Jake, Devils on Horseback, Book 2

by Beth Williamson

  Jake stared at the gun in her bandaged hand and then at her determined, scared face. “Gabby, please let me do this.”

  “No. Get downstairs.”

  He glanced at the trapdoor. “I don’t think I can.”

  She set the gun down on the table and wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Please, Jake. I can’t lose you today. I can’t, not when I’ve just found you.”

  Jake was torn between his love for Gabby and his need to be done with Nessman. In the end, he knew he couldn’t refuse her. With a tight nod, he headed for the trap door. He hoped like hell he could stay down there without losing his mind.

  * * * * *

  Gabby had never been so scared, not even when the raiders were six feet away and shooting at her. This army captain wanted to take Jake and likely let him rot in jail or hang at the end of a rope. She would not let that happen, ever.

  She took a gulp of Jake’s awful coffee, squared her shoulders and grabbed her shotgun. Outside the mill stood a mixture of people she didn’t recognize, except one. Gabby stepped onto the porch and held the gun in front of her.

  “Mama, what are you doing?”

  Mary crossed her arms and started tapping her foot. “Saving your life and getting us a reward to boot. Captain Nessman here has been looking for that redheaded thief for some time. He’s offered us a five hundred dollar reward.”

  Gabby took a moment to swallow the angry retort that sprang to her lips. She studied the army officer and recognized the determined, obsessed look in his eye. The man had only four soldiers with him, and they looked ragtag and tired. The captain regarded her slowly from her toes to her head and back again. Her skin crawled with revulsion at the way he made her feel.

  “Some things aren’t worth any amount of money.” Gabby tightened her grip on the wooden handle of the gun. Pain shot up her arm from the healing blisters, but she welcomed it.

  “That’s where we agree, Miss Rinaldi.” The captain resembled a weasel with his pointy face and beady eyes. “A man’s pride and honor cannot be purchased for any price, and therefore must be protected at all costs. That thieving bastard in there took my honor and I have ridden in the bowels of hell to get it back.”

  “Are you saying Tanger is hell, Captain?” Gabby noted another well-dressed man and a woman in trousers mounted on horses behind the soldiers.

  “I’m saying I’ve come through a lot to get here. One gun-toting female isn’t going to stop me.” He walked toward her and a frisson of fear snaked down her spine. The man intended to force his way into the mill.

  Gabby raised the shotgun and pulled back the hammer. “This is private property. Step one foot inside this mill and I’ll kill you.”

  The air between them hung heavy with tension and fear. Nessman slowed his approach but didn’t stop.

  “I don’t think you’ll do that, Miss Rinaldi. You don’t want to go to prison either, do you?” A frightening grin split his face. “Although I’d be happy to escort you there, provided I’m not dead.”

  “You’re not escorting her anywhere, Captain, and you’re not taking Jake either.” The handsome man in the nice clothes nudged his mount forward.

  Nessman whirled around. “Marchand, what the hell are you doing here?”

  Gabby wondered who Marchand was and how he would help Jake because he obviously wasn’t in the captain’s good graces.

  “I’m here to stop a travesty, of course. Good day to you, Miss Rinaldi. My name is Nathaniel Marchand, my friends in D.H. Enterprises call me Nate.” He tipped his hat to Gabby, and she was struck by how beautiful he was, and how well spoken. “You do not have any legal rights to arrest Jacob Sheridan or anyone else for that matter.”

  “Go back to your whore and get out of my way.” Nessman kept his gaze on Nate, apparently ignoring the woman Nate had arrived with.

  He should have paid more attention. Lithe as a cat, she jumped from her horse and stuck a pistol in the captain’s back, all without his knowledge. Gabby liked her immediately. “You’d best stop right there, you stupid Yankee bastard, or I’ll give you a hole you didn’t have this morning.” The woman’s fiery hair matched her personality.

  “Ah, the manly Mrs. Marchand. Elisa, right?” Nessman laughed, even as she pressed the nose of the gun into his back. “You and Miss Rinaldi will be a treat to have in my care.”

