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The situation seemed to sink into Otto’s brain slowly when he turned to see her sitting on the ground, skirts up around her middle. He took in the Derringer pointed right at him, held steady in both hands, and finally tucked away his pistol.

Sadie scrambled to her feet, slipping and sliding while trying to keep the gun fixed on the man before her.

Otto laughed. “Just tell me what I want to hear, woman, and this will all be over. You look ridiculous.”

Sadie licked her lips. She didn’t want to kill him in cold blood, but what choice did she have? He’d threatened Teddy.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into your thick head, but for the last time, there ain’t nothing to tell,” she said.

Otto’s face contorted, making him even uglier than before. “You killed Eli, I know it!”

Sadie’s knees shook. “Get out of here and never come back, or you’ll be shot on sight.”

To her utter relief, Otto nodded slowly and started walking in the other direction. She watched him for a moment, keeping her weapon raised.

She realized her mistake too late. The derringer had a short range, but his .45 could go further. Otto spun around to point his six shooter at her, and from where he stood, she may as well not have had a gun at all.

The sound of the bullet shattered her world, but even as her leg gave out, the pain didn’t come. She fell backward, ears ringing, sure she’d been hit. Otto stood above her moments later, stepping on her hand until she let go of her weapon and then scooting it out into the mud. He pointed the gun down at her face and grinned, showing his yellow teeth.

As he kicked her wounded leg, she finally felt the pain.

Her vision blackened for a moment, and she sucked in a breath, ribs straining against her corset.

“Now, we’re going inside to have a nice chat.”

Blinding pain prevented her from responding as he bent over to scoop her up. But his monster hands never reached her.

Confusion clouded her mind, along with the sting, as Otto went flying to the side out of sight. Then the world went dark.