“No, Hazard. Oh, please don’t die.” Tears coursed down her cheeks, blurring her vision as she fell to her knees and cradled him in her arms.
“Not…dead.” He had to struggle to get the words out from between chattering teeth. He knew the bullet had been fired from such close range, it had passed completely through his shoulder. He knew, too, that at any moment he would surely lose consciousness. Still, he had to stay alert. Erin’s life depended on it.
“Oh, this is too good.” Russ leaned over them, a look of triumph in his eyes. In his hand was the syringe. “Hazard Wilde lying in the mud, where he belongs. Unable to do more than watch while I snuff out the life of the woman he loves.” He laughed, a wild, hysterical sound that carried on the breeze like a ghostly echo. “I’ll tell you what, boss. When I’m through with your fancy woman, I’ll put you out of your misery so you can join her.”
Erin had never been so terrified in her life. The man facing her was absolutely mad. Of that she had no doubt. It was there in his eyes. In the high-pitched sound of his laughter.
As if in a daze she watched as his hand holding the syringe moved ever closer. Then suddenly she felt the cold steel of the surgical knife against her fingertips. She was trembling so violently she wasn’t even certain she could hold it in her hand. But she knew she had to try. For Hazard’s sake.
As Russ leaned down for the final thrust, she brought the knife upward with all her strength. Felt the blade bite effortlessly through skin and tissue until it was buried deep in his chest.
For a moment he merely stared at her in dull surprise. Then a vicious oath was torn from his lips. He started to reach for her, but couldn’t make his body obey his commands. The syringe fell to the ground, and he brought both hands to the source of the white hot pain that had him staggering backward.
He sank to his knees, still staring wordlessly at Erin. And then he seemed to fold, collapsing in on himself, dropping face first in the snow.
“What have I done?” She stared at the still figure, who only moments before had seemed so menacing. She went rigid with shock as she realized the enormity of what she had done. She, who had always been so sheltered, had taken a life.
With a cry she fell into Hazard’s arms. “Oh Hazard. Oh, dear Heaven, what have I done?”
“Oh, baby. What have you…done?” Through a blur of pain he gathered her close and held her while she sobbed her heart out. Against her cheek he crooned, “You just saved our lives.”
Chapter 15
“Sorry, Chance. Ace.” A sheriff’s deputy stuck his hand out to hold them back. “The sheriff wants everybody to stay behind these trucks. You’re not to contaminate the crime scene.”
“Don’t even think about trying to stop us, Brad.” Chance brushed past him with Ace following.
The two brothers strode through the barricade until they located Hazard and Erin. Hazard was sitting in the snow, leaning against the trunk of a tree. His face was bloody and battered. Someone had applied a tourniquet to his shoulder to stem the flow of blood. A blanket had been wrapped loosely around him.
Erin had her arms locked firmly around his waist, her face buried against his chest. From the occasional muffled sounds, it appeared that she was weeping softly.
Russ Thurman lay nearby. The sheriff was busy writing, while his deputy was taking pictures of the scene.
And what a scene. It looked almost surreal. The snow had been churned into a sea of mud, attesting to the fierceness of the battle that had been waged between two desperate men. Blood was splattered everywhere.
Chance dropped to his knees beside Hazard. “You all right?”
“I’m alive.”
“Erin?” Chance saw his brother’s hands close around her shoulders.
“She’s fine. Better than fine. She’s—” he pressed his mouth to her hair, as much to reassure himself that she was all right, as to comfort her “—just a little shaken.”
Ace stood over them. Now that he could see for himself that they were indeed alive and well, he started grinning. “I’ve seen you looking better, Bro.”
“Yeah. I’ve felt better, too.”
“There’s a lot of blood on that ugly face. Did he break your nose?”
“He tried.”
The sheriff pushed past Ace and Chance. “I need to ask a few more questions.”
Hazard closed his eyes. “Can’t you do that back at the house?”
