“You’re sure up and around early this morning.”
“I want to get this mailed right away.”
“Stage won’t be here until late afternoon.”
“I know, but once I mail it, I’ll relax.”
“Proud of it, huh?”
Ragan grinned. “Very proud.”
Writing this book meant more than she’d ever imagined. The hours of research, then putting words to paper, were all most gratifying.
She hovered over Everett’s shoulder while he weighed the heavy manuscript and figured proper postage. With a dramatic swoop, he held it over the mailbag. Then, in a loud, authoritative voice, he announced, “I declare this project officially completed.”
By now a group had assembled to watch the historic moment. When the parcel hit the bottom of the mailbag, they broke into a round of applause.
Ragan took a mock bow. “I hereby faithfully promise to remain humble, although I’m sure the book is destined to elevate Judge McMann and me to the ranks of the famous.” She bowed again to another round of applause.
Still laughing and accepting congratulations, she left the post office. Bumping into Jo, who was on her way to the mercantile, Ragan said, “Hi, there. What brings you to town so early?”
“Papa wants an apple pie and we’re out of cinnamon,” the young girl explained as Ragan fell into step with her.
“Then by all means, we are off to buy cinnamon.” The two sisters locked arms and giggled as they playfully skipped down the center of Main Street.
Ragan was on top of the world today, carefree. The money had been found, and Judge Leonard was bound to reduce Johnny’s sentence if Johnny kept up his present cooperation.
“What are you doing in town so early?” Jo asked.
“Oh, I mailed the book this morning.”
“Really!” Jo stopped to hug her. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you!”
They fell back in step, and Jo glanced at her, grinning. “Have you seen Johnny today?”
“I see him every day, nosy.”
The sound of hammers and saws coming from the church attested to his whereabouts. Johnny had mentioned over breakfast that the new pews would be done in time for the next Sunday’s services. Lately, he hadn’t missed a Sunday preaching.
Jo sighed. “He’s sure good, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he’s an excellent carpenter. And a good listener, and a wonderful friend.” Ragan’s cheeks flamed. The man I adore.
“You’re blushing.”
“I am not. It’s just warm this morning.”
“Huh-uh. You’re beet red. All I said was that he’s good. That made you blush?”
“No, Jo. Drop it.”
“You don’t think I’m old enough to understand, do you? Well, I am. I love Benny Dewayne, and I know what love is.”
Benny Dewayne! Ragan resisted the urge to tell her sister this was puppy love, not the love of a woman for a man. That would come someday, and Jo would realize the difference. The way she’d discovered the difference when Johnny came into her life.
“It’s true. Benny Dewayne is my absolute one true love. There’s never been a truer love, except for maybe Holly and Tom, or you and Johnny. But Benny Dewayne and I—”
“Are much much too young to be talking such nonsense,” Ragan said, walking ahead and leaving Jo to try to catch up.
“I wish you’d talk to me about you and Johnny. I am old enough.”
“Jo, there’s nothing to tell. I admit, I care about Johnny—”
Way too much.
“And sometimes I think he cares for me—”
Not nearly as much as I’d like.
“But there are many reasons we can’t be together at this time.”
None strong enough that with God’s help we couldn’t overcome.
“I know he loves you,” Jo stated.
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do. I feel it in my bones, Ragan.”
Ragan sighed. Arguing with Jo was never productive. “Feel it in your bones—you sound like Grandma Ramsey. I have to stop by Estelle’s. Mary Linder is ill, so I’m going to do her final gown fitting. Want to come?”
“I guess so. I hear the gown is lovely.”
“It is if Estelle’s making it.” The two sisters climbed the outer stairs to the seamstress’s two-room apartment over the title office and knocked on the door.
“You’d think Mary would want to come for the final fitting, ill or not.”
“You know Mary. If she can get someone else to do it for her, she will.”
A short while later, Ragan stood in front of the mirror, staring at her image. Mary’s bridal gown was exquisite. Yards of tulle and lace, puffed sleeves, and a delicately embellished neckline. Estelle was simply gifted with a needle and thread. Ragan turned, studying the way the dress lay in perfect symmetrical folds. If God makes it possible for me to marry Johnny…
Her thoughts wavered. God wasn’t standing in the way. Johnny refused to release his anger.
