Deadly (7 page)

“And he got his revenge by taking our bounty and tying us up.” Ruby sat, shaking her head, an expression of disgust on her face. “He should at least pay us for the bounty. We caught the longrider.”

“I’m going to town tomorrow to make certain he turned Simon in. I couldn’t decide if he was really after Simon or just getting revenge,” Meg replied quietly, removing her hat and hanging it on a hook by the door.

Annabelle had never seen Meg so obsessed. So determined to get her man. They were doing fine. They didn’t need the cash, so was the sheriff the reason she was so unfaltering to catch this Simon? Or was there another reason?

“At least we kept on most of our clothes,” Ruby said, propping her foot on another chair.

“What? What do you mean you kept on most of your clothes?”Annabelle stared at her sisters, shock rippling through her. “He made you remove your clothes?”

Meg shrugged. “The second time he caught us he made us strip down to our pantaloons.”

“That pervert. How dare he do that to my sisters.” Her chest tightened as anger bloomed throughout her. No one hurt one of the McKenzies without retribution. Annabelle was ready to storm into town and show Zach just how dangerous the three of them together could be. Meg may have left him naked, but Annabelle could think of worse things that could happen to a man. Especially if something bad had happened to one of her sisters because of his nonsense.

“He was trying to get even with me, but I think it got to him, when I removed my shirt and pants,” Meg said with a laugh. “I watched his face, and he didn’t have the look of a man who was certain about his actions.”

Ruby winked at Annabelle. “Oh yeah, he definitely had his brown eyes trained on Meg.”

“We lost him after that, and then Ruby got hurt. Tomorrow, I’m going into town. I want to see if there are any other bounties we can bring in.”

“Leave it alone, Meg. You’re not going out by yourself,” Ruby warned.

“I agree,” Annabelle responded. “One of you hurt is bad enough. I can’t take care of both of you. And I can’t go with you right now because one of us has to take care of Ruby. Plus, there’s spring calving. You’re going to have to wait,” she warned her sister, but somehow she felt like Meg wasn’t really listening. Determination oozed from her older sister and she seemed obstinate to finish their commitment.

“We’re so close to having the bank completely paid off,” Meg said quietly.

“It can wait,” Annabelle demanded, staring at her older sister, her hands on her hips, her feet spread apart. Sometimes Meg forgot how dangerous this profession of capturing criminals could be. It was almost like she thrived on putting away men who’d committed a crime. Sometimes, she thought she was invincible. But they all knew that wasn’t true.

It wasn’t often the two younger sisters ganged up on Meg, but this time she had to see reason. They needed to sit tight and wait until Ruby healed enough so she could go hunting again.

“I’m just going to check things out. Once Ruby is well, we’ll finish what we started.”

Annabelle stared at Meg. “We’re not as hungry as we were. We’ve built up our supplies, the bank account. Leave it be, Meg.”

“Let it go,” Ruby said. “You’re not thinking clearly.”

Annabelle watched as anger, disappointment, and even determination seemed to flit across Meg’s expressive face. Oh yeah, something about this latest bounty was eating at her and she’d be like a dog with a bone until this was resolved.

“Let’s wait and see what tomorrow brings,” Meg replied as she walked out the door to put the horses up.

Ruby shook her head and glanced at Annabelle. “She’s not going to let this go. She’s fixated on getting Simon because of Zach.”

*

Early the next morning, Zach sat behind the sheriff’s desk, closing out the monthly accounting records, making sure everything balanced before he left on the road again. The door opened, and he glanced up, his heart jumping into his throat.

Meg strolled through the door, looking like a ray of sunshine. Only, he had to remember, those rays sometimes burnt a man to a crisp.

Her auburn hair curled down her back in waves, and her emerald eyes flashed with amusement as she stared at him. Why did he always feel like she could see right through him? That she knew what he was thinking.

Why did she make him want to grab her, pull her into the nearest cell, and show her how a man in control dealt with a woman like her?

“Meg.”

“Zach.”

His eyes looked her over from head to toe, the memory of her standing so proudly out on the road in her chemise and pantaloons slammed into his mind, so real and vivid he could smell the spring flowers and hear the birds chirping. The sight of her standing in his office had his body tightening up in ways he’d long forgotten. “I see the journey in your pantaloons didn’t seem to harm you.”

