The Firecracker Gets Her Man (3 page)

“Gray! You didn’t sell him, Papa?” she asked, unable to believe what she was hearing. Her father had promised to sell her stallion if she ran off with that snake!

“I couldn’t sell Gray, honey. I knew you would be back and I just couldn’t get rid of your horse. He loves you as much as you love him. I’m a real softie.”

“You are a dear man, Papa, and I truly love you and I appreciate you so much more now that I have grown up. Thank you for Gray,” she tearfully proclaimed, and then hugged Caleb and gave him a kiss. “I am crying I am so happy!” she admitted, permitting herself to show her true emotions. Crying wasn’t something she did very often, but when she did cry, the emotion, whether happy like now, or sad, was very real.

She hurried to run upstairs, and when she came down she was dressed in boys’ clothing, and wearing a floppy hat that had enough room to tuck up her hair, which she’d plaited into a very thick braid. The shirt and her jacket effectively hid her breasts, and the pants were baggy enough to hide the feminine shape of her backside. She wore a gun belt strapped around her waist, and her father knew her well enough to know she would use her gun to protect herself if necessary.

“You be careful, little girl. I really don’t like this, you know.”

“I know, Papa. I have to try and get help for that poor woman. If she is with Cane’s gang, she will need you too.”

“Be careful!” Caleb repeated, giving her a fierce hug that hurt. When she squealed, he quickly released her. “I’m sorry, Rachel. I’m just concerned.”

“I know, Papa. I love you too, and I will be home as soon as I find Lance and tell him what we know.” She left the house before he could give her another bone crushing hug, and hurried to the barn in back. “Gray! Oh, Gray, I missed you so much, boy!”

The animal looked for her and nodded when he saw her standing there. He moved forward, and nuzzled her shoulder, while she petted him and kissed his neck. “I love you, boy. Papa took good care of you, didn’t he? Did he ride you?” she asked, quickly throwing his blanket on his back, and then picking up her saddle and expertly cinching the straps so the saddle wouldn’t slip as she was riding. “Let’s go, boy. We need to find Lance.”

She led him out of the barn, closed the door, and then mounted, riding out of town at a sedate pace, doing nothing to attract attention. That was the last thing Lance would want at this point. The town was already full of excitement and in full preparation for the Fourth of July celebration. He wouldn’t want any hint of gossip reaching Jared Cane’s ears about a ranger being around. Once she was out of town, she headed toward the spot where their patient was found. Hopefully Lance would still be there.

* * *

Lance knew he wouldn’t be able to see much of anything if the moon wasn’t shining so brightly. All the signs pointed to the fact that the doctor’s patient had crawled to the road from a campsite a short distance away. He was trying to get help. Lance followed the trail he left, and found traces of a campfire where a few of the coals were still hot. There were wagon tracks, and Lance suspected the man did have a wife, and she was taken by the thieves for their own enjoyment. He was going to need to act fast if he hoped to find the woman and save her life.

Lance was suddenly aware that another rider was approaching, so he stood behind a tree that would give him some protection. The moonlight allowed him to see the rider was male, and wearing a gun. He was also riding a fine stallion. He saw the boy dismount and look around, and then Lance’s horse decided to stomp and snort at the other stallion.

The boy drew his gun. “Come out where I can see you!” the kid ordered.

“Put that gun down before I tan your hide, kid,” Lance growled. “Where is your gang hiding out?”

“Lance?” the husky voice asked.

“Yeah, who is asking?”

“Lance, it’s me, Rachel Waterford,” Rachel said in her natural voice instead of lowering it to sound like a young boy.

“Rachel, I told you to stay at home! It is dangerous for you to be out here.”

“I have a good reason,” she said, trying to explain.

“There is no good reason for you to put your life in danger, little girl. What you need is a damn good lesson to teach you the meaning of the word no!” He was livid. “What do you think you are doing; trying to prove that you can do as you please with no consequences?”

“No, of course not! I have news if you’ll just shut up and listen to me!” she snapped, her own temper flaring in response to his anger.

“Talk.” His voice was sharp, but he was furious with Rachel, and he fully intended to set her britches on fire the first chance he got.

“Fine! Our patient tried to get out of bed. Men invaded his camp and decided to take his wagon and supplies, and while they were at it, they decided to take his wife too. Her name is Mary. We have to help her, Lance.”

“That is what I was doing when you came riding in here with your news.”

“You already knew this?”

“Yes. The signs proved it. I was trying to decide which direction they took her. I was planning to follow the wagon tracks.”

“Where are they? Perhaps knowing which direction they went will give me an idea where we can start looking. After all, I do know this area much better than you do.”

