Trixie was halfway home when she reined Susie in to a slow walk. “What am I doing?” she muttered. “I have no proof. None. I can’t go to Jim. Sheriff Molinson won’t pay me any attention. What do I do next Susie?” And she hated admitting to herself that it bothered her. It bothered her greatly that Dan was involved in this. And Jim. Jim was courting her, Dan was just a drifter, but the fact that both men were involved in this mess bothered her. She liked Jim, and while she hated to admit it, she found Dan fascinating. With his dark eyes and teasing, mysterious smile, there was an allure she hated admitting to. And Jim. Jim Frayne. Charming, wealthy-how dare he fleece his great uncle in such a manner! Sure old Mr. Frayne was crotchety and belligerent sometimes, but he didn’t deserve this. Turning Susie around, she headed back towards where she had left Dan. She’d handle this on her own. But Dan wasn’t at his post when she returned. She heard fading voices and turned Susie in that direction. When she realized there was no trail, she dismounted and threw Susie’s reins over a tree branch. “Wait here old girl,” she whispered, making her way into the woods. Holding her skirt up slightly, she made her way towards the voices. She paused, listening carefully as Dan argued with Jonesy. They were out on the back forty of the Frayne estate, which backed up to the old Collier farm that had long been abandoned. "Let’s just do it tonight and blow this place!" Dan insisted. "That was the plan but Luke almost got seen yesterday. We may need to lay low a bit," Jonesy said thoughtfully. "I got other jobs in other places," Dan snapped. "We need to hurry this up!" Fury rushed through Trixie. How dare he! She was going to catch him all right, and turn him over to Sheriff Molinson. A scoundrel for sure, was what he was! And a thief! But how did Jim work into this? Trixie closed her eyes as she realized Jim must be innocent. Jonesy was Dan’s partner the whole time! Unless Jim was going to meet them somewhere. That would make sense. Make their final hit, meet up later. Her brief respite of relief that Jim might not be involved vanished. "Take off if you want," Jonesy growled. "But you ain't gettin' paid until we get the cattle." Dan swore. He needed the money right now. "Fine. This weekend then," he agreed. Trixie started to creep backwards when she bumped into something. Heart pounding, she turned and her eyes grew big. Two men stood behind her, glaring. One held his gun on her. "Look what we got," one growled. "Come on," the other said, waving his gun at her. Trixie sighed and walked out from hiding spot, surprised to see an old shack with holes for windows but no glass standing there. With the man behind her with his gun, she walked to the front of the building, opening the door. Dan and Jonesy looked up, surprised. "We found her snoopin'," one man said. Dan's eyes turned black as he stared furiously at Trixie. "I knew it was you!" Trixie couldn't keep quiet anymore. "I knew it! You've been plotting behind Jim’s back all along! You're more than a scalawag you're a-a-I can't even say it!" "Damn Belden girl, I never did like you!" Jonesy growled. "Mangan, since you're so chummy with her, tie her up. We can shoot her later." Dan hesitated. "I ain't shootin' a girl," he said. "We can leave her in the fields tied up." "And have her go runnin' to the sheriff? It'll be obvious enough when none of us show up after we take them cattle. We gotta keep her quiet." "If we kill her tonight, the town will be on alert as they look for us," Dan snapped back. "And we won't have a chance of getting that cattle out of here, let alone far enough away. Frayne is awfully fond of her, he won’t rest until he finds her." "Well we can't take her with us!" "Look, this changes everything," Dan said, his mind racing. Trixie showing up had definitely caused a shift in plans. "We take the cattle tonight. We can probably snatch a quarter of the herd, without being seen. In the meantime, we'll leave her out here. By the time anyone finds her, she'll be dead," Dan said coldly. “We’ll head for the old Cowl place, snag the cattle and take off.” Trixie gasped. It was true. No one ever came out here. She had never known this tiny shack was here. "You - bastard!" she hissed. Dan's eyes were dark and unreadable as they met hers, and to her horror, she still felt a shiver of desire. In fact, she thought, if she didn't know better, she'd think-no. Not possible. "Good thinkin'. Tie her up, and let's get a move on." Dan grabbed her by the arm roughly and half threw her into the chair. The big man she had bumped into stood watching as Dan tied her hands to the chair and took off his bandanna, forcing her mouth open as he tied it around her head. "Sorry. We could have had some fun," he smirked, his lips twitching but his eyes delivered a message Trixie couldn't quite grasp as her anger coursed through her. The men left