Lawfully Rescued

by Barbara Goss

  Logan slid off his horse and walked over to her. “You know where the killers are headed?”

  “Yes, and I know their names, too.”

  “How could you know that?”

  “I heard them talking while everyone was lying on top of me.”

  “What are their names?”

  The woman played calmly with the folds in her dress. “I just heard their first names—you know, what they called each other.”

  Logan tapped his foot. “And the names were?”

  “The man who gave the orders was named Homer, and another man was Sy. No one called the third one by name…or the fourth, if there was one—I only heard three voices.”

  “Homer Washburn!” Logan exclaimed. “All right, so where are they headed?”

  The woman looked up at him and seemed to take forever to answer. “I’ll tell you, if you take me with you.”

  “I can’t do that. I’m a bounty hunter, now, and I’m on a dangerous mission. I can’t be dragging a female along with me.”

  The woman shrugged and looked down at her lap again.

  “I can take you to the nearest city,” Logan said, hoping to strike a bargain.

  The woman folded her arms over her chest. “The nearest big city is San Antonio, and that isn’t where the men are going, so it will just be a waste of your time.”

  Logan sighed. “So where do you want to go?”

  “North. Along the Rio Grande.”

  “How do I know you aren’t leading me away from the gang?”

  “Because I want them caught, too.”

  “How far north do you want to go?”

  “I’ll tell you exactly what I heard them say once we are far enough from Laredo that you can’t send me back here.”

  “You do know that your reputation will be ruined by traveling alone with me.”

  The woman gave him a sardonic smile. “It matters little to me. I’ve already hit the bottom of society, anyway.”

  “How is that?” Logan asked.

  “I’m a saloon woman.”

  “Then why aren’t you working at the Gold Mine Saloon across the street instead of sitting here, homeless?”

  “I was fired. That’s why I boarded the stage for San Antonio. There are a lot of saloons there.”

  Logan sighed again. Without a hint as to the direction of the killers, finding them would take him months. If this woman was to be believed, she knew where they were headed, which would save him a lot of time. What could it hurt? Unless she wasn’t telling him the truth.

  Logan gave her his fiercest look. “If I find out you’re lying to me, I’ll throw you into the Rio Grande for the fish to feed on.”

  The woman nodded.

  “First, you’ll need a horse.”

  Chapter Two

  Logan bought Paulina a horse from the livery, tied her suitcase to the saddle bag, and left her standing there while he went into the general store to purchase extra supplies and another bedroll. After he tied everything to his saddle he figured they’d be ready to start, but he looked at her clothing to realize she was dressed in a wrinkled gray skirt and soiled white blouse, and he shook his head.

  “You’ll need trousers and a hat. I need to make you look like a young man.”

  Paulina looked down at her soiled and torn clothing. “All right.”

  When Paulina came out from the store dressing room with the pants on and a gray flannel shirt, Logan studied her from head to foot. He’d bought her trousers in a young boy’s size, and even they were too long, so he tucked the bottom cuffs into her boots.

  After giving her his gesture of approval, Logan purchased a wide-brimmed hat like his own. “Put your hair up inside of it.” He watched her and then said, “That’s good. Now we’re ready.”

  He didn't help her mount the horse. She knew it was because he had to treat her like a male. She was able to do it herself, and she showed him she knew how to ride. He looked her over, and while she knew she must look like a very feminine boy, his nod told her it would do.

  “Why do I have to look like a lad?” she asked.

  “In case we come upon outlaws or other derelicts. If they see a woman, even I might not be able to protect you. Females are rare out here and a valuable commodity for men who haven’t been with one in a long time.”

  “I trust you,” she said softly. She had a few good reasons why she trusted former sheriff, Logan McGuire.

  “That’s because you know my mind isn’t on anything but finding the men who killed my sister.”

  Before he motioned for the horse to start their journey he asked, “By the way, what’s your name?”

  “Paulina.”

  “You can call me Logan.

