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“Just me.”
The man rubbed one finger up and down the side of his bulbous nose. “No. I think this town will be perfect. Just perfect.”
Nolan glanced over his shoulder once more. His lips were set in a hard line. Tilly shivered. Something brushed against her arm, and she stifled a shriek.
“Gracious, Caroline, you frightened me.”
Caroline clasped her hands. “Elizabeth is gone.”
“What do you mean?” Tilly demanded. “Where could she go?”
“Victoria and I only turned our back for an instant, and she was gone. There’s a door leading to the next building. I didn’t even notice because we were watching for the raccoon.”
Tilly started back for the kitchen but Caroline pointed, her face pale. Tilly followed the direction of her niece’s horrified gaze.
Elizabeth had exited the barbershop next door, and was clumsily navigating her way down the boardwalk steps and into the street directly before the strangers.
Tilly’s heart jerked into her throat. “Stay here,” she ordered the girls.
Her blood pounding, she pushed through the door and dashed after Elizabeth. Nolan spun around. She reached the errant toddler and caught Elizabeth beneath the arms.
“No-wan,” the toddler declared, reaching for Mr. West.
“You lied to me,” the outlaw declared. “I don’t like liars.”
In an instant the scene descended into a chaotic scuffle. The second man kicked Nolan square in the chest. Nolan doubled over with a groan. The third men leaped from his horse and wrapped Nolan’s hand behind his back. He struggled and the third man joined the effort to subdue him. The outlaw snatched the stagecoach man’s gun and tossed the weapon to his companion.
The leader remained mounted. He edged his horse closer, then drew his sidearm and pressed the barrel against Nolan’s head.
“You said you were alone here, mister. I don’t like when folks lie to me.”
The second man moved his horse between Tilly and Nolan. She clutched Elizabeth and scooted away. The third man blocked her exit. Frightened by the commotion, tears welled in Elizabeth’s eyes.
“Mama,” the toddler sobbed.
The mounted outlaw yanked on Tilly’s hair, tipping back her head in a painful stretch. “You should have told me you had a wife, mister.”
Chapter Four (#ufab65135-16cc-540e-917c-60275d763e9a)
A fierce haze clouded Nolan’s vision. The pain in his chest sucked the breath from his lungs. With a burst of strength he broke free from the outlaw twisting his arm. At the same time, the third man released Tilly. She launched herself toward Nolan. With Elizabeth clutched between them, she threw one arm around his waist and buried her head against his shoulder.
He stiffened in surprise but didn’t pull away. The toddler’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears. He transferred Elizabeth into his arms and wrapped his free hand around Tilly.
“What do you want?” Nolan demanded, fearing he already knew the answer. “There’s nothing for you here.”
Tilly trembled and worked her hand between them, clutching her throat. Elizabeth hiccupped a sob.
“I’m Dakota Red.” The red-haired leader grinned. “This fellow is my brother, Charlie, and Snyder here is a friend we busted out of jail.”
Tilly gasped.
Though the brothers were similar in appearance, Charlie was at least a head shorter with small, sunken eyes and shaggy blond hair visible beneath his hat. Snyder was the largest of the bunch, a mountain of a man with a long, dark beard and heavy eyebrows. From the looks of the third man, Nolan guessed the brothers had busted Snyder out of jail for his brawn and not his brains.
Nolan slid his arm down Tilly’s back and drew her closer. “I told you, there’s nothing for you folks here.”
“Not yet. But there will be.” A scuffle sounded from the hotel and Dakota Red sighted his gun on the building. “Who’s there?”
Tilly wrenched from Nolan’s protective grasp.
Her eyes wide and frightened, she frantically splayed her arms. “They’re children. Don’t shoot.”
Nolan moved before her, but there was no way for him to shield both her and Elizabeth from the outlaw.
“You heard her.” Impotent fury settled in his chest. “Drop your weapon before you harm a child,” Nolan said.
The outlaw’s stance slackened, and the tip of his gun lowered.
His mocking laughter erupted in the strained silence. “How many young’uns you got, feller?”
“There’s just my wife and our three nieces,” Nolan answered quickly, his mind racing. They were outnumbered and outgunned. The safety of Tilly and her nieces mattered most. He grasped for any advantage he could exploit against the men.
