When All My Dreams Come True (25 page)

A coarse laugh echoed across the rocks followed by a cuss word. “Yeah? Well, yer dumb rumor idea sure didn’t work.” The man snorted. “A woman bank robber? No way they’d think my long hair’d make her and me look alike. That idea’s as dumb as you.”

Anger at his lies and betrayal made her want to confront him, slap him,
something
to vent her outrage.

“You jest leave the ideas ta me from now on, Coop. In fact, I’m thinkin’ the next time I see that young filly, I’ll kill her slow.”

By the sound of their voices, they’d be on her in minutes. And from what the man with Coop just said...

With the rifle across her arms, Bobbie crawled on her belly to the next rock. She glanced behind her. Scrub brush and rocks still hid her from view. She rose to her feet. Mack was tied down the mountain to her right. If she stayed low, she just might make it.

At her first step, the rocks gave way under her boot. A small screech escaped on her way to the ground.

   NINETEEN   

B
obbie tried to keep from skidding and ended up rolling several times before she came to a stop. Pain radiated up her arms and along both legs. She lay still for several moments, too stunned to move.

The men. Where’s my rifle?

She scanned the ground while she struggled to her feet. The gun had landed only yards from her. She scrambled toward it and grabbed the smooth barrel just as a voice sounded behind her.

“Hold it, girlie.”

Amusement tinged the gruff voice. The creak of saddle leather and then the crunch of boot against rocks let her know her captor had dismounted.

“I’ll take that.”

An unseen hand jerked the rifle from her. Her legs quaked in weakness.

“Now, real easy like, toss yer pistol away.”

When she didn’t move, the man gave her head a shove with the barrel of his gun.

“Do it. Use yer left hand.”

Bobbie reached for her pistol and heard a coarse chuckle near her ear.

“See, Coop. Nothin’ to it.”

She twisted to see her betrayer, but the man shoved her head with his gun again.

“Don’t move. And toss off that pistol.”

The pistol clattered against the rocks before coming to rest in a patch of grass.

“That’s better. Now you can turn around.”

She turned slowly. Her gaze landed first on Coop sitting atop his horse. Their eyes met for a moment before he looked away. Was that regret she saw in his eyes? She didn’t get to think on it long. The man waved the gun in her face.

“Remember me?”

She stared at his whiskered face. He looked familiar.

“No? Well, you oughtta remember the men you shoot at.” He flexed the arm holding her rifle, moving it in a wide circle. “All healed up now.”

She bit her lip. This was the man who ran into her in Pueblo, almost knocking her down and starting a fight with Sonny. By his comment, he was also the man who jumped her on the cattle drive—the one Dew said she hit.
Sonny!
Had this man hurt Sonny?

The man smiled, revealing a row of yellow and brown teeth. “Ah! I can tell by your expression you remember.” His face moved only inches from hers. “If you weren’t so quick with the trigger, you’d o’ been dead that night. I aim to take care of that today.”

She suppressed a shudder, unsure if it came from his threatening scowl or his maggot breath. Her knees went weak as he pressed his gun to the base of her throat and shoved her back a step.

“I have no problem killin’ people. Gives me a feelin’ o’ power.”

She sent a pleading glance at Coop, but he stared at the ground.

The man leaned toward her again. “Did ya tell anyone about it?”

“A–about what?” She hated the way her voice trembled.

He glared at her. “Quit playin’ dumb. Did ya tell anyone about seein’ us behind the bank?”

Bobbie shook her head. “No, I didn’t say anything.”

His beady eyes swept her face. He must have been satisfied with what he saw. He nodded and smiled.

“Good.” His gaze traveled down her form.

Her mouth went dry. Chill bumps broke out on her skin. She crossed her arms in front of her stomach.

“I—I didn’t know what you were doing back there. I didn’t think anything about it. I never would have connected it to the bank robberies.”

“Well, that’s a shame now, isn’t it?”

She shuddered at the look in his eyes.

“I guess that little mistake of ours will cost ya yer life.” He ran the barrel of his pistol along her jaw. “But I think me and you’ll have a little fun first.”

She stepped back away from him. He reached for her and found the rifle still in his hand. He growled and turned toward Coop.

“Here.”

