Page 77 of The Banker's Bride

When they rode into town, Dallas pulled back hard on the reins, bringing Blaze to a stop in front of the livery stable and jumped off. Milo and the other men did the same, quickly jumping down off their horses.

Dirk came out of the livery stable. “Dallas? What’s wrong?”

“Can you keep our horses for us?” Dallas nodded toward the hotel. “They got Megan.”

“Yes, of course.” Dirk raised his chin toward the other men, his eyebrows pulling together in concern. “Tie them off at the hitching post over there and I’ll take care of them.”

Milo, Bill, and the other men did as Dirk instructed.

Dirk took Blaze’s reins and led him into a stall. “I’ll be down in a minute.” Then, he ran out and quickly untied another horse.

“Dirk, I can’t ask you to do that. You have a baby on the way—”

“Nonsense! I’m sure you would do the same for me if it were Gabby.”

Dallas nodded, knowing he would. “Thanks, Dirk.”

He nodded toward the hotel. “You go do what you have to, and I’ll be right behind you as soon as I take care of the horses.”

“Thanks, Dirk. I appreciate that.” Dallas ran into town and flung open the door to the sheriff’s office, knowing someone was there… even though it was Sunday.

Colton jumped up and drew his gun quicker than Dallas would have thought possible and pointed it at him but held it up when he saw who it was, his long hair falling over his shoulder. “That’s a good way to get yourself shot.”

Sheriff Clark was on his feet behind his desk. “What happened?”

“Megan is missing.”

“Hey, banker! I saw you go in there!” Frank yelled from outside in the snow-covered street. “I have your woman and I’m coming for you next!”

Dallas crossed the room in two strides and threw open the door with Daxton and Colton hot on his heels. “If anything happens to her, I’ll hunt you down.” Dallas gritted his teeth, moving his coat to the side, revealing his six-gun revolvers strapped to his sides. “There will be nowhere you can hide because I’ll hunt you down….” Dallas stepped forward and stopped at the edge of the wooden walkway. “… and I’ll kill you.” Dallas planted his feet firmly on the porch. “Let her go and we can settle this like men.”

Then a man wearing a black cowboy hat walked out of the hotel, the same one who had robbed the bank and got away. One corner of his lips curled into a menacing smile as he strode over to Frank, who was holding Megan, pushing his gun to her head. Three other men that Dallas recognized from outside the hotel flanked them.

“Dallas, I’m so sorry!” Megan yelled in her thick Irish brogue. “Don’t get hurt because of me!”

“Ever since our last meeting….” The man wearing the black cowboy hat laughed at his own joke. Dallas knew that their last meeting was when he had robbed his bank. “I’ve been looking for a way to get even with you. Fancy my surprise when my brothers saw her yesterday… your wife.” He smelled her hair, taunting Dallas, never taking his eyes from him.

Megan struggled in his grasp. “Let me go, or I’ll kill ye myself!”

He laughed. “Now, that I would like to see.”

“Let her go!” Sheriff Clark yelled from behind them. “You’re under arrest for the robbery of the Whiskey River Bank, for the murder of Virgil Williams, and now for kidnapping! Let her go! You don’t want to add anything more to the charges!”

“Oh, but I do… and I will.” Frank walked up beside the man wearing the black cowboy hat. “Give me the man who killed my brothers, and we’ll let her go.”

Dallas heard Colton’s spurs ring out behind him and stepped up beside him. “I killed one of them while we were chasing them down after robbing his bank.”

“Well, then I’ll get you, too.”

Colton straightened, perfectly calm. “I’m right here.”

Sheriff Clark walked up on the other side of Dallas. “As sheriff of this town, I’m telling you to let her go! This is the last time I’ll say it.”

“They killed my brothers!” Frank yelled, pointing to Dallas. “Are you going to let them get away with that?”

“Your ‘brothers’ robbed his bank, and they were armed. They killed one of the bank guards, too.” Sheriff Clark stepped forward. “Sorry to say this, but your brothers got what they deserved. Let her go and I won’t kill you. Again, drop your weapons! You’re all under arrest!”

Frank shook his head. “Not until I kill the men who killed my brothers.”

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