by Bobbi Smith
“So,” Ellie asked, curious now that she was finally alone with Jack’s two women. “How did you two come to be with Jack here in Galveston?”
“Jack was hired by my father to escort me back home to San Rafael from Philadelphia. Miss Hammond is my traveling companion.”
“Oh . . . So that’s where Jack’s been. We hadn’t heard from him in months and we were growing concerned,” she said thoughtfully. “Well, let’s go in and make you comfortable. Dinner will be within the hour. I’m sure after all the traveling you’ve done, you’re ready for a home-cooked meal.”
“It sounds wonderful,” Eileen agreed.
Ellie’s friendliness was genuine, and Amanda found herself liking the other woman.
It was nearly an hour later when they all gathered around the dining room table for the evening meal. The fare was delicious, the conversation intelligent and interesting. The children finally went to bed after dessert, leaving the grown-ups alone at last.
Amanda had watched Jack with his niece and nephew and had been amazed at how good he was with them. He truly seemed to like them and to like spending time with them. He answered their questions with patience and love, and even kissed little Kathleen good night before she went up to bed.
“Now that we’re finally alone, I can tell you the news,” Charles began when the children had gone.
“What news?” Jack asked, hearing his serious tone and wondering what was wrong.
“We had an unexpected visit from Steve Laughlin. He was looking for you.”
“Steve was?” Jack was surprised. They hadn’t talked since he’d quit the Rangers after El Diablo. “What did he want?”
“Who’s Steve?” Amanda asked.
“Steve Laughlin was Jack’s commanding officer when he was in the Rangers,” Ellie explained.
“He came here to get word to you that the Sheldon gang have broken out of jail,” Charles said.
Had he not been in mixed company, Jack would have sworn vilely.
“How did that happen?” he asked.
It had taken four Rangers to put that gang away several years before. The Sheldons were deadly—blood-thirsty, actually—and Jack had been relieved to see them in jail. They’d been sentenced to fifteen years, but now they were on the loose again.
“I don’t know all the details. All Captain Laughlin told us was that they were gunning for the four Rangers who’d sent them to jail. Laughlin said that two of your friends—Joe Reynolds and Vic Everly—were shot down in cold blood.”
“They’re dead?”
“Yes.”
Jack went still at this news. Joe and Vic had been good friends. They’d been through a lot together.
“They also ambushed a third Ranger, Jim Eskin. He lived, though, in spite of having two bullets in him. He’s the one who identified his assailants for Steve, and he heard them say that they were coming after you next.”
Amanda and Eileen glanced at Jack worriedly. “Is this gang as bad as they sound?”
“They’re worse,” Jack answered. He looked at Charles. “What did Steve want me to do?”
“He didn’t say. I think he just wanted to make sure you were aware of the threat. He said to tell you to watch your back and be careful. The Rangers are trying to track them, but we haven’t heard anything from him since he left.”
Jack nodded. “As good as the Sheldons are at disappearing, it won’t be easy to find them. It took us months to track them down the first time, and it’s only going to be harder this time.”
“What are you going to do?” Amanda asked.
“There’s not much I can do but sit tight and keep an eye out. This gang is about as low as you can get. I wouldn’t put anything past them, but the good news is they don’t know where I am. I want to keep it that way.”
“Are the Sheldons as bad as the El Diablo gang?” Ellie asked, fearing for her brother’s safety.
Jack went still at the mention of El Diablo. “Almost.”
“You are a very brave man, Jack Logan,” Eileen put in as she listened to all they were saying. “The life of a Ranger is so challenging.”
“And dangerous,” Ellie added seriously, knowing how close her brother came to being killed not too long before. “I’m glad he quit the Rangers.”
“You are?” Eileen was surprised. She thought Texas Rangers were men of honor and courage.
“I got tired of worrying about him. Jack, why don’t you come back here once you’ve seen Amanda and Miss Hammond to San Rafael? As long as you’re with us, I’ll know you’re safe.”
Jack grinned at her. “You’re always trying to mother me, Ellie. Don’t you realize I’m grown?”
“Yes, I know you’re grown, but you’re still my little brother. I’m never going to stop caring about you or worrying about you. So until the Sheldons are back in jail, I want you here where I can keep an eye on you myself.”
“Don’t you think it would be better if I turned the tables on the Sheldons and went after them? Maybe it’s time the hunters became the hunted.”
“No. I lived with the fear of you turning up dead for too long. And then this thing with El Diablo last year—” Ellie shuddered visibly. “I want to keep you safe and sound. You’re the only brother I’ve got left, and I intend to keep you around for a while.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jack answered, but it was mostly just to change the topic. He already knew what he was going to do. He would see Amanda home to Dan, and then immediately set out to locate Steve. Between the two of them, they ought to be able to outsmart the Sheldons. He’d done it once. He could do it again.
The conversation drifted for a time, and then Jack and Charles went off into the study to speak of manly things. Eileen decided to go up to bed, but Amanda wasn’t sleepy yet. Ellie’s garden was magnificent, and Amanda asked if she could go for a walk there before retiring for the night.
