Lady of the Gun

by Faye Adams

  "Right now," he said.

  "Don't you need to know my sizes?"

  "Believe me, I already do," he teased.

  “You're incorrigible!" she yelled.

  He just laughed at her and left the office.

  Cass sank down into the water and sighed with relief. He was right, there were several things that felt better than the bath. She blushed, thinking about them.

  A little less than an hour later Cass was pulling on new boots in the outer office. "I'm finished dressing, Brett. And I have to say you did pretty well. The shirt's a little big, but other than that everything fits very well."

  "Good. I told Jasper they were for you. He already knew your sizes, so I didn't have to guess," he called from the tub, where he soaked.

  Cass looked around while she waited. Her stomach growled almost painfully as she perused the wanted posters on the wall. "Brett," she called.

  "Yes?"

  "How about if I go to the hotel and get breakfast and bring it back here?" she said"

  "Sounds good to me. I can soak a little longer."

  “Great, I'll be back as soon as I can."

  "See you later," he called.

  Cass left the office and headed toward the hotel, thoughts of fried eggs, bacon, sourdough toast, and sweet black coffee making her mouth water. As she started to cross the street, Ramsey stepped out from between two buildings right in front of her.

  "Cass, I need to talk to you," he said.

  She looked at him in disgust. "I have nothing to say to you, Ramsey." Her voice was full of anger.

  “Please, Cass. I want to apologize."

  "I don't care," she told him bluntly.

  “But, Cass, I'm so ashamed of my behavior yesterday."

  Was it only yesterday? she wondered. With everything that had happened since then, it seemed like a long time ago, "You should be ashamed," she said.

  “I know. I behaved atrociously. I've never acted like that before in my life, Cass. I can only say it's because I've never felt this way about anyone before," he said, bowing his head. "I’m so sorry," he mumbled.

  Cass stared at his humbled posture. "That's no excuse," she told him.

  “You're right, Cass. I know I have no right to expect your full forgiveness, but I was hoping you'd see it in your heart to at least give me a chance to make it up to you."

  “You don't have to do that. Just leave me alone, Ramsey," she said with vehemence.

  He lifted his eyes to hers then. "Please, Cass. I won't ask for your love. Just let me be a friend."

  Cass was astonished to see tears brimming in his blue eyes. Was he really that sorry he'd behaved like such an ass? “Well..." She wavered slightly.

  "You will!" he gushed. "I can see you'll give me another chance."

  "I don't know, Ramsey," she said. His behavior was too erratic. She didn't trust him, would never trust him again.

  Stepping forward, he gently reached out to take one of her hands. “No threats. No pressure. Just friendship for a while," he said.

  Cass cringed and pulled back when he tried to touch her hand, the memory of his horrid behavior still fresh in her mind. She saw the hurt in his eyes at her action.

  "Please, Cass," he whispered.

  His remorse did seem genuine, but she couldn't bring herself to touch him. Standing very still, she sized him up. He'd turned out to be such a pathetic creature. “I suppose," she finally said. Then a thought struck her. "Where were you last night?" she asked.

  Ramsey glanced up into her eyes. "I heard about what happened out at your place. Are you asking me if I was a part of it?"

  "I'm just asking you where you were, Ramsey."

  "I was in town, Cass," he said solemnly. "There are people who will tell you I was here, I'll go get them for you. I want you to trust me."

  "'That won't be necessary. If you say you were here I believe you."

  "I botched things up pretty badly yesterday for you to actually think I could be capable of raiding your place. I'm so sorry, Cass."

  Cass sighed. "I had to ask," she said.

  "I understand, I guess," He looked past her. "Where are you going now?" he asked.

  "I’m on my way to get breakfast."

  "May I go with you? I wouldn't want you to have to eat alone."

  "I'm getting the food and bringing it back to the sheriff’s office to eat with Brett," she explained.

  Ramsey's mouth drooped at one corner. "That's how it is, eh?"

  She didn't want to explain the dynamics of their relationship to Ramsey, or to anyone. "We’re friends," she stated simply.

  His gaze fell. "I see," he said. "Well, I wouldn't want to keep you. Thank you for listening to me, Cass."

