by Leanne Tyler
Talking to the man wasn’t working. Jared thought for a few seconds and recalled something Rufus had just said. “You say you cut Rory the last time you met. Where?”
“Your side.”
“I can prove to you I’m not Rory. Let me remove my shirt.”
Rufus shrugged and lowered the gun, but he didn’t holster it. “It won’t prove nothin’. You could be healed up by now.”
“Not if you cut Rory deep enough.” Jared took off his coat and handed it to Rebecca. He unbuttoned his waistcoat and shrugged out of it before pulling his shirt over his head and held out his arms for the man to see. He even slowly turned in a circle so Rufus could get a good look at him from all sides.
“That don’t prove nothin’. Like I said you musta healed up.”
Jared shook his head as he slipped his shirt back over his head. “A deep cut would leave a scar. As you saw, there isn’t one.”
The other man snickered. “He’s got you there, Rufus.”
“Shut up, you fool.” He glared at his cohort for a minute before he turned his attention back to them. “No more antics. I want my money, and I want it now.”
“I can’t give you what I never had.” Jared tucked his shirt back into the waist of his trousers and slipped on his waistcoat.
“Shut up.” The man gritted his teeth. He swore under his breath and pointed the pistol at Jared again.
“Sir, I’d appreciate it if you’d stop pointing that gun at my husband.” Rebecca shifted her weight and planted her hands on her hips. Jared smiled at her spunk, but feared she’d get herself shot.
“Your husband?” Rufus laughed and turned his full attention on her. “I never thought I’d hear the day that the likes of Rory Hollingsworth would get himself hitched, especially to a fine lookin’ lady like you. Maybe if you can’t pay me, Rory, I can get satisfaction in another way.”
Rebecca gasped, and Jared moved to stand in front of her. “Sounds like you know Rory well? If that’s true, then surely you have to be having some doubts that I’m him.”
Rufus raised the gun to Jared’s head and cocked it. “I said to shut your trap.”
Beads of sweat prickled across Jared’s brow. There was no reasoning with this man, no matter what he said or did. All he could think about was Rebecca. They hadn’t been married a day and she might end up a widow because of Rory and his gambling.
“Please, put down the gun.” Rebecca’s voice was steady, and despite Jared’s attempt to shield her from Rufus, she stepped from behind him. However, Jared saw the fear in her eyes. “I can assure you that this man is Jared Hollingsworth, and he’s my husband. We have documentation to prove it. We were married in Memphis before we left. If you will allow me to get my bag from the carriage, I can show you.”
“She has documentation,” the smelly man jeered. “Rufus, are you going to let her show us? Can I take her to the carriage and get her bag? I’d like to see inside their fancy carriage. Maybe get all comfy with her in there.”
Rufus moved the gun away from Jared to point at his friend. “Stop using my name, Amos, or I’ll shoot you instead.”
Amos’ eyes bulged and his nostrils flared as he stared into the barrel of the pistol. He raised his gun and pointed it at Rufus, slowly cocking it. “A-all right. Just you put down your gun, or I’ll be shooting you.”
“Not if I shoot you first.”
“Do it, Rufus.”
“You first.”
Jared could see the two gunmen were at a standoff, pointing their weapons at each other, and not paying attention to them. He grabbed Rebecca’s hand and urged her to step back. They slowly eased away from the duo until they could safely turn and run back to the carriage.
“Hey. They’re getting away,” Amos called.
“No, they’re not,” Rufus shouted, and he fired a shot from his gun.
It hit the side of the carriage, ricocheting off before they reached it.
Rebecca screamed and ducked low. Jared did the same, but he urged her to keep running.
“We’re going to get killed,” she cried.
“Not if I can help it.” Jared picked her up and shoved her inside the open carriage door. “Get down on the floor and stay there.” He slammed the door shut and safely slipped behind the carriage for cover, dodging another bullet.
He unfastened their bags from the back and took them with him as he rounded the other side and opened that door. He crouched down as a bullet hit the top of the carriage.