When I marry Johnny, she amended, I want a gown exactly like this one.
“It’s beautiful,” Jo murmured, fingering the delicate Queen Anne lace. “Estelle, you’re marvelous.”
“Speaking of wedding lace,” the seamstress murmured, eyeing Ragan, “when are you going to tie the knot, young lady?”
“Someday.”
“Well, it had better be soon or I’ll be too old to make the dress.” She swatted Ragan’s backside affectionately. “Turn. Step back.” She bent, adjusting the hem.
“Is Mary feeling better?” Ragan asked.
“I believe so. She wants me to thank you for the favor. I think she just has wedding jitters, but you know she’s a little spoiled. Too pampered, I say. Good thing you gals have the same size waist. Don’t know of anyone else who could oblige her.”
A sudden ruckus outside drew their attention.
Ragan caught Estelle’s eye in the mirror and frowned. “A raid?”
Estelle shrugged and knelt, slipping a pin into the hem. “I hope not. Don’t have time to put up with one today.”
Jo opened the door and peered down the stairway.
“What’s going on?” Ragan preened in front of the mirror, admiring the gown.
“Nothing that I can see.”
The seamstress and Ragan joined Jo on the porch, and then they cautiously descended the stairs.
Jo peered around the corner. “I still don’t see a thing.”
Estelle shrugged again. “Must have been a false alarm. Be careful with that hem coming back up. Mary will have a fit if it gets soiled.”
Ragan lifted the skirt and turned to follow. “Jo, could you help with the train back there, please?” As Jo gathered the trailing hem, the sound of thundering hooves approached and the women turned in alarm. Four riders were coming in hard, their dusty coats whipping in the wind.
“Run!” Ragan grabbed for Jo’s hand to pull her back up the stairway as the riders galloped straight at them, firing pistols into the air.
Ragan frantically tried to push Jo ahead of her to safety, but the lead rider swooped down and scooped the young girl into his arms, laughing.
“Jo!” Ragan screamed, grasping for her sister’s arm.
“Ragan!”
Horrified, Ragan felt her sister’s fingers slip through her desperate clutch. For an instant she met the evil eyes of the red-bearded horseman.
“Put her down!” She leaped forward and grabbed her sister’s skirt. The outlaw threw back his head and laughed harder as Jo thrashed about, fighting him. The horse reared, and he jerked back on the reins, and then he swung Jo up in front of him, wrenching her from Ragan’s grip. Kneeing the stallion, he galloped off with Jo’s frantic screams filling Main Street.
Estelle fell back against the stair railing, holding her hand to her heart. “Oh, my! Oh, my!”
Ragan bolted after the horseman. “Stop. Stop!” she screamed, watching in terror as the gap between her and he
r sister widened. “No, no, not Jo! Please, not Jo.” She stumbled and fell to the ground. The train of the wedding dress caught between her feet as she tried to regain her footing. “Not Jo. Please dear God, not Jo,” she sobbed.
The three accompanying riders shot the bank’s front window, shattering the glass, then wheeled their horses and hightailed it out of town.
Ragan got to her feet and ran, oblivious of Mary’s beautiful gown. Though she thought her lungs would burst, she ran faster and faster. Johnny—she had to get to the church. She had to find Johnny!
Chapter Fifty-One
Stumbling up the church steps, Ragan yelled McAllister’s name. She could hear her voice, but it was as if it came from somewhere far off.
Johnny dropped his saw and charged toward her, meeting her halfway up the aisle.
“What’s happened?”
At first nothing registered in her brain. His mouth moved, but she couldn’t make out his words.
He lightly shook her, but she didn’t feel his hands on her arms. He shook her again. She knew he was trying to reach her, but she couldn’t break free. Powerless to speak, she opened her mouth, suddenly aware she was crying hysterically. His look of stark fear finally brought her to reality.
