Monica's Mystery

by Kate Cambridge

  “I’ve received a report he was in the tavern last night, boasting of his crimes, and plotting to kill me, and encouraging his men to kill any ranger they encounter. Yet still today he is free. That is unacceptable. No matter what it takes, I want Avery Boggs and his men in our custody by sundown. If we are to gain the trust of the people here, then we must show them that we will keep them safe, at all costs.” His voice hardened as he continued. “He is a very dangerous and cunning man. Do not underestimate him, and never assume that he can't attack. It is my fault that he is still free, and I take full responsibility for that. He escaped me once, but I will never allow that to happen again.”

  When he paused, Monica stepped forward. Her heart slammed against her chest as she anticipated his reaction to her presence.

  “Ranger Randall, there's something I need to tell you.”

  “Miss Benton.” He turned to face her, but as she expected, his expression was far from welcoming. “You shouldn't be here.”

  “But some of the things I heard last night, they might help—”

  "And I've told you before to stay out of this." Gabriel crossed the distance between them with one even stride. His broad frame blocked the view of the other rangers as he glared into her eyes. "This is not something you should be involved in. Do you understand?"

  Monica spoke quietly, earnestly. ”Gabriel, I need you to listen to me. Please, you once said that I was not foolish, that I was far too intelligent to put myself at risk. Did you really believe that?" She searched his eyes for any sign of flexibility, but his expression remained unchanged, hard. "Please, Gabriel, you must listen."

  "Tonight, I will meet with you tonight to discuss whatever concerns you may have. But at this moment, I want you to return to the safety of Jacob's home. I'll have no argument from you about that." His tone grew sharper with each word that he spoke.

  Her muscles tightened in frustration, and she found herself shocked at her own response. She wanted to pound his chest with her fists and make him listen! "Tonight will be too late. You need to listen to me now, or you are the one that is foolish!"

  "Enough!" He clapped his hand hard against the outside of his thigh. "James, you'll escort Miss Benton to the Howe house, now." He gestured to one of the rangers gathered behind him.

  "You're in danger, Gabriel! You’re all in danger. Why won't you listen?"

  Gabriel turned on his heel and walked over to the other rangers. He did not look back. Her stomach churned with fury and fear. If he wouldn't listen to her warnings, then she had no way to protect him.

  "Ma’am, we should go." One of the rangers walked toward her and offered his hand to help her mount his horse. She ignored the offer for help and climbed up in one graceful move. There was no point to angering Gabriel further. If he didn't want to listen, then she would just have to find another way to keep him safe.

  They'd only traveled a few minutes when there was a sound from a few feet away. It was a strange shriek that made her horse rear up in protest. James reached for the reigns and pulled hard to steady the horse.

  "What was that?" He swept his gaze over their surroundings. She did as well, but there was nothing unusual to see. Her heart began to race and sweat collected along her brow.

  "Go, James, we must go, now!"

  "No, I want to see what that was." James frowned as he patted the neck of the horse. "Calm down now, everything's fine. It might be some animal in trouble. I'll just be a minute."

  "No, James, it's not an animal, just get us out of here, please." She tried to grab the reins from him, but he jerked them back before she could.

  "Just settle down! You're going to spook the horse!"

  "It's a trap, you fool!" She reached to grab the reins again, but before she could she felt the force of something collide with her. In the next instant, she was off of the horse, her face in the dirt, the breath knocked out of her. Struggling, she tried to push up on her arms and take a breath, when a boot landed squarely against her back, pushing her flat against the ground. The pain spread from her spine outward as the boot kept her pinned down. She heard James groan and cry out as he was struck. His body fell not far from hers on the ground, a boot kicking him in the side. He didn’t move.

  “Well, well. I've been waiting for you to show your pretty face, Miss Benton. You know, the first time we met, I invited you to be part of my world. This time, I'm not going to give you a choice.” Boggs reached down and grabbed her by the collar. As he roughly pulled her up onto her knees, she flashed back to the conversation she’d had with Gabriel. Yes, there were things that could bring her to her knees, or one man in particular, whose cruelty knew no bounds. He stared down at her, his eyes dark and fierce. “Are you going to fight me, or are you going to go easy?”

