Lorelei lifted her head and snared Braddock’s gaze. It was all he could do not to flinch under her direct scrutiny. “Braddock’s letting us go. He won’t come back for us. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes.” He didn’t make promises lightly. He wanted her to know that about him.
“He won’t come back because he’s going to be dead,” mumbled Archie. “What about Helena, up Montana way? A man could make something of himself there.”
“Yeah, he’s letting me go, and I’ve got some land to sell smack dab in the middle of Apache country. They don’t mind neighbors.”
“It’s true, Corey. We’ll have to change our names, but we can start over.”
Archie stood on wobbly legs and crouched in front of the fire. “There’s a bird that burns itself, then rises from its own ashes. Flies away better than before. That’s what I’m going to do.”
Braddock got to his feet and grabbed a fistful of Archie’s shirt. “You fall in that fire and you’ll just be ashes.” He yanked Archie a little too hard, because the momentum sent him sprawling in the dirt.
Lorelei sprang to his rescue. “Do you have to be so mean to him? At least he wants a better life.”
Braddock stood back as she helped Archie to his feet, then guided him next to her, away from the fire.
“There’s fire. Then there’s ashes. There’s nothing else.” Braddock sank to the ground and forced himself to remember Coyote Pass all over again. Wherever he went, he’d leave a scorched trail in his wake. It was better for Lorelei to hate him.
“Even if I did believe you’d let me go, what about the deputy marshal who came to the ranch?”
For once, Braddock was glad Corey thought only of himself.
“I’ll tell him you died. Once I bring Mulcahy in with the gold, they’ll forget about Lorelei. Especially if she marries.” Braddock watched Lorelei tense. He knew his words would upset her, but it was best for her to marry. He needed to start accepting the idea himself.
Corey made a face. “Marry? Marry who?”
“New Orleans, that’s the city for me. People know how to have a good time there,” said Archie.
Braddock swallowed. He suddenly felt hot and cold at the same time, as if he had drunk too much bad whiskey. “Anyone would want to marry your sister. She needs a man to take care of her.”
“Anyone but you, huh, Braddock?”
“Please, Corey.” Lorelei clasped her hand to her forehead as if she were trying to compress a raging fever.
Braddock balled his hand into a fist, barely restraining the urge to punch the sneer off her brother’s face. “Lorelei deserves better than me. She can have a home and a family of her own, a safe place to live, if you don’t screw it up for her.”
“I’m not the one who took her to Coyote Pass. I don’t believe this story about your friend’s farm. You just want me to spill the beans about Mulcahy.”
“I don’t know anything about Mulcahy, and I don’t want to know,” recited Archie on cue, like a parrot repeating his favorite line.
“Stop it. Both of you.” Lorelei moved her hands to clutch her stomach. “Braddock is giving us what we wanted from the beginning. The least you can do is tell him where he can find Mulcahy.”
“You won’t be safe while he’s still free. You don’t have a choice, kid,” Braddock said.
“You believe him?” Corey asked his sister.
“Yes, I do.”
Corey studied Braddock. “Something’s funny here. What’s in it for you if you let me go? I already told you I’d tell you where Mulcahy is. It’s not like I have a choice.”
“I want Lorelei to be safe. And if I don’t let you go, she’s going to keep getting into trouble to save you.”
Lorelei bent her head while she massaged her temples. She appeared to be unable to decide which hurt worse, her stomach or her head. Maybe they’d all drunk from an alkali runoff without realizing it.
Corey glanced at his sister, then back to Braddock. “This is about something else. What did you do to her, Braddock?”
Lorelei lifted her head. “Nothing. He didn’t do anything to me. He’s just trying to help, which is more than we deserve.”
“You deserve a lot more than I can give you, Lorelei.” Braddock was unable to control the emotion in his voice anymore than he could stop the words spilling from his mouth. “A lot more.”
“I don’t want more.” She rapidly blinked, but a tear still managed to slide down her cheek. She fiercely brushed it away.
“Hold on one second.” Corey stood. “I know what’s going on here.”