and Trixie immediately began to wrestle with her bindings. She had to get to Jim and warn him. To her surprise, her left binding came undone almost immediately. How odd, she thought, Wait, my right one isn’t tight either! "Bobby can tie a better knot than him," Trixie muttered, standing up and rubbing her wrists. She’d need to be careful, make sure they had a big enough head start. Tiptoeing to the door, she saw their horses were gone. Throwing open the door she dashed out-and right into the big man again. "Oh no," she moaned. "I knew he didn't tie those ropes tight enough. Figured he was too yeller to tie up a girl," the man said. Trixie sighed in resignation when something flew at the back of his head. His eyes bulged and he toppled to the ground. Behind him stood a grim faced Jim, accompanied by Brian and Mart. Jim gripped a thick tree branch. "Jim!" Trixie threw herself into his arms, to her brothers' amusement. "Never mind us," Mart said dryly. Trixie pulled away from Jim, too soon in his opinion. "Dan's one of the rustlers!" "No, he's not," Jim contradicted. "He is! He was here, with them. He tied me up and they were going to leave me here for days!" "Dan tied you but he left you loose," Jim replied calmly. "How do you know that?" Trixie asked. "Dan’s been my best friend since we were four years old," Jim said quietly. All three Beldens mouths fell open. "He’s a US Marshal, and he's been undercover at my request." “How-” Trixie started but Jim put one finger against her lips. “Dan’s parents worked for my father. They both died one night in a mugging when we were nine, trying to protect me and Dan. Father couldn’t bear to see Dan put in an orphanage so he adopted Dan. Dan’s my brother, Trixie. The only family he has is an uncle somewhere that we’ve never been able to find. Father and I called the Marshals in to track down this gang of cattle thieves that’s been making its way across the West.” "That's why he got that funny look," Trixie said absently, her mind racing as she remembered. "Dan was trying to tell me! Jonesy wanted to kill me, but Dan protested." "And if this man suspected Dan left her loose, then they may know Dan's a lawman, and he could be in danger," Brian said grimly. "They're going to try and grab the cattle tonight," Trixie told them. "Me being here messed up everything so they said they'd have to hurry it up." "The deputies will catch the thieves," Jim mused. “They're set up well. Dan is my concern." "Mine too. We have to get to him!" Trixie said emphatically, not seeing the scrutinizing look Jim gave her. "Their main hideout is the old barn on the Cowl's old property, not far from yours Jim, that's why your cattle has been
such an easy target. It’s the farm next to this one." "Let’s go. Trixie, stay-" "No," Trixie cut her oldest brother off, "If they figured out Dan isn't one of them it's because of me. I’m going. I owe it to Dan." Brian knew better than to fight with his sister, but maintaining a sense of propriety, he insisted Trixie next to him. They had found Susie wandering. Trixie’s mind whirled as they rode. Now she understood. Dan’s changing speech patterns, according to who was around. His evasiveness about New York. Trips to the telegraph. He had been working with Jim all right, just not stealing the cattle. Trixie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Foolish men! she thought. *** Dan gasped for air as the boot connected to his stomach. He had been all right fighting off two of them, but once it became three, then four, he didn't stand a chance. Blood leaked down his face, from where he wasn't sure, but he knew he had a couple broken ribs by now. His eye was swelling shut from the last blow and he’d be surprised if his mouth wasn’t bleeding to match the throbbing pain in his jaw. Pain racked his torso, and he knew there’d be bruises on his legs from the beating he had taken. His back ached from being thrown into the wall. "I say we use him for target practice," one man suggested. "I don't know who you really are," Jonesy leaned close to Dan, "or why you're here, but I know you ain't one of us. Especially since we saw you tie that girl up so she'd be loose within minutes. I asked a couple questions around town, and you sure make a lot of trips to the telegraph. Who you rattin' us out to?" "No one," Dan managed, gasping for breath. The lie earned him a pointed boot in his lower back. White hot pain scorched through his body. The stars he was seeing were just beginning to die down. Sharp pains stabbed in his left cheekbone from a punch to the face. He could only pray his cheek wasn’t broken. "Billy, you stay here and finish up with Mangan. Meet us out on the back forty. We’re gonna snag them cattle." The others agreed and left. Dan lay on the floor, struggling to breathe without shards of pain lancing through his chest and cursing his adopted brother for dragging him into this mess. "The only way to get