Page 86 of I Do, I Do, I Do
“Clara will take care of Jean Jacques. She’s resourceful, and she’ll work it out. We don’t have to worry about him.”
“One more thing. I don’t know what the Canadian Mounties do to murderesses. