The outlaw took her and walked her away.
As they hurried out of the room, she saw the preacher sit at the table to finish his dinner. Crazy. He needed to be locked up.
"Where are you taking me?"
Not saying a word, James walked her to the door. The sun had sunken below the horizon and darkness was descending fast. Where were Wesley and Zach?
Standing on the porch with the outlaw, he said, "We're going to play a game. Rufus is out in the woods hiding. You have five minutes, and then we're going to start hunting you. When we find you, you're dead."
"Do I get a gun?" she asked.
The outlaw laughed. "No. This is to provide us with a little sport before we kill you."
Fear all but consumed Addie as she swallowed and tried to outsmart the outlaws. This game was not one to give her a chance, but rather for them to have a little fun. Play with her like a cat plays with its prey before they devour them.
With a glance down at the dress they'd given her to wear for tonight's dinner, she noticed streaks of silver ran through the material. The moonlight would create sparkles in the darkness every time she moved.
James glanced at his watch. "I hope you last longer than the last feller. Ten minutes was all the chase the man had in him before we killed him."
"If I had a gun, we could make this a real contest," she said.
"Not going to happen," he said. "All right. We'll give you a five-minute head start before we begin searching for you. Your time begins now."
"Close your eyes," she said. "No cheating."
He closed his eyes, and she quietly slipped off the porch. They would expect her to run toward the road, but instead, she ran into the woods, hoping to circle back to the barn.
The first thing she did was yank the skirt off with the silver material running through it. Next, she found a puddle and slapped mud over her chemise and pantaloons turning them from white to brown.
From a visit when she was young, she remembered there was a rattlesnake hill not far from here. A giant hole where the snakes lived in the rocks. After she reached the area, she would hang her dress in a tree across from the din.
Praying she didn't come across a snake, she hurried up the rocky hill. In the moonlight, she found the den and threw a rock into the cavern. Immediately the snakes rattled, sending a shiver through her.
Horses galloped close by, and she knew they were catching up to her. Being careful not to slip over the edge, she hung her dress in a tree on the opposite side of the hole.
This was her last chance as she hid behind a bush, waiting to see if they took her bait, praying no snakes shared the brush with her.
In a matter of moments, the men came riding up on horseback, and she heard them whispering. "Look, the reflection of light on her dress. The bitch is hiding in the tree."
"Don't forget I want a piece of her before we kill her," Rufus said, pulling out his gun. "Come on, let's go enjoy us some pussy."
The two men slipped from the saddles and started walking toward the dress, their guns pulled. Addie held her breath when Rufus stepped onto the edge of the crevice. The earth crumbled beneath his feet, and he lost his balance, his arms flailing in the air as he grabbed James.
His gun went flying from his hand as he clung to James’s shirt pulling on the man, who toppled over the side with him.
Both men screamed when they landed inside the snakes’ din. The sound of hissing and rattling had them screaming as they were bitten. Addie shivered at the sounds of their cries, knowing they suffered a horrible way to die.
In a few minutes, the noise ceased and the snakes became silent.
Carefully, she walked over to the edge and peered into the darkness.
They were dead. When she saw Rufus’s gun, she picked the weapon up and put it in her drawers. With a feeling of triumphant, she ran to his horse and stepped into the saddle. Now it was just the Colonel and her. Now she would arrest her last bounty. Then her revenge would be complete.
Wesley, Zach, and Clara rode down the drive to the big house. The man came out to greet them. "Good evening. What brings you out here?"
It was all Wesley could do not to pull out his gun and shoot him right there in the yard. If this man was behind all the deaths, then he would soon find himself in court facing a judge and jury. He kept repeating that mantra, so he didn't kill the worthless preacher.
"Addie. Where is she?"
The man laughed. "I'm afraid to disappoint you, but there is no woman here. Who is she, by the way?"
Anger sizzled along Wesley's spine like bacon frying. The man was toying with them, playing them for fools.
"Addie King. The only survivor from the King's farm."
The man shrugged. "Come in. Let's discuss this like gentlemen and you can see for yourself there is no one here by that name."
Zach and Wesley stepped down from their horses along with Clara. Where were the people who protected Mr. Lancaster? Were they hiding? Or were they out doing a job. Like killing Addie.
Walking up to the house, Zach angled in toward Wesley. "Be on guard. His goons could be in the house."
They went into the Colonel's richly furnished home. Clara went in first, and she leaned down when she entered the room. As they strolled through the entry, the man said, "Follow me to the parlor and then if you want to search the house, you may. But you're going to be disappointed. Never heard of this woman you're referring to."
"Saving souls pays very well," Zach said.
Wesley walked into the parlor and gazed around the opulent room. "Your men kidnapped her early this morning."
"What men? Right now, I don't have any men working for me. Good help is really hard to find these days. Now if either one of you wanted to work for me, I'd be happy to hire you."
He didn't know if that was a subtle bribe or not, but he would never accept a job from this cheat.
Standing in the parlor, Clara smiled at him, her hand buried in her skirt, a weird expression on her face. The woman was acting strange, like she had a secret. Was her husband here in the house?
