A Sheriff’s Call for Vengeance (Preview)

Chapter One

Minnesota Territory 1867

“We only have one shot at this,” Deputy Leo Ford said under his breath. “As soon as they know we’re here, all hell’s gonna break loose.” 

“You sure it’s really them?” Deputy Harrison asked. 

“Without a doubt,” Sheriff Holmgren replied. “And with the number of bodies in that camp back there, we can reasonably assume they’re going to shoot first and ask questions later.” 

“How do you want us to take it?” Leo asked. “The entire gang is wanted dead or alive.” 

“You know how I do things,” the sheriff replied without removing his gaze from the group of men in front of them. “I don’t like taking anyone in dead if we can help it. It’s better for our reputation, too, to keep them alive.” 

“But it’s riskier,” Leo replied. 

A look from his boss silenced him, though a secondary look from Deputy Harrison told Leo that the other deputy agreed with his stance rather than the sheriff’s. Still, both the men were taught to do as they were told and neither would go against the sheriff’s orders. 

“We’re coming down on them hard, making as many arrests as you can. Once the gunfire starts, shoot back. I’ll try to keep them alive, but I’m not going to do it at the expense of our own lives,” the sheriff said. 

Leo wanted to tell him shooting first would be their best chance at gaining the upper hand, but he already knew the answer. They would approach the men, pull out their guns, and try to subdue them without firing. Of course, the men in the Ouray gang would undoubtedly start shooting, and only then would Leo be allowed the freedom to shoot back. 

“Keep a sharp eye out, men,” the sheriff told them. “These men are dangerous, and the sooner we can gain the upper hand, the better.” 

“Weapons drawn,” Deputy Harrison breathed in Leo’s ear, and Leo nodded as he pulled both his own guns out of the holsters and crept forward. 

The gang had just robbed and murdered an entire camp of lumberjacks. There were probably twelve dead men lying back there. But the gang members were now gathered around a campfire with food in their hands. It didn’t appear as though any were armed. 

If they played their cards right, they could catch the gang by surprise, their guns ready before any of the men could react. The sheriff hoped that would give them the leverage they needed to arrest the group, but Leo had his doubts. 

There were seven men in front of them, and only four men in their own party. They were already outnumbered nearly two to one, yet the sheriff didn’t want them to fire the first shot unless pressed to do so. 

“Alright, men,” Sheriff Holmgren said in a hoarse whisper. “Let’s go.”

The sheriff motioned for the group to split up and surround the men at the fire. Leo would stay somewhat close to the sheriff, and they would move as one. 

His fingers were already on the triggers of his guns, and his spine tingled with anticipation. His stomach twisted with nerves, and he ignored the sweat that beaded on his brow. This could be the moment the Ouray gang was finally put in prison for the rest of their lives. 

In fact, it would be—if nothing went wrong. 

***

 “There’s nothing so deceptively peaceful as the quiet before the storm.” Leo stood tall, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“My boy, you need to relax,” his boss and dear friend, Sheriff Alonzo Holmgren, replied with a reassuring smile. “I know how it is. I felt the same as you when I was a deputy myself. But you can’t always be on the fight.” 

“After what we went through day before last, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to relax,” Leo replied. “I don’t know how you can be a sheriff and so casual, Holmgren.” 

“Years of practice. Why, when I was your age, I was constantly ready for the next scuffle. I’d have some of the biggest scoundrels behind bars, then I’d go to the saloon to find a new fight. Moral of the story is, don’t be like me. You’ve got a lot going for you, especially for being twenty-five. Don’t mess it up.” 

“Lazy hands belong to the devil,” Leo replied. He didn’t agree with the way the sheriff was dismissing the tragedy of two days prior. 

It seemed that Sheriff Holmgren considered the capture of a single outlaw a victory, but they had dropped the ball with the attack and had lost one of their own men, along with the two of them nearly getting killed themselves.  

And they had only one outlaw to show for the loss. 

“It’s not lazy to take the night off,” the sheriff replied simply. “And honestly, you ought to enjoy it while you have the chance. What with your little one on the way, I’d wager you can soon say goodbye to what little sleep you already get.” 

