Faster Than the Rest Read online

  Whore? The outlaw’s words slammed into Jamie but he shook them off. “By shooting at her? I doubt it. Why don’t you just turn back and tell your boss you lost her? If I do find her, I’ll send her back to you.” He anticipated they wouldn’t take the deal, but he needed time to edge his way to a spot where he’d have the best chance of dropping both men.

  “That will not work for us, señor. He will kill us if we do not return with her.” This time it was Luis. He was more reasonable but still a thief and murderer. “No need for violence between us. We are all men. We know how crazy women can be, si? She is loco. We know you have her, señor. Give her to us and we will let you live. Unless the woman means something to you?”

  “The woman means nothing to me,” Jamie replied without hesitation, “but that doesn’t mean I will let you kill her.”

  José raised his gun as two shots echoed through the small clearing. Victoria screamed. She was stunned to find Jamie still standing. She looked ahead. José and Luis crumbled, almost as one. Both were dead before they hit the ground. It had all happened in less than two seconds.

  “Torie, do you hear me?” Jamie hovered over her and reached out his hand to help her up. “Torie, we need to leave. Now. I have a horse but he’s a ways back. Come on.” Jamie’s tone hadn’t changed since his stinging words to José and Luis. The woman means nothing to me.

  Victoria took his hand, grabbed her knife and bag, and started to follow him. He set a fast pace through the scrub and rock. A couple of minutes later she stumbled as she tried to keep up.

  Jamie turned to see that Victoria wasn’t behind him. He found her panting, but still attempting to will her shaky legs forward. He shifted the rifle to his left hand, circled her waist with his right and pulled her close against him. She winced in pain.

  “Stay with me, Torie. We’ll get out of this, but you need to stay with me this time.” His words came out almost as a plea. This time. She raised her eyes to his and nodded. They’d make it. She would not go back. To either Miguel or her husband.

  Chapter Five

  It took only minutes to retrieve Rebel and ride back to where Tankard was working to free his bonds. “Not trying to escape are you, Billy?” Jamie dismounted and indicated with his rifle that he saw what the outlaw was doing.

  Billy’s mouth was still stuffed with the cloth that had been shoved into it, but he shook his head fiercely from side to side.

  Jamie saddled Tankard’s horse while Victoria waited atop Rebel. Once finished, he fished his long knife from the saddlebags and walked toward the bound man. Billy’s eyes went wide before Jamie grabbed his ankles and cut the rope.

  Jamie left Billy’s hands tied and marched him over to his horse. “Mount up, Tankard.” He waited until the man grabbed the horn with his tied hands, worked his left foot into the stirrup and swung over the saddle. As Jamie walked back to Rebel, Tankard kicked his horse and took off towards Hagan’s ranch.

  “Damn it, Billy,” Jamie yelled. “Get back here.”

  He lifted Victoria down, mounted Rebel, and took off at full speed to either catch or kill the idiot who rode off with tied hands and no weapons.

  He didn’t ride long. Billy had come across the bodies of Luis and José, blood still oozing from their prone bodies. Jamie caught up with him within a few seconds and grabbed the reins from the man’s shaking hands.

  “You do this, Marshal?” Billy managed to get out.

  “I did, Billy, and I won’t hesitate to do the same to you if you pull a stunt like that again. Now, we’re heading out and I don’t want any more aggravation from you.”

  “Shit, MacLaren. You know Miguel won’t let this go. He’ll come after you and after the woman. We’re all dead people.” The fear in Billy’s voice was tangible as Jamie rode ahead, leading his companion’s horse behind him.

  Jamie claimed the outlaws’ guns and horses, and within an hour the three were miles from Hagan’s ranch, heading to San Diego.

  ******

  “Who’s the woman, MacLaren?” Sheriff Huntsman nodded toward Victoria as they locked Billy in a cell. Jamie was mighty glad to get rid of him.

  “Just someone who was kidnapped and held for ransom by Miguel Hagan. You know him?” Jamie hoped the sheriff had some interest in going after Hagan and his men.

