again.” James’s lips twisted. “We saw you talking to Saulnier and followed you to your house.”
“That doesn’t prove anything. The law has no reason to believe I was involved in those murders.”
“This might be news to you…” Dalton pushed forward, “…even though you own half the city, you don’t own the new marshal. He knew who you were as soon as James mentioned your address, and he was quick to point out that he’s not one of your lackeys.”
“It’s my word against yours.” Culpepper’s voice grew more intense. “In case you don’t recall, Dalton Black is the name on the wanted posters.”
Dalton’s eyes narrowed. “Saulnier signed a confession that you hired him to plant the stolen gold in my stateroom. The marshal was on his way to your house to arrest you.”
“But I won’t be there.”
Culpepper twisted Rosalyn’s arm so high, she thought surely it would break.
“He’s to come here if he doesn’t find you there.” Dalton’s shoulders pushed back. “He should be here any moment.”
“That doesn’t solve your more immediate problem, Black.” Culpepper poked at Rosalyn’s throat, forcing her chin to an awkward angle.
She gasped and bit hard on her tongue to keep from crying out. Culpepper would kill her, no matter what Dalton or James would say to stop him. Then he’d kill them, and she couldn’t let that happen.
“Drop your guns, gentlemen,” her captor demanded.
“Leave, Dalton.” Rosalyn’s eyes filled with tears. “Leave now.”
“I can’t.” Dalton’s lips curled in a hint of a smile.
“Neither can I.” James eased up beside Dalton.
“Please.” The tears ran down her face as Rosalyn begged the men she loved to leave her.
“Let her go. I’m the one you want.” Dalton stepped forward, the gun still in his hand, no longer pointed at Rosalyn or Culpepper.
“You don’t understand.” Culpepper laughed. “I don’t want you, I want the person you love. I want you to see the person you love die. Just like I watched my brother die. I want you to feel the pain I felt, to witness the life bleeding out of someone you care about.” Culpepper pushed Rosalyn’s arm up higher. “I want you to suffer.”
Rosalyn winced, biting down hard on her tongue to keep from crying out. “You have to leave. He has no intention of letting any of us live. Leave before he can make good on his threat.”
“No. I left you once. I won’t do it again. I love you, Rosalyn. If anything happens to you, my life is over.”
Rosalyn’s heart broke into a million pieces. The words she’d longed to hear from Dalton came too late. The gun pressing into her throat would soon send a bullet through her. She’d die, and neither Dalton nor James could do anything about it. Then the bastard would turn on Dalton and kill him as well.
Anger pushed all sadness from Rosalyn’s mind, bringing her gaze into crystal-clear focus. She was the only one who could get herself out of this situation. Her men wouldn’t shoot with her in the way. If she waited too long, they’d do something foolish like toss their guns aside.
James’s gun tipped downward. “I’m dropping my gun, let her go and take me.”
“No, James. Don’t do it,” Rosalyn cried.
James tossed the gun to the floor.
While her captor’s attention was on the falling weapon, Rosalyn seized her chance. Taking what could be her last breath, she jabbed her free elbow into the man’s abdomen as hard as she could. At the same time she stomped her heel on his foot, grinding in deep.
Culpepper doubled over, his hand loosening its grip on Rosalyn’s arm enough she dodged the pistol’s aim at her throat and dropped to her knees. “Shoot him!” she yelled as she went down.
A shot rang out, the sound reverberating off the walls and deafening her. Rosalyn collapsed, dropping to her hands and knees to avoid any stray bullets.
James flung himself to the wooden deck, snatching up his gun as he rolled to his feet.
A
“That doesn’t prove anything. The law has no reason to believe I was involved in those murders.”
“This might be news to you…” Dalton pushed forward, “…even though you own half the city, you don’t own the new marshal. He knew who you were as soon as James mentioned your address, and he was quick to point out that he’s not one of your lackeys.”
“It’s my word against yours.” Culpepper’s voice grew more intense. “In case you don’t recall, Dalton Black is the name on the wanted posters.”
Dalton’s eyes narrowed. “Saulnier signed a confession that you hired him to plant the stolen gold in my stateroom. The marshal was on his way to your house to arrest you.”
“But I won’t be there.”
Culpepper twisted Rosalyn’s arm so high, she thought surely it would break.
“He’s to come here if he doesn’t find you there.” Dalton’s shoulders pushed back. “He should be here any moment.”
“That doesn’t solve your more immediate problem, Black.” Culpepper poked at Rosalyn’s throat, forcing her chin to an awkward angle.
She gasped and bit hard on her tongue to keep from crying out. Culpepper would kill her, no matter what Dalton or James would say to stop him. Then he’d kill them, and she couldn’t let that happen.
“Drop your guns, gentlemen,” her captor demanded.
“Leave, Dalton.” Rosalyn’s eyes filled with tears. “Leave now.”
“I can’t.” Dalton’s lips curled in a hint of a smile.
“Neither can I.” James eased up beside Dalton.
“Please.” The tears ran down her face as Rosalyn begged the men she loved to leave her.
“Let her go. I’m the one you want.” Dalton stepped forward, the gun still in his hand, no longer pointed at Rosalyn or Culpepper.
“You don’t understand.” Culpepper laughed. “I don’t want you, I want the person you love. I want you to see the person you love die. Just like I watched my brother die. I want you to feel the pain I felt, to witness the life bleeding out of someone you care about.” Culpepper pushed Rosalyn’s arm up higher. “I want you to suffer.”
Rosalyn winced, biting down hard on her tongue to keep from crying out. “You have to leave. He has no intention of letting any of us live. Leave before he can make good on his threat.”
“No. I left you once. I won’t do it again. I love you, Rosalyn. If anything happens to you, my life is over.”
Rosalyn’s heart broke into a million pieces. The words she’d longed to hear from Dalton came too late. The gun pressing into her throat would soon send a bullet through her. She’d die, and neither Dalton nor James could do anything about it. Then the bastard would turn on Dalton and kill him as well.
Anger pushed all sadness from Rosalyn’s mind, bringing her gaze into crystal-clear focus. She was the only one who could get herself out of this situation. Her men wouldn’t shoot with her in the way. If she waited too long, they’d do something foolish like toss their guns aside.
James’s gun tipped downward. “I’m dropping my gun, let her go and take me.”
“No, James. Don’t do it,” Rosalyn cried.
James tossed the gun to the floor.
While her captor’s attention was on the falling weapon, Rosalyn seized her chance. Taking what could be her last breath, she jabbed her free elbow into the man’s abdomen as hard as she could. At the same time she stomped her heel on his foot, grinding in deep.
Culpepper doubled over, his hand loosening its grip on Rosalyn’s arm enough she dodged the pistol’s aim at her throat and dropped to her knees. “Shoot him!” she yelled as she went down.
A shot rang out, the sound reverberating off the walls and deafening her. Rosalyn collapsed, dropping to her hands and knees to avoid any stray bullets.
James flung himself to the wooden deck, snatching up his gun as he rolled to his feet.
A
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