by Bobbi Smith
“Shut up or I’ll shoot you right now. I know you’re Logan’s woman. It won’t bother me to kill you. In fact, I just might enjoy it!”
His hands on her were bruising, and Amanda knew real terror. This was nothing like when Jack had carried her out of The Palace. This was a real kidnapping.
She lifted her gaze toward Luke. He was standing within six feet of them, his gun drawn, his expression deadly.
“Let her go, Sheldon,” Luke ordered.
Hank smiled evilly. “You’re not getting your bounty this time. Willy!”
“Yeah,” his brother answered groggily as he slowly staggered to his feet.
“Let’s get out of here. I’ve got the Taylor woman.”
Willy shook his head to clear it. When he saw what his brother had done, he grinned. “Untie me. You ain’t that good that you can outsmart the Sheldons.”
Cody did not yield to his threat. She did not lower her gun, but cocked it instead. “You’re not getting out of here, Willy. Tell your brother to let Amanda Taylor go, or I’ll shoot you right where you stand.”
“Hank—” Willy was suddenly believing again all the stories he’d heard about Cody Jameson. “Hank, this is Cody Jameson. She’s says she’ll shoot me unless—”
“I heard her,” Hank snarled. He was a survivor. His own safety and well-being had always come first with him, and he was trying to figure out just how to get himself out of there in one piece. He’d let Willy take care of Willy, and he’d get himself out of town. He could always come back later and break him out of jail, if need be.
Hank held his gun to Amanda’s head as he slowly moved toward the swinging doors. He was careful to keep his back to the wall.
“Untie and let him go,” he ordered, knowing Cody wouldn’t do it, but trying to threaten her anyway.
“I’m not giving your brother anything but a fast trip to jail,” she returned. “You shoot Amanda Taylor, and I’ll make sure you’re both dead before she hits the ground.”
Amanda was trembling and helpless as she listened to them. She longed for Jack. If Jack were there, she would be safe. Jack would save her. But Jack was gone. There would be no rescue.
Eileen, too, was standing off to the side. She was armed with her axe, but she knew she could do nothing to stop this. Luke and Cody were their only hope. She prayed desperately for help.
Luke was trapped. He kept hoping for a clear shot at Hank, but the outlaw was too cunning.
Hank dragged Amanda with him as he kept shifting his position, moving around the tables and people. The way he was holding her, with his gun at her head, kept Luke from taking his best shot. Cool heads prevailed at times like these, so he kept steely control over his desire to put Hank Sheldon six feet under. He kept his gun ready, waiting for the opportunity to save Amanda.
“You’re not going to get out of town, Sheldon,” Luke said in a low, threatening voice.
“Watch me.”
All eyes were on him as he backed slowly toward the swinging doors.
Jack and Stalking Ghost rode straight for the Taylor house when they reached San Rafael. Jack all but threw himself from his horse and ran up the steps to pound on the door.
“Jack?” Dan was surprised to see him.
“Is Amanda here?” He wanted to make sure she was safe.
“No, not right now. She’s in town with Eileen.” He frowned. “What are you doing back so soon? Were the Sheldons caught already?”
“No. We got to Del Cuero and found out that the news about my bringing in Humes and Martin had spread around the county. If the Sheldons were close, they would have heard it and headed here looking for me. Have you seen any sign of them?”
“Not yet, but your friends Cody and Luke are here. They came into town just after you left.”
“Are they still here?”
“Yes. In fact, that’s where Amanda and Eileen went. They’re at Sister Mary’s Traveling Salvation Show.”
Sister Mary . . . He remembered the stories of how Cody had tracked the El Diablo Gang. “Thanks, Dan. I’ll be back.”
He turned and hurried back to where Stalking Ghost was waiting for him. He mounted up.
“Sister Mary’s in town,” was all he had to say.
They found the tent relatively deserted.
“Where is everybody?” Jack asked the few townspeople who’d lingered behind.
“Down at the saloon,” one lady told him. “Sister Mary led the way there. She wanted to rid the town of liquor. Some of the ladies who went with her were even carrying axes!”
Jack swore low under his breath. It had to be Amanda and Eileen. But why would they attack the saloon? Unless . . .
“The Sheldons must be down there,” he said, looking at Stalking Ghost.
