“You don’t trust me,” she whispered.
“Trust gets people killed,” he replied, his gaze hard—until it softened. “But you make me want to risk it anyway.”
Fleeing her former fiancé, a notorious gang leader, Myra escapes with her younger brother. After a harrowing accident leaves them unconscious, Myra awakens in the arms of Philip Wilder, the town sheriff. Faking amnesia, she accepts a job as his housekeeper to buy time.
Philip is determined to protect his town from the gang that murdered his sister. The last thing he needs is to care for a woman he barely knows. “I can’t let anyone get close again,” he insists, wrestling with his growing feelings while vowing to keep her at arm’s length.
As they become part of the local community, the threat from her past looms ever closer. In the Rocky Mountain’s Crystal Creek, where trust is their only weapon, will they dare to believe in a future together?
In the heart of Crystal Creek, love can blossom from ashes,
But danger lurks where trust and fear clash,
As Myra and Philip fight for peace,
Will their hearts find solace or face a cruel release?
A Short Distance from Crystal Creek
1881
The sun beat down mercilessly on Philip as he rode through the woods outside Crystal Creek. He was on patrol, looking out for anyone who might mean his little town harm or need support of any kind. These rides were done daily now as a measure to ensure the safety of the citizens he was sworn to protect. His best friend and deputy, Beau, dutifully rode on a horse close to Philip, also keeping his eyes moving in all directions for anything that should not be there. Their town had been taught a hard lesson two years previous when a gang rode in unannounced and wrecked the sense of serenity forever.
Both men wore the badge they’d sworn an oath to on their shirts, with leather vests, chaps, and their standard-issued boots. Their horses were made for speed when it came to that, and they were well acquainted with everyone that belonged in the area.
Crystal Creek was a small town nestled into the mountains of Colorado, built up on the promise of the West that so many came out to explore. Now families, men working mines, and ranchers made up the populous of the area. The main street, only six buildings deep, with a church at the edge of the civilized part of Crystal Creek, was picture-perfect.
Philip tugged the brim of his hat lower over his eyes, as it was the only protection afforded against the blistering onslaught of the sun. He didn’t complain, even when uncomfortable, as he was a man determined to stop the next attack on his town. He didn’t boast many friends outside of Beau, though all in Crystal Creek knew his name. As the local sheriff, the stoic nature and steady hand he had been blessed with were appreciated, and no one required him to be a social man, which was a good thing.
“I’m grateful we finally have a little shade,” Beau called out as they crossed into a thicket of trees. “The shade here is at least one small reprieve to these afternoon rides.”
“I agree with that,” Philip said as he rested for a second against the saddle of his horse. He pulled off his hat and wiped a hand over his forehead. “I think it might be hotter than the desert out here today. I’m looking forward to the changing of the weather for a small reprieve, though winter is definitely brutal in these parts.”
“It would be nice if nighttime were just as good for these patrols,” Beau said. “I know that the cover of night would make it more dangerous since someone hiding might catch us unawares, but I will admit that my back would love a little less heat.”
Philip gave a little chuckle but put the hat on his head as he continued to scan the horizon. His eyes were always on the move in slow patterns, trying to find danger before it surprised him. This part of the country was still rife with gangs, lawlessness, and those who tried to live outside of the civilized town’s rule. It was some of those individuals who had altered his life forever, that dreaded day that always played like a bad play in his mind.
“I know that the anniversary of Lily’s death is upon us in the near future,” Beau says, as Philip’s head turned quickly in that direction, his heart pounding heavily in his chest.
“I’ve been thinking of that day a lot of late,” Philip replied. “Our town barely survived that terrible day, and as you know, I’ve been at a loss with Lily’s killer still riding loose out in the world.”
“That terrible day in our town’s history is something I know that we’re working to correct by bringing the bank robbers and killers to justice,” Beau said. “I often think of Belle, Hank, and everyone lost that day. I’m frustrated we can’t get a single clue as to where to find the monsters that still terrorize us to this day. You know how many townsfolk ask if we found them yet?”
“Oh, I know,” Philip grumbled. “Every day, I hear from someone questioning our lack of justice for our town. I feel like such a failure and unworthy to wear this badge,” he muttered as he flicked at the piece of tin attached to his vest.
“Don’t they all see us out patrolling all the time?” Beau asked.
“I think without a body or prisoner, nothing will ease the town’s suffering,” he mumbled. “Or my own.”
Philip gazed from left to right and back again in the wooded area. Nothing appeared out of place, so he urged his horse onward to scan the next location. He came to the edge of the wood and noticed a herd of horses galloping in the distance and some birds taking flight.
The land in this area was heavily wooded and uneven. Huge crevasses, inclines, and gullies were carved out of the land, making great hiding spots for those not wishing to be found.
