The Kidnap

by Julia Verinder

Fourth part of the Kindred Spirits series.

- 1 -

'Looks rough,' JD remarked as they drew closer to the town.

'Just like home a year an' a half back,' Nathan agreed.

Chris grinned across at Buck. 'Reckon these two been ridin' with Ezra too long. They're gettin' choosy.'

At that moment, a brawl spilled out from the saloon across the street ahead of them.

'Lively,' Buck remarked.

As they rode down Main Street, detouring to avoid the scrum, they spotted three more saloons. All seemed busy, probably thanks to the town's strategic location on the only easy east-west route through some inhospitable country. What it lacked in style and manners, it made up for in hard cash.

Surveying it for his own purposes, Buck was disappointed to note the dearth of female company. It was the kind of place where a man was likely to have to pay for his fun, something he did not reckon to do.

Enough patrons to fill four saloons made for a thriving livery stable. Following the laws of supply and demand, the prices reflected the absence of competition.

'Surprised anyone can afford to stay here,' Vin grumbled. He expected to board himself and his horse for the sum he had just handed over but, like any sensible man dependent on his horse, he'd rather skimp on his own accommodation than the gelding's.

Ezra stood at the doorway, watching the continuing fracas in the street. 'I believe I should be able to turn a tidy profit during our sojourn here. Sobriety and culture may be rare in this municipality.'

Josiah joined him and followed his gaze for a few seconds. 'Reckon they'll make for some mighty sore losers.'

'An occupational hazard,' Ezra conceded.

They gathered in the middle of the street, debating which watering hole to try first. A group of men stood outside the first, goading the brawlers. The second had a notice barring unaccompanied women, immediately discounting it as far as Buck was concerned. Through the window of a third, they could see a very much accompanied woman being enjoyed across the end of the bar. By a process of elimination, they settled on the fourth, which had little to recommend it from the outside apart from a notice offering home-cooked food.

The inside was a pleasant surprise, being clean and relatively peaceful. They settled themselves with beers and studied their surroundings. There was one large room, furnished with a score of tables. It was perhaps three-quarters full and almost all the occupants were either eating or surrounded by empty plates. The abundance of customers, the enticing aromas and the absence of leftovers suggested that this was the place to dine if nothing else.

The bartender came over to their table when he caught Chris's eye on him.

'Can we get some food?' the fair man asked.

'Steak pie or stew?' Joe Hanton's response was succinct but friendly.

He went away with orders for four pies and three stews. Not five minutes later, he made two trips to deliver plates piled high with the most appetizing food the men had seen in the three weeks since they left Four Corners. They savored their meal in silence.

As he chewed the tender steak appreciatively, Buck caught a glimpse of something still more appealing through the half-open door behind the bar. He tipped his chair back to get a better look. In a kitchen behind the saloon, a young woman was wiping down a large pine table. Her calico work-dress was spattered with gravy, the sleeves rolled up to expose shapely pink forearms. Her name was Emily and she was the bartender's daughter. She was a fine cook and her skills had contributed greatly to the comfortable lifestyle they enjoyed.

Chris saw the object of his friend's attention and shook his head slowly in a tut-tut gesture. Looking more closely at the girl, he was a little surprised she had caught Buck's eye. There was barely such a thing as a woman of suitable age who was not Buck's type but the down-to-earth cook in front of him was not typical of his quarry. Of course, their recent errand had left little time for recreation and three weeks was a long time for Mr Wilmington to do without his pleasures.

A man of about thirty strolled through the swing doors and settled himself at a small table in the corner. His casual air was that of one who knew the lie of the land. In fact, he had eaten here most evenings for the last few weeks, relishing the first food that had come close to his mother's since he headed west a decade before. He admired the same view as Buck for a few minutes, though from a purely culinary perspective, and then turned his attention to the seven newcomers.

David Brier was a fair judge of men as well as gastronomic prowess. His appraisal of the diners was sound, knowing they would cause no trouble unless provoked and that they would then cause a great deal of trouble. It was nothing to him - he had no intention of provoking them. An aficionado of Emily's pastry, he placed his order for pie and then settled back with a newspaper.

Chris had watched the man take his seat and now studied him. His quiet, literate demeanor seemed out of place in the town in exactly the same way as the quiet, clean saloon seemed out of place. Chris had passed through more rough towns than he could begin to remember. Rough soon got out of hand unless someone was keeping it firmly in check. He suspected that there was more to this place than they yet knew.

'Well, gentlemen,' Ezra announced after carefully wiping his lips with a napkin, 'I believe it is time to locate the gaming facilities in this locality.'

Chris glanced sideways at Brier. He saw the man had heard Ezra's words and was considering them. He made his gaze more overt, an invitation for the man to pass on his local knowledge, should he choose to do so.

David understood the invitation, pondered it, then folded his paper and met Chris's gaze. 'If gambling is your pleasure, you may care to try Sonny's place.'

'And which establishment would that be?' Ezra inquired.

'The one with the notice prohibiting unaccompanied ladies.'

Buck rolled his eyes. 'It would be, wouldn't it? What does a man do round here for female company?'

Judging the men in front of him to be far from desperate, David permitted himself a wry smile. 'If Mallory's merchandise doesn't appeal, and I'm afraid it won't, you will have to compete for anything better.'

Buck grinned. 'Ain't afraid of a little competition.'

Brier's pie arrived and he savored a mouthful before adding a final warning. 'You would be well advised to check against whom you are competing before you enter into any such rivalry.'

He watched the seven men leave, evaluating one in particular. Long hair, colorful shirt and mare's leg - he knew he had heard a description that included those elements somewhere before and was frustrated when he could not retrieve it. With a memory that he'd normally stake his life on, he guessed he had probably been drunk. On the other hand, the man was handsome and perhaps it was simply his mind playing tricks.

'Reckon there's more to this place than meets the eye,' Chris commented as they walked towards Sonny's.

Josiah nodded. 'Sounds like it'd be real easy to get into trouble.'

Like the eating place they had just left, Sonny's proved to be better inside than out. The walls and floors were plain but clean. Investment had been concentrated on a wide range of gaming tables, all in good condition and manned by male croupiers in embroidered waistcoats above black pants. Ezra circled the room, taking a closer look at the games and players, before joining a poker table with five high rollers. Chris and Josiah opted for lower stakes, while JD and Nathan flirted with the roulette wheel.

'Reckon I'll take a bit more of a look round,' Vin told Buck.

'Want company?' his friend inquired.

Vin shrugged so they wandered back out onto the street.

'Notice anythin' odd?' Vin asked after a few minutes.

Buck looked round. 'Apart from the lack of women?'

Vin gave a grin and shook his head. 'Y'ever stop thinkin' about 'em?'

'Hell, no.'

Returning to his train of thought, Vin said, 'No signs.'

Buck frowned at the buildings round them. It was true. Either the owners were not keen to advertise their presence or premises changed hands so fast it wasn't worth getting the signs painted. Or perhaps signs were unnecessary if everybody knew how things stood.

'Talkin' of odd,' Buck said, 'You see that guy where we ate lookin' you over?'

Vin nodded.

'Know him?'

'Nope.'

'Think he recognized you? Bounty hunter maybe?'

'Didn't strike me that way.'

'Better watch yourself anyway.'

'I aim to,' Vin assured him, turning down a sidestreet. They continued to traverse the town's simple grid plan, finding the usual combination of houses, stables and stores. On Main Street, there was no sign of the brawl that had erupted on their arrival. In fact, all the streets were surprisingly quiet given that the hour was not yet late.

'Don't look like whatever ordinary folk they got here go out too much after nightfall,' Buck speculated.

The two men turned as they heard horses approaching fast. They merged into the shadows before the riders came into view, preferring to see rather than be seen. What they saw took them both by surprise.

Five riders slowed to a trot as they reached the buildings. Four were heavily-built, with several days' stubble and a thick coating of dust. Their chaps and lassoes identified them as cowboys but their hard expressions hinted at something more. Equally dusty, the fifth rider was a tall slim woman on a big gray gelding. Buck raised his eyebrows at Vin, who gave the slightest shrug. He had not seen Mara for a couple of months, since the train con, and had no idea what she was doing in the town. Neither he or Buck made a move. They didn't like the look of the men she was riding with and had no intention of acknowledging her openly until they knew what was going on.

The group hitched their horses in front of the rowdy saloon from which the brawlers had emerged earlier. Mara's gray was at the nearest end of the rail and she stood facing the two men as she looped the lead rein. Vin took a silent step forward, letting the shadows clear his face just enough to be seen. Mara caught the movement and froze when she recognized him. She held his eye for a moment, giving an almost imperceptible shake of her head and then followed her companions.

'What the hell?' Buck asked.

'Don't know,' Vin said. 'She don't want us to let on though. Better tell the others.'

He led the way to Sonny's, chewing his lip uneasily. He assumed Mara was working but he didn't like the look of the job. While she was recuperating from her fall from the train, they had talked about a lot of things and her work was one of them. Vin now knew that she preferred to work alone, on puzzles that challenged her intellect rather than confrontations that would put her in danger. Riding with the four men they had just seen was firmly in the second category. The town was the sort of place Vin was glad to have backup himself and he was unhappy about the risks she appeared to be taking.

Finding their companions still occupied in the casino, they drank beer at the bar and waited to intercept them between games. Nathan and JD soon drifted over from the roulette wheel.

'Only game in town?' Nathan inquired.

'Found a friend,' Buck told him. 'Mara's here but she don't seem to want company.'

JD looked puzzled. 'Why's that?'

'Don't know,' Vin said. 'Tell the others not to let on they know her. I'm gonna take a look what she's up to.'

Buck followed him out. He had the same uneasy feeling about the town as Chris did and thought Vin could use a friend. The first saloon was a cavernous place, with upwards of fifty tables. The two men scanned the clientele from the door; it was almost entirely male, comprising mostly cowboys and hired guns. Mara's companions were typical customers and were now seated on the balcony at the edge of the room. The only other person they recognized was David Brier, who was playing cards with three of a more affable breed. They took their drinks to an empty table from which they could see both Mara and David and settled to a quiet game of poker.

Seeing Vin and Buck enter, David's thoughts returned to the half-remembered description. If he had been drunk, that narrowed the possibilities down considerably. The company in which he would permit himself to be the worse for drink was very limited indeed.

Mara too was watching her friends out of the corner of her eye, careful to keep her gaze anywhere but on them. She felt a pang of longing for Vin, not for his passion but for the security she felt in his arms. The web in which she became ever more deeply entangled terrified her and the minimal preparations she had been able to make in the time available had left her with woefully inadequate backup. She reflected on her companions. Two were brothers, the Delaneys from St Louis: Pop and Dud. They and their younger brother, Jim, were as tough as men came, willing to lie, cheat, steal or kill for their boss. Charlie Dinns was a better sort, still dangerous but loyal to his friends. Dag Browning was the worst of the bunch, mean and ugly. Mara wisely feared him and spent many sleepless hours wondering how long it would be before he had his fun with her, as she knew he intended to do.

Dag sipped his beer and let his eyes linger on Mara unashamedly. He had never seen, or even imagined, a woman like her. Had someone described a woman who rode and dressed like a man, he wouldn't have found the idea appealing but reality confounded his prejudices. He let his eyes rest on the swell of her breasts against her shirt. In fact, her figure was barely visible in the narrow gap at the front of her coat but Dag's imagination was quite capable of joining the dots. Feeling his excitement grow and knowing it would get no outlet anytime soon, he reluctantly abandoned his lewd fantasies.

Charlie studied his associate dispassionately. He knew precisely what the man was thinking and that the only way he'd get it was by force. Charlie wasn't going to permit that, not particularly out of concern for Mara but because he intended to be the one to enjoy her supple body. He had weighed up the alternatives. If they co-operated, he and his companions could take turns and the woman would be powerless to stop them. On the other hand, he could take the old-fashioned approach and perhaps have her bestow her favors willingly on him alone. A lover could provide so much more than a captive and he certainly preferred not to share a prize.

They were waiting now for their boss, a rancher by the name of Joel Monahan. He was invariably late, one of the techniques he used to demonstrate his power over his employees. At that moment, he was fastening his suspenders after a hasty session with his long-time mistress, Loretta. She had not moved since he obtained his relief, other than to pull the sheets over her corseted breasts. He sat on the edge of the bed.

'C'mon, Loretta. You're not my wife. I'm good to you, aren't I?'

The woman scowled, doing little to improve her fading looks. Monahan could have replaced her years ago but, in a way, he liked her. At the very least, he was comfortable with her. He wished she had not discovered his latest acquisition. What he got from her was altogether different from what he hoped to get from Alicia Ross. He pulled on his boots and picked up his hat.

