Minutes passed, and Rebecca began to doubt what she’d seen. It could have been Hammond, after all, strolling around the property and keeping an eye out for Levi. Or it could have been Mr. Cooper, changing his mind about going for the sheriff.
Disappointment billowing in her chest, Rebecca stared down at the table. Perhaps Levi wasn’t coming at all. Maybe it was too dangerous. Or maybe . . . She swallowed. Maybe he didn’t love her as she loved him.
No. She reiterated the word in her head. She couldn’t think that way. If she gave into the fear, she was done for. Shehadto hang on to hope. It was the only possible way out.
“See if Hammond’s hungry,” Prather said to Bauer as he shoved his empty bowl away.
Bauer nodded and left through the back door. The minutes ticked by as Prather resumed his solo card game and Mrs. Cooper stood silently in the corner of the room, twisting her hands together.
After a while, Prather looked up from his game and frowned at the doorway. Rebecca’s heart thudded. Either Hammond or Bauer should have returned by now.
Cards forgotten, Prather slid back in his chair and stood. He withdrew one of his pistols from his side and took a couple of steps toward the door. “Sit,” he said to Mrs. Cooper without looking at her.
She scurried to Bauer’s abandoned chair and cast a worried glance at Rebecca. Rebecca caught it from the corner of her eye. She kept her gaze locked on Prather. If he turned and aimed his gun at her, what would she do? She wasn’t tied to the chair. She could leap out—and what? Duck under the table? That wouldn’t do her much good. She could run, she supposed. It was her only chance, even though the odds of outrunning a man whose hands weren’t tied behind his back were awfully slim. She’d take the chance though, if she had to.
Images of each one of her children flashed through her mind. Their faces gave her courage. She would doanythingto return to them.
To return to Levi.
So she scooted to the edge of her chair. And she waited.
Prather approached the door slowly. He rested a hand on the knob. “You two,” he said, and Mrs. Cooper jumped at the sudden sound of his voice in the stillness. “Don’t move.”
He twisted the knob and opened the door at a painfully slow speed. Rebecca held her breath as it opened wider. Did she dare hope shehadn’tmade up seeing someone move past the window? Someone who hadn’t been Hammond?
It was deadly silent outside. The usual night sounds seemed to have gone still, as if the entire world was holding its breath.
The door was open just wide enough now, and Prather stepped outside. He kept one hand on the door as he looked first one way, and then the next. Rebecca fought the urge to jump up and run. Not right now. But maybe, in a moment, if he continued to walk outside—
A creak from the front of the house made her eyes go wide. Prather didn’t appear to hear it, but Mrs. Cooper had. She slapped a hand over her mouth.
A few more seconds crawled past, and Prather let go of the front door.
Now, Rebecca mouthed to Mrs. Cooper, who simply sat there and stared at her. Rebecca stood, trying not to make a noise as she walked backward. She nodded at Mrs. Cooper, but the woman didn’t move.
When she reached the door that led to the parlor, she turned—and ran right into Levi.
Chapter Twenty-one
LEVI CAUGHT REBECCAby the shoulder. She was whole, alive, and all he wanted to do was toss his pistol to the floor and take her into his arms.
But there would be time enough for that later. For now, he let himself linger in the grateful look in her eyes for only a second.
And even that was a second too long.
