Chapter Twelve
Mary was a nervous wreck.
First of all, she hated being locked up. But secondly, and perhaps making her the most anxious, was the fact that John was going to face the horse thief all by himself.
Or maybe there was more than one.
What if it was a whole gang of outlaws?
She could see it in her mind, him walking into a saloon full of dangerous cutthroats who were just waiting to shoot him or slice him up or do the most awful things that could be done to him!
“Why do you even care?” she asked aloud.
Though she knew she was just trying to seem tough. She wanted to escape from him. And she’d still have to try. But that didn’t mean she wanted anything bad to happen to him!
In another world, perhaps they could have been…
Mary shook her head, trying to physically dismiss the thought. It was best not to dwell on things that couldn’t be. She didn’t have the luxury of living in a world of hypotheticals and what-ifs. If she didn’t get loose of the deputy marshal, she’d be in Judge Parker’s courtroom soon.
And then she might be standing atop the gallows!
That’s why it was imperative that she forget all about John Hardin and try to get out of that room by any means necessary, short of hurting anyone.
Her eyes frantically scanned her surroundings. There had to be an escape route! But the only sights that greeted her were shelves and a few crates. Not even a window in sight.
With a heavy sigh, Mary plopped her bottom down on one of those crates and crossed her arms as she scowled. She wasn’t the type to give up. But sometimes, a girl just had to admit defeat.
Perhaps this was one of those times.
But then she saw an item on the shelf across the room that caused a smile to crease her lips. Hurrying toward it, she grabbed it and carried it back to where she’d been. Now standing, using the crate as a table to hold the item, she opened it.
It was a beautiful, ornate box with plenty of satin lining the inside. She had no doubt it would fetch a pretty penny. That was quite a fancy sewing kit.
But she didn’t care about the satin. She needed the needles.
She couldn’t hurt anyone with them. Not really. That wasn’t what she wanted to do, anyway. But when the shopkeeper had searched the room for weapons, he didn’t think to remove items she could use to make an escape. The sewing kit probably hadn’t even crossed his mind.
For someone who was adept at picking locks, though, well…those pins and needles would be more than enough.
She knew that skill would come in handy someday.
It looked like today was that day.
***
Mr. Reilly never saw Mary make her escape.
He’d been so busy stocking shelves, counting items, and muttering to himself that he never so much as glanced over his shoulder as she ducked through the store and out the front door.
Stepping outside, Mary made sure John wasn’t nearby. How awful would it be if her plan was foiled by bad timing, and he just happened to be walking back from the saloon?
Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
She sure hoped he was okay, though. There hadn’t been any gunshots. That was a good sign.
Right now, though, she just had to get away.
So, she ran about fifty yards to a nearby stable. She had no idea who the place belonged to, but that didn’t matter. There were horses, and one was all she needed.
She smiled as she saw John’s two mounts in stalls. Perfect, she thought. I’ll just grab the one I was riding.
She stopped suddenly, her mind spinning.
Why were the horses there and not out front of the saloon like they had been?
“Going somewhere?”
Mary gasped, spun around, and saw John standing there.
“Uh. I was…checking on you…to make sure you’re okay.”
“Mr. Reilly just let you out?”
She nodded. “Sure did. Said I should go and see if you’re…hey, we’ve wasted a lot of time. Let’s get on horseback and light a shuck out of here.”
John had an eyebrow arched skeptically. “You’re in a hurry to get to Fort Smith now, are you?”
She spread her hands. “No reason to delay the inevitable. I’m ready to face the courts, sir.”
He sighed, shook his head, and stepped closer. “You’ve told multiple lies since entering this stable, little lady. Not to mention you were trying to escape. After you broke out of that storeroom somehow.”
“I didn’t break out!” she cried.
As if on cue, Mr. Reilly skidded into the stable, huffing and puffing, saying, “Marshal! Marshal! I’m afraid the prisoner…” His eyes fell to Mary and he said, “Good. You got her. I’m sorry. She somehow opened that door and got free.” He shook his head in clear exasperation. “I wish we had a good jail in this town! One with ironclad bars where you could lock this lawbreaker away from decent society!”
Mary stood there, watching as John sized her up. It was obvious the wheels were turning in his mind. What was he thinking?
“Mr. Reilly, we don’t need a jail for her. A woodshed would do. You got one of those around here?”
Mary gasped even louder this time, covering her mouth.
“Oh, yes! Yes, sir, we sure do! Why, you can use the one behind my house. It’s just right over there.” He pointed toward one of the barn’s walls, indicating his residence wasn’t far away beyond that on the other side.
“You wouldn’t!” Mary told John.
But he already had her by the elbow, guiding her out of the stable.
“I sure would,” he said.
Mary groaned. It was time to take her comeuppance.