Defiant (24 page)

There was a moment of silence while Chip rustled through the drawer.

“I got it!”

Chip ran to let the sheriff out. “We’d better get over to the saloon fast. Trey sent me here to get you because the preacher man led another prayer group into the Last Chance. He wants you over there to help him keep order. But with McCullough being there, if what you said is true, there might be big trouble tonight.”

“You go on back to the Last Chance and tell Trey
I’ll be there shortly,” Pete ordered as he stepped out of the jail cell and headed into his office.

“We’ll be waiting for you!” Chip said. He rushed off to let Trey know help was on the way.

“You’ll be waiting a long time,” Pete muttered to himself after Chip had gone.

Pete got his gun out of the desk drawer where Nick and Clint had left it. He checked to make sure it was loaded, then slid it back in his holster. Next he went to the gun cabinet and got a rifle and extra ammunition. After taking one last look around the office, he walked outside.

Pete was relieved to find his horse still tied out front. Sliding the rifle in its sheath, he mounted up. He had one last stop to make before he left town, and that was at his house to get the money he kept hidden there.

Pete gave no thought to helping Tuck, Ax, and Walt. They were on their own. If Williams took them down tonight, too bad.

He still couldn’t believe how stupid Tuck had been. First, not making sure Clint had been dead the night they’d attacked the Williams’s ranch. When he’d sent the gang to do that job, he’d expected them to make sure it was done right. Then, the fact that the boys had made it so easy for Williams to track them down. And finally, the mistake that had led Williams to connect him with the gang. They were going to get exactly what they deserved, and he was going to be long gone. He was getting out of town as fast as he could.

Clint and Nick were men on a mission as they strode back inside the saloon.

Trey was relieved when he saw them. “Thanks for your help, Deputy. I owe you a drink.” He took out a glass, ready to pour him a free shot.

“Later,” Nick said tersely, keeping his gaze fixed on the back of the room.

Trey was puzzled by his demeanor but went on to tell him, “I’m glad Chip found you—”

“What are you talking about?” Nick stopped and looked quickly over at him.

“I sent Chip over to the sheriff’s office to get you—”

“You sent Chip to the office?” Nick repeated, a feeling of dread coming over him.

“That’s right.”

Clint knew this meant trouble. “Let’s take care of these three right now. We can check on the other one once we’re done here.”

Time was of the essence as they moved to the back of the room and drew their guns. They faced down Tuck and Ax where they were sitting at the poker table.

“Tuck—Ax—you’re under arrest,” Clint stated.

“Sit down and shut up. We’ve got to finish this hand,” Tuck told him, thinking it was some kind of perverse joke he was playing with the deputy.

“You heard the man.” Nick stepped up. “Keep your hands where we can see them and move away from the table—
now!
”

When they didn’t move immediately, Nick kicked the table over, sending the cards and money flying.

“What the—?” Ax was totally confused as he looked up at the two men holding guns on them.

“I said, you’re under arrest. For murder,” Clint told the two men coldly. He was watching them carefully and could tell they were ready for a fight as they slowly stood up. “Don’t get any ideas about trying to draw on us, unless you want to die right here.”

“What’s going on?” Trey demanded, coming out from behind the bar to see what the trouble was. With the preacher man gone, he’d expected things to quiet down, not get rowdier.

“These men are Glen Tucker and Ax Hansen of the Tucker Gang. They’re wanted for robbery and murder, and we’re taking them in,” Clint said as he stripped the two outlaws of their sidearms.

“
We’re?
” Trey was confused as he looked between the man he knew as a gunfighter and the deputy.

“Don’t worry,” Nick assured the bartender. “He’s Clint Williams. He’s a Ranger.”

At the news, Trey and all the others in the saloon turned to stare in awe at Clint.

Tuck and Ax heard what the deputy had said and exchanged worried glances.

“Did he say McCullough’s name was really Williams?” Tuck asked nervously.

“That’s right,” Clint said, hearing his comment.
“We’ve met before, boys. That night at my family’s ranch. You remember that night, don’t you?”

Neither man responded, but each realized they’d made a huge mistake at the Williams ranch. They’d thought this man was dead, and they’d been wrong. Tuck and Ax knew they were in deep trouble. Their only hope was Walt, but he was busy upstairs with a saloon girl and had no idea what was going on.

