“Of course,” Scarlett said. “You can stay with us.”
“She has plenty of options, don’t you worry,” Harriett said patting Isabel’s hand as if she needed assurance. “We won’t leave her alone.”
Isabel frowned at Colton. “I don’t need everyone fretting over me. As you already know, I’ve lived here my entire life and this is definitely not the first time undesirables have traipsed through Laurel.” She stood and smoothed her skirts. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to stop at the apothecary and pick up some chamomile tea.”
Just as she walked outside with Scarlett on her heels, Colton took her by the elbow and pulled her back. Seeming to sense they needed privacy, Scarlett remained by the door as he walked her a few feet away.
“Don’t defy me on this, Isabel. I know how stubborn you are. These men are not just undesirables, like you think. They are ruthless killers.”
She jutted out her chin and peered up at him. “I live just one street over from here. This is ridiculous. I’ll ensure to lock my doors and remain inside the house.”
A pained look marred his handsome face and he shook his head as if clearing it. “Do what you want.” He dropped her arm and stalked away.
“I thought he was going to shake you,” Scarlett said, watching Colton walk away. “He’s not happy with you.”
Isabel huffed. “I am so tired of being treated like a child by him. If it seems dangerous, I am smart enough to know not to stay home alone. Thank you for your offer Scarlett. I may be taking you up on it, if the time comes.”
The women walked across the street and Isabel looked toward the jailhouse. Colton was furious with her and a small part of her was glad. He was infuriating.
Chapter 2
It only took Colton a matter of hours to get the town alerted and men divided depending on what tasks were needed. Several groups were dispatched to guard every entrance into town. Another set of riders would patrol the surrounding areas to ensure no one was traipsing about meaning harm. The last group would ride with the sheriff and deputy if required.
Males too elderly or too young to expose to danger were assigned as lookouts from inside buildings.
Two groups of twelve men were mounted and prepared to ride. Colton would ride with the group headed northeast and his deputy Frank would go with the one headed northwest. The two groups would circle and come together where the outlaws had been spotted. Between both groups, they would find the outlaws and hopefully send them on their way.
Colton didn’t like the sense of foreboding that hovered. Something was off. Outlaws normally didn’t remain in one place for long. He’d known about them for several days and had been waiting to see if they moved on.
The outlaws were waiting for something and he wondered if there was a valuable shipment of some sort that would be traveling through the Laurel Creek area.
Hopefully, the show of force from the townspeople would drive them off. From what he’d heard, the group was about ten men, which was large for a group of outlaws. Whatever they were after, the payoff was expected to be large.
Regardless of the gang’s size, the odds were in the town’s favor. He felt confident in the groups men who’d remained behind to guard the entrances to town. The men who guarded the town were armed and prepared to defend Laurel Creek if the outlaws happened to circle around to avoid them and head in that direction.
Everyone had been warned and instructed to remain indoors as much as possible. Thankfully the people listened since the streets were deserted as he and the men rode in silence down the center of town.
The sun was high in the clear sky, the warmth of it heating his back. It would be about an hour or two before they reached the general area where the outlaws had been sighted. From reports, they’d shot in the air to warn travelers away, but hadn’t made any move other than the intimidation tactic.
“You reckon they’ll want to talk to you, Sheriff?” Charles Walker, the mercantile owner asked. They rode side-by-side in rows of two, the man on Colton’s left.
“I hope they do. We don’t want any trouble, just for them to know they’re not welcome in town.”
“They may not take kindly to the lack of hospitality,” Charles replied, his eyes trained straight ahead. “Men like them are volatile. Watch your words.”
Colton wanted to chuckle. He’d been a lawman for ten years, but that didn’t stop people from giving him well-meaning advice. “We have a town to protect, Charles. I don’t aim to allow a band of idiots to hurt anyone.”
Seeming satisfied with his reply, the man nodded. “I’m with you and will see it through. It’s different when you have a wife and children. You’ll understand one day. I would die before letting anyone hurt Gemina or Charlie,” he said referring to his wife and teen son.
“Understood,” Colton said and turned to the other man. “We won’t allow them to come near town. They’ll think twice about it after today.”
It wasn’t long before spotting the campsite in the distance. The men had set up where they could see anyone approaching for miles, but thanks to hills at their back, no one would be able to sneak up on them.
Colton held up a hand to signal his men to come to a stop. In the distance to the left, the other posse of men from town would appear soon. If they needed any assistance, it wouldn’t take long before the sounds of gunshots would alert his deputy’s group.
They waited, noting two men mounted and headed toward them. It was a good sign. Whoever they were, they had been expecting them and didn’t appear to want trouble.
A few yards away, they stopped and Colton looked over his shoulder at the rest of his men. “Wait here. Charles and I will go talk to them. First sign of trouble take cover behind those rocks there.”
The eight men exchanged glances, and he knew they’d have a shootout in an attempt to save them and did not plan to hide.
“I mean it. We don’t need widows back in town.”
As they neared the two men, both kept their gazes locked on them. However, Colton knew that like him, they kept an eye on the men behind them as well. He did the same, ensuring the other men at the campsite didn’t do anything troublesome.
