Falcon leaned to risk a look out the window at the men coming up to the hitching post. “Hawkins must’ve broke Kingston out of jail. What happened to Kevin?”

“And what about Gatlin?” Sheriff Corly asked. “Hawkins may have just killed two men.”

The sheriff took quick stock. There was nowhere in here to hide, no more space beside the doors. He opened the back door and stepped through, leaving it open an inch.

“My brother.” Falcon felt his head heat up. Rage, killing fury. He drew his gun, pointed it at the floor.

“Watch who you shoot. Mind the women.”

Falcon glared at him so he’d know how insulting that warning was.

John jerked his head in a quick nod, best he could do to apologize. “I hope they don’t go around back. No footprints out here.”

“Hush up. They’re coming. Out front.” Falcon pressed his back against the wall, his gun pointed down. John’s pointed up. Footsteps.

“What is this place? Why are we here?” Win’s voice. Falcon was getting to know his little sister-in-law. She was the softest of all of them. But to him, her voice sounded falsely whiny. He suppressed a smile. She had a game of her own going on. Little sister was ready to fight.

Not a sound from Rachel. Falcon remembered how long she’d been in bed. But she was a tough woman.

By gum, she’d shaken off a bullet to the heart.

He wouldn’t count on her, neither would he count her out.

The door was shoved open. It hit John in the face, but he was ready for it and made nary a sound. No one seemed to notice it didn’t open all the way.

Win got shoved inside. Falcon could have grabbed her, dragged her out of the line of fire, and shot Kingston, and he wanted to so bad he knew it for a sin.

But Kevin. What had happened to his little brother?

Win staggered forward and fell to her knees. Falcon, on high alert, saw her slip one hand under the hem of her skirt and slide a knife from her boot.

Kingston had turned halfway around, away from Falcon, talking to Hawkins behind him. “She still alive?”

“Yep, breathing. Winona said she was ailing.”

“Ailing because I shot her.” Kingston laughed with crude pleasure.

Win gathered herself, knife hidden in the folds of her skirt. She rose, turned, and saw Falcon. She didn’t so much as look at him after that one quick glance. Didn’t let pleasure show on her face. She had a cool head in a tough time.