“Yeah. Sure. But I don’t want to haul away the body until I have all the facts. Now, as I understand it, Russ Thurman befriended Beryl Spence, then got the bright idea to use her insulin in order to kill off your calves. He ordered massive amounts from a medical supply place, then when he needed more, helped himself to some of Beryl’s as well. This was in retaliation for an old grudge?”
“That’s right.” Hazard leaned his head back, feeling weary beyond belief. He’d never been so afraid in his life. Afraid he would be too late to save the only woman he’d ever loved. Afraid he’d have to watch her die at the hands of that madman. And now he couldn’t seem to wrap his mind around the fact that it was truly over.
The sheriff coughed discreetly. “Dr. Ryan, I need to ask you a few things, as well.”
Erin lifted her head.
Chance and Ace noticed that she kept both her hands locked firmly in Hazard’s. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face as pale as the snow.
“As I understand it, Russ kidnapped you and brought you here, not only so he could kill you, but also so he could force Hazard to watch?”
She nodded. Sniffed. “That’s right.”
“He wrestled the rifle away from you, Hazard?”
“No.” Hazard passed a hand over his forehead. “He ordered me to toss it, or he’d inject Erin with the insulin.”
“Then you managed to wrestle Dr. Ryan away from him, and got her safely in the truck.”
His hands tightened on hers. “Yes.”
“Then you and Russ struggled, and he managed to shoot you with your rifle?”
Hazard nodded.
“So, how were you able to find the strength to kill him with the knife?”
“I didn’t.”
The sheriff looked perplexed. As did Chance and Ace.
“But then who…?”
Erin’s voice was little more than a whisper. “I…I was the one who…”
“You, Dr. Ryan?” The sheriff looked from Hazard to Erin. “But I thought you were safe in the truck.”
“I was.”
“But why…?”
“How could I remain safe when Hazard was wounded and bleeding? I had to go to his aid.”
Beside the sheriff, Ace and Chance felt their jaws go slack. Was this the same timid little woman who was afraid of her own shadow?
“So you climbed out of the truck and went to Hazard’s side.”
She nodded. Her lips trembled. “I was trying to stop the bleeding. But then Russ came at me with a syringe. You must believe me. I didn’t want to…” She couldn’t say the words aloud. “I just wanted to stop him, so that I could take care of Hazard’s wounds.”
Seeing how fragile she appeared, the sheriff kept his tone easy. “Now this knife you used, Dr. Ryan. Where did you get it?”
“It’s a surgical knife. It was in my satchel. I was using it to cut away Hazard’s shirt, so I could get at the wound.” Her eyes filled. “I was afraid Hazard would die before I could stop the bleeding. And then…” She started trembling again. “I didn’t care about myself. But I knew I couldn’t let Hazard die. So I—” she took a deep breath and spoke the words before the fear would paralyze her again “—I killed Russ Thurman.”
While she sobbed against his chest, Hazard looked up at the men. Despite the pain, a slow smile spread across his mouth, lighting all his features. “Isn’t she something?”
“Yeah.” Ace shook his head. “Something.”
Then he shot a glance at his older brother. The two shared a knowing grin.
“I’ve called for a ’copter.
” The sheriff closed his notebook and shoved it in his pocket. “We’ll have you airlifted to the hospital, Hazard.”
Hazard vehemently shook his head. “I’ll think about it later. Right now I want to go home.”
Erin wiped her tears and lifted her head. “Do you think that’s wise? You need proper medical attention.”
“I’m a doctor, remember?” He smiled at her. “Well, an animal doctor. And besides, I’ll be in the best hands possible.”
At her questioning look he winked. “Your capable hands, Doctor.” He brought both her hands to his mouth and tenderly kissed each one.
“Come on. I’ll drive your truck.” Ace tossed his keys to Chance. “Follow me, Bro.”
