by Linda Ford
Gritting his teeth, he resumed his task. “Mrs. Stuart, I’ll give you the biggest piece of gossip Cimarron Springs has ever heard, but you have to do one thing for me.”
Her eyes widened. “I don’t gossip.”
“Of course not.”
“What would you like me to do?”
“For the next ten minutes, act as though you don’t know me.”
Emotions flitted across her face. She was curious, yet uncertain. Her innate nosiness finally won out. “You better not be fooling me.”
“No fooling. You’ll have the best story at the quilting bee this Wednesday.”
“Then would you like to see a ring, Mr.—?” She flourished her hand with a broad wink.
Shane glanced over his shoulder. The outlaw and Tessa were studying the ready-made clothes near the back of the store.
“Wait.” He held up his index finger. “Hand me that whiskey bottle.”
Her expression skeptical, Mrs. Stuart reluctantly reached behind her and retrieved a bottle. After accepting the whiskey, Shane unscrewed the cap and splashed the liquid over his shirt.
“I don’t care how good of a story I get out of this stunt.” Mrs. Stuart scowled. “That’s going on your tab.”
“I know.” He held his index finger over his lips and hushed her. “Remember what I said.”
She jerked her head in a curt nod. “This better beat the time Mabel saw JoBeth shoot her husband.”
“Nothing can beat that.”
Yanking his hat low over his eyes, he stumbled through the store. As he made his way toward Tessa and the outlaw, he bumped every display he passed, making a point of creating a commotion. Dishes rattled and cans trembled.
As he neared Tessa, he swayed on his feet and knocked into her shoulder. She dropped the shirtwaist she held with a yelp. Her eyes widened in recognition.
He swayed on his feet and grasped her shoulders, as though steadying himself. “Hey there, little mishy,” he slurred. “You’re jusht the lady I need.”
She waved her hand before her face. “I don’t think so. Go away, you drunken oaf.”
He teetered back then rocked forward. “Aw, please. Jusht for a minute.”
She kept her grip on his upper arms, her eyes imploring him to leave.
The outlaw slammed an arm against his chest. “She’s with me, mister.”
Shane stared into the man’s eyes and realized he’d come face-to-face with Dead Eye Dan. One of his eyes was focused sharply on Shane’s face; the other was slightly askew.
Shane lifted his hand, his finger waving unsteadily in the air. Then he pressed his index finger against the man’s forehead. “You gotta funny eye, mishter.”
Dead Eye growled and snatched Shane’s lapels.
Tessa threw herself between them and caught Dead Eye’s gaze. “Why don’t we humor the man? He’s obviously drunk. If he causes a brawl, the proprietor will summon the law. We’d hate for anyone to get in trouble, wouldn’t we?”
Dead Eye hesitated, then threw Shane off with a hard shove. “What do you want, fool?”
“Rings.” Shane snatched Tessa’s hand and dragged her toward the counter, the outlaw close behind. Her feet slipped and he instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist and steadied her. She caught his gaze, her eyes wild and frightened. Though she gave a slight shake of her head, she didn’t push his hand away.
Upon reaching his destination, he rested his hip against the glass case and made a show of leaning heavily against the counter. He raised her hand until her fingers were an inch away from his eyes. A pulse beat wildly in the base of her neck. If he knew Tessa, she was more worried about his safety than her own.
“Your fingers are about the size of my wif-wif-wife’s. Which ring would you like? You know, if you were my wif-wife?”
Tessa strained away. “If this is your usual state, then I would buy her something extremely expensive as an apology.”
He studied the case. After making a selection, he slid a gold circle around her ring finger. “Too big.”
He yanked off the ring and tossed the circle onto the counter. “There’s gotta be something pretty in all this junk.”
“Well, I never!” As he pawed through the other selections, Mrs. Stuart glared. “Those are valuable. Do be careful.”
He found another ring featuring braided filigree. “Don’t you worry about my wife, little missy. She’s got the whole town looking after her. The marshal and everything.” He slid the ring onto Tessa’s finger. “Someone is always watching out for her.”
