Zooey Pinkerton- a Daughter's Right (6 page)

For the men standing guard
inside and outside the main building, it was an opportunity to
prove themselves to their de facto leader, Tom Brennan. For others,
it was their chance to step out of the shadows and meet the boss
face to face.

“I need a drink!” One of the
ragged, burly men called out. “Damp out here tonight.”

“I'd rather the warmth of one of
these women. Look at them parading around half dressed,” said
another.

“I'd rather you both shut up
before I blow your fool heads off!”

Tom Brennan walked forward from
the shadows, brandishing his rifle. “You two are
not
here to
party. I need your eyes and ears sharp. With the boss coming out,
we don't need that idiot Sheriff sneaking up on anyone.
Understood?”

“Yes sir,” they answered in
unison.

Tom laughed and turned back
toward the house.
Not one in the bunch has any balls. All the
better for me.
He had managed to sneak a note into Sarah's room
earlier on. As he looked around, he noticed that she hadn't shown
up yet. His mood soured instantly.
To hell with her,
he
thought.
Plenty of women out here who would be happy to be under
me tonight.

“Tom! Mr. Brennan. We have
company!”

Tom's focus switched to
protection mode. He took out his rifle and headed back to the men
outside. “Where?”

The taller of the two men
pointed at the road leading into the ranch. Tom strained to listen.
He could hear the hoofs of no more than two horses. “It's the boss.
The Sheriff wouldn't be riding in with only one man at his side.”
Or would he?

“Now how do you know that?” One
of the men asked.

“Listen! If you pay attention,
sounds can tell you everything. Now get back to your post and look
smart! I know that's hard for you, but fake it alright?” The
sarcasm was not lost on the men and they moved back to their places
in silence.

Tom looked ahead into the
darkness. When he could finally make out two riders, his heart
settled back into its normal rhythm. The last thing he needed was
for Sheriff Duncan to plan some kind of attack on the ranch.
Even
he
wouldn't be that stupid.

After a minute, Tom realized
there were three people on two horses. Two he recognized as his
boss and the security detail, but the other, smaller figure, he
couldn’t make out.
Who the hell is that?

“Evening, Tom ole boy! My thanks
for putting this all together on such short notice. You already
know Eddy?”

“Evening Jack...Eddy,” Tom
responded with curt nod. He squinted to make out the small, hooded
figure that Jack was helping off the back of his horse. Once the
woman slid the dark hood off of her face, Tom's blood began to
boil.

“Well hello again, Tommy. Wasn't
it lovely of this gentleman to escort me here?

Tom glared in silence as Sarah
revealed her sexy, blood red dress, and fashionably curled up-do.
With her painted red lips and kohl lined eyes she looked like an
overdone porcelain doll. The silky material of the dress clung to
her curvy figure. It was clear she had taken extra care for her
cleavage to be on full display. As Tom inhaled, he took in a long
draw of her sickly sweet perfume. They walked past, arm in arm,
smiling at one another.

“Lovely creature. I'm a lucky
man to have such a woman on my arm tonight. Don't you think so,
Tom? Let's all head inside and say hello.” Jack said as an evil
grin spread across his face. “Tonight is going to be quite the
affair.”

Tom cringed. Nothing with Jack
was ever an accident, so he knew that Sarah was being used to taunt
him. Despite that, Tom seethed with each step he took to toward the
main house. He wanted a drink.
Just wait until I get you alone,
Sarah Sweet. You won't be anyone's “lovely creature” once I finish
with you.

Sarah could feel her heart speed
up as she walked past Tom. She knew if it wasn’t for Jack, she
would be on the receiving end of a vicious beating. She purposely
held her head up high and tightly clasped Jack's elbow.
This
is
my
time now, Tommy,
she thought.
Tonight is my
night to shine as Jack's lady. You had your chance.

Jack could feel the tension
between Sarah and Tom as he guided his lovely new mistress into the
main house. Jack had suspicions about Tom. He was pretty certain
Tom had been making motions to take over his business. This was a
reminder as to who was in charge.

“Eddy!”

“Yes sir.”

“Escort Miss Sweet inside and
get her something nice to drink. Keep her company for a few
moments. I will return shortly.” The outlaw held out his arm out to
Sarah. She gave a nervous look up at Jack.

