The next shot thundered in her ears, and she looked toward the free-for-all happening below in time to see Trace collapse on the ground. He lay still and a new strength soared within her.
“Stay low until I get back,” she yelled over her shoulder as she hurried downward.
Her eyes never left the still figure laying in the dirt. As she rounded the corner, she encountered Frezner, his firearm aimed at one of the Denver men. The greenhorn stood frozen; eyes rounded in full terror as he anticipated his life coming to an abrupt end. Gen caused a distraction. Vicious, steely eyes turned to her. They stood a mere three feet apart. She cast him a warning scowl and watched as he chose to ignore it and his arm pivoted to level the barrel of his gun in her direction. Gen proved faster. Raising her pistol, she aimed and shot before the man had time to blink away his condescending grin. He tumbled to the ground. For a brief second she gazed on the first man she’d ever killed. The world around her silenced and she lifted her eyes to see Nick move in beside her.
“Bullseye, sis.” he said quietly “Best go see to your man. I’ll clean up here.”
Gen raced to Trace’s side, his motionless body causing endless grief to her soul. She couldn’t lose him on their first case together – correction – not ever. She dropped to her knees and touched his cheek gently, brushing a clump from his dirt-smeared face before noticing his scrunched brows. He was in pain, but he was alive. With new hope, she scanned his frame for blood. She found where the bullet had gone clear through the flesh in his leg. Gazing at his features again, she wondered at his unconsciousness. This leg injury was not life-threatening. Then she noticed the blood oozing from under his head and the cursed rock he’d fallen on. “Dear God,” she prayed. Men died from hits on the head. She ripped a piece of clean material from her dress and wrapped the strip around his wound. When he groaned and opened his eyes, her heart slowed its thunderous beat.
“Trace,” her voice cracked. “Talk to me, Trace.”
“You’re beautiful.”
She smiled. “Your eyes are not focusing properly or you’d know I am a dirty, blood-spattered mess.”
“A beautiful mess.” He closed his eyes and moaned. “I have a headache.”
“You hit your head on a rock and got shot in the leg.”
“Leg doesn’t hurt much.”
“A flesh wound. Appears you dodged the bullet well but missed seeing the rock on your way down.”
“Did we win?”
Gen surveyed the battle scene. Scores of men lay motionless on the ground. It appeared Andrea had not listened to her command to sit tight, and had followed Gen down the slope. She cradled Stanley’s head on her lap, but the man was awake and they were talking. Nick stood off to the side watching them, but not with jealousy. His face took on a new maturity that suited him. She rested her eyes back on Trace.
“It appears we did. Let me clean up this wound. I’ll go find my canteen.” He rested a hand on her arm. “Don’t leave.”
“But…” His hand squeezed to silence her resistance. She allowed herself to be read like an open book. She wanted Trace to see the love that bubbled inside her like a giddy schoolgirl.
“Thanks for staying clear of the trouble.”
Her brows arched and she bit her lip. “About that…” Trace’s brows knit together when her defiance sunk in. She hurried to explain. “I stayed on the plateau with Andrea close to the bitter end – honest I did. But then you were shot and I couldn’t stay clear a second longer.” When his glare never softened, she added, “You are my partner. We’re sworn to look after one another.”
His intense eyes bore through her, running down to the core of her being, uncovering the secrets of her heart. “It appears I am your husband first. I want to grow old with you, Mrs. Stapleton. Do you have any objections?”
Gen bent over and kissed his lips. She withdrew slightly, but remained inches from his face. “There will be guidelines to discuss, Mr. Stapleton. I am not willing to give up traveling the countryside with you, solving crimes and rescuing damsels in distress.”
“I think we can come to agreeable terms,” said Trace. “You appear to have come out of this ordeal unscathed.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, sir. Cupid has shot an arrow clear through my heart and I will never be the same.”
“I think I can handle that injury.” With his hand he pushed her head down and shared a kiss typical of a husband and wife in love.
Chapter 12
Three days later, Gen and Trace sat in the office of Archie Gordon at the Pinkerton Detective Agency. He closed the file in front of him and grinned.
“Congratulations, team Stapleton. All the loose ends have been tied up satisfactorily. Appears the industrious trail master decided to play both ends of the scam and take all the loot. Initially, he was well paid by the scamp Terrance to kidnap Andrea. You saw the gent gunned down at the camp, which freed him to scoop the ransom money from the delivery boy.” He chortled. “He didn’t stop there. A bonus sum was in the offering from Andrea’s beau. He’d hired the trail master to kill the man Andrea seemed determined to marry.”