The older man laughed at his own joke, and Leo finally did the same. It was true, his wife was set to give birth just about any time, and Leo looked forward to it with great anticipation. If there was one thing he wanted more than law and justice, it was to be a father. 

“Guess I’ll take tonight as practice for that,” Leo said, shaking his head as he glanced over his shoulder. 

Sheriff Holmgren laughed yet again. It was true. 

The event two days prior had resulted in the arrest of one of the most dangerous criminals in the territory, a man by the name of Sam Ouray. Locked in a cell in the corner of the room, Sam was making as much noise as possible, talking loudly as the sheriff and his deputy tried to converse, and slamming things around in his cell when neither of them paid him any mind. 

“I’ll admit, I feel bad leaving you here with him for the night,” the sheriff said with a shake of his head. “But I suppose I’ve earned the right to take some time for myself after all the long nights I’ve spent in your boots.” 

Leo chuckled. Even with the pain and trepidation he felt, he agreed with the sheriff’s sentiment that it was good to at least smile when possible. “Go and have fun. Don’t feel bad or worry about me. I’ve never been a man for saloons anyway, and it’ll be even worse tonight what with all the folks coming in to hear that new singer.” 

“He’s not really new. Just one of them traveling fellows,” Sheriff Holmgren explained. “But I’ve heard from others that he’s good, and I figure I might as well give him a shot. And it can’t hurt to have law enforcement around in the saloon, anyway. The way people get out of hand when there’s alcohol mixed with the lot of them, I’m sure seeing me there will help keep the peace.” 

“That’s a fair point,” Leo agreed with a simple nod. “With Ouray here behind bars, I don’t really want to deal with a lot of drunks needing to sleep it off.” 

“There we go! I’ll go spend the night listening to music and enjoying myself, and I’ll tell the mayor it was all for the sake of work tomorrow!” Sheriff Holmgren slapped his thigh and laughed his hacking laugh before turning to Ouray. The man fell silent long enough for the sheriff to give him a warning, though Leo had a feeling the words were falling on deaf ears. 

“You don’t cause any trouble for my deputy, now. I’ve had about all I can stand out of you, and you’re not helping your cause any carrying on in here like a madman.” 

“I don’t know what you expect out of me,” Sam retorted. “You put me in here with little more than a slab of wood to sleep on and a bucket to pee in. What do you think I’m gonna do?” 

“Be quiet, that’s what,” the sheriff shot back. “I’ve dealt with more men like you than I can count. You can scream all you want, and you’re not going to get anything more than what you have.” 

“Then I will!” Sam shouted. 

He let out another tremendous scream that caused Leo’s ears to ring, and Leo fought the urge to slam the baton on the desk into the bars. He’d promised himself he’d not be the kind of lawman who reacted to the taunts of a criminal, but Sam Ouray was certainly getting under his skin. 

“At least he’s behind bars,” Sheriff Holmgren said, shaking his head. “Why don’t you come out to the porch? It’s a beautiful night, and you might be able to hear enough music floating this way from the saloon to keep your mind off the banshee in here.” 

“If only,” Leo agreed with a small smile. 

The sheriff grabbed his hat and stepped outside, and Leo followed, putting his own hat on his head as they stepped onto the wooden porch. The sun was setting, and the moon was already visible. The North Star shone brightly, the fading warmth of the day lingering in the dust rising from the street in front of the building. 

The woods were already black, and the calls of the night were starting to lift to the moon. Pine trees released their rich scent into the air, coming as a welcome contrast to the stuffiness of the foul odors inside the building. 

“Try to relax tonight,” Sheriff Holmgren reminded Leo as he prepared to leave. “We endured a brush with death two days ago, and it takes time. With any luck, the marshals will show up tomorrow and take him off our hands. Until then, the only job you have to worry about is keeping an eye on him.” 

“The paperwork—”

“Can wait for another day,” the sheriff said with a note of finality in his voice. “Here. Roll yourself a cigar and have something to smoke. With the noise he’s making, it’s bound to be a long night.” 

