Outlaws Left Her For Dead In Desert Sun, A Cowboy Tracked Her Blood Trail And Found Her Alive

…

“Yes.” She looked away, and he could see the tremor in her hands.

They kept saying they would let me go once they were far enough away.

But I knew better.

I heard them talking at night.

They were going to kill me once they reached Mexico.

I was a witness, and Jack Morrison does not leave witnesses alive.

So, what happened? Why did they leave you out here? She touched the wound on her shoulder, carefully, wincing.

Yesterday, we stopped to water the horses at a spring.

I tried to run, grabbed the youngest one’s gun, and just ran.

I thought maybe if I could get to the rocks, I could hide, but Jack shot me before I made it 10 ft.

The bullet spun me around, and I fired back without thinking.

I hit his horse instead of him, and the animal reared up and threw him.

He was madder than I have ever seen anyone.

Started screaming that he was going to make me die slow for killing his favorite horse.

Austin could picture it too clearly.

Jack Morrison was known for his volatile temper.

She continued, her voice shaking now.

His brother Cal pulled him off me before he could beat me to death.

Said they did not have time for this with a posi maybe still behind them.

So Jack told Dany to put me on a horse and take me out into the desert.

Said to ride until I could not see anything but sand in every direction.

then put a bullet in me and leave me for the buzzards.

She swallowed hard.

But Danny, he was only 19 and I guess he did not have the stomach for killing a woman in cold blood.

He shot twice to make it sound right for the others, but he aimed high on purpose, hit my shoulder, and grazed my ribs enough to bleed but not kill.

Then he pushed me off the horse and told me to stay down until he was gone.

He said he was sorry that this was not what he signed up for.

Small mercies, Austin muttered, though leaving you out here with no water or supplies is almost as bad as a bullet.

I know.

Her eyes met his again.

I thought I was dead.

I started walking because I did not know what else to do.

But after a few hours, I could not think straight anymore.

Everything started spinning.

I do not even remember finding this tree.

Austin handed her some jerky from his supplies.

What is your name? Teresa.

Terresa Vale.

But everyone calls me Tess.

She took the jerky with trembling fingers.

“You saved my life, Mr.

Zimmerman.

I owe you everything.

” “You do not owe me anything,” Austin said gruffly, uncomfortable with her gratitude.

“Any decent man would have done the same.

” “Maybe,” Tess said softly.

“But you are the one who actually did it.

” They sat in silence as the sun continued its descent, painting the desert in shades of orange and gold.

Austin made her drink more water and eat a bit of hard attack to get something in her stomach.

Her color was starting to improve.

She was still desperately weak.

I need to ask you something, Austin said after a while.

Can you ride? Tess looked uncertain.

I think so.

Why? Because we are 2 days from the nearest water source and I only have enough supplies for maybe one more day if I am careful.

We need to start moving as soon as you are strong enough or we are both going to be in trouble out here.

She nodded, determination replacing the uncertainty in her face.

I can ride.

I will not slow you down.

I am not worried about that, Austin assured her.

I am just worried about your injuries reopening if we push too hard.

Then we will be careful, Tess said simply.

But I trust you to get us out of here.

That trust so freely given to a man she had known for less than an hour did something strange to Austin’s chest.

He found himself wanting to be worthy of it to prove that her faith in him was not misplaced.

They rested through the night.

Austin keeping watch while Tess slept fitfully against his saddle.

He gave her his bed roll despite her protests and sat with his back against the mosquite tree, his rifle across his lap, and his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of danger.

The desert at night was full of sounds.

The yipping of coyotes in the distance, the rustle of small creatures moving through the brush, the whisper of wind across sand.

He found his gaze returning to Tess again and again.

in the firelight.

She looked impossibly young and vulnerable, her face still marked by the violence she had endured.

Austin felt a fierce protectiveness rising in him, a determination that nothing else would harm her as long as she was under his care.

It was a feeling that went beyond simple duty, though he was not ready to examine too closely what that might mean.

