Brazen (35 page)

"This wife does," she interrupted him.

Frustrated, he asked, "What's for breakfast?"

"I think we've already had this conversation," she said,
and she couldn't help laughing as she finished, "Breakfast
is whatever you're going to fix for us."

"Come on. We'll fix it together. With both of us working
at it, something is bound to turn out to be edible."

Casey followed him from the stable to the house. She
happened to glance out across the land and noticed riders in the distance.

"People coming," she told him, pointing.

Casey and Michael stopped in front of the porch to
watch the trio ride in.

"It's Nick and Sheriff Montgomery and Bill Clark," Michael remarked when the riders got closer.

They were both edgy as they waited for their visitors to
arrive.

"How are you newlyweds?" Nick asked as they reined
in before them.

"We're fine," Michael answered, "but I know that's not why you're here." He noticed Nick was wearing his sidearm. "What's going on?"

Sheriff Montgomery quickly explained everything.

"How is Rosalie?"

"She will recover, but she is badly injured."

"And you're certain John McQueen is responsible?"
Casey said in complete and utter surprise.

"That's right. He admitted it last night to Rosalie. We're
heading to the Royal now. Nick thought you'd want to
come along with us."

"You're damned right I do," Michael said quickly.

"We do," Casey put in.

"It's going to be dangerous. There's no telling what he
might try once we have him cornered," the lawman said,
trying to discourage her from going.

"Then you'll need me along for the extra gun." She
wasn't about to let Michael go without her. "Give us a
minute to get our guns and horses."

It wasn't long before they were ready to ride out.

"There's one thing I forgot to tell you," Nick began,
looking over at Casey and Michael, who were riding beside him.

"What's that?" Michael asked.

"Well, last night..." He looked at Casey.

"Yes?" she urged.

"Last night, Anne and I eloped," he finished.

"You what?" Michael looked at him in amazement.

"We got married."

"Nick, that's wonderful!" Casey exclaimed, delighted.

"Yes, it is," he answered. "I love Anne very much."

"Congratulations," Michael told him.

"Thanks."

"Are you going to stay here or go back to Philadelphia?" Michael asked. "I can always use your help on the
Circle D."

"We haven't talked about that yet," he told them with
a grin. "But you know my father does need me back there
to help him with the company."

"I don't think Anne will mind moving to Philadelphia
at all," Casey reassured him. "She's always dreamed of
traveling and seeing the world."

"I'll just have to oblige her, then," Nick said. "I was
supposed to go to Europe. Maybe that can be our honeymoon."

"She'll be thrilled."

"What about you, Casey?" Nick asked her. "Did you
want to go to Europe for a honeymoon?"

"No," she answered honestly. "I'm happiest when I'm
right here on the Bar T."

Michael didn't doubt that for a minute.

They started off for the Royal ranch, armed and ready
for any trouble McQueen might give them.

They reached the Royal ranch and dismounted in front
of the main house. It was a large, impressive, two-story
home that bespoke its owner's wealth and status.

Michael, Nick and Sheriff Montgomery went up on the
porch while Casey stayed back with Bill Clark. The sheriff
knocked on the door, but no one answered. Nick went
to take a look around the side of the house while Michael
looked in the front windows to see if he could see anyone
indoors.

"The place looks deserted. Let's walk down to the bunkhouse and see if he's there. If nothing else, some of his
men might know where we can find him," Montgomery
suggested.

As they all started in that direction, they saw John and
the ranch hand Sid come out of the stable.

"All right, be ready. This could be trouble," the lawman
cautioned.

John had seen them ride up and wondered what they
were doing at his ranch. He especially wondered why
Casey was with them. He worried for a moment that
they'd learned he was the one who'd killed Rosalie, but
he knew there was no evidence to tie him to her death.
They had to have come about something else, but what?

"Stay back a little and keep an eye on things. I don't
know what they're after, but it's not good, whatever it is,"
John warned Sid in a low voice as he walked on ahead
of him to meet the visitors.

Sid did as he'd been told, lingering back where he
could watch all that transpired and have a clear shot if
the need arose.

"Afternoon," John greeted them. "What brings you out
to the Royal today?" He looked at Casey and then at Michael. "And you even brought the newlyweds. This must
be important."

Michael stiffened, not liking McQueen's arrogant attitude.

Sheriff Montgomery stepped forward to confront the
rancher. "John, I need to take you in to town. There are
some things we have to talk about and set straight."

"Like what?" he asked, playing the innocent.

"I know you're the one who tried to kill Rosalie," the
lawman said.

"I tried to what?" He pretended outrage at the accusation, but his fury was really over the fact that Rosalie wasn't dead. He could have sworn she hadn't been
breathing when he'd left her.

"Rosalie told us what happened. She's alive, and she
will make a full recovery, but--"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I think you do, John," Montgomery insisted.

John knew he was in trouble. Panic threatened. "I am
a well-respected citizen in these parts! Are you saying,
you'd take a whore's word over mine?"

"You son-of-a-bitch! Rosalie is no whore! She's only a
fool for loving you!" Bill launched himself at John. He
landed a solid punch to John's jaw before the sheriff
could stop him.

"Easy, Bill," Montgomery told him, restraining the bartender until he calmed down a bit.

"Are you going to let him get away with that?" John
demanded, rubbing his jaw.

"You're lucky 1 stopped him, McQueen," the sheriff
said. "I'm tempted to do more than that to you. We also
learned from Rosalie that you're the one responsible for
Frank Donovan's shooting, that you hired somebody to
try to kill him. I'm placing you under arrest, and I'm taking
you in." With those words he stepped forward, ready to
put his hands on the arrogant rancher.

