by Smith, Bobbi
Rachel and Michelle moved forward to speak with him as the others kept singing.
“Nick, we have to do this. We came here to help you and Clint. We thought this might work—” Michelle began to explain.
“If you want to help,” he ground out in a low voice, “you’ll leave right now and get as far away as you can. We need to know that you’re someplace safe where we won’t have to worry about you. Clint and I are lawmen. We can handle this,” he stated. Then he looked at the preacher. “Reverend, get these ladies out of here.”
“They are here of their own free will to try to save souls,” Martin insisted.
“And I’m telling you that if you don’t exit the saloon right now, you’re all going to be under arrest. Do I make myself clear?” Nick demanded.
Rachel and Michelle had never seen Nick so adamant or so furious. He was definitely a man to be reckoned with. They realized he was probably right. In wanting to help him and Clint, they had only made things more difficult.
“We’ll pray on it,” Martin offered, wanting to ease the tension between them.
“You’d better do more than that, preacher man!” Trey shouted, picking up his shotgun.
Clint had been trying to ignore what was going on, but when he saw Trey take out his shotgun, he got up and strode to the front of the saloon. He wanted to defuse the situation if he could.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here tonight, another prayer meeting at the Last Chance?” he asked, looking at Rachel. “I would have thought you were smart enough to stay away from here after what happened the last time you stopped by to try to save souls.”
Rachel met his gaze and could see the worry reflected in his eyes. “We have a calling to help those in need.”
“You need to leave. From the looks of Trey over there, you might be safer finishing your praying and singing outside.”
“He saved you the last time, and he’s saving you again!” Trey shouted at her. “You’d better listen to the man!”
“Leave. Now,” Nick commanded.
The church group looked at the reverend, who nodded in acquiescence. They stopped singing and started praying as they filed out of the Last Chance.
The customers were hooting and laughing at them.
Reverend Hammond heard their hateful, bawdy remarks and turned to address them. “The name of this sinful place is the Last Chance. Hear the Lord’s call or you may be facing your last chance at spending eternity in heaven.”
Martin followed the others from the den of iniquity, praying in his heart that Clint and Nick could make the arrests without violence.
“I’ll make sure they move on,” Nick called out to Trey, so the bartender would relax and put his gun away.
Clint stepped outside to watch Nick do his work. He stayed by the doors so he could see what was going on inside, and he was glad that Tuck and Ax were too busy gambling to be distracted by the church people trying to save them.
It took Nick only a moment to tell the reverend to move on; then he came back to speak with Clint.
“What do you want to do?”
“Let’s take them down now.”
The two men shared a determined look and walked back into the Last Chance together.
Chapter Twenty-four
Chip reached the sheriff’s office and though he didn’t see anyone around, he went in thinking the sheriff or his deputy might be in back.
“Sheriff Reynolds? Are you here?” Chip called out.
“I’m locked up! Get me out of here!” Pete shouted from his confinement, unable to believe his good luck.
Chip tried to get into the cell area, but found the door locked. “It’s locked, Sheriff. Where’s the key?”
“I don’t know where it is! Break the damned door down if you have to!”
Chip did just that, kicking the door in violently. He rushed into the cell area to find the sheriff locked up like a common criminal.
“What are you doing in there?”
“That gunslinger Kane McCullough did this! I think he’s trying to pull off a robbery tonight, and I’m pretty sure he’s working with Deputy Evans,” he lied. “I’ve got to get out of here and stop them! Go get the key and let me out!”
“Where is it?”
“It should be hanging on the wall by my desk,” he directed.
Chip hurried off to look for the key. “McCullough is over at the Last Chance right now,” he called back.
“At least we know where he is. What about Nick?”
“I haven’t seen him around tonight,” Chip said. He searched where the sheriff had told him but found no trace of the cell key.
“Any luck finding it?” Pete called out, figuring Nick or Clint might have taken the key with them.
“No. It’s not here.”
“All right, there’s an extra key in the back of the bottom drawer in the desk. If you can’t find that one, we’ll have to break this damned cell door down, too!”
There was a moment of silence while Chip rustled through the drawer.
“I got it!”
Chip ran to let the sheriff out. “We’d better get over to the saloon fast. Trey sent me here to get you because the preacher man led another prayer group into the Last Chance. He wants you over there to help him keep order. But with McCullough being there, if what you said is true, there might be big trouble tonight.”
“You go on back to the Last Chance and tell Trey I’ll be there shortly,” Pete ordered as he stepped out of the jail cell and headed into his office.
“We’ll be waiting for you!” Chip said. He rushed off to let Trey know help was on the way.
“You’ll be waiting a long time,” Pete muttered to himself after Chip had gone.
Pete got his gun out of the desk drawer where Nick and Clint had left it. He checked to make sure it was loaded, then slid it back in his holster. Next he went to the gun cabinet and got a rifle and extra ammunition. After taking one last look around the office, he walked outside.
Pete was relieved to find his horse still tied out front. Sliding the rifle in its sheath, he mounted up. He had one last stop to make before he left town, and that was at his house to get the money he kept hidden there.
