Randall Renegade. Judy Christenberry
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“Uh, I’ll do what I can, ma’am. He…he reminds me of my little brother.”
“Thank you, Roger. I appreciate your kindness. Will dinner include anyone else?”
“Yes, ma’am. The triplets,” he said, using the nickname for the lieutenants, “and our visitor.”
“All right, Roger. Thank you.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, closing the tent flap as he left.
She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about what was before her. Dinner with Jim. He’d come to save them, she was certain. It was the first ray of hope she’d felt since she’d set off to retrieve her son.
She was thrilled that Jim had come after her. He was still the good guy she remembered. Like everyone in his family, he did what was right, no matter the cost to him.
JIM LOOKED UP as Patience entered the large tent the general called home. He’d spent the past hour pretending to be a man who was fed up with society. He’d even hinted at having had trouble with the law.
That had pleased the general.
To his surprise, the general stood and extended his hand to Patience. She ignored the gesture and sat on the only vacant camp stool.
“Jim, this is Patience, another guest tonight.” He turned to her. “My dear, we mustn’t let our little differences give our guest the wrong idea.”
She heard the warning beneath the false words and remained silent.
Kane nodded to one of his lieutenants and the man slipped from the tent. His mission became clear as several of the soldiers brought in food. To Jim’s surprise, the main dish was steaks, cooked to perfection.
“You eat well, General. I didn’t expect such quality in a camp meal.”
“Steaks are the easy part. It’s the vegetables that are hard to come by. The steaks are generously donated by the ranchers in the area, though sometimes I pay.”
Jim remembered the coins in his jeans pocket. Were they what Kane considered payment? Now he knew where some of the Randalls’ missing cattle had gone.
“I’m hoping to find someplace cut off, but with a source of supplies not too far away,” Jim said, continuing his pretense of wanting a place to hide away.
The general leaned forward, his focus on Jim. “I understand. I wonder if you might consider joining us. I supply all my men’s needs. You might stay for the winter and see if you agree with our mission.”
“What is your mission, General?”
Kane gave a mournful sigh. “I fear citizens are misled by their Christian leaders. I believe the prize goes to the fittest. I intend to rule Wyoming.”
“That would be hard to do unless you dismantled the government, wouldn’t it?”
“Ah, my friend, you are quick. I don’t intend to dismantle it. I intend to rule it. I shall be elected governor.”
It was tempting to laugh at the man. As far as Jim could tell, Kane had formed an army only to wait on him. He didn’t look prepared to overthrow anyone, much less run for office.
Jim risked a glance at Patience to see what she thought of the general’s plan. Their gazes met and she immediately turned away. He watched her look at the general before she turned her attention to her food.
He suspected the vegetables were the ones stolen from her mother’s pantry. But Patience remained cool. In control. That was what the situation required, but the Patience he remembered hadn’t been good at holding back.
Obviously she’d matured.
“So what do you think?” the general asked. “Care to join our crusade?”
“I wouldn’t mind wintering with you, but I can’t promise more than that. It depends on what happens next spring. Some of the lawmen I’ve met can’t leave well enough alone.”
“It’s the power, my friend. It goes to their heads.”
Jim nodded in agreement, thinking all the time that power had already gone to the general’s head.
Suddenly Patience spoke. “Joseph, I want to take Tommy back to Rawhide.”
Kane glared at her. “Absolutely not. The boy must learn to be a soldier!” he snapped.
“But he can’t take much more.”
“Restrain yourself. I do what I want with you and my child!” The general’s voice was ragged now and his cheeks flushed.
“Whoa!” Jim said, feeling his way carefully. “I don’t hold with hurting women and children.”
The general looked at Jim coldly. “This is a family matter. Besides, she’s too easy on the boy.”
“Women are like that,” Jim said casually. “How old is the boy?”
Patience answered. “He’s three.”
Jim frowned. “That is a bit young. They don’t even try to teach kids to read until they’re five. Maybe you should send him back to town, General, until he’s a little older.”
He kept his tone bland, steadily eating his steak. But he waited tensely for the general’s response.
“I’ve thought of that,” Kane said after a moment. “But I want to keep him here. I will keep Patience here to care for him.”
“Against her will?” Jim blurted unthinkingly. But the general didn’t seem to notice the slip.
“Of course not. You’ll see. Patience, you may go home tomorrow.”
“Not without Tommy.”
“You see, Jim? She stays willingly.”
As much as he hated doing it, Jim nodded, as if he was satisfied.
One thing was clear. As Patience had said, the general was crazy, a madman, who had no business raising a child. If—no, when they got back to Rawhide, he would recommend Patience ask his cousin Nick to help her get legal guardianship of Tommy. The general couldn’t possibly convince a judge he should keep the child.
As soon as the meal was finished, Patience withdrew, rising without warning and leaving the tent, not waiting for the general’s consent. She’d never been one to submit to someone else’s control. Jim hoped the general could convince himself that she was being compliant. Otherwise, there was no telling what might happen to them all.
“PATIENCE,” SHE HEARD someone whisper just outside her tent.
Lying awake next to Tommy, she quickly sat up and whispered in return, “Yes?”
“I’m going to slit the tent here in the back. Don’t make any noise.”
She turned to face the back of the tent. She saw a blade pierce the material. Then a hand parted the edges and Jim’s face appeared.
“Oh, Jim! Thank you for coming.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t take you seriously when you called. I’m so sorry, Patience.”
She blinked hard, hoping to disperse the tears. She’d needed him so badly she couldn’t believe he was here. “Thank you.”
“What the hell is Kane thinking, bringing a child up here?”
“I keep hoping he’ll realize Tommy is too young to be a soldier. He’s very rough with him. I don’t know what to do.”
“Tommy doesn’t like him?”
“No!”
Jim shushed her, afraid they might be overheard.
“Sorry,” she whispered. “But the man is insane.”
“Yes,