The Lawman's Betrayal by Sandi Hampton Page B

them back in the saddle bag.
    “So they were waiting on someone. Just like you said. We’re outnumbered. What are we going to do?”
    He could tell she was trying her best not to cry. While he wanted to take her in his arms and tell her he’d guard her with his life, he forced himself to keep a tight rein on his emotions. “We don’t have much of a choice. We’ve got to make a run for it.”
    “To the mesa?”
    “No. We got a pretty good head start this morning.” He nodded at the ominous dark clouds. “With this storm, I think we should head for the Rocking R Ranch. It’s only a few hours ride from here. We’ll head there.”
    “All right.”
    Wes pointed at her mount. “Your mare won’t last much longer. She’s about winded. Keep an eye on her.”
    “Right.”
    Wes spurred his horse, and the animal surged forward. Pebbles clattered over the rocks, making the horses shy nervously. He let his gelding pick its way to the desert floor. A quick glance showed Naomi right behind him. She sat rigid in the saddle, her hands sure on the reins. His admiration for her climbed higher.
    Roy Brecker had definitely been a fool.
    But the outlaw had also had Naomi’s love, and for that, Wes was jealous, an emotion he’d never had to deal with before. He didn’t like it much.
    Once he reached the bottom, Wes steered his horse westward. The Rocking R Ranch was about two hours hard ride away. The treacherous wet terrain, filled with prairie dog holes and jagged rocks, slowed them down. Before they’d covered a mile, the weather worsened. The wind blustered, and the driving rain pelted them like sharp knives. A glance at Naomi showed her shaking like a leaf. She looked like she was ready to fall out of the saddle, and he realized they’d never make the Rocking R before their pursuers caught them. Besides, Naomi’s mare had fallen behind—the lathered animal would not make it much further. He reined in at the top of a small rise and waited.
    “They’re gaining on us.” He pointed back the way they’d come. “They’re only a few minutes behind us.”
    “What do we do now?” Her voice shook as violently as her body.
    Wes chewed on his bottom lip for a few moments before he responded. “Well, it’s for sure we can’t outrun them, so we need to outsmart them. There’s a canyon near here with lots of caves and tunnels that twist and turn in a hundred directions. If we can make it there, maybe we can lose them.”
    “Okay.”
    “We’re going to have to ride double. Your mare is winded. We’re going to have to leave her.”
    “But—”
    “Don’t worry. She’ll be fine.” He patted Naomi’s hand. “Plenty of grass and water around here.” He slid from the saddle. “Get down.”
    As soon as Naomi dismounted, Wes grabbed the rifle and canteen and handed them to her. He quickly unsaddled her horse, tossing the saddle and her valise to one side. “Hate to leave a good saddle, but it’s best for the mare.”
    “But my clothes? I don’t have any more.”
    “Sorry, but it can’t be helped. We’ve got to ride light.” With a smack to the animal’s rump, he sent the mare ambling off in the opposite direction. “Maybe, just maybe, we’ll get lucky and those bastards will split up. Maybe some will follow the mare. That might give us a better chance to escape.”
    He climbed back into the saddle and held his hand out to her. As she grabbed it, he pulled her up behind him. “Hold on.”
    Fifteen minutes later, he glimpsed the entrance to the canyon. As he rode between the boulders at the entrance, bullets whizzed by his head.

Chapter Six
    As bullets buzzed past like a swarm of angry bees, Naomi fought to keep herself together. She wanted to scream, yet it would do no good—it wouldn’t stop the gunfire. With a yell, Wes steered the horse down a narrow path between the stone arches. In several places, she wasn’t sure they could get through the gaps. A jagged edge of stone caught her arm, ripping her