Zooey Pinkerton- a Daughter's Right (2 page)

Tom smiled and nodded. “See, I
knew you were a bright little thing. My name is Tom, Tom Brennan.”
He bowed low at the waist in mock sincerity and winked at Zooey. “I
am sure we will become better acquainted later.”

“Brennan! If you so much as
touch a hair on that girl's head...”

Tom turned away from Zooey to
face Andrew. “You have no say in anything
anyone
does right
now, Pinkerton. Your daughter is smarter than you are. At least she
knows her place.”

The slam of Zooey's bedroom door
caused Andrew to flinch. Hot tears of disappointment beaded in the
corner of his eyes. He had let his daughter down and that hurt more
than anything else.

Tom walked up to Andrew and
poked the rifle into his chest. Marta cringed and closed her eyes.
“It's obvious you can't pay back the money, Pinkerton. So, the
ranch belongs to the boss.” Tom Brennan leaned in low and growled
into Andrews’s ear. “And your sweet little daughter belongs to me.
I'll take care of her, don't you worry.”

Andrew spat in Tom's face before
he lurched with both hands, trying to grab the larger man's neck.
It was a fatal mistake. The rifle pressed to his chest went off. A
second later, the other man fired as well, hitting him in the neck.
A surprised look crossed Andrew's face as he desperately clutched
his neck. A thick, gurgling sound left his lips as he collapsed to
the floor in a widening pool of blood. Marta fell along side him,
fainting in fear.

“Idiot! Leave the woman. She’s
of no use to us outside the kitchen. Let the men in while I fetch
the girl. We have a ranch to hand over to the boss.”

The dirty accomplice smiled and
nodded. He kicked Andrew in the side and walked away.

Tom drew his shoulders back and
smiled. He was looking forward to taming Andrew's feisty little
daughter. His boots clicked loudly on the floor as he marched
toward Zooey's bedroom door. He imagined her cowering in the corner
or crying in a heap of grief on her bed.
Well, I'll just have to
comfort the poor girl, now won't I?

As Tom threw open the door, his
thoughts quickly changed from lust to rage. The small bedroom
window along the back wall was broken and the rain had poured in,
leaving a large puddle on the floor. Zooey was gone.

“Damn you, you little brat!” He
thundered as he turned on his heel. “The girl will have to wait,”
he muttered. “but God help her when I find her.”

Zooey was soaked through by the
time she got to Gypsy’s stable. Her heart beat wildly as she
saddled the Palomino. The last thing she heard before breaking the
window were two gunshots. She didn't need to see the end result to
know she had to escape as quickly as possible.

So far, none of Tom's henchmen
had ventured out to the stables. Zooey grabbed an old oilskin
jacket from the wall and a hat from the floor, and quickly mounted
Gyspy. With a thrust from her heel she guided the horse out into
the storm and toward town.
I have to get to the sheriff’s
office.
Zooey's thoughts were scattered as she took the narrow
path into town. It was a few hours ride but she had no choice.
Zooey didn’t want anyone else to die - and she knew she had to
avenge her father's death
and
try to save the ranch.
Pops
how could you let this happen?
Her thoughts were angry as she
finally let her hot tears mix with the rain.

Zooey allowed herself one last
look behind her before charging forward into the night. Anger
burned deep in her heart as she tried to make sense of everything
that had happened. She knew her father's gambling was trouble but
she still couldn’t fathom how he could have been so careless. To
lose the ranch to the likes of Tom Brennan and his thugs?
And
who is this “Boss?”
she wondered.

“You always paid your debts,
Pops. I don't understand why it got to this,” Zooey moaned. Any
sound she made was lost among the rain, wind, and thunder. In front
of her, Gypsy was getting agitated. Zooey moved low and patted her
rain slicked side. “Not much longer. Good girl. We just have to get
into town okay?”

The horse made a comforting
noise as they trotted ahead. Soon, the rain subsided. The air was
cool and fresh, but it did little to buoy Zooey's spirits until she
saw the lights at the edge of town. “Finally!”

