Angel Gone Bad (21 page)

N
ot long after dark, Hammer escorted Angel and Rune down several twists and turns into a sitting room. Soft light from a crystal chandelier illuminated an elegant gold silk sofa and matching chairs positioned on red-and-gold carpet. The room was empty, but voices could be heard nearby. Hammer gestured for them to precede him through an arched entry into the next room.

Angel saw prestige and wealth, no matter that it was under a waterfront warehouse. She stepped into a game room paneled in rich oak. A large billiard table with a green felt surface crouched under a four-globe hanging lamp. A table crowned by a black-and-white chess set stood ready for use. Two poker tables with five chairs each were positioned in front of a massive bookcase.

A sideboard groaned under the weight of sliced meats, cheeses, crackers, fruit, liquor bottles, china dishes, crystal glasses, and linen napkins.

At the sight of such delicious food, Angel felt her stomach rumble despite being pinched by her tight corset. She was ravenous. This was the first sight of food she'd had since arriving in Crawdaddy's lair. Unfortunately, good manners dictated that a lady eat very little.

Several men stood with their backs to the entry, smoking and talking in low voices.

Hammer cleared his throat. “General Crawdaddy, your guests have arrived.”

Power in the form of a man slowly turned and looked at Angel. She felt her heart beat fast. He was slightly taller than her five-six, but he was twice as broad, with solid muscle packed into a charcoal gray suit. He had at least ten years on her twenty-seven. His pale head was bald as a billiard ball and he had no facial hair either. He appeared stark, austere, and ruthless.

Crawdaddy took a puff on a meerschaum pipe as he looked her up and down, making no attempt to conceal his blatant assessment or admiration.

“Mademoiselle, you are, indeed, welcome,” he said, his voice deep and gravelly, as if it had been ill-used.

“Thank you for your hospitality.” She could only wonder at his use of French. Was it an affectation or indicative of his background?

“Poor, at best, but I trust adequate.” He glanced at Rune. “Your friend has proven he has a way with horses. An important skill in our line of business.”

“Fine stable of horses.” Rune's voice was taut with suppressed emotion.

“Thank you. Again, they are adequate for my needs.” Crawdaddy gestured with his pipe. “I believe you have met a few of our poker players. Baines. And Lucien.”

Angel was unhappy to see Baines, but shocked when another man stepped forward.
Lucky.
Somehow, he'd transformed himself from outlaw in six-gun and Levi's to dapper gentleman in an expensive suit. And he'd acquired a fancy name.

“Mam'selle.” Lucky nodded, touching the silver chain on his wrist. “A pleasure to see you again.”

She felt as if she had stepped into another world, one where she didn't know the rules or the players. Yet the familiar weight of the derringer and the Spider Grandmother deck in the reticule dangling from her wrist was a comfort.

“Please, partake of this slight repast I ordered for my guests.” Crawdaddy nodded toward the sideboard. “I fear I have been remiss in providing adequately for you.”

“Not at all.” Angel glanced down at her expensive gown. “This is lovely.”

“Only perfection for the Black Widow.”

“Thank you.”

“A woman like you deserves the very best.”

She smiled, hoping to appear pleasant, not sick. “I'm sure a man like you appreciates the best.”

“True. More important, I can afford it.”

“You do have a lovely, uh, home.”

“Thank you.” He gestured toward the sideboard. “Please try some of the food. I will pour you a glass of champagne.”

Angel nodded, attempting to smile again. The last thing she needed on an empty stomach was liquor, especially before a poker game.

“I sure want to try some of this food.” Rune said in a hearty voice as he wrapped a hand around her arm and pulled her away from Crawdaddy to the sideboard.

She stood still, staring at the selection. She felt like a mouse in the paws of a cat. Fear clawed up her throat into the back of her mouth.

“Eat something. Anything,” Rune hissed under his breath.

Picking up a strawberry, she felt her stomach churn.

Rune started loading up a plate, making a big display out of his motions. “We're in trouble,” he whispered. “I'm first on his kill list. He wants you. He'll be only too happy to console you after my untimely death.”

“What!” She looked at Rune in horror.

“If you don't want the beef, try something else,” he said in a jovial voice, popping a big piece in his mouth and chewing noisily. “Good stuff.”

She bit into the strawberry. “Delicious.”

“We've got to make our move tonight.”

“How?”

“Try this,
ma chérie
.” Crawdaddy held out a crystal flute with bubbling liquid.

Angel took the glass. When he clasped her elbow with strong fingers, she trembled even as she cast a smile at him. This close, she saw a rose-tinted scar around his neck, a burn or abrasion. Maybe the injury had affected his voice.

“Come. Let us play poker.”

