“I am saving them,” he argued back. “All women are born weakened and have to be purified. I am doing God’s work.”
“You are insane!”
“And you are mine,” he seethed. “But first, I have to take care of your lover. He is getting too nosy.”
“Don’t you dare touch him!” Hope screamed. Dalbow was beyond reason and so was she.
He laughed. “I plan on doing much more to him. Until later, my dear Miss Hope,” he mocked, preparing to leave. “And don’t have any false hopes he will rescue you. This barn is far away and abandoned. Nobody will come looking for you.”
Hope panicked and not just because of his ominous words. He had a knife in his hand. He returned to her and in one practiced movement cut a lock of her hair.
“This way, I will always have my lucky charm with me,” he said, while securing the knife inside his boot.
He left without further words. At least he forgot to gag her again. On the other hand, he left her with no food or water. No point in caring for someone you plan on killing.
As the day progressed, the heat became unbearable and Hope, who was already suffering from blood loss, started to feel faint. At this rate, she was going to die long before Dalbow returned to kill her. That thought made her giggle.
You need to stay awake. You need to find a way out of this, she tried to encourage herself.
Hope started looking about and spotted a horse’s drinking pail. She crawled toward it, inch by inch, in hopes it contained some rainwater. It was painstakingly difficult to reach the container. She did it and drank the precious water. Hope ignored the color of the stale water because it satisfied her thirst.
Hope’s brain started to function better immediately. I need to find a way to escape this place, and for that, she needed to set herself free first. Is it too much to ask for a pair of shears or a very sharp knife? She thought while looking about.
Despite her dire predicament, Hope wasn’t in despair. Deep down, she knew Owen would come looking for her. In order to be saved, she had to save herself first, as her Father used to say, so that was exactly what she planned on doing.
She had a killer to expose and was not about to die before avenging her friend.
As though Providence wished it, Hope heard someone moving around the barn. On the off chance it was someone other than Dalbow, Hope mustered all her strength and screamed with everything she had.
26
Owen and his men surrounded the ranch. He wanted to make sure Mr. Dalbow would not be able to escape. Once Owen exposed him for what he really was, there was no telling what would happen, so Owen was prepared for everything.
“Clark, Kit, you are with me, the rest of you remain at your positions,” Owen ordered before the trio started walking toward the house.
As it turned out, Owen did not have to bother creating the net, Mr. Dalbow exited the house, wearing a pleasant smile.
Owen’s blood boiled. He would like nothing more than to wipe that smile off of Mr. Dalbow’s arrogant face. Clark and Kit were at each side of Owen, and they matched his sentiment perfectly.
“Sheriff,” Mr. Dalbow exclaimed as if in delight. “Long time, no see.” He was taunting Owen on purpose.
“I told you I would be back,” Owen replied. He was not going to play Mr. Dalbow’s game.
“And you brought friends this time.” Said friends had their pistols drawn and pointed at Mr. Dalbow.
“Gentleman, there really is no need for that. You all know me, I mean you no harm,” Wyatt said to his deputies. Owen did not feel the need to draw his, fully confident his men had the situation under control.
“Are you armed?” Clark asked Mr. Dalbow and the other man gave an incredulous look in return.
“Of course I am. Here,” he added, slowly reaching and taking his gun out, he dropped it on the ground.
Mr. Dalbow spread his hands away from his body. “I am unarmed now, so can we stop with this hostility?”
Hostility? Owen looked at him incredulously. This wasn’t him being hostile. If provoked, Owen would happily show Mr. Dalbow a different side of him.
Wyatt Dalbow was so calm it was eerie. Why is he so confident? Am I missing something? Owen couldn’t help but wonder. Or is this just a bluff? Mr. Dalbow sighed as though disappointed when Owen and his men did not change their stances.
“Tell me where Hope is,” Owen demanded, cutting this prelude short.
“I thought I already did,” Mr. Dalbow replied, putting his hands down.
“No, you lied,” Owen snapped and not giving Wyatt the opportunity to lie again, he continued to speak. “Why did you kill Jessamine?”
“I did not kill her,” the other man protested, “and as you already know, I have an alibi to prove it.”
“More lies.”
Mr. Dalbow huffed as though he was starting to lose his calm since he was being harassed. Owen knew better than to fall for that act.
“I do not know why you feel this great animosity toward me, Sheriff, however, all these accusations are preposterous. I am completely innocent and I am willing to face trial to prove it because justice and truth always prevail.” He delivered his little speech perfectly.
Owen would be impressed by Mr. Dalbow's dramatic abilities if Hope’s life wasn’t hanging in the balance. This way, Owen felt like vomiting from all the bull crap Mr. Dalbow tried to serve them. No matter, though, Owen would make him eat his words soon enough.
“I will ask you again, nicely. Where is Hope?”
“I do not know. I really wish I could help you. As it turned out, she left both of us,” he jibed.
So Mr. Dalbow knew Owen and Hope shared feelings. Perhaps that was the motivator for Mr. Dalbow acting out. Owen blamed himself.