  Paulina already knew his name, even though she’d only worked at the saloon for one night; everyone in town knew him.

  “All right,” Logan yelled, “we’re off. I hope you can keep up.”

  Paulina Flanders did keep up. She helped when they made camp the first evening by collecting firewood and starting a fire while Logan led the horses to water and settled them for the night. She wanted to show him she could pull her weight on the trip.

  Logan passed around beef jerky and fresh water that first night as they sat around the fire on their unopened bedrolls.

  “So, tell me,” Logan said slowly, “what makes you so trusting of me that you’d risk traveling alone with me?”

  Paulina took another sip from the metal cup. “The women at the saloon said you were single, yet you never once came into the saloon to mingle with the women. You were also the sheriff—you know, a trusted figure.” She didn’t tell him how she’d heard his mournful cry when he’d found his sister, or that she’d seen the tears he’d shed and the way he'd carried Katherine home. That showed that he had a good heart behind the rough exterior. She’d known then he was a man she could trust. While rugged and easy on the eyes, he was not a womanizer. She knew he respected women, probably because of the love he’d had for his sister.

  Logan handed her the cups to wash. “I’ll spread the fire so it can’t be seen for miles away and put my gun under my bedroll.”

  Paulina went to the creek to rinse out the cups. When she returned, Logan was sprawled out on his bedroll. He’d placed hers about five feet from his.

  “Goodnight, Miss Paulina,” he said.

  “Goodnight.”

  Paulina was saddle-sore and tired or she wouldn't have been able to fall asleep so quickly, given all of the strange night sounds: crickets, owls, and who knew what else? Though she didn't recognize some of the sounds, she fell asleep, regardless.

  The next day, they rode much as the day before. A light breeze flowed from the river to alleviate the heat of the day. Even so, Paulina found her head perspiring beneath the heavy hat. They stopped when the sun was exactly overhead, and Logan cared for the horses again while she took care of her personal needs.

  When Logan returned, he handed her a wedge of cheese and a cup of water. “I filled our canteens in case we don’t always find fresh, clean water. I don’t trust the river water after seeing what the people on the ships throw overboard.”

  Paulina took the cheese and savored each bite. She’d always loved cheese, but she was hungry for a meal. The last full, hot meal she’d had was at the saloon on her first and last night working there.

  “Well,” Logan said as he stood, “are we far enough away from Laredo for you to tell me where the killers are headed?”

  Paulina cringed. She feared he'd have no use for her once he had all her information.

  “Do you promise not to send me back to Laredo or leave me here, alone, if I tell you?”

  “What do you take me for?” Logan nearly shouted. “I said I’d take you to the nearest good-sized city, and I always keep my word. And I wouldn’t leave my horse or dog out here alone.”

  His anger and words assured Paulina he was telling the truth.

  “The man called Homer told Sy and the other man to split up and meet at his pl
ace in El Paso where they’d divide the take from the stagecoach.”

  “Ah-ha!” Logan squatted down to her level. “So, that’s why you didn’t want me to take you to San Antonio.”

  Paulina nodded.

  “Hmm.” Logan rubbed his chin. “That means one of them could be using this same trail to get to El Paso. As far as I know, there are four main trails to El Paso, this one being the shortest. We’d better be careful. If one of them has taken this trail, they’d have had a head start, but you can never be too careful.” Logan stood and went for the horses. “We’d better put some miles on before dark. From now on, your name is Paul—got it?”

  “Got it,” Paulina repeated.

  After three long days on the trail, Paulina wanted nothing more than a hot meal and a bath. She dared not complain, since she’d asked to come along, seeing as she didn't have another place to go. She also wanted to try to get a job in an El Paso saloon, only this time, she’d be sure to understand her duties before taking the job.

