by Renee Ryan
It was as if she had some kind of invisible connection to Will, always drawing her closer to him. And if she had any room for fancy in her life, she might have allowed herself to entertain thoughts about him. But fancy, and thinking that she could find happiness for herself with a man and a family of her own, was exactly what had landed her in this predicament to begin with.
Mary squeezed her eyes shut. She was not going to think about Will. Not in that way. Not in any way that brought her comfort or made her think that she could have anything more than what she had.
*
Mel was good; Will had to give her credit for that. But did she realize exactly what Colt had given away? The pretty plum was Daisy, Mel’s sister. He wished he could get Mel to ask more about the ranch’s location, but as Colt’s voice trailed off into a snore, Will knew it was probably hopeless.
At least they knew something. Daisy was alive and well. Living on a nearby ranch. True, she was with child, but at least she was all right. Will waited for the expected pang at the thought of Daisy carrying another man’s child. But as Mary’s head rested gently at his back, he found he couldn’t resurrect any of those old feelings.
If anything confirmed that Will didn’t love Daisy, it was the woman next to him.
Will’s reality prevented him from being the kind of husband a respectable lady deserved. He’d seen the pained look on her face as the other ladies at the wedding had snubbed her. Once her sister was safe and time had passed, people would forget the scandal, and Mary would be one of society’s darlings. The man on the other side of her would make sure of that. Jasper might have married in scandal, but the Jacksons were too wealthy and powerful for people to remember long.
Mary would be all right.
As for Will, well, he would get his man. Ben Perry had ruined too many lives. And now, knowing that poor Daisy was carrying the miscreant’s baby, it was just one more reason the man didn’t deserve to live. She’d been a good girl, too. But now, like Rose, her life was ruined because of one man’s greed.
Will supposed he should pray, but what good would that do? He’d prayed for so many things, and the Lord hadn’t provided. Not selfish prayers, but things about bringing Ben to justice, keeping people safe, and none of them had done any good. Yet the pastor’s earlier words rang in his head. No one was beyond the Lord’s aid. Not an exact quote, but enough to make Will sigh. All right, Lord. I’m asking. Help us.
Mel’s face appeared at the edge of the screen. “Come on. Colt’s asleep.”
Will scooted out from behind the screen, then offered Mary his hand to help her out.
“What if he wakes up?” Mary’s voice trembled. As Will felt her hand in his, he realized that it was colder than the mountain air in the dead of winter.
Mel chuckled. “I gave him enough laudanum to knock out an elephant for a week. Colt’s not going anywhere.”
Will looked over at the sleeping man. For a hired gun, he looked almost childlike and innocent.
Mel seemed to know the direction of Will’s thoughts. “Colt’s been a friend to me for a while now. If a customer gives me any trouble, Colt takes care of it. He just…” Mel turned her gaze on Mary, and for once it didn’t look as hostile as it usually did.
“Folks don’t understand that we don’t choose this life. It chooses us. You do what you have to do to survive, and sometimes, you become something you never thought.”
Would Mary understand Mel’s words? Probably not. But if she sat and talked with Mel as a friend, she’d realize that the two women had far more in common than she would have guessed. Will looked around the simple room. Mel had done all this for Daisy. Though he suspected the idea turned Mary’s stomach, if living this life was what she’d need to do to save Rose, she wouldn’t hesitate.
The thought of Rose and Daisy brought Will back to the task at hand. He forced his attention back on Mel.
“Do you know the pretty plum Colt was talking about?”
Mel shook her head. “I’m surprised Ben is taking care of her. He just threw a girl out for finding herself in the family way.”
“Be glad.” Will swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’m pretty sure he was talking about Daisy.”
“No.” Mel took a step back. “I don’t understand how… I did everything to protect her.” She sank onto the bed, looking at Will as though her world had ended.
“Who’s Daisy?” Mary leaned in to Jasper to ask the question, presumably not to interrupt Will, but Jasper wouldn’t know.
