Two Cowboys To Protect Her by Lacey Davis
Chapter 21
The next morning as the sun rose, Harley knew what he had to do. It was his fault that Rena was in danger, and he would be the one to get her out.
They had already packed up their camp in order to leave as quickly as possible. Their horses were saddled, and they stood near the hangman’s tree on the Guadalupe River, waiting, watching. It was tempting to have his pistol out and shoot the man when he came into view. But he feared for Rena’s life.
Clayton had the map rolled up in his hand. It was a fake, but hopefully, it would buy them the time they needed.
The sound of horses had them all turning toward the noise as the two in the Red Jack Gang rode up with Rena on the back of Jack’s horse. Harley did not like seeing her close to that evil man. They pulled to a stop not far from the three lawmen.
“Do you have the map?”
Clayton held it up. “Yes.”
“Good, give it to me,” Jack said.
“Not until you hand over Rena,” Clayton replied.
The man laughed. “No. This is how it’s going to work. You give me the map and we’ll take Rena and find our treasure. That way we know it’s for real.”
Harley had expected something like this. “No, this is how it’s going to work. We give you the map and you give us Rena. Then I’ll go with you to the treasure sight to make certain there is no double cross. Do you understand me?”
The man sat on his horse thinking. “Why do I think there is a double cross coming?”
“Think what you want. We have the map. No Rena, no map,” Clayton said.
Harley took the map from Clayton, walked over to where his horse was tethered and gathered the reins.
He held up the map and glared at Jack. “Do you want the map? It’s the promise of all your dreams coming true. Take me and the map and give us Rena.”
“No,” Rena cried.
Jack turned to smack her and Clayton cocked his gun. “I wouldn’t if I were you.”
He turned back to find all the men's guns pointed on him. But Tray had his gun pointed at Rena.
Smiling, Jack gave a half-hearted grin. “All right.”
Rena slid down the side of his horse and all but ran to Harley.
“No, don’t do this. They will kill you,” she said. “I know. They’re planning on killing all of us.”
Harley held her tightly against him and rubbed her back as she cried softly against his chest. How had he let his own selfish desires hurt her? If he came back, things would be different.
“Harley, I was so hurt by what you said because I love you. And I don’t want you to die. I want you near me. Please, don’t do this. Let’s make a run for it.”
His heart wrenched with pain at her words. No one, not even his father or his mother, had ever told him that they loved him. Sure, he knew he was a bully, a mean person who wore a badge and yet Rena was telling him she loved him with all his flaws. She accepted him and loved him regardless.
“If I don’t come back, have a good life with Clayton.”
Sobs came from Rena. “No, Harley, don’t do this. I’m afraid.”
“It will be all right. You’ve been the best thing that has ever happened to me,” he said, his chest constricting. If he was going to die, he had to let her know how happy she made him. He’d been the dick, messing everything up. “I’m sorry. My life would have been very happy with you in it.”
“Come on,” Jack said. “I’m about to put a bullet in both of you. Enough already. We’re going to find that silver today.”
Harley set Rena away from him and walked to his horse to lead the man who would soon kill him away from his friends. As long as Rena was safe, he didn’t mind dying. She’d shown him what true love could be like. She’d given him a sliver of happiness in his otherwise dark world and for that he would forever be grateful.
Clayton pulled Rena behind him just as Harley reached Jack. “You’re a fucking bastard.”
“You're damn right I am,” he said. “Give me the map.”
Just then a wagon came rumbling up to the site with about ten riders who all had their guns out and trained on the pair.
Stunned, Harley saw Granny Bailey sitting in the wagon with a hat on her head.
“Jack,” she yelled in her crackly voice, “you looking for this map?”
“You son of a bitch, you were trying to double cross me,” Jack said, spurring his horse toward the old woman.
“You deserved it,” Harley yelled after him.
The man rode up to her wagon. “You old witch, you’ve had it all along.”
“Of course, I have. And how many men have you killed trying to find it? Your mother would be so disappointed in you. But then again, you had a worthless father.”
Jack’s face turned red and his hands were shaking with rage. “Did you find the silver?”
“Honey, that silver has been gone for a long time. Thirty years at least. My son used it to start the mercantile. The rest is safely residing in the bank where you can’t get your hands on it.”
With a scream, Jack yanked out his gun and before anyone could stop him, he shot Granny Bailey in the chest.
With a slump, she fell over while Seth shot Jack.
“You son of a bitch,” Clayton said, running to the old woman.
Her caretaker was cradling her in her arms. Tears running down her face. “Granny?”
“It’s all right, Mary Lou, I’ve been wanting to die for a long time. He just sent me over the edge. I’m going to a far better place than he is.” She glanced up at the heavens and sighed as her eyes slowly closed.
Speechless, they all stood staring at the woman who, at almost ninety, had come out to help save Rena’s life and brought a bad man to justice.
The men on horseback all removed their hats and bowed their heads.
Harley felt tears well up in his eyes at how the old woman had fought for what was right.
Her caretaker raised her eyes to Clayton and Harley. “Yesterday, she was having such a bad day when you came by. Then, it was like she was her old self and when I told her what happened, she wanted to come and give you the map. She wanted to tell Jack that he was wasting his time, that the silver was gone.”
Horse's hooves pounded the ground and they all watched as Tray spurred his horse. Seth grinned.
“Don’t worry. We’ll catch him.”
Rena rushed over to Harley and took him in her arms. “Thank you for trying to save me.”
He kissed her on the forehead. “I love you, Rena. I love you and I would have died for you.”