  “Sure do. A real hard case. Always seems to slip through our hands. You wouldn’t happen to know where his ranch is, do you? His neighbors won’t give him up for anything. He pays everyone well to keep silent. Kind of a local hero, you might say.” The sheriff’s tone reflected disgust. “We’re shorthanded so I’ll take any kind of help I can get.”

  “No problem. I know how to get you within a couple hundred yards of the entrance. You’ll need more than a few men, though. His place is a fortress. Wish I could go with you. Nothing I’d like better than to wipe that piece of filth from the earth, but I need to deliver the woman to her kin and get back to more important business.”

  The sheriff looked at Victoria, but her focus seemed to be on the happenings outside. “Sure is a pretty thing, even if she is a bit beat up.” Huntsman took a seat at his desk and motioned for Jamie to take another.

  “Don’t get taken in by her looks, Sheriff. She’s no outlaw, but she’s not an angel. Woman’s left her share of deceit behind her. I’ll be glad to get her to Fire Mountain and off my hands.”

  Whether intentional or not, Jamie’s words carried through the office to where Victoria sat fiddling with a handkerchief that was dirty from use. She winced at his words. She knew Jamie hated her and would never understand why she’d made the one decision open to her seven years ago. If only she had the chance to change the past, but it was a futile thought. She’d live with her mistakes, and the pain they had caused, as best as she could.

  “Probably best to take the railroad up to San Bernardino, then head east from there. Not another train heading north for two days, but it’s worth the wait.”

  Two days. He didn’t want to wait that long but he had no choice. “That’ll work. Just need your signature on the prisoner release and we’ll be on our way. Know of a hotel you’d recommend?” Jamie was ready for a hot meal and soft bed. A soft woman, too, if he could manage it. Being this close to Torie, without being able to touch her, ask her about the past, was more than he wanted to deal with twenty-four hours a day until they reached Fire Mountain.

  “Florence Hotel is good. Clean and reasonable, with good food in the restaurant. Plus, my cousin Esther runs it. Give her my name and she’ll take good care of you.” He smiled then held out his hand to shake Jamie’s.

  “Thanks, Sheriff.” Jamie headed over to where Victoria remained seated.

  “Let’s go.” His voice was abrupt. The friendliness he’d shown the sheriff now gone.

  ******

  Dinner was an excruciating affair. Jamie charmed the staff and thanked them for the great food. He never offered his guest a word or look. She sat in silence, eating little and wishing they could return to the room he’d secured for them. One room, but big enough for a bed for her and a daybed for him. She wouldn’t even be able to shut a door so he could be out of her sight, and her thoughts, for at least one night.

  “Ready?” Jamie wiped his mouth and tossed his napkin on the table. He stood and walked around to pull out her chair. His sudden manners seemed absurd given that he hadn’t acknowledged her all evening.

  “Thank you,” was all she could get out, and even that was said just above a whisper.

  When they reached the room Jamie ushered her inside, grabbed his coat, and started for the door. She glanced at him with a question in her eyes.

  “I’ll be back later.” He exited the room, closing the door soundly behind him.

  She didn’t understand why his sudden departure bothered her so much.

  Victoria had felt alone for most of the past four months, but this was a different type of feeling. It was more an emptiness at his absence. She’d wanted to reach out and ask him to stay. She didn’t know wh
y, perhaps just to be near him. But it would’ve been futile. She knew he’d have ignored her request and left anyway.

  At least now there’d be quiet to calm her jagged nerves. The bath she took earlier had helped. The more time in his presence, the less confident she became that she could handle the long trip back to Arizona in such close proximity to the man.

  He looked much the same. He’d always been more serious than his older brother, Niall, or his younger twin brothers. Now his disposition reflected a man who’d experienced more than he should have at his age. Jamie was harsh, wary, and closed. She’d tried to speak with him during their brief stops before arriving in San Diego, but he had cut her off with a look each time. He was professional and courteous, but unapproachable.