“Here, give me your hand,” he ordered as more shots were fired at them. She inched her way toward him and placed her hand in his. He helped her out, and they ran as fast as they could into the woods.
Besides firing random shots from their guns, Rufus and Amos hollered profanities at them as they ran from tree to tree. Finally, the gunshots stopped. But Jared and Rebecca didn’t stop running until the only sound they heard was that of their own feet hitting the ground.
Gasping for breath, they finally slowed near a stream. Jared laughed, dropping their bags and sat down on a large rock. He wiped sweat from his brow with his forearm and patted his leg for her to sit. Rebecca collapsed against him, he pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.
“I’ve never been more scared in all my life,” she murmured when he released her. “And I thought I was frightened on the train when I was taking Ruth to Memphis, but that was nothing compared to this.”
Jared held her close and kissed her temple. “Sh-h-h. Don’t fret. If we’re lucky they’ve ran out of bullets. I’d be pleased to find they foolishly shot one another.”
“I pray they’ve given up on finding us.”
He nodded, cupping her face with his hand. He kissed her again, parting her lips with his tongue, deepening the kiss. She sighed and melded her body to his, running her hand up and down his back. Her feathery touch sent tingles running along his spine, and he set her away from him before he lost control.
“What are we going to do?” she asked. “We have no idea where we are. We don’t even know in which direction to go.”
“We can circle back to the carriage. If Rufus and Amos aren’t there, we can change the wheel, check on the driver and if he’s alive, take him to the next town for help.”
“But what if they’re waiting for us to come back?”
“Then we’re back to where we were before we ran, trying to convince them I’m not Rory. Not that they believed me.”
She shook her head. “How have you put up with him all your life?”
Jared laughed. “When we were growing up he wasn’t so bad. It all started after his father died. Rory started drinking, gambling and whoring. And now that his mother has passed, well, there’s no stopping him.”
“Mawsy said Rory uses his gambling winnings to help the Vigilante Committee so at least he’s putting it to good use, even if it’s tainted money.”
“I still can’t wrap my mind around him working for an organization of that nature. He was never one to give a damn about how others felt; at least that is how I perceived him.”
“Maybe that’s what he wants others to believe. It’s a good disguise for what he really does.” Rebecca smiled.
“Come on. Let’s head back and see if we can get moving toward Grenada again. We might still be able to catch our train to Jackson.”
They walked until they came to where they could see the carriage. Jared left her and their bags to wait on a fallen tree and slowly inched closer, checking the area for signs of the duo. When he was certain they were gone, he turned back.
“I’m going to check on the driver and see if I can change the wheel. You stay here.”
“Okay.” Rebecca watched him leave, but being left alone, apprehension crawled up her spine as if she were being watched. She heard a twig snap and she jumped, turning around as the smell of Amos assaulted her nose. Everything went dark as he pulled a sack over her head. She tried to scream, but a hand was slapped over her mouth. She fought against her captor, but he had a strong hold on
her.
“Got her.”
“Good.”
Rebecca tried to stomp Amos’ foot, but before she made contact she felt herself being lifted in the air and swung onto the back of a horse. Her bottom landed snug against one of her captures legs, the horn of the saddle jamming into her thigh. She squirmed trying to break free of his vice-grip hold as her hands were bound together.
“Now that should hold her,” Amos said, spitting.
“Let’s go,” Rufus ordered, his hot breath penetrating through the sack against her ear.
Rufus had her. At least he smelled better than Amos, but that didn’t make matters better. It was difficult to breathe with the sack over her head. Tears threatened her eyes and she blinked several times to keep them away. It wouldn’t do to give into her fear. Jared would save her.
The only problem was she had no idea in which direction they were taking her. She only hoped he heard the horses retreating and followed them.
“Let’s see if your husband cares about you enough to come after you.”
