Bobbi Smith (17 page)

“We’re closer than we were, thanks to Hawk.” Jack looked over at the tracker, impressed with his discovery.

Hiding outside the window, Wade had heard every word. When they finished talking, he quickly moved off. He knew what he had to do—he had to get word to Pete. Pete would know how to handle this.

It was time for dinner when Wade made his way back to the bunkhouse, but instead of eating, he called Rob aside.

“I’m going to sneak off for a while,” Wade told him with a knowing grin.

“Where are you going?”

“There’s this pretty little widow who said she’d like to see me tonight.” Wade left it at that, letting Rob draw his own conclusions.

“How soon will you be back?”

“I’ll have to be back before dawn,” he said. “I don’t think Jack would appreciate my missing work.”

“That’s right. We don’t want to have to do your share, too,” Rob said teasingly, thinking that Wade was one lucky man to be going off to see the pretty widow.

“I’ll be back.”

Wade was glad that he’d managed to keep his manner casual. He went out to the stable and was able to ride away without anyone else noticing. Once he was out of sight of the ranch house, he cut across country. It was a long ride to Pete’s ranch, and he didn’t have a lot of time.

It was over an hour later when he reached the Turner ranch house. One of the ranch hands had let Pete know that someone was riding in, and Pete was standing on the porch, watching and waiting, as Wade reined in out front.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded.

“We have to talk—now.” Wade dismounted, quickly tied up his horse, and joined Pete on the porch.

“Inside,” Pete said.

They went into his office and shut the door.

“You know better than to show up here like this!” Pete raged at Wade.

“Shut up and listen to me!” Wade snarled back. He’d never spoken to Pete that way before, but it got the man’s attention. “Hawk and Randi were out riding in Black Canyon today, and they found the passage. They told Jack. I heard him say he was going to check it out himself in the morning, and then talk to Pat.”

“We have to stop him.”

“But how?”

“How do you think? We’ve got no choice—unless you want to hang?”

“Hell, no.”

“Then take care of it, and don’t come back here again until I say so.”

“I’ve got the perfect fellow lined up for the job, but I’ll need money.”

Pete unlocked his desk drawer and counted out a generous amount. “Here. That should be enough.”

Wade grabbed up the cash, stuffed it in his pants pocket, and headed for town.

Fred lay in bed with Sindy in her room above the saloon, exhausted from the hours of seemingly endless passion they’d just shared.

“You are one hot woman,” he told her as he ran a hand boldly over her naked breast.

“So I got you all fired up, did I?” Sindy asked with a throaty chuckle.

“You know it,” he growled, sitting up and moving away from her. “But it’s time for me to go. You probably got some other fellas waiting on you downstairs.”

“You never know,” she said, pleased that he was through with her.

Fred got dressed and tossed money on the table beside the bed. “You earned every cent.”

He looked down at her where she lay, stretched out sensuously on the bed, and he couldn’t resist. He reached out to caress her breast one last time, then strode from the room.

Sindy waited until he’d closed the door, then jumped up and counted out the cash. The money was the only thing that made suffering Fred’s touch worth it. He did pay her nicely. It was getting late, and she decided to call it a night. She’d made enough for one evening.

Fred returned to the saloon, went up to the bar, and ordered a drink. He was feeling pretty satisfied as he downed a gulp of his whiskey. He lifted his gaze to look in the mirror hanging on the wall behind the bar, only to see a reflection of Wade sitting at a table in the back of the saloon, watching him. Taking up his glass, Fred made his way to join him. Since it was a weeknight, he guessed Wade had come specifically to see him.

“What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you. Denny told me you were upstairs.”

“What do you want?”

“We need to talk—somewhere private. It’s time to do that job we talked about, and it pays good.”

“All right, we can go to my hotel room.” He was more than eager to earn his money.

“Fine.”

They quickly finished off their drinks and didn’t say anything more until they were alone in Fred’s room.

“What have you got for me?” Fred asked.

Wade took the wad of bills from his pocket and counted them out for Fred. Fred smiled up at Wade.

“Nice, very nice.”

