Saved By The Outlaws

Chapter Fifteen: Double crossing

Chapter 15: Double Crossing

I still felt so guilty. So guilty about how Bill had had to step in to save my life. But I wasn't going to wallow in self pity any more. This was just another thing that made me think twice about living a life as a full-time outlaw. I couldn't handle the death of those close to me and bounce back onto my feet like my other friends had, but now I could search for the bastard that caused this and put a bullet through his head.

I drifted down the stairs in search of someone to keep me company and came to the kitchen where my pa and Carly were sat on their own at the table facing each other and talking quietly. I made my way over to the table and sat beside Carly taking her hand in mine beneath the table.

“What're y'all talkin' about then pa?” I addressed him as I lightly squeezed Carly's hand in mine.

“Aleck” he shrugged as if it was the most normal thing in the world to be talking about.

“Now, why'd you need to be worrying her pretty little head with stuff like that pa?” I smirked as my pa's face went blank.

“Son, I think she has a right to know what we know 'sides it could connect some dots, but after I explained everything that you'd told me before the funeral it seems that nothing seems to ring a bell for her.”

“I am right here” Carly giggled “y'all could talk to me instead of round me, it makes a conversation so much more worth while.”

My pa let out a loud laugh “I like this girl son, don't go letting her run away!” A blush crept up Carly's cheeks as my pa continued “as for what plan we're going to make next, I say we stay put and start planning to allow him to bring the fight to us, we have the advantage here, we're supported by Fred's men and we're safer here then chasing a wild goose chase, splitting up our men, and facing someone that seems to be a sneaky planner.”

“I don't want anyone to fight over me” Carly spoke timidly “I just need to talk to my brother and sort all of this out, that's all.”

I shook my head violently “you are definitely not talking to him alone Carly, especially not if that Christof is close by.”

“Christof?” Carly's eyes snapped to mine. “Please tell me he's not been involved in all this?”

Me and my pa froze around the table at her reaction as my pa spoke up “'fraid so Carly, why's that such an issue?”

“He tried to make an arrangement with my parents when they were alive, asking for my hand in marriage so that if anything happened to them then I'd be safe. Of course my parents declined quickly as they weren't the sorts that believed in arranged marriages, they wanted me to find someone that I loved by myself” she slightly turned to face me with a smile before she continued “anyway he wasn't best pleased and ever since has been following me, asking for my hand in marriage, bringing me flowers, chasing away any other possible suitors. That sorts of thing, I also know that he's indebted to my brother, kept going on about it one night that he was at some place called Alley Ridge or something with some people of his and he was attacked by a group of outlaws that took all his bounty and almost killed him, my brother apparently stepped in last minute.”

“When was this?” my pa questioned quickly.

“Sometime in the fall about 3 years ago” Carly replied as her eyes seemed to widen in realisation “you were the outlaws weren't you?”

“My pa nodded his head as he turned to my slightly “I believe so, do you remember your first proper raid when you were almost shot by that man as you'd tried to shoot the leader and your ma pulled you out the way?”