“Not this again! Son, she’s gone. Let it go!”
“I’m not going after her until this is over. It’s something she said during our conversation.” He absently rubs the bandaged hand. “Tell me, Dad, what would a mother do for her child?”
“What wouldn’t a woman do for her child?”
“Exactly. Maggie said they needed her to look at the baby.” His eyes grow greedy, “We’ve been going about this all wrong. Dad. It’s time to go visit them directly.”
His father laughs and pats his son on the shoulder, “I’ll get tickets on the transcontinental train. We could be there as early as tomorrow afternoon. Rest up, Son.”
After he leaves, Clint steps into the hallway and grabs one of the guards by his shirt and snarls. “Find Maggie Rose. I need to know where she is. Start at the hospital then go to the train stations.”
Chapter 44
Maggie glances at Shep and clutches her bag tightly against her chest as they wait for the train. What are you doing Maggie? Her brain screams at her. Riding out of town with a stranger!
Shep glances at her and reaches for her hand. “Out with it, Miss Rose,” he teases.
“This seems like a bit much. Where are we going?” she asks softly.
“Arizona. I have a ranch, and you will be safe there,” he promises.
Maggie glances away, looking around her, she starts to panic. But the moment she thinks about running the whistle sounds for them to board.
Shep has his tree branch of an arm around her shoulder, keeping her close at all times. Not that she minds, he smells amazing, she thinks and immediately chastises herself. Focus, Maggie!
A private cabin was out of the question, so Maggie and Shep are crowded into coach seats and soon the train is moving. Maggie lets Shep pull her into his side and she savors the heat his body offers.
The further they get from the city the less people crowd around them. Shep is able to stretch his large, muscular legs out and Maggie moves a seat away from him to give her some space. He can’t seem to keep his hands to himself. It’s driving her to distraction, stroking her arm and holding her hand to guide her through the station.
“I’m sorry, Maggie, but I’ve got to rest,” Shep slurs and soon is snoring. He is leaning against the window with his legs stretched out in front of him.
“Your husband sounds like a bear,” a boy says to her from the seat in front of them.
Maggie laughs and nods at him. His mother fusses at him, “Let the poor woman rest, Thomas.” He drops down into his seat.
“Would you happen to have any paper?” Maggie asks the woman.
“Of course, it’s the only way to keep him busy,” she says and digs out a slip of paper from her bag and a pencil.
“Thank you,” she says and sits back down. Thomas peeks at her through the crack of the seats until his mother pokes him.
Guilt has her blushing with shame as she pulls Shep’s wallet from the inside pocket of his coat. She will need money to travel with. Maggie sits back and opens the wallet, and counts. Two hundred fifty dollars! She takes all the cash except ten dollars. She rolls it up and stuffs it inside of her corset. Quickly jotting a note, she leans over him and slips the wallet with the note safely tucked inside back in his coat pocket. She sighs with relief when he doesn’t wake up.
“Goodbye big guy,” she presses a quick kiss to his mouth and wipes a tear as she stands up.
The train stops and her heart is pounding when she grabs her bag. One backward glance at him and she forces herself to walk away from him.
“Time to get my life back,” she murmurs and hurries from the train. “I can get a job anywhere,” she reminds herself as she hurries to the desk to buy a ticket.
“Where to?” the gentleman asks.
“One ticket to Denver, Colorado please.”
“That train will leave in a half hour. All I have is first class, Miss?”
Maggie frowns at him, wondering if it’s possible that they will come after her. “Maggie Rose,” she replies. “First Class is fine,” she offers the money and accepts the tickets with a smile. “Thank you.”
Walking away from Shepherd Millard wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. He’s trouble in a very large, very handsome package.
“I will be fine. I don’t need anyone, and Colorado has a Children’s hospital.” Lucky for her, she will easily find work. “They won’t bother coming after me. Everything will be fine.” She hardens her heart and walks away.
Shep wakes up two hours later and stretches. The seats around him are empty except for the one with a little boy staring at him.
“Can I have my pencil back?” the child demands.
“What pencil?” Shep asks and turns to look up the aisle for Maggie. She’s probably in the lady’s room, he thinks.
“The one the lady used to write with,” he whispers so he doesn’t wake his mother. “I’m not supposed to talk to strangers,” he points at the chair where Shep sees a pencil.
His heart drops to his stomach and he groans as he picks it up and gives it to the child. “Here you go. Did you see which way the lady went?”
“Yep, she got off the train after she wrote her note.”
“What?” he gasps and jumps up almost banging his head on the overhead compartment.
“I watched her. She was sad.”
“What’s your name, son?” Shep asks as he drops to his seat. There’s nothing to be done until the train stops.
“Thomas. I’m five.”
“Thank you for your help Thomas,” Shep pulls out some candy from his side pocket and offers Thomas
