by Reece Butler
“Damn, no wonder Zach looks familiar,” muttered one of the bigger men in the back. “I’m Ranger Elliott. You’re talking about me, my brother Patrick, and sister Jessie.”
Gideon peered closer. A few faces did seem familiar. He relaxed a bit, realizing they weren’t likely to jump him just for fun, like Fin and Hugh MacDougal would.
“And I’m no cripple, I’m a lawyer.” A less muscular version of the first man elbowed his way to the front. “I’m Ben, Ranger’s twin brother, and that’s our oldest brother, Trace,” he said, pointing to the second man with a moustache. Gideon nodded to them.
“Ranger, were they disrespectful of Jessie?” The tall, muscular blond spoke with a strong English accent. His words were deceptively soft, but Gideon caught the warning head-on.
“That’s Sin, of the Double Diamond,” said Ben, pointing to the blond. “Ace married Jessie, but Sin’s the only one who can keep her in line. He’s a new father without much sleep so his temper’s short.”
Zach was supposed to borrow Jessie’s work pants for Kate, but he hadn’t got around to it yet. Gideon figured Zach didn’t want to explain why. From what he remembered of that feisty girl in Texas, she’d get along with Kate. He raised an eyebrow.
“She still have that big black mare?”
“Yep. Nightwind and her colt are doing fine,” said Sin, still eyeing Gideon as if he wasn’t sure about trusting him.
“She finally let a stallion near her?”
Sin nodded. His smile was a warning. “She chose my Friesian, Emperor.”
Gideon took his measure of Sin. He could see Jessie accepting the big man as her partner. She’d made her opinion clear that she wasn’t interested in any Texans. Fin Junior kept trying to prove otherwise. He stopped after she made a honey path from a fire ant nest right into his pants, which he’d left unbuttoned after taking a leak and passing out. Just thinking about it made Gideon want to cross his legs.
“You can speak in front of these men. They’re ranchers,” explained the sheriff. “It’s the townsmen we’ve got to watch out for. Some of them are slipperier than a greased piglet.”
Gideon took one more look around the jail. All seven men looked tough enough to kill with their bare hands. That was fine, since he could do the same.
“First, I was told to keep things quiet, so don’t go rushing out.” He looked at each man until they nodded agreement. “I was in the mercantile with my cousin, Rusty, when Mrs. Thatcher and a broken-down woman named Grace came in. Grace looked at Molly, the girl behind the counter, and got all upset. She started humming and Molly rushed over saying she recognized the song.” He held up his hand to stop the loud questions bombarding him. “Molly said it must have been Grace who brought her food when she was locked in some room for months. That mean anything to you gents?”
“It was Rivers!”
Chapter 20
Gideon automatically stepped back as the men erupted. Gillis and Trace grabbed the Indian, barely holding him back. Sin stood like a statue, every muscle tight. Gideon kept his hands ready to pull his gun. He’d been right about that look in Molly’s eyes. He didn’t know the girl, but he was ready to draw and quarter the bastard who’d hurt her. He’d even supply the four horses to tear him limb from limb.
“Hold it,” roared Gillis, fighting to keep Ross from escaping. “We dinna want his spies hearing of this, or he’ll get away.”
Ross suddenly stopped struggling. Though his chest heaved, he held his hands out, still. He gave a crisp nod. After a moment they let him go. Gideon kept a close eye just in case. Though the rest were obviously dangerous when riled, this man looked like he’d take pleasure in spending days torturing someone who hurt those he cared about. Molly must be on his list of family. Gideon wouldn’t want to surprise him in a dark alley.
“Tut tut, gentlemen. Time’s wasting and we need a plan.” Sin’s drawling British accent didn’t match his rough clothes or deadly expression. “If we ride in with guns blazing, Rivers will hide behind his gunslingers and sneak away like the coward he is. We need to create a diversion.”
“What’s this about?” asked Gideon, looking around the room for answers. “Whatever it is, count me in.”
“I’ve lived in Tanner’s Ford over twenty-five years,” growled Trace. “Molly’s like my daughter. What business is this of yours?”
