Love on the Line - Deeanne Gist [139]
“No,” she said. “But I might shoot you.”
He looked doubtful.
Cocking the gun with one hand, she made a circular motion with her other, indicating her torso. “I believe the instructions were anywhere in this area.”
The men froze.
“Bettina?” she called.
“Yes’m?”
“You will not release these men.”
The girl let out a sound of distress. “Frank’ll be really sore with me.”
“He’ll be much more upset if I shoot his men. And I’ll be upset if you force me to. Do you wish to upset me, Bettina, and risk losing your job?”
“Now, that ain’t fair,” Duane began.
Georgie pointed the muzzle of her gun at him.
“Though I can certainly see,” he quickly interjected, “why you’d not want her workin’ fer ya if she made ya shoot somebody.” He sliced a look at Bettina. “Ya prob’ly shouldn’t make her shoot nobody, Hyena.”
Georgie narrowed her eyes. “Her name is Bettina and if you call her anything else, I will be very displeased.”
“She don’t mind it.” He glanced at the gun, then swallowed. “All the same, I’m happy ta call her Bettina.”
Necker moaned and put a hand to his jaw.
“What happened to him?” Bettina asked.
Straightening her shoulders, Georgie gave the girl a knowing look. “He refused to do what Luke told him to.”
Her eyes widened. “He’s tough as a sow’s snout, ain’t he?”
“Yes, he is.” As the shock of seeing Bettina began to wear off, relief set in that the girl wasn’t alone on the road somewhere. On the heels of the relief, though, came a feeling of disappointment and deep concern. As soon as she had Bettina alone, the two of them would have a heart-to-heart.
“How vere you going to free us?” Finkel asked. “You haf die Keys for these things?”
She shook her head. “No, but Ragston does.”
“Vere’s Ragston?” he asked.
“Right here.” The farmer stepped out from the shrub, pistol aimed at Georgie.
She slowly unfurled her spine.
“Don’t make no sudden moves, now.” His eyes were so droopy they showed more pink than white. His oversized ears reminded her of the old men outside Schmid’s mercantile.
“I’m gonna have to ask ya to put that gun down now,” he said.
Her pulse began to race. “I will not.”
The men in the hack stilled.
Mr. Ragston gave her an indulgent look. “I know ya don’t wanna shoot nobody. So just put the gun down nice and easy.”
“No.” She tightened her grip on the gun. It was still aimed at Duane, but her focus was on Ragston.
“You’re outnumbered, girl,” he said. “You cain’t really believe the most renowned gang in the state could be rounded up in a single day, by a single man.”
“It already has, sir.”
He shook his head. “No, ma’am. It hasn’t. Frank’s disarmed Ranger Landrum. It’s over.”
Her breaths came in shallow spurts. “I don’t believe you.”
“I’m afraid you don’t have no choice.”
“Oh, yes I do. And I choose to wait right here, with my gun, and see who rounds that corner. My money, sir, is on Lucious Landrum.”
He cocked his gun. “Put yer weapon down.”
Duane twisted around, looking over his shoulder. “Ya cain’t hurt her, Clem. I done gave my word.”
Ragston’s eyes widened in disbelief, their lids lifting momentarily. “Yer an outlaw, Pfeuffer. Yer word don’t mean nothin’.”
“It does ta me. It does ta her. And it does ta him. If ya plan ta shoot her, I’ll have to dive in front. But my chain’s too short fer a proper dive and chances are you’ll get my head. Now, that’d be just downright messy. If Comer’s really got the upper hand, then we’ll wait. If he hasn’t, then you can deal with Landrum. But ya leave the hello gal out of it.”
“She got into it the minute she agreed to drive that wagon. And yer crazy if ya think I’m waiting around fer Landrum.”
She quirked a brow. “I thought you said Luke had been overpowered?”
Hesitating, Ragston darted his gaze about the clearing. “He has.”
The men in the hack slumped with disappointment. Necker moaned again. Georgie let out a quiet breath of relief.
Reaching out a hand, Ragston snatched Bettina and put his gun to her head. “Ya give yer word about Hyena, Pfeuffer?”
The girl had no time to scream, much less react.