Rides a Hero sb-2

by Heather Graham

  Malachi shrugged. "I wasn't in Kansas. I spent most of the end of the war in Kentucky, then in Missouri. I would have come to Kansas, though, if I had thought that Cole might need me. Fitz was a murderer. He killed my sister-in-law. He killed lots of other people. And it seems to me, sir, that if we're really going to call a truce to this war, we have to prosecute all the murderers, the Yank murderers, too. Now Hayden Fitz is holding an innocent woman. God alone knows what he could want with her, and so help me, I can't understand what law he is using to get away with this legally."

  The judge lifted his hands. "You do realize that what you're doing right now is illegal?"

  "Yes, it is," Cole admitted.

  "But we did stop those other fellows from robbing you blind," Malachi reminded him.

  "Of course. All right, I've listened to your story. And God knows, gentlemen, I, for one, am anxious to see an end to the hostilities! I'm afraid we won't live to see it, but I'm a father of four, and I keep praying that maybe the next gen-eration will see something good come to this land. You had best slip off this train and disappear into the night, the same way that you came. I give you my word of honor that I will look into this situation immediately. If you're patient, I'll see that your wife is freed, Cole Slater. But I suggest that the three of you remain out of sight for the time being. Understood? And, oh—stay away from Fitz. We don't want him finding you."

  Malachi looked at Cole, and Cole looked at Jamie. They all shrugged. They were in hiding. Just because they were hiding right beneath Fitz's nose…

  They shook hands with the judge. Outside the club car, Jamie waved to his friends, and they jumped from where they were standing on the engine platform and the mail car. The five men hurried quietly for their waiting horses, then galloped away into the darkness of the night.

  A half mile from the train, they left Jamie's friends, Cole and Malachi voicing their thanks earnestly. The two men had served with Jamie during the war. "Don't mind helping a Slater," said the older of the two. "Jamie pulled me out of a crater in December of '64. I owe him my life."

  "Thanks just the same," Jamie said, tilting his hat. Malachi and Cole echoed the words.

  Then the brothers were alone together, riding through the night.

  Malachi flashed Jamie a smile. "Well, I admit, it seemed like a reckless plan to begin with, but it went fairly well."

  "Nothing really gained," Jamie murmured.

  "Nothing lost," Cole said, sighing. Malachi saw his brother's frown in the moonlight. "And we're close enough. If Fitz does threaten Kristin…"

  "Then we are close, and we just get a little more reckless," Malachi said. He urged the bay along a little faster.

  "Hey!" Jamie called out to him. "What's your hurry now? We're not being pursued."

  Malachi reined in. "I…Shannon is supposed to be coming in tonight."

  Jamie started to laugh. "That hellcat in a whorehouse? You're right. Let's hurry."

  Cole grinned. "It will be good to see her," he said softly. "I've missed Miss McCahy."

  Malachi hesitated, then he muttered. "Mrs. Slater."

  "What?" Both brothers queried him.

  "Mrs. Slater," he repeated. He looked from Jamie to Cole. They stared at him in amazement.

  "They were going to hang me," Malachi explained lamely. "I—er, we kind of had to do it."

  "She married a Reb?" Jamie demanded.

  "She married—you?" Cole said.

  "I told you, they were going to hang me if we didn't. Damn it, quit staring at me like that!" He swore. He urged the bay forward. "It's a long, long story and I'm not in the mood for it tonight."

  "Cole, come on now, hurry!" Jamie laughed. "I am anxious to hear this! The hellcat married to my brother! Mrs. Sweet-little-hellcat Slater, holed up in a whorehouse! I can't wait."

  Malachi ignored his brother and urged his horse faster. He wanted to see Shannon. His heart was pounding; his body was aching. They would have to take some time. She would need to see and hug and hold Cole, and she would laugh and maybe cry and then hug Jamie fiercely, too. But then they would be alone.

  And he was realizing more and more that he had come to live for the moments when they could be alone.

  She was his wife…

  And he was very anxious to lie down beside her that night. He had no idea until they rode into the yard in the darkness of the night that he would be denied that simple pleasure.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Shannon breathed a sigh of relief as they reached town. No one thought to molest two women riding in a buckboard, and when Iris reined in just to the right of Hayden Fitz's massive dwelling, with its barred windows and guards, they were still left entirely alone. The man before the door raised a hand to Iris, and a grin broke out on his features.