'Suit yourself, woman, but the day it stops being fun coming here, you're on your own. Sure you want that?'

Loretta made no reply and watched him leave. When she heard the front door slam, she wept hot, angry tears. No, she didn't want to be on her own. Darville wasn't a town where any woman wanted to be alone.

Monahan strode into the saloon a few minutes later, flanked by two of his heavies. He gave his waiting team a curt nod and continued on his way upstairs. They followed him to his office.

'Well?' he demanded.

'Curtis bought up another 50,000 acres west of the Barr place. Once he shifts the homesteaders, that'll give him clear run through from Scar Peak to Ryan's Creek.' Pop Delaney's brief summation belied the miles they'd ridden and the arms they'd twisted to get that information. So far, Mara had managed to stay clear of anything she couldn't live with but it was only a matter of time before she'd face a kill or die choice.

Monahan considered Pop's news. 'Get yourselves some rest. Pop, stay. Annie, outside.'

The team split up and did as bidden. Monahan paid well and expected loyalty and obedience for his dollars. The alternative was a swift bullet.

Monahan poured whiskies for himself and his lieutenant. 'The woman work out okay?'

Pop pondered that. 'She's smart, good at figurin' stuff out. Not so hot when it comes to the rough stuff.'

Monahan smiled broadly. 'I got fifty men for the rough stuff. Smart's harder to find.'

'I'd as soon you didn't give me her and Dag together again,' Pop remarked, going as close as he dared to telling his boss what to do. He'd given the man twenty years but knew better than to think that bought much latitude.

'There a problem?'

'Not yet.'

Monahan mulled that over. Dag was a useful man to have on his payroll, sadistic by nature and totally without conscience, but smart was useful too. He had no great concern about the fates of women in general but he protected his own and his men's so why not this one? He turned to the two big men standing behind him. 'Go explain to Dag that Annie decides who she wants to bed. Nothing heavy. Pop, that's all. Send her in.'

Mara returned to the office with her usual confident stride. She hoped it masked her nerves at facing the cattle baron on her own for the first time.

'Pop tells me you earned your keep, Annie. Says you're smart.'

Mara held his eye and gave a slight shrug. 'Guess I like to think so.'

'I could give you more of the smart stuff. That what you want?'

A slight nod.

'Better for both of us?' he ventured.

'Could be.'

He studied her for a minute. On his payroll for barely a month, he knew little about her. Still, her insight had already saved a dozen of his men on one outing and now helped him win a round against Curtis. Trust didn't figure in his decisions - even for men like Pop - he simply played percentages. He knew of no reason why the woman would want to jeopardize his plans and the solid salary he offered made a lot of difference to someone facing lean times as she had been.

'Dag been giving you trouble?'

Her eyes showed her surprise at the question. She hesitated, wanting the man off her back and knowing there was nothing he didn't deserve but still unwilling to set up someone who had done her no harm as yet.

Monahan read her thoughts and laughed. 'Good answer.' He saw her to the door and laid a friendly hand on her shoulder. 'No one'll bother you - pick your own bedmate. I want you sleeping sound so you can think straight.'

Mara heaved a sigh of relief as she descended the stairs: she was in, not beyond suspicion but deemed valuable. Monahan's protection was an unexpected bonus. Like Emily Hanton, she now need have little fear of the men of this godforsaken hole. Only someone passing through might pose a threat through ignorance, either of her status or of the consequences of ignoring it. She permitted herself some cautious optimism for the first time since she embarked on this lunacy. Stealing a glance at Vin, she indulged a brief fantasy about picking her own bedmate. The thought reminded her of Dag and she scanned the room. The Delaneys were back at the table they had vacated, cards in hand. Seeing no sign of Dag, she joined Charlie at the bar.

He had seen her search and raised an eyebrow. 'You drop Dag in it?'

She knew from his tone that he had not expected her to do so and shook her head. 'Pop must have said somethin'.'

'Makes sense. Don't need that kind of trouble in a team.'

'What'll they do?'

He shrugged. 'Probably just a warnin', some bruises. You hands-off or pick-your-own?'

She poured herself a whiskey from the bottle in front of him. 'I feel like a piece of meat,' she complained. 'Pick-my-own.'

'Any point me workin' on it?' he asked.

His smile was pleasant, making Mara question her harsh judgement of him as the best of a bad lot. How was she to know what had brought him here? Hell, she was here, wasn't she? She considered his question. He could be useful but she had never traded more than the promise of sex for information. She drifted off for a moment, reflecting that she hadn't been with a man since she left Vin weeks ago. The episode with Ezra had shaken her to the core, making her question whether she wanted a man without love any more. She certainly had no intention of doing it while Vin was around. Abusing him once was once too often.

Charlie watched her, guessing her answer before she gave it.

'No. Like you say, don't need that kind of trouble in a team. Think of me as another fella.'

His broad white smile was a pale imitation of Vin's. 'Can't promise that, Annie.'

She smiled back. 'Reckon I'll turn in. See you tomorrow, Charlie.'

He touched his hat and poured himself another whiskey.

Mara noted the empty table where Vin and Buck had been. She guessed they had probably anticipated her departure and intended to intercept her. She considered where they might meet safely and headed out past the livery stable. Half a mile further on, a huge old cottonwood grew on a rise in the ground. She sometimes sat on the far side of the mound, letting the tree shield her from the loathsome town while she tried to order her jumbled thoughts. She settled herself and waited, confident Vin would see her route and follow unseen.

A few minutes later, she was proved right as he and Buck looped round to join her from the leeward side of the rise. Vin checked all directions carefully before approaching. She hugged him tightly, kissed him, then hugged him again. When he released her, she gave Buck a hug too.

'Gonna tell us what's goin' on?' Vin asked. 'I hope it pays good 'cause ya takin' a hell of a risk.'

'Ain't work,' she said. 'It's a favor for a friend.'

'Must be a good friend.' There was an edge to his voice.

'Don't be like that, Vin, it don't suit you. She took care of me when I lost the baby - three months - wouldn't be here weren't for her.'

Regretting his jealousy, he squeezed her hand. 'Still, ain't no excuse to get yaself killed now.'

'Like either of you'd think twice.' She grinned at them. 'I'm glad you're here. Why are you here, by the way?'

'Just passin' through on the way back from somewhere,' Buck told her. 'You got any backup?'

'Not so as you'd notice,' she confessed. 'I got a friend here, real smart fella I use a lot, but he ain't no gunman. Mind you, I ain't plannin' to take these fellas on head to head.'

'Spyin' on errant husbands again?' Buck asked.

'I wish. No, my friend's daughter went missin' when Monahan and his cronies rode through their town. Sheriff was lookin' into it then backs off like he's burned hisself. Don't know if he was bought or scared or both.'

'Ya reckon this Monahan took her?' Vin asked.

'I reckon she's dead,' Mara said sadly, 'But a mother needs more than my gut. I gotta find out and I figured the only way to do that was from the inside.' She held up a hand to forestall their objections. 'Don't think I don't know what a fool's errand this is. Still, I just got promoted to the smart work so I don't have to ride round watchin' Dag torture people no more. And I got the great man's permission to pick my own bedmates.'

The last comment took the two men by surprise. She put her bitterness to one side and gave a real smile. 'Can't knock it. His protection's worth a lot round here. Any man lays a finger on me now without my say-so and he'll be lucky to see the dawn.' Her smile broadened into a laugh. 'Mind you, I found out one thing for sure. Ain't no way she eloped - she'd have to be insane.'

'What ya gonna do when ya find out?' Vin asked. He had little doubt that she would discover the truth.

'Get her out if she's here. Ain't so sure if she's dead. I'll die to save her but revenge ain't really my thing.'

'Anythin' we can do to help?' Buck asked.

She thought about that. 'Don't know how long it's gonna take. Monahan keeps his cards pretty close. That's why I ain't asked you before.'

'Reckon we can stick around for a few days,' Vin said. 'See how it goes.'

'I'd appreciate it,' she admitted.

'What about ya friend? Can we talk to him?'

'Yeah, no reason why not. Far as anyone round here knows, he's just another poker player. Good one too.' She rummaged in her coat and took out her leather-covered notepad. In the faint light of the moon, she wrote a few lines and gave the sheet of paper to Vin. 'Give him this. His name's David Brier. Good lookin' fella, bit like Chris I guess. Can't miss him round here 'cause he washes.'

Vin and Buck looked at each other.

'What?' Mara asked.

'Fella like that was watchin' me when we got some grub,' Vin said. 'He was in the saloon, near the piano.'

'That's him,' she confirmed. 'You can trust him. I known him ten years. Well, I better turn in. I can't afford to get seen with no one. Suspicion's a way of life round here.'

Buck picked up on Vin's sidelong glance and got to his feet, checking around again before speaking. 'I'll go find the others.' After a stride or two, he looked back. 'Hey, Mara-'

She held up a hand. 'Annie Melrose to you, Mr Wilmington.'

He grinned. 'Annie. Any chance of some female company round here.'

'Don't like the look of Mallory's?' she teased, then added more seriously, 'Be careful, Buck. There ain't much you'd wanna touch that ain't taken care of. These ain't men to cross for five minutes fun.'

'Five minutes?' he said in a wounded tone.

'Whatever,' she replied with a grin. 'Ask David. He knows what's what better'an I do.'

They watched Buck leave and then sat in silence for a minute or two, holding hands.

'You been okay?' she asked.

Vin nodded.

'Miss me?'

He nodded again, smiled then kissed her. She knelt up, repeated Buck's survey of the vicinity, then unfastened her gunbelt and slipped off her boots and pants. Knowing she was being foolhardy, but also that she might not survive her mission, she was unwilling to pass up the opportunity. He unbuckled his own gunbelt, letting it fall to the ground round him, unbuttoned his fly and helped her onto his lap. As hurried and furtive as their union was, it was no less loving for that. She retrieved her pants immediately, feeling vulnerable without them.

'Wanted you to know somethin',' she ventured shyly. 'There ain't been no one else since I was last with you. Course there ain't been much temptation.'

Even with the proviso, he was touched by the declaration from a woman who had made him no promises.

'You don't need to worry about David neither.' She hesitated before continuing but knew that Vin would be accepting of what she was about to say. 'He'd be more interested in you, if you take my meanin'.'

Months before, when they talked about their lives with different tribes, they had agreed that the relaxed Indian attitude to intimate relationships was more to their taste than the busybodying of decent white folk. Both had encountered love between men as a cherished part of tribal life and saw no problem with it.

'Reckon that was why he was watchin' me?'

'Doubt he'd be that obvious. More likely he was tryin' to place you.' She snuggled close. 'We hole up and get smashed from time to time. I probably said a load of soppy stuff about you. Reckon you looked familiar but he couldn't figure out why. Memory ain't usually so hot the mornin' after.'

He held her tight, touched again by her admission of tender feelings for him.

Eventually she said, 'I really gotta go. It's good to have you around for a day or two. Do me a favor? Keep an eye on David too. He's a good friend and this ain't his sort of thing.'

He nodded and watched her stroll casually back to town, as if she had simply been out enjoying the evening. After a minute or two, he looped back the same way he had come.

Mara headed towards the hotel where she had a room. In truth, it was a boarding house with pretensions but its rooms had bars on their windows and solid doors with bolts top and bottom and, in a place like Darville, that was important. The barriers might not stop someone coming in but they'd make it difficult to do so quietly. She was almost there when a man stepped out of the shadows behind her and slid an arm round her throat. Her heart thudded as she wondered how much her assailant had seen and whom he planned to tell.

'Thanks for dropping me in it.'

Mara relaxed as she recognized Dag's voice. He might be mad at her but she doubted he'd dare do anything about it. She wrestled his arm until he slackened his grip enough for her to breathe again.

'I didn't say nothin'. Reckon Pop was fed up with you fantasizin' on the job. Try bein' more subtle next time.'

He released her angrily. She surveyed his face in the moonlight, noting the black eye and split lip.

'Hell, that ain't nothin',' she said dismissively. 'You wasn't plannin' to let me off that lightly, was you?'

He spat on her boot. 'Gonna give it to Charlie instead?' he goaded.

'Ain't givin' it to no one, Dag. I come here to work and that's what I'm doin'. Let me be, huh?'

He stepped aside grudgingly, not deeming her worth the loss of a satisfying and well-paid job, let alone his life.

Vin rejoined his friends in the casino. Ezra was still playing poker, a generous pile of cash in front of him, but the others were propping up the bar, considering Buck's muttered update. None of them wanted to see Mara hurt and they were contemplating how they could help.

