Bay's Desire Read online

  “I’m certain I do.” Cynthia glanced around the room before moving to a wardrobe against one wall. Opening the door, she sifted through the contents, glancing over her shoulder. “There’s a lovely blue silk, and another in green. Either would suit your coloring.” Pulling each out, she lifted them for Suzette to inspect.

  “The blue one,” she and Bay commented at the same time, smiling at each other.

  “She’ll need a veil to match.” He took the gown from Cynthia’s hand, holding it in front of Suzette.

  Cynthia studied the lines of the dress. “It will certainly require some alterations. What time is the ceremony?”

  “Four o’clock.” Suzette shot a quick glance at Bay. “I’ll need the dress and veil no later than three.”

  “Then we have no time to waste.” Checking the pockets of her smock for pins and measuring tape, she motioned toward a curtained area. “Miss Gasnier, please change back there. Mr. Donahue, you may wait or come back in thirty minutes.”

  Moving to a wooden chair across the room, he picked it up, setting it close to the changing area. “I’ll wait.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Dave Calvan rested a shoulder against the outside wall of a saloon two doors away from the millinery and dress shop. Next to him stood Ev Hunt, a smirk improving his normal dour expression. They’d been searching for Bay, stepping into the shadows when Calvan spotted him and Suzette staring into the front window of the store. A moment later, the couple walked inside.

  Calvan had decided the time had come to flush his brother’s murderer out into the open. While playing cards at Buckie’s, he and his men had overheard players at another table conversing about events around town. Their attention had risen at the news a local doctor received word from a chemist in San Francisco regarding the contents of a couple bottles. Rumor was they contained arsenic.

  The news angered Calvan, but was all he needed to make a final decision. Bay had somehow guessed his symptoms were brought on by something other than illness. The gunslinger had suspected something amiss, enough to ask the local doctor to send the whiskey away for assessment. The answer had been one simple word. Arsenic.

  The hope of Bay ingesting enough poison-laced whiskey to affect his reaction time evaporated at the news. Refusing to forget the way Donahue had gunned down his brother, Calvan made plans to draw him out, even if it meant murdering the well-known attorney.

  He, his two men, and Hunt would pick the right time, preferably at night, and force Bay’s hand. Once dead, they’d ride south, disappearing across the Mexican border.

  “What do you think they’re about?” Hunt asked, nodding toward the dress shop.

  Calvan shrugged. “She’s his wife. It appears they’ve settled their differences after my interference in their lives.” He snorted at the last, knowing his actions had destroyed their marriage. Their pain wasn’t enough for Calvan. He wanted to ruin Bay completely, removing him from the earth the same as the gunman had done to Calvan’s kin.

  Consequences no longer mattered. He wanted revenge, needed the hunt to be over and done.

  “He’s living in her house, so I’d say you’re correct they’ve resolved their differences, perhaps deciding to continue their marriage.” Hunt rubbed his chin, then crossed his arms. “It will make it more difficult to get him alone at night.”

  Seeing Bay and Suzette leave the shop, both men stepped back into the shadows. Their gazes trailed the couple down a narrow path to the main street before Calvan and Hunt began to follow. Staying a good distance behind, they paused a couple times when Bay glanced over his shoulder, stopping when he escorted Suzette into the mercantile.

  Once the door closed, the two men walked to the front window. Bay spoke to the proprietor, Clarence Maloney, who walked to the back room, returning with a tray a few minutes later. Setting it on the counter, he pointed to various items while Suzette and Bay bent over the display. When she touched one, Maloney picked it up, slipping it onto her finger. Calvan chuckled.

  “I do believe Donahue is buying a wedding band to replace the one I removed from her finger in St. Louis. Interesting.”

  Shaking his head, Hunt sneered at Calvan, anger tinging his voice. “Why are we here? Watching them select a dress and pick out a ring is a waste of time. We should be figuring out how to kill Donahue and ride out without MacLaren or his deputies following.”

  Calvan’s condescending glare caused Hunt to stiffen. “I already have an idea of what we’ll do.”

  Hunt lifted a brow, nostrils flaring. “Why haven’t you explained it to me?”

