from.”

“Ranger, if you want more, just say the word,” Sarah told him. “It’s good that you’ve got an appetite.”

“With cooking like this, who wouldn’t?” He started to eat, then turned to Andy. “You were with your sister when she rescued me, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, thank you for all your help.”

Andy smiled at him. “I’m just glad you’re better.”

“So am I.”

Andy and Sarah went back to the kitchen to eat their own breakfasts.

“What are we going to do about him?” Andy asked, looking up at his sister with all the concern he felt showing in his eyes.

“Until he’s stronger, he needs to stay here with us so he’ll be safe.”

“I know,” Andy agreed. “I’m worried about him, not knowing who he is and all. That’s got to be hard for him.”

“I know. We’ll talk to Papa about it when he gets up.”

They both knew it would be hard convincing their father to help the man. Their father wasn’t known for his kindness or generosity with strangers, but still, since this man was a Texas Ranger, they hoped that would make a difference.

Andy had just come back in the kitchen after getting the Ranger’s dishes when their father appeared in the doorway. They were surprised that he was up so early. Usually after a night in town, he slept well into the afternoon, but not today.

“Is he awake?” Nat demanded of them.

“Yes, Papa,” Andy answered quickly. “And he managed to eat his breakfast, too.”

“Then I think I need to have a talk with him.” Nat turned and headed toward the bedroom.

Sarah and Andy quickly followed.

“Young man, I think we need to talk,” Nat said gruffly as he walked right into the bedroom without announcing himself. He found the stranger sitting up in bed. Nat took note of his bandaged chest and head, and he knew Sarah hadn’t been exaggerating when she’d told him how close the Ranger had come to being killed.

Frank tensed as he looked over at the man, but said nothing for the time being.

“I’m Nat Miller. This here is my ranch—the Circle M.”

Frank nodded slightly. “I appreciate your family helping me this way. There’s no telling what might have happened to me if Sarah and Andy hadn’t brought me back here.”

Nat stood looking down at him. “My daughter says you’re a Ranger.”

“That’s what she told me, but I have no memory of anything before yesterday when I woke up here,” Frank answered honestly.

“Nothing at all? Not your name? Or who might have been trying to kill you? I don’t need no trouble here on the ranch.” Nat studied the wounded man, watching to see if he was lying.

Frank looked up at him and met his gaze straight on. “No. Nothing.”

Nat appreciated that the man looked him in the eye. He knew then he wasn’t a liar. “All right. You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you need to, and we won’t go telling anybody that you’re here, just in case someone is out gunning for you. The fewer people who know where you are, the better.”

“I appreciate it.”

“You rest up.” Nat turned and left the room.

Frank watched him go, and then closed his eyes in frustration as he tried desperately to remember something that would give him a clue to his identity.