Read Online The Anonymous Bride by Vickie Mcdonough - Free Book Online
Authors: Vickie Mcdonough
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Western, Man-Woman Relationships, Love Stories, Texas, Christian fiction, Religious, Christian, Mail Order Brides
Ads: Link
in town a short while. Maybe there’s someone else here who could help me?” Ty glanced toward a back room where the vault was probably kept.
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Wattenburger is the only one that can help you.” Miss Holt glanced at a watch pinned to the bodice of her stiff white blouse. “He should be back in less than a half hour. Could you wait?”
“Perfect. That gives me just enough time.” Ty straightened and reached for his gun.
Her Colt ready, Carly did the same and slipped behind the counter.
“I’m sorry, but you can’t come back—” Mrs. Springer slammed her mouth shut and frowned at them. Miss Holt gasped and stepped back.
Carly pulled the burlap sack out from under her arm and held it out. “Just fill this up, and make it fast. We don’t want nobody gettin’ hurt.”
With shaking hands, the two women emptied the cash and gold coins from their teller drawers into the bag. They cowered together, all visible admiration for Ty gone.
“What about the vault?” he asked.
“I–it’s closed.” Miss Holt hiked up her chin.
Mrs. Springer gasped and nudged her friend with her elbow. “Tell him the truth. I don’t want to get shot. I have two little ones, you know.”
Ty narrowed his gaze and stalked to the back room, then reappeared in the doorway. “Get back here. Both of you.”
Mrs. Springer whimpered but plodded forward, arms linked with Miss Holt. “Please don’t shoot us. I’ve got children, and I’m a widow. They don’t have anyone else to care for them.”
Carly’s heart went out to her, knowing her mother had been in the same situation.
“Hey, kid! Get that bag in here.”
She jumped and hurried to the vault, coins clinking in the bottom of the sack. Ty dumped in handfuls of money that were banded with a paper wrapping around the middle. Carly’s eyes widened at the sight of so much cash. Robbing trains never brought in anything like this, although they had ended up with some nice watches.
Ty threw the bag over his shoulder. “Let’s go.”
Carly scurried out of the room, and Ty stopped, waving the gun at the two women. “You keep quiet until the manager returns. I’ll have a gunman watching the door, and if you call out an alarm, he’ll shoot you. Understand?”
Tears rolled down Mrs. Springer’s cheeks, and she nodded. Miss Holt was slower to respond.
Ty stepped up to her. “You understand, Miss Holt? I’d hate for such a pretty little thing to end up with a hole in her chest.”
He pressed the barrel of his gun to her bodice, and her eyes went wide. She nodded. Ty grabbed Miss Holt suddenly and kissed her hard on the lips. Mrs. Springer squealed, wobbled, and collapsed with a thud on the ground. Miss Holt looked as if she would join her any moment.
“C’mon. We need to get outta here,” Carly yelled, careful not to say her brother’s name. The clerks had already seen their faces.
Grinning wide, Ty stormed past her. She followed, glancing back at the door to make sure the women stayed where they were. Outside, they vaulted onto their horses. Emmett headed one way while she and Ty went the other. Folks were so busy tending to their own business that nobody noticed a thing. Bank robbing was as easy as picking clothespins off a laundry line—and a lot more profitable.
Just outside of town, Carly pulled her horse to a stop, leaned over, and spilled her guts.
CHAPTER 8
Rachel sat on the settee in the parlor sipping tea with her good friend Martha Phillips. “So, how has Hank been? Has he been very busy doctoring folks?”
“No, not too busy. With the warmer weather, there haven’t been as many people taking ill.” Martha nibbled on a sugar cookie then dabbed her lips. “I suppose you’ve heard by now that Louise Chambers had her baby a few days ago. Hank delivered their third son.”
“No, I hadn’t.” Rachel
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Wattenburger is the only one that can help you.” Miss Holt glanced at a watch pinned to the bodice of her stiff white blouse. “He should be back in less than a half hour. Could you wait?”
“Perfect. That gives me just enough time.” Ty straightened and reached for his gun.
Her Colt ready, Carly did the same and slipped behind the counter.
“I’m sorry, but you can’t come back—” Mrs. Springer slammed her mouth shut and frowned at them. Miss Holt gasped and stepped back.
Carly pulled the burlap sack out from under her arm and held it out. “Just fill this up, and make it fast. We don’t want nobody gettin’ hurt.”
With shaking hands, the two women emptied the cash and gold coins from their teller drawers into the bag. They cowered together, all visible admiration for Ty gone.
“What about the vault?” he asked.
“I–it’s closed.” Miss Holt hiked up her chin.
Mrs. Springer gasped and nudged her friend with her elbow. “Tell him the truth. I don’t want to get shot. I have two little ones, you know.”
Ty narrowed his gaze and stalked to the back room, then reappeared in the doorway. “Get back here. Both of you.”
Mrs. Springer whimpered but plodded forward, arms linked with Miss Holt. “Please don’t shoot us. I’ve got children, and I’m a widow. They don’t have anyone else to care for them.”
Carly’s heart went out to her, knowing her mother had been in the same situation.
“Hey, kid! Get that bag in here.”
She jumped and hurried to the vault, coins clinking in the bottom of the sack. Ty dumped in handfuls of money that were banded with a paper wrapping around the middle. Carly’s eyes widened at the sight of so much cash. Robbing trains never brought in anything like this, although they had ended up with some nice watches.
Ty threw the bag over his shoulder. “Let’s go.”
Carly scurried out of the room, and Ty stopped, waving the gun at the two women. “You keep quiet until the manager returns. I’ll have a gunman watching the door, and if you call out an alarm, he’ll shoot you. Understand?”
Tears rolled down Mrs. Springer’s cheeks, and she nodded. Miss Holt was slower to respond.
Ty stepped up to her. “You understand, Miss Holt? I’d hate for such a pretty little thing to end up with a hole in her chest.”
He pressed the barrel of his gun to her bodice, and her eyes went wide. She nodded. Ty grabbed Miss Holt suddenly and kissed her hard on the lips. Mrs. Springer squealed, wobbled, and collapsed with a thud on the ground. Miss Holt looked as if she would join her any moment.
“C’mon. We need to get outta here,” Carly yelled, careful not to say her brother’s name. The clerks had already seen their faces.
Grinning wide, Ty stormed past her. She followed, glancing back at the door to make sure the women stayed where they were. Outside, they vaulted onto their horses. Emmett headed one way while she and Ty went the other. Folks were so busy tending to their own business that nobody noticed a thing. Bank robbing was as easy as picking clothespins off a laundry line—and a lot more profitable.
Just outside of town, Carly pulled her horse to a stop, leaned over, and spilled her guts.
CHAPTER 8
Rachel sat on the settee in the parlor sipping tea with her good friend Martha Phillips. “So, how has Hank been? Has he been very busy doctoring folks?”
“No, not too busy. With the warmer weather, there haven’t been as many people taking ill.” Martha nibbled on a sugar cookie then dabbed her lips. “I suppose you’ve heard by now that Louise Chambers had her baby a few days ago. Hank delivered their third son.”
“No, I hadn’t.” Rachel
Similar Books
