Unending Devotion (Michigan Brides #1)(99)

“And what other lessons do you plan on teaching me tonight, McCormick? Go on. Do your best to reform me.” The hard gleam in the man’s eyes told Connell exactly what he thought of Connell’s recent involvement in the Red Ribbon Society.

“I think you’re going to find that there are a lot of people in this town, and even in this saloon here tonight, who are tired of your intimidation and the way you’ve been running this town into the ground.”

“Is that so? I bet there’s not a man here who would agree with you.”

The room was silent except for a belch from a drunken shanty boy at the table next to them.

Carr’s grin widened. “See—”

“I agree with McCormick” came a man’s voice from the edge of the room.

Connell’s heart roared to life. Was Stuart inside?

“There’s a lot of us who are fed up with all your bullying,” another voice called out—a voice that sounded like Herb Nolan’s, his foreman.

“We’re sick to death of you breaking the law, Carr.” The calls came from around the room, and Connell could only pray all the men had made it into the compound and were in position.

Carr’s expression wavered, but the pistol pointed at Connell’s heart didn’t budge.

The grumbling around the room continued.

“Let Lily and Connell go,” shouted Stuart above the din, “and maybe we won’t tear your place apart right here and now.”

“You so much as lay a finger on anything in the Stockade,” Carr shouted back, “and I’ll blow a hole through McCormick’s heart faster than you can blink.”

“If you shoot him,” Stuart’s voice rang out, “you might as well count yourself a dead man.”

Once again the room turned into a silent tomb. Stuart pushed through the revelers, and some of the other men followed, pointing their guns at Carr and the bouncers who stood near him. Jimmy Neil’s grin faded and fear flashed across his face.

“You’re done, Carr,” Mr. Sturgis said. “We don’t want you in Harrison any longer.”

Carr didn’t move. “If you don’t put down your guns and walk on out of here, I’ll make sure every single one of you lives to regret the day you stepped into the Stockade.”

“Your threats don’t scare us anymore.”

“Nobody likes you, Carr.” Mr. Sturgis spoke again. “You might as well pack your bags and get out of here, ’cuz your days are numbered.”

Carr finally glanced around the circle of men who surrounded him. His clean-cut features hardened. “You all know that my business is what keeps this town alive. And it keeps the shanty boys happy and out of trouble.”

Disgust rose swiftly inside Connell. Had he really once believed the same thing as Carr? That the taverns and brothels were a necessary evil in the lumber communities?

He met Lily’s gaze and hoped she could see the remorse there.

Her eyes brimmed with a determination that sent a nervous shiver over his skin.

What was she planning to do next?

“We have evidence that you’re behind the log thefts this winter.” Herb Nolan stepped forward, his hunting knife unsheathed and pointed at Carr.

“You don’t have any evidence,” Carr snarled.

“A whole bunch of logs on the rollway down in Averill is plenty of evidence, especially because ain’t no one seen you or your men doing any cutting this winter.”

Several of the shanty boys throughout the room cussed and still others turned angry eyes upon Carr.

“After all the hard work these boys have gone through to cut and haul those logs,” continued Herb, “they don’t take kindly to anyone tampering with their profit.”

Carr’s hard expression flickered for just an instant, but it was enough for Connell to see that the man knew his days in Harrison were numbered.

“We don’t need you, Carr.” Stuart’s gun was leveled on Carr. “We never have. In fact, this town will finally have a chance to prosper once you leave. We’ll have law and order and maybe we’ll get some decent families wanting to come here to live.”

Carr took a step back.

The pressure of the steel pistol in Connell’s chest fell away. Before he could take a breath of relief, Carr swung the gun around and pressed it into Lily’s temple.

“No!” Connell started toward Carr.

“Don’t take a step closer or I’ll kill her.”





Chapter

29



The cold metal jabbed into Lily’s head with a pressure that would have given her a headache if she hadn’t been so angry.

She’d had enough of Carr. He’d not only stolen the life and love out of Daisy, but he’d murdered Frankie.

Picturing the frail, sweet Frankie taking blow after blow from Carr’s brass knuckles only managed to stir her anger all the more. The poor girl would have been terrified and in torturous agony.

“Don’t any of you try to follow me,” Carr said, dragging Lily backward toward the steps. “Or she’s dead.”

Maggie stood in the stairwell, the dark shadows hiding her. Even so, Lily could see the glint in the woman’s eyes, the one that said she’d warned her not to try anything and now was going to pay for lying.