Page 44 of A Forgotten Heart
Nick and Ed. They bent over the snow in front of the land office. Patch wandered, sniffing around the snow.
Her heart pinched. This might be the last time she saw Nick.
Patch barked and started to dig at a spot in the snow. Ed said something to Nick, then joined the dog and scooped away snow from the spot.
She licked her wind-chapped lips. “Goodbye, Nick.”
She couldn’t shake that awful feeling of impending doom. She knew it wasn’t real, but she couldn’t bear it. She must go.
Just then, Patch began an incessant bark that grabbed her attention.
She glanced back, and the sunlight glinted on something on the saloon balcony.
What was that?
The barrel of a rifle reflected the light.
It was aimed directly at Nick.
“Nick!” she screamed. “Look out!”
Nick whirled her direction. She threw her arm out and pointed at the balcony.
It was only when she looked again that she realized the shooter’s face was directed at her. His sharp gaze cut through the distance.
In a blink, his gun barrel pivoted, redirecting toward her.
Nick shouted something, the words not registering.
Run!The word pulsed in her head.
But she couldn’t seem to make her feet move. Until the crack of the rifle split the air.
Time slowed as Nick watched the gunman aim his gun toward Elsie and fire.
No!
Nick sprang into motion, but the inches of snow slowed his steps.
“Elsie! Run!”
She’d already disappeared between two buildings by the time he got the words out. He hadn’t seen. Had she fallen? Been shot?
“Nick, get down,” Ed shouted from behind him.
Ed was right.
There was an entire block between him and the spot Elsie had disappeared. The streets were empty, and Nick made an easy target out in the open like this. He couldn’t help Elsie if he was dead.
Head pounding, he ducked into the alley.
Bullets ricocheted off the walls behind him, not two feet away. A volley of shots answered.
Ed? Nick hadn’t seen where his brother might’ve taken cover.
Pain flamed down his arm from the stitches in his shoulder.
He had one thought. Get to Elsie.
