“If you shoot me, what about my men?” He had to think of something. Some way out of this mess.
Yount was looking at Bennett, as if they needed to have a silent conversation in order to answer Cade’s question. Finally, Bennett nodded, and his wife in the corner let go of a little sob.
“You can consider that done too,” Yount said. “And that sweet little wife.”
Bennett turned and glared at Yount then. “You didn’t say anything about that.”
Yount ignored him as Cade’s blood boiled. “Leave her out of this,” he said, his hands gripping the edge of the table.
“I can. I can leave you all out of it, provided you sign.” When Cade didn’t move, Yount sat back again. “You might want to hurry. I’m about to change my mind on one of you. Not sure which one it will be though . . .” He placed a finger to the side of his head and tapped as if he were thinking hard about the subject.
Suddenly, Mrs. Bennett gasped. “Smoke!” She lifted a hand to point out the window behind the men. “There’s a fire!”
Yount jumped up to join Bennett at the window. “Go see what that’s about,” he ordered Bennett.
Bennett didn’t hesitate. Grabbing his pistol from the table, he ran for the back door. Yount continued to look out the window, and Cade forced his mind to work. Now was the chance to do something. But what? He was unarmed—Bennett saw to that the moment he arrived—and Yount was the larger man.
Before he could assemble anything approaching a plan, Mrs. Bennett ran forward, directly at Yount. Just as he turned to say something to her, she raised a pistol—one of Cade’s that she must have picked up without anyone seeing—and brought it down against Yount’s temple.
The man went down in a crumpled heap.
Cade jumped up, and Mrs. Bennett whirled around and pointed the gun at him. He raised his hands. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he said. “I just want to get my men and leave.”
She watched him a moment, as if she didn’t believe him.
Footsteps sounded from behind Cade. He assumed it was Bennett, except Mrs. Bennett’s eyes widened, and she lifted the gun to aim at whoever was behind Cade. He turned slightly only to find Jolie in the doorway to the hall.
She stopped, her eyes round. What was shedoinghere? She must have gotten his note . . . Everything fell together as he caught her eyes. She’d gotten the note and come directly here, even though she knew there would be danger.
Because she knewhewould be in danger.
Devotion coursed through him. If anyone hurt her, so help him, he wouldn’t be stopped until he ended them in return. He held out a hand to her, uncertain if she’d take it.
She hesitated, looked into his eyes, then cast a glance at Mrs. Bennett and stepped toward him. Her hand slipped into his, and Cade knew that if he were to go, this was the only way he wanted to meet God.
Mrs. Bennett let the gun lower just slightly, her eyes on their clasped hands. “I don’t care about any of this. I only want to keep my husband from having more blood on his hands.”
“I can stop him,” Cade said.
“How?” She threw the word at him. “Mr. Yount has promised him acres of his own. It’s what Josiah wants more than anything. And you’re the one Mr. Yount wants dead.”
“I don’t know yet, but I’ll find a way if you let us go,” he said.
“I’d rather he live out his life in prison than take another life.” She was crying now, the tears streaking down her cheeks.
Jolie squeezed Cade’s hand and let go, taking a step forward. “Cade can help him.” She reached out a tentative hand and laid it on Mrs. Bennett’s shoulder. “If you stay here in case Mr. Yount wakes up, Cade and I will find your husband.”
Mrs. Bennett looked up at her for a moment, and then nodded. “Go. Please.”
Cade didn’t hesitate. He bent down and grabbed Yount’s pistol before taking Jolie’s hand and leading her to the back door. “You set the fire?”
“It was the only thing I could think of. I found a lantern and matches in the kitchen and lit some brush behind one of the outbuildings.”
“They closed Neil and Horace into the barn. That wasn’t where you . . .”
“Not the barn,” she said quickly as he opened the door. “I’ll go let them out if you can find Bennett.”
“No need to find me,” a voice drawled. “I’m right here.”