  "Why, Miss Andre. Nice to see you."

  "Herb Tanner," Iris told Shannon with a sniff. She reached in back of her for the basket of food they had packed. "I think that you should sit tight—"

  "Who's that you got with you?" the man called out.

  "Never mind," Iris said beneath her breath. "You keep quiet. Let me do the talking." Iris looked at her and shook her head mournfully. "A beautiful young blue-eyed blonde. You could be in trouble just by being here. I wish I had a sheet to put over your head. Keep your mouth shut, you hear?"

  "I'll be silent as a mouse," Shannon promised.

  She crawled out of the buckboard behind Iris and followed the older woman toward the house. Herb Tanner was holding a repeating rifle, but he seemed to consider his guard duty a bit of a joke. He set the gun down to sweep his hat off to Iris.

  "Hello, Herb," Iris said sweetly.

  "Hello, Iris!" Herb said happily. "The boss man is engaged this evening, if you come to see him." He spoke to Iris, but he looked over her shoulder to Shannon, offering her a broken-toothed and lascivious grin.

  "Well, Herb, I really came for curiosity's sake."

  Herb's grin widened. "You curious about me, Iris?"

  Iris laughed and patted his chest and moved close to him. "Why, Herbie, you could make a woman just as curious as a prowling cat, you know that, boy? But that wasn't what I meant. Not at this particular moment." She moved closer against him. "I want to see the woman that old Fitz has locked up in the house. I have a bet with my friend Sara here that we can get in to see her. They say that she's the wife of that awful outlaw, Cole Slater. What do you think, Herbie? Could we get in? Just to give her some apple pie and chicken from Cindy's house."

  "I don't know, Iris," Herbie said.

  "Oh, Herbie, come on! Isn't it funny? A couple of girls from Cindy's place bringing vittles to that little bushwhacker's lady? Why, it's just plain ironic, it is. Fitz would laugh himself silly, I'm certain."

  "Iris, Fitz is in a meeting with some of his boss people—"

  "Herbie, I could promise you a real good time."

  Shannon saw that Herb jumped and trembled like a dog with a juicy new bone, just from the sound of Iris's voice. She clamped a hand on Iris's arm. Annoyed, Iris turned to her. Shannon pulled her down the steps.

  "Iris! I don't want you promising that man sexual favors to get us into that house!"

  "It's probably the only way, Shannon."

  "Iris—"

  "Shannon, it's what I do for a living!"

  "You told me you just might think about changing occupations."

  "Honey—"

  "Iris, don't make any promises, please."

  Iris grinned and shrugged. "All right, honey. You can promise him the sexual favors."

  "What!"

  "Oh, for heaven's sake. I'll promise him for a later date, and we'll never get to it, all right?"

  Shannon exhaled slowly. "All right."

  They hurried back to Herb. "Little financial negotiation," Iris said sweetly to him. "Sara doesn't think I should be giving the business away. But if you can get us in to visit that bushwhacker's woman, I'll promise you…I'll promise you the time of your life next Friday night. What do you say
, Herbie?"

  Herb's Adam's apple bulged and he exhaled in a rash. "Gee, Iris, I didn't think I could ever afford you. Not in a month of Sundays!"

  "Well, curiosity, you know…"

  Herb's eyes narrowed in calculation. "It's a deal, Iris. But I want you both." He looked over at Shannon like a cat who had swallowed a mouse, a pleased gloat on his face.

  "What?" she gasped.

  Iris elbowed her in the ribs.

  "Sure, Herbie. Let us in, huh?"

  "Let me see your basket," Herb said. Iris produced the basket. Herb searched through it. Satisfied, he nodded. He stepped aside, opening the front door.

  There was another armed man in the entryway. "Let 'em in, Joshua. They're all right. They're just bringing the prisoner a bite of food."

  "All right, Herb."

  Joshua nodded to them. Iris dazzled him with a sweet smile, and he pointed them up the steps.

  Shannon ran alongside Iris. On the landing was another man sitting in a chair reading the newspaper. Joshua called up to him. "Fulton, it's just a pair of—er, ladies to see the prisoner."

  Fulton looked up and spat tobacco into a brass spittoon. "Herb say it was all right?"

  "Honey chile, Herbie let us in," Iris told him sweetly.

