by Jane Henry
Standing up against the wall, she held her breath. She pushed open the door and froze. In front of her was not the man she’d hoped, or even men who would help her, but the lewd grimaces of the men who’d come to camp with them—Monty and his crew. And in front of Monty was a man tied to a chair, whose profile she’d recognize anywhere—her father! How had her father come to be not only here, but held hostage like this? She turned to go but it was no use. The men standing around him had seen her, and were already advancing on her. She’d run straight from the frying pan into the fire.
Chapter Seventeen
I loved her, but the dark side of her… her demons are what drove me wild, her secrets, her pain, her darkness… that’s what made me love her. ― Michael Marquez
Cole raced down the hallways, throwing open doors and searching frantically, unable to call out to Aida lest he draw attention to himself. If the authorities came before he was able to do what he had to, all would be lost. They wouldn’t know why he’d done what he had, and he’d be taken, jailed, or hanged. But what was worse, Aida would be unprotected.
“For God’s sake, split up,” he hissed at Junior. A faint sound echoed in the hall. Was his mind playing tricks on him, or was that what he thought it was? It echoed again, and this time there was no mistaking the familiar sound of a woman’s scream, a scream he knew all too well from having drawn it from the woman himself.
“It’s her,” he hissed to Junior. “Quick. We need to see where she is.” They followed the sounds of her screams until they suddenly stopped, muffled.
Cole ran as fast as he could. Everything was a jumble. Nothing was going right. Where was she? Where was Pearson? And where was Preach? It would all work out. It had to. He hadn’t come this far for everything to go to hell. The narrow staircases and dusty hallways were like a hideous maze designed to keep him away from her.
A loud bang echoed in the hallway. His heart stopped. Good God, had Aida been shot? He had to find her. He had to protect her. One last scream sounded, and this time it was right nearby, behind a door at the end of the staircase. He leapt off the last two stairs and kicked the door open.
In front of him stood Monty, his gun pointed straight at Cole’s chest, holding onto Aida in one arm, in front of the senator. The second politician already lay slumped over in his chair, bound. God, what had Monty done?
“Well, look who’s arrived,” Monty said. “If it isn’t my accomplice. The man who kidnapped the girl and meant for her to be ransom, eh? This isn’t how we planned things, Cole,” Monty said, as he drew a slow, wicked smile. “Not at all. You think you were one step ahead. Your hostage, you said. And look how you come running for her when she’s my prisoner.” His smile vanished. “Who runs after a hostage?”
“Let my daughter go!” screamed the senator. His gag had been removed now but he was still bound. Without batting an eyelash, Monty pulled the trigger, and the senator howled in pain, blood spurting from the top of his boot. Beside Cole, Junior jumped.
“Make one move and I’ll kill you,” Monty said to the senator. Cole knew that he would. He’d slipped out of the hands of the authorities so many times, and he’d do it again. It was why Cole had agreed to his job to begin with. Pearson and Monty were unstoppable. The senator was panting now, his eyes closed shut, but it was Aida who spoke next.
“I’d rather be killed than go back to you,” Aida hissed, hatred in her eyes.
“I could make that happen, sweetheart,” Monty said, pointing his revolver at Aida’s temple.
“Hush, Aida,” Cole ordered. Damn it all, if there was ever a time she had to obey him, it was now.
“You! You were the one who stole her from me!” the senator screamed at Cole.
Monty looked from Aida to Cole and his grin was wicked. “And you fell for her,” Monty said. “Tried to make it look like you didn’t. Pearson fell for it. I never did. And now you’ll give her to me, and your share of the spoils today, or I’ll give you up. I know who you really are.” He paused as he cocked his gun. “And you should really be careful what you tell your brother.”
The door burst open and Pearson stood, brandishing his gun. Monty sobered as Pearson took it all in.
“All of you go to hell,” Pearson growled.