  She walked to the bureau, changed into a gown and wrapper the hotel owner had offered, and lay down on the soft bed. She hadn’t slept on anything so nice since being kidnapped. This wasn’t first class, but it was far above the hard ground and lumpy pallets Miguel had provided over her four months of captivity. Victoria thought of Miguel and wondered if he would be angry or relieved that she was no longer his concern. The first was her guess, as Miguel saw women as nothing more than property. She had no doubt he believed he owned her. Perhaps, Victoria hoped, he’d decide she wasn’t worth the effort to get her back. She wanted no more bloodshed on her account.

  ******

  “What’ll you have, honey?” The red haired woman in a bright green dress asked as Jamie settled at the bar. She was good looking and Jamie’s mood picked up as she moved closer.

  “A whiskey, darl’n’.” Jamie looked at the shapely woman of about twenty standing before him. He’d come in for one drink, but hell, it’d been a sparse few months, and he was due.

  “A whiskey for the gentleman,” she called to the bartender.

  “Sure enough, Betts.”

  “And one for the lady.” Jamie looked at the bartender who nodded and plunked two shot glasses in front of them.

  “To tonight, darl’n’.” Jamie wrapped an arm around the saloon girl’s waist and raised his glass. The pretty lady responded in kind.

  “To tonight, handsome.” Betts nodded and relaxed with the knowledge she’d found her partner for the evening.

  ******

  “So tell me how you know that handsome lawman, Mrs. Wicklin. He sure has the female staff gawking.” Esther, the hotel owner, poured some coffee the following morning and sat next to Victoria in the dining room. “I’m Esther Thomas and I own this hotel. Do you mind if I join you?” She asked as an afterthought.

  “Not at all.” The company of another woman, a respectable woman anyway, had happened just one other time in the four months she’d been Miguel’s captive. Their conversation had lasted but a few minutes, long enough for Miguel to spot the two of them together and scare the other woman off. “I’d enjoy the company. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a civil conversation with anyone.”

  “You mean Marshal MacLaren isn’t civil to you? Seems real friendly to everyone around here.” The woman’s surprise showed on her face.

  “Oh, he’s civil. Does his job and leaves me alone most all the time. But it’s been awhile since I’ve spent time with another woman,” Victoria explained without offering details.

  “I heard from my cousin, the sheriff, that you’d been a hostage of that scoundrel, Miguel Hagan. The man should be hung for treating you the way he did. But now you’re free and headed home. To Fire Mountain, in Arizona, is that right?” Esther took a sip of her coffee.

  “Well, yes. At least long enough to visit my parents, but then I’ll need to travel back to San Francisco. That’s where I’ve been living for several years. From there, well, I just don’t know…” Victoria’s voice trailed off as her mind tried to deal with all that had happened.

  “Mrs. Wicklin, I’ve been looking for you.” Jamie’s voice cut through the fog and she looked up to focus on his stern face but didn’t reply.

  “Good afternoon, Marshal,” Esther said filling the lull in conversation.

  “Afternoon, ma’am. I hope the woman hasn’t been pestering you.” To Jamie’s embarrassment the hotel owner gave him a disgusted look.

  “What would make you think that, Marshal? Mrs. Wicklin and I’ve been having a nice chat, at least until you arrived,” the woman said. “Well, if you two will excuse me, I need to get back to business. Good day, Mrs. Wicklin. I do hope the rest of your journey home, wherever that takes you, is an improvement.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Thomas. It’s been my pleasure to share time with you.” Victoria refused to give the marshal so much as a glance. “Well, Jamie, you sure know how to make friends. You used to be quite the gentleman, but I see that’s changed over the years.”

  “Oh, that’s not all that’s changed about me, Victoria. I’m sure you’ll find that I’m not at all the same person I was at eighteen.” Jamie didn’t elaborate further before changing subjects. “I thought we’d have an early supper. We’ll take the morning train tomorrow. Need to be on our way by seven.”

  Jamie followed the same routine that night after he deposited Victoria back in their room. Betts was accommodating, didn’t ask questions, and spent the night tending to Jamie’s needs. Just killing time, he’d convinced himself. There was no way he planned to spend an evening in a hotel room with a woman he didn’t like or trust. They’d be on the train the next morning, headed for home, and it was coming none too soon for him.

