by Bobbi Smith
"You're on."
"If you need any extra help, just let me and the boys know."
"I will, don't worry."
They shook hands and Rob headed for the hotel. He wanted a bath and a shave and a drink, and not necessarily in that order. As he reached the small lobby, he saw Alyssa just starting upstairs to her room.
"Need any help with your bag?" he asked, going to join her.
"Oh... Rob." She smiled warmly at him as she saw him crossing the lobby toward her. "No, it's not that heavy. I'll be fine. How did it go at the jail?"
"Everything's all right. We can take it easy now. The hard part's over."
"For you maybe," she said softly, knowing how she was going to be affected by hearing the descriptions of her father's murder again during the testimony at the trial.
"Alyssa, if you need anything-anything at alljust let me know."
"Thank you, Rob."
"Have you thought about dinner yet tonight? Would you like to join me?" Rob invited her.
"I'd love to."
They agreed to meet in half an hour and then parted. Rob registered at the hotel and made a quick trip to the bath house to get cleaned up. He was taking Alyssa to dinner. He wanted to look his best, and he knew he certainly needed a shave.
A short time later, Rob was back in his room shaving off several days' growth of whiskers. He was tired, yet the excitement of knowing he was going to be dining with Alyssa renewed him. Since that terrible moment when he thought she'd died, he'd known the truth of his feelings. He loved her and wanted to marry her.
The fact that she hadn't been angry over his kiss that day and had accepted his invitation to dinner tonight all fueled Rob's hope that she might one day return his affection. It was too soon after her father's death to think about courting her right now. She needed more time to come to grips with all that had happened. But once she'd recovered from her terrible loss, he was going to let her know, how he felt.
When Rob reached the lobby a short time later, Alyssa was waiting for him, wearing her mourning clothes once again. They decided to dine in the hotel's small dining room and ordered quickly.
"I think I could eat one of everything on the menu," Rob said when the waitress had left them.
"I know. Three days of trail food makes you appreciate a good meal."
"Are you saying you don't like my deputies' cooking?" he asked her with a grin.
She smiled back. "There's a definite reason they're deputies and not chefs."
The meal was delicious, and they both ate heartily. He told her what he'd learned from Judge Banks and the sheriff.
"So the trial is going to begin that soon," she said thoughtfully.
"Yes, and it's going to be wonderful to be done with it."
"I doubt it will ever be completely over for my family," she said solemnly.
"I understand, but there will be some solace in knowing the ones responsible have been punished."
"I just wish there was a way to bring my father back." Though she kept up a good front most of the time, her father had been her best friend. She missed him terribly.
Rob couldn't help himself. He saw the distress in her eyes and reached out to cover her hand with his. "If I could turn back the clock and make things different that day, I would, Alyssa."
She lifted her pain-filled gaze to his and gave him a wavering smile. "You're a good man, Rob. Father was very fond of you. You were the son he never had."
"I wouldn't want to be his son," he remarked with a wry grin.
She frowned, puzzled by his words.
"That would make us brother and sister, and my feelings for you are anything but brotherly," he admitted.
"Oh."
His confession surprised her. She enjoyed his company, and his kiss had been pleasant. He was a nice man, and she liked him. Maybe in the future she could think of him in a romantic way, but for now, her entire being was focused on the trial.
"I know this isn't the time, Alyssa. I just wanted you to know that I do care about you and I want you to be happy. If you need anything, anything at all while we're here, just let me know."
"I appreciate your thoughtfulness."
They ended the evening then. He escorted her to her room, but did not try to kiss her. Once he was sure she was safely inside and her door was locked, he decided it was time for the drink he'd promised himself.
Rob made his way to the saloon down the street. He knew Steve was still at the jail, keeping a close watch, so he bought a bottle of whiskey and went off to visit with his friend. They might not be able to celebrate in the saloon, but they could sure share a drink or two at the jail.
