Chapter 3
Shaking with anger, Addie stood in the jail. So, she made a mistake with the ranger, but that didn't mean he had to lock her behind bars like a criminal. After all, he barged into her camp. If anyone in the gang or the mysterious Colonel learned she walked the earth, they would hunt her down.
They tried to blame the Cherokee who would never harm her family after her mother took them food and nursed their children when measles ravaged their tribe. Whoever this Colonel was, he told lies bigger than the state of Texas.
With a tilt of her nose, she hurried out the door. She had a job to do. One that didn't include a Texas Ranger.
As she strolled down the steps, she heard footsteps behind her.
"Miss King." He called her name, but she kept walking.
The man was handsome and if they met a year ago, she would have flirted with him under her mother's watchful eyes. Now she had no interest in men or marriage or anything women normally wanted. Until she caught this gang, she couldn't see her life past her revenge.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her into a nearby alley. "Stop. Look, I'm only trying to protect you."
Now that was funny. The ranger knew nothing about what she needed and could cease pretending she was nothing more than a weak woman taking a stroll to the tea shop. Someone needed to shake him up and show him women could be bounty hunters.
"You don't know what's best for me. Only I can determine that," she spat at him, her anger all but overwhelming her. "You've proved you're a mean Texas Ranger. Now leave me alone. We're parting ways, right here and now."
His dark brown eyes narrowed and he stepped closer to her. "Someone needs to remind you, you're a woman, not a man. Women aren't bounty hunters."
He pressed her against the wall of the building, his lips covering hers. Stunned, she liked the feel of his mouth on hers.
All the years before, her mother carefully guarded her and never let men near, warning her she was too pretty for some man to take advantage of her. And yet, here in the alley, like a common whore, this man moved his mouth over hers in a way she'd never imagined. Only to prove to her she was a woman.
Well, she had experience being a vulnerable woman. No more.
She ground her boot on top of his foot, and he released her, howling with pain.
"Don't touch me ever again. I'm not a whore you can take in an alley."
Limping, he tried to walk.
"The first time I saw you, you were dressed like a prostitute."
"I wear all kinds of disguises to catch foolish, stupid, criminals. And Oscar bit my hook and I yanked him in, bagged him, and took him to jail. Now I've got business to see to before I leave once again. Don't follow me. Don't come near me again. Go do your ranger stuff and stay away from me."
As she walked out of the alley, she rubbed her lips with her finger, shaking her head. Her first kiss. In an alley with a man wearing a badge. If he followed her once, he would do so again. Somehow, she needed to throw him off her trail and ride to Fort Worth and capture her next bounty without the lawman.
Wesley did his best to follow Addie, but she outmaneuvered him and led him to a Cherokee Indian village, where the braves surrounded him. They were friendly, but still he had business to attend to.
A woman to pursue and she managed to get away. Not certain where she was headed, he finally made the decision to head to Fort Worth. When Oscar mentioned Clyde Tillman, Wesley recognized his name.
A wanna be gunslinger, searching for his next gun fight. Where better than Fort Worth, Texas, where Hell's Half Acre offered all the vices and pleasures a young man could want. The perfect opportunity for your next shootout.
Late the next day as he rode into town, he stopped at the marshal's office. Tucker Burnett, the local marshal, greeted him. Years ago, the man had been a gunslinger, but now he was happily married to the doctor with a couple of kids. His wife didn't approve of violence.
"Wesley, long time no see," he said, shaking his hand.
"It has been a while," Wesley said.
"Sorry to hear about your wedding. Before I wed Sarah, we had our own set of troubles," he said.
"Thanks," he said, not comfortable talking about how Clara left him at the altar.
"What brings you to town?" the man asked, sitting behind his desk and motioning for Wesley to take a seat.
Outside the man's window, wagons rolled by. Since Tucker had become sheriff, he had cleaned up the town's outlaw problem and even tamed the herders who came to the city. Most cattle trails ended here where the cows were put on trains to haul the rest of the distance to Dodge City, Kansas.
"I'm after a gang of men who are robbing banks in North Central Texas. Thought maybe one of their members might be here in town. Clyde Tillman," he told the marshal.
The man laughed. "Oh, yes, Clyde is here for now. He spent two days in the jail after he started a fight, trying to talk someone into a shootout."
"The last I heard, he was hanging out at Molly Blair's cat house. There's a girl there he took a hankering for. I've already warned him if he tries to have another gun fight, I will throw him in jail for thirty days. After that, he will be escorted out of the city limits."
This was why he always reported to a marshal or sheriff when he came to town. They had information they were usually willing to share. He could have spent days searching for this kind of advice.
"Can you describe him to me? My plan is to arrest him and take him back to Waco to stand trial," he told Tucker.
"You rangers like to do things your way."
"Yes, we do," he said not disagreeing, but knowing what the man said was true.
"Clyde Tillman likes to dress like he's wealthy when probably he's dirt poor. Combs his dark hair over to the side, but his most distinguishing feature and the one the working girls love, is his mustache. Full and black, it comes to a point on each side of his mouth with a trail of hair from his bottom lip to below his chin."
