With slow movements, Reno pulled the small bag of gold from his pocket. The bulk of his money was in his bag in the rear boot. He assumed Taylor already had it pulled off and loaded on his horse.
Kinsella jerked the gold from his hand. “Now, give me your gun!”
Reno did as he was asked, still saying nothing. He was biding his time, knowing Gentry would act when the time was right. And when he did, Reno would be ready.
“What else you got?” Roberts poked him in the chest with the barrel of his gun.
“Nothing.”
Roberts saw his watch chain. “Give me that watch. It’s gold, ain’t it?”
“No.”
“No, it ain’t gold?”
“No, you can’t have it.”
Suddenly, Roberts raised his gun to point it between Reno’s eyes.
“Wait.” Kinsella came forward. “I want to ask him something before you shoot him. It’s been bothering me.” Getting right in his face, he stared into Reno’s eyes. “You were there – and then you weren’t. Was that some type of medicine man magic? Like that old squaw we killed a few days later was supposed to have?” He snarled a coarse laugh. “Her magic didn’t save her and this time your magic won’t save you.”
Fury flashed over Reno like a wildfire. The bastard was talking about Ela. With a true Indian war whoop, he pulled his knife from the hidden sheaf on his inner thigh and threw it at Kinsella. The blade buried itself deep in the man’s throat and blood bubbled out from the hole like a fountain. With glazed eyes, he fell to the ground.
Hearing Reno’s battle cry, Gentry burst forth from the coach, gun blasting. He took Roberts out before the man knew what was happening. The Ranger reacted equally fast, winging Taylor.
Once the dust settled, they found the other passenger in a dead faint on the ground. While the driver revived him with a splash of water from his canteen, the surviving Ranger came up to Reno and Gentry. “Wasn’t that something? Showed their true colors, bold as brass.”
“They didn’t intend to leave survivors,” Reno remarked dryly. “When you make your report, Ranger, I’d like a chance to add something.”
“What’s that?” he asked with true curiosity.
“These men have been committing atrocities like this all over the territory. Raiding, burning, and killing people while disguised as Indians. All for the express purpose of starting a war. My boss and I visited Governor Pease a few days ago to give him some names to investigate. These three men were on that list. What we survived today substantiates our story. I would appreciate it if you passed word of this matter to the people who need to hear. We must stop this war before it gets started.
“After witnessing this, I agree. Consider it done.” The Ranger handcuffed Taylor and put him on board the stagecoach. Meanwhile, the driver and Gentry transferred the three dead bodies to the roof. Once they were on their way, Reno gazed out the window with a slight smile on his lips. “That was for you, Ela. That was for you.”
* * *
“Will there be a second date?” Journey couldn’t help but grin at her friend’s enthusiastic response to her outing with Samuel Blackhawk.
“Oh, hell yeah. We’ve already made plans. The man is a living doll. I hit the jackpot with this one.”
“I’m so happy for you.” Journey was completely sincere. “You’re amazing. You deserve someone who will appreciate you.”
“Why, thank you, Jo. What’s up with you? Did Reno’s letter show up in the journal?”
Her voice went from cheerful to flat. “No. Not yet.”
“Don’t give up. Okay?”
Journey sighed. “I have faith.”
“So, what are you doing?”
“I’m finally going through the box of Blackhawk family papers to see if there’s anything concerning Reno I haven’t already seen. Apple invited me to a lunch thing Tuesday, and I want to be able to return this stuff. I’ve had it too long already.”
“Have you found anything?”
“Not yet. While I was at my uncle’s funeral, I met this man who told me about a huge flood that took place in 1869. I’m trying to find any mention of it to tell me how King’s Ransom fared.”
“Are you okay? You sound tired. How’s the baby?”
“I’m tired because you ask so many questions.”
“Sorry. I’m just concerned.”
“I know. I’m doing all right and the baby’s fine. I have a checkup next week. I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“Do you need me to come visit and go with you?”
“You’re always welcome, you know that.” She sat down at the table to rest her feet. “If you can come, that would be great. If you’re busy, Aunt Myra will be glad to go.”
“Okay, let me check my schedule. If I can come, I will.”
“Sounds good, Lou.” They were both silent a few moments, a silence that comes from having gone through so much together. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Mrs. Black. Have faith, remember?”
“Yea, I remember. Have faith.”
As she hit end on the phone, something caught Journey’s eye. Standing up, she pulled a yellowed newspaper article from the Austin Daily State Gazette out of a stack. “What’s this?” To her shock and amazement, the headline on the fragile paper read Cowboy Comes Back from the Dead. The date beneath the title was May 21, 1869. With shaking hands, she held the paper to her breast. “He made it. Oh, thank God, he made it.”
Reno was safe.
As tears streamed down her face, she began to read about the King’s Ransom employee who’d been missing for a month and was believed to be dead. The story Reno related wasn’t the way it happened, of course, but
