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CHAPTER 12
“Yes, Rachel, we knew. I’m guessin’ most of us found out last night.” I sighed and laughed to myself.
“I dared to trust him. Trust another man. I hated all U.S. Marshals for a damn good reason. They murdered my husband. He did, a younger, untamed version of Howie.”
“What?”
“That’s why I thought I knew him. It all adds up now.”
“Excuse me ladies, you seen Brian or them?” All heads turned up and looked at Alex.
“They left. Took Billy and Ringo.”
“Good.”
“They left you of course,” I stated again.
“We know our way home. But that means we can stop.”
“Stop what?” Alex shoved Nick and groaned. “Stop what gentleman?”
“Nothin’ ma’am.”
“Don’t be a little shit Alex, stop what?” They glanced at each other and finally Alex sighed.
“Howie, I mean, we really needed to get the two leaders of the Cowboys, to stop the gang and they’re power. When we came into town, we asked around, findin’ out who knew them the best and the same answer was the Wild Gals.”
“So, we thought that if we could talk to you, we would be closer to them and we could break the power up.”
“You used us?”
“I didn’t, we didn’t want to Rachel.”
“Alex, you used us! You lied to us.”
“Not at all Christina.” Christina shook her head and held on to Jane’s hand.
“Don’t even talk. I can’t believe you. All of you. Get out.”
“Christina…”
“Get out of here. You, all of you, lied. You hurt us. Had us believin’ you wanted somethin’ better for us. Yet you treat us like any other man treats us, like we’re nothin’ better than whores.”
“I didn’t…”
“Now, God damn it.” Nick grabbed Alex’s arm and shook his head.
“Ride out Alex. We gotta catch up with them.” Alex pulled his hat on, took one last look at the tears in Christina’s eyes and walked out of the hotel.

“Annie, can I ask you somethin’?”
“What’s on your mind darlin’?”
“I just..” She stopped and played with the glass. “Business is slow.”
“After the shoot out, I think things changed. You know, I’m scared actually. All the Cowboys know we told our information to the Marshals.”
“Do you miss them Annie?” Annie thought for a moment and smiled.
“Yes, I do Mary. I never told you this, and God forbid, don’t tell Rachel, but Kevin came back. I feel in love with him Mary, the hardest thing to do.”
“We all did I think. What happened with you two?”
“Oh, he finally got to seduce me.” Annie smiled and Mary laughed. “Just one time, he said he couldn’t go without holding me one time.”
“It hurts even worse.”
“Yes, I suppose it does.”
“You don’t know, do you?”
“Know what Mary?”
“No, she wasn’t there,” I said. The two girls turned and glanced at me. “Bad mistake sleepin’ with that man.”
“Why on Earth would you say somethin’ like that?”
“They used us Annie. In the worst possible way. They wanted the men and they got them and they thanked us. They were just tryin’ to get the information and they got it.”
“Why, they wouldn’t do that.”
“Alex and Nick confessed it. They’ll piss ant’s Annie and it will do you a world of good to start forgettin’ about Kevin right now.” Annie glanced at her younger sister and saw the tears forming in her eyes.
“Oh my God.” She stood and walked away from the table, going upstairs to her room.

“You heard about the Cowboys?” I glanced over at Annie and shook my head. “Power is broken up.”
“Yea, after they kill Morgan.”
“Hey, Rachel, it was his fault, you know that. He got mixed up in this mess.”
“I know that.”
“There’s more though.” After a few moments of silence I turned my attention back to her. She stared out my window, a frown written all over her features.
“Annie, what’s wrong?”
“Rachel, they’re sayin’ around town that Ike is, well, the sorta leader. And he’s comin’ after us.”
“Us? What for?”
“For helpin’ the marshals.”
“We had no part in that and you damn well know that.”
“The town wont mind bein’ rid of a few more whores”
“You think they’ll kill off a family?”
“What do you mean?”
“Annie, I’m pregnant. That last night with Howie, so much happened.”
“Than leave Rachel. Go after that man.”
“Not after what happened.”
“It’s been two months. Rachel, I’m sure everythin’ is fine.”
“You gonna talk to Kevin?” I watched as she drew her gaze away, I watched as she fumbled with the water pitcher and I watched as her breaths got short.
“I can’t, I mean…”
“Things have changed.” Annie just nodded her head.
“I’m gonna let you rest darlin’.”