by Jenna Brandt
“Where did they say they were meeting?” Emmett probed.
“That’ll cost you extra. I see the pocket chain for your watch. Give me that watch, and I’ll tell you.”
Emmett pulled the watch from his vest, paused a moment, then handed the item over. “Now tell me,” he demanded.
“There’s an abandoned farmhouse out past the old mill about five miles outside of Woody. They’ve stayed there before and went back, but they don’t plan to stay long. They said they’ll keep moving due to what happened on the train. If you hurry, you can probably catch them there before they leave though.”
“I appreciate the information,” Emmett said, but his gratitude was met with silence. The man had slipped away into the shadows without saying another word.
“Did that watch have sentimental value?” Naomi probed, after noticing the pause before he handed it over.
“It did. Barbara gave it to me the only Christmas we spent together before she passed away.” Turning to face her he stated, “You’re very observant, you know that. You’d make a mighty fine Texas Ranger, if women were allowed to be one.”
“Thank you. That’s a high compliment coming from you. I notice how much your men respect you, which means you must be great at your job.”
“I suppose many would think that,” Emmett stated as he took her by the arm and escorted her over to the livery.
Naomi could tell he was trying to be modest, but she knew he was good at his job. She wasn’t sure if she should be glad or upset by the fact. She supposed it depended on what her past held.
“There you are boss,” Jesse said with a grin. “We wondered where you and that pretty little thing had gotten off too.”
“We went to eat, just like I said we were going to do,” Emmett growled out.
“Right, boss, you went to eat. Gotcha ya,” Jesse said with a wink. “Never you mind it only takes a fraction of the time to do it.”
“If you eat like animals, that might be true, but I was with a lady,” Emmett pointed out.
“Don’t you mean an outlaw, boss?” Jesse corrected with confusion. “You could throw her a piece of jerky, and she’d gobble it up. Her kind is used to eating little better.”
Naomi’s eyes grew wide with shock. The other men had remained quiet where she was concerned. It never occurred to her that they thought so little of her. From what she could tell, they took their cues from Emmett. Did that mean he disliked her just as much? She knew he had suspicions about her past, but she hadn’t known he thought so little of her. She wasn’t sure why, but the idea of that being true stung.
“What about you? What does an uncouth half-wit eat? Rattlesnakes and scorpions seem fitting,” she retorted snidely, trying to mask her hurt.
“Why you little floozy, I’ll have you know—”
“Okay, I’ve had about enough,” Emmett warned. “Be quiet, Jesse. We don’t have time for this. We’ve got a job to do.”
Jesse must have known he crossed the line, because quickly he hung his head and said, “Okay, boss, whatever you say.”
“I don’t mean to be a bother, but how are we going to do our job? We don’t know where the gang went,” Moses pointed out.
“We do now. Someone just told me where they were headed,” Emmett explained. “We need to get on the road though. Who knows how long they will stay there.”
The ride over was just as uncomfortable for Naomi as the last couple of times, but for a very different reason. Rather than wanting to get away from him, Naomi enjoyed the feel of Emmett’s strong arms around her. His musky scent and warmth penetrated her senses, causing her to settle in, letting her body rest against his. She wondered if he liked the feel of her against him as much as she did?
Naomi glanced up, trying to figure out from his expression what he was thinking. From what she could tell, he looked determined. That didn’t give her much to go on. Was the attraction only one-sided? She would have sworn she noticed he looked at her with an appreciative gleam in his eye more than once, but maybe it was just wishful thinking on her part. Besides, she didn’t need to be thinking about a man, but rather figuring out what she would do about her memories. Was there something she could do to try to bring them back? Was it a matter of time, or was it permanent? If they didn’t come back, could she start over with a new life? And if she did, what would it look like?
The swirl of thoughts in her mind came to a halt as the posse arrived at the old abandoned farmhouse. The place was eerily quiet with no signs of life. A shiver crawled up Naomi’s back as the group dismounted from their horses and made their way to the front door.
The men pulled out their guns, preparing themselves for whatever they would find. Emmett gestured towards Gunder and Jesse to go left, then to Levi and Jake to go in the other direction. Moses and Emmett took the front entrance with Naomi directly behind them.
Moses turned the door handle which was unlocked. It creaked as he pushed it open, revealing a dark, dingy room. As they entered through the front, the three of them looked around for any signs of recent activity.
On the kitchen table, there were open cans of beans and bread crumbs. There were also fresh ashes in the fireplace meaning someone had been here recently.
The rest of the men entered through the back door.
“There were fresh hoof tracks out back. They must have kept the horses behind the house to keep them out of sight,” Jake said.
“They were headed east towards Oak Glen,” Levi added. “If we go after them, there’s a chance we can catch up to them.”
Why did the name of that town seem familiar to her? Naomi could have sworn she had been there before, but any memory tied to the place was still elusive. It was like waking up and knowing you had a dream, but unable to recall any of the details.
“This is an odd thing to find at an outlaw hideout,” Jesse commented, lifting a lace-trimmed handkerchief into the air. “Why would this be here?”