  Calvan moved to within inches of Hunt. “You’ll learn about the plan when I’m ready to disclose it.” He glanced inside, seeing Bay and Suzette turning toward the door. “We need to get out of here.”

  Cursing wildly, Hunt followed Calvan between a couple buildings, heading back to their hotel in Chinatown. Once inside his room, he had a decision to make, one that wouldn’t include Calvan or his men.

  Hunt didn’t know what the crazed outlaw had in mind for Bay, and didn’t plan to stay around to find out. If Calvan thought he could best the lawyer turned gunslinger a second time, he was more delusional than Hunt believed him to be.

  The Outlaw Doc had worked alone too long to be drawn into a fight not of his making. Setting Bay up for a one-sided gunfight didn’t bother him. It was the man’s own fault if he allowed himself to be duped so easily by pouring copious amounts of arsenic-tainted whiskey down his throat. But Hunt knew Bay was no one’s fool. He’d learned of the poison and would slowly recuperate.

  The gunslinger would be vigilant, watching for any sign of a threat to him or Suzette. Donahue might even suspect Calvan of being the person behind the poisoning. Then again, from his years as a gun for hire, Bay had many enemies. The danger could come from any of a dozen men who’d celebrate his demise.

  Pulling his belongings from a drawer, Hunt stuffed them into saddlebags before taking a quick glance around the sparse room. Getting out of Conviction without Calvan knowing had become a priority.

  Slinging the saddlebags over a shoulder, he opened the door. The hall was empty, and no voices came from the adjoining rooms. Leaving in the middle of the day didn’t appeal to him. Still, getting away from Calvan and his men had become critical.

  Taking the stairs with slow determination, he glanced around a lobby boasting of little furniture and not a single person. Stepping outside onto the slanting boardwalk, he took three steps before a shout from behind stalled his movement.

  “Hunt. Drop the saddlebags and raise your hands.” Colt Dye moved toward the outlaw, six-shooter leveled at the man’s back, spitting out the next words. “Do it now.”

  Taking a couple steps closer, Colt’s jaw tightened, ignoring the slight wave of dread always present when pursuing a wanted man. Unlike most, they had nothing to lose by putting up a fight, which could lead to death. Maybe even their own.

  Seeing the saddlebags slip off Hunt’s shoulder, Colt tightened his grip on the gun when they hit the boardwalk with a thud. His vigilance was rewarded when Hunt drew his gun, spinning and propelling himself toward the street at the same time.

  Colt fired, nicking Hunt’s right arm. Landing on the wound, the outlaw spewed out a string of curses, trying to lift the gun with his injured arm. Before he could recover, Colt stood over him, his revolver aimed at Hunt’s chest.

  “Drop the gun.” Colt kicked it from Hunt’s hand before the outlaw could react.

  “Who do you have?” Bay stopped next to them, his gun drawn.

  “Ev Hunt.”

  Bay’s eyes widened, then narrowed, his gaze studying the man lying prone on the ground.

  “Who is Ev Hunt?”

  Bay glanced behind him, not realizing Suzette stood a few feet away. Hearing the gunshots, he’d shoved her inside the protection of a shop before hurrying down the street to see Colt holding a gun on the outlaw.

  Bay settled an arm over her shoulders, turning her away from the injured man. �
��An outlaw Colt has been chasing.”

  “Does he have anything to do with the poisoning of your whiskey?” Suzette glared over her shoulder at the man, feeling no sympathy for the gunshot wound.

  Bay dropped his arm, moving next to Colt. “I’ll help you get him to the jail. Then I’d like to bring Jasper over to look at Hunt. He may be the man responsible for slipping arsenic into my whiskey.”

  Placing a hand on Bay’s arm, Suzette glanced behind her, not noticing the three men hidden inside the lobby of the small Chinese hotel. “You help Colt. I’ll get Jasper and bring him to the jail.”

  Before Bay could protest, Suzette lifted her skirts, hurrying toward his law office. Muttering an oath, knowing he had to help Colt, he turned back to glare at Hunt. “Are you the one who put arsenic in my bottles of whiskey?”