She encouraged Gypsy to speed up
until they reached the fork that lead to the town centre. The road
was quiet with little noise, save for some piano music from
Charlie's Saloon. Zooey walked Gypsy past the Saloon and toward the
small Sheriff’s office and jail. There was a lantern lit in the
window. “Thank goodness Josh is there,” Zooey sighed as she tied
Gypsy to the post outside the door. The stairs creaked as she
walked to the front door. Zooey didn't have to knock. Just as she
raised her hand to the door, a tall, lean man with dark eyes and
hair opened the door. He was dressed in black with a gold star
pinned to his leather vest. Most would have considered him handsome
but he wore a perpetual scowl on his face. Even though Zooey had
known Joshua Duncan for many years, he was just the Sheriff to
her.

“Zooey what the hell are you up
too at this late hour? Is your father drunk in the Saloon
again?”

“Pops is dead, Josh.”

Sheriff Duncan stood there for a
moment. “I...what? Andrew's dead? Zooey, you better get inside.
I'll get someone to take care of the horse.”

Zooey nodded dumbly and followed
him into the building. He helped her off with her coat and poured a
cup of strong, black coffee. Joshua had known Zooey and her father
since the day Zooey was born. Back then, he was nothing more than
an errand boy at the ranch. Eighteen years later - and ten years
after the murder of his mother and the disappearance of his father
- he had become Sheriff.

“Was it an accident?” Joshua was
a hard man, but even he could tell he had to tread lightly.

“It was no accident, Josh. Pops
was shot by a man called Tom Brennan.”

Joshua raised an eyebrow. “Tom
Brennan? How did your father get mixed up with that outlaw? There's
a bounty on that man's head! Nobody can even seem to track him down
long enough to capture him!”

Zooey's hands shook as she
raised the cup to her mouth and sipped the strong coffee. It burned
her throat, but she appreciated the warmth after her ride in the
rain.

“Apparently Pops lost the ranch
to Brennan’s boss because of a gambling debt. How could Pop's be so
stupid Josh? How?” Zooey collapsed in a heap of tears on Joshua's
desk. He could do nothing but pat her hand. Every nerve in his body
told him to rush out to the ranch and try and capture Tom Brennan
on his own. At this hour, though, it was likely he was gone or
hiding again.

“I know your father had some
problems but I had no clue the gambling was that bad. I'm
sorry...he was a decent man.”

“I was going to confront him
about it at dinner, but I never got the chance. It all happened so
fast!”

Zooey's eyes were red and
swollen from crying. Joshua was at a total loss at how to comfort
the young woman. “At least you’re alright. It may be a lot to ask
right now, but do you know how many men Brennan had with him?”

After wiping her face with her
sleeve, Zooey nodded. “There was another man in the house with a
gun. I'm pretty sure I heard more outside when I was leaving but I
don't really know how many. I should have shot that bastard when I
had the chance!”

“If you had, I think more people
would have gotten killed, including you.”

“Can you do anything Josh? Can
we find this guy? Do you know who he works for?”

“Whoa now!” Joshua said. He
walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a stack of papers. “We
can't go rushing out there not know how many men Brennan has and
what they've done so far. I'll send a scout in the morning to get a
better idea. And there is no “we.” I'm glad you came directly to
me, Zooey, but you have to leave this up to the law now.”

Zooey was incensed that Joshua
would even think of not including her in this. “Leave it up to you
and the law? This man murdered my father. Regardless of what Pops
may or may not have done, he didn't deserve to die. I'm his only
family Josh. It's my job to see that this scum gets brought
down!”

Joshua placed a stack of papers
in front of Zooey and pointed at them. “Take a look at this. Tom
Brennan is a wanted man in many states. His crimes run from
extortion to murder and kidnapping. He has a price on his head and
I promise I'll serve it to him!”

After a quick glance, Zooey felt
ill. “How is it possible that a man like this has escaped the law
for so long? Why hasn't anyone found him?”

Joshua shrugged. “I think he has
an insider on the payroll. Every time we get close, he disappears.
So far, nobody really knows who the big boss is either. There are
rumours, but no one will step forward. Everyone is afraid of these
guys. They are dangerous people, Zooey, and your father had no
business getting involved with them.”

“Doesn't bring Pops back to life
now does it?” Zooey answered, bitterly disappointed in the Sheriffs
attitude. “Pops is dead. I'm his daughter. I can go after the
bounty can't I?”