“The breed found the passageway out of Black Canyon.”

Fred nodded in understanding. “So what do you want me to do?”

Wade explained what needed to be done.

It was the wee hours of the morning when Wade returned to the ranch. Rob stirred and woke up when he came into the bunkhouse, but he didn’t say anything. He figured the foreman must have had one real good time with the widow to have stayed out that late.

Hawk was lying in his bunk, still awake when Wade returned. He had been aware of the foreman’s absence and had heard the talk going around that he had gone off to see Pat that night. Hawk remembered how Wade had courted Pat in town during the Stampede, so he knew it wasn’t too surprising that they wanted to see more of each other. He just couldn’t help wondering if that was where Wade had really gone.

Hawk sought sleep, but none came. His doubts about Wade bothered him, but it was the sweethot memory of holding Randi in his arms that disturbed him the most. Remembering the pleasure of her kiss was enough to keep him awake all night. He knew he needed his rest, but more than rest, he needed Randi.

Sleep proved elusive for Jack, too. It was not the first time, he’d lain awake long into the night, trying to figure out who was behind the rustling. Now that they knew where the secret passage was, they would have to set a trap for the rustlers. It would require Pat’s cooperation, but Jack didn’t think that would be a problem. Still, he couldn’t make any definite plans until he’d spoken to her about the situation the following day. Frustrated and worried, he passed the long, dark hours of the night just waiting for the first light of dawn.

Randi lay in bed, staring out the window of her bedroom. The moon was low on the horizon, and the clear sky was star-spangled. It was a beautiful night—almost perfect. And it would have been perfect if she’d been with Hawk.

The time they’d spent together by the watering hole had left her even more convinced of her love for him. His every kiss and caress had made her long for more.

Randi could hardly wait to see Hawk again the next morning. The only trouble was that they wouldn’t be riding to the canyon alone. Pa would be riding along with them. She told herself that catching the rustlers was the most important thing, but a part of her yearned for the chance to be alone with Hawk again. Somehow she had to find a way to tell him of her feelings. She had to let him know she loved him.

Fred packed what he needed and got ready to ride out of town hours before sunup. He wanted to get to the canyon and find the best place to set up the ambush.

He smiled to himself as he envisioned picking off Jack and Hawk as they rode into Black Canyon. Hawk might have won the shooting match in town, but this time he was going to win. It was going to be a very good day.

Jack was a driven man as he rode out with Hawk and Randi at dawn. His mood was solemn.

“Randi tells me that you and Pete Turner have been friends for a long time,” Hawk spoke up.

Jack nodded, looking over at Hawk. “We have. We both settled here at about the same time. Why?”

“I was just trying to figure out who might be involved in this.”

“Why Pete?”

“His ranch is close by, and late Saturday night, Wade met him in the alley behind the saloon. I saw them there talking together.”

“Wade met with Pete in an alley?” Jack frowned.

“That’s right. Any idea why they’d have to sneak off that way to talk?”

“No.” Jack was grim, wondering what the two men had to say to each other that couldn’t be said in the saloon.

“Wade can’t be involved in any of this. He’s worked for us for years,” Randi protested.

“I know you trust Wade,” Hawk said.

“Up until now I have. Up until now I never had any reason to doubt Wade was a good man,” Jack said, his anger growing as he considered the alternative. “But we know it’s someone on the inside—and who better than my foreman? I’ve always trusted him. I hope like hell I’m wrong about this.”

They didn’t say any more as they rode on to ward the canyon, but Jack and Randi both began to realize that if their suspicions were right about Wade, Pete Turner might be involved in this, too.

Fred was ready. He’d positioned himself near the canyon’s entrance high up in a rock-strewn area that gave him a perfect, unobstructed view of anyone riding in. Rifle in hand, he waited. Wade hadn’t been too certain who’d be showing up that day, but it didn’t matter. He would handle whatever came his way. He’d let them ride past him and then he’d open fire. They’d be trapped in the canyon. It was going to be very simple.