'She okay?' Chris asked.

Vin nodded. 'Scared.'

'Gonna talk to this fella?'

'Reckon so.'

'Okay if me and Buck come along?'

Vin considered that. 'Gimme a few minutes first.'

Vin wandered casually back to the bar in the big saloon. Seeing that David was no longer in the poker game near the piano, he scanned the room unobtrusively, eventually locating his quarry alone in a corner with the newspaper and half a glass of beer. Taking a bottle of whiskey and four glasses, he sauntered over.

David looked up from his paper when Vin was about ten feet away. Still unable to place the man, he wondered if tonight was his lucky night. Despite being always immaculately groomed himself, he wasn't averse to a bit of rough so long as it wasn't filthy too. He certainly wouldn't have said no to the package before him now, the keen blue eyes, long brown hair and strong stubbled jaw.

Forewarned, Vin followed the man's thoughts easily but was broad-minded enough to be flattered. He let his eyes smile and shook his head slightly, then indicated a spare chair with the bottle. David nodded and sat back to await an explanation. Vin made himself comfortable and filled his glass while checking the nearby tables. He saw none of the men who had been with Mara earlier and no one paying any mind to his activities. He pushed the bottle towards David, subtly passing the folded note with it.

David was equally discreet in reading it. He recognized Mara's copperplate hand: David, meet Vin. Said he was gorgeous, didn't I? The fellas were just passing through by chance, say they'll stick around for a day or two in case they can help out. You can trust them all. You can trust Vin with anything. He guessed from the tone of the message that Mara had known its bearer could not read it. She hadn't mentioned that.

The words jogged his memory. He saw Mara clearly, very drunk and very morose. She had been lamenting an indiscretion, full details of which David been unable to decipher from her guilty ramblings. The only thing she had been totally clear on was how gorgeous Vin was. She returned to the topic repeatedly, every time she tired of berating herself for her behavior. I don't know how I could have done it to him. He's so kind, so brave and so, so gorgeous. He's got the prettiest blue eyes and lovely long brown hair. I can see him now, in his green shirt and them old jeans, that damned mare's leg always getting in the way.

David studied the man before him and had to agree with her assessment. 'Good to meet you, Vin.'

'Likewise. I'm glad she ain't on her own.'

'I'm not sure I shall be much use to her. This is a little outside my area of expertise.'

'Well, maybe we can move things on a bit, wrap it up afore we go.'

'Expecting friends?' David asked, indicating the extra glasses.

'Yeah. Wanted to introduce myself first.'

'Mo told you… about me?'

'She didn't want me to be jealous. Things didn't go so smooth last time she was by. Forgivin's easy but forgettin's harder.'

David was surprised by the man's candor. 'I don't know the details but she was very upset. My memory of the evening is somewhat impaired but there were tears, incoherence and eulogies to your charms. Now I know why you seemed familiar earlier on.' He paused before asking, 'You don't have a problem with… my kind then?'

'Ain't nothin' t'me how a man meets his needs, long as no one gets hurt. Mara says you're a friend, that's good enough.'

'Thank you. I wish there were more like you.' He followed Vin's gaze towards two men crossing the saloon, one slim and fair, the other tall and dark. He smiled. 'I don't suppose there are more like me in your number.'

Vin grinned back. 'Not as far as I know. You'd definitely be wastin' your time with Buck. He can't go five minutes without thinkin' about women. Good man though, thinks the world of Mara.'

Chris and Buck took their seats casually, filling their glasses as if they already knew David. Vin made the introductions equally casually, 'David Brier, Chris Larabee, Buck Wilmington.'

Chris took out a deck of cards and dealt a hand. Four men playing poker in a saloon wouldn't draw anyone's attention. 'Can you give us a full run-down?' he asked David as they commenced play.

The man nodded, ordered his thoughts for a moment and then began.

Mara's friend was a widow called Jane Ross. Her daughter, Alicia, was sixteen and taught school. Jane worked in one of the town's stores and so she got home a couple of hours after Alicia finished at the school. On the day of the disappearance, the house had been empty on Jane's return. Her daughter's absence was unusual and the lack of a note was unprecedented so Jane was immediately concerned. In less than an hour, she had searched the town, questioned all of Alicia's and her own friends, and alerted the Sheriff.

Sheriff Dobson, with his deputies Will and Jed, took good care of the town. It was a civilized place and offences were dealt with quickly and fairly. Dobson made a thorough initial investigation, establishing that no one had seen Alicia after she dismissed her pupils at four o'clock. Several people who often saw her on her way home had not seen her that day but that was far from conclusive. The schoolhouse backed onto rough grass that did not take tracks well. There were signs that horses had been ridden over the grass but it wasn't clear when or how many. Given that locals often cut across between two sidestreets, the findings were not helpful.

The town was on a main route so there were usually strangers in town. On the day Alicia went missing, there were half a dozen visitors, all of whom the lawmen questioned thoroughly, but of more interest was a group of cowboys who had been camped a mile or so out of town and appeared to move on a day earlier. They had come into town for supplies and Dobson had noted them as potential troublemakers. He'd been relieved when they moved on so soon but now he wondered if they had not left empty-handed. He took his deputies out to where the men had camped and resumed their investigation from there.

The new approach yielded results quickly, with two sets of tracks heading towards the town while the rest went northwest. The lawmen followed the larger group, which was rejoined by the pair five or six miles on. Close inspection of the two sets of tracks suggested one horse was carrying quite a load, perhaps two riders. Dobson and his team returned to town with their news, loaded their horses for the pursuit and rode out. They returned three days later, claiming to have caught up with the cowboys and found that the loaded horse was carrying two sacks of seed-wheat behind its rider.

Dobson continued his investigation for a day or two but then recorded his belief that the girl had run away. Jane Ross was convinced that he would not have abandoned the search so quickly without inducement or pressure. Naturally, she was certain that Alicia had not run away.

As he collected his third lot of winnings, David searched his mind for anything further he could add.

Chris pondered the account, then asked, 'Anyone see the girl with these men at any time?'

'Not in the sense of being near or talking to. We know only that they had seen her. However, since Miss Ross is really rather beautiful, that might have been enough.' He considered further, then continued. 'Dobson did a solid job at the start but didn't turn up anything or anyone to explain her taking off. We don't think it happened that way - she'd surely have let Mrs Ross know she was all right - so we see three possibilities. One, someone back home killed her and the Sheriff missed the body - the killer might even have planned for the visitors to take the rap. Two, these men took her and dumped her - that's what Mo reckons and we'd never find her if they had. Three, they took her and kept her - that's why we're here.'

'Ya turned up much since?' Vin asked.

'We know more than we want to about his operations and this shithole but nothing that gets us anywhere.' The incongruity of the derogative in his precise diction gave it all the more impact.

David's eye drifted to a woman who had just entered the saloon. His expression suggested that he was not best pleased to see her. Buck examined her without subtlety. She was well presented, with discreet makeup and an elegant dress of burgundy silk. Her features were handsome and her hair luxuriant but she was the wrong side of forty. Still, she looked clean and experienced. David caught Buck's surveillance with amusement.

'Don't even think about it. She's Monahan's.'

Buck's surprise was apparent. 'I'da thought he could get one a bit younger than that.'

'I'm sure he does but Loretta seems to have been around longer than most people can remember. He must like her.' David felt guilty at disparaging the woman. He had spent some enjoyable evenings in her company and had not meant to denigrate her. 'Actually, she can be charming but she has been depressed of late and that is not so pleasant. I have been attempting to discover the cause, in case it is relevant to our quest. I can imagine that Miss Ross's presence might cause irritation to an aging incumbent.' After another of the brief pauses that characterized his speech, he added, 'I became aware of the change in mood four or five days ago.'

Loretta surveyed the saloon's patrons disdainfully. Few of them would consider approaching her, though all would be polite if she selected them to keep her company. There was a time when the power of her association with Monahan thrilled her but that time was long past. It had palled even faster than the glamour of becoming Loretta Linden, darling of the New Orleans stage. She was on her third whiskey when she spotted David. She enjoyed the man's entertaining conversation and good manners. The men with him were strangers but they made an appealing quartet. Picking up her bottle and glass, she glided over to his table. The years had done nothing to diminish her natural grace and it was some compensation for her fading looks.

'Good evening, David. I don't believe I know these gentlemen. Are you going to introduce me?' Her voice was rich with her Southern origins, helping to make her seem more attractive up close than she had at a distance.

David stood with his customary courtesy. 'Good evening, Loretta. May I present Vin Tanner, Chris Larabee and Buck Wilmington. Gentlemen, Miss Linden.'

He seated her in his own chair and then pulled up another for himself.

She smiled at her new companions. 'Standards certainly seem to be rising around here. I've been at a loss to understand what David is doing here and now you gentl'men. What brings you to Darville?'

'Just passin' through, ma'am,' Buck told her.

Her smile faded a shade. 'Most people do,' she said sadly.

'Have you lived here long?' he inquired conversationally, as if he knew nothing of her or the town.

'Oh, forever,' she replied distantly. 'Or perhaps it just seems that way.' She downed a fourth shot.

Not liking to see her so low, David prompted, 'Miss Linden spent some years on the stage in New Orleans. You told me how much you loved the city, Loretta.'

Her eyes lit up briefly. 'Yes, it is a wonderful place.'

Buck saw her wistfulness and felt the same sympathy towards her as David did. He was a man who truly liked women, not just what they could do for him, which was one of the reasons he did so well with them. He smiled at her. 'Maybe we could take a stroll. Ain't New Orleans but it's the best I can do right now.'

'I should like that, Mr Wilmington.'

He stood and offered his arm. Their departure was followed by many eyes around the saloon.

David watched in consternation. 'Is he insane? A death wish perhaps?'

Chris and Vin grinned at each other. 'It's a medical condition,' Chris said. 'He can't help it.'

Vin added, 'It's more'an three weeks since he had a woman. It clouds his judgement.'

David shook his head. 'So this is your idea of moving things on a little, is it Vin?'

Vin inclined his head to one side. His tone was serious as he said, 'Comes a time ya gotta do somethin'. The longer Mara's in, the more chance she gets caught. And it won't be long before they want her to do somethin' she can't live with.'

David's expression showed that he conceded the point.

Initial amusement notwithstanding, Chris was worried for Buck. 'Would this fella really kill someone over her?'

David nodded. 'Don't doubt it for a minute.'

Vin confirmed that. 'He give Mara his protection tonight. She said a man touches without her say-so, he ain't gonna see the dawn.'

'You've seen what this place is like,' David added. 'One thing goes unpunished, all hell will break loose. The difficulty is knowing exactly what the orders are. Sounds like Mo's on what they call a pick-her-own. Loretta's on a hands-off but it isn't clever to refuse her anything either. She can be petty and you never know how she'll tell the story. Sometimes I almost feel sorry for the men round here. They aren't very bright so it's hard for them to decide what to do.'

They returned to their interrupted poker game, going through the motions of play but thinking about the convoluted problem they faced.

Outside, Buck and Loretta strolled along Main Street. She was enjoying the company of a man she thought knew nothing about her circumstances but she felt uncomfortable about the consequences he was unwittingly risking. Eventually, she felt compelled to warn him.

'It's very kind of you to take me walking, Mr Wilmington, but I feel I have not been entirely honest with you.'

He looked at her inquiringly, happy to play along and see what she had to say.

'I have a long-standing… involvement with a gentl'man here in Darville. He is apt to be rather jealous. He is out of town tonight but he has a way of finding out about things.'

Buck smiled at her delicate allusion to the fact he might be shot for speaking to her. He said only, 'We're just walkin', ain't we? Ain't gonna get up to much mischief right here on Main Street.'

She considered his words for a moment. 'Do you intend for us to stay right here on Main Street?'

He had been right about her experience: she was no shrinking violet. 'You got somewhere in mind?'

She examined him by the light of the moon, knowing not only that she risked his life but a sound beating for herself and possibly even the abandonment Monahan had threatened earlier. The memory of their argument and the reason for it rekindled her fury and strengthened her resolve.

'I have a friend who is away at present. We could safely use her home, if we were discreet.'

'My middle name,' he assured her.

She steered him on a circuitous route, subtly pointing out the house and then allowing him to escort her home. She made sure her return was seen by the two heavies across the street. In a low voice, she said, 'I will join you in one hour.' In her normal voice, she added, 'Good night, Mr Wilmington. Thank you for walking me home.'

'The pleasure was mine, Miss Linden. Good night.'

