Deadly (3 page)

“You left him tied up and naked in the middle of Main Street?” Ruby asked Meg as they stood there in the darkened alley, trussed together back to back.

A cat gave a lonesome meow and knocked over a trash barrel, causing Ruby to jump.

“Yes, I did,” Meg admitted. She clenched her fists, anger streaking like fire along her backbone at the memory of overhearing him and his bath buddies laughing at the way she dressed. “He deserved it.”

Ruby struggled to reach the knots that had them tied together. “I don’t disagree, but Meg he’s the sheriff. He could have thrown you in jail.”

He had the right to, but he knew he was guilty of hurting her, and anyone would have agreed he hadn’t defended her to his buddies at the bathhouse.

“Nah, I don’t think so. Everyone in town would have been talking about his naked butt being left in the middle of the street. Now it’s just a rumor. There’s no proof.”

“Still, you took a huge chance,” Ruby admonished.

Meg knew she’d taken a risk. Except for a tiny bit of remorse, it had been so worth it to see his eyes above the rag stuffed in his mouth, screaming at her to come back. That memory was like a balm to the pain of his not defending her. “My Irish temper got the best of me.”

Ruby laughed. “I know that feeling.”

They needed to get out of here before some drunk cowboy stumbled into this darkened alley. Tied up behind a saloon was no place for ladies during the day, let alone at night. If you could call them ladies. One of them wearing pants and the other a saloon dress didn’t exactly fit the ideals for a lady by this small town’s standards.

“You still have that knife in your boot?” Meg asked.

“I sure do. On three, let’s squat together, and I’ll pull it out.”

“One. Two. Three.” Meg knelt at the same time as Ruby, and she felt her sister pulling the knife out of her boot.

“Got it. Give me a moment to slice through Sheriff Gillespie’s knots,” Ruby said, already cutting the strands of rope.

Why had the sheriff been after Simon? Sure, he was expected to arrest criminals, but what was he doing two-days ride from home in a dust choker town’s small saloon. Why had he taken her prisoner from her?

“He’s not going to give us our captive back,” Meg admitted, wondering why Zach hadn’t turned his criminal in to the sheriff here in town instead of traveling all the way back to Zenith with him. Something wasn’t right about this situation, but she didn’t know what.

“I can’t wait to tell Annabelle what you did to the sheriff,” Ruby said aloud, not listening to Meg.

“She won’t be surprised,” Meg responded as the ropes slid to the ground releasing her and Ruby. She shook her arms, letting the blood flow back into her hands. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

“We should go after Zach and Simon,” Ruby prompted, her blue eyes shining as together they strode out of the darkened alley.

Meg thought about it for a moment. She would love to steal Simon back from Zach and maybe even leave him tied up again. “Zach shouldn’t have taken our captive. He doesn’t have that much of a head start on us. We could catch them. Maybe even get Simon back.”

“I think we should.”

“The money from that bounty would help us be done with this life,” Meg said.

Ruby shrugged. “I love being a bounty hunter. It’s fun and exciting. I don’t want this life to end.”

“I miss the farm. I miss being at home,” Meg said wistfully. She had her own dreams to accomplish and chasing dangerous men wasn’t the life she would have chosen.

This money would pay off the loan. And wouldn’t it just stick in Zach’s craw that they took the man away from him. They walked along the wooden sidewalk, their boots making a
thunk, thunk, thunk
noise. “If we turn him in to another sheriff, then what can Zach say? He can’t stop us, and we’ll get our cash.”

“Let’s go,” Ruby drawled, reaching her brown gelding and throwing her leg over the saddle. Her skirts spread about her. “I want to see Zach’s face when we steal his criminal.”

“I just want that bounty,” Meg replied, knowing that wasn’t entirely true. She liked the idea of getting revenge, especially on Zach.

*

Zach held the reins of Simon’s horse, the one he’d brought with him from his mother’s farm. Yes, he’d lied to Meg. They weren’t heading back to Zenith. They were going to Dyersville, a small east Texas town close to his mother’s farm.

Running into the McKenzie girls had been a close call. If they found out he didn’t intend to turn over Simon, he could lose his job. But he’d given his word, he would find out the truth, and if Simon was innocent, get the charges dropped. Zach had to prove Simon’s innocence, and God help him if he were wrong.