Philip glanced down from the ledge of one such incline. He leaned over the saddle horn to be sure he could see every nook of the place and stopped when something blew in the slight breeze a short distance from him at the bottom of the crevasse. At first, he thought it was just some sort of bush or dust pile, but the wisps floating around the mound appeared to be hair.
He was sure it was a body wearing a skirt and top. Unfortunately, the person was curled around themselves, causing them to face away from Philip. He knew in a heartbeat, though, that it was a body and needed to get down to lend assistance or retrieve it before the birds of prey did their job.
Her breath hitched, chest tightening as he glanced in all directions to ensure there was no imminent danger. His heart rate was a little frantic, and he could feel all his senses become overly sensitive. His hands hovered right over the gun at his side. Time seemed to slow, and the world narrowed to the lifeless form in front of him.
“Beau,” he called out as his heart picked up a pace and slammed hard against his chest. “Over there.” He pointed.
He was looking in all directions to map out a way to get down to where the body lay. Worse, the hair that curled up from the head made it look like it was a woman, which caused his sister’s face to form in his mind.
He turned to watch Beau leaning across his saddle as he squinted at the spot that Philip indicated. As their eyes met, he knew that he wasn’t imagining things.
“Giddy up,” Philip said, kicking his heels into the horse’s side.
He and Beau had to be careful as they navigated down the incline toward the body.
Philip hated this part of the job, and unfortunately, it was a lot more common than he liked to find dead bodies in these parts. Gunslingers, outlaws, settlers passing through ill-prepared for the trials of living on the land, and victims of both the environment and individuals were often found. He hated this, but giving them peace and a proper burial was something he could do to help ease his own anger at this happening.
“Hey!” he called out on the off chance that the person was alive.
Not a muscle moved.
He made a gesture toward Beau for him to go around the body, and when he got to the other side of the lump, Philip felt goosebumps rise all over his skin and his stomach knot. His eyes went to the horizon, and he turned full circle to ensure no one was in the area that might wish him or Beau harm.
It was now obvious that the pile at the base of the crevasse was two bodies. A woman with chestnut hair and a bruised-up face that did nothing to hide the beauty of her countenance was lying, holding tight to a little boy Philip guessed was about ten years old. The woman appeared to have tried to protect the boy from whatever had come for them—or rather, whoever. From the state of their injuries, it looked like they had run afoul of someone or possibly fallen from a horse or wagon. He wasn’t seeing anything that told him where they might have been coming from in the immediate area, so he figured they might have also rolled down the incline.
“Wow, she is a beauty,” Beau murmured as he unmounted from the horse.
“Yeah.” Philip moved forward and crouched within the foot of the lady.
He couldn’t see movement but still wanted to confirm the woman was dead. He put a hand in front of her mouth to check that there was no breathing or other signs of life. At that moment, her head moved slightly to the right.
“Oh, no,” he said as he jumped back. “She’s alive.”
He moved a finger to the boy’s neck. A strong pulse met his fingertips, just as it had with the woman. He would have bet a month’s salary that they were no longer living from the unmoving condition of their bodies.
“You see anything of theirs that might tell us something about them?” he asked Beau as they both made a slow circle.
“Nah. It’s like they dropped from the sky right here. I’m not seeing tracks or anything, if I’m being honest,” Beau said as he kept his gaze trained on the ground. “You think we should get them to Doc in town?”
Philip found his eye on the pair once again. The protective circle of the lady’s arms on that little boy imprinted on his mind. He had felt that way about his sister. He would have put his body between her and the gunman who took her life if he had been given a choice.
“Let’s take them to my ranch,” he said before he could decide on another course of action.
“I’m sorry?” Beau said.
He looked at Philip with big, confused eyes. Not one to normally question Philip’s actions, he didn’t appear ready to transport this person to his homestead.
“Are you sure? The ranch isn’t the most welcoming of places, and I believe you’ve threatened more than one stranger with shooting them for being on your land. Maybe taking them into town and getting a room at the hotel for now would be best.”
Philip turned to his best buddy. “Look at them. Even if they come to, they’re in no position to be left on their own in town. I might not be the most welcoming, but they have to be safer on my property until they’re able to care for themselves. I have a number of hands, as you know, that can help.”
“You know many might find this improper, and you need to be sure to keep that in mind,” Beau reminded Philip.
“I understand. We also are charged with keeping them safe, so tell me if you believe they will be better off and cared for better elsewhere,” he challenged his deputy.
After a long moment of considering the question, Beau finally nodded.
“You get her,” Beau said as he leaned in to unclasp the woman’s arms from around the boy.