Nick and Clint directed the outlaws closer to the bar, and then Nick made short work of handcuffing them.

“I’ll be right back,” Clint told Nick. “Walt’s upstairs.”

“I’ll wait here for you. If you need any help, yell.”

Clint looked over at Trey. “Which room is he in?”

“He’s with Honey tonight. Third door on the left,” Trey told him.

“Thanks.”

“Here, take these. You’ll need them.” Nick handed him the last set of handcuffs.

Gun in hand, Clint climbed the stairs and made his way cautiously down the hall. He wasn’t about to let his guard down until the entire gang was safely locked up in the jail.

Walt was exhausted as he looked over at the buxom blonde nestled against him. He’d just spent the most exciting hour he could ever remember with this wild woman named Honey,
and he knew he was going to leave her a real nice tip when they finally parted ways.

“You ready to have another go at it, big guy?” Honey asked in a sultry voice as she ran her hands daringly over him.

“Are you?” he returned, amazed to feel the heat burning within him again at her practiced touch.

“Any time I can be with a man like you, I’m ready,” she told him, smiling as she moved to kiss him.

Caught up in pure animal desire, they went at it again. They were unaware of anything but the pure pleasure of the flesh, until the sound of the door crashing open jarred them back to reality.

Walt reacted instinctively. He shoved Honey aside and started to jump from the bed to go for his gun, where it was lying on the floor with his hastily discarded clothing.

“Don’t even think about it!” Clint ordered as he came to stand near the foot of the bed, his gun aimed straight at the outlaw.

Walt froze, and Honey scrambled to get as far away as she could.

Clint reached down and grabbed the sheet. He tossed it to the girl.

“Cover yourself.”

Honey wrapped the sheet around herself and darted out of the room to safety.

“All right, Walt. Get up real slow and don’t make any fast moves.”

“Why are you doing this, McCullough? I never
done nothing to you. I thought we were supposed to be working together.” He was totally confused.

“You thought wrong,” Clint said as he stared him down. “And my name’s not McCullough.”

“It’s not?”

“No, it’s not. My name’s Williams. Clint Williams. Sound familiar?”

Walt actually paled at his words as he realized whom he was facing. Frank Williams’s son—the Ranger they’d thought had been killed along with his parents in the raid.

Knowing he had no choice, Walt followed Clint’s orders and slowly got up from the bed.

Clint walked over and picked up Walt’s gun belt, then directed, “Get dressed.”

Walt was tempted to try to make a break for it, but naked and unarmed, he didn’t have a chance. He didn’t doubt for a minute that Williams would shoot him down.

Clint kept a careful eye on Walt while he pulled on his clothes and boots. Then he ordered him downstairs.

Nick had been tense as he’d stood guard over Tuck and Ax, waiting for Clint’s return. He’d seen the saloon girl come running out of the room upstairs and knew something was happening. No shots immediately followed her hasty exit, and he felt a little better. It was obvious Clint had the upper hand with the other outlaw. When he saw Clint emerge from the room a short time later with the gunman in handcuffs, he breathed easier.

“Let’s go lock these boys up,” Nick said.

They’d just turned to lead them from the Last Chance when there was another commotion.

“Trey!” Chip yelled as he charged through the door, his gun in hand. “Those men are wanted!”

He stopped dead just inside the door as he found the two men the sheriff had told him were outlaws aiming their guns straight at him.

“Put your gun down, Chip! What are you talking about?” Trey demanded, relieved that the two lawmen hadn’t fired when Chip had come running in with his gun out.

Chip looked nervously around as he slowly lowered his sidearm. He saw the other three men in handcuffs and was totally perplexed.

“The sheriff was locked up in the jail,” he stammered. “And he said these two did it! Sheriff Reynolds said these two are working together to pull off a robbery here in town!”

Nick spoke up. “Reynolds is a liar, Chip. He was locked up because he’s the leader of the Tucker Gang, and we’re working to bring them all in. Clint here is a Ranger.”

“No—” Chip denied in confusion. “The sheriff said you were outlaws—”

“Don’t believe anything he said to you. He was trying to save himself,” Nick argued. “Is he still locked up?”