The sheriff tossed his tin to Leo, and Leo thanked him before the older man walked off, heading up the street toward the saloon. The sheriff’s office was located right on the edge of town, nestled not too far from the tree line. That was something Birchwood—and the entirety of the Minnesota Territories—didn’t lack: trees. 

Leo tried to do as he’d been told. He pulled paper and a thick pinch of tobacco out of the tin and rolled himself a cigar, then sat in the sole rocking chair out on the front porch. There was only one, as the sheriff said it was bad business to have more than one man sitting around at the same time. 

Things were run differently in Birchwood than they were back in New York State, where he was from. The law there was kept with an iron fist, or so it felt. When he decided to be a lawman in the West, he’d assumed it would be the same if not worse. 

But when he moved into the small town of Birchwood, he found the sheriff to be more relaxed than any he’d ever before met. It wasn’t that the sheriff wasn’t good at his job. In fact, he seemed to hold the respect of most of the men in Birchwood. 

But it wasn’t the men in Birchwood who concerned Leo. It was the gangs that ran in the area. The outlaws who preyed upon the people who were passing through the territory or who lived out of town. Those were the men who needed the law brought down on them with little mercy. 

He lit the cigar and puffed silently, trying to push thoughts of the bloody bust out of his mind. It wasn’t the first time he and the sheriff had busted a gang of thieves, and it wouldn’t be the last. Still, it hadn’t gone entirely according to plan, and though neither he nor the sheriff had mentioned it that night, the fact they’d lost one of their own deputies had to be weighing on the sheriff’s mind as well. 

Deputy Harrison was a good man, and his death would be felt for more than just that night. It certainly lingered in Leo’s brain. He had been younger than Leo and looked up to Leo like a brother. Both men had admired the sheriff, and both hoped to be like him one day. 

At least, to some extent. I doubt I’ll ever give a man as many chances as Sheriff Holmgren does. There’s too much risk when it comes to outlaws. They’re outlaws for a reason, after all.

“Deputy! Deputy Ford! Where’d you go? You didn’t leave me in here alone, did you?” 

Sam Ouray’s voice drifted through the open window, and Leo did his best to ignore the criminal. He wasn’t in the mood for the constant jeers, and he didn’t have the same patience the sheriff had. 

“Deputy! You can’t leave me! I’ll get myself into trouble in here on my own. You don’t know what I’m capable of doing!” Sam continued. Leo continued ignoring him until he heard a terrific crash!

I should have just killed him. It would have been so easy just to put a bullet in his head and be done with this nonsense. The posters all say dead or alive, and dead is perfectly fine with me. If only I could do it now and make it look like an accident to the sheriff.

Leo smiled to himself, thinking of how nice it would be just to shoot the man for some peace and quiet. Considering the horrors the Ouray brothers and their gang had subjected innocent folks to, Leo didn’t think it a crime. But he also knew the laws. 

It would be murder, regardless of the things Sam had done. He was in custody, and that meant he would be kept safe and sound until the marshals came to fetch him. He’d hang, no doubt, when he finally was tried and convicted of his crimes, but in the meantime, Leo just had to put up with him. 

“Deputy!” 

The shout was followed by the sound of more banging, and Leo realized the outlaw was throwing his bucket around the cell. It wasn’t hurting anything, but it was creating quite the ruckus. It seemed the outlaw was becoming more annoyed. Clearly, he wasn’t accustomed to being shut out. 

“Deputy! Oh help! Help me! I need a doctor! Help!” Sam screamed at the top of his lungs. “I’m hurt! Done cut my wrist wide open on this here bucket! If you don’t do something soon, I’m going to bleed out! My blood will be on your hands!” 

Leo sighed, standing and stomping out his cigar with the sole of his boot. He didn’t believe that the other man was in any sort of danger, and he was fighting to maintain his patience. 

At the same time, he’d seen some really desperate acts done by desperate men, and he couldn’t ignore the idea Sam Ouray had hurt himself if for no other reason than to hope to get out of the cell. 

“Ouray, you are nearing the end of my patience!” Leo snapped as he marched inside the small office. “Why can’t you just shut up and let a man have some peace?” 