Ellie went with her to keep her company. She’d noticed the way Amanda had watched Jack during dinner, and she wondered if there was more to their relationship than anyone had said.
“How long have you known my brother?” she asked when they were away from the house and no one could overhear them.
“Not long. I only met him for the first time when we were in Philadelphia. My father knew him in the war, though, and that’s why he hired him to come after me.
“Is your father Dan Taylor?”
“Yes.”
“I owe your father a lot for saving Jack’s life the way he did,” Ellie said, remembering her brother telling her about it when he’d returned from the war.
“Jack told me a little about it,” Amanda said. She found herself wanting to know more about Jack, but she was not about to come right out and ask.
“He was so young when it all started. . . . He hasn’t had an easy life. We lost everything in the war. All my other brothers and my father were killed. When we came to Texas, there was just Charles, my mother, Jack and me. We had a lot of hard years, but eventually things got better. Jack joined the Rangers, and he was doing well until he ran into El Diablo—”
She said the name with such loathing that it shocked Amanda.
“Who is El Diablo? You mentioned something about him earlier.”
“Not him, Amanda, her.”
Amanda frowned, confused. “I don’t understand.”
“Neither did a lot of folks until the truth came out, thanks to Jack. El Diablo was the leader of a murderous bunch of outlaws down around Del Fuego. Jack was there working on breaking up the gang when he was nearly killed by the outlaw leader.”
“But you just said El Diablo was a woman.”
“Exactly.”
Their eyes met as Amanda realized the import of what Ellie had just told her.
“What happened?”
“Jack was leading the investigation, and he had a man undercover in the gang. He was awaiting word from his source about their plans. What he didn’t know at the time was that the infamous El Diablo was a woman—a very deadly wom
an. She stabbed him in the back and left him for dead in his hotel room. Luckily, he survived and was able to tell the others who she was and what she’d done.”
Amanda’s eyes widened at her words. El Diablo had been a woman and she had attacked Jack with a knife! No wonder he’d gotten upset that morning on board the ship! She’d been bragging about armed women being dangerous and had even picked up a knife and told him she was going to carry it as a weapon! Amanda paled as she realized Eileen had been right in everything she’d said about Jack’s reason for getting drunk that day.
“You look stunned.”
“I am. He mentioned in passing that something had happened that made him quit the Rangers, but he didn’t elaborate. Now, I understand why. They got El Diablo, didn’t they?” She suddenly needed to know that the other woman had paid for hurting Jack.
“Yes, thank God. She’s dead, and the rest of the gang’s either dead or in jail.”
“Good.”
“I agree with you, but the last thing I want to do is worry about the Sheldons gunning for him. These next few weeks aren’t going to be easy. Maybe you should tell him you’ve changed your mind and that you want to go back to Philadelphia. That would get him out of Texas for a while.”
“Believe me, Ellie, your brother doesn’t want to spend any more time with me than necessary. He can’t wait to drop me off with my father.”
Ellie laughed in complete understanding. “That’s why I asked you how you came to be with my brother. Escorting females is a far cry from his usual work. I’m surprised he took the job.”
“I think he’s sorry he took it on, but we’re almost back to San Rafael. He’ll be rid of me soon, and then he can get back to his normal life.” At her words, Amanda noticed a slight change in Ellie’s expression—a darkening, a worry—and she assumed it had to do with the Sheldons.
“I hope he does get back to his normal life. That would be good for him. I hope he comes back here, too, as he said, but I get the feeling he just told me that to placate me. When Jack makes up his mind to do something, he does it. And if he’s bound and determined to track down the Sheldons, nothing I can say will stop him. He believes in seeing justice done.”
“I hope they find the Sheldons before we even get back to San Rafael. That way you won’t have to worry about him.”
“I do, too.”
They shared a smile and started back inside. It was getting late.
Jack stood at the study window staring out into the night. He could just barely see Amanda and Ellie as they stood talking in the garden.
“What are you looking at?” Charles asked, from where he sat behind his desk.
“Ellie and Amanda decided to take a walk through the garden.”
“She’s a beautiful woman,” his brother-in-law remarked.
“Of course, she is—she’s my sister,” Jack countered, turning back to Charles.
“I was talking about Amanda. How is it you’ve been reduced to hiring yourself out as an escort service?” he asked, humor shining in his eyes.
Jack told him of his connection to Dan Taylor. “He’s a good man. I was glad to do it.”
“Jack—” Charles paused, not quite sure how to bring up the subject that Steve Laughlin had told them about.
“What?” he looked up expectantly.
“When Steve was here, he told us some things—”
“Like what?”
“Like the way you’ve been living since you recovered from your wounds.” Charles gave up trying to be polite and decided the best way to talk to Jack was straight out. “Steve said he got word that you’d turned into a drunk and were hiring out as a fast gun. He said it sounded like you had a death wish or something.”
“Do I look like a drunk to you?” Jack tensed.
“I’m just telling you what he said.”
“I know.” Jack grimaced as he faced the truth about himself. He had had a death wish, and even now, he didn’t care much one way or the other if he lived or died. Oh, sure, he loved his sister and her family, but he had no real reason to get out of bed in the morning, no real reason to go on. Before, his job as a Ranger had been his life, but after discovering how blind he’d been to Elizabeth’s cunning, he hadn’t trusted himself or his judgment anymore. Sometimes he thought he’d have been better off if she’d aimed truer with her knife.
