Page 34 of A Groom for Millie
“Shut up you two. I should have never included you in my plans. You ruin everything. Just the way you did on the stage.”
“It was you!” Millie cried. “You held up that stage that my mother was on.”
“Yes, we did,” the man grinned.
“I bet you robbed the banks and murdered those people as well.”
The man looked proud of himself. “Of course, we did. It was all too easy to blame it on Taylor. Except for dummy here misspelling the name when he gave it to the newspaper in Kansas City. But we fixed that in Flat River.”
“Did you write a letter answering the advertisement as well?”
The man wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. “This seemed like a perfect place to hide. It was like hiding in plain sight. Until that stupid horse broke free. Then we couldn’t come here.”
“So, you went back to Flat River, didn’t you, Carson?” All eyes snapped to see Robert holding a long rifle, pointing it at the men. “You figured I’d move the money at some point.”
“What are you going to do, Taylor? Shoot all of us?” The man’s beady eyes quickly surveyed his surroundings.
Robert looked at the man with steely eyes and shook his head. “No. Not all of you. Just you.” He cocked the hammer and fired. Beatrice screamed.
“Get in the barn,” Robert yelled.
Millie grabbed Beatrice’s hand and took off for the barn opening.
“You’re next, Vincent,” Robert yelled.
Vincent fumbled with his gun, making Robert question whether the man had ever fired it before. Robert pulled back the trigger once more. Instead of firing, the slug caught in the barrel. Vincent gave Robert an evil grin and pulled out his six-shooter, raising it in the air. Just as he began to cock the hammer, a loud bang filled the yard.
Vincent’s eyes opened wide and he looked down at his shirt. He dropped the gun and placed his hand on his chest. Blood coated his fingers. A gurgling sound released, and he fell face-first into the floor. The youngest man ran towards the horses that were tied under a tree. The horse started running as the man swung one leg over the saddle and they was gone down the pasture towards Chimney Rock.
Millie peeked over Robert’s shoulder and gasped. Regina Baker stood in the middle of the yard with George’s rifle. Smoke still emanated from the barrel. Her hands were shaking, and the color had drained from her skin.
“Momma,” Millie cried running to her mother. “How did you know how to shoot that?”
“I didn’t. I just figured I’d point in the general direction and see what happened.”
Millie heard the community bell ringing in the distance. Beatrice returned to her buggy and sobbed in fright. Regina walked over to comfort the young woman. It didn’t take long for Heather to arrive, and she was followed shortly by Mr. Darcy, the Pastor, and several of the other townsfolk.
Robert came over to stand my Millie. “Are you alright?”
Millie nodded. “I think I was too much in shock to be frightened.”
“I’m sorry you had to experience that.”
“Did you pay the mortgage on the ranch?”
Robert looked in the distance. “I thought I’d like to leave a legacy. Something other than a good hand at cards.”
Millie smiled. “I’d like that too.”
Robert kissed her on the cheek as Pastor Collins jumped from his buggy and rushed towards the couple. “Mrs. Reed, it has come to my attention that you have been violating your contract. I demand that you resign at once.”
Mr. Darcy came up behind Pastor Collins. “You can deal with that later. Right now, I need to ask a few questions.”
Millie listened as Mr. Darcy asked if she recognized the men. She shook her head.
“I did,” Regina Baker said. “And I can tell you all about it.”
Millie explained what the men revealed about the bank robberies. Robert just happened to be a random target at first. Then the men purposely followed him to throw the trail off their crimes. When Robert won the pot with five aces, Bart Carson, who was wanted in three territories, couldn’t see anything but revenge.
