The Outlaws: Rafe (48 page)

"Two spoons.
 
Whatever is keeping you?"

"I'll be there directly."

"Are you in danger?" the sheriff asked in a hushed voice.

"Stand by the door and listen," Angela whispered as she picked up the coffee cups and headed out the door.

"Ah, there you are," Chandler said.
 
"I was just about to come after you."
 
He accepted the cup from her hand and took a cautious sip of the hot liquid.
 
"Now, where were we?"

"You were just about to tell me some of the things you did on my behalf.
 
I need to know how strong and smart you really are, Anson."

"Smarter than Brady Baxter," Chandler snorted.
 
"I know why you married him, you know.
 
I followed you and Baxter home after that farce of a wedding ceremony.
 
I suspected funny business was afoot the moment I heard you had married that man.
 
I followed you and Baxter into the mine and heard everything."

"You know Brady overpowered Rafe, tied him up and dragged him into the mine?" Angela asked.
 
"You know that he threatened to kill Rafe if I didn't marry him?"

"All that and more," Chandler said smugly.
 
"I saw you knock Baxter unconscious, and I saw you and Gentry tie him up and leave the mine together."

"You killed Brady!" Angela blasted.
 
Though she'd expected it all along, it still came as a shock to hear him talk about it so calmly.

"Yes, and wasn't that smart of me?
 
I knew Gentry would be blamed, and that he'd have no choice but to flee and leave you to me.
 
But you already know that, don't you?"

"I suspected it but had no proof," Angela said.

"You do now because I'm telling you.
 
I'm a strong man, Angela.
 
Strong enough to get rid of the competition."

"I suppose one could consider murdering a helpless man a show of strength," Angela said with scathing sarcasm.
 
Chandler seemed oblivious to her derision.

"Yes, well, you have to admit I rid you of a nuisance.
 
Two, if you count Gentry.
 
Three, if you include Dexter."

Angela was quick to pick up on Chandler's remark.
 
"What about Desmond?
 
How did you get him to leave?"

Chandler gave a snort of laughter.
 
"I heard you talking with Dexter.
 
I knew you suspected me of Baxter's murder and I also heard you offer him a large amount of money to tell the sheriff about my involvement in Baxter's murder.
 
I couldn't allow that to happen.
 
I believed that you'd understand why I did it what I did once I explained things to you, so I took measures to ensure Dexter's silence."

"You offered him more money?" Angela asked, not sure where this was leading.
 
Dexter's disappearance hadn't been fully explained and she hadn't really given it all that much thought.
 
But Chandler had raised a subject that begged for clarification.

"As if I had enough money to outbid you for his loyalty," Chandler scoffed.

Suddenly it all became very clear to Angela.
 
"My God, you killed Desmond!"

"He was a fool.
 
A weak spoke in an otherwise flawless plan to make us both rich. I'm not Dexter's bootlicker like you thought I was.
 
Now you know everything.
 
What I want now is your word that you'll to marry me when you're free.
 
And don't think to use my 'confession' against me for I'll deny it."

Suddenly the bedroom door crashed open and Rafe burst through, balancing himself on one leg.
 
How he had found the strength to drag himself out of bed in his drugged state was beyond Angela, but she could tell by his white face and pained expression that he was suffering untold agony.
 
He leaned against the doorjamb, a gun held firmly in one hand while he balanced himself with the other.

"I heard, Chandler.
 
Every damn word."

Angela started to go to Rafe but Chandler grabbed her around the neck and produced a gun from somewhere on his person.
 
"Well, well, if it isn't Rafe Gentry," Chandler sneered.
 
"What ill wind blew you to the Golden Angel?"

"Release Angel and move away from her," Rafe demanded.

"Not on your life," Chandler responded, pressing his gun more firmly against Angela's neck.

"You won't get away with this," Rafe threatened.
 
"You killed two people in cold blood."

Chandler gave a mirthless laugh.
 
"Do you truly believe the law will believe you?
 
You're the outlaw, Gentry, not me."

Suddenly Lawyer Goodman stepped from the kitchen into the parlor.
 
Angela waited for Sheriff Diller to appear, and when he didn't, she wondered what had happened to him.

"I also heard everything, Chandler," Goodman said.
 
"You may as well give up and turn yourself over to the law."

"What in the hell are you doing here, old man?" Chandler growled.
 
"I thought I saw the last of you yesterday."

"Surely you didn't think I believed that cock and bull story about you and Angela getting married, did you?
 
Your days of freedom are over."

"Like hell!" Chandler shouted.
 
"I'm leaving and I'm taking Angela with me.
 
If either of you try to follow, Angela will die.
 
I'm desperate.
 
I've lost everything.
 
One more murder won't matter at this point.

Rafe felt himself starting to slide, felt his senses dull.
 
He couldn't imagine what had made him so damn groggy and suspected Angel of drugging him.
 
She hadn't wanted him to challenge Chandler and had taken steps to prevent a confrontation.
 
She probably had slipped laudanum in his coffee.
 
Dammit!
 
Why couldn't she have trusted him?

He watched as if from a great distance as Chandler began dragging Angel toward the front door.
 
He felt so damn helpless, as if his body was paralyzed, his mind numb.
 
Even if he could raise his arm he doubted he had the strength to pull the trigger with any accuracy should he have a clear shot at Chandler.
 
