Heart of a Deputy (Heart of Colorado #2)

Chapter Twelve

“We’ll be so fast they won’t know we were ever gone.” Sally stuck her pinky out as if she were eight years old. “I promise.”

She grabbed a bonnet hanging on the wall hooks, tucked her hair up into it, and reached for Edna’s shawl. No one would know who she was. Juliette did the same, and they made their way towards the Post Office.

*****

“Corinne, you’ve gotta be pullin’ my leg? You know it isn’t safe.” He looked at her with stubborn eyes, his face set to convey the message that he would not budge on this. “I don’t want you hurt. You can’t be riding horses and who knows what else. I won’t let you jeopardize yourself or our child. End of discussion.”

“Ryne, you can’t expect me to sit idly by wondering if you’re safe or if you’ve found Sally. I won’t do that again. I’ve just lived through that. You can’t ask me to suffer through it again. Losing you is just as terrifying to me.” She stood to her full stature, dwarfed by Ryne’s, and looked up at him with her mouth in a grimace. “That’s not fair. You expect me to wait like a little old lady so you don’t have to worry about me. I’m going. That’s the end of it.”

“I went through it too, and I did fear for your safety the whole time. I should put you over my knee like a disobedient child. Lucky for you, I love you too much. We won’t be leaving until we have word from Mr. Fritz. I suggest you reconsider your attitude on this and think about our child.”

Oh, he was stubborn, but, he might be right, too, she thought. Corinne wasn’t about to sit back and watch him ride off not knowing if she’d ever see him again.

“There has to be a solution that we can both agree on.”

“Or, you can just trust me on this, Corinne. This time.” His voice and his eyes softened. He reached out to touch her face. Corinne didn’t step back, but she could tell he would try to coerce her with gentility and sweet talk.

Softly she added: “You don’t play fair, Ryne Wilkinson. You don’t.” She kissed him, allowing the kiss to go further to show her submission.

“I will be back in ten minutes. Let me give the men some directions, and then I’m coming back and we’re spending the rest of the day alone.”

“Not fair, Ryne. Not fair. But fine. I’ll be waiting where I normally wait.” Her smile mirrored his as he walked towards the back door and the barn. She’d win, eventually, but she was going to have to be a little more persuasive about it. There were two ways to a man’s heart and she wasn’t in the mood to bake at the moment.

*****

Michael Fritz received an answer, but not from Bill. Davenport had responded in his stead.

Bill visiting Edna in Denver. Stop. Sally not in Boulder. Stop. No further correspondence necessary. Stop

Little did Davenport know that he’d helped in more ways than one. He knew where Sally was now, but could not ride back out to the Wilkinson Ranch for another day at least. A plan was formulating in his mind, giving him a good feeling about the course of action they would take.

It involved surprising Bill, someone he’d only met personally once, with an offer he would not be able to refuse if he tried. The man loved only two things: Women, and lots of them, and money, and even more of it.

A smile happened upon his face as he returned to his saloon. He had made a decision, would stick with it, and all would come about perfectly.

*****

Buddy huffed again as he shoveled hay in the stable. This was his least favorite thing to do but it kept his mind focused. He worried less about Sally when he was overworked.