My Desperado (33 page)

It was hard for Kat to breathe. Terror bound her throat as surely as her hands were tied. Seconds ticked by, echoed by the thud of her heart against her chest.

"Ryland!" Delias called in a louder voice. "I'm tired of hide-and-seek, so I'm changing the game. And these here are the rules. You lay down your weapons and come on into camp."

Kat could hear nothing but the sound of her own frenzied breathing.

"And you do it before I count to ten." Delias cocked his weapon, pushing it harder into her middle. "If you don't, Miss Simmons here is going to be mighty disappointed." He drew back his lips in an evil smile. "Cuz it's going to take her a while to die." He shifted closer. "But you know all about gut-shot females, don't you, Ryland?" His gaze skimmed the darkness. "Maybe you thought I didn't recall, huh? That I forgot. But I remember all the people I kill. Like to think about them when I'm falling asleep." He reached out quickly, grabbing her hair to force her head back farther. "And I'll remember her a long time."

"Let her go, Delias." Travis's voice sounded very close. "And I'll come in. No weapons."

"Afraid I can't do that. We still got us some miles to go to Silver Ridge, and she's my security, huh? But I give you my word not to hurt her so long as you do as I say."

"Let her go." Travis's voice had dropped in pitch and volume, and seemed to rumble from the darkness.

"Are you saying you don't trust my vow?" Silence answered him, and he laughed. "Could be you're smarter than some, Ryland. But it looks to me like I hold all the cards. Or at least I got the queen of hearts, huh?" He laughed again. "Come on in, boy, and I won't hurt her, cuz you see, Tommy Grey, he's a squeamish one. He doesn't like killing women. And he's paying the bills.

"You lay down your weapons out there. All of them, you hear? Because if I find you were keeping any back, the girl will have to suffer, and we wouldn't want that. Lay them down, then come on in nice and slow. We'll ride into town like one big happy family."

"What have you got planned, Delias?"

"Well now, there's the sad part. Looks like the good folk of Silver Ridge are looking to hang you for murder and thievery."

"And what about you?"

"There's the funny thing. Grey, he paid me to steal his miners' wages. But now it seems it was you who did the thieving. There was an eyewitness and all. I'm just clearing my name by turning you in."

Silence echoed in the forest before Travis's voice came again. "What about the woman?"

"There ain't no reason for her to die, so long as you confess your crimes."

From the woods before her Kat heard a rustle of underbrush. She tried to scream, to drive Travis back into the safety of the darkness, but the gag choked her, allowing only a squeak of protest to issue from her aching throat as Travis came out of the woods.

*

They rode for five days.

Travis no longer slept, but watched Katherine whenever possible. Her face was bruised, and there was a lump on the side of her head. For those wounds he hoped he would be allowed one wish—to cause Dellas's death before he found his own. He took to praying, begging one last favor from a God he had quit believing in long ago.

He did not hope to live out the month. No, he would die. But Katherine must not.

She slept now. He knew by the way she slumped over her saddle horn. The gag had been removed, but she rarely spoke.

It would not be much longer now. Silver Ridge lay ahead, less than an hour's ride, he was sure, and yet his ribs did not hurt. But then, he had been warned of impending danger for years. He could not expect to be warned of his own death, not when he knew it would come.

It was a long, winding descent into the valley. Before them, Travis could see the lights of the boomtown's nightlife. They will stop soon, he thought.

But they did not. There was just the four of them. Katherine and himself, Delias and the man called Cory. Travis had killed the other two, very silently with his knife. His only regret was his inability to kill Delias before he had given up his weapons. For now it would be harder.

They rode down the quiet backstreets of the city. A dog yipped, announcing their arrival, but no lights were lighted in the nearby houses.

Up ahead a tall white structure could be seen in the darkness. Shutters framed the windows, appearing as black holes in the building's wide expanse. Grey's house. The horses were halted.

"Get the woman," Delias ordered. "All right, Ryland. End of the trail."

Soldier braced himself as Travis dismounted and fell, unable to balance without the use of his hands, which had been tied behind his back.

Katherine fell from unconsciousness as Cory pulled her from her mount. Travis heard her gasp of horror as the nightmare of reality found her again.