“Ragan!” His eyes searched hers. “Calm down and tell me what’s wrong.”
“They have Jo!”
“Who has Jo?”
“That red-bearded outlaw and his men!”
Panic seized his features, and he grabbed her arm, and they were running. Out the door, down the steps, across the churchyard.
He ran faster, pulling her along, shouting to the town’s men as they passed each business. “Hubie! Shorty! Carl!”
People spilled from doorways and followed Johnny and Ragan down the street.
Rudolph Miller ran out of the livery to meet them. “What’s going on?”
“One of the gangs has Jo!”
Timothy Seeden fell into step. “Why would they take Jo?”
Johnny’s features hardened. “They don’t want Jo. They want me, Tim. I’m going after her.”
Carl Rayles took two steps for every one of Johnny’s. “Now hold on, son. We need to talk about this. You can’t go after her alone.”
“Then form a posse.”
“A posse!” The men exchanged dubious looks. “Where’s Alvin? Someone get Alvin. He needs to handle this.”
Ragan wanted to scream. Didn’t anyone care about Jo? What if the men hurt her? What if they did the unspeakable? She couldn’t bear to think about the horrifying possibilities.
“Now, see here. It’s foolish to just ride out of here not knowing where we’re going. No telling where they’ve gone with her.” Hubie avoided Ragan’s eyes. “Thank goodness, here’s Alvin. Sheriff, what do you think we should do?”
“Eh?” Sheriff Lutz approached, cupping his ear. “Somethin’ goin’ on?”
Hubie leaned closer and held his hand to his mouth. “What do you think we should do about this?”
“About what? What’s happened?”
Johnny struck off for the stable. “I’m going after Jo. Anyone who wants to come with me had better find a horse.”
“Now, son, don’t do anything rash,” Mayor Rayles cautioned. “We’re all worried about Jo, but we’ve got to think this thing through and not go off half-cocked and get ourselves killed. Why, you don’t even have a gun.”
Jesse Rehop unbuckled his holster. “He does now.”
Carl frowned. “What are you doing with a gun?”
“I wear it while I’m working, in case I meet up with a rattler.” Jesse met Johnny’s eyes. “You take it, son, and good luck to you.”
Julia wrung her hands. “Jonathan isn’t supposed to have a gun. Don’t you men get him in more trouble!”
Rudolph Miller settled the matter. “For heaven’s sake, Julia, if this situation doesn’t warrant a gun, I don’t know what does.” He looked to Sheriff Lutz. “Don’t you agree, Alvin?”
The old man cupped his ear. “Eh?”
“IT’S ALL RIGHT FOR MCALLISTER TO HAVE A GUN. HE’S GONNA NEED ONE IF HE GOES AFTER JO.”
“Snow? You outta your mind?”
“JO, ALVIN!”
Shorty intervened. “Deputize McAllister, Sheriff.”
“Why, he’s a criminal…”
“Deputize him!”
The elderly lawman stepped forward. “Johnny McAllister, I hereby deputize you—now it’s a temporary thing, you understand. It don’t set aside your sentence in any way. And it don’t give you the right to risk your life, but it’ll allow you to carry Jesse’s gun.” He paused, glanced at Ragan, and then frowned. “Which one of the Ramsey girls did you say was missin’?”
“Jo!” a chorus of voices yelled.
Alvin gave them a sour look. “Don’t have to yell. Raise your right hand, sonny.”
Julia clapped her hands at the completion of the brief ceremony. “I’m so proud. Jonathan will make a wonderful sheriff.”
“Deputy, Julia,” Carl Rayles corrected impatiently.
Johnny turned to Rudy Miller. “I’ll need a horse.”
“You got it.”
“Now, son.” Lowell Homer put his hand on Johnny’s shoulder. “I can’t let you ride out of here by yourself. Jest wouldn’t feel right.”
“I’m going after her, Lowell, with or without the town’s help.”
Ragan’s heart pounded so hard in her ears she could only catch snatches of the men’s conversation. Why didn’t someone offer to go with him? Why couldn’t this town, just once, stand up and fight! She reached out and caught Johnny’s shirtsleeve. “I’m going with you.”