He headed back to his friends, knowing his best protection was to be seen returning to the saloon within a respectable fifteen minutes of escorting the lady out. With luck, the observers would conclude he had simply extended the courtesy of seeing her home.

In answer to the three men's inquiring looks, he said softly, 'One hour at a friend's house. Let's see if old Buck can get the lady talkin'.'

Chris nodded but said, 'Just make sure old Buck stays alive. You want some backup?'

The tall man considered it. 'Wouldn't hurt. Long as she's on the level, I should be okay. She was decent enough to warn me that she's involved with a man who gets jealous and has a way of findin' out about things. Anyhow, the house is off the main street and she said Monahan's out of town for the night.'

The news surprised David. 'That's unusual. Most of his regulars are around and he can't be going far because, no more than an hour ago, I heard him setting up a meeting for tomorrow morning.'

Vin pondered. 'So Loretta's put out about somethin', enough to get Buck killed, and Monahan's slitherin' off into the night. Chris, how 'bout takin' Josiah to cover Buck. I'll pick up Nathan and we'll go take a look round. Doubt I'll find anythin' in the dark but it can't hurt to try.'

Chris nodded his agreement. The more fronts on which they attacked the better.

Ten minutes later, Vin and Nathan rode out quietly from the livery stable, aiming to avoid attracting attention without looking furtive. Vin reined back on the far side of the old cottonwood, taking a moment to remember his earlier intimacy there with Mara and wish he could be lying beside her now.

Nathan watched his friend, guessing something of his thoughts from his faraway expression and the deliberate way he had set out for a rise that was not visible from the stable. He remembered the morning at Crow Halt, the man's fury at Ezra and his desolation when they found him beside Mara's body.

'Seems like she's nothin' but a worry,' he jested.

Vin started, then smiled. 'Never borin', that's for sure. Well, what have we got here?'

They surveyed the horizon. Darville was set to one side of a river in a flat-bottomed valley, with peaks to the north and south. Nathan thought about the apparent lack of gossip about the captive.

'You comin' round to thinkin' the girl is here?' he asked Vin.

Vin considered that. The combination of Loretta's recent depression and Monahan's nocturnal wanderings had led him down that route. Finally he nodded. 'Seem to be enough folk actin' strange to make ya think so.'

'He must have things tied down real tight if Mara ain't heard a whisper on the inside. Beautiful sixteen-year-old locked up somewhere? Hell, men talk.'

'I been wonderin' 'bout those men ridin' with him. Shoulda asked Mara or David if they knew who they were. Maybe they're reliable, maybe they're shacked up with the girl or maybe they didn't come back.'

Nathan nodded, then asked, 'David an old friend of hers?'

'Ten years, she said. Why?'

'Wondered if you were okay with that.'

Vin met his eye and saw only concern for his feelings. It was, of course, Nathan that had nursed Mara back to life and spent a week on hand while the couple wrestled with the aftermath of her indiscretion. Vin realized he had no idea how his friends felt about men like David and wasn't sure he had the right to tell them anyway.

He said, 'They're jus' friends.'

There was a finality in his tone that precluded the possibility of the man and woman ever being more than that. Something in Nathan's expression told Vin that he understood the significance of the statement. Given Mara's indisputable physicality, the explanation had to lie with David and more routine impediments, such as a wife, did not give that kind of certainty.

Nathan returned to the task in hand. 'Either every man in this town is too scared to talk even when the boss ain't around or most of 'em don't know. Got a busy trail along the valley. Man goin' to and from a place along there is gonna get seen, even at night. I'd put my money on a shack in the hills.'

Vin nodded. It was plausible, if far from certain. Both men looked north and then south. There was no obvious difference between the two ridges.

'Well,' Nathan speculated. 'Assumin' he ain't built it specially for this, guess he goes up there to get away from it all like Chris. But a man who runs a town is gonna want to keep an eye on it. I reckon he can see the town from the shack and who wants to sit on a north-facin' hillside? I vote we try north.'

Vin gave him a broad grin. 'Sounds fair enough. Can't say I know too much about prop'ty.'

They set off at a brisk trot, using the shadows from trees and the contours of the land to mask their progress. Someone looking in the right place at the right time might see them but the odds were against it.

 

- 2 -

Back in Darville, Buck was also taking cover in shadows. He waited on the veranda of the house Loretta had identified, leaning casually against a side wall. Chris and Josiah stood behind the house, only a few feet from their friend.

'No tellin' how late the lady'll be,' Buck said through teeth clenched on a grass stem.

'Or even if she'll show at all,' Josiah added.

He had barely finishing speaking when three pairs of eyes turned towards the rustle of skirts. They saw Loretta walking quietly but purposefully on the dark side of the street, obviously not intending to be seen but wise enough to assume a confident demeanor. The house belonged to a friend and she had every right to be there, whether to collect something for herself or to keep an eye on something for its owner. When she reached the door, she was engulfed by the shadow of the stoop and relaxed. She tensed again when Buck stepped forward but only until she recognized him. Seconds later, she closed the door behind them.

Chris and Josiah stepped down their observation by a notch. They would watch for visitors for as long as it took but expected no trouble now that Loretta had arrived alone as promised. If she was threatened with replacement by a younger model, there was no reason to doubt that she was genuine in her pursuit of Buck. It was unimportant whether she was motivated by desire or retaliation. She was unlikely to savor her revenge in public as the consequences for her would probably be as dire as for Buck.

Loretta led her admirer upstairs, to the second bedroom. She sometimes stayed over with Ellen when she was feeling low or occasionally when she had too much to drink. The small, neat room had become something of a refuge for her and she felt more comfortable bringing an illicit lover here than anywhere else. The quarter moon threw a faint silvery light across the floor, giving enough light for them to see one another. Loretta had to look up a good eight inches to Buck. She faced him and rested her hands on his shoulders, tickled that Joel wasn't the only one who appreciated younger company once in a while. This man was near to her own age whereas the rancher had twelve years on her. Even in the dim light, Buck saw the smile soften her eyes.

'What?'

She shook her head lightly. 'I don't want to talk about it. We didn't come here to talk, did we?'

Buck didn't need to hear an invitation like that twice. Vin had been joking about the effects of a three-week abstinence but he hadn't been too far wide of the mark. The longer Buck had to do without a woman, the more they played on his mind. He drew Loretta close and kissed her passionately. Her lips tasted sweet like fresh apples and the flesh under his hands was as firm as many women half her age. Buck felt waves of desire sweeping through him and dismissed any notion that accommodating Loretta would be a chore.

Ninety minutes later, they lay sated in an affectionate embrace. Loretta nuzzled Buck's chin while stroking his chest with her soft fingertips. Joel Monahan was a generous protector but a selfish lover. She doubted he was even aware of the delicious repertoire she had just explored with this man. In the early days, she enjoyed doing different things for him but the novelty wore off when he gave little in return. After so many years, they had settled to a routine where he got what he wanted quickly and she saw to her own needs in private.

Buck stroked the woman's hair, twisting it around his fingers. He found himself feeling sorry for her again. She was a good-looking woman, little older than he was, who had taken care of herself and was now being pushed aside for youth. Too honest to kid himself that he'd be any better than Monahan if he had the choice between a beautiful sixteen-year-old and a well-preserved forty-year-old, he still regretted the biology that made it so.

He opted for the courtesy he felt she deserved. 'Thanks. That was special.'

'Thank you. You have been charming.'

'Reckon your gentleman will find out?'

'I hope not. It will be the worse for us both if he does.'

'You don't seem to like it here. Why d'you stay?'

'I have no means of supporting myself and a barren woman of forty-two is a poor marriage prospect.'

'Bit hard on yourself. You're still a looker.'

'It's kind of you to say so but you would not be with me if the choice were not so poor in Darville.'

He felt the truth of her words like a slap.

'I'm sorry,' she said hastily. 'That was rude.'

He covered her hand with his own. 'No need to apologize. It's the truth but I ain't proud of it. I tell you now, I never enjoyed bein' with any woman more.'

She recognized the honesty in his tone and felt better than she had in years. 'How long do you expect to be in town?' she asked.

'Few days maybe. Been on the trail a while. Food and gamblin's good here.'

'Yes, Emily is a wonderful cook. She's a lovely girl too. I could introduce you.'

Buck hesitated, weighing his interest in the charming Miss Hanton against the risk of antagonizing Loretta.

The older woman laughed. 'Don't worry about upsetting me. As intensely pleasurable as this liaison has been, I don't intend to repeat it. This risk is too great. I would be happy to make the introduction, though of course anything more would be for Emily to offer.'

'You're a generous woman, Loretta. I get the impression your gentleman don't appreciate you like he should.'

'He takes good care of me. All he asks in return is a blind eye. That is far from unusual.'

'But this time it's hard?'

She studied him closely. Buck maintained his façade of casual post-coital conversation, hoping he didn't seem too inquisitive. When she smiled, he guessed he had passed muster. 'This time she is sixteen and very beautiful. It would have been easier if I had not seen her, as he intended.'

'Must have somethin' to attract a girl like that. They don't queue up for me.' The lie doubled as a joke and a portrayal of envy.

She pondered his words. 'I have wondered about that. Twenty years ago, I fell for him myself but the years have been less kind to him than to me. He is wealthy but I can see little else to recommend him to such a slip of a thing. Perhaps…' Her voice tailed off. There was obviously something on her mind but she was wary.

Buck considered his strategy. He wanted to hear the rest of that sentence but one question too many and she'd be up and dressing. He shifted his position and pulled her closer, stroking her breast as if considering another round. She let him kiss her but he could feel her preoccupation with the half-finished thought. He backed off just a fraction and looked encouragingly at her.

'I wondered,' she went on, 'Whether he had taken her against her will.'

Buck feigned surprise and raised his eyebrows.

'I have never known him go beyond money or mild duress but I suppose he might for the right prize.'

Buck found himself wondering about the beautiful Alicia but said only, 'Wouldn't be the first time a man forced himself on a woman. Got no time for it myself.' There was no need to inject additional emotion into the statement; his hatred of such behavior was as deep-seated as his love of the women whose rights he defended.

'No, I can't imagine you would. I believe the young lady is at a remote shack in the hills north of here. It seems unlikely it is her choice to reside in such a god-forsaken spot.'

Once again, the initiative rested with Buck and he considered how to get the location of Alicia's prison. He was saved the need when his companion shook her head and smiled. 'Perhaps she likes to get away from it all as he does. He insisted I go up there two or three times but it was so primitive and there was nothing at all to do. That was many years ago. I couldn't even find the place now.'

She extricated herself gently from his embrace, kissed him fondly and began to dress. 'If she is a captive, perhaps she will manage to escape. That would suit us both.'

A few minutes later, Buck waited by the door while Loretta made the bed and checked the room for anything they might have left. She turned back to him and kissed him again. 'Thank you, Buck. You have made me happier than I have felt in a long time.'

He was ashamed for his motives in lying with her and held her close. Unshed tears still blurred his vision when he watched her leave from the stoop. He walked slowly round to the back of the house, finding Chris and Josiah draped casually across two old wicker chairs there. They looked half asleep but he knew they had been listening for any sound out of place.

Chris looked up at him from under the brim of his hat. 'Good to see you showin' such dedication to your work. That had to be a couple of hours.'

Buck frowned. 'David's right. She is a charmin' woman. She deserves better than Monahan. Better than what I just did.' He sat on the edge of the veranda, looking thoroughly miserable.

The sentries were surprised by their friend's response but said nothing.

It took Buck a minute or two to bring his feelings under control. He rationalized his actions, emphasizing the good they were trying to do for Alicia and indirectly for Mara. His motives may have been suspect but he had made Loretta happy and nothing he intended to do would jeopardize her, in fact it might even benefit her. Finally he got up, checked around carefully and then returned to his perch.

'She's seen a girl, knows she's sixteen and says she's beautiful. Don't seem no doubt it's Alicia. She thinks Monahan's got her in a shack up in the hills north of here. She went there years back but she's got no idea how to find it. She suspects the girl's not here by choice and would be very happy if she escaped. That's all.'

'That's good,' Chris said admiringly. 'Didn't expect her to say so much.'

'Trust old Buck,' the tall man said sharply and set off from the back of the house in a direction that led nowhere in particular.

Josiah looked at Chris. 'Don't recall seeing him like that before.'

'No. Can't say I have either. Guess he thinks he took advantage of her and you know how he feels about that.'

The big man stood and shrugged. 'Seems to me, if we get Alicia home, Mara out safe and Loretta back in the top slot, everyone'll be happy. Except Monahan of course.'

