Chasing Rainbows (19 page)

Jake lifted one brow. “As a friend or as the sheriff?”

“Both.”

Fair enough
, Jake supposed. “Fact is, I did get into a card game with Becker,” he answered bluntly. “I lost pretty bad, about two thousand.”

Walter let out a low whistle. “That’s a lot to lose.”

“I’ve had worse nights. I left the saloon cool. There were no arguments, no fights. I didn’t think Becker was cheating — the man just got lucky, I didn’t. It was late by then, after midnight, but I wasn’t ready to go back to my hotel. I wandered around town for a while just stretching my legs.”

“Anybody see you?”

“I didn’t know I’d need an alibi, Walt,” Jake returned, unable to keep the edge from his voice.

“All right,” he replied evenly. “Go on.”

“I was headed back toward the saloon when I saw that a crowd had gathered in the alleyway. It didn’t take long to learn what had happened. Becker was dead, he had been shot in the back. A woman who had worked the tables that night said she had heard two men arguing about money just before the shots went off. Naturally they assumed the man Becker had been arguing with was me. I walked right into it. The woman said she saw a man riding north just after the shots were fired and thought it was me, but she must have been mistaken. A couple of men drew on me while someone else went for the law.”

“You tell your story to the sheriff?”

Jake lifted a single dark brow. “If some drifter tried to sell you that story, would you have bought it?”

Walter shifted uncomfortably. “I reckon not.”

“I didn’t think so.” Jake shrugged, not blaming him in the least. “I figured the only chance I had to clear my name was to ride north and bring back the other man for questioning. Even if he didn’t do it, I thought maybe he had seen something or knew something, hell, I don’t know what… anything. As you can imagine, I didn’t have a real clear plan. All I knew was that I didn’t kill Becker. I pulled my guns and convinced the good citizens of Gunpowder Falls to let me ride after him and find out what he knew.”

“They just let you go?”

“Pretty much. They put together a posse and tracked me for a day or two. Mostly they just drank and slept and got paid for their time. Probably they decided I wasn’t worth the trouble to track down.”

“What about the man you were following?”

“That’s where things start to get interesting. He wasn’t easy to track. I followed him for three months, but I kept missing him by a matter of days, sometimes by just a matter of hours. Then I noticed a pattern. Wherever he showed up, the Mundy Gang followed. Each town he visited was hit by the Mundy Gang within a day or two of the stranger’s arrival.”

A spark of interest shone in Walter’s eyes. “You figure he’s connected to the gang?”

“I think the stranger I’ve been following is Pete Mundy himself,” Jake answered. “There’s something else you should know. I looked into Harlan Becker’s past. He had a lot of cash, and he wasn’t shy about throwing it around. Turns out the robberies that the Mundy Gang pulled before Becker died were all payroll robberies — payrolls that had been handled by the bank that Becker used to work for.”

“You think this Becker fella was setting up the robberies?”

“I think Becker was working with the Mundy Gang and got greedy, and that’s why Pete killed him. It explains why they were arguing about money just before Becker was shot.”

Walter was silent for a long moment. “Interesting story, Jake. You got any proof?”

“Not yet.”

Walter leaned back in his chair and propped his boots up on his desk, toying with his empty coffee cup. “Heard you rode in last night with another fella.”

“You’re very good, Walt.”

“Just doing what I’m paid to do.”

“Then tell your sources to take a better look next time. That’s a woman I’m with, not a man. Her name’s Miss Annabel Foster.”

A thoughtful frown crossed Walter’s face. “That sounds mighty familiar. Have I met her?”

“Maybe. She also goes by the name Outlaw Annie.”

Walter’s boots thunked to the floor as he shot up in his chair. “Jesus, Jake! You’re bringing the Mundy Gang here, to my town? Why the hell didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I don’t know for sure that the gang will show up, Walt. I’m sticking close to her in case they do. But the fact is, I figure we’ll have to just wait and see.”

“Jesus,” Walter repeated, shaking his head. “Last I heard, Outlaw Annie was scheduled to be hanged out in Stony Gulch.”

“She was hanged. The rope gave out before Annie did.” Jake felt a funny twist of pride as he spoke. That was just like Annie. The woman wouldn’t let anything beat her down.

Something in his tone or his expression must have given him away, for Walter eyed him consideringly, his keen perception coming into play. “Tell me about her. Is she as wild as I’ve heard?”