Dawn came with its usual suddenenness, the sky lightning from black to gray to brilliant blue in what seemed like minutes.

Austin coaxed Tess awake gently, helped her drink and eat a little more, then checked her bandages.

The wounds looked clean, no sign of infection yet, though he knew that could change quickly in this heat.

“We will take it slow,” he told her as he saddled his horse.

“If you need to stop at any time, you tell me.

No heroics understand.

” “Understood,” Tess agreed.

She struggled to her feet, swaying slightly, and Austin was there immediately to steady her.

Maybe this is not a good idea, he said, concerned by how weak she still was.

It is the only idea, Tess countered.

You said it yourself.

We cannot stay here, so let us go.

Austin helped her mount, settling her in front of him on the saddle so he could support her weight and keep her from falling if she weakened.

She was stiff at first, clearly uncomfortable with the intimacy of the arrangement, but after the first mile, she relaxed against him, and he could feel her drawing strength from his solid presence.

They rode west through the morning, Austin following his own tracks back toward the Santa Maria River.

He kept the pace slow and steady, stopping frequently to give both Tess and the horse water.

The sun climbed higher, and the heat became oppressive, but Austin was encouraged by the fact that Tess remained conscious and alert.

She was tougher than she looked.

Around midday, when they stopped in the shade of a rocky outcrop, Tess finally asked the question he had been expecting.

What will you do now about the Morrison gang? I mean, Austin was quiet for a moment, torn between his duty and his unexpected responsibility.

I will get you somewhere safe first, he finally said.

Then I will pick up their trail again.

They’re getting farther away every hour, Tess pointed out.

If you wait, you might lose them entirely.

Maybe, Austin acknowledged.

But I’m not leaving you alone until I know you are safe.

Why? Tess asked.

And there was genuine curiosity in her voice.

You do not know me.

Your job is to catch criminals, not rescue foolish women who get themselves kidnapped.

Austin turned to look at her.

Really look at her.

Taking in the stubborn tilt of her chin and the intelligence in those green eyes.

You are not foolish.

You tried to escape from five dangerous men.

And you survived being shot and left for dead in the desert.

That takes courage most people do not have.

And as for why I’m helping you, maybe it is because not everything in this world has to be about duty and justice.

Sometimes you help someone just because it is the right thing to do.

Something shifted in Tessa’s expression, a softening that made her look younger and more open.

You are not like most men I have met, Austin Zimmerman.

I will take that as a compliment, Austin said with a small smile and was rewarded by an answering smile from Tess, the first he had seen from her.

They reached the Santa Maria River as the sun was setting on their second day of travel.

[snorts] Austin had been rationing water carefully and they were both parched and exhausted.

Tess had grown quieter as the day wore on and Austin could tell she was fighting hard to stay conscious.

When they finally stopped by the riverbank, she nearly fell from the saddle.

Austin caught her easily, swinging her down and carrying her to the water’s edge.

“Easy,” he murmured as she tried to drink too fast.

you will make yourself sick.

But Tess was past listening.

She scooped water into her mouth with desperate hands, gasping and choking.

Austin finally had to pull her back, holding her firmly as she struggled against him.

“Tess, stop.

You have to slow down.

” She sagged in his arms, trembling.

“I’m sorry.

I just I know,” Austin said gently.

He dipped his bandana in the cool water and pressed it against her forehead, her cheeks, the back of her neck.

It is all right.

Just breathe.

They stayed by the river that night, and Austin used the abundant water to properly clean and redress Tess’s wounds.

They looked much better, already beginning to heal, and he felt some of the tension leave his shoulders.

“She was going to be all right.

” “Where did you learn to do this?” Tess asked as he worked.

“The doctoring? I mean, my father was a surgeon during the war,” Austin explained.

He taught me basic field medicine before I was old enough to shave.

Said it was a skill that would serve me well out here.

And he was right.

The war, Tess repeated softly.