  Fulton stood up and moved close behind her. "Is there anything left that you can promise me?" he asked with a yellow-toothed smile.

  "We'll see, darlin'," Iris promised. "Now, if you'd just show us the bushwhacker's wife…"

  Fulton shrugged and produced a set of keys. He walked down the hall to a door and twisted a key in the lock. "You're looking good, Iris. So is your friend." He paused, staring at Shannon. "You new in town, girl?"

  Shannon nodded.

  "Learning the ropes of the business," Iris supplied.

  Fulton's eyes swept over Shannon. "Well, I'll be savin' up my dimes, young lady. You can bet on that."

  "Fulton, for you, there will be a big discount," Iris promised.

  Fulton smiled and pushed open the door. "Company!" he called. Iris hurried into the room. Fulton caught Shannon's arm. "I'll be expecting a big discount, little lady."

  Shannon wrenched her arm away, then remembered to smile. "Sure, sweetie," she promised, and batted her lashes his way. Iris grasped her arm and jerked her into the room. "Enough is enough, Shannon!" she hissed. "You want to wind up serving the man right here in the hallway?"

  But Shannon wasn't listening. While Iris closed the door, Shannon stared across the room.

  Kristin was standing by the foot of the bed, tall, stiff and proud, and every inch the lady. Her facade broke as she saw Shannon. Both women cried out and raced across the room and into one another's arms.

  "Shh!" Iris begged them. "They'll hear you!"

  Shannon and Kristin went dutifully silent, but continued to grip each other fiercely. Finally Kristin drew away. Shannon surveyed her sister as anxiously as Kristin studied her.

  Kristin seemed to be all right. Someone had supplied her with a change of clothing, and she wore a cotton day dress in a soft rich burgundy with a cream lace collar. She was thin and pale, but she was smiling, and there didn't seem to be a mark on her.

  Kristin held Shannon's hands as she made her sit down at the foot of the bed. Amazed, she looked from Shannon to Iris. Then she whispered, "What are you doing here? Shannon, I have been ill with worry! I saw the bushwhackers take you away—"

  "Malachi rescued me," Shannon said quickly, not wanting to talk about that experience or Justin Waller.

  "Oh, Shannon, you see, he has a good heart."

  "Yes, Kristin—"

  "Shannon, you shouldn't be here," Kristin said anxiously.

  "Kristin, if I hadn't followed, Malachi might have slipped you away from the Red Legs. So I have to make up for that Iris and I had to come!"

  Kristin looked at Iris again, smiling. She stood up and offered Iris her hand. "How do you do? I'm Kristin Slater," she said softly. "Whoever you are, thank you!"

  "Iris Andre," Iris offered.

  "How did you get in here?" Kristin asked.

  Shannon looked at Iris and Iris looked at Shannon. "We made a few deals," Shannon said ruefully.

  "What? Oh," Kristin said. Her eyes, wide and very blue, fell upon Iris.

  "I'm sorry, Mrs. Slater, but you should know. I'm a whore. And your husband and her husband have been staying out at Cindy's place. It might not be fittin', you two being ladies and all, but we're willing to help, and—"

  "Sh!" Kristin cautioned, hurrying to Iris with a crooked smile. "I don't care what you do, Miss Andre. I thank you for caring. Did you say my husband? Cole? Is he there? He can't be!" She whirled around and stared at Shannon. "Nor Malachi. They wouldn't allow Shannon to do such a foolish thing as come here."

  A small smile teased Iris's lips. "Mrs. Slater, I'm willing to bet that both Cole and Malachi are aware that there is not much that can stop your sister when her mind is set. But, yes, Mrs. Slater, your husband has been in town. So has Shannon's and so's your brother-in-law Jamie. They went out tonight to try to un-hold-up a train."

  "What?"

  "Kristin, I had to come. I had to see you. We must come up with a way out of this awful situation!" Shannon said.

  Kristin was still staring at Iris, a frown marring her features. "My husband," she murmured. She stared at Shannon. "And her husband…Miss Andre, what husband?"

  "Why, Malachi."

  "Malachi!"

  "Shh!" Shannon jumped to her feet.

  Kristin sat at the foot of the bed, staring at Shannon incredulously. "Malachi!" she gasped. "Shannon, that's impossible! The two of you are incapable of sharing a room for ten minutes without all hell breaking loose. You and… Malachi?"