He surveyed the criminal, who sat on the bunk in his cell with a childish grin on his face. 

“I knew there was a way to get you to come in here,” he said in a triumphant tone. “Just had to find the right thing to say. Well now, here we are together, so why not just sit and have a little chat with me?” 

Leo gave him a look, torn between the idea of turning back around and walking outside, and passing the time by talking to the prisoner. While there was no rule against conversing with someone locked in the cell, it wasn’t encouraged. 

His mind went back to a conversation he’d had with the sheriff shortly after he’d started working in Birchwood. 

“You ever talk to someone you arrested?” Sheriff Holmgren asked. 

“Talk to them? Well, I give them orders and such,” Leo replied. 

“No, I mean do you sit and talk to them? Like friendly.” 

“Not so much,” Leo said with a shake of his head. “I don’t know what to say.” 

“Keep that attitude,” Sheriff Holmgren warned. “You never know what’s going to come out of their mouths. Desperate men will say anything to get a little bit of leverage, and you don’t want to fall to their charms. Even the hardest sheriff has fallen victim to the manipulation that comes from seasoned outlaws.”

The amused feeling Leo had must have shown itself on his face as the sheriff pressed. 

“What’s so funny? Don’t believe me?” 

“I just don’t know who’d be foolish enough to listen to what they say,” Leo admitted with a shake of his head. “We know they’re on the wrong side of the law, so why would we believe them?” 

“Snakes, that’s what they are,” Holmgren said. “My brother—dead now—learned that the hard way.” 

Leo didn’t ask for details, but he did give the other man an inquisitive look. 

“He was a bounty hunter,” Sheriff Holmgren explained. “And he was one of them who didn’t believe in treating his prey like criminals. So he let his guard down. He listened when the bastard said he had a wife and kids and was only stealing to put food on the table. Wound up with his throat cut that very night. Found dead days later.” 

Leo had quickly ended the conversation after that, but the sheriff’s words stuck with him throughout the two years he’d been working at the office. He wasn’t mean to anyone who passed through the cells. But he could never be accused of being nice.

“Just talk to me,” Ouray pleaded, bringing Leo’s mind back to the present. “Hear what I have to say, and you might be surprised.” 

“Fine,” Leo said impulsively. He was bored, and the thought of sitting outside while the outlaw screamed like a caged animal just feet away wasn’t at all appealing. Leo felt confident in his ability to separate truth from lies, and more than that, he’d refuse to give any favors. 

No matter what came out of Sam’s mouth.

Chapter Two

“…and that’s why I can confidently say you’ve got the wrong guy,” Sam finished, making intense eye contact with Leo as he spoke. 

“The wrong guy?” Leo repeated, incredulous. “The wrong guy. You say we have the wrong guy, but yet here is your face on this wanted poster.” 

“You have no proof that I’m Sam Ouray,” Sam said indignantly. 

“I’ve heard a lot of lies in my time,” Leo replied simply. “But this is the first I’ve ever met someone who is so clearly who I’m after, and yet they insist they’re someone else entirely.” 

“You’re so certain,” the outlaw sneered. “But you came down on me and my group so hard and so fast, you didn’t leave us a chance.” 

“Of course not,” Leo shot back. “We’d just passed that camp of lumberjacks you murdered!” 

“Where was your proof?” 

Leo stared for another moment considering the warning the sheriff had given him about engaging with such men. He could better see why Sheriff Holmgren advised against it. Even if he wasn’t in danger of being manipulated by the man, it was clearly a waste of his time. 

“See?” Sam continued when Leo didn’t reply. “You have no proof! You just assumed me and the men I was with were the men you were after, all on account we were caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.” 

“And how do you explain the fact you killed one of ours?” Leo asked, largely out of curiosity. 

“We’re allowed to defend ourselves,” Sam shot back. “What would you do if you were minding your own business and this group of men came down on you with guns blazing? Of course you’d be more than a little startled, and you’d shoot back.” 

“I’m sorry.” Leo shook his head. “I expected you to say something outlandish, but you’ve surprised me. I don’t have much else to add, really, I don’t.” 