She heard a loud crash and whirled around, dislodging Crawdaddy's hand.

“Sorry.” Rune looked sheepish even as he clumsily kicked shards of broken glass and strawberries across the floor.

“What a mess,” Lucky said. “Let me escort mam'selle to the sitting room while this is cleaned up.” He gave Rune an aggrieved look, and then held out his elbow to Angel.

She clasped his arm and allowed him to lead her through the arch to the gold sofa. She sat down, feeling surprised when he sat close to her.

“Trouble?” he whispered, nodding back toward the game room.

“What are you doing here?”

“Quick. Rune gave us time, but we don't have long.”

“Are you Crawdaddy's friend?” She needed to trust Lucky, but he wouldn't be here if he wasn't allied in some way to the Badger leader.

“I'm
your
friend. There's no time to explain more.”

She looked deep into his dark caramel eyes and felt that instinctive connection to him again.

“Trust me.”

Everything was on the line. Trust or not? All her instincts screamed for her to trust this man, but her mind made her cautious.

Lucky jingled the chain on his wrist.

She understood his reminder. He'd pledged his support to her on their first meeting when he'd had nothing to gain and plenty to lose. Trust won out. She took a deep, steadying breath. “Rune is an undercover detective for the AHTA. He's here to get the Badger leader arrested and his outlaws put behind bars. We're also here to rescue a Deputy U.S. Marshal held hostage.”

“One lone AHTA man, even with your help, can't do it. Better get out now.”

“How? Guards are everywhere. We're basically prisoners.”

“Crawdaddy is . . . you have no idea what you're dealing with.”

“Doesn't matter. You can leave, can't you? If you go to the Riverside Hotel down the road and ask for Deputy U.S. Marshal Rafe Morgan, he'll put together a team and arrest these outlaws.”

“If I did find him, why would he believe me?”

“Rafe is my brother. Tell him Crystabelle is handling cards again and needs his help. He'll come. Plus, tell him about the situation. He'll never have a better opportunity to arrest these two gangs and rescue a deputy.”

“Ah, family. I could probably get you safely out of here. Alone. Would you come with me?”

She glanced toward the other room where Rune was still banging around, knocking more dishes to the floor.

“He's the one?”

“Yes.” She looked back. “Are you still my devoted servant?”

He nodded, rubbing the chain around his wrist. “How do you know your brother is at the hotel?”

“That's where he stays when he's in town. If he's not there, try Hell on the Border. He might be at the jail.”

“If I can't find him, who else?”

“Marshal Bowes. Prosecutor Clayton. They know me.”

“All that will take time. Must it be tonight?”

“Yes. Rune fears for his life.”

“Crawdaddy won't waste time, not when there's something, or someone, he wants.”

“Will you help?”

“Certainly. I pledged myself to you. But when this is done, the pledge is broken.”

“I'll owe you.”

“My help is freely given.” He looked over the features of her face. “You know you're part Cherokee, don't you?”

She put a hand to her heart to still the sudden fast pace. “No. Mother said we were Black Dutch.”

He smiled gently. “Black Dutch or Black Irish means Cherokee.”

“That can't be right.”

“In order to survive, many Indians of mixed blood passed as white. They still do. When you are worth more dead than alive and when your property can be taken because you are Indian, you make the best choice you can for your family. Sometimes that means giving up your heritage. But know that a message is being sent down through time to future generations. By telling you that you're Black Dutch, your mother kept her heritage alive.”

“But if that's true, it means—”

“That the Spider Grandmother cards are yours by birthright, as is your gift. Use both well.”

He stood up. “If your brother doesn't arrive with help by dawn, assume I failed in my mission, but not for want of trying.”

“And then?”

He raised her hand and placed a warm kiss on her palm. “Do whatever it takes to escape.”

W
hile he played poker, Rune sat with his back to the bookcase so he could watch Angel, Crawdaddy, and the doorway. Earlier, Angel had nodded to let him know she had worked something out with Lucky. But he had no way of knowing what. For once, he was glad for the unpredictability of Loki or Coyote. If anything could tip the balance in their favor, superior cunning would do it.

After Lucky had played cards with Angel, Crawdaddy, Baines, and Hammer for a while, he had made excuses and left. Since then, Rune had waited for some type of action.

He was still waiting. He played at the secondary table with Hackett, Jumpin' Judd, and two armed guards. He listened to the clock on the sideboard tick, sounding louder and more urgent with each passing moment. Cocks would crow soon.

He'd give Lucky about fifteen more minutes. If nothing broke up the party by then, he'd have to do something probably stupid and dangerous. But he'd rather go out fighting, maybe helping Angel escape, than take a bullet to the back and leave her vulnerable.

