The Salvation 0f A Runaway Bride (Historical Western Romance)

by Cassidy Hanton

  “Think they’ll be shootin?” he asked.

  “Oh, I’d count on it,” Ottie replied.

  The deputy paused and thought for a moment. “I ain’t never shot a man before. I wonder what it might be like.”

  Ottie chuckled. “I’ve seen your marksmanship. I doubt we’ll have an answer to that today.”

  The deputy looked at him incredulously, then chuckled to himself and set his eyes back on the horizon. Ottie continued to sit and think.

  Ain’t never shot a man either. But if it comes down to it, I guess that’s what has to be done.

  And, then, another thought roiled in Ottie’s head.

  I doubt I’ll be the one firing the first shot. I sent the one man with something personal on the line out there alone. That might’ve been the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.

  He tried to push the thought away. In all his years of knowing his friend, Abe’s passion had never clouded his judgement. Abe could feel strongly but still keep his head on straight. The Abe he knew wouldn’t do anything overly stupid.

  But…this isn’t the Abe I’ve known. Because that man has never been in love before.

  * * *

  Abe laid on his back, spinning his revolver chamber over and over. The day had crawled by, as he sat there alone, and thoughts ran through his head like bullets. Thoughts of Laura, of Jacob, and of who might step through that door later. What would he do if he had to stare down a man who may have hurt Laura? The bullets in their chamber taunted him.

  Suddenly, he heard hoofbeats outside. He snapped the chamber back in place and turned to stare down the ladder. The hoofbeats continued, getting loud and louder in their approach. Then, just outside the shack, they stopped. Abe stilled his mind and his breath.

  Surely, it’s Jacob with the money.

  He heard heavy boots hit the ground and approach the door of the shack. The door slowly creaked open and the barrel of a gun appeared in the opening. Then, a voice softly called out.

  “Jacob?” Xavier appeared through the doorway and looked around.

  “Mr. Edmonds?” Abe called down.

  Xavier looked up and spotted Abe in the crawl space. “Abe?”

  Abe motioned to Xavier to lower his voice. Xavier spoke more softly. “Abe, have you seen Jacob?” he asked.

  “No, not a sight of him,” Abe replied.

  “He left the hotel a while ago, I thought he may have come here ahead of me to drop off the money,” Xavier said, worry clouding his face.

  “Did you bring what I left?” Abe asked. Xavier nodded and patted his jacket. “Good, leave it over there in the corner where I’ve got a sight of it and then get out of here, don’t want you lingering. Might make him think someone else is in here.”

  Xavier carefully placed the bundles of bills in the corner, tipped his hat to Abe, and strode out the door.

  Where the hell is Jacob?

  Abe stared down at the stack of money set deep into the shack. His money.

  Cowardly bastard.

  The hoofbeats of Xavier’s horse disappeared into the distance. Abe steadied his pistol hand and poised himself, barrel pointed at the door. It could be minutes, or it could be hours. Abe could feel his muscles tensing, every one ready to leap out onto the bastard the moment he stepped inside.

  Time continued to pass, the light began to hang lower and lower, dimming the light in the shack. Abe squinted through the encroaching darkness. The dark and the chill set in, cutting through his clothes. The darkness seemed to amplify the silence until a faint sound unsettled it. Like a rock thrown in a pond.

  Footsteps. Quiet, but deliberate. Abe felt a chill run through his entire body. They got louder and louder. Heavy boots slowly approaching the shack.

  Slowly, silently, he pulled back the hammer on his pistol with his thumb. It settled into place with a click that sounded as loud as a gunshot in the silent shack. The footsteps seemed to pause for a moment.

  Did he hear me?

  After what seemed like an eternity, the heavy boots plodded forward again, until it sounded like the man was right outside the door. Abe tried to quiet even his breath to a whisper as the door slowly opened with a deafening creak.

  The barrel of a revolver glinted menacingly in the moonlight, as it was held just inside the door’s opening. Abe could see the barrel scanning the interior, until he was almost staring right down it. Then suddenly, a shot rang out with a thundering bang.

  * * *

  The gunshot ripped Ottie out of his thoughts. He ran from the interior of the mine to find both deputies outside jumping to their feet.

  “What the hell was that?” Ottie shouted.

  “No idea Sheriff. It sounds like it came from the drop point,” one deputy said breathlessly.

  “Well, what the hell are you standing here for, let’s go!” Ottie said, as he jumped onto Midnight’s back. “Saddle up and follow me.”

  And with that, Ottie gave Midnight a swift kick and shouted, “Ha!” as Midnight bolted out into the night.

  Ottie gripped the reigns with one hand and his pistol in another, as his mind raced.

  Abe, you better not have done something stupid, like getting yourself killed.

  * * *

  Moonlight rained in through the bullet holes that perforated the tiny shack. Slowly, Harry stepped inside and looked around at his handiwork. He looked pleased. He spotted the money piled up in the corner and rubbed his hands together.

  “Well, now, looks like he finally came to his senses,” he said, gleefully.

