Sweet Justice (2 page)

Now he lifted his head and glared at me. "You brought bounty hunters right to our doorstep."

"I did no such thing! They stopped me halfway to town. You can be angry with me if you wish, but at least tell them the truth."

He sighed. "Very well. She's innocent."

"Your words won't make a difference. The evidence says otherwise. Surrender, Mr. Sinclair," the leader said.

"To just you?" Kevin laughed.

I heard a gun shot that had come from the other side of the house.

"Not just me," the bounty hunter replied, perfectly calm. I jumped a foot at the sound and my heartbeat frantically against my chest. "It doesn't matter if you're alive or not to get our money."

"We're not giving up without a fight." With that, Kevin moved at a pace that stunned me. I never knew he could do anything quickly; he was such a lazy person. His gun was out and before I could do more than blink, I was shoved off the horse by big hands. I fell jarringly to my hands and knees in a cloud of dust as the first shots rang out. All I could do was stare at the hard ground, stunned by the quick succession of events. I didn't even have time to get my bearings or the air back in my lungs before it was all over.

WILEY

We rode into town as a caravan of horses. Neither my men nor me were injured in the brief shootout, but Bill Sinclair, the younger brother, was dead, his body tossed over the back of a horse. Kevin Sinclair had a gunshot wound to his upper arm, superficial but deep enough to make him bitch and moan about it the whole time. We'd tied a cloth tightly around it to stanch the flow of blood, but unfortunately, he'd survive. His father, Harlan, was unscathed. Of course, he'd hidden in the house while his sons fought his battle for him. He showed no injuries, nor said a word, and both men's hands were tied tightly before them. If I'd had my way, I would have them hogtied and dragged them. As for Piper, she was once again in front of me, her hands unbound. She couldn't flee, even if she tried. Four men with guns were quite a deterrent, especially since she'd seen firsthand what happened to the one brother who'd resisted us.

"I'm surprised you flung me off the horse. I figured you'd protect yourself with my bleeding corpse."

I stiffened at her words, for they hit their mark well. I
had
used her as a barrier against dangerous criminals. I guessed the Sinclair men wouldn't actually take a shot at their sister, which meant I would remain whole. But when danger did appear, I pushed her out of the way, protecting her as a man did a woman, not a criminal.

"I think one dead Sinclair's enough, don't you?"

I felt no loss at shooting her brother. He was armed and had already fired a shot when I'd gunned him down. In my line of work it was kill or be killed.

She glanced back at her brother's body, rubbing her arms as if she were cold, no doubt thinking about her probable fate. She wasn't one for hysterics, but perhaps the shock of the entire day was keeping her fairly mute. The circuit judge would decide
all
of their fates, but she'd most likely hang. That notion didn't sit well with me. In fact, nothing about the woman did. When I'd heard about a female member of the Sinclair family, I'd expected a married, older woman whose unattractive attitude would match her appearance. This was certainly not the case.

Piper Sinclair was young, perhaps early twenties, and quite stunning. Her coloring was similar to mine - light hair and green eyes, but that was all. She had freckles across her petite nose and her hair looked soft and shiny. Her skin, well, it was peaches and cream and porcelain smooth. She was slight of build and trim of figure. Her breasts were high and well formed, most likely a tidy handful. I frowned at the very idea. I had no place being attracted to her. She was a member of the Sinclair family, and their daring, dangerous and murdering escapades were known all across the Territory. We just didn't know who or where they were until now.

She seemed clearly surprised when the money box was found among her vegetables and all but forced her brother to clear her name. He'd admitted she was innocent, but I doubted it. If she were living with an outlaw gang, she'd had her entire life with her brothers and father, to learn the art of deception. She could easily be a skilled actress. She couldn't, however, fake her beauty or her pleasant scent. I inwardly groaned as her floral smell drifted up from her heated skin. A sheen of perspiration coated her nape and her pale hair clung there. I imagined her being damp with sweat, her hair wild across my pillow as I had my way with her.