Gideon wasn’t sure if he should tell them about working on his family’s mining claim in Alder Gulch a few years back. If they found out about Uncle Peyton, they might think all McInnes men were cut from the same cloth. That would brand him as a blackguard before he could prove otherwise. But if he hid it that could backfire even worse. He decided to keep information to the essentials.
“Me, Rusty, and Zach have an agreement with Walt Chamberlain to buy the Running W, over time,” said Gideon. “We aim to stay here and raise a family. If we can help, we will.” He caught the eyes of each man. “If someone hurt that girl Molly, even if I didn’t give a damn about this town, I’d be backing you up.”
Ross’s hands flashed. Gideon automatically grabbed leather. He had his gun out and ready before some of the other men had moved. A second later he faced six guns, two handfuls of knives, and a scowling Scot. Outnumbered, he raised his hands shoulder high, his gun hanging from his trigger finger.
“You’ll do,” said Ross with a nod. His knives were gone as quickly as they’d appeared.
“This your first trip to town?” asked Trace. He and the others holstered their weapons. After Gideon realized he wasn’t spurting blood from a dozen holes, he nodded and did the same.
“If we don’t know you, then neither does Rivers or his men,” said Sin thoughtfully. “We need someone to get near the ranch to keep him occupied while we move in.”
“I just got back from Bannack City,” said Ben. “Word is the mayor wants a few hands quick with a gun to take the J Bar C’s longhorns back.” He cleared his throat. “I also heard Rivers is looking for some young, untouched, feminine companionship. If he’s the one who hurt Molly, he hasn’t changed his tune.”
“If we had a gal like that, we could catch his eye,” mused Ross.
“The only young women around here are Bridie and Meggie, and they ain’t leaving the Rocking E until that bastard’s dead or long gone from these parts,” declared Trace. His voice sounded like a crow, all rough and broken. Ross shrugged his agreement.
Gideon didn’t mention Kate. He’d check with Zach to see if he wanted anyone to know about her. Though she wasn’t untouched anymore—thank God—she was tiny enough to look much younger. He bet she could act the terrified virgin if she wanted to. But for now, he’d go with the sure thing.
“Me and Rusty could hire on with him. When the posse arrives, we’d be shooting at them instead of you,” said Gideon.
“How fast is this Rusty?” asked the sheriff.
Gideon winced. “Hate to say it, but he beats me two times out of three. Four out of five if he’s had a couple shots of whiskey.”
“No insult intended,” said Sin, looking down his nose, “but you look like a fresh-faced kid who can barely tell what end of a pistol to hold. Does Rusty look any meaner?”
“None taken,” replied Gideon. “Means I’ll look forty if I live to sixty. But Rusty’s another kettle of fish. How he looks depends on how he’s feeling. If he’s shining up to a lady he’s all smiles, smooth and cozy. But make him mad and he’s like to put a bullet through your hat without blinking.”
“A hat? That dinna do much damage,” sneered Gillis.
Gideon scratched the side of his jaw. “Well, that depends if the bullet goes through the brim, the band, or just sails right through the top. If Rusty doesn’t like you or your hat he’ll nail you through the band, right into your head. If he likes your hat and not you, he’ll flip it off your head with the first shot and nail you in the heart with the second.”
“How can we be sure Rivers will want you, lookin’ the way you do?” Ranger chewed on a match as he stared G
ideon down.
Gideon thought fast. His heart thudded as if he was facing all of them in a quick draw. He had to tell them for this to work. Zach was going to be mighty angry when he found out, but Gideon didn’t know what else to do. He rolled out his shoulders and straightened up. Secrets always got out, even if the truth hurt like the dickens. Pa always said it was best to tell someone the bad news before they found out elsewhere. That way you could say what you wanted heard. It didn’t make it any easier to do, though. He hitched up his pants and cleared his throat.
“I’ll tell him Uncle Peyton and his Badger City Gang taught us everything they knew. That’d make him think we were against law and order.”