Jake thought it over, wondering how to put into words the bundle of contradictions that embodied Miss Annabel Lee Foster. She could swear, she could shoot, she could ride. She was also headstrong, stubborn, loyal, and fearless. As far as his plan was concerned, Outlaw Annie was simply a means to an end. Yet he was the first to admit that plans often went astray. Something about the woman intrigued him, amused him, and flat-out held his attention. She also brought out a protective streak in him that he hadn’t even been aware he possessed.

“She’s different from any woman I’ve ever met,” he answered simply. “She seems determined to start over, to build a new life for herself.”

“You think she means it?”

“Maybe. I haven’t figured that out yet.”

“Where is she now?”

“She took off at dawn. Someone’s been on our tail for the past week. My guess is that she rode out to pay whoever it is a little visit.”

A troubled frown crossed Walter’s face. “You think it might be the Mundy Gang out there?”

“Seems likely, doesn’t it?”

“I could put a posse together right now and ride out after them.”

“You could. You have enough men in town to handle the gang?”

A pained expression crossed Walter’s face. “Hell, I don’t. Three of my best deputies are up north, hunting down rustlers.”

Jake nodded, relieved. He needed to catch the Mundy Gang, but not at the risk of hurting Annie in the crossfire. “All right, then,” he said. “We’ll play it my way. I’ll stick by Annie and see if I can get near the Mundys on my own.” He hesitated. “That is, assuming you trust me enough to let me walk out of here and wire you once I get close enough to the gang to bring them in. I reckon that’s your call.”

Walter propped his boots back up on his desk, thinking for a long moment in silence. “You swear you ain’t just bullshitting me in order to get out of this wanted poster?”

Jake arched a dark brow. “Being an officer of the law has made you a mighty suspicious man, Walt.”

Walter leveled a long, hard stare at him. “You know what I see, Jake, day in and day out? I see men like us, used-up rebels without a war to fight or a home to go to. They wander aimlessly from town to town, drinking too much and stirring up trouble. After a time, these men start to get bored, then they get angry. They decide to rob a few Northern banks, just to get even. That’s how the James Gang got started, and the Daltons too.”

Jake had seen the same thing himself. While he couldn’t deny the truth of Walt’s words, he resented being thrown in with that ilk. “There a reason you’re telling me this story?”

“You cross me, Jake, and I’ll personally hunt you down myself.”

Jake sighed. “I won’t cross you, Walt. I’ve got a hell of a lot more at stake here than you do. You and your men can split the bounty on the gang any way you like. All I want is to clear my name.” He set down his coffee mug and stood. “We’re headed toward Cooperton. Will that be a problem?”

“No, that ought to work, so long as you give me enough notice. I reckon I can get my men down Cooperton way within a week’s time.”

“Fair enough.” Jake put on his hat and moved to the door. “Remember, as far as Annie knows, I’m just doing a good deed escorting her to Cooperton.”

“That’s not exactly your style.”

Jake grinned. “Funny, that’s just what she said.” He left Walter’s office and stepped out onto the boardwalk, watching the flurry of activity that filled the street. His eyes were drawn to a small gray mare that looked remarkably like Annie’s horse, tied to the hitching post in front of the general mercantile.

He strode down the street and found Cat curled up in the center of Dulcie’s saddle, contentedly basking in the sun. Although she didn’t open her eyes, the fussy feline must have sensed his presence, for she issued a belligerent hiss and swiped one sharp claw his way. “Same to you, darlin’,” Jake said breezily, then turned to enter the mercantile.

He stepped inside and was greeted by the mingled scents of peppermint, leather, and tobacco, and the distinct aroma of brine from the pickle barrel. Glancing around the interior, he saw bolts of cloth, cured and dried meat hanging from the rafters, skinned hides, Indian beads, various elixirs and tomes, and a miscellany of kitchen goods. The shop was surprisingly well stocked, its merchandise cramming the aisles in a mass of chaotic opulence. Fancy lace fans were shelved next to cowboy boots and spurs. Rifles and ammunition were juxtaposed against baby bonnets and blankets. There was even a pile of big-city newspapers from back East. Jake glanced at the dates, impressed. Some were as recent as a month old.