She knew their time was running out because she kept glancing at him. She'd even let him know that she had her derringer at the ready. But the peashooter was practically useless at any range except close up. He didn't figure she had the nerve to shoot another person anyway. At best, it was a comfort to her.

Of all the times to be in this bad situation. He and Angel were just starting their life together. Against all odds, they'd won through to love. They might even have a baby on the way. He touched the Thor's Hammer under his shirt. If Thor ever wanted to see more little Vikings and Valkyries running around shouting, “Hail Thor!” the red-bearded one had better berserk now.

As if in response, Rune noticed the smell of burning cottonseed oil. He looked at Crawdaddy to see if he'd noticed the scent, too.

Crawdaddy's head snapped up and his nostrils flared out. He glanced at Rune, eyes cold as ice, and then looked at Angel.

Rune smiled. Couldn't mean anything but trouble for Crawdaddy's little empire. Now was the time to give Thor some help.

Crawdaddy leaped to his feet. “Hammer, get Rune back to his room. Angel, stay here with me. Captain, see what's going on out there and report back.”

“Not so fast.” Rune stood up, too. “If there's trouble, I'm not going to be locked up. I'll help.”

Oil gushed down from the hanging lamp onto the billiard table and flashed into flames.

Everyone else jumped to their feet, watching in horror as the fire leaped higher while oil continued to pour down onto the table.

“Get out!” Crawdaddy ordered. “Go through the stables and take the horses. Meet up at the ranch.”

The V Gang and the two guards ran for the doorway. Hammer stayed near his boss. Rune headed straight for Angel.

“Leave her,” Crawdaddy ordered, standing in front of the bookcase.

“Like hell,” Rune said.

Crawdaddy grabbed Angel's arm, jerked her to his side, pulled a Colt .45 from under his vest, and held it to her head. “Hammer, please escort our guest outside.”

Hammer threw down on Rune. “Best do as the man says. Not a lot of time to be cute.”

“I've had about a gut full of you.” Rune drew the knife from his ankle, let his body be a target as Hammer fired, and threw the knife. It lodged deep in the outlaw's throat and he crumpled to the floor.

Rune's arm stung where Hammer's bullet had grazed him, but he didn't let the pain stop him. He quickly jerked the six-shooter from the dead man's hand and swiveled toward Crawdaddy and Angel.

Crawdaddy hit a button and a section of the bookcase behind him slid open. Smiling in triumph, he raised his Colt .45 and fired at Rune.

But Rune was already ducking and rolling forward, reaching out for Angel, when another shot rang out in the room. This one came from Angel's derringer.

Crawdaddy looked shocked, then furious. As he fell backward, he clasped Angel to his chest, obviously planning to take her with him. Rune grabbed her and jerked her out of Crawdaddy's weakening grasp just as he disappeared down into darkness and the bookcase slammed shut.

“Did I kill him?” Angel asked, choking on the smoke.

“That close, I don't see how not.”

“He was trying to kill you!”

“You had no choice. Neither of us did. Come on. We've got to get Thornton and the horses.” He jerked the keychain off Hammer's belt and pulled Angel into the sitting room.

As they ran into the hall, sections of the ceiling fell to the floor and the smoke got thicker.

“This way! Watch out for Crawdaddy's men.” He led her down twists and turns, past one door after another, trying to outrace the fire.

“Where is Rafe, and the other deputies?” Angel asked, breath coming in gasps. “Surely they caused this distraction.”

“Some distraction! We're about to be burned alive.”

“Maybe Crawdaddy's men set the fire to stop the deputies.”

“If there was a fight, a lamp could've been knocked over. Doesn't matter now.”

“I can hear the horses crying out! They haven't been set free.”

“Hurry!” Rune ran harder with Angel keeping pace.

Flames behind them were lighting up the hallway with a red glow and turning the air hot.

Finally, he reached the deputy's door. He inserted several keys before he found the right one that clicked the lock. He jerked open the door. A half-starved man, battered and bruised, staggered out and fell at their feet.

“Tate!” Angel knelt and hugged him. “Verity sent us. We're here to save you.”

“How is she?” he asked, coughing as tendrils of smoke caught up to them.

“Big as a barn and wanting you bad.”

“That's my girl.”

“What about you?”

“Get me out of here and I'll dance at my wedding.”

Rune handed Hammer's Colt to Angel. “Watch out for outlaws!”

He picked up Tate, threw him over a shoulder, and ran forward with Angel right beside him.

When they got to the stable, horses were kicking the doors of their stalls, trying to break free. Outside, somebody was hammering at the doors, trying to bust inside.

Rune tossed Angel the keys. “Get those doors open. I don't care who's out there, outlaw or lawman. We've got to save these horses.”

