Peter laughed lightly. “Why does the fact that you have friends at a brothel not surprise me?”
Jake grinned but quickly wiped at watery eyes. “Peter, there’s a whole lot about me you still don’t know.” He watched a crowd start to gather. “I’m a little worried about people talking, Peter. I don’t want anything bad said about my wife traveling with you.”
“I’ll set straight anyone who asks. I am your attorney, going to Oklahoma City to see about shortening your sentence. Randy is going with me to help plead your case. I won’t mention a doctor, because maybe she doesn’t want the whole town to know what’s going on. I’ll ask her about that.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
Jake noticed the strap of a shoulder holster under Peter’s suit jacket. “Let me see that gun.”
Peter took it out and handed it to him. “Not very big, but it will do the job. It’s Italian made, but the design is called Chamelot-Delvigne—French gunsmiths. That particular gun was made in ’79, and it’s a 10.4 millimeter center-fire…double-action, which is rare.”
Jake studied the gun, spinning the chamber. “I’ve heard of these but never saw one. If I wasn’t ready to leave, I’d take this out and shoot it.”
“I collect foreign-made revolvers.”
Jake lowered the gun. “Do you now? Why didn’t I know this about you?”
Peter shrugged. “I guess I figured someone like you wouldn’t be interested in smaller revolvers.”
“Like hell!” Jake looked the gun over again. “Someday my living will be as a gunsmith, Peter. I need to see every kind of gun I can get my hands on, and I intend to design some of my own. I’ve already modified the ones I wear to suit my speed and shoot with a smoother single-action, which is why I can draw and cock and shoot a gun faster than most.” He handed the revolver back to Peter. “That’s a nice piece. I wouldn’t mind seeing what else you have when I get back…if things work out, that is.”
“You can come and see them anytime, as long as I don’t need to grab one in self-defense when you come over.”
A little part of Jake was beginning to like the man. “Yeah, well, we’ll see about that.” He took one last draw on his cigarette and tossed it. “Look, Peter, I talked to Sparky yesterday. He’s going to accompany you and Randy to Edmond, where you can get on a train. He’ll deputize and bring along three or four good men. My guess is that Marty Bryant is already up here somewhere planning something, but just in case he’s still south of here, I want to take extra precautions. I think once you board a train in Edmond, you’ll be safe from there on. The man wants my hide, and he’ll have no problem getting it by using my family. You remember that and keep an eye open.”
“Whatever you say.”
“And before you leave, talk to Juan and ask him to please take care of Randy’s roses while she’s gone. She loves her roses.”
Peter nodded. “I will make sure someone keeps them trimmed and watered.”
“Gampa, ride!” Little Jake ran up to him and grabbed his leg. Jake picked him up, still watching Peter. “I promised him a ride on Prince before I leave.” He glanced at his bedroom window. “All I really want to do right now is go back inside and be with my wife, but life doesn’t always let us do what we really want to do.”
“You’re telling me that?”
Their eyes held in a momentary challenge that couldn’t be helped. Jake sighed deeply then and walked off the porch, keeping Little Jake in one arm. Peter noticed he still had a slight limp. He stopped and turned, coming back and, to Peter’s surprise, putting out his hand.
“Are you going to break it?”
Jake’s look turned serious and a bit commanding. “No.”
Peter took his hand.
“I’ve never put this much trust in a man in my life, except for a man named Jess York. He loved her too. I couldn’t be with her then either, and I had to trust Jess to just protect and help her. Seems like it’s happening all over again. You take damn good care of my wife and bring her back to me.”
“I wouldn’t think of doing otherwise.”
Their eyes held in mutual understanding. Jake shook his hand, then turned back to embrace Katie with his other arm before lifting Little Jake onto his horse. He climbed into the saddle and started riding the black gelding up and down the street, giving his rambunctious grandson the horseback ride he’d promised him. Stephen followed, wanting to ride his dad’s horse for a few minutes before Lloyd had to leave. Little Jake wiggled up and down, and Jake kicked Prince into a faster gait to satisfy his grandson’s excitement.