The dog promptly opened its mouth and barked. Over and over and over until every single one of the men looked his way.
He had no choice now. Hawk pointed his pistol as he pushed himself back up against the rock. “This is Hawk Rodgers, Costilla County Sheriff. I demand you set down your guns and raise your hands.”
“There’s nothing against the law happening here, Sheriff,” the shortest man said. Gus Merritt, if what Turley had said was correct.
“Last I checked, holding a woman against her will was called kidnapping, Merritt,” Hawk yelled back.
If Merritt was at all surprised Hawk knew his name, he didn’t show it. He gestured at the larger man, Big Buck, who took two steps sideways until he stood next to Lina. “You’re awful protective of this girl, Sheriff. Man’s got to wonder why that is, given how dead set she is on finding some outlaw treasure.”
Hawk wasn’t about to satisfy the man’s curiosity with the truth. “Everyone’s entitled to the protection of the law.”
“Hmmph.” Merritt glanced back at Lina and Big Buck. “How about I tell you what I see happening here. I see you, Sheriff Rodgers, leaving us be. Else I’ll have Big Buck here shoot her right now.”
Hawk was glad he couldn’t see the look on Lina’s face. It would likely only make him angrier than he was. “You do that and you’ll all be dead. I don’t miss, and I guarantee that.”
“We ain’t got a thing to lose. Not unless we find that money. And I’m not such a bad shot myself.” Merritt stood rooted in place, staring Hawk down.
This wasn’t working. Merritt was right about one thing. These men were desperate, and Hawk had no reason to believe they wouldn’t end Lina’s life right here in these mountains, even if they thought she knew where the money was.
The big dog laid down by his feet as Hawk thought.Dogs are a lot smarter than some people, his father’s voice, an echoed memory from the past, played in his head. The outlaws’ dog had chosen Hawk, as if he knew exactly which side was in the right.
He needed another strategy.Now.
“You’re wasting your time up here,” Hawk yelled.
“Why do you say that?” Merritt replied.
“That money’s not up in these mountains.”
Merritt lowered his gun just a fraction of an inch, as if he was thinking hard about Hawk’s words. “Now how would you know that?”
“I was the last one to talk to Grayson. In fact, we had a good, long conversation. The lady doesn’t know where that money is, despite what she told you. But I sure do.”
Merritt glanced at the redheaded man to his left, and if names said anything about a person, Hawk assumed the man was Flame Burton.
“So here’s the deal,” Hawk went on. “You turn the lady loose. And I mean completely loose. I want her on that horse and headed down this road. And then I’ll tell you what Grayson told me.”
“He’s telling the truth.” Lina’s voice, assured and familiar, came from behind the men.
Merritt whipped around. “How would you know? You were up here digging, same as us.”
“I became friendly with Sheriff Rodgers, and it’s true he spoke with Mr. Grayson for some time before his death. In fact, Mr. Grayson even asked the Sheriff to send a letter home to his family to inform them of the treasure’s location. But Sheriff Rodgers never disclosed that location to me. Why would he?”
Believe her, Hawk thought, keeping a firm grip on his revolver.
Merritt held a low conversation with the Burton brothers, and after a few tense moments, he spoke up. “We’ll agree to the terms you set out, provided you toss your guns down.”
“I’ll do that as soon as the lady is on her horse.”
Merritt paused a moment and then nodded.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion—Big Buck untying Lina, Lina standing, Lina being led to Red with Big Buck at her side, Lina mounting the horse.
“All right, Sheriff. She’s on the horse, like you wanted,” Merritt called.
With a deep breath and a prayer he was making the right decision, Hawk tossed both his pistols to the ground, a few feet in front of him.
The moment he looked up, a shot sounded off to the left where Lina, Red, and Big Buck were. Hawk ducked to the ground as he searched for the source of the gunshot.