Lance couldn’t argue with that, and the woman needed help as fast as possible. He took her arm and led her to the tracks and showed her where they started out.

“Easy. The abandoned Jenson Ranch. It’s about six miles that way. I would bet anything they are hiding there. Let’s go.”

“You are going back to town.”

“No, I am not! If that poor woman has been abused, she will need attention and care that you can’t give her. You need me. Besides, it wouldn’t be safe for me to be alone. Those are your words, remember?”

“Oh, I remember telling you to keep your fanny at home. Do you recall that?” he asked.

“Papa and I felt you needed to know about Mary.”

“Let’s go, and believe me, Rachel, you had best do what you are told if I give you an order. It could mean your life.” They mounted up and headed in the direction Rachel indicated.

“I will listen,” she promised. “We will find Mary and rescue her.”

“You are not going to get close to whoever has Mary. You are going to wait with the horses while I go in after her.”

“Oh don’t be so darn ridiculous! I am here and of course I am going to help free her. I am not some silly, scatterbrained woman without a lick of sense! I can and will help to free Mary. I can provide a distraction, as a boy, of course. Or, I can sneak in and get her out while you have their attention. Together, we can put together a good plan. Do you think it is Cane’s group of men?” she suddenly asked.

“I don’t know. It sure sounds like him, but he normally robs banks. He might take a woman in a situation like this, but taking an entire wagon and horses isn’t his normal style,” Lance admitted.

“We will be cautious.”

“You will remain with the horses and hightail it out of here if there is any kind of trouble. Hear me? That is a direct order and I expect to be obeyed.”

Rachel would have stomped her foot in frustration if she wasn’t on horseback. Why did the handsome man have to be so darn stubborn? She could handle a gun better than most men, and she was smarter than most too. She was fast on her feet, and was a good judge of character – most of the time. She found it demeaning that Lance didn’t think her capable of helping him capture the men who shot the patient in her father’s treatment room and kidnapped his wife. She squared her slender shoulders and decided she would prove to Lance that she could be of service in almost any situation. She was going to protect him, even if he didn’t want her to!

“Lady, ain’t that grub ready yet?” one of the kidnappers asked in a petulant tone of voice. “I’m hungry, and you’ve had plenty of time to cook us up somethin’ good to eat.”

“Lay off of her, Wart. Can’t you see she’s busy cooking?”

“I just want to eat, Toad.”

“Wart is right, Toad. Leave ‘er be. I want to fill my belly and then have us some fun. She’s real purty and I can’t wait to see her all nekked.” The third brother’s eyes never left the blonde for a moment. He loved watching her go about cooking for them, trying not to think about what they were going to do to her as soon as they ate. “You better be gettin’ that food on the table, girlie. I’m gettin’ impatient, and I’d sure hate to take my belt to you.”

“It takes time for food to cook,” Mary told him. “Why don’t the three of you find something else to do while it’s cooking? Surely you haven’t stolen everything out of our wagon yet?”

“Watch your tone, lady. We done tole you we’s hungry.”

“We would have fed you; you didn’t need to shoot my husband!” She felt tears well in her blue eyes as she saw Clay fall again in her mind.

“Now, we did have to shoot him because he was goin’ to do for us for plannin’ to have you.”

The third brother was the leader of the group, and he was the most dangerous. His black eyes kept stripping her over and over and once they were done eating, she wouldn’t stand a prayer of escaping them. She didn't know where she was, either. Her sense of direction was hopeless, but she had to try and get away. She had to know if Clay was still alive, and she had to get help for him if he was. The idea that she could already be a widow did not enter her mind; she wouldn’t let it.

“Lady, I’m done waitin’. Bring that pot to the table right now.”

It was now or never, Mary decided, and took a deep breath.

* * *

Lance was fuming as he followed the little redhead to the abandoned ranch she’d mentioned. It was very late, and after all the time involved, it would be a miracle if the men hadn’t already abused the woman named Mary. He hoped not, but he didn’t hold out much hope. “Is this the place? There is light coming from the house.”

“Yes, they are here. What do we do now?”

“
We
do nothing.
You
will stay here with the horses and if I get shot or caught you will ride like hell and get away from this bunch. I do not want to worry about you, Rachel. Hear me? You are already in enough trouble with me for riding out here after I told you to keep your butt at home with your father.”

“You are impossible!” She glared at him and he could see her green eyes flashing angrily in the moonlight.

“Disobey me and you will learn first hand just how impossible I can be. Mind me, Rachel, and stay right here.” He dismounted, handed her his reins, and then took off on foot for the ranch house.

