Page 67 of West Wind

Wendell was well hidden in a stand of cottonwoods, had been there mere minutes after his prey had made camp. He’d followed them from town, keeping his distance, knowing they’d be his before the night was through. He was glad Mordecai had deserted him. The pious man would’ve slowed him down, Wendell thought as he left his hiding place.

It was time. He’d waited long enough.

“Well, well, well,” he said casually as he boldly walked into camp, a six-shooter in each hand. One was aimed at Shelley, the other at the woman. “How nice to see you again, Miss St. Clair.” He cocked both pistols when they simultaneously rose and turned to face him.

He took in her new attire. “Not a bad disguise. I never would’ve recognized you if it hadn’t been for your partner here.” He nodded to Shelley.

“Who are…” the woman began, looking Wendell up and down.

“How’s your jaw?” Shelley asked.

Wendell turned his attention to the bounty hunter. “I wouldn’t be worrying about my jaw if I were you. You have bigger concerns. Much bigger.”

There was a helplessness in Shelley’s eyes, and he liked it. With the pistols trained on him and the woman going for his own weapon would be suicide, and would get the St. Clair woman killed as well. He knew that.

“You wanna make a deal? Split the reward?” Shelley asked coldly. “Five hundred dollars is a lot of money. I can give you your half right now. Most of it, anyway.” He made a move for his saddlebags.

“Stop right there,” Wendell ordered, waving one pistol. “And you.” He motioned to the woman with the other weapon. “Come a little closer.”

She took a few tentative steps toward Shelley. Wendell moved forward.

“What do you want?” she asked. “Is it the money? I can pay you. More than the offered reward, if⁠—”

“Shut up!” he yelled. “I don’t want your money. This is about my pride. Pride in a job well done.”

The woman sighed. “Then put the guns down. I’ll go to San Francisco with you. There’s no reason for anyone to get hurt.”

“Well, I think there is. Your friend here knocked me out, after he played me for a fool and snatched you out from under my nose. I take offense at that. If I’d wanted to take you from him, I would’ve done it in Virginia City.”

She appeared strangely calm. “You’re going to kill us both?”

He smiled. “Smart girl.”

Annabelle St. Clair looked at her escort. He’d barely moved.

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to grant a man one last request?” the bounty hunter asked.

What a joke. This was going to be easier than he’d anticipated. “What is it?”

Shelley nodded his head in the woman’s direction. “Let me give her one last kiss.”

So that was how it was. He shouldn’t be surprised. “Drop your gun,” he ordered. Shelley complied, dropping his six-shooter into the grass and turning to face the woman.

“You’re insane if you think I’ll kiss you now,” she snapped.

Giving her a quick grin and shrugging, the bounty hunter appeared casual, calm. “We’re about to die, Annie. You wouldn’t deny me one last⁠—”

“All right,” she snapped. She allowed the bounty hunter to wrap his arms around her and lower his lips to hers. One of the big man’s hands rested possessively at the back of her head. His other raked down her back and over her hip, finally coming to rest there.

The St. Clair woman’s attitude quickly changed. Must be some kiss. She threw her arms around Shelley’s neck and pressed herself against him. He pulled his mouth away from hers and whispered in her ear.

Without warning she hit the ground. The bounty hunter lunged forward with a knife in his hand. Caught off guard, Wendell dropped one pistol into the dirt. The one he managed to hang onto was knocked aside as Shelley ran into him. It fired into the cottonwoods as he landed on his back. Before he could react, Shelley plunged the knife into his shoulder.

He screamed and released the six-shooter he’d managed to keep possession of. It had all happened too fast. Dammit, Shelley had gotten the drop on him again.

Without a word to Annie, Shelley tied the ambusher to one of the nearby cottonwoods. The Pinkerton agent’s wound was bleeding badly, but it wasn’t fatal. Shelley figured that in a day or two, if the man yelled loud enough when travelers passed by on the trail, someone would find him.

“You’re lucky,” Shelley whispered to the agent as he secured the knots. “If Annie wasn’t here I’d put a bullet between your eyes and leave you for the wolves.”