Just After Midnight: Historical Romance (17 page)

Pulling his revolver, Alex checked the weapon, then took a deep breath and kicked open the door. He crouched low, ready to fire at the slightest movement.

“Who’s there?” Megan cried.

“Are you alone?”

An audible sigh of relief drifted on the smoke-scented air. Megan’s sigh. “Yes. But I don’t know for how long. Get me out of here.”

Alex crossed the room, gaze darting into every corner. He reached the bed and anger filled him at the sight of her tied hand and foot. He dropped to his knees by the bed, setting the revolver on the floor nearby before releasing Megan.

As soon as she was free, she launched herself into his arms and he held her tightly, not realizing until that moment how frightened he had been since he had discovered her missing. His lips descended upon hers, desperate to prove to himself that she was well and safe in his arms.

Megan kissed him back just as desperately, her hands pushing his hat from his head to tangle in his hair and pull him closer. He had been so cold, but within moments his body warmed. Impatiently he yanked off his gloves and cradled the warm, smooth flesh of her cheeks in his hands as he deepened their kiss. When she tried to draw him back with her onto the bed, Alex broke the embrace with a groan. Now was not the time for such a reunion, though his body might demand one. Instead, Alex sat on the bed, drawing Megan onto his lap, where her head fell naturally into the crook of his shoulder.

“How did you find me?” she asked.

“Damon. Who brought you here?”

“Ian.

He should have known. “Ian’s been hiding at Geraldine’s all this time. And Queen is missing. Have you seen her?”

“No.”

“That doesn’t mean she isn’t around somewhere.”

“What possible reason would Queen have for kidnapping me?”

“I intend to find that out.” Alex put her on her feet and stood. “But first I want to get you back to town. There should be a search party not too far behind me.” He yanked the fur rug from the bed and put it around her. “Are you up to the trip?”

“I’ll follow you anywhere,” she said with a smile.

“That’s my girl. Let’s go.” He was reaching for his revolver when the door swung open.

“Carson, leave the gun right where it is and step away from Meggie. Nice and slow.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“McMurphy, I’ve been looking for you.” Alex stepped away from Megan, his gaze on the rifle in Ian’s hands.

“I know. Slide that revolver right on over here and then go sit against the wall.” Ian motioned with the gun.

Alex complied, cursing himself for being caught in such a situation. But he had bested Ian in a fight before and he could do so again. If he could only get rid of the guns.

“What’s the meaning of this, McMurphy?” Megan demanded.

Ignoring her question, Ian crossed the room and shoved her back on the bed. Alex stood up, but when Ian cocked the revolver and leveled it at him, he subsided. The big man quickly retied Megan, then pulled a chair over and as efficiently tied Alex into it. “That should hold you two until Willie comes,” Ian remarked.

“Willie? You know Willie?” Megan exclaimed.

“Of course I know my partner.”

A sound from the door made Ian frown and he stalked over to glance outside. A bundle of snarling black fur hit him in the chest, and he staggered but did not fall. The wolf hit the floor and came up on all fours, crouched for another leap. Megan and Alex watched in helpless horror as Ian raised his rifle.

“No!” Megan screamed.

But before Ian could fire the gun, Damon leapt, his teeth sinking into Ian’s free hand. The big man howled in pain, then brought the rifle across to smash the butt against Damon’s skull. The wolf released his hold and crumpled to the floor.

“I’ll kill you for that, McMurphy.” Tears welled in Megan’s eyes.

“I don’t think you’ll have the opportunity. Not before you die, anyway.” Ian dragged the wolf’s limp body outside. He returned to wait just inside the open door.

“So, what’s your plan?” Alex asked.

“I’m not the planner in this partnership; that’s Willie.”

“Where’s Queen?” Megan asked.

Ian raised his eyebrows. “Oh, she’s around.”

“With Willie?”

Ian laughed. “Yeah, she’s with Willie. They’ll be here soon.” He looked at Alex. “Didn’t expect to find you here though. I’ve wanted to take care of you all along, but Willie said no. Now there won’t be any choice. Suits me just fine. I knew you were trouble as soon as I heard your name.”

“You knew Joanna?” Alex ventured.

“Knew her.” Ian snorted. “You could say that. Brought her here from San Francisco.”

“What about Brian?”

“They were friends. He tried to warn her against me, but she wouldn’t listen. Even when we got here, he gave her a job, hopin’ she’d leave me be. But I could always promise her more than Brian could.”

“Because you lied and Papa wouldn’t,” Megan muttered.

Ian grinned, shrugged. “Part of my charm. Josie was good company till she got pregnant; then she got whiny. Always talkin’ about the kid, how I had to do right by her.”

