Deadly (4 page)

She slid a loose slipknot around Zach’s right arm and right boot. Then she gave a thumbs-up signal to Ruby.

Let the party begin.

Ruby covered Simon’s mouth and placed a gun at his temple.

He awoke with a start. At the sound of her gun clicking, she jerked him up by his shirt. Slowly, he rose from his saddle bed. Once on his feet, she quickly moved him toward his waiting horse.

When they reached the edge of the clearing, Zach rolled over, and Meg tightened the slip knots. His eyes came open. As soon as he saw Meg, he reached for his gun.

She smiled and dangled it out of his reach. “Sorry, cowboy, I have your gun.”

“Damn it, Meg,” Zach said sleepily. “Don’t you believe in rest?”

“Zach, you’re airin’ your lungs in front of a lady! That’s not nice, and no, I don’t rest when I’m catching a bounty.”

He glanced over at the empty bedroll where Simon had been laying. “Where’s Simon?”

“Safely tucked away.” She smiled as she watched the realization that he was tied up and his prey was gone slowly reach his brown eyes. His eyes were shooting bullets at her smile.

“I knew better than to stop,” he said angrily.

Ruby rattled the rattlesnake tail and his eyes widened. “Freeze, Meg, there’s a snake somewhere close by.”

How sweet that he was concerned about her getting snake bit. But not sweet enough for her to tell him the truth.

“Yeah, about that snake. He’s inside your blanket.” She rolled the small stick she’d pushed into the blanket. In the dark, she watched the blanket shift, and Zach seemed to shrink. “So I’d suggest you don’t move. He’s between me and you. I think I’m okay, but I wouldn’t recommend you make any sudden shifts.”

“Damn it, Meg.”

“There you go cursing again. That’s not nice,” she cajoled as she slowly backed away from Zach. “We’ll take good care of Simon and make certain he gets turned in.”

“Meg, you can’t go off and leave me tied up, no gun, with a rattlesnake in my bedroll. That’s not right,” Zach cried, staring at her, his brown eyes wide.

After the last year of her heart healing from the damage he’d inflicted, it was hard for her to suddenly feel all soft and full of pity for him. And she knew for certain that the only snake close by, was in Zach’s pants.

“You know, Zach, the last year has made me a strong woman. Whatever womanly softness I possessed has pretty much been dried up by the trail and the hunt for bad men. I’ve kind of lost faith in the human race, and well, I can do a lot of things I’d never been able to do before. And leaving you behind…tied up with a snake in your blanket. That’s your problem.”

Zach fought the urge to jump up and move as quickly as possible from the blanket, but the rope ties restrained him. He’d witnessed a snake attack a man before, the bite dangerous, the venom lethal.

A rattle echoed again in the darkness, Zach was almost sure he saw the snake slither in his blanket. He hated snakes! He didn’t move. He didn’t breathe; he didn’t even twitch.

“See you, Zach. Best of luck to you.”

She scooped up Simon’s saddle for his horse and carried it away with her.

“Meg, don’t leave me.”

“Too-da-loo,” she called and walked away from the camp.

Zach barely breathed, fearful that deadly strike would come any second. His ears strained to hear the rattle again, and his eyes were fixed on the blanket waiting for it to move.

God, when he caught up with her, there would be hell to pay. If he weren't so frightened, he’d be untying these ropes and following her. But a rattlesnake bite could be deadly. So, he focused on the blanket, waiting for it to move.

Thirty minutes passed with him not moving, just listening for the deadly rattle of that rattlesnake. Finally, he’d had enough. Swallowing his fear, he slowly raised his left arm. No sound, nothing. He quickly untied his right arm.

Glancing at his blanket, he listened. Nothing.

Slowly, he reached close to his blanket and untied his left foot. There was no sound. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he inched back away from his blankets. When he was certain he was far enough away, he jumped up from the ground. He found a piece of firewood and beat the blanket with the stick.

No sound. Nothing. Fearing what he would find, he lifted the blanket off the ground with his stick.

There was no snake. She’d fooled him once again.

A blast of red-hot heat zipped up his spine, causing him to clench his fists. He all but stomped over to his mustang, and there was his gun. She’d at least left him his weapon.

“Damn it, Meg. You’ll pay for this!” Once again she’d gotten to him, and now she had Simon.

