Snowfire

by French, Colleen

  Gabrielle was out there, he knew it. And she was somewhere near by; she had to be.

  From the state of Gabrielle's cabin, Jack guessed that Taylor had several men with him, experienced men. They would have had to be to have gotten up river in the middle of the winter like this. But he also guessed that they were not from nearby, otherwise they would have come for Gabrielle sooner. Taylor must have come after her shortly after she left Seattle. It had just taken him this long to track her down and hire men to help him.

  Alex covered his mouth with his hand, breathing into the wool mitten to thaw the ice forming on his growing beard. Speeding up, he hopped on the back of his sled, glancing behind him to check on Beans Magee taking up the rear. Jack was just ahead of him, running in his own sled tracks. Alex shook his head. The short, plump Indian was amazing. He never rode on the sled, never slowed down. He was a machine that plodded through the snow, his head lowered, his hands swinging at his sides. Alex guessed he could run all day and into the night without any trouble.

  Earlier in the day they had approached a cabin south of Gabrielle's. The trapper who lived there knew her, but nothing of her disappearance. He told Jack that he had heard male voices and two sleds pass by just before the storm hit two days ago. His suggestion was to check a cabin some four or five miles south on the west bank. He said a month back he had passed it and seen smoke rising from the chimney. When he went to greet the newcomer, his welcome had been far from friendly. A man with long blond hair had run him off with a shotgun.

  Alex knew it was a long shot, but what choice did they have but to mush in that direction and pray that luck was with them and the kidnappers hadn't been able to outrun the storm. If they weren't in that cabin, Jack said they could be anywhere; it might take until spring to find them, and then there would be no guarantee they still had Gabrielle. If Taylor had murdered Rouge out of greed, he would have no qualms about killing Gabrielle.

  That thought made Alex sick in the pit of his stomach. Why had he left her behind? He should have made her come with him upriver, or not gone at all. He groaned inwardly, ducking to miss a low lying branch as his dogs pulled the sled into a small clearing and down another crude path. If I find Gabrielle, he promised himself, I'll make it work. We'll go after the gold together, and we'll go home to Richmond. I'll prove my love to her and make her want to come with me. Images of Gabrielle flashed through his mind as he dropped one leg to the ground and gave a push, aiding the dogs. He thought of her thick chestnut hair, her upturned mouth, the haughty sound of her voice. God, but he loved her. . . .

  Jack's sled up ahead slowed and came to a stop, bringing Alex out of his daze. The cabin can't be more than half a mile from here," Jack told Alex. "We go on foot from here. You have snowshoes?"

  Alex nodded, digging into the bags he carried on his sled. "But why not take the sled in? It'll be faster."

  Jack shook his head, fitting his own snowshoes onto his boots. "They'll hear the dogs. This way we take them by surprise."

  Alex sighed. It was already growing dark, and the snow had stopped more than an hour ago. What if they reached the cabin and Gabrielle was already gone? What if she'd never been there? He pushed the thoughts from his mind, strapping on his snowshoes. When he was finished, he followed Jack's and Bean's lead, unharnessing his dogs and tying them all to a tree with one piece of rope he looped through their collars. Feeding them each a handful of frozen fish chunks, he fell in behind Jack and Beans, moving south.

  Gabrielle was startled awake by an iron grip on her arm. "Wake up," a voice urged.

  Her eyes flew open. "What? What do you want?" She squinted against the bright light of the lantern held in front of her face. It was Lawrence's buddy, Gaddy.

  "Time to wake up, missy. Snow's stopped, and Taylor says we're movin' out!"

  She glared up at him, blinking the sleep from her eyes. "Storm's passed?"

  "Yup." He set the lantern on the floor and began to work at the knot that bound her hands to the back of the wooden chair. He had no more loosened the rope and slipped it from the chair rail when he was binding her hands together again.

  Gabrielle gasped as he lifted her to her feet. Against her will, she swayed, almost toppling into him. Gaddy laughed, catching her gently around the waist. "Fallen for me, have you, missy?"

  She struggled to upright herself, embarrassed by her weak-kneed state. "How do you expect a person to walk with her ankles tied together?"

  He released her, giving her a broken-toothed grin. "Boss's orders. I'm to carry ya."

  "The hell you will!" She started forward, inching one boot in front of the other.