Something had to be done, and it had to be done now. Cole met Junior’s eyes across the room. Cole gave a barely perceptible nod. Junior’s foot shot out, kicking over a chair that stood next to him, and with the distraction, Junior tackled Pearson.
Pearson’s gun went off with a deafening bang, but Cole was already on the floor, rolling, dodging the shots that Monty aimed at him as he cocked his own pistol and shot. Down went Monty, Aida falling with him. Cole howled as piercing pain jabbed him in the foot. Pearson had somehow managed to escape Junior’s tackle and now was at him with a dagger. Cole smacked his gun at the back of Pearson’s head at the same time Junior shot.
Monty rose on his elbow just as Cole grabbed Aida, threw her to the floor, and threw his body over her. One aim, three men he wanted dead, but it was clear Junior was not going down without a fight. Another shot rang, and Pearson slumped to the floor in a heap. Monty lunged at Cole, knocking the senator’s chair to the floor as he tried to tear Cole off Aida, but it was no use. Someone would shoot him dead before he’d allow her to be harmed. Monty shot at Cole and missed, as Junior came to Cole’s side, his aim sure and steady. A second shot hit Monty square between the eyes and Aida shrieked beneath him as Monty slumped on top of the two of them.
“Cole!” shouted Junior. “The senator!”
Cole snapped his eyes to the senator, who had somehow managed to free his hands with his fall and now held a gun to them both. Without a second thought, Cole pulled the trigger. It seemed to happen in slow motion. The gun dropped from the senator’s hand. His head rolled to the side. The clatter of the gun on the floor echoed in the narrow room as crimson blood stained the senator’s shirt. Junior stood staring at Cole, panting, and it took a minute for Cole to feel comfortable allowing Aida up from beneath him.
“You’re safe now, darlin’,” he whispered to her as she shuddered, and he glanced over at the now dead forms of Pearson, Monty, and the senator. “Now you’re safe with me.”
Chapter Eighteen
This thing of darkness I acknowledge mine. ― William Shakespeare
She couldn’t stop trembling. How was she supposed to stop it? Her hands shook as if someone was violently shaking her about the shoulders. Her father lay dead on the floor, the other filthy men piled in with them. Cole was shouting orders to the other men she was now familiar with, but she only noticed Doc and Preach. Immediately after he’d shouted instructions, Doc and Preach were hauling bodies out of the room, Junior standing guard lest anyone come running. But however they managed it, they knew what they were doing. Where was Justice? Where had they all gone to? It was all too much, too confusing, and she couldn’t understand how it was all happening, or why.
And who was Cole?
“He’s dead,” she whispered. “Cole, he’s dead,” but he didn’t reply, merely kept her tucked under his arm as he moved with decision and purpose.
“Justice and Monty’s men have moved the safe to Litchfield already,” Cole said to Junior. “They left before anything happened and won’t be the wiser for it. You go now, take the fastest horse we have, and you don’t stop until you meet—” he paused and glanced at Aida before continuing, “—our connection in Litchfield. She’ll know what to do.”
She?
Aida tried to speak but couldn’t. She opened her mouth. No words would come. As Junior raced ahead of Cole, he pulled her into the doorway of a room, and it took her a few minutes to realize it was the room they’d spent the night in. He closed the door shut tight behind them, sat on the bed, and drew her onto his lap.
“C’mere, darlin’,” he said softly. She sat on his knee, buried her head on his chest, but no tears would come. He stilled her trembling hands with his work-worn hands.
“Y
ou had to think I was one of them.”
She shook her head. Still, no words would come.
“You’ll see in Litchfield, Aida. You’ll see everything.”
“He’s dead,” she whispered. “He’s dead.”
“They all are,” he whispered back. “But you’re safe.” He pulled her head to his mouth fiercely, kissing her so that his whiskers brushed her forehead. “Put your head on Daddy, darlin’,” he said. “No one’s gonna hurt you now. You’re mine, little one. I came for you and I made you obey me, but I knew you were mine.”
