Mona hurried down the path only to slip on wet leaves, ripping her pants and skinning a knee. Getting up, she spied blood on her pants where her chafed skin had bled through. She needed medical attention but couldn’t think of that now. Mona had to catch up with the two men before she lost their trail. Listening for a moment, Mona couldn’t hear the horses or the men speaking. “Oh God, I’ve lost them,” she said to herself.
Tracking the hoof prints, Mona saw them lead off to the right. She stood very quietly, listening for some sound. She should have caught up with them by now. Worried, she pulled out her gun.
“Lookin’ for us?” Noah said, stepping from behind an elm tree with a rifle pointed at her.
Mona trained her gun on him. “Stay where you are.”
“I’ve got the firepower here. You drop your gun.”
“Don’t think I shall, if you don’t mind.” Mona looked about. “Where’s your companion?”
“Right here,” said a man inching out from behind another tree with his arm around Farley’s neck and a revolver pressed against his head.
Mona flinched.
Noah said, “You might shoot me, but then Seth here will shoot your friend.”
“Yes, but you’ll be dead,” Mona bluffed.
Farley made an attempt to cast Seth off. “Mona, shoot. Run!”
Seth knocked him down by pistol whipping him. The towering man cocked his gun aiming at Farley’s face.
“Kill him, Seth. We’ll keep the gurl,” Noah said.
“NO!” Mona screamed. “He’s worth more alive than dead. He’s got lots of money.”
“What’s she talking about?” Seth asked, pulling up his gun.
“How does ten thousand dollars sound to you?” Mona asked.
“Ten thousand dollars?” Noah echoed, incredulously. “Where would the likes of him git so much money during the Depression?”
“We are both not who we seem. Many people would give money to get that man back safe and unharmed for ten thousand dollars. Nothing if he or I are injured.”
“And who would he be?”
“He’s Lawrence Robert Emerton Dagobert Farley, the Marquess of Gower. He’s British nobility and in line for the British throne.”
“Mona, shut up,” Farley croaked, blood streaming down his face.
“You mean a redcoat? Why would someone fancy like him be traipsing in these back hills?” Noah asked.
“For a lark. An adventure,” Mona replied. “If you hurt him, the British crown will hunt you down like dogs until they bring you to justice, and there will be a hanging. Your hanging.”
Noah shook his head. “Don’t freeze up. Shoot him, Seth.”
Mona cried, “NO! No. Wait! I’ll give you ten thousand dollars if you let him go and for our safe return. I’ve got it and lots more money.”
Noah said, “How would a wee gurl have such riches? Let’s forget about her. She’s worrisome. Shoot them both, Seth.”
Seth uncocked his gun. “Wait a bit, Noah. I’m a-mite curious.”
Mona pulled off her wool hat and then her scarf showing off her platinum hair.
Seth blustered, “She’s is as pale as a haint. Look at that hair, Noah!”
“Even in these hollers, you’ve heard of the white-haired heiress with the yellow eyes who took over Moon Enterprises,” Mona said. “We are both worth far more to you alive than dead.”
“Anybody can dye their hair like Jean Harlow,” Noah scoffed.
“But they can’t change the color of their eyes,” Mona retorted. “What do you see, Noah? Aren’t my eyes the color of yellow gold?”
Noah said, “We’ve got our orders. You best be quiet, girlie.”
“Yeah, we do all the danger and the boss gits most of the money,” Seth said, angrily. “This could be our chance to git out from under.”
“Hush, Seth. They know too much. Seen too much. I say we throw them off a cliff and let nature take its course.” Noah waved his gun at Mona. “You’re not going to shoot me. Not with Seth ready to kill your sweetheart. That’s what he is, ain’t he? I don’t believe a word . . .”
Seeing Noah was distracted, Mona pulled the trigger and shot him.
As soon as the shot went off, Farley grabbed Seth’s feet and swept them from underneath, causing him to fall backward. His gun went off, shooting into the air, while he and Farley tussled for the firearm. Seeing the two struggle, Mona rushed over and kicked Seth in the head.
Momentarily stunned, Seth let go of the gun and Farley took hold of it.
“Well, I swanee. You shot me! You shot me!” Noah moaned. “A wee thing like yourself has bested me. Tis shame. Tis shame on me.”
Mona rolled her eyes. “I got you in the shoulder. You’ll live, Noah.” She searched through Seth’s pockets while he was still woozy from the head kick. “Look, Robert. Spanish doubloons and a five-dollar bill. I bet when we search Noah we’ll find Chester’s ten-dollar bill.”
“That proves Rupert was telling the truth. He didn’t kill Chester.” Farley turned to the two scamps. “You two killed Chester Combs. These items were on him when he left base camp.”
“We helped a Chester Combs up from a ravine. What happened to him after we left is none of our doin’,” Noah said, nursing his bleeding shoulder. “Help me. This hurts like the dickens.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t kill this rascal, Mona,” Farley said.
“I was aiming for his heart, but he moved at the last moment,” Mona said.
“Likely story,” Farley deadpanned. “Keep your gun trained on them. Here’s Seth’s gun. I’m going to look for the horses and the mules. The gunfire must have scared them off.”
“The mules?”
“Guess who was riding them.”
“I’ll be here when you get back.” She blew Farley a kiss while training two guns on Seth and Noah.
Farley hurried into the woods.
“Now that Lord Farley is out of the way, tell me, who is your boss?”
“What makes you think we have one?” Noah asked, tying his neck bandanna around his arm.
“Because you said so. I heard you.”
“You must have heard wrong.”
“No matter. The police will get the truth out of you.”
“I need a doctor before I bleed to death.”
“You will get some of the finest medical attention once we reach Wendover. Until then, you’ll have to make do with my attention. Where’s the medical kit you stole from us?”
“Don’t know what you talking about.”
“Suit yourself, but that kit had antiseptic, sterile bandages, and morphine. If you wish to spend hours on horseback without any painkiller to ease your way—well, my friend—that’s on you. Hope you don’t get blood poisoning either because the bandanna you have wrapped around your arm looks filthy.”
“All right. All right. I know of a cave that Seth and I stumbled upon where some of your things might be stored.”
“Stumbled upon? I see.”
“Not too far from here. Go up the trail, cross the stream where two white sycamores stand as twins, turn a hard left, follow the stream until you come to a rock outcropping. Look for the entrance to a small cave. There it be.”
“What will?” Farley asked, leading two horses and two mules.
“I think where we’ll find our provisions. You take these men on to the Fugates and I’ll fetch the med kit. Noah needs some doctoring.”
Farley shook his head. “Absolutely not. We stay together.”
“They are in no shape to fight back. I’ll only be an hour behind you. If I run into trouble, I shoot three times. If I’m on my way back, I’ll shoot once.”
“You are so plucky, it frightens me.”
“If I were a man, you wouldn’t think twice that my suggestion saves time.”
“But you’re not a man. I have to have a think on this.”
“Think all you want.” Mona pulled Shaggy’s reins from Farley’s hands and mounted Shaggy before he could react. She had learned the knack of pulling herself up. “You need medical help and so do these men. See you in an hour.” She and Shaggy raced away.
Noah chuckled.
“What are you laughing about?” Farley asked.
“I’d rather face a man-eating panther than that she-cat again. You’re in a world of trouble, friend, if you take her on.”
“Don’t I know it. Don’t I know it,” Farley mumbled, watching Mona disappear into the woods.