  Chapter Six

  “Hen?” Tom entered the hotel lobby and found the owner at the front desk. “Hen, you aren’t going to believe this. He found her. Marshal MacLaren found Victoria and they’re on their way here,” Tom gasped as he handed the telegram to Victoria’s father.

  “My God. Anna!” Hen turned to open the office door behind him. “You need to come out here. We have news.” His hands shook from the unexpected telegram. It had been over four months since Jamie left to find their daughter. His regular updates kept them current, but there had been nothing in three weeks.

  “Hen? What is going on that you need to yell?” Anna walked out from the back office shaking her head.

  “It’s word from Jamie, Anna. He found her. Good Lord, Anna. The boy found her.”

  “You’re sure, Hen? There’s no mistake?” The hopeful words from his wife tore at his heart. She grabbed the message to read the words for herself.

  “Yes, sweetheart, I’m sure. Jamie wouldn’t have sent word to us unless he had her with him.” Hen’s smile was wide but Anna couldn’t control her tears. Four months since word of Victoria’s kidnapping. Seven years since her marriage to Hamilton Wicklin, the last time they’d seen her.

  Anna dried her cheeks with the handkerchief Hen offered, and smiled before taking a deep breath. “When? Do we have any idea when she’ll be here?”

  “Looks like tomorrow, Anna,” Tom offered up as he stepped to the door. “Well, I best head back to the office. Knew you folks would want to see that right away. And great news it is.”

  “Thanks, Tom. And we’ll expect you at the homecoming party we plan to throw once she’s settled.” Hen grabbed Anna and swung her around before depositing her in front of him for a reassuring hug. “Looks like we’ll have our daughter back, sweetheart.”

  “Yes, Hen. Looks like we just might.”

  ******

  The trip had turned into a nightmare for Victoria. Jamie’s treatment had continued to worsen. He had withdrawn more and more and now he didn’t even acknowledge her. He seemed to go out of his way to shut her out, seldom responded to any question she asked, and refused to sit anywhere near her. She’d reached her limit.

  “Jamie? Do you plan to ignore me the entire trip, treat me as if I’m some leper who will infect you if I venture too close?” Victoria had walked down the train aisle and sat in the empty seat next to him.

  Jamie pulled his eyes from the window to look over at the subject of his latest daydreams. God, she was still as beautiful as he remembered. Hone
y gold hair—the color of wheat—and striking violet colored eyes rimmed in a deep blue with gold specks. The years hadn’t changed her. It was obvious that life with Wicklin wasn’t the insufferable experience Jamie had hoped. No, Mrs. Victoria Wicklin appeared to be happy in her choice to marry for wealth and a life that included maids, butlers, and cooks. Oh, he knew what her life was like. Contrary to what Niall and others thought, he’d done what he could to learn her reasons for abandoning him to marry a stranger.

  As it turned out, however, Wicklin hadn’t been a stranger, but an old family friend. His aunt, Beatrice Wallace, and Torie’s parents had been friends when they all lived in St. Louis. Both families were in the hotel business, each operating successful and opulent establishments that catered to wealthy businessmen and travelers. Each family was considered among the elite of St. Louis society.

  Victoria’s parents hadn’t embraced that lifestyle. A few years after their marriage the two decided to leave for the burgeoning town of Los Angeles, but Anna became ill and the Wright’s had made it no further than Fire Mountain. Hen used some of his considerable family money to open the best hotel in the area and a mercantile next door that catered to the many new families arriving from the east.

  Not long after Hen and Anna decided to head west, Beatrice Wallace moved to San Francisco with her husband, opening hotels that had added to their mutual wealth. Her husband had died a few years after their arrival. Not long afterwards, Mrs. Wallace’s sister died, leaving Beatrice with sole custody of her nephew, Hamilton Wicklin.

  When Hamilton turned twenty-one, Mrs. Wallace had communicated with Hen and Anna over several months about a mutually beneficial marriage between Wicklin and Victoria. It had been Jamie’s misfortune to learn nothing of these machinations until after he’d asked Victoria to marry. He’d never mentioned to Hen and Anna what he’d discovered.