When he saw that they were closing fast on the first houses at the edge of town, Emmett decided he had to shoot. In the back or not—it no longer mattered. Li’s life was at stake, as were the rest of theirs.
He pointed his pistol across his horse’s neck and the Colt kicked in his hand. At just that moment, the rider in front of him yanked the reins and cut his horse hard to the right.
There was no time to waste here. Emmett was now entering the city at a full gallop.
A door opened a few houses ahead. Someone stepped out just enough to see him and to take aim with a rifle. “What’s goin’ on out here?” the homeowner yelled.
The rider Emmett was chasing cut between two houses and disappeared from sight. Emmett decided he should do the same before one of the locals decided to unload on him. He reined his horse in a loop behind a short row of cabins and then back out onto the road to Mound House. Much to his relief, no shots rang out from behind him.
Once he neared the spot where the second McIntosh man had fallen, he slowed and looked down. Right away he saw that it was the one with the brushy mustache. OK, so who was the first one I dropped? He continued on.
Before his horse even stopped, Emmett was already swinging his leg over the saddle. He trotted to the corpse.
Li, Sikes, and Juanito rode up and reined in beside him.
When Emmett rolled the dead man onto his back and pulled off the neckerchief, Li gasped.
“Well, I’ll be,” Sikes said.
“Chin!” Emmett said. “The fella from the hotel.”
He looked up at Li. “I’m sorry. This man was your father’s friend, wasn’t he?”
“No,” Li said. “He’s been trying for a long time to bribe my father to do something my father didn’t want to do.”
Emmett immediately recalled the odd look Yong Xu had given him the night they had first gone to the Golden Dragon and mentioned that Chin had sent them.
“Once we have time to think it over,” Sikes said, “this may provide some answers. But right now we’d better clear out of here.”
Emmett mounted up again and looked back toward town.
“Change of plans?” Sikes asked.
“Nope. We just need to ride fast for a while. Get as far away as possible before McIntosh’s boy comes back with the law.”
“Everybody in Virginia City has heard rumors about McIntosh, Blaylock, and the kidnappings by now,” Juanito said. “You really think McIntosh’s gunhand can convince the marshal that we’re the lawbreakers?”
“Don’t know,” Emmett said. “And I don’t wanna wait around to find out.”
“There’s one thing he can do,” Li said.
Emmett turned to his bride-to-be.
“As soon as the telegraph office opens,” Li continued, “he can let McIntosh and Seth Blaylock know that we have left Virginia City.”
Emmett nodded. “And as soon as he does, they’ll be out in force, scouting all over the countryside for us. Let’s ride while we can.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
For Seth Blaylock, this was personal now. It was no longer just about defending Charlie, making sure Lucian McIntosh got his China girls back, or even paying Emmett Strong back for shooting Ettie. Strong had bested him twice. And he’d taken down two more of Mr. McIntosh’s men this morning. But it wasn’t going to happen again. He’d make sure of that. He rapped sharply on the door to Lucian McIntosh’s study.
“Come,” bellowed the voice within.
He marched to a spot directly across the desk from his boss. “They’re on the move.”
That got McIntosh’s full attention right away. One eyebrow raised, he said, “You heard from Virginia City this mornin’?”
“Yes, sir.” He wanted his facial expression to reflect his resolve.
McIntosh stared, waiting for Seth to go on.
“Strong and the Texans rode out early. While it was still dark. Zeke and Jim took that Chinese fella from the hotel along and tried to stop ’em.”
“‘Tried to stop ’em.’ That mean shootin’?”
“Yes, sir, I’m afraid it did. And they got Zeke…and the Chinaman.”
“Dammit!” McIntosh pounded the desk. “Did we manage to get any of theirs?”
Seth shook his head. “No sign that we did.”
“Figures. Well, let’s get goin’. Have the boys double up at the railroad stations. From Truckee to Wadsworth. And have ’em do it fast.”
