Read Online Desperate Hearts by Rosanne Bittner - Free Book Online

identified Hugh Wiley and Jake Snyder as part of the gang that tried to rob the Virginia City stagecoach yesterday of money meant for the bank here in Alder. These same men shot Billy Polk and Juno Martin and passenger Spittin’ Joe. They also caused the death of a passenger named Whiskers and caused Miss Wainright here to suffer a dislocated shoulder and greathumiliation.”
    Fists went into the air, and the outlaws hung theirheads.
    Jackson kept writing. “Where are you from, Miss Wainright?” he asked as hewrote.
    Immediately Elizabeth was afraid. She didn’t like all this attention. For someone hiding and trying to keep a low profile, this was the last thing she wanted. “I’m from…St. Louis.” Another lie.
    “And what brings you to a place like Alder, Miss Wainright? It is Miss, right?”
    Elizabeth looked up at Mitch. “What does that have to do with whathappened?”
    “Nothing,” Mitch answered. He turned to Jackson. “This woman’s background and reason for coming here makes no difference in what these men did,” he told Jackson. “Suffice it to say, she has identified them as being part of the gang that attacked the stagecoach yesterday, killed three men, caused the death of a fourth man, and intended to rob and shame Miss Wainright, perhaps kill her, too. That’s all thatmatters.”
    Jackson nodded. “All right, then.” He glanced at Elizabeth, looking her over curiously. “Sorry to offend, ma’am. Name’s Carl Jackson… Attorney Carl Jackson, if you should ever have need of my services. And I can assure you that this town is proud to have such a lovely lady as yourself grace our presence, whatever your reason for beinghere.”
    “You’ll die for this, Mitch Brady!” someone yelled before Elizabeth couldanswer.
    The words came from a man about Mitch’s age. “You’re bound to hang my brother vigilante-style, and I can’t let that go. And don’t forget that Hugh has friends. You’d better watch yourback!”
    “If you want to defend a murderer and robber, that’s your right,” Mitch shouted back. “But I’d think twice before I’d go threatening people, Sam. If you defend your brother by trying to murder me, you’ll hang, too.”
    Sam fingered his sidearm nervously and then backed away. “We’ll see about that,” he said before turning to put a hand on the shoulder of one of the outlaws. He walked away then, and men jeered athim.
    Mitch turned and led a grateful Elizabeth back inside the doctor’s office and closed the door. Elizabeth wilted a little, glad to be away from prying eyes. “Thank you,” she toldMitch.
    “Wait here, and when this is over, I’ll come get you and take you to Ma’splace.”
    Elizabeth sat down in a wooden rocker. “You don’t need to keep escorting me everywhere,” she toldMitch.
    “Yes, I do,” Mitch answered. “You don’t know your way around town yet, and there are plenty of men out there still too curious about why you’re here. I have to admit I’m one of them.” He looked her over with a mixture of wonder and irritation in his eyes. “You’ve got to be more forthcoming, Miss Wainright. Even though we’ve all got our secrets, leaving people completely in the dark only makes them pay more attention to you, and I have a feeling attention is the last thing youwant.”
    Mitch went back outside, and Elizabeth looked up at DocWilson.
    “He’s right, you know,” Doc toldher.
    Elizabeth decided she’d better get to work on a credible story. Outside, the crowd broke into another uproar, and their shouts began to fade as the two outlaws were dragged to a saloon down thestreet.
    “That man called Jackson. Is he a lawyer?” she askedDoc.
    “Yes, but lawyer or not, his background is as much a mystery as most others aroundhere.”
    “What happens now, Dr. Wilson?”
    Doc grinned ruefully. “A trial, if you want to call it that, will take place over at the saloon and the men will be taken to jail to await a hanging. That probably