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They turned and caught sight of Sheriff Davis jogging in their direction. He halted in front of them and stated without preamble, “I’ve got some bad news.”
The sheriff was a tall, broad-shouldered and lean-hipped man with a thick mustache that enveloped his upper lip. He was dressed in his usual uniform of a brown vest and jacket over a white shirt. A good man, he’d been a fine choice for keeping the law in Cowboy Creek.
Will smoothed his beard with a thumb and forefinger. “What is it this time?”
“We caught some fellows by the railroad cars.”
“Not again.” Will and Daniel exchanged a glance. “Did they take anything?”
“Not that I know of.” The sheriff leaned closer. “They were sniffing around the supplies again.”
Will made a sound of frustration. The saboteurs had caused plenty of problems already. They’d burned a shipment of wood, stolen supplies and poisoned several dozen head of cattle. The town council had hired extra guards for the railcars and the lumberyard. Instead of backing down, the vandals had grown more brazen.
“Do you think it’s the Murdoch Gang again?” Will asked.
“Maybe, maybe not.” The sheriff shrugged. “Those boys robbed a church in broad daylight. I don’t see them keeping to the shadows.”
“You’re probably right.” With most of the town gathered for the rodeo, this was the perfect time for another strike. “Why don’t we—”
Raucous applause drowned out his words. Will and Daniel exchanged another glance before heading toward the corral. Since most of the townsfolk knew Daniel owned the stockyards, the crowds parted for them. People lined the entire circumference of the corral and crowded two and three deep in some places. Only a few feminine hats stood out against the mostly male crowd.
Upon reaching the fence, a distinctive paint horse carrying a redheaded rider galloped through an open gate. In a blur the pair sped around the corner and cut a diagonal across the center of the corral. Dirt clods kicked up by speeding hooves peppered the delighted audience. As Tomasina raced by, the men waved and shouted encouragement. With a flying lead change, the duo switched courses and curved across the opposite side, then galloped back toward the center once more.
The rider pulled up short. At the sudden stop the animal’s hooves cut trenches in the soft earth. The horse sidestepped left and back again. Horse and rider wheeled in a tight circle then changed directions just as quickly before stilling once more. The boisterous spectators shouted and whistled.
Tomasina Stone, better known as Texas Tom, waved to the crowd from her perch. Only then did Will notice the horse wore no saddle or bridle. Tomasina had controlled the racing animal with nothing but her legs and heels. The dawning realization sent a collective gasp erupting from the audience.
Clearly feeding off the attention, she bent one knee and braced it on the horse’s haunches then pushed off until she was standing. She wore her familiar leather-fringed chaps and blue chambray shirt with mother-of-pearl buttons on the flap pockets. Hatless in the afternoon sunlight, her flowing red curls glistened.
Save for the flicker of its tail, the horse remained motionless. The crowd grew hushed. Balancing on the paint’s back, Tomasina swooped her arms higher, urging the men into a cheer. Her plea was met with thunderous whoops and hollers.
Even Will had to admit she was magnificent. Her smile was infectious, her confidence alluring. Every man in the audience was admiring her, as well. An unexpected surge of jealousy caught him by surprise. The urge to protect her was nearly overwhelming. Not even Dora had inspired this confusing flood of emotions. Yet this slip of a girl he’d only met a handful of times had him captivated.
In an instant the mood changed. Her balance faltered. The horse lunged forward. Tomasina vaulted into the air. Strangled cries sounded from several onlookers. Will instinctively pitched forward. She landed in a crouch then popped upright and swept one arm across her stomach in a shallow bow. Her trick drew deafening applause. A vein throbbed in Will’s temple. The whole thing had been a stunt.
She whistled, and the horse veered straight at her. Though Will knew by now her act was all for show, the muscles in his shoulders tensed. At the last second Tomasina neatly sidestepped and caught the horse’s mane in both hands. Using the forward motion, she swung one leg over the animal’s haunches and resumed her seat once more.
Will’s knuckles whitened around the top rail of the corral fence, his heart thundering in his chest as he watched the scene unfolding before him. Tomasina spun her mount and trotted toward him. Her vivid green eyes pinned him in place.