  Logan was all-business and kept otherwise quiet while traveling. While he was washing in the river one morning, she couldn’t help but notice his muscular chest and broad shoulders. It was then she decided Logan was a handsome man. She’d always noted he was easy on the eyes, but now that she knew him better, she decided he was handsome. Never having had much to do with men—she'd never had a boyfriend, and she’d never been courted—this was a new experience for her. Her life before Laredo hadn’t exactly been what you would call receptive to anyone who wanted to court her, despite the shortage of women in the West.

  She watched Logan dip his head into the river and then dry his dark brown hair. His hair curled around the bottom of his ears. His beard and mustache had just started to bud, giving him a manly aura.

  He looked her way, and she quickly averted her eyes. It wouldn’t do to let him see her watching and admiring him.

  Logan walked back to where she sat and said, “If you’d like to go down and wash, I’ll keep a watch on you.”

  Paulina felt her eyes widen. She knew she couldn’t strip off her shirt as he had.

  “Of course, you’ll have to bathe dressed,” he said. “Sorry about that. If we ever get to a more secluded place where I feel you’ll be safe, I’ll allow it, but this isn’t that time.”

  Paulina stood. She supposed she could at least wash her face, hands, hair, and feet.

  “I’ll sit right here,” Logan assured her. “And if you feel like getting your clothes wet, it will cool you off on today’s trail—it will dry soon enough, so have fun.”

  The water was warm, and Paulina enjoyed her romp in the water. She was wet up to her knees, and when she splashed water on her face, it ran down her chest. Paulina sighed. It felt heavenly. She wet her hair before stuffing it beneath her hat. Paulina felt refreshed and ready for day four on the trail.

  When she re-joined Logan as he packed up their gear, he simply stared at her, especially at her wet shirt, and he groaned and rubbed his face.

  “We have to do something about…about your…your bosom.”

  Paulina looked down to see the wet fabric clinging tightly to her chest.

  “It will dry,” she said.

  Logan rolled his eyes. He turned to rip a strip of material from his horse blanket. “Go into those bushes and bind your…your chest tightly.”

  “But—”

  “Just do it,” Logan ordered.

  Paulina bound her chest, which made the heat even more uncomfortable. She supposed Logan was doing his best to keep her safe.

  As they trotted along, the path became rugged, and Logan cautioned her to slow down and lead the horse carefully.

  Just before sundown, Logan stopped abruptly and held his hand up for her to stop. He sat and listened. When at last he turned around, he whispered, “I hear a horse’s whinny.”

  Paulina hadn’t heard a thing. She strained her ears and sure enough, she heard it, too. The sound sent a chill through her, despite the heat. Another human on the trail could be trouble. It could be a desperado or worse, one of Homer’s men. If it was one of Homer’s men would he recognize her? Had his men seen her? More importantly, would she recognize his voice?

  What if one of their horses whinnied? She gazed at Logan, knowing her face showed her fright.

  Logan held his finger to his lips, bent down, grabbed a fistful of grass, and stuffed it into her horse’s mouth before doing the same with his. Then, he slowly guided his horse into the nearby woods and motioned her to follow.

  “You’re safe in here,” Logan whispered. “Dismount and keep feeding our horses. I’ll creep up and see if I can spot who’s up ahead. Hopefully, it’s just a wild horse.”

  Before she could stop him, Logan had disappeared through the brush.

  Chapter Three

  Logan peered through the brush to spot a man aiming his gun at his own horse. His first urge was to burst through the trees to stop him, but when the horse took a few steps toward some tall green grass, he saw that the animal was lame.

  Not all lame horses needed to be shot. Sometimes the injuries could be fixed. Logan itched to examine the horse. He watched the man as he aimed at the horse’s head and put his gun down, yet again. It seemed the man was in a quandary as to whether to shoot the only transportation he had.

  Logan crept back to Paulina and the horses, and Paulina looked up at him expectantly.

  “There’s a man about to shoot a lame horse. Once the horse is dead, the man will have no transportation, and he’ll die out in the wilderness, more than likely. I need a plan.”