  Shannon smiled uneasily. "It—er—it seemed like the thing to do at the time."

  "They had threatened to hang him," Iris supplied with a shrug.

  "But—" Kristin began.

  "I'll tell you all about it at some other time," Shannon promised quickly. "Kristin, are they treating you well?"

  "Well enough."

  "No one has—"

  "No one has physically abused me," Kristin said flatly. "Fitz thinks that if he can't get Cole to come out of hiding by just holding on to me, he'll pass a rumor that he's willing to deal." She hesitated. "So Cole is here. Oh, God, Shannon, don't let him do anything stupid! What is this about a train? Please, talk to him. Make him see that he can't win. Tell him to go home and get the baby and leave the country. Tell him—"

  "Kristin! You know that he'll never do that."

  "I have the perfect plan," Iris said softly.

  Kristin and Shannon spun around to look at her. She smiled. "It will be easy enough to find another night when Fitz is occupied. And if not, I know how to occupy Fitz. Then we come with more of the girls. And we bring a few shawls and the like. And we all leave together. We just walk away, all of us, together. I guarantee you, none of the men will feel like moving."

  Kristin stared at her in silence, then burst into laughter. "Oh, Iris, it's wonderful. But I couldn't let you do something like that! Fitz would surely get even with you—"

  "With all of us? What could he do?"

  "Fitz would find something."

  "No. Because he would never be able to prove it. He wouldn't discover you missing until the next morning, and you could all be halfway to Texas by then. He wouldn't know which of us were involved, and it would be hard to hang a whole whorehouse. I think the men of this town would finally rebel."

  "Neither Cole, Malachi or Jamie will let you do it, either," Kristin warned.

  "They won't know!" Shannon said.

  "But—" Kristin began.

  "Shh! We'll be back," Shannon told her.

  "Be ready," Iris warned Kristin. She grabbed Shannon's arm and pulled her to her feet. "We've got to move now, or they'll suspect us of something tonight, and we don't want that."

  "Take care!" Shannon warned her sister, and hugged her fiercely again. "We'll be back."


  "Come on!" Iris tugged on her sleeve.

  They hurried to the door together. There was no one on the upstairs landing and they hurried down the steps. When they reached the bottom, Fulton was blocking their way. Iris smiled at him. "Thanks, Fulton. We'll be seeing you soon."

  "You bet you will, Iris."

  "Why, Fulton, what's wrong with you, honey?"

  Fulton stepped aside. Shannon gasped, stunned.

  Bear stood there. He was the massive jayhawker who had carried Kristin away after the righting between the jayhawkers and the bushwhackers, and it was obvious from the glint in his eyes that he remembered his brief glimpse of Shannon.

  "What's going on?" Iris asked uneasily.

  Shannon didn't say anything. The big man walked toward her with a wide grin plastered against his beefy features. "It is her," he said flatly. His arms crossed over his chest, he walked around Shannon. "Saw you when I was coming down the street, little miss. I thought I recognized you." He spun in a sudden fury and banged Fulton on the head with his hat. "Couldn't you see how much she looked like that Slater woman? They're as like as two peas from the same pod, you damned fool."

  "Don't go beating at me, Bear!" Fulton protested. "Herbie said that the women were all right."

  "Well, Herbie's going to have to answer to the boss, and that's that," Bear said. He grinned at Shannon and Iris. "Let's go and see the boss man, little lady."

  Bear grasped Shannon by the arm. Iris slunk back against the wall. Shannon bit hard into Bear's fingers. When he screamed, Iris pulled out her small pistol.

  "Let her go, Bear," Iris said.

  Bear lifted up his hands. Shannon grabbed the Colt she was carrying from her skirt pocket. She drew the gun and held it on Fulton. "We're going to walk away. I'm going to go back up and get my sister out, and we're going to walk away."

  "I think not, ma'am," a deep male voice called out.

  Shannon spun around and looked up the stairs.

  Kristin stood on the top step now, biting into her lip.

  Behind her stood a tall, lean man with snow-white hair and cold gray eyes. He wore an elegant brocade vest and a frock coat and he held a small silver pistol to Kristin's skull. "Drop the gun," he told Shannon.

  "Don't do it!" Kristin charged her. "Get out, Shannon, just get out—oh!"