Chapter Thirteen
"You let her come back to San Francisco alone?" yelled Bret.
Adam drew in a long breath and clenched his teeth causing the muscles in his jaw to tighten. "Just why couldn't she come back to San Francisco alone? The danger was in Virginia City!"
Bret shook his head. "There was never any danger in Virginia City. I didn't send her there because of McCovey. He never left San Francisco. I sent her to you."
Adam's chin rose. "I didn't know she was there."
"No, but you found out, didn't you? It was only a matter of time before she played poker." Bret relaxed now that the truth was out. "She deserved something better than this," he said, waving his hand around in the air. "She never would have left on her own to seek you out, and you didn't appear to be ready to take her home yourself."
"I asked. She said no." Adam breathed deeply, and with slightly pursed lips, he added. "She stayed because of you."
Hayden shook his head and scoffed. "I asked her to marry me. She turned me down."
"That doesn't mean she doesn't care for you. You rescued her. She feels she owes you."
"That's ridiculous," said Bret, pouring himself a shot of whiskey. "You evidently don't know her at all." After downing the whiskey, he added, "She stays for the cards."
"No," said Adam. "She stays for you because she thinks you need the money she earns at her table."
Both men heard yelling at the front door of the Parker House and turned just as a woman was shoved violently through the door. She'd landed on her knees, and as Adam and Bret ran toward her a booted foot came through the door and shoved her to the floor.
Adam stepped over her and to the door, but turned back when he realized the woman on the floor was Aubrey. Kneeling next to her, he raised her up into his arms. "Aubrey, can you hear me?"
Barely conscious, she opened two swollen eyes and slightly smiled. "It's over, Adam. I've taken my beating."
"It's not over, Aubrey. I'm not letting him get away with this," Adam said as he looked her over. Both eyes had already begun to blacken, her nose and bottom lip were bloody, and she had bruises all over her arms and shoulders. Looking further, he found blood…a lot of blood on her skirt, and instantly knew McCovey had not only beaten her, but had applied the kind of humiliation he was so well known for. "Bret, find a doctor."
"Where are you going?" asked Bret as he took Aubrey from Adam.
Adam stood and looked down at Aubrey, his veins showing prominently on his neck. "Where do you think I'm going," he barked as he turned toward the door.
Bret motioned to one of his men. "Get the boys together and follow Cartwright. Don't interfere, but make sure McCovey has no one backing him up."
Aubrey struggled to sit up. "No! Don't let him go!" Bret could barely hear her, but her eyes were wide and wet.
Lifting her from the floor, Bret carried her to her bedroom, motioning for several of the girls to follow. "Alta, go find Doc Brehm. Tell him it's urgent. Abby, stay here with Aubrey."
"Where you going?" asked Abby.
"I'm following Cartwright. McCovey's fast. I have no idea how fast Cartwright is."
When Bret left, Aubrey struggled to get up from the bed. "Now, Aubrey," said Abby. "You're in no shape to go anywhere."
"I have to stop him," said Aubrey, finding it hard to breath as she pushed herself up and to her feet. She fell against the wall, but continued to inch her way toward the window.
Moving her arm around Aubrey, trying to get her back to bed, Abby said, "You know perfectly well Bret can take care of himself."
"I'm not talking about Bret," Aubrey snapped rather weakly.
Adam spotted McCovey removing Aubrey's trunk from a wagon he presumed had been hired by Aubrey to take her to the Parker House from the docks. McCovey was loading the trunk onto the back of a buggy when Adam yelled his name.
"Cartwright," said McCovey with a malevolent smile. "I'm just taking what's rightfully mine."
Continuing down the street toward McCovey, Adam knew full well everything Aubrey owned was in that trunk, including her jewels. "I'm afraid I have to disagree. Aubrey doesn't owe you anything. You lost fair and square."
"She's a woman. There's nothing fair and square about a woman playing poker." McCovey let the trunk fall to the ground and stepped away from his buggy.
"If you felt that way, McCovey, you should never have sat down at her table. Your loss is your own fault," Adam said as he stood in the middle of the street, his legs spread shoulder width, and his hands hanging comfortably at his side. His intellect told him to avoid a gun fight, but his anger hoped for it. Even so, he appeared calm.
McCovey recognized the stance he'd seen before when he'd gotten what he wanted in a way that injured most. He'd won so many times that even though Cartwright looked capable, McCovey was sure he'd win.
Adam had been watching McCovey's face as he sized up his options. What he saw was arrogance, something that could easily get a man killed.
As each man stood in the middle of the street appraising the other man, Bret's men moved down each of the sidewalks, whispering to innocent citizens to move into a building, and taking care of any men paying particularly close attention to the developments on the street.
Every person, every buggy and wagon, every horse stopped moving. The silence was deafening.
Aubrey was fighting her way to her window when she heard the gunshots. She froze for a moment, unable to move at the thought of finding Adam lying dead in the street. Trembling, her eyes pleaded with Abby to help her to the window, and when she arrived, she sank to her knees and sobbed.