“You are in Texas, and when I get you over the border I’ll turn you in.”
“Is there a reward?” Moran asked.
“No,” Gloria said. “She broke the law, but nobody bothered to put out a poster on her. After all, all she did was remove an old fool from his money. When I get her back, though, I’ll make sure she’s prosecuted.”
“Well, baby,” Moran said to Crystal, “I guess this is goodbye.”
“You bastard!” Crystal shouted at him. “You could stop her!”
“She might shoot me.”
“You want her to take me back so you can have this place to yourself.”
“Actually, I was planning on leaving today anyway, Crystal, but now a couple of things have come up that might change my mind.”
With Crystal gone he wouldn’t have to split the profits with anyone, and if he could convince the woman in the jail cell to work for him, his profits might even double. Of course, he might have to make certain concessions to the town council, and he knew he’d eventually get bored again, but for now things were once again taking an interesting turn.
“She’s all yours, Gloria—is that your name, by the way? Gloria?”
“My name is Anne Merritt.”
“Well, Anne Merritt, in one respect I’m sorry you’re leaving. I was planning on getting to know you a whole lot better.”
“You don’t understand, Red,” Gloria—or Anne Merritt—said.
“What don’t I understand, Anne?”
“You’re coming back with us.”
“I’m going back?” he asked, laughing. “Now, why would I want to go back?”
“Because there’s a poster out on you, and I aim to collect the twenty-five hundred dollar reward.”
“Twenty-five hundred—now how would you know about that?”
“It’s my business to know, Red,” Anne said. “I’m a bounty hunter.”
Moran stared at her, said, “Jesus!” and Crystal started to laugh.
Decker thought it was funny, too. He’d travelled all this way and put all this time into tracking Moran, and the man had been snatched out from under his nose by a woman!
His humor faded quickly, though, as Decker realized the dangerous position Anne Merritt had put herself in. She was in a small room with two people who didn’t want to go with her, and all she was armed with was a derringer.
There was a back door to the office, and Decker moved towards it, hoping that the blonde woman would ask Moran for his guns.
“All right, Moran, I’ll take your guns,” Anne Merritt said.
“My guns? So you can use them against me instead of that toy?”
“I assure you I’m quite profficient with this toy, Moran. Your guns, please.”
“Sure, honey, here.”
With that Moran took Decker’s gun from his belt and tossed it to the woman. Surprised, she made a move to catch it, and Moran took advantage of the moment. He took two quick steps and pushed Crystal into Anne Merritt. The derringer in Anne’s hand went off and Crystal cried out. She fell to the floor, clutching her stomach. Anne looked at Moran and saw that he had his gun pointed at her. She had not caught the other gun, and her derringer was pointing at the floor.
“Drop it,” Moran said.
She obeyed.
“She needs a doctor,” Anne said, squatting down by Crystal.
“A doctor can’t help her. She’s gutshot.”
Anne looked at the wound and saw that it was off to the right.
“She’s not,” she insisted. “A doctor can help her.”
“Get her one when I’m gone, then.”
Moran moved around behind the desk, opened a drawer and took out a sheaf of money. Seeing Anne watching him he smiled at her.
“We haven’t had time to put in a safe yet,” he said, tucking the money inside his shirt.
“Bastard!” Crystal said from the floor, her pain evident in her voice.
“It was nice while it lasted, ladies,” Moran said. He started for the office door, then stopped and turned back to them.
“Listen, Gloria—I mean, Anne. If I leave you here you’re not gonna try and track me down, are you?”
“You damn well better believe I am, Moran!”
Moran shook his head and said, “That’s too bad. You’re so pretty.”
He pointed his gun at her.
Chapter Forty-one
Outside Decker turned the knob of the back door slowly and found it locked. He moved back to the window and heard the shot. He saw Crystal fall and watched Moran move around behind the desk and take out some money.
He wasn’t going to leave the two women alive. He couldn’t, especially since the blonde had turned out to be a bounty hunter.
He hurried back to the door, Colt in hand, braced himself, and then kicked out at the door as hard as he could just above the doorknob.
As the door slammed open Moran turned and brought his gun to bear on it. Anne Merritt took the opportunity to leap from her crouch, banging into him and knocking him off balance.
Decker entered in a crouch and saw Moran staggering for his balance.
“Moran!” he shouted.
Moran braced himself against the wall with one hand and pointed his gun.
“Don’t!” Decker shouted, and fired.
His bullet struck Moran high on the right shoulder. Moran squeezed the trigger of his gun but his shot went wild as he was spun around to face the wall. He stuck there for a moment, then slid down the wall to the floor.
Anne Merritt hurried to him and pulled the gun free from his nerveless fingers.
“Are you all right?” Decker asked Anne.
“I’m fine, but they both need a doctor.”
Decker checked Crystal’s wound, then went over and looked at Moran’s. It was his opinion that they would both live.
“We’ll get them one.”
“Decker!” Moran said. His eyes were glazed, but he recognized Decker.
“That’s me.”
“You’re the…bounty hunter,” Moran said through clenched teeth.
“One of them, anyway,” Decker said, looking at Anne Merritt.
“Why…such a high price…for a few banks?” Moran asked.
“Because that bank manager you hit in Pemberton died, Moran. You’re wanted for murder.”
Moran closed his eyes.
Anne Merritt said to Decker, “Where’d you come from?”
“I just happened along.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“Me too.”
She looked him up and down and then said, “You could have dressed better, though.”
“Didn’t have time to change. Why don’t you go for the doctor while I wait with them,” he said. “Crystal’s in no condition to be moved.”
“All right. I’ll be right back.”
She moved to the back door and started out, but as she did there was a shot and a bullet dug into the door frame just above her head.
“What the—” Decker said.
From behind him he heard a low laugh, like a death rattle, and turned to look at Moran.
“My boys, Decker,” Moran said, gritting his teeth against the pain. “Now you’ve got to face my boys. You ain’t taking me nowhere!”
Chapter Forty-two
Anne Merritt fell into a crouch, Moran’s gun in her right hand. She peered outside and pulled her head back in when there was another shot.
“How many of them?” Decker asked.
“I can’t tell,” Anne said, “but he’s got three men.”
“Cover him,” Decker said. Anne turned and pointed her gun at Moran as Decker moved to the door. He chanced a look outside, and a bullet stuck the doorjamb, spraying his face with wood splinters.
“Can’t see how many of them there are,” he said, “but we’ll have to assume that all three are out there.”