“Daddy,” she whispered, closing her eyes.
***
Later, she remembered the hooded cloak he put about her as they moved in the stillness to retrieve their horses, and how his own bandanna and hat cast him into shadow. She remembered how he gave her commands, to keep her head down, to follow him, to talk to no one, and how easy it was to do what he said for she had only one instruction: obey. Preach and Doc followed behind, as Junior had gone on ahead.
They galloped in the early morning light, dust rising in billows from beneath the pounding hooves of his horse. He held her close, his body pushed up against her. His flank was to her back, his arms around her, holding her as if he never wanted to let her go.
Chapter Nineteen
I will love you through the darkness. ― Christopher Poindexter
Litchfield loomed in front of them now, after a long day’s hard riding.
They’d stopped for a brief meal and still, Aida hadn’t spoken. Cole had handed her food, hardtack, and coffee and she’d stared at him as if she had no idea what to do.
“Eat, little girl,” he’d ordered quietly but she’d merely blinked at him.
“Aida,” he’d warned. For a moment, he’d considered spanking her, not harshly, but enough to shake her out of her stupor. But she’d been hurt by all that had transpired, and he thought a different approach would now help.
“This happens to people who’ve witnessed trauma,” Doc said to him. “Give her time, Cole. Be gentle. She’ll come around.”
So instead, he took her upon his knee, his back to the other men, and fed her himself, speaking in low, hushed tones though they were rushed. She obeyed him, eating from his hand, and when it was time to go, he hoisted her upon his saddle. He felt as if he were taking care of a small child as her little hand slipped into his. It was a feeling he quite enjoyed.
Now, as dark began to descend once again, they came to the entrance to Litchfield.
“It’s important you obey me, Aida,” he warned. “You must obey me.”
“Yes, Daddy,” she said simply.
Though he liked her compliance, he now wished for a bit of her spirit to return. He wanted to know she was all right. But he had other, more pressing matters to attend to.
“Straight to the stable,” Cole said. “They’ll meet us there.”
When they pulled up to the stable, Cole felt apprehension growing. What would happen, now that the plans were so askew? Had Junior arrived ahead of them? Had he gotten word to those who needed it most? In the darkness, two shadows emerged. He recognized Junior’s slight form, and the sweeping skirts of a tall woman who held herself erect until the riders came into view. She ran straight at Preach. Preach pulled to a stop and fairly leapt off his horse, taking the woman into his arms and kissing her. But it was Aida’s reaction he was most focused on.
He felt her sit up and her grip on his shirt tighten. She gasped. Slowly, he guided his horse to a stop and prepared to let her down, but she was already slipping from the saddle.
“Aida, you wait,” he ordered, but she didn’t, was already down and running toward the woman who stood with Preach. Cole came up behind her as quickly as he could. They had to be quiet, had to be discreet, as the last plans fell into place. A part of him surged with hope and joy as he looked at her face, though he feared being heard. Her eyes were bright with tears as she held onto the woman who embraced her back.
Cole tipped his hat at the woman as he came to Aida’s side.
“Lucille,” he said. “We need to get to cover.”
Aida turned to Cole, her eyes wide. “You know Lucille?” she asked.
Cole grinned. “You could say that, darlin’. Now let’s get you inside.”
“Inside where?” she asked. “I just found her! And you want me to leave already?”
He clenched his jaw. Damn it, the girl needed to mind him. “To safety, Aida. Now.”
Lucille nodded, giving Aida a gentle shove toward Cole. “There will be time to catch up,” she said. “But we need to make sure you’re all safe.”
Preach’s arm went around Lucille as Doc led their horses to the stable. Aida frowned but followed Cole to where he ushered her. He eyed her. He could almost feel her willful resistance. She seemed angry, and on the verge of tears. Christ, if crying wasn’t exactly what the girl needed.
There would be time, but he knew how he would bring her to where she needed to be.
