Wanted: Dead or Alive

by Faye Byrd

Cowgirl’s eyes focus on something past Piano Girl before settling back on her. “Well, looks like it’s time to prove it.” She tilts her head toward town. “That’s our signal.”

  Noticing the flash, we all stand and start moving toward town. Josie and me move toward the back of the main buildings, and Minnie heads to the wooden walkway that will lead her to the bank’s front door. As soon as we in position, Baby Face appears at the corner of the building to motion us at the all-clear.

  It’s a tense few moments while we wait in silence for some kind of sign that Piano Girl’s done did her job, but finally, the wave comes, and me and Josie both release a breath of relief. With muscles tense and a Colt already in hand, we make our way to the door where Piano Girl is smiling like a loon, and Baby Face is ready to rush inside.

  I take up position beside the door and give him a nod. Soon as the handle turns, I barge inside with him right on my heels. Not a soul in sight. We usher the women in and secure the door behind us.

  A moan from behind a closed door draws everyone’s eyes. Piano Girl narrows hers while my cowgirl smirks. “Looks like we gone be interruptin’ somethin’,” she notes quietly.

  “Won’t be the first time.” Piano Girl curls her lip, disgusted by the sounds filling our ears. “Hussy.”

  Josie pulls her trusty double barrel from her back and says, “Let’s bust this up.” She then starts for the door.

  But I grab her arm, halting her, and receive a raised eyebrow for my effort. “Hold up, Cowgirl. I know you a take-charge kind of woman, my kind of woman, but this is Piano Girl’s rodeo. We just gone make sure we all make it out alive.”

  She pouts so pretty. “Aw, you takin’ all my fun, Outlaw.” Then she eyes Piano Girl. “Get to it Minnie. We got ya back.”

  Piano Girl actually beams at Josie ‘fore slowly making her way toward the wooden door of doom. We all fall in line, and when we standing right outside it, I tilt my head back to the main door.

  “Ya think you ought a stand guard?” I whisper to Baby Face.

  He looks torn for a second ‘fore Piano Girl makes his mind up for him. “I’m okay, Levi. Nathan and Josie would never let nothin’ happen to me. We can’t have no surprises.”

  He slowly nods and moves back to the main entrance, taking up a spot by the window.

  “Let’s do this,” Piano Girl says with a nod, and then she slams the door open so hard that it smacks into the wall.

  Two half-naked bodies jump apart with wide eyes, searching for the source of the noise. When Head Whore’s eyes land on Piano Girl, they go from shocked and scared to downright evil.

  “You!” she snarls, already coming at us.

  Piano Girl is frozen in her spot, but that’s okay ‘cause my cowgirl got her back. She plants that double barrel right into the flabby midsection of Head Whore. “Hold it right there, whore,” she spits with a vehemence I ain’t heard from her before—and that’s saying something.

  Head Whore stops short, eyes wide as saucers. “Wh-who a-are y-you?” she stutters and shrinks back from the glare my cowgirl’s sporting.

  “It ain’t matter who I am. Ya best be worried what I’m gone do to you.”

  I take the opportunity to move next to Piano Girl and nudge her shoulder. “You all right?”

  She seems to come out of her stupor then and shakes her head. “Yeah, I’m good. All good,” she says with a decisive nod.

  “Well, then why don’t ya take this Colt right here and go take on over from Josie,” I suggest, curling her fingers ‘round my second pistol.

  Bankerman’s done pulled up his breeches and is cowering behind his desk with only his beady eyes peeping out. I smirk at his yellow-bellied antics and move toward him. His response is to sink to the floor, completely out of sight.

  Piano Girl moves into position beside Josie, and I walk to take a seat on the edge of the desk so that I can keep my eyes on everything and everyone in the room. Course, I have no fears since Josie has Piano Girl’s back, but I’m here if they need me.

  “You little tramp,” Head Whore yells, pushing against Josie’s gun, and now I know she’s a damn fool ‘cause even I ain’t that stupid.

  My cowgirl restrains herself, though, and lifts her brows at Piano Girl who finally makes a move. She pulls back the hammer of my Colt and points it right between Head Whore’s eyes.

