Home > Work > Lawless (Long, Tall Texans #23)
1 " I've been noble since they took you to the hospital," he said through his teeth. "I'm tired of it. I don't eat, I don't sleep, I can't even work. I remember your voice moaning in my ear like the cry of the damned while I was having you," he bit off, bending to her mouth. "You couldn't get enough of me. You couldn't get close enough to me. Your face when I fulfilled you....I ache every time I think about it. "
― Diana Palmer , Lawless (Long, Tall Texans #23)
2 " Get that son of a bitch to jail,” he said through his teeth, “before I kill him!” His eyes were testimony enough to the intent of the statement. He’d forgotten law, duty, honor, everything, in the grip of the worst fear he’d ever felt. If she died, he would be lawless. Nothing would matter to him in the world, ever again, except revenge. "
3 " I’ll stay with her,” Maude interrupted, just before Grier could say the same thing. “You can’t. Not in intensive care. You can see her three times a day, for no more than ten minutes each time,” he added firmly. “It’s too serious. She has to be kept quiet. No upsets.” Judd looked as if he’d die trying not to snap at the surgeon. But he finally just nodded defeatedly.Coltrain put a rough hand on his shoulder. “Don’t borrow trouble. Take it one hour at a time. You’ll get through this.” “Think so?” Judd asked heavily. “I know so. I’ll keep a close watch on her. Try not to worry.” He nodded to the others and went back down the hall. Judd looked at the other three people with him. “I’m glad you’re all here. But if anybody gets into that room, even for a minute, it’s going to be me,” he said shortly. Cash looked inclined to argue, but the expression on Judd’s face made him back down. "
4 " You took his guns away from him, didn’t you?” Maude asked Cash when Cash pulled up in front of the house. He nodded. “They’re locked up in my office.” His expression was somber. “But there’s still a pistol and a shotgun in the house somewhere. Crissy told me. You’d better get all the ammunition and lock it up somewhere.” “The minute I get inside,” Maude promised. Tippy glanced from one of them to the other. “You aren’t serious,” she remarked. Cash met her eyes. “If she were my wife, that’s what Maude would be doing for me,” he said flatly. “And yes, I’m serious. Maybe Judd hasn’t realized it yet, but he won’t have a life left if Christabel dies. It isn’t logical, but it’s what some men do when they’re out of their minds with grief. We don’t need another tragedy. "
5 " I’ve done some stupid things. I don’t like myself very much right now.” She shrugged. “Did you see what she did?” she added heavily. “She stepped right in front of the gun. She saw it coming. She didn’t even hesitate. She must…love him very much,” she added, almost choking on the words. “She does,” he agreed, feeling the words and hating them. She glanced at him curiously. “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?” “If I am, it’s nobody’s business except my own,” he told her flatly. "
6 " Judd sat alone in the chapel. They’d let him in for a handful of minutes to look down on Christabel’s white, drawn little face. If he’d been able to get to a bar, he could have gone through a fifth of whisky afterward. It was shocking to see her like that. She was hooked up to half a dozen monitoring machines with a needle in her arm feeding her nutrients and apparently a narcotic for pain. There was a tube coming out of her side to drain her chest. Perhaps it was the same tube they’d used to reinflate the lung as well. Not since she was sixteen had she been so badly hurt, and even then it wasn’t this serious. There hadn’t been the risk that she could die from her father’s brutal beating. This was different. She looked fragile and helpless and so alone. Her big dark eyes were closed. There were dark circles under them. When she breathed, he heard the slow rasp of fluid in her chest. Her lips were blue. She looked as if she’d already died. He’d touched her small hand with his big one and remembered the last thing she’d said to him before Clark showed up. Tippy had told her that he’d been disgusted with her, that he hadn’t wanted her hanging on him, running after him with her heart on her sleeve. His eyes had closed with a shudder. If she didn’t make it, her last memory of him would be one of pain and betrayal. It wasn’t true. He wasn’t disgusted. He lay awake nights remembering the passion they’d shared. He missed her. It was like being without an arm or a leg. He’d told her he didn’t want anything permanent. Now the choice might not be his anymore. He might be left alone, as he’d thought he wanted to be when he told her he was getting the divorce. Somewhere he remembered an old adage. Be careful what you want; you might get it. He looked at Christabel’s still body and saw the end of everything he loved. "