Philip moved the hair from her face as he tried to find the best way to lift her. She was tall, willowy, and had the most perfect face he had seen up close. Her tiny, upturned nose, pale skin free of scars or other marring factors, and a sprinkle of freckles over her nose made her face look perfect. Additionally, her small heart-shaped mouth was just right. Together, her features formed a porcelain doll effect that made his heart ache that someone could cause her harm.
He found himself curious about her eye color as he held her close to his chest.
With some maneuvering, he got into the saddle and settled her in for the short ride to the ranch.
He couldn’t help but gaze in all directions as he sought out some clue as to who these two might be and what sort of danger they had encountered on their travels.
Were they headed for his town, Crystal Creek? It was fortunate they both weren’t killed, as this land was no place for a woman and a small boy on their own. He hoped they lived to tell him their tale, but considering neither of them had made a peep yet, he didn’t believe this would be a happy ending for these two.
Myra woke slowly as she grimaced against the pain that drove her from the darkness of rest. She tried to remember where she was, but all that formulated in her head was the horrors she had run from.
The man she believed would be her husband had turned out to be a criminal, intent on holding her with him against her wishes. Lucas once appeared as the dream man she prayed would come along and provide a better life for her and her younger brother, Jed. They were the only family either had left, and she always wished for a husband who might encompass them both with love again. Her naivety was quickly displaced by the truth coming to light about the crimes committed by Lucas.
She closed her eyes briefly as a scene materialized in her mind.
“I wanted to introduce myself.” The tall, handsome man extended a hand in Myra’s direction. “I’m a businessman passing through town. Lucas Lincoln.”
He was well-spoken, wore a nice suit, and had a welcoming smile. She was the proprietress here at the general store and often saw a number of new people each day. This man, though, captured her attention and had her heart beating a bit quicker.
“I’m Myra Carson,” she replied with a firm shake of his hand.
“You are beautiful, Ms. Carson,” Lucas said. “Have dinner with me at the hotel next door?”
“I’m sorry. I have a younger brother that requires my attention for meals and such.” She played coy with a flutter of her eyelashes. “I would not be able to leave him unattended.”
“Bring him along. I adore children,” Lucas said. “One meal to get to know you is all I need to convince you I’m the man you have been wanting.”
“How do you know I don’t already have a beau?” she questioned.
“You are continuing this conversation,” Lucas returned with a wink. “You strike me as a woman who doesn’t play loose with her feelings or commitments. I like that about you already.”
“One dinner,” she told him.
It was a public place, and she didn’t figure he could do anything untoward with people around them. Besides, love and a partnership were absolutely something Myra longed for and didn’t believe possible after having to take guardianship of her brother. This might be her one chance at love, and she was willing to give Lucas the opportunity to prove himself to her.
It had been a whirlwind courtship, and the day he asked her to be his wife, she wept. After the loss of both her parents and having to raise her brother on her own, she finally felt as if the future was going to be even better than she had thought possible after so much loss.
Then, one fateful day, everything had gone wrong. She went to a nearby town on a shopping trip to find the material for her wedding gown and stumbled upon Lucas’s dark secret.
Passing a saloon, she’d witnessed him dressed in a dark suit she had never seen, looking almost sinister as he argued with some men at the table with him. It was the sort of rough place she would normally walk past quickly, as the men that hung around there were not the sort to treat her as the lady she was.
Curiosity got the better of Myra that day, and she slipped into the shadows to follow Lucas when he exited. Several times during their travel to the outskirts of the town, she was certain she would be found out. It never happened, and soon enough, she witnessed something she could never forget. The man who had been arguing with her fiancé in the saloon tossed a crying man at Lucas’s feet and referred to Lucas as Boss. When Lucas kicked the man, Myra nearly cried aloud right there behind the building where she was standing.
“I can’t marry you,” she told Lucas, holding her back straight as she extended the ring in his direction.
“You committed,” he muttered as he leaned over the counter with anger evident on his face. “There is no backing out now. You will not make a fool of me.”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve found that we are not compatible any longer,” Myra told him, trying to remain calm, as his face went a bright red color, and his eyes squinted in rage.
“You will walk down that aisle to me this Saturday, or I will hunt you down like a wild animal,” he growled before he pivoted to the doorway and stomped out.
Never had Myra been this concerned about her safety and that of her little brother. The man didn’t appear to be about to give up on their engagement, but she figured it would all work out if she remained steadfast in her dreams and kind. It hadn’t!
Myra tried to sit up in bed and forget the past. She winced as a pain up her back stole her breath and brought tears to her eyes. She was in a strange place and needed to figure out what was happening. Revisiting her bad choices right now would not change her current state.
She turned to focus on figuring out where she was.