Will cleared his throat. “Daisy is Mel’s sister. Mel took up this life so Daisy wouldn’t have to. Daisy went missing a while back, and Mel’s been working to get in with Ben’s gang so she could get information on her sister’s whereabouts.”
The compassionate Mary Will knew and loved made a small noise. She was finally putting all the pieces together about things not being what they seemed. And, knowing Mary, probably feeling guilty for judging.
Mary sat on the bed beside Mel. “I’m so sorry about your sister. I guess we have more in common than we thought.”
Will’s chest tightened. She was such a good woman. Oh, to be able to deserve her.
“This doesn’t mean I’m coming to any tea parties or those suppers you folks have for the poor at the pastor’s house.” Mel shot Mary a harsh look but then took her hand. “But I thank you for your kind thoughts.”
Mel brought her attention back to Will. Eyes narrowing, she once again resembled the tough-as-nails woman who’d threatened him with a gun when he’d first met her.
“If she was the plum used to tempt you…”
“No.” Will took a step back. “I absolutely am not the father of her child. Yes, I was involved with your sister, but I courted her properly, taking no liberties.”
If only his words didn’t break Mel’s heart. Her face filled with the kind of lines that made her look older than her years. All the hard living she’d done caught up to her in that moment.
“She was in a convent school,” Mel whispered. “I’d worked so hard to be able to afford that school for her. Where she’d learn how to be a lady and have the kind of religious upbringing that would teach her right from wrong. Why would she…”
Mel looked around the room. “And with Ben?”
One more question Will wished he had the answers to. Now that they were in the middle of trying to rescue another young lady from Ben’s clutches, it was even clearer that they had to stop Ben—before anyone else was hurt.
Chapter Nineteen
The heartbreak coming from Mel made Mary wish she hadn’t been so quick to judge. She thought back to all of Frank’s sermons and how, even when she questioned why they were giving charity to one of the most notorious brothels in town, he often told her that the road to sin was often paved with desperation.
Had Mary spoken up about Ben to begin with, he might never have had the chance to ruin Daisy.
Mary swallowed the lump in her throat. So many ways Mary’s mistake had hurt others. She’d barely begun to atone for what she’d done to hurt her family, but how could she fix the way in which she’d wronged Daisy and the child she carried?
Glancing over at Will, she realized that perhaps she’d also wronged Will in another way. Had Will loved Daisy? His words about their courtship seemed to indicate such. It was just as well that the secret feelings Mary harbored for him were never to be expressed or acted upon. Though Mary might have a fondness for him, his heart was already spoken for.
“Ben is a con man,” Will said as he crossed the room. “I’m sure your sister isn’t the first woman he’s tricked out of her virtue, and if we don’t do something, I’m sure she won’t be the last.”
Will was right. They had to do something. But after realizing just how badly following her own heart kept ending, Mary wasn’t going to make any rash decisions. She took a deep breath, then sent a prayer heavenward.
“What do you suggest we do?” she asked, looking from Will to Jasper, then at Mel. “If Rose is kept
in a locked room next door, how do we rescue her?” Mary took Mel’s hand. “And Daisy. How do we help her?”
Someday Mary would have the courage to tell everyone that this whole mess was all her fault. She’d been so intent on protecting herself from harm and from Ben’s false accusations. How would any of them ever forgive her?
She’d ruined the lives of every single person in this room. Well, all excepting Jasper. But if she hadn’t caused this damage, Jasper would be at home with his bride.
Mary looked over at Jasper. “You really should go home now. It’s your wedding night. Emma Jane will be worried.”
“I saved her reputation,” Jasper said, scowling. “I’ve done my duty. We both agreed that this is the extent of our marriage. Emma Jane expects nothing.”
The matter-of-fact tone Jasper used put an additional heaviness on Mary’s spirit. It hardly seemed fair that Emma Jane had to resign herself to this. But at least Emma Jane had a husband. Jasper might be angry about the marriage now, but he’d come around. They’d find their way and someday might even have children.