Joshua's black eyes opened wide
in surprise and then narrowed. “Now don't get any ideas. The most
seasoned bounty hunter hasn’t gotten to this guy; you certainly
won’t!” Although he chastised Zooey verbally, inwardly he was
impressed with the young woman's bravado. She seemed to have more
gumption than half the men he knew. She looked fragile and petite
in her oversized coat, but fire shone in her eyes - one that Joshua
had not seen in any woman for a very long time.

“I can shoot with the best,
bring down a calf, and break a wild horse. Don't presume to think
you know what I can and can't do, Joshua Duncan!” Zooey stood up
and brought out the spare pistol she had tucked into the waistband
of her jeans.

“Zooey! Put that down and calm
yourself! I don't doubt how tough you can be. I've seen how your
father trained you on that ranch. Tom Brennan is more than just an
ordinary man or even an ordinary criminal. He's a hit man and kills
for a living. For tonight, let's get you a room at Charlie's and we
can talk about what to do in the morning. Let me get some men out
to the ranch and go from there. Does that sound alright?”

Zooey tucked the gun into the
pocket of her coat and nodded. She knew the likelihood of catching
up with Brennan tonight was slim. If anything he'd probably left
the ranch by now. “Okay, Josh. But I want to go out there with you
tomorrow. I need to talk to some of the men out there and make sure
Marta is alright.”

“Fine,” Joshua sighed. “If it's
safe, we will head out there together. Now come on and I'll walk
you over to Charlie's. It's late. I won't be getting any sleep, but
you need to. Your father would want you to take care of
yourself.”

Josh pulled on his long, dark
riding coat, and opened the door for Zooey. The night air was fresh
and cool after the rain. He sighed. In a few hours it would be
daybreak and he had a lot of work to do. The walk to Charlie's
Saloon was short and despite the late hours, the lights inside were
blazing.

“Well hello there, Sheriff
Duncan. Long time no see. Have you missed me?”

Zooey turned to see a curvy,
voluptuous blond woman in a short red dress, smiling from her seat
atop the piano. Her cheeks were heavily rouged and her eyes ringed
with kohl pencil. She looked like a cat ready to pounce on its
prey.

“Evening, Miss Sweet. Sorry but
I'm not here to see you. Where's the old man?”

“Charlie? He's in here
somewhere. I'm disappointed, Josh. I thought one day you might come
around and say hello. Who's the little girl?”

Sarah Sweet had worked at
Charlie's saloon for the last year. Originally from a small town
across state, she had hoped that by singing and dancing she would
entice a rich man. So far, she'd only run into drunken ranch hands
and louts; no one with any prospects. Charlie was happy to give her
a room as long as she brought in the patrons…who were more than
happy to watch as she swung her dress back and forth, giving them a
peek of her legs as she warbled show tunes.

“My name is Zooey Pinkerton and
I'm far from a little girl.”

“No reason to get sassy, sister!
You must be Andrew's little girl. He spends a lot of money in this
place you know!”

“Well he won't any more. He's
dead.” For some reason, Zooey got immense satisfaction from the
shock in the older woman's eyes as it sunk it that one of her
biggest tippers was never coming back.

“How'd it happen?” Sarah
smirked.

“Sarah, back off now. Go find
Charlie.”

“Yes sir!” Sarah mock saluted to
the pair as she hurried off.

“Sorry about that.”

“Not your fault, Josh. Some
people have no class. I know Pops wasn't perfect, but...” Zooey
suddenly collapsed in the sheriff’s arms, sobbing. A wave of anger,
fear, and grief came flooding out. Joshua stood there,
uncomfortably holding her against his chest, telling her it would
be okay.

Zooey's body heaved with
emotion. She felt alone, more alone than ever. It wasn’t until she
heard the sound of someone clearing their throat that she came back
to reality.

“Sorry there, Sherrif and I'm
sorry, Zooey. I heard about your father. Damn shame.” Charlie
Marks, the owner of Charlie's Saloon, stood with hat in hand and a
grim expression on his weathered face. His salt and pepper hair was
flattened against his skull and his pale eyes were watery from
years of hard living and drinking. His one proud accomplishment was
owning and operating the bar and boarding house.

“Evening Charlie. Well, almost
morning now, I guess. I need a room for Zooey if you have one. She
needs somewhere to stay until we get all this sorted out.”