  “Never gonna happen.” Gideon stepped out from behind the mill, Zeke and Lee behind him, the fierce, angry expressions identical on their faces as they stood beside her, guarding the mill and Jake. “Get out of Tanger, Nessman.”

  Nessman laughed. “What makes you, any of you, believe you have the right to order an army captain around? I’m taking my prisoners and no one can stop me.”

  “We can.” Two more men stepped forward from the back of the group. “Marshals Whitney and Johnson from Houston.”

  They wore nondescript black trousers and blue shirts, but the shiny badges on their shirts marked them as lawmen. Finally someone in Tanger who was actually an officer of the law. The fact that it took six months for the town’s pleas to be heard left a bitter taste in Gabby’s mouth. Too late in her book. More than twenty women were missing or dead.

  “What are you doing here?” For the first time, Nessman actually looked unsure of himself.

  “We’re here on orders from Washington to stop the raiders in Tanger. This morning we had another wire.” The man called Whitney read from the notebook in his hand. “This one was from General Anderson, who says he ordered you back to Houston about a month ago. According to him, we have every right to drag you back there.”

  Nessman’s troops looked between the captain and the marshals and started to back away toward their horses.

  “Where are you going? Are you going to believe these two? They’re probably not even marshals. For all we know they’re being paid by these Confederate criminals.” Spittle flew from Nessman’s mouth. “I will not be thwarted here. Jacob Sheridan is my prisoner!”

  * * * * *

  Jake ignored the whispered conversation between Veronica and Alvin and focused on counting. Sometimes it helped, sometimes it didn’t. The cellar wasn’t completely dark, he had a lantern, but the room was so small he’d broken out with the shakes the second his feet had touched the dirt. The smell of vegetables was overpowering as was the feeling of panic he kept kicking away.

  When the shouting started, Jake knew he’d have to do something besides cower on the floor in Gabby’s cellar, but he couldn’t seem to make his feet move. Instead, he sat in the corner and closed his eyes. Counting didn’t help and neither did rocking.

  Jake felt himself slipping into the blackness, and he hung on with both hands to the only thing that could save him—his love for Gabby.

  * * * * *

  The woman named Elisa backed away from the captain with a smile on her face. “You’re on the run yourself, aren’t you, Nessman?” She barked a laugh. “Ain’t that a hoot? All this time you’ve been driving these men like they were cattle and you’re the criminal.”

  “I am not a criminal.” Nessman’s eyes narrowed. “I am a captain in the United States Army and you’d do best to remember that.”

  The marshals stepped toward the captain, shackles in hand. Panic raced through his eyes and he grabbed Mary, holding her in front of him like a shield. No matter how angry she was, Gabby still loved her mother, and her stomach cramped at the thought she was in danger.

  “Easy,” Gideon whispered to her. “Don’t get yourself or your mama hurt.”

  “Get back or I’ll snap her neck, I swear to God,” Nessman roared. “I want Sheridan out here now.”

  “I’m afraid that’s not possible.” Nate brushed a bit of lint from his brown coat. “The warrant you have is falsified. Sounds like the army has issued a warrant for your arrest.” Nate smiled, a beautiful toothy grin that boasted triumph and a bit of sass. G
abby decided she liked this friend of Jake’s quite a bit.

  “No one will arrest me!” Nessman dragged Mary toward his horse.

  “Mary!” Phineas Wolcott ran at them, his silver hair tousled and messy. His face clearly showed fear and worry. “Don’t you hurt her!” Fumbling around, Phineas pulled an old revolver from the pocket of his trousers.

  To Gabby’s astonishment, Phineas pointed the gun at Nessman and looked as if he was going to pull the trigger.

  “Phineas, no, get back please, darling,” Mary shouted.

  Darling? Sweet Jesus, Veronica had been right. Her mother had been carrying on with Phineas. The thought made Gabby’s stomach turn.

  “I won’t let him hurt you.” Phineas’s hands shook as he struggled to hold the gun upright.

  “No need for that, sir.” Nate plucked the gun from the mayor’s hand. “These marshals will assist Mr. Nessman whether he wants it or not.” With an agility that belied his gentlemanly appearance, he had a gun pressed to Nessman’s temple in seconds. “It’s his choice whether he lives or dies. However, I believe a bullet is faster than a hand on a neck.”

