Love on the Line - Deeanne Gist [127]
He’d considered going with Necker and trying to take Comer alone. But if Duane’s story was accurate, then the gang would have their guns out by the time Comer made an appearance. Luke might be able to disarm them if he caught them off guard, but his chances wouldn’t be too good with that many men holding loaded pistols in the ready position. Besides, he had an uneasy feeling about Necker. Something just didn’t sit right.
Nussbaum returned the warrant. “Do you have any idea who them men really are?”
“Yes.”
The sheriff scratched his neck. “Well, if ya get yer Rangers to go along, I might come with ya. But nobody round here’ll bring ’em in.”
“What about your deputies?”
Nussbaum shook his head. “Not them, neither. Ya don’t know them fellers like we do. With the way they’re scattered, we might get the drop on one or two, but that’d leave a lot more to get the drop on us. Why, we’d be full o’ lead ’fore the sun’s even up.”
Whipping off his hat, Luke pointed south. “They’re planning a train robbery for later today. People’s lives are at stake. If I could do it alone, I would, but we need to hit the houses simultaneously. Surely you can persuade your men to cooperate?”
“ ’Fraid not. Nothin’ short of a company o’ Rangers could go after those men and come out alive.”
“We don’t have time to wait for my company. I need to round them up within the next few hours.”
Nussbaum opened the door. “I’m right sorry, Palmer.”
“It’s Landrum. Lucious Landrum. And if I had such pitiful deputies, I’d discharge them on the spot.”
The sheriff wasn’t moved. His fear of the Comer Gang clearly outweighed any pride he had over his deputized crew.
Luke jammed on his hat. “Fine. I’ll go out there alone. All I need is one fearless man with nerve enough to drive a hack.” He poked Nussbaum with a finger. “You give me the name of that man and I’ll come back with a load of criminals.”
“You’ll come back in a coffin is what you’ll come back in. Now, good night—or good morning, or whatever it is.”
Barely suppressing his anger, Luke stormed out the door. House by house, he roused men from their beds with his request. One driver, that’s all he needed. He asked the doc, the judge, the fire chief, the banker, the blacksmith, the tanner, the livery owner, even the milliner. On each occasion the door was shut in his face.
Time had run out. If he didn’t leave within the next half hour, he’d miss Duane, Blesinger, and possibly the others. There was only one person whom he hadn’t asked. One person who he knew would face the enemy square on. One person who’d risk everything.
Standing on the familiar porch beside a green bench, rattan rockers, and a porch swing, he opened the screen, then knocked on the bright blue door of Georgie’s cottage.
She thought she’d seen him in his Ranger’s garb, but clearly she hadn’t. His transformation was every bit as dramatic as that of caterpillar to butterfly. His quality Stetson and long-sleeve shirt offered the only bit of white he wore. Everything else was black—leather vest, string tie, trim pants, worn chaps, polished boots.
But it was the row of cartridges in his hand-tooled belt, the enormous emblem-buckle of gold and silver, and the pair of pistols at his hips which drew her attention.
She allowed her gaze to travel back up the length of him until his denim-colored eyes snagged hers.
“Bettina’s on her way to Industry,” she said, her brain starting to work again. “By herself. I have to go get her. Can I borrow your horse?”
“No, I need it. And I need you.”
She shook her head. “But, I—”
“No one would join my posse.”
She blinked. “No one? Was it because of their loyalty to Comer?”
“For some. Others—like the sheriff and his deputies—refused out of fear.”
“What about