Dorothy Garlock - [Wyoming Frontier] by Nightrose Read Free Book Online Page B

sitting on the bunk. “Mr. Rowe can’t come out the front or the side door without that man shooting him.”
    “What can we do?” Mary asked quietly.
    “We can’t help him from here, that’s certain. I’d shoot the low-down bast—” She looked down at Theresa and cut off the word. “The angle isn’t right.”
    “We can’t get out the door without him seeing us.”
    “I don’t think he’ll shoot a woman. He needs help too.”
    “You mean to go out in plain sight. Mr. Rowe told us to stay in here regardless of what happens.”
    “He can’t help us now. We’ve got to help ourselves and him. This is what we can do if you’re willing, Mary. You could go out and walk up the street toward the saloon. He’ll not be expecting a woman to do that. While he’s watching, I’ll slip out the door, go around behind this building, and shoot him.”
    “Oh, Katy. Are you sure you can do that?”
    “I’ve got to, Mary. If Mr. Rowe dies and that man lives, we’ll have to kill him sooner or later.”
    “You’re right. If you can do
that,
then I can walk down the street toward the saloon. I’ll carry Theresa. If something happens and we don’t come through this, I’d rather she die with us than die here all alone.” Mary set the child astraddle her hip and went to the door.
    Katy took the little pistol from her pocket and put it in Mary’s. “It’s loaded,” she said softly and kissed her sister’s cheek. “Walk just as if you didn’t know he was there. He’s not going to know what to make of it at first, and it’ll give me a chance to get behind him.”
    “Be careful. I love you, Katy.”
    “I love you too, sister.” Katy placed a kiss on Theresa’s cheek and lifted the bar from across the door. She peered out, then opened it wide enough for Mary and Theresa to slip out. “I’ll wait until you’re across the street before I go out.”
    Mary shifted Theresa to the side away from the gunman and walked into the dusty, deserted street. Katy watched as seconds ticked away. Near-panic coiled in her stomach. There was silence until Mary reached the other side and started down the boardwalk. Then a shout.
    “Hey! Woman! Where the hell ya goin’?”
    Mary continued to walk.
    “Come here. I won’t hurt ya none.”
    She walked on and Katy slipped out the door and behind the building.
    “I ain’t wantin’ ta shoot ya or the kid, but I will.” The voice was hard and desperate. “Gawddammit, woman, take another step—”
    A bullet kicked dirt only a few feet from Mary, but her steps did not falter.
    “I ain’t lettin’ ya go in there. I’ll shoot ya ’n’ the kid too, by Gawd. Stop—”
    Katy stepped out from behind the building. The gunman’s back was to her. He had propped his six-shooter up on the stone wall and was aiming it at Mary and Theresa. Katy raised the rifle and sighted between the man’s shoulder blades, her mind numb to what she was doing. She steadied herself and squeezed the trigger just as her brothers had taught her to do long ago in Alabama when they hunted wild turkey. The bullet struck, throwing the man against the stone wall. He threw up his hands and fell back. The bullet, passing through his body, ricocheted back from the wall and tore a gaping hole in his chest.
    Katy stood as if in a trance, then lowered the gun barrel until the end pointed to the ground. At the sound of the shot, Mary had stopped walking. Katy went alongside the building toward the street. She continued putting one foot in front of the other automatically, her head whirling, her stomach churning. By the time she reached the front of the building she could no longer hold back the bile that filled her throat. She grabbed hold of the corner for support, bent over, and the contents of her stomach came spilling out. When it was over, she wiped her mouth on the hem of her dress and crossed the street to where her sister waited.

CHAPTER
    Four
     
    A menacing growl greeted Katy and Mary when they reached