Page 74 of A Fortune for the Outlaw's Daughter

His face was swollen and he held one hand against his ribs. She shook her head. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

“Maddie, I know you’re scared, but—”

“Scared? I’m not scared. Not of Mad Dog.” She wanted to move closer, explain her only true fears concerned him, but his standoffish attitude stopped her. “I’ve shot him twice, and I’m not afraid to do it again,” she declared. “Mad Dog’s a lot of things, but he’s not stupid. He won’t come back here, not in the light of the day.” She thought about saying Mad Dog was lying, that her first bullet hadn’t rendered him incapable of anything, but that would only make Lucky more determined. Maddie knew, too, that her second bullet hadn’t done much damage, either. Rubbing both arms, she tried to ward off a sickening chill. “He’ll find a spot to hide, maybe even gather his men together, and then wait.”

Beneath the swelling, Lucky’s eyes grew hard, his features rigid. “Start packing.”

Thrown by his command, she questioned, “Packing what?”

“Your things,” he barked. “You’re leaving.”

“No, I’m not.” Maddie spun around to wave a hand at the table, where everything was set up for the day’s cleanout. “We still have two weeks to mine gold and I—”

“Maddie, you’re leaving.” Lucky grabbed her arms and spun her around. “You said yourself Mad Dog won’t return in the light of day. That he’ll wait. Come back at night. We can’t take that chance.”

Even angry, his sincerity, his concern, touched her. Maddie wanted to lay her head on his chest, but his injuries made her afraid to touch him. “Maybe Tim already caught him,” she offered hopefully.

Lucky shook his head. “No, he’d have already been back.” He took her arm and ushered her toward the boxes holding her possessions. “Start packing. I’m taking you to town.”

“You can’t row in your condition,” she argued. “Besides, we can’t stop mining now. Our payouts have been—”

“Don’t worry about your precious gold, Maddie,” he growled. “I’ll see to it.”

She wrenched her arm from his hold. “You’ll see to it?” Fury matched concern. “It’s my gold, too, and I’m not leaving without you. We either both leave or we both stay.”

The door flew open and Jack stuck his head in the tent. “Cole, you best get out here.”

Lucky moved to the door, but before stepping out, he glowered at her. “You take one step out of this door and I’ll paddle your backside.”

She opened her mouth, but clamped it shut when his glare increased.

“I mean it, Maddie. I’ll paddle you in front of all those men.”

As furious as his statement made her, she had to remember he hadn’t broken a promise, not yet. Not even with broken ribs. She slapped her arms across her chest, glaring back.

Lucky turned around, and moments before slamming the door shut, he shooed a squawking Homer inside the tent.

“Don’t say a word,” she snapped at the bird.

Homer hopped and flapped his wings, crossing the room to stop before her, where he promptly stuck his head under one wing.

She rolled her eyes, but went to the shelf and pulled down the bag of raisins. After dropping a pile on the floor, she went to the door and opened it a crack. A broad back, Albert’s no doubt, completely blocked her view.

“Don’t make me lock you in, Mrs. DuMont,” he said without turning around. “But know I will.”

She shut the door and let out a few choice words, which Homer repeated verbatim.

* * *

It was a damn nightmare. That was the only way Cole could describe it. Ridge or Rodriquez, whatever his name was, had gotten away. Once persuaded, Elwood Reins confirmed they’d hidden a boat in one of the tributaries. With all the rain lately, what had been little waterways were now deep enough to sustain boat travel, and several of those creeks weaved around the mine.

There was but one choice.

Upon seeing the parameter secured by his most trusted men, Cole drew Abe, Albert and Tim into a huddle. His ribs were killing him, his mind was a mangled mess, but the brothers refusing his request was the last straw.

“Why not?” Cole demanded to know. “It’s a hell of a deal.”

The brothers glanced at each other. Abe was the one who spoke. “What about Maddie?”

Impatient and irritated, Cole asked, “What about her?”

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