Haunting Desires
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“You are very pretty,” the man said. He was tall, with dark hair and eyes that matched her own, but he wasn’t quite as handsome as she remembered him to be. His nose had been broken at some point in his life, and it now looked crooked when he smiled, which he did often. “I remember you from a previous visit.”
She tried not to let this news bother her. She’d never liked being recognized by others who were part of the community or knew her family well enough to know their names. But then again, there hadn’t been many people to recognize her after the tragedy happened.
Now, everyone seemed to know her because of her mother’s disappearance. Her father had always kept her hidden away for fear of what might happen if anyone ever learned about her existence.
Her mother would have hated all the attention. The only time they’d come out into town was on Sunday, and even then, it took them three days to travel from home to church and back again. And although her mother loved music, the thought of playing instruments made her cringe.
That didn’t stop her from teaching her daughter how to play piano and violin. It was one of the few things she could do well, but it certainly didn’t make up for losing her.
The man spoke again, saying something else that left her confused. All she heard were words like beautiful, lovely, and sweet. What woman wanted to hear such things? Did they mean anything more than simple compliments meant to flatter a lady? If so, why would these men say them?
Then she felt a hand brush against hers. A shiver ran down her spine. She quickly pulled her hand free and turned to leave without another word. She couldn’t stand the touch of any man’s fingers on hers—not even someone like him. Not even someone she’d known since childhood.
He followed behind her until she reached the door leading outside. Then he stopped before opening it. “There is no need to run away from me, Mary Ann,” he said gently.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice.
“It seems I’m needed around here more than my business partner, Mr. Wray. We both have a stake in this ranch. So I’ll ask again. Why are you running away from me?”
“Why am I running away?” she repeated, still struggling to understand what he was asking. “We don’t belong together anymore!”
His face showed little emotion, but she saw the hurt in his eyes. “That’s where we differ, dear girl. You’ve grown up; you’re much prettier now than you used to be.”
“And you’re just as ugly as ever,” she snapped.
He shrugged. “Your opinion doesn’t matter. It has nothing to do with the fact that you’ve changed.”
“Maybe your opinions should,” she replied. “But then again, you’re not exactly the kind of man most women want to marry. So maybe I can change yours.”
For the first time, he laughed, and his laugh sounded bitter. “Oh, yes, I suppose you can. How will you manage to accomplish that?”
She stepped closer, forcing him to move back a step. “By making love to me! I think you’ll find I’m far different than any other woman you’ve bedded.”
He stared at her for a long moment. Finally, he sighed and nodded. “Very well, then. Come inside.”
They entered the house and stood next to each other while he closed the door. He led her through an open room filled with furniture and tables covered with dishes of food. Then they walked through another door into a kitchen filled with pots and pans hanging above the stove, shelves of spices lining the walls, and a sink full of dirty dishes.
They passed by a small dining table and chairs set up in front of a window looking out over the desert. When they came to another doorway, he opened it and motioned her inside.
When she turned to look at him, he shut the door, leaving them alone. For a moment, she watched as he crossed to a chair near the fireplace, sat down, and placed his hands on the arms. He leaned forward slightly and rested his elbows on his knees, staring at her intently.
This close to him, she smelled his cologne. Something spicy and masculine. There was also the hint of sweat mixed in. The smell reminded her of him. Of his body heat and his skin-on-skin contact.
With her back to the wall, she slowly moved toward him. He didn’t move. Instead, he waited until she got closer to him. When she touched his arm, he didn’t pull away. But neither did he turn to face her. She slid her hand across his forearm and then moved onto his shoulder.
Her fingers traced his muscles as if feeling their texture. His neck, shoulders, chest, and stomach were all firm and smooth under her fingertips. As she moved further down his body, she realized he wasn’t wearing clothing beneath the coat. She glanced at the buttons along the side seams.
Only two remained undone. One was on his left shoulder and the other was on his right. Both sides of his coat looked very similar except for the buttons.
A thrill shot through her when he finally turned to face her. “I believe you mentioned wanting to make love to me?”
“Yes, sir.”
He smiled. “You’ll forgive me if I take some convincing.”