“They shouldn’t.” Her voice broke. “You should just go home.”
“Not until I’m finished.” He lurched forward and spoke near her ear. “I’ll be near.”
He splayed his fingers, giving her a glimpse of the paper in his palm. Her expression flickered.
She shook her head, waving him off, but he wasn’t giving her a choice. He slid his hand closer.
Tessa met his unyielding gaze, her eyes registering her reluctant acquiescence. Tears glistened on her lashes. “Your wife sounds like a very fortunate woman.”
“I don’t care about her past. I only care about her future.”
Dead Eye guffawed. “Who’d wanna come home to this drunk?”
Shane stumbled, shielding his hands from the outlaw, and slid the note into her opposite palm. With a deft flick of her wrist, the paper disappeared up her sleeve.
Distracted by the display of liquor bottles, Dead Eye engaged Mrs. Stuart in a haggle over the prices.
Shane lifted Tessa’s hand once more. Her fingers were chilled and he chafed them gently.
He should have bought her a ring weeks ago. Her fingers trembled as he slid the gold circle over her knuckles. He rubbed the delicate feathering of veins along her wrist.
Fearful of attracting the attention of the outlaw, he released her. “There, this one fits perfect.”
Holding her arm aloft, Tessa admired the ring. “Your wife will like this very much.”
“I’ll be waiting for her tonight. She’ll know where. She’s gonna be so happy to see me, she might even give me a kiss.”
Tessa smiled a touch sadly. “I bet she will.”
Dead Eye shoved him away. “All right already. That’s enough. Move along, you old drunk. You’ve had your fun.”
The outlaw caught Tessa around the upper arm and dragged her toward the clothing once more. She glanced over her shoulder and he fisted his hands. He took a step and someone gripped his upper arm. Whipping around, he nearly socked David before he recognized the deputy.
“Everything is going according to plan,” David said. “Don’t get riled.”
“How would you feel if that was your wife?”
“Just like you do. Nothing is going to go wrong.”
“It better not.”
Shane understood the marshal’s reasons for leaving Tessa with the outlaw, but Dead Eye was going to pay for his rough treatment of her. He’d never have agreed except they had Emmett as well. There was no way she was leaving her father alone. If the outlaws wanted Emmett’s cooperation, they couldn’t harm Tessa. If they wanted Tessa’s cooperation, they couldn’t harm Emmett. Either way, they had to bide their time.
Mrs. Stuart grunted. “All right, I did my part. You owe me for the whiskey and the ring. She was still wearing it when she left.”
Shane smiled grimly. “I know.”
She belonged to him, and she’d wear his ring. Now and forever.
Chapter Nineteen
Emmett paced the locked room while Tessa stared at the ring on her finger. He knew. Shane knew. The marshal knew. They were all watching out for her.
Muttering beneath his breath, Emmett yanked on the window, but it held firm. One of the Fultons had nailed it shut. “As soon as we’re out in the open, I want you to run. I’ll distract the rest of the gang.”
She motioned him over and spoke near his ear. “The marshal knows the plan. He’ll be waiting for us in the bank.”
Emm
ett blinked. “How does he know?”
“He just does. I’m fairly certain everyone in town is in on the plan.”
“You’re joshing me?”
“I’m not.”
The door flew open and Dead Eye’s brother Randall stood on the threshold. “As long as you two don’t give us any trouble, we’re eating in the dining room.”
Tessa raised her eyebrows. “Very civilized.”
“Well, we’re all just a bunch of friends here, aren’t we? Wouldn’t want these folks getting suspicious or anything.” He glared. “Just remember, one wrong move, and I put a hole in your daughter. Got that, Mr. Spencer?”
Tessa smirked. They weren’t all that concerned about her getting away. Excellent.
Emmett waved his arms with a flourish and she preceded him through the door. They made their way to the dining room and Tessa paused.
Over half of the tables were filled, and she immediately recognized most of the patrons. The entire dining room was filled with McCoys. She spotted Edith and Eli McCoy sitting with Jo and another boy she didn’t recognize.
