Love on the Line - Deeanne Gist [140]
Gasping, Georgie swung her gun to face Ragston’s head, her chest squeezing, her breath trapped. “Let her go.”
Bettina held still, her lips screwed up in anger.
“Come on, now, Clem.” Finkel frowned. “I haf a Tochter about her age. Besides, she’s von of us.”
“She ain’t one of us. She was supposed to come out here and distract the driver so I could knock him out and set you fellers free. Instead she comes out here and ‘yes, ma’ams’ Miss Gail ’til the cows come home.”
Hands shaking, Georgie locked her elbows and looked down the barrel of the pistol. “Let her go.”
“She ain’t never used a gun a’fore,” Duane said, cleaning something from under his fingernail.
Ragston stumbled back a step, hauling Bettina closer. “You put that thing down right this minute or I’ll blow this girl to pieces.”
Bettina’s face lost all color.
“You harm a hair on her head and I’ll shoot, I swear I will.” Georgie’s arms trembled with fatigue and fear.
“You have to the count o’ three, missy.”
Water rushed to her eyes. “Don’t do this, Mr. Ragston. Please.”
“Then, put down the gun.”
“Will you let her go?”
“Yes,” he barked. “Now, put it down.”
She reached for the hammer.
“No!” Bettina screamed. “He don’t keep his word. He’ll kill us both!”
Scrunching up his face, Ragston ground the muzzle into the girl’s temple and raised his elbow.
“Don’t!” Georgie screeched.
The gun fired, the sound exploding in her ear. She screamed, the gun’s kick throwing her backward onto the seat and knocking the weapon from her grasp. She scrambled to get it, but Duane whisked it up and swung it toward Ragston. A livid but unscathed Ragston. He still held Bettina, though the girl had soaked her dress.
Georgie pressed a fist to her mouth.
“Let Hyena go.” Duane’s voice shook with fury.
Ragston tossed Bettina aside, sending the girl to the ground. “It’s about time. I cain’t believe you fellers sat here and let a female hold ya prisoner.”
“She seemed to hold you prisoner, Clem,” Finkel spat.
Ragston holstered his pistol, then yanked a key from his pocket and headed to the wagon bed. Scrambling to her feet, Georgie launched herself through the air and onto the man’s back, knocking the key from his hand.
She’d hoped to bring him to the ground, as well, but he did no more than grunt.
“What the blazes?” He stumbled forward. “Get off me, you confounded woman.” He reached around and grabbed her by the hair.
The men hollered, their voices ringing in the morning air.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs about his waist. “No, you can’t have—”
A huge explosion sounded by her ear.
Ragston froze. The men dove for cover.
Georgie opened her eyes.
The long barrel of a rifle now rested against Ragston’s temple.
At its other end, a very furious Lucious Landrum. “Get off him, Georgie.”
Joy burst inside her, despite his strident tone. She decided now wasn’t the time to express it, though. Sliding off the man, she waited for her feet to touch the ground, then raced to Bettina and dropped to her knees. She scooped the girl onto her lap, rocking and petting her. Hugging and cooing to her. Her little body trembled with a delayed reaction.
“Put the gun down, Duane.” Luke’s voice shook.
The boy immediately acquiesced.
Shoving Ragston forward, Luke secured him to the back of the wagon instead of inside it. “You can walk, Clem, and your pace will be set by Miss Gail. It is my deepest hope she wishes to return as quickly as possible, at which point you’ll have to step lively or be dragged.”
Skirting to the other side, he picked up the gun sitting beside Duane and tucked it in his waistband. Then he grabbed Duane’s arm, his chest lifting and falling like bellows, his nostrils flared.
He opened his mouth, but instead of saying whatever he’d planned, he clamped it shut again, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
Duane gave him an understanding smile. “Yer welcome, Palmer.”
Luke gave a nod, then whirled to face her, his eyes holding a suspicious sheen. He took one step after another, punctuating each with his words. “If you ever, ever, do such a fool thing again, I will skin you