7 " She’s going to be fine,” he told Judd, clapping him on the shoulder. “It’s just a matter of time, now. You can stop holding your breath.” Judd thanked him and then went down the hall and leaned against the wall trying to compose himself. He’d been in hell for so long that the relief was devastating. She would live. She was going to live. He brushed away thquick moisture in his eyes. Cash came up beside him, a question in his eyes. Lawless 269 “She’s going to make it,” Judd said huskily. “Thank God,” Cash said with heartfelt relief. “What about Clark?” he asked suddenly, having only just remembered the man. “Patched up and in jail, probably for the rest of his life after the trial,” Cash assured him. He was watching the other man closely. “I think you should know what Tippy told me,” he added, hating to reveal it even now. It meant an end to all his own hopes. “Yes?” Judd prompted. “She saw Clark step out and aim the gun at you. She didn’t have time to react, and neither did Crissy. She saiCrissy realized you wouldn’t be able to save yourself, and she deliberately stepped out in front of the gun.” Judd’s intake of breath was audible. “Tippy was devastated when she saw it,” he continued. “She said she felt ten kinds of a fool for the trouble she’d caused between the two of you, when she knew how much Crissy cared.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t have told you if Crissy had died. But you should know. I’ll go call Maude and give her the good news.” He turned and walked away. Judd stood there like a statue, absorbing the statement with a feeling of utter humility. Christabel had taken the bullet meant for him. She’d been willing to give her own life to save him. He’d never dreamed she cared so much. He was absolutelwithout words. Now he had to find a way to rebuild the bridges he’d burned. It wasn’t going to be easy. "
8 " She’s going to be fine,” he told Judd, clapping him on the shoulder. “It’s just a matter of time, now. You can stop holding your breath.” Judd thanked him and then went down the hall and leaned against the wall trying to compose himself. He’d been in hell for so long that the relief was devastating. She would live. She was going to live. He brushed away thequick moisture in his eyes. Cash came up beside him, a question in his eyes. “She’s going to make it,” Judd said huskily. “Thank God,” Cash said with heartfelt relief. “What about Clark?” he asked suddenly, having only just remembered the man. “Patched up and in jail, probably for the rest of his life after the trial,” Cash assured him. He was watching the other man closely. “I think you should know what Tippy told me,” he added, hating to reveal it even now. It meant an end to all his own hopes. “Yes?” Judd prompted. “She saw Clark step out and aim the gun at you. She didn’t have time to react, and neither did Crissy. She saidCrissy realized you wouldn’t be able to save yourself, and she deliberately stepped out in front of the gun.” Judd’s intake of breath was audible. “Tippy was devastated when she saw it,” he continued. “She said she felt ten kinds of a fool for the trouble she’d caused between the two of you, when she knew how much Crissy cared.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t have told you if Crissy had died. But you should know. I’ll go call Maude and give her the good news.” He turned and walked away. Judd stood there like a statue, absorbing the statement with a feeling of utter humility. Christabel had taken the bullet meant for him. She’d been willing to give her own life to save him. He’d never dreamed she cared so much. He was absolutelywithout words. Now he had to find a way to rebuild the bridges he’d burned. It wasn’t going to be easy. "
9 " Get him in leg irons and transport him to the hospital,” Grier told him curtly. “I need a doctor,” Clark raged. “I’m shot. My hand’s bleeding!” Grier stared at him. “If you make a move I don’t like, you’ll need a mortician,” he said with pure malice, and abruptly spun the Colt with a professional skill that made Clark back up a step. "