“I will go around back.”
Stalking Ghost disappeared as Jack reined in and tied up his horse. On foot, he headed for the saloon. There were people milling around out in front talking in hushed excitement.
Jack made his way to the doors and looked inside to see Luke leveling his gun on Hank Sheldon, who was backing straight toward him. To Jack’s horror, he could see that Hank had Amanda in his grasp and was holding a gun to her temple.
Rage filled him. He wanted to shoot Hank right then and there, but he dared not endanger Amanda. It took all of his iron-willed self-control to wait for the perfect opportunity.
“Hank!” Willy squawked from where Cody had him under the gun. “What are you doing? You can’t leave me here!”
Hank didn’t say a word. He just kept the gun on Amanda and his attention on Luke. He was getting out of there. He was not going back to jail. He had almost reached the doors. Once he was out of the saloon, he would quickly throw Amanda Taylor across his horse in front of him and ride out of town. Nobody would dare try to stop him as long as he had her with him.
Hank prided himself on being smart. He’d break Willy out later. Nothing was going to happen to Willy, but Logan’s woman—now that was another story. He was going to enjoy having her all to himself. He smiled grimly and tightened his hold on Amanda as he felt the swinging doors at his back.
“Don’t you worry none, little lady,” he said in a low voice. “I’m going to take real good care of you. You won’t even have the chance to miss your Ranger boyfriend.”
“That’s right,” Jack said in a lethal voice as he stepped behind Hank, his gun digging into his spine. “Because her Ranger boyfriend is right here.”
“Hank! Look out behind you!” It was Willy’s shout that broke the stalemate.
Willy threw himself at Cody, going for her gun. Because she was a woman, he believed he could overpower her. But he’d never dealt with Cody Jameson Majors before. Cody fired instinctively at his attack. Her shot was deadly and accurate.
Willy Sheldon would never kill again.
In the same moment as Willy’s attack, Hank turned. He threw Amanda aside bodily, ready to shoot Logan.
Two shots were fired, but neither came from Hank Sheldon’s gun.
Jack’s and Luke’s shots hit the outlaw. When the smoke cleared, Hank lay dead at Jack’s feet.
“Jack! You came!” Amanda got to her feet and launched herself into his arms.
Jack wrapped her in the strength of his loving embrace as Luke hurried to check Hank and make sure he wouldn’t be hurting anyone ever again.
“Thank God I got here when I did,” Jack groaned, holding her close. He gazed down at her, knowing he couldn’t have gone on if anything had happened to her.
“I love you, Jack,” she sighed, drawing him to her for a kiss.
Cody came to kneel beside Luke as he checked Hank over.
“He’s dead?”
“Yes.”
“Good shooting,” she complimented both of them. “Amanda, are you all right?”
Amanda turned in Jack’s arms to look down at her. “Now that Jack’s here, I’m fine. Where’s Eileen?”
“I’m here,” she called out, hurrying to join them. “Than
k God our Jack showed up.”
“He does always seem to rescue us at just the right moment, doesn’t he?” Amanda said, looking up at him with glowing eyes.
“That’s what Texas Rangers are supposed to do, isn’t it?” Eileen asked, a teasing look in her eyes.
Jack smiled at them. “You know, it would be nice if just once in a while, you two could stay out of trouble.”
“Eileen and I realized that that was Willy Sheldon who’d come down to the tent to cause trouble. We had to do something to help Cody.”
“And you did a fine job,” Cody agreed as she stood up. “Your idea of marching on the saloon was brilliant. We couldn’t have brought them in without you.”
Eileen beamed. “I suppose we have to take you home and tell your father now, don’t we, Amanda?”
She looked guilty. “Maybe we could wait a day or two before we tell him. I really don’t want to upset him.”
“Don’t worry,” Eileen said. “I’ll handle it.”
Stalking Ghost joined them then. He’d entered the saloon from the back entrance and had just made it to the main room when the shooting erupted.
“All is well,” he said, looking at the two dead outlaws.
“All is well,” Jack agreed. He drew his future bride to his side, just needing to make sure she was safe.
Sheriff Riley came running up then, for someone had gone to get him at the jail. “What happened?”
