his eyes, and she saw Roderick sink his head into his hands.
“I said he did see me enter,” Gwen said, and her smile formed in earnest now. “He spoke to me. Watched me walk in, actually. I’m surprised he didn’t recognize me when I emerged with my goods.”
“You were wearing a skirt, with your hair around your shoulders!” Roderick shouted, apparently losing all patience as he stood and hovered over where she sat, and she smirked, her goal completed as she had gotten a rise out of him, finally making him as frustrated as he had made her on the ride here.
He gave a low growl as he sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.
The sergeant’s emotionless face betrayed nothing, though one eyebrow slowly rose, as if he was interested in the words between them and perhaps slightly incredulous that a woman could plan a robbery alone. She bristled. She might not enjoy thievery, but she certainly did not want her capabilities questioned.
“Keep a close eye on her, Sergeant,” Roderick continued, glancing over at Gwen. “She’s a wily one.”
“I see,” the sergeant said, drawing the words out slowly, seeming not quite convinced. “Come with me.” He led her to a seat at the end of a long bench, Roderick following close behind. She wondered why he wasn’t in the same red uniform so favored by the police, but realized it was because he had been in wait for the gang. Of course, how stupid she had been. She had allowed her urgency to overcome what she should have known – that they would have been well aware of their movements and their patterns. She knew, however, that if she had to make the decision again to attempt the robbery, she would choose the same course of action.
“We know you are part of the Doc Malone Gang,” the sergeant began. “You have become somewhat notorious in these parts, as it is not particularly common for a red-haired woman to live a life as you have.”
Gwen looked down at the table, running her fingernail over the cracks in the wood. No, of course, it wasn’t common. She hadn’t had much of a choice, however. This had been her life, had been all she had known since she was a girl. A desire was growing within her to choose a different path, but she had promised her father she would do this one last job.
“We will let you go,” the sergeant said, and Gwen lifted her head at that, looking him in the eye with surprise and a bit of hesitancy. She knew there would be a catch — there always was. “But you must lead us to the other members of the gang, or at least tell us where they are. We are particularly interested in their leader.”
Their leader. Her father.
“Never,” she said vehemently, shaking her head, and she felt her hair around her shoulders, it all having escaped its pins hours ago in the woods.
“There is something you should know,” said the man, his face not betraying any emotion. “Earlier today, one of our men came upon a campsite and a makeshift shelter. The fire had been left untended for some time, but it was apparent there was still an occupant inside. They raided the shelter, and you’ll never guess who they found.”
Gwen’s heart beat rapidly as she took in the man’s words, everything happening far too quickly. Doc. No, she thought, shaking her head again as she tried to deny his words, but she could tell from the smug look of satisfaction on the faces of the other men that what he said was true.
“Where is he?” she choked out, but the man only shrugged. “He is safe, for now. He refuses to speak with us, to admit who he is or anything he has done. And, as you must know, he is not well. He needs a doctor. We’ll provide one for you, and keep both of you from prison or the noose. All we need to know is where we can find the rest of your gang, and what has happened to all you have looted over the years.”
Her gaze flickered over the men who stared at her, and emotions whirled through her as she tried to decide the best course of action. Would these men help her? She thought of her father, how sick he had been when she’d left him, how he had demanded but one thing of her. With so little