She smiled at him, one of those I’m-going-to-eat-you-for-lunch grins, as she took a seat across from him and put her boot up on his desk. “How many lives do you have, cowboy? The rattlesnake didn’t get you, and somehow you managed to hide yourself and Simon very well.”

“Sometimes it’s better to stop and rest before you travel on. That’s what I did.”

It had taken everything he knew to keep Meg from finding him and Simon. And even then, he’d gone for miles, glancing behind him, sure, she would discover them again.

“Looks like your beauty sleep didn’t work too well,” she quipped. “You’re still carrying a grudge on your shoulder like a sack of potatoes.”

He laughed and then checked his shoulders. “Me, carry a grudge? Yes, I am, but it’s not sitting on my shoulders. It’s lower.”

The damn woman had left him exposed, sitting on Main Street naked. Nothing had stung so badly as when she’d ignored him when he’d said he was going to marry her. She’d paid no mind to the fact that against everyone’s advice he’d planned on standing up with her and the sin-buster.

A blush stained her cheeks, and it was all he could do to keep from jumping over the desk and pulling her into his arms again. In the wee hours of the morning, he’d awakened, remembering that last kiss, dreaming of how her lips felt beneath his, wanting to experience them again.

No woman had ever gotten beneath his skin like Meg. It felt like standing on a porch while watching a Texas twister churn toward you. If you weren’t careful, you’d get slammed.

“Too bad,” she said, her chin rising defiantly, her eyes flashing with disdain.

He leaned back, crossed his arms over his chest, and gazed at her. God, she was a beautiful woman, and yet, she dressed and acted like a man. Was he wrong to want a soft woman who’d let him wear the pants in the family?

She glanced over at the empty jail cells. “Where’s Simon?”

He’d known this question was coming, and he didn’t know how to answer her. He couldn’t tell her Simon had hanged, as there hadn’t been a trial. He couldn’t say he’d left him in another jail, as she could check and find out he was lying, and then he could lose the job he loved.

He sighed and chose the answer he was sure would cause him the most trouble, but would allow him to retain his job. “He got away.”

She jumped up from her chair. “What do you mean he got away? You’re a lawman. How do you lose a prisoner?”

“When he knocks you out cold and takes off, that’s how,” he replied, hoping she wouldn’t seek Simon out. Praying she’d give the pursuit a rest.

Zach had some business to take care of first. Then he would ride out, find Mary Lowell, and hear her story. Hopefully, he’d learn the truth regarding Simon then handle the situation in the most law-abiding way.

“And you didn’t go after him?” Meg asked her eyes wide and her mouth open in disbelief. She shook her head and gazed at him with a weird look on her face. “What kind of sheriff are you?”

“A damn good one,” he responded as a curl of frustration tightened his fists. He’d made a promise—a vow that held him hostage.

She shook her head at him. “A damn good one for who? The criminals?”

“No,” he said. “I’m going after him.”

“Something’s not right. You would never have let a prisoner get away and not hunt him down.”

“Leave it be, Meg. I’m going after him tomorrow,” Zach demanded, standing and coming around the desk. “Don’t even think about going after him.”

“Why?” she asked. “Why is he different than all the other prisoners I bring in? Why should I stay away from him?”

“Because he’s dangerous.” Zach placed his hands on her shoulders, wanting to shake some sense into her. God, she was so defiant, so reckless, so brave and stupid. She would place herself in danger just to earn this bounty.

“That’s never stopped me before,” she said in a daring tone.

His hands moved from her shoulders to cup her face, and he stared at her, his gaze intent on trying to see inside her soul. To see if she would listen to him and stay in town or if she planned on pursuing Simon.

He stared at her luscious lips, longing to taste her again, needing to see if there was still passion between them. Wanting so badly to kiss her. To taste her again. To plunder some sense into her way-too-smart brain.

“You can’t go after him,” he whispered, unable to stop himself as his mouth came down on hers. His lips assaulted hers, pouring all his resentment of the situation into her mouth as he moved over her lips, indulging and holding her mouth captive. He kissed her with all his frustration from her ignoring his proposal. He kissed her with all the pent-up passion that had long been denied for her tempting curves and her luscious mouth.