  Shifting enough to see Bay, a smirk appeared on Ev’s face. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Bay lifted a brow. “You sure of that? My understanding is you’ve got considerable knowledge about most poisons. What they do, how to use them, which ones kill slowly and which are quicker. After all, you trained to be a doctor.”

  Colt stood aside, noticing Hunt’s eyes flicker as Bay spoke. “Let’s get him to the jail. A few days in a cell might help his memory.”

  “You don’t have any reason to arrest me.”

  Reaching into a pocket, Colt drew out a folded piece of paper. “This tells me differently.” He held it out for Hunt to see the image on the wanted poster. “You have a twin?”

  Nostrils flaring, Ev didn’t respond as he turned his head away.

  Colt grabbed his left shoulder while Bay grabbed the right, ignoring the shout of pain as they pulled him to his feet. Marching him toward the jail, they were careful to watch for any others who might be part of his gang.

  “Where are your boys, Hunt?”

  Ev shot Colt a savage glare. “I’m traveling alone.”

  Ignoring the stares of those on the boardwalk, Colt continued to pepper the outlaw with questions, knowing he’d get lies or no answer at all. Reaching the jail, Bay pushed open the door, dragging Hunt inside when he dug in his heels.

  “Brodie, you in the back?” Colt shoved the door closed. When he didn’t answer, Bay grabbed the keys to the cells. Pushing Hunt onto the cot, Bay locked the door, stopping to study the outlaw. “Do you mind getting one of the doctors to take care of his wound?”

  Handing Colt the keys, Bay left, glad to put space between him and the man who’d tried to kill him. But why?

  Bay had never been hired to bring Hunt in. They’d never faced off against each other. He knew the outlaw by reputation, his background as a doctor and propensity to kill only when he had no other choice. If what he knew of Hunt was true, why would he come after Bay?

  In a flash of understanding, he knew the answer. Someone had hired Ev. He needed to discover who and if they were riding to Conviction. Or if they were already here.

  Returning to the jail with Doc Tilden, he spotted Brodie next to Colt, then frowned. Suzette and Jasper should’ve been here by now.

  Tilden didn’t take long tending to the wound, Hunt saying nothing the entire time. As time passed, Bay continued to worry about Suzette’s absence.

  “I’m heading to my office.”

  Colt looked at him. “You going to find Suzette and Jasper?”

  “That’s my intention.”

  The closer Bay got to the office with no sign of either of them, the tighter his chest squeezed, the ball of dread in his gut increasing. It had been close to an hour. Much too long when the office was less than five minutes from the jail.

  Finding the front desk empty, he bounded up the stairs, heading to August’s office. “Have you seen Jasper or Suzette?”

  Setting down the pen, he looked up at Bay. “They left to find you.”

  The knot of dread moved to his throat. “How long ago?”

  “Maybe thirty minutes. Could’ve been…” His voice trailed off when Bay dashed back downstairs to step outside. Joining him, August’s brows furrowed. “What’s going on?”

  Bay looked up and down the street, not spotting them. “They never arrived at the jail.”

  “Jasper was about to get his lunch. Maybe Suzette—”

  “No,” Bay cut him off. “Colt arrested Ev Hunt. We need Jasper to identify him as the person who brought the poisoned whiskey to the office. She wouldn’t have gone anywhere before heading to the jail.”

  “Do you believe someone took them?”

  Settling fisted hands on his hips, his jaw clenched. “I don’t know what to think.”

  “Mr. Donahue?”

  Bay and August turned, seeing a boy of about thirteen approaching. “I’m Bay Donahue.”

  Holding out a piece of paper, the boy looked uneasy, ready to bolt at any moment. “This is for you.” Handing it to him, he tried to move away before August gripped his shoulder, waiting as Bay read the message.

  Fiery eyes glared at the boy. “Who gave this to you?”

  Cringing at the harsh tone, he tried to wrench himself from August’s tight hold.

  Moving closer, Bay leaned down to within a few inches of the boy’s face. “Who gave this to you?”

  Shaking his head, the boy glanced behind him, then back at Bay and August. “I don’t know his name. He asked me to deliver the message and gave me money to do it.”

  “Just one man?” August asked.