“I don’t think we need to worry about the stations that serve the Virginia and Truckee line,” Seth said. “They’ve gotta hop on the Central Pacific if they wanna clear out of Nevada—east or west.”
McIntosh’s face was blotched red. “And they wouldn’t dare ride into Reno, try to catch the Central Pacific right here in my own town.”
Seth pulled off his hat and smoothed his hair. “I wouldn’t put anything past ’em. But even if they did catch the train here in Reno, wouldn’t it be better to take ’em down in Truckee or Wadsworth? Smaller towns. Not right here at home. Train’ll stop in both places anyway.”
McIntosh rose and lifted his gun belt from the hat rack behind his desk. “Good point. Which one do you want then—Truckee or Wadsworth?” His dark eyes gleamed.
“I know Texas is cattle country. Texans seem more comfortable in the company of cowhand types. You might figure they’d go east and try to drop down through one of the cow towns like Dodge. But for some reason, I’ve got a notion they’ll be goin’ out by way of California. I’ll take Truckee.”
Just then Ettie walked in.
McIntosh’s demeanor softened instantly. “Ettie, you’re lookin’ well today. I haven’t seen such nice color in your cheeks in some time.”
She smiled politely. “I heard talking. Sounds like something’s getting ready to happen.”
Seth strolled across the rug and reached out to give her arm a gentle squeeze. She winced at his touch.
Irked, he frowned. “What’s this?”
“I’m sorry,” she said, her eyes less lively than usual. “Somehow being so close to death has made me jumpy—nervous about everything.”
“My apologies,” he said, feeling nonetheless snubbed.
“It may be the laudanum they’ve been givin’ her for pain,” McIntosh said. “Makes some folks a bit edgy.”
Seth nodded, then said to Ettie, “We got word from Virginia City just a few minutes ago. The Texans have moved out. Unfortunately, when Zeke tried to stop ’em they got him.”
“But don’t you worry, Ettie.” McIntosh adjusted his gun belt on his hips. “This time Strong’ll pay in blood for what he did to you, to Zeke, and to my brother.”
Ettie went to the window. “Which way do you suppose they’re headed?”
“We were just speculatin’ on that,” Seth said. “The more I think about it, the more certain I am they’re headin’ west. And I think I’ve got just the plan to trap ’em and deal with all four of ’em—once and for all.”
Ettie turned away from the glass. “Four of them?”
“Jim telegraphed that there are four. I’m assumin’ they’ve got that Chinaman with ’em—the one they brought along when they rode up here, demandin’ that we exchange the last two girls for Charlie.”
“Why would he leave his home and family to go with them?”
Seth shrugged. “The Chinese owe a debt to the Texans. My guess is they’re gonna hide out with the johnnies along the way till they decide where to hop on the railroad.”
McIntosh gave a low chuckle. “And we all know where the biggest Chinatown along the Central Pacific is.”
Seth turned to him. “Truckee. Which is why I’m goin’ there—to take care of business personally.”
Lucian McIntosh’s huge frame stepped out from behind the desk and sauntered up to Seth. Peering into his eyes, he said, “When you’
re done, don’t you let anybody else touch those dead bodies. You haul ’em where you need to. Pay for the undertaker yourself if you have to. But I wanna see the four of them dead. I wanna see ’em with my own eyes.”
Seth cracked a smile. “My pleasure.”
“And I’ll cover Wadsworth myself. Just in case.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
Emmett and his friends had made it to the base of the Sierra Nevada southwest of Reno in one day, thanks to Sikes’s gritty determination.
After sleeping on the ground under the stars, they broke camp early and made their way onto the Dutch Flat-Donner Lake Wagon Road—the main route for horses and wagons through the Sierra. From some points along the road, Emmett and his compadres could see for miles. In other spots, stands of ponderosa pines—or simply twists and turns around the mountains—limited visibility to less than a hundred yards in any direction.