Owen turned toward his deputies. “Search the entire ranch, turn every stone,” he yelled to be heard. His men immediately spread out.
“Clark, you search the house.”
Mr. Dalbow looked at Owen as though wanting to say something, to protest. “You said you wanted to help,” Owen said to him all innocently. “I gathered you wouldn’t mind if we looked about.”
The smile returned to Mr. Dalbow’s face, although it looked strained. “By all means.” Kit remained by Owen’s side, making sure Mr. Dalbow did not try to do something sneaky.
Despite a thorough search, they all came up empty-handed.
Damn it. Owen fumed. How can this be? He was so sure Hope was here. What did he do to her? Am I too late? Did he kill her and dispose of the body? Will the next telegram I receive be about her? Despair washed over him. Owen managed to push it away. He couldn’t allow himself to succumb to bad emotions. He needed to stay strong and have faith. Besides, Hope was still alive, he would know, feel it, if she wasn’t.
Clark returned last. “Sorry, Boss, Miss Hope is not in there, her clothes are gone, too.”
“I told you, you wouldn’t find anything,” Mr. Dalbow practically taunted, smirking.
That’s it, Owen snapped. He had enough of this charade and this lunatic’s attitude. If he didn’t want to talk now, he definitely would later in the station.
“I am putting you under arrest,” Owen informed Mr. Dalbow.
“I know you lied about Hope and I know your alibi is false. You killed Jessamine and I have proof.”
“Clearly, it all was fabricated by you. You hate me and plan on destroying me,” Mr. Dalbow looked for sympathy from the men and found none.
Owen reached for Mr. Dalbow to handcuff him when there was a scream so loud it stopped all of them in their tracks.
It was Hope, Owen was sure of that. She was still alive and still there. Praise the Lord.
* * *
All the men turned toward the source of that cry for help. All but Mr. Dalbow. That’s because he knows he is done.
The outcry was coming from that rickety old barn Mr. Dalbow prevented Owen from looking inside, yesterday. Owen felt like hitting himself for being so short-sighted and allowing Mr. Dalbow t
o distract him when Owen needed to follow his gut. Since, as it turned out, it would lead him straight to Hope.
“Go and help her,” Owen ordered, pulling his gun out. He pointed it directly at Mr. Dalbow’s head.
“Do not move,” he threatened, daring the other man to disobey him. Owen would happily shoot him if he even tried to say something witty.
“I’m sorry, boss, I didn’t look inside it, I didn’t think,” James looked wretched with guilt.
“It’s not your fault,” Owen said simply. The old barn looked ready to collapse which was why Mr. Dalbow picked it in the first place.
Owen’s men broke the door and barged inside. He saw the first signs of worry on Mr. Dalbow’s face, it was just a little tension around the eyes but Owen spotted it. I will have you sweating in no time.
Owen barely allowed himself to breathe as he waited. He wanted to be the one searching the barn, however, he needed to remain as he was and watch over Mr. Dalbow. He was not going to leave that murderer out of his sight. Besides, he had the utmost trust in his men. If Hope was truly in there they would deliver her to him unharmed.
Shortly after, his men started to emerge and blissfully Hope was among them. There she is, his heart sang. Gibson was helping her walk. She appeared to be weak, highly shaken, with a nasty gash on her head yet she was alive, he observed as they approached him.
Owen gritted his teeth. This vile man hurt his Hope and he was going to hurt him back tenfold for that.
“This is all staged,” Mr. Dalbow protested.
“Oh, shut up,” Kit snapped, and lucky for him, Mr. Dalbow did, which was rather smart of him considering Owen was ready to shoot him for simply breathing the same air Hope was.
Once Hope saw Owen, all thoughts disappeared from his head apart from one.
My love.
She started running toward him and even though Owen was panicking she would hurt herself, he greeted her with open arms. Finally reaching him, she flung herself into his arms, and his heart swelled. He never wanted to let her go.
You are safe now.
“I knew you would come for me,” she said, and despite what happened to her, her voice was strong. He felt very proud of her. Owen held her tightly against his body without loosening his grip on the revolver. He would kill the monster if he so much as looked at her.
“Always,” Owen replied gruffly. “Are you all right?” There were red marks around her hands as though she had been tied up. And he had to work really hard not to simply pull the trigger. She was safe and in his arms. That was all that mattered to him.
Thank you, Lord.
“I am not,” she replied and started to shake, she was going into shock and Owen knew her words did not mean she was not physically all right. And he was proven right once she finished her thought. “He killed Jessamine,” she accused, pointing a finger at Mr. Dalbow. “I found her glove in his room. It had blood on it,” she explained all in one breath.
“I know,” Owen replied instantly. “Kit, Gibson, please look after Miss Hope for me for a moment.” She did not want to let go of him.
Using his free hand, he forced her to look at him. “Let me arrest this scumbag that hurt Jessamine.” Hope nodded and let his deputies move her out of harm’s way, and take care of her.
