Grey laughed out loud. “I have a feeling we’re not talking about Lightning anymore.”
She buttoned her lip before she said something she’d regret, and gave him her shoulder and clucked her tongue. “Yah!” she called. Off trotted Traveler with the white stallion on his heels.
“Hey! Wait for us!” Grey shouted, as he hopped into the wagon and flicked the reins.
* * * *
One of the wheels fell off near some ancient Indian ruins, causing all the ladies to scream when the back end of the wagon thumped into the dirt. Josie had to hold in a snicker when legs and arms flailed every which way as whores from the front end slid into whores in the back corner.
Grey shook his head in disgust. “Dammit!” He leapt from the wagon seat and strode around back to investigate. Josie steered her mule over, with his horse following. “This is what happens when you do a good deed for someone,” he mumbled.
“Looks like we’re all taking a little break,” she informed the women. “Crawl out and find some shade, if you can. This could take a while.” She perused the ruins in the distance and realized the kiva structures wouldn’t be much protection from the burning sun. At least the low walls would provide a spot for sitting, or the wanton ladies could walk around and stretch their limbs if they wanted. Josie climbed down from the mule and tied him and Lightning to the front of the wagon. Grey strode over to where the wheel had rolled and lugged it back.
“Do you need help fixing it?” she asked, while noticing he sweated up a storm. Too bad, since he’d looked so cool and refreshed when they’d left this morning.
“Nope. I know how to fix a wagon wheel. Why don’t you go over and keep those sporting women company? They probably have a lot of stories to tell.” He hooked his thumb in their direction and rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt, then pulled some kind of tool from his bag and knelt in the dirt.
“I don’t care to hear any stories those sports have to tell,” Josie replied, squeezing her eyes into slits. When she took notice of his muscular biceps, her stomach fluttered uncontrollably. “How do you know I’m not an expert at repairing wagon wheels?” she asked.
He glanced up. “Are you?”
She hesitated. “No.”
“Then don’t bother me. I’d like to get this done as fast as possible. It’s hot as Hades.” He proceeded to ignore her and check the hub.
Josie shrugged. “Suit yourself.” As she stomped toward the ruins, the redhead was walking her way. “Where are you going?” Josie asked.
“To sit with Grey.” The woman’s nose rode in the air as she passed by, and her wide rear end wiggled with each step.
Grey? She was on a first name basis with him? Josie spun around and marched back to the wagon. “I’m back,” she announced, as she plopped at his feet. The redhead leaned against the wagon on his right side, flirting with him.
He looked up. “I can see that.” His gaze swung back and forth between the two women. They glared at one another like lions wanting to rip each other’s throats out. “Have you two met?” he asked.
“No,” they chimed in unison.
“Josie, this here is Violet. Violet, meet Josie Hart.” They nodded and grunted hellos. Both watched as Grey struggled to replace the wheel without the proper tools. Sweat poured down his face and rolled into his eyes.
“Let me wipe your face, sugar,” Violet offered. Leaning over, she pulled a hankie from her cleavage and dabbed off the perspiration.
Josie’s ire boiled hot enough to scorch her veins. The redheaded vixen wasn’t about to wipe Grey’s face, or any other part of him! “Get away from him,” she hollered, scrambling to her feet.
“Beg your pardon?” Violet wrinkled her pert nose as if she smelled something rank.
“I said leave him alone. If anyone’s gonna wipe his sweat off, it’ll be me. We’re together.”
“Josie…” Grey started.
“Tell her we’re together, Grey! Make her go over and sit with the others. I don’t want her here.” Panic blossomed in her chest at the thought that Grey might like this redheaded floozy more than her.
He threw down the makeshift tool he’d been using and said, “Josie, calm down. There’s no need to get riled.”
Violet stared at her with a little smirk on her face. Josie glared at Grey and slammed her hands onto her hips. “Aren’t you gonna tell her we’re together?”
He sighed and wiped his face with his shirtsleeve. “Let me get this wheel fixed so we can get down the road before we all roast.”