***
Aida sat at a table in the back of a darkened room in Litchfield.
“I sent them, honey,” Lucille said gently, taking Aida’s hand in her own. The woman she’d known since she was a baby, the only one she’d ever known as mother, now sat with her, explaining why everything had transpired. She gestured to Preach and Cole. Junior and Doc had retired to their rooms, and Aida now sat with a cup of hot tea next to Cole. He’d removed his hat and watched her now with weary eyes, as the truth unfolded.
“My brother is sheriff here in Litchfield, and the only honest law-abiding man I know. Preach knew that Monty and Pearson and their men were unstoppable, and he also knew he and Mr. Clemens were the only ones Monty and Pearson trusted.”
“It was the only way we could bring them out,” Preach said. “Stage a high-end robbery.” His eyes flitted to Cole. “And Justice has been in bed with them for the past year.”
“Where are they all now?” Aida asked. It was all so much to take in.
“You know Monty and Pearson were killed,” Cole said.
Aida flinched. They weren’t the only ones who’d been killed.
“Lucille was waiting here for her brother, knew that Justice and the rest of Monty’s men would be running to Litchfield with their prize. They walked right into the trap set, and were all caught.”
Aida gasped. “Will they hang?”
Cole looked away and worked his jaw for a moment before speaking. “Yes.” He ran a hand over his face and she knew then how hard this had all been, how hard it would be yet.
She breathed out, before she resumed speaking. “And what will come of you two? Are you still running from the law?”
Lucille shook her head. “They were commissioned, honey. They are the law.”
Aida’s eyes widened. “You two?”
Cole nodded.
Lucille continued. “My brother knew the only way to bring Monty and Pearson to justice would be if one of their own betrayed them. Cole has been working for months to gain their trust so that they could be brought to justice.”
Cole flinched at the word justice and Aida’s heart went out to him.
“And Justice was part of their group?”
Cole nodded soberly.
Aida frowned. “But… what about me? How do I fit into all of this?”
“That’s where I come in,” Lucille said. “I didn’t leave you because I needed to leave, Aida. I left because I knew you needed to be free from the home you were in, and had no means to do so. I sent them to get you. It was on their way, and I knew I could trust them to bring you here.”
But Aida was still trying to understand. She turned to Cole. “You told me he owed you money. He didn’t?”
Cole shook his head. She could forgive the lie. She’d been rescued. Her tormentor was dead.
Aida turned to Lucille. “You knew he was… treating me the way he did?” she asked quietly.
Lucille nodded. “He was an awful man,” she whispered. “You weren’t the only one he mis
treated. I’m not sorry to hear of his demise.”
“Nor am I,” Aida whispered. She turned to Cole. “Did you know?”
He shook his head. “All I was told was that you had to get out of there, and I knew I trusted the source. Wasn’t until you told me that I knew why.”
“There was no way to get you out of there in daylight,” Lucille said. “And Cole and his men had to continue to pretend to be outlaws. Kidnapping you solidified our plan. It rousted your father, convinced Monty they were on the same side, got you out of there.”
Aida frowned. It seemed a more sympathetic plan now, but Cole… he’d spanked her. He’d taken her. He’d forced her to eat with them… but had he ever really violated her? No. She’d wanted his dominance and control, and though he’d always been stern with her, he’d ultimately had her best interests in mind.
My gripe is not with you…
Over and over he’d told her to listen to him, that it would all make sense in the end. She looked from Lucille to Cole. Cole was looking at her curiously, as if she were unpredictable and he was ready to handle whatever happened.
“Wasn’t easy,” Cole said with a bit of a smirk as he took the last swig from his frothy pint. “She put up quite a fuss.”
Lucille smiled softly. “I told you she was a handful and to be prepared to deal with her.”
“Oh, I was.”
Aida frowned. “Yes, he was.”
Lucille raised an eyebrow to Cole. “Were you rough with her, Cole?”