  He quickly walked over and began to stuff the bills into a small burlap sack, quietly counting as he went along. As he placed the last bills into the sack, he quietly muttered to himself.

  “Thank you, Mr. Fisher. Pleasure doing business with you.”

  Suddenly, there was a thud behind him. He froze and then, slowly, began to turn around.

  “You better think long and hard about what you’re thinking of doing there, Jacob,” he said, with a hiss.

  When he turned around, his face quickly dissolved into an amused shock. Standing there was Abe, his pistol pointed straight at Harry’s heart.

  “I doubt Mr. Fisher would think too long on anything, but thankfully for Miss Edmonds, I’m not him,” Abe said coldly.

  “I know you, you’re that rancher that lives just outside town,” Harry said, with realization. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I’m the Sheriff’s deputy, here to make sure that Laura Edmonds gets home safely,” Abe said, keeping the pistol trained on Harry.

  “By yourself? Damn, these small town sheriff’s get stupider and stupider,” Harry said, and in a flash, he pulled his own pistol and trained it on Abe. He began to laugh. “See? Some deputy you are. If you were gonna shoot me, you’d have done it the second I reached for my gun, and yet, here we are.”

  In the darkness, Abe could see Harry’s menacing smile. His rage grew as his finger rested on the trigger. “Where is she?” Abe demanded.

  “Why the hell would I tell you that? What’s stopping me from shooting you dead right here boy and taking off with the money and the girl?” he growled, as he cocked the hammer on his pistol. He smiled a sickly, evil smile. “She’s darn pretty too. I can see why you’re sweet on her. Got a bit too much of a mouth on her though, but we won’t be doing much talking.”

  “Shut up,” Abe shouted. “And tell me where she is or you can pay for your crimes right here on this ground.”

  “Like I said boy, we both know you won’t do that. But me on the other hand, I got three dead men, who doubted what I’d be capable of doing,” Harry said, as he raised his pistol straight at Abe’s heart. “Now move out of my way boy, or I’ll add you to my list.”

  Abe felt his heart begin to race and his grip tightened around the gun. He stared at Harry’s crooked grin and his finger ached against the trigger. He could see Laura’s face, desperate. And he heard her voice calling out to him.

  “Please, Abe, help me.”

&nbs
p; In a split second, Abe made his decision. And so did Harry. Two shots rang out in the shack, ripping through the darkness.

  * * *

  The sound of two shots pierced Ottie’s ears as he and Midnight approached the shack at a breakneck pace. He leaned forward and pressed Midnight faster, his hands white as they gripped the reigns. The shack pulled closer and closer in view, and the cold night air tore through his clothes.

  In a minute, he was there. He pulled Midnight to a frantic stop, and Midnight let out a distressed neigh as he tossed his head and chomped on his bit. Ottie leapt off his back, drew his gun, and threw the door open.

  “Hands up! It’s the Sheriff!” he shouted.

  Slowly, the figure of Abe turned around. There was another figure on the ground, grunting in pain. Abe’s arm hung at his side, gripping his pistol.

  “You alright?” Ottie asked Abe.

  Abe nodded, then looked down at his shoulder, where a dark pool of blood was beginning to show through his shirt. He quickly clamped his hand down over it.

  “Just grazed me a bit. I’ll be fine. Jumped out of the way at the last moment,” Abe replied.

  Ottie looked at the figure laying on the ground. Inches away lay his revolver. Ottie strode over and kicked the gun away from him and trained his gun on Harry.

  “You hurt?” Ottie asked.

  “Shot in the leg,” he laughed. “Your damn deputy can’t shoot for hell.”

  “He’s sharp as any, you ain’t gonna get the easy way out, I’m taking you back to town, to stand trial for the kidnapping of Laura Edmonds. But first, tell us where the girl is,” Ottie demanded.

  “Go to hell,” Harry spat.

  Abe went red with rage. He pushed Ottie out of the way and grabbed Harry by his shirt collar. He hauled him to his feet and slammed him against the wall. Harry cried out in pain. Abe’s face was inches from Harry’s, his pistol pressed under Harry’s chin.

  “My first shot was kind, my second won’t be,” Abe said. “Tell me where she is.”

  “Your Sheriff won’t appreciate you killing his prisoner,” Harry said.

  “I don’t care, that’s my concern, not yours. Your concern is keeping me from pulling this trigger by telling me where the girl is,” Abe said, as he pressed the barrel deeper into Harry’s chin.

  Harry coughed and resigned. “Fine, fine. Ain’t worth all this shit, she’s three miles due west. At an old abandoned homestead.”

  With that, Abe holstered his pistol and dropped Harry to the ground. He gave a glance to Ottie.

  “Go, I got this one,” Ottie said, as he pulled a pair of irons from his belt. In the distance, Abe could hear the approach of the deputies. He stepped outside, to see Bruce running alongside the men. When Bruce saw Abe, he tossed his head with delight. The deputy let go of his reigns and Bruce bolted for Abe. He stopped dead in front of him and Abe hoisted himself onto his back. He set Bruce’s head to the west and they were off.