“Are you going to untie my hands?” Simon asked as they rode along.

Zach glanced behind him. Knowing Meg, she and Ruby wouldn’t be tied up for long in that alley, and he fully expected her to come after him. Once they’d ridden out of town, he’d changed their direction, and they were now heading directly east, rather than north toward Zenith. He had to keep Meg from following him to Dyersville.

“Why in the hell should I?” Zach said irritated. “You’re a criminal. I’m going to treat you like one.”

“I didn’t kill that man,” Simon responded, his voice exasperated, his hat pulled low over his head as he swayed in the saddle.

“The report I read said you shot him in cold blood, right in front of his wife,” Zach replied, letting his brown mustang choose the trail as they rode by the light of the full moon.

“Frank is trying to frame me, so he doesn’t hang,” Simon called out.

That was possible, but still Zach wasn’t sure. If he found out Simon had killed this man, he was as good as dead.

“Simon, every criminal says it’s someone else’s fault.”

“So if you think I killed him, why did you come after me?” Simon asked.

Zach sighed, his chest tightening like a cinch on a saddle. “I gave my word that I would find out the truth.” He had to prove either Simon’s guilt or innocence for once and for all. There could be no doubt. “I’m going to help you, but if I find out you’re lying, I’ll turn you in myself.”

Simon laughed. “Ohhh…the big bad lawman, is threatening me.”

“It’s not a threat; it’s a guarantee,” Zach responded.

The mustang meandered along at a steady pace, as they passed pines and oaks towering above them in the darkened sky. Stars twinkled, giving the heavens a glittery appearance.

He feared the outcome of this adventure. Praying he was wrong about the knowledge he’d learn. “So here’s the plan. I’m taking you back to Dyersville. You’re to stay there and lay low. Maybe even go deeper into the East Texas woods. Just stay hidden until I can get your name cleared.”

“Do you really think they’ll hang me if I get caught?” Simon asked, his voice sounded unsure, and Zach didn’t know if it was because of the idea of dying or something else.

“If you killed that man, you’re as good as dead if you’re caught. Tell me your side of the story.”

There was a moment of silence, and then Simon released a heavy sigh. “I swear, Zach. I’m innocent. You’ve got to clear my name.”

“So tell me what happened.” He couldn’t help but wonder if Simon would tell him the truth.

“I was riding with Frank Jones and his brothers. The plan was for us to steal this farmer's sheep to teach him a lesson. While we were rounding up the smelly creatures, the farmer rushed out of his shack and started shooting at us. Frank pulled out his Colt and shot the man.”

A surge of anger skittered across Zach’s spine, tightening his stomach. Killing was so senseless. To shoot another man only for protecting his property, the shooter had to be heartless. Cold. Callous and cruel.

“So Frank shot an innocent man who was trying to make an honest living, which is more than I can say about the two of you.”

Simon laughed. “He was a sheep farmer.”

“So what. He was a man working hard to provide for his wife and kids.”

“We don’t want sheep farmers in Texas,” Simon replied, his tone indignant and put out.

“Why do you care? Why do you care if the man was a sheep farmer, a rancher, or even some sodbuster? He was just a man who was trying to make a living for his family. What if someone had shot your pa while he was working the farm? How would you have felt?” Zach said, trying to control the feelings of frustration that threatened to overwhelm him. Right now, he wanted to turn his horse in the direction of the nearest town, turn Simon over to the local sheriff, and be done with this nonsense. But he’d made a promise. And he was a man who kept his word.

“My pa’s only interest was drinking and whoring,” Simon responded bitterly.

Zach didn’t have a comeback. What could he say to a statement filled with such disgust? Yet, the son didn’t fall far from the apple tree.

“Seems like a man’s life is worth more than somebody shooting him because they don’t like the way he’s living.” Zach gently nudged his horse with his thighs. The mustang crossed a small stream.

“Again, I didn’t kill him,” Simon stated in the darkness.

Zach wanted to believe Simon would never deliberately shoot another human being. He wanted to believe the best of all men, but unfortunately, as sheriff, he’d seen some of the worst men could do to each other.  And this man had been in and out of trouble for most of his life.  “Can you prove it?”

“His wife was the only witness. I’ve been looking for her. Seems she left the farm, and I haven’t been able to find out if she’s still in town,” Simon said.