Rather than move toward the front counter he stood silently in the back, watching Annie. She wandered aimlessly around the store, wistfully touching a few items, then moving on to another display. Although Annie tried several times to catch the attention of the store clerk, each attempt was blatantly ignored. The shop girl had a fairly steady stream of customers, but not so many that she couldn’t have helped Annie find what she needed.

Jake watched for a few minutes, then stepped forward. The shop girl glanced his way, her eyes lighting up as she took in the value of his clothes, hat, and guns. Her mouth immediately curved into a subservient smile. “Good afternoon, sir,” she said brightly. “What can I do for you?”

He tipped his hat in polite greeting, coolly returning the clerk’s smile. “I believe the lady was here first,” he replied, nodding toward Annie.

Annie glanced up at the sound of his voice, clearly surprised to see him there, and sent him a hesitant smile.

The clerk didn’t even spare her a glance. “I’m sure she doesn’t mind waiting.”

Jake’s polite expression didn’t change, but he added a note of firmness to his tone. “Why don’t you ask her?”

The girl glanced back and forth between the two of them, her smile faltering. She looked Annie up and down, her gaze harsh with disapproval, then she moved toward her. “What can I do for you?” she asked tightly.

Annie cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. “I’d like to buy a dress,” she replied, sounding more nervous than he had ever heard her. “I ain’t exactly sure what size I need, but I do have a picture of what I had in mind.” She pulled Winston’s Guide from her pocket, opened it on the counter, and pointed toward a page. “Do you have anything like this?”

The clerk glanced at the page and arched a brow in haughty disapproval, her mouth curving in a tight, superior smile. “I’m afraid that went out of style more than twenty years ago.”

“Oh.” Annie glanced down at the book again, then closed it and tucked it back into her pocket. She glanced at the clerk and shrugged, gesturing at the crisp white blouse and navy skirt the girl wore. “Well, if you ain’t got nothing fancy, I suppose something like what you got on will have to do.”

Jake bit back a grin as the clerk whitened at the unintended insult. “I’ll show you what we have,” she said and moved stiffly toward a counter in the center of the store. She motioned to a few bolts of fabric that ranged from thin calicoes and cottons to heavy, coarse wools. “These are sold by the yard; prices vary depending on the cloth.”

Annie’s brows drew together in a troubled frown. “Am I supposed to stitch ’em together myself?”

“Yes. Or you hire a seamstress to sew them.”

“The fabrics are all mighty pretty,” she said politely. “Problem is, I need something real quick like. You got any ready-made dresses?”

“Ready-made?” The clerk grimaced and gestured toward a rack of shabby women’s garments hanging off a nail peg, her distaste evident. “These were sold to us by the Widow Porter. Although they’re not the quality we usually carry, my father bought them as an act of charity. Perhaps there’s something there you’ll like.”

Jake glanced at the battered garments, ready to reject the clothing outright. But before he could, Annie reverently touched the sleeve of a faded brown calico dress with a tiny lace collar. “You reckon this one will fit me?” she asked the clerk tentatively.

A satisfied smile curved the girl’s lips. “I believe it will suit you just fine.”

“How much?”

She named a price that seemed outrageous to Jake; not the amount in and of itself but when considering the quality of the dress. It was ugly and old looking, the fabric worn thin in spots. He considered interceding on Annie’s behalf but ultimately changed his mind. It was her business, not his.

Annie quickly agreed to the sum, apparently unaware that she was being taken in. A few more minutes were spent acquiring the suitable undergarments for the dress. Jake allowed the women a modicum of privacy for that business, diverting his attention to the store’s stock of guns and ammunition while they carried on their conversation. Once her purchases were complete, he followed Annie out of the store.

She clutched the tightly wrapped bundle under her arm, her eyes sparkling with an almost childlike excitement. “I ain’t never bought a dress before,” she said. “It’s pretty, ain’t it? It has a lace collar and everything, real fancy like, you see that? You think brown’s a proper color? Should I have bought some gloves to go with it? Maybe I ought to have a hat to wear with it too. What do you think, mister, will the other ladies will be wearing hats?”

“What other ladies?” Jake asked, unable to resist her bright mood. Her cheeks were fresh and rosy from the crisp fall air, and golden excitement danced in her eyes. Looking at her now, it seemed absurd that only minutes ago he had been discussing Annie’s involvement with a brutal gang of killers.