  Gaddy watched her for a minute. "Come on, let me carry ya. I ain't gonna harm ya."

  She glared at him. "You don't think kidnapping is harming someone?"

  He looked up to be sure no one else had reentered the cabin. "Weren't my idea. They didn't tell me they was gonna take you. We was just supposed to get that gold map." He scuffed at the floor with his boot. "I ain't never hurt a lady before. Killed a few men, but never hurt a lady."

  "Got a heart of gold, have you?" She pushed another foot forward, heading slowly for the door. "If you're such a gentleman, how about loosening these ropes? They're cutting into my wrists." She looked up at him.

  He shook his head frantically. "Oh, no. Lawrence, he told me to untie you from the chair, rope you back up again and carry you out to the sled. They got them all hitched up waitin'. If I don't do what Lawrence says, he'll kill me!" The huge man bobbed his dark head up and down.

  Gabrielle turned away. "Then you're just as bad as the rest of them, Gaddy."

  He followed after her. "Look, if you'd just tell 'em where the map is, I'd make 'em let you go. I wouldn't let Mr. Taylor sell you to that whore house."

  Her breath caught in her throat. "That's what he's going to do with me?"

  "Lawrence wants ya for himself. The two argued over ya, but Mr. Taylor, he's the boss, so he does the decidin'."

  Gabrielle could feel herself swaying where she stood. The lack of food and water and decent sleep had taken a toll on her. If she didn't escape soon, she wouldn't have the energy to do it. She spoke in a tired voice. "Gaddy, I'm awful thirsty. Could you get me a drink of water?"

  The man stroked his beard in indecision. "I was told not to give you nothin'."

  "Come on, I can't escape by drinking a cup of water."

  With a quick nod, Gaddy crossed the room, bringing her a tin cup of water. He held the cup to her lips, letting her drink.

  Gabrielle drained the cup. "Thank you," she murmured.

  Hesitantly, he reached out to button up her parka. "It's cold out there. Where's your mittens?"

  She motioned with her head. "Lawrence put them in my pocket." She watched him as he dug in the side pocket of her parka and extracted the thick wool mittens. He moved hesitantly, almost in awe of her. He might be my way out of this, she told herself. He's not like the others. He's no angel, but he probably wouldn't hurt me. "Hey, Gaddy," she whispered softly.

  He looked up, startled by the soft, feminine voice. "Yea?"

  Before she could speak again, Lawrence stuck his head in the cabin door. "What are you doin' in there, Gaddy? Get your ass out here and bring the girl!"

  Gaddy gulped. "Yea, Lawrence. I'm comin'." He leaned to scoop Gabrielle into his arms. "Sorry. But I gotta do what he says."

  "Why? Why do you have to do what he says, Gaddy?"

  The bear of a man stood holding her in his arms. "I don't know, I just do. I always done what Lawrence told me."

  "Help me, Gaddy," Gabrielle begged. "I'll pay you, more than Taylor's paying you. You name the price."

  He moved toward the door. "I don't know, missy. I sure like ya, but—"

  Suddenly there was a masculine shout from outside the door and the echo of a rifle shot. Gaddy immediately set her on her feet, grabbing a rifle near the door.

  "What is it?" she demanded.

  "I don't know." He flattened himself against the
wall, peering out the door. "You stay put."

  "No, Gaddy." She struggled to follow him. "You've got to let me loose." Another shot cracked in the air, followed by two more. Outside the cabin she could hear Taylor shouting to Parsons and Lawrence. She didn't know who was out there; she prayed it was Jack. But whoever it was, this was her chance to escape.

  Gaddy shook his head. "I let you go, and you'll run off. Taylor'll shoot you before he lets you go."

  "I'd rather be shot dead in the snow than sold to a whore house on the docks in Seattle." Her voice was desperate. "Please, Gaddy."

  The straggly-bearded man hesitated for a moment, then slipped a knife from his belt. "He's gonna kill me, he's gonna kill me," he muttered beneath his breath as he sawed at the bindings at her feet. As soon as they were cut, he started on her hands.

  "Thank you! Thank you!" Her hands trembled as he pulled on the last of the rope that bound her hands behind her. Rubbing her wrists to bring back the feeling, she peered out the tiny window of the cabin. "A gun, Gaddy. I've got to have a gun if I'm going to get out alive." Rifles fired on and off, bullets ricocheting in the trees.