Rachel gave him a few minutes to get a head start. Then she dismounted, tied their horses to a tree limb, and followed him. She would have his back whether he wanted her to or not, and if he tried to take her to task for helping him, she would give him what for! She could see him going around back. He was going to go in by way of the back porch and enter the kitchen that way. She would use the front door. One of them would have an advantage and get the drop on them.

Everything happened at once. Mary threw the pot of boiling stew at her captors, who screamed bloody murder when the hot liquid and vegetables hit their faces. She ran for the closest door, and hearing the screams, both Lance and Rachel came running into the kitchen to save Mary!

“Hands in the air! You’re all under arrest!” Lance yelled, his gun in his hand.

“Come here, Mary!” Rachel ordered firmly. “You are safe now.”

One of the men cursed Mary and pulled his gun. Lance shot him, and when the other two went for their guns, he shot one and to his shock, Rachel fired at the other one, saving Lance’s life. He glared at the redhead, but held his temper in check, saying to Mary, “Ma’am, I’m a Texas Ranger. You don’t need to be afraid now.”

“My husband! They shot my husband, and I need to help him!” Mary exclaimed. “I don’t know how to find him again! We made camp beside a small pond,” she told them. “I don’t know where though. Can you help me?” she begged.

“Your husband is safe, ma’am,” Lance said.

“A man named Maynard Griffin found him lying on the road, and brought him to town to my father, who is the town doctor. He should be fine, once he knows you are safe. He kept trying to get up to come and rescue you.”

Mary nodded. “Clay tried to protect me from those three, but they shot him and then took our wagon, horses, and me! They said they had no food, no provisions, and they decided to rob us. They just got out of prison,” she added. All of a sudden, she burst into tears, and started sobbing as reaction set in. “I was so scared!” she admitted.

Rachel wrapped her arms around Mary to comfort her. “Go ahead and cry, Mary. You’ve been through an ordeal, and you did well. I think you were brave. You used the only weapon you had and I think you are courageous.”

“They were planning to rape me,” Mary whispered. “I didn’t know what else to do except throw the stew and run for my life.” She sobbed even harder, and didn’t notice when Lance checked the bodies. He found some old blankets in a bedroom, wrapped the men in them, and then carried them, one at a time, outside. He found stolen horses, plus Clay and Mary’s team in the barn. Lance tied the bodies of the Anderson Brothers to the horses, and hitched up Mary’s team, all the while picturing Rachel across his knee with her backside glowing red from the spanking he was going to give her just as soon as they had privacy to deal with the matter.

What was she thinking to put herself in danger like that? If he’d been injured or killed, she would have been helpless in Blister Anderson’s hands. The brothers were in prison for abusing women all over two states before they were finally caught and brought to justice. Blister was the worst of the lot, and the other two followed their older brother. Now they’d followed him to hell!

“Ranger, thank you so much for coming to rescue me,” Mary said when he returned to the house. “I had no idea that anyone was looking for me, or that Clay would make it to the road and get help. Will you and Rachel please take me to him?” she asked. “I am so lost right now,” she admitted.

“I have your team hitched to your wagon, ma’am. Can you drive a team?” he asked. “There is no shame to admitting if you can’t. I can always drive,” he offered.

“I can drive if you lead the way,” Mary said. “Clay taught me how when we set out because he said I could need to know at some point if he was ill or injured. I will be sure to thank him and tell him he was quite right.” She had tears in her eyes. “I want to get to him; I know he is worried sick about me, and he will be so relieved, as I am. Thank you both so very much for your help.”

“I’m glad we got here when we did,” Lance said with a gentle smile. He had no intention of telling her what would have happened to her if Blister had gotten his hands on her after she threw boiling stew at his face. “Let’s go. Rachel, are you ready?”

“I am,” she agreed. It was painful to see how angry he was with her, and she was pretty sure she’d crossed a line with the handsome man. “I’m not sorry, you know!” she suddenly blurted as he headed for the door. He whirled so quickly that she stepped back to keep from bouncing off his back.

He put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a single shake. “You might not be sorry now, but I guarantee you will be. You think about that while we take Mary to her husband, little girl. I’m not like most men; I know exactly how to handle a sassy, disobedient redhead like you.” He gave her another deliberate shake, and then said, “Are you ready to leave now, or would you like to ride back to town on a sore butt?”

“I’m ready to leave, and I’ll thank you not to threaten me, Lance Underwood!”

Mary’s blue eyes were wide as she looked from one person to the other. “Perhaps you would ride with me, Rachel? I am still shaking like a leaf in the wind!”

