Give My Love to Rose(1st in Outlaw Series)

Chapter Ten

"You look old too. Do you realize just how bad you're looking these days?" Jeremiah asked, downing a big swig.

Marston glared at him. "Mama should have drowned you as an infant."

Jeremiah laughed. "Hell for all we know she probably tried!"

Marston chuckled. "Let's go play some cards."

The brothers made their way to a back poker table and tipped their heads to the four men already playing. "Mind if we play a few hands?" Jeremiah asked, swaying a bit on his feet as if he'd had twenty beers instead of half of one.

Marston placed his own smooth grin on his face. "Yeah, we ain't never had much luck at the game but it sure does pass the time."

The four men at that table shared predatory glances before nodded. "Well come on then, gentlemen. Sit down and play with us."

***

"Was it good?" Jeremiah asked as the two men met back out on the boardwalk of the saloon. Their pockets were full of their poker winnings and Marston had just gotten done paying a visit to that real friendly lady from earlier in the night.

He smirked as he lit a rolled cigarette. "A gentleman never kisses and tells."

"But we ain't gentlemen," Jeremiah winked.

Marston took a long draw. "She was decent," he admitted.

'I think there's a certain woman back in Louisiana that wouldn't be a bit happy with you right now,' that damn voice spoke up.

Marston grumbled under his breath. Marston didn't want to think about Rose or Langley or even the entire damn state of Louisiana. He didn't have a heart to give to them and even if he did Rose wouldn't want it. Not once she learned that he'd stolen their money. Money that they could have used to get through the winter. Money that would have taken some of that giant burden off Rose's shoulders.

Marston growled as he tossed his cigarette down and snuffed it out beneath the toe of his boot.

"Hey, Marston, check that out," Jeremiah nudged him with his elbow. Marston followed his gaze and saw the sharply dressed gentleman and his fancy lady friend exiting a gilded wagon across the street. Marston had never seen so much damn money and pomposity glittering in one place before.

"What are folks like that doing in a place like this?" he inquired.

"I don't know but that chest that man is attempting to lift looks awful heavy."

Marston grinned. "Well what do you say we just head over there and help lighten the load a bit?"

"Howdy folks!" Jeremiah greeted cheerfully as the brother's crossed the dark street.

The woman instantly moved closer to her man while his grip tightened on the chest in his arms. "We don't want any trouble, sirs."

"What makes you think we're trouble?" Marston asked with a chuckle as he hooked his thumbs through his belt loops and rocked back on his heels. "That hurts our feelings a bit, doesn't it brother?"

Jeremiah circled behind the couple. "Sure does."

Marston raised a brown when Jeremiah leaned in close and sniffed at the woman's powder blond hair. "Step away from my wife," the man shakily warned.

"That's a heavy looking trunk you've got there," Marston noted as he pulled his knife and tipped his head.

The woman let out a gasp and squeezed her eyes shut tight while the man's gray eyes widened. "It is heavy but there's nothing of real value inside."

"Why don't you let us be the judges of that?" Jeremiah whispered as he leaned in close and let his lip brush against the woman's ear. She gasped and jerked away from him and the man tossed the trunk to the ground.

"Help yourselves!" the man insisted before grabbing his wife's arm and pulling her body closer to his.

Jeremiah circled the trunk and used his own knife to break the lock. As he rifled through the contents, Marston focused on the couple. "I don't have much in the way of monetary comforts," Marston mused. "And here you folks are all dressed up in finery with more than you need. I'd be much obliged if you could give me any jewelry you might have and empty your pockets."

"But..." the woman gasped as she lay her hand over the large emerald at her throat.

"You can't be wearing those kinds of things around here, ma'am. You better be glad I came along when I did." Marston used the blade of his knife to lift the giant stone from her skin. "Now give me what you have." He shrugged one shoulder. "Please?"

***

"Damn, we made out good!" Jeremiah exclaimed as the brother's climbed on their horses with heavier pockets and saddlebags.

"Sure did," Marston agreed, feeling better than he had in weeks.

A commotion broke out from the hotel and cries of alarm filled the air. "Get them!"

"They stole from those fine folks!"

"Thieves!"

Jeremiah grinned. "Reckon they're talking about us?"

Marston smiled as he grabbed Buck's reins. "I reckon I don't want to stick around and ask."

A gunshot blasted and Jeremiah's wispy blond hair blew in the air as the bullet passed dangerously close to his head. "Yeah me either!" he agreed.

The two brothers were laughing as they rode off into the dark of night. They continued at a quick, steady pace until they were sure that no one was following them. They'd had plenty of practice in learning how to remain elusive and evade capture. It came as natural to each brother as breathing.

"That's the most fun I've had in a while," Marston admitted as the brother's stopped their mounts and looked out at the star filled sky.

"See! We still got it, little brother," Jeremiah said with a friendly smack to Marston's arm.

Marston let out a hiss of pain. "That's the arm you shot me in, you bastard."

Jeremiah flashed a sheepish grin. "Oh yeah..."

"Glad to see you boys are still at it."

Jeremiah and Marston shared a smile when they heard that unmistakable voice and turned to see Duke riding up behind them. Duke was six feet tall and rangy lean. His face was a mess of scars and his black hair and beard were full of gray. Duke had been the man to take both brother's under his wing when they had left the orphanage and he had taught them all about surviving.

"Well how the hell are you, Duke?" Marston asked, holding out his hand. "It's been a while."

Duke shook the offered hand and nodded. "Yes, it has. But I got a proposition for you boys."

"What's that?" Jeremiah asked.

"I got some jobs lined up and a few empty spots in my gang. I could use some men that I know can handle themselves to ride along with me this time."

Marston and Jeremiah glanced at each other and shrugged. "Sure," Jeremiah replied. "It's not like we have anywhere else we need to be."

The three men rode off together and with every step Buck took Marston's memories of Rose, Langley and Louisiana and the man they seemed to believe he could become became more and more distant.