Outlaw's Lady

by Bobbi Smith

  "Ain't that the truth," Nash complained. "But then again, if we'd stayed in Black Springs, we might be stretching some ropes right now."

  "Yeah, but if we'd had some of her first, it might have made it worthwhile," Johnson went on, watching her every move. "Wonder what the Kid will do with her once he gets us out of this?"

  "It'll be interesting to find out. Maybe we'll get our all-night ride after all."

  "She's mine, if it comes to that," Slade declared tensely, fearful that just might happen.

  The other two men laughed loudly, drawing the attention of their guards.

  "What's so funny?" Ursino asked, looking at them suspiciously.

  "Not a thing, deputy," Slade answered.

  Alyssa heard their derisive laughter and glanced their way. She found Slade's gaze upon her across the distance, and once again she was struck by the intensity of his regard. She told herself that she hated him. This was the man who'd killed her father. Yet, even from their first encounter at the dance, she hadn't sensed any evil in him. For some reason, she didn't get the same feeling of decadence from him that she got from the other two. There was something different about him, and that troubled her. Her judgment and intuition about people were usually right on target, and she had always trusted her instincts-until now. Until Slade Braxton.

  She gave herself a mental shake and turned her back on the gunman. In a few days, they would be safely in Green River. She would be done with him then, except for sitting through the trial and watching him hang for what he'd done. She was looking forward to the end of this ordeal.

  "Miss Mason? You all right?" Hawkins noticed that she'd moved off away from them.

  "I'm fine."

  "Well, don't wander too far off."

  "Don't worry, Deputy. I'm armed." She rested her hand on her sidearm as if to demonstrate that she was not a woman to be dismissed lightly. She was a woman to be reckoned with.

  Nash glanced over at Johnson, wondering if his friend was thinking what he was thinking. The lady judge might believe she was good with a gun, but up against the three of them, she didn't stand a chance. She was their biggest and best hope for making a break for it. If one of them could get hold of her, they could get her gun away from her and then use her as a hostage.

  Johnson met Nash's regard and gave a slight nod in her direction. He wondered when he'd get the chance to talk to Nash and Slade without being overheard. Whatever they tried, they would have to try soon, before Emerson caught up with them. It was going to be hard enough as it was, without worrying about the sheriff being there, too.

  There was no time then to plan anything, though, as Hawkins and Brown replaced Clemans and Ursino guarding them. The other men went to eat, and then it was time for them to mount up and ride again.

  Slade's mood was black as they continued on, late into the afternoon. He'd seen the looks Johnson and Nash had exchanged earlier and knew they were planning something. He'd kept a careful lookout for some sign that the Kid was closing in, but had seen nothing out of the ordinary. There'd been no sign of Ken Richards, either, and that troubled him even more. Things were complicated and getting worse-especially with the lady judge along. It was one thing to deal with Nash, Johnson and the deputies. It was another to have involved her.

  Slade looked up at Alyssa. She was riding alongside Deputy Brown, just up ahead of him. He watched her, studying her. She was different from any woman he'd ever known, and he wondered how she'd come to be so involved with the law.

  It had been his experience that females were interested in one thing and one thing only-well, maybe two things-marriage and money, and not necessarily in that order. It just depended on the particular female.

  But Alyssa obviously had no interest in finding a husband. If she did, she certainly wouldn't be involved in such an unladylike pursuit as the law. And he knew what money was involved in her kind of work, and it wasn't much.

  She was riding astride, and that was unusual for a woman, even in these parts. She also handled her horse with a practiced hand and could use a gun. Whether she was a good shot or not, he had no idea. She moved easily with the gun on her hip, though, so he figured she had some working knowledge of which end of the weapon the bullet came out.

  Alyssa Mason intrigued Slade, but she irritated him even more. She had distracted him that night in town, and now she was complicating an already treacherous situation just by her mere presence. He scowled, wishing the trek to Green River was over, and at the same time dreading reaching the town, for it would mean their trial was imminent.

  "Thinking about your future, Braxton?" Hawkins taunted, grinning as he saw Slade's expression.