Alyssa stood at the window of her room, staring out into the night. The streets were dark and deserted, and the scene below matched her mood. She felt alone, lost and confused. She'd been tempted to speak to Rob about Slade again during dinner, but had decided against it. She trusted Rob's judgment, and he was convinced of the other man's guilt. If she brought the subject up again, he might think she didn't have any faith in him.
Knowing this, Alyssa didn't understand why Slade's request that she wire the Pinkerton office in Denver kept plaguing her. The trial would begin in one more day. There was still time enough for her to send the wire and get a response-if she dared to do it. As she fell asleep that night, her last thoughts were of her father and the troubling gunman who was accused of his murder.
When the sheriff entered the cell area to talk with the prisoners, Slade looked up.
"Well, gentlemen, it looks like things are going smoothly," Steve told them. "This morning, the jury was selected. The trial is scheduled to begin tomorrow."
"Only if the Kid doesn't get here first," Johnson declared.
"We'll be ready for him if he does show up," Steve said confidently.
"I don't care how many men you've got, lawman, you still ain't good enough to stop the Kid," Nash bragged, still certain that the Kid would save them.
"We ain't worried," Johnson added as he lay back on his cot and folded his arms beneath his head.
Steve's expression hardened as he stared at the accused killers. "I wbuld be if I were you."
With that, he turned and stalked back to his office.
"Johnson," Nash said in a low voice once the lawman had gone.
"Yeah, what?"
"You really think the Kid's gonna get here in time?"
"I know he will."
Nash nodded. "What's taking him so long? I figured he'd bust us out before we went on the trail."
"So did I, but something must have happened. He ain't gonna desert us."
"What do you think, Slade?" Nash asked.
"The Kid won't give up," he answered.
If there was one thing Slade had come to understand about the outlaw leader during the time he'd ridden with him, it was that the Dakota Kid didn't like to lose. He was sure the gunslinger was just waiting for the right time to make the attempt to free his friends. Whatever he did would be fast and deadly, and Slade hoped the sheriff was ready for it.
"Damn right, he won't," Johnson repeated with emphasis.
"I just hope it's soon," Nash added.
Red sat in the Gold Dust Saloon, nursing a beer and listening to the talk going on around him. It seemed the whole town was excited about the trial that was to start the following morning. From the sound of things, the townsfolk didn't think it would last long. Red knew he should get word back to the Kid right away. He finished his drink and strolled from the bar.
It was early evening, but still light enough outside for him to be able to see the deputies who were stationed around town. There were several patrolling the streets and even more watching over things from rooftops.
Red swore silently to himself as he tried to judge their chances of rescuing their friends. It didn't look good. They would need some kind of big distraction to draw the guards away, if they were going to have any chance at all of saving the others. Mounting up, he rode for the campsite where Zeke and the K
id were waiting for him to give them the bad news.
Alyssa had passed a quiet day in Green River. Rob sought her out around midday to let her know that the jury had been picked and that four women were among those who would serve on it-Mary Ann Bovier, the local schoolteacher; Kaye Friese, the minister's wife; and two other ladies, Clover Noack and Sandra Stetson. He'd also informed her that all the witnesses but one had arrived in town, and the other was on his way. She'd been pleased with the news and was as anxious as the lawmen for the proceedings to begin.
As the day passed, Alyssa tried to keep herself busy, but thoughts of Slade kept intruding. Once, she even found herself heading for her hotel room door, intent on going to the telegraph office to send his requested wire, but she stopped. She knew what kind of man he was. Why did she still harbor doubts?
Alyssa dined alone that evening and was looking forward to retiring early. She wanted to be well rested for the excitement of the coming day. She was just getting ready to undress when she heard a commotion outside in the street. Looking out her window, she saw people running wildly toward the far end of town.
"What's wrong?" she called down to them.
"There's a big fire! They need all the help they can get!"