  “You're welcome."

  He turned away from her and began to walk away. At the last minute he turned back around and flashed one of his old, charming smiles at her. "Besides, you're not married to the marshal. You just might love me yet," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

  Cass opened her mouth to protest, but he'd already turned away from her again. "You're one strange man, Ramsey," she whispered, a shiver of revulsion skittering through her at his crazy mood swings.

  Starting toward the hotel again, she was almost there when she saw Rosie coming toward her. “What are you doing out here?" she asked her. "You should still be home in bed."

  "I heard some people talking outside as they passed my window. They said your place was burned and someone was shot. I had to find out who. I was on my way to the doctor's office when I saw you talking to Ramsey," she said hurriedly.

  "Yes. He wanted to apologize for . . . for something. And it was Uncle Darby who was shot, but the doc says he'll be fine." Cass noticed Rosie's color was high. You're not well. I'm taking you home."

  "I'm fine, really," Rosie answered, wringing her hands and breathing in short gasps.

  "You're not fine" Come with me." She led Rosie back to her house. Once inside, she made the girl sit in a comfortable chair. "You've got to calm down, you’ve worked yourself into a state," she said.

  Rosie continued wringing her hands. She looked up at Cass and bit her lip. "Cass, you're my friend. When I thought you might have been shot . . . it nearly scared me to death," she said.

  "Rosie, thank you. You're my friend too. But as you can see, I'm fine."

  Rosie took several more panting breaths. "And just now, when I saw you talking to Ramsey..."

  "Yes?"

  "It's just that Ramsey can be so awful. I'd hate to see him hurt you."

  "He won't hurt me, Rosie. He was a little . . . well, more than a little threatening yesterday, but he apologized today. That's what he was doing just now, apologizing."

  "He threatened you?" Rosie's eyes grew as big as saucers.

  "I guess it was silly. He thinks he's in love with me and was insisting I marry him. When I refused, he became a little too aggressive."

  Tears began to slip from Rosie's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Cass," she whispered.

  "Rosie? What's wrong?"

  "I should have told you sooner."

  "What?"

  "It's Ramsey. He's the one who's been beating me."

  ”Ramsey?" Cass repeated. So Brett was right.

  "Yes," Rosie sniffled.

  Cass looked down at Rosie's stomach.

  Rosie noticed where she was looking and nodded. "Yes, he's the father."

  "Oh, Rosie," Cass whispered.

  "It isn't what you think, Cass. I don't love him. I hate him."

  "Then how could you ..."

  "He raped me. And it wasn't the first time."

  Chapter Eighteen

  Cass looked at Rosie in horror. "He raped you? Why didn't you tell Brett?"

  Tears rolled down Rosie's cheeks unheeded. "Ramsey said he'd kill me if I told anyone but now I’m pregnant. What am I going to do?”

  Cass's anger grew hot in her chest. "We're going to report Ramsey’s crimes to Brett. He’ll arrest the bastard'"

  "No!" Rosie wailed.
I’m afraid of Ramsey. You have no idea what he's capable of. I wouldn't have told you this much if I didn’t think he might to the same to you. I just couldn't bear the thought that he might hurt you."

  Cass shook her head. "Dear Rosie, don't worry about me. I can take care of myself," she said, patting Rosie affectionately on the knee. "And once Brett arrests Ramsey he won't be able to get to you."

  "His father will get him out of jail. He covered for him before, years ago."

  Cass lowered her eyelids slightly. "When?"

  "The first time he raped me."

  "I thought you meant he'd raped you more than once since his returned to Twisted Creek," she said.

  "No," Rosie said. "The first time was the day your family was killed." Her head fell forward in sorrowful racking sobs.

  "You must be mistaken, Rosie," Cass said quietly. "Ramsey had been gone a week already when my family was murdered. He'd left for college, don't you remember?”

  "No, he didn't go, Cass. At least not then. The day your family was killed he came knocking on my window. He was so nice when he wanted to be. He told me he was sorry he'd been mean to me all the years we were growing up. He said it was because he'd always had a crush on me but didn't know how to approach me." She looked up into Cass's eyes, her own puffy from crying. "I wanted to believe him, Cass. I always thought he was handsome," she sobbed. "Even when he was so mean to me. But when I went with him, he took me just outside of town and he . . . he . . " It was so horrible the first time, Cass. It hurt so much."