*

“What’s going on between you and the sheriff?” Simon asked when she finally slowed their horses after leaving Zach.

“None of your business,” Meg replied, trying to stay awake and knowing if she calculated her timing just right, she’d beat Zach back to town. Oh, she knew he would follow her. Part of her even wanted him to try to catch up and best them again, but she wouldn’t let him.

“Why’s the sheriff so interested in you?” Meg asked.

Simon laughed. “None of your business.”

“I guess we’re at a stalemate with neither one of us talking,” she responded, not really wanting to speak with Simon. The less she knew about her prisoners, the better. She didn’t want to hear their sob stories and why she should let them loose. She’d learned not to listen to their tales of woe and sorrow.

Everyone had a story. Everyone had an excuse. But Meg had little sympathy.

Beneath the stars, they steadily rode back the way they’d come. Hours passed, and exhaustion tormented Meg. Her butt was numb, her eyes felt gritty, and all she wanted to do was find a nice soft bed, kick off her boots, and sleep.

Now as a faint hint of light rose in the eastern sky, they were closing in on the town. Back where they’d started from. Meg hoped to reach the town at daybreak, and then she could turn in Simon and collect their pay. By the time Zach caught up with them, she hoped they would be lying on a soft mattress in a local hotel.

The sun was just beginning to peak over the edge of the horizon, and she could almost feel the taste of victory. Just a little longer until they could claim their bounty.

“Meg, what’s that up in the road ahead?” Ruby asked.

Meg strained her tired eyes at the long rope stretched across the road. “I don’t know. Be on the lookout.”

She slowed her horse and gazed at the bushes ahead of them. There was no sign of life. Nothing moved. Even the birds were silent. Normally, just as the sun rose, the birds were chirping and singing to one another. Silence hung heavy on the air, like just before a storm when the air didn’t move, and the stillness could foreshadow death.

“Something’s wrong,” Meg said quietly, her heart pounding in her chest, her eyes searching everywhere. Zach was here. She could feel him. She could sense his presence.

Simon started to whistle.

“Shut up, or I’ll put a bullet in you,” Meg replied, swiveling in her saddle toward Simon. He grinned wickedly and continued to whistle. A whirring noise alerted Meg as a blanket dropped down from above, covering her. She shoved the blanket off, reaching for her gun.

A rope whistled through the air, and Meg watched as her sister was lassoed right where she sat atop her horse. The rope effectively pinned her arms to her sides.

Zach dropped to the ground right in front of her, sliding his gun from its holster and pointing the barrel at her.

“Zach Gillespie,” Meg cried out.

“Good morning, sweet Meg. So happy to see you again. Don’t expect any quarter from me this time. There was no snake.”

They were so close to Creed. So close she could almost imagine handing over Simon and riding away. Frustration roared through her chest, causing her to gasp, pushing away all fear.

Meg laughed. “So you would have preferred a real snake in your blanket? I can arrange that next time if you’d like,” she promised, knowing she would never deliver. She hated snakes. But when you fear something, she’d learned to face it by acting tough. Never letting her fear show.

“Hardly. But I’m not going to fall for your tricks again.”

“How did you get ahead of me? I left you tied up with a snake in your blanket,” she asked.

He smiled. “I took a shortcut. Helps to know the farmers in this area,” he said with a grin that she wanted to swipe off his face.

She couldn’t let him witness her vexation because then he would win. She glanced at her hands.

“Don’t think about grabbing your gun. I’m tired and frustrated, and I’m just itching to lay my hands on you the way a man should never touch a lady.”

She smiled. Somehow the idea of him being embittered left a warm spot in the center of her belly. How would he touch her? They’d shared a few brief kisses when there had been the idea of a wedding and a ring between them. Now, all that was left were disappointed memories.

“Do tell. What would you do, sheriff? Tie me up? Oh, let’s see you’ve already done that. Kiss me? You’ve already done that. Hit me? That’s still open, but just be forewarned, I pack a mean punch.”

He pointed his gun right at her chest. “Toss me your gun.”

Meg pulled the gun out of her holster and flipped it to him. He picked it up and slid it into his leather case.

“Now get off your horse, nice and easy.”

