Page 24 of Hard Bounty

But relief washed over John when he saw the sunlight gleaming off the stars the newcomers wore.

The law had arrived.

He reined up, showed his own badge, and identified himself.

“What’s going on, Deputy?” the lead man asked.

“We were jumped by some bounty hunters back there. How’d y’all happen along?”

“I’m Marshal Vance McCoy and these are my deputies. You’re mighty close to McAlester. It’s just around that next bend there. We heard the shooting and came to see what’s going on!”

John smiled. “Boy am I glad you did! Two of ‘em are down. Not sure if they’re breathing or not. One is still hiding in the trees.”

“We’ll get them,” the marshal said. Turning a bit in the saddle, he eyed his men. “Come on! They attacked a Deputy United States Marshal! Let’s round up those skunks and show ‘em how we deal with the likes of them around these parts!”

The men cheered.

John breathed a sigh of relief.

He was thankful for the help. But what he was thankful for the most was that Mary was still alive.

And close to him.

Chapter Fifteen

“Well, I have some good news and some, uh, not so good news,” John said.

Mary was standing outside the hotel, leaning against the sandstone building, waiting with bated breath. Was she about to get handed over to the local authorities and locked up?

The deputy dispelled that notion quickly.

“Good news is I’m not going to make you stay in the McAlester jail,” he said.

She breathed a sigh of relief. As a Deputy United States Marshal, it was his right to request local law house a prisoner. The McAlester marshal probably would have gone along with it, too. Mary had enough experience with these things to know how it worked. Lawmen usually supported other lawmen.

“I reckon you proved yourself back there,” he said with a nod. “And I’m mighty obliged to you. I know you didn’t have to come back.”

She waved off the appreciation, feeling a little uncomfortable.

There was a small sliver of her that wished she was running free right now. She could have ridden one of those horses straight west. Found a train station and hopped aboard a locomotive that would take her all the way to California and the ocean.

But for some reason, even though she was his prisoner, being with John was just what felt right. Her heart was content. She couldn’t explain it.

“What about that bad news?” she prodded.

He looked a little sheepish. A group of older women walked by on the sidewalk, and John cleared his throat and tipped his hat. “Evening,” he said.

“Evening,” one of the ladies responded.

Once they’d passed, John’s eyes went back to Mary.

The clopping of horse hooves was heard from the street, along with the sound of several wagons rolling past.

Finally, after clearing his throat again, he said, “I got us a room here in the hotel. But…uh…they’re down to their last one.”

Mary fought a grin. She now understood why he was so uncomfortable.

“I’m not talking about anything improper here,” he quickly added. “I’ll just bunk down on the floor. Heck, if they have a rug down it’ll be softer than the ground I’m used to.” He chuckled.

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