“You’re staying here.” Strapping the leather holster around his waist, he searched the crowd. “Anyone coming with me?”
The men hung their heads, shuffling their feet.
Johnny turned and strode toward the barn. Jerald Hubbard tried to intercept him. “Be reasonable about this, McAllister. We’re all married men. We have families to consider.”
“And children to raise.” Jim Allen fell into step. “You know we’d help if we could, but who’d look after our womenfolk if something was to happen to us?”
Mayor Rayles hurried to keep pace with the others. “I feel certain they won’t harm the girl. The gangs have never actually hurt anyone. Just made a nuisance of themselves.”
Johnny shook off his hand. “This is more than a nuisance, Carl.”
Ragan’s stomach balled into a tight knot. Jo would be frantic, scared out of her wits.
“Rudy, where’s that horse?” Johnny shouted as they walked into the livery.
Ragan suddenly realized his danger. What would she do if he didn’t come back? What if she lost both Jo and him to the red-bearded stranger? She put her fist to her mouth to keep from screaming. Why doesn’t somebody do something to help him?
Everett stepped from the barn’s shadows, holding the reins of two saddled horses, his gun at his hip. “I’m going with you.”
Nodding, Johnny reached for one pair of reins and swung aboard.
“Johnny!” Ragan grabbed his hand, and her eyes beseeched him, so frightened she couldn’t think.
His hand tightened on hers. “Go home and be with your family. I’ll find your sister.”
“Tom will want to help search for Jo.”
“Tom isn’t here, Ragan, and time isn’t on our side.”
“Please, Johnny, be careful.” If she were to lose either one of them, she couldn’t bear it. “Come back to me,” she pleaded.
Gripping her hand, he said quietly, “I’ll be back.”
The two horses galloped from the livery a moment later and headed out of town.
“Any idea where they might have gone?” Everett called.
“No. What about you?”
“My hunch is Sutter’s Ridge. It’s an easy ride from there to the border.”
“How far to Sutter’s Ridge?”
“Two or three miles.”
They whippe
d the horses faster. It was the first time Johnny had been on a horse since the day of the bank robbery. The chestnut gelding was smaller than his sorrel but well muscled, and he caught the horse’s rhythm easily. His eyes scoured the road, looking for the gang’s tracks.
“Looks like they’ve been here.” Everett pointed to a set of fresh prints leading into the canyon.
Johnny circled the area, studying the ground. It almost looked as if Puet was marking the way, as if he wanted to be tracked.
Everett followed close behind.
Reining up, Johnny got off his horse. The tracks were too obvious. Something was wrong.
“How far do you think they’ll go with her? Across the border?”
“Hard to say.” Johnny removed his hat. “They’ve left a trail obvious enough for a simpleton to follow.”
“That’s what I was thinking. Why do you think they’ve done that?”
“I have a hunch they’re laying a trap for me.”
“You?”
Johnny nodded. “The red-bearded man committed the robbery I’m accused of.”
Everett turned to look at him. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“What do they want with you?”
“They think I have the money. The day of the robbery, I was standing on the bank porch when Puet and his gang came out with Judge Leonard’s daughter as a hostage. I made an attempt to save her, and somewhere in the process I ended up with the bank bag. It was lost a couple of miles down the road. I never saw it again, but Puet believes I have it.”
“And that’s why they took Jo? They want to use her as a bargaining tool?”
“That’s how I have it figured.”
Everett studied the ground. “What do you think they’ll do to her?”
Johnny didn’t want to think about that. “We have to find her.”
He didn’t want to think about the anguish on Ragan’s face when he left her standing in the livery. He knew now that he was in love with her, and everything else had ceased to matter. Not Bledso, not vengeance—nothing but Ragan and her happiness concerned him.
He couldn’t go on the way he was anymore, always searching, bitterness eating him alive. He wanted to let go of the past and choose to stay with the woman he loved. He wanted to make a home, start a family, be a part of Ragan’s family. And Jo was part of that family.
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