“Then let me out! I deserve a lawyer and justice!” 

“And justice most certainly will come your way,” Leo promised. “Though I’m not sure it’ll be in the way you’re thinking.” 

The outlaw swore at him in response, and Leo could see the façade slipping. He wanted to just go back outside and ignore the outlaw. But a part of him wished to antagonize the outlaw. Perhaps it was out of boredom, or perhaps it was out of curiosity. 

Either way, Leo decided to remain professional and turned to go back to the porch. 

“You’ll be sorry for this!” Sam shouted. 

“I’m already sorry I decided to talk to you,” Leo replied. 

“My brother is coming,” Sam sneered. “Sean isn’t nearly so kind and patient as I am.” 

“So you admit now who you are?” Leo asked, raising his eyebrow and pushing his tongue into his cheek. “I thought you just said you were someone else.” 

“You’re not as dumb as you look,” Sam replied with a simple shrug. “Sheriffs, they can be hard, but you never know how stupid a deputy will be.”

Leo shook his head, and Sam continued to shout his threats. 

“You’ll be sorry! My brother is coming for me, mark my words! And when he gets here, he’ll burn the place to the ground with you and everyone else in it!” 

Before going outside, Leo stopped to close the window. It wasn’t uncommon for outlaws to turn to such threats when they didn’t have anything else to bargain with, and Leo wasn’t in the mood to hear the ranting and shouting coming from inside the building. 

He closed the door behind him and returned to his seat on the porch. Night had fallen entirely, and stars dotted the sky above. Just as the sheriff predicted, Leo could hear the music coming from the saloon in the middle of the small town. 

The melody was punctuated by the sound of drunken laughter and clapping. Still, the loud gathering wasn’t enough to drown out the shouts coming from inside the building directly behind him. It seemed Sam was taking his noise-making to a new level, and Leo was already checking his pocket watch. 

“Sam Ouray, you shut up in there, or I’m going to come in and make you shut up!” Leo shouted over his shoulder. 

To blazes with staying professional. This man is about to make me lose my mind!

Leo practically flew to his feet and marched back into the building, only to find Sam sitting with an innocent look on his face on his bunk. 

“What?” the outlaw asked. “I’m just sitting here, like you said. I don’t know what the problem is.” 

“Just shut up!” Leo hissed. 

The other man laid back on the thin pillow and started whistling a tune, and Leo shook his head. He knew Sam was just trying to get under his skin yet again, and he hated that it was working. He chewed the inside of his cheek, debating whether to react or ignore the man. 

He felt like he’d been left to watch an overgrown toddler throwing a fit. It was hard for Leo to believe that it was the same man who had been firing back at them just two days prior. 

Just as he was about to lecture the outlaw yet again, there was a knock at the door. 

This had better be important. I’m not in the mood for any more foolishness tonight. 

The knocking came again, and Leo took a step back to open the door. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw his beautiful wife standing on the porch, a basket over her arm. 

“Laura! What are you doing here? And at this hour?” He looked at his pocket watch as he spoke. It was just past midnight. 

“Oh, you know I can’t sleep for anything when you’re not home,” she said with a warm smile. She waddled into the room, her late pregnancy blatant. “I thought I’d bring you something to eat that’s better than the sandwich you brought.” 

His heart warmed. It was just like Laura to do such a thing, and he loved her for it. But he didn’t like her being at the office. A lot of bad people passed through that door, and he didn’t want her to be there if the sheriff so happened to come back with an unruly saloon guest. 

His fear was confirmed when Sam spoke up from his cell. 

“My, my! You didn’t tell me you had a pretty lady waiting for you at home,” he crooned from his cell. “What a lovely little thing! No wonder you’re expectin’! I bet you’ll be pregnant a lot with your looks, won’t you?” 

“You’re not to talk to anyone,” Leo reminded him. 

“Who’s gonna stop me?” 

“Come on,” Leo told his wife. “You don’t need to be hearing this.” 