He could only watch...and fight to remain conscious.

He saw his Angel stomp on chandler's foot; he cried out in anguish when Chandler struck her a glancing blow on the head with the butt of his gun.
 
She went limp in his arms and Rafe felt such rage that he forgot his broken leg and lunged forward.
 
His roar of rage turned into one of anguish when he tumbled to the floor.
 
He heard Chandler laughter on the peripheral of his conscience and watched through a red haze of pain as Chandler dragged Angel's limp form toward the front door.

"You won't get far," Goodman said as he went to Rafe and helped him to sit up.

"Are you going to stop me, old man?"

"No, but I will.
 
Drop your gun, Chandler."

The moment Chandler grabbed Angela, Sheriff Diller had left Goodman to distract Chandler and sneaked out the back door.
 
Then he worked his way around to the front to cut off Chandler's escape.

Chandler glanced over his shoulder and spit out an oath.
 
"When did you get here?"

"I've been here long enough to hear your confession.
 
Drop the gun, Chandler.
 
I'm taking you in for the murders of Baxter Brady and Desmond Dexter."

"Like hell!" Chandler bit out.
 
"I've got the upper hand here."
 
He pressed his gun into the soft flesh of Angela's neck.
 
"Come one step further and I'll kill her."

"You won't get far," Diller warned.

"We'll see about that.
 
Move away from the door."

Angela suddenly came alive, catching Chandler by surprise.
 
Bringing her elbows forward, then back, she rammed her captor in the ribs.
 
The blow was hard enough to stun him.
 
Caught off guard, Chandler lowered his hand holding the gun, allowing Angela to spin away from him.
 
Sheriff Diller took over from there.
 
Grasping Chandler's arm, he wrested the gun from him and pinioned his arms behind him.

"Someone get a rope," he called out as he wrestled with Chandler.

"There's a rope hanging from a hook in the kitchen.
 
I'll get it," Angela said as she started forward.

"I'll do it," Goodman said as he strode past her.
 
He returned seconds later with a rope and helped Diller tie up the struggling Chandler.

While they were occupied with Chandler, Angela turned her attention to Rafe.
 
He was sitting on the floor, his back against the wall, his face ashen.
 
She dropped down beside him.

"Are you all right?"

"I'll live," he said through gritted teeth.
 
He lifted a hand to caress her face.
 
"What about you?
 
I wanted to kill Chandler for striking you.
 
Unfortunately my body refused to react as I wanted it to."

Angela rested a hand on his chest, warmed by the steady beat of his heart.
 
"It's over," she choked out.
 
"It's really over.
 
You're free, Rafe.
 
You can go wherever you please, do whatever you want without looking over your shoulder, wondering when the law will catch up with you."

"Thanks to you," Rafe said hoarsely.
 
"My guardian Angel."

Angela gazed up at him, taken aback when she saw moisture gathering in the corners of his eyes.
 
Her own eyes were ready to overflow.

"Are you two all right?" Sheriff Diller asked.
 
He and Goodman had subdued Chandler and left him lying on the floor, trussed up like a Christmas goose.

"I'm fine except for a rather large bump on my head," Angela said, "but I think Rafe needs a doctor to see to his leg."

"I'll send one up as soon as we reach town," Diller promised.
 
He gestured toward Chandler.
 
"I'll be carting this one to jail.
 
Wouldn't be surprised to see him hang for his crimes, but we'll leave that to the judge and jury to decide.
 
Can I help you back to bed, Mr. Gentry?"

Rafe allowed Diller to help him up, and with the sheriff's help, he hobbled into the bedroom.
 
Angela fussed over him as he settled into bed.

"I'm sorry for all the problems you've encountered with the law," Diller continued.
 
"It's a damn shame when an innocent man is charged with crimes he didn't commit.
 
You're a free man, Gentry.
 
You'll no longer be troubled by the law if I have anything to say about it.
 
If you and the missus ever need my help, you have but to ask."

"Much obliged, sheriff," Rafe said.
 
You don't know how it feels to finally be free of all those false charges.
 
I just wish I knew how to contact my brothers and let them know they're no longer wanted men."

"Well, if there's anything I can do, let me know.
 
I'd better get this scum to jail and send the doctor up to see to your leg."

"I'll be off, too," Goodman said from the bedroom doorway.

"I can't thank you enough, Mr. Goodman," Angela gushed.
 
"I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't interpreted my message correctly when you were up here yesterday.
 
I shudder to think what would have happened had you and the sheriff not arrived when you did."

"It's all over, my dear," Goodman said.
 
"You and your husband have a lifetime together.
 
Don't waste a moment of it."

Angela kissed Mr. Goodman on the cheek.
 
"Come back and see us often."

Goodman touched his cheek and beamed.
 
"You can't keep me away."

Angela watched dispassionately from the doorway as Chandler was hefted onto his horse and led away by the sheriff.
 
Though she knew she had nothing more to fear from Chandler, she flinched when he shot her a hate-filled look.
 
Suppressing a shiver, she hurried back to Rafe.

 
Rafe held out his arms to his Angel.
 
She went into them gladly, snuggling against him.
 
His leg hurt like the very devil but he needed to feel her against him.
 
He loved her so much, and at long last he could tell her exactly what was in his heart.
 
He was a free man.
 
Free to live where he pleased.
 
Free to love his Angel.
 
Free to raise a family with her.