by Amy Field
She set her stuff on the ground slowly and wrapped her hand around the reins of the horse to slowly walk him from the barn. It was past midnight, and she knew that her parents, Hope and most of the farm men were asleep in bed. There was always someone on watch these days. They took turns, the hands, on keeping an eye out. They had never had any trouble around there except an occasional coyote or two, but there had been a wolf that had run off with some of their chickens and a few sheep one year, so they organised a watch. Her father had been so mad when that happened. She remembered how he had vented to the hands about finding it. When he did, he made a hat from its fur. He never wore the hat; it hung on the wall in the family room, but he had it. That was what made him proud, as he spoke about it with a smile.
She managed to get out of the ranch without anyone seeing them, and rode steadily with the moonlight to guide her. The robbers didn’t hide their trail very well as far as she could see. She could tell the men of the town didn’t look too closely for the criminals. Either that, or they really didn’t know how to track that well. She had been taught by her Pa who was one of the best trackers around. She ran a hand over the leaf that was broken backward. It was clear that someone had come through there and that they had been going at a fast pace. Kind of like they were running from something.
She crept forward in the woods, making sure to step lightly so she wouldn’t be heard. The trail got fresher and fresher as she went on. It was already near dawn when she spotted their small camp. She sat behind a clump of trees and listened to their conversations.
“That’s three towns. He’s gonna be happy when we get back.” The voice was deep and gruff, and she knew that he wasn’t a nice man just by listening to him.
“Yep. That idiot almost cost us everything trying to stop and make sure the guy who got shot was alive.” The second voice was higher and she knew instantly that he was speaking about Robert.
She was confused now as she listened to them. She thought that the tall man wearing a black shirt was their leader. Why would they be talking about him like that if he was? Why would he stop and check on Robert? Something was not adding up right.
“Then he took the horse that I shot the man for.” This was the third voice. Her ears kept note of his voice, which had a slow drawl to it. He was clearly the one that had killed Robert.
“Come on Frankie, you didn’t want the horse really.” The first man spoke again.
There was a cruel laugh before who she assumed was Frankie spoke again. “You’re right. I just wanted to prove I could and then I just wanted to have some fun. What better way than to shoot some fool who would give his life for a horse?” He laughed again.
Grace felt her blood turn cold at his words. It had been because of River. Robert had been killed while he tried to save her horse. She had thought he was joking when he said it that day, but now realized that he had meant it. Why would he do that? She knew why. He knew how much the horse had meant to her and had wanted to make sure nothing happened to it. He hadn’t realized that he was more important to her and her family. Yes, she loved River, but Robert was family. He shouldn't have been killed for that.
The gangsters continued to laugh at the shooting, and she felt her nails dig into her palms as she balled her fist. The more they laughed, the tighter she clenched them, digging her nails roughly into her skin. She could kill them all right now, but she didn’t know how many there were exactly. She needed to find out before she went in blazing guns. She fingered the two pistols she had at her sides.
The pistols had been a present to her from all the hands when she turned 16. They said they were tired of her trying out theirs and that it was the time she had her own pair if she was going to work in the fields. Never knew when a wild animal would make its way onto the land. There had been a lot of bears that year. It was probably what had spurred on the gift idea as well. She knew how to use them too, better than most men. She is a great shot, and she made sure to practice on cans at least three times a week still. Her father had been proud of her when she knocked down all six cans one day without missing a shot. He told her that she was one of the best shots he had seen in a long time.
That had made her day.
Chapter Six: The Capture
Grace decided to wait until the group went out into the next field. She couldn’t tell how many of them there really were, especially from where she was sitting. The trees kept her from view, but made it impossible to see all the gangsters. She started creeping backward slowly, continuing until she felt safe enough to get up. As she turned around she thought she was against the bark of a tall tree, but then she looked up, only to see an ugly, bearded face sneering down at her.
“Well, what do we have here?” a gruff voice from behind the beard spoke.
She coughed involuntarily at the stench that came from his open mouth. Her stomach recoiled with the smell, causing her to clamp her mouth shut and breath in small shallow breaths. She looked up at him defiantly. She wouldn’t show him she was scared.
She was, however.
She was scared he could hear her knees knocking together with the sudden fear that swept through her.
She felt his hand circle her upper arm as he pulled her forward. As he dragged her into the light of the campfire, her hat knocked from her head, and her dark hair spilled forward and down around her shoulders. She should have braided it. Maybe the idiots wouldn’t have seen it like they noticed her hair now.
The men around the fire stood up. “Why it’s a woman!” one called out. For a moment they were all at a loss for words. She looked around and counted five men in total. She could take them if she could get her gun lose. Her hand instantly went to her pistol, and she had it halfway out before everything went black.
Grace tried to open her eyes but felt a searing pain that shot through her temple just above her left eye. She almost doubled over with the pain. She tried to focus her vision as everything seemed to run together and there was a bright light as well. When she was finally able to focus around her she realized the bright light had been the campfire which was close to her where she was tied to the tree.
