smile again. You worry too much." He would have argued with her, but


they'd reached camp and Grace was sleeping, so he didn't say another


word. He did kiss her good night, though, and was pleased to notice


that she looked thoroughly dazed when he was finished.




Daniel ignored them. Grace was curled up on her side, facing him.




After Cole moved his bedroll close to Jessica's, Daniel moved his so


that he could sleep next to Grace. He fell asleep thinking about her,


and sometime during the night he felt her take hold of his hand. For


now, it was enough.




the curtain was about to rise on the final act.




Rebecca dressed with care, choosing a virginal white dress with a


modest, yet seductive, neckline. There was just enough cleavage to


ensure that the recently widowed judge would stare. Donald had told


her she would have to convince Rafferty of Bell's innocence before he


could be released by the sheriff.




She thought about carrying a Bible with her, then changed her mind.




She mustn't overdo the role she was going to play.




She finished brushing her hair and stood up to preen in front of the


mirror. Men liked women who wore their hair long and free, and hers


was exceptional. The lustrous curls shimmered in the sunlight like


strands of gold.




The bedroom door suddenly opened, and her lover strolled inside. She


tossed the brush on the table and turned to him. "You took a chance


coming here. Did anyone see you? " "Of course not. I'm always


careful. I came up the back way." Rebecca dressed in white was such a


mockery he wanted to laugh. She actually looked pure and untouched.




"Donald, is everything all right? You look perplexed, " she said.




"Sorry, " he replied. "I was preoccupied. The sight of you in white


stunned me." She smiled. "I thought it was a nice touch."




"It's fine, just fine, " he said before finally getting down to the


business at hand. "I'm sorry you couldn't be in the courtroom this


morning to watch the pathetic sheriff from Maple Hills make a complete


fool of himself, " he said with a laugh. "He admitted under oath that


he surprised Bell when he snuck up on him and drew his gun. He also


admitted he wasn't wearing his badge and he didn't identify himself.




By the time Bell's attorney finished reminding the jury that his client


was deathly ill at the time and blinded with a raging fever, he had all


twelve men in the palm of his hands. I swear they were glaring at the


sheriff when he shuffled away from the stand. I doubt he'll get


reelected." The news thrilled her. "Then the attempted murder charge


has been thrown out? " "Not yet, but it will be this afternoon, " he


assured her. "The judge is dragging the trial out for as long as he


can."




"If Bell is going to be released, there's no reason for me to carry on


with the charade." He shook his head. "You're still going to have to


go through with it, " he told her. "The judge is itching to hang


Bell.




He knows he's got his man, and if he can't get him on the charge of


attempted murder, he'll keep him locked up until you convince him Bell


wasn't in the bank."




"All right, then." She sat down at her dressing table and began to


brush her hair again. "What are you going to do about Bell? Now that


people are suspicious of him, he's become a liability."




"I'm going to kill him of course, " Donald said.




"Have you told the others? " "Burton, Harris, and Andrews know. "


"What about Robertson? " "The boys are going to take care of Robertson


for me. It was their idea, not mine. Burton says Robertson is getting


out of control.




Andrews calls him knife happy." She put her brush down and turned to


him. "Have you heard from Burton yet? " "Don't start fretting. "


"But he was supposed to wire you after they killed Grace and Jessica.




Have you gotten word from him yet? " "I'm sure they got the job


done.




They always do, " he added with a grin.




"Burton couldn't send a wire."




"Why not? " "The telegraph office here has been shut down for the last


two days.




The equipment broke down, " he explained. "Don't worry. I checked it


out to make sure it was true."




"No one in town is getting telegrams?




" "Oh, they're getting them, but they're being rerouted through the


next town and that's twenty miles away."




"His wire will probably come tomorrow, then."




"And we'll be long gone, " he told her.




"You never told me how Burton and the others feel about disbanding. "


"They're ready to stop for a while. By the time they get the urge


again or run out of money, we'll be setting up house in Paris."