Chapter Twenty
Jared carried the wheel to the carriage and set it down. The thunder of horses’ hooves drew his attention away from his task and he turned to see two riders pass, wildly shooting their pistols in the air. For a second, he thought he saw the flash of blue in contrast to the riders’ brown clothing.
Rebecca’s dress was blue.
Rebecca!
He rushed around the carriage and back through the woods to the fallen tree where he’d left her hidden out of sight. She wasn’t there.
“Re-b-b-ecca!” Heart slamming against his ribs, Jared scanned the area, praying for the possibility of her coming through the trees. He choked back the bile rising in his throat at the thought of those vermin having his wife.
My wife. Rebecca is my wife.
They must have kidnapped her thinking he’d give up the money in exchange for her return. The only problem was he didn’t have the money to give them. And this far from home, there was no way for him to get his hands on that kind of money. Why couldn’t that idiot Rufus believe him about not being Rory? Did they really look that much alike?
He grabbed their luggage and ran back to the carriage to unhitch the horses. He didn’t want to think of what they might do to her. He recalled both Amos and Rufus’ taunts about having their way with her. The thought of either man touching her made his blood boil.
At his approach, the horses jerked back, shying away from him, eyes wide with their own fear. “Sh-h-h. No need to be frightened, fellas. I’m not going to hurt you,” he soothed, taking the reins and patting them.
“You need any help sir?” a wobbly voice asked.
Astonished, Jared looked up to see the driver staggering toward him. He ran to help him to the carriage.
“More importantly is how you are? You took a nasty hit on the head. Do you recall what happened?”
The driver sank to the nearby stump with his help. “The wheel broke just before dawn. I checked on you and your missus, but you were sleeping so I went for help. Luckily the town isn’t too far up the road and the smithy was already up by the time I got there. He had a wheel handy and I returned to change it, but that’s all I remember.”
“You were ambushed,” Jared explained. “The men who knocked you out took my wife. I’m going after them. Do you think you can ride back to town?”
“I’ll try.” The driver moved to stand, but had difficulty getting up. Jared helped him to his feet and onto the back of one of the horses. He climbed up behind him and led the other horse behind them.
The ride to the next town was short, but seemed an eternity. If he’d run in that direction with Rebecca instead of the other perhaps he wouldn’t be chasing after Rufus and Amos to get her back now. They had a good twenty minutes or more lead on him and by the time he found a doctor for the driver, notified the local sheriff and hired a good horse it would be even more.
The town of Grenada looked like most in Mississippi and was populated with people and businesses brought by the establishment of the train line. Buildings stood on either side of the street and he scanned the area for the one he sought. He nudged the horse to go further before stopping near a water troth and hitching post.
“Don’t worry about me, sir,” the driver said. “I can get along all right. You go after your wife. The smithy I saw this morning has horses for hire. You should get yourself a better horse there.”
“Thank you.” Jared tethered the horses to the post outside the building that displayed a doctor’s shingle. The sign on the building next door said Sheriff’s office, which made him happy. He could take care of his business in both easily.
The door opened and he heard laughter. Buford Hayes, an old West Point classmate, stepped out onto the boardwalk wearing a badge.
“Jared Hollingsworth. What brings you to my neck of the state?” He eyed the driver and his brow arched. “What’s going on here?”
“No time for pleasantries, Buford.” Jared helped the driver around the horses. “Two men abducted my wife because they mistook me for my cousin Rory. I have to get a horse and go after them.”
“Rufus and Amos?” a familiar voice asked, and the driver nearly slid from Jared’s grasp.
“Let’s get you to Doc’s, mister,” Buford interjected, sliding his arm around the driver and leading him to the office next door.
“What in the hell are you doing here, Rory?” Jared demanded. “Delaney’s on his way to Oak Hill to collect his money. I told him you were waiting for him.”
Rory grinned. “Nice to see you again too, Jared.”
“Why are you here?”