Halting in front of his spot on the fence, the horse’s hooves kicked more dirt over his boots.
With her mischievous grin firmly in place, Tomasina winked at him. Apprehension snaked up his spine. His instincts were correct once again.
Texas Tom meant trouble.
She flourished one hand. “For my next trick, I need a volunteer from the audience.” She sidled her horse nearer Will’s vigil and extended her arm, indicating him with a hand encased in a fringed leather glove. “How about you, kind sir? Are you man enough to take on Texas Tom?”
Chapter Four (#ulink_6b620627-1487-53e4-986c-689e42952bdd)
Before Will could react to her unexpected challenge, a commotion at the far end of the corral distracted Tomasina. He followed her gaze. A saddled but riderless horse, almost identical to the one she rode, trotted toward them. Loose reins trailed in the dirt while empty stirrups flapped against the animal’s sides.
Tomasina’s stance instantly focused on the odd sight. Her fingers flexed on her horse’s mane. Her attention sharpened. Though the proud lines of her profile remained inflexible, Will sensed something was wrong. Her curls fluttered in the soft breeze. This wasn’t part of the show. Uncertain as well, the crowd remained hushed in anticipation.
Waiting.
Tomasina sat straighter. A crash sounded.
An enormous white bull galloped into the corral, thrashing and snorting. The nostrils on the riderless horse flared, and the animal lunged away from the steer’s path. Tomasina spun her mount and charged toward the bull.
His heart racing, Will dropped his cane and vaulted over the fence. Upon his landing, pain shot up his leg and rattled his teeth.
Daniel grabbed for his coat. “What are you doing, Will?”
“Don’t be a fool!” Quincy Davis called out.
The riderless horse bolted past, and Will caught the reins, yanking the animal to a halt. Using his good leg, he stuck one foot in the empty stirrup and hoisted himself into the saddle. The animal danced beneath him, frightened and confused. Grasping the pommel, he squeezed his legs, asserting his dominance over the skittish horse.
Quickly snagging the second rein and establishing control, he searched for Tomasina and the bull. Cornered at the far end of corral, the horned animal reared and snorted. Tomasina sidled her mount toward the fence. Nostrils flared and sharp hooves pawed the earth. The animal was set to charge, and she’d positioned herself directly in its path.
An icy chill pooled in the pit of his stomach.
Placing two fingers in his mouth, Will let out a sharp whistle. Distracted from its closest prey, the bull shook its enormous head. Will waved his hands above his head. The bull changed direction and charged toward him. Keeping his mount steady, Will held his position to the last second. Feinting left, he narrowly escaped the sharp horns.
A flash of red caught his attention. Blood darkened the animal’s fur. The bull had been injured, though not badly enough to slow it down. In preparation for the bronc-busting contest, a rope had been fastened around the bull’s middle along with a halter around the snout. If Will caught hold of that halter, he might be able to flip the bull. If Texas Tom was the marksman she claimed, he’d buy enough time for a shot. Will spun his mount and intercepted her.
She waved him toward the opposite end. “Help me herd him back to the gate.”
“No.” Will shook his head. “Too dangerous. That animal is hurt. He’s better off in the corral, where he can thrash about.” He followed the bull’s frantic bucking. “Let the cowboys clear out the spectators, then I’ll grab his head and flip him. You take the shot.”
There was no other way.
Her expression revealed an embarrassing level of skepticism. “Have you ever flipped a bull before?”
“No time to argue.” He’d seen the trick plenty of times, but he’d never actually performed the task. If the war had taught him one thing, it was that sometimes a man learned skills on the fly. “Grab your guns and prove you’re a sharpshooter.”
“It’s too dangerous,” she shouted. “I won’t let you.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
The more time they wasted, the more they risked. Wild with pain, the bull charged toward the corral fence. The crowd scrambled away. Startled cries rippled through the fleeing audience. The white bull kicked and bucked, its back legs smashing the fence, splintering the rails.