  Cass knelt in front of Rosie and pulled her into her arms. "Oh, Rosie, you've been through so much," she said consolingly. "Why didn't you report it then?"

  "I did, but Sheriff Jackson was so busy getting the posse together to go after your family's murderers that he barely listened to me. Then, afterward, he didn't believe me. He believed, like everyone else, that Ramsey had already left town." She leaned back and stared hard at Cass. "It was Ramsey, Cass He was still in town that day. I even went to Hunt, hoping he would help me, hoping he'd let everyone know Ramsey hadn't left for college yet. He just laughed at me and called me a slut. He told me his son wouldn't have touched the likes of me without an invitation."

  Cass remembered that Ramsey had called her a slut the day before…his father's word. "It's time this stopped, Rosie. We're going to put an end to Ramsey's crimes once and for all. I'll tell Brett what Ramsey has done to you. I promise he'll take care of it, and he and I together will make sure Ramsey never touches you again."

  Rosie stared hopefully into Cass's eyes. "I can't even remember what it feels like to not be afraid," she said, her voice still full of tears.

  Cass took her arms from around Rosie's back and patted her knees for a moment. Standing, she turned toward the door. "You stay here and don't open the door to anyone, understand?"

  Rosie nodded.

  "Good. I’ll be back with Brett," she said. Crossing to the door, she looked back at Rosie's pitiful face. Rage roiled inside her at what Ramsey had done to Rosie's life. Leaving the tiny house, she headed straight for the sheriff's office. She couldn't wait to tell Brett about Rosie. And to think Ramsey had raped her all those years ago. Her anger made her footsteps heavy in the dirt street. And if Ramsey was still in town when her family was murdered, he'd probably known all along that his father was involved. "You acted so innocent,"' she fumed out loud through clenched teeth.

  Brett was waiting patiently for his breakfast when Cass came crashing through the door. The look on her face drove any thought of food from his mind. "What's wrong, Cass?" he asked, standing up and moving around the desk toward her.

  "It's Rosie, Brett. Ramsey raped her.”

  Brett stared at Cass as what she'd said registered. "That son of a bitch," he cursed.

  "And he's been beating her, threatening to kill her if she told anyone."

  Brett clenched his fists. "I'll ride out to the Lazy T today, right after I get Rosie to sign a report. I'll arrest that bastard."

  "And that's not all, Brett," Cass said, touching him on the arm. "She told me something about the day my family was murdered."

  "Does she know who did it?"

  "No. But Ramsey was still in town then."

  "I thought you said he'd been gone about a week by then."

  "I thought he had. Everyone thought he'd gone back east to college. But according to Rosie, he paid her a visit on the day my family was murdered. He lured her out of town and raped her for the first time."

  "She was just a kid," he said.

  Cass nodded. "And when she told the sheriff what had happened he wouldn't believe her. Brett, Rosie's been living with this for five years. Now he's back and treating her even worse than before. He's the father of her baby," she said sadly.

  "Let's go talk to her. I'll bring the paperwork with me to her house. As soon as she signs it, I'll go find Ramsey."

  "He's in town," she said.

  "How do you know?"

  "I saw him. He spoke to me."

  "Fine. He'll be that much easier to get to."

  They left the office and went straight to Rosie's place. She answered the door with tears still dripping from her eyes. "I'm afraid, Marshal," she admitted. "I don't know if I can do this."

  "You have to, don't you see that, Rosie?" asked Cass. "It's the only way you'll ever be free of him. He knows he can victimize you, so he'll keep doing it."

  Rosie turned around and went back to the chair she'd been sitting in earlier. "My life is such a mess. Even if you do stop Ramsey from hurting me, what am I going to do? I'm pregnant and I'm not married."

  Cass touched Rosie on the shoulder. "People will understand when they know what happened."

  "No! You can't tell anyone. I'd die of humiliation." She paused for a second. "Maybe that's what should happen. I'd be better off dead."