Suddenly her hands came up between them, and she pushed away. She stepped back from him. “That’s enough, Sheriff. Don’t forget I’m still that same pants-wearing woman who is going after Simon. He’s mine, and I won’t be bringing him back to your jail, so he can conveniently escape again.” She spun on her heels and walked out the door, her boots ringing against the hardwood floor.

“Damn,” he said. “The chase is on again.”

S
he’d never thought of Zach Gillespie as stupid. But how could he have let a known killer escape and not hunt him? What kind of lawman let a man wanted for murder get away? If he hadn’t interfered with her bringing him in, Simon would be sitting in jail, awaiting trial. She’d be five hundred dollars richer, and the bank loan would be paid off.

She kicked the sides of her horse, spurring him toward the house. Gritting her teeth, she let the frustration of their last conversation wash over her like spring’s flash floods. There was still plenty of daylight, and she could be halfway to Dyersville, where she’d last seen Simon, by nightfall.

Yet, as she pulled up in front of the farmhouse and threw her leg over the saddle, her biggest battle of the day lay ahead. They had agreed never to hunt alone, but they hadn’t planned on Ruby getting hurt when Annabelle was needed at home. They would just have to listen to reason or not.

She slid to the ground and marched into the house, determined that no matter what was said she would be on the road within an hour. She would be in Simon’s hometown tomorrow. Maybe he wouldn’t be there, but maybe he would. No matter, the hunt was on again. And this time she’d win. This time he wouldn’t escape. This time he would go to jail.

When Meg walked into the house, Ruby looked up from her chair with a frown on her face. “What happened?”

Meg didn’t say a word. She went into her bedroom and pulled out her war bags. She tossed in two extra pairs of clothes, grabbed her blanket roll, and carried the bags into the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” Ruby asked, her blue eyes wide with alarm. “Simon wasn’t there, was he?”

Meg grabbed some leftover biscuits, put them in a tin along with some dried fruit, and shoved the meager rations in her bags. Where she was going, she wouldn’t need a lot of food.

“Damn it, Meg, talk to me. You can’t go after him alone. Wait a minute, and I’ll get my things and go with you,” Ruby said, rising from the chair.

“No,” Meg told her. “You’re not going with your ankle in that kind of shape. I can’t be worrying about you. This job I’m doing alone.”

“We made a promise we would always hunt together,” Ruby said, her voice rising.

“Well, sometimes promises have to be broken,” Meg yelled back. Her stomach clenched, and her limbs stiffened as determination pulsed through her blood. It wasn’t like she wanted to go by herself, but she had no choice. “This time it’s just me.”

Annabelle chose that moment to walk into the house. “What’s all the noise about? I could hear you guys clear out in the garden.”

“Meg’s going after Simon…alone.”

“No, you’re not,” Annabelle said, taking a step into the living area, where the three sisters took positions like three prizefighters circling the ring. “We made a deal there would always be two of us.”

“So fire me. I’m breaking the deal,” Meg said, pulling on her long coat, which she knew she would need tonight. “For every day we linger, the trail gets colder.”

“Meg, wait. I’ll go with you. Let me just gather my things,” Annabelle said.

“No. You’re needed here with Ruby. It’s spring calving season. I can do this without your help.”

Annabelle stopped and stared at Meg, her green eyes flashing with anger. “We stick together. We’re like the three musketeers. Don’t do this. I won’t have you go missing or learn I have to bury my sister. You can’t do this without one of us by your side.”

Meg took a deep breath; her heart was pounding in her chest like a runaway locomotive. She had to follow Simon. She had to finish this, so her sisters wouldn’t have to ever bounty hunt again, even if that meant she’d die trying.

“I’m leaving. I’ll be back, or I’ll send you a telegram in a few days and let you know I’m all right,” Meg said, walking toward the door. Part of her knew she was doing wrong, but she refused to stop. She had to go after him like the moon chased the setting sun, like a bull pursued a cow, like a good sheriff chased a criminal.

Or at least, like a good sheriff
should
chase a criminal.

Simon had become a token that Zach and she were fighting over, and she was determined to win this time. The bounty would be hers. Simon would go to jail. The bank loan would be paid in full, and neither Annabelle nor Ruby would ever have to ride after a bad man again.