“No! I let him out so he could come after you!”

Nick and Clint shared an angry look, knowing Pete was no doubt already heading out of town.

“Then where is he?” Clint demanded. “He should have come with you.”

“He said he’d be right along,” Chip hedged, suddenly fearing he might have done the wrong thing.

Trey assured Chip, “Deputy Evans and Clint are not criminals, Chip. Put your gun away. Because of you, they’ve got another killer to hunt down.”

Chip looked from Trey to the others and felt sickened to know that he’d let an outlaw go free. He lowered his gun. “What can I do to help?”

“Come with us,” Nick told him.

They herded the three gunmen out of the saloon and cautiously made their way toward the sheriff’s office.

Clint kept a close watch for trouble. He wouldn’t have put it past Pete to try to ambush them.

“Nick,” Clint called to him as they reached the jail.

“What?”

“Pete’s horse is gone.”

They both knew what that meant.

“We have to move fast,” Nick said, grimly determined to catch him.

It was obvious to Chip now that the sheriff had been one of the outlaw gang, and he felt bad about what he’d done.

Nick made short order of getting Tuck, Ax, and Walt into the jail cell. He left the cuffs on them for the time being, for he knew how treacherous they could be.

“Chip, we need you to stay here and guard these men. No matter what they yell at you,
don’t go near them. Do you understand?” Nick demanded.

“Yes.”

“Good. Did you happen to actually see the sheriff leave the office?”

“No. I didn’t pay any attention. I was too busy trying to get back to the Last Chance to warn Trey about you.”

“All right.” Nick was thoughtful.

“Where does he live?” Clint asked.

“Across town. I know the house.”

“Let’s hope we’re not too late to catch him before he rides out.”

They headed toward Pete’s house, ready for the final showdown.

Reverend Hammond walked up to the front of the church to address those who’d accompanied him to the saloon. They were seated in the pews, awaiting his words of wisdom and inspiration.

“Tonight we did our best to help our brethren bring peace and justice to our town. While we do not yet know the outcome of the activities our lawmen are involved in, let us offer up a prayer for their continued safety.”

They bowed their heads as he led the prayer.

“Dear God, protect those who bring peace and justice to our town. Guide them and keep them safe from harm. Amen.”

“Amen.”

Rachel looked over at Michelle, and their gazes met in understanding. The men they loved were
in grave danger. They clasped hands and whispered together another, “Amen.”

Martin dismissed everyone with a blessing, and they filed quietly out of the church to return to the safety of their homes. Anne, Rachel, and Michelle remained in the pew.

“Are you ready to go home?” he asked them.

“If it’s all right with you, I’d like to stay here for a while,” Rachel told him.

“Me, too,” Michelle added.

Anne and Martin completely understood. “We’ll stay with you, then.”

They sat down in a nearby pew and joined the girls in silently praying for Clint and Nick, and for their town.

Chapter Twenty-five

Pete wasted no time once he reached his house. He didn’t light any lamps, for he didn’t want anyone to suspect he was there. Quickly grabbing up his saddlebags, he began to stuff them full of the money he’d kept hidden. His share of the gang’s loot had been considerable, and he’d been saving it up all this time.

Pete was angry as he got ready to leave town. He’d thought when he’d given the order to take out Frank Williams, the gang’s problems would be over. He hadn’t counted on Williams’s son being at the ranch that night, or his surviving the ambush and then tracking them down this way.

It just went to show how stupid Tuck and Ax were. Pete grew angrier with himself for having trusted their judgment. He was definitely going to find a quiet place a long way away from Dry Springs to hide out for a while. If Tuck, Ax, and
Walt did somehow manage to get loose again, he didn’t want them to be able to find him. He was done with them.

Grabbing up his saddlebags and extra ammunition, Pete started toward the rear of the house. He’d left his horse tied in some trees out back, just in case word of his escape had spread and someone decided to come looking for him. He wanted folks to think that he had already left town.

Clint and Nick silently and cautiously made their way to Pete’s house. The house was a small one-storey building with a porch across the front. There were several neighboring houses, but none were really close, so they knew they wouldn’t have to worry about harming innocent bystanders in case of a shootout.