Emmett walked over to Jesse and took the item from him, then brought it over to Naomi. “Does this look familiar to you?”
Naomi turned the delicate piece of cloth over and over in her hands. A flash of recognition surged through her, and she instantly knew the item belonged to her. She forced herself not to react, not wanting the men in the room to know. It would only confirm what they already suspected; she was connected to the gang.
She handed the handkerchief back to Emmett. “Are we going to Oak Glen, then?” she asked, trying to avoid talking about the item. It didn’t set well with her that it was becoming more and more clear to her that she had been on that train because of the outlaws. If that was the case, it meant she was a bad person doing bad things. The realization upset her, and she wondered if she would like the person she used to be. Maybe it would be best if her memories never came back.
Emmett narrowed his eyes as he watched her for several seconds before replying, “Yes, we should keep going before the trail goes cold. There’s no point in staying around here. They won’t come back.”
As the posse mounted their horses and took off for Oak Glen, Naomi wondered what would happen once they finally caught up with the Beckett Gang.
Seven
As they entered Oak Glen, the place was bustling with townsfolk moving back and forth on the streets. The once small town had exploded when a mill was built and a lumber company established. Over the past three years, it became the largest producer of lumber in Texas.
“I haven’t been back here in five years. I can’t believe how much this place has changed,” Levi exclaimed. “When I first moved out west, I stayed here for a time.”
“I didn’t know that,” Jake stated with surprise. “I didn’t know you had been in this area for that length of time.”
“Oh, I haven’t been. Once I started bounty hunting, I moved around all over the West.” Glancing around, Levi observed, “I had heard it had grown, but I didn’t know to this extent.”
“I think we should split up like we did in Woody,” Emmett st
ated.
“I volunteer to go to the saloon,” Jesse piped up in excitement.
Emmett shook his head. “No, I think for everyone’s sake, I will cover Main Street where the saloon and other entertainment businesses are located. That way there will be less distractions for you men. Jake you want to come with me and Naomi? I could use a sheriff with me.”
Jake nodded. “I can do that.”
“Levi, you and Jesse can take the West side of town while Gunder and Moses work the East side.”
Everyone took off in the directions that were assigned. A few minutes later, Emmett, Jake and Naomi arrived at the mercantile. They went inside and asked around about the gang with no luck. Next, they headed to the two restaurants, but received the same results. The final stop was the saloon where Emmett believed they would have their best chance at getting information. If he knew one thing about outlaws, they liked their liquor and loose women, both of which could be found at seedy dens of iniquity.
As they entered the saloon, Emmett realized that the Lucky Shoe Saloon was no exception to his opinions of pleasure establishments. Women in low-cut gowns and tight corsets, along with men gambling and drinking filled the dingy room that smelled of stale booze and old sweat.
Emmett nodded to Jake, who took the cue to scout the area while Emmett sidled up to the bar. Naomi took a seat next to Emmett. It was unusual for a woman to sit at the bar, but not unheard of. The barkeep gave Naomi a surprised look, glancing from her to Emmett, then down at the bar.
“What can I get you both?” the man asked.
Barkeeps knew everything that went on in their saloon, so if the Beckett Gang had been in recently, the man behind the bar would know. The key is whether he would admit it. Loose lips were frowned upon with the cliental that frequented saloons.
“Howdy,” Emmett said, giving the stranger a warm grin. “Can I get a whiskey?”
The black-haired man with beady, brown eyes nodded, flipped up a glass, and poured the drink. He shoved it across to Emmett.
“Much obliged,” Emmett said taking the drink, though he didn’t plan on drinking it. Sitting there without one would look suspicious, and that was the last thing Emmett wanted.
“I’ll take a bourbon,” Naomi requested.
The barkeep poured the drink and slid it across to her.
“You’re mighty busy this afternoon,” Emmett commented, glancing around the room.
“New workers flood the town every day after the mill expanded.”
“Must be good for business,” Emmett observed. “Between the mill and the new railroad depot, I bet you’re getting all sorts of new people in town. Maybe even some unsavory ones, like outlaws.”
“I wouldn’t know,” the barkeep stated with narrowed eyes. “I’m new to town; only been here a short time.”
“What happened to the old barkeep?” Emmett probed.
“He got shot for sticking his nose where it didn’t belong. I don’t plan on meeting the same end.”
Emmett realized the man was letting him know if he had information, he wasn’t about to say anything. That meant Emmett needed to talk to other people, maybe a couple of the saloon women to find out if they knew anything.
“You stay here while I join a poker game,” Emmett told Naomi, knowing he could keep an eye on her that way.
She nodded as Emmett got up and took off across the room. He sat down at a table, making sure that his line of sight to Naomi didn’t diminish. He didn’t think she would try to take off, but he learned early in his career never to trust anyone.
“Howdy, everyone,” Emmett said with a smile.
Everyone grunted greetings in return, more focused on the hand that just ended rather than the newcomer.
“Oak Glen sure seems to have a lot of new people. Haven’t been around here in a time, but I had no idea how much it’s grown.”
