Wilder Than the Rest: MacLarens of Fire Mountain Read online

  Other Books by Shirleen Davies

  Historical Western Romance Series

  MacLarens of Fire Mountain

  Tougher than the Rest, Book One

  Faster than the Rest, Book Two

  Harder than the Rest, Book Three

  Stronger than the Rest, Book Four

  Deadlier than the Rest, Book Five

  Redemption Mountain

  Redemption’s Edge, Book One

  Coming fall of 2014

  MacLarens of Boundary Mountain

  Colin’s Quest, Book One

  Coming in 2015

  Contemporary Romance Series

  MacLarens of Fire Mountain

  Second Summer, Book One

  Hard Landing, Book Two

  One More Day, Book Three – Coming summer of 2014

  For more information about Shirleen Davies and her books visit:

  www.shirleendavies.com

  Wilder than the Rest

  MacLarens of Fire Mountain

  SHIRLEEN DAVIES

  Book Six in the MacLarens of Fire Mountain Series

  Copyright © 2014 by Shirleen Davies

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  For permission requests, contact the publisher.

  Avalanche Ranch Press, LLC

  PO Box 12618

  Prescott, AZ 86304

  Wilder than the Rest is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is wholly coincidental.

  Cover artwork by idrewdesign

  Book design and conversions by Joseph Murray at 3rdplanetpublishing.com

  Description

  “A captivating historical western romance set in the burgeoning and treacherous city of San Francisco. Go along for the ride in this gripping story that seizes your attention from the very first page.”

  “If you’re a reader who wants to discover an entire family of characters you can fall in love with, this is the series for you.” – Authors to Watch

  Pierce is a rough man, but happy in his new life as a Special Agent. Tasked with defending the rights of the federal government, Pierce is a cunning gunslinger always ready to tackle the next job. That is, until he finds out that his new job involves Mollie Jamison.

  Mollie can be a lot to handle. Headstrong and independent, Mollie has chosen a life of danger and intrigue guaranteed to prove her liquor-loving father wrong. She will make something of herself, and no one, not even arrogant Pierce MacLaren, will stand in her way.

  A secret mission brings them together, but will their attraction to each other prove deadly in their hunt for justice? The payoff for success is high, much higher than any assignment either has taken before. But will the damage to their hearts and souls be too much to bear? Can Pierce and Mollie find a way to overcome their misgivings and work together as one?

  Read Wilder than the Rest, another heartening story of duty, honor, passion, and love in book six of the MacLarens of Fire Mountain.

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to my readers who have taken the time to send messages of praise and encouragement. My sincerest thanks to all those who have watched this journey unfold. Your enthusiasm and support has been a true blessing.

  Acknowledgements

  I want to thank my editors and proofreaders, Sue, Danielle, Shontrell, and Richard who offered their expertise and continued support.

  Many thanks also go out to my wonderful resources, including Diane Lebow, an expert at guiding my social media endeavors, Joseph Murray who is fabulous at formatting my books for both print and electronic versions, and idrewdesign, the talent behind my wonderful book covers. Your talent is greatly appreciated.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Books by Shirleen Davies

  WILDER than the REST

  Prologue

  Fire Mountain, Arizona, 1887

  “Keep your head down,” Pierce MacLaren growled at his partner as he placed a hand on her head, shoving her behind a stack of barrels.

  “Damn it, Pierce. I don’t need you to protect me.” Mollie Jamison had followed him through the dark, dank alley, trying to catch up with Otis Tatum, the man they knew was responsible for the latest dump of counterfeit bank notes.

  Mollie had confiscated the plates after they’d caught Otis cleaning up after his last printing session. They were tucked into a cubbyhole in the old brick building next to the barrels where she and Pierce now hid.

  Otis had spotted them and bolted through the back door. For a large man, he was surprisingly quick.

  “Such language,” Pierce shot back with a slight grin.

  Mollie ignored the jab. “What’s he doing?”

  “Hold on.” He peered over the top of the barrels. Their forger had stopped outside the back door to the Desert Dove, the town’s most popular saloon. “Looks like he may try to go through the Dove.”

  “You stay here. I’ll go to the street.” Mollie started to rise, stopping when Pierce grabbed her arm.

  “Not likely. I’m faster. Besides, he’ll plow through you when he comes out the front.” Pierce took off, leaving her behind to fume.

  “You’re faster only because I have to wear this bloody skirt,” Mollie hissed as she ran after him, her skirt hem in one hand, a Colt forty-five gripped in the other. “Damn him,” she muttered when her skirt snagged on the rim of a barrel. She pulled hard, freeing herself by ripping the fabric, then dashed after Pierce and the counterfeiter.

