Once they traversed the Caldero Mountains, the going became much easier despite the encumbrance of the two additional horses they were leading.

Their encounter with the thieves had cost them a great deal of time, and despite the grueling pace they set, they didn’t reach Fort Apache until midday on Wednesday.

The regimental flags that signaled Crook’s presence were flying over the fort, and as Rayna neared the outpost, her anger at Meade began taking second place to her anxiety at the thought of meeting Crook. She had been disappointed by too many military men to have any faith in Meade’s earlier assurances that Crook would release Skylar. As they rode between the two headquarters buildings at the entrance to the fort, Rayna would have loved an encouraging word from her companion, but she was much too proud to ask for it.

Their unexpected arrival caused a considerable stir on the parade ground as former colleagues and subordinates called to Meade in welcome, but only one man came to greet them officially when they dismounted in front of Crook’s headquarters.

“Major Ashford! Welcome back,” Lieutenant Neville Franklin said effu-sively, pumping Meade’s hand. “When did you return to the territory?”

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“It’s just Dr. Ashford now, Neville, and I’ve only just arrived,” Meade answered. “This is our first stop.”

Franklin glanced at the blanket-draped bodies. “I see you two fellows had a spot of trouble.”

Fellows? Meade thought. How could any man be so blind as not to realize instantly that Rayna was a woman, despite her mannish clothes? “Yes, we did.

These two tried to bushwhack Miss Templeton and me in Denning Pass.”

He nodded. “Denning Pass, you say? We’ve had a number of ambushes there in the last few months. Maybe you’ve—” Meade’s words finally soaked in, and Franklin swiveled toward Rayna, who was tethering her horse to the rail. “Oh, I beg your pardon, ma’am. I didn’t mean to be rude. Welcome to Fort Apache.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Could you tell me, please, whom I should speak to about arranging an interview with General Crook?”

“Um, that would be Lieutenant Cary, ma’am.”

“Thank you.”

Meade could see that Rayna was anxious to go, and understandably so.

“Neville, would you take care of these bodies, please? They’ll have to be buried at once, but I’d like to know if anyone recognizes them.”

“Of course, Maj—er, Doctor. I’ll see to it at once.” He unleashed the reins from Meade’s saddle horn and led the horses away, tipping his hat to Rayna as he departed.

Meade looked at her. “Would you like to freshen up and change before we meet the general?”

She shot him an exasperated glance. “Why? Are you afraid he’ll mistake me for a man, too? Heaven forfend I should embarrass you with my attire.”

Meade bit down on his tongue and sighed before reminding her, “You’re the one who mentioned something in Santa Fe about wanting to be appropriately dressed when you met Crook. If you want to waltz into his office reeking like a horse and looking like an itinerant saddle bum, far be it from me to object.”

“Good, because I want to get this over with,” she replied.

Meade gestured toward the stairs to Crook’s headquarters. “After you, dear lady.”

He was right behind her as she bounded up the steps, but once they were inside, Meade took charge of arranging an appointment with Crook. He’d never met the general’s aide, and he anticipated having to wait awhile to see the commander, but the mere mention of Rayna’s name sent the aide scurrying into Crook’s office. Less than a minute later they were being ushered inside.

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to Meade. “Good to see you again, Dr. Ashford. I heard you had decided to retire.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, it’s a very grave loss for the army.”

“Thank you, sir,” Meade replied, genuinely warmed by the compliment.

Crook never said anything he didn’t mean. “May I take it from the way the lieutenant rushed us in here that you have some inkling of why Miss Templeton has come?”

“Yes, I do.” Crook came around the desk and pulled a second chair away from the wall. “Please sit down. I’m afraid this isn’t going to be easy, and I certainly hadn’t anticipated being able to discuss this problem with you in person, Miss Templeton. In fact, I’ve been trying to draft a letter to you and your family.”

What did he mean, it wasn’t going to be easy? Rayna’s heart thudded heavily as she took the chair. “You received my letters, then, General?”

“Yes, and you have my heartfelt apologies for the suffering the army has caused you and your family.”

