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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] barrel and watched with satisfaction as he fell heavily against the sparse grass. She moved to his feet, turned her back and lifted each foot, removing his boots. She turned again, cut Angston s suspenders with her knife, and pulled off his pants and drawers. She stowed the knife back in its sheath. With her bare hands, she grabbed Angston s shirttails and ripped open his shirt, her lip curling at the popping sound made by the metal buttons. After she yanked off the shirt and undershirt, she dragged the nude man to the center of the pegs and tied his arms and legs to them, spread-eagled. She sat cross-legged next to him and waited for him to waken. In a short time, his eyes flickered open. He tried to move. Though there was a little give in the ropes, he quickly realized he was tied down. Sarah relished the look of fear that flitted across his face 157 NANN DUNNE and played back across his features when he looked down and saw he was naked. His gaze jumped around like a treed squirrel until it lit on her. Who the hell are you? he demanded. What s going on? Sarah stood and loomed above his head so he could see her better. Take a good look, Angston. See if you remember me. With intentional deliberation, she lifted off her hat and laid it upside down on the ground. She peeled off the false beard and set it in the hat. Next, she untied her hair and let it fall around her face as she looked down at him. Now do you remember me? Do you remember this clearing? Angston s brows came together in a frown, and he stared hard. As recognition dawned, his face paled and his jaw went slack. It can t be. It can t be. You re dead. I saw Hager shoot you. Damn right, he shot me. Sarah slammed a kick into Angston s side with her booted toe and ran her hand over her face and hair. That s where I got these scars. But he didn t kill me. You should have been more thorough, Sergeant. You should have checked. Angston s gaze flashed around erratically, obviously looking for help, knowing that none would arrive. He wailed, What re you doing? He seemed to shrink into himself as Sarah stood silent, staring at him like a stone statue. His wail turned into a whine. You going to kill me? Unhurried, she let him squirm for a while as he waited for her answer. If you remember, that s what I promised. But first, you re going to suffer, just as I did. She took a calculated step across one of Angston s legs and stood between his spread limbs, facing him. Of course, I m not about to force myself on you, but I can make you hurt just the same. She curled her hands into fists, drew back her foot, and kicked him between the legs. The impact was hard enough to cause extreme pain, but not enough to kill him. She didn t want him to die too soon. Angston shrieked and writhed for a good two minutes. When he quieted, Sarah drew back her foot again. She held it there for a long moment. Tears streamed down Angston s cheeks, but he couldn t take his eyes from her foot. She faked a kick several times. When he stopped flinching, she kicked him again. It took longer for him to calm himself this time. His body heaved as he struggled to gulp in air. Sarah lifted her foot again. A nasty smile spread across her face as the tethered man begged for mercy. 158 THE WAR BETWEEN THE HEARTS I ll show you as much mercy as you showed me. He flinched and whimpered with each movement as she merely jabbed at him with her toe. Finally, she drew back her foot and kicked him for the third time. That s one kick for each of you, you bastard. As Angston s howls continued, Sarah stepped over his leg and walked away. Such murderous blackness filled her that she hardly recognized herself. She paced back and forth across the clearing, trying to rein in her fury. She had wreaked her vengeance, at least part of it, but she didn t feel any better for it. Angston deserved to die. He had been the instigator. But no court would punish him for his crime. Sarah had no evidence. And shouldn t the punishment fit the crime? Well, she had seen to that. He had suffered as he should. Now it was time to finish with him. Sarah pulled her revolver and strode over to the pitiful heap of a man. Angston s eyes were pinched shut, his face contorted in pain. He heard her approach and barely cracked open his eyes. He saw the gun in her hand and groaned as he closed his eyes again. They reopened when he heard the cock of the hammer. His voice came out as a hoarse whisper, a mere remnant of his usual bluster. Please don t kill me. Without hesitation, Sarah put the open end of the gun barrel against his forehead. You have about five seconds to make peace with your Creator. Her words sounded as flat and metallic as a clapper thumping against a broken bell. But should she kill him, which he surely deserved? Or should she wound him the same as she was wounded, and let him go through life seeing the scars every time he looked in the mirror? Seeing them every time he looked into a woman s eyes. Should she, or shouldn t she? Sarah thought about it as the realization of his imminent death grew in Angston s eyes. She made her decision. Baring her teeth in feral triumph, she pulled the trigger. Sarah stopped at Leah s just long enough to let her know she was leaving town. Too agitated for visiting, she didn t even step inside when Leah came to the door. By way of greeting, she said, I ll be going after Hager now. Wait. Leah raised a hand to shade her eyes as she looked up at Sarah. You found Angston? Sarah s head jerked in a short nod. What happened? Did you kill him? 159 NANN DUNNE Sarah pulled her gaze away from Leah s piercing look and stared off into the distance, her face set. Leah waited a moment, then laid a hand on Sarah s arm and squeezed. All right, but Hager could be anywhere, you know? You might never find him. You may be right. Sarah jerked another nod. I have to try. I m heading to Cleveland. I ll see what I can find out there. Leah opened her arms and Sarah stepped into her embrace. You take care of yourself, Bren Cordell, or Sarah Coulter, or whoever you are. You both take care of yourselves. You, too. Sarah gave her an extra squeeze, kissed her on the cheek, and stepped back. I ll keep in touch. She turned and walked away. When she got back to the hotel, Phillip wasn t there. She gathered hotel stationery, pen, and ink and wrote him a letter of goodbye, directing that any mail for her could be sent in care of General Delivery in Cleveland. Afterward, she gave the clerk her home address and left some money for him to ship her belongings there. For this portion of her search, she would continue to use Bren [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |