I squinted into the bright sunlight as Kevin came out onto the porch of the house. No one else appeared, but I knew that they were watching. I'd thought all along the men in my family weren't nice, but now I knew they were also downright mean. Robbing and killing? It took their impersonal and sour demeanors to a new low.
"Piper, I thought you were going to town," my brother commented. He cleaned his fingernails with the tip of a sharp knife, one he kept tied to the belt at his hip. There was no love lost between my brother and me. Now that I knew of his deadly deeds, I saw him in an entirely new light.
"Mr. Sinclair, you, your brother and your father are all under arrest."
Kevin didn't stop cleaning his nails, didn't even look up at any of us. "For what?"
"Robbery and murder."
"You have no proof."
"Actually, we do. Eyewitness accounts, plus the stolen money box."
"What money box?" he asked, then shrugged. "Search the place if you want."
"No need. The money box was in the wagon with Miss Sinclair."
"Kevin!" I shouted. "You tell the man right now that I knew nothing about that box."
Now he lifted his head and glared at me. "You brought bounty hunters right to our doorstep."
"I did no such thing! They stopped me halfway to town. You can be angry with me if you wish, but at least tell them the truth."
He sighed. "Very well. She's innocent."
"Your words won't make a difference. The evidence says otherwise. Surrender, Mr. Sinclair," the leader said.
"To just you?" Kevin laughed.
I heard a gun shot that had come from the other side of the house.
"Not just me," the bounty hunter replied, perfectly calm. I jumped a foot at the sound and my heartbeat frantically against my chest. "It doesn't matter if you're alive or not to get our money."
"We're not giving up without a fight." With that, Kevin moved at a pace that stunned me. I never knew he could do anything quickly; he was such a lazy person. His gun was out and before I could do more than blink, I was shoved off the horse by big hands. I fell jarringly to my hands and knees in a cloud of dust as the first shots rang out. All I could do was stare at the hard ground, stunned by the quick succession of events. I didn't even have time to get my bearings or the air back in my lungs before it was all over.
CHAPTER TWO
WILEY
We rode into town as a caravan of horses. Neither my men nor me were injured in the brief shootout, but Bill Sinclair, the younger brother, was dead, his body tossed over the back of a horse. Kevin Sinclair had a gunshot wound to his upper arm, superficial but deep enough to make him bitch and moan about it the whole time. We'd tied a cloth tightly around it to stanch the flow of blood, but unfortunately, he'd survive. His father, Harlan, was unscathed. Of course, he'd hidden in the house while his sons fought his battle for him. He showed no injuries, nor said a word, and both men's hands were tied tightly before them. If I'd had my way, I would have them hogtied and dragged them. As for Piper, she was once again in front of me, her hands unbound. She couldn't flee, even if she tried. Four men with guns were quite a deterrent, especially since she'd seen firsthand what happened to the one brother who'd resisted us.
"I'm surprised you flung me off the horse. I figured you'd protect yourself with my bleeding corpse."
I stiffened at her words, for they hit their mark well. I had used her as a barrier against dangerous criminals. I guessed the Sinclair men wouldn't actually take a shot at their sister, which meant I would remain whole. But when danger did appear, I pushed her out of the way, protecting her as a man did a woman, not a criminal.
"I think one dead Sinclair's enough, don't you?"
I felt no loss at shooting her brother. He was armed and had already fired a shot when I'd gunned him down. In my line of work it was kill or be killed.
She glanced back at her brother's body, rubbing her arms as if she were cold, no doubt thinking about her probable fate. She wasn't one for hysterics, but perhaps the shock of the entire day was keeping her fairly mute. The circuit judge would decide all of their fates, but she'd most likely hang. That notion didn't sit well with me. In fact, nothing about the woman did. When I'd heard about a female member of the Sinclair family, I'd expected a married, older woman whose unattractive attitude would match her appearance. This was certainly not the case.
Piper Sinclair was young, perhaps early twenties, and quite stunning. Her coloring was similar to mine - light hair and green eyes, but that was all. She had freckles across her petite nose and her hair looked soft and shiny. Her skin, well, it was peaches and cream and porcelain smooth. She was slight of build and trim of figure. Her breasts were high and well formed, most likely a tidy handful. I frowned at the very idea. I had no place being attracted to her. She was a member of the Sinclair family, and their daring, dangerous and murdering escapades were known all across the Territory. We just didn't know who or where they were until now.
She seemed clearly surprised when the money box was found among her vegetables and all but forced her brother to clear her name. He'd admitted she was innocent, but I doubted it. If she were living with an outlaw gang, she'd had her entire life with her brothers and father, to learn the art of deception. She could easily be a skilled actress. She couldn't, however, fake her beauty or her pleasant scent. I inwardly groaned as her floral smell drifted up from her heated skin. A sheen of perspiration coated her nape and her pale hair clung there. I imagined her being damp with sweat, her hair wild across my pillow as I had my way with her.
My interest in her was only because I'd been without a woman for some time. She was appealing, being so close and sweet scented. What conscious male could avoid getting a cock stand from such a situation? Perhaps the circuit judge who would rule her guilty or innocent. Could he be impartial, or would he take her curves into consideration?
No, the idea of her swinging from a rope did not sit well. The pretty neck that I'd just observed did not need to be broken by a hanging. Was she innocent or intelligent and sly?