Angel fumbled with the keys, trying several in the lock. Finally, one worked and she pushed open the doors, letting in dawn light and fresh air.

“Rafe!” she cried out, throwing herself into a tall man's arms. “We're saved!”

Carrying the deputy, Rune staggered out, more glad than he wanted to admit that they were facing lawmen, not outlaws. But that wasn't particularly good for him either. He expected to be arrested at any moment.

Yet nobody paid him much attention as Rafe set Angel aside and ran into the stable with the other deputies to rescue the horses.

“Angel, take care of Thornton. I'm going back for Crowdy's horses.” Rune set the lawman down in a safe area, and then hurried after the others.

Despite the worsening smoke, he knew where to find their horses and tack. While lawmen led out frightened horses, he went straight to the right stalls. First, he buckled on his gun belt. He wasn't out of the woods. He might have to make a run for it. He worked hard to saddle the frightened horses, coughing as the smoke grew thicker. He leaped up onto the back of his skittish gelding and led the other one forward as part of the ceiling collapsed behind them. He raced out of the stable ahead of fire and shooting sparks.

“Rune!” Angel ran up to him. “I was afraid we'd lost you.”

“Did we save all the horses?”

“They're safe.”

A tall man wearing a badge stepped up beside Angel. He held out his hand. “Deputy Marshal Rafe Morgan. I'm mighty proud to shake the hand of a hero. Thanks to you and my sister, we've got the Badger and Verdigris gangs.”

Rune felt as if he could've been knocked off his horse with a feather. He dismounted and clasped the other man's strong hand. “Thanks. Nothing you or any deputy or AHTA member wouldn't do.”

“Not so sure. You went well beyond the call of duty. I didn't know it till tonight, but Judge Parker, Marshal Bowes, and an AHTA president have all been hoping that you'd do exactly what you did from the minute you went over the wall.”

“But I thought nobody knew.”

“Way it had to be if you had any chance of success. Sorry about those Texas deputies outside of the Bend. They weren't in on it.”

“Lucky didn't have any trouble finding and convincing you?” Angel asked.

“Lucien? Why would . . . no, not at all.”

“Is he here? I want to thank him.”

“He's gone. I thanked him for you.” Rafe glanced around, and then looked back. “One more thing. Did you capture the leader of the Badgers?”

“No,” Rune said. “Angel plugged him with her derringer.”

Rafe smiled at his sister. “Good for you.”

“I had no choice. He was about to kill Rune.”

“And I got Hammer, the Badgers' lieutenant,” Rune said.

“We'll have the rest of the Badgers in handcuffs soon. Baines is leading deputies to the ranch.”

“Glad to hear it.” Rune turned toward the sound of clanging bells as firefighters arrived on the scene. “They don't stand much chance of success. That cottonseed oil will burn till it's all gone.”

“When we can get into the site, we'll recover the two bodies,” Rafe said.

“Let me know if I can help.”

Rafe grinned. “Matter of fact, you can help Marshal Bowes. He's planning on stealing you away from the AHTA. The U.S. Marshal Service can use a good man like you.”

Angel clapped her hands together. “That's wonderful! Of course, Rune will join the service.”

Rafe glanced at her in surprise, and then he chuckled. “So that's the way it is.”

“That's the way it is,” Rune agreed. “Hope we have your blessing.”

“A hero like you has got my thanks and my blessing. I'm happy for you both. You'll want to let Lady know right away. Fact is, she's waiting for you at the Riverside Hotel. She's got rooms reserved, food delivered, fresh clothes, and a doctor on call. She's chomping at the bit to be here, but I convinced her that if we had wounded, she was needed there.”

“I'm anxious to see her.” Angel kissed her brother on the cheek. “Thanks for coming to the rescue.”

“Anytime, but don't ever scare me like that again.”

“I'll try not to.” She put an arm around Rune's waist, then looked up at him in horror. “Your arm is bleeding.”

“Just a scratch.”

“Why don't you two take Tate over to the Riverside and let Lady fuss over you,” Rafe said. “She'll get you bandaged and food in your bellies in no time.”

“I'm ready. I want a doctor to look at them.” Angel tugged on Rune. “Come on. I also want to send a telegram to Verity. She'll be so happy.”

“We're square?” Rune looked at Rafe and held out his hand.

Rafe shook it. “More than square. You helped a lot of folks. You and Angel both. But you're not done. Not by a long shot. We need you.”

“Wouldn't mind pinning on a deputy's badge.” At last, Rune felt as if the long, dark days were over.

“Now that gives me an idea for the title of my next dime novel,” Angel said.
“Saved by a Deputy in the Indian Territory.”