Do Not Forsake Me(24)

“You’d better take out the son too,” the third man spoke up. His eyes were a cold, faded blue…emotionless. “I hear he’s just one step down from his pa when it comes to using a gun.”

“It’s Jake’s daughter I’d like to get my hands on,” the one called Gordy commented. “I’d just as soon be able to keep Harkner alive and let him watch. That would be worse to him than a bullet in the gut.” He stuck out a booted foot and gave Jeff a shove, just hard enough to make him fall on his butt. “You tell Jake that Gordy says hello,” he said.

The three men turned their horses and headed closer into town. Jeff turned to see Lloyd and Katie hurrying up the steps into the church, probably to catch the preacher before he left. The whole family and Peter also went inside. They left one of the double doors open, and Jake leaned against the doorjamb to watch. He didn’t move one foot past the threshold.

Jeff didn’t want to be a bother hanging around during a family marriage, but he thought he should at least tell Jake about the three men. He edged closer, hating to interrupt.

“Marshal,” he spoke up quietly.

Frowning, Jake turned. “Not now, Trubridge.”

Jeff waved him over.

A rather disgruntled Jake came down the steps. “What do you want? Give us a couple more days and you can come and talk to my wife when things calm down.”

“It’s not that.” Jeff looked back toward town. “Marshal, when I headed back to town, some men stopped me. They were watching you, and they…made threats. One even said to tell you that Gordy says hello.”

Jeff watched Jake Harkner the family man fade as Jake looked past him toward town. In one quick moment, he’d become the man Jeff saw ride into Guthrie just yesterday.

“How many?” Jake asked.

“Three. Do you know who they are?”

“You bet your ass I know them.” He looked back at Jeff. “Trubridge, you’re starting to come in handy.” He gave Jeff a sly grin. “Thanks.” He brushed at dirt on the front of Jeff’s suit jacket. “What happened to you?”

“The one called Gordy kicked me down.” Jeff brushed at dust on his rear end.

Jake stiffened. “I’m damn sorry about that. Now you know that if you intend to write a book about me, you might be walking into more problems than you expected.”

“I don’t mind. And I appreciate our conversation on the steps.”

Jake looked him over, and Jeff noted the smoldering anger in his dark eyes.

“That doesn’t mean I’m letting you write that book, Trubridge.”

“I know, sir.”

Jake glanced past him toward town. “Thanks for the information. We’ll talk again later. I will obviously be pretty busy the rest of the day.” He nodded to Jeff and walked back up to the church doorway, glancing back toward town yet again before resuming his position at the doorjamb to watch his son get married.

Jeff headed back into town. He’d walked about three blocks when he noticed the horses the three men had been riding, tied in front of a tavern. Loud voices and laughter drifted past the saloon doors, and Jeff stayed out of sight as he moved a little closer. He heard someone say something about not shooting a man on the Sabbath. A round of laughter rang out then, and Jeff decided he’d better get away from there quick.





Seven


Randy removed her dress to change into something more comfortable. It warmed her heart to hear the noise in the house. She’d invited the Donavans to dinner along with Brian and Evie, Lloyd and Katie, and the grandchildren. Evie was helping cook Sunday dinner, and everyone else was visiting, the grandsons running in and out of the house, the screen door to the kitchen slamming every time they ran through again. The house was actually too small for so many people, which only made the bigger gathering warmer and more exciting, especially after a wedding.

She unlaced her corset and removed it, then put on a different camisole that fit better. She hurried, wanting to get back to helping in the kitchen. She began tying the camisole, her back to the bedroom door. The door opened then and she turned to see Jake coming inside.

“Jake, close the door!”

He grinned, coming closer. “Need help with that thing?”

Randy turned away. “I need help with stuffing myself into it, that’s what I need.”

Jake came closer and reached around her, moving his hands inside the camisole to fondle her breasts.

“Jake Harkner, get your hands out of there! The whole family is right outside the door.”

He nuzzled her neck. “You’re the one who said you needed help,” he teased.

Randy wanted to be angry but found herself laughing. She tried to pull his hands away. “Jake, that tickles.”