Author's Note: I'm so glad that this story has received such a great response. I never imagined that so many people would enjoy it. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. As you can see, things are starting to get a bit more complicated for Winnie. As you can imagine, it won't be easy for her to find the Tucks. Meanwhile, she will have to go through some pretty rough stuff. So, be patient. Just because Jesse isn't in the picture (yet) doesn't mean that it won't be interesting. Hang in there!

Chapter Nine: Abandoned

"Who are you?" Winnie's voice wavered, but she refused to cry.

Carter's eyes focused on something behind Winnie's head. "Like I said before, Miss Foster, I'm friend."

Winnie turned to see Maggie standing behind her with a pistol in her hands. She cried out and tried to back away, but ended up stepping on Carter's foot. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a small shove forward. She glanced anxiously between husband and wife. "What do you want from me?"

Carter laughed pleasantly as if responding to an absurd joke. "Well, I thought that was obvious. What does any criminal want? Your money, of course! Now, hand it over."

Winnie took a deep breath. "I don't have any money."

Carter's face turned to stone the instant she spoke. "Now, you don't think we believe that, do you? We know you have money. You keep it in that little pouch of yours in your pocket."

"How did you know that?"

Carter rolled his eyes. "Because we saw you take it out when you were in the tavern. You should really be careful about flashing your money around like that."

Winnie gasped in realization. Carter and Maggie were the couple from the tavern, the ones sitting in the corner! "You were in the tavern," she said to him.

"By George, Maggie, I think she's figured us out!" Carter chuckled again, but there was no mirth in the sound. "Just give us the money, sweetheart, and we can both be on our merry way."

Winnie quickly calculated the amount of money in her pouch and sighed. It was her whole life savings, the very thing she needed if she was ever to find the Tucks. To give up her money would mean giving up on the Tucks, and that was one thing she could never do. "No," she said as confidently as she could despite Carter's cruel expression. "No, the money is mine and you can't have it. I need it."

"Oh, yes, to find your family. Is that right?" Carter took a step in her direction and Winnie forced herself to stay put. "Well, you know what, honey? I don't give a hoot about whether or not you find your family. Do you see that gun over there? If you don't hand over the pouch, my wife will use it, you can be sure of that." Carter took another step and leaned forward until his face was inches from her own. "That's right. She'll put a bullet in your head as sure as the sun will rise and I promise that you won't live to see another day, much less your precious Tucks." Winnie could feel Carter's breath on her cheek and smelled the stench of alcohol that it contained. His voice dropped to a low rumble. "Now, I'm serious. Hand over the money or you will die."

Winnie sucked in a deep breath and put her hand inside her pocket. Her fingers brushed against Jesse's bottle and she was suddenly filled with a wonderful plan. She could drink the water! It wouldn't matter then if they shot her. After all, Angus Tuck had shot himself and the bullet didn't hurt him at all.

Yet, something inside of her held back. Eternal life was a huge decision and one that she couldn't make with only seconds to think and a pair of armed robbers breathing down her neck. No matter how much she needed the money, she would have to find a way to go on without it. Her fingers moved away from the bottle and clutched the drawstring bag. She handed it to Carter, who smiled at the sight.

"Now, that wasn't too hard, was it?" Carter pocketed the bag and motioned to his wife. Maggie stepped over to him and handed him the gun without a word. It occurred to Winnie that she had not heard the woman speak in the entire time she had been around her. She could see Carter grasping the gun firmly as Maggie looked on.

"Why, you're not going to shoot me still, are you? I gave you all my money! There's nothing left, I swear!" Winnie took a step backwards and her heels crunched on the gravel road. "Please," she begged softly.

Carter stepped forward. "Now, I believe you're telling the truth, Miss Foster, but I can't have you running back to Maple Bend and telling that sheriff what we'd done. We have to make sure that you can't do that." He took another step closer and Winnie found that she couldn't move. "I must admit, this isn't my favorite part."

Carter lifted the gun into the air as Winnie screamed. The barrel connected with her temple painfully and she slumped to the ground, unconscious.