With Chance on one side, and Ace on the other, they managed to get Hazard to his feet. Erin led the way to the truck and watched as the two brothers managed to ease Hazard up to the passenger seat. Ace slid behind the wheel, and Erin sat next to Hazard. With the heater going full blast, they turned away from the scene of carnage and headed toward the lights of home.
Ignoring his pain, Hazard drew Erin into the circle of his arms. She closed her eyes and snuggled against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. Safe. The word kept playing through her mind like a litany. Safe. He was safe.
Hazard brushed his mouth over her hair and breathed her in. And found he still couldn’t quite believe what they’d just come through together.
Together. It was the sweetest word he knew.
They rode the entire distance in silence.
“Dr. Ryan?” Agnes paused in the doorway to Erin’s bedroom.
After the chaos of the previous day, the house suddenly seemed too silent.
“Yes, Agnes? Come in, please.” Erin was wrapped in a robe, drying her hair with a towel.
“I just want you to know.” Agnes paused just inside the bedroom. Her big, work-worn hands were worrying the edge of her apron. “I haven’t gone out of my way to make you feel welcome. But I know what you did for Hazard. I just wanted to thank you for saving my boy.”
My boy. Erin felt her heart twist. Those two words spoke volumes about the way this old woman felt about the Wilde brothers. Like a mother hen. She had every reason to guard them so jealously.
Since Agnes wouldn’t come any closer, Erin walked to her.
“I heard how hard you fought to break free after Russ locked you up, Agnes. How are your hands?”
The old lady held them up like a victorious prizefighter. “Hardly a scratch.”
Erin caught them in both of hers and examined them closely. Then she squeezed them. “I’m glad.”
“Well.” Agnes cleared her throat. Turned away to hide the moisture in her eyes. “Better get to my chores.”
“Yes. I guess I’d better get to my packing.”
“Packing?” Agnes turned. “You’re leaving?”
Erin shrugged. “My work here is done.”
“Yeah.” Agnes spun away. “Well. Got to go.” She stormed out of the house like a woman on a mission.
“How’re you feeling?” Ace set his briefcase aside and studied his brother. Except for a black eye and a swollen lip, he seemed to be mending nicely.
“Fine.” Hazard idly rubbed at the bulge of dressing that covered the bullet wound in his shoulder. After the excitement had died down the previous night, he’d finally given in to the sheriff’s insistence that he go to the hospital. Using the family helicopter and pilot Brady Warren, he’d flown all the way to Cheyenne and back. Thanks to the doctors probing his wound, and the painkillers they’d administered, there had been no chance for him to tell Erin all the things that were on his mind.
“Okay.” Chance led Maggie inside the barn. “What’s so important that we have to meet in secret out here?”
Hazard turned to his sister-in-law. “Maggie, I was hoping you might make a special dinner tonight.”
Chance frowned. “What’s wrong with the dinners she’s been making?”
“Nothing.” Hazard touched a hand to Maggie’s arm. “But I’d like tonight to be special.”
With a woman’s intuition, Maggie understood at once. Her smile bloomed. “Oh, Hazard. I just knew it. You’re going to ask her, aren’t you?”
“Ask who what?” Cody strolled inside and joined the others.
“Hazard is going to ask Erin…”
“Here you are.” Agnes waddled up and placed herself squarely in front of Hazard, her hands on her hips. “Tell me. Didn’t that fancy little doctor risk her life to save yours?”
He blinked. “You know she did.”
“And haven’t you been sneaking into her room at night, after the rest of us are asleep?”
Behind her back he could see the others grinning at him like idiots. He could feel his temper beginning to rise. “That’s none of your business, Agnes.”
“Well, I’m making it my business. What do I have to do to get you to appreciate Dr. Ryan?”
“Appreciate her?”