Pete gave no thought to helping Tuck, Ax, and Walt. They were on their own. If Williams took them down tonight, too bad.
He still couldn’t believe how stupid Tuck had been. First, not making sure Clint had been dead the night they’d attacked the Williams’s ranch. When he’d sent the gang to do that job, he’d expected them to make sure it was done right. Then, the fact that the boys had made it so easy for Williams to track them down. And finally, the mistake that had led Williams to connect him with the gang. They were going to get exactly what they deserved, and he was going to be long gone. He was getting out of town as fast as he could.
Clint and Nick were men on a mission as they strode back inside the saloon.
Trey was relieved when he saw them. “Thanks for your help, Deputy. I owe you a drink.” He took out a glass, ready to pour him a free shot.
“Later,” Nick said tersely, keeping his gaze fixed on the back of the room.
Trey was puzzled by his demeanor but went on to tell him, “I’m glad Chip found you—”
“What are you talking about?” Nick stopped and looked quickly over at him.
“I sent Chip over to the sheriff’s office to get you—”
“You sent Chip to the office?” Nick repeated, a feeling of dread coming over him.
“That’s right.”
Clint knew this meant trouble. “Let’s take care of these three right now. We can check on the other one once we’re done here.”
Time was of the essence as they moved to the back of the room and drew their guns. They faced down Tuck and Ax where they were sitting at the poker table.
“Tuck—Ax—you’re under arrest,” Clint stated.
“Sit down and shut up. We’ve got to finish this hand,” Tuck told him, thinking it was some kind of per
verse joke he was playing with the deputy.
“You heard the man.” Nick stepped up. “Keep your hands where we can see them and move away from the table—now!”
When they didn’t move immediately, Nick kicked the table over, sending the cards and money flying.
“What the—?” Ax was totally confused as he looked up at the two men holding guns on them.
“I said, you’re under arrest. For murder,” Clint told the two men coldly. He was watching them carefully and could tell they were ready for a fight as they slowly stood up. “Don’t get any ideas about trying to draw on us, unless you want to die right here.”
“What’s going on?” Trey demanded, coming out from behind the bar to see what the trouble was. With the preacher man gone, he’d expected things to quiet down, not get rowdier.
“These men are Glen Tucker and Ax Hansen of the Tucker Gang. They’re wanted for robbery and murder, and we’re taking them in,” Clint said as he stripped the two outlaws of their sidearms.
“We’re?” Trey was confused as he looked between the man he knew as a gunfighter and the deputy.
“Don’t worry,” Nick assured the bartender. “He’s Clint Williams. He’s a Ranger.”
At the news, Trey and all the others in the saloon turned to stare in awe at Clint.
Tuck and Ax heard what the deputy had said and exchanged worried glances.
“Did he say McCullough’s name was really Williams?” Tuck asked nervously.
“That’s right,” Clint said, hearing his comment. “We’ve met before, boys. That night at my family’s ranch. You remember that night, don’t you?”
Neither man responded, but each realized they’d made a huge mistake at the Williams ranch. They’d thought this man was dead, and they’d been wrong. Tuck and Ax knew they were in deep trouble. Their only hope was Walt, but he was busy upstairs with a saloon girl and had no idea what was going on.
Nick and Clint directed the outlaws closer to the bar, and then Nick made short work of handcuffing them.
“I’ll be right back,” Clint told Nick. “Walt’s upstairs.”
“I’ll wait here for you. If you need any help, yell.”
Clint looked over at Trey. “Which room is he in?”
“He’s with Honey tonight. Third door on the left,” Trey told him.
“Thanks.”
“Here, take these. You’ll need them.” Nick handed him the last set of handcuffs.
Gun in hand, Clint climbed the stairs and made his way cautiously down the hall. He wasn’t about to let his guard down until the entire gang was safely locked up in the jail.
Walt was exhausted as he looked over at the buxom blonde nestled against him. He’d just spent the most exciting hour he could ever remember with this wild woman named Honey, and he knew he was going to leave her a real nice tip when they finally parted ways.
“You ready to have another go at it, big guy?” Honey asked in a sultry voice as she ran her hands daringly over him.
“Are you?” he returned, amazed to feel the heat burning within him again at her practiced touch.
“Any time I can be with a man like you, I’m ready,” she told him, smiling as she moved to kiss him.
Caught up in pure animal desire, they went at it again. They were unaware of anything but the pure pleasure of the flesh, until the sound of the door crashing open jarred them back to reality.
Walt reacted instinctively. He shoved Honey aside and started to jump from the bed to go for his gun, where it was lying on the floor with his hastily discarded clothing.
“Don’t even think about it!” Clint ordered as he came to stand near the foot of the bed, his gun aimed straight at the outlaw.
Walt froze, and Honey scrambled to get as far away as she could.
Clint reached down and grabbed the sheet. He tossed it to the girl.
“Cover yourself.”
Honey wrapped the sheet around herself and darted out of the room to safety.
“All right, Walt. Get up real slow and don’t make any fast moves.”
“Why are you doing this, McCullough? I never done nothing to you. I thought we were supposed to be working together.” He was totally confused.
