Kora smiled at the way he included her. He was acting as if they were in this maze of trouble together.
Downing the last of his breakfast, Win stood. ‘‘I have to make a trip into town this morning,’’ he said too loudly to sound casual. ‘‘I’ll bring back anything you need, Kora.’’
Kora also stood and acted as if she and Win weren’t up to something. ‘‘I’ll make a list,’’ she said, as if reading lines from a badly written play.
Cheyenne leaned heavily on his crutch. ‘‘If you’ll hitch a buggy, I’ll ride along with you.’’ His voice was casual, but his eyes said much more. Win and Kora weren’t fooling him.
‘‘Are you up to it?’’
Cheyenne nodded. ‘‘It couldn’t be any more painful than listening to Jamie all day. Besides, I’d like to ask the doc something.’’
Win nodded, knowing just the questions he’d also like to ask the doc. He left and hitched a team to the buggy while Kora made a list of supplies she needed and Jamie helped Cheyenne outside.
Jamie insisted on him riding on a pillow, even threatening to shoot him if he tossed it out along the way. Cheyenne grumbled beneath her mothering, but he took the pillow.
While Jamie pampered Cheyenne, Kora handed Win the list. He leaned slowly and brushed her cheek with his lips, returning her kiss as awkwardly as she’d kissed him earlier. Anyone watching would never guess how they’d kissed last night. ‘‘Is there anything I can do?’’ he whispered. ‘‘ Anything?’’
His hand lightly brushed her collar, knowing the bruises were beneath the lace. He wished she could name a price for his penance. He’d do whatever she asked. Never step foot in the house. Buy her whatever she wanted. Allow Kora her own account to travel as far away from him as she liked.
She looked up at him with those wonderful blue eyes. He thought he saw a touch of fear, a touch of worry, and to his surprise, a touch of understanding.
‘‘Come back safe,’’ she whispered, brushing his jaw with her fingertips.
If he stayed a moment longer, he’d make a fool of himself. Winter climbed in the buggy and slapped the horses into action.
Jamie was still yelling at Cheyenne when they drove off.
‘‘I’ll never understand that girl,’’ Cheyenne grumbled, uncharacteristically unaware of what was happening to Winter.
‘‘I think Jamie’s starting to like you.’’ Win laughed, suddenly feeling like the sun had come up after a very long night.
‘‘That fact could be the death of me,’’ Cheyenne moaned. ‘‘If I have to stay cooped up with her another day, she’ll drive me to drink. You’ve got to find her a husband fast, Win. Some good man who would take her away and teach her about being a lady.’’
Winter lowered his hat against the sun. ‘‘True, but it doesn’t look good when I’m heading to her most likely choice, and I’m not planning a social visit.’’ He told Cheyenne about Kora putting a few pieces together that they hadn’t thought about.
‘‘Too bad the man in the Breaks Settlement died before he could tell us anything.’’ Cheyenne swore as he tried to find a comfortable position on the pillow. ‘‘Kora’s guesses are a long shot, but it seems to be the only lead we have at present.’’
An hour later both men were standing in front of Wyatt as he dealt solitaire to an empty table. Cheyenne had left his crutch in the buggy, refusing to use it in town.
‘‘Morning, gentlemen. It’s a little early for a game, but I’m ready if you are.’’ Wyatt’s gaze darted between the men in a nervous action, though his smile was friendly.
Winter sat on one side of him, Cheyenne the other.
‘‘Morning, Wyatt.’’ Winter waved the bartender to bring a few drinks. ‘‘We didn’t come to play cards.’’ His voice was casual and low, letting the few people in the saloon think that the three men were merely passing the time of day.
‘‘We’d like to talk to you alone,’’ Winter said as he downed his drink and waited for the bartender to walk away. ‘‘How about the back room?’’
The gambler did the unthinkable in his business. He dropped a card. ‘‘All right,’’ he said slowly. ‘‘I’ll have Charlie bring us another drink.’’
‘‘Don’t bother,’’ Winter said as he watched Wyatt stand. ‘‘This isn’t a social call.’’
They walked to the back room and Winter closed the door. Cheyenne moved in front of it, as always, the guard.
‘‘What’s this about, gentlemen? If it’s about Jamie, I assure you I’ve never-’’
‘‘It’s not about Jamie,’’ Winter interrupted.
Wyatt took a breath. ‘‘I’m glad. I think a lot of the girl, but I said from the first I’m not the marrying kind.’’
‘‘I’d like to take a look at that shoulder of yours, gambler.’’ Winter moved toward the smaller man.
‘‘I appreciate your concern, but it’s fine. I’ve had the doc look at it a few times.’’
‘‘Take off your shirt!’’ Winter ordered.
‘‘Now, wait just a minute. You may think you can boss everyone around, but I don’t work for you.’’
Winter thought of fighting the man. He could have used the release from all the tension he’d felt lately, but in truth, he liked Wyatt despite the man’s poor taste in women and obvious dishonesty. He might be short on character, but his personality made him easy to tolerate at least. Also, both Kora and Jamie would be fighting mad if he beat the man up and the poor gambler turned out to be innocent.
‘‘You can show me now, or after I get the sheriff.’’ Win waited. ‘‘He might be interested in knowing the time you received your injury.’’
Frustrated, Wyatt pulled his string tie and unbuttoned his collar, then his shirt. ‘‘All right. I don’t see what the fuss is about. It’s only a scar. And as for the sheriff, he already knows about it.’’
Cheyenne and Winter watched as Wyatt turned his shoulder to them. True to his word, a scar still red from healing dotted his shoulder. Both men had seen enough bullet wounds to know one.
‘‘How’d you get that?’’ Win asked.
‘‘I was shot,’’ Wyatt answered, frustrated at having to explain the obvious. ‘‘The same day Cheyenne was. That’s why I was in the doc’s office the night your men came to get him.’’
Wyatt was being too straightforward to be lying, even for a gambler, Win guessed. ‘‘Who shot you?’’
‘‘Hell if I know. Some farmer who bet away all his money, I guess. I tried to find out, but it was only a scratch compared to Cheyenne’s. Plus, the sheriff had all he could handle with the blockade trouble without worrying about a gambler who got nicked.’’
Win glanced at Cheyenne, then back at Wyatt. ‘‘Sorry to have bothered you, but we’re checking out every man in the county who’s been shot lately to see if they’re related in some way. No offense.’’
Wyatt buttoned up his shirt. ‘‘None taken. I guess if I was in your shoes, I’d be turning over every rock I thought might lead me somewhere.’’ He walked toward the door, then turned back to Winter. ‘‘But think about it, Mr. McQuillen, if I were going to shoot you, I’ve had plenty of chances. And if I was one of the men running the blockade, you’d be my first target. Take you out of the fight and the other ranchers will fall like dominoes.’’ Wyatt flashed his teeth. ‘‘If I were you, Mr. McQuillen, I’d watch my back. And the next time I’d shoot all three riders in black, not just two.’’
He walked out of the room.
Cheyenne lowered his voice. ‘‘You never mentioned you thought he might have shot at you.’’
‘‘No,’’ Winter answered. ‘‘And I don’t remember telling him I shot a second ambusher that day you were hit.’’
‘‘Think he’s one of the black riders?’’
‘‘He might be. Or he might just have overheard folks talking,’’ Winter answered. ‘‘Let’s keep him close a few days so we can keep an eye on him. He might be spying. What better disguise than being a gambler with no interest in cattle? And Jamie gives him an excuse to come out to the ranch.’’