“Of course, Mary.” Rachel wanted to escape Lance’s disapproving looks. His dark eyes were full of outrage and anger, and she didn’t know what to do. Her father had already warned her that he wasn’t going to defend her if Lance decided to take her to task, but she hoped he would change his mind when he witnessed for himself how angry Lance was.

Lance tied Rachel’s stallion to the back of Mary’s wagon, and then he led the way back to town, holding the lead that the three stolen horses followed, carrying the Anderson brothers’ bodies.

“Oh my goodness, Rachel, but that man is mad at you! I thought it best to give him some time to cool off.”

“He wouldn’t dare actually put a hand to me!” Rachel said angrily. “He just wouldn’t dare!”

“I’ve been married to Clay for six years now, and I believe you are in some big trouble, Rachel. Telling him you weren’t sorry was a huge mistake; you should have said you were sorry, even if you weren’t. That goes a long way when trying to calm a furious husband.”

“He isn’t my husband.”

“No? He sure acts like one.” Mary giggled. “I thought he was going to spank you back there in the kitchen. He had that warning light in his eyes like Clay gets when I’ve managed to upset him.”

“He spanks you?” Rachel’s voice squeaked.

“Well, in a word, yes. He’s not arbitrary about it; I mean, he doesn’t spank me as long as I behave as I should. Clay hates temper tantrums and cursing; he won’t put up with me throwing things. He also doesn’t tolerate flat out disobedience. Oh, I can see what you are thinking, but it isn’t like that, Rachel. We discuss everything. It isn’t like he just says, ‘No buying anything,’ and I buy coffee beans, and he wallops me for it. It’s more like, ‘Mary, we need to tighten our spending for a while.’ I then agree with him to only buy necessary items, like the coffee beans we both love. However, if I see something that is expensive and not necessary, and I buy it knowing we cannot afford it, well, Clay would make me return it, and he would paddle me to remind me that we don’t break a rule on a whim. Do you see? Temper tantrums and disobedience… Those will earn me a sore behind faster than fast. On the other hand, Clay is so loving, and he would give his life to protect me from harm. Those men sneaked up on us, and Clay’s gun was on the other side of camp, and they snatched it before he could reach it. He told them to leave when it was obvious they wanted me, and they shot him. I screamed and tried to fight them, but they threw me in the wagon and just left him lying there.”

“It isn’t your fault he was shot, Mary. They would have shot him no matter what happened. They were a bad bunch.”

“You knew them?”

“I knew of them: Blister, Wart, and Toad Anderson. Papa treated one of their victims. You are very fortunate you escaped them.”

“The one called Blister seemed off in his head. The other two just did what he told them to do, and I knew I had to come up with a plan or they would abuse me and I wasn’t going to let that happen without trying to fight. I don’t cower in fear; it’s not my nature.”

“It’s not mine, either. We’ll be in town soon and I will take you straight to Clay. He will rest better once he knows you are safe. Oh, one other thing, Mary, Lance is trying to work undercover, so please don’t mention anything about him being a Texas Ranger. He will tell the sheriff something to explain the situation, but neither Lance nor I are in favor with our local lawman right now, so don’t be shocked at his attitude.”

“I won’t say a word about Lance being a ranger until you tell me it is all right.”

“Thanks, Mary. Lance is trying to capture a man who is a lot like Blister Anderson.”

“Did he think it was that man who had me?”

“He thought it possible.”

“I hope he isn’t disappointed?” she said with a frown.

“Oh heavens, no! Lance wanted to help you, and that was his only motive.”

“I just don’t know how to thank you both.”

“Just go inside and tell your husband how much you love him, and his relief and happiness will be the only reward we will need.”

“That is the sweetest thing to say. You are a comforting person, Rachel. By all rights I should be hysterical right now, and I am not.”

They stopped in front of Rachel’s home. “I will take these bodies to the sheriff, Rachel. Take this lady inside to her husband, and I will deal with the team when I return. You and I are going to have a serious discussion then,” Lance promised.

“We will talk, but you had better change your mind about anything else, Lance,” she said primly.

“Don’t bet on it,” he answered, and then led the three horses down the street before she could answer him.

“Stubborn man!” she muttered, and thought she heard Mary giggle, but when she turned to look at her, the other woman seemed composed and thoughtful.

“Papa! I’m home!” she called out as she went inside.

“I’m in the office, Rachel, trying to keep this patient of mine from undoing all my hard work. He is determined to get out of this bed!” Caleb answered.

Mary ran into the room and straight over to the bed where her husband was thrashing about. “Clay, you lie still!” she ordered firmly. “I am right here, safe and sound, and you can stop fretting now.”