The revolver slammed across the side of Whitney’s face, cutting into the man’s cheek and sending him sprawling with a howl. He hit the floor hard and lay still. Jake holstered his revolver and turned to Miranda. “Come on. We’re heading north to the Wind River range. Maybe somebody up there has seen Lloyd.” He started to lead her out when he heard a click. In an instant Jake whirled, his gun out and fired before Whitney, who had already drawn his, could even pull the trigger. Jake opened a hole in the man’s head, and Whitney just stared at him a moment, then slumped into death.
Miranda let out a little groan and turned from the sight. Jake held his revolver on the others. “Anybody else?”
“No, sir,” they answered almost in unison, all of them stepping back. A prostitute came out from a back room, stark naked, and screamed at the sight of Whitney’s body lying on the floor and Jake standing there with a gun in his hand. She ran back inside and slammed the door.
“Go mount up, Randy!” Jake ordered.
She quickly ran out of the smoky, smelly little establishment, glad for the fresh air. Jake soon followed, untying his horse and swiftly climbing into the saddle. “Let’s go. We can make a few miles yet before nightfall.”
Miranda did not question his judgment. She followed, wondering for the first several yards if she would feel a bullet in her back, but when she looked behind her, no one had even dared exit the saloon for fear of being shot. She shivered. From Whitney’s brief description, Jubal Latimer sounded like one of the worst, and he rode with a lot of men. Not only had Lloyd killed two of them, but now Jake had killed another. Her ears still hurt from the explosion of his powerful revolver.
Was it true that Jubal Latimer was after Lloyd? Whitney was probably right. Lloyd could already be dead. She knew Jake was thinking the same thing, knew that was why he had so quickly lost his temper with Whitney. If they had come this far and found Lloyd dead, Jake’s new freedom would mean nothing.
***
The night sky was filled with millions of stars, and wolves howled from seemingly every direction in the surrounding mountains. Miranda thought how frightening it would be in these mountains, if not for Jake. Not only did wild animals lurk beyond the light of their campfire, but wild men. She buttoned the top button of her wolf-skin jacket. The nights were cold in the mountains, even in early summer.
She glanced across the flickering flames at Jake, who had said barely a word since leaving Brown’s Park. He was quietly smoking, watching the fire, holding a cup of stiff, black coffee in his hands. As though aware she was watching him, he glanced at her.
“I’m sorry about the things you saw and heard today.” He looked back at the flames. “I didn’t really figure on having to shoot anyone. I guess I went a little crazy when that sonofabitch said Lloyd could be dead, blurting it out like that as though he was talking about some stranger.”
“You had to shoot him, Jake. He was going to kill you.”
He took the cigarette from his mouth and drank some of the coffee. “He wouldn’t have tried if I hadn’t hit him.” He put the cigarette back between his lips. “I just wonder if it’s true that Jube Latimer could be after Lloyd. I know what it’s like to be hunted by outlaws. It’s a lot worse than having lawmen after you. Lawmen have to treat you civilly once they catch you. Outlaws live by a different code. If it’s true, this Latimer might take his time killing him…” His voice trailed off and he rose, tossing down the coffee cup. “Damn it! It will take us a week or more to reach Hole-in-the-Wall. What if he really is in trouble?”
“Jake, you’ve got to get help if Latimer rides with that many men.”
“Three of them are dead now.”
“And he’s probably already replaced the two Lloyd shot. You told me once yourself that men like Bill Kennedy pick up followers here and there, that their numbers are always about the same. Latimer probably isn’t much different.”
He took the cigarette from his mouth, squinting at her with dark, brooding eyes. “And here you are caught in the middle of all of it. I don’t like any of this. I shouldn’t have let you come.”
Wolves began their wailing again, this time sounding closer. Miranda sighed. “Well, I’m here, and there certainly isn’t anyplace out here you can leave me. You didn’t teach me to shoot for nothing, and if it’s possible Lloyd could be hurt, I wouldn’t stay behind even if you could find a place for me to stay. I’ll help all I can, Jake. I won’t get in the way.”
“I’m not worried about that. I’m worried about what could happen to you if I go down this time.”