With the enclosure breached, the whole town was in peril. Will dug his heels into his mount’s sides and galloped the distance. He maneuvered his horse between the bull and the broken fence. A horn caught his horse’s flank, and the animal brayed. A second lunge narrowly missed Will’s thigh.
People pushed and shoved, madly fleeing the area.
Tomasina frantically gestured toward the cowboy at the far end of the corral. “Grab my rope.”
They had to keep the bull occupied until the majority of the crowd dispersed. The animal kicked at the fence once again, cracking the top railing in two. Time was quickly running short.
With the bull breathing down his neck, Will galloped toward the exit. “Open the gate for Tomasina!”
Several cowboys frantically unlatched the fastening.
He gestured toward her. “Get out of here.”
There was no reason for both of them to take the risk. His only chance at limiting injuries to onlookers was to keep the animal contained.
He glanced over his shoulder, and his heart skittered and stalled. Instead of galloping toward the gate, Tomasina approached the bull at a dead-on run. She worked a rope in her hands, winding her arm in a rhythmic motion. Like a furious Valkyrie, her focus remained fixed on her target, and her hair streamed behind her. Twirling the lasso high above her head, she launched the loop and neatly snared the animal’s head then yanked her horse to a halt.
Shocked by the sudden obstruction, the bull’s speed faltered. The animal shook its head, bucking and snorting. The steer sat back on its heels and spun in a taut circle. Tomasina held tight. Will whistled again, and the frightened steer paused only a moment before resuming its agonized pitching.
Tomasina’s hold faltered. Time slowed. First one hand broke free then the other. The rope caught her legs and yanked her from her mount. Fear urged him forward. She’d be pulverized beneath the bull’s hooves in an instant. Will slapped his horse’s hindquarters with the extra length of reins and charged. The steer pawed the ground, and Tomasina scuttled away. The steer ducked its head and plunged forward. The tip of one horn grazed her head.
Tomasina dug in her heels and frantically scooted backward. Will galloped between the pair and leaped from the saddle. He grasped the bull’s horn and concentrated all his weight into the collision. Twisting his body, he landed on his back, hauling the bull to its side in the process. The air whooshed from Will’s lungs and stars shot like shrapnel behind his eyes.
A gunshot sounded.
The cowboys sprang into action. Bodies swarmed them. Will shook the fog from his vision and kept his grip, draping his leg over the bull’s neck. Another shot sounded and the animal went still.
Will collapsed onto his back and stared at the cloudless sky. His breath came in harsh gasps. The enormous steer lay sprawled in the center of the corral. He touched the animal’s side, felt a great heaving sigh and then nothing. Pushing off, he lurched away and gritted his teeth against the pain firing up his leg.
Thrown from her horse, Tomasina sat back on her heels and brushed at her pants.
The events of the past few moments played out in his memory with sickening detail. She’d nearly been killed.
Daniel appeared in front of him. His friend stuck out his hand and helped Will up, discreetly passing him his walking stick in the process.
Daniel shielded his eyes against the sun. “You all right? That was quite a show you put on.”
“I’m fine.” Will mumbled his thanks.
“Quincy and I will start assessing the damage.”
“I’ll join you in a minute.”
Once his friend had walked out of earshot, Will advanced on Tomasina. “Have you taken leave of your senses?”
She staggered upright, a relieved grin on her expressive face. “That was a real humdinger. I didn’t think you had it in you, Daddy Canfield.”
“Do you have a death wish?” he thundered. “Did you actually think you could slow thousands of pounds of charging bull?”
He couldn’t recall the last time he’d raised his voice to anyone, let alone a woman. Normally his rage was a cold thing. He’d discovered early in his military career that low tones were more lethally effective than shouts. Tomasina was singularly unaffected by his ire, which only increased his fury.
“Don’t get riled at me.” Her expression morphed into annoyance. “You jumped on him!”
“We’re not talking about me.”
She lifted her eyes heavenward. “And I suppose because you’re a man you think you’re the only one who can risk his life?”
“It’s not about who can risk their life, it’s about being sensible.”
“You didn’t look too sensible when you were diving toward those horns.” She blew out a heavy breath. “I don’t think men are as interested in protecting women as they are in taking all the glory.”