She slid down her gelding until her feet touched the ground. “Now what, sheriff? Are you going to take my prisoner away again? What’s your interest in this man?”

“Same as any other criminal. He’s wanted.”

There was something in Zach’s dark brown eyes that flickered when he lied. He slid his gaze to Simon and then back to Meg. She turned to glance at Simon. She’d seen his face before. Maybe it was the wanted poster, maybe she’d seen him in town, but there was something about his face that seemed familiar.

“Since tying you up didn’t do me much good, I think I’ll try something new. Take off your shirt.”

For a moment, her ears rang with the sound of his words. He didn’t just tell her to remove her shirt did he?

She stared at him in disbelief. “What did you just say?”

“I said remove your shirt.”

“No.” Meg crossed her arms and glared at him.

What his intentions were, she had no idea, but she was not about to be naked in front of this man. He had the wrong woman if he thought she would completely disrobe in front of him.

He cocked his gun. “I’m tired of playing games with you, Meg. Take off your shirt.”

“May I remind you that there are other people here? Unlike you, I don’t flaunt myself naked before half the town.”

“I don’t care,” Zach demanded in a voice that no longer held any warmth.

Meg glanced around at the smirking Simon and her sister who both still sat on their horses. Oh hell, what would they see? Her chemise and that was it.

“You now have three seconds before I help you.”

“You? Alone? Who’s going to help you?” she asked.

“One. Two. Three,” he commanded.

She stood there, glaring at him. “Just tie us up and be on your way. I’m too tired to fight you.”

“No, take the shirt off,” he growled.

“Is this the only way you can get women to undress for you, sheriff? Hold a gun on her and threaten?”

He took a step toward her, and she stepped back, not wanting to feel his hands on her. She didn’t want him near her. She wanted to escape this attraction she felt toward him. The sooner he left, the better.

“Oh, all right,” she said. “I hope you enjoy the view.”

With a yank, she pulled her shirt out of her trousers. Her hands trembled as she unbuttoned her shirt and slid it off her body. Her cheeks flushed as embarrassment traveled down her body, riling her Irish temper like a sleeping lion. She threw the garment at him. “Happy?”

His lips turned up in a smile, but his eyes had darkened to a deep brown as his gaze swept over her, lingering on her chemise that barely covered her breasts. Heat traveled through her, but she refused to acknowledge the desire and only focused on the anger his actions had awakened.

“Not yet. Take off your pants,” he commanded, his voice husky.

“No. The shirt was enough. I’m not removing anything else,” she shouted, exasperated beyond belief.

He would have to shoot her before she would strip down naked on this road.

“Simon, can you crawl off your horse and come help Miss McKenzie?”

She glared at Zach. That criminal would feel the brunt of her fist if he dared touch her.

“Sorry, she tied me to the saddle horn,” Simon called.

“Meg, go untie Simon, so he can help undress you.”

“Not no, but hell no. I’m not doing it. No man is touching me, do you understand?”

He laughed. “Then take off your pants.”

“Why should I?”

“Because I’m just about to put a bullet in your sister, Ruby,” Zach announced, staring at her.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Meg said, her voice rising. No, he wouldn’t hurt Ruby. He was a good guy, even if Meg had obviously pushed him to his limits.

He cocked his pistol. “I’m really tired of chasing you, Meg. You’ve got to the count of five. One, Two. Three.”

“Oh, all right. But why are you doing this?” she asked, unbuttoning her pants. Then she slid them down her long legs.

“If your clothes go into town with me, then I’m hoping you don’t follow me any longer. If I leave you naked on the trail, then maybe you won’t come after me.”

“You wouldn’t,” she said, staring at him, knowing he’d have to fight her to get anything else removed.

Zach smiled that cocky grin that she wanted to swipe off his handsome face. “Did you leave me naked on Main Street?”

“But that wasn’t where just anyone would find you. Only the men from the saloon.”

He grinned. “You’re right. It wasn’t. I’ll leave you in your drawers. At least you’ll be covered up.”

Walking over to Ruby, he lifted her skirt and easily pulled her Baby Dragoon from her hidden holster.

“Hey,” she cried.

“I apologize, Miss McKenzie, but I have to protect myself and my prisoner from you girls.”

He loosened the noose around her arms. “Now, I will need you to remove your dress.”