Two of the men ignored Emmett, keeping their eyes on their cards while the third man looked up and gave him a lop-sided grin. “I’m one of the foremen over at the mill. We just hired another dozen men but we’ll need to add on at least that many again at the end of the month. Words gotten around we’re hiring like hot cakes.”
“That’s impressive. Have you seen the riffraff increase along with the town’s growth? That usually happens,” Emmett pointed out.
“We’ve had issues with theft and drunken brawls, but nothing the local deputy sheriff can’t handle.”
“I’m surprised the Beckett Gang didn’t make an appearance around here, considering how much money is floating around. They’re known for followin’ the money.”
The foreman shifted in his seat, then glanced down at his cards. He threw them on the table before proclaiming, “It seems my luck has ended. I’m calling it a night.” He stood up, gathered his money, and took off.
The man was gone before Emmett could question his odd conduct. Emmett was certain the man knew more than he was letting on. Either he was too afraid, or too loyal to say anything.
Without warning, the other two men followed suit, leaving Emmett alone. Apparently, mentioning the Beckett Gang cleared a table.
One of the saloon women came up and sat down next to Emmett. She draped her arm across his shoulders and leaned in. Immediately, Emmett felt uncomfortable with her proximity and flirtatious smile. He was about to tell her he wasn’t interested when she whispered, “I heard you asking about the Beckett Gang. If you’re wanting to know what they’re up to, I’m more than willing to tell you what I know.”
“And what’s that?” Emmett asked, surprised but pleased with the turn of events.
“I overheard them talking about plans to rob a train leaving Woody tomorrow. There’s supposed to be a big payday on it, which they plan to use to hide out for a while until the heat on them cools down.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Stanley, one of the members, jilted me. He promised he would quit the gang and take me out of here, but that was three months ago. Then I saw him go upstairs with Justine a week ago when he thought I wasn’t here. I don’t take kindly to a man treatin’ me that way, so I figure the least I can do is make sure he isn’t free to make a fool of me with anyone else.”
“Thank you,” Emmett said, “you’ve done Texas a great service.”
“Oh, that’s a bonus. I’m just satisfied knowing Stanley will be heading to the clink real soon. He won’t be able to make a fool of me from in there.”
Emmett realized the saying, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” was as true as it ever was. Stanley made a mistake by playing the woman sitting next to him. Finally, something was going right with this assignment.
“Oh, and one more thing; be careful of that one over there,” the saloon worker said, gesturing towards Naomi.
“What do you mean by that? Do you know her?” Emmett asked with surprise as his eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.
“Just trust me on this,” she warned, “She’s nothing but trouble.”
Before he could question the woman further, she sauntered off looking to talk to another patron. Emmett wondered what she meant, and what he should do about it.
Eight
“What’re you doin’ with that man?” the barkeep asked. “You’re goin’ to get yourself into a heap of trouble.”
Naomi’s eyes grew wide with shock. Why was he speaking to her in such a personal way? She didn’t remember meeting the man, but the way he was looking at her, it made her think he did indeed recognize her. She needed to shut him up before Emmett returned and got the wrong impression.
“I think you have me mixed up with someone else. We’ve never met.”
“Come now, you were the first friendly face I met when I started here a month ago. You explained how things really worked ‘round here and kept me out of trouble.”
“What are you talking about?” Naomi asked in confusion. “I’ve never set foot in this place before.”
But even as she denied it, she couldn’t push away the odd sen
sation that the place was familiar. The moment she walked in, she had felt like she was returning to a place she’d been to a hundred times.
“Naomi, everyone around here knows this is the Beckett Gang’s favorite spot to pass their time between jobs. You spent the last couple of weeks getting to know Gus Thurlow really well, if you know what I mean,” he said with a wag of his eyebrows. “When he asked you to go with them three days ago, you took off without a second thought.”
The barkeep knew her name, which meant there had to be some validity to his story. Could she have really been involved with a group of bandits, including intimately with one of them? It made Naomi feel sick to her stomach. She took a sip of her drink, hoping the liquor would calm her nerves. As the strong substance slid down her throat and deposited into her gut, she realized it didn’t do the trick. She still felt like the room was tilting out of control, and she might pass out at any moment. “I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The barkeep looked across the room at Emmett, who was talking to Jake. “I’m not sure why you’re denyin’ what I’m telling you, but I hope for your sake you haven’t gone against the gang and gotten involved with the law. If you have, there’ll be a reckonin’ comin’ your way.”
“I woke up on a train today with no memory of how I got there. That Texas Ranger over there,” she gestured with her head towards Emmett, “found me onboard and said a robbery took place right before dynamite was set off to disable the train. He suspected I was involved, but I’m telling you the truth, I have no recollection of my life before that explosion.”
“That sounds like a crazy story, and I hope for your sake it’s true. If it’s not, you best run far and fast before Gus and the rest of the Beckett Gang catches up with you.”
Naomi didn’t like the ominous threat from the barkeep. Quickly, she stood, knocking the barstool backwards. The loud clattering noise drew the attention of everyone in the room, including Emmett and Jake.