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The look in his eyes said he didn’t believe her. “Your bag?”
Alex reached a hand toward the bedroll. “This is all I have. Nothing in there but clothing.”
He gave her a long look, taking in her trousers and chambray shirt. He made a sound deep in his throat, then lifted his revolver again and rubbed the end of the barrel against her cheek. “Such a sweet thing dressing like a man. What a shame.” He smiled again. The wrinkles around his eyes said as much. “Where are you headed?”
Alex swallowed and eyed his gun. “In the opposite direction from you.”
Amusement shined in his eyes. He stared at her a few moments more then laughed. “Now that is a shame. I’m sure we could have been great friends.”
He holstered his gun and lifted the front of his hat and addressed those in the floor. “You ladies have a good day.” He shut the coach door with a bang and turned back to the three men who were tossing the contents of the trunks into the dirt.
Alex let out the breath she’d been holding and watched as the outlaw kicked one of the trunks and ordered one of the others to open it. The contents were scattered across the ground, the voices of those rifling through the luggage a soft whisper on the breeze.
The blonde bandit bent and picked something up from the pile and laughed when he stood. “I knew that old bat was holding out on me.”
He turned and looked back toward the carriage, staring at her for long moments before turning and telling the others to grab everything of value. He walked to his horse, stuffed a small black pouch into his saddlebag and climbed back on his horse. “I’ll meet you back in town.” He looked back at the carriage, inhaled a deep breath and said, “Make sure they don’t make it back.”
The women inside the carriage started crying again. Alex had no doubt the remaining three were going to kill them. She looked to the blonde. He tipped his hat in her direction and spurred his horse into moving. The moment he was gone, the three men still kneeling on the ground stood.
“Everybody out.”
The smallest of the three opened the stagecoach door. “You heard him. Everybody out.”
Alex did as told, her bones creaking as her feet hit the ground. She looked to the top of the carriage. One of the drivers was slumped across the top, one arm hanging over the side. The other driver was standing near the horses, his face red, anger etched into every line on his face.
When everyone was out, they were lined up next to the coach. The three men huddled close, whispering to themselves before one lifted his head and looked their direction. “You,” he said, pointing a finger in Alex’s direction. “You come stand over by me.”
Alex raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
He huffed out a breath. “Cause I said so, that’s why.”
She looked to the other women, two of which were still crying quietly. “What are you going to do with us?”
“Don’t you be worrying about it,” he said. “Now come over here.”
When she didn’t move, he came at her, arm outstretched. He latched on to her arm and pulled her away from the carriage.
“Hank, Jack said to not leave any of them behind.”
“I’m not,” he grinned. “I’m taking this one with us.”
“You sure don’t like to listen.”
“And you need to mind your own business, Virgil!”
“This is my business, you half-wit. Jack will kill us all when we get back to camp with that girl.”
“You idiots, don’t be saying our names!”
“Sorry, Silas. I don’t see what difference it makes, though. They ain’t gonna be alive to tell no one about us.”
“Don’t matter,” Silas said. “Jack said no names.”
“Fine.”
They argued like school children. Alex looked toward their horses. They grazed a few feet away. If she could make it to them without one of these three shooting her in the back, she might just be able to get away.
Silas, the least bright of the bunch, lifted his gun again and pointed it to the man standing by the horses. You come over here with the rest of them.”
