Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
“When he’s good and ready,” Junior said tersely. Aida knew Junior likely wished he was with Cole and the others, rather than playing nanny to a half-clothed woman who kept asking questions, but it still irritated her.
She threw the blanket over her shoulders and marched toward the bathroom, but Junior held up a hand and handed her a bundle of folded clothing. “Cole said you were to have this,” he said. “He had someone in the saloon bring it up. A connection he has.” She snatched it out of his hand and opened it up, revealing a simple gown that would fit her well.
“Thank you,” she said shyly, a faint flush creeping to her cheeks as she suddenly remembered how her other dress now lay in tatters. She turned from Junior and went back toward the tiny privy, shared with a door on the other side by an adjacent room.
In a fit of anger, she threw the deadbolt on the door to keep Junior out, and flounced herself over to the sink where a small looking glass reflected her angry countenance. She looked a right mess, with her hair piled up on her head in wild ringlets, a splotch of red on one cheek from leaning up against the pillow. Tentatively, she lifted her skirt and tried to peer at her reddened backside. Had he left stripe marks?
Why was it she wished he had?
Sighing, she dressed quickly. Just as she was finishing she heard the lock fumble, and she turned to face Junior.
“You stay out of—” she began, but to her surprise, it wasn’t the door she’d entered that was being jostled. She wheeled just in time to see Pearson’s narrowed eyes fall on hers in victory. His thin, rabid face grew hungry, and she could only stare as he advanced.
“All alone, are we?” he asked. Just as she opened her mouth to scream, his hand reached out and silenced her, his large palm over her mouth as she pushed and struggled. He withdrew his revolver and with a sharp crack, hit her on the side of the head. She sank into darkness.
Chapter Fifteen
Hell is empty. All the devils are here. ― William Shakespeare
It was an easy matter gagging and blindfolding the senators, and Cole was none too gentle when he tied the restraints on Senator Perkins’ wrists. The man called out in pain, and Cole pulled harder. With them secured, his mind now raced with what to do next.
“No way to get you word,” Preach said gruffly. “When we passed hands at the station, I was told a hefty sum of silver was passed across the palm of the station master.” Of course the station master hadn’t been aware of the planned theft that was to take place upon the train. His contact on the railroad line knew exactly when the train would pass through, exactly the amount of money held in the safe, and it had been an easy matter to bribe him into making a quick change with drivers.
Monty and his men, along with Doc and Justice, were supposed to have been in the back room with the safe, as Monty’s man Rinaldo was an expert at cracking safes. Pearson would get a cut for covering their whereabouts, and several of Monty’s men would take off in various directions, muddying their tracks. The state senators were supposed to be on their way toward a convention, and apparently had decided to take an earlier ride. Cole had expected them to arrive a few days later. Now what would they do with the senators?
There was muttering and cursing apparently going on behind the gags, and Cole gladly kneed the back of the man he held in his hands now. The man cried out, and Cole took a sadistic pleasure in having caused him pain. Bastard.
Cole dragged one man, and Preach the other, a thin-nosed, scrawny man with a shock of thick dark hair. Cole finally found where Monty had the safe, and he brought the two hostages in with him.
“Didn’t know these bastards would be joining us,” Cole said. They could be hanged for manhandling politicians.
“These men are restrained,” he said. “Take them to Lawson’s for questioning, and we’ll have to figure out what to do with them later. I’m going to get back up and bring Junior down here.” What he didn’t tell them all was that his intention was to make sure he had Aida secured. She’d lose it when she found out her father was in the same building as she was and he wanted to be with her when she found out.
Climbing up the narrow staircase, he nearly ran into Junior, his eyes wide and guilty-looking as he met Cole.
“She’s gone,” he said.
Cold twisted in his stomach and Cole grabbed Junior by the shirt collar. “Where is she?”