The time passed slowly for him. Fred distracted himself with thoughts of Sindy. He fully intended to seek her out once he finished here. He wanted to enjoy another night like last night. If things went as he hoped they would today, he’d definitely have reason to celebrate. He would have gotten his revenge and his debts would be paid off. Life would be good.

Finally Fred spotted three riders in the distance, heading his way. He’d expected Jack and Hawk, but he wasn’t sure who the third rider was. As they drew closer, he finally recognized the third rider as Randi.

Fred smiled. After such a run of bad luck, things were finally starting to go his way. He liked that. He had already made plans for Randi—big plans—and now she’d served herself up to him, riding right into the trap he’d set for her father and the half-breed.

First, though, he had to take care of Jack and Hawk.

Then Randi would be all his.

Jack Stockton was going to pay for the grief he’d caused him.

Lifting his rifle, Fred took aim and waited. Once they’d passed by, he would have the perfect shot.

Jack and Hawk were riding slightly ahead of Randi, and she found her gaze drawn to Hawk. She couldn’t look away from the broad width of his powerful shoulders. The memory of the way he’d looked bare-chested the first day they’d met was seared into her consciousness. She remembered how she’d ridden double with him, and she found herself wanting to ride that way with him again. Recognizing the wayward direction of her thoughts, Randi forced herself to concentrate on the real reason they were there.

Hawk was alert and on edge as they rode toward the entrance to Black Canyon. He didn’t know why, but for some reason he felt very uneasy this morning. He’d learned early in life to trust his instincts, and he took care to study the surrounding hillsides. He looked for any sign of trouble as they rode farther down the trail.

“Randi,” Hawk began as he glanced back her way, wanting to tell her to keep up with them.

It was then, out of the corner of his eye, that he caught sight of the glint of sunlight off metal, high on the hill behind them. He knew what it meant.

“Ride!” he shouted.

Fred took careful aim. His mood was deadly. He might have come in second in the shooting competition at the Stampede, but today he was going to hit his target. He had no doubt.

Just as Fred started to pull the trigger, he heard Hawk shout and realized he’d been seen. He began to fire.

The first shot hit Jack in the chest. He cried out as he fell from his horse. He lay unmoving, facedown on the ground.

“Pa!” Randi shouted.

“Randi! Get out of here!
Now!”
Hawk ordered, drawing his gun to return fire.

Randi went for her gun, too, as she spurred Angel on. Hawk rode after her, looking for cover, but there was none nearby. They were trapped and vulnerable. Whoever had planned this ambush had known exactly what he was doing.

“Ride for the passage!” Hawk shouted to her, knowing it was their only hope of escape.

Fred was not about to let them get away. He got Hawk in his sights, and, with steady determination, he fired. He smiled in satisfaction as he saw his bullet find its mark. Hawk was knocked from his horse.

“Hawk!” Randi screamed in complete horror as she saw him fall.

Hawk lay still on the ground. Blood from a head wound covered his face.

Randi was in shock. This couldn’t be happening! Hawk and her father couldn’t be hurt. They couldn’t be! She refused to think they might be dead. She had to get to them to help them.

Fred was feeling quite proud of himself. He fired off several more rounds aimed to hit in front of her to panic Angel.

It worked.

Angel balked and reared. Randi held on for dear life. When more shots rang out around them, Angel bucked and twisted violently in her fright. Randi lost her seat and was thrown. Her gun flew from her grip as she hit the ground hard and was knocked unconscious.

Fred was worried. The last thing he’d wanted was for Randi to be injured. She was worth more money to him unharmed. He hurriedly mounted his own horse and raced down to check on her condition.

Dismounting beside Randi, Fred knelt down and made sure she was still breathing. Relief flooded through him when he found out she was alive. Fred went back to his horse and got his rope. Since she was unconscious, he had no choice. He stripped her of her gun belt, then bound her wrists and ankles and gagged her with his bandanna. That done, he went after Angel.

The palomino had run a slight distance away. He walked slowly toward her, talking in a low voice to keep her from running off. He’d often seen Randi approach Angel this way, and he knew it usually worked. He was quite proud of himself when he was able to grab up Angel’s reins and lead her back to where he’d left Randi.