For Mary, such a thing was impossible now.
Colt let out a long snore, as if to remind everyone that he was in the room.
“You’re sure he’ll stay asleep?” Will looked at Colt as though he’d just as soon put a bullet in the other man. Mary didn’t blame him. He had, after all, made it clear that he’d do the same to Will.
But surely, all this killing wasn’t the answer.
“All night, and probably all day tomorrow,” Mel said with a grin. “I’ve used it on a few of my customers. They all leave, happy as can be about the entertainment, never knowing that all they did was sleep. Best nights’ sleep I get sometimes, that’s for sure.”
Now that Mary had stopped judging Mel for her profession, she had to admit that Mel reminded her a lot of Polly and Gertie. The two women always told it like it was, and Mary always appreciated never having to decipher what they meant.
That had been the trouble in her relationship with Rose. Rose never spoke plainly and always left Mary guessing as to what was going on in her head. She’d never enjoyed talking with Rose because it was always such an exhausting endeavor. From now on, Mary resolved, she’d do a better job of communicating with her sister.
“All right, then.” Will began pacing the room. “How do we get to Rose?”
“She’s in Ben’s private quarters. We’ll have to wait until folks have cleared out for the night and the other girls are busy with their customers.”
A loud crash sounded from the other side of the wall.
“Judging from the sounds next door, I’d say we have a while yet.” Mel sighed. “Ben’s gang hit one of the mines today, so they’re celebrating.”
“But if the ore can be traced back to the mine, why would they do such a stupid thing?” Jasper looked at Mel with the kind of amazement that showed he had no idea just how brash Ben could be. After all, he’d stolen from the houses she cleaned in broad daylight.
“Not the ore. The payroll.”
“Do we have evidence we can use to pin it on Ben?”
Will’s wisdom gave Mary hope that they could resolve this situation without bloodshed. With Ben finally in jail, this madness would stop. Despite Mary’s initial fear of Will’s connection to the law, she was grateful that he had the knowledge to get them all out of this situation alive.
Mel laughed. “Ben? He doesn’t dirty his hands anymore. He plans the jobs and tells everyone what to do, and in the meantime, he sits in the saloon at the Rafferty, where enough respectable men can vouch for his whereabouts.”
Just like no one could prove that Ben was at the houses Mary cleaned. It would be her word against his, exactly why she’d never risked defending herself.
“Think anyone would turn on him?” Will didn’t sound hopeful, but Mary had to believe that someone in this organization harbored ill will toward Ben.
“Not likely. The whole reason Ben’s in charge is because he shot Iron Mike, former leader of the gang. Everyone who crosses Ben ends up at the better end of a bullet.”
Which meant it all truly was hopeless. Mary closed her eyes, drowning out the sounds of Mel, Will and Jasper debating the ways they could get Ben arrested. If Ben didn’t go to jail, he’d be free to roam the streets, inflicting more harm on the good people of this and any other town he visited.
Lord, it’s just not right. Don’t let anyone else pay for my mistake. The evil has gone on long enough. Help us find a way to stop Ben.
*
Will knew what he had to do. Not a day went by when he didn’t fantasize about putting a bullet in Ben’s head. The man deserved death. Death was actually doing the man a kindness compared to what he deserved. He’d heard Pastor Lassiter’s cautions against vengeance, but in truth, vengeance would be subjecting Ben to the level of torture he’d put so many through. Justice was killing the man.
That didn’t mean he had to like it, though.
He glanced over at Mary, who appeared to be praying.
Dragging his gaze away, he refused to let himself feel guilty for what had to be done. It wasn’t as if Will had never killed before. He had. Every shot he’d taken had been in defense of himself or another life. With Ben, it wouldn’t be an immediate danger he was saving someone from, but he was still saving lives.
Mary could pray all she wanted. But it didn’t change what had to be done.
He brought his full attention to Mel. “Can I use your gun?”
Mel snorted. “Sadie? She’s mine.” Then she pointed at the still-sleeping Colt. “He won’t be needing his, though.”