Chris grinned. 'If, Josiah, if. Well, let's pick up the others and see if we can get us some rooms.'

 

- 3 -

The two hours Buck spent with Loretta were less fruitful for Vin and Nathan. They systematically worked their way along a section of the hills to the north of Darville, splitting up to cover more ground in figures-of-eight. The landscape was solid rock, with little soil to take tracks even if the light had been good enough to follow them. It was criss-crossed with animal trails along which one or two riders could easily pass undetected. Midnight came and went. Eventually they gave in to their exhaustion and came down from the high ground, stopping where the trail widened to return to the valley floor.

'Wanna camp up here and start again in the mornin' or go back into town?' Nathan asked.

'Don't know.' Vin pondered. 'Right now, I need a piss.' He rode back a few yards, dismounted and found a spot behind some scrub. He was gazing up the hill, trying to distinguish some detail that might reveal the location of a hillside hideaway when something small and white just off the trail caught his eye. He finished his business, buttoned up and walked towards it.

Nathan had been looking out across the valley but turned round when he heard Vin walking away from him. He watched curiously and saw the man stoop to pick up something. Back in his saddle, Vin returned to Nathan's side and held the object out. It was a woman's handkerchief.

He grinned, white teeth flashing in the darkness. 'Looks like ya prop'ty instincts were spot on, Nathan.'

'Back to town and tell the others?' Nathan checked.

His friend nodded. 'Get a real search goin' tomorrow. All the better if Monahan's back in town.'

They took the same care on the return journey as they had on the way out, stabling their horses without disturbing a soul. They wondered if their friends would be in evidence so late but headed for the casino in the hope that Ezra might still be fleecing the locals. In fact, the gambler had left the tables a half-hour earlier and now he, Chris, Josiah and JD were at a corner table. Buck was nowhere to be seen.

'Any luck?' JD asked the newcomers in a low voice.

Nathan put the handkerchief on the table. 'Found that in the hills north of here. Won't make for easy searchin' - it's rock with animal trails all over.'

Chris examined the neatly folded cotton square. It comforted him to see it was unused, though that proved nothing. 'Loretta told Buck she's seen the girl, thinks she's in a shack in those hills and suspects she's there against her will. Wouldn't be able to find it though.'

Vin raised his eyebrows at the amount she had divulged and then asked, 'Where is Buck?'

'Went for a walk,' Josiah replied. 'Wasn't feeling so good about it after.'

Vin reflected on that. Like Mara, he wasn't given to exchanging those sort of services for information but he was surprised it had troubled Buck. Even men who had ridden together for a year and a half could still confound expectations. He said only, 'I'm beat. We gonna find ourselves somewhere to sleep?'

'We had just reached the same decision,' Ezra informed him. 'Before turning in a few minutes ago, Mr Brier suggested we try the boarding house in which Mrs Costain is staying.'

When they got outside, they saw Buck sitting on a barrel throwing pebbles at a trough across the street. Vin wandered over and clapped a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder.

'C'mon, Buck. Everyone got what they wanted, didn't they? Ain't like ya wouldn'ta done it anyway.'

Buck gave half a smile. 'She's a nice woman, Vin.'

'Ya're a nice fella. So what? Let's get some sleep, huh?'

 

- 4 -

Mara woke early the next morning, Vin in her first thoughts as he had been in her last. She had lain awake for a couple of hours after parting with him but was sleeping soundly by the time the seven men took rooms on the floors below. She now permitted herself a moment's indulgence, closing her eyes to picture him clearly and running her hands over her breasts in tender circles. Her body hardened and moistened with desire but she took it no further, reluctantly forcing herself to face whatever the day would bring.

She went to Joe Hanton's place for breakfast as usual. There were a dozen or so diners, with the Delaneys at one table and Charlie Dinns drinking coffee alone at another. She nodded to Joe for her usual order and took her mug to Charlie's table. He was the closest thing she had to a friend in Monahan's empire.

'Mornin', Annie. Boss got you workin' today?'

'Seein' him at ten. You?'

'Goin' fishin'.'

She looked at him in surprise then smiled broadly. 'Wouldn'ta seen you as the fishin' sort.'

'Peace, quiet, solitude. Gives a man time to think.' He drained his mug and got to his feet. 'Course, I ain't that hung up on the solitude. Anytime you care to join me…'

She gave him a friendly slap on the rump. 'Don't hold your breath, Charlie boy.'

After taking her time over her meal, she smiled to Emily through the kitchen door and returned to Main Street. Seeing David looking in the dry goods store, she guessed he was killing time while he waited for a report from her or with a message of his own. They passed casually in a sidestreet, he touching his hat as he would to any woman. Thanks to his exceptional manual dexterity, even the keenest observer would not have seen their hands brush as he passed her a slip of paper. She bought a newspaper and sat beside the horse trough to read it. Concealed by the broadsheet, she unfolded David's message:

She's definitely here, probably in a shack in the northern hills, location unknown. Your friends are going to search today. Postscript: Yes, he is gorgeous - you have all the luck.

She dropped the note into the trough and watched the ink float off the paper. After a minute or two, the soggy scrap could tell no one its secrets. With nothing more she could do for the time being, Mara immersed herself in the newspaper and waited for her meeting. It did not occur to her to pass on the fact that Charlie was going fishing.

 

- 5 -

After a substantial breakfast, the seven friends collected their horses from the livery stable. Even when engaged in the most innocuous activities, they were not the kind of men who volunteered what they were doing or whose manner invited anyone to ask. They set out casually, riding along the wet sand beside the river. The tiny waves washed away their tracks within minutes.

'Found the handkerchief over there.' Vin glanced at a point in the hills due north of their position. 'But we ain't gonna be able to track 'em on the rock. Reckon we'd do best to sweep the whole ridge.'

They continued eastwards. A band of trees ran down from the hills to the river a few miles ahead, no doubt on the banks of a creek. They could turn northwards there without being seen by anyone watching from the peaks. They knew that keeping out of sight in broad daylight with the terrain as it was could prove as challenging as finding the shack.

Buck was back on form after a good night's rest. 'Lookin' forward to seein' this girl. She must be quite a looker for a man to kidnap her after just seein' her. Loretta said she's beautiful too.'

The other men exchanged wry grins. The man's uncharacteristic guilt of the previous day didn't look to be slowing him down much.

Vin offered a friendly warning. 'I'd think twice, I were you, Bucklin. Mara'd probably shoot ya.'

'I thought you were after the pretty cook anyway.' Chris rolled his eyes in mock exasperation.

'Emily Hanton,' Buck informed him. 'Loretta says she'll introduce me.'

The looks on the other men's faces now owed an equal debt to astonishment and envy at the man's prowess. JD hadn't been troubled by Buck's animal magnetism since he took up with Casey but, failures with Inez and the wagon-train widow notwithstanding, he still marveled at his mentor's success rate.

'I don't know how you do it, Buck. I can't believe you even got them linin' each other up now.'

The shadow that passed over Buck's face showed his former mood had not evaporated without a trace. 'Ain't like that. Loretta won't take the risk again, for either of our sakes. It's just an introduction - like she said, anythin' more's for Emily to offer.'

His friends let it drop and rode on in silence. When they reached the trees, they turned northwards and rode along the creekbed. There would be no obvious signs of their passage along the valley or their divergence from that course.

It was purely by chance that Charlie Dinns had ridden the same way not long before. He had turned south at the trees and was dozing by his fishing pole when he heard horses. He listened carefully and noted the soft thud of hooves on wet sand turning to the muted clatter of hooves on pebbles under water. Another few seconds and he knew that the riders were heading away from him. He crept quickly along the creek bank, knowing he was gaining steadily as the splashing grew louder.

Charlie knew the creek well. There was a small bluff ahead, from which he could see without being seen. He jogged away from the bank and increased his speed to reach the viewpoint before the riders passed. He was in position ahead of time, flat on his belly with a clear line of sight to the water below, his breathing little faster than normal. He studied the seven men, realizing he had seen some the previous evening but recognizing none. He had no idea what they were doing here. They moved purposefully, yet he knew of nothing to interest them in the hills. He considered following but doubted he could do so undetected for long. He pondered a while longer but eventually returned to his fishing, seeing no interest for himself in their activities.

 

- 6 -

Mara arrived outside Monahan's office precisely at ten and knocked firmly. Expecting the usual delay that preceded any interaction with her boss, she was surprised when his voice immediately instructed her to enter. When she did so, she found him alone and half-obscured by his desk, which was piled high with crumpled maps and papers that spilled onto the floor in every direction. She frowned as she took in the scene.

His expression was almost apologetic, like a husband discovered making a complete hash of a domestic chore. 'I've been trying to sort out my records, after Pop's news yesterday.' He looked at the mess and shrugged. 'I've got a bit behind since Sid went.'

Mara knew that Monahan's elderly assistant had died a few months before. She hadn't known until now what his duties were but presumably he had averted the confusion to which she was now a witness.

'Thought if you wanted smarter work, maybe you could start by helping me here.'

'Okay.' It took her ten minutes to realize that he was more of a hindrance than a help. 'Mr Monahan, how about you let me sort this out? You must have loads of important stuff to get on with.'

He considered her offer, weighing up his hatred of paperwork with his distrust of leaving anyone alone with his precious documents. Finally he said, 'You'll mark up all the details on my master map. And file all my correspondence. And ask me if you're not sure about anything?'

'Course I will,' she assured him.

'All right. I do need to get on. I'll be back later this afternoon.'

Mara heaved a sigh of relief when he had gone, half at getting rid of him and half at the opportunity her new duties might afford her. Although she did not relish administration more than any sane person, she was a fast reader with a good memory so even chaos of the proportions now facing her held no fear. She began by sorting the papers into categories on the floor. First, she separated letters, bills, receipts, deeds, maps and reports. Alongside these orderly stacks, she compiled a jumbled collection of miscellanea, mainly Monahan's own notes. These were made in a barely legible scrawl and were almost invariably incomplete. She moved on to sorting the papers within each pile by date or topic as seemed most appropriate.

When she opened the cupboards and drawers in the office, the papers they contained were all in perfect order. She assumed they were as Sid had left them and began to realize the extent of Monahan's problems with this side of his empire. Presumably he had relied heavily on his assistant and now had no one trustworthy enough to take on the old man's duties. Had Mara been investigating Monahan's business activities, she could have had a field day. Unfortunately, there was so far no evidence that her access to the inner sanctum would help Alicia.

 

- 7 -

The searchers in the hills were having no more luck than Mara. There was a lot of difficult terrain to cover and the need to avoid detection made progress frustratingly slow. They tried to be systematic, spreading out in a line and sweeping steadily along the valley, but the constant detours around obstacles made it difficult to be sure they had missed nothing. Vin ranged about freely, hoping that his experienced eye might throw up some evidence of human habitation, but all the traces he spotted were animal in origin.

By noon, they were in need of a break. They tethered their mounts in the shade of a cliff, invisible from above and hard to spot from below, and broke out canteens and light provisions.

Buck took off his hat and wiped his forehead with his neckerchief. He laughed as he remembered what he'd been told the night before. 'Loretta said this was a god-forsaken place. Monahan made her come up here a few times years ago but she hated it. Can't believe a man brings a woman from New Orleans to a dump like this.'

Ezra smiled. 'It must have been a culture-shock for the poor lady. Still, she must think something of the gentleman otherwise why would she remain here?'

Buck remembered Loretta's answer to that question but did not share it with his friends. The significance of his silence was not lost on Ezra, who sought to lighten the mood by taunting Vin.

'This is more your kind of place, isn't it Mr Tanner? You and Mrs Costain seem far more at home negotiating desolate wastelands than enjoying the entertainments of a fine city.'

Vin glanced at Ezra, still feeling a stab of resentment when he so much as mentioned Mara. Seeing in Ezra's eye that the man understood the delicate position but had been doing no more than diverting the conversation from Buck's recent unease, he took the gibe in good part.

'Don't know about that. Last time I recall bein' in a desolate wasteland with Mara, she wanted someone to bugger me.' They all smiled at the memory of a volatile Mara making to punch Vin and storming off in a huff.

Chris's smile faded first. 'Can't help worryin' what we're gonna find. Six weeks is a long time for a young girl to be stuck up here with these sort of men for company.'

His friends pondered that in silence. It was Vin who eventually broke it. 'Don't reckon she's been here that long. Buck says Loretta saw the girl. David said she got upset four or five days back. Seems like Monahan musta moved Alicia.' As an afterthought, he added, 'Course she's been somewhere for six weeks.'

On that note, they resumed their search with fresh determination.