“So you left her on Paradise Alley.” Alex’s fury grew, increased by the knowledge that he couldn’t get his hands around the man’s throat.

“Of course. Perfect place for her. How was I to know she was so weak? Women have kids all the time. They don’t go and kill themselves over it.”

“You’re disgusting,” Megan said from the bed.

“I’d watch my mouth if I were you, Meggie. I’ve always had a taste for redheads.”

“You won’t touch her,” Alex stated.

“And what do you plan to do about it, Carson?”

“I’ll kill you slowly, instead of quickly as I’d planned.”

Ian laughed, loud and long, slapping his thighs for emphasis. “Can’t wait to see you try. I haven’t had such a good laugh since old Brian tried to fight me before I killed him.”

“You killed my father?” Megan said softly.

“Of course. Willie said he was gettin’ too close to the gold.”

“What gold?” Alex asked, trying to keep Ian’s attention away from Megan.

“The gold on this claim.” Ian looked at him as if he were a half-wit. “You don’t know anything do you? Willie and Brian were partners. Willie hired me to do the mining on this claim. We found gold and then decided to get rid of Brian so we could have the gold ourselves. Brian made it easy, going off on a trip the way he did after I sent him that note. Easy enough to set off an avalanche on that pass, and then no one even went lookin’ for him. Thought I killed that damn wolf, too. Should have shot it.” He glanced out the door. “Hell and damnation, he’s gone.” Without another word, Ian went in search of Damon.

Megan turned to look at Alex. “I can’t believe he murdered my father, and all those innocent people on the pass. Papa was so gentle and kind. He loved adventures and new ideas.” She sighed and closed her eyes. “I feel like I’ve lost him all over again.”

The red rage inside Alex hardened into a cold knot of fury. “I know what you mean.”

Immediately her eyes flew open, her gaze searching out his. “I’m sorry. To hear about your sister that way. From that . . . that . . . brute.” She jerked on the bonds with a futile gesture. “I want to scratch his eyes out.”

“I had something a little more painful in mind.”

“We’ve got to get out of here before Ian comes back. You heard what he said. When Willie and Queen get here, they’re going to kill us.” Megan bit her lip. “I can’t believe Queen is involved in this. She was my friend. I trusted her, confided in her, and all along she was after my father’s gold.”

“I’ll take care of her, too.”

“Not if you’re bound hand and foot like a Christmas goose,” Megan pointed out.

“But I’m not bound hand and
foot
, and that’s where Ian made his first mistake.”

“What?”

Alex lifted his boot onto the bed near Megan’s bound hands. “I’ve got a knife in my boot. If you can just get it out, we’ll be free in no time.”

Megan looked at him with admiration. “
Prepartion
really is your middle name, isn’t it?”

“I do my best.”

Megan twisted onto her side to give her fingers better access to his boot, and Alex leaned back, trying to think of a way to get them both out of the cabin alive.

Megan’s fingers were sore and her head ached, but she almost had the knife worked to the top of Alex’s boot. Then would come the task of releasing Alex’s hands. He had been surprisingly patient and gentle with her fumbling attempts to rescue the knife. She could tell by the still, cold set of his face he was planning their escape—and Ian’s demise.

Her fingers closed around the handle of the knife and she was able to draw it slowly from the boot. Her eyes met Alex’s and he smiled. Then his gaze went to the door as the sound of barking dogs approached.

Within minutes the sound came closer stopping before the cabin. Shortly thereafter the door slammed open, and Megan pushed the knife back into Alex’s boot.

Startled, she looked up to encounter a tall, broad figure in a hooded bearskin coat. She could make out no features beneath the shadow of the hood as the being’s head swung to and fro, scanning the cabin. The long, mournful howl of a wolf rent the night, and the figure whirled, returning outside without a word.

Megan released a sigh that turned into a groan when Alex replaced his boot next to her hands. She would have to start all over again in her attempt to retrieve the knife.

This time she was able to retrieve the knife more quickly. Her hands shook with tension as she tried to steady the blade. If only they had enough time to get free.

As if in denial to her wish, the door swung open again, re-admitting Ian and the figure swathed in bearskin. Megan slipped the knife under her pillow.

“I can’t help it, Willie,” Ian was saying as they entered. “I thought the cursed animal was dead. If he comes back I’ll shoot ‘im this time.”

The cloaked figure said nothing, and from Ian’s nervous shuffling of feet, that was a bad sign. Megan kept her eyes on the figure, wondering what Willie had done to make Ian’s bullying demeanor shift so abruptly.

“Well, you two have been wondering about Willie, so here you go. Made a right big nuisance of yourself about it, too. Too bad you won’t live to tell anyone our little secret.”

“Where’s Queen?” Megan asked. Had the two done away with her, as well?

“Right here, Lovey.”