  "Oh, no. This is the only gun I got. You can't have it, missy." He pressed himself against the wall, starting for the door. "Now you give me a minute and then you get, you understand me?"

  She nodded numbly. "Can you see who's shooting at them?"

  He shook his head. "Naw, they're hidin' in the trees." With one last glance in her direction, Gaddy slipped out the door.

  Gabrielle watched him through the window. He ducked out the door and threw himself into the snow behind a woodpile.

  "Where's the girl?" Lawrence shouted from the cover of the trees.

  "Inside," Gaddy answered. Just then, another shot rang out, splintering the wood above his head. Lawrence's reply was lost to Gabrielle as the men opened fire on their assailants hiding in the brush just beyond the cabin.

  Hands shaking, Gabrielle pulled up the hood of her parka and laced it tightly. She was without a weapon, no food, no water, but she could make it home if she could just escape her captors. Taking a deep breath, she stepped outside the cabin door.

  "Gabrielle!" came Alex's voice from the brush.

  She froze for a moment in shock. "Alex!" she screamed. Bullets rang in the trees again, and she threw herself to the ground.

  "Get out of the way," he shouted, reloading his rifle.

  "You son-of-a-bitch, Gaddy! I'll skin you alive," Taylor barked from the corner of the cabin. "What's she doing untied?"

  Gaddy stuttered. "I . . . I don't know, boss!"

  "You get across there and get ahold of her before I shoot you myself!" Taylor ordered.

  Throwing a pleading glance in Gaddy's direction, Gabrielle began to crawl toward Alex's voice. She dragged her body through the snow, trying to ignore the sound of bullets ringing over her head.

  Alex reloaded again from behind a great evergreen, giving Jack a nudge. "I've got to go in after her, Jack. One of them's going to kill her."

  Jack gave a nod. "You be careful. I'll cover you."

  Slowly Alex moved through the trees, making his way toward the side of the cabin. A man in a parka leaped from behind the trees, racing toward Gabrielle, and then a shot sounded. The man crumbled to the ground, staining the snow crimson. In the semi-darkness, he spotted Beans Magee behind him, flashing a grin. Alex gave a nod, moving closer to the cabin.

  Suddenly a pig-tailed blond came out of the trees, headed straight for Gabrielle. "Alex," she screamed as she stood up to run.

  In an instant Gaddy was on his feet, aiming for Lawrence. "Don't you touch her, Lawrence!" His voice rang through the trees as he pulled the trigger on his rifle.

  Lawrence fell to the ground under the impact of his friend's bullet, clutching his arm. Taylor came around the side of the cabin, aiming his rifle at Gaddy's back.

  "Gaddy! Look out," Gabrielle shouted. But it was too late. Taylor fired twice, and Gaddy fell into the snow, face first.

  Before Alex could reach Gabrielle, the man who had been shot in the arm was upon her. He grabbed her around the waist, dragging her toward the cabin. Gabrielle screamed, kicking and swinging her fists as she tried to escape his iron grip.

  Alex lifted his rifle to take aim but immediately saw that he would risk Gabrielle's life by trying to shoot her captor. Cursing beneath his breath, Alex reloaded his rifle to stalk him. "You get the other one," he shouted to Jack over his shoulder as he flattened his body against the hand-hewn outer wall of the cabin.

  Easing himself along the wall, Alex listened intently. "Gabrielle, I'm coming," he shouted.

  "No, no," she cried. "He'll kill you. Get back, Alex."

  Inside, Lawrence was dragging her toward the rear of the cabin. He'd lost his rifle but held a pistol to her head. "You shut up and stop that screamin' before I shut you up." He shook her so hard that it jarred her teeth.

  Just then Alex burst into the room, a rifle poised in his hands.

  "Drop it," Lawrence ordered. "Or I kill the bitch."

  Alex took a deep breath, slowly lowering his rifle.

  "No! No!" Gabrielle called. "He'll kill you, Alex. He's crazy!"

  Lawrence's laughter echoed in the cabin as Alex's rifle hit the floor with a dull thud. "She's right you know," he said. "I am gonna kill you."