There, on another twin bed not that far from her, was Jed, looking like a cherub as he lay sleeping. She exhaled, grateful that he had not been harmed in the haste to get to Crystal Creek and the series of terrible incidents that befell them.
She rolled her head, trying to loosen the muscle soreness while still figuring out if Lucas had them or if some other turn of events explained their current state. Standing was nearly impossible, as she felt her head flop about loosely on her shoulders, and dizziness had her head spinning. Her mind, unfortunately, returned to the circumstances that had forced her to run from the safety of the general store and the only home she had ever known in Barwonville, Colorado.
Lucas and his gang had stormed the store, but luckily, she had seen him coming in the window with enough time to hide in the floorboards. Her father had crafted the hiding space back in his days as the general storekeeper after a couple of terrifying episodes of women being kidnapped, along with hold-ups, caused him to worry about his children. Her father had shown her how to use it to conceal herself and Jed in the case of someone storming the general store, but never had she thought it would be her own fiancé causing alarm.
She had held a hand over her mouth, and Jed did the same as they listened to the stomping feet above them.
“Get yourself out here, woman,” Lucas screamed, slapping a gun against the counter.
Jed looked at Myra, who held her emotions in check and did not utter a word. She gestured to Jed to remain silent. The little boy’s eyes were huge and filled with dread as Lucas’s feet stomped around the shop. At one point, the sound of items being thrown about reached them.
“I will hunt you like an animal, Myra,” Lucas called out. “Get out here!”
Silence.
A shot rang out as Myra and Jed jumped.
“Do not make me your enemy. All those that tried have been buried, and you are too pretty to end up dead,” Luca called out.
Silence.
“Mark my words, I will find her and make her pay,” Lucas said to someone.
When Lucas and his men finally gave up their hunt, it was nighttime, and Myra knew she needed help to remain free of Lucas’s grip.
With only supplies for a few days, she’d struck off in the dark in search of an old gunslinger named Arlo Garrett. The man was known to be retired now, but he was the only option she could think of on short notice that might be able to lend a hand in defense of her freedom against Lucas’s need to keep her as his own.
Unfortunately, the path she’d taken with Jed had been treacherous and inky dark. That combination proved too much, along with the terror pressing her forward. They never saw the huge dip in the earth ahead and fell down the side of the crevasse. She had tried to halt Jed’s tumble down the incline, but in the end, all she could do was tuck him close and pray someone found them before death or Lucas.
“Doc said they should wake soon,” a deep voice said beyond the doorframe, drawing her gaze.
“You want me to stick around?” another man questioned. “I don’t know who they might be running from.”
Myra glanced out the window, trying to figure out where they might be, as she knew the voices would soon enter the room. She saw mountains in the distance with snow on the peaks and trees dotting their sides. Closer to her current location was a cleared field and what appeared to be a cow, two horses, and a barn in good repair with a fence holding the animals in.
She rose and took a deep breath when she found herself spinning slightly from the effort of moving.
They were on a ranch of some kind, as the room around them was private, well-constructed, and even furnished with multiple beds, which told her it was a simple but nice ranch—which hopefully would follow that the owners outside the door would be kind and neighborly.
“As soon as they’re awake and able, I will get them on their way,” the deeper-voiced man, who must be the owner of this land, said.
Myra sat up and pulled her legs in close. Her throat closed slightly, and her breathing shallowed.
She felt from the position of the mountains that they’d either reached or were close to Crystal Creek. She must find the old gunslinger to ensure protection for Jed and herself but wasn’t certain how to accomplish that in the weak physical condition she found herself in.
The only thing she could imagine was to pretend amnesia and not know who she was or where they were. Maybe it would buy her some time to better heal and figure out the location of Arlo before she wandered into town without any protection.
Her conscience pricked her at the thought, as she hated to deceive a stranger who had saved her life. On the other hand, she had no doubt Lucas would injure her and Jed if he caught up with them. Her brother’s safety had to be her highest concern.
She stood again, more resolved this time, and crossed to Jed’s bed. Sinking down, she laid a hand on his forehead, grateful his temperature seemed normal. At the very least, she wouldn’t be worried about infection or anything serious should her plan to garner sympathy from the stranger beyond the door not work in her favor.
“Morning,” Jed muttered.
“Hey,” she said with a smile.
Her brother had never been much of a talker. She adored this boy with all her heart, but their father’s death a few years before had broken her brother’s spirit in a way she couldn’t describe. His sweet disposition made her want to protect him at all costs and keep him safe, no matter what she had to do to make that happen.
“Where are we?”
“I love you,” she whispered, not telling him her suspicions about how close to their destination they were. She needed him not to have to lie and so would keep the amnesia thought to herself for now. “We’re safe and in some cozy beds.”
“Did Lucas find us?” Jed asked as he sat upright with a start.
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