 

- 8 -

Back in Darville, Mara did not pause for dinner. Not knowing how long she had before Monahan returned, she intended to read every document she could in the course of her tidying up. Once she had organized all the information, she made short work of updating her boss's master map and filing the papers that had formerly decorated the desk and floor. Checking through Sid's archives was easier. His system was logical and clearly labeled so she could focus of areas of potential interest.

The vital piece of missing information at present was the location of the shack in the hills. Mara doubted that would be recorded in the papers. Why should it be? As the country became more settled, there was growing competition between homesteaders wanting fenced fertile land and ranchers wanting vast open spreads but no one was going to object to a man building a shack on a barren hillside. Vin had taken her to Chris's mountain home for a few days while she waited for her broken bones to hurt a bit less. That was in a far nicer spot than anything round Darville and yet Chris had been able to build it without any paperwork or permission.

She drifted off into the memory for a moment, recalling the four perfect days they had spent there together without seeing a soul. There was some truth in Ezra's allusion to their preference for nature in the raw. They liked to enjoy the air and water on their bare skins, to make love when, where and how they wanted, to please themselves without answering to anyone for their pleasures. Sometimes she wondered what it would be like to settle down with Vin. The dreamer in her wanted just that but the realist knew that two people simply did not while away endless tranquil days in sex and swimming. That was the stuff of vacations, not real life.

Thinking of reality brought her abruptly back to the present. A sixteen-year-old girl was having her dreams shattered in the cruelest way imaginable and it was not the time to be fantasizing about Vin's charms. She smiled as she assured herself she'd fit in some of that later.

She returned to leafing through stacks of papers as quickly as possible. She had a ragged pile of documents on the desk as cover, so that she could proclaim herself almost finished whenever Monahan returned. Something caught her eye on one of the deeds she had just passed. She hurriedly flipped back to it and scanned the text: prospector's shack… mineshaft… 50 acres… rumored to contain deposits of silver. A grubby, amateurish map was clipped to the deed. She examined it closely. There was the river, with the hills to the north and south. An irregular area of the northern hills was enclosed by dotted lines. The reference points were features in the peaks that she could not verify. Darville was not shown but the deed was dated 1851. There was a fair chance the town had not existed in 1851.

She made a precise copy of the map in her notebook, ensuring that she recorded every detail faithfully. She was now on solid ground, doing the kind of work from which she made her living and confident that no one did it better. She tore the sheet out, folded it, wrapped it in another sheet for protection and then slipped it into a pocket she had sewn into the hem of her pants. Experience had taught her that searches focussed on hats, boots, pockets and the upper body. No one ever looked carefully at the bottom of someone's pants.

Unwilling to assume the anonymous little map was the solution to their problems, she continued her search. She was unlikely to have such an opportunity again. She turned up nothing else that could relate to the shack. It was only when she filed the final papers from the desk that she made a precious discovery, not among those recent transactions but in one of the related files. This time, she needed the original documents. Feeling fairly safe in the knowledge that Monahan did not go through his files often, if at all, she secreted the folder in a large pocket sewn into the lining at the back of her coat.

She made the final finishing touches to the office, dusting surfaces and straightening the furnishings. She smiled her pride in a job well done, both the one she'd been asked to do and her own mission, then locked the door. Finding no sign of Monahan in the rooms over the saloon, she went downstairs. He was at a table, talking with Pop and Dud. Pop stopped speaking before she was within earshot. She handed the key to her boss.

'All done?' he asked in surprise.

She nodded. 'Think so. Just let me know if it ain't how you want it.'

'I will,' he said, the customary growl in his voice failing to disguise his relief at finding someone to take over the loathed administration. In truth, he did not doubt she had done a good job because the past month had demonstrated to them all that she was smart and thorough but it was only the relief that made him so cavalier about the possibility that she might not be trustworthy. 'Take tomorrow off. You've earned it.'

'Thanks.' She nodded to Pop and Dud before making her way out. She stood on Main Street for a moment, considering what to do next. She ran through what she knew of things. Vin and the others were almost certainly in the hills, unless they had struck lucky sooner than the odds predicted. Charlie was probably still fishing. She suddenly connected those two pieces of information, wondering where he fished and whether he could have seen them. It was far too late to worry about it now but she regretted not warning them. She hadn't seen Dag since the previous evening. That left David, probably in the casino. She went in search of him.

 

- 9 -

It was nearing dusk when the searchers reached the end of their sweep. They had long since passed where Vin found the handkerchief, passed Darville and continued west of town until they reached another wooded creek to conceal their return. Even allowing for unavoidable detours, none of them thought there was much chance they had overlooked the shack. Tired and disappointed, they rode along the sandy shore in ragged single file.

Josiah shook his head. 'Either it's further from town than we figured or it's on the other side of the peaks.'

It seemed a fair summary. JD sighed. 'Hell, we gotta do this all over again tomorrow?'

Nathan reprimanded him gently. 'You don't even wanna think on what that girl may be havin' to do all over again tomorrow. What if it was Casey?'

'I know,' JD said hastily. 'Didn't mean it like that.'

 

- 10 -

Mara played a few hands of poker in the casino while she polished off a welcome beer. David was at a table about twenty feet away. She had already used their long-established system of minute signs to suggest he come to her room. She was now waiting only for enough time to pass to make her visit to the saloon look natural. She gave it half an hour before returning to the boarding house. They had met there only a handful of times. David was adept at slipping in through windows and back doors but they had still played their whole sojourn in Darville as safely as possible.

Knowing David would give it a while before he followed, Mara stripped off her shirt and filled the basin on the washstand from a pitcher. While soaping her upper body, she briefly revisited the daydreams with which she had started the day but then firmly set them aside. She rinsed and dried, poured the soapy water into a bucket under the washstand and then buttoned a clean shirt. She tidied the room, in deference to David's aversion to viewing her dirty clothes and disorganized possessions, and then stretched out on the bed to wait for him.

It was perhaps ten minutes before she heard his soft tap on the door. It was more a brush of the knuckles than a tap, impossible for anyone to hear from another room. Of course, now she had permission to choose her own bedmates, she had no particular reason to fear discovery. No one else knew why David was in Darville or that he would not be interested in her in that way. If they were found together, the assumption would be that she was entertaining herself in her free time as they were all entitled to do.

She let him in and bolted the door quietly behind him. Her third-story window faced across open country so there was no risk of being overlooked through that. She hugged him, glad of the comfort after feeling too alone for too long on this job. He kissed her cheek fondly, understanding the strain only too well because he was feeling it himself. He stretched out on the bed and pulled her close. They often lay like that during their drinking binges but it was unusual when they were working.

'Feelin' it too?' she asked.

'I won't be sorry to leave this place,' he admitted. Knowing that wallowing in it would help neither of them, he smiled at her. 'I hope your Mr Tanner won't come busting in and blow my head off for this.'

'I told him about you. You don't mind, do you?'

'A little late if I do,' he chided. 'Of course not. He told me you had. I know you wouldn't have unless you'd been sure of him and you were right.'

'He's a mind-his-own-business type.'

David nodded and said, 'He also told me that forgiving is easy but forgetting is harder. You hurt him badly. That's not like you, Mo.'

She looked ashamed, reminding him of the tearful evening he'd mentioned to Vin.

'Was it with one of them?'

She nodded.

'Not Buck?'

She shook her head.

He squeezed her gently, not seeking to add to her guilt and not needing to know with whom she had strayed. 'You're lucky he's the man he is.'

'I know.' She kissed his hand. 'Well, if you're through beatin' up on me, I got a coupla things to show you.' She explained how her day had gone and retrieved the documents.

David studied the map closely. 'I fear they may have had a wasted day. They were intending to search the south side of the peaks today and this suggests the old prospector's cabin is on the north side. Of course, it may not even be the right place but it seems a likely contender.' He set the map down and picked up the folder. His eyes widened as he scanned the documents in it.

They smiled as their gazes met. 'Could be the insurance we were lookin' for?' she asked.

He nodded. 'It would be easy to arrange for this to be held in a safe place and revealed if anything should befall the Ross family in future.'

'Or us,' she added.

'Indeed. Or us.' He hugged her tightly. 'I wasn't looking forward to being killed for this escapade,' he confessed.

'I want you out of here, David. This needs to get somewhere safe fast. I got backup now and things'll get lively pretty soon unless I'm much mistaken.'

He considered her words. Finally, reluctantly, he agreed. He knew he was of little value if it came to a fight, her other friends were much more useful there, and documents as precious as these could not be lost.

'I'll get packed. I'll lodge these with Marley then go back to Mrs Ross.' Jack Marley was a lawyer they often used and was based in Stanton, a large town not far from the Ross home.

Twenty minutes later, from a table outside the casino, Mara saw David ride out of the livery stables and head west. She was nervous that something might befall the folder but knew it was in good hands. Although David wasn't a fighter, his innumerable skills included a talent for traveling the land to match Vin's and a silver tongue to rival Ezra's. Mara had little doubt that he would reach Marley, complete with the precious cargo.

David rode along the wet sand by the river, erring on the side of caution even though he knew of no reason why anyone would be following him. He hadn't gone far when he saw a knot of riders ahead. He thought it was probably Mara's friends but, even if it was not, he could not change course unseen and did not intend to try. He matched the profile of seven hats and statures long before he could have recognized an individual.

When he drew close, he greeted them softly. 'Good evening, gentlemen. I take it you were unsuccessful.'

Chris nodded. ''Fraid so. Where you headed?'

'Mo did well today. Monahan's clerical assistant died a while back and she's got the job. She spent the day organizing, and reading, his files. The upshot is that she has a map that may take you to the shack in the hills and she found some documents pertaining to Emily Hanton, which we think may provide some insurance against Monahan interfering with Miss Ross after her release or taking retribution against those who helped her. Mo's asked me to take that to a lawyer we know, partly to ensure its safety, partly no doubt to ensure mine.'

Chris smiled at the man's candor. 'I had wondered about after - won't lose any sleep if we have to kill him but that's in his hands. You take care of those papers.'

David nodded and touched his hat to the others. He rode over to Vin, extended a hand and lowered his voice still further. 'I know you'll take good care of Mo. I'm glad you were able to forgive her - she loves you very much. And thank you for your discretion.'

Vin shook the hand with a smile. 'No problem. See ya next time she gets us mixed up in somethin'.'

David chuckled as he urged his horse forward. Mara had an ever-expanding network of friends and acquaintances who were indeed often drawn into her complex schemes.

 

- 11 -

Mara was still lounging outside the casino when her friends strolled onto Main Street after stabling their horses but she was no longer alone. Charlie had joined her fifteen minutes earlier, bringing beers and a checkerboard. She willingly engaged in a game to pass the time, wondering idly whether he was still working on her or simply being friendly. On the other hand, he might just be as bored in Darville as she was.

She saw him studying the seven men and debated whether it would seem suspicious to ask why. As it turned out, his examination was so lengthy that it would have been suspicious if she had said nothing.

'Your move, Charlie. You goin' after men now?'

He started, took a moment to understand her remark and scowled at her. 'Don't even joke about stuff like that.' He was not a man noted for his tolerance or discretion when it came to men like David. 'I saw them fellas this mornin', ridin' up the creek I was fishin' into the hills.'

'So?' she asked.

'Why would anyone be doin' that?'

She shrugged. 'Prospectin' maybe.'

'For what?' he scoffed.

'Don't know round here but further west they used to say there was silver.'

He considered her words. 'I guess. Don't look like prospectors though.'

'Look like they done time to me. Probably some old fool tellin' his cellmate he found silver. I heard of that.'

Charlie thought some more and reluctantly agreed. It could be as she said.

Mara won the game easily with her opponent as preoccupied as he was. She watched his continuing deliberations with concern. Charlie wasn't a fool and she wished again that she had told her friends about the fishing expedition. Still, even if she had, it was no guarantee they would have been able to avoid him. Thinking about Charlie's activities reminded her that she still hadn't seen Dag.

'You seen Dag today?' she asked Charlie.

'No. Why?'

She was able to brush that off easily. 'Son-of-a-bitch caught me last night on my way back to my room. Had a go at stranglin' me but thought better of it.'

Charlie grinned, memories of Dag's warning ousting his suspicions for the time being. 'How'd he look?'

'Black eye, split lip. I told him I reckoned he wasn't plannin' to let me off that lightly.'

'Watch yourself. He's a mean bastard.'

'Don't I know it.'

Charlie pursed his lips. He liked the woman he knew as Annie, feeling affection beyond the frequent stirrings in his loins. 'No. Real mean. Lot worse than anythin' you seen. Don't bank on Monahan's say-so keepin' him in line if he gets the urge.'