"Now, gentlemen, there is no one else in my home besides me and my servants--my cook who has been with me for years."
If she wasn't already dead, Addie had to be near. A thump sounded from the back, causing them all to jump. A muddy Addie walked into the room, in her pantaloons and chemise, wearing cowboy boots.
A grin spread across his face as he stared at her, resisting the urge to run to her, knowing it would give the Colonel the distraction he wanted.
"Addie, honey, are you all right?" he asked, wanting so badly to race to her and pull her into his arms, but not yet.
"Better than all right," she said, glaring at the Colonel. "Game over. I win. Two more of your gang members are dead."
The Colonel's nostrils flared and his eyes looked almost deranged with madness at the sight of Addie. "You bitch."
"That's right, I am," she said. "Now you're going to lose everything like I did."
The sound of a gun being cocked stunned Wesley as he turned to see Clara leveling up the forty-five in her hand. Where in the hell had she gotten a weapon? "James is dead?"
"Yes, going after some pussy, he fell into a rattlesnake pit along with Rufus. In a game of hide-and-seek, it's best to watch out for rattlers."
"Dammit, you killed my husband," Clara said, pulling back the hammer. Fear spurred Wesley as he pulled his weapon and fired, hitting the woman in the chest. She dropped to the floor and Addie kicked her weapon away.
"Sorry, he saw my dress on the other side of the pit and fell in," she said as she stared at the Colonel. "The man who killed so many, all for land."
"Wait a minute, I didn't kill a single person," he said tilting his head. "Now, look what you've done to my rug, a family heirloom. Blood is getting everywhere."
With a yank, Addie pulled her gun. "All my family heirlooms burned up in the fire. Maybe you didn't pull the trigger, but you hired men to do your dirty work. To complete my revenge,
I should kill you. Nothing would make me feel better. Especially after tonight."
The tense atmosphere seemed to drag on. They needed to get the Colonel out the door.
"You're a woman. You're not going to shoot me," the Colonel said. "I'm more afraid of the ranger or the sheriff. But even they know they have nothing on me. When I stand trial, I will convince the jury you all are crazy."
The insane preacher smiled. "How could I order people to raid your family homes? Indians burned you out. You'll need to prove I was involved and now that the only two men who knew who I am, are dead. That might be difficult."
Frustration filled Wesley as he stared at the Colonel, knowing what he said was true. They would need to build an iron-clad case if they were going to stop him.
The sheriff who had been standing back, watching everyone, stepped forward. "Let's all take a calming breath. No reason to get in a fight here in the house. Mr. Lancaster, why don't you come down to the Zenith jail, and we can discuss this."
They all had their hands on the butt of their guns, prepared for whoever drew first. The Colonel wore a silver gun belt around his waist, his hand near the handle.
"Hate to disappoint you, fellas, but I'm not going anywhere," the man said as he pulled his Colt.
The blur of silver and the flash of gunfire had Wesley dodging as a bullet slammed into his shoulder. Wesley began to fall, he realized Addie was screaming.
"Noooooo," she cried as she fired at the Colonel. "You have taken too much from me." Another bullet hit him. And another as Zach rushed to her side.
"He's dead," he said, pushing her gun down.
She ran to Wesley, who lay on the floor, feeling like someone burned his arm.
"Don't you dare die on me," she said, kneeling beside him.
Chapter 11
The next day, Addie rested. All the stress of the last few months overwhelmed her, and she slept. After the doctor patched him up, Wesley returned to the hotel room, only to find her sleeping peacefully.
Now he didn't know what to do as he stared at her.
Last night when they captured her, he feared he lost her for good. Now he worried more about her mental wellbeing. With the gang either dead or behind bars, what would she focus on next?
As she slept, he only knew that he wanted her in his life. Yes, they had met during a crucial time for both of them. But seeing her standing in her muddy undergarments, defending him, he realized he longed to spend the rest of his life with this impetuous woman.
Love her every day, have children with her, and grow old together. And yet could they stay together with her as a bounty hunter and him a Texas Ranger?
Though she said she would hang up her bounty hunter badge, would she? The woman was unpredictable and beautiful and intriguing.
He thought about her parent's property. What if he bought the farm back from the bank? What if he gave the land to her as a wedding gift? Or as a gift if she refused his proposal? Would she want to live there?
Being a Texas Ranger was an exciting job that he enjoyed. But chasing after criminals and getting shot at no longer appealed. Maybe this last bullet had been a warning. Get out or the next one would find him dead.
The idea of him being a rancher was a little surprising, but what a wonderful life to raise a family. No more pursuing outlaws or bad guys. He glanced at the woman in the bed. Would she marry him?
Or would he find himself being turned down once again? This time Addie might tell him no. Only nineteen and yet in the last six months she had lived a lifetime.
As he stared at her, he wondered what would the red-haired beauty do with her life now? Would she include him?
And he wanted so badly to be a part of her life.
As they rode into the town of Harper's Mill, Wesley could feel his arm aching from his first horseback ride since his injury. This was something that needed to be done before the man had a chance to escape.
The sleepy little village looked quiet, but already the paper was reported to do a story about the corrupt preacher and his gang of thieves.
