Heart of an Outlaw *First in the Crane Gang series*

Chapter Forty

She came to with a moan but after several moments of blinking and becoming oriented with her surroundings, she too took a sip of water. Jebidiah allowed himself to quench his thirst as well.

Then he looked up at Captain Morgan, deciding this man showed more promise of being halfway decent than the worthless, piece of manure dressed up as a Major. "How long as it been since we were taken in?" Jebidiah asked, knowing it had to have been a while if they were locked up at the base. "And where is Preston?"

"The boy is at my home with my son. He is sick and I have a doctor tending to him," Captain Morgan replied. "And as to how long it's been, it's been a week since you were arrested."

Jebidiah shook his head and rubbed at his aching temples. "Preston needs medicine. He has a breathing condition and is supposed to have medicine every day."

Captain Morgan nodded. "I'll let the doctor know."

Jebidiah then thought about what else the man had said. A week? Then been kept drugged for a solid week while they'd been transported back to Amleston. Where was his brother and Wyatt? Where were Pete, Jane and Willie? Were they safe? Jebidiah didn't dare ask—if these lawmen hadn't gone after them then he didn't want to bring his remaining family to their attention.

"The three of you will hang tomorrow morning bright and early." Major Winfield announced. "I would have hanged you tonight but the Governor of Texas is going to come and watch and he was delayed."

"How terribly unfortunate," Maria quipped as she glared. "Does he know that his shining Major only accomplished his goals by hiding behind women and children?"

The Major seemed to falter a moment as Captain Morgan stepped back out the bars and closed the door. "The Governor doesn't care how the goal was accomplished, he is only happy that it was. The Crane gang has been disbanded with the capture of their leader. The traitor Gilliam Tomlinson is behind bars and the outlaw loving disgrace to this state will hang with her no-good son."

"You'll let my mother go," Gill growled. "She ain't done a thing for this state to see fit to hang her over."

Jebidiah watched the lawmen closely. The Major and the man behind him, whom Jebidiah recognized as one of the men who had arrested him, both seemed unfazed by the idea of hanging a woman. Captain Morgan, however, paled considerably and clutched his hands tightly behind his back.

"I'll hang you mother simply for loving a negro and bringing a half-breed like you into the world," Major Winfield sneered. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll be heading to supper. I simply wanted to make you all aware that you now have less than fourteen full hours left to enjoy breathing."

With that piece of sunshine news to warm them, the trio of prisoners found themselves alone. Jebidiah forced his legs to cooperate. He stood and leaned against the damp, moldy stone wall as he made his way to Gill.

Slumping down beside him, Jebidiah felt his heart tighten painfully in his chest when Gill was instantly in his arms. The man all but climbed into his lap and nuzzled his face against Jeb's neck. Jebidiah held him tight. He was dying in the morning but for now he took comfort in simply having the man he loved warm and solid against him.

"I'm sorry," Gill whispered, his deep voice thick with emotion. "Pete and I never should have tracked your gang down. We should have left you all alone and none of this would have happened."

Jeb shook his head and kissed the course hair on Gill's head. "I love you, Gilliam Tomlinson. This isn't your fault. I'll never regret being tracked down by you."

He glanced over at Maria who was watching them with tears streaming down her cheeks. He Jeb offered her the ghost of a smile and she did her best to return it.

"I hope you know that I had no choice but to go along with what the Major wanted..." Gill insisted. "He had my mama and threatened to kill her if I didn't. I didn't know that he had Preston until those men carried him out of the hotel and I didn't realize he intended to keep my mama until I'd already knocked you out to save your life."

Jeb reached up and rubbed at the knot on the back of his head, wincing painfully. "I thank you for thumping my head," he replied. "I lost my good sense when I saw that boy."

"I wouldn't have killed you, Jebidiah. I would have turned that gun and taken myself out before I would have pulled the trigger on you."

"That's enough of that moping around nonsense," Maria snapped, her thin shoulders squaring themselves. "We've all been used, abused and tricked. We can either wallow in that or keep our heads held high and die with dignity. At least those we love are safe—surely if the Major had that to rub our faces in, he would have done so."

Maria's words were meant to rouse their spirits but instead they seemed to rouse more attention. A heavy door creaked once more and more boot steps came their way.

The man who had been with the Major and Captain opened their cell door and spilled the contents of a sack upon the stained stone floor.

At the sight of the blood stained black and white cowhide pants, the sombrero that had been Jane's favorite and the leather encased journal with edges stained red and papers still covered in Wyatt's messy handwriting, Jebidiah felt something break inside of him and all he could do was cry.

A/N: Dun dun dun...... it seems our leading men are running out of hope