by Jenna Brandt
“What are you getting at, Naomi?” Stanley inquired, his eyebrows furrowing together in concentration.
He was buying into what she was saying. Good, all she had to do was plant the idea and get him to run with it.
She paused for dramatic effect before exclaiming with excitement like she just came up with the idea for the first time, “You could tell them where the hideout is. That bit of information could get us both out of here.”
“If I do that, I’m as good as dead,” Stanley stated with fear. “Bill Beckett would kill me, not to mention the rest of the gang.”
“They can’t if they’re all in jail. If you tell the lawmen, that’s what will happen. We can start over and make a new life for ourselves.”
Stanley sat silent for several seconds as if weighing his options. Reluctantly, he said, “I suppose what you’re sayin’ makes sense.”
“It does, Stanley. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
He nodded. “All right, I’ll do it.”
Sue glanced up and made eye contact with Emmett, giving him the cue to come back over. He sat down across from them in time for Stanley to relay the hideout location.
As Sue made eye contact with Emmett over the desk, she could see the appreciation reflected in his eyes. It felt good to see the warmth for her return in them, and she vowed to herself to do whatever it took to keep it there.
Fifteen
The abandoned mine on the outskirts of Oak Glen was dark and quiet. If Emmett didn’t know any better, he would have passed right by it without a second thought. As far as hideouts went, it was one of the best he’d encountered.
“Are all of you ready?” Emmett whispered to his posse. “Not sure what we’ll find in there, so we all need to be on high alert.”
“You got it, boss,” his three men said one after the other.
Jake and Levi exchanged a look of agreement before Jake stated, “We’re ready.”
The men needed to catch the guard and disable him before making entry. About an hour later, a tall, thin man came out of the mine. He glanced around, then headed towards a nearby bush where he promptly went to the bathroom.
The group rushed up, surrounding him from all sides. Emmett pointed his gun directly at the man and ordered, “If you want to live, you won’t make a sound.”
The man nodded as Levi stepped forward and took the two guns from the outlaw’s holsters.
“Tie him up,” Emmett commanded.
Jesse and Gunder worked together to do the job, securing him to a nearby tree with a gag in his mouth.
Once they were certain he couldn’t get away or try to warn the other members inside, the group entered the mine. They crept down the shaft, making sure to not make a noise. Clustered together towards the back, were the two other members and Bill Beckett, all fast asleep on pallets made from blankets.
Emmett, along with Levi and Jake headed towards the leader while the remaining members of the posse made their way over to the other two men. With a nod of his head and his hand in the air, Emmett signaled, and the lawmen grabbed for the bandits. Chaos ensued after that when the gang realized what was happening. There were shouts, curses, and both Bill Beckett and one of the other men tried to fight to get away. Being on the ground and groggy from sleep, however, meant they were no match for the posse that ambushed them.
Within a few minutes, the entire Beckett Gang was tied up and in custody.
“How did you find this place?” Bill Beckett asked with frustration. “We were always mindful to cover our tracks.”
“Naomi Rutherford convinced one of your other members to give up your location,” Moses answered.
Emmett’s head snapped to the side, giving Moses a silencing look of anger. Most of the time, Moses proved himself capable, but this showed his lack of experience. You never divulged an informant’s identity to the outlaw, especially one as ruthless as Bill Beckett. What if he, or one of his men, managed to escape? They’d hunt her down and kill her or worse. There was also the possibility they could have someone they know pay her a visit.
“When I get my hands on that blasted woman, I’ll teach her a lesson. I can’t believe Gus was stupid enough to get her involved with our gang.”
“You should be worried about yourself rather than making empty threats,” Emmett warned. “Every law-abiding citizen in Texas wants you boys to hang.”
The other two men’s eyes went wide with fear while Bill Beckett’s narrowed into slits of anger.
An hour later, the posse deposited the gang at the Oak Glen jail before heading back to Rockwood Springs. When they arrived, the men parted ways to either go home or head to the saloon to get a room. Emmett decided he wanted to head over to the jail and tell Naomi how it went.
Emmett entered the building and was greeted by questions from the two gang members and Naomi. He ignored the men and made his way over to Naomi’s cell.
He tried to focus on his task, and not on how enticing she looked with her gorgeous eyes and a pretty smile.
“What happened? Did you get them?” she asked with concern.
“We did. All four of them are in custody at the Oak Glen jail.”
A look of relief crossed Naomi’s face as she said, “I’m glad to hear it. This is finally over.”
Emmett put his key into the lock and turned it. He opened the door, letting her out.
“What are you doing?” Naomi inquired with confusion.
“Come with me, please,” Emmett stated, guiding her out of the building.
“What’s going on?” Naomi probed further. “Why are you bringing me out here?”
“I’ve decided, given what you did to capture the gang, to let you go.”
Gratitude filled Naomi’s eyes as she whispered, “Thank you. I don’t deserve this mercy, but I promise I will live the rest of my life trying to live up to the honor of it.”
“You can choose to go back to your old name, Sue Forester, or you can use your alias, Naomi Rutherford, though the Beckett Gang knows both, so you should really consider your choice.”
