Rebecca with questions.
"How many were there? " "Seven, " she answered. "There were seven
men. I didn't see all of their faces."
"Start at the beginning and tell us everything, " Cole demanded.
She bowed her head, closed her eyes, and then gave a concise account of
what had happened inside the bank. By the time she was finished, she
was openly sobbing again and clinging to Cole's hand.
"Reliving the nightmare is almost as awful as being there . . . " Cole
patted her. "We know how hard this was for you, " he sympathized.
"You've been a tremendous help, " Daniel said.
Cole agreed with a nod. "Do you have any more questions for her? " he
asked Daniel.
"No, she's told us everything we need to know." Rebecca stood up, took
a calming breath, and said, "You will get all of them, won't you?
Promise me you will."
"We promise, " Cole answered.
Daniel walked her to the door. "Why don't you take a few minutes to
relax before you pack."
"Like it or not, I'm leaving this town today, " she threatened. "If
you have any decency at all, you won't tell Jessica and Grace that I'm
the witness because it would only upset them, and I don't want them to
hate me for not coming forward sooner.
" "I'm sure they would both understand why you kept silent, but don't
worry. Cole and I don't plan to tell them. And we will leave today, "
he promised.
"Thank you, Marshal. I shall be ready in one hour." The guard was
waiting to escort Rebecca back to the hotel.
He suggested that they alter their route and take one of the streets
parallel to the hotel. He was armed to the teeth with a pair of
six-shooters and a shotgun. Daniel noticed the way he watched the
street as he walked along and decided that Rebecca was in good hands.
"What does Grace want that's so urgent? " Cole asked him.
"Her note just says she wants to talk to me at the hotel before she
leaves town. She thinks she's going to get out of her sickbed and
drive a wagon. The woman doesn't have the sense God gave her. "
"She's got the determination, though, " Cole said. "I've got the
feeling she could pull it off if we let her."
"We aren't going to let her go anywhere alone, " Daniel countered.
"Cooper's going to stick to both women until every member of the
Blackwater gang has been captured."
"That could take a hell of a long time."
"I don't think so, " Daniel said. "If the gang finds out about
Rebecca, they'll be coming after her, and, God willing, we'll get every
last one of them."
"You're going to use her as bait, aren't you? " "I'm going to get her
to Blackwater alive." Cole nodded agreement. "I thought Rebecca was
the witness, but it was just a guess. Noţthat isn't true. I hoped it
wasn't Jessica."
"I can understand why. She's got enough on her plate now, raising that