My interest in her was only because I'd been without a woman for some time. She was appealing, being so close and sweet scented. What conscious male could avoid getting a cock stand from such a situation? Perhaps the circuit judge who would rule her guilty or innocent. Could he be impartial, or would he take her curves into consideration?

No, the idea of her swinging from a rope did not sit well. The pretty neck that I'd just observed did not need to be broken by a hanging. Was she innocent or intelligent and sly?

***

Sheriff Perkins met us when we rode up to the small town jail and helped us lead the prisoners into the single cell. It was much cooler inside, the sun not penetrating the room's thick walls.

"Looks like a big day for you and your men," the sheriff said as he led the recalcitrant prisoners toward the cell. They were a sorry trio. Kevin favored his arm, the father looked almost weary and Miss Sinclair's posture was ramrod straight.

I nodded. The money we'd receive for all four members of the Sinclair family would be a tidy sum, well worth the months of hunting across half the Territory, as well as the long ride home. It would also bring justice to those killed, including my father. I wanted to know these culprits would swing for their disregard for innocent lives.

"Know when the circuit judge will be coming by next?" I asked, hoping it was soon.

"Tomorrow." He held up his hand stopping Miss Sinclair. "You don't have to sit in there with the others."

She turned to face the sheriff, eyebrows raised.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because she's free to go."

"Free to go? Why the hell is she free to go?" I ran my hand over my beard.

"Her brother said she was innocent. Isn't that right, Kevin?"

I glanced at her brother, a man I didn't trust one lick.

"Yes, Sheriff, she's innocent."

"She had the money box in the wagon with her," I countered.

"She had nothing to do with any of it," Harlan Sinclair said. In his fifties, he was weather worn and gray. He didn't seem to be an overly affectionate parent, his words less to save his daughter and more about fact.

"Are you saying she was a patsy?" I asked, stunned.

"Hey!" Miss Sinclair piped up.

Harlan nodded. Yeah, no love lost there. The woman's father had used her to commit crimes. Whether she knew about it was the question. "Yup."

"See?" the sheriff asked. "Look, I've known Piper all her life. She wasn't involved in this. Now those two," he pointed to the Sinclair men, "those two are guilty as charged. Just have to wait for the circuit judge to rule. As for Piper, she's free to go."

Miss Sinclair smiled at the man's words.

I held up a hand. "Now hold on here. You can't just let her go!" Miss Sinclair's smile faltered. "The witness said a woman was part of the group that not only robbed the stage, but murdered innocent people. I'm not letting her escape while we wait for the circuit judge."

"Her family said she was innocent, and I'm a character witness." The sheriff closed and locked the cell door, Miss Sinclair on one side, her family on the other. "If you don't want her to escape, then you can keep her until morning when the judge arrives. I expect around ten."

"You can't be serious," I said, my voice dark. I looked to the other three men in my group. All three shook their heads and stepped back, murmuring about I should just let her go, but I couldn't.

I sighed. A prisoner was a prisoner, even if she wore a dress, and had pert breasts, and freckles. She might
look
innocent and the sheriff might
think
she's innocent, but I would wait for the circuit judge to decide tomorrow. I'd searched too hard and too long to let her get away now.

How hard could it be to guard one woman overnight? I'd frisked her earlier so I wasn't in danger of her shooting me if she got the notion.

The man put his hands on his hips and gave me his lawman stare. "I'm very serious."

I sighed once again. "Fine. I'll watch her until the judge arrives tomorrow. Where the hell do you expect me to keep her? My hotel room?"

PIPER

The idea of spending the evening in the hotel was more appealing than the alternative of a lumpy, dirty mattress in a cell with my father and Kevin. However, spending the night in the hotel
with
the bounty hunter was something else entirely. I had been relieved when Kevin and my father had both proclaimed me innocent and the sheriff provided a solid character reference, but did Mr. Easton believe any of them? No!

I was free to go, per the sheriff, but the bounty hunter intended to keep me hostage until the circuit judge came in the morning. He obviously didn't like me, which made me frown. I'd done nothing to the man and he'd made me out to be an accomplice to murder! Even the sheriff couldn't make him change his mind. He hadn't said so out loud, but it was more than obvious, by his job alone, that he did not stand for anyone on the wrong side of the law.

