Give Me Tonight

But they all knew it was too late for that. The whole town would be delighted and scandalized by the story. Russell Warner, strangled in his own bed while his daughter slept with the foreman. There was no way anyone could keep that under his hat for long.

There wasn't reason for the sheriff and his men to stay after that. Ben saw them to the door and went back into the office, where Addie had found a bottle of whiskey and a glass.

"Don't stop pouring," Ben said, and she smiled wanly.

"There's only one glass." She took a swallow and handed the glass to Ben with a gasp as the whiskey seared the inside of her throat. He lifted it to his lips and followed suit. After a moment he sighed, closing his eyes.

"I could've used this a few hours ago."

"Is it going to help?" she asked dully, and took back the glass before he could answer.

"How's Caroline?"

She took a deeper swallow of the liquor this time.

"I'm not sure."

"The baby?"

"Dead." Addie stared into the whiskey, her fingertips whitening. "The baby wasn't supposed to die," she said, more to herself than him. "She was supposed to live, and grow up to have a daughter of her own someday-"

"Addie, what are you talking about?"

"I should have saved him," she continued, the glass trembling in her hand. "That's why I came back. That's why I'm here. But what could I do to stop it? I tried to warn him. I tried to change things, and it all happened anyway, just like before-"

"Addie," Ben interrupted softly, taking the drink away and setting it down on the desk. He pulled her body against his warm, hard chest, her chatter muffled by his cotton shirt. "Shhh. You're not making sense."

She slumped against him in exhaustion. "I'm so tired." Tears of grief rolled down her cheeks. "I'm so tired, Ben…"

"I know you are," he murmured, smoothing down the wild locks of her hair; caressing her aching shoulders and back. "I know what you've been through tonight. You need to sleep."

"And your h-head… there's no bandage or-"

"I'm just fine," he reassured her swiftly. "I didn't need one."

"It can't have happened again," she choked, clutching at his shirt. "I should've stopped it-"

"Again? What are you talking about?" Ben asked, perplexed. "Russ?"

"The Johnsons were behind it. You know that." His face changed, and he looked cold and thin lipped-whether from anger or pain, she couldn't tell. "There's no proof yet. But I'll find it."

"They wanted you both gone, you and Daddy. But I saved you this time. They didn't count on that-"

"What do you mean, 'this time'?"

She ignored his question, her eyes fixed blankly on the window. "They'll still be after you. Jeff hates you, and Big George wants the ranch as well as the water rights. You're the only thing standing in the way."

Ben's gaze was sharp. "What did Jeff say to you in town that day? You've been suspecting something like this would happen. How did you know what had happened tonight before anyone else did?"

Her lashes lowered as she sought to conceal her sudden leaping guilt "I didn't know for certain. I've been worried about Daddy for so long, and I… just felt like something was wrong when we were in the cabin. I can't explain why. But it doesn't matter… I was too late." She didn't move a muscle as she leaned against him, some part of her mind waiting to feel him go tense with suspicion, waiting for him to hold himself away from her the smallest fraction of an inch. But he didn't move or betray his thoughts in any way. His fingers drifted through her hair, lightly stroking her scalp. She was lulled by the soothing touch. Her eyelids drooped heavily, eyelashes almost brushing her cheeks.

Feeling Addie's body begin to slacken, Ben sighed and brushed a tear off her cheek with his knuckle. "I'll walk you upstairs. You need to rest."

"I can't sleep-"

"Doc Haskin can give you a sedative. You're entitled to it."

"I don't want to go upstairs," she said, her voice cracking. "I don't want to go near that room where… Don't try to make me."

"I won't, I won't" he murmured, hunting for a handkerchief as she began to cry again. He located a crumpled wad of cotton in the back pocket of his jeans.

"I'll sleep on the parlor sofa with the light on-"

"Whatever you want, darlin'."

"I'm sorry." She gulped, taking the handkerchief and wiping her nose. "I'll be strong tomorrow. I'll help you. Oh, God, there's so much to do."

"We'll get through it."

Her mind was jumping from one thought to another in a random pattern. "Ben, it was one of our own men who-"

"Yes. Most likely. But if I ever hear you say it again, I'll skin you alive. Rumors and accusations are going to fly fast enough as it is. We'll know more tomorrow, after the boys have been questioned. "

"By the sheriff?"

"And me."

"What about the will?" she whispered. "Daddy never drew up the new one. That lawyer from the East didn't arrive in time. What's going to happen to the ranch and the family?"

"Russ did write a new one as soon as the fence cutting trouble started, just in case something happened before the lawyer got here. He didn't want anyone to know. Pete and I were witnesses. "

"He left… everything… in your hands?" Ben nodded silently, his eyes locking with hers. "Will it hold up?" she asked.

"It's not sewn up as neatly as the lawyer would have done it… but yes, I think it'll hold up."

A terrible sense of irony struck her. Then the old Adeline would never have won. The money would never have been hers anyway. It would still have been put in trust. And the Johnsons wouldn't win either, because Addie would stand fast by the alibi she'd provided for Ben. True, there were suspicions about Ben in the sheriff's mind, but suspicions wouldn't prove he had killed Russell. The only evidence that existed was circumstantial. The question was, would the Johnsons go to extra lengths to get Ben out of the way now?

"I'm afraid for you," she said in a low voice, and Ben gave her a humorless smile.

"Don't be. There's no need." But his confidence frightened her, as if he were thumbing his nose at the designs of fate.

Russell's funeral was short and efficient, the way he would have wanted it. He was buried on Warner land, in the family plot. The simple white marker would be replaced later by an elaborately carved marble one. Although only family members and ranch hands were allowed at the graveside service there was an endless river of callers for days afterward, people pouring in from distant counties to pay their respects. Everyone had a story to tell about some favor Russell had done for him. It seemed he was owned thousands of favors.

Since Caro was bedridden and May grief-stricken, Addie was the only family member able to take visitors out to the grave site. Back and forth she trudged with the callers, wishing she could tell them how much easier everything would be for her if they'd just stayed at home and sent letters of condolence. It was a surprise when Ruthie and Harlan Johnson showed up as representatives of the Johnson clan, their faces strained with anxiety as Addie opened the door to let them in. They half-expected to be turned away. Big George or Jeff wouldn't have been let on the ranch at all.

Addie received the couple with as much graciousness as she could muster. Only one tense moment occurred, when Ben, who'd been informed of the callers, strode into the house, his ma

Finally the number of visitors slowed to a trickle, and Addie had more time to take care of the housework. May spent most of her time sleeping in her room or taking care of Caroline, leaving the ru