  Paulina gasped. “What if he’s one of the killers?”

  “Do you think you’d know his voice, Paul?”

  Paulina smiled at his use of the name Paul. “I would know it anywhere…unless he was the fourth man…if there was one.”

  “I’ll take that chance. I want you to hide in the woods while I go to try and help the man. If he’s one of them, I’ll have to tie him up and take him with us.”

  Paulina cringed. “Why can’t you just leave him for dead like he did the people on the stage?”

  “I’d love to, but I need to bring all of them in to the law. I need to collect the bounty so I can buy tombstones for Katherine and Beatrice’s graves.”

  “All right.”

  After leaving the horses behind to graze, Logan led Paulina through the forest to where he’d stood to watch the man earlier. “Stay here and don’t make a sound.”

  “Be careful,” Paulina whispered.

  Logan came out of the forest several yards from where Paulina waited. He walked up to the man, his gun aimed. “Identify yourself,” Logan demanded.

  “Wilson Hoddy of El Paso. My horse went lame.”

  “Throw your guns down,” Logan said.

  Wilson threw both of his pistols down near Logan’s feet. Logan swiped up the guns and tucked them into his belt.

  “Mind if I take a look at your horse?” Logan asked.

  “No. I been thinkin’ o’ shootin’ him but then I’d be stuck out here.” The man sat down with his head in his hands. “Please, tell me his leg can be fixed.”

  Logan holstered his guns and examined the horse’s leg. It was broken in two places. “Sorry, Hoddy, your horse’s leg is broken in two places. What happened to him?”

  The man cursed loudly. “I was going a bit fast, and he tripped in a hole.” The man cursed again.

  “I might be able to help you as I happen to have a spare horse.” Logan saw the man’s face brighten. He was about thirty, already going bald, and had lost a few teeth. He had the kind of face that might easily scare a child.

  “I don’t have any money to pay you,” Hoddy said, “but I’d give you my father’s gold watch in exchange for your spare horse.”

  Logan examined the watch which was nearly worthless as the gold was plated. “It’s a deal. Wait here.”

  The man took a seat. Logan was careful to walk some ways down the road and go into the woods at a point where the m
an couldn’t see him. He backtracked to where he’d left Paulina whom he’d have to remember to call Paul; her safety depended on it.

  “What’s the verdict, Paul?” he asked her.

  “He’s one of them, all right.”

  “Dagnabbit. I had a feeling he was.”

  “What do we do now?”

  “I need a plan.” Logan paced back and forth, trying to think of the best course of action. “I have his guns.” He removed them from his belt and handed one to Paulina. “Do you know how to shoot, Paul?”

  “I do,” she answered.

  Logan noticed she handled the gun with expertise, checking the barrel for bullets and making sure the safety was on, which impressed him. He’d have to ask her later how she knew about guns.

  Logan sighed. “I’m going to offer him your horse to throw him off guard. Then, I’ll tie him up and put him on the horse. You and I will need to ride double.”

  “What should I do?” Paulina asked.

  “Stay here and watch. If he somehow should get the best of me or produce another gun,” Logan shrugged, “shoot him.”

  “All right.” Paulina perched herself on a log where she had a good view of the man’s camp.

  Logan took the rope from his saddlebag and put it around the horn on Paulina’s saddle, and led her horse down the path a-ways before crossing over to where the man was waiting.

  Wilson Hoddy stood when Logan appeared, leading Paulina’s horse. Logan purposely didn’t ride his horse on the chance the man might have a hidden gun and take both horses for himself.

  “Will this horse do?” Logan asked.

  “Is this your only horse?”

  “No, I left mine back at my camp. This is my spare.”

  While Hoddy walked around the horse checking his legs and hooves, Logan snuck the rope from the saddlebag and slipped behind the man. He pulled the man’s arms behind him, grabbed the rope, and tried to tie his hands, but the man struggled. Not only did Logan drop the rope, but he also lost hold of Hoddy's arms.