"If you take care of Bell tonight, we could leave tomorrow." He headed


back to the door. "No, we're leaving tonight. Pack your things and


bring them with you when you meet me outside of town. You know


where.




" "Yes, " she called out. "I wish you could go with me to see the


judge.




It would amuse you to watch."




"You know I can't be seen with you in this town. Every one knows me


here, and they might start wondering how I got hooked up with you.




I'll be in the courtroom."




"Yes, I know.




Where should I go now, straight to the courthouse? " "Go to the


sheriff's office. He'll take you to the courthouse." After giving the


order, he pulled the door closed. He was surprised by the twinge of


regret he felt. He was going to kill her, and he was surprised that he


actually felt sorry for her. Then he started thinking about how he


would kill her tonight, and within minutes he was hard and throbbing.




All feelings of remorse vanished. He would keep her alive for as long


as he could to prolong his own enjoyment, and he must remember to gag


her so no one would hear her screams for mercy.




It was a pity really. He had considered taking her with him and then


decided against it. Rebecca was such a striking woman she drew


attention wherever she went. The flawless beauty made her a risk


because everyone, even strangers, remembered her.




He would miss her though, for he doubted he could ever find another


woman with such a twisted sexual appetite.




He jerked the door open again, walked inside, and began to unbutton his


pants.




"No, Donald, " she cried out as she backed away from him. Her face was


already flushed with excitement and fear. "There isn't time." His


laugh was harsh. "There's always time." Rebecca didn't arrive at the


jail until one-thirty that afternoon. It had taken almost two full


hours to pull herself together after she and Donald had finished with


one another. Fortunately, he'd let her take her dress off before it


was ruined. She was still hurting, but she wasn't upset about it


because pain would make her look all the more vulnerable and


frightened.




The sheriff wasn't there. His deputy, a young man with a horridly


pockmarked complexion, fastened his eyes on her breasts the second she


walked inside. Amused, she stepped forward to shake his hand. His


palms were sweaty, and she had to resist the urge to wipe her hand on


her dress. She introduced herself and explained why she was there.




"The sheriff was hoping you'd get here soon, " he said. "He's over at


the courthouse waiting to either drag the prisoner back here or let him


go. I think we ought to head over there, because Judge Rafferty won't


end the trial until you eyewitness Bell for him."




"And if he isn't one of the men I saw in the bank? " She tried to


dazzle him with a smile, but it was wasted on him because he wouldn't


take his gaze off her chest. She really had to remember to tell Donald


about the deputy.




He'd get a good laugh out of the story.




"We're all hoping Bell is one of the Blackwater gang, " he told her.




"Would it be all right if I held your arm while I walked you to the


courthouse? " "I won't mind at all. It's very gentlemanly of you. "


The courthouse was only two blocks away. He took her to the back


entrance and showed her to the judge's chambers adjacent to the


courtroom. She sat down near the desk to wait, while the deputy wrote


a note for the clerk to hand to the judge.




"I'll bet Rafferty interrupts Bell's closing speech when he reads this,


" he said, waving the note he'd just folded. "Is it okay if I leave


you alone for a few minutes? I'd like to watch old sour face's


expression and hear what he has to say to the fancy attorney."




"I'll be fine, " she whispered.




She fought the urge to open the door just a crack and look into the


courtroom, but she didn't dare take the chance because Donald was in


the audience, and if he saw her peeking out, he'd be furious.




She closed her eyes, cleared her mind, and prepared for her role. ghe


moment had arrived.




As soon as the deputy returned and opened the door for her, Rebecca


stepped into the courtroom and waited until she was summoned. She


surveyed her audience, noting with pleasure that the room was packed.




A center aisle leading to a pair of front doors divided the courtroom


in half. Two deputies with rifles stood guard on either side. She


noticed a side door directly across from the door to the judge's