Cory chuckled, drawing her against his chest and crooning, "There now, lady. No need t' fret. I'll give y' what you're needin' soon enough."

"Cory." Travis kept his tone conversational, though his muscles ached with the effort. “Touch her and I'll tear your heart out."

"Big talk from a man who's about to die."

Travis watched him in the darkness. "I'm already dead." Quiet settled in around them. "It hasn't stopped me from killing yet."

For a moment there was no sound. And then Delias laughed.

"Enough of your lies!" Cory yelled, but he had moved away from Katherine and kept the distance.

They were prodded down the walkway to the front door, where Delias rapped loudly. The portal opened, emitting a gruff voice. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Delias!" He pushed the door wide, knocking the stunned guard back with the movement. “Tell your master I'm here bearing gifts."

It took only moments for Grey to appear. His silver hair was mussed, and as he hurried forward he tied a quick knot in the belt of his brocade robe.

"What the devil are you doing here?" he hissed.

"Brought you a little something to help you sleep better," Delias grunted, pushing Travis forward.

Grey took a quick step back. "What happened to your shoulder?"

"Just a little misunderstanding."

Grey grimaced, dragging his gaze from the bloody hole in the other's jacket. "You shouldn't have brought them here, for God's sake. I told you to meet me out at the old mine."

"I wasn't in the mood for waiting," Delias explained, drawing his revolver and taking two steps to the side to sit on a plush, tasseled settee. "Besides, you and me, we're partners, so I knew you wouldn't mind my coming straight in."

"You've got to get out of here before someone sees you," Grey ordered, but Delias only shook his head.

"I come up with a new plan, Tommy. It's real good. You'll like it. We're going to say Ryland here was the one that stole the payroll at the outset. I heard he was using my name to do his dirty deeds, so I hunted him down and brought him to the good people of Silver Ridge." He chuckled. "It'll do wonders for my reputation. Folks won't hardly blink when you and I are seen together."

Travis watched Grey scowl. "Where's Red?"

Delias smiled again. "Ryland here killed him." He held his gaze steadily on Grey. "Ain't that right, Cory?"

Behind Katherine, Cory shuffled his feet nervously.

"Ain't that right, boy?" Delias repeated.

"Yeah. That's right."

Grey's gaze skimmed from Delias to Cory, finally resting on Travis's face, and for a moment Travis thought he might question the truth of that statement, but he did not. "We'll have to go down to the jail."

"Not her," Delias said, watching for Grey's reaction. "She'll stay with me." His narrow eyes shifted to Kat, then to Travis. "We got us some unfinished business."

"See here, Delias, I'm sure we can convince Miss Simmons to see things our way. I won't have her hurt," Grey said.

"Hurt? You talk like I'm some mad dog, Tommy. I won't hurt her. Just give her what she's been asking for."

"I make the decisions here."

Very slowly Delias turned his gun toward Grey. "I got me a stake in this, Tommy. We wouldn't want folks saying you had something to do with the loss of your workers' money, now would we? The woman's mine."

Hope exploded in Travis's mind. With a roar he charged Delias, who rose, swinging his gun to bear. But too late. Travis's shoulder hit his midsection and bore him to the floor.

Dellas's elbow smacked against the hard tile, sending his gun flying.

Hands still bound behind him, Travis brought his knee up hard between Dellas's legs. There was a sucking gasp, but already Travis was on his feet.

But there were no weapons so Travis drew back his booted foot, aiming for the other's head.

It seemed he heard the crack against his skull more clearly than he felt it. Darkness swelled upward, drawing him down, but he grimaced, fighting it back as he twisted about.

Another blow came, full in his face this time, with something hard and flat, and he fell, hoping Katherine could hear the apology he tried to force past stiffening lips.

"Wake him up so he can see what I do to the woman!" Delias ordered, and clawed fingers reached for his revolver, but Grey scooped it out of his reach.

"Are you insane? She's our security. As long as we keep her safe, he'll do what we say."

"I'll tell the truth." Katherine could barely hear her own words. She had tried to reach Travis, but Cory held her from behind, and so she locked her gaze on Grey. "I won't let you get away with this, not while there's a breath in my body."

