Castillo's Fiery Texas Rose(48)

They made their way across the street to the boardwalk. There he continued to position her before him, his body protecting her, and he kept a watchful eye on the shadows. Just as they reached the hotel, Penny paused. Touching his hand, she said, “She loves you, Marshal, but if you love her, you are going to have to bend your pride and tell her so.”

“I do love her.” He heard the words come from his lips and knew they were true. Perhaps he had been infatuated with the lure of Amelia, but in his heart he knew Mary Rose was his woman. “I will tell her now and every day for the rest of my life.”

As they reached the hotel, Elaine opened the door, and Penny disappeared inside.

“Any word from Rand?”

Elaine shook her head.

Trace took a deep breath. “Take care of them.”

“I will. God speed, Marshal. Bring her back safe.”

Trace touched his forehead as Elaine closed the door, and he waited until he heard the lock click. Moving quietly in the night, he kept his eyes peeled for trouble. Wallace was in the house with Mary Rose. Gentry had yet to show his hand. He knew the captain had to come out into the open if she stood any chance of survival.

His back against the wall of the building closest to the Thornton house, he studied the light moving downstairs and to the left. Using the darkness, he crossed to the stand of trees between the buildings, crept as close as possible, and waited. Before long, he caught a glimpse of Wallace as he shoved Mary Rose against the wall and opened the cashbox. A look of confusion crossed his face. Through the glass, he heard the muted exchange between the two.

“Where’s the coin?”

“It was in there,” she replied.

“It’s not here now.”

“Maybe the man you had watching me has it?”

He stepped closer.

Trace’s fear and anger grew.

“No, he said you had it.” Wallace grabbed her arm. “Tell me, or so help me, I’ll kill her and then you.”

“You’ll never get the coin then,” Mary Rose snapped.

With a roar of anger, he shoved her toward the parlor.

Trace edged closer to the house, knowing that once Wallace got to the parlor he’d see Penny was gone.

“Where is she?” Wallace growled. “She couldn’t have gotten away.”

“What do you care? You won’t get away with this,” Trace heard Mary Rose bravely remark. “I know about the bank account. You made those deposits, didn’t you?”

“You’re a smart little strumpet, aren’t you? I bet that no-good half-breed marshal has spirited her away,” he snapped. “But I have you. I hardly think he can stop me now.”

“They will, you know. They will stop you. Otherwise you wouldn’t be so desperate to get that coin. What does that coin mean, anyway?”

“The coin?” He laughed. “That coin is my golden ticket to the good life.”

“You’re a fool, Captain Wallace. Penny will never go with you.”

“Penny,” he snapped, “is a millstone around my neck. Let someone else raise that brat.” He towered over Mary Rose’s petite frame. “Once I get that coin, I’m going to meet the buyer for the rifles, and you, my dear, are just added protection.”

Her expression fell. Trace hated seeing the fear in her eyes.

“Yes, I hardly think the marshal will fire at me with his beloved in the crossfire.”

Trace’s blood boiled with anger as Wallace brought his fingers down Mary Rose’s face. “You’ve put out for him, haven’t you? I can see it in your eyes. Well, when we get done, I’ll show you a few things I bet he doesn’t know.”

The captain shoved her toward the front door, and Trace moved to block the side road and cut off their escape. He didn’t want anything to tip off Wallace that he was here. From this vantage point, he could see them move out of the house. The creak of wood on the porch warned him of their coming. Hate washed over him as he watched Wallace hurry Mary Rose down the steps.

He allowed them to move past him. He needed time for Rand to get back. Summoning up his courage, he stepped out of the shadows behind them. “Evening, Captain Wallace. Going somewhere?”

“Trace,” Mary Rose gasped and tried to pull away from her captor.

The captain whirled, surprise showing on his face, and yanked her before him. It took a moment for him to compose himself before the corner of his lip curled into a sneer. “Well, what a nice surprise. Your being here saves me a little time, Marshal.”

“Indeed. Let the girl go, Wallace, and we’ll talk.”

“Let the girl go? How amusing.” The captain’s fingers curled more tightly around her arm, and Trace read her terror in the widening of her eyes. “You think because you wear that badge I’ll let her go? Maybe even turn myself over to you?”

“In theory.” Trace gave a shrug of his shoulders. “But as I see it, you’ve got few choices. Sheriff Weston will be here in a few minutes, and...”

At that, the captain laughed. “Oh, don’t you know? He’s out chasing a ghost in Coyote Canyon. When he returns, it will be too late. He never thought to look in the barn at the old Willard place.”

“You and your accomplice have it all figured out, don’t you?” Trace said. “But I’ve got the coin.”

Mary Rose silently mouthed, “No!” Wallace nervously licked his lips. “You? You can’t...”

Trace could see he hadn’t been expected to know about that. A step forward cut the distance between him and his quarry.

“Yes, you thought you could pull a fast one. But Mary Rose was onto Gentry. That’s why she brought the coin to me, and I locked it up in the hotel safe.” He glanced at Mary Rose, whose mouth stood agape.

“You couldn’t have known,” growled Wallace. He glanced at Mary Rose, then back at Trace. “She hadn’t told anyone.”

“But I did.” Mary Rose replied, finding her voice. She twisted her arm, trying to get free. “Daniel knew, too. He told me about it, and what to do should anything happen to him.”

“Daniel knew nothing,” Wallace growled, his eyes narrowing.

“Oh, but you’re wrong,” she replied. “He figured out that money was being put into an account under his name, but he didn’t know by whom. That’s why he gave me the records of each transaction.”

“Liar.”

“It was you, wasn’t it?” Trace coaxed, keeping his voice level.

Augustus Wallace nodded. “Yeah, it was me. That dumb Irishman made it too easy. But you want to know about the guns, don’t you?”

“It’s the last bit of the puzzle.”

Wallace’s confidence grew. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the Lion of Coahuila?”

A cold hand swept in, closing around Trace’s heart. The shadows covered the wobble of his hand.

“Yes.” Wallace’s cold eyes stared back. “Your own half-brother. It seems Don Castillo is interested in acquiring good military-quality rifles for the conservative defense of Mexico. The pay is excellent. Maybe this time you’ll be interested enough to join.”

“Unlike you, I will not betray my country,” Trace replied.

“Then it leaves all the more for those who will.”

“That coin is to signal the marshal’s brother that you have the rifles. That’s why it’s so important,” gasped Mary Rose.

“You’re a bit too smart,” Wallace snapped. “Your brother cost me that first handoff. But not this time. Once I produce the coin, I get ten thousand American dollars.”

“So you’d sell out the lives of Americans along the border for your own greed,” she spit.

A shot rang out. Wallace screamed in agony and turned. Mary Rose gave a startled cry, losing her footing with her sudden release and falling to the ground. Another shot echoed. Wallace grabbed his middle and fell also.

Mary Rose turned enough to watch, horrified, as he writhed in pain. Augustus Wallace’s gaze latched onto hers. “I would have been free,” he murmured. “Free.” His hand reached out. His fingers curled around thin air, and his eyes glossed over. He was dead.

“I got him, I got him.” Gentry’s frantic cries came from down the street. Trace stepped close and stood over her. “Whatever happens, do not move.”

“Trace,” she whispered.

“Do not move,” he said again.

She eased her body to the ground as low as possible and waited. Gentry’s footsteps echoed as he came closer and emerged from the shadows.

“Gentry, in the name of the Great State of Texas, lay down your weapon and surrender to the law,” Trace’s voice rang out.

“I shot him. I shot Wallace for you.” Gentry sounded confused. “He was going to kill you, Marshal.”