  "No, I was thinking about yours," he countered.

  Hawkins's hatred for him grew even more intense at his quick comeback, but it didn't deter him from continuing to belittle him. "I know. Your kind should be worried. One day soon, I'll be a sheriff in these parts and scum like you won't be allowed within a hundred miles of my town."

  "That's if you live long enough, Hawkins," Johnson mocked.

  "Oh, I'm not the one who should be worried about living long enough. You three should start measuring your lives in days now, and not years." He was laughing as he spoke.

  Slade turned a steely look on the deputy, finding no humor in his words. "We're innocent until proven guilty, lawman. Remember that."

  "You suddenly a lawyer, Braxton?"

  "I know the law," Slade answered firmly.

  "That's because you're always so busy breaking it," Hawkins told him. "All the knowledge in the world ain't gonna save your asses. You're dead men. We're just going through the motions here."

  "We'll see what the Kid has to say about that when he shows up," Nash put in.

  "Since you ain't seen or heard from him since the shoot-out in the gorge, maybe he ain't coming for you like you think."

  "The Kid would never desert us. He'll be here," Johnson insisted, trusting in his one and only friend.

  The other deputies heard the fierceness in his tone and doubled their alertness. They would be stopping to make camp for the night soon, and it would be then that they would be most vulnerable. They would have to keep a close watch all night to make sure they weren't ambushed.

  Some time later, they found a suitable place to stop. It was secluded, shielded from open view by boulders and some trees. Hawkins knew two well-placed guards could easily keep a careful lookout. They made camp and built a small fire. The meal that night wouldn't be much, but at least it would be hot.

  "What d'ya think?" Johnson asked Nash when they were sitting close together, a short distance from their ever-watchful guards.

  "The woman?"

  "Yeah. All we'd have to do is get her gun. Are you up to it? What about your shoulder?"

  "I'll be just fine once we're away from here," Nash said, grimacing a little in acknowledgment of the throbbing pain he was enduring. "We gotta tell Slade what we're thinking so he'll be ready when the time comes. We're gonna need his help. It'll take all three of us to pull this off."

  Johnson nodded slightly as he glanced over at their companion. "Slade-"

  Slade moved to join them. He'd been standing a short distance away, studying the lay of the land. He knew there was no chance of making a break for it, but he always took a look around just in case of trouble. Hawkins had chosen the campsite well. It was easily defendable and would be difficult to run from. He sat down by the two other gunmen.

  "There's no easy way out of here. Hawkins knew what he was doing when he picked this spot," he told them.

  "We're not worried about that right now," Nash began in a low tone. "We got an idea about what we can do."

  A guard moved nearer, trying to hear what they were saying.

  "Yeah, once the Kid gets us out of this, we can head for Kansas or Texas and have us some real fun," Nash went on, speaking loudly.

  "You should have gone there in the first place," Ursino said, keeping an eye on them. He didn't mind them talking among t
hemselves, but when they got to talking so low that he couldn't understand them, he worried. He didn't trust them for a minute. He knew their kind. They were deadly and without conscience-a very dangerous combination.

  They ignored him and spoke of ordinary things until Ursino moved away from them again.

  "I'll take her. They won't be expecting me to make any kind of move," Nash said.

  "Her?" Slade glanced at him sharply.

  "We'll grab the lady judge. It'll be the easiest way to get a gun-and a shield," Johnson explained.

  "We'll only get one shot at it," Slade cautioned. He betrayed nothing of what he was feeling, but he was swearing silently again over Emerson's stupidity in letting the woman ride with them. He could only hope that the moment never came when Nash had the opportunity to lay a hand on the lady judge. If it did, though, he hoped he was close enough to keep her from harm without giving himself away to the others.

  "I know. That's why it's gotta go right the first time." Johnson saw Ursino looking their way. "When are we eating?" he demanded, wanting to allay any suspicions the deputy might have that they were planning something. "We ain't had nothing to eat in hours, and we're hungry."

  "Quit your complaining, or you won't get anything when we do eat," Brown called over to him from where he was stirring a pot over the campfire.