  Every nerve in her body longed to fight, but she knew already that he could easily overpower her. She didn't want to give him the opportunity to hurt her more than he already had.

  “I'll go. Just leave the ranger. You aren't here for him.”

  “Leave him?” He pulled his revolver. “I intend to.”

  “No! Don't, please!” She begged and jumped to her feet, stepping between Boggs and James. “If you let him live, I will come with you. I will do whatever you ask.”

  “Seems like a fair bargain.” He nodded to the two other men that lingered close by. “Let's go. Don't worry about the ranger.” He grabbed her by the arm and hauled her up onto his horse. She stifled a cry of pain. When he climbed on behind her, she bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming. Her skin crawled from the contact, and then they were off. The horse moved beneath her with powerful strides.

  As the miles passed, she began to smell the sea air, and just as she had anticipated, their hideout was close to the town and nearby the water. It was an old shack that had been recently expanded, and she could only conclude it was expanded to fit his growing band of men. She quickly tried to count the number of men she could see, but lost count after ten, as some camped outside, others in, and they were moving about quickly.

  Once inside, Avery thrust her into a chair in the corner of the shack. He tied her hands and ankles to the chair, then crouched down in front of her.

  “One false move, and I will make sure that Jacob and Gabriel are the first ones to suffer. Understand?”

  “Yes.” She spat out, resisting the urge to spit in his face, glaring at him as he turned to talk with a few of his men. It dawned on her now that he had taken her to hurt Gabriel. She had always been his target. Perhaps if she had listened to Gabriel and stayed out of it, she wouldn't be in this position. He wouldn’t be in this position. However, there was no time for regret. She had to find a way to escape before Gabriel was drawn into his trap. As she tried to come up with a solution, Avery Boggs walked over to her.

  “I can see the wheels turning in that pretty little head of yours. Soon your ranger will no longer be a problem for either of us, Monica. You and I will be free to roam together, and Galveston will be rid of the rangers. All of them, thanks to you.” He stroked her cheek and offered a wicked laugh.

  She shrunk away from his touch. “You’re a fool. A complete fool, Avery Boggs. Why would I ever consider traveling with you, when you are this stupid?” She glared into his eyes and leaned forward in her chair. “I thought criminals were supposed to be smart?”

  “Sharp tongue, I don't mind that.” Although his smile faltered. “I thought my plan was pretty clever. Seems to be working so far.”

  “It might have been if Ranger Randall actually cared about me, but he doesn't. He can barely stand me. He's not going to come to my rescue. He'll happily leave me to you.”

  “Oh?” He chuckled. “I'm not blind. I've seen the way he looks at you. I've heard him speak to other men about you. I know when a man is in love.”

  She scoffed. “You’re wrong. He only tolerates me out of courtesy, because I’m friends with the wife of a ranger. In fact, just yesterday he insisted that I leave Galveston. So now what is your plan?” She sighed in f
rustration as she tried to flex her tingling hands against the ropes. “Untie me and we can figure this out together.”

  “Untie you?” he jeered. “I've seen you in action, Monica. I'm not stupid and I’m not taking that risk.” He stroked his hand down through her hair, and she turned her head away. He forced her head back. “Clever girl. Always trying to find your way out of things. It's not going to work this time. I know that Gabriel is already looking for you. I made sure that he got my message. It won't be long now.”

  “You're wrong. He won't even bother to look.” The strength in her voice faltered as she realized he didn't believe a word she said.

  “I have to go take care of our little problem, but I'll be back soon, and then we'll be able to start our lives together. You might not like the idea right now, but you'll get accustomed to it. Freedom is almost yours.” He nodded to one of his men standing nearby. “Jake, don’t take your eyes off her, and don't listen to anything she has to say. She'll outwit you in a second.” As he turned and left the shack, taking the rest of the men with him, her heart lurched in fear. Would Gabriel fall into his trap?