  “The only tramp here is you,” she grits out, her jaw tight. “Lowdown, dirty, connivin’ little tramp. Thought you could just keep me in a whorehouse and take everythin’ that was mine?” Her hand starts a shaking from the rage as her voice rises. “Well, I got friends as ya can see. Friends who ain’t got no qualms with erasin’ ya from this Earth. So you better listen good and do what ya told.”

  “And what exactly is that?” Head Whore asks, still acting all superior.

  Josie pulls her shotgun back and lifts the part of her dress that’s hanging open with the tip of the barrel. “First, ya gone pull up ya dress. We ain’t interested in lookin’ at no saggy titties.”

  I can’t help myself, I chuckle loudly. Head Whore’s eyes shoot to me as if she wasn’t even aware of my presence, but smartly, she turns ‘em away almost as fast as she looked ‘cause God help her if she stared my way too long.

  She finally covers herself and Josie takes a step back, allowing Piano Girl to take front and center. “Now, this here’s what we gone do. You gone get lover boy over there from his hidin’ spot and he gone open my pa’s safety deposit box.”

  Head Whore gasps and starts shaking her head. But Piano Girl’s a learning, she just simply pushes the barrel of my Colt closer ‘til it’s almost touching Head Whore’s nose. “Yeah, ya are.” Her eyes cut to me. “If you could be so kind as to help Mr. Elkins from his post on the floor.”

  I chuckle again ‘cause, yeah, she’s catching on quick. I hop off the desk to snatch the sniveling man up from the floor. “You hear? The lady gone be in need of ya assistance.” He’s a quivering mess, and I’m half-afraid he’s gone piss himself.

  He nods his head and trails along as I drag him ‘round to Piano Girl. “Where might those boxes be located?” she asks him.

  He tries to speak and can’t get nothing out but some senseless stuttering. Instead, he just points toward the door. “All right then. Lead the way,” I demand, giving him a little shove in that direction.

  He almost trips over his own feet but manages to catch himself. Josie nudges Head Whore to follow and takes up the rear as we all make our way back out to where Baby Face turns and looks relieved as soon as he sees us.

  Head Whore immediately draws a bead on him, though. “And you!” she exclaims.

  Baby Face smirks and joins the party, bending and giving her a tilt of his hat. “At your service, Ma— well, I can’t say what ya are, as that wouldn’t be very gentlemanly like.”

  When Head Whore goes to respond, Piano Girl shoves the Colt into her side. “Shut ya trap, whore. And get ya eyes off my man.” She looks to Bankerman. “Open that box.”

  With fingers so shaky he can barely hold the key, Bankerman leads us to a vault. When we enter, I see nothing but rows and rows of boxes. We follow him to the back wall where he tries several times to put in the key, but his hands just won’t cooperate.

  Finally, I snatch it and push him away from me. I open the lock and pull the long case from the wall then I pass it over to Piano Girl and draw my Colt, putting it between Head Whore’s eyes.

  “Not a move,” I order as Piano Girl makes her way to a table and starts going through the items inside.

  She must find what she’s a looking for soon enough ‘cause she yells, “Aha.”

  Cowgirl and Baby Face close in to get a look at what she’s holding up, but I keep my spot, holding Head Whore right where we want her.

  “Well, here’s my pa’s will,” she announces, her eyes like slits on Head Whore. “And looky, looky, says right here that Mr. Elkins was the person ‘posed to carry out his wishes.” She looks down and goes through the rest of the docume
nt before giving Bankerman the stink eye. “He left me the property she turned into a brothel and some cash, too.” She points toward Head Whore.

  If I thought Bakerman was a mess before, he really is now as a wet patch forms on his breeches. Baby Face approaches anyway, though, and shoves him real good, so good he lands on his ass in the puddle of piss.

  Piano Girl gets a calculating look and slowly meanders her way to squat in front of Bankerman. “So, here’s what we gone do. You gone get up and open ya own safety deposit box and hand me my deed. Then ya gone buy my property outright. You and her can fight about who owns it after I’m gone. Says here, Pa left me two thousand dollars, too, and ya gone pass that right on over.”

  The pathetic Bankerman ain’t doing nothing but nodding away at every word Piano Girl’s a saying. But he don’t make no move so she takes my Colt and pushes it right between his eyebrows. He freezes in his spot.

  “Now!” she demands, and I ain’t seem him move so fast.