“So, is it true?” Charles sensed Jack needed to talk, but he wasn’t sure just how far he could push him.
“I spent a few months as a hired gun.”
“What about all the drinking? You know drowning yourself in whiskey isn’t going to make anything better.”
“It sure as hell can help you sleep through the night, though,” Jack countered angrily as he glared at his brother-in-law. “I know you’re trying to help me, Charles, and I appreciate it. But I’m fine. I don’t need any help. I’ll finish off my job for Dan Taylor and then I’ll look up Steve and see what I can do to help him find the Sheldons.”
“That isn’t what you told your sister.” Charles was smiling.
“I know.” Jack smiled back.
Chapter Eight
Mona Taylor sat at the window watching the sun rise. The day she’d been waiting for had finally arrived. In just a few hours, all her dreams would come true. She smiled at the prospect.
She noticed then that the sky had a reddish tint to it, and she thought that was most telling. If things went as they were supposed to, it would be a very bloody day. A shiver of anticipation slid down her spine. Soon, very soon, it would be all hers.
Her thoughts drifted back to the time when the plan had been conceived. . . .
“I can’t believe Dan and Asa haven’t decided to sell the damned stage line yet!” she’d fumed to her son.
“They are stubborn, but they’re not going to stop us.” Ted smiled grimly. “If two robberies in a month didn’t convince them to get out of the business, then we’ll just have to apply a little more pressure.”
“You can apply a whole lot more as far as I’m concerned. I’ve had enough of living here in the middle of nowhere!”
“What I don’t understand, Mother, is why you married Asa Taylor in the first place.”
Mona shot him a haughty look. “It seems you’ve forgotten the dire financial straits we were in eight years ago. I thought Asa had money. That’s why I married him. I had no idea all of his worth was tied up in that stage and freight line with his brother.”
“So you’ve found that eight years in West Texas is enough for anyone.”
“One month in West Texas was enough, but I couldn’t find a way to escape. But this idea you’ve come up with seems perfect . . . Or at least I thought it was until I listened to them talking last night. Dan and Asa are determined to fight back after the robberies. They’re even adding an extra guard on some of the runs.”
“They’re not going to make this easy for us, are they? It would be so simple if they just sold out to Charles Johnson. He’s waiting for the chance to buy the line. If they did, you’d have all the money you’d ever need. Of course, you’d still have to get it away from Asa.”
“As tight as he is, I wonder if I’d even see a cent of it. He’d probably want to stay right here in San Rafael and hoard every penny.”
Ted’s expression had turned thoughtful, then cunning. “There is an easy way out of this, you know—a very simple way for us to take over everything.”
“What? I’m willing to try anything at this point.”
“Anything?” he had pressed.
“Anything,” she’d repeated firmly.
“If something should happen to Asa—”
“If something should happen to Asa and Dan—” she’d added to his original deadly thought. “We’d still have to deal with Amanda, but as involved as she is back East, I’m sure it wouldn’t be too difficult to convince her to sell out to Johnson.”
“Then you approve of my idea.”
“I think it’s masterful, darling. Between the two of us, w
e’ll take over for Amanda, sell the stage line to Johnson, send her her share of the money and head for New Orleans.”
And now the day was finally here. They’d planned everything perfectly. Asa and Dan were going to ride together on the relay from San Rafael to Comanche Pass. The robbery would take place at the most remote location, and it had been made clear to the men working for them that there were to be no survivors.
Mona wondered if being a rich widow was going to be as wonderful as she hoped it would be. The thought was pleasant, and she was still smiling as she rose from her seat at the window and went to make herself breakfast. It was going to be a long day, waiting to hear the news, but she was sure she could pass the hours without too much trouble. The most important thing she had to remember was to be sure to act surprised and devastated when word came to her of the robbery and murders. She paused before a mirror to practice a tormented facial expression. Pleased with the devastated look she’d perfected, she smiled brightly and went on to the kitchen.
* * *
Dan Taylor was watchful as he drove the stage through the rugged terrain. Asa sat at his side with his shotgun near at hand, keeping careful watch. The last months had been rough for them. The two robberies had left them nervous and unsure, but they were determined the payroll they were transporting that day would make it to its destination. They carried only one passenger on the leg to Comanche Pass, but that wasn’t unusual. There weren’t many travelers who wanted to go there, and Dan and Asa didn’t blame them. It was a rough, wild town, and the salesman they were taking looked ill-prepared for what he was about to face.
Dan’s handling of the four-horse team was masterful as they crossed a dry creek bed and started on the last leg of the journey. It was then that disaster struck. Shots rang out and horses whinnied in terror. Asa only had time to lift his shotgun to his shoulder when a gun blast ended his life.
“Asa!” Dan screamed his brother’s name.
He crouched low and urged the team faster, trying to outrun their attackers, but it was hopeless. A bullet caught him in the shoulder, and he was thrown from the stage. Another shot hit him in the back. He lay, deathly still, face down in the dust.
