After the Ashes(89)

Lorelei could be believed in. She would probably be devastated to know that Corey had had the gold all this time. There was no way she could be a part of his scheme. Braddock started to breathe a little deeper, a little easier. The sun peeked across the dry horizon, lighting the red sand pink.

He would be at Jay’s tomorrow, holding Lorelei, wondering how he could ever think she could betray him.

The trampled sage caught his attention first. He swung from his horse. Two sets of hoof prints led from the direction of Jay’s house. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, sure he was overdue for sleep. The tracks were clear. Two sets of riders, and neither knew how to cover their tracks. His heart stopped and he hoped to God it would never beat again.




CHAPTER SIXTEEN





Braddock hunkered down and watched Corey from between the manzanita’s dense branches. Sullivan sat on the ground, his knees curled to his chest. The smoke drifting over his head told Braddock he had just started a fire. Though the sun still hung high in the sky, he figured brother and sister would prepare an early dinner, then douse the fire once night hit. That was what he would have done if he were on the run.

After another glance around the clearing they had chosen for their camp, Braddock sucked a much needed breath through his burning lungs. He would be spared Lorelei’s presence for his confrontation with Corey. He’d rather face five armed men than one Lorelei Sullivan.

Braddock reholstered his pistol, unbuckled his scarred leather belt, and draped it over the thickest of the manzanita’s branches. The sturdy round shrub sagged in the middle but held the gun’s weight. Braddock rolled his shoulders and fisted his hands.

The risk involved in facing Corey unarmed was nothing in comparison to the satisfaction he’d gain in beating him with his fists.

Of course, Lorelei could show up cradling a rifle. This time, however, he welcomed it. He needed to witness her aiming a weapon at his heart. Then her betrayal would be brutal fact instead of a hard-to-swallow theory. Not that there was much room for doubt. She’d escaped with Corey the moment the boy left. And Braddock had actually asked her to wait for him.

Prior to that, he hadn’t exactly swept her off her feet with his gallant behavior. He’d given her plenty of reason to hate him for himself rather than the fact that he wanted to imprison her brother. Through it all, though, he had always tried to keep her safe. She, on the other hand, had let her brother set him up to die.

Braddock wiped his sweat soaked palms on his soft wool pants, clenched and unclenched his fists, then closed the distance between himself and Corey at a full run. Corey didn’t even have the chance to turn his head to see what barreled toward him. The impact of Braddock’s full body weight against Corey’s pliant form knocked them both at least a foot. The kid squirmed to get away, but Braddock held him fast with his knees. He reared his fist back and slammed it into Corey’s face. The jolt that compacted his knuckles was pure pleasure.

Corey screamed, his lips and teeth smeared with blood. His desperate thrashing unhinged Braddock’s grip with his knees, so Braddock grabbed the waist of Corey’s pants with both hands to yank him back within reach.

“I know you have the gold, you little bastard.”

Corey swung with both hands, squarely knocking Braddock on the side of the head. He heard the clank of metal at the same time stars burst in front of his eyes. He fell onto his right side and struggled to stay conscious. Through the haze of pain, Braddock watched Corey scoot away and awkwardly get to his feet.

Braddock pushed himself up to his hands and knees, desperate to gain his equilibrium. He’d never suspected the kid had such a hard swing. With great effort, Braddock focused his spinning gaze on Corey. Again with both hands, he wiped blood from his mouth. His reach appeared to be jerked short, and he had to lower his head to accomplish his task. Metal rattled again.

“You trying to kill me?”

Braddock staggered to his feet. Anger overrode the ringing ache in his head. “Like you tried to kill me when you sent me up to Specter Canyon. I’m going to see you swing, Sullivan. Your sister, too.” Saying the words coated his tongue with the bitter taste of bile. He hadn’t planned that far ahead, but he knew that if he wanted to save his soul, he’d have to go through with turning Lorelei over to the law. Get her out of his system once and for all. Treat her the way she deserved to be treated.

“Leave Lorelei out of it. She didn’t know about the other entrance.”

Braddock stumbled toward Corey. “You should have thought of that before you sent her to be my whore.”

“You’d be dead right now if I weren’t wearing these.” Corey lifted both his hands, and Braddock finally recognized the source of the metallic jangle. Corey wore iron handcuffs. He’d knocked Braddock senseless with the solid steel of the cuffs. Corey’s ankles were shackled too.