“She’s awake.” It was the same deep voice from before. Her eyes swept around the group as she took in everything. There were indeed five of them. They were all disgusting. They were dirty and crude and most looked like they hadn’t had a bath in weeks. A disgusting smell wafted to her on the small night breeze. Her stomach turned again in turmoil at what she saw. The deep-voiced man smiled at her showing more black teeth than white. “Looks like we had a little souvenir make its way into camp on its own.”
“I am not a souvenir," Grace managed to say in a cracking voice.
“I beg to differ honey.”
“That’s because you’re an idiot and my name is not Honey.”
They all laughed then. “You have spunk. I like that.” He came closer to grasp a piece of her hair between his fingertips and rubbed it gently.
Leaning back she let the spit fly from her mouth. It landed next to his eye and he growled. She felt his hand land across her face and snap her head to the side. When she righted herself again, everything was spinning, and she was literally seeing stars. It didn't dampen her fighting spirit, though. “You are disgusting and stink. Get away from me and let go of my hair!” she hissed.
“I think you could use some teaching in manners.” His voice was deeper as he sneered at her.
“I would rather keep company with a bear than you. You disgust me and make my skin crawl.” She jerked from him then. The man lifted his arm again and she braced herself for the blow she knew was going to come. Her eyes were closed as she waited.
“Leave the girl alone.” Her eyes opened again when the blow didn’t come. It took her a minute to see the man was looking elsewhere. She followed his direction of sight. She looked over at the voice and saw another man strode into the small camp.
She was bewildered as she looked at him. This man was different. He was clean, dripping hair and all l
ike he had just come from the bath. His eyes met hers and she was taken aback by the intensity she saw there. His eyes were, however, indifferent to her and she felt her hopes crash as he made his way over to sit in front of the fire.
“You know everything goes to Jax, and then he decides what is to happen to it.” He said casually with a shrug.
He acted like he was talking about carpet, not a human being.
“What will happen to 'it'? You do know that I am a person right? Not some trinket you can wave around,” she said as her body filled with anger at his words.
He looked at her and cocked his head to the side as he spoke. “It does not matter. You are his. End of story.”
“I want my horse that one of you baboons took,” she said with a grunt as she tried to pull her wrists free again.
He looked up at her from the fire. “That would be me,” he said with a smile. “Sorry. And I’m not done with her yet either. Also, you cannot get free so save your strength.” He leaned back against the log behind him and lowered his hat over his eyes. The other men continued to grumble but they left her alone. Nobody said another word to her then as she looked around seething with anger at her situation. She knew she had nobody to blame but herself. She realized that this was one time that she should have listened to her mother. She should really think before she acts sometimes.
“You can sleep. You are under my protection now. They will not hurt you.” He nodded in the direction of the others. She saw the man had made his way closer to her as the others had moved away.
“I am sorry, but I don’t see how that is any better. You are as disgusting and vile as they are. Maybe more so,” she said with anger in her voice.
“Why would you say that?”
She could tell from his tone of voice that he didn’t have any idea of what she was talking about.
“You helped rob a bank, and now you walk into the camp like you own the place. You act as if you have done nothing wrong. They at least know they are criminals and disgusting. You act like people should be thankful you for giving them the time of day. You really are clueless.” She shook her head in disgust as he shrugged in her direction.
“I just want to get back. The sooner this is over, the better. We should be there tomorrow afternoon. Go to sleep.”
She growled in frustration as she turned away from him. A minute later she felt a blanket being tossed over her. She looked up to see him looking at her as he covered her and then laid down on his bedroll not far from hers. She knew she should be grateful. Heaven knows what would have happened if he hadn’t shown up. The other man probably would have beaten her to death, or worse. She shuddered then and cuddled down into the blanket even more.
Now she didn’t know what she was going to do. She felt confused.
Chapter Seven: Who are you, really?
True to his word, they rode into an abandoned village sometime the next afternoon. She was sitting on the same horse she had taken from her father’s barn. Her hands were tied, and there was a rope that traveled from her bound hands to the mysterious bandit. She didn’t say a word as they continued further in. There were a few women sitting around inside the village. Taking her around the side, he stopped in front of a building. She watched as he dropped down to the ground before pulling her down beside him.
He looked like he was going to say something but he wasn’t able to as a boy ran from inside the building.
“Dalton! You came back!” The boy was young, no more than nine. He jumped into the other man’s arms.
“Didn’t you think I was going to? I would never leave my sidekick behind.” He laughed as he held the boy and ruffled his hair.
The boy suddenly turned to her and gave her a weird look.
“Who is she?” The young boy asked.
“Just someone to see Jax.” The man she now knew as Dalton said.
“Why is she tied up then. Is she a prisoner like me?” His eyes widened at the realization.
“Come on Caleb. Let’s get something to eat.” Dalton said with a smile. He apparently cared for the boy.