“Ha!” Ranger barked a laugh and slammed one fist into his other hand. He then held his palm out to Trace, who grunted in annoyance but dropped a silver dollar into it. “I knew Peyton McInnes had to be Zach’s uncle.” He dropped the dollar in his pocket with a look of great satisfaction, as if he didn’t get the drop on his big brother often enough.
“He could believe you, or he could shoot you on sight,” growled Trace. “He’d have no reason to keep you alive.”
Gideon swallowed hard. If Rivers was anything like Peyton, he wanted money. “If I have to, I’ll tell him Peyton hid some of the gold from his last robbery. He won’t kill me until I say where the stash is. Of course, it’s a lie,” he added.
“You sure about that, son?” asked Barstow.
“If my uncle had any gold left, he wouldn’t have run off to Texas and hid behind my father. He’d have taken the money and run off without a second thought.” Gideon shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “Rivers won’t know it’s a lie.”
The sheriff stuck a toothpick between his lips. He switched it around in his mouth while he stared at the floor. Everyone stayed quiet as he thought things out. Zach said the man was fairly new to town, but was well respected. Nothing Gideon saw changed that opinion.
“If you open your mouth about hidden gold, you’ll be buying a peck of trouble,” said Barstow finally. “Trouble that won’t stop until you stomp out every rumor. Be easier to keep a gambler from a saloon.”
“I won’t say anything unless I have to,” said Gideon.
He looked around the room. Narrowed, judging eyes stared back. These men were his neighbors. Walt said they were hard men, ones to ride the river with. This was his chance to prove the McInnes men belonged in Tanner’s Ford.
“You’re more your father’s son, than your uncle’s,” said Barstow after a moment.
“Rivers is a coward,” said Ross, accepting Gideon’s offer to help. “By the time you get to his yard he’ll have one man with a rifle high in the barn, another couple hidden nearby. If you can knock them down, you’ll be helping us before we get there. Luckily, he has something against dogs and won’t allow any on the place.”
“You’ll be facing ten to sixteen men,” said Ranger.
Gideon nodded. A big part of winning was the confidence that came from knowing you were one of the best. He and Rusty could take on a gang of sidewinders and come out on top. Either that, or they’d die. Not having dogs setting up a howl when the posse rode in would help.
“We need to nail Rivers soon, before he heads into the city,” continued Ranger. “When can you head out?”
“Where’s this ranch?” asked Gideon.
“Halfway to Road Agent Rock, on the Bannack City road,” replied Ben. He hunkered down and drew a quick map in the floor dust with his knife. Gideon committed it to memory, along with the comments about gulches and other cover that could be used, by both sides.
Sheriff Barstow settled his gun belt. He took the measure of the other men. “Gather what you need and meet me on the road to Bannack City tomorrow before dusk. We’ll come in from the west. They’ll be watching the house, not the setting sun.”
“We’ll get our wagonload of supplies home and talk with Zach tonight. We’ll head overland and get to Rivers’s cabin well before sunset tomorrow. That’ll give us just enough time to work things out before you arrive.”
“Oz has to be part of the posse,” said Ross. He turned to Gideon. “Sarah, the woman of the Circle C, was held with Molly. Not at the mayor’s place, but I expect he’s got something to do with what happened to both women. Oz is half blind in one eye so he couldn’t help rescue Sarah. It’s burned his ass ever since. He needs to do this.”
Barstow pointed to Ross. “You know the land and people better than me, so you head this up. I’ll go in with my badge once you’re ready and call Rivers out. With your men surrounding the place, and Rivers thinking Gideon and Rusty are behind him, we might have a chance of catching him.”
“I want him alive,” growled Ross. “He’ll die slow and painful.”
Chapter 21
“I said, I’m coming, too.”
Kate pressed her lips together and stared at the three men. Though each was more than a foot taller than her, they sat on benches while she dished up breakfast. She was going to prove she could be just as much a mule as any of them. This was her chance to prove she was a strong woman who could be more than a cook, housekeeper, and bedmate. She was not going to be left behind while they had an adventure. Not when her being a small female was an advantage!
