Authors: Stolen Ecstasy
Hannah Howell (15 page)
Slipping in between Hunter and Watkins, she wrapped one length of rope around Watkins’s wrists. “I’m not sure I can tie a very good knot, Hunter.”
“Just tie it easy then. I’ll finish it off.”
“One word from me and twenty men will be up here to fill you full of holes—if I decide to let you die so easily.”
“Say that word, Watkins,” Hunter drawled, his voice low and cold, “and they’ll find the first hole’s been made before they set foot inside the door—right through your head.”
“I’ll hunt you down. You won’t be able to crawl into a hole I can’t find.”
“True enough, because you’ll be right there with me. You’re coming back with me, Watkins. Back to the states to face the law.”
Leanne felt as shocked as Watkins acted. “Taking him? I thought you were taking his money or something. Him? Why him?”
“This bastard’s going to clear my name. He’s going to a little town on the Texas—New Mexico border and talk to the law. Remember about a year ago, Watkins? A certain payroll job?”
“What about it?”
“I was responsible for the payroll your henchman took.”
“You’re that fool?”
Hunter’s laugh was soft and bitter. “Fool is right. I left myself open to take the blame, failed my responsibility and a lot of people too. I’ve spent every day since then running from the trouble you put me in.”
“And now you’re going to buy your way out of it by turning me in.”
“Damn right.”
“There’s a lot of territory between here and that sad excuse for a town. My men’ll be at your heels every step of the way.”
“I’ve just come nearly five hundred miles with the law on my tail. Think I can manage a hundred or so with your scum doing the chasing —if they even bother.” He looked at Leanne, who still stared at him wide-eyed. “Knot done?”
“Almost finished.”
“Hurry up. Time’s wasting.”
Suddenly there was the unmistakeable sound of a gun being cocked. Leanne froze, as did Hunter, and stared horrified at Tom, who stood before them, his gun pointed their way. Watkins’s soft laugh chilled her as much as his words.
“Time’s just run out, Walsh.”
Chapter Nine
“B
ETTER FINISH TYING THE SCUM UP
, Walsh,” Tom instructed. “Miss Summers seems to be having trouble.”
ETTER FINISH TYING THE SCUM UP
, Walsh,” Tom instructed. “Miss Summers seems to be having trouble.”
“You’re not going to shoot us?” Leanne whispered as Hunter holstered his gun and nudged her out of the way.
“Just what the hell game are you playing, Tom?” Watkins snarled. “You throw your lot in with this fool and you’re a dead man.”
“I’ve been trying to help Walsh ever since I found out your man set him up to look like a thief.”
Hunter glanced at Tom. “Tuckman?”
“Yup. I’ve been after Watkins for longer than a year, but Tuckman managed to get word to me about you. The only one of Watkins’s men who could recognize you was dead but”—he shrugged—“he figured you might need help sometime.”
Leanne felt a strong urge to scream. Everything had suddenly changed. She had understood enough to know that Hunter did not work for Watkins; he had been working against the man. Apparently, so had Tom. Hunter must be working for the law, because she recalled that the man called Tuckman was a sheriff. Those facts brought waves of confusion instead of answers, however. Hunter was not the outlaw she had thought. Everything had been a lie, she realized, and she stared at Hunter as that conclusion transformed shock and confusion to fury.
Hunter looked at Leanne, saw the anger hardening her eyes, and sighed. Just as he had feared, she’d quickly grasped the implications of everything that had been said.
“Just who the hell are you?” she demanded.
“Tarrant Hunter Walsh of Little Creek, Texas.”
“Well at least the name you gave yourself wasn’t a complete lie.”
He winced. “Leanne, let me explain . . . .”
“This talk’ll have to wait,” Tom said. “Watkins’s men don’t completely relax their guard when he shoos them away. They apt to check on him now and again.”
“Your explanations had better be damned good,” Leanne nearly snarled as Hunter grabbed hold of Watkins and the four of them cautiously left the room.
Hunter found himself praying they would be. Leanne was in a cold-eyed fury. She knew he had lied about his name and about what he was doing. Now she undoubtedly saw everything that had passed between them as lies. That, he realized, was the very last thing he wanted.
At the bottom of the stairs there was a brief, tense confrontation with Jed and Charlie, who had moved into the hall to keep a better watch on Watkins’s men. Leanne looked at the four men she had spent so much time with and found herself praying vigorously that no one would fire the guns they were all aiming at each other. Watkins certainly was not worth it.
“What’re you doing with him?” Charlie nodded towards Watkins.
“Taking him out of here,” Hunter answered.