  "Rosie, don't ever say anything like that," Cass pleaded. "I've lost so many people in my life. Don't make me think I might lose you now that we've become friends again after all this time."

  Rosie let her gaze drop. “I’m sorry. I just feel so helpless."

  "You won't be helpless if you make a report and sign it. You'll be the one with the power, Rosie. You have the power to put this man behind bars for a long time for what he did to you," Brett told her.

  Rosie hesitated for a few seconds while she thought about it. "It would be nice to feel safe again," she said softly. "I guess I could stand everything else if I knew he wouldn't bother me again. All right. What do I have to do?"

  Brett explained the procedure to her, then started writing down what she told him. As Cass listened to the horrible story again, she wondered why she hadn’t realized how dangerous Ramsey could be.

  A few minutes later she felt her stomach growl again. She'd completely forgotten about food while talking to Rosie, but her appetite had come back with a vengeance. "Brett?" she said. "I'm going over to the hotel to get us something to eat."

  Brett looked away from Rosie to Cass. "Sounds good."

  "Breakfast or lunch?"

  "How about a thick roast beef sandwich?"

  '"Mmmm. I'll get two. Rosie would you like something?"

  Rosie sniffed. "No, thank you, Cass. I haven't been very hungry lately."

  "You've got to keep up your strength. You're eating for two."

  Rosie thought for a minute. "If they have some soup, I suppose I could eat a little," she said.

  "Soup it is," Cass answered, heading for the door. '"I'll be right back."

  On her way to the hotel and food once more, her boot heels dug deep into the dirt in the street as she hurried.

  "Cassidy Wayne?"

  Cass stopped abruptly, hearing the threatening tone of the voice behind her. Turning slowly, she looked at the man who had spoken. "Who wants to know?"

  "The name's Bobby Fleet. I understand you killed my little brother."

  Cass's blood ran cold. "I didn't want to. He forced my hand in a fair fight."

  "It doesn't matter. Henry was
just a kid, and now he's dead. You killed him. Now I'm gonna kill you. That's how it works. Miss Wayne."

  "It doesn't have to. Like I said, I didn't want to kill him. He left me no choice. You and I still have choices. We don't have to do this."

  "Henry challenged you because he heard you were fast. He wanted to make a bigger name for himself. I'm going to kill you because he was my brother. You see, it doesn't matter what the reasons are, everything evens out in the end."

  Cass sized up this gunfighter while he talked. He was quite a bit older than Henry had been, and he was reportedly a lot faster. She watched his eyes, hard eyes that never left hers. He didn't blink incessantly as Henry had. He wasn't nervous. His arms hung loose at his sides, his right hand poised over his gun. Her heart slowed until it scarcely beat within her chest, the calm coming over her. She was going to have to kill him.

  "You ready to die, Miss Wayne?" he asked.

  "Are you?" she returned.

  "I ain't the one gonna meet the Lord today. You are."

  "I doubt it's the Lord you'll be meeting," she answered, "but you can say hello to the devil for me."

  "You're funny, Miss Wayne. Real funny. I wonder if you'll think it's funny when my bullet splits your heart in two."

  "That's not going to happen, Bobby I'm as fast as you've heard, maybe faster. I didn't want to kill your brother, and I don't want to kill you, but I will if you force me." She watched the way he stood, relaxed, sure of himself. She noticed the slight smile that turned up the corners of his mouth.

  "You know, you're real pretty. It's gonna almost be a shame to kill you," he said. "I can think of a lot of things I'd rather do to you than shoot you."

  Cass knew he was trying to rattle her. It was a ploy one gunfighter would use against another in an attempt to make his opponent lose his concentration. "I doubt you'd be capable of doing anything that would impress me much," she returned, playing his game.

  "You might be surprised. I know you're gonna be surprised when my bullet kills you."

  "Likewise."

  He took a step to the side, slowly trying to get the sun where he wanted it.

  Cass simply backed up, refusing to give him the advantage. She noticed that he was squinting a bit. Good, keep the sun in your eyes, she thought. "Did you teach Henry to shoot?" she asked.