That would have been before you were born, I would think.

Austin shook his head.

I was young, maybe four or five when it ended.

Do not remember much of it.

Just my father coming home different than when he left.

Quieter, sadder.

He never talked about what he saw, but I could see it in his eyes sometimes.

Where is he now? >> [snorts] >> dead these past 5 years.

Pneumonia took him one winter.

My mother followed him 6 months later.

The doctor said it was her heart, but I think she just did not want to be here without him.

Austin tied off the bandage and sat back.

What about you? You said you were working at a boarding house in Fort McDow.

Is that where you were from? Tess was quiet for a long moment.

No, I am from Kansas originally, a little farming town outside Witchah.

My parents died when I was 16.

Kalera outbreak that swept through the county.

I had an older brother who was supposed to take care of me, but he drank more than he worked and ran through what little money my parents left us in less than a year.

When he started talking about selling me to settle his debts, I ran.

Austin felt anger flash through him.

He tried to sell you.

He talked about it.

test corrected.

I did not wait around to see if he would actually do it.

I took what I could carry and got on a stage coach heading west.

Ended up in Fort McDow because that is where my money ran out.

The woman who runs the boarding house, Mrs.

Patterson, she took pity on me and gave me a job.

That was 3 years ago.

It has been a good life, quiet and safe.

Or it was until 6 days ago.

And now, Austin asked, “What will you do now?” Tess looked out at the river, its surface turned to molten gold by the setting sun.

“I suppose I will go back to Fort McDow if Mrs.

Patterson will still have me.

I do not have anywhere else to go.

” “She would be a fool not to take you back,” Austin said firmly.

“You are a hard worker and a survivor.

Those are qualities worth more than gold out here.

” Tess met his eyes, and Austin saw something in them that made his heart beat faster.

You really believe that, do not you? You see the best in people.

I try to, Austin admitted, though tracking criminals for a living can make that difficult sometimes.

They talked long into the night, the conversation flowing easily between them.

Austin found himself telling her things he had not spoken about in years, about his dreams of one day buying a ranch and settling down, about the loneliness of a life spent always moving, always chasing the next fugitive.

Tess shared her own hopes and fears, her desire to build something permanent for herself, a place where she truly belonged.

“I get so tired of being alone,” she confessed at one point.

Everyone I have ever cared about has either died or left me.

Sometimes I wonder if there is something wrong with me.

If I am meant to always be by myself.

There is nothing wrong with you, Austin said with quiet intensity.

You just have not found your place yet.

But you will.

I know you will.

In the fire light, with her hair loose around her shoulders and her eyes reflecting the flames, Tess looked beautiful in a way that had nothing to do with her features and everything to do with the strength of her spirit shining through.

Austin realized with a start that he was developing feelings for this woman.

Feelings that went far beyond the protectiveness he had felt when he first found her.

It should have scared him.

He had always been careful to keep his distance emotionally from people, knowing that his work meant he could never stay in one place long enough to build real relationships.

But something about Tess made him want to throw caution aside to take a risk on something that felt real and true and worth fighting for.

Over the next 3 days, as they made their way toward Fort McDow, those feelings only grew stronger.

Tessa’s strength returned gradually, and Austin found himself reluctant to keep her on the horse in front of him.

once she was capable of riding behind him instead.

He liked the feel of her arms around his waist, the way she rested her cheek against his back when she grew tired, the sound of her laugh when he said something to amuse her.

They talked constantly, sharing stories and dreams, debating everything from politics to poetry.

Tess was better educated than Austin had expected, with a quick mind and a sharp wit that challenged and delighted him in equal measure.

She questioned his assumptions, pushed back when she disagreed with him, but always with respect and genuine curiosity rather than contrariness.

You should have been a teacher, Austin told her on the fourth day.

You have a way of explaining things that makes even complicated ideas seem simple.

I thought about it, Tess admitted.

But you need formal training for that, and I never had the money or opportunity.

Besides, I’m not sure I have the patience.

