Kate the Kid Ch. 06

Her lips were as swollen as Jerome's, and they each had an arm around the other.

"Dan!"

She hugged him with the same enthusiasm Kate had, though Dan didn't pick the petite woman up.

"Isabella Vercelli, Rafe MacNeil, my oldest and dearest friend." Jerome smiled broadly.

He extended his hand but she pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm so glad to finally meet you!"

She hugged like a hungry bear. He pulled back almost coughing. "Pleasure is all mine to finally meet the woman who tamed Jerome."

She laughed and his friend blushed. "Where's Kate?" Isabella asked them.

"What do you mean?" Dan responded. "Finnegan had your letter and the cable White Cloud sent."

Isabella looked puzzled. "White Cloud sent a cable she had her baby early. A girl, named Katherine for her aunt. Mother and daughter are healthy, but the father is obviously in a tizzy."

Rafe shook his head, hackles rising. "Wait a minute, Finnegan had a letter that said White Cloud was in trouble and needed Kate. He rode back to Chicago with her."

Isabella shook her head. "I had no such cable. Last I heard, from Kate, Finnegan was setting up life as a landowner in Denver."

Rafe felt his blood chill, and Dan gave him a look that said he fully understood. Only Jerome and Isabella looked puzzled. "What?" Jerome finally asked.

"Damn it, the men after us were after Kate. If Benito sent those letters they were either empty threats or he hired amateurs."

Isabella shook her head, her accent growing thick with worry. "Finnegan would never hurt Kate. He's been in love with her for years now."

"But is she in love with him?" Jerome asked his intended.

She shook her head. "He'd respect that, he'd never kidnap her."

"He would if someone paid him enough and he thought she'd be all right," Rafe said.

"Who?" Dan demanded.

"Isabella, I was hired to find someone. I realized long ago it was Kate. I wasn't going to bring her in, I swear, but the man who hired me to find her is not a man you deny."

"Shit," Jerome said.

"Who?"

Rafe's eyes swung to Isabella. "A man named MacMasters."

"Shit," Dan echoed.

"Who is this man? Jerome?" Isabella bit her lip, her eyes as frantic as her words.

He looked down at her with grim eyes. "She stole a horse from him, and he never lets these things go. He'll kill her."

Rafe clenched his fists. "Not if I can stop him. I'm going after her."

"I'm going too," Dan said.

"Me?"

Rafe shook his head at Jerome. "Stay here and guard Isabella. The matter with Benito isn't settled."

He looked down at Isabella, who was trembling, held tightly by Jerome. "Get her back, please. She's my best friend, she's the sister I never had. I can't bear to lose her."

Neither can I, Rafe thought, but he merely nodded and stormed out, Dan on his heels.