Charlene Sands Read Online Free Page B

bloodied equally by Bodine. Both peered up at her with angry eyes. “They’ll freeze.”
    “I hope so.”
    Emma watched as Bodine slapped their horses on the backsides and the mares took off running.
    She bit her lip then pleaded with Bodine, “We can’t just leave them here to—”
    “The horses will head back to town. Someone will come looking for them. By then, we’ll be long gone,” he huffed out weakly. “Unless you want to stick around for more of Hurley’s men to catch up to us, have a celebration.”
    Emma understood then. They needed this time. She couldn’t worry too much for the men. They might have killed Bodine and her if given half the chance.
    Bodine moved slowly, blood continuing to pour out of his shoulder. Emma bent and ripped a measure of cotton from her petticoats and wadded it up. “Here,” she said, taking a moment to sop up the excess blood.
    Bodine covered her hand with his. “I’ve got it,” he said, looking into her eyes. “We best get outta here.”
    As soon as they were out of view of Hurley’s men, Bodine staggered, nearly dropping to his knees. Emma helped him, bracing his big body against hers. She couldn’t take all of his weight, but he needed her balance and guidance. “In case,” he began, his words slurring and softly spoken, so unnatural for such a powerful man. “In case I pass out, head northeast.”
    She waited for him to catch his breath, realizing that northeast was in the opposite direction of San Francisco.
    “Follow the road until it forks, then head up the mountain path to the foothills…get to the trading post in Oakhurst, ask for Big Ed Minton’s place.”
    “Big Ed Minton’s place,” she repeated.
    “Need to rest…there,” he said, and she knew he struggled to remain conscious.
    It was all she could do to pack their gear, load it up and help him get onto the saddle. “Hold on, Bodine,” she said, fearful she might lose him from loss of blood. “I’ll get us to your friend’s place. Just please, hold on a while longer.”
    “Trying, Emmy,” he muttered. “Trying hard.”
    Emma sent up another prayer for Bodine. All of this was her fault. She’d acted on impulse and taken money that wasn’t rightfully hers, by accident. She’d been so angry that she’d just grabbed a handful of cash, never realizing she’d taken too much from a man who wouldn’t allow anyone the slightest edge. Now men had come after her and Bodine might lose his life protecting her.
    Should she have stayed in River Junction, returned the money and paid for her actions? Emma would always wonder if she’d made the right choice. But as she kicked Lola into a fast trot she knew she couldn’t look back. The past was the past and couldn’t be changed. She needed to worry about her present state of affairs, getting Bodine to safety and nursing his injuries, praying to the Lord Almighty that she hadn’t caused his sudden and untimely death.
     
    Emma worried the whole time whether Bodine would make it or not while on the trail heading toward the foothills of the great Sierras. His breathing shallow, his body slumped forward against hers with his chest to her back, she managed his weight the best she could. Holding firm on to the reins with one hand, she’d used the other to hold Bodine’s arms in place around her slight middle to keep him from swaying too far off. If he fell, she feared she’d never get him back onto the horse.
    And she worried, too, that Hurley might have sent more men looking for her. She’d thought to leave the cash with the two men they’d tied up and hope for the best, but she figured those two scoundrels wouldn’t return the money to their boss anyway and if she ever had the occasion to give back the cash she’d taken, she’d be at a loss.
    Yet, with Bodine nearly fainting from blood loss, Emma couldn’t find enough charity in her heart to worry about Hurley’s money. The way she figured, he deserved every bad thing that might happen to