I sat quietly in a tall backed chair with my arms crossed over my chest and watched Billy Michaels, the hotel owner's son, deliver bucket after bucket of water and filled a hip tub in the middle of the room. He gave me a questioning look each time he came into the room, but said nothing. The bounty hunter—I still didn't know his name—helped by carrying water as well, making the task go twice as fast; he was quite eager for a bath it seemed. I tried to leave once, making it as far as the top of the stairs. The man's large body blocked my path.

"Going somewhere?" he asked. We were at eye level for once and I could see flecks of gold in his beard.

"I do not have to stay here with you." I tried to squeeze past him, but he just shifted his weight one way, then the other, to block my path.

"Actually, you do."

I wanted to stomp my foot, but I would not stoop to his level of pettiness. "My brother and father said I had nothing to do with the crimes."

He shook his head slowly. "Said two guilty men. We'll let the circuit judge decide tomorrow. I'm not letting you out of my sight until then."

"You don't believe me?"

He sat the bucket down, water sloshing over the top. "It's not my job to believe you or not." Coming up a step, he forced me to step back. Picking up his bucket, he practically herded me down the hall and into the room.

I sat and watched as the men went about the task until the tub was filled halfway. The cool, clean water looked appealing to my sweaty, itchy skin.

Once the bounty hunter gave Billy his tip and the door closed behind him, he started to unbutton his shirt. While I was curious as to whether he had chest hair and what its color was, I blushed at his task. "I beg your pardon," I said in my primmest tone, my spine straightening.

His hands stopped mid-motion, then he sighed.

"I appreciate your maidenly modesty, however, I've been on the trail for the past three months searching for you and your family and I want a bath."

"I'll sit outside the door," I countered, crossing my hands over my chest.

His sandy colored eyebrow went up. "Sure, you will. You have two choices. Sit and watch or turn your chair around and spare yourself the sight."

I opened my mouth to tell him what I thought of his
choices
, but he pulled the tails of her shirt free of his pants, making it clear that he was taking a bath whether I turned around or not. I stood, picked up the chair and turned it the other way. Sitting down, I stared at the room's wall and counted the number of knots in the simple wood.

The splashing was the only indication that he'd gotten in the tub. This was utterly ridiculous! I didn't have to sit here with a man taking a bath. I was innocent.

I stood and began to skirt around the tub without looking at him, my eyes averted, but he stood to his full height in all his wet, naked glory and took hold of my arm. "You wanted to join me?"

It was hard to keep my eyes on his, for in my periphery I could see broad shoulders, a solid chest that had a sprinkling of sandy colored hair. He had narrow hips and below...oh!

My cheeks flushed remembering the feel of that hard chest against my back as we rode. I had lived with two brothers and a father, but none compared to the bounty hunter. His hands were quite large and he was quite strong. Would he be rough when he touched a woman or could he be gentle? Those whiskers...I thought once again about them and how they'd feel against my skin...everywhere.

"I'm leaving."

His grip tightened for just a moment as he shook his head, then angled it toward the empty chair. "Sit."

I narrowed my eyes at him defiantly and didn't move. It was a battle of wills, but I knew that wouldn't be enough. He had size on his side. Nakedness, too, for he was just as intimidating, if not more so, undressed.

I tugged my arm out of his grip and huffed back to the chair and sat facing the wall once again, yet the image of him with droplets of water on his tanned skin filled my mind.

"You may turn around." His voice broke through my thoughts minutes later.

"Are...are you decent?" I asked, before I did so.

"Yes, Miss Sinclair, I'm decent."

When I stood and turned, I took in his clean clothes, the dirty ones in a pile on the floor. Dark pants and a light shirt fit snugly across his solid physique. His hair was overly long and appeared finger combed, yet still wet.

"Your turn, if you'd like."

I licked my lips at the idea, for I was sticky and dusty, but was instantly appalled. "I couldn't with you in the same room!"

He held up his hands in defense. "I'll empty the water from the tub and draw fresh for you. I'll wait outside in the hall."