Her Cold Revenge

Chapter 6

As soon as Clarissa had identified Clint, Grace let her search the captive's pockets and extracted several rolls of bills and a leather pouch of gold. The older woman grinned. "This should pay us back for our troubles."

Clint swore at them, but Clarissa only laughed and chucked him under the chin.

"Want a little smooch for old times' sake?" she taunted.

The fury in Clint's eyes as he glared at Clarissa made Grace shiver, and she was relieved to turn him over to the surprised Bisbee sheriff.

After she emerged from the jail, Emily trailed after her

"You caught that outlaw!" Emily said, bouncing up and down alongside her as Grace strode down the street. "I've been practicing being a good bounty hunter too. I'm watching for that gang, just like you said. I know all of their faces. I'll tell you as soon as I see any of them."

Grace smiled at her. "Thanks, Emily. You're a big help."

Emily beamed. "Are we going to look for them now?"

"Not today. I need some rest."

And she had some debts to clear, now that she had finally made a good bounty.

*   *   *

The next morning, Grace galloped off to Tombstone. She'd had a good night's sleep in her room at Miz Bessie's, so today she was ready to get more information on the Guiltless Gang.

When she reached the courthouse, several bounty hunters were gathered around the wall of wanted posters.

Deputy Clayton smiled as Grace walked in. "Grace Milton! Heard you caught that Clint Martin before the wanted poster even came out," he said. "Maybe I was wrong about you."

Grace couldn't help feeling pleased at his admission, but a few of the other bounty hunters turned to her and sniggered. "Pretty stupid criminal to get himself caught by a woman," one murmured.

"So where's the latest posters, deputy?" called another.

The deputy held up two flyers. "This one here's for Clint, but Miss Milton there already took care of it." He tossed that poster onto his desk, then pushed back his chair and tacked the other poster to the wall.

"Couldn't even get a handful of feed for my horse with that reward," the tallest man complained. "What's he wanted for?"

The man next to him ran a finger over the words at the bottom of the poster. "Just torturing and killing some Injuns." He directed a condemning sneer at the quiver of arrows Grace had slung over her shoulder. "He's no outlaw. Heshould be getting a reward for that. You won't catch me turning in such a man."

A chorus of "me neither" followed.

Grace's blood blazing through her veins. "Let me see that flyer. I'll go after him myself."