  The cocking of the pistol echoed in the silence surrounding them. The chattering squirrels seemed to mock them as so many people waited on the whim of a madman. Gabby was convinced Nessman was mad, obsessed with punishing Jake and his friends for some imaginary slight.

  * * * * *

  Jake heard rustling from Veronica and Alvin, but ignored it, until the other man screamed.

  “Veronica, no I love you. Please.” He sounded like a whipped dog, a painful, pitiful wail. “What are you doing?”

  “You disappointed me, Alvin, just like every other man. I won’t tolerate it.” She sounded so cold, so matter-of-fact, it startled Jake out of his dark place.

  Jake opened one eye and realized Veronica had somehow gotten herself free from the bonds that secured her. She was also stabbing Alvin with what looked like a hoof knife. Mercifully, he died quickly, either that or he gave up under the assault.

  Veronica turned toward Jake. He was frozen with fear and fascination, unable to move even an inch. She had spatters of fresh blood mixed with her own on the makeshift bandage on her arm.

  “You and your friends ruined everything, you rebel bastard,” Veronica spat as she started toward him.

  * * * * *

  Time stood still as Nessman held Mary in his grasp. Gabby wanted to shoot the bastard, but didn’t want to hurt her mother no matter what she’d done. Gideon shifted to the left and pulled his gun from the holster.

  “What are you doing?” she whispered.

  “Stay right here and don’t move.” Zeke had also pulled out his weapon.

  They were slowly moving to the left and right, flanking Nessman so he wouldn’t have an escape route.

  “You bring me Sheridan now!” Nessman twisted Mary’s head even farther to the right and she moaned.

  Everything happened so fast, Gabby had trouble remembering it all. Just as the captain was about to break her mother’s neck, fate interceded. A screeching sound rose from inside, then Veronica burst through the door of the mill, a bloody hoof knife clutched in her hand.

  Whose blood was it?

  Gabby stumbled to the left as Veronica ran down the stairs, knife raised. She looked around until she spotted Zeke.

  “I have to take out the trash.” Her lips curled back into a snarl then she ran at him.

  Everyone started shouting and the world turned upside down. Her mother screamed, then a loud gunshot split the air just as Veronica reached Zeke. She fell forward as blood splattered everywhere, and the two of them landed on the ground in a tangle of arms and legs.

  Standing on the porch with a smoking gun in his hand was Jake. He was covered in dirt and visibly trembling, but he looked so strong, so alive Gabby ran toward him and threw herself into his arms. The gun dropped with a thunk onto the wooden porch. Chaos erupted behind them, but she didn’t care. Jake was alive and so was she and that’s all that mattered.

  “Gabby, Gabby, Gabby,” he crooned into her ear.

  “I love you, Jake.” She squeezed him until all the breath left her body and all she could feel were their hearts beating against each other.

  “Jesus Christ, Zeke, she was going to kill you,” Lee said from behind them. “Is she dead?”

  Gabby finally let go of Jake and looked into his eyes. “You saved Zeke’s life.”

  “She killed Alvin and tried to kill me. Veronica apparently likes to rid herself of the men who disappoint her.” He shuddered beneath her touch. “I guess some things are scarier than your own fears.”

  Alvin was dead? It was poetic justice he died in the same building her father’s blood had been spilled. She wasn’t sorry Alvin was gone. He’d been a miserable human being who deserved the punishment he received.

  Nate had taken the opportunity to pull Mary away from Nessman and currently had his boot planted on the captain’s chest as he lay prone on the ground. Gone was the charming man and in his place was a raw soul in need of surcease. He glanced at Gabby and she saw glimmers of the ghosts that haunted Jake. She mouthed the words “thank you” and he nodded in return.

  Gideon and Lee pulled Veronica’s body off Zeke. Blood covered his clothes while an expression of hopelessness on his face tore at Gabby’s heart. Jake and his friends had been through so much pain, it was a wonder they were still such honorable, good men. Zeke walked toward the river without another word, no doubt to scrub himself raw and be rid of the stain of being tricked by a woman.

