Page 32 of Redeeming the Outlaw
“Why? Wouldn’t you come with me?” she whispered, searching his gaze for reassurance. “Can’t we go now?”
He shook his head, looking away before meeting her eyes again. “The Richards would tear every house apart looking for us. There’s something else I need to tell you.”
Her heart raced, fearing what might come next.
“I’m not who I’ve led you to believe. My name isn’t Whitney Moore.”
“What?” She felt sick to her belly. “You lied to me?”
If he lied about this, what else had he lied about?Had he been lying to her all along?
“Listen to me, sweetheart. My real name is Whitney Hartman.”
“There’s a Hartman family outside of town. Are you related to them?”
“Those are my brothers.”
“Annamae is your sister?”
“Yes. She’s the youngest of the Hartmans.”
“If you’re a Hartman, wouldn’t the Richards gang know it?”
“Not exactly. My father was Randall Hartman, but Verna wasn’t my biological mother. My actual mother’s name was Dolores Moore, but she passed away when I was younger. That’s when I went to live with my father, his wife and my half siblings. The Richards had already left town when I arrived at Flat River.”
“So, you kept your name as Moore?”
“No. I eventually changed it to Hartman as I never had an actual family before, other than the ma who raised me until she died. Ma Hartman, my brothers and sisters, are my family now. I have a sister I have never met. The Richards gang took her when she was nineteen. She’d be in her thirties now. I need to find my missing sister, to get answers for the woman who took me in and gave me a home.”
“Is that why you’re helping me? Because you know the pain my family is going through.”
“I’ve been trying to gather information about the Richards gang and why they returned to the area after so many years.” Hepaused, worry etched on his handsome face. “It has taken me a year to earn their trust, and now I finally know what they are after. We will leave for the Chapman Ranch tonight. After we are gone, you need to make your escape. Promise me you’ll leave.”
“Whitney Hartman,” she repeated softly, letting his name settle around her like a warm embrace. “I don’t care who you are or where you come from. I love you, and I will stand by your side through this.”
Relief washed over his rugged features. He reached out and gently caressed her cheek. “I never lied to you, Esther. Everything I’ve told you is the truth, including when I said I loved you. Esther, you are the most precious gift God could have given me,” he murmured. “No matter what happens, I will always cherish you and keep you in my heart.” With a click of his tongue, he turned the horse back to the creek and disappeared into the bushes. “Remember what I said about the farm? No matter what happens, promise me you’ll go there.”
“I promise,” she vowed, her voice trembling.
The horse made double-time, heading back toward camp. When Whit thought they were close enough, he stopped so they could fill the buckets, and Esther could relieve herself behind some bushes.
“Rider’s coming,” Whit called to her as he filled the second bucket. Esther walked onto the trail to see Big Joe, one of Richards’ cousins, riding toward them.
“You’re a piece aways from camp.” Big Joe said, stopping next to them. “Does Brodie know she’s out with you?”
“It’s my fault,” Esther said. “Whit brought me to get water.”
“You could get water up there.” Big Joe hitched his thumb further up the trail.
Esther’s eyes widened in fear as she saw Whit’s hand twitchtoward his holster. She reacted quickly, grasping his forearm with her fingers and holding on tightly as she tried to calm him. “It’s my fault, Big Joe. I got scared when I saw the deer in the creek.”
“Deer are in the creek all the time. Scare it off.”
“It was dead,” Whit deadpanned.
“Very dead.” Esther shifted on her feet. “Bloated, too. I asked Whit to bring me further away where the carcass wouldn’t get in the water.” She batted her eyelashes at the burly cowboy. “You don’t want dead deer in your coffee, do you?”
“The creek had become contaminated. Esther, hold that.” Whit handed the bucket to Esther, causing it to slosh down the front of her skirt.