  Mollie came to a stop where the alley intersected the main street. Pierce stood motionless, looking into the business end of a pistol aimed at his chest. Otis Tatum wheezed, but held the gun steady. At five foot seven, he seemed as tall as he was broad, with a head that appeared to outweigh the rest of his body by several pounds. He adjusted his hat, trying to make it stay on his oversized skull while he kept his eyes trained on Pierce.

  “Get out of my way, MacLaren, or I swear I’ll put a bullet right through you.”

  “Not a chance, Tatum. There’s no way you’re leaving here alive,” Pierce bluffed. He was a fast shot. He could try to raise his gun before Tatum pulled the trigger, but the odds were against him. From the noise level inside the Desert Dove, he realized that unless someone walked out, no one would discover what was happening just a few feet away. He rethought his plan. “How about we compromise?’

  “Compromise?” Otis wa
s a genius when it came to producing counterfeit money, but from what Pierce had determined, that was the only area where he mentally excelled.

  “You lay down your gun, and I’ll let you ride out of town.”

  Otis scrunched his face in thought as he tried to come up with a reason MacLaren would be willing to let him go. “Is this a trick?”

  “Not at all. As long as you lay down your gun, I’ll let you ride out of Fire Mountain.”

  “Let me think,” Otis hedged, lowering his gun and removing his hat to scratch his head.

  “What the hell are you doing, Pierce?” Mollie muttered to herself, keeping her Colt trained on Otis.

  “No trick?”

  “Absolutely.” Pierce smiled, hoping he’d take the bait.

  “Well, if this isn’t a trick, okay. Now, you’ll let me ride out?” Otis set his gun on a nearby chair, hurried down the steps to the street, and took off toward his horse tied up several yards away.

  “That I will. Out of town.”

  Otis shrugged, still confused even though he would take the opportunity to escape. He galloped out of town, causing those in the street to scatter as he rode past.

  Pierce’s smile faded to determination as he watched Tatum head north, out of town. At the fork, he’d have two choices—continue north or ride west. Later, he could choose to go east or south. By then, however, he’d be in custody.

  “What have you done?” Mollie’s stunned, accusing voice brought his head around.

  “Ah, Mollie, just the person I want to see. Tatum is riding out. Once he reaches the town limits, our deal is off.”

  “But you said he’d be free…?”

  “To leave town. After that, Otis is fair game.” Pierce strode to his horse, Bandit, and turned to Mollie. “You coming or what?”

  She looked down at the barmaid outfit she wore—a floor-length red satin dress, now torn, with a scooped neckline that fell off her shoulders. And no time to change. She ran to Bandit, grabbed Pierce’s hand, and let him haul her up behind him.

  “Is your horse at the stable?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’ll get it then follow Otis. At the fork, I’ll go north, you head west. One of us will catch him. He hasn’t had time to go far and doesn’t believe we’ll follow. Whoever finds him will fire twice in the air.”

  “And if he pulls a gun?”

  “This is his.” Pierce showed her the pistol he’d grabbed from where Otis had set it. “Unless he has another, he’ll give up without a fight.”

  Mollie slid off Pierce’s horse and grabbed hers. They rode side by side for a few miles then split up. Within five minutes, Pierce saw Otis ahead of him. He urged Bandit on until he was within a few yards of Tatum, then fired two shots in the air.

  “Hold up there, Otis,” he shouted and trained his gun on the man.

  Tatum reined in his horse, slid down, and started stomping toward Pierce. “You said I could go.” He never stopped his pace.

  “Out of town.”

  “You son-of-a-bitch.”

  Pierce fired a warning shot at the man’s feet. “Stop right there,” he warned, but it was too late.

  Otis lunged toward Pierce, pulling him to the ground. Sitting on Pierce’s legs, Otis pounded his chest and head with beefy fists. Pierce raised his arms to ward off the blows with little success.

  The beating stopped abruptly.

  “Stand up and put your hands above your head,” a hard female voice ordered.

  Tatum felt the cold metal of a gun on his back. In the man’s moment of indecision, Pierce rolled sideways. Otis slid off as Mollie kept her gun trained on him.

  “I won’t tell you again, Mr. Tatum. Stand and raise your hands.” Mollie swiped errant strands of hair from her face with her free hand. She took a quick glance at Pierce. “So he’ll give up without a fight, huh?” She chuckled. “You’re a mess.”

  “Yeah, well, I may have underestimated him,” Pierce answered as he tried to stop the flow of blood from his nose. He could already feel the start of a black eye and bruising on his chest. “Jesus, you sure can hit, Otis.”

  “You lied to me.” The disillusionment wasn’t lost on either Mollie or Pierce.

  “Not at all. You got your chance to leave town. That’s all I agreed to.” Pierce grabbed the water flask from his horse and took a long swallow then held it out to Otis, who brushed him off with a wave of his hand.

