by Linda Broday
Silas Wheeler swung to him. “I thought your name was Jack Durham.”
“That was a fake name to keep from being detected. You can see why.” Roan stared at him. “Tell me you aren’t one of them. Deny that you didn’t help the intruder who broke into our hotel room.”
“I don’t know where you got that idea.” Silas scratched his head. “Elizabeth and I had no ulterior motive in calling you over to our table. We just thought you looked like a couple we’d like to know.”
Elizabeth broke in. “He’s telling you the truth. Mariah looks so much like our daughter, and we miss her badly.” The lady’s hands fluttered from her hat to her reticule. “But her name’s not Mariah either, is it?”
“No, ma’am.” Marley gave her a hug. “I’m glad we were wrong about you, but you understand how we have to suspect everyone.”
“Oh yes, we certainly do.”
Roan faced Silas. “I’m sorry for misleading you. And we’re not really married.”
“I hate to hear about that last part. You two belong together.” Wheeler stood below the platform with Roan where Gentry stood with Sheriff Coburn and Quinn. Virginia Creek’s red hair glistened in the sun as she climbed the stairs to join them.
“You’re fools and liars,” Wheeler shouted at Coburn, Gentry, and Quinn. “The whole mess of you.”
Roan watched in disbelief as Silas stood up for him.
“Penny stands alone,” Coburn barked. “This is our town. We won’t let him waltz in here and take what belongs to us. He’s nothing. A nobody.”
The words stung Roan to the quick, but it wasn’t anything he hadn’t already heard over and over.
“Roan Penny’s my friend, and he doesn’t stand alone.” Wheeler waved his arm at the crowd. “We’re all beside him. These people aren’t going to let you kill him like you’ve done so many of our neighbors.”
Marley clutched Roan’s arm. “What’s going on?”
“It might be only temporary, but just maybe the tide has turned in this town.” Roan watched the four on the platform talk among themselves.
The crowd pressed closer and the four broke apart. Sheriff Coburn held up his hand. Angry red streaks mottled his neck. “I’m sorry, folks. It seems we misspoke. Winner of the San Saba County Fair annual horse race is Roan Penny. Let’s give him a round of applause as he comes up to collect the purse.”
Silas Wheeler slapped Roan’s back. “Go get your money. You earned it.”
“Thanks, Silas.” He waited while Gentry helped Virginia Creek down the stairs and onto a horse. She galloped from town in a cloud of dust.
Roan frowned. “A question for you, Silas. How well do you know Virginia Creek?”
Wheeler drew his eyebrows together. “Only well enough to say howdy. The mob killed her husband, Thomas Creek, and their three boys a few years back.” The name was nowhere close to Rueben or Rube, Gentry’s supposed boss. Maybe he was connected but using an alias.
Holding his shoulder again and cradling his arm, Gentry blocked their path to the stage. The scarecrow’s hard eyes narrowed.
The hair on the back of Roan’s neck bristled. “Step aside.”
They stood face-to-face and stared each other down for several long beats. Finally, Gentry stepped aside.
“You and me have unfinished business,” Roan promised as he shoved past Gentry and bounded up the short flight of stairs. He’d get his money, then put Gentry on a horse at gunpoint. Roan would take him to Sheriff Bagwell in Tranquility.
At the top of the stairs, Roan stood next to Coburn and Quinn. The men’s icy glares didn’t faze him. He smiled and nodded. “Gentlemen.”
The sheriff snarled, “Take your money and get out of my town. The next time you come, you’ll leave in a coffin.”
“This town doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to the people, and they seem to have smartened up,” Roan said low. He turned to the crowd and raised his hand in a wave, thanking them for supporting him.
Movement down below caught his attention. A lone rider had paused in the street for one last glance. Gentry. Then he whirled and galloped from town.
Where was he going? Foreboding tightened in Roan’s chest. He snatched the money from Quinn’s hand and leaped over the side of the platform.
Marley waited below. He grabbed her hand. “We have to leave. Now.”
“But I need to thank the Wheelers first.”
“There’s no time. I just spied Gentry riding out of town—heading for the road that leads toward your ranch.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” Marley ran beside him to the gray mare.
Thank goodness they’d packed their bags before they’d left for the shooting contest that morning. It was easy to grab them and race to the livery for Marley’s horse, but it all ate up precious time. Soon, though, they left San Saba behind. Shadow had barely had time to rest from the race, which limited them to a canter. Roan kept his eyes peeled for Gentry and trouble. They kept at a slow, steady pace for several hours.
Marley finally maneuvered her chestnut close. “Tell me about the race. I want to know everything. I can’t imagine the danger you were in.”
Roan spared no details. She wanted the unvarnished version, and that’s what he gave her. When he reached the part about the chain, she burst out, “That sorry, low-down varmint ought to be strung up! If I ever see him again, I’m going to shoot him.”
“I agree with your assessment, but you can’t go around shooting people you have a quarrel with.” He did love her passion though. “I hate for our time together to end. I really enjoyed being married to you, Mariah. More than I thought I would.”
“Am I growing on you?” she asked softly.
