Once Upon a Mail Order Bride - Linda Broday Page 0,124

was at that moment in the Blue Goose Café, with friends who cared and wonderful rays of silver light streaming in the windows.

* * *

Outside the café, Ridge put a hand on Addie’s waist, and they strolled toward the bank. The shades on the windows were raised, which meant Charlotte had opened for the day.

Just then, two gunshots rent the air in the direction of the new Capital Bank and Trust.

“Get down low, Addie!” Ridge pushed her into a doorway, drew his Colt, and raced toward danger. Jack ran from the hotel to join him and Clay wasn’t far behind.

Breathing hard, Ridge pressed to one side of the bank door, Jack the other. Nodding to his friend, Ridge slowly turned the knob and burst into the building, keeping low and rolling. He stopped and came face-to-face with the jail escapee Pickens, lying dead on the floor.

A thin ribbon of smoke still curled from the gun Charlotte Wintersby gripped. Her ashen face, wide brown eyes, and heaving chest told the rest of the story.

Ridge got to his feet while Jack gently took the gun from her. Movement in the corner behind Ridge alerted him, and he swung around, his Colt pointed at a woman slowly raising her hands. She was wearing a long duster over a plain dress. She squeaked, “Don’t shoot.”

“Who are you?” Ridge barked.

“Texanna Starr.”

He’d bet a shiny gold piece the name was a fake one. In fact, the only thing that was probably real about her was the color of her gray eyes. “Weren’t you the one riding on top of the stagecoach and helped Pickens and Tiny get away?”

“Well, sort of.”

Clay stepped over Pickens and the large pool of blood seeping from his cooling body. “Well, what is it, lady? You either were or you weren’t!”

“I was.”

“Why in God’s name did you help them?” Clay asked.

“Pickens and I were married last month. He was my husband. I had to help him.”

Clay checked her for weapons and found none, and Ridge put his Colt away.

Jack tied her hands. “You’re under arrest.”

“What the hell for?”

“Helping your husband and his friend Tiny get away, for starters. Secondly, I take it you were trying to help him rob this bank, but we’ll get to that in a minute.” Jack pulled a chair over. “Sit here and don’t move.”

A little color had returned to Charlotte’s face. “I couldn’t let them take the money.”

“You risked your life. It’s safer to turn it over.” Ridge pulled a chair out for her, and she thanked him. “Tell us what happened.”

“I had just opened up, and they burst through the front door. The man on the floor had a gun and told me to hand over all the money. The lady there gave me a burlap sack, and I went behind the teller’s cage. I keep a handgun there for protection.” Charlotte lifted a shaky hand to her forehead. “I pretended to fill the bag, then I came back around, pulled the gun from behind the sack, and fired. I didn’t want to miss.”

Texanna Starr groaned. “I don’t know why I ever got mixed up with that man. He was rotten to the core. He said he’d watched the sheriff from the outdoor cell and saw the weak security. He thought robbing this green banker would be like taking candy from a two-year-old.”

“Where’s the other one—Tiny? Did he come along?” Jack prodded.

“He didn’t want any part of this, so we went our separate ways. Pickens and me came back for the money. I’m such a fool.” Texanna shook her head sadly. “He was going to take me to Denver and buy me pretty dresses.”

Greed caught many a person. Ridge turned to Charlotte. “You’re something, Miss Wintersby. I don’t think we have to worry one bit about our money with you on the job.”

“I have a spot open for a deputy, if you want it.” Jack grinned. “You have a dead aim.”

“Thank you for trying to make me feel better, but I just killed a man. I took his life. He was breathing one minute, and the next his blood was leaking all over my floor.”

“He would’ve killed you if you hadn’t, Charlotte.” Addie stepped from the door and went straight to her friend. “If you’re through, gentlemen, I’ll take her to the café for a cup of hot tea. Her nerves need bracing.”

“Good idea, sweetheart.” Ridge glanced at Clay and Jack. “If we have any more questions, we can ask them later. And don’t worry, Miss