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exhausted sleep.
Lawless Hearts 95
Chapter Sixteen
She was unsure what caused her to wake, but when Scharlie
opened her eyes, she was cocooned between Cassidy and Garrett and
moonlight was streaming through the window.
Unease slithered its way over her skin. She rose and gently
detangled herself from the lightly snoring men. She grabbed her dress
and hastily put it on, hearing the crinkle of paper as she brought it
over her hips. Curiously, she reached into the pocket and brought out
the letter she had gotten weeks ago, when she had first picked up the
books for her schoolkids.
Scharlie quietly left the bedroom and went into the living room,
closing the door behind her. She lit a lamp, sat at the table, and
opened the letter. Two things fell out. One was a photograph. The
other was a note in Harlow s handwriting.
She shook slightly as she read the short message from Harlow, a
lump rising in her throat.
Dearest Sister,
I have a feeling this is the last time I will be writing to you. But I
want to explain my life, and why I could never be forthcoming until
now. When I left all those years ago, I drifted and ended up working
for a man named Allen Pinkerton. Through the years I worked my
way up within the Agency until my conscience forced me to disclose
that I had killed a man. But let me tell you this, Sheriff Tanner never
posted a warrant for my arrest. It was as if my one indiscretion had
never happened.
96 Beth D. Carter
And so I devoted my life to atonement, catching bad men, Scharlie,
and putting them in prison. Men like Breaux Cox. Enclosed is the
evidence I ve been working hard to find but cannot find a way to get it
where it needs to go. It s too important to trust to just anyone. Do this
for me, Scharlie. Remember I love you.
Tears slipped down her cheeks as she picked up the picture. The
photo was of Breaux Cox, younger than when she had met him. The
harsh lines around his mouth had not yet formed. He posed in a chair
with money bags around him, all stamped with various names of
banks. She saw one that said Union Bank of St. Louis and another that
read Citizens Bank of Jefferson City.
Obviously, Cox had been eager to immortalize his daring bank
robbery escapades. And this was the real reason why he had killed
Harlow. Harlow must have searched his personal belongings, finding
this photograph, and then run to try to get it to the authorities. Why he
didn t hand it over to Cassidy and Garrett was a mystery one would
never solve. Maybe he wanted to protect his partners. Maybe he
didn t have enough time. It broke her heart thinking that Harlow knew
Cox would be gunning for him, that time was running out. So he sent
her the evidence that Cassidy and Garrett were so desperately
searching for, knowing they would come to her and tell her of his
death.
A noise outside caused her to jump to her feet. She extinguished
the lamp. She clutched the photograph between her fingers, realizing
that whoever was out there, and she strongly suspected it was Cox,
the picture must remain safe.
She ran over to the books she still had for the children, the ones
she had ordered a long time ago, and placed the picture inside the
third one. Even if something were to happen to her, the books would
be found by someone.
She went to the bedroom and eased open the door, seeing Cassidy
and Garrett still sleeping. She eased open a dresser drawer and dug
Lawless Hearts 97
under the clothes until she felt her gun and then, giving the sleeping
men one last loving look, closed the door. She took a kitchen chair
and shoved it under the doorknob, trying to protect them and keep
them safe. Maybe it was stupid of her, but now she knew why Cox
wanted her, and if she could convince him she had already given the
photograph over to authorities, maybe he would leave as suddenly as
he had appeared.
Scharlie checked that her gun was loaded before unbolting the
front door and stepping out into the night.
The air was cool, causing a little shiver to course over her skin.
The moon provided enough light to see across the land. It was
beautiful and would have been considered peaceful if the underlying
feeling of menace didn t stalk her. She knew Cox was out here, could
feel his eyes on her. She walked off the porch, toward the tree line,
her eyes darting toward every shadow.
I know you re out here, she called. And I know you won t kill
me until you know what I did with the photograph.
Cox stepped out from behind a tree, out into the moonlight, and
even though his face was mostly obscured by his hat, the new wound
running down his left cheek stood out prominently. So Harlow did
send it to you, he replied.
Yes. But I turned it over to the authorities.
He gave a nasty little laugh. I don t think you did. Otherwise
those two men sleeping in your bed would have been recalled to
Illinois.
They re not asleep, so if I don t show up, they ll come out here,
she bluffed, improvising. Why don t you just give up now?
She brought the gun up, but he was quicker. His two Colts were
already cocked and staring her in the face before she had even
finished raising hers.
The night around her fell deathly silent, or else it was the blood
draining from her head, making her feel dizzy. Whichever the case,
98 Beth D. Carter
Scharlie suddenly became very scared. She would never see Cassidy
or Garrett again, never feel them around her.
Have I thanked you yet for this lovely decoration on my face?
he sneered.
I liked mine so much I thought you should have one, she said in
a quiet tone. She tried to bring some sass to the words, but she
couldn t manage it.
Cox laughed, a harsh, grating sound of amusement. Clever, he
replied. We could have been so good together, Scharlie Thorn. Now,
where is the photograph?
She didn t answer. But her gun started to waver. The fear was
starting to consume her.
Cox cocked both guns. Last chance, Scharlie, before I hurt you.
Tell me where it
Cox! shouted Cassidy from behind her.
Scharlie almost went weak with relief. Cox kept one gun on her
and turned the other onto Cassidy, locking them in a crazy triangle of
sorts.
Where s the other one? Cox asked. Come out, Webb! Or I
shoot the pretty girl right now!
You do, you re dead, Cassidy promised.
Cox gave him a bitter smile. Well then, I d die knowing I
destroyed your life.
Seconds ticked by. Scharlie felt sweat trickle down the sides of
her face despite the cool night air blowing around them.
And then she saw a big shadow cozy up to Cox as Garrett brought
the rifle barrel flush against his temple.
Drop the guns, Garrett ordered, his voice cold. Nice and
slowly.
The smile vanished from Cox s face. Goddamn Pinkerton agents!
You think I couldn t smell your fucking badges from the start? I d
sooner go to hell than have you take me to federal prison.
That can be arranged, Garrett told him.
Lawless Hearts 99
In the next heartbeat, everything shattered. Scharlie wasn t sure
what it was that told Cassidy that Cox was going fire his gun, but one
minute she was standing, waiting for something to happen, and the
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