  It took a little while longer, but eventually Brown was dishing up hot beans on tin plates.

  "Why don't you serve our guests?" Brown said as he handed two plates to Ursino.

  The deputy headed their way as Alyssa went to Brown.

  "Can I help?"

  "Sure. Give this one to Nash." He handed her a plate, and she followed Ursino to where the outlaws were sitting, waiting for their meal.

  Slade took the plate Ursino offered him with a grunt of thanks. Ursino moved on to Johnson then, just as Alyssa approached Nash.

  It happened quickly, as Slade had known it would. Nash appeared to be taking the plate, but instead he snared Alyssa by the wrist and shoved her roughly sideways and off-balance, toward Slade. Nash grabbed her gun from her as she fell, screaming in surprise. He then dove for cover behind a nearby boulder.

  Johnson was ready, too. The instant Nash made his move, he tossed his plate of hot food directly in Ursino's face. Throwing his shoulder against the deputy's legs, he brought the big man down. He scrambled to grab his gun before he could recover from the attack. Johnson shot wildly at the deputy, wounding him, and then scurried to Nash's side.

  Slade realized that all hell was breaking loose. He pushed Alyssa to the ground, near some rocks, shielding her body with his own.

  Alyssa thought Slade was attacking her, and she fought like a wildcat to escape him. Her efforts proved futile against his overpowering strength. He pinned her down easily. They lay pressed intimately together, his hard-muscled chest against her back, her hips nestled tightly against his groin.

  "Lie still! You're not going anywhere," Slade ordered.

  But she continued to struggle against him. Her attempts to hit out at him were weak, but the feel of her wriggling hips beneath him stirred fires deep within him that he didn't want stoked. At least, not right now. He tightened his hold on her even more, wanting to still her completely.

  "Let me go!"

  "No! Now, quit fighting me!"

  "The deputies are going to shoot you!" she snarled, expecting any moment to be freed by avenging lawmen.

  "Getting shot is no different from hanging-it's just faster," he said, pressing her down even harder. He wanted her safe. If any shots came their way, he'd take them, not her. But it seemed Nash had other plans, and he silently cursed the outlaw's viciousness.

  "Hawkins! Brown! Clemans! Don't any of you fire unless you want to see your pretty little lady judge here be the first one killed!" Nash shouted as the other three guards dove for cover and prepared to return fire.

  "Let her go, and nobody gets hurt!" Hawkins ordered, watching as Ursino managed to crawl away from the outlaws. He was glad his friend wasn't dead, but he was furious that they'd been outwitted. He'd show these bastards, if it was the last thing he did.

  "We're dead men either way, you fool!" Johnson called out to him. "What happens next is up to you!"

  "Let her go now!" Hawkins yelled, ready to fire as soon as he could get a clear shot. He was sorely tempted to shoot Slade. The gunfighter had tried to seek cover, but was still partially in his line of fire. The only thing that held him back was the fear that he might miss and accidentally wound Alyssa.

  "Why? So you can take us into Green River and hang us? We ain't that stupid that we're gonna sit around and wait to get hanged, Hawkins. We got nothing to lose. Now, be good boys and put your guns down before you force us to do something you'll regret."

  "Go to hell!"

  "We're already there!" Johnson shouted back.

  Nash slanted a quick look at Slade and Alyssa. "Get her standing up. I want them to know that I'll kill her if I have to."

  Slade muttered a vile oath under his breath, then ordered her in a low voice, "If you want to stay alive, don't fight me. Just do exactly what I tell you to do."

  Alyssa's mind was racing as she tried to think of a way to escape the outlaw's hold, but Slade's grip on her was unyielding as they slowly started to rise.

  "Stay close to me," Slade told her.

  "I'd rather die!" she said in disgust.

  "That could happen if you don't do exactly what I say! Don't try anything stupid-it might get you killed!"

  He was rough as he lifted his arms and looped them over her, drawing her back against his chest. He wanted to be able to get her out of Nash's line of fire as fast as possible if it came to that, and this was the surest way.