Cheerful lengths of evergreen looped from the arches, and a sprig of holly dangled from the center.
The Reverend Miller occupied a table with a younger, dark-haired man. She didn’t see the marshal, Garrett, but she figured he wasn’t far away considering all the others. As she searched the room, her gaze landed on a very familiar hat.
Shane sat alone.
Her heart swelled. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight. None of them were. Even though she was surrounded by outlaws and preparing to rob a bank, she’d never felt safer.
She took her seat and Randall and Dead Eye sat opposite her and Emmett. Mrs. Edwards took their order and Tessa complimented her on her bright yellow crocheted collar.
“Thank you.” Mrs. Edwards touched the edge. “I sell all sorts of pieces over at the mercantile. Hats and scarves and mittens. For gentlemen, too,” she added.
Emmett flashed his most charming grin. “If they’re as pretty as you are, I just might take a look.”
Mrs. Edwards giggled.
Randall glowered. “Shut it. We’re here to eat.”
“How rude.” Mrs. Edwards huffed, then turned and flounced toward the kitchen.
The conversation ground to a halt after that. When Mrs. Edwards finally returned, Tessa reached for a plate, but the proprietress held the meal out of reach.
She set it before Randall with more force than necessary. “Enjoy your meal, sir.”
The second dish she slid gently before Tessa. “This one is yours, ma’am,” Mrs. Edwards said with wink.
Tessa suppressed a grin. She didn’t know what Mrs. Edwards had done to Randall’s food, and she didn’t want to find out.
The rest of the meal passed in silence and they returned to their room once more.
Randall peered in. “We leave at midnight. Be ready.”
The door shut and the key turned.
Tessa snorted. “Bold as brass, aren’t they? Eating in the dining room, staying at the hotel. Where do you suppose the other two are hiding? There’s four of them, aren’t there?”
“They’re doing this on purpose,” Emmett declared with a huff. “Don’t you see? They want us to be seen with them. One way or another, they’re going to pin that bank robbery on you and me. We’ll be hanging from a tree before the weekend, mark my words.”
Tessa pictured all the familiar faces in the dining room. “I told you, we’re fine.”
“We’ll see,” Emmett muttered.
With nothing else to occupy the time, she rested on top of the duvet, dozing off and on. Despite her precarious situation, she sensed Shane was near.
Emmett shook her awake a few hours later. She stretched and yawned, then stumbled behind the screen and changed into her dark clothing.
Once they’d unlocked the door, she stepped into the corridor and met with Randall and Dead Eye. Dead Eye took her by the arm and Randall planted his hand in the center of Emmett’s chest.
“You’re staying,” Randall declared.
“No!” Tessa spun around. “I need his, uh, I need his help.”
“Nope.” Randall muffled Emmett’s protests with a gag. He unfurled a rope and secured Emmett’s hands, then shoved him onto a chair. “Your pa is our insurance. Just in case you get any ideas.”
Tessa’s heart wrenched. “I’m not leaving him.”
With languid ease, Randall took his gun from his holster, cocked the trigger and aimed the barrel at Emmett’s temple. “Go. Or I kill him.”
“I’m going.”
He didn’t have to tell her twice.
Tessa scurried after Dead Eye. She crept through the corridor and slid into the chilled evening air. Keeping a sharp eye on her, Dead Eye led her behind the row of buildings. Everything was silent. Not even a whisper of wind stirred the air. A sliver of moon illuminated the remaining snow and lent enough light to traverse the streets.
They reached the bank’s service entrance and Dead Eye scouted the perimeter. “All’s clear.”
Tessa removed her hairpin and carefully worked the lock. Her fingers grew stiff with the cold. Beside her, Dead Eye fidgeted and held his hands to his nose, puffing cold air onto his fingers.
Tessa smirked. “Maybe you should have gotten some of Mrs. Edwards’s mittens.”
“Shut up.” He smacked the side of her head. “Stop dawdling.”
Tessa worked the lock, breathing a sigh of relief when the mechanism sprang free. “It’s open.”
She turned the knob and stepped inside. The outlaw shut the door behind him. “Dumbest town I ever seen.”