“That’s right.” She pointed a finger at his chest. “Now, granted, she might not be what I’d have picked out for you. Huh.” She sniffed just thinking about all the things that were wrong with Erin Ryan. “Dresses like a lady. Never drove a truck, let alone a tractor. Can’t ride a horse. Faints at the sight of a calf being born. Wrinkles her nose at barnyard smells.” She seemed to catch herself. “But none of those things are important when two people love each other. And make no mistake,” she said, poking her finger hard into his chest. “She wouldn’t have risked her life if she didn’t love you. And I happen to know you feel the same way about her, even if you are too pig-headed to admit it.”
“As a matter of fact I was just…”
“Don’t go denying it.” She put both big hands on his shoulders and pushed him backward. “And don’t go thinking you’re too old for me to tell you what to do. You get yourself in that house and tell that little lady exactly how you feel before she finishes packing her suitcase.”
“Packing?”
“That’s what I said. She’s in there packing. She told me her job here is done.”
“You know something, Agnes? I’d forgotten just how tough you can be. I hope you’re always on my side. Now I guess I’d…better do what I’m told.” He shot a quick glance at the others, who were nearly doubled over in silent laughter.
Then he glanced back at Agnes and did something he’d never done before. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a big kiss. “Thanks, Agnes. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Huh. That’s the truth. Don’t you forget it, either.”
As he hurried away, she stood perfectly still, touching a finger to her mouth. Then, seeing that the others were watching, she put her hands on her hips. “Well? What’re you looking at? There’s work to be done.”
They stepped apart and beat a hasty retreat.
“Agnes said you were packing.”
Erin looked up. The sight of Hazard’s black eye and swollen lip made her heart turn over. “Professor Wingate will want a full report of the laboratory tests.”
“You could e-mail them.”
“Well.” She looked away. “I could. But now that my work is completed, the university will be expecting me back. I have to serve out my year of fellowship.”
“Back to the world of academics.” He felt a momentary twinge of fear. “I suppose you miss it?”
She shrugged. “It’s all I know.”
“I suppose, when your year ends, you’ll be eager to get back to Boston.”
“I…thought I would. But I’ve learned to love Wyoming.”
“You have?” He studied the way she looked in her jeans and sweater, her hair falling softly around her face. Such a contrast to the young woman who had arrived, all prim and buttoned up, in a proper business suit, her hair in that awful knot. “Do you think you could learn to love…the people of Wyoming, as well?”
She smiled. “I guess that would depend on the people.”
“Maybe you could st
art with me.”
Her smile deepened. “I already love you, Hazard. You know that.”
He started to relax a little.
“But love is one thing. Believing in happily-ever-after is another. I was raised to believe in doing what is right.”
“What’s right?” The tension was back, and he could feel a throbbing in his temples.
She nodded. “I believe that my mother and father love each other. After all, they’ve been married for more than thirty years. But do you know that in all that time I’ve never seen them kiss?”
“I’m sorry for them. But what’s that got to do with—”
She held up a hand. “My mother told me that after passion fades, the glue that holds a marriage together is what two people have in common. My parents are both involved in the academic life. They come from similar backgrounds.”
He could feel the panic starting to grow. When she opened her mouth he said, “Wait, Erin. Before you say anything, just listen to me. I realize I can’t offer you the things you were used to. Here in the middle of nowhere, I can’t compete with the academic life-style you’ve always known. But I could add to the lab, so that you could still do the work you love. You could be in constant contact with your co-workers. I’ll install as many computers as you need. Just…” He closed his eyes a moment. “Please, Erin, don’t leave.”
“Oh, Hazard.” She let out a long deep sigh. “Don’t you see? What you’re offering is everything I’ve ever dreamed of.” She took a step back. “It would be so tempting to just selfishly take it all and grab all the happiness I can.”
“But then why—”
She shook her head. “All my life I’ve been reminded of the importance of being sensible. And common sense tells me that I have nothing to offer you in return.”
“Nothing to offer?” He would laugh if she weren’t so damnably serious.
“I can’t cook like Maggie.”
His tone lowered with feeling. “I don’t want a cook.”
“I can’t help around the ranch. I could never jump in the truck and lend a hand with the calving.”