  His heart was pounding, and he pressed Bruce faster than they’d ever gone. It was as if Bruce knew, and was nearly willing himself to grow wings.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Laura faded in and out of sleep. Harry had been gone hours. He left her without water or food. She was exhausted, delirious, and losing hope. If he returned, she wouldn’t have the strength to fight him off. Suddenly, she heard faint hoofbeats in the distance.

  He’s back. Here we go.

  With effort, she pushed herself into the far corner of the stall. The hoofbeats pounded toward her, closer and closer. She closed her eyes and prayed.

  Please, help me.

  The hoofbeats stopped outside the door to the barn. The heavy barn door creaked open. Boots stomped inside, moving quickly, frantically. Laura squeezed her closed eyes tighter, her hands clasped, her heart pounding. Then, a voice rang out.

  “Laura! Laura, are you here?” Abe called out

  Her eyes flew open as her heart soared. She couldn’t believe it. Tears of joy began to well in her eyes and she struggled to push words out of her tight, dry throat.

  “Abe! I’m over here,” she cried out.

  She heard footsteps heading toward her. He was running. And then there he was, his face appearing right over the stall door. His hair clung to his forehead and he was out of breath. He threw open the stall door and rushed to her. He took her face in his hands and she couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. They poured down her face, as he looked into her eyes.

  “Laura, are you alright? Are you hurt?” he asked, as he studied her face.

  “No, I’m fine. Abe, how did you find me?” she asked, through her tears.

  “We caught the bastard as he came to pick up the ransom. Laura, I’m so sorry it took so long. I tried to find you. I looked everywhere,” Abe said.

  He seemed to suddenly notice her bound wrists and ankles. He reached into his belt and pulled out a knife. Gently, he sliced the ropes away from her ankles, then her wrists. As soon as her hands were free, she leapt at Abe, throwing her arms around his neck. He wrapped her in a tight embrace with his strong arms, as the first rays of sunrise began to seep through the slats of the barn.

  Please, never let me go. Never again.

  As if he could read her thoughts, he held her even tighter. The tears continued to pour down her face, as they sat there. His smell enveloped her. It was more comforting than she could ever have imagined. He was her hero.

  “I thought you wouldn’t come. I didn’t know what was going to happen,” she said, as she pressed her face into his shoulder.

  “I had to find you. Whatever it took. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to you,” Abe said softly.

  Laura slowly pulled back and looked at him. She noticed a large patch of blood on his arm. She let out a gasp.

  “Abe! You’re hurt,” she gasped.

  “Just a scratch. I finally have my nurse back to fix me up,” he said, with a soft smile.

  She stared into those stormy grey eyes, hardly believing he was there.

  “I’m so sorry Abe, for everything,” Laura stammered.

  “Stop. You’ve done nothing wrong,” Abe said. “Let’s get you back home.”

  I need to tell him…But I’ll do it at home, so everyone will know.

  Abe carefully helped Laura to her feet, but as soon as she tried to take a step, her knees buckled. He wrapped his arm under hers, and step by step, supported her as they slowly walked out of the barn. Just outside the doors was Bruce. He neighed, excitedly, as they approached.

  “Hey there, boy. I missed you too.” Laura said, as she reached out toward him. Bruce pressed his velvety nose under her hand and she smiled.

  “I’ll have to lift you up, Laura,” Abe said, as they rounded Bruce’s side.

  “Okay,” she said. In one gentle, swift motion, Abe lifted her off her feet and placed her on Bruce’s back. He hopped up behind her, his arms encircling and steadying her, as she leaned back against his strong chest. Abe gave Bruce a gentle nudge and they trotted off, leaving that awful barn behind them.

  They rode slowly, Abe holding the reigns in one hand and keeping his other arm wrapped around Laura, as if he was afraid the slightest movement would send her to the ground. The sun was slowly rising, bathing them in warm light. Her breathing was still strained and shallow, as if her body did not yet realize that they were safe. She leaned back, pressing closer to Abe, and with that, she finally felt her lungs begin to catch her breath.

  “Are you okay?” Abe asked, as they rode along.

  “Never better,” Laura replied.

  After a while, the town slowly came into view. It’s houses and streets looking so welcoming, after her ordeal. For Laura, it didn’t just feel like returning to Santa Clara. It felt like returning home.

  They rode down the street in the center of town. Shopkeepers were just beginning to unlock their stores. They passed the general store, and she spotted Mr. Mason at the door of the store. He turned as they passed, and his face lit up. He waved to her, enthusias
tically, as they passed. She waved back with a smile.

  Soon, they were at Aunt Ethel’s front door. Abe pulled Bruce to a halt and slipped off his back. He reached up and Laura leaned over, resting her weight on his strong shoulders, as he pulled her down. The front door flew open and her mother and father came running out. Her father threw his arms around her, wrapping her in the biggest bear hug he’d ever given her, making her feel as if she had been transported back to her childhood.