Jake grasped her arm and leaned up for another kiss. “You would tell me if something was wrong…wouldn’t you?”
“Wrong?”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
She gave him a smile. “I’m all right.”
“All the same, I think we should tell Brian. You want him to look at my leg anyway. Tell him about the pains you’ve been having.”
“Jake.”
“Don’t argue with me about it.”
She straightened and sighed. “If it will make you rest easier, I’ll bring him over, but not today.”
Jake kept hold of her hand. “Today! I love you and I don’t intend to lose you because we put something off for too long.”
She sighed in resignation. “If you insist.”
“I insist. You’re always concerned about everybody else and don’t pay enough attention to your own health. I should have realized that a long time ago.”
Randy sat down on the edge of the sofa and leaned over to kiss him again. “Jake, I’m fine.”
“We’ll let Brian decide that. Seeing you in pain scares the hell out of me.”
“And what do you think I’ve been going through the last couple of weeks?”
“That’s different. We know the cause of my pain. We don’t know the cause of yours. If I lose you, I’m a dead man.”
She touched his face. “You aren’t going to lose me, Jake.”
Jeff made a mental note. Jake Harkner fears nothing…except losing his wife. I think if that happened, he’d put one of those famous guns to his head and pull the trigger.
Randy rose and wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders.
“And don’t stay too long at Peter’s place,” Jake told her.
She scowled at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that if I was Peter, I’d never let you back out the door.”
“And risk you coming for me? Peter isn’t an idiot, Jake.” She started for the door.
“Wait!” Jake spoke up. “Have Jeff walk with you. I don’t like you walking out there alone.”
“I do it all the time when you’re gone,” she answered, starting for the door again.
“Randy!” There was more authority in his voice this time. Jeff stiffened. “I mean it. Let Jeff go with you. And once Lloyd and I leave, you don’t go anywhere alone, understand?”
Randy frowned. “Jake, what are you not telling me?”
“It’s just a gut feeling, that’s all. Until I know it’s really over, don’t be running around alone and don’t be going anywhere out of town.”
Randy looked at Jeff. “The man has spoken.”
Jeff swallowed, glancing at Jake. “I don’t mind taking her, Jake, but what the heck would somebody like me do if there was trouble?”
“You’ll go into the kitchen and take down my ten gauge, that’s what you’ll do. Anybody can hit anything with a damn shotgun, even if they don’t know a thing about shooting. You just raise it and pull the trigger. That thing will blow a man clear across the street. I ought to know.” He laid his head back again and closed his eyes. “I’ve by God sent a man flying more than once with it.”
Jeff looked at Randy. She just shrugged. “You heard him. I’ve used that gun myself. I’ll tell you about it sometime.”
Taking a deep breath, Jeff walked to the kitchen to retrieve the shotgun.
“Take down the metal box from the top of the icebox,” Jake told him. “Get some shells out.”
Jeff did as he was told, bringing the shells and the shotgun into the sitting room. Jake sat up. “Hand it over.” He opened the shotgun and rammed two shells into it. “I prefer slugs, but for someone who doesn’t know anything about where to aim one of these and how they kick, buckshot is better. You’re bound to hit something.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jake handed out the gun, and Jeff just stared at it. “It won’t bite you, Jeff. And if my wife seems threatened, don’t you hesitate. I’m the law here, and I won’t arrest you if you screw up.”
“What?” Jeff took the gun and saw that Jake was grinning.
“Wait for Randy at Peter’s place and walk her back here. You can leave the shotgun here when you get back.”
“Yes, sir…I mean, Jake.”
“And if Peter tries anything with my wife, use that shotgun on him.”
Jeff just blinked. Randy took his arm. “This time I think he’s serious,” she said with a grin. She took his arm and left with him.
Jake watched them through a side window until they disappeared past the house next door. He laid back down against the pillow. He’d nearly fallen asleep when someone knocked at the door. Jake roused from the groggy nap and immediately picked up one of the six-guns he’d just put together. Only two cartridges lay nearby and he quickly loaded it, not sure how much time had passed since Randy left.