“Where’s their pa?” The outlaw narrowed his gaze. “And don’t lie, or I’ll know.”
“Dead,” Nolan replied shortly.
Dakota Red didn’t ask about the mother. The outlaw must have assumed she was dead or he didn’t care. Another piece of information Nolan tucked away for future reference. The man clearly didn’t see women as a threat.
“Charlie.” Dakota Red motioned for his brother. “This place will work just fine.”
A muscle twitched in Charlie’s cheek. “You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
Tilly’s hair had come loose from the coil at the nape of her neck, and the tangled mass tumbled around her shoulders. A break in the clouds sent a shaft of sunlight glinting off the silken strands. As though drawn by an invisible force, Charlie sidled nearer. He caught a handful in his gloved hand and brought the strands toward his face. Inhaling deeply, his eyes glittered dangerously.
Tilly shuddered and strained to get away.
“Let her go,” Nolan growled.
“Charlie,” Dakota Red barked out. “You heard the man.”
The outlaw’s brother remained defiant for a beat, then chuckled and shoved Tilly away.
The moment Charlie released his hold, Nolan twisted her free from the outlaw and tucked her against his side once more.
Dakota Red swung his leg over his horse’s rump and dropped to the ground. He tossed the reins to Snyder, then paced the distance, his hands planted on the double gun belts strapped around his hips.
“You and I both know what has to happen here. There’s a shipment of gold coming out of Virginia City. Without the usual steamship, that shipment has to travel over ground. The way I see things, trying to steal the gold outright will only get us shot. Which is why you and your wife are going to help us out. When the stages come through town, you’re going to steal the gold for us. By the time them cavalry boys figure out it’s missing, we’ll be long gone.”
Tilly stiffened. “What happens if we don’t help you?”
“I guess I’ll just have to kill you, won’t I?”
“No!”
“We’ll cooperate.” Nolan rapidly worked through his options. “On one condition. Neither you nor your men lay a finger on my wife or the children. If anything happens to one of them...” With a fixed stare in Charlie’s direction, he hardened his voice. “If even one hair on one of their heads is harmed, I’ll send up the alarm.”
Everything depended on the lie. As long as the outlaws believed Tilly and the girls were his family, he had leverage.
The outlaw pressed a hand against his chest in mock outrage. “I’m not here to spoil your little family. Me and the boys only want what we deserve. Them Union pigs took everything. I figure they owe us.”
Nolan gritted his teeth. A lot of men had lost their livelihoods to the war, but not everyone had turned outlaw. “That’s the deal. The stagecoach drivers and the cavalry know who lives here. If something happens to one of us, they’ll send in troops, and your plan is forfeit.”
“You make a real good point, mister.” Dakota Red grinned at his crew. “You got yourself a deal.”
“The children,” Tilly blurted. “I don’t want them frightened any more than necessary. As far as they’re concerned, you’re only resting here for a few days. Nothing more.”
Dakota Red ran his thumb along his bottom lip, his expression thoughtful. “You got an awful lot of demands considering you’re not holding any of the cards.”
“They’ll give you away,” she continued, her voice tremulous. “They’re children. They can’t keep secrets.”
Nolan admired her quick thinking. He didn’t want the girls living under the umbrella of fear any more than Tilly. They were an equal distance between both the river crossing and the cavalry fort. The travel time to each was an easy two days in the daylight. If he rode hard, he could make the trip overnight while the outlaws slept. But if he slipped out after dark, he’d be navigating without moonlight given the growing bank of clouds in the distance. He’d also be leaving Tilly and the girls alone with the outlaws if anything happened to him.
He narrowed his gaze at Charlie. Dakota Red appeared focused on the gold, and Snyder was too wary of the brothers to disobey orders. Charlie had him worried. The outlaw had a wild, reckless look in his eye, and he’d set his sights on Tilly.
Sensing the tension in the adults without understanding the reason, Elizabeth whimpered. Nolan cupped his hand around the back of her head, smoothing the fluff of curls.
“It’s all right,” he soothed. “I know where there’s a whole mess of blackberry bushes.”
“Boo-berry,” Elizabeth declared.