Josie shot daggers at him with her eyes and then stormed off. When he called her name, she didn’t even turn around. “Ooooh, he makes me so mad,” she fumed. “I don’t know why I bother with him at all.” She clenched her fists and stomped the ground, pretending it was Grey’s head. When she joined the others at the ruins, no one spoke to her. They were all fanning themselves and complaining about the heat. She rolled her eyes and set off to find a spot where she could be alone. The sweet morning had soured quickly.
Still muttering to herself, she tripped over a stone and fell face-first into the dirt. As she pushed herself up with scraped hands, she heard a rattling noise and looked up. A rattlesnake was coiled on the ground, not more than ten feet from her. Its vertical pupils were locked on her, and its deadly tongue was poised ready to strike. Her throat closed up. She gulped, but remained as still as a church mouse. She knew any sudden move could mean the death of her.
Somewhere from behind, a woman screamed, though Josie hadn’t been aware of anyone walking behind her. “Wh…wh…what should I do?” the voice stuttered.
Josie didn’t dare turn her head. As soft as possible, she said, “Run and get Grey.” She heard the woman’s footsteps retreat. The rattler shook its tail again, which she knew, was a bad sign. When it slithered closer, her muscles froze and her breathing all but stopped. It seemed she waited an eternity prone in the dirt imagining a horrible demise and wishing she hadn’t been so mean to Grey.
The rifle blasts scared the life out of her. She’d closed her eyes to whisper a little prayer. When they sprang open, she saw the decapitated snake, shot to hell, lying in chunks in front of her. When Grey hauled her to her feet, she collapsed into the comfort of his broad chest.
“Are you alright?” he asked. She nodded and felt him pinch her. “Are you bit?” He started tugging at her clothes. “Take everything off! Let me see if you’re bit!” The expression on his face expressed sheer panic.
“I’m not bit,” Josie told him, batting his hands away. “The rattler didn’t get me.” Her head pivoted, and she saw the whole group of soiled doves standing at a distance in a semi-circle with their mouths agape.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Grey croaked again, shaking her shoulder.
The impact of how close she’d come to certain death hit her. Her eyes began to well up. “Yes. Thanks to you!”
He grabbed her again and crushed her against his chest and stroked the top of her head. Pressed up to him, she could feel the erratic rhythm of his heart. She heard him expel a long breath. He did care about her.
“The show’s over, ladies,” he said, gently setting her back. “I got the wheel fixed. Let’s get on the trail before anything else happens.” Rounding up the women like they were a herd of heifers, the whole passel of them trudged back to the wagon, hitched up their dresses, and climbed aboard.
Josie ran to Traveler, held him around the neck and kissed his nose. She felt so grateful to be alive. “I sure am glad to see you, boy. You, too Lightning.” She gave the white stallion a scratch between the eyes.
When everyone was loaded, Grey gave her a boost up into the saddle.
“Thank you for saving my life,” she said.
He tipped his hat. “I expect you’ll do the same for me one of these days.”
* * * *
In Galisteo, they dropped the sporting women at the Lazy Daze Saloon and then delivered the wagon and spotted horse to the town livery and stables, as Juani
ta had requested.
“Do you want to get something to eat before we leave town?” Grey asked Josie once their good deed was accomplished. The street was full of people hurrying from place to place like bees swarming to a hive. It was a shock to her senses after so many days of riding and camping in the wilderness. Staying at the Gonzales ranch had been different than spending time in a noisy town. This place didn’t feel right.
“Juanita packed us a bag full of food,” she replied. “I’d rather get back on the trail and eat in the saddle. The closer we get to the gold, the more anxious I become.”
“Suits me. Let’s give the animals a good long drink before we head out.” Grey mounted his horse, and they walked Traveler and Lightning to a public water trough, where they could slurp their fill. As the two of them sat on their animals’ backs waiting, Josie counted out loud, commenting on the number of saloons the small village laid claim to.
“One, two, three, four, five saloons right here on this one street. It’s no wonder there’s so much killing and fighting going on in towns like this. Every man must be a drunkard, and drunkards make the biggest fools, as we both know.”
