was so cramped. She would have been welcome, " she added, "And I'm


persnickety in my old age, but I took to her right away.




She's got a good heart. Why, she was even nice to nasty old Lemont


Morganstaff. She made him blush with her compliments about his


garden.




" "How many boarders do you take in? " Cole asked.




"There's room for five, but I only have two now. Just Grace and


Jessica, and the baby of course." Caleb came running past Tilly,


pushed the door open, and scurried outside before she could grab hold


of him. The little boy was dressed in a white cotton gown that came


down to his ankles. He was barefoot and full of mischief.




"I'll let you boys keep an eye on that critter while I hunt Jessica


down. Then I'll take Caleb upstairs because I promised him a story. "


She was turning away when Cole stopped her with a question. "Ma'am?




Where's the boy's father? " "That's a good question, and if I were at


liberty to talk about it, I'd tell you where I think he is, but I gave


my word to Jessica to keep my mouth shut. I can tell you that sweet


boy's mama died giving birth, " she added. "Her husband wasn't at her


side, though. No, sir, he wasn't."




"Jessica isn't the boy's mother?




" Daniel asked.




"Caleb thinks she's his mama because she's been taking care of him for


so long, but she isn't his blood mother."




"Is Caleb's father dead or alive? " Cole asked.




"I don't honestly know, " she answered with a scowl. "But I'm hoping


he's drunk himself to death by now. I'm not going to say another word


about him, " she vowed. "You'll have to ask Jessica for the details.




" She disappeared into the dining room. Cole and Ryan both turned to


look down at the baby. Caleb was standing near the front steps,


grinning up at them. All of a sudden he dropped to his knees and


crawled backward.




He wasn't housebroken yet, and when he tried to shimmy down the front


steps on his belly, the ties on his diaper came loose.




"Where do you think you're going? " Cole asked as he bent down and


picked the baby up in his arms. Ryan grabbed hold of the diaper before


it slipped past Caleb's thighs and quickly retied the straps. Caleb


dropped the rag doll and reached for Ryan's badge.




"You act like you know what you're doing, " Cole remarked, ignoring the


baby's squirming and grunting to get down.




"I've had a little experience."




"Nieces and nephews? " "No. A daughter." He patted the baby before


walking away. "He smells like apples and soap. It brings back


memories." He crossed the porch and leaned against a post, staring out


into the darkness. "I'm tired tonight, " he remarked.




"I didn't know you were married."




"You never asked." His voice had taken on a hard edge, an unspoken


suggestion to let the topic go. Cole was too curious to take the


hint.




"How long have you been married? " "It would have been seven years


last month."




"Would have been? " Ryan nodded. "They're both dead." Cole's mind


began to race with questions.




"When did you say you started working on this investigation? " "I


didn't say."




"Okay, you didn't tell me. So when did you? " "I was appointed to


head the special force after one of the robberies."




"Quit being so evasive. Tell me which one of the robberies it was."




"Dillon, " Ryan answered. "After the robbery at Dillon."




"Your hometown."




"Yes, my hometown." Silence settled between them as Cole recalled the


accounts he had heard of Dillon.




"Did your wife and daughter get sick? " he finally asked.




"Stop asking so many questions, Cole."




"Did they? " he persisted.




Ryan shook his head. "No, they didn't get sick. They were simply in


the wrong place at the wrong time." Cole let out a long breath. "Ah


.




. . hell, Daniel. They're the ones, aren't they? " Ct <v/ssica


Summers stood at the kitchen counter and stared out the window,


daydreaming. She was trying to recall what it had felt like to be


carefree.




She couldn't remember.




She was tired tonight, and surely that was why her burdens and worries


seemed so overwhelming to her now. There had been so many changes in


her life over the past two years, and lately there were moments when


she felt like an old woman.




This was one of those moments. She wasn't feeling sorry for


herselfţthere simply wasn't time in her busy day for such a silly


self-indulgenceţand as weary as she was, she was still able to thank


God for the blessing he had bestowed on her by giving her little


Caleb.