Wesley and Zach walked into the sheriff's office. The man glanced up and gazed at them, his eyes twitching with nerves.
"How are you, Sheriff?" Wesley said. "Did you hear Andrew Lancaster was killed last night by some vicious Indians. Seems the blood-curdling savages wanted retribution for how he accused them of murdering two families."
A laugh escaped Zach as he nodded and walked over to the man's desk. He sank down in a chair across from him. "Word is they are looking for anyone who had anything to do with the Colonel's operation, who worked with the man. We caught seven, but I've heard there are more. The Indians want their scalps."
The man swallowed hard and glanced around the office like he was looking for what he wanted to take with him.
"Can you give us any names?" Wesley asked, enjoying the man's discomfort. For a man who carried a badge, this sheriff was a disgrace to the law. And he couldn't wait to witness him stand trial, but first he wanted to make him a little uncomfortable.
The bad lawman licked his lips and cleared his throat. "This morning, the mayor received my resignation. I'm retiring. Moving to the East Coast where things are civilized."
"Are you certain about that?" Zach asked. "A dirty lawman is the worst. In fact, my blood boils when I think of a small-town sheriff not helping his people by getting paid not to investigate."
The man swallowed hard. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"When an eighteen-year-old woman identifies the town law as being corrupt before anyone else does, something’s wrong. How many people were on the preacher's payroll?"
The dirty lawman stood. "Unless you have proof and are ready to lock me up, I'm going to ask you to leave."
Zach rose with the man, blocking his path as he pulled out his handcuffs. "Oh, we have proof and a room just for you waiting at my jail cell in Zenith."
Though he only had one good arm, Wesley walked over to give Zach support. "You're under arrest for money laundering, murder, and theft."
The man's mouth dropped open.
"Addie King lived through the raid. Indians didn't attack her family farm, but rather a gang of thieves working for the preacher, Andrew Lancaster, the Colonel."
"I didn't have anything to do with that," he said.
"Maybe not directly. Not only did Mr. King and Mr. Harrison file a complaint against Mr. Lancaster trying to buy up their land, but they also came to you. You did nothing. Six people are dead because of you,” Wesley said.
"And my jail is filled with four prisoners who all claim you were in on the raids," Zach said as he slapped the cuffs on the sheriff. "Let's go. Your cell awaits you."
As they walked out together, Wesley felt so proud of how his Addie had stood up to the corruption and sought revenge for her family. How he hoped she would say yes when he proposed, because that was the type of woman a man needed watching his back, having his children, and growing old with him.
"Honest, no one told me what the preacher was doing."
"Your bank account says otherwise," Wesley said as he closed the door on the corrupt lawman's headquarters, ending his reign of terror.
"You know what they do to lawmen in prison?"
Zach laughed and Wesley chuckled. "Man, I'm glad it's not me."
"Where are we going?" Addie asked as they rode horses alongside each other. Yesterday she slept most of the day after a grueling night worrying about Wesley and also the end of her revenge.
Now what did she do? Everyone was either in jail or dead, and while she could continue being a bounty hunter, the job didn't appeal to her any longer.
Before she had a purpose, but now, she felt uncertain as to what she wanted. Except Wesley. She loved him. He was the one her mother told her she would know when he came along. But what were Wesley's feelings?
After Clara, he had sworn off women. And Addie realized she longed to be his wife, to live by his side, but he had yet to give her any indication he loved her
. If he didn't love her, she would end their relationship, but she didn't want to.
"You know where we're going." He said the words quietly and her heart ached as she recognized the road from town.
Wesley was taking her home.
The place her heart belonged. The place she had not returned to since that fateful night she left. Home, where the memories of her family overwhelmed her.
As they rode their horses up the lane, she thought she heard her sister Sammie's voice giggling in the trees. The smell of baking bread wafted through the air, and she sighed, the visions of her loved ones filling her.
When she pulled her horse to a stop, the animal seemed to remember this was home. The mare trotted toward the stable and barn. "Whoa, girl. We're not staying. Just stopping by."
Climbing down, she walked over to the house and the burned remains, staring at what once was her life. "Oh, God how I miss them."
The man she loved came up beside her and wrapped his uninjured arm around her waist. "It's over. You did them proud by avenging their deaths. It won't bring them back, but they would be so honored at how you fought for them and won."
Would they? If she hadn't survived, the preacher would have gotten away with his evil, but she had to learn to live on without her family. Because she skipped out of doing the dishes, she lived. The choice to continue living wasn't an easy one and their deaths would be something she would always carry with her.
She sighed, remembering that night. "See the outhouse over there. That's where I hid. There I watched everything. There that young, carefree girl became a woman."
How did someone grow up in the space of an hour? How she spent the rest of the night deciding what to do. The fateful book she had been reading. The tales about the Lipstick and Lead Bounty Hunter women.
"What now, Addie? What are your plans. Do you want to still be a bounty hunter? As much as I didn't believe, you proved to me how strong and what a great bounty hunter you are."
Turning, she walked away from the house and stared at the land she loved. The place she really wanted to return to. Her father would be so proud if she were able to make a go of this place.
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