The water trough was stationed in front of one of those bars, the Holy Moses. Grey chuckled and pointed to an old man stumbling out of its swinging doors. “There’s one of those fools now.” The inebriated fellow tottered on his heels and then fell flat onto his back, as if he were a tree that’d been felled. Josie shook her head in disgust. “Have you had enough yet?” she asked her mule, while tugging on the reins. “I’m ready to get out of this dump.”
Grey pulled back on his reins and turned Lightning’s head away from the trough. As he did, the doors of the Holy Moses squeaked open again. He glanced up and caught the eye of a stocky man with a scar cutting across one eyebrow and snaking down his cheek. Another man stepped out next to him, holding a sombrero in his fist.
Josie saw them, too. When she choked on a sharp intake of breath, Grey’s head swung her direction. She whispered, “Those devils have found us again.” Grey’s head swiveled back to the two men, stationary on the walk in front of the saloon.
Kendall and King both looked up at the same time and drew for their guns. “Git!” Grey yelled to Josie. He smacked his horse on the rump with his reins. She hollered “Yah!” to her mule, and they spurred the animals into a gallop down the wide street with dust flying off their feet.
“Are they behind us?” Josie screamed above the roar of the booming hooves. Having just left the town limits, the horse and mule ran side by side. Grey looked over his shoulder.
“No, but it won’t take ‘em long to catch up to us.”
“I thought you said they’d forgotten about us and gone back home!”
“Guess I was wrong.”
As they lit out across the desert paved with scrub, Josie questioned whether they’d ever make it to Nambe to search for the nuggets. As she glanced behind her and saw the two horsemen bearing down quickly, she wondered if she’d have the strength and fortitude to carry out her pa’s final wish. If the trail didn’t kill her, the two murderers on their heels probably would.
Chapter Fifteen
Grey and Josie had ridden hard for hours. It appeared the marshal and the tracker were toying with them; keeping their distance just far enough behind to cause concern and be annoying. Grey considered splitting from Josie in order to throw the men off. But the idea hadn’t stayed long in his head. Being a woman, she was more vulnerable, and expendable. Kendall and King would take the map and kill her in a heartbeat if they got the opportunity. Only God knew what else they might do to her if she was caught. He couldn’t take that chance with her life, or her virtue.
Lightning snorted. He was lathered, and his breathing was shallow. Grey knew his stallion was about rode out. Josie’s mule seemed no worse for wear. He remembered her telling him in the cave that mules were far more resilient than horses. He’d have to think of something quick, or he might lose his faithful companion.
Thunderstorms rumbled over the desert, close enough that they could see white lightning forking across the sky. The entire earth vibrated as thunder rolled. Grey smelled rain in the air. It wasn’t falling yet, but he spied gray curtains of it up ahead. Squinting in the direction of some craggy-peaked mountains, he made a decision to rein toward them. What did they have to lose? The only risk would be that the horsemen would follow and there’d be another shoot-out. Instinct told Grey he could out-shoot both those bastards. He’d already done it once. He figured he could do it again, and this time, he’d get rid of them once and for all.
He waved to Josie. “Follow me!” As they veered off the trail, his stomach agitated like butter in a churn. If he put Josie in danger, he’d never forgive himself. But what options did they have? His horse was played out. He choked down the momentary feeling of hopelessness that washed over him.
“What are we gonna do?” she asked as they wound their way through a canyon. She depended on him to make the right decision and get them out of this dire situation. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much of a plan, but could hardly confess as much to her. His only plan was to succeed in killing Kendall and King before they murdered the two of them. She gawked when he spoke those words out loud.
“Can’t you come up with a better idea?”
It tore him up to see anxiety and worry lining her pretty face. She’d been through enough already. “I’ve been trying,” he answered. Fatigue caused his bones to ache. “I haven’t thought of another thing.”
She seemed to accept that. What other choice did she have?
As they climbed higher through the canyon, he peered at the dark clouds building in the sky. They loomed heavily overhead, like a thick blanket. His horse stumbled, and Grey grabbed the saddle horn. The high elevation affected the animal. His own breathing was getting shallow, too. “You feeling alright?” he asked Josie. She nodded, though her face had grown ashen.