Under other circumstances the cool, refreshing air might have prompted a cheerful mood among the four. But not today. They were still in dangerous territory, so a sober frame of mind prevailed.
Emmett motioned for Li to ride alongside him. He forced a smile, hoping to offer her assurance that all would turn out OK, despite what he was about to tell her.
“Truckee’s a wild town, Li,” he said. “Probably wilder than any you’ve ever experienced—a lot of lawless men.”
“Don’t worry,” she said, giving him a heartening smile of her own. “I’ll stay close to you.”
“There may be bed houses and even opium dens in Virginia City, but not like the ones in this town. Seems like folks of the vilest sort are drawn to Truckee like flies to a carcass.”
Her smile faded.
“I’m not telling you this to frighten you,” he said. “But you need to be prepared. I don’t exaggerate when I say there are shootings in Truckee pretty much every night. Sometimes for no reason at all.”
She glanced at Sikes and Juanito. “Where are we going to stay?”
“All four of us in one room. It may not be the best night’s sleep you ever got, but we’ll be safer that way.”
She nodded.
“Remember to walk like a man. And keep your hat low on your head. Your eyes are a giveaway—pretty as they are.” He grinned.
His compliment barely turned the corners of her lips.
“It’ll get a whole lot better after Truckee,” he said.
“Once we’re on the train and heading south?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“That will be a relief. We’ll be happy, Emmett. I’m sure of it.”
He studied the soft features of her face. “We’ll need to get married real soon.”
That brought a genuine, unstoppable smile.
“I hate to break up this beautiful moment,” Juanito said, twisting in his saddle, “but take a look ahead.”
Emmett’s gaze followed the road’s rising grade to find three riders ahead, off to one side. The three sat saddle in silence, observing their approach with hawklike interest.
“We’ve passed lots of folks on this road. Coming and going,” Sikes murmured. “But they’ve all been moving along, minding their own business.”
“Yep,” Emmett said. “But these three look like trouble right off. You agree, Juanito?”
“We’ve seen the type before.”
Emmett had no intention of greeting the waiting riders. Something about the way they sat…It didn’t look to him as though they were simply resting their horses. They seemed to have been purposely posted to keep an eye on the road.
“They’re not even watching in both directions,” Juanito said.
“Nope. Looks like they’re waiting for somebody in particular coming up from Reno way.”
Emmett peered over his shoulder, wanting to be certain no one was boxing them in from downhill. Thankfully the road behind them was empty.
“Li,” he said quietly. “Keep Juanito, Sikes, and me between you and those men, you hear?”
She reined her horse behind his.
All three of the waiting riders had the look of hired guns. Up close now Emmett noted their gazes flitting constantly from him to each of his compadres. None took any pains whatsoever to be discreet in his ogling. One was leaning forward, forearms crossed over his saddle horn. Still looked like he could strike with diamondback speed. Another sat upright, shoulders relaxed, hand on his thigh, just a short distance from his holster—a low-cut rig designed expressly for the quick draw.
No one from either side spoke. No one’s hand moved to touch the brim of a hat. You could provoke some folk simply by asking them what they were looking at.
Now parallel to the three, Emmett’s pulse throbbed a beat faster than usual. He pondered letting Sikes, Juanito, and Li ride on while he held back to cover them from the rear. Instead he let his horse slow until he took up the drag position. Continuing onward with Li in front of him, he kept glancing over his shoulder.
A few yards ahead, the road was about to take a bend around a copse of pines. They’d lose sight of the suspicious horsemen. Question was, would they follow?
Now far enough from the three to speak in low tones without being overheard, Emmett asked Juanito and Sikes, “What do you think? More like those three waiting for us farther up the road?”
Juanito leaned out, trying to peer around the bend before they got there. “Want me to scout ahead?”
“Suppose the three back there’ll tail us? Close the back door on us?” Emmett asked, trying to determine their best course of action.