“Of course.” She hesitated briefly and then lowered herself to her knees. “Please remove your coat.”
She felt him tense at her request. At last, he obeyed. She removed the coat and laid it on top of one of the chairs nearby. She put her hands on his thighs and pushed herself up so she could see his face. His eyes widened as soon as she began undoing the buttons.
Once the last button was undone, she reached for the tie strings holding the sleeves of his shirt closed. She tugged hard enough to loosen the knot and then undid it. With quick movements, she worked her way up his chest and arms. She took off his hat and threw it aside before reaching for the collar of his shirt. Once the shirt was unbuttoned, she pulled it apart and let it fall to the floor.
As she bent forward, he grabbed her waist and lifted her up. In a flash, he had her lying on the floor between his legs. He straddled her, keeping her pinned there with his weight. He kissed her passionately, pressing her against the cold floor tiles. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. He groaned as their bodies pressed together.
After a few moments of kissing, he broke away and gazed down at her. “Is this what you wanted? You’re going to regret asking such a question later.”
His words made her smile. “Why is that?”
“Because after tonight, you won’t be able to walk or even stand straight,” he said with a grin.
***
The next morning, Amanda woke to the sound of horses’ hooves clattering outside. Looking out the window, she saw a stagecoach parked in front of the house. A second coach followed behind it.
She climbed from bed and hurried into the bathroom. After washing her face and brushing her hair, she dressed quickly. When she exited the bedroom, she found John sitting in a chair by the window. “What’s happening?”
“We have company.”
Amanda rushed past him, only to stop short. A man and two women were walking across the porch. She recognized both women as the ones who’d been riding alongside Tom. They stopped in front of the house and stared at her. The man, however, kept moving toward them.
John rose from his seat. “Who are these people?”
“They work for the Pinkertons.”
The woman stepped forward first. “Mrs. Stokes, we understand that you’ve hired us to protect you.”
“And how do you know my name?”
Both women exchanged glances before the younger one answered. “That’s confidential information.”
“How can you possibly help me?”
One of the women glanced at the other. “Your husband has taken over one of our businesses.”
“But why would anyone want to hurt him?”
“It doesn’t matter why they want to harm him. It just matters that they will.”
“When will you begin working for me?”
“We’ll need a little time to familiarize ourselves with the situation before we begin protecting you. We should be able to start within the next few days.”
“Very well. Let me show you inside.”
As she led the three of them inside the house, she wondered about the business she ran. Did Tom own any other businesses besides the bank? Was it possible that someone else was running another of her enterprises while she was in town? If so, it might explain why no one knew where she was.
Inside, the two women stood near the door. The man looked around the room curiously. As soon as she showed him the kitchen, he walked back outside. “Where is everyone else?”
“Tom and I live here alone.”
“Well, don’t worry. We’ll keep an eye on things until we can get started.”
“Thank you,” Amanda said sincerely.
“Now, tell us everything.”
So she did. She explained how she came to marry Tom, told them about their son, and described the ranch and its layout. When she finished, the older woman shook her head. “This isn’t good news.”
“No, ma’am. Not at all.”
The two women conferred quietly among themselves before speaking again. “Our job will be much easier if your husband is already dead when we arrive. But since that’s not possible, we’ll need some time to learn how to kill him.”
“Kill him? Why would anyone want to murder my husband?”
“Don’t ask questions. Just trust us to do what needs to be done.”
“I’m sorry, but I still don’t understand what’s going on.”
“You didn’t come here because you love him,” the younger woman said bluntly.
Amanda nodded. “He does mean something to me—but nothing like you think.”
The older woman snorted. “Of course, he means something special to you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have married him.”
“Then why did you agree to take the job?”
Neither woman responded.
A few hours later, she left the house. On the way home, she thought about what she’d heard. So far, neither Tom nor his wife seemed to realize that she was being threatened. That could change once word spread throughout the town that someone was trying to kill him.
Then she might become more cautious. And if that happened, she had no doubt that she would lose her chance to find out who killed her sister.
On top of that, there was always the possibility that Tom had uncovered something important during his years as a banker. He might have stumbled upon evidence that incriminated others, including those who worked for the Pinkertons. In that case, they might try to silence him.