The rifle flew through the air, and Coop looked up in time to grab it.

She shoved him with all her might. The man was a rock. She spun around and started to run. She took two steps before her head snapped back. The man had grabbed her braid. He pulled her against him.

“Now just where did ya think you was goin’? I ain’t had my fun yet.”

His hot breath trailed across her neck. Bile rose in her throat.

“Easy, Will.” Coop spoke for the first time.

“Shut up, Coop. You had yer chance. Now leave me ta mine.”

She scratched her nails along Will’s cheek. They sunk deep. He bellowed and shoved her away from him. Her body slammed against a boulder, her forehead hitting hard. She groaned and slumped to the ground.

She forced herself to look up. Will glared at her as he wiped his cheek with his sleeve. When he glanced at the blood, Bobbie
scrambled toward the pistol she’d tossed away earlier. Will grabbed her foot and yanked her back.

She kicked with her free foot, catching Will in the eye. He roared out a curse as he grabbed her other foot and jerked her toward him. She pummeled him with her fists. He inched her closer, grunting and groaning as each blow landed. With a hard jerk, he pulled her next to him. He rolled on top of her, pinning her to the ground. Will grabbed each of her flailing arms and held them above her head. They were both panting hard from the effort, but she found it hard to catch her breath with him lying on top of her. She squirmed. Will’s weight and strength held her tight.

“Well, now. I like this position much better.” His eyes gleamed with pleasure.

She tasted her own fear and then realized she had bitten the inside of her cheek. Terror set in. She looked toward her only hope.

“Coop, help me!”

Their eyes met and held for a moment. “I’m sorry,” Coop mouthed. He turned his horse around so that she stared at his back. She heard laughter in her ear. The crude sound sent shudders through her body.

“You dint really think he’d help, did ya?”

Dread settled over her like an icy blanket. “Don’t do this.”

Will nuzzled her neck. Her flesh recoiled until she thought it would turn inside out.

God, help me!
her mind screamed. Panic thrummed in her ears, culminating in a loud explosion.

Jace saw Bobbie hit the ground. He spurred his horse into a gallop over the edge of the ridge. His horse scrambled to keep its legs under it while he struggled to remain in the saddle as they hurried down the slope. He heard a second set of hoofbeats and knew David wasn’t far behind. When they reached level ground, he pulled his pistol and shot in the direction of Bobbie and the two men.

His heart pounded violently as he raced his horse across the range. The first shot didn’t make the man get away from Bobbie. The second shot had the man rolling off her and racing toward his horse. Jace took careful aim and squeezed the trigger. The bullet knocked the man to the ground.

David raced past him in pursuit of the other rider, who galloped away with the first gunshot. Jace recognized the man’s clothing and horse, but his mind refused to believe it was Coop. He yanked back on the reins. The horse skidded to a stop next to the man who had attacked Bobbie. He leapt from the saddle and stomped on the man’s arm as he reached for his pistol with a bloody hand. The man howled with pain.

“Don’t make me shoot you again,” Jace ground out between clenched teeth. He leaned down and tossed the man’s pistol away. He holstered his own gun, grabbed the man by his shirtfront, and lifted him from the ground. The man swung at him with his good arm. Jace knocked him back to the ground with one punch. The man didn’t move but lay there groaning. Jace reached into his saddlebag, pulled out a length of rope, and trussed him up like a calf waiting for the branding iron.

Satisfied the man couldn’t move, Jace ran to Bobbie and knelt beside her. She cowered against a boulder like a frightened rabbit. Blood oozed from a wound on her forehead. She seemed stunned to see him. Tears flooded her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

“Oh, Bobbie.”

Jace helped her to her feet. She wobbled, and he steadied her with an arm around her waist. She clasped his shirt in her fists and pressed her face against his neck. Sobs wracked her body. His throat clenched tightly closed as he fought to keep his own tears at bay.

The shout of men’s voices caught his attention. David closed the gap between him and Coop. Sonny appeared out of the mountains ahead of them. He sprang from his horse, knocking Coop from his saddle. Coop tried to scramble away, but David lunged at his ankles.
He pulled Coop up by the shirt, only to throw a punch that sent him back into the dirt. Coop attempted to stand and met the solid force of Sonny’s fist.