Sikes pivoted in his saddle to give the three another look. “I don’t think so. Look.”
Li, Juanito, and Emmett turned to find that the trio was already moving downhill—away from them—at a trot.
“Kinda suspicious,” Emmett said.
“Very,” Juanito affirmed.
Just before they disappeared around the bend, all three twisted in their saddles to give Emmett and his friends a final once-over.
Emmett shook his head, told himself it might’ve been nothing.
The rest of the ride up the wagon road was uneventful. For a minute or two here and there, Emmett and Li basked in the beauty of breathtaking mountain vistas, views that momentarily chased away their worries. But once they reached the edge of Truckee—late in the afternoon when shadows were growing long—every idyllic fancy vanished. Apprehension put him back on guard.
Truckee was an ugly town of half-finished buildings. Looked as though nobody had given so much as a thought to completing them. Canvas tenting covered parts of buildings where carpenters had quit, been driven away, or perhaps breathed their last. Piles of lumber and planking lay scattered here and there, some of it burning. Near some of the fires sat lone souls, staring seemingly at nothing in particular. Around other campfires, clusters of dirty, unshaven men were already working on getting good and pickled.
“It’s not what I expected,” Li said.
Juanito asked her, “What did you expect?”
Emmett observed her scrutinizing the streets and buildings and people, her forehead furrowed.
“I heard Truckee has the biggest Chinese population in this part of California and Nevada. I thought it would be neater and cleaner,” she said, “especially after having seen the beauty of the mountains and the forests on the way up here.”
“Truckee’s Chinatown is over there.” Juanito pointed off to the south. “After a big choque two years ago, people burned down the old Chinatown and forced the Chinese to move to the other side of the river.”
She gazed through the trees near the river for a short while, then turned back to the eyesore that was Truckee.
“There are a hundred reasons why this town is as it is,” Emmett said. “We can’t change it. We just need to get through it unscathed.”
“When does the train come?” Her eyebrows formed a worried ar
ch.
“Nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”
“Should we keep riding and stay somewhere else?”
He shook his head. “It’ll be dark soon. We won’t want to be out on the road after nightfall.”
Emmett was glad they’d arrived in this greed-driven town before things began to get as wild as they certainly would. Once workers and loafers alike began to get serious about their drinking, gambling, and womanizing, the place would go nine kinds of loco. They rode up and down only two streets before they decided to take a room at the Dutchman’s Inn—an unpainted two-story wood-frame building that at least had curtains in the windows.
“Let me go in to make the arrangements,” Emmett said. “You two watch over Li.”
They nodded. He patted Li on the knee as he walked by to enter the inn.
It turned out that the place was not too bad. Fairly clean. But since each room was small and had only one bed, the proprietor wouldn’t rent one room to four “men.” Emmett agreed to pay for two rooms. Once outside again, he explained the situation to the others. Together they decided it’d be smarter—and safer—to occupy only one of the two rooms they’d rented.
“But you two get the bed,” Sikes said, shaking a finger at Emmett and Li.
They glanced at one another and then at Juanito.
Emmett shook his head. “You get the bed, Sikes.” He turned to the Englishman. “We can’t afford to slow down. You need ample opportunity to rest that gimpy leg.”
“He’s right,” Juanito said, nodding.
Sikes stared at Emmett and Li. “But what about…”
Li blushed and turned away.
Emmett raised his eyebrows. “You think anything’s gonna happen with you two in the room?”
Juanito chuckled under his breath. “Ay, ay, ay.”
As the night wore on, Emmett was glad about their decision to occupy only one room. He slept off and on, mostly sitting up, leaning against the wall that faced the door. Both his Colt and Li’s Remington lay on the floor on his gun-hand side. Li curled up on the floor to his left with her head resting on his thigh.
Strong Convictions: An Emmett Strong Western (Emmett Strong Westerns Book 1) Page 29