"Sid!" John shouted.

A shot rang out, and the sheriff fell, wounded. Michael,
Nick and Bill drew their guns. Nick got off a shot in Sid's
direction as they all dove for cover. Sid screamed as
Nick's shot found its mark.

Michael, Nick and Bill turned their guns on John, but he reacted too quickly for them. Unarmed and desperate
now without Sid to back him up, he knew he was trapped.
He had only one hope to escape.

In a frantic move, John grabbed Casey just as she was
drawing her gun. He held her around the neck as he
snatched the gun from her hand and pointed it at her
head. He faced down the men.

"Now you're going to let me ride out of here without
any trouble," John ordered in a commanding voice.

Michael had been ready to take a shot at John, but he'd
moved too fast for him. Now Michael had no clear shot
at the man without hitting Casey.

"Let Casey go, McQueen!" Michael ordered.

"You worried about your little wife?" he taunted. "You
should be. It won't bother me in the least to cause her
pain. She deserves it for all the hell she's put me through!"
he threatened, tightening his grip on her.

Casey was furious. She prided herself on always being
ready for anything, but John's attack had caught her completely off guard. She was helpless in his grasp, and she
didn't like being helpless.

"Put your guns down, boys," John ordered, "or I might
just have to hurt Casey."

"Don't listen to him, Michael!" Casey cried.

"Shut up, bitch!" John jerked her painfully against him.
"But maybe you're too stupid to know when to shut up.
I know you're too stupid to understand what you threw
away when you married him! We could have had everything! We could have had it all!"

"I do have everything," she defied him, looking at Michael. "I married the man I love!"

Michael was startled by her words. As he stared at her
being held hostage by John, the truth of what he felt for
her was finally revealed to him.

He loved Casey.

Michael didn't know how it had happened or when.

He only knew that it was true.

He had fallen in love with Casey. She meant everything
to him, and somehow he was going to save her from
McQueen.

"I was smart not to look at you," she goaded her captor,
resisting with all her might as he tried to drag her backwards. "You're a fool!" Casey hoped to make him so mad
that he'd make a mistake.

John was tempted to shoot her right then and there,
but he knew that would be signing his own death warrant.
He continued to back up, forcing her along with him.

Casey realized the time had come. She looked at Michael. Their gazes met across the distance. She gave a
slight nod as she lifted her elbow and with all her might
jabbed it into John's stomach.

John had expected her to resist him, but he hadn't
known she could hit that hard. His grip on her loosened
for just an instant, and that was all the time Casey needed
to make her move.

"Michael!" she screamed, tearing herself free and
throwing herself to the ground.

Michael got off his perfectly aimed shot.

John stood, stunned, as the bullet took him square in the chest. He staggered backward. He tried to bring his
gun to bear on Casey, wanting to punish her for all she'd
done to him, but darkness and pain overwhelmed him.
He fell to the ground.

Michael ran to Casey as Nick went to check on John
and Bill rushed to see to the sheriff.

Nick took Casey's gun out of John's hand and rolled
him over to make sure he was dead.

"Thank God, you're all right!" Michael said as he swept
Casey into his arms and held her to his heart.

The sound of the gunshots had brought some of John's
hired hands at a run to see what was going on. They'd
drawn their weapons, thinking they were going to have
to defend the ranch, but they holstered their guns when
they saw Bill helping Sheriff Montgomery to his feet. The
lawman had been shot in the shoulder, but his wound
wasn't fatal.

"What happened?" the hands asked, staring in shock at
the sight of John and Sid lying dead in the dirt.

"I tried to take your boss in for attempted murder, but
he and Sid resisted arrest," Montgomery managed. He
looked over at Casey. "You all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she answered, trembling as the realization of what could have happened tore through her.
She lifted her gaze to Michael. "Thank you."

Michael didn't say a word. He just kissed her tenderly,
sweetly. When the kiss ended, Michael still didn't release
her but held her close.

"I love you, Casey," he told her solemnly, remembering the power of the emotions that had filled him. "When I
thought I was going to lose you..."

Casey lifted one hand to caress his cheek. "I meant
what I said to John, Michael. I love you, too."

They stood together, enraptured by the final acknowledgment of their love for one another.

Nick smiled as he watched the two of them together.
"I always knew you were perfect for each other."

"You're right," Michael agreed, looking up at him and
grinning. "And, by the way, that was good shooting, Nick."
Nick's accuracy had surprised Michael, considering how
badly he'd done during the target practice he'd put him
through.

"Yes, that was very good shooting," Sheriff Montgomery
spoke up, holding his shoulder to try to stop the bleeding
as he leaned on Bill for support. "Thanks."

"Let's get you down to the bunkhouse, Sheriff. We'll
bind you up, so you can make it back to town to see Doc
Murray," one of the ranch hands suggested.

Bill helped him go along with the men.

Nick handed Casey back her gun, and she slid it into
her holster.

Michael looked over to where John lay, and he shook
his head in disgust. "It's so hard to believe that he was
the one responsible for Pa being shot."

"Greed is a deadly sin," Nick said grimly. "McQueen
found that out the hard way."

The three of them followed after the others.

They were still shaken by all that had transpired, but
relieved that it was over.

Justice had been done.

Nick returned to town with Sheriff Montgomery and Bill,
while Michael and Casey stopped off at the Circle D to
tell his parents what had happened. Frank and Elizabeth
had been shocked by the revelation of McQueen's involvement in his shooting, but they were also relieved that
the mystery had been solved and the threat was over.