Looking into his face, Mara saw the sincerity of the warning and knew that the man had seen Dag do things that even he found difficult to stomach. She nodded. 'Ain't so sure I'm cut out for this place.'

His smile was warm. 'I'm damned sure you ain't. Been waitin' to see how long it'd take you figure that out. Get out while you can, girl. It don't get no easier.' He stood, touched his hat and headed for his room. He stayed at a boarding house at the far end of town, scruffier than Mara's and run by an aging but not unattractive widow with whom he had a long-standing arrangement. They had supper together twice a week, followed by energetic sex, with no strings and no questions. It didn't make life worthwhile, just slightly more bearable.

After stewing on Charlie's words for a while, Mara threw off her depression and headed for Joe Hanton's place. Seeing her friends at a large table by the window, she ordered a bowl of chili and took a fresh beer to a small table squashed into a corner nearby. She surveyed the other diners, seeing plenty of acquaintances but no one likely to be minding her business. She knew about Charlie's arrangement with the widow, not from him but from David. Work permitting, they got together on Wednesdays and Sundays. As it was Wednesday, Mara did not expect to see him again that evening.

She thought for some time before settling on an overt strategy. As far as she knew, Charlie was the only one to have any doubts about her friends. They were easily in the top tenth of Darville's population when it came to looks. Why should anyone think it in the slightest odd if she encouraged interest from one of them? When Joe brought her chili, she asked for a bottle of whiskey. It wasn't the first time she'd done so and he registered no surprise. Usually, she took the bottle back to her room, bolted herself in safely and drowned her sorrows. Tonight, she downed a shot, poured another and eyed Vin appreciatively.

He watched her, eyes crinkled with amusement, knowing what she was doing and debating how long he should take to respond. He looked at Buck, saw the man was following the exchange and smiled at his frowned advice to make her wait. Vin didn't recall having seen Buck make many women wait. He looked at Chris.

'What's the plan?' he asked softly, acting as though he was pointing out the woman's attentions to his friend.

Chris glanced at Mara and maintained Vin's charade, adopting the pose he would to encourage a friend to take an opportunity. 'Get the map. Find out who's where and when we should move. I'm all for finishin' this soon as we can. Before dawn?'

Vin nodded and smiled as he got to his feet. Acting wasn't his strong suit but it shouldn't be that hard to show an interest in Mara. He leaned towards his friends, as if to deliver a lewd aside. 'Where ya gonna be?'

'Casino?' Chris canvassed the others, who thought that was as good as anywhere.

Vin moved to the seat opposite Mara.

'Took ya time,' she rebuked him, pushing her half-eaten meal aside.

He nodded towards Buck. 'My friend told me to make ya wait.'

Mara scowled at Buck, then returned her attention to Vin. 'He tell you to jump in the river, you do it?'

Vin grinned and poured himself a whiskey. 'What can I do for ya, ma'am?'

'That's what I'm plannin' to find out,' she informed him bluntly. 'C'mon.'

He hastily downed his drink, shook his head at his friends as if in disbelief and followed her out, bottle in hand. If genuine, the exchange would be totally out of character for him but most men passing through wouldn't turn down such an opportunity. Mara was unconventional but attractive in her own way, with her strong even features, glossy raven hair and slim but shapely figure.

Mara led Vin back to the boarding house, choosing a route that kept them in the shadows but striding along boldly enough. There were two men she preferred not to see what she was doing: Charlie, whose suspicions might be problematic, and Dag, whom she feared and whose resentment she was desperate not to inflame. Once inside her room, she bolted the door, checked the bars on the window and drew the drapes. She looked inside the wardrobe and under the bed, before lighting the lamp and turning back to Vin. He wore an expression somewhere between astonishment and concern.

'Sorry,' she said. 'Guess I'm a bit jumpy.'

He held her close. 'Somethin' happen?'

'Not really. Just Charlie talkin'.'

Vin frowned.

'He saw you and the fellas this mornin' ridin' up the creek towards the hills. I shoulda told you he was goin' fishin'. Never thought about it. He can't figure out why you'd be goin' up there and it's simmerin' away.'

'And?' Vin inquired. He knew Mara too well to think that she'd get so agitated over that.

'He was warnin' me about Dag.' She buried her face against his shoulder. 'Jesus, Vin. Charlie's no angel but I could see in his face that he's watched Dag do stuff I probably can't even imagine. Worse still, Dag ain't been around since last night. I can't believe Monahan'd leave him with Alicia, not if he wants her to be good for anythin' after, but…'

Vin said nothing but slid his arms right round her in a protective shell. She cried silent tears for a while before pulling herself together. She went to a drawer for a handkerchief, dried her eyes and sat beside him on the edge of the bed. Resting one ankle on the other thigh, she retrieved the map from the hem of her pants, unfolded it and handed it to him. He examined it in the lamplight, closed his eyes while he retrieved a detailed image of the peaks they had ridden that morning, then smiled.

'Got it. I can find it no trouble.'

She smiled in spite of herself. She tracked as well as Vin but she didn't have his infallible sense of direction or total recall of a landscape. Pleased to see the smile, he raised his eyebrows inquiringly.

'Always amazes me how you do that.'

'Lots of stuff y'can do I can't.' He paused before challenging her. 'Y'know I can't read, don't ya?'

She grinned. 'Know all about you, boy.'

'What ya put in that note to David?'

'Why?'

'He knew I couldn't read it.'

She looked concerned. 'I didn't think of that. I'm sorry.'

He smiled. 'It don't matter. He's a good man. What did it say?'

She laughed. 'It said: David, meet Vin. Said he was gorgeous, didn't I? Then the stuff about you fellas helpin'. Then: You can trust them all. You can trust Vin with anything. Was that okay?'

'Gorgeous.' Vin considered the description. 'Never been called that before.'

'Can't think why. You definitely are.'

He kissed her tenderly, knowing her mood was still fragile but hoping that shared intimacy would soothe her. They undressed each other slowly, stroking each newly exposed area of skin and finally pressing their naked bodies together. It was a new kind of encounter for them, in sharp contrast with the rapid ecstasy of their frequent hasty couplings in stolen moments on the trail and their protracted mutual explorations in hotel rooms and Chris's shack. Now Mara sought protection, reassurance and an affirmation that they would survive the ghastly experience that was Darville. Vin channeled every ounce of his being into providing her with those things, the relief of his physical desire for her taking a distant second place.

Nearing the point of no return, he paused to look sadly into her eyes. It was the first time he had failed to take her with him. She smiled and tensed her muscles in a single powerful contraction. He gasped as he lost control.

'Sorry.'

'Don't be. I just needed to be close to you.'

'Can't get no closer.'

They lay like that for a few minutes before making themselves more comfortable.

'So,' she said. 'How're you gonna play it?'

'Chris figured to head out before dawn. Give us a chance to get some rest first. Y'know who's up there?'

She reflected on that. 'Not for sure. I hope it ain't Dag. I don't think Monahan would trust him with it. He was talkin' to Pop and Dud Delaney earlier. I'm wonderin' if they're in on it. Their brother Jim ain't been around for a while so maybe he's up there and one of them's gonna spell him.'

'Ya said eight or nine men when Alicia got taken.'

'I figure Monahan and the Delaneys but I ain't got no further.'

'We thought maybe some of 'em didn't come back.'

'Yeah but I ain't heard nothin'. Maybe they were local talent in for the job they were comin' back from.'

'What're these Delaneys like?'

'Loyal. Been with Monahan twenty years. Hard but not mean. They wouldn't have no problem kidnappin' her or keepin' her prisoner but they'd probably give her coffee while they were at it.'

'Well, let's hope ya're right. One man ain't gonna give us much trouble.'

'Guess he's only there to stop her runnin' off, not to guard her. Hardly nobody seems to know she's here. Still, don't bank on one - if Monahan goes up there with Pop and Dud, you've got four.' She hesitated then said what was on her mind. 'I wanna come with you.'

'We can handle it.'

'I know but I wanna be there for Alicia - she don't know you fellas from Adam. And I don't wanna be here on my own. I thought about tryin' to see it through and then pull out later but I don't reckon I can stay with it much longer. Anyhow, I'm last in by a long way so who else is Monahan gonna blame?'

'Y'ain't stayin' here, whatever,' he agreed firmly. 'But ya could meet us after.'

'No, Vin. I'm comin'.'

He considered arguing but knew he'd feel the same in her place. 'Okay. I'll go tell the others. We got rooms on the two floors below this. We'll meet up in the livery an hour afore dawn.'

After he had gone, Mara laid out her clothes for the morning and packed everything else. She couldn't wait to be away from Darville but wondered, for the hundredth time, whether she would be taking Alicia with her and, if so, what state the girl would be in.

 

- 12 -

There was just the faintest light on the horizon when Mara reached the livery stables. She stole in softly, wondering if she was the first or if the fellas had gone without her after all. It was several seconds before she saw a shadow pass one of the rear windows. Recognizing Chris, she walked quickly past the rows of stalls to where her gray occupied a quiet corner. Vin was already halfway through tacking up the gelding so she passed him her saddlebags and rifle, then contented herself with fondling his behind rather than doing anything useful. She saw his white smile in the gloom and felt a hand on her breast for a fleeting moment. Both of them were well aware of the gravity of their mission and the fooling around was simply an outlet for the tension.

She kissed the horse's nose and led him outside. Ezra, Nathan and Josiah were already in their saddles, while Chris, Buck and JD were making final adjustments to their mounts' loads. She was glad she hadn't kept them waiting. With a final glance round to make sure they hadn't left anything behind, they rode out at a brisk walk. After a hundred yards or so, they urged the horses into an easy lope. This time, they would be taking a direct route and they aimed to cover the ground quickly but economically.

In spite of its stealth, the dawn party's departure was watched by two pairs of eyes.

Dag Browning had been keeping a low profile since being warned off the woman he knew as Annie. He deeply resented both being told not to touch her and being used to give the same message to all the men in town. He had spent half the night systematically taking out his frustrations on one of the working girls. They dreaded his rare visits, for all that he paid handsomely for his thrills. Even at such extortionate rates, Mallory couldn't have taken his custom more often or he'd have soon had no girls who met even Darville's low standards.

Having just left Mallory's by the back entrance, Dag was looking out over the open country while relieving himself. He saw the group of riders heading towards the hills and pondered who they were and where they were going. He had no particular reason to care but there was a chance that he could profit personally or curry favor with his employer. After only a few seconds deliberation, he walked along behind the buildings to the livery and saddled up his horse.

Like Dag, Charlie Dinns had not slept that night. His sexual recreation had been altogether more conventional and respectful. He and the widow were not in love but they had become friends. They took their time over their intimacies and did their utmost to fulfill each other's desires. Charlie had rarely had a better lover and hoped that he gave similar satisfaction. As usual, he had stayed until she fell asleep before slipping out quietly. He knew she liked to fall asleep in his arms - it reminded her of her much-loved and long-dead husband.

Normally, Charlie went to his room after leaving his lover but tonight he was restless, asking himself over and over why he didn't take the advice he had given Mara. He hated both Darville and Monahan but had nothing to go to anywhere else. He had been wandering for hours when, returning across the prairie, he saw a lone man behind Mallory's. He knew from the man's stance what he was doing and had almost dismissed him when a movement caught his eye. Seeing the horsemen, he realized the man was also watching them and guessed they were the same riders he had seen while fishing. Looking back towards Mallory's, he saw the man button his fly and then head for the livery. Charlie recognized the gait as Dag's and made his own decision to follow as quickly the other man had done.

 

- 13 -

Mara's caution to Vin had been wise. Up in the hills, four men sat round the table in the prospector's cabin. They had been playing cards for hours, passing the time until Monahan reached a decision. Eventually Pop Delaney decided to risk speaking.

'We can hold her here till Judgement Day and she still won't make a wife and mother. You may as well take what you want and dump her.'

Monahan glared at him, furious both at the man's insolence and at the fact that he was right.

Pop shrugged. 'Sorry, boss. Just tellin' it like it is. Done nice. Done presents. Done threats. I'm all outta ideas.' Vin was right that Alicia had only recently been moved to Darville, having been treated to whatever delights Monahan could dream up to win her over to him.

The boss looked through a half-open door at the girl now sleeping on the bed. She was chained to an iron ring in the trap-door to the cellar. He thought back to the day they took her. He had not planned the abduction: he simply saw her incredible beauty and had to have her. Circumstances had come together so auspiciously that he convinced himself it was her destiny, which he was sure she would soon accept. Riding with his three oldest and most trusted hands, he had dependable jailers to watch her. He planned to tell no one else until she adapted. Mara had been right in her guess that the other men with them were local talent. They met with an 'accident' when there was a rockfall in a narrow gully.