Jack explained all that had happened. “Luke and Cody Majors just brought in the Sheldon brothers. The bounty goes to them. I’ll wire Steve Laughlin at Ranger Headquarters and let him know that the Sheldons are no longer a threat.”
As Sheriff Riley took over, Amanda, Eileen and Jack headed for home. Cody and Luke agreed to come to the Taylor home as soon as they’d taken care of the salvation show.
It was several hours later that Amanda stood on the front porch with Jack, gazing up at the stars.
“I’m glad you’re back safe and sound,” Amanda told him as she stood before him, leaning back against his chest. “When Sheldon was dragging me out of the bar, all I wanted was for you to come and rescue me.”
“I’m glad I could oblige,” he told her. He was thrilled to be holding her and never wanted to let her go.
“Your friends Luke and Cody are wonderful. I could have used Cody back in Philadelphia.”
Jack chuckled. “She is amazing. She and Luke are perfect for each other.”
“Just like us?” Amanda asked, turning in his embrace and lifting her arms to loop them around his neck.
“Just like us,” he agreed.
He kissed her then as he held her to his heart. It was a kiss of passion and devotion. It was a kiss that told her he was hers for all time.
They were perfect for each other.
Epilogue
Five Months Later
The bride was beautiful as she stood at the altar before the priest with her groom beside her. Her white dress was full and flowing. Her veil was a sheer, elegant work of lace and seed pearls. Her groom was as handsome as she was lovely. Everyone in attendance at the wedding knew they were going to live happily ever after.
“I now pronounce you man and wife,” the priest intoned. “You may kiss your bride.”
She turned to her new husband and smiled almost shyly. They were married. They were man and wife. She had thought the day might never come, but it had.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He only smiled and took her in his arms. Her heartbeat quickened and her pulse raced at being in his embrace. As his lips moved over hers, she gave herself into his safekeeping. They were finally married.
Everyone in the church looked on rapturously as they shared the couple’s first kiss as husband and wife. It was so romantic.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Amanda sighed as she stood in the first pew with Jack, smiling blissfully at the sight of her father kissing Eileen.
“Very,” Jack agreed. He slipped an arm around his own wife’s shoulders and hugged her to him. “She’s almost as beautiful a bride as you were four months ago.”
She looked up at him, all the love she felt for him shining in her eyes. “Why, thank you.”
“I’m only telling you the truth.”
“I guess this makes us the old married couple now.”
“That sounds good to me,” Jack said. “I’m enjoying married life.”
“I worried about that at first. I know you were so used to traveling with the Rangers all the time, and I didn’t know if you could be happy living in one place.”
“I’m happy living wherever you are,” he told her. “Especially now that my son’s on the way.” He let his gaze drop to her slightly rounded stomach.
“Your daughter,” she corrected.
“We’ll see.” He laughed. “Well, it’s a good thing that I’m going to be around.”
“I’m glad Papa gave you a full partnership in Taylor Stage and Freight when we got married.”
“I am, too, and I promise you, Amanda, I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure it stays as successful as it was when your uncle Asa was alive.”
“I know that, and so does Papa.”
“Did I tell you I picked up a letter from Cody and Luke at the post office earlier this morning?”
“No. How are they?”
He grinned. “I don’t think they’re going to be doing any bounty hunting for a while.”
“Why not? Is something wrong?”
“No, something’s very right. Cody is expecting their first baby just about the same time we’re expecting ours.”
They smiled at the thought of their dear friends sharing the same joy that they were—soon they, too, would be parents.
Dismissed with a blessing by the priest, Eileen and Dan turned and started back down the aisle. Amanda and Jack and the rest of the wedding guests followed.
As Amanda and Jack left the cool, dark haven of the church and stepped out into the brilliant sunlight, they knew the future was going to be as bright and beautiful as that sunny day.
They would live happily ever after.
BOBBI SMITH
After working as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at a bookstore, Bobbi Smith gave up on career security and began writing. She sold her first book to Zebra in 1982. Since then, Bobbi has written over twenty books and four short stories. To date, there are more than three million of her novels in print. Awarded the prestigious Romantic Times Storyteller of the Year Award, her books have appeared on several bestseller lists. When she’s not working on her novels, she is frequently appearing as a guest speaker for Romance Writers Association conferences. The mother of two boys, Bobbi resides in St. Charles, Missouri, with her husband.