Too much, truth be known. He couldn’t imagine riding away and leaving her, even if Duel kicked him off his land when he discovered what his wayward daughter had done. And that was bound to happen. One thing Roan had learned was that secrets never stayed buried. And there were far too many eyes and ears on the ranch.
“You are for sure, Marley McClain.”
“What are you going to do when we get back?”
“About what?”
“Your job. Me. We have the money for our future.”
“That depends on your father.” And on Will Gentry. There were still too many variables for him to give her a direct answer.
They went over what they’d learned. According to Zach, the leader was someone named Rube.
Maybe Coburn used an alias.
That was possible. One thing about it, the woman couldn’t be Rube, couldn’t be part of the mob. A woman would not do the things the gang had done or use innocent kids. No, Rube had to be short for Reuben or something else. Maybe the leader stayed in the background, hiding his identity. Or maybe Rube lived on a nearby ranch and ran the operation from there, never coming into town at all.
Damn if Roan could figure it out.
He just wished he knew what Rube looked like. The man could stand two inches from him and he wouldn’t even know.
“I never saw anyone matching Wes Douglas’s description either. Did you, Marley?”
“No. I kept a close eye out for him too. Do you suppose we’re trying too hard to link our former ranch hand with this gang?”
Who the hell knew. Roan lapsed into silence as he mulled over all the pieces of the puzzle.
The late-afternoon sun reflected on something metallic ahead, sending a warning to Roan’s gut. Gentry lying in wait, looking for a chance to hurt or kidnap Marley? Roan slid his rifle from the scabbard.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“I noticed a flash of light.” He pulled up. “You wait here with the horses. I’m going ahead on foot.”
“Be careful.” She reached for her rifle. “If I hear shots, I’m coming.”
Silent and alert, Roan cut into the trees and zigzagge
d from one to another. Scanning ahead. Listening. Smelling the acrid scent of danger.
The thick trees muffled every sound and left the silence pressing heavy and dark against him. His nerves, stretched to the breaking point, screamed. If he didn’t hear a noise soon, he’d go mad.
As he moved to the next tree, a shot split the bark of the tree trunk.
Roan dove to the ground.
Twenty-one
A single rifle blast shattered the quiet. Marley jerked. Roan needed her. She tied the horses to a sturdy branch off the road. Winchester in hand, she hurried in the same direction Roan had taken, trying to be as quiet as possible. Even though the shooter knew they were nearby, she saw no reason to advertise their exact location.
Her mouth dried, her heart pounded harder with each step, and all she could think about was Roan being in danger, lying horribly wounded. She didn’t want to consider what else.
Every sense honed in on her surroundings, just as she’d been taught. Some city folks might panic, have no idea of the danger to watch and listen for, and most would simply rush forward. Not Marley. Though filled with a burning urgency, she took her time and kept to the cover of the trees.
Over the years, Duel had made it a priority to teach her these skills. He’d seemed obsessed making sure she and the older children knew how to survive in case he wasn’t there. At the time, she hadn’t known the reason; she’d just loved spending time with him. Now, she understood.
She moved slowly, every step deliberate and careful.
“Psst.”
Marley glanced around, not seeing anyone until a hand grabbed hers and pulled her down.
“You shouldn’t have come,” Roan whispered.
“I promised I would the second I heard a gun. Are you hurt?”
“The shot missed me.”
That relieved her mind. “Where is the shooter?”
“About ten yards ahead last I saw,” he answered. “We have only a few hours left of daylight.”
“What’s the plan? The two of us could flush him out.”
“Go back to the horses, young lady. After the ruse you pulled on your father, you getting shot would finish him off. I’d be lucky if I even got to wave goodbye.”
Frustration rose. “You worry too much about my father.”
“One of us needs to.”
“Horse feathers! I know how to handle him. The ranch should be close. I could ride through the trees for help.”
“Too dangerous.”
“We have to do something,” she whispered back furiously. He was being completely unreasonable. “You need me.”
Roan let out a sigh of defeat. “I must be as crazy as a bedbug.”
He outlined the plan. They’d approach from both sides. Roan would give a towhee bird call to signal the attack. “If he turns and fires at you—”
“I’ll shoot to kill,” she answered grimly. “I know how to stay safe.”
Before they parted, he picked up a rock and pitched it away from them into a group of pecan trees. The burst of orange gunfire that followed gave them the man’s location.
They crept in a circle—Roan to the left, Marley on the right. She could see something that looked like a knitted cap through the brush. Odd. Gentry hadn’t worn one of those.
She stepped on a twig and froze at the sound. Ducking, she stayed still for what seemed like hours, but it had to be only a minute or two.
When the knitted cap didn’t move, she proceeded. Finally, she was in position and the call of a towhee bird came only seconds later. She tightened her finger on the trigger and rushed toward the shooter as Roan came from the opposite direction.
They stood over the stocky man with rifles pointed. His eyes widened as he raised his hands. “Don’t shoot.”
Roan snatched the man’s rifle from him. “Who are you? Why did you fire at us?”
“A traveler paid me. He said someone was trying to kill him, so he gave me five dollars to hide an’ shoot at you, keep you from passing.” He stared up with one eye closed, scratching under an arm. “Name’s Charles.”