Megan’s mouth fell open in surprise as the coat fell to the floor to reveal the immense dancer. “I—I—don’t understand,” Megan stammered.

“Of course you don’t. You’re not supposed to,” Queen soothed.

“Enough of this,” Alex said. “Where’s Willie Shore?”

“Right here, Lieutenant.” Queen threw back her head and cackled. “Willie’s me and I’m Willie.”

“You’re Willie Shore?” Megan asked. “But how?”

“Everyone has an alias in Dawson City, and I’m no exception. I was born Wilhemina Shore. I came up to the Yukon to get away from a little trouble I had in California. No one here but your Papa knew me as anyone but Queen Love.”

“How could you kill him, Queen?” Megan found herself unable to call the woman by any other name.

Queen looked at her, confused. “I didn’t kill him. Ian did.”

“And you didn’t know about it?” Alex asked.

“I didn’t say that. I’m just saying I didn’t kill him. Ian was getting jealous of how fond I was of Brian, and there was the gold and all. One night I said, ‘Well, if you hate him so much, why don’t you get rid of him.’ The next thing I knew, Brian was dead.” She shrugged and sat at the table.

Megan couldn’t believe the woman could sit and calmly talk about Brian’s death. She wanted to break something into tiny pieces, preferably Queen’s face.

“You’ve been lying to me all along,” Megan said.

“True. But it had to be done. I never expected you to show up in the Yukon. Then when you did and refused to leave, I thought maybe if I made The Celebration a success you wouldn’t bother with the claim. Hadn’t figured the lieutenant would help you out.” Queen frowned at Alex.

“Did you know my sister?” Alex asked.

“Sure did. Pretty little thing. But once Ian and I were partners, she had to go. Never thought she’d fall apart that way, though.”

Megan could tell by the set of Alex’s jaw that he was having as hard a time as she dealing with Queen’s casual attitude toward death and murder. The woman believed any means justified the end as long as she got what she desired.

“So, when we started to get too close to the answers, you tried to kill us?” Alex prompted.

“That was my idea,” Ian said as he lounged in the doorway. “I put black snakeroot in your punch and had one of the miners give it to you. Too bad you only took a swallow.”

“Yes, too bad,” Alex muttered.

“Then,” Ian continued, “when that didn’t work, I took a shot at Meggie here. I could tell you were real sweet on her, and I figured if she were gone you wouldn’t keep sniffin’ around. But I ain’t too good of a shot.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” Queen narrowed her gaze upon Ian.

Megan realized then that Queen merely tolerated Ian, taking advantage of his strength and his feelings for her. Everyone in Dawson City had thought Ian a man with the Midas touch. Now Megan witnessed the brains behind his success.

“I wish you had left when you could. I grew right fond of you. But now I’ve got no choice. You and the lieutenant here will have to meet your maker. We’ll make it look like an accident so no one starts lookin’ for us. Once you’re gone, it’ll be a small matter to take over The Celebration, and the entire mine will belong to me.”

“How do you plan to do this deed?” Alex asked.

Megan threw him an irritated look. He acted as though they were discussing the weather over a cup of tea, rather than their murders while they were tied to the furniture.

“The cabin will burn with you both inside. Happens all the time in these parts. One spark on a fur, and the place goes up in flames while the occupants sleep. Everyone in town knows you two have been keeping to the same bed. No one will be suspicious that you died in the cabin together. It’s kind of romantic in a way.”

Megan opened her mouth to say a party of Mounties was on the way, but snapped it shut at a look from Alex.

“Is there a lot of gold on this claim?” Megan asked to buy time.

“Loads. This is one of the best stretches of land on the river. Your Pa got it in a card game, but you know how he was about gold claims. He asked me to register it and see about gettin’ someone to do the work. We’d be partners. I never thought anything would come of it. One of the few times I was wrong.”

Queen heaved herself to her feet, walked over to the bed, and looked down at Megan. Megan tried not to flinch when Queen touched her face. “I really did like you,” she said, as though to herself, then shrugged. “But that’s neither here nor there. Bye, Lovey. Have a nice hereafter.”

With a nod to Ian, Queen picked up her coat and left without a backward glance.

“What a sweetheart,” Alex muttered.

“Don’t be sayin’ nothin’ about my Willie.” Ian glared. “She’s too smart for the likes of you.”

Alex raised his eyebrows and remained silent. Ian looked as though he wanted to take his fists to Alex, and Megan had begun to fear he would give in to the impulse when an impatient call from Queen had Ian swinging away and lumbering to the fireplace. Within seconds, he had set fire to the fur rug and some blankets. He smiled in their direction, bowed, and closed the door. The sound of the dogs retreating soon faded as the crackle of the fire intensified.