“What about Leanne? She going too?”
“Yes. She stays with me.” Hunter inwardly breathed a sigh of relief when she made no immediate protest.
“You wanna go with him, Leanne?”
She stared at Charlie and Jed, a little stunned by the realization that this confrontation was over her, not Watkins. Then she saw that she had a choice. She could turn and walk away from Hunter and his lies right now. Charlie and Jed would take care of her. It both annoyed and surprised her when she realized that she did not want to take that way out, that she could not walk away from Hunter—not yet.
“Yes, Charles. I’ll stay with Hunter. He has a little explaining to do.”
“Gonna be some trouble getting Watkins outta here,” Charlie remarked as he holstered his gun, Jed following suit. “Reckon you could use some help.”
“Better get some horses, and quick. I readied only enough for us,” Tom said.
“Out back?”
“Yeah, Charlie. As close to the back gate as I could, just beyond the wall and hidden in his damned fruit trees.”
“We’ll meet you there.” Charlie left, Jed at his heels.
“You won’t get past my men,” Watkins snarled.
Leanne gasped, mostly with surprise, when Tom hit Watkins, knocking the man out. “Wouldn’t it have been easier to gag him?”
“But not as enjoyable.” With a little assistance from Hunter, Tom hefted the unconscious Watkins over his shoulder.
“Don’t you think someone will notice us slipping out with him?” she asked as they hurried towards the back exit.
Placing his pistol against Watkins’s temple, Hunter kept in perfect step with Tom. “They’ll notice this too.”
It surprised her that they got as far as they did. They were halfway across the courtyard before a cry went up. Hunter’s assumption proved correct. None of Watkins’s men dared shoot once they realized their boss’s life was threatened. Nonetheless, Leanne was nearly dizzy with relief when they finally reached the horses.
“Three pack horses? Why so many?” Hunter asked as he helped Tom secure Watkins on the back of one of the horses. Neither of them relaxed their guard on the few men who still watched them.
“There’s the money we stole, supplies for the trip, and every damn bit of money or valuables I could get my hands on. Just maybe we can help some of those who couldn’t recoup the losses this piece of scum made them swallow. Ready?”
Barely mounted herself, Leanne had no time to respond before Hunter and Tom were mounted and spurring their horses on. Tom kept Watkins close, his gun still aimed at the man, until they were out of range of the hacienda’s guards. Leanne listened for the sounds of pursuit, frowning when she heard none. The only men following them were Charlie and Jed who caught up just as the hacienda faded from view.
“Wondered if you’d changed your mind.” Hunter hid his pleasure at their joining him.
“Takes time to cut so many saddle cinches,” Charlie drawled.
To Leanne’s amazement, all four men started to laugh. Men, she decided crossly, had the world’s strangest sense of humor.
Leanne began to think Hunter and Tom meant to race all the way to Little Creek before they finally stopped. When they finally called a halt, she slid off her horse, wincing slightly as she steadied herself on her feet. It seemed she was never going to get used to such long stints in the saddle. She felt bone weary.
In an attempt to keep herself from thinking about the way Hunter had lied to her, she began to prepare coffee. The fire was small and sheltered so as not to draw much notice. It was a test of her skills to work over such a fire, and she felt her spirits rise when she succeeded. The men were too tense, too watchful, to be very appreciative. The now conscious Watkins glared at them and made such awful threats that Leanne began to tremble.
“You just ignore him, Leanne,” Charlie mumbled when he noticed. “Shut your fat mouth, Watkins, before I shut it for you.” He looked at Hunter. “You sure you need him alive?”
“’Fraid so, Charlie.” Hunter glanced at Watkins. Charlie’s threat had caused the man to retreat into a sullen silence. “He has to talk to the law in Little Creek.”
“Little Creek? Didn’t we pass through there?”
“Yup. Watkins sent one of his men there about a year back, stole a payroll, killed a man, and left me to take the blame. He’s going to clean up that little bit of confusion, then face justice for his crimes.”
“You mean you ain’t supposed to be an outlaw?” Jed scowled with confusion as he collected the empty mugs.
“Nope, and to be honest—”
“That makes a nice change,” Leanne muttered.
Hunter decided to ignore that for now. “I never have been. I wheedled my way in with Watkins, then went on that job to get even closer to him. The money taken will be returned. I hope you can agree to that.”
“Don’t bother us none,” Charlie said. Jed nodded. “We never saw much of the money anyways.”
