Chapter 6 #3
Ethan pulled his horse alongside the stagecoach. The driver was slumped over the thin metal railing that surrounded the driver’s box, a red stain covering his left shoulder and soaking through his blue-and-white-checkered shirt. “Hey, Mr. Petersen, can you hear me?”
Ethan climbed over to perch on the top of the stagecoach wheel and tied the reins around the wooden brake handle. Petersen was an expert horseman and had been driving the stagecoach for years. He knew how to handle a team of frightened horses.
“Stagecoach driver’s been hit! Call it in—now!” Ethan shouted.
Petersen grunted. “Shot.”
Whoever ended up coordinating what was sure to be a mess needed firsthand information to flow through official channels.
Montgomery nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He contacted local PD, and moments later, radios crackled nearby. Ethan recognized the sound of a scene locking down.
Gunfire cracked through the air again. Dirt kicked up near Ethan’s boots.
Liam sprinted toward them.
“Hang on,” Ethan told Petersen, keeping his body between the man and the open street. “Help’s coming.”
More shots rang out, close enough that Ethan ducked instinctively. Liam grabbed Petersen under the arms, and together they hauled him off the seat and out of the line of fire.
Ethan’s head stayed on a swivel, scanning rooftops and alleyways, but he couldn’t spot the shooter—only the chaos left behind.
Another shot hit the dirt by his feet. Either the sniper was a really bad shot, or Ethan wasn’t the primary target. These seemed like warnings. Or whoever was firing only wanted chaos.
“I’ll get him to the medical tent.” Liam placed Petersen’s arm around his shoulder, and they disappeared behind a brick building.
Ethan removed his service pistol from his holster and flattened himself against the building. Multiple screams split the air, women and children were crying. Oh, Lord, please help.
“Ethan!”
He recognized that voice. Aubrey.
He grabbed his horse’s reins and ran across the street, using the stagecoach and horse as a shield between himself and the shooter. He pulled the whole team to a stop. “Aubrey! Where are you?”
He found her and a man and woman with their young child, crouched behind a pile of boxes. The man held his frightened family and looked directly at Ethan. “What is going on?”
“I don’t know, sir, but look.” Ethan pointed to the street. Renegade PD and US Marshals swept the area, weapons drawn, escorting the crowd away from the stagecoach. “I think you’d be safer inside the store.”
The man nodded and led his family to shelter.
Ethan exhaled. At least they were safe. Aubrey was still crouched against the building, her eyes closed.
He lightly touched her shoulder, and she flinched. “It’s me. Ethan.”
She opened those big green eyes, tears shimmering at the corners. “Hey.”
“I’m going to get you out of here.” Another bullet whizzed over their heads and shattered the glass behind them, and she screamed. That was too close. “Aubrey, we have to leave.”
“No.” Her plea was a strangled whisper.
He reholstered his weapon and gripped her shoulders. “Listen to me. We have to leave. We’re in the direct line of fire. It’s our only chance to survive.”
More bullets splintered the wood behind them, closer to their heads, and she winced.
“Okay, on the count of three, follow me.”
Aubrey nodded once.
“One…two…three…go!” He slapped the horse’s flanks, grabbed Aubrey’s cold hand, and dragged her behind the old mercantile. A flurry of bullets whizzed by, and he placed his hand on her back. They ended up in an alley and rested their backs against the cool brick, gasping for air.
His mare must’ve followed him, because there she stood, watching him, as if telling him that he could trust her.
He patted the side of her neck. “Hey, girl. I’m gonna need your help.”
The horse whinnied and bobbed her head up and down as if she understood. Fear and gunpowder scented the air, along with smells of frightened animals.
“I’ve never ridden a horse before.” Aubrey stood beside him, almost shrinking in stature. Fear rolled off her in waves, her hands balled into fists at her sides.
“Well, Sheba here is going to help us escape, aren’t you, girl?”
The horse neighed softly and stamped her feet. She turned her head toward Aubrey and nudged her toward the saddle, and Aubrey gave a little squeak.
“I guess that’s our cue to leave.” Ethan mounted the horse and extended his hand to Aubrey.
She stared at his hand. “Where am I supposed to sit?”
“Behind me.”
Aubrey opened her mouth to respond, but Ethan wiggled his fingers at her. “We don’t have time to argue. Now, put your foot on top of my boot, and I’ll hoist you up.”
She tentatively put her hand in his and settled behind him, then clasped his waist in a death grip.
“Hey, ease up there, woman. You’re going to suffocate me.”
“Sorry.” Aubrey’s grip loosened, and she leaned into his back. Her perfume filled his senses, and he had to mentally school himself to focus.
Oh man, he was in trouble now. He’d sworn off women, but Aubrey was causing him to have second thoughts that maybe dating again was a possibility. But his highest priority was to get her out of harm’s way and to safety.
He cleared his throat. “Hang on tight. And keep your head down.” He patted Sheba’s neck and leaned forward. “Hey, girl. We’re gonna need you to get us out of here.”
Another gunshot split the air, and he dug his spurs into the horse’s flanks. “Ya!”
The horse leaped forward, and he felt Aubrey bury her face in his back. He navigated through back alleys, bent low over the saddle, praying the entire time.
As soon as he got Aubrey settled, this was gonna stop. No more threats. Whoever was in charge of this chaos today would soon pay.
Ethan prayed they caught whoever was behind these attacks before someone else was hurt.
Or worse.