Jim was fed up, after watching the girl alone while his brothers had ridden out on the Curtis affair. 'You could leave her with Dag for a night. Might make her appreciate you.'

Monahan went to punch the man but Pop caught his arm. 'No need for that, boss. Week up here alone's liable to make a man crazy.' Monahan let it pass but realized that holding the girl was doing more than simply frustrate him; it was causing rifts in his empire. He returned to stewing on the problem: he couldn't face killing her but there was no way he could just let her go.

 

- 14 -

The sun was just breaking over the horizon as the search party reached the pass marked on the stolen map. Vin consulted the image now safely committed to his memory and pointed down a twisting trail.

'Looked to be about five miles down there.'

They stopped to check their weapons, take comfort breaks and ready themselves for action.

Chris looked across at Mara. 'Rather you stay back till we get things tied down. We're used to each other.'

She nodded and grinned. 'Only came for Alicia. Wouldn't wanna shoot one of you by mistake.'

He smiled reassuringly. Apart from the Ezra debacle, he had never found working with Mara a problem. She did as she was told and knew her own strengths and weaknesses. He was optimistic that they would chalk up another success but recognized that four men of the type they faced should not be underestimated. Still, they were now certain that the girl was here and alive so that was progress.

'You think she'll come through this all right?' he asked.

Mara pondered the question. 'She's a strong girl and she's not naïve. Like I told Vin, thing that scares me is if Dag's been up here. Don't think there are too many women could stand his attentions for long.'

'I were Monahan, I wouldn't want someone like that near my prize. Okay boys, let's roll.'

 

- 15 -

A quarter of a mile behind the riders, Dag concentrated on staying out of sight and making no sound on the rock and scree they traversed. He knew nothing of Monahan's shack in the hills so he was at a loss to explain the dawn expedition. His curiosity had been honed by his recognition of Annie in the group. Although he had wanted her, he had never liked her and now he was aching to discover and expose her treachery in revenge for the humiliation she had inflicted on him.

 

- 16 -

Charlie was staying closer to Dag than the man was to his quarry. Knowing that the man's attention was focussed forwards and on remaining undetected himself, Charlie was confident he would not be looking to his rear. He had noted that the seven riders were now eight but he was not close enough to recognize the addition. So far, the idea that Annie was involved in the events unfolding ahead of him had not entered his mind. There was no reason that it should.

 

- 17 -

Forty minutes later, the searchers glimpsed the shack through the trees. It was in poor repair, shingles missing from the roof and a gaping hole in the front porch. Buck grinned and said to Chris, 'Guess it ain't improved over the years but Loretta wasn't kiddin' when she said it was primitive. Makes your place look classy.'

Chris studied the wooden building closely. 'Big problem is the girl bein' in the middle of it. Vin, reckon you can take a look without bein' seen?'

Vin nodded and dismounted, handing his reins to Nathan. They watched while he explored the site without so much as a twig cracking. Five minutes later he was back.

'Two rooms inside, door open between them. Alicia's asleep in the bedroom, chained to a ring in the floor. Monahan and three others are round the table. Looks like they dozed off playin' cards. Don't think they're drunk though - only one bottle in sight.'

'Can we get through the bedroom window quietly?'

Vin considered that. 'Wouldn't be hard to open but it's small and high.'

'Okay. Mara, stay here till things quiet down. JD, get through that window, close the door and cover the girl. Josiah, help JD in and then you're with the rest of us. Reckon we can take 'em through the doors and windows.'

They tethered their horses and advanced silently. Mara watched while they fanned out round the shack. As Chris said, they were used to each other.

Josiah made easy work of giving JD a leg up, supporting the youngster's weight effortlessly while he worked on the window catch. JD had the window open in seconds, held the edge of the roof with both hands and threaded his legs through the aperture. His friends covered the sleepers through the windows, ready to take them out instantly if they stirred while he was vulnerable. JD twisted to rest on his stomach, then transferred his grip to the windowsill and lowered himself to the floor. Watched through the window by Josiah, he closed the door and walked to the bed. After a brief hesitation, he grasped the girl's head and covered her mouth. She tried in vain to bite him but he maintained his grip and leaned close to her ear. His words were barely audible.

'Don't make a sound. We're friends, here with Mara Costain.'

She immediately stopped struggling and looked up at him. He was surprised to see that, even grubby and terrified, she was beautiful beyond description. The startling cornflower of her eyes was undimmed by her incarceration, even if her hair of spun gold was tarnished. Her skin was as flawless and translucent as porcelain.

JD tentatively relaxed his grip, wary that she might not believe him or might be beyond reason but seeing no sign of that in her level gaze. She did not move a muscle, waiting for his instructions. He studied the chain and realized that she could not possibly move silently. There was nothing in the room she might use as a shield so he signaled her to stay flat, hoping that any stray bullets would pass over her. She understood and nodded. He took position to one side of the door, ready to fire on anyone who might come through it, then held up a thumb to Josiah, who moved round to join Chris at the front door. The fair man took a deep breath, stepped lightly onto the sagging veranda and kicked in the door.

The four men round the table leapt into action with creditable speed. They drew their guns and loosed a couple of rounds before they had even assimilated the danger. With the advantage of surprise, the rescuers aimed carefully, lodging bullets in arms and legs, intending to disarm rather than kill. It was only seconds before the captured men surrendered their weapons, with no injuries among their captors.

Mara watched as the four men were herded out of the cabin, shoved against the wall and searched thoroughly. It was with great difficulty that she waited for Chris's permission to approach. Josiah had gone into the cabin as part of the attack but he and JD had not emerged. Mara was wondering if they were hurt when the clang of metal on metal drifted towards her. She guessed that they were working to release Alicia and fidgeted in her saddle. It seemed an eternity but eventually Chris waved her down. She arrived just as Alicia reached the door at Josiah's side. The girl flew into Mara's arms and clung to her, her face undecided between sobs and smiles.

Dag watched the touching reunion from a position not far from where Mara had waited. He had left his horse out of earshot and crept silently through the trees to observe the rescue. He surveyed the scene outside the shack. He had no idea who the girl was but now understood that Annie's presence among them had been a cover for finding her and that the seven men were her friends. It was none of his business: he could leave now and move on to better pastures. On the other hand, few jobs and towns were so ideally suited to his particular needs. If he saved Monahan, he could step neatly up the ladder. If Pop did not survive the encounter, a lucrative vacancy would need to be filled. Dag knew he had little time to decide. He could not take on seven guns. He had to act before the captives were bound or they would not be able to back him up in time.

Forty feet from Dag, Charlie watched the same scene and made many of the same deductions. Not having recognized Annie among the riders, he was surprised to see her but understood her involvement when the girl embraced her. He considered the promotion scenario but quickly dismissed it. He hadn't yet reached the stage where he would capitalize on the misery of such a pretty young thing. More significantly, he was not prepared to let Dag kill Annie. In the second it took him to realize that, he knew he was more than fond of her. In his circles, only a man in love would risk his life for a woman who had already turned him down.

Dag reached his decision. The woman and girl were between him and the men, Mara with her back to him and her arms around Alicia. With a gun trained on them, their friends would be able to take no risks. Like JD, Dag was equally proficient with either hand and carried a pair of guns. He drew them and used the trees to cover his approach. He only needed to make a couple of strides in the open and all the participants were now focussed on the men standing against the shack.

Mara heard the footfall behind her a second too late, just as the barrel of a gun prodded her back.

'That's far enough, gents, unless you want a big hole in this whore.'

His words stopped the men in their tracks. He used his left hand to cover them. They sized up the situation, knowing they could blow him to pieces but doubting they could do so before Mara breathed her last. They saw her cursing herself for not being more vigilant but none of them had expected to be followed.

Charlie waited to see what would happen. He wasn't keen to put himself between five of his associates and seven of Annie's but he wasn't going to watch her die either. He hoped her friends could take Dag but saw how compromised they were by their concern for her. How often had he exploited such concern in the past? It was sometimes easier to ride with men who didn't care who got in the way so long as they saved their own hides.

The seven men waited, unable to use the guns in their hands. Pop slipped back into the shack, collected the weapons from the table and returned them to his boss and brothers. The situation rested on a knife-edge.

'Drop your guns,' Dag instructed Mara's friends.

Charlie knew he could put off his intervention no longer. In a few seconds, he'd lose whatever chance he had. He had a clear shot at Dag's profile and deliberated whether to shoot the man or the gun in Annie's back. If he shot the man, Dag might close his finger on the trigger and that would be the end for the woman. Charlie took careful aim and then loosed three shots in close succession, right hand, left hand, head. He never advertised the fact but he was one hell of a shot, not the fastest by a long way but as precise as the weapon allowed.

Dag was not even aware that his life had ended. The third shot hit home before his brain had interpreted the sound and burning sensation from the first.

Monahan and the Delaneys took the opportunity offered by the diversion to open fire, Jim at the shadowy gunman in the trees and the other three at their erstwhile captors in the clearing. Mara shoved Alicia to the ground and used her own body to shield her. When the firing stopped, she looked up cautiously. Seeing the crumpled bodies in front of the shack, she knew Monahan and his right-hand men would be causing no more trouble. She inspected her friends. Buck was holding his left upper arm and JD was bleeding from the thigh, though it was clear from the gash in his pants that the bullet had only winged him.

All eyes turned to the trees from which the opening fire had come. There was a groan but no movement. Nathan was first to stir, hurrying over to investigate. He pulled a man out of the undergrowth. Two hits from Jim Delaney's cut-down Winchester had left little for Charlie Dinns to breath with. Mara recognized the bloody mess in horror, ran over and cradled his head on her lap.

'Charlie, you damned fool,' she sobbed to him.

'Look who's talkin',' he gasped. 'You came for the girl?'

Mara nodded. 'My friend's daughter.'

'I didn't know about her.'

'I know. You're a good man, Charlie.'

'No, I ain't. But I was once.' He looked up at her. 'One of them why you said no?'

She nodded and kissed his bloody lips. She felt the life leave his body, held him close for a minute longer and then laid him down gently. It was a while before she could rouse herself even to check on Alicia properly.

When she did, the girl insisted she was fine. In answer to Mara's unasked question, she smiled and said in consternation, 'He didn't want that. He wanted me to marry him and have his children. Can you imagine?'

'Sounds like he was goin' senile,' Mara said dismissively. 'Trouble is you're too good-lookin', girl. You wanna be old and ugly like me. Men don't go insane when they catch a glimpse of me.'

Alicia gave a delighted chuckle, her grin at Vin showing what nonsense she thought it was but her sad glance at Charlie's body saying even more. Mara followed her thoughts and struggled to hold back more tears. Charlie hadn't been insane. He'd known exactly what a chance he'd been taking and he'd done it for her.

'Don't give a damn about those sacks of dirt,' she said, nodding towards the bodies by the shack, 'But I'm gonna find a nice spot for Charlie.' Vin helped her pick out a resting-place with a view across open country away from Darville and they buried Charlie in the Indian style, building a mound of rocks over his body.

While Nathan dressed Buck and JD's wounds, Alicia cleaned herself up and changed into one of the dresses Monahan had insisted on buying for her. An hour later, with food and drink inside them, they embarked on the long journey home and the tough task of putting recent events behind them. Alicia rode on Charlie's horse between Buck and Ezra, being charming and charmed by turns.

Vin grinned at Mara. 'I told Buck ya'd probably shoot him if he touches her.'

She smiled back. 'Alicia's old enough to please herself. I ain't straight-laced.'

'No, don't reckon anybody'd accuse ya of that.'

'Thanks for helpin' with Charlie.'

'No problem. I owe it to him I still got ya.'

'Still want me?'

'All the time.'

Chris joined them. 'You okay, Mara?'

She nodded.

'Won't be needin' your insurance now.'

'No. I'll send it to Emily. There's a few things she should know, not least that Loretta's her mother and she's entitled to whatever Monahan leaves behind. Fool shouldn'ta kept that stuff.'

Buck heard her words. 'But Loretta told me she can't have children.'

'Probably can't. Bad birth same as me,' she said with uncharacteristic candor. 'That makes it even worse. Son of a bitch didn't want a kid back then so he gave her baby away and told her it died. It was Joe's baby died.' She scowled. 'Men!'

Immediately embarrassed by the vehemence she had injected into the word, she grinned, 'Well, I guess you ain't all bad.'

NEXT

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