Chapter 14 #2
There was no reason he should believe one of those people was Lucy, but Robert felt God’s hand guiding him in that direction.
Running full tilt to the nearest ladder, Robert climbed down. He drew his gun from his holster as he made his way to the alley. He came at it from the tobacconist’s side and flattened his back to the wall, peered into the alley and then leaned against the wall again as he digested what he’d seen.
Two figures were moving. One was on the ground, prone, holding up a hand or something to fend the other off. The other stood, pointing something down at the prone one. Robert could guess the standing one held a gun.
He quickly peered around the corner again. The standing one had moved, somehow seeming to disappear.
How was that possible? He thought about the alley. The tobacconist had barrels and boxes out there. The quickest way to disappear would be to hide behind one of them.
Robert didn’t have time for games. He made his way down the alley, keeping his back to the bakery wall, where there was no detritus to hide in. He pointed his gun steadily at the boxes and crates against the other wall, expecting the danger to come from that side.
Movement.
Robert caught it out of the corner of his eye as he neared the end of the alley. The glint of metal in the afternoon light, the swinging of the gun around to point its barrel at him.
At the last possible second, as the gun swung into range, Robert ducked.
Bang! The gun went off, too close for comfort, and his ears began to ring alarmingly.
He didn’t let that distract him but propelled himself forward, jamming his shoulder into the man’s midsection, pushing him backward into the wall.
He coupled the shoulder with a few jabs with his left hand to the man’s kidneys, and the man made a grunting sound.
Pulling back, Robert watched the man stumble, trip over a box, and land heavily on his backside. The gun he’d been holding fell from his grasp and lay in the dirt.
Robert trained his gun on the man and finally saw his face. Somehow, it wasn’t a complete surprise.
“Christopher?”
“Hi, Robert,” Christopher said in a weak, breathless voice.
“What are you doing here?” Robert asked, unable for the moment to figure anything out. The ringing in his ears was dissipating, but it was still distorting things. “You’re supposed to be out with the shipment.”
“Seems my horse lost a shoe. Had to come back.” There was a nasty, malicious glint in his eye that set Robert’s teeth on edge.
“Robert!”
Lucy was up on her feet, thank goodness. She came to stand beside him. “Right on time,” she said, beaming at him.
The relief he felt at her standing beside him was palpable. All the stress and worry melted away in the beauty of her smile.
Bang!
Robert jerked. Christopher smirked up at him, his gun back in his hand. There was a thin wisp of smoke coming from the barrel. Robert’s gaze went to Lucy. Her smile wavered in slow motion, as though she didn’t understand what had happened. Neither did he.
He turned, reaching for her as she fell.
Christopher was on his feet again and running down the alley and away.
Robert didn’t care; he couldn’t believe that he had just stood there, motionless, helpless, as the woman of his dreams was shot right in front of him.
Her face was terribly pale, her eyes wide in shock. Blood was blossoming on her torso, seeping through the layers of fabric. Robert pressed his hand to the wound, trying to stop the flow of blood, but he was ineffectual. There was nothing he could do.
Lucy raised a hand to his face, gently cupped his cheek, and then her eyes fluttered shut.
A roar like a wounded animal rose in Robert’s throat and he screamed, clutching Lucy to him as he rocked her back and forth.
His pain was visceral, immediate and consuming.
He wanted to kill Christopher in the most horrific manner he could imagine.
He wanted to make him feel every last ounce of pain that was currently coursing through his own veins. But he couldn’t leave her.
Hands grabbed his shoulders, and Robert tried to shrug them off.
“Robert! Let her go!”
The words were spoken with such authority that he instantly let go. Looking up, he saw Julie’s somber face not more than two feet from his.
“Give her to me so I can help her,” Julie said.
He handed Lucy to the apothecary and she instantly went to work, pulling Lucy’s blouse open, cutting her corset with deft motions.
Robert scooted back as others came to help. Julie spoke to them in swift, short bursts.
“Alcohol … swab … forceps …”
“Robert?”
He turned and found Anita beside him. “I thought you might need help.”
He looked past her to find Jeff waiting.
The sight of his deputy and the blood on his own hands brought Robert back to himself.
“It was Christopher,” he said. “He’ll be trying to find a way out.”
“Good luck with that,” Jeff said. “We’re kind of surrounded by bandits.”
“Well, he won’t want to stay, not with me coming for him,” Robert said darkly.
Jeff considered him for a moment and then nodded. “Come on. There are only a couple of places he could try.”
Robert nodded. He wiped his bloody hands on his trousers and picked up his gun. “Let’s go.”