“I heard two men were looking for me and they were headed toward Memphis. After a day of cajoling, Mary finally told me you had followed Rebecca so I knew you were somewhere in the vicinity of where Rufus and Amos were last seen. Being the loveable bloke I am, I thought perhaps you could use my help. But if you’d prefer I deal with Delaney instead…I’ll just catch the afternoon train and go back to Jackson, leaving you to handle them.”
“Those two are more trouble than they’re worth,” Buford added as he rejoined them. “I’m going to lock them up for good this time.” He disappeared back into his office.
“You know Rufus and Amos are both harmless as long as they haven’t been drinking,” Rory called over his shoulder before looking back at Jared. “Had they been, Jared?”
“Harmless? If knocking our driver unconscious, holding us at gunpoint, and shooting at us when we tried to escape is what you call harmless I’d hate to see them dangerous. They abducted my wife, threatened to do her bodily harm in exchange for the money they want back, but you call them harmless. I don’t have time to chit chat about this. I have to find Rebecca.”
He turned to leave, but Rory grabbed his arm to stop him.
“Your wife?” He looked stunned. “Congratulations. When did this happen?”
“Last evening, before we left Memphis.” Jared took a jagged breath. “We have to find her, Rory. We have to find her and get back to Jackson before Delaney arrives. He can have the place if he wants it. I only want Rebecca back unharmed.”
“Lucky for you that won’t have to happen. I left the money with Mary to pay him when he calls.” Rory patted him on the back. “We’ll get Rebecca back. Don’t you worry.”
Buford returned with three shotguns. He handed one to each of them. “I think we’d best be going to find those rascals.”
“Is the driver going to be all right?” Jared asked.
Buford nodded. “He was talking to Doc when I left, so I wouldn’t worry. Good thing for Rufus and Amos. Kidnapping is bad enough without adding murder to their charge.” He turned to Rory. “How much did Rufus lose to you at the table?”
“Less than a hundred dollars, but he’d been winning up until I joined the game. I think this is more about a bruised ego than the money. The game was all fair and square. Judge Templeton can vouch for me. He was playing with us and lost three tim
es that, but he wasn’t sore. He invited me to dinner the following night.”
Jared stared at Rory. His cousin had been playing cards with a circuit judge, was now spending time with a sheriff and according to Mawsy had worked for the Vigilante Committee for years. Rory had even come all this way to try to help Jared when he’d learned there could be trouble for him. This wasn’t the Rory he thought he knew. In fact, he was beginning to suspect he didn’t know his cousin at all.
“Are you coming, Jared?” Rory called as they headed down the boardwalk.
“Yeah.” He forced his feet to move again and hurried down the street behind them. They walked toward the livery and the smithy.
“How long has it been since they abducted Mrs. Hollingsworth?” Buford asked.
“I guess about an hour or more. Our carriage wheel had broken and our driver had returned with a new one when Rufus and Amos happened upon us and took Rebecca with them. In our haste to get moving, the driver and I rode bareback, not easy for horses only used to pulling a carriage.”
“Why were you and Rebecca traveling by carriage and not by train?” Rory asked. “If you had been none of this would have happened.”
Jared grimaced. “We wanted to get back to Oak Hill before Delaney, but we had missed the train and didn’t want to wait until today.”
“That means you had no wedding night.”
Jared glared at Rory. “No.”
Rory turned to Buford. “They had no wedding night. We have to find her.”
Buford’s lips twitched, threatening to turn into a full-blown grin. “You boys go get horses and I’ll check the train station in case they decide to hitch a ride.”
Jared’s heart sank. “Would they stow away?” he asked. “Even having Rebecca with them?”
Buford’s grin vanished. “Especially then. It would be the quickest way out of town. They tend to hop a ride whenever they can.”
He stepped off the boardwalk to head toward the train station, but sudden gunfire mingled with thunderous horses’ hooves stopped him. The three men turned toward the approaching noise.
In the distance a flash of blue sent a wave of relief blasting through Jared and his hands choked the shotgun. Rebecca. Thank God.