“Glory? I can assure you, glory was the very last thing on my mind.”
She scowled, circled the steer and then knelt near its haunches. “Look at that.”
“If you’d listened to me, none of this would have happened.” He realized she was no longer engaged in the conversation. “What’s wrong?”
“Someone speared this animal.” She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, smearing red across her face. “This didn’t happen by accident. We check all the animal pens for weaknesses and breaches. How did this bull get into the corral in the first place? Someone released him on purpose.” Glaring at Will, she demanded, “Did you have anything to do with this? You wanted my show shut down from the beginning. It’s as good as over now.”
“My whole concern was the safety of the spectators.” He looped the horse’s reins in his hands. “Why would I endanger them this way?”
“All right, all right.” Her shoulders slumped. “It’s just that I promised no one would get hurt. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Ever.”
“I’m not exactly thrilled that my premonition was accurate.”
Will crouched beside her and unfurled his handkerchief.
He reached for her head and Tomasina flinched away. “What are you doing?”
“You’ve got a cut on your forehead.” He dabbed at the flow of blood then pressed against the wound. “You’ll need that stitched.”
“I’m fine.” She pressed her gloved hand over his. “I don’t need stitches.”
Despite her bravado, he felt the delicate trembling of her hand beneath his fingertips. Her face was pale, and her eyes were wide and glassy. The adrenaline gradually drained from his veins, leaving him oddly lethargic. His gaze dipped to where their hands touched. His mouth went dry. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He’d never lost his temper after a battle or crises. He’d always been known for his cool head, and yet he’d been raging like a lunatic only a moment before. What was happening to him?
“If you don’t want stitches, that’s your choice.” His words were strained, his voice husky. Slipping his hand from beneath her fingers, he left the handkerchief in place. “You’ll be left with a scar.”
Free from her touch, his head cleared. Her expression remained mutinous.
“So what? I ain’t looking to impress no one.” She squinted into the distance, her brilliant green eyes flashing. “I don’t mind killing when killing needs to be done, but someone deliberately wounded this animal. There’s no call for this kind of cruelty.”
“Which leaves the obvious. Someone deliberately riled that animal during your performance.” Will stood and surveyed the trampled grass and scattered debris. Most of the crowd had dispersed. Only a few huddled knots of people remained. He limped toward the fence for a better look at the damage. “You have an enemy, Miss Stone.”
“Me? You’re the one with all the rules and regulations. Maybe someone is tired of following ’em. Maybe your loyal subjects aren’t as happy with the leadership as you think. Maybe somebody has it out for Cowboy Creek. There’s no reason to assume this is my enemy.”
Her words struck too close to home. Was the Murdoch Gang involved? They’d been having trouble with those fellows since the snow melted. One of the gang had been grazed by a bullet in their last encounter with the law of Cowboy Creek. Rubbing his forehead, Will considered the possibility. Something didn’t quite fit. The Murdochs were far bolder than this slipshod attempt at revenge. Men who robbed churches in broad daylight didn’t hide their actions. No. The Murdochs weren’t behind this particular event.
This message was for Tomasina. Will tightened his fists, his heart still racing from the fear he’d experienced when she’d fallen from her horse. Even in death the enormous steer was intimidating, its carcass stretched across the dirt.
He stared at the flattened grass and the hats and other items abandoned by the fleeing crowd. His vision swam, and he was back at Little Round Top once again. His nostrils burned with gunpowder and a haze of smoke hung low in the sky. Men writhed and screamed. They were the lucky ones. Others were still. Horse carcasses littered the field.
The stench of blood filled the air. Will’s trousers were damp with it. A pall of grief settled over him. He’d never become accustomed to losing horses in such a grizzly fashion. At least the men understood what they were facing, what they were fighting for, in those horrific battles. But the animals were innocent. As innocent as children. As innocent as the babe asleep in his rooms at the Cattleman Hotel.
Grasping the reins of his borrowed horse, he approached a cowboy loitering nearby.
“He’s been injured,” Will said. “Hindquarters.”