“What you want with us Sheriff?” The man, who he assumed was the leader asked. With a heavily bearded jawline and hat lowered to his brow, he was every bit a man who had much to hide. The narrowed eyes met his. “We’ve not caused any trouble for you, so don’t come out here with any.”
“I’m Sheriff Blake of Laurel Creek, just over the bend there,” Colton said motioning with his right hand. “We wanted to let you know, we know you’re here. Don’t want any problems from you and your men,” Colton said meeting his gaze and then directing a pointed look to the men at the campsite who watched. “I hear you’re outlaws. That true?” It was a stupid question, but one he asked to throw the man off balance.
The two strangers exchanged looks and the one who’d spoken looked back to Colton. “You expect me to answer that question?” Something about him seemed to soften. Not in a visible way, but his eyes warmed, just a bit.
“What brings you here?”
The warmth left and the stranger’s eyes hardened. “Nothing that concerns you. We’ll be on our way soon.”
“You have an injured man.” Colton had noticed one of the men hadn’t gotten up, but remained lying down. “Need anything for him?”
“No. He’ll be fine. Just needs a couple days to rest.” Once again the men exchanged looks and Colton tried to decipher their expressions. There was more to what happened, he was sure of it.
“See that you keep from town and we won’t have to speak again, Mister.”
The man nodded, his expression tight. “We’ll have no reason to do so.”
On the ride back, Colton kept an eye out for the other group of men who’d yet to appear. He didn’t want them to approach the outlaws and have trouble. “Let’s circle around and go west. We don’t need the others coming up on those men’s back. It’s obvious they are not the fri
endly sort.”
An hour later, they finally spotted the deputy and five of his men. Colton urged his horse to a gallop. “Where are the others?”
“We ran into a wagon train. They were in trouble, and we had to help them fix a wagon wheel and bury a man.” Frank scratched his head. “They stayed behind to escort them to town.”
At hearing the news, several of Colton’s group surrounded Frank. “Were there any single women? Young women?” Questions were tossed at his deputy, who by his wide smile had plenty to say.
Finally Colton let out a loud whistle. “How about you continue this tea party on the way back? We still have to ensure the town is safe. Those men back there are up to something. They’re not just staying put because of an ill man. I’m willing to bet my life on it.”
The ride to town was filled with both anticipation and dread. The men were torn, excited to see who would arrive on the wagon train and aware that meant more people to protect in case the band of outlaws decided to cause trouble.
“Any idea what is drawing them here?” Charles asked Colton. “They are near town for a reason.”
Colton shook his head. “Not yet. I’m going to meet with the banker and see if he’s expecting a large amount of money. Then I’m sending a telegram to find out if there’s any news of a gold shipment coming near. Those men are definitely not just biding their time for the scenery.”
At spotting Isabel near the jailhouse with a group of people, his jaw tensed. The woman hadn’t listened to him. The men dismounted and he sent several off to speak to those standing guard. They’d keep a rotating shift of men around the clock until it was deemed safe.
He dismounted and allowed the stable boys to take his horse while instructing Frank to round up people for a town hall meeting.
With one hand, Isabel lifted her skirts just enough to avoid the dirt on the road and made a beeline for him. “You’re safe.” Her gaze roamed over him. “Did they shoot at you?”
“What are you doing out here?” he snapped, unable to keep his temper in check. “You didn’t listen to me. I told you to stay indoors.”
She was a vision, her bright blue eyes seeming to dance as they roamed over him. Several blonde curls had escaped from her updo, the strands well past her shoulders teasing someone to touch them. “I’m not the only one out here. Gemina was worried about Charles, so we decided to wait by the jailhouse.”
“What if the outlaws had ridden into town and began shooting. The front door is closed.”
“It’s not locked. I opened it to see if anyone was in the cells.” She looked up at him, her bright blue eyes challenging. “Now, answer my question.”
If it weren’t for the fact there were witnesses, he would have taken her by the shoulders and shaken her. “No, we did not get shot at.” He kept his voice level, just barely.
“Not that I cared. Gemina was worried and said that Charles wouldn’t tell her even if it happened.”
“What makes you think I’d tell you the truth?” He rounded her and went to where men had begun to gather in front of the building they’d come to refer to as the city hall.
Although Phillip Richards was the newly elected town mayor, he spent his days at the bank and only went to the city hall when meetings were called. Now the man stood at the open doors, his gaze moving from one side of town to the other.
Colton understood the feeling. When an entire town depended on you, the yoke could be heavy.
The sounds of conversations grew as the town’s people gathered in the hall. It was spacious enough to house everyone, however with it being such a warm day, it would become overheated in no time.
Windows where thrown open to allow for ventilation and immediately a light breeze whipped through the space. With worried or expectant expressions, people settled onto the rows of benches.
Colton went to the front of the room and waited for Richards to join him. He kept a vigil, looking through the window more out of habit than because of fear.
