---

---

The men came out of the darkness so quickly Hunt didn't have time to react—even if he hadn't been outnumbered. Nor did he put up a struggle. Not that it stopped them from beating him up. When they finally stopped, he thought it was over but realized they'd just been taking their frustration out on him. They had something else planned for him as they grabbed him and hauled him back toward the carnival lot. He told himself being with Pepper had been worth it. No regrets. Tonight would last him a lifetime—if it had to. "Take him to Chester," one of the men said. Hunt felt his heart drop as he remembered that Chester was billed as "The Man-Eating Crocodile." The night before he'd met Pepper, he had seen one of the carnies throw chunks of raw meat into the pit where the croc was kept. He shuddered. He'd expected the men to beat him up. He hadn't expected them to kill him. Worse, he realized they could make it look like an accident. He'd come on the lot after hours, possibly to steal something, and had stumbled into the crocodile pit. The pit was a wooden box that Hunt realized could be his coffin in a few minutes. He struggled but there were too many of them, and they were strong as bulls from all the heavy lifting they did on a daily basis. "You don't want to do this," he said. "You're the one who shouldn't have done what you did," said one of the men. He recognized the voice as Pepper's father's and knew nothing he could say would save him now. Hunt could hear the croc in the pit begin to thrash around in expectation of a meal. The thrashing increased in volume as two of the men slid off the heavy boards on top of the pit. The other men lifted him, carrying him toward the pit where the man-eating crocodile waited expectantly for him. *** Joanna's blood-curdling scream seemed to freeze in the summer night air. She screamed again, the terror now real. Pepper held her breath. She had seen the men take Hunt into the tent and knew what awaited him inside there. Tears and pleading would not save him. She'd had to resort to more drastic measures once she realized her father was in that tent with the other men. Pepper knew her father. He was a good man—until he was crossed. Every man on the carnival knew not to come near his daughter. Hunt had crossed a line that could not be uncrossed. There would be no mercy. She couldn't even imagine what her own punishment would be. Right now it didn't matter. She had to save Hunt, Pepper thought as she peered into the dark tent. Joanna's screams had stopped the men. Several of them had gone to the door of the tent and looked out. "Waldo escaped!" Joanna cried, with a choking sound that made it clear that the huge snake was already wrapped around her. "He has me. Help me!" The men immediately dropped Hunt to the ground and took off running toward her, yelling for others to come help. Pepper knew she had to move fast. Chapter Twenty Summary/Description: Pepper manages to save Hunt from his grisly fate, but she still won't agree to run away with him in the conclusion. Still, she is certain she'll see him again one day… Story: "Waldo's escaped and he has me." That was all Hunt heard before he was dropped to the dirt an instant before the men all went running outside. He tried to get up but fell back in pain. Several of his ribs were broken. He rolled onto his side, the pain nearly making him black out. As he tried to get onto all fours, he felt a hand touch his shoulder. "Here, let me help you," Pepper said. "My ribs," he ground out. "Just let me lean on you." Together, they managed to get him on his feet and out the back door of the tent. She led him to an old pickup. "The keys are in it. The minute you start it, they will hear the engine. Drive as fast as you can. Leave the truck up the highway on the way to Lewistown. As long as they get it back, they won't come after you." He touched her face with his fingertips. "What will they do to you?" "Don't worry about me," she said with a lift of her chin. "I can take care of myself." He shook his head. "I can't leave you." "You can't help me. Not in your condition. The best thing you can do for me is to get out of here now." "I'll find you after I make my fortune." He leaned toward her, kissed her softly, then painfully climbed into the pickup. She closed the truck door quietly and realized she was crying. She couldn't bear to see him so hurt and knew that more of it was worry about her than the pain from his beating. She clung to the edge of the open window, her feet on the running board as she leaned in to touch his face before she hopped down. "Go," she cried as she heard a commotion in the tent behind them. "Hurry!" "Wait for me!" he said as he turned the key in the ignition. The old pickup motor rumbled to life. Hunt popped the clutch and the truck lunged forward across the open field, roaring away as the men came racing out after him. The last thing she saw was the pickup's taillights as Hunt swerved onto the main highway. And then he was gone. She swallowed back her tears as she felt her father's large hand grip her shoulder. He didn't say a word. He didn't need to. She saw both his disappointment and anger in the hard glint of his eyes. Pepper lifted her chin. Just as she'd told Hunt, she could take care of herself. Whatever happened now, she wasn't worried. She'd known true love. A part of her would always be waiting for Hunt McCormick to come for her. In her heart lived the belief that one day Hunt would find her and they would be together. She held on tightly to that as daylight broke on the horizon and the sound of the pickup's old engine died off in the distance. The End Find out what happens to Pepper, and if she ever meets up with Hunt McCormick again, in B.J. Daniels' Whitehorse, Montana: Winchester Ranch books!



chapter: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19