She nodded, looking uncomfortable with the other man’s words. Even if he was a vulgar gang member, Laura was sweet and innocent enough to not expect such talk out of anyone. It was another of the traits Leo had fallen for, and he wished to shield her from anything evil in the world. 

“Is that man the outlaw you told me about?” she asked in a hushed tone once they were back on the porch.

“Unfortunately, that’s him,” Leo said. “I can’t wait for the marshals to get here and pick him up. He’s been insufferable.” 

She giggled. “I love it when you use that word. It seems too proper for you.” 

“I learned it from you. It’s my smart word,” he said, stealing a kiss from her as he did. “You know, I really wish you wouldn’t walk all the way into town in the dark, not with how close the baby is to coming.” 

“It’s no matter,” Laura told him, putting her hand on her belly. “If my water breaks, I’m already heading for the doctor anyway, aren’t I? Makes sense to me.” 

He chuckled. “Even still. There’s wild animals and scoundrels about. I don’t like the idea of you being out and unprotected.” 

“I’m fine,” she insisted. “With the work you and the other men do here at the office, I don’t think there’s a danger in the entire area.” 

“I wish that were true,” he told her, taking the basket from her arm. He flipped open the top and looked at her with wide eyes. “When did you have time to fry chicken?” he cried. “And you made fresh biscuits, too?” 

Laura giggled yet again, and her brown eyes danced under the moonlight. 

“I told you; I don’t sleep well when you’re not home, and the more I was lying there trying to rest, the harder it was. I guess I just figured after the baby comes, there’s not going to be as much time for me to make all your favorite things, not for a while, anyway, so I wanted to surprise you.” 

“You spoil me, my dear,” Leo told her with admiration showing in his tone. He looked back into the basket and shook his head yet again. “I don’t know how you planned on me eating all this. You’ve packed enough for a picnic!” 

“Well, I don’t have anywhere to be,” she told him as she took a seat in the rocking chair. Leo sat on the step next to the chair as she explained further. “I figured I’d stay and eat with you. We can take our time, and maybe by the time I head home, I’ll be tired enough to get some sleep.” 

Leo still didn’t like the idea of his wife being anywhere close to Sam Ouray, but he pushed the worry out of his mind. They were out on the porch, and the outlaw had finally quieted down inside, at least enough for him to be able to talk to Laura without having to compete. 

He didn’t know how long it would last, but he meant to take advantage of it while it did. Not only that but having his wife there would making the dragging time pass a little faster, which was another welcome thought in the long day he’d been having. 

“Oh, Leo,” Laura said, looking up at the sky with a bright smile. “Did you ever think our lives would be so good?” 

“I knew life would be good when you agreed to marry me,” he told her with a wink, and even in the pale light, he could see her blush. “Any anyway,” he added, “It’s about to get even better with our family growing.” 

“Mmm, yes,” Laura said, rubbing her belly. “I can’t wait to meet this little one. I really can’t.” 

Leo smiled in return, sharing his wife’s excitement. Though he still felt apprehensive about his wife coming to the office so late at night, a bigger part of him was glad she did. He had to admit that Birchwood wasn’t as dangerous as the bigger cities where he’d lived, so she did have a point. 

Time moved much faster with his wife present, and before he knew it, half an hour passed. He startled as he realized it had fallen quiet inside the office. 

“What’s wrong?” Laura asked, her warm, brown eyes filling with concern. 

“He’s quiet—too quiet,” Leo said, rising to his feet. 

“Isn’t that a good thing?” she asked. “He was hollerin’ like a caged animal before.” 

“It’s a good thing if he’s fallen asleep,” Leo replied. “But I don’t trust him. Something’s going on.” 

He walked back into the office, and Laura followed, her curiosity showing on her face. She instinctively pulled the door closed behind her, but Leo’s attention was on Sam. 

The man sat silently on his bunk with a smirk on his lips, causing the hair to rise on the back of Leo’s neck. He didn’t know what was happening, but he knew something was wrong. 

Before he had the chance to say anything, both he and his wife were startled by loud banging on the door. 

Laura yelped in her fright, withdrawing, and Leo drew his gun. 