“You thought wrong,” Clint said as he stared him down. “And my name’s not McCullough.”
“It’s not?”
“No, it’s not. My name’s Williams. Clint Williams. Sound familiar?”
Walt actually paled at his words as he realized whom he was facing. Frank Williams’s son—the Ranger they’d thought had been killed along with his parents in the raid.
Knowing he had no choice, Walt followed Clint’s orders and slowly got up from the bed.
Clint walked over and picked up Walt’s gun belt, then directed, “Get dressed.”
Walt was tempted to try to make a break for it, but naked and unarmed, he didn’t have a chance. He didn’t doubt for a minute that Williams would shoot him down.
Clint kept a careful eye on Walt while he pulled on his clothes and boots. Then he ordered him downstairs.
Nick had been tense as he’d stood guard over Tuck and Ax, waiting for Clint’s return. He’d seen the saloon girl come running out of the room upstairs and knew something was happening. No shots immediately followed her hasty exit, and he felt a little better. It was obvious Clint had the upper hand with the other outlaw. When he saw Clint emerge from the room a short time later with the gunman in handcuffs, he breathed easier.
“Let’s go lock these boys up,” Nick said.
They’d just turned to lead them from the Last Chance when there was another commotion.
“Trey!” Chip yelled as he charged through the door, his gun in hand. “Those men are wanted!”
He stopped dead just inside the door as he found the two men the sheriff had told him were outlaws aiming their guns straight at him.
“Put your gun down, Chip! What are you talking about?” Trey demanded, relieved that the two lawmen hadn’t fired when Chip had come running in with his gun out.
Chip looked nervously around as he slowly lowered his sidearm. He saw the other three men in handcuffs and was totally perplexed.
“The sheriff was locked up in the jail,” he stammered. “And he said these two did it! Sheriff Reynolds said these two are working together to pull off a robbery here in town!”
Nick spoke up. “Reynolds is a liar, Chip. He was locked up because he’s the leader of the Tucker Gang, and we’re working to bring them all in. Clint here is a Ranger.”
“No—” Chip denied in confusion. “The sheriff said you were outlaws—”
“Don’t believe anything he said to you. He was trying to save himself,” Nick argued. “Is he still locked up?”
“No! I let him out so he could come after you!”
Nick and Clint shared an angry look, knowing Pete was no doubt already heading out of town.
“Then where is he?” Clint demanded. “He should have come with you.”
“He said he’d be right along,” Chip hedged, suddenly fearing he might have done the wrong thing.
Trey assured Chip, “Deputy Evans and Clint are not criminals, Chip. Put your gun away. Because of you, they’ve got another killer to hunt down.”
Chip looked from Trey to the others and felt sickened to know that he’d let an outlaw go free. He lowered his gun. “What can I do to help?”
“Come with us,” Nick told him.
They herded the three gunmen out of the saloon and cautiously made their way toward the sheriff’s office.
Clint kept a close watch for trouble. He wouldn’t have put it past Pete to try to ambush them.
“Nick,” Clint called to him as they reached the jail.
“What?”
“Pete’s horse is gone.”
They both knew what that meant.
“We have to move fast,” Nick said, grimly determined to catch him.
It was obvious to Chip now that the sheriff had been one of the outlaw gang, and he
felt bad about what he’d done.
Nick made short order of getting Tuck, Ax, and Walt into the jail cell. He left the cuffs on them for the time being, for he knew how treacherous they could be.
“Chip, we need you to stay here and guard these men. No matter what they yell at you, don’t go near them. Do you understand?” Nick demanded.
“Yes.”
“Good. Did you happen to actually see the sheriff leave the office?”
“No. I didn’t pay any attention. I was too busy trying to get back to the Last Chance to warn Trey about you.”
“All right.” Nick was thoughtful.
“Where does he live?” Clint asked.
“Across town. I know the house.”
“Let’s hope we’re not too late to catch him before he rides out.”
They headed toward Pete’s house, ready for the final showdown.
Reverend Hammond walked up to the front of the church to address those who’d accompanied him to the saloon. They were seated in the pews, awaiting his words of wisdom and inspiration.
“Tonight we did our best to help our brethren bring peace and justice to our town. While we do not yet know the outcome of the activities our lawmen are involved in, let us offer up a prayer for their continued safety.”
They bowed their heads as he led the prayer.
“Dear God, protect those who bring peace and justice to our town. Guide them and keep them safe from harm. Amen.”
“Amen.”
Rachel looked over at Michelle, and their gazes met in understanding. The men they loved were in grave danger. They clasped hands and whispered together another, “Amen.”
Martin dismissed everyone with a blessing, and they filed quietly out of the church to return to the safety of their homes. Anne, Rachel, and Michelle remained in the pew.
“Are you ready to go home?” he asked them.
“If it’s all right with you, I’d like to stay here for a while,” Rachel told him.
“Me, too,” Michelle added.
Anne and Martin completely understood. “We’ll stay with you, then.”
They sat down in a nearby pew and joined the girls in silently praying for Clint and Nick, and for their town.