She leaned out a little farther and could see a terrible red glow in the sky. She saw the deputies who'd been posted around the jail funning to help, too. It was then that she realized that all might not be exactly what it seemed. She looked back toward the jail and saw that there was only one guard left out front. The men who'd been posted to keep watch on top of the building next door had gone to help fight the fire.
Alyssa frowned as she went to her holster and got her gun. She was glad that her purse was large enough to hold it as she hid it in the handbag. Leaving her hotel room, she hurried downstairs.
The lobby was deserted, and the scene in the street outside was eerie. She could hear the shouts and warnings of the townspeople in the distance by the fire, but down the street near the jail, it was quiettoo quiet for her peace of mind.
She'd learned enough about the Dakota Kid during the last few weeks to put nothing past him. He was smart, devious and patient. It would be just like the outlaw leader to cause some major trouble somewhere else in town in order to create a diversion to give himself the time he needed to pull off a jailbreak.
Her sense of disquiet grew stronger. The guard she'd seen outside the jail just a few minutes before had now disappeared, too. Then she noticed that the jail door was ajar and felt relieved. No doubt the guard had stepped inside to report to the sheriff about what was going on.
Alyssa almost let herself relax, but then she saw that the shades had been drawn in the office, and she wondered... Moving quietly, she stayed in the shadows as she made her way along the wooden sidewalk to the front of the jail. As she drew near, she could hear voices coming from inside.
"Shoot the bastard!" a man demanded angrily.
"No. The gunfire will bring everybody back here at a run, and then we won't have time to get out of town. Just leave him locked up in the cell. Think how much explaining he's going to have to do when his deputies come back and find out that the Kid outsmarted them," Slade responded.
"He's a lawman! He deserves to die!" a different outlaw insisted.
"Zeke"-Slade sounded furious-"one gunshot will give the whole jailbreak away."
"Slade's right," Johnson told the other gang members. "Let's just get out of here while we got time. I've had enough of the inside of jail cells to last me a lifetime."
"I could always use my knife on him, just like I did the guards outside," Zeke said. "That won't make no noise."
"Quit wasting time! If he's locked up in the jail cell, he ain't going anywhere. Let's go. I want outta here!" Nash put in.
"Emerson's gonna love this when he finds out." Johnson was chuckling.
Alyssa had been holding her breath as she listened to the exchange. She backed away from the jail, desperately wondering what to do. It was then that she saw him waiting in the alley nearby-the Dakota Kid. She recognized him immediately from his wanted poster and a frisson of fear went down her spine. Knowing there was no time to waste, she pulled her gun out of her purse, ran out into the middle of the street and fired off several rounds.
"Jailbreak!"
Since his wounded leg was still giving him trouble, the Kid had decided to wait outside with the horses. At the sound of her shots and scream, though, he spurred his mount forward, intent on silencing her. There was too much at stake! He had to shut the screaming woman up!
Alyssa saw the Kid coming toward her and almost panicked. There was no time to run, so she did the only thing she could do. She took aim, fired at him and then ran for cover just as townspeople came running to her aid.
The Kid was shocked as his hat was shot from his head. At the sight of help on the way, he wheeled his horse around. Though he wanted to kill the woman who'd caused him so much trouble, he wanted to save his own skin more.
"Red! Zeke! Get the boys outta there now!"
The Kid galloped from the scene, leaving the rest of his gang to follow.
"Alyssa! Are you all right?" Rob called. He'd been helping with the fire when it had occurred to him that there might be trouble down at the jail. His hunch had proven right, and he was glad that he'd reached the sheriff's office when he had.
"Yes!" she called from where she'd taken refuge behind some barrels in front of the general store.
"Stay down!" he ordered, not wanting to worry about her safety while he was storming the jail.
Rob was ready as Red and Zeke came running out. The outlaws had their guns drawn and were firing, but only Zeke made it to his horse. Rob gunned Red down as he tried to make a run for it. Before Nash or Johnson could get outside, Brown and Hawkins showed up, along with several of Sheriff Jones's deputies.