“Who’s there?” he demanded. “State your name and your purpose!” 

“Leo?” Laura asked uncertainly when nothing but silence ensued. 

“Shh!” Leo put a finger to his lips and motioned for Laura to move against the opposite wall. “I said identify yourself!” he shouted again. 

But once again, silence ensued. 

Leo swore under his breath. It wasn’t something he did often when Laura was around, but he couldn’t ignore the alarm sounding in his mind. He’d known it was too soon to relax, and he’d let his guard down anyway. He wished more than anything that his wife was safely back home and the sheriff was present. 

“This is your last chance,” Leo said, starting to open the door. 

“Leo!” Laura screamed. 

As soon as the door opened a crack, gunshots rang out. Leo cried out in pain and surprise as one of the bullets tore through his upper arm, striking him directly in his right bicep. Though he could shoot with both hands, his right hand was by far a better aim. 

“Son of a—” Leo stopped himself as several more bullets tore through the window, one narrowly missing his head and the other coming dangerously close to striking Sam. The prisoner, for his own part, was far less refined, and a stream of expletives left his lips. 

“Who are they? What do they want?” Laura screamed, the terror evident in her voice just as much as on her face. Both of her hands were on her belly, and her eyes were wild with fright. 

“Get under the desk!” Leo shouted, hating himself for the fact there wasn’t anywhere better for his wife to hide. It wouldn’t provide much protection, but it would be better than having her standing out in the open where any stray bullet could find her. 

Laura nodded, doing her best to move quickly to get under the desk’s surface. She didn’t fit easily with the size of her belly, but it would be better than nothing at all. 

“Stop shooting!” Leo shouted, already knowing that the order would be ignored. Clearly, whoever was out there was out for blood. They’d made that clear from the beginning. He had a feeling he knew exactly who it was, and he hoped with Sam still locked up, he’d have at least a little leeway. 

His order was met with more gunfire, and that time, two more bullets came really close to striking Sam in his cell. 

“You stupid curs!” Sam screeched at the top of his lungs to the men outside. Leo hadn’t known it was possible for Sam to be louder than he had been all night. “You’re going to kill me if you ain’t careful! Then what’ll you do?” 

The sound of muffled shouting reached Leo’s ears, and he realized the men outside were talking to each other. He’d slammed the door closed once again as soon as the bullets were fired, so he couldn’t make out what was being said. Still, he had a bad feeling about it. 

Surely the gunshots were loud enough to make it to the saloon! Where’s the blasted sheriff? I need help, damn it!

“Leo,” Laura started, her voice sounding very small compared to the blood rushing through Leo’s ears. He realized she must have seen him looking over the wound in his arm. 

It was bleeding quite a bit, but the bullet had passed through. There wasn’t time to get bandages, but he’d ripped a strip of fabric off his shirt and was tying it securely around the injury, stemming the flow of blood as best he could. 

It would be easier with someone else helping, but he managed well enough with his left hand and his teeth. His pistol was on the desk directly in front of him, readily within reach. 

He looked toward her, and their eyes met. He could see the fear in his wife’s eyes, and he simply put his finger to his lips. He wanted more than anything to rush to her and pull her close. He wanted to promise her everything would be alright, that he would take care of her and the baby. 

But the grim reality was that he knew he was powerless. There wasn’t a thing he could do to keep her safe in the attack. All he could hope for was to convince the men attacking them that his wife was innocent and with child and shouldn’t be harmed. Considering the carnage he’d witnessed just a couple days before, however, he suspected the men outside didn’t have a merciful bone in their bodies. 

It’s impossible to appeal to someone’s humanity when they don’t have any humanity left.

“If one of you idiots shoots me, I’ll put a bullet right between your eyes! I don’t care which of you it is!” Sam continued, still carrying on with his tirade. Leo’s mind raced as he tried to come up with an immediate solution. It would be so much easier if he and Sam were the only two in the building, but with Laura there, he had to put her safety first. 

Then Leo got the break he was praying for. Evidently, the men outside heard Sam’s threats, and one of them spoke. 

Maybe there was a chance they’d survive after all.