“Don’t think we oughta be dealing with the law though,” Jed added. “We are outlaws.” His eyes widened and he hesitantly reached for his gun. “You ain’t gonna turn us in, are you? And what about Leanne?” He stared at Tom with a look of astonishment. “Hell, ain’t he wanted too?”
“I don’t intend to turn anyone but Watkins over to the law.” Hunter looked at Leanne. “When Watkins falls, he’ll take Sheriff Martin with him and that should clear up your trouble.” Looking back at Charlie and Jed, he spoke sternly. “I offer you two the chance to get out of this life.”
“Without going to jail?” Jed pressed.
“Without going to jail.”
“You think you can do that?”
“I don’t think it’ll be hard,” Tom answered.
“And how can you be so sure? Who the hell are you anyways?” Charlie demanded.
“I was feeling a little curious about that myself,” Leanne murmured, looking at Tom.
“The name’s Sebastian Lucas Crane the third,” he answered with a faint smile, “Deputy Federal Marshal.”
Leanne felt as stunned as the others looked. “But . . . that bounty hunter. You killed him, didn’t you?”
“Nope. Got up behind the fool, put my Colt to his head, and politely informed him that he was interfering in government business and I’d appreciate it if he’d get the hell out of there. Told him to play dead ’til we left, then hightail it after his compadre. Also gave him a bit of advice on the risks of bounty hunting.”
“And Luke? You were after Luke as well?”
“Yes. I’d been after Luke Meede for a long time.”
“Oh. Well, I’m not sorry you stopped him, but I am sorry you had to kill him to do it.”
“I’m not.” He grimaced upon seeing everyone’s shock. “The lawman in me said to take him alive, but the man in me wanted him dead. He killed a good friend of mine.”
“I’m sorry,” was all Leanne could think to say. “All this time”—she shook her head—“and I never guessed. You seem to have become more talkative as well as legal.”
“Talking too much gets more people in trouble than I dare count. Keep quiet and you’re less apt to give anything away. I learned a long time ago that the steel-eyed, closed-mouth pose works best. When you do talk, folk listen real close. Puts more weight behind a threat. Makes you look more dangerous. If people don’t know you and can’t read you, they are wary of you.”
She sighed, then glared at Hunter. Tom had his reasons for being secretive, as did Hunter. However, she could see no good reason for Hunter to be so secretive with her, not after all that had passed between them. His lack of trust cut her deeply, but she fought to hide that hurt behind anger.
“Seems I’ve been surrounded by liars ever since Charity threw me out.”
“Now, wait a minute—” Hunter began to protest, deciding it was time to start defending himself.
“We didn’t tell you no lies,” Charlie said. Jed nodded.
“I know, and I thank both of you. You have been true friends.”
Hunter scowled, knowing those last words were aimed directly at him.
She looked at Tom. “Are all our things in that collection of packs?”
“They are. Yours are tied in that blue blanket. Thought you might want them quick at hand.”
“That was very thoughtful. Thank you. Now, if no one has any objection, I intend to change before this dress is destroyed beyond any hope of repair.” When no objection was voiced, she moved to collect her things and find a niche that offered some sort of privacy.
Frowning after her until she was out of sight, Hunter asked Tom, “Think it’s safe?”
“We’re as safe now as we’ll be for the rest of this trip. It’ll take hours for Watkins’s men to get saddles or mend what they have. It’s also too dark now to find our trail. If they did start out before dark, they’d have been forced to stop by now.”
“Do you really think any of those hired guns has the loyalty to care about getting him back?”
“Loyalty won’t have much to do with it, although I suspect some of his men value the set-up he has enough to try and keep it going. Didn’t Watkins tell you about what happens if he gets taken? The reward for the one who gets him back?”
“Oh, hell. Forgot about that.”
“Two thousand dollars can buy a lot of loyalty.”
“We’d better set up a watch then.”
“Yeah. No telling if some maverick broke from the rest and is close on our heels.”
After arranging the watch schedule, Hunter sighed and looked in the direction where Leanne had disappeared. “I suppose it wouldn’t be wise to try to make my explanations now.”
“If you wait, you won’t be making them until we reach Tuckman. Reckon that mad she’s nursing will have set real hard by then. Why didn’t you tell her?” Tom asked.
“At first, I wasn’t sure I could trust her. Her tale was a bit far-fetched.”
“But true. Best move or she’ll be back here, and I have a feeling she’s in no mood to stroll off alone with you by choice.”
Hunter nodded, rose, and set out after Leanne. When he found her, she was sitting on the ground holding her new gown and softly weeping. He felt something inside of him twist painfully at the sight. He crouched at her side, but she jerked away from his touch, rejecting his meager attempt to soothe her.
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