"You in the jail! It's all over! We're coming in!"
They rushed the sheriff's office together, firing steadily, determined that their prisoners would not get away.
"Red's dead. The Kid and Zeke must be, too!" Johnson shouted to Nash and Slade as he returned the deputies' fire.
Slade cursed the luck that left him trying to break out of jail with an army of deputies waiting outside to kill him. He'd hoped for a minute that they were going to make a clean get away, but now he knew it was over. He was trapped, looking as guilty as hell, and there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it.
Rob dodged bullets as he threw himself at the door, crashing against it with his shoulder. As he did, he lost his balance and fell into the room. His gun went flying from his grip. He looked up and found himself face to face with Braxton, who stood over him, gun in hand. Rob believed he was a dead man.
In that instant, Slade had the perfect opportunity to kill the lawman. Instead, he deliberately fired into the wall over his head just as Hawkins's and Brown's shots shattered the front windows and sent Nash and Johnson diving away from the flying glass.
Rob didn't have any time to waste wondering about Slade's missed shot. He went for his gun just as Hawkins and Brown charged into the room, their own guns ready.
"Throw your weapons down or you're dead men!" Rob ordered.
Nash and Johnson were furious. They had almost been free! But now, they faced certain death if they tried to shoot their way out. In complete disgust, they laid their guns down and raised their hands over their heads. Slade did the same.
It was over.
"Emerson! Is that you?" came Sheriff Jones's shout from the cell area.
"Yeah." Rob hurried to free his friend as the deputies took charge of the outlaws.
Slade said nothing as they were herded back into their cell. He only wondered how many hours he had left until the noose was tightened around his neck. He knew it wouldn't be long.
Once the shooting had stopped, Alyssa came out of hiding. She still had a bullet left in her gun, so she kept the weapon in hand as she slowly approached the jail. She had seen Rob rush into the office fir
st. After all that gunfire, she feared that he might have been hurt in some way.
"Rob?" she called as she neared the doorway.
"It's safe. You can come in." Hawkins stepped into the doorway to speak with her.
"Is Rob all right?" She hurried inside, wanting to make sure he was unharmed.
"I'm fine," Rob told her.
Relieved that he hadn't been shot, she went straight to the cell area, where he stood watching the prisoners being locked up. Almost without thought, Rob's arm went around her shoulders, and he gave her a warm hug.
"Do you realize what you did?" he asked, looking down at her with admiration in his gaze.
"What did she do?" Hawkins asked.
"She was the one who figured out what was happening. If it hadn't been for her shots, I wouldn't have gotten here in time. That was very brave of you."
Alyssa blushed at his praise. "I heard all the shout ing about the fire, but it was so big that I just had this feeling that maybe the Kid had had a hand in it."
"And you were right," Brown agreed. "They would have gotten clean away if it hadn't been for you."
"She even took a shot at the Kid," Rob said.
"But I missed," she emphasized. "I only hit his hat."
"You did?" Brown and Hawkins were shocked.
"If she'd gotten a better a shot at him, she would have put him six feet under. As it was, she sent him hightailing out of town and gave us time to get here to help."
They started back into the office. Alyssa just happened to glance toward the three gunmen as she went. She shivered at the looks of hatred both Nash and Johnson were sending her way. She was very glad that there were jail cell bars between them.
Just before Alyssa disappeared out of the cell area with Rob, his arm still protectively around her shoulders, she glanced at Slade and found him watching her. She saw no hatred in his regard. His expression was inscrutable as he watched her walk out with the other man.
"I can't thank you enough," Sheriff Jones said as they joined him in his office after closing the door to the cell area behind them.
"You're lucky you're still alive," Rob told him. "They're a deadly bunch."
"They could have killed me and been done with it. I don't know why they didn't. God knows, they murdered the two guards I had posted outside." The pain of losing his two friends was evident in his voice.