“Yes. Boo-berries.”
Dakota Red grunted. “Enough already. Get them young’uns out here and let me take a look at them.”
Tilly shook her head and strained away.
Nolan placed his hand over her trembling fingers. “It’s all right. Do as he says.”
He appealed to her with his eyes, willing her to understand. The outlaws had them trapped. There was nowhere for them to hide. Sooner or later, the fugitives were going to find out about the girls. The fewer falsehoods he told now, the better chance he’d have for pulling off a deception later.
There was no way of explaining his plan to Tilly. She was terrified, and she had every right to be. He reached for her, then let his hand drop to his side. Elizabeth wrapped her small arms around his neck.
Tilly glanced between him and the tiny head resting on his shoulder. She seemed to make some kind of a decision. Though her steps dragged, she made her way to the hotel and emerged a moment later with a bright, false smile on her face.
Holding each of the girls’ hands in one of her own, she said, “Victoria and Caroline, these men are going to be staying in town for a few days. We don’t want to bother them, so let’s keep our distance, shall we?”
Caroline pursed her lips. “They can’t stay in the hotel. I promised that mama raccoon no one would bother her.”
Charlie turned his head and spit into the grass. “Is your young’un touched or somthin’?”
“No.” Tilly glared. “A mama raccoon has taken up residence in the stove at the hotel.”
The outlaw chortled and reached for his gun. “I’ll make short work of that varmint.”
“You can’t!” Caroline shouted.
Dakota Red shook his head. “Don’t go teasing the girl, Charlie. There’s no reason we can’t oblige these folks for their hospitality. Looks like there’s a proper house next to the livery. No need to go bothering the wildlife.”
“That’s the undertaker’s house,” Nolan murmured beneath his breath.
Tilly’s eyes widened. “You’re joking,” she whispered.
“Not at all.”
“Serves them right.” She grimaced, then raised her voice. “Why don’t you girls return to Mr. West’s, um, return to the relay station and we’ll start dinner.”
The two older girls exchanged a confused look, but dutifully followed orders.
Elizabeth strained toward her sisters and Nolan set her on her feet with a pat on her head. “Go with your sisters.”
“Boo-berries.”
“After dinner.”
The toddler studied his face as though gauging his intent. Apparently satisfied he’d keep his promise, she ambled after the older girls.
Once they’d moved out of sight, Tilly set her jaw in the stubborn line he’d witnessed the previous day. He sensed she didn’t like being given orders, which didn’t bode well for the next few days. He’d have his hands full staying between her and the outlaws. If one good thing had come out of his time living in the camp, he’d picked up skills in dealing with folks who held all the power. Always let the man in charge believe he had his prisoners cowed. That way, he dropped his guard.
“There are five of us and only three of you,” Tilly declared boldly. “You can’t watch all of us all the time.”
“I don’t have to watch you.” Dakota Red chuckled. “Neither you nor your husband is leaving without your young’uns, and there’s no way them girls are getting very far in this terrain without horses. You follow what I’m saying? I don’t have to keep watch on you, I just have to keep watch on the horses, and I’ve got all five of you wrapped up tighter than a beetle in a spiderweb.”
Nolan’s gut twisted. The outlaw had effectively snatched the last best chance of fetching help.
There was no way he was making the cavalry station or the river crossing on foot, which meant he’d best think of another plan. Quickly.
* * *
The girls disappeared into the relay station, and Tilly glanced in despair at Nolan. How were they going to survive the next few days? The girls would certainly give them away. How could she explain the situation without frightening them?
Charlie sidled closer, and nausea rose in the back of her throat. Her neck throbbed from his earlier violent behavior. He reached for her and she instinctively launched herself at Nolan. His strong arms closed around her, clasping her shivering body tight against his side. The outlaw hadn’t challenged the stagecoach man before, and she prayed Charlie would keep his distance now.
“It’s all right.” The warmth of Nolan’s breath feathered against her tangled hair. “You’re safe. I won’t let him harm you.”
Angry tears burned in her eyes. If she hadn’t let her curiosity override her good sense, she’d have been watching Elizabeth, and none of this would have happened.
At least her nieces were safe. For the moment.