“Then you can help me rectify this injustice?” she asked, almost afraid to hope.

“I am doing my very best,” he said solemnly.

Rayna frowned. “What does that mean? My sister is now on the reservation at Rio Alto. Surely freeing her is a simple matter of signing a form ordering her release.”

“I wish it were that simple, Miss Templeton.”

Meade knew that Crook wasn’t completely at ease in the company of women, but his discomfort was out of proportion to the behavior Meade had witnessed in him in years past. “General, has something happened that Miss Templeton and I are not aware of?”

Crook couldn’t look at either of them. “I’m afraid so.”

“Oh, God,” Rayna breathed, clenching her hands into fists. “What’s happened to Skylar? General, tell me, please!” she begged, coming to the edge of her chair.

Crook was forced to look up from his desk. “The details are as yet unclear, Miss Templeton, but it has been reported to me that a young Apache woman named Skylark killed a soldier before their caravan reached the Rio Alto. She was placed under arrest, interrogated, and subsequently removed from captivity by a Mescalero brave named Sun Hawk. Both have vanished.”

“Dear God.” Rayna’s words were no more than a hushed whisper. Tears sprang into her eyes, and she rose abruptly, whirling away from Crook so that he couldn’t see them.

Meade was at her side instantly, drawing her into his arms. “I’m sorry, Rayna. I should have found a way to help you sooner.”

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Rayna didn’t return his embrace, but she didn’t reject it, either. She needed Meade’s strength right now to bolster her own.

“I am deeply sorry, Miss Templeton,” Crook said. “This never should have happened. General Whitlock should have ordered her release the moment you brought the situation to his attention.”

Rather than comforting her, his apology pierced through her fear for Skylar and found a home at the core of her rage. A flash of blinding anger gave her all the strength she needed to pull out of Meade’s arms and turn on Crook. “Don’t talk to me about what should or should not have happened, General, and don’t expect me to stand still for a mouthful of polite apologies,”

she spat out viciously. “I want to know what the hell you’re doing to get my sister back!”

Crook sat back in his chair so quickly that it nearly toppled over. “I’m doing everything I can, Miss Templeton, I assure you,” he told her when he finally found his voice. “But this is a very complex and complicated matter.

I’ve ordered a full investigation into the death of the soldier—”

“That’s absurd! Skylar couldn’t kill anyone even if her life depended on it.

The charge is obviously a lie!”

“I believe you’re wrong about that, miss,” Crook said, taking a stern tone with her. He understood her anger, but a lady found better ways of expressing her displeasure. “According to the report I received from the commander of the detail, your sister admitted killing the soldier.”

“Damn it, I tell you that’s not possible!”

“Rayna, that’s enough. Sit down and listen to what the general has to say.”

Meade placed his hand on her arm, but she jerked it away.

“Don’t tell me what to do!”

He took her arm more forcefully and all but threw her into the chair. “I said sit down and shut up!” he commanded, startling her into momentary silence. He turned toward Crook. “Please forgive Miss Templeton, sir,” he said with very little apology in his voice. “You can’t possibly imagine what she and her family have suffered because of the army’s insensitivity. Perhaps if you gave us more details of this incident, we might be able to piece together the truth of the matter.”

Crook looked at Rayna as though waiting to see if she had any objection.

“I’m sorry, General,” she apologized sincerely. “Please tell us everything you know about what happened to Skylar.”

With a nod, Crook recounted the scant details from the report he’d received.

Despite the sketchiness of the report, Meade thought he had a clear picture of what had happened, and it sickened him. “Who is in charge of the Rio Alto detail?” he asked.

“Captain Luther Haggarty.”

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Meade knew him and didn’t like him one bit. “And the soldier who was killed?”

“Private Stanley Talbot.”

Meade knew him and liked him even less. Now he understood exactly what had happened to Skylar. “General, I have met Private Talbot and know him to be a degenerate swine who openly brags about the Apache women he has molested.” Meade heard Rayna’s despairing gasp, but he continued. “If Skylar did indeed kill him, she was only defending herself from rape.”