  Chapter Sixteen

  Alex's eyes narrowed as he stared at the pig-tailed man that held Gabrielle captive. Slowly he lowered his hands to his sides. "Release her, now!" his voice thundered.

  Lawrence tipped back his head, his laughter harsh and threatening. "For a man who's gonna die, you're pretty calm, mister." He tightened his hold around Gabrielle's neck, and she gasped for breath.

  "Alex," she moaned, pulling at Lawrence's arm. Her mind was confused, her vision growing blurry. In another minute she knew she'd faint from lack of air. She looked to Alex standing there motionless, a hellbent look on his face. Dear God, doesn't he know he's about to die?

  "I'll tell you where the map is, if you let her go," Alex enticed. He tried to ignore Gabrielle, concentrating on the captor's movements and Jack's knife belted to his own leg.

  Lawrence loosened his grip slightly with interest "What do you know about the map? Who the hell are you?" He drew back the pistol but still held Gabrielle tight in his arm.

  "She's my woman. I took the map from her for myself. "His voice became gruff and agitated as he took on the persona of a man not to be crossed.

  "Then hand it over," Lawrence ordered.

  It was Alex's turn to laugh. "You think I'd be carryin' it around, as much as it's worth?" He moved his right hand slightly, inching toward the long-bladed knife.

  "Then go get it."

  "Oh, no," Alex told him with clear, hard precision. "You've got to let the girl go first. I told you she's mine; she has nothing to do with this. This deal is going to have to be between you and me."

  Lawrence smiled wickedly. Tightening his hold on Gabrielle, he pressed the barrel of the gun against her head. "You get it, or she dies."

  Gabrielle whimpered but held herself perfectly still, squeezing her eyes shut. She had seen Alex's hand on the hilt of his knife. Now, her mind cried out silently. Do it now!

  Lawrence spotted the knife in Alex's hand a second too late. The pig-tailed giant of a man cried out as the knife whipped through the air. He meant to pull the trigger on his pistol, but his reflexes were too slow. The well-aimed knife cut through the fabric of his parka, sinking deep into his chest. Lawrence loosened his grip on Gabrielle, the gun slipping from his fingers. A look of surprise passed over his face as he fell to the floor, his head hitting the cabin wall with a sickening thud.

  Gabrielle crumbled to the floor beside the dead man, gasping for breath. Alex was beside her in an instant, cradling her in his arms.

  "Gabrielle," he breathed, brushing a lock of hair off her cheek. "Gabrielle, are you all right? Can you hear me, love?"

  She lifted her lashes, her dark gaze meeting a stormy ocean o
f blue. "Alex," she whispered. "He was going to kill you." A sob escaped her throat. "I was so afraid he was going to kill you."

  "Shhh," he hushed, holding her tight against his chest. "It's all right, Gabrielle. I'm alive. I'm here."

  "You came back." She clung to him desperately, inhaling his familiar heady scent. "I thought you were gone. You left me; I thought you were never coming back."

  "I couldn't leave you. I couldn't do it." He showered her dirty face with kisses. "I could never leave you. I love you; I love you too much."

  "Alex, Gabrielle?" Jack's voice came from the door.

  "Did you get Taylor?" Alex stood up, lifting Gabrielle easily in his arms. She looped her hands around his neck, too weary to protest.

  "He got away. Beans was hit, just a flesh wound, but while I was tending him, that bastard Taylor got away on a sled." His wide frame filled the doorway. "She all right?"

  Alex gave a nod. "Pretty weak, but I don't think they hurt her."

  Gabrielle held tightly to Alex, only half hearing their words. All she cared about at this moment was being safe in Alex's arms. Her heart sang with happiness. He'd come back to her! He came back!

  Jack gestured behind him. "The man Beans killed was the one that beat you up."

  "Parsons?" Alex's eyes grew dark. "You sure?"

  "You can check, but I think so. Looks to me like the same man who came with you that day to buy supplies."

  Alex cursed beneath his breath. "Hope he goes straight to hell." He pushed at Lawrence's body with the toe of his boot. "This one's dead, too. You haul him out while I see to Gabrielle. Then we'll have a look at Beans." He took control of the situation with ease, and Jack didn't question him.

  Laying Gabrielle down gently on the bunk against the wall, Alex unbuttoned her parka. Her face was ashen, her chestnut hair dirty and tangled. "You scared me to death," he whispered.