The Judge's Daughter

FIFTEEN

Holding her breath, Ellie waited. There was no pain. But that meant Leonard had shot Austin. She opened her eyes and quickly glanced over Austin, but there wasn't any blood visible from a gunshot wound. Had her cousin missed?

She snapped her head and looked his way. Blood poured from his chest. Confusion filled his face as he glanced at the blood. The gun in his hand dropped to the ground, mere seconds before his body followed.

Not knowing what was going on, Ellie switched her attention to Tara. Her cousin's wide eyes were directed at something in the back of the carriage house. Ellie quickly peered that way. From out of the darkness walked Josie, holding the smoking pistol. Josie's stern expression eased Ellie, but it also surprised her. When had her little sister become so brave?

"What... have you done?" Tara's panicked voice lifted. "Josie, you... killed my brother."

Josie shrugged. "You killed my father, so I guess we're even. Besides," she glanced at Ellie, "I couldn't allow Leo to take away the only family I have left."

No longer did Ellie see her sister as the sweet, innocent girl. Instead, Josephine Lawson was a strong-willed woman, who thankfully, knew how to use a gun.

Ellie gently lifted Austin's head and placed it on the ground. She stood and moved toward Tara, grabbing the horse's reins hanging over the bench as she came closer. "Tara, we cannot let you get away with what you've done." She pushed her cousin against the wall before quickly binding Tara's wrists with the leathery reins.

"What about your sister? She killed my brother," Tara cried.

"There is a difference," Ellie explained calmly. "My sister was protecting me, but your purpose was for money." She pushed Tara to the ground before hooking the reins up on a peg to keep Tara from getting loose. Ellie turned toward her sister. "Josie, will you be able to ride into town to fetch the sheriff by yourself? I don't want to leave Austin alone."

Josie nodded as she moved to Ellie, stopping in front of her. "Of course I can do that. I'm not the helpless little sister you remember."

Ellie smiled and hugged her sister. "Thank you for saving my life and the life of the man I love."

Josie hugged her back before withdrawing. "I'm sorry I disobeyed you, but..." She glanced at Tara. "I knew my cousins couldn't be trusted, and I'm glad I went with my first instincts."

"Indeed. I'd be dead by now if you hadn't." She rubbed her sister's arm. "Don't be too long in town. I hope Austin will be all right."

"After I get the sheriff, I'll drop by and have the doctor come to the house, too." Josie looked at Austin. Head wounds take forever to heal, so I've been told."

Ellie's chest tightened. She'd heard that as well. She gave her sister one last hug before moving to kneel beside Austin once more. She gently lifted his head and placed it on her lap, checking the cloth to make sure there was no new bleeding. Thankfully, there wasn't.

She caressed his cheek, hoping he would wake up soon. "Austin, please don't leave me," she whispered brokenly. "I love you so much, and I want to be your wife and have your children. I want to be with you, always. Please open your eyes and look at me."

He wasn't responsive, which worried Ellie that much more. She offered up a prayer for God to once again help her and the man she loved.

"My father will never forgive you for killing his only son," Tara said in a tight voice.

Ellie threw her cousin a glare. "Do you think I care? As soon as the sheriff arrives, he will arrest you, and I'm going to have him kick your father and mother out of my house forever. They have been stealing mine and my sister's money, and your father was going to take our inheritance. From this moment forward, the only family I have in Dodge City is my sister. The rest of you are dead to me – as dead as your brother."