“I don’t know what it was that led me into this life,” Blake continued, not seeing Darcy’s frown. “I haven’t always done what’s right, and was always in trouble growing up. Now, I’m just thankful for the forgiveness of a God who loved me enough to make a way to save my soul.”
Darcy turned her head back from the window studying the handsome man who was focused on getting them over the rough road in one piece.
“Why would you say that?” The young woman scowled again. “You’re a good person, childhood antics don’t really count against a body and now look at you. You saved my life, you have dedicated your life to upholding the law and keeping bad men from hurting others.”
Blake glanced at Darcy and smiled. “It doesn’t matter how much good I do in this world,” he spoke softly. “If I don’t trust that the sacrifice of Jesus is the answer to my sin, I can’t be saved. Sure, we should all do our best. We should be kind, true, honest, and determined to stand up against wrong even when it isn’t easy, but none of that will save us.”
Blake looked back to the road as they hit a deep rut, bouncing them uncomfortably as they began to climb once more, his full attention needed to keep them from landing in a ditch.
Darcy felt frozen, even as she gripped the door handle for support. The words her companion had just spoken reverberated through her mind, but she couldn’t comprehend it. To warrant heaven you had to do good. You had to make amends for all the bad you had done in the world. How could Blake have such confidence in his place in the world? It didn’t make sense.
“I think that’s it,” Blake said, as he slowed the car further and rolled down a hill toward a collection of huge rocks stacked together like oddly shaped building blocks. “You ready?” he asked pulling the car to a stop and setting the brake.
“Ready as I’m going to be,” Darcy replied grasping the door lever and stepping into the dust around her.
Blake watched as Darcy shifted from the open, friendly woman he had gotten to know over the past few weeks into the swanky moll she had been in Cheyenne.
Flipping his hat onto his head, Blake shifted the pistol under his coat for easy access and stepped up behind Darcy following her to the entrance of the rock enclosure.
The click of a pistol hammer made the hair on the back of Blake’s neck stand up and he lifted his hands slowly as Darcy came to a stop.
“Where’s my sweet Pierce,” the woman called, her sultry drawl returning as she shrugged her coat around her shoulders once more. “He must be worried sick about me by now.”
A scarecrow of a man stepped from behind a boulder, the pistol in his hand glinting in the afternoon light. “Darcy is that you?” the man asked in a high voice. “We thought you was dead.”
“Well I ain’t,” Darcy spat, “and Pierce won’t like you keeping me out here all this time. “ I’ve been worried senseless about him, and it was no easy task finding the right people to point me in this direction.”
“You’d better come inside then,” the scarecrow said, raking Blake with his beady eyes. “Pierce will know what to do.”
Together Blake and Darcy followed the other man through a narrow passage between the massive boulders before stepping into a wide grotto that had been built with native rock.
“Who’s that?” A burly man Blake recognized from Cheyenne asked. “Darcy is that you?”
“In the flesh,” the woman tittered. “Now where’s my man?” her smile was bright, but her eyes hard as she glared at the man.
“He’ll be surprised to see you for sure,” the guard grinned. “Come on, I can’t wait to see the look on his face.”
Darcy shot a glance at Blake as the burly man opened the door to the hideout beckoning them to follow, but her nerve never faltered.
Chapter 21
The grotto was more of a house once Blake stepped through the door and a cozy fire flickering on a stone hearth had the space warm and welcoming.
“Pierce, honey!” Darcy squealed as soon as she stepped inside and her eyes landed on the man they had been seeking. Darcy thrust her arms out stepping toward the startled man who stood to his feet and smiled.
“Darcy! I can’t believe it,” he stammered as the girl fell into his arms, fawning on him. “I thought you were dead.”
“I thought I was too,” Darcy said, snuggling under his arm and laying a slim hand on his lapel. “But Turnip here took you at your word and saved me. You told him to look after me, and he did. He took me to some two bit sawbones, and now here I am.” Darcy leaned in kissing Pierce on the cheek and cooing softly. “I missed you so much honey bunch.”
Pierce flicked his eyes between Darcy and Blake, a glint of suspicion twinkling in their dark depths.
“I guess I owe you my thanks,” Pierce finally grinned. “We wouldn’t want little Darcy out there on her own now, would we.” He squeezed her close with his hand and Darcy gasped at the pain that shot through her side. “What’s wrong honey?” he dropped his gaze to Darcy.
“Well I still have a little pain from that bullet,” Darcy admitted as she batted her lashes at him. “But now that I’m back where I belong I feel much better.” The young woman placed her hand on Pierce’s jaw turning his face to hers before kissing him.
“Why don’t you go have a little rest,” Pierce said, his eyes returning to Blake. “I’ll join you later and we can catch up.”
Darcy giggled, patting his cheek and stepping away as another man led her out of sight.
“I don’t know how you managed to find us, or to save Darcy,” Pierce said his hard eyes raking