  12

  Minutes blended into hours, and try though she might, the man named Jake simply ignored her. “Please, I have to use the toilet. Please untie me just long enough for that.”

  “Nope. We don’t have no fancy toilets.”

  “Water, could I have some water?”

  “I thought ya said ya needed to use the toilet. Now why would you want water if ya have ta do that?”

  She decided it wasn’t worth answering.

  “So, have you been with Mr. Boggs long?”

  “Long enough.”

  “Why?”

  “Why what?” “Why do you ride with him and do the things you do? It’s obvious he’s not very nice to you, and he doesn’t think you’re bright, so why do you stay with him?”

  “Look lady, the boss might have taken a likin’ to ya, but I think yer a waste of time, apart from maybe the entertainment factor.” A gleam came into his eyes, and she swallowed hard. “We don’t need no woman traveling with us to slow us down or messing things up. I’m hopin’ he comes to his senses and gits rid of ya.”

  She shuddered. It was a real possibility that Avery Boggs might do just that. He would probably use her for whatever purposes suited him, and then when she no longer did, he would probably kill her—if she didn’t die first. She knew she needed to find a way out of this situation, and fast.

  “Were you with him during the train robberies last year?” she ventured, hopeful to learn something that might help her get out of this situation.

  “That’s none of yer business, missy. What do you know about that, anyway?”

  “I know that Boggs and his men have been committing crimes in this area and beyond for a long time. It’s foolish to think you won’t be caught.”

  “Oh really? Caught by the likes of you, do you fancy?” he mocked.

  “It’s his arrogance that will do him in, you know, and you, too. It’s just a matter of time before it all comes tumbling down, and then you’ll be sorry for what you’ve done, and what you’re doing to me right now.”

  He walked over to her chair, face red with fury, and she knew she had gone too far.

  “If it weren't for the fact that the boss’d kill me if I lay a hand on you, I’d teach you a lesson or two right now. Now just shut up.”

  The sky dimmed outside the sagging windows, the hues of the sunset turning orange as the sky was beginning to set. In the distance, she could hear the waves as they crashed against the sand. Every second burned into her mind, as one more second closer to Gabriel being ambushed. Her guard continued to watch her like a hawk, although she no longer tried to talk with him. He left her no opportunity to escape, although she did her best to work at loosening the ropes when he wasn’t looking.

  Just when she had begun to give up hope, the door of the shack slammed open and Gabriel flew through the door. Her guard was completely unprepared, and Gabriel was on him in seconds. As he flung the man down onto the ground, Monica strained against the ropes that tied her to the chair.

  “Gabriel!”

  “Are there any others?” He turned to face her, his cheeks flushed, and his lips parted with exertion.

  “No, they all went with Boggs. How did you find me?” The man on the floor struggled and then cried out as Gabriel twisted his arm tightly behind his back. He tied his hands, dragged him to a post, and secured him there, then rushed over to free Monica from her ropes.

  “How did you find me?”

  “I followed your advice.” When he looked into her eyes, she could see his fear. “Did he hurt you?”

  “No, I'm okay now, Gabriel, I'm okay.” He cut the ropes holding her hands, but when she tried to stand her legs threatened to give out. Gabriel caught her in his arms and held her close.

  “When I found James, I was so scared that I'd lost you. I was so sure that I would never see you again.” He tightened his grasp on her to the point that she could feel every muscle in his arms and chest.

  “I'm safe, Gabriel, thanks to you.” She touched her lips ever so softly to the curve of his cheek and whispered in his ear. “Thank you.”

  He quickly cleared his throat. “I knew he was trying to lure me into a trap because he made the fact that he had taken you obvious. But I had no idea where the actual hideout was. Then I remembered what you told me about where it might be. Once I followed your parameters, it took a while because it’s well hidden, but I was able to find this place.”