I get frustrated when people do not understand something I think is obvious.

That is just because you are smart, Austin said.

You have to remember that not everyone thinks as fast as you do.

You do, Tess pointed out.

I have noticed that about you.

You process things quickly, make connections other people might miss.

That is why you are such a good tracker, is it not? You do not just follow physical signs.

You get inside the mind of the person you are chasing.

Austin was surprised by her insight.

That is exactly right.

Tracking is not just about reading ground signs, though.

That is part of it.

It is about understanding psychology, predicting behavior, thinking three steps ahead of your quarry.

Do you enjoy it? Tess asked the hunting, I mean.

Or is it just what you are good at? It was a question Austin had asked himself many times.

Both, I suppose.

I am good at it, and there is satisfaction in that, but I also believe in what I do.

The men I track, they have hurt innocent people, stolen from those who can least afford to lose anything, spread fear and violence wherever they go.

Bringing them to justice matters.

It makes the world a little bit safer, a little bit better.

But it is lonely, Tess said softly.

It was not a question.

Yes, Austin agreed.

It is lonely.

They rode in silence for a while after that, but it was a comfortable silence, the kind that only happens between people who have begun to truly understand each other.

That night, they camped in the shadow of a rocky messa, and Austin shot a rabbit for their dinner.

As they ate, Tess brought up the subject he had been trying not to think about.

“We will reach Fort McDow tomorrow,” she said.

“And then you will leave to go after the Morrison gang again.

” Austin nodded, not trusting his voice.

“Will you come back?” The question was quiet, almost hesitant.

I do not know, Austin admitted.

My work takes me all over the territory.

I never know where I will end up.

But you could come back, Tess pressed, if you wanted to.

Austin sat down his plate and looked at her directly.

Tess, I cannot ask you to wait for me.

My life, it is not suitable for building relationships.

I might be gone for months at a time.

I might not come back at all.

You deserve better than that.

Should not I be the one who decides what I deserve? Tess challenged.

Austin, I know we have only known each other for a few days, but in those days I have seen who you really are.

You are kind and brave and honorable.

You saved my life, and you have treated me with nothing but respect, even though I was completely dependent on you.

That means something.

You mean something to me.

Austin felt his heart pounding.

You mean something to me, too.

more than I ever expected.

But that does not change the reality of my situation.

Then change your situation.

Oh, Tess said simply, “You told me you dream of buying a ranch and settling down.

Why not do it? Why keep chasing outlaws across the desert when you could build the life you actually want?” “Because I do not have the money yet,” Austin explained.

“I have been saving every dollar I can, but land is expensive, and good land even more so.

I need at least another two years of work before I will have enough.

Tess was quiet processing this.

And you think I cannot wait 2 years? I think 2 years is a long time to ask someone to wait, especially someone I have known for less than a week.

You’re probably right, Tess acknowledged.

But I also think some things are worth waiting for.

Some people are worth waiting for.

Austin wanted to pull her into his arms to tell her yes, he would come back.

He would build that ranch and they would have a life together.

But he forced himself to be practical, to think about all the ways this could go wrong.

What if you meet someone else while I am gone? He asked.

Someone who can give you stability and a normal life right now, not some distant maybe.

What if I do not want someone else? Tess countered.

What if I want you? The air between them felt charged, electric with possibility and fear in equal measure.

Austin struggled with himself, torn between what he wanted and what he thought was right.

I cannot make you any promises, he finally said.

I cannot tell you when I will be back or even if I will be back.

All I can say is that if there is any way to make this work, I will find it.

That is enough, Tess said, and there was certainty in her voice.

That is enough for now.

They did not kiss that night, though wanted to badly enough that his chest achd with it.

Instead, they sat close together by the fire, Tess’s head on his shoulder and his arm around her waist, and watched the stars wheel slowly overhead.

It felt like a promise, that contact, like the beginning of something precious and fragile that could grow into something strong if they gave it time and care.

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