Even though she hadn’t agreed to take the job, it bothered her that Tom might die because of her. Still, she couldn’t deny the fact that she felt responsible for him. Maybe someday she would tell him about the connection between her and his wife. Or maybe she would never mention it. At this point, she wasn’t sure which she preferred.
***
Amanda rode toward town slowly. Before leaving the ranch, she’d packed up most of the household goods and loaded them into the wagon. With the exception of a few personal items, she now lived in the same manner as the other ranch hands.
Most likely, she would spend the rest of her life living off the land. There were times when she hated the idea, but then she remembered what happened to her family.
She wanted to see Tom again, but she also needed to gather facts about him before she confronted him with the truth. Once she began asking the right questions, she expected him to confess. After all, it must have been obvious to him by now that he was in trouble.
There was no sign of a Pinkerton wagon or car anywhere along the road. Nor did she spot any men riding horseback. Could it be that Tom was already dead? She hoped not. How long could it possibly take to kill a man? Would she ever know the answer unless she found herself facing the person who was behind Tom’s murder?
Trying to push the unpleasant thoughts from her mind, she drove closer to town. When she reached the main street, she turned down one of the side streets. By the time she pulled the reins, she was close enough to hear the shouts coming from the saloon.
“What are you doing here?”
“Just visiting.”
“Who are you visiting?”
“None of your damn business.”
The voice belonged to the man standing next to the bar. It was the first time she’d seen him, and judging from the scar across his face, she assumed he was an outlaw.
“We should talk,” he said.
“Why? You’re not interested in my company.”
“Maybe, but I’ve got plenty of friends who would enjoy yours. Especially if they knew what kind of woman you really are.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Now, I suggest you leave before it gets ugly.”
“It won’t. This is our town. If you try anything, we’ll shoot you.”
“If you think you can intimidate me, you’re mistaken. My name is Frank Harper. Don’t forget it. I’ll be back soon. Oh, and while you’re here, make yourself comfortable. You’ll be staying awhile.”
Frank’s words sent a chill through Amanda. “That’s not necessary. I’m only passing through.”
“Oh, but it is. We want to get acquainted. Besides, we need another gunfighter around here to keep the lawmen honest. Since we haven’t had one yet, you’ll do nicely until we hire someone else.”
As the man walked away, Amanda stared after him. What kind of game was he playing? Was he really planning to hang around the town and wait for her to show up? Did he believe that she would come alone? She didn’t think so.
Still, she didn’t feel particularly concerned about meeting Frank. The man obviously believed that he could threaten her without consequences. But that assumption could prove disastrous for him.
Once she entered the saloon, she sat at the counter, ordered a drink, and waited. No sooner had she set her glass on the counter than Frank strode over. “I saw you pull up outside. Good. Let’s get started. Your name is Amanda McCallister, isn’t it?”
“Not exactly.”
“Are you lying?”
“No.”
He leaned against the counter. “How about telling me how you got your nickname?”
“I don’t understand.”
“You’ve heard the story. Tell me how you earned the title of ‘Wildcat.’ Then I’ll decide whether to believe you or not.”
“My father used to call me Wildcat. That’s why people gave me that name.”
“But not everyone calls you that. Some just use your last name.”
“Well, I guess some of them do, too. Why?”
“Because you aren’t a wildcat, you’re a coward!” He lunged forward, grabbed her hair, and yanked hard. As she fell backward onto the floor, he kicked her. “See? Coward! And there’s nothing like a coward to make enemies. They’ll stop at nothing to kill you.”
She rolled out from under the table and stood up. His boot came within inches of her head.
“Let go of me! I’m leaving.”
“Where are you going?”
“To find someone to help me. Someone who knows where I can buy a gun.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll watch out for you.”
Amanda took a deep breath as she backed toward the door. Her hands were shaking. A few more steps brought her near the stairs. “Wait—where are you taking me?”
“Back to your room. There’s no reason to tell anyone else.”
“But—”
“Just stay put until I return.” With that, he turned and disappeared into the darkness.
The End