  He pulls a key ring from his pocket with a much steadier hand and goes to his own safety deposit box, pulling it out and taking it to the table. Cowgirl comes over, pushes her shotgun into Head Whore’s side and tilts her head for me to join the others at the table.

  Walking over, I watch as he pulls out a stack of paperwork and starts leafing through it, I suppose looking for the deed. With the paper out the way, I can see a couple stacks of cash and other objects lying across the bottom of the box.

  One item in particular catches my eye right away. Leaning forward, I pluck the shiny bauble right out of Bankerman’s box. He gasps, watching as I pull it close for a better look, but otherwise doesn’t open his cowardly trap.

  The light twinkles off the facets, creating a rainbow effect as I twist it around, taking in the thick gold band and large shiny stone. I give Bankerman a smirk and close the item in my fist, sliding it into my pocket. He just nods and hands Piano Girl the deed she wanted to see.

  I chance a glance at Cowgirl and am relieved to see she’s busy tormenting Head Whore, so she missed the whole exchange.

  After Piano Girl looks over the piece of paper, she turns to Bankerman. “Now, I’m gone sell ya this deed back, and you gone give me my two grand on top of that price.”

  From across the room, Head Whore screeches, “That’s my hous—” But that’s all she gets out ‘fore my cowgirl done shoved her barrel right into her open pie hole. Her eyes go wide, but she smartly freezes those flapping lips.

  Bankerman pulls out the couple stacks of cash and turns to Piano Girl. “Eight thousand is all I got. P-please don’t k-kill me.”

  Her eyes widen, and a smirk to rival my own turns up the corners of her lips. “I think I can let ya live for that amount.”

  She nudges Baby Face, who pulls a burlap sack from his bag. “Here ya are, darlin’.” He smiles as she loads the stacks into the bag.

  We make ‘em strip back down and tie ‘em up, leaving ‘em out in the open to be found first thing in the morning. Soon, we’re back at camp where our horses are ready and a waiting.

  “So, what now?” Baby Face asks as we all gather our already packed bags.

  “We gone head south together,” I reply, an addition to our plan forming in my mind. “We gone leave a trail that way and make sure to be seen a time or two, then we gone part ways. Me and Josie’ll head north from there.”

  “What about—”

  “Oh, ya can bet that’s in the plans too.” I pull Josie close by my side. “I’m sure we’ll pass just the spot along the way.”

  Cowgirl smiles so wide and kisses me like we the only two people in the world.

  “Anywhere will be perfect with you, Outlaw,” she says when she pulls away.

  Ain’t no better sentiment to my feelings ever been said.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The Unholy Matrimony

  NATHAN

  We been on the trail two days, headed south and staying out of sight for the most part. I want there to be some distance traveled ‘fore we make a good appearance. Baby Face was able to sneak into a town yesterday, unnoticed, and grab the local newspaper.

  Seems Head Whore and Bankerman had quite a story to let loose. Baby Face and Piano Girl ain’t unknown no more, least in Nevada that is. But, that’s what we was a hoping for. Now when we separate, people will just assume we wherever they are, giving us time to go long and far and maybe find that place where we can settle down and stay for a bit.

  Somewhere we can feel safe, live as husband and wife and still communicate with the family on the sly. Sure, we gone have to call ourselves something else, and that just don’t seem right, but it’s the price we willing to pay for a quiet life together.

  “Figure it’s time to make an appearance?” Baby Face asks, riding up beside me. “We far enough south to make a good statement, I think.”

  I mull over what he’s saying and nod. “Yeah, we could go for a drink in the next town. How far out are we?”

  Piano Girl cuts in. “There’s a small town ‘bout an hour’s ride from here.”

  My eyes seek out my cowgirl. “You ready to step out in the open?”

  She smirks. “A drink sounds like just what I need.”

  “All right then, it’s settled,” I announce, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Let’s get in, be seen and get out. That way we’ll have time to get far enough away to make camp come nightfall.”

  I kick Arrow in gear and hear the other hoofbeats pound on the dirt behind, all except Cowgirl’s that is. She nudges out ahead of me, a sly smirk on her face as she pushes Star to the lead.

  We ride toward town and make it there in less than an hour at the pace Josie set. We don’t shy away when we enter either. We head straight down the main street, creating an imposing posse as we seek out the local saloon.