When Lightning faltered again, Grey had no choice but to get off and walk him. As soon as he swung from the horse’s back, a bullet ricocheted off the rock wall near his head. He heard a rush of footsteps above them as pebbles sprinkled down. All they needed was a man-made rockslide to add to their troubles.
“Josie! Grab my horse and get out of here!” He yanked his rifle out of its scabbard, patted the holster on his hip to assure himself the pistol was still there, and took cover behind a rock. Josie pulled on Lightning’s reins and disappeared.
With more rounds zinging off the rocks, Grey brought the rifle to his shoulder and started firing. Someone above let out a high-pitched war whoop, and for a second, he wondered whether it was the marshal and King he was fighting, or if they’d run into a band of inhospitable Indians. Next thing he knew, Josie was crouched at his side with the derringer in her hand. “Is it Kendall?” she asked, panting.
“Don’t know. Could be Indians.”
Her eyes enlarged. “If they’re Indians, I hope it’s my friend Taza,” she said without much hope.
“Where’d you take the animals?”
“They’re safe. I tied them up.”
“I told you to take them and go,” he groused.
“I’m not about to leave you. Don’t you know that by now?”
They locked gazes for a second and then a storm of bullets showered down over their heads. When Grey returned fire, Josie did the same. “Don’t waste your ammunition,” he grumbled. “You couldn’t hit an elephant with that little gun unless he was on top of you.” When he realized the shooting had stopped for a moment, he whispered, “Listen.”
“Why’d they quit?”
“Shhh.” He lifted the revolver from his holster and stuck it in her hand. “Put that toy gun away.” He trained his rifle on the high spot where the bullets had rained down. “Be ready. I don’t have a good feeling.” She cocked the hammer on the revolver and held it to her eye, prepared to kill whatever moved.
“Where are they?” she asked, after several moments.
“We’re r
ight here.”
Josie and Grey’s gazes simultaneously flew to a rock ledge about fifty feet away. The marshal and Reno King stood with their legs spread and shotguns aimed. Grey heard the jack of the levers seconds before shots flew. Bullets slammed into the rock they were hiding behind and one hit his rifle, knocking it straight out of his hands.
“Damn! Toss me my pistol,” he yelled. Josie pitched it to him and then got a round off with her derringer. She screamed, “I nicked the tracker!” Another loud crack reverberated throughout the canyon.
Grey looked up as a torrent of black rain was released from the sky. A tidal wave of water roared toward them rushing forth and filling the canyon. “Flash flood!” he hollered. He shoved the revolver into his holster and grabbed Josie’s arm, hauling her from her crouched position. As they ran, he looked over his shoulder just in time to witness both Kendall and King being lifted off their feet and swept under the water. The thunderous noise was deafening, drowning out their screams.
With him holding a death grip on Josie’s wrist, they ran as fast as their legs would carry them, but it was no use. Grey yelled, “Hold onto me!” right before the ocean of water rolled over them, dragging them under. Mother Nature’s power proved too strong for mortal hands. Josie slipped out of his grasp and was carried away.
Water filled his ears and eyes as it tumbled him over and over, submerging him. There was no time to think, only react. He pushed himself to the surface and frantically gazed in all directions. Josie bobbed with her hands slapping at the water and water sputtering from her mouth. When she caught a glimpse of him, she gurgled, “My foot’s caught!”
Fighting the current, he swam to her and dove under. Her foot was trapped between two rocks. He resurfaced. Seconds were all he had. The water was rising. She’d drown if he couldn’t release her foot. “Hold your breath now!” he ordered. She did, and the churning water covered her head.
He went under and battled to unlace her boots with his fingers. Failing, he reached for the knife he kept hidden under his pants leg. They stared at each other under water. He could tell she was about out of breath. He was, too. He slashed at the boot strings with the knife, pulled the leather apart, yanked her ankle, and her foot slipped out. They kicked their way to the surface and clung together as they were swept down the canyon on the rolling waves.
Trail of Golden Dreams Page 17