Will walked over to the bed and reached for Colt’s side. But as the other man’s coat fell away, Will jumped back.
Colt had Will’s father’s gun.
Will’s father had been awarded the gun as a sign of his bravery in saving a mining baron’s wife. It reminded Will of his legacy to protect others. A legacy Will had failed.
The same gun that had been used in the bank robbery. Sheriff Horton had said Will had to have been involved because the mother-of-pearl inlay was so unique, so distinctive. No one but Will would have been carrying that gun.
And now Will had the proof that he’d been set up.
“Did a rattler jump up and bite you?” Mel’s laugh shook him to the core. But it wasn’t a laughing matter.
Would the gun be enough to get anyone else to believe he’d been set up?
Resisting the urge to pick up the gun, he looked over at Mel. “Do you know where he got that gun?”
Mel shrugged. “We don’t talk about things like that.”
Then Mary turned to him. “Why is the gun so important?”
“The gun used to belong to my father. He gave it to me when I became a deputy. Said he wanted me to have it so my mother wouldn’t worry. It went missing right around the time I was investigating Ben’s gang in Century City. A witness saw someone shooting the gun at that bank robbery. Everyone thought it had to have been me. But seeing Colt here with it…”
Will sighed. It didn’t exactly prove that he wasn’t involved. He couldn’t prove that the gun had been stolen. He couldn’t prove that Colt had stolen it.
“You know how Colt is about taking trophies.” Mel’s words confirmed his suspicions but did nothing to prove the truth.
“I don’t suppose we could get Colt to confess that he stole the gun.” The thought sounded even more stupid now that he’d uttered it.
“No,” Jasper said, crossing the room. “But you do have us as witnesses that you found it in Colt’s possession.”
“Go ahead and take it,” Mel said.
Even Mary looked as though she thought it was the right thing to do. But as Will grasped the slick mother-of-pearl handle, he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to use it again. How many people had Colt killed in cold blood with his father’s weapon?
His hands warmed to the feel of the weight of the metal. Oh, he could still use it all right. At least in the dispatchin
g of Ben and his gang.
They couldn’t be allowed to continue their evil. And with Will all but rendered useless, this gun was the only thing standing between them and more crime. He’d tried justice the legal way, so maybe it was time to become everything he’d said he wouldn’t be.
An outlaw.
A heaviness settled on Will’s heart, and he wished he didn’t see Mary’s bright green eyes shining over Jasper’s shoulder. In them, he saw the face of Pastor Lassiter, bringing to mind the words of the Bible and not repaying evil for evil.
He thought of David being pursued by Saul and how David pleaded with the Lord for rescue.
“Lord,” Will said to himself as he closed his eyes. “I’m no David. But I know what I have to do. And I sure hope that what Pastor Lassiter said was right and that you’ll forgive me when this is all over.”
Will’s eyes flew open. Did the Lord forgive premeditated sin? And was it a sin when he was only trying to keep more people from being hurt? If the Lord had only stopped Ben from succeeding in the past, Will wouldn’t be facing these seemingly impossible questions.
If he asked Mary, she’d probably pray for him. Might even be able to give him some of the pastor’s wisdom on how to proceed. But Mary was too good, too pure to know the ugliness lurking in Will’s heart. If she knew the truth about him, she’d never understand.
No, he’d do the best he could do, what he had to do, and in the end, he’d simply hope that God would forgive the depth of his sin.
Chapter Twenty
They waited for what seemed to be ages. No one spoke much, and Mary figured it must be so that no one would overhear. Occasionally, she peeked out Mel’s window and watched the drunken men passing the alley as they walked down the street.
She’d hated this lifestyle for so long. But something in her had softened when she realized that Mel was merely doing the only thing she could do to protect her sister.
Mary glanced at the man snoring on the bed. Colt’s facial hair was scruffy and scraggly, so unlike the neat appearance of a decent man. His boots had smelled like something died in them, and she was certain the rest of the man was just as foul.