Do Not Forsake Me(15)

“Those are the kind of things I need to know!” Jeff told him excitedly, keeping up the pace. “I want to write a book about him, Dr. Stewart.”

“I heard you tell Sparky.”

“But I want it to be the truth. I mean the real truth. Wouldn’t you and your wife and Jake’s wife and his son all want that? I don’t write sensationalism, Dr. Stewart. I want the West’s famous settlers and lawmen and outlaws documented correctly. A hundred years from now, people should know how it all really happened.”

Brian sighed and faced him again. By then they stood in front of a whitewashed frame house. It wasn’t completely dark yet, and Jeff could see rosebushes lining the front of the porch, just like at Randy Harkner’s house, which was only two doors down.

“Mr. Trubridge, I’d like to believe you,” Brian told him.

“You can! I’ve even brought samples of my writing to prove my credentials to Jake.”

“And he’ll tell you it’s Miranda you’ll need to deal with, not him. If he lets you write a book, it will be because Randy says it’s okay. Out there on the trail, he’s in full command. But when it comes to things like this, it’s like I told you—my mother-in-law owns that man. And if you do anything to offend her, you’ll have Jake to answer to. Now it’s been a really awful day, and my wife is holding supper for me. You wait and talk to Jake’s wife, though even if she approves, I can’t guarantee Jake will open up even one iota if he doesn’t want to. If you can figure out how to get through to that man, more power to you.” He started to walk away again, then turned a final time. “And by the way, if you intend to hound Jake like this, you’d better make sure there is always a privy nearby.” He laughed lightly and headed for the front door.

Jeff stood watching. The doctor went inside, and he could hear a child’s voice yell “Daddy!” as another slightly older child called out, “Uncle Brian! Is my dad back?”

“He’ll be here tomorrow, Stevie. He stopped at the Donavans’.”

The lovely silhouette of a young woman graced the doorway, and then the door closed.

Jeff sighed with frustration. He walked up the street to what he’d been told was Jake Harkner’s house. Across the street was a small stucco home he’d learned belonged to Lloyd. The whole family lived a stone’s throw from each other.

Jake’s frame house was lovely, painted yellow with white trim. There was a white picket fence around a lawn, and rosebushes that probably took a lot of work to keep green in this unholy, dry, still barely settled country.

Notorious outlaw lives in a house that totally belies the kind of man who dwells within. He had no doubt all the neatness and frills were due to Miranda Harkner. Jake certainly didn’t seem the type who would care about such things. Right now, the house was dark and quiet. Jeff couldn’t help wondering what went on behind closed doors with a man like Jake Harkner, but from what he’d seen in the street, the man was very attentive to his wife. He hurried back to his hotel room to scribble more notes where there was more light.

Visited a brothel on his way home. He is a man of confusing contrasts but one who appears to be very much loved by his family…and his wife. I am trying to determine why.





Five


Lloyd wasn’t quite sure why he felt nervous. He’d been seeing Katie off and on for most of the winter and into spring. If nothing else, they’d become good friends. Still, this was different. This was total commitment. What he wanted to do meant truly moving on from memories of Beth, and those memories were still painful. He watched Katie approach the wooden bench where he sat waiting a few yards beyond the horse barn. He’d told Pat where he’d be and asked him to have Katie come out to talk.

God, she was pretty. Fact was, Katie Donavan Lamont had pretty much every quality any man could want in a wife. She’d changed into a pink dress, and the color made her red hair look even more beautiful. She reminded him of flowers, all pink and green and red and white and colorful. The dress fit her slender waist in a way that told him the body underneath would feel good next to a man at night, and he’d ached for that kind of companionship for a long time now. He’d been with a couple of the whores at Dixie’s place a time or two, but that was different. That was just physical relief. He longed for the kind of love his parents shared…longed for the total satisfaction of taking a woman because he ached for the woman herself, not just the thrill of sexual pleasure. A man and wife ought to share hopes and dreams and souls.

Katie stopped a few feet away. “Father told me you were waiting here to talk.”