  People clear out the way as we pass, most hurrying the other direction. We tether our horses outside and make our way into the saloon, keeping our eyes open for all possibilities. Baby Face and Piano Girl grab a table by the door, and Josie and me mosey on up to the bar.

  Rapping my knuckles once, I get the bartender’s attention. His eyes widen as they land on me then scan ‘round the room. “Ye-yes, sir,” he stutters, inching a little more in our direction.

  “Me and my posse”—I motion ‘round to Cowgirl, Baby Face and Piano Girl—“got thirsty on the trail and thought we’d stop for some drinks.” I glance around the room and notice there’s only five other people here. “Hell, everybody looks thirsty. This here round’s on us.”

  A cheer rises from a table with two old guys. “Hear, hear,” they say in unison.

  Cowgirl leans across the bar and bats her lashes. “So why don’t you be a dear and see that we all get a whiskey.”

  Bar Man, like every man Josie encounters, is stunned still when she turns all her attention on him. His mouth gapes a little, and when I see some drool on the corner of his lip, I lose my patience.

  So fast he ain’t even seen me move, my Colt is leveled at him. “The lady said get us some drinks,” I order, pulling the hammer back to make my point. “Now, move it!”

  He blinks rapidly and scurries to land two glasses on the bar top. Josie’s giggles fill my ears, and I turn to her with a lifted brow, lowering my Colt. “What?”

  Just as she goes to answer, the doors swing open, and a man with a shiny star on his shirt enters the saloon. All eyes turn to him, including mine and Josie’s. Every muscle tenses and my fingers tighten on my Colt.

  He holds his hands up. “Nothin’ to worry ‘bout here, folks. Just heard some outlaws had rolled into town and wanted to check it out for myself.”

  “We ain’t lookin’ for trouble,” I say. “Just stopped in for a drink.”

  “Mind if I join ya?” Lawman asks.

  I cut my eyes to Baby Face with a warning and nod at Lawman. “Sure,” I say, tilting my head to the stool on the other side of me.

  He moseys on over and takes the seat, giving Josie a tilt of his cap. “Howdy, m
a’am.” Then he turns to Barman. “I’ll have myself what they havin’.” He tilts his head to the glasses that finally got something in ‘em.

  “This here round’s on us,” I inform Lawman, picking up my glass and clinking it against Josie’s.

  “What we celebratin’,” Lawman asks, picking up his freshly filled glass, too.

  “Let’s get everybody a drink first,” I tell him, giving Barman the stink eye so he’ll get moving. When he scurries off with the whiskey, I turn back to Lawman. “You really gone just drink with us and let us be on our way?”

  Lawman shrugs. “It ain’t like I can stop ya. This here’s a small town and my backup ain’t much. ‘Sides, tales I hear says ya won’t be shootin’ up the place unless I make ya.” He lifts a knowing brow.

  I nod. “Sounds about right.”

  “Alrighty then,” he says. “You just have a drink and be on ya way, and I’ll never mention ya was here.”

  That’s when I shake my head to the negative. “Actually, we was hopin’ word we was here would get out.”

  His brows rise under his hat. “Is that right?”

  Cowgirl leans closer. “Yeah, that’s right. Can ya make sure word spreads?” she asks him all sweet like, and I chuckle under my breath.

  “Su-sure, ma’am,” he says, then clears his throat and cuts his eyes away from the lure.

  Figuring everything’s gone be okay, I take the opportunity to make an announcement … well sort of.

  I stand and clear my throat loudly, gaining everyone’s attention. “There’s something I’d like to do right quick if y’all could spare me a minute.” When no one objects, I turn and drop down ‘fore my cowgirl, taking her hand. “This lovely woman right here done agreed to become my wife,” I say loud enough for everyone to hear. “But now, I’m finally ready to present her with a shiny bauble to prove she’s mine.”

  She gasps as I reach down to dig into my pocket, pulling out the ring I took from Bankerman’s box. When I meet her eyes again, they sparkling with wetness and are trained on the jewelry in my palm.

  Taking her hand in mine, I push the ring on her finger, and it’s a perfect fit. “I love you, Cowgirl, and this right here’s to let everybody know you belong to me.” I stand up and reach for her.