“Ok.” The boy jumped up and down as he made his way inside. She could tell that he had a slight limp as he went. She didn’t say anything as her eyes met Dalton’s but she could tell that he wouldn't want to talk about it. His face told her that clearly.
The other men led Grace into the building, then instructed to sit at a small table. She looked around the bare room then and envisioned ways to get away.
Dalton’s voice came to her then. “Don’t even think about trying to escape,” he said sharply.
She glared at him then and folded her arms across her chest as she sat back in the chair. Just then the door swung open, and a man made his way through.
“I hear you got something for me, Dalton?” The man said with a smile. He looked around until his eyes landed on her. The man looked to be in his late forties and was as dirty as the other men were. “What do we have here?” He asked with a sneer.
“Nothing. She just happened to come into the camp at the wrong time.”
“Hmmm.” He grinned evilly at her as he started to walk around her at the table. “I think you will be good as my slave. I haven’t had some good feminine company in a while now.” He laughed.
“She wasn’t part of the deal Jax.” Dalton stood then and walked over towards the man.
“Ha! You still haven’t finished the deal.”
“Yes, I did. My shares of the robberies should be plenty enough for you to let us go now.”
The older man laughed then. “You are a fool boy if you think I am letting you and your crippled little brother go. No. I think that you are a good addition to things here just as she will be. I have to ride out and take care of some business for a few days but when I get back I expect her to be waiting for me. No more talk about it or her, or I’ll beat that kid brother of yours bloody.” The man stormed from the room then and made his way back out into the cold air. Grace looked at Dalton. His eyes met hers for a brief minute and she read the sadness there.
They ate in silence and it wasn’t too long before he sent Caleb off to bed. “You can take the bedroom. The windows are all nailed shut so you can’t get out. I will take the couch for now,” he said gruffly.
“Why?” she asked softly.
“Why what?” he turned to her.
“Why are you helping me? Why didn’t you just hand me over to him just then?” She was shaking her head with her words, not understanding what was going on entirely.
“No matter what you think, I am not like them. I am different. I promise that. Go to bed.” His words were flat as if they held no room for argument.
“You still didn’t answer my question. Besides, can you untie me if I can’t get out of here anyway?” She said stubbornly with a lift to her chin. If she had her guns, then she would have hit him over the head with one. She knew however that he had them with his gear. He had taken it and his other belongings and placed them next to the sofa he would apparently be sleeping on.
“Fine.” He stomped to her and unwound the ties on her hands. As soon as they were off her fist swung and connected with his jaw. Shocked he stepped back as his hand covered where she hit him. He worked his jaw back and forth making sure nothing was broken.
“You little minx,” he said, taken aback.
“Ha! And there’s more where that came from too!” she exclaimed as she raised her fists up again. It took him a few minutes of wrestling, but he finally had her hands tied again although he made them a little looser this time. They were both standing there panting as he looked down into her upturned face. His eyes had a strange look to them as he gazed at her. Before she knew what he planned he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She felt herself drop as she was deposited on the bed in the other room. He jerked the blanket over her and looked down at her with a glare.
“That was your only shot. Hope it was worth it. Now get some sleep.” He stomped from the room and slammed the door to the room be
hind him as he went. It took Grace some time but with not having had any sleep the night before, she soon drifted into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter Eight: Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend
Grace awoke to the sound of her stomach growling. Rolling over she forgot briefly where she was as she smelled bacon and eggs frying. She tried to get up from the bed and couldn't quite get there. She opened first one eye and then another to see that her hands were bound. The last few days came back to her in a rush then, and she remembered just where she was and what she was doing. Turning to her back she pushed herself to the other side of the bed and righted herself until she was unsteadily standing up. At the same moment the door swung open.
“I see you’re out of bed finally.” Dalton’s voice came to her then as she spun around towards him.
“Took some time to get up since my hands are tied.” She looked at him sarcastically.
“Yeah, well. You shouldn’t have swung at me then. Come on. Breakfast is ready,” he said curtly as he strode from the room. He apparently expected her to follow him out. Reluctantly she did just that as she made her way into the small kitchen. Caleb was there already munching on some bacon as he looked up and smiled at her.
“You know she can’t eat with her hands tied like that Dalton,” he said softly.
Dalton looked over at him and then gave her a skeptical look. “I will untie you if you promise to keep your hands to yourself.”
She nodded and waited patiently as he removed the ropes for the second time from her wrists. This time, she behaved as she rubbed her wrists, trying to bring the feeling back to them. It wasn’t as bad as the first time since she wasn’t tied as tightly as she had been. Making her way to the table, she sat down just as Dalton set a plate in front of her with a cup of coffee.
“Thank you... Dalton.”
Her voice was soft as she watched him move. He was good looking, she thought. His sandy blonde hair laid haphazardly all over like he had just woke from bed. She looked over at Caleb then who had the same hair. Except his was a little lighter than his older brothers. She realized then what was going on.