Standing, Wesley nodded, knowing he could now find the man. "Your description will help me locate him and after I find him, I'll haul him out of town for you."
"That would be much appreciated. Every year, it seems the city council gives me another order to clean out the riffraff. Once he's gone that will be one less."
The very reason Wesley didn't want to be a sheriff.
"Thanks for the information."
"By the way, what are you arresting him for?"
"Bank robbery and possibly more."
Tucker nodded. "He'll spend some time behind bars. Good luck. If you need some help, let me know."
"I will. Good to see you, Sheriff."
As he hurried out the door, Wesley only hoped Addie was nowhere nearby as Clyde would be his prisoner.
In less than an hour, he found Molly Blair's house and was invited inside to choose from the available girls. Only problem...he wasn't interested in the women.
Like a shot in the dark, he saw her. Once again, Addie pretended to be a whore and sat talking to the man he searched for. This woman got around. How had she found the man before he did?
Like a ticking bomb, frustration filled him as he walked over to Clyde, pulled his gun, and said loudly, "You're under arrest."
The man went for his six-shooter, but Addie had slipped the weapon from his holster.
"Not so fast," she said, smiling. "You don't want to kill a Texas Ranger, do you? Your speed is more like women and children."
The man whirled around to stare at her. "Who are you?"
She smiled at him. "Whoever you want me to be, sugar."
The woman was outrageous, but she probably just kept him from being shot.
"Since you're helping me, would you mind frisking him for any other weapons," Wesley asked. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed her help. The women seemed to be closing in, almost surrounding him.
"Sure," she said, “but this means he's mine."
"No, he's my prisoner. I'm arresting him," he said.
A frown narrowe
d her forehead, but she awkwardly ran her hands patting him down. Her actions were odd because she acted like she'd never touched a man before and yet, twice now she played a whore. The woman was a beautiful strange creature.
"What am I being arrested for?"
"Bank robbery," he said.
"Murder," she replied. "And you're not going to get away."
A trickle of alarm spiraled up through Wesley. Was it true? Had the gunslinger killed women and children?
Addie insisted on traveling with Wesley to make certain Clyde didn't escape. Wesley demanded on riding toward Waco, but she had other plans. Plans that would certainly make the lawman unhappy, but frankly, she didn't care.
Halfway to Waco, they made camp for the night, and she went to sleep knowing in the morning, they would be headed to Zenith.
Before dawn, she tied a rope around Wesley's hands and feet, and knotted it to a nearby tree. Then she woke her prisoner and whispered, "If you want to live, you will get on your horse.” His hands and feet were secured until she cut through the ropes around his ankles and the man stood.
He grinned at her in the darkness. "Don't give me any trouble or I will kill you. Now let's go."
As she attached her sleeping roll to the back of her mare, Wesley tried to rise. "Hey, what are you doing?"
"I'm taking my prisoner to Zenith and collecting the bounty on him," she said.
The man yanked on his arms and legs and cursed a blue streak. "You can't do this."
"Watch me," Addie said, stepping into her saddle.
"Don't go off and leave me like this."
"You'll be fine," she said.
"I'm a Texas Ranger," he screamed at her.
"And I'm a bounty hunter," she responded. "I saw him first."
She grabbed the reins of Clyde's horse. They had a two-day ride, she didn't like spending time alone with the man, but what choice did she have?
"Addie, you're a damn fool," he said. "Someone is going to kill you. It just may be me."
"Do you think I care?" she said, maneuvering her horse. "We all die sooner or later." A quick glare at her outlaw. "Some of us even kill women and children. All for money."
"Addie, don't do this," Wesley cried.
A calmness and sense of purpose overcame her. No, she didn't like going off and leaving the ranger, but he insisted on taking the man to Waco, and she wanted all the prisoners gathered in one place. All of them to face their punishment together as a group.
The only man she trusted her life with was the sheriff of Zenith. Everyone else was suspect including Wesley. How did she know he was an honest lawman?
"He'll kill you," Wesley said. "You're not a strong woman. You're not a bounty hunter. Just a delusional fool."
For a moment, she stopped and considered his words. No, she wasn't a strong woman with strength of muscles like men, but she could be a devious, conniving person who would do whatever it took to wrangle her revenge.
She started laughing. "Of course, you're right, Wesley. As a delusional, crazy, helpless woman, I'm taking my prisoner to Zenith. Don't worry, if he tries to escape, this poor man will ride away full of bullet holes."
"He's a killer. A gunslinger."
"And I'm a deranged, lunatic bounty hunter woman with a vengeance for blood. Let's go," she said and gigged her horse.
When they rode away, she could hear Wesley screaming at her and knew some traveler would come along and find him all tied up.
Chapter 4
Five hours later, after Wesley baked in the hot Texas sun, a traveling preacher, who called himself Brother Moll came along and untied Wesley. Humiliated beyond belief, once again, the auburn-haired bounty hunter stole his prisoner right out from under him and worse, she didn't care she was breaking a law.
In fact, she all but taunted him to try to stop her. Well, he'd had enough of the gorgeous woman. Her emerald eyes either danced with delight or reflected sorrow in a heartbeat.
