determined to keep all three of them separated on the trip to Red Arrow
because he didn't want them making any more joint plans. Although he
personally believed that Rebecca was the real witnessţshe had given
descriptions and details to prove she had been thereţhe would let the
judge in Blackwater decide for himself which one of the three was
telling the truth.
He hadn't seen Cole before he left town with Jessica and Caleb. They
had taken off an hour or so after the gunman had tried to kill her.
Daniel still didn't know the name of the dead man, but he was certain
he was one of the Blackwater gang. Past reports told him that there
were seven men in the gang. One was in jail in Blackwater, another was
dead now, thanks to Cole's expertise, and five were still out there
somewhere . . . waiting for an opportunity, Daniel believed, to
silence all three women.
There was also another reason he didn't want Cooper to take Grace with
him, but one Daniel would never admit. While he trusted Cooper to do
his job, he didn't want to let Grace out of his sight. In his mind, no
one could protect her as diligently as he could. There was also the
fact that he was drawn to her, and it was his hope that by the time
they reached the stopping point in Red Arrow, he would have gotten over
his bizarre and unexplainable infatuation.
Daniel stayed in Rockford Falls that night and slept in a chair outside
of Grace's door. He went downstairs early the next morning, but didn't
plan to leave the town until late that afternoon when the coach
arrived.
Grace had other ideas. Daniel had just returned from the bathhouse,
where he'd washed and changed into clean clothes, and was standing on
the veranda talking to Dr. Lawrence when Grace came down the stairs.
Dressed in a pale pink skirt and matching blouse, she carried her white
gloves and hat in her hands, and went directly to the manager's desk to
inform him that she was leaving. Sloan trailed behind her, carrying
her valise.
Daniel didn't like the crowd in the lobby. Folks were checking out of
the hotel, and it was chaotic. He quickly went to Grace's side and
ordered her back upstairs.
"You can rest until this afternoon when the coach arrives."
"I don't wish to rest any longer. I feel fine, " she insisted. "Have
you changed your mind about taking me to Texas? " "No."
"I didn't think so, but I was compelled to ask. We need to talk,
Daniel."
"Upstairs.
" "No, not upstairs. Now, right this minute, then I expect you'll take
me off to jail."
"I'm taking you to Texas, " he whispered as he half dragged her into a
corner.
"Sheriff Sloan just told me they're holding a man in Blackwater and
they think he's one of the gang. Is that true? " "Yes."
"Then why didn't you tell me? " she demanded. "I never would have .
. . " "You never would have what? " "I lied to you, " she cried out.