Jake Adams: A Brief Summary

1877. Texas Ranger Jake Fontaine wants revenge for his brother’s murder. After trailing outlaw Grizzly Duvall to Kansas, Jake rides into an ambush, but runaway Kat Collins makes an impulsive decision to intervene. He doesn’t trust any woman but now he owes Kat for saving his life. He didn’t expect to escort her to St. Joseph, Missouri, nor did he intend to strike a bargain with her to collect the reward for the man he’s vowed to kill. Yet his conscience won’t allow him to leave any woman alone on the trail.

They arrive in St. Joseph, and a case of mistaken identity lands Jake behind bars. The tenacious Kat vouches for him, tugging an awkward twinge of emotion from Jake. Released from jail, they share a hotel room. To Kat the four-poster bed

Jake pulls her to him, crushing the frilly lace on her nightgown, making him ache in places that had nothing to do with cricks from the settee. He couldn’t offer her the type of life she’d want or need. He kissed her once and ended it, angering Kat.

The boilers aboard the Scarlett Rose explode, sinking the vessel, and killing most of her passengers. In an act of humanity, Duvall saves two small boys, but he promptly threatens to throw them in the river if they tell anyone he is alive. When Jake questions them later, they deny seeing Duvall. With few exceptions, the bodies are unidentifiable and although the sheriff concludes the outlaw must have perished in the explosion, Jake had his doubts. Something in the kid’s voice, fear perhaps, makes him wonder.

While the outcome doesn’t bring Jake the peace he sought, it does reinforce his need to return to Texas. Kat reluctantly agrees to ride with him to Kansas City. From there, she’ll head to St. Louis, and he’ll see about a train ticket to Texas. But Kat’s menacing kinfolk catch up with them, and a hangman’s noose over Jake’s head convinces him to marry

On his way to town to get the sheriff, Jake comes upon Rodriguez on the road. Jake realizes who is behind his troubles, but he needs is proof. In town, Jakes meets Angela and sees Kat with Levi. A misguided confrontation ensues. Angela calls Kat out for spreading a rumor that she is pregnant. Jake punches Levi for being with Kat before he understands they are heading to the doctor’s office.

Angry, Kat that Jake is with Angela, she finds Rodriguez and tells him she’s ready to sell the ranch.

Jake and Kat return to the ranch and have little contact before the roundup. Hoping to make amends with Kat, Jake takes her to explore a nearby cave, but while they are there, he finds evidence that Levi was in the cave. Finding it odd, since Levi never mentioned it, Jake decides it is because Levi didn’t want Jake to know who he was in the cave with.

Kat confesses she’s been there and Levi kissed her. Just as quick, she points out Jakes ongoing affair with Angela. Jake denies it.

Afterwards, Jake is shot. Everyone, except Jake, thinks it was a ricochet from Kat’s gun. He covers for her since she is the mother of his