"Ryland is a wanted criminal, Miss Simmons. He'll die one way or the other." Grey watched her solemnly. "He knows he won't live through this. You saw how he attacked Mr. Delias. He's prepared to die. But you don't have to. Let him claim the crimes. Let him save you. It seems that's what he wants."

"Never," she whispered.

Grey merely watched her. "Cory, put Miss Simmons in the cellar. Lock her in and guard the door. Web, you and Delias and myself will take Ryland to the jail."

Chapter 34

"Where is she?" Travis gripped the iron bars with both hands as he stared through them at Thomas Grey. At least his hands were no longer tied.

"She's safe."

"Damn you to hell," Travis cursed quietly.

"And she'll remain safe," continued Grey. "Just so long as you do as you're told."

"You'll forgive me for not trusting you."

"I never wanted any of this to happen, Ryland. But my mines were failing. I couldn't afford to pay my employees and start up new operations. So I devised a way to rid Colorado of two killers."

"Me and Delias." Travis supplied the names without emotion. "But what about Mayor Patterson?"

"He was a lazy drunk who fought progress at every turn. Silver Ridge is better off without him." Grey scowled. "But I didn't plan on Miss Simmons. I fear she's being difficult."

"Harm her and you'll die in pieces, Grey."

"I have no wish to hurt her. She's an intelligent woman." He paused. "You'll have to convince her to act intelligently."

"She's never listened to me yet," Travis said.

"Then you better try harder, Ryland. If she plays along, she'll be sent back to Boston. But if she doesn't..." He shook his head, looking genuinely sorry. "It seems Delias holds a grudge, and he'll be the one guarding her when you make your statement this morning."

"You're not wasting no time."

"I can't afford a lengthy trial. And luckily for me, the people of Silver Ridge won't want one. They've waited a long time to see you hang."

"Where will Katherine be?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, but she'll be close by. Close enough for Delias to react immediately if you cause trouble."

"If you let Delias guard her, all bets are off."

"I'm afraid you have little choice in the matter."

"I'm telling you now, Grey, if you don't want me spilling the truth, you won't let Delias ever see her again."

"Convince her to keep silent, and I'll swear on my father's grave to protect her."

"And she'll be sent safely back to Boston?"

"You have my word."

Travis glanced toward the window. Dawn was approaching. Impending death felt strangely painless, but the thought of her made his heart ache. "Send her in."

“Travis." She whispered his name through the bars.

"Don't talk." His hands felt warm as they covered hers. "Just listen."

“Travis," she began again, but he gripped her fingers tighter.

"Just this once, lady, please listen. I'm going to die."

"No!" The word was a sob, but she could not help it.

"Yes, I am. But you're not. You're going back to Boston, where you belong."

"No."

"All you have to do is be silent. That's all."

"I won't!"

"Please, Katherine," he whispered. "Please. For me. Don't die. Give my life some purpose."

Her throat felt raw, and her eyes stung. "You never knew how good you were."

"I wasn't good, Katherine. Not without you." Releasing her hand, he reached between the bars to touch her cheek. "All the men I've killed..." He shook his head. "Let me save someone worth saving."

"Don't!"

"Let me die loving you, Kat," he whispered.

And she closed her eyes and wept.

They'd cut his arms loose, fed him a decent breakfast, and retied his hands in front of his body. The sun marched up the sky, announcing the coming of the end.

Travis paced the length of his cell. He'd imagined dying, but somehow had not expected it to happen like this—confined to a cage before being hanged by his neck. The townspeople were already beginning to gather. A scaffold could be seen from the narrow barred window. It was around that structure that the crowd milled.

Travis drew a deep breath. Katherine would be safe. Grey had vowed, and it was the best he could hope for. And yet his heart ached. His ribs, however, were strangely numb, as if it was past time for premonitions.

He paced again, wishing that he had lived his life differently. But how, he didn't know, for it seemed life had a way of leading a body, not letting it choose.

"Come on out." Cory grinned at him. "Grey, he's got him a gift with the people, don't he? He's made them think he's a damn saint, and that you're a devil." He laughed. “Time to make your speech and die, Ryland."