if he thinks we’re not expecting it and if he’s here, it would be too obvious. Although, if anything happens to me, my brothers will be coming after Billy first.”
She nodded. “Understood. How do you think he’ll use me against you? If he’s not in camp, what can he do to me?”
“I don’t know. I just know I don’t trust him. He doesn’t give a damn about you. You must know that.”
She glanced away from him and said softly, “In my heart, I keep hoping that he’ll love me. If I’m good enough and make enough, that somehow he’ll change and he’ll love me.”
Jake went to her and put his hands on her shoulders, afraid that if he took her completely into his arms she’d pull away. “Becky, honey, Billy is never going to change. I understand the need you have for him to love you. We all want our parents to love us, but that’s not going to happen. He doesn’t have it in him to love anyone but himself.”
She held herself stiff and sniffled. He knew she was crying but didn’t know how to comfort her any more than he already was. Slowly, very slowly, so as not to spook her, he brought her back against his chest and rested his cheek next to hers. Today was the closest she’d ever let him come and he didn’t know how long it would last. He savored it.
He felt her shoulders sag as she relaxed against him. He closed his eyes and just appreciated the feel of her against him. He rubbed his hands lightly up and down her arms in a way he hoped was soothing. She didn’t pull away but he dared not wrap her in his arms again, as he had when she was comforting him just a while ago, though he wanted to more than anything. She was skittish as a colt and he’d have to take care not to scare her away.
He was determined that Becky would be his.
CHAPTER 5
After Jake and Becky talked they both decided to keep to their regular routines. No point in letting Billy know anything was different. The only exception being that Jake now went with her to pick up Billy. He was determined to keep her safe
His brothers told him it was fool hardy. That he was more vulnerable to kidnapping himself when he was in Deadwood, but Jake couldn’t let Becky be in danger without helping. Especially when it was his fault she was in danger in the first place.
The first few times were normal. Billy was passed out at The Gem . Dan or someone else had moved him to a table next to the door so Becky could get at him. Usually Dan Dority put Billy on Buster’s back if he wasn’t too busy with other customers. Other times Johnny Burns, the floor manager, did it and if no one else was around, then Becky dragged him and tugged him up with a rope.
Now Jake helped her and none too gently. He threw Billy over the saddle and tied his hands and feet tight. He thought about tying them tight enough to cut off the circulation but decided Becky wouldn’t be too happy with him if her Da lost his hands because of it. It would mean she’d never be rid of him and there was no way Jake would put her in that situation.
Days went by with no change and then two strange men came to camp one day.
“Can I help you?” Becky said to them when they rode in to camp at supper time.
“We’re looking for Jake Anderson,” said the bigger of the two. He was dressed in a dirty coat and pants. His hair was down past his shoulders and hung lank and greasy. He was the bounty hunter Jake had described. The second man was cleaner and smaller but still had a feral look about him and she knew he was dangerous. Maybe the more dangerous of the two.
“I don’t know no Jake Anderson,” she said. “You can ask on the claims further up. Maybe they know him.”
“Isn’t this Billy Finnegan’s claim.” Said the bounty hunter as he started to get off his horse.
At his movement, Becky pulled her Colt revolver from its holster at her side. “Don’t be gettin’ down, mister. You got no call to stay. Billy’s name may be on the paperwork, but this is my claim. I
She nodded. “Understood. How do you think he’ll use me against you? If he’s not in camp, what can he do to me?”
“I don’t know. I just know I don’t trust him. He doesn’t give a damn about you. You must know that.”
She glanced away from him and said softly, “In my heart, I keep hoping that he’ll love me. If I’m good enough and make enough, that somehow he’ll change and he’ll love me.”
Jake went to her and put his hands on her shoulders, afraid that if he took her completely into his arms she’d pull away. “Becky, honey, Billy is never going to change. I understand the need you have for him to love you. We all want our parents to love us, but that’s not going to happen. He doesn’t have it in him to love anyone but himself.”
She held herself stiff and sniffled. He knew she was crying but didn’t know how to comfort her any more than he already was. Slowly, very slowly, so as not to spook her, he brought her back against his chest and rested his cheek next to hers. Today was the closest she’d ever let him come and he didn’t know how long it would last. He savored it.
He felt her shoulders sag as she relaxed against him. He closed his eyes and just appreciated the feel of her against him. He rubbed his hands lightly up and down her arms in a way he hoped was soothing. She didn’t pull away but he dared not wrap her in his arms again, as he had when she was comforting him just a while ago, though he wanted to more than anything. She was skittish as a colt and he’d have to take care not to scare her away.
He was determined that Becky would be his.
CHAPTER 5
After Jake and Becky talked they both decided to keep to their regular routines. No point in letting Billy know anything was different. The only exception being that Jake now went with her to pick up Billy. He was determined to keep her safe
His brothers told him it was fool hardy. That he was more vulnerable to kidnapping himself when he was in Deadwood, but Jake couldn’t let Becky be in danger without helping. Especially when it was his fault she was in danger in the first place.
The first few times were normal. Billy was passed out at The Gem . Dan or someone else had moved him to a table next to the door so Becky could get at him. Usually Dan Dority put Billy on Buster’s back if he wasn’t too busy with other customers. Other times Johnny Burns, the floor manager, did it and if no one else was around, then Becky dragged him and tugged him up with a rope.
Now Jake helped her and none too gently. He threw Billy over the saddle and tied his hands and feet tight. He thought about tying them tight enough to cut off the circulation but decided Becky wouldn’t be too happy with him if her Da lost his hands because of it. It would mean she’d never be rid of him and there was no way Jake would put her in that situation.
Days went by with no change and then two strange men came to camp one day.
“Can I help you?” Becky said to them when they rode in to camp at supper time.
“We’re looking for Jake Anderson,” said the bigger of the two. He was dressed in a dirty coat and pants. His hair was down past his shoulders and hung lank and greasy. He was the bounty hunter Jake had described. The second man was cleaner and smaller but still had a feral look about him and she knew he was dangerous. Maybe the more dangerous of the two.
“I don’t know no Jake Anderson,” she said. “You can ask on the claims further up. Maybe they know him.”
“Isn’t this Billy Finnegan’s claim.” Said the bounty hunter as he started to get off his horse.
At his movement, Becky pulled her Colt revolver from its holster at her side. “Don’t be gettin’ down, mister. You got no call to stay. Billy’s name may be on the paperwork, but this is my claim. I
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