  “Besides, what authority does a saloon girl—”

  “Barmaid,” Mollie corrected with a sweet smile.

  Otis looked at her. “Fine. What authority do a barmaid and rancher have to make an arrest?” He sneered, his tone full of sarcasm.

  Mollie and Pierce pulled out their badges and held them in his direction. Otis’s eyes bulged as he read the inscriptions—United States Secret Service.

  Chapter One

  San Francisco, California

  Noah Dodd, the head of the western United States Treasury Department’s Secret Service Agency, sat in the upscale restaurant in downtown San Francisco sipping scotch while waiting for his guest to arrive, a well-respected and quite wealthy businessman with interests in industries ranging from steel mills to cattle to lumberyards. He had contacts across the country. They were the reason for tonight’s meeting.

  Noah looked up to see Louis Dunnigan walking toward him. “Hello, Mr. Dunnigan.” He extended his hand. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me.”

  “Please, Noah, I would appreciate it if you’d call me Louis, and I’m more than happy to get together.” He took the offered hand before signaling the server for a drink, then took a seat across from Noah. “How’d you know I was in San Francisco?”

  “You know the agency hired Pierce MacLaren, right?” Noah asked.

  “Yes, I’ve heard Pierce had started working with you.”

  “He mentioned you were out here for a few weeks to purchase some property. I thought it might be a good time for us to talk.”

  Noah paused while the server placed a drink in front of Louis, then continued when the man retreated.

  “I recruited him to work with us on a counterfeiting ring in Fire Mountain. Set him up with a partner. Not long after, he was able to determine the creative talent behind the plates being used to print the forged notes. The man is now in custody.”

  “Fast work. So what’s the issue?”

  “No issues other than he’s headstrong, arrogant, controlling, and a general pain.” Noah chuckled. “That’s a direct quote, by the way.”

  “From whom?”

  “His partner.”

  “Another man found those traits a problem?”

  “His female partner,” Noah clarified.

  Louis chuckled. “Well, I can see why that might be a slight issue.”

  “To be honest, I can’t afford to lose either one. The woman, Mollie Jamison, is good. Quick learner and not afraid to get in the middle of things. Plus, the criminals we pursue rarely think of a woman as an agent. It’s easy for her to work undercover.” Noah studied his drink and took a swallow. “Pierce has the skills, background, and experience that Mollie lacks.”

  “It appears that Miss Jamison can learn a lot from Pierce.”

  “You’re right, she can. If only she would. The same traits she used to describe Pierce, he could fling at her. I guess it’s all a matter of perspective. It will work out, with some rough spots along the way.” Noah thought for a moment. “The issue I have is that they need a place to work from while they’re here on their next assignment. I understand you’re acquiring a building. The existing Treasury office here is small, and I can’t afford to have confidential investigative work overheard by others.”

  Louis was beginning to see where this was going. “The deals aren’t finalized, but yes, I will have offices that would work.”

  “The agency can’t pay going rate, you understand.”

  “I’m sure we can work something out. When will you need it?”

  “Within the month.”<
br />
  Louis thought a moment. “That will work. I must go back to Denver for a couple of weeks. I’ll return to San Francisco by the time your agents arrive.”

  “Good. I’ll let Pierce and Mollie know.”

  Noah got to the main reason for this meeting. He looked up at Louis. “They’ll have a cover, which you’ll need to be aware of.”

  “What is it?”

  “The plan is for them to be a married couple, new to the city. Pierce will be working for Dunnigan Enterprises.”

  Louis suppressed a grin. “No issue at all setting him up with something that will provide a good cover. My other employees won’t suspect a thing.” He sat forward. “How did they take the news about the fake marriage?”

  “I haven’t told them yet.”

  Louis downed the last of his drink and stood. “You are a brave man, Noah. Be sure to have an escape route available when you tell them. You just might need it.”

  ******

  Fire Mountain, Arizona

  Connor worked alongside his brother, Pierce, as they fixed fence lines and watched for strays. The physical work was hard, yet rewarding. Different from the work either had done in their past lives.

  “Sounds like you’ve made up your mind to stay in Fire Mountain.” Pierce’s idle comment held more meaning than he wanted his brother to know.

  “Appears so,” Connor replied as he pulled a wire taut before securing it.

  “The purchase of the other two saloons final yet?”

  “Both will be by the end of this week, at least according to Jerrod.”

  Jerrod Minton had been the MacLaren attorney for years, handling all the ranch business as well as any other legal matters needed.

  “That mean you won’t be working the ranch?” Pierce asked.

  “Nope. I’ll manage the three saloons, but still do whatever else I can on the ranch. I don’t understand much about the horse breeding program, so I’ll work with the other men in the cattle operations. Learn from them.”

  The brothers fell silent, concentrating on the work in front of them.