She couldn't imagine life without him, as chaotic as it sometimes


seemed.




Forcing herself to get back to the task at hand, she picked up a wet


cloth and began to wash one of Tilly's prize Redbird china plates.




Water splashed her skirt. She looked down and noticed for the first


time how old and faded the dress was. It didn't quite fit anymore,


the bodice was uncomfortably tight across her chest, but all she had to


do was move the buttons, if and when she found the time, and then the


dress would be almost as good as new. She certainly wasn't about to


throw it away as Tilly had suggested, because that would be a waste,


and she couldn't afford to waste anything these days. Besides, the


dress was serviceable and she was quite fond of the color. Age, wear,


and countless washings had turned the bright lavender material a much


paler shade. Tilly had told her it looked like an old, used


hand-me-down, and Jessica had shrugged indifference. The dress was


decent, and that was all that mattered.




Lord, how her priorities had changed. She remembered another dress she


had coveted a lifetime ago when such frivolous things actually mattered


to her. She had noticed the dress in a shop window and thought it was


the most glorious creation she had ever seen. The gown was white


brocade with a wide red velvet sash. Jessica smiled as she recalled


how she had vowed to save enough money to one day buy the impractical


dress.




Her dreams were different now, of course. She never thought about


suitors or dances or parties any longer. She had been a foolish,


empty-headed young girl back then. Now she was an adult with


responsibilities. Her only dream was to be the best mother Caleb could


ever have.




Tilly pulled her back to the present with the announcement that the


marshals would like to talk to her.




"They're waiting on the porch for you, " she said.




"I'll go right out, " Jessica promised.




Five minutes later, she was still standing at the kitchen counter. She


knew she was being rude by keeping the marshals waiting, but she was so


nervous and frightened, she couldn't seem to make herself go outside.




She delayed the inevitable for as long as possible by insisting on


helping her new friend, Grace Winthrop, finish the dishes and put the


food away.




Grace was completely out of place in a kitchen. Jessica didn't think


she had ever been inside one until she moved into Tilly's


boardinghouse, but what she lacked in experience she made up for with


her enthusiasm. She was determined to learn how to cook a decent meal,


and there wasn't any chore beneath her. Yesterday she had taken off


her gloves and hat, put on one of Tilly's old aprons, and got down on


her hands and knees to scrub the floor. It had taken her twice as long


as it would have taken Jessica, but when she was finished, the wood had


a nice shine.




The two women had become good friends. F, ach was lost in her own


thoughts as they worked side by side.




"I'm scared, " Jessica whispered. "I don't want to talk to them. "


"I'm scared too, " Grace admitted. "After they finish questioning you,


they'll probably want to talk to me. Maybe Tilly could convince them


to come back tomorrow." Jessica shook her head. "Then I'd worry all


night. I want to get it over and done with now. Otherwise I won't


sleep."




"Have you thought about my proposition? Mr. Nelson needs to know if


I'm going to purchase his wagon or not. I promised to let him know in


the morning. He let me drive it over here, " she added.




"I know, " Jessica whispered back. "I can see it in the field behind


the yard from my window. Yes, I have made up my mind. If you're sure


we won't be a burden, Caleb and I would love to go with you." Grace


let out a sigh. "I'm so thankful, " she said. "Of course you won't be


a burden. I'll admit now I don't think I could manage the horses


without help."




"We'll manage together, " Jessica promised.




Tilly came back to the kitchen to find out why Jessica was taking so


long and decided it was up to her to give her a little nudge.




"They aren't going to go away, girl, " she began. "You might as well


get on out there and talk to them, and while you're answering their


questions, you might want to take the time to notice what fine-looking


men the marshals are. It's been a long while since I've seen such big,


masculine men. They might give you a scare at first sight, seeing as


how they're both so ruggedlooking, but if you'll look in their eyes,