“Don't you worry, my dear. Eddy
will take care of you in my absence. I have a few things to chat
about with the boys and then I’ll be right back.” Jack placed a
hand under Sarah's chin and tiled her head upward for a kiss. .

Reluctantly, Sarah allowed
herself to be led away. She pasted on a smile and took Eddy's arm.
“Don't be too long, Jack,” she purred.

Jack waved his hand and smiled,
watching Sarah's hips as she sashayed away. “Been awhile since I've
had a woman like that.”

Tom came up behind Jack and
peered at the back of his head. It was taking everything in him not
to wrap his hands around the old man's neck.

“Now Tom, there’s no need to
make a fool out of yourself over a woman. We are here to accomplish
bigger things. Are you with me or against me?” Jack quickly turned
and matched Tom scowl for scowl. After a few breaths, Jack smiled
and held out his hand. “I'll take your silence to mean that I can
still count on you, Tom.” It wasn't a question.

Jack pulled his hand back,
straightened his jacket and winked at Tom. “Gentlemen! I can't tell
you how happy it makes me to see you all here in this place! This
ranch is now a testament to your hard work. Shame about Pinkerton,
but we all know what happens when you try to fool with old Jack
Duncan!”

Sarah's ears perked up as she
sipped the glass of champagne Eddy had poured for her.
So that's
where I know you. Joshua Duncan's father. I knew that handsome face
was familiar. Interesting.
Sarah's thoughts became excited as
she sipped the frothy bubbles in her glass. She wondered if the
Sheriff knew that the notorious ‘boss’ was his own father. “Do you
think Jack will be long out there?”

Eddy looked the petite woman up
and down. “I don't presume to know those things, Miss. I just do as
I'm told. Life is safer that way. I'd suggest you remember
that.”

A nervous tremor shook through
Sarah's shoulder. “Don't you worry, Eddy, I'll keep that in mind.”
Just as Sarah raised the glass to her lips once more, the group of
men just outside the door began to holler and cheer. Sarah moved
forward to see what was happening but found herself restrained by
the iron grip of Jack's henchman. “Guess I'll be saying right
here,” she said.

“Yes Miss, you will be.”

Jack's men let out another
holler and Eddy smiled. “Going to be one hell of party tonight,
Miss Sarah. Yes sir, one hell of a party.”

Sarah forced another smile. The
door opened and a group of scantily clad women hustled into the
room. Each woman was overdone, over painted, and seemingly drunk.
Sarah sniffed in disgust. She never put herself in the same class
as these women. “Why are they here?”

“Why do you think?” Eddy said as
a dark grin spread across his lips. “Why do you think
you
are here?”

“I'm here with Jack and I'm sure
he’ll make sure all those other men know it.” Sarah's stomach
suddenly felt very ill. She had never considered the possibility
that Jack had brought her here to be part of the evening's
entertainment.

“Perhaps,” Eddy whispered above
her head, just low enough for her to hear. “But, perhaps not.”
Sarah shivered and backed up against the bar.

“Now there’s my girl!”

Sarah looked above the crowd to
see Jack striding purposely toward her. She breathed a sigh of
relief. “Jack!”

Jack Duncan picked her up and
twirled her around until Sarah felt dizzy. “Oh Jack, now stop!” She
squealed as the older man placed her gently on the floor. He
reached his hand down to touch the top of her exposed cleavage. For
the first time in many years, Sarah blushed.

“Gotta love a woman with colour
in her cheeks,” he said quietly. Jack grabbed her hand and hurried
her to the front of the room. “Gentlemen. You will see that old Tom
here has provided some lovely company for you all to share tonight.
Be gentle with the ladies and I'm sure they will serve you all
well.” Jack reached down and made a show of patting Sarah's
delicate hand. “This fine lady, however, is in my company. So see
to it you all remember your manners!”

Nobody seemed to notice as Tom
backed himself into the corner of the room. “I will be your
undoing, old man. This distraction will be your downfall.”

“Well aren’t you a big one? Need
some company, sweetie?”