“What do you think I should do?” she asked with curiosity.
“To me, you’ll always be Naomi; the strong-willed, sharp-witted woman that kept me on my toes,” he revealed. “I’ve tried to get used to thinking of you as Sue, but it just won’t stick.”
“I was feeling the same way. Ever since I got my memory back, I know I should think of myself as Sue, but my time with you as Naomi keeps that from happening.”
“Where did you come up with Naomi, anyway?”
“It’s my middle name. My full name is Susan Naomi Forester. Naomi Rutherford was my maternal grandmother.”
Emmett let out a small chuckle. “So, your alias turns out to be a family name; not quite the truth, but not completely a lie.”
“I wanted a name I could remember, and it was the first one that came to mind.”
“It suits you. When you leave this place, and start over, it will serve you well.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Perhaps, I’ll shorten it to Naomi Ford, just in case.”
“I need to be going, but I want to wish you the best, Naomi. I hope you have a wonderful life filled with happiness. Don’t squander this second chance.”
Without waiting for her to respond, he tipped his hat with a nod, then turned around and walked away. He forced himself not to look back. It was better if he made a clean break.
Sixteen
Naomi felt relieved to get out of jail and not have to worry about going back. She could start over and make a new life for herself. The problem was, every time she imagined that life, Emmett came floating into her mind. She wasn’t sure how or when it happened, but she had grown to care for him, and had thought he felt the same way. She had been hopeful when he came to release her, but her hopes were dashed when he walked away wishing her well.
Now, she stood outside the jail, wondering what she would do next. With no money, her options were limited. Getting a job at the loca
l saloon seemed plausible, but did she really want to go back into that environment? Not really, particularly since she was starting over. She wanted to do it as a respectable Christian woman. The idea of being in such an immoral place made her stomach turn, but what else could she do?
“Pardon me, miss, but I want to introduce myself,” a young woman with sea-foam green eyes and strawberry blonde hair said as she came up to Naomi. “I’m Abigail Emerson, and this is my daughter, Tabitha. My husband is Deputy Levi Emerson.”
The little girl had dark brown hair and matching eyes. She looked nothing like the woman holding her hand or Deputy Emerson. Naomi wondered if the little girl had been taken in by them for some reason. Though curious, Naomi didn’t pry. Instead, she said, “Good evening, Mrs. Emerson, Tabitha. My name is Naomi Rutherford. Pleased to meet you both,” she added, first looking at the woman, then the child.
“Please, call me Abigail. I think after all you’ve been through in this town and with my husband, there’s no need to be formal.”
“You know about all of that?” Naomi asked with surprise.
She nodded. “My husband tells me everything. In fact, he’s the one who told me you might be in need of a job.”
“How did he know I was getting out of jail?”
Abigail gave Naomi a warm, knowing smile. “He had a hunch that Ranger Moreley wouldn’t leave you in there. I did a little checking and found out that the hotel is looking for maids. They have rooms in the basement for the staff, so you would have a place to live. I’m not saying you have to take the job, but I wanted to let you know the option is there.”
“I’ll take it,” Naomi blurted out, knowing anything was better than working as a bounty hunter or saloon worker.
“All right, why don’t you come with me and I can introduce you to the manager. He’s agreed to let you start in the morning and has a room ready for you tonight.”
Immense gratitude filled Naomi’s heart. She hadn’t expected anyone to help her this way, let alone be so kind. As she looked over at the pretty woman, she wondered if she was going to finally have a friend.
“Thank you,” Naomi said, “I wasn’t sure what I would do before you showed up.”
“Us women have to stick together and look out for each other. The world is changing, and women are having more rights, but there’s still so many limitations on us. I know what few choices are out there for a single woman with no family willing to do right by her.”
From Abigail’s last statement, Naomi wondered if she knew about her uncle. The way she said it, it was as if she knew how he had used Naomi.
“I’m guessing you heard about my uncle and what we did together?” Naomi probed.
“I did. You don’t know this, but my husband used to be a bounty hunter before he met me and became a deputy here in Rockwood Springs.”
“Really? I mean, he kind of has that attitude of one, but yet there’s a part of him that doesn’t fit with the life at all.”
“That’s because he became a Christian and realized it didn’t work with being a bounty hunter. In full disclosure, his old partner was your uncle, Clyde Forester.”
“Truly? I had no idea,” Naomi stated with shock. “He never mentioned having an old partner.”
“They didn’t part on good terms. He was upset when Levi became a Christian, and even more angry when he quit bounty hunting.”
“That makes sense. My uncle doesn’t have a religious bone in his body. He considers it a crutch for people who can’t cut life on their own. It’s why I quit going to church once he took me in after my parents died. I hated the berating I received every time I asked to go. It just got easier to not ask.”
Abigail glanced over at Naomi. “We have a great church here in Rockwood Springs. You’re more than welcome to sit with my family any Sunday.”
“I’d like that. I recently rekindled my relationship with God, and church is exactly what I need.”