  Phineas put his arms around Mary and Gabby felt sick. When her mother finally turned around and saw Gabby watching her, she whispered in the mayor’s ear then approached the mill. Gabby had no idea what she was going to say.

  “I didn’t know how to tell you.” Mary stuck her chin in the air. “I ain’t gonna apologize for falling in love. Sam loved that mill a lot more than he ever did me. Phineas and me are leaving Tanger. You can have the mill and take care of your papa until he passes.”

  Gabby opened her mouth to tell her mother about her father waking up, but changed her mind. “You don’t need to apologize to me, Mother. You are making a selfish choice and I don’t think I can forgive you for it anyway.” She looked at the round man waiting for her mother. “I don’t think you’ll be getting very far with your lover though. Considering he’s swindled the town.”

  Mary raised her hand to slap Gabby and she stopped her in mid-swing.

  “Don’t ever lay a hand on me again. If you want to be with that man, make your choice and leave.” Gabby’s chest ached from the pain of her mother’s betrayal, but she wouldn’t cry, not for this. Her mother’s choice would be her own cross to bear. Good thing Gabby hadn’t told her father anything. For him, Gabby would lie and tell him Mary was dead.

  Jake tightened his grip on her shoulder. “You heard her, Mary. Don’t expect to be with Phineas long though. I think the marshals are going to have a conversation with him you’re not going to like.” The two men were currently shackling a spitting Nessman as Nate watched with grim satisfaction.

  Mary looked at the two of them and shook her head. “So be it then.”

  “Be strong, honey. I’m right here next to you and I’m not planning on going anywhere,” Jake whispered.

  Gabby drew strength from the love between her and Jake. Without him, she didn’t think she could watch her mother walk away with dry eyes.

  “I don’t believe I’ve met your lady, Jake.” Nate appeared in front of them, his woman by his side. “Nathaniel Marchand, ma’am, and this is my wife, Elisa.”

  “Pleased to meetcha.” Elisa stuck out her hand and pumped Gabby’s with considerable strength.

  “Gabrielle Rinaldi. Please call me Gabby.” Despite the death and confusion, she felt content, as if things were finally how they should be.

  “
Looks like Jake finally found a place to call home.” Nate didn’t even glance at the mill, he kept his eyes on Gabby. “I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am for you.”

  Gabby smiled. “Thank you, Nate.” She laid her head on Jake’s shoulder. “I’m happy for us too.”

  In the end the soldiers left town escorting the two U.S. marshals and their prisoner, Elliot Nessman. A fitting twist to the end of his ruthless hunt for the Devils. Phineas’s misdeeds were reported, but he escaped with Mary before the sun set, and the evidence against him disappeared with them. The assumption was they were headed to Kansas City to get the money he had transferred to the bank there. Perhaps with some luck, the law would catch up with them so Tanger could get its money back with Phineas behind bars.

  By late afternoon everyone sat by the river eating and talking. Sarah and Cindy weren’t ready to face the world yet, although the Devils had promised to help rebuild the restaurant in honor of Elmer. Nate and Elisa sat with Gideon and Lee while Zeke stayed by himself a few yards away.

  Gabby was in Jake’s arms, warm and soft. She had been through so much and was strong enough to teach him what it meant to be brave.

  “I love you,” he whispered in her ear.

  “I love you too.” She nibbled on his chin.

  “You two are enough to make a body sick,” Lee chimed in. “I suppose you’re going to marry this one, Jake?”

  Jake looked up at his friends, who were smiling at him, and realized he truly had found what he’d been looking for all his life. Love, a family and a place to belong.

  “Yeah, I think I’m going to become a miller and make wheat and babies.” He grinned.

  “Sounds just about perfect to me.” Gabby kissed him hard and fast. “Let’s get started.”

  Jake laughed and swooped her up into his arms, and with teasing and whistling from his friends, carried the woman who held his heart toward the future, toward love.

  About the Author

  Beth Williamson, who also writes as Emma Lang, is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of both historical and contemporary romances. Her books range from sensual to scorching hot. She is a Career Achievement Award Nominee in Erotic Romance by Romantic Times Magazine, in both 2009 and 2010, and a semi-finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest.