[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
quarter of a million dollars left to her by her maternal grandfather.
Your first contracted killers were a band of no accounts called the
Morgan gang. They tried to kill your wife twice and failed. They re
all dead, too, of course.
Yes, I heard from the Sheriff of Springfield that there allegedly
had been some trouble. At which point you and your brother made off
with my wife. I m afraid I have serious doubts about her virtue now.
Oh, he s good. Maddox had recovered quickly, giving the
appearance of a man affronted, a man in control. If Joshua didn t
detect just the slightest tremor, he d be tempted to believe him. He
decided his best course would be to ignore the slur against Sarah and
push on.
Then Sheriff MacFarlane sent two telegrams, one to you and one
to the woman s father, signing Caleb s name to both. One said we
would be crossing into Texas at Henrietta, the other Denison. Joshua
leaned forward even more. Do you want to know what Larson told
me just before he died?
He saw it then, a trace of fear in Maddox s eyes.
180 Cara Covington
He told me why you married the bitch and why you wanted her
dead. Ten thousand dollars. He straightened up again, so Maddox
would think that was all they knew about Larson. Sure enough, there
was the relief in the man s eyes. He believed his deepest secret to still
be safe, though how he could with Warren standing here was beyond
Joshua. He controlled his thoughts, and donned a smug expression.
That s how much I want to kill the woman, or she lives and I go
tell what I know to Adam Kendall.
You expect me to believe you haven t already spoken to the
man?
Joshua stepped back, let his gaze track to Warren. Warren
returned his look steadily. Joshua counted to five and hoped to hell
that exchange looked convincing to Maddox.
Adam was Caleb s friend, not mine. He doesn t even know
Caleb s dead, yet. Joshua let himself imagine the gut-wrenching pain
he d feel if anything happened to Caleb and knew that pain showed
on his face. He turned and looked at Warren again. Then he gave
Maddox his full attention. My brother is dead, and there s nothing I
can do to bring him back. But ten thousand dollars will buy us a fresh
start. Ten thousand dollars will take us anywhere we want to go. We
can find our place with that kind of money. Build a life.
You ve got only a minute to decide what happens next.
The look Maddox sent Warren was one of loathing. Warren
reacted by stepping just a half inch closer to Joshua. When Maddox
turned his mocking glare on him, Joshua let him see the very real
hatred he felt for the man.
Where is she now? Maddox asked.
We left Denison and headed straight to Warren s. I& I needed to
see him. Sarah was so upset by all that happened, she was nearly
hysterical. Right now she s on Warren s bed, sound asleep, thanks to
the help of a good dose of laudanum.
Maddox sat back and ran his fingers across the top of his desk.
Joshua could read him as easily as he could an open book. He saw the
Love Under Two Gunslingers 181
calculation. If he was sitting across a poker table from the man, he
would swear a bluff was imminent.
Fine.
Fine, what? Joshua asked.
Fine, you ve got a deal. Ten thousand dollars in return for Sarah
Carmichael s body. Don t bring her here. Shoot her, then ride into
Waco with her. Tell Kendall whatever damn story you want.
When and how do we get the money? Joshua asked.
I can write you a note on my bank right now, Maddox said.
Then cancel it the moment you come in to town? How stupid do
you think we are? Warren asked.
All right. I ll ride into Waco today, take out the gold. Meet you
wherever you say. But, by damn, it has to be today! Maddox slowly
sat forward, his eagerness plain.
Joshua turned to Warren, one eyebrow raised. Warren nodded.
Joshua turned to face Maddox again. Out of the corner of his eye,
he caught the expression on Warren s face. Warren had let his mask
fall, and Joshua was willing to let him have his moment of revenge.
Got you, you filthy bastard, the lawyer said.
Everything that came next happened so fast, it seemed a blur.
Maddox roared. They d talked over the night before all the
possible reactions Maddox would have when he realized he d been
had, when Joshua and Warren, who d both been deputized, arrested
him. The consensus was that he would explode in anger, then threaten
them with exposure as homosexuals, waving his influence and wealth
in their faces.
Adam hadn t been one hundred percent certain that once charged,
even with this confession of sorts, that Maddox could be convicted.
None of them had been, but they were all willing to take that chance.
Having him charged would serve one very important purpose, in
that it would almost guarantee Sarah would be granted an annulment.
None of them expected Maddox to draw his weapon and shoot.
182 Cara Covington
Too late, Joshua thought. Maddox gave in to his pettiness and
aimed at the man he hated, not the man who posed the biggest threat.
Joshua had only an instant to act. Lunging toward Warren, he
knocked that man out of the way and began to fall sideways even as
he drew his peacemaker and fired.
Twin explosions blasted out in the small, enclosed room. Joshua
felt a hiss of air as Maddox s bullet passed within a hair s breadth of
his ear. Warren s cry alarmed him at the same time the sight of the
hole between Maddox s eyes filled him with a deep, personal
satisfaction.
Joshua hit the floor then rolled, coming to his feet, his gun trained
on Maddox. The man had fallen back into his chair, definitely dead.
Son of a bitch, that stings!
Warren s curse yanked his attention away from the corpse. Sliding
his Colt back into his holster, he privately admitted he d been tempted
to give Maddox an extra couple of pieces of lead, just out of spite.
He went down on his knees next to Warren, who sat on the floor,
his right hand clamped to his left arm.
Let me see, Joshua said softly.
The door to the office burst open, and there stood the same skinny
Mexican man who d answered the door when they d arrived. He
looked at Joshua and Warren, then swung startled eyes to where [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl ocenkijessi.opx.pl
quarter of a million dollars left to her by her maternal grandfather.
Your first contracted killers were a band of no accounts called the
Morgan gang. They tried to kill your wife twice and failed. They re
all dead, too, of course.
Yes, I heard from the Sheriff of Springfield that there allegedly
had been some trouble. At which point you and your brother made off
with my wife. I m afraid I have serious doubts about her virtue now.
Oh, he s good. Maddox had recovered quickly, giving the
appearance of a man affronted, a man in control. If Joshua didn t
detect just the slightest tremor, he d be tempted to believe him. He
decided his best course would be to ignore the slur against Sarah and
push on.
Then Sheriff MacFarlane sent two telegrams, one to you and one
to the woman s father, signing Caleb s name to both. One said we
would be crossing into Texas at Henrietta, the other Denison. Joshua
leaned forward even more. Do you want to know what Larson told
me just before he died?
He saw it then, a trace of fear in Maddox s eyes.
180 Cara Covington
He told me why you married the bitch and why you wanted her
dead. Ten thousand dollars. He straightened up again, so Maddox
would think that was all they knew about Larson. Sure enough, there
was the relief in the man s eyes. He believed his deepest secret to still
be safe, though how he could with Warren standing here was beyond
Joshua. He controlled his thoughts, and donned a smug expression.
That s how much I want to kill the woman, or she lives and I go
tell what I know to Adam Kendall.
You expect me to believe you haven t already spoken to the
man?
Joshua stepped back, let his gaze track to Warren. Warren
returned his look steadily. Joshua counted to five and hoped to hell
that exchange looked convincing to Maddox.
Adam was Caleb s friend, not mine. He doesn t even know
Caleb s dead, yet. Joshua let himself imagine the gut-wrenching pain
he d feel if anything happened to Caleb and knew that pain showed
on his face. He turned and looked at Warren again. Then he gave
Maddox his full attention. My brother is dead, and there s nothing I
can do to bring him back. But ten thousand dollars will buy us a fresh
start. Ten thousand dollars will take us anywhere we want to go. We
can find our place with that kind of money. Build a life.
You ve got only a minute to decide what happens next.
The look Maddox sent Warren was one of loathing. Warren
reacted by stepping just a half inch closer to Joshua. When Maddox
turned his mocking glare on him, Joshua let him see the very real
hatred he felt for the man.
Where is she now? Maddox asked.
We left Denison and headed straight to Warren s. I& I needed to
see him. Sarah was so upset by all that happened, she was nearly
hysterical. Right now she s on Warren s bed, sound asleep, thanks to
the help of a good dose of laudanum.
Maddox sat back and ran his fingers across the top of his desk.
Joshua could read him as easily as he could an open book. He saw the
Love Under Two Gunslingers 181
calculation. If he was sitting across a poker table from the man, he
would swear a bluff was imminent.
Fine.
Fine, what? Joshua asked.
Fine, you ve got a deal. Ten thousand dollars in return for Sarah
Carmichael s body. Don t bring her here. Shoot her, then ride into
Waco with her. Tell Kendall whatever damn story you want.
When and how do we get the money? Joshua asked.
I can write you a note on my bank right now, Maddox said.
Then cancel it the moment you come in to town? How stupid do
you think we are? Warren asked.
All right. I ll ride into Waco today, take out the gold. Meet you
wherever you say. But, by damn, it has to be today! Maddox slowly
sat forward, his eagerness plain.
Joshua turned to Warren, one eyebrow raised. Warren nodded.
Joshua turned to face Maddox again. Out of the corner of his eye,
he caught the expression on Warren s face. Warren had let his mask
fall, and Joshua was willing to let him have his moment of revenge.
Got you, you filthy bastard, the lawyer said.
Everything that came next happened so fast, it seemed a blur.
Maddox roared. They d talked over the night before all the
possible reactions Maddox would have when he realized he d been
had, when Joshua and Warren, who d both been deputized, arrested
him. The consensus was that he would explode in anger, then threaten
them with exposure as homosexuals, waving his influence and wealth
in their faces.
Adam hadn t been one hundred percent certain that once charged,
even with this confession of sorts, that Maddox could be convicted.
None of them had been, but they were all willing to take that chance.
Having him charged would serve one very important purpose, in
that it would almost guarantee Sarah would be granted an annulment.
None of them expected Maddox to draw his weapon and shoot.
182 Cara Covington
Too late, Joshua thought. Maddox gave in to his pettiness and
aimed at the man he hated, not the man who posed the biggest threat.
Joshua had only an instant to act. Lunging toward Warren, he
knocked that man out of the way and began to fall sideways even as
he drew his peacemaker and fired.
Twin explosions blasted out in the small, enclosed room. Joshua
felt a hiss of air as Maddox s bullet passed within a hair s breadth of
his ear. Warren s cry alarmed him at the same time the sight of the
hole between Maddox s eyes filled him with a deep, personal
satisfaction.
Joshua hit the floor then rolled, coming to his feet, his gun trained
on Maddox. The man had fallen back into his chair, definitely dead.
Son of a bitch, that stings!
Warren s curse yanked his attention away from the corpse. Sliding
his Colt back into his holster, he privately admitted he d been tempted
to give Maddox an extra couple of pieces of lead, just out of spite.
He went down on his knees next to Warren, who sat on the floor,
his right hand clamped to his left arm.
Let me see, Joshua said softly.
The door to the office burst open, and there stood the same skinny
Mexican man who d answered the door when they d arrived. He
looked at Joshua and Warren, then swung startled eyes to where [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]