  "Throw down your guns!" Nash called out to the deputies again.

  Hawkins was furious. The way Slade was holding Alyssa in front of him made it impossible for him to draw a bead on him.

  "You listen to me! Anything happens to her, you're gonna die! All of you!" Hawkins yelled.

  He silently signaled for Clemans and Brown to try to maneuver into a better position in hopes of getting a clearer shot at them.

  "We may end up dead, but the lady judge will die first!" Nash returned coldly.

  "Then I'll personally make sure you're second, Nash!" Hawkins countered.

  It was then that a shot rang out from behind the outlaws and ricocheted off the rocks nearby.

  "What the hell?" Slade dove for cover with Alyssa held firmly in his grip.

  Both the deputies and the outlaws went still as they tried to see who was there.

  Nash and Johnson prayed it was the Kid, along with Red and Zeke, coming to save them.

  The three deputies hoped that it was Sheriff Emerson catching up with them at last.

  Silence hung heavily over the campsite as they waited in tense expectation for the other gunman to show himself.

  "Let her go, or so help me God, I'll plug all three of you right now!" Rob's voice boomed with righteous, outraged authority from his place of hiding somewhere behind them.

  Nash and Johnson cursed their bad luck and spun around, trying to locate the sheriff so they could get a shot off at him. But he was too well hidden. They could see no hint of his hiding place.

  Alyssa tried to get up, but Slade held her down.

  "It's Rob! Let me up! Now!" She'd never been so glad to hear Rob's voice in her life. How like him to show up just in time to save her! Her father had always said he was an outstanding lawman, and he'd been right.

  "No-not yet!" He didn't trust either Nash or Johnson not to shoot her anyway, just to get even. "Wait..."

  She struggled against his hold, kicking and hitting out at him where she could, but it was useless. Her blows didn't faze him.

  "Alyssa! Can you hear me?" Rob called down, fearing she'd already been killed.

  "Yes!"

  Rob breathed a sigh of relief. "Braxton! Let her go. I want her to stand up real slow so nothing happens to her."

 
Nash and Johnson were furious. They knew that Slade still had the woman and that she was their only hope of escaping.

  "Slade, don't do it! Don't let her go! She's our ticket outta here! She's our shield!" Johnson shouted.

  "Listen to him, and you'll all end up dead!" Rob dictated.

  Slade was trapped. If he let her go too easily, he'd be branded a coward by Nash and Johnson. If he didn't let her go, she might get killed in the crossfire he was sure would come. He had no choice. He would not be able to live with himself, knowing he'd been responsible for her being harmed in any way. He could live with being called a coward.

  "Go on! Get out of here! But be quiet and stay down low as you go," he ordered as he freed her.

  Alyssa tore herself from him, as if she'd been burned by his touch. She scrambled quickly away from their hiding place.

  "What the hell did you do, Slade!" Nash shouted, angry beyond reason when he caught a glimpse of her getting away. "Why did you let her go?"

  "She's free, Emerson!" Slade called out. "I'm standing up now."

  Nash and Johnson both aimed at Slade, ready to shoot him. He was nothing but a damned, miserable coward. They could have shot their way out of there! They could have freed themselves! And now he'd gone and let their one and only bargaining chip go!

  "Don't try anything, fellas," Clemans said with glee as he crept up behind the two of them. "Me and Brown got you covered. Any sudden moves, and you're both dead."

  They had been concentrating so hard on Slade and the woman that they'd forgotten about the other dep uties. They cursed their luck and threw down their guns in disgust.

  "We got 'em!" Brown shouted as he quickly grabbed up the guns.

  Hawkins ran to Ursino's side as Clemans and Brown herded Johnson and Nash out of their hiding place. The two gunmen glared at Slade as they were forced to stand with him. He returned their regard without emotion.

  "You're a damned fool! We coulda ridden outta here!" Johnson snarled.

  "You're the fools. We aren't dead yet, but we would have been if you'd tried to shoot your way out just now. There's still two more days' ride to Green River. The Kid's not going to let us hang."