Roan didn’t appear to be forgiving. Darkness crossed his face and deepened every line. Marley had seen the same when the intruder had broken into her hotel room. Most of the time, he kept that black storm that lurked inside him carefully hidden. Such unbridled anger scared her just a little, though she knew he’d never hurt her. Her fear was for what he’d do to others. Strange that it came out whenever Marley’s life was threatened.
“Was the guy extremely thin with sunken cheeks?” Roan asked.
Charles nodded, glancing at Marley. “I didn’t know one of you was a lady, miss. Sorry. I jus’ needed that five dollars. Can I stand up now?”
Roan snapped. “Go ahead but keep your hands where I can see them.”
“You look like a nice man, Charles,” Marley said. “You really made some bad choices. How did the man find you?”
“Aw, I was just passing on the road an’ he stopped me.” Charles pointed down the road that led home. “He asked me how far to the Aces ’n’ Eights.”
Marley’s stomach clenched. Why was he headed there? Something told her it wasn’t for a friendly game of checkers.
She asked Roan the safer question instead. “What are we going to do with Charles?”
Without an answer, Roan ejected the remaining cartridges from the man’s rifle, then picked them up and threw them as far as he could. He shoved the old Winchester into Charles’s chest. “Go. If we ever cross paths again, I won’t be so lenient.”
“You won’t be sorry.” Charles scrambled toward his horse, a broken-down farm nag tied to a tree. He swung onto the animal’s bare back and galloped off.
Marley watched him disappear. “What do you think Gentry has in mind, going to the ranch?”
“Don’t know.” Roan stared into the growing shadows. “But you can bet I’m going to find out.”
* * *
The sun had already set, leaving a purple glow in the sky when they rode through the gate of the Aces ’n’ Eights. Her parents came from the house holding hands and followed them to the barn. Marley’s stomach knotted. Her father hadn’t returned her greeting, just walked in silence. The grim lines of his face told her she was in for big trouble. Darn it, she wasn’t sorry.
As she dismounted at the corral, she went on the defense. “I can explain.”
“I think we’re past that, Marley Rose.” Duel glanced at Roan. “If you put her up to this, you can pack your things right now.”
“Papa, I followed him. He didn’t know anything until he found me in San Saba.”
Roan met Duel’s gaze and didn’t flinch. “Sir, I was pretty angry when I found her smack in the middle of danger and told her as much. I tried to send her home right then. But as you know, Marley has a will of her own.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Sweetheart, what she says is true.” Jessie put her arm around Duel’s waist. “Roan Penny didn’t know anything. And yes, I helped her, and I would again. Don’t you remember how it was with us?”
“That was different,” Duel answered.
Marley softened her voice. “I’m not a little girl, Papa. You taught me to make my own decisions, to weigh the risks and the consequences. Let me do that. I’m a grown woman”—she paused—“and Roan is going to court me.”
Duel jerked off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “I find it hard to turn those apron strings loose. I know what men think when they see a pretty woman. I don’t want them thinking those things about you.”
“You can’t always protect me.” Marley kissed his cheek. “Now I have a question for you that has nothing to do with Roan, and somehow I suspect you know the answer.”
The loud cry of an animal froze her blood. She moved into the circle of Roan’s arms.
Duel turn
ed. “There’s a mountain lion roaming our land. Be careful. Hardy caught a glimpse of it.”
After several heartbeats, he swung back around and shot Jessie a questioning glance. She raised an eyebrow, her nod slight. “Your mother and I have tried our best to be honest with you, so shoot.”
“Who is Wilbert Gentry?”
Duel’s face drained of color and Jessie gave a sharp cry, throwing her hand over her mouth.
“Why do you ask?” Duel managed to ask through stiff lips.
Marley and Roan together told them all they’d learned in San Saba and then about the ambush on the road home.
“Gentry is somewhere close,” Marley said. “Who is he and why does the mention of his name send you both into a panic?”
Duel pulled Jessie close, staring at Marley with pain-filled eyes. “Keep away from him. The man’s pure evil.”
“Tell me what you know. My life is involved somehow, and I deserve an answer,” Marley said, pressing them.
Jessie glanced up at Duel. “I think it’s time to come clean. She has a right to hear.”
“Not out here. Not like this.” Duel’s gaze went to Marley’s dark house. “Tend to your horses. I’ll have a fire built in your fireplace.”
“Supper’s in the warming oven,” Jessie said. “I know you’re hungry and tired.”
Roan silently took the reins from Marley’s numb hands as she stared after her parents. This secret they kept was obviously so ugly and dark they couldn’t bear to think about it. Whatever they had to say would change her life forever.
Was she ready for that?
Part of her wanted to run after them and take back her question, tell them that she didn’t want to hear. But another, much bigger part needed to know everything. With dread clenching cold in her stomach, she followed Roan inside the barn.
* * *
Once she’d brushed and fed her horse, she turned to Roan. “Will you kiss me? I’m terrified of what’s coming.”
“There’s nothing to fear. You’re safe.” Roan stepped closer, towering above her. He tenderly took her face in his hands. Heat filled his kiss as he settled his lips on hers.