She’d listened, making breakfast like a good little wife while they sat at the table and made plans. They were going to ride up to the ex-mayor’s cabin and ask to be hired, as a way of distracting the bad men until the sheriff and his posse arrived.
She’d read enough adventure books to know the plan was flawed. Their arrival wasn’t a big enough distraction for men as horrid as they described. But, since there were so few women in these parts, seeing her ride up would be a major distraction, for the leader and his men.
“No, you’re staying put!” yelled Zach, again, as if an increase in volume would change her mind.
“That ranch is no place for a decent woman,” added Gideon quietly. She squirmed a bit, knowing he wanted to keep her safe, but that wasn’t good enough.
“You said the mayor kept a young girl for months and then hurt her.” Rusty nodded, eyeing her as if she was about to pull a trick on him. “If he thinks you’re bringing him another young woman, he won’t pay as much attention to you. Just seeing me will distract him, and his men, and then—”
“No, Kate,” said Rusty. “The man is not only a killer, he likes young girls, whether they want him or not. His men would be worse. I’ll not take a chance that you’ll be next.”
She slammed the pan of eggs on the table. They jumped.
“I am not going to sit here doing nothing when I can help! I can distract them, something none of you can do.” She stuck her fists on her hips and glared. “If you want me to be part of this ranch, then let me have an equal share of the action. Otherwise, I’m leaving!”
Zach shoved his bench back. Jaw clenched, he grabbed the pan of eggs and stomped around the table. He slid some on each plate. She got two, while the others got four each. He stomped back to the stove and slammed the pan down before returning to sit. He shoveled his food into his mouth while sending out silent waves of fury.
Obviously the arrogant man was so used to being in control that he couldn’t stand it when someone stood up to him. But this was too important to let his indignation stop her from helping. As a woman, she had to do everything she could to stop such a beast from preying on more girls. She was not going to back down, no matter how much Zach pouted!
“How could we explain why you were with us?” Rusty took a handful of warm biscuits and dropped them beside his eggs. He passed the basket to Gideon, who dumped the last three on his plate. Seeing the empty basket, Zach snatched one from his brother.
“Thank goodness at least one of you is ready to listen to me!” Kate ignored Zach’s muttered growl. “You could tell them the truth, only change it a bit.”
“Keep going,” said Rusty. He wiped up the last of his eggs with a biscuit.
“You kidnapped me from the Bride Train,
but realized I was more trouble than I was worth. Before you touched me, you remembered hearing that Mr. Rivers paid gold for young, pure women.”
Zach was shaking his head before she finished talking. “It won’t work. And even if it did, we’d never put you in danger.”
“Rusty and Gideon would be there, and the sheriff and his posse will be right behind. They could sneak up better if all the men were looking at me.” She pressed her lips together, fighting to think of something more to add. “You could boast about my cooking. If he’s lived there for a while without a woman, he might want decent food.”
“Uh, Kate?” Gideon cleared his throat. “You’re a good cook. Great, even. But the mayor’s not gonna want you at the stove. He’ll want you in his bed, straight off.” He winced. The tips of his ears turned a few shades pinker. “Maybe he won’t even wait for a bed.”
“Yeah,” added Rusty with a sour expression. “He’d take you and use you, Kate. Only when he was finished would he make you cook.” His words were soft, but cold as he stared her down. “And then he might throw you to his men. A dozen or more of them. You think you could survive that?”
Kate’s heart pounded at his threat. She shivered and looked at the floor, thinking it over. She might get hurt, but the McInnes men and the posse would protect her as best they could. The other women the mayor had hurt had had no protection.
“That proves my point,” she whispered. “You said this was the only chance to catch him. Yes, I might get hurt, but it’s nothing compared to what that young girl, and who knows how many others, went through. How can I sit by and let him escape to hurt more young girls?”
“Dammit, Kate!” Zach jumped to his feet, his face a mask of fury. The bench crashed to the floor behind him. He grabbed the empty basket and threw it across the room. “I don’t want you going anywhere near that bastard! If you got hurt—”