The Lawman's Betrayal by Sandi Hampton Page A

hurt enough. As he approached, he saw her packing the cooking utensils. “Naomi, I had no right to do that. I didn’t mean…we need to talk about…this, about what happened.”
    She met his gaze. “I guess we do.”
    He took her hand in his. “I’m sorry about what happened. I never meant—”
    “I’m not sorry,” she inched her chin up a notch. “I enjoyed the kiss. I know it can’t lead anywhere, but after three years, three lonely years, I needed…to feel alive again. Just for a little while.”
    “You’re an amazing woman, Naomi Brecker. Your husband was a fool.”
    “Three years ago, Marshal, I would have taken umbrage at your words, but today I agree with you. He was a fool.” She swiped a hand across the seat of her riding skirt, then climbed into the saddle. “If we’re going to make Wild Horse Mesa by tonight, we’d best ride.”
    “Right you are.” He swung up into the saddle and led the way out of the cave. Outside, he stopped, fished his binoculars from his saddle bag, and lifted them to his eyes. As he scanned the prairie and ridge, he sighed in relief. No riders were in sight. He returned his field glasses to the saddle bag. “Looks like we might have gotten a jump on them. Don’t see nary a living creature.”
    “But I see a dead one.” She pointed at the bleached skull of a cow beside the trail. “Hope that’s not an omen.”
    He grinned. “Me too. We’ll go easy for a while.” He nudged his mount into a slow walk.
    About an hour later, dark clouds, heavy with moisture, scudded low across the prairie. Lightning sparked in the distance. The wind blustered, scattering debris in their path and spooking the horses. Raindrops pelted them as they rode. Beside him, Naomi shivered. He stopped, dismounted, and tugged his rain slicker from his bedroll. But when he offered it to her, she shook her head.
    “Oh, yes, you are,” Wes argued. “Put it on now. I don’t want to hear any argument. We’re not riding until you do.”
    “Dammit, Wes—”
    He glared at her, crossed his arms over his chest, and tapped his foot.
    Finally she caved. “Oh, all right.”
    “Good.” He vaulted into the saddle and studied the land behind them. “No sign of our pursuers.”
    “Maybe they’ve given up,” Naomi said.
    “Not very likely. Maybe they’re trying to circle around to get in front of us.” He stole a glance at Naomi. Although she was drenched from head to toe, she appeared to be okay. “I think we need to push a little harder.”
    “Why? Did you see them?”
    “No. It’s just my instincts kicking in. I don’t like it.” He wiped a hand across his jaw. “Can you do it?”
    Although she hesitated a fraction, her voice was strong. “Yes, of course I can. Just lead the way.”
    He kicked his horse into a run. A quick glance over his shoulder showed Naomi right behind him. As the ground became saturated, Wes slowed to a halt on a rocky promontory. Ahead, Wild Horse Mesa loomed eerily in the rain. The valley below boasted a small stream which meandered through it like a ribbon of gray. Further up, giant boulders, cactus, and scrub brush littered the trail up to the mesa. The deep green of the ponderosa pines blended into the gray landscape. Wild Horse Mesa looked close, but distances out here were deceiving. Once they got to the mesa, he’d be able to see for miles and know what they were up against.
    If they got there.
    The hair on his neck stood on end. His gut churned with a familiar hunter’s premonition. But this time, he wasn’t the hunter—he was the prey. He angled in the saddle to look back at the way they’d just ridden. A dark shadow moved. Naomi saw it at the same time. Once more, he pulled his binoculars from the saddle bag and lifted the glasses to his eyes.
    Four riders. Coming hard.
    With a curse, he handed the glasses to Naomi. In a moment he heard a noise, like a whimper.
    “There’s four of them now.”
    “Yeah.” He took the glasses from her and stowed