He cleared his throat and immediately the room went silent. It was almost comical, as most present were not known for keeping silent about anything. He went over the facts and what little was known about the suspicious men camping just a few miles from town.
Colton and the Mayor answered the often-repeated questions. It was obvious that what the people needed was to be reassured and know what was being done to protect them.
“We are doing what we can to keep the town safe. “ What Colton could not give them was a solemn promise they’d all be safe. Other than encouraging them to remain in town or at home until the danger passed, there was little else that could be done.
The men had to continue to work with either their fields or livestock. The women were forced to go outdoors for chores and such. It was too great a sacrifice to demand they not do what had to be done daily. However, he insisted they remain alert and when possible armed and ready to defend themselves.
In the back of his mind one thing that had struck him was how the outlaw leader had not set his intuition to alarm. Instead, the man seemed almost relieved to speak to him about boundaries. Whatever the men were up to had nothing to do with his town. He would almost bet on it. However a gut feeling was not something he was willing to wager the safety of the people of Laurel Creek on.
It was several hours and early evening by the time Colton headed to his small house next to the jailhouse. With luck no one would cause a ruckus at the saloon that night and he’d get a full night of rest. Although he’d not much to eat at the house, he was much too tired to go to the local eatery.
“Sheriff Blake?” Phillip Richards caught up with him. “Come to the house for supper. I know you must be hungry. Won’t take long, Harriett left it warming.”
He was famished. Just the thought of a home cooked meal made his mouth water in anticipation. “Thank you, I’ll accept your offer.” He knew the man had other concerns to discuss that were best not spoken of where they could be overheard. Whatever Phillip was going to speak about probably had to do with the reason for the outlaws camping just a couple hours away.
After eating much more than he should’ve, Colton relaxed back into the comfortable leather chair in Phillip’s study. The banker poured two glasses of brandy and handed one to him.
“I’m afraid the reason for those men out there is not good,” the man started and drank the entirety of his drink down. He picked up the crystal decanter and poured a second one. “Laurel Creek is a diversion. A shipment of gold is traveling from California to Virginia. The company purposely let out erroneous information about the route.”
At the news Colton got to his feet and he put the glass down on a table, unsure he couldn’t keep from flinging it across the room. “They purposely put our town in danger?” He glared at Phillip as if the man were the one who’d made the decision.
“Not necessarily. Although we are near the false route, we are not directly in the path. The outlaws are probably nearby in case they require supplies and such. They believe the shipment is due to come by in the next few days.”
The entire gold trade was as crooked as the day was long. Greedy men made transactions and arrangements caring little for who they affected. All that mattered was money and what they could acquire. So far as he’d experienced, gold brought more bad than good into the lives of most folks.
Gold miners spent years harvesting only to lose it at a gambling table or by getting killed over it by another less fortunate miner. Nothing except heartbreak came whenever monetary gain was involved.
The promise of riches had brought many a man out west, only for them to end up broke or worse.
“What will happen when the outlaws realize they were duped? They could retaliate and come here to rob your bank.”
Phillip nodded. “That’s what I’m afraid of. We are not in danger of the gold shipment being held up and being caught in that. Laurel Creek could be the victim of retaliation when desperate outlaws become aware of the truth.”
A headache threate
ned and Colton studied the dark liquid in the glass. He had just a few days to do something. There had to be a way to work a plan to get rid of the outlaws. Somehow letting them find out the shipment was not coming near would not be right. He could put another town in danger.
“We can secure the bank. Place men there as a deterrence.” He was thinking out loud and Phillip seemed to understand, as the man remained silent.
Colton rubbed a hand over his face. “I can go back out to their camp and talk to the leader again. Not sure what I could say to send them away.”
“They’d be suspicious if anyone returns to talk to them. I say the best thing to do is wait. Be prepared, but stay calm. Perhaps, they’ll take off after the gold once realizing it’s on a different route.”
Trouble was coming. Colton felt it down to his bones. The problem was, he wasn’t sure it was the outlaws.
Chapter 3
“This is ridiculous.” Isabel lifted her embroidery and glared at the crooked stitching. “Why can’t I get this right?”
Scarlett laughed. “Because you are much too impatient.”
“Very true,” Aurora, who was married to Scarlett’s husband’s brother Evan Jones, added with a giggle. “You’ve never been one to remain still for long.”
The women had gathered at Scarlett’s house to discuss the upcoming festival while remaining indoors as they’d been warned against being out in the open. It was obviously with good reason, but Isabel couldn’t help the urge to run down the center of town, just because.
“What are you thinking?” Her expression must have been wistful because both Scarlett and Aurora watched her with curious looks.
Isabel shrugged. “How are we going to plan the upcoming festival when we’re being forced to remain indoors? The situation is most worrisome.”
“It’s true,” Aurora said. “The men can’t help build our booths since they’re kept busy guarding and patrolling. Wilhelmina, Lucille, and Esther can’t come into town to meet for tea and discussion since their husbands refuse to allow them to travel,” she said referring to her friends and cousin, who’d also moved to Laurel from Pennsylvania, where Aurora was from.
Isabel, An Independent Bride Page 2