  “What about Boggs? He might come back any moment, he could be on his way right now.”

  “No, he's not. I sent the other rangers to meet him and his men. They're being rounded up right this second, I'm sure of it. You're never going to have to worry about him again, Monica. Never.” He kissed her forehead. “And now that we have their hideout, we should be able to prove everything we need to in order to make sure that he is never a free man again. Between this and his men— I’m quite sure they’ll turn Boggs in once they’ve realized their neck is on the line. Literally.”

  “Oh Gabriel, I thought he would kill you. I'm so sorry that I didn't listen—” she tried to blink away the tears threatening to spill.

  “No,” he whispered, his voice hoarse from emotion. “I’m the one that should apologize. You tried to warn me, and I refused to listen. I'm sorry, Monica. While it is true you haven’t made this easy on me, if I had listened things might not have gotten to this point. I’ll never ignore your advice again.” He paused, his eyes taking in every inch of her. “Are you sure you’re alright? They didn’t…”

  “They didn’t. The worse that happened is that Jake over there bored me to death and refused to give me water or a break. I’m sore and parched,” she added, rubbing her wrists, “but that’s the worst of it.”

  Gabriel took her hands in his, rubbing the marks on her wrists where the ropes had rubbed them nearly raw. “We need to take care of these. I don’t want you to get an infection.”

  Her face reddened, and she squirmed from the sensations his touch sent all the way up her arms.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “It’s not that, Gabriel,” she breathed, shaken by the effect he had on her.

  He moved his hands up her arms, holding her at arm’s length. “When I thought I might never see you again, I realized what really matters. Monica, I—” words escaped him as he watched her wet her lips.

  “Gabriel, I’m sorry, I’m so thirsty.”

  “Of course you are, what a fool I am!” a snicker from the floor bringing them back to reality.

  Gabriel released her and walked over to him. “I’m not sure what you’re finding so funny, but give this some thought. When I return, you and I will be going to the jail. You’ll have one chance to tell me the truth, and make no mistake, that may well make the difference between life and death for you.”

  Jake glared at Gabriel.

  Gabriel
turned to Monica. “Are you able to walk?”

  “Yes, yes, I think so.”

  “Let’s go outside for a minute. I have to get him to the jail, and then connect with the other men.”

  Once outside, he gently turned her to face him. She knew it was impetuous, and that she shouldn’t, but none of that seemed to matter in the moment. She went up on her toes and crushed her lips against his. Surprised at first, his hands slackened on her arms, but then he pulled her tight, returning her kiss with so much passion it made her legs melt and she thought her heart might leap out of her chest. She clung to him for support.

  He dragged his mouth away, his breath ragged and shallow, his eyes boring into hers. She couldn’t move until he gently pushed her back. “No.”

  “No?” She wondered if she'd misunderstood his intentions. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

  “No, that’s not what I mean. Wait a moment, look at me, Monica.” She gazed up at him with hurt-filled eyes. “This is not the place. Let’s go. I need to get you back to Jacob’s and finish this with Boggs before I do anything else. You understand?” his eyes pleaded with her.

  Yes, yes I understand.”

  “I've arranged a carriage for you. I hate to leave you, but I must.”

  “I understand, Gabriel. Go. Be safe. Promise me you’ll be safe.”

  “I will. M—may I call on you tonight? At Jacob's?” He held her hand in his as he led her away from the shack and to the waiting carriage.

  “Yes, of course, Gabriel. I will be there.” She started to step into the carriage, but he resisted letting go of her hand.

  “I'll be there, Gabriel.” She kissed his cheek, then caressed the slope of his jaw. “I promise. Now go and help your men.”

  He held her gaze a moment longer, then reluctantly released her hand. “Will, make sure she gets to Jacob’s house safely. He’s expecting her, and he’ll have a horse waiting for you there. Meet me back at the jail as soon as you can.”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll get her there safely, sir.”

  She fought the tears that threatened to fall, and gave him a brave smile as he turned and walked back toward the cabin.