He saw another fancy buggy coming over the rise toward the homestead. It couldn’t be Gretta. She’d gone back to Denver only six days ago…to wait. And there couldn’t be news about Jake yet. He would only have arrived in south Texas a day or two ago.
He closed the bottom half of the barn doors and walked farther out into the rain, not caring that he was getting wet. The cool rain felt good, and he thanked God for it. He took off his hat and shook his long hair behind his shoulders and let the rain pour through it before walking to his still-saddled horse. He hooked his hat over the pommel of his saddle and mounted up, riding out to greet whoever was coming.
Terrel rode beside the buggy, and as it drew closer, Lloyd realized who it was. Peter Brown. “What the hell?” Where was Treena? He rode at a faster gait to intercept the buggy before it reached the houses.
“Peter!” he called out. He’d never known how to feel about the man. Peter was the lawyer responsible for getting his father’s prison sentence reduced—the sentence that had sent Jake to ride as a U.S. Marshal in the most dangerous, godforsaken part of the country. Peter was also the reason the family had been able to move to Colorado for a better life, and last summer he’d come to Denver to help keep Jake’s neck out of a noose.
What he hated about the man was that he’d done none of it for Jake. It was because he was in love with Randy Harkner. Even though the man was married, Lloyd wasn’t fond of him visiting. Last summer he’d come with his wife, and she’d been greatly impressed by the J&L and wanted to come back. So why wasn’t she here with him now?
Peter waved with one hand, then drew the horse pulling what was likely a rented buggy to a halt. “Lloyd!” he shouted. “By God, you’re looking good!” he added when Lloyd rode closer. “When I left here last summer, you were still pretty weak. I didn’t think you’d be looking this strong and robust.” He climbed out of the buggy and reached up to shake Lloyd’s hand.
Lloyd reached down and grasped Peter’s hand, squeezing lightly. “It’s been a long road, Peter.” He dismounted. “I still don’t think I could hold my own yet in a fist fight.”
Peter looked up at the strapping younger man. “Well, now, I wouldn’t want to bank on that if I was on the other side of your fist.” His grin faded. “What’s this Terrel tells me about Jake being gone? I didn’t expect that. He’s in Mexico? Going after Gretta MacBain’s daughter? For God’s sake, who knew that woman even had a daughter?”
Lloyd looked toward the main house, wondering if his mother had already seen the visitor arrive. “Peter, this isn’t a good time for you to be here. This is really hard on my mother. And where is Treena?”
Peter read the jealousy in Lloyd’s eyes, realizing he might as well be standing in front of Jake himself. Lloyd had never liked the idea that any other man loved his mother, and with Jake gone, Lloyd was going to make damn sure Jake Harkner’s wife was shielded from any man who would even consider getting anywhere close to the woman. Even Terrel, on the way in, had seemed a bit defensive.
The rain suddenly stopped, and it seemed almost too quiet, their voices softened by air that hung heavy with humidity.
“Lloyd, I swear I had no idea Jake was gone. How in hell could I know that? Treena is in France visiting relatives. She’ll be gone at least another month. I was caught up on my work, and this place is so beautiful and cool and such a tremendous relief from the heat and smoke and noise of the city—I just thought I’d take a couple of weeks and get away from it all instead of rambling around in that castle of a house we have in Chicago. Believe me, if I’d known Jake was gone, I wouldn’t have come, but I’m here now. At least let me talk to your mother. Maybe now is a good time for her to have a friend.”
Lloyd walked a few feet away, removing his hat and pushing some wet strands of his hair behind his ears. “Peter, she’s not totally herself. She’s scared to death my father won’t make it back this time, and frankly, so am I. I should be with him. It’s driving me crazy.” He faced Peter. “After riding with him over three years in No Man’s Land and both of us protecting each other’s asses…he took Cole with him, but that’s not the same. It should be me, but I have this place to run and three kids and another one on the way. And it would be even harder on my mother if both of us were gone.” He stepped closer. “This is fucking killing me! On top of going into danger down there to rescue that girl, Pa went to Brownsville. He grew up in Brownsville and hasn’t been back there since he left after killing his father. I don’t have to tell you what that means. One way or another I’m worried he’ll end up in a Mexican prison.”