Gone Outlaw by Madison Thames

Author:Madison Thames [Thames, Madison]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-07-06T23:00:00+00:00

Galloping into the abandoned town, Joseph reined in Steel in front of the old saloon. A buffalo skull hung above the batwing doors, flat-roofed soddies arranged around it in the shape of a horseshoe. He swallowed, bracing himself for the questions—the outrage.

Enyeto pushed through the saloon doors. His face brightened as he stepped out onto the porch. “Joseph! You made it.”

Joseph breathed a little easier at the sight of him. “Sal and the others—are they—?”

“Everyone’s here.”

Joseph sighed in relief. He dismounted and held Steel by the reins as Enyeto came down the stairs.

“What’s she doing here?” Enyeto’s frown deepened as he got closer. “She doesn’t look so good.”

Dinah stared at him, pale and feverish.

“Snake bite,” Joseph said. “She needs a doctor.”

“She’s in luck.” Enyeto gestured to the nearest soddy. “There’s a doctor here. The Guidrys took her from that town across the river. Charlie isn’t doing well.”

Joseph’s heart dropped. Must be bad for ’em to do somethin’ so desperate.

“One thing after another…”

Enyeto nodded. “Always.”

Joseph led Steel across the dusty street and hitched him outside the soddy. Dinah was barely conscious when he carried her to the door. She mumbled something as he gave it two hard taps with his boot.

Moments later, it swung open. A woman stood in the doorway, early thirties, blond-haired and blue-eyed. She wore a gray vest over her white shirt and a navy skirt that matched her neckerchief.

She looked scared.

“You the doctor?” Joseph asked.

“Yes.”

“She’s been snake bit,” he explained, striding past her as she stepped back to make way for him.

He supposed this dim and dusty place had once been someone’s home. It had a wooden counter and cabinets, a small table with a couple of chairs, and two beds on the right side of the room. Charlie lay in the farthest one, shaking and shivering. His eyes were closed, his hair flattened against his sweaty forehead.

Joseph’s chest clenched with worry.

“I don’t believe it,” said a familiar voice.

He turned in surprise as Tony stepped away from one of the windows.

“First, Remy and Donny kidnap a woman. Now this?” Tony exclaimed. “What the hell is she doin’ here?”

“I ain’t got time for this,” Joseph grumbled, taking Dinah to the empty bed and lowering her onto the narrow mattress.

She grunted, her face screwing up in pain as his arm brushed against the bite.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

“What kind of snake?” the doctor asked.

“A rattler.”

“How long ago?”

Joseph turned and shrugged as she took the lid off a barrel and dipped a bucket into it. “Half an hour. Maybe more.”

Her lips pressed into a tight line. She hurried to Dinah and set the bucket beside the bed. Dinah was covered in sand from head to toe, her hair wild and windblown. Red strands stuck to her brow and cheeks, her face as white as the bedsheets. She looked like she’d been through hell, and Joseph suspected that if he held up a mirror, he wouldn’t look much better.

“Where were you bitten?” the doctor asked her.

Dinah rolled up her skirt and pointed at the right side of her calf.

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