As much as he didn't want to see her again, he needed to ask why she believed Clyde committed murder.
"Thanks for helping me, Brother Moll," he said, dusting off his pants and boots, thinking how incredibly lucky he hadn't been snake or spider or even ant bitten.
"Where are you headed?" the preacher asked.
Wesley thought for a moment and knew he could probably catch Addie in Zenith, but turning in Clyde would be a done deal by the time he arrived. Frankly, he needed a break from the spitting-fire red head. If they were keeping score, it almost felt like Addie two, and him, zero.
"Don't rightly know," he said.
"What about yourself?"
"I'm headed to Callahan City to locate my son," he said. "Dang fool has chosen the path of sin and I'm going to bring him back into the fold. But first, I'll need to find him."
"What's your son's name?" Wesley asked, thinking the man's last name sounded familiar.
"Earnest Moll," he said, shaking his head. "We received a telegram from him saying he wanted to come home, but that's the last we've seen or heard from him. So, the wife wanted me to search out our boy. The letter came from Callahan City."
A smile spread across Wesley's face. How could his luck have gotten any better? Earnest Moll was one of the wanted men.
"Preacher, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. I'm a Texas Ranger and your son is one of the men I'm searching for in a gang of thieves. They've been robbing banks across North Texas and destroying farms. There's even a chance they committed murder," he said with a sigh as the man seemed to wilt.
"I've been praying for my boy, asking the Lord to help him find his way, or for me and my wife to find guidance. Seems strange that I came upon you all tied up only to learn you're a Texas Ranger hunting our boy. Can you prove to me you're who you say you are?"
He pulled out his badge and showed the man who sighed. "Earnest was such a nice boy. I don't know where we went wrong."
"We could ride together."
"And watch you arrest him? I don't think so. In his letter, he promised us he wanted to change his life. He said he had seen and witnessed things he never wanted to experience again."
A frown crossed his face, and he wondered what had the boy seen. "Mr. Moll, I give you my word when I locate him, I'll have him write you a letter to tell you where he is and what's going on with him. If he won't do it, then I will."
The older gentleman smiled. "Thank you. His mother worries about him and was so looking forward to him coming home."
Their son wouldn't be returning home for many years. Maybe never.
"Thanks. For helping me," he said.
"And thank you for telling me about my boy," he said. "Funny how the Lord works in mysterious ways. He led me to you, and you needed my help, and I gave you information about my son that helped you and me both. Just promise me you won't kill him."
"I won't," Wesley said certain of his word. Hopefully the kid wouldn't give him too much trouble when he arrested him.
This morning, Addie rode off with his prisoner and left him tied up. This afternoon, Wesley was given a second chance.
Impulsively, he gave the older gentleman a hug. "Go home, Brother Moll, and wait for a letter from your son.”
"Thank you," he said and climbed up on his horse.
Wesley starred after him in wonder. When he was at his lowest, a man arrived to help him and also hand him his next lead. Now to get to Callahan City without encountering a red-headed lunatic under the mistaken belief she was a bounty hunter.
Exhausted, Addie and Clyde arrived in Zenith. Two down and five to go.
"Honey, we could ride off together and spend the night in each other's arms."
A long slow glare, and still the man couldn't keep his mouth shut as they rode through town. Some men weren't very smart.
"I could show you a really good time," he said, grinning.
"And I could shoot that pecker of yours off. Besides, I know where it's been. No, thank you."
Was this why her mother had protected her so well from m
en? Momma had never let her out of her sight when they were in town, and even at church, she kept a tight rein on her children. The memory of her mother made Addie's blood surge with hatred.
"Your offer sounds appealing. Only thing is, we won't be spending the night together. You'll be treated exactly like you did my mother and father," she said softly. "After I shoot you, I'll do to you what you did to my brother and sister. Burn you."
The man's face turned white, and he gazed at her. "Who are you?"
She gave him her best deadly smile. "How many people have you killed that you can't remember one from the other?"
"Your face, I don't recognize you," he said, staring.
"While you were killing, I hid and no one found me that dreadful night. I'm a ghost who’s come back for revenge. You still want to spend the night in each other's arms?"
The outlaw licked his lips. "That Texas Ranger was right. You're crazy. Is that the jail house up ahead? Take me there because I don't want anything to do with a lunatic woman like you."
Laughter came rumbling from her chest. Sometimes it was fun to frighten men who harmed others the way this gang of men obviously had. "Don't worry, honey, Zach has a room all ready for you. Unless someone kills me, I'll be back for your trial. Even your hanging."
Zach stepped out on the wooden porch and shook his head at her. "Another one?"
"Sheriff, I plan on catching them all, including the Colonel."
The man laughed. "A woman is not going to catch the Colonel."
"No, I'm not worried. Just surprised you caught two of the gang members. Once they learn what's happened, they'll break us out. Your life won't be worth a thing," the outlaw said.
The urge to strike him was strong, but she just gazed at the loser and laughed. "Dying no longer scares me. At least, I'll be with the people I love."
With a yank, Zach helped the man off his horse. "You've had your fun. Time to book you."
Lipstick and Lead Series: The Complete Box Set With a Bonus Book Page 120