“Flynn!” Ivy pushed up to her knees. “You had no right to interfere.”

Flynn’s expression remained stubborn, and she guessed she wouldn’t get him to change his mind about anything.

Brody hadn’t taken his gaze from the coverlet. Savannah was making her escape with Hartley, closing the door behind her.

“Brody?” Ivy asked. “You have any part in this?”

Brody bent forward, braced his elbows on his knees. His eyes were dark and serious. “He’s a bounty hunter, Ivy.”

She shrugged. In the cave, she’d guessed he had some kind of job hunting criminals. And it didn’t matter.

“He’s involved with the most dangerous outlaws alive.” Brody seemed to be pleading with her, as though he hoped to make her understand why they didn’t want her to be with Jericho. “He was here undercover, tracking down one of the worst war criminals, a man by the name of Rodney James.”

Ivy sensed where Brody was going with the conversation before he finished, and her stomach knotted. “Otis.”

“Yep.”

“But Otis didn’t seem like a bad fella. Not like Hance.” She shuddered as she remembered the way he’d gone after her and hurt her so easily.

Brody’s mouth took on a pinched quality. “Can’t even begin to describe the crimes Rodney James committed. The details are too tragic to repeat.”

If Jericho was with so dangerous a criminal, would he be safe? It was hard to imagine Otis being able to harm Jericho. But that didn’t mean Otis’s fellow outlaws wouldn’t attempt to come to his rescue.

“Where is Jericho now? Did he take Otis to the prison in Denver?”

Brody shook his head and raised his brow at Flynn.

Flynn released a long sigh.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“He didn’t go to Denver, Ivy. He went to Chicago.”

She had the terrible feeling Flynn was telling her Jericho had gone back to his job in Chicago and didn’t have any plans to return to Colorado. After promising he’d take some time to think about their relationship, how could Jericho just leave her? Of course, if Flynn shot at him, he wouldn’t have been able to explain anything or reassure her they’d find a way to be together.

She climbed to the edge of the bed. As she put her feet on the floor, Brody stood and took hold of her arm to assist her. She shook him off.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Flynn asked.

“To Chicago. And you better not try to stop me.” Even with both feet planted firmly on the floor, she swayed and had to grab the headboard to keep from falling.

Flynn stepped closer, his hand outstretched as though to catch her if she fell. “You can’t just up and leave for Chicago.”

“Watch me.” She took a wobbly step, and when Brody reached for her again, she glared at him.