“Stay hidden in Dyersville until I get back. Let me find the wife, and I’ll let you know once I learn the truth. Once your name is cleared, then you’re a free man.”

Zach’s mustang plodded along, and once they cleared the trees, he watched as the full moon rose in the sky. They would travel until midnight then bed down for the night. With Simon tied up, to the casual observer, it appeared Zach was taking him in as his prisoner.

After a long silence, Simon asked, “How long do you think that’s going to take?”

“Depends. If I find the wife and she admits that you’re not the killer, then it will take a couple of weeks. But if she says you killed her husband…”

“I understand. You’ll turn me in.”

“It’s my job, Simon. It’s who I am. Killing is murder, and it’s against the law. I represent the law,” Zach replied with a sense of pride. He enjoyed what he did. In his small town, mostly he broke up fights and settled neighbor's disagreements. Occasionally, he closed the whore house to keep the preachers in town happy, but mostly he liked the respect the town gave him. “You could still be wanted for accessory. For not turning in Frank when he killed that sheep farmer.”

Simon snorted. “Oh yeah, I’m going to ride in and file a complaint against the most notorious outlaw this side of the Rio Grande.”

“Would be better than swinging for Frank.”

Hours passed as the two of them rode side by side, not talking as the moon rose to the top of the sky. Finally, exhausted and unable to continue on, Zach pulled his horse to a stop. “I think this is far enough away that they won’t locate us. We’ll eat a quick bite and get some sleep.”

“And if they find us?” Simon asked.

“If you’re convicted, you’ll hang.”

*

“Meg, I’m getting really tired,” Ruby called to her. “When are we going to stop and rest for the night?”

They had ridden for hours. Twice, Meg had gotten word from strangers that they’d seen a man on a horse, pulling a man tied up behind him. It could only be Zach and Simon, and they were heading east, not north to Zenith. The confirmations were enough to keep Meg’s blood pumping with excitement as they hurried to catch Zach. The thrill of taking Simon back from Zach fueled her on, even when her body reminded her it was time to rest.

“I know, but that old man said he saw Zach and Simon headed in this direction,” Meg speculated. “I know Zach Gillepsie. He’s trying to lose us. If we keep going, we’re bound to catch up with them.”

“I think he’s done a good job of covering his tracks. Hell, I don’t know where we are,” Ruby admitted, her mouth opening with a yawn. “Some sleep would be great.”

Meg stopped at the top of the hill and looked out into the darkness. The full moon shed light on the valley beneath them. She threw her leg over her gelding and slid down. She walked to the side of the hill and gazed into the darkness.

Zach was out there somewhere, and every time she thought of catching him, her breath quickened and her heart beat an irregular rhythm. In the last year, she’d imagined days of her and Zach together, living as man and wife. But those were not the dreams of a scorned young woman. Those were the dreams of a woman who had wanted to marry Zach. Now those dreams only made her chest ache with pain.

A flicker of a campfire had her glancing a second time at the movement. Then she saw them clearly, two men, sleeping around a dying campfire. No longer could she restrain her excitement, and she started laughing softly. “Look there. Isn’t that Zach and Simon? He was even cocky enough to build a fire, thinking he’d gotten away.”

Ruby dropped to the ground from her horse. “Oh, my God, you’re a genius. How did you find them?”

“Think like a man. A man who is trying to outwit us.” She gazed toward the small, almost died out, campfire. “Now I think it might be time to play a trick on Sheriff Gillespie.”

“What kind of trick?”

“Do you still have that rattler’s tail?”

“It’s in my saddlebags. Why?” Ruby asked, her brows drawn together suspiciously.

“Because I think Texas’s deadliest snake is going to pay the sheriff a visit.”

They climbed back up on their horses and rode as quietly as possible until they were about one hundred yards from Zach’s campsite.

Silently creeping into some bushes that surrounded the two men, they watched the camp. Both men breathed evenly, sounding like they were asleep.

Meg couldn’t contain her smile as she slipped Zach’s gun out of his holster. Unbelievable, he slept right through the taking of his shootin’ iron. A part of her gazed at his full lips slightly parted in slumber and longed to kiss him once again. But that was impossible. Yet, the idea left her lungs squeezing and her gasping quietly for breath.