Outlaw Hearts(164)

“Please, let me go to him!” Miranda begged. “Let me have a few minutes alone with him.”

“No, ma’am. As long as you’re here and he’s there, he’ll keep coming.”

“I know him. He’ll come anyway. Evie is still here.” She jerked her arm away. “Please! He’d never try to ride off when I’m with him. He’d be too afraid I’d get hurt. And he wouldn’t leave Evie behind. For God’s sake I haven’t seen him for over two weeks! Let me have two minutes alone with him!”

The lieutenant watched Jake move a little closer. “All right, long as you go out to him on foot. A man can’t get far carrying two people on his horse.” He turned to one of his men. “Holt, you and Webster and Bates get inside with the girl. I want him to know that if he tries to shoot the rest of us down, his daughter is still inside with more men.”

Miranda glared at him. “You’re such a fool, Lieutenant. Nothing you’re doing could stop Jake if he decided he’d rather shoot it out with you. He’s faced nearly as many men before, also with a wife and child at stake.” She smiled, wincing a little at the pain it caused. “He doesn’t miss, Lieutenant. There are other reasons he won’t try anything this time, and none of them have anything to do with your efforts.” Her defiant smile faded, and her eyes teared. “He knows he has already lost something more precious to him than his life or our physical presence. He’s lost the pride and self-respect he’s worked so hard over the years to learn to have in himself. He’s lost his children’s honor, maybe even his son’s love, but then you wouldn’t understand how important those things can be.”

She whirled and walked off toward Jake, and Gentry glared after her, frustrated at the woman’s refusal to crumble and beg or to show fear. There was no look of defeat about her as she walked out to meet her husband. She stood erect, walked in bold steps. It seemed to him the woman ought to be regretting a lot of things by now, but she actually still seemed to be proud to be married to Harkner. “Stay alert, boys,” he ordered.

Miranda’s steps became more rapid as she drew closer. Jake had stayed a good three hundred yards back. She watched him dismount, noticed he was riding Jess’s horse instead of his own. So, Jess had warned him. Something must have happened to his own horse, so he used Jess’s to get back here faster. He walked toward her, and her heart ached fiercely at the look of him, suddenly older, a look of defeat about him. “Jake,” she whispered. She hurried to him then, wrapping her arms around him.

His own arms encircled her, and she thought how this might be the last time her husband would hold her. She clung tightly to him, visions of him hanging or imprisoned stabbing at her like a knife. Not Jake! Not her Jake! Why had God let this happen? Why had he let them come this far, only to let it all be destroyed?

Jake took hold of her arms and pushed her away, studying her face, a look of fierce anger coming into his dark eyes. “What the hell happened? Who did that to you?”

“It’s all right, Jake. I’ll be fine!”

“It was Gentry, wasn’t it! The sonofabitch is after me! He had no right hitting you!” He started walking away from her.

“No, Jake! Evie’s in the house. They’ll hurt her for sure! This is the army, Jake, not just one gang of men you can eliminate! If you shoot them down, they’ll just send more men after you!”

“Bastards!”

“Jake, please! I know you came here to turn yourself in to protect us. Don’t let what happened to me make you do something that could get Evie hurt!”

He turned away, breathing deeply for control. “The sonofabitch knows he’s holding all the cards this time. He’s probably laughing right now over getting away with hitting you. If I could ever get him alone—”

“Jake, we have so little time.” She choked in a sob, and he turned to face her.

He realized what she meant. They couldn’t spend these last few minutes fretting over Phil Gentry. He came closer again, reaching out to lightly touch the bruise. “You’re still so beautiful,” he nearly groaned. “My precious, faithful esposa. You took all the risks, turned down so many chances at peace and happiness. I thought we had finally found it here. I’m so sorry, Randy.”

She grasped his hand and kissed his palm. “Don’t ever be sorry. I don’t regret one minute of it.” She moved her arms around his waist again. “This doesn’t change anything, Jake. The man they are arresting doesn’t really exist anymore. You have to believe that. Evie knows, and she still loves you. She’s trying to understand.” She looked up at him. “Lloyd will too.”