“We’d better get back,” Blake suggested waiting while Darcy got her fill of the big house, before they turned and walked back to the darker side of town.
The town had changed greatly in recent years. The oil industry had prospered the town of Casper, but had also expanded the vice in the town. Saloons, brothels, and gambling dens had expanded with the oil workers arrival.
The industry and subsequent air field and other amenities had meant that though prohibition was the law, much of the drinking, gambling, and carousing continued to go on while officials turned a blind eye.
As much as Blake hated the disregard to the law, he had set his sights higher and was determined to bring down a gang who had already knocked over three banks in Wyoming and were reported to have killed at least two agents.
“I’ll leave you here,” Blake spoke to Darcy as they approached the building. “I’m going to …” he stopped mid sentence as a man he recognized as a police official in the town stepped out of the speakeasy stuffing a money clip full of bills into his side pocket. Blake had planned on going to the police chief that day and letting him know about the planned robbery, but now he was having serious second thoughts.
“Never mind,” he finally said, taking Darcy’s elbow and escorting her into the building. “I’ll see if I can send a note.” Surely there was someone who he could trust with his news, but who? How many officers had been bought and paid for in Casper? Blake needed to be sure that whoever he contacted could be trusted.
“You two been gone a long time,” Pierce swirled the amber liquid in his glass of ice, lifting it like a toast as Darcy hurried toward him. “I see you did some shopping my dear,” he grinned. “I hope you got something pretty.”
“It was nice to stretch my legs,” Darcy said, hurrying to Pierce to kiss his cheek. “I thought we might be away a while and wanted a few extra things. Lemon drop?” she added lifting the paper bag before him.
Pierce raised a dark brow as Blake sat the carefully wrapped packages on the table, but waved the girl away. “You put everything in the car,” he commanded the younger man. “We’re hitting the bank right after it opens in the morning. I just got word that the delivery time was changed. Best get a good night’s sleep. Pack the cars and be ready to go. Darcy you’ll go with Blake since no one in these parts knows him. He’ll be our best surprise.” A wolfish grin spread across the boss’s heavy face.
“Whatever you say sweetie,” Darcy drawled, lighting a cigarette. “Go on Turnip, get my stuff together. I’m looking forward to being alone with my snoochems.”
Blake nodded gathering the packages once more and heading for the car. A cold dread settled into his stomach at the other man’s words but it was time to get this done. In a few more hours he would be in the middle of things, for good or bad, he didn’t know yet. Blake knew he was close to breaking this gang into a million little pieces. He just hoped that he and Darcy wouldn’t be shattered at the same time. Everything hung on this bank job going off without a hitch, so that he could find out who the real ‘Mr. Big’ could be.
A cold shiver ran down Blake’s spine as he placed the packages into the trunk of the runabout he and Darcy had driven to town and saw the guns, shining dully in the damp light. The game was afoot, and it was more dangerous than any of them could know.
Chapter 13
Blake helped Darcy into the flashy robin’s egg blue car, squeezing her hand for a moment to still the trembling that thrummed through her fingers. It was time for action, and he was torn between pressing forward or running the other way. He was so close to finding out who was behind this gang and all the pain and suffering they had caused but was it worth risking Darcy at the same time.
In time, Wyoming would sort itself out with the ban on whisky and wine, but he needed to get to the root of the criminal problem. Three bank men had already died at the hands of this bunch. If Blake could hold on just a little longer, he could cut off the head of the serpent bringing this string of robberies to an end.
“You ready?” Blake asked, slipping into the driver’s seat and pushing the starter button. “You can back out if you want, I won’t blame you.”
“I’m seeing this through,” Darcy said, her eyes focused on the sleek black car in front of them that the other men had all climbed into. “I want to do at least one good thing in my life.”
Blake felt a deep sorrow slip into his soul at the young woman’s words. She couldn’t see that our own good works were not the way to redemption, but perhaps this was one step in the right direction. Shifting gears he rolled slowly in behind Pierce and his big car.
***
Within moments of entering the bank, faces covered and guns in hand, everything had gone wrong. Darcy, who had insisted on being in on it, had delivered a note to the clerk only seconds before Pierce and his men crashed through the door guns in hand.
Blake, who had entered practically on Darcy’s heels, had hung back by the door, hoping to see that no one was hurt but was powerless to stop what happened next.
“Get on the floor,” one of Pierce’s men growled through his mask as he brandished