Tom looked down to see a buxom,
dark haired woman with black eyes staring up at him. She was a few
years older than the others and Tom could tell by the scars on her
neck and the one on her cheek that she had been mishandled a number
of times. He was tempted to drag her into the next room. Then he
surprised himself and shook his head. “There will be kinder men
here than me, wench. Get away from me. I'm in no mood.” She
disappeared into the crowd of men and left Tom alone and
brooding.

Zooey had spent the better part
of an hour tossing and turning. Despite the warmth of the house and
the bath she had revelled in only a short time before, she could
not relax. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Tom Brennan's
face.
I can't just lay here and not know what is going on!
Frustrated, she finally tore the bed sheets off her body and
scrambled to find something to wear. Zooey threw on her jeans and
an old, patched shirt she had found in the bedroom closet. The
sleeves were too long, so Zooey rolled them up before pulling on
her boots. She hooked her coat over one arm and headed downstairs
and out to the stable. “I know Josh will be mad at me, Gypsy, but I
need to be there when he gets Tom Brennan.”

As if in agreement, the
chocolate mare pawed the ground with one hoof.

The sky was clear and the stars
lit the road into town, so Zooey had no problem getting there. Upon
arriving, she found the streets empty. Even the saloon was quiet.
She stopped in front of Charlie's to see if he knew where Josh and
his men had gone.

Charlie was surprised when he
saw the dishevelled young woman walk through the saloon doors.
“What in God's name are you doing here at this hour?”

“I'm looking for Josh. Do you
know where he went?”

Charlie's eyes looked everywhere
but at Zooey. He nervously drummed his fingers against the top of
the bar.

“Okay, Charlie. What's up? Where
is everyone?”

“Don’t know,” he answered.
“Listen Zooey, you best head back to wherever you came from and let
Joshua sort all this out.”

“I can't, Charlie. I owe Pops
justice. I need to look Brennan in the eye before Josh takes him
into custody.”

Charlie looked at the determined
young woman in front of him. Guilt and frustration burned deep in
is chest. “Zooey, do you have a weapon with you?”

“Just my pistol. Why?”

“Damn it! The Sheriff will have
my hide and Jack....well...damn it!”

Zooey walked close to the bar
and looked Charlie right in the eyes. She knew he was hiding
something - and she was going to find out what it was. “Who is
Jack?”

“I'm sure you’ll find out soon
enough. Joshua will be better for it if you’re there when he finds
out, anyway. There is a big meeting going on out at the ranch with
Tom Brennan and his boss. It's dangerous, Zooey, but I have a
feeling Joshua might need you.”

“I appreciate the information
Charlie. I figured they would be out there. But why would Josh need
me?”

“A friend in need Zooey...a
friend in need.”

Confused, Zooey rechecked her
pistol. “Thanks again Charlie.”

“Don't thank me, Zooey. Please
don't thank me.”

Zooey wrinkled her nose and
nodded as she walked back out the open door. “I'm not sure what is
going on tonight, Gypsy, but I don't think I'll like it when I find
out.”

Joshua and a dozen of his
deputies dismounted their horses and tied them a quarter of a mile
away from the Pinkerton Ranch. He waved them over to where he
stood. “Everyone have a weapon?”

The men nodded in silence.
“Simple surveillance for now. We have no clue how many men are at
the ranch or if they have scouts along the road. If their boss is
there, we won’t now how well armed he is. If he's as smart as we
think he is, he probably won't go far without security.”

“Sheriff?”

“Yes, Franklin?”

“Are we taking Brennan
alive?”

Joshua looked down at his boots
for a moment before looking back up at his deputies. “There is a
bounty on Brennan's head, so technically, it's dead or alive. If
possible, I prefer him alive. The boss is to be taken alive at all
costs. We need to get as much information as we can from them both.
Franklin, take two deputies with you to scout ahead. The rest of
you keep quiet and follow me. Stay safe!” Joshua knew he had good
men around him, but even he didn't know what they would be facing
once they got to the ranch. He said a silent prayer and led his
group though a narrow, winding dirt path. It ended at the back of
the stables.

“Don't go spooking the horses.
Looks like they don’t have much security out this way.” He motioned
to two of the men to go ahead. “See if you can get a visual on how
many men are standing guard.”