control of a wildcard like you, Mangan, is to shoot him," Billy whipped his gun out and twirled it around his finger. Dan closed his eyes. If he was going to die, his last vision wasn't going to be this wrinkled little man, but a lovely face with pretty lips, big blue eyes and wild blonde curls. Two shots echoed through the room. Dan screamed in pain as the bullet ripped into his stomach. The second shot didn't land. "Dan!" Trixie shrieked, racing to his side. As she rolled him onto his back, Dan opened his eyes. Jim holstered his gun as Brian checked Billy’s body for a pulse. "I am dead," Dan murmured. "At least I got my vision." "No, you're not," Jim knelt next to his brother, placing his hands over the gunshot wound. Blood was flowing everywhere, coating Jim's hands hands as he tried to staunch the bloodflow. "But Billy is.” "I think this evens our score old buddy," Dan said hoarsely. Jim grinned as Brian knelt to look at his wound. “More than evens, little brother. You weren’t supposed to get caught.” "Mart, go for Doc Ferris, then the Sheriff. Jim, find me anything I can use for sterilization-even whiskey. Dan, can you hear me all right?" Brian asked. Dan nodded, feeling weak. Trixie clutched his hand, cradling his head in her lap. Gently she smoothed the curly dark hair back, her blue eyes worried as she tried to wipe away the blood on his forehead. Brian searched his pack but had nothing he could pull the bullet out with. "Dan, I’m sorry but this is going to hurt like hell. Trixie, take off his belt," Trixie's eyes widened, "and put the strap in his mouth. Trust me, you're going to want to bite down on something." Trixie fumbled with his belt, finally pulling it off, praying her face wasn't as red as it felt. Her fingers brushed the skin of his waist lightly. "Here," Jim returned with a bottle of clear liquid. "Moonshine." "Perfect," Brian uncapped the bottle. "Got your pocket knife?" Never without it, Jim handed the small knife over. Trixie placed the leather strip between Dan's teeth, and let him grip her hand. Jim placed his hands on Dan’s arms to help hold him down as Brian sterilized the thin blade of the knife. "Pray it's not too deep or I won't be able to get it," Brian said grimly, ignoring the blood now covering his hands. "I'll try not to puncture any organs. I've never really done this before you know," he half smiled but Dan's eyes grew big and he moaned. "Shhh," Trixie said softly, her free hand smoothing his hair down again. Jim watched her carefully, the bitter taste of defeat in his mouth. Her feelings for his best friend and brother obviously ran deep, judging from the expression on her face. So where did that leave him? Dan made a pained noise as Brian poured the ‘shine over his stomach and side, having pushed his shirt up to expose the wound. Trixie tried not to stare at his well toned stomach, just a thin trail of dark hair running down its length, and disappearing into his breeches. Her face burned hot from embarrassment. "I think it's shallow. Here goes," Brian said. The howl Dan let out sent terror down Trixie’s spine as his body stiffened. Jim held his brother down from thrashing. Tears hit her eyes, unaware of his death grip on her hand. "Almost-got it!" Brian pulled the small bullet out. "Damn, I need a towel!" "Here," Jim quickly removed his shirt and Trixie was distracted from Dan briefly as she stared at Jim’s muscled chest. Brian was trying to stop the flow of blood from Dan’s stomach. "Dan, can you hear me?" Brian asked. The young man nodded, a tear leaking from his eye as his breathing labored. Trixie looked back down at him. "I don't feel so well. I’m cold," he answered. Brian frowned as he pressed Jim’s shirt against the bleeding wound. "Jim, find some blankets. We have to keep him warm." Trixie propped him up against her knees, wrapping her arms around him. For once, Brian wasn't concerned with his sister's reactions to Dan. He didn't like the shade of gray Dan was turning. "Just an old horse blanket and its filthy," Jim returned. "It'll have to do. Trix, wrap it around him," Brian ordered, still holding Jim’s now blood soaked shirt against Dan's side. A horse was approaching. Jim dashed to hide next to the door, gun ready. "It's me!" Mart called. He burst in with Doc Ferris. "Let me take a look," he said gently. Brian moved to allow the old doctor to inspect his handiwork. "Good work, Brian," he said approvingly. "Young man, you feel weak because you've lost so much blood, but it was clean. I'll give you a shot, you'll probably sleep for a while. Mart, get that blanket from my saddlebag." Dan nodded as Doc Ferris pulled something out of his bag. Sure enough, as he drifted into sleep, his last vision was Trixie leaning over him, smiling as her gentle voice filled his ears.
 
***
Author’s Notes
- a huge thank you to Julie for editing this! I went back and changed stuff so any mistakes are mine!
-Word Count 2,691
|