Once inside, she approached the cage surrounding the teller area leading to the back where the safe was kept. She quickly worked the much easier lock and swung open the barred door.
She cast a furtive glance over her shoulder, searching for the marshal. Once they reached the vault, Dan slid his hand into his coat and revealed a stethoscope.
She wiped her damp palms against her dark skirts. Where was the law? Had something happened? She was certain she’d read Shane’s clues correctly. His note had said only that he’d be here.
With no other option, she knelt and donned the earpieces, then pressed the diaphragm against the cold metal. She spun the combination dial right and left, listening for the telltale click.
Dan shoved her shoulder. “Hurry up.”
She brushed him aside. “Be quiet. This takes time.”
Despite the cold air, a fine bead of sweat formed on her brow. She got the first number, then the second. Her brow knit in concentration, she heard the third number spring free. Holding her breath, she reached for the handle.
Dan leaned close, his hot breath stirring the hair on her neck.
Tessa twisted the handle.
The outlaw shrieked. Someone slammed against her. Though it was dark, she caught Shane’s distinctive scent. He urged her behind the safe and shielded her with his body. The scuffle continued behind them.
“We got him,” Garrett called. “It’s safe.”
Shane stood and lifted her upright. He sheltered her against his side and led her into the lobby, then lowered her onto a chair and knelt before her. “Are you all right?”
“Emmett. They’ve got Emmett.”
“Don’t worry. They won’t get out of the hotel. The boys have the place surrounded.”
Another man approached with a lantern. He held the light near her face. “I’m Caleb McCoy, ma’am. That’s a nasty bruise on the side of your face.”
She unconsciously touched the mark.
Shane made a sound like a growl. “Did Dead Eye do that?”
She smoothed her fingers across his forehead. “It doesn’t hurt, I promise.”
“Tessa, I—”
She pressed two fingers against his lips, preventing his answer. “No words. Before you read me the riot act, I need to know Emmett is safe.”
The marshal stepped into the lobby, Dead Eye handcuffed besid
e him.
The next few moments passed in a blur. Dead Eye shoved against the marshal. Garrett lost his grip. Shane straightened. His arm swung around and his fist made contact with the man’s jaw. A sickening crack sounded. Dead Eye crumpled.
Shane leaned over his prone body. “That’s for hitting my wife.”
As Tessa gaped, absorbing the sudden violence, Shane knelt before her once more and smoothed the hair away from her face.
Behind him, Garrett chuckled. “Well, Shane, you made my work a little harder. How am I supposed to get him back to the jail?”
Shane clasped her hands and drew her to her feet. “That’s your problem.”
They stepped outside and Tessa started toward the hotel, but Shane held her back. “I’m not letting you out of my sight until we know it’s safe. A man can only handle so much.”
Main Street was lit up and crowded with people. Tessa stared. “Where did they all come from?”
“Word spread fast that we had a gang of bank robbers in town.”
Someone broke through the crowd and dashed toward them. Emmett held out his hands. “Tessa!”
He caught her in his embrace and her insides melted.
After crushing her against him, he held her at arm’s length. “You’ll never guess what happened. Randall took one step out the door and Mrs. Edwards beaned him with a frying pan. Caught him right across the temple. He’s out cold. I don’t envy Mr. Edwards.”
“Mrs. Edwards is a widow.”
Emmett scratched his temple. “You don’t say.”
Main Street had taken on the feel of a winter fete. People milled around and an enterprising worker from the restaurant had set up a table where he was peddling hot coffee. The two outlaws captured near the livery were delivered to the deputy holding Randall. Garrett and Dead Eye came around and joined the group. All four outlaws were paraded down Main Street with much applause for the lawmen leading them away.
Navigating the festivities, Shane led her back to the hotel. As they wove their way through the crowds of people lining the boardwalk, Mrs. Stuart appeared from the mercantile.
“You owe me, Shane McCoy,” she declared.
Tessa looked between the two.
Mrs. Stuart shrugged. “Never mind. Bring your little ones around soon. I’ve got some peppermint candy for them.”