  “That’s all I saw.”

  “Where did you see him?” Bay pressed.

  “Chinatown.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  August let the boy go, taking the paper from Bay’s shaking hand. Reading it, he cursed. “We need to get Brodie.”

  Bay shook his head. “You go for Brodie. I’m going to Chinatown.”

  “They won’t be there. Not after sending this message and telling you to wait until there’s a second message. Who knows what they’ll do to Suzette and Jasper if you try to find them now.”

  “Damn it, August. I can’t stand around waiting. I need to go after them.”

  “What you need is to calm down and show Brodie the message. Besides, Ev Hunt may know where they’re hiding.”

  Although Bay didn’t like it, August made sense. “Fine.” He didn’t glance behind him, already knowing August would follow. Rushing into the jail, he ignored the surprised faces, handing the paper to Brodie. Without looking at Bay, Brodie stalked to Ev’s cell.

  “We’ve a problem and you’re going to help us solve it.” He held the paper between the bars. A long moment passed before Ev stood and took the message.

  “I don’t know anything about this.”

  Bay stepped forward. “Who are you working for?”

  “What makes you think I’m working for someone?”

  Crossing his arms, Bay’s hard gaze bored into the outlaw. “You and I have no history, Hunt. There’s no reason for you to try to poison me unless you’ve been hired to do it. Now, who hired you and is he in Conviction?”

  Ev moved closer to the bars. “Who I work for is none of your business, Donahue.”

  Brodie replied first. “It damn well will be if anything happens to Suzette or Jasper. I’ll be making sure you pay for all you’ve done, including any harm to the lass and lad who disappeared.”

  Turning, Ev lowered himself onto the cot, resting his back against the wall. “I don’t know anything about a kidnapping or who took your people.” Shifting, he lay down, careful of his injured right arm.

  “How long until the circuit judge arrives, Brodie?” Colt asked.

  “Three, maybe four weeks is my guess.”

  “Probably be a lot easier to take him to the Marshal in San Francisco. They won’t waste any time with the trial and hanging Hunt.” Colt glanced from Brodie to the prisoner, seeing Hunt’s unsettling gaze locked on him. “I might need the help of one of your deputies, if you can spare anyone.”

  “Aye, I can spare one. The sooner you get started, the sooner the
lad will be hanging for his crimes.” Everyone knew how hard the San Francisco judges and juries were on those who broke the law. They’d show no mercy to a man as infamous as Everett Hunt.

  “Wait.” Hunt shoved off the cot, wincing at the pain in his arm. “I’d rather be tried here.”

  “It’s a shame you don’t get a say, lad.” Brodie turned his back on the cell, stopping at Hunt’s next words.

  “I might know where they took the woman and man.”

  “They?” Bay, Brodie, and Colt asked at the same time.

  “How many?” Brodie asked.

  Hunt shook his head. “Not until you guarantee I won’t hang for what you think I’ve done.”

  Brodie looked at Colt, who rubbed the stubble on his chin. “As long as Hunt has information which helps us find them, we might be able to work something out with the judge.”

  Bay shot a frustrated gaze between the two lawmen. “Such as?”

  “Could be the judge would go for a prison sentence,” Colt replied.

  “For life,” Brodie answered.

  “Hell no. I’m not spending my life in San Quentin.”

  The three whipped their gazes to Hunt, Colt the first to respond. “Death or life in prison. It’s your decision.”

  Swallowing the knot in his throat, Hunt shook his head, not liking either choice.

  August listened to the interaction, staying quiet. Few knew he’d been appointed as a federal judge for their region, able to hear cases when the regular circuit judge wouldn’t be riding in for more than a couple weeks. It was one reason he’d been so eager to hire Griff MacKenzie.

  “If I agree, how do you know the judge will accept our agreement?”

  Colt, Brodie, and Bay turned toward August, waiting for his response.

  Taking a couple steps forward, his expression hardened. “The judge will accept your agreement, as long as Suzette and Jasper are found.”

  Hunt hissed out a long string of curses. “There’s no way I can guarantee you’ll find them.”

  August shook his head. “Then I guess this is a waste of time.”