“As I said before, you are under arrest.” Owen put his revolver back into his holster since enough of his men already held Mr. Dalbow at gunpoint and started approaching him. Wyatt wasn’t smiling anymore.
“I knew I would get that smirk wiped off your face,” Owen said, feeling quite proud of himself.
“You can’t prove anything,” Mr. Dalbow snapped back.
“Careful now, your true emotions are starting to show,” Kit taunted. And he was right. Mr. Dalbow’s mask of a calm, well-mannered man was all gone and in its place stood something else entirely.
“You will pay for what you did,” Hope yelled at Mr. Dalbow.
Owen glanced at Hope, and that was a mistake that almost cost him his life. As he smiled at her, thanking the heavens anew she was all right, she smiled back, and Owen couldn’t wait for all this to be over so he could officially profess his love to her.
Then her face changed. “Owen, look out,” she screamed. Owen instantly reacted, turned just in time to see Mr. Dalbow pulling a knife out of his boot.
That conniving snake! “Oh, if you want a fight you’ll have one,” Owen said, itching for a chance to teach Wyatt a lesson he would never forget. Or at least until they hung him for his crimes. In the same instant, Mr. Dalbow attacked Owen with the blade. He jumped out of its way. “Men, stand down,” Owen commanded, just in case. He did not want one of his deputies to shoot Mr. Dalbow before Owen had his due. Mr. Dalbow was his to deal with, and his alone. He owed that to every girl he couldn’t save.
“I’ll cut you to pieces,” Mr. Dalbow threatened. Owen lunged for the other man before Mr. Dalbow had a chance to do the same. He avoided being nicked on the left arm by a hair. Mr. Dalbow came at him again and this time the blade made contact.
Owen grunted, and Mr. Dalbow started to laugh. It was a superficial wound so, without losing momentum, Owen spun and kicked Wyatt in the gut. The other man stumbled but did not fall, easily regaining his balance once more. Wyatt attacked and Owen ducked then rammed into Mr. Dalbow’s body, head first. They hit the wall of the house and Mr. Dalbow lost his grip on his weapon. He let out a cry of frustration.
I got you now. Owen sought blood. They started to wrestle and ended up crashing to the ground. The fighting men rolled for a bit. Owen managed to get the upper hand and landed on top of Mr. Dalbow, pinning him down to the ground. He started punching Mr. Dalbow with both his fists until his knuckles were completely raw. Mr. Dalbow’s face wasn’t in any better condition, either.
“Take that, you scoundrel,” Owen could hear Hope cheering for him and that additionally motivated him to stop this fiend once and for all.
Unfortunately, Mr. Dalbow managed to throw him off, and jumping back up on their feet, they started circling one another once again. It was a true battle where neither man could allow defeat.
They continued to hit one another, wrestle, kick. After a miscalculation, Mr. Dalbow pinned Owen to the ground and returned every punch in kind before putting both hands around Owen’s neck. Grabbing hold of his throat, Mr. Dalbow tried to suffocate Owen to death.
“Help him,” Hope screamed.
Even then, Owen did not allow his deputies to intervene. Mr. Dalbow looked utterly deranged and bloodthirsty. He lowered himself so he could whisper into Owen’s ear.
“After I’m done with you, your little trollop is mine, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
We’ll see about that.
Owen struggled, yet it was starting to be rather difficult to do so. There were spots dancing in front of his eyes and his arms were getting heavy.
“She’s even going to be a nice round number for me.” Owen understood Mr. Dalbow’s meaning perfectly.
Owen’s suspicions were proven true without a doubt. Wyatt Dalbow was the Ghost, his nemesis who eluded him, tormented him for two years, leaving a card and dead bodies of innocent girls all over his district.
Not being able to stand the fact that this monster could go unpunished or get anywhere near his Hope, some kind of super-strength appeared, recharging him. He doubled his efforts to throw him away while looking about, trying to use something as a weapon.
Fortuitously, he spotted Mr. Dalbow’s knife and reached for it. Firmly grabbing hold of it, in quick succession he pinned it to Wyatt’s stomach and then his heart.
The grip around Owen’s throat lessened, and he started gasping for air. Wyatt looked with utter disbelief at the bloody knife sticking from his chest.
“No, this isn’t how...” Mr. Dalbow started to say and never got a chance to finish his last words. He fell on top of Owen, instantly dead. Owen, still wheezing and coughing, pulled the dead weight off of him.
Good riddance. He did not
feel bad at all for what he did. The world was a better, safer place without Wyatt Dalbow in it.
“That’s one way to deal with him,” Kit couldn’t help himself to comment as he helped Owen back onto his feet. Hope reached for him and seeing her removed all the pains from Owen’s body.
It wasn’t clear who supported whom yet together they successfully reached their horses.
“What do you want to do with his body, boss?” James asked.
“Leave it for the coyotes?” Kit chirped in.
The Redemption 0f A Hunted Bride (Historical Western Romance) Page 25