They arrived at the hotel, and just as she promised, Abigail introduced Naomi to the manager. Once Abigail was certain Naomi was settled at the hotel, she turned to her and said, “Why don’t you come over tomorrow evening for supper? Say around 6:30 p.m.”
Naomi nodded, grateful for the invitation, and the fact it did indeed seem like she made a friend in town. “Thank you for the dinner invitation, and for helping me with all of this,” she said gesturing around at the hotel.
“No need to thank me. It’s what we do in Rockwood Springs. We take care of our own.”
The manager escorted Naomi downstairs. He handed her the key to her new room, before scurrying off.
She settled inside by taking off her skirt and blouse, said her nightly prayer, and slipped into bed. The comfort of the small bed far outweighed the rough cot she had been on in the jail.
She was just drifting off to sleep when she felt a hand close over her mouth. Her eyes popped open as she tried to scream, but the hand muffled any sound that came out of her.
Fear seized her heart as her eyes tried to focus on the shadowy figure above her. Had Gus gotten out of prison and come for revenge? Or was it a random stranger wanting something devious? Neither option left her with any sense of ease. She was in dire trouble.
“I’ll remove my hand if you don’t yell, Naomi,” she heard her Uncle Clyde state in a whisper. “You understand me?”
She nodded, relaxing once she accepted the information that it was just her uncle.
“What are you doing here?” Naomi asked with confusion. “Why did you sneak into my room like this?”
“I think I’ll be askin’ the questions, and you’ll be answerin’ them.”
Naomi pulled the blanket over her, feeling a chill not only from the night air but from the tone of her uncle’s voice.
“What happened, Naomi? You took a simple task and completely messed it up. I told you to get the location of the Beckett Gang and then we could go get Bill Beckett together.”
“What happened? What happened, you ask? I ended up in jail, that’s what happened,” she snapped out. “And I didn’t see you coming to my rescue.”
“There are too many complications in this town for me. I wouldn’t have done you any good around here.”
“Is that complication summed up by the name of Deputy Levi Emerson, your former bounty hunter partner?”
Her uncle let out a heavy sigh. “You heard about that?”
She nodded. “His wife actually got me the job and room here at the hotel.”
“You’re seriously considering leaving bounty hunting for this?” he said, gesturing around the little room with only a bed and dresser in it. “You know you can make way more money bounty hunting with me.”
“Money isn’t everything, Uncle Clyde. I would rather respect what I’m doing to make a living, then make a lot of money and be ashamed of how I got it.”
“Did Levi get in your head? Or was it that Ranger I’ve seen you around with? I saw the way you were lookin’ at him. I can tell you fancy him. Let me warn you, a man like that will never want a soiled girl like you.”
The description hurt. Not because it wasn’t true, but because it was. It confirmed her worst fears. She wasn’t good enough for Emmett.
“No, it has nothing to do with anyone but myself,” she said crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t want to live the life of a bounty hunter anymore. I want to live a normal life—one I can be proud of and that God will be proud of too.”
“Well, that explains a lot of this. You’ve gone and gotten religious on me. Who suckered you into that nonsense, Naomi?”
“I’ve always believed, Uncle Clyde. I just let you lead me astray for a while. By losing my memory, God brought me back to Him.”
“I can’t believe you’re betrayin’ me like this, Naomi,” her uncle hissed out. “After all I’ve done for you, you’re goin’ to run off on me like this.”
“What you’ve done for me? You mean all the rotten, despicable things you made me do for the bounties over the past year. Y
ou had me working in saloons and brothels just to get close to men to find out information. Every time, I hated myself a little more. I even told you I hated it, but you didn’t care. You just cared about cashing in on your bounties no matter what it took or who it hurt. I was stupid to listen to you. I should have tried to make it on my own, but I was afraid. I’ve changed now, and I’m not afraid anymore.”
Her uncle stomped towards the door, then turned to her and threatened, “You’re going to live to regret this. You’re being foolish, Naomi, and you’re turning your back on the only family you have left.”
“If I have to keep doing bad things to keep you as family, I’m better off. Goodbye, Uncle Clyde,” she said with sadness in her voice that matched what she felt in her heart.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You might deny it, but I think you’re doing this because of that Ranger. He’ll never see you as more than a tarnished woman. You’re making the biggest mistake of your life.”
Her uncle slipped out the door, leaving Naomi with churning thoughts in her head and emotions in her heart. Though she wanted to deny what he said about Emmett, part of her knew it was true. Part of her wanted to prove to Emmett she was turning over a new leaf. Yet, with him leaving tomorrow, what did it matter? She was going to have to face the fact that things were over with him, and was going to have to make it on her own.
Seventeen
Emmett raised his hand and knocked on the door. The rush of little feet echoed towards the front of the house. The door was flung open by a little girl with long, dark hair and matching eyes.
“You must be the Texas Ranger who’s coming to dinner. My daddy says you’re good at catchin’ bad guys.”
“And who might your daddy be?” Emmett asked with curiosity.
“Deputy Sheriff Levi Emerson,” the little girl said with pride.
“Ah, that makes sense why you answered the door then. You live here,” he said with a grin.