Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 165476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 827(@200wpm)___ 662(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 165476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 827(@200wpm)___ 662(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Cole thrashed in his grip, kicking frantically, and that did remind Ned one of them was afraid of drowning more than falling from such a great height and was in desperate need of help.
Floating underwater, he pushed his hands under Cole’s arm, glad that he hadn’t let go of the jacket, because had they been separated, lost seconds could have meant Cole’s demise. If they’d managed to find one another at all.
Ned darted to the surface, arching his head for a gulp of air, but Cole kicked him in the shin, which sent Ned back under the surface. Fear was the heaviest weight, and if they were to survive, Cole needed to understand that he’d be all right if he trusted Ned. That was of course if he hadn’t already broken all his limbs in the fall.
The violent thrashing left Ned fighting against hands frantically clawing at him, but once he managed to twist Cole around so they were back to chest, getting to the surface was within reach. Ned’s lungs burned from the lack of air by the time he broke out of the water and inhaled at last, but the river was slow, and its banks—flat and easy to climb.
Cole’s resistance grew weaker, but the way he wheezed set off alarm bells in Ned’s head, prompting him to fight the current.
“Calm down. I’ve got you,” he rasped, fluttering his legs to propel them toward the shore. His limbs cried in agony from the effort, but by the time he dragged Cole out of the water, fatigue and pain were both forgotten.
Cole got to his hands and knees, crawling away from the waves as he coughed, over and over until Ned kneeled behind him and put his arms around Cole’s midsection. Grabbing his fist with the other hand, he created a band around him and pulled, like he would to a choking person, and moments later, Cole spat out the water he’d tried to breathe in.
Ned exhaled with relief but repeated the same motion until Cole no longer choked, and they both collapsed to their sides, stuck to one another with damp clothes.
“Y—you saved my life twice within ten minutes,” Cole mumbled, curled up like a sleeping animal.
Ned stared at the sky while his mind raced. He couldn’t believe he was alive. And better yet—his hat hung off a nearby bush. Fortune had clearly favored him today. “Guess that’s our lot in life. You try to kill me, I save you. You might be boss with your guns, but that’s hardly impressive when a little puddle can do you in.”
Cole gave a raspy laugh, which turned into another fit of coughing, but he seemed fine enough. “Damn it. I’ll have to tell Tom it was my fault now.”
For once, he didn’t seem afraid of Tom’s wrath. Maybe the most recent brush with death had put it all in perspective.
Ned ruffled Cole’s soaking hair and lay on his back. “If he tries to kill you, you know who to call for.”
Cole rolled to his back too, his fist smacking Ned’s stomach, but it was good-natured. “What are you gonna do? Swim me to safety?”
Ned bit his lips, desperate for a solution better than blowing up the goddamn bridge.
“I’ve got a plan.”
Chapter 10
“And then I yelled ‘jump!’.” Cole made a terrified face to amuse everyone sheltering among bushes and rocks. The truth didn’t matter as long as the story sounded good, so Ned let him have that moment of false victory. He hugged Nugget’s thick neck, watching the viaduct that had almost taken their lives.
Tom hadn’t been thrilled with the blunder but had calmed down once Cole had presented Ned’s plan by claiming Ned was a master of stunts on horseback. The damn bastard could have ballyhooed Saul into buying a crucifix if he tried hard enough. Problem was, the only stunt Ned could perform on horseback was lassoing, and he doubted that skill would come in handy when confronting a moving train. All he really had going for him was determination and the trust in his bond with Nugget.
“I bet the locomotive on your asses was quite the incentive,” Adam Wild laughed.
“Like the riches will be for your woman to jump in front of the altar with you.” Cole winked at his friend with a wide grin.
But Ned couldn’t find the humor to joke around with everyone else. He was about to commit a crime that would affect a great many people, and while no one would die, they might end up losing their life’s savings.
It couldn’t be helped. If he wanted the gang’s trust, if he wanted revenge and to wipe out the Gotham Boys so that no one had to suffer at their hands in the future, sacrifices needed to be made. Once Ned was done with his mission, no family would ever again be broken by Butcher Tom and his men.