“You’re lying, you Judas. This mess is all your fault. And if my son doesn’t make it, I swear to God, I’m going to kill you.”
“Sit down, Webb.” Logan measured each word. “You don’t want to distract the doctor who’s saving your son.”
Grumbling, Webb moved back and sat down on the edge of a wooden chair that stood against the far wall. But he hadn’t put his gun away. Right now, everyone’s first concern was for Chase. But if something went wrong and he didn’t survive, Webb could go berserk. He could kill Kristin as well as Logan, and maybe himself.
Logan needed a plan in place in case of the worst outcome. Right now, only one thing came to mind—protecting Kristin at any cost.
He glanced at her. She was totally focused on her work, her eyes intense above the surgical mask she wore, her hands moving with precision and skill. She was so much more than beautiful, so much more than precious. He would gladly take a bullet to save her.
Webb was fidgeting with the pistol as if he’d forgotten that he had a deadly weapon in his hands. “How much longer?” he demanded.
“As long as it takes her to do it right,” Logan said. “You can always leave and come back.”
Webb’s only answer was a derisive snort.
“Where’s Joseph?” Logan asked. “Is he all right?”
“He’s fine. After he found me, he headed home on his horse. He told me how you saved him. That should put you in solid with the Dollarhide bunch. Not that you aren’t already. When I invited you to come to Montana, I was hoping for a friend and ally, not a man who would turn on his own blood.”
“I never turned on you, Webb. Not even when your men dammed my creek, knowing the Dollarhides would come after me. They were ready to burn me out. I could’ve retaliated. But I didn’t. All I want is to live in peace. Now be still and let me help Kristin save your boy.”
Both men fell silent. Logan checked Chase’s pulse. Was it getting weaker? Damn it, he didn’t know enough to tell. Kristin had cut away a circular piece of bone and was using forceps to lift out the blood clot. It came away easily, but several tiny vessels were still bleeding. As time crawled past, she pinched them off. Logan could hear her breathing as she irrigated the spot with saline, checked it for fragments, and fitted the cut bone back into place. Drops of perspiration beaded her forehead as she eased the skin flap over it and reached for the sterilized needle, threaded with silk, that she’d prepared ahead of time. The stitches were as small and neat as a girl’s prized embroidery.
After cutting the last of the thread, Kristin applied a dressing, checked Chase’s pulse and respiration, and released a long, exhausted sigh. “Done,” she said.
Webb sprang to his feet. “Is he all right? When will he wake up?”
She sighed. “His vital signs are stable. As to when he’ll wake up, there’s no way to tell. All we can do is wait and be patient.” Truth be told, this was the most uncertain and fearful part of the procedure. Some patients woke up right away. Some, even after a flawless procedure, didn’t wake up at all.
The pressure of the clot was gone, but Chase was still comatose—not the best of signs. But she wasn’t ready to tell Webb that.
“Can we move him to the bed?” Webb asked. “He’d be more comfortable there.”
“Let’s give him a little time. When he starts to wake up, then we can put him on the cot. Meanwhile, I could use a few minutes to clean up. You too, Logan. Webb, could you keep an eye on Chase? If you notice any change at all, call me.”
“You couldn’t tear me away from him now,” Webb said.
Kristin beckoned Logan out of the room and softly closed the door behind them. After what she’d heard from Webb, there was no way she was going to leave the two men alone together.
But now she had other concerns.
“What is it?” Logan asked as she came out of the bathroom after washing her hands and removing her apron and cap. “I can tell you’re troubled. Is Chase’s condition worse than you’re telling us?”
“I’ve done all I can for Chase. The next few hours will be critical. And I’m worried about Webb, too. I don’t know what he’ll do if he loses that precious boy. But this is something else.” Kristin felt as if her world was shifting. Part of her yearned to feel Logan’s arms around her, but this wasn’t the time.
“I was trying not to listen when you and Webb were talking,” she said. “But I couldn’t help overhearing my brother’s name mentioned. That Mason should be involved in smuggling liquor, and that he had innocent boys like Joseph helping him—it’s unthinkable. And I had no idea. Until now, I didn’t even suspect what was going on.”
“I didn’t know about him either until Joseph told me,” Logan said. “Otherwise, I’d have told you myself. I’m sorry, Kristin.”
She shook her head, still processing what she’d learned. “Mason’s always been something of a rascal—especially with women. I thought he’d learned his lesson. But he’ll go to prison for this. And what it will do to Joseph, his own son, and to our family breaks my heart.”
A knock at the door interrupted their talk. Kristin opened it to find the sheriff on the porch. The flash of gray morning light behind him made her blink. Where had the time gone?
“Good morning, Sheriff. Come in,” she said, stepping aside for him to enter. “What can I do for you? Please sit down. Can I make you some coffee?”
“That’s all right. I won’t be long.” He glanced down at his boots, then, as if forcing himself, he met her gaze. “I’m afraid I have some news to deliver. I thought it best that you hear it from me, and not through the grapevine.”
He took a breath—and in that brief interval, Kristin knew what he had to tell her.
“Your brother, Mason Dollarhide, was arrested last night on charges of illegal liquor trafficking,” he said. “He’s in jail now, awaiting transport to Miles City tomorrow, where his trial date will be set.”
“I guessed as much.” Kristin’s legs were unsteady. She sank onto the sofa. “Does his mother know?”
“She knows, all right.” The sheriff shook his head. “She was there when we came to take him in. The old woman put up more of a fight than her son did. First, she drove us back with a bullwhip. Then she set her dogs on us. I had to threaten to shoot them before she called them off. I wouldn’t want to tangle with that lady again.”
Logan spoke up. “I witnessed part of that gun battle with the truck. Did you know those men had a couple of young boys guiding them?”
“Not until it was too late to stop the shooting. I saw one boy ride away, and another one crawl into the grass. I hope they’re all right. I’d have handled things differently if I’d realized.”
“They’re fine,” Logan said. “But another boy, Webb Calder’s son, Chase, knew about the plan. He rode out to warn his friends and was winged on the head by a stray bullet. He’s still unconscious after surgery. His father is with him now.”
“Oh Lord, I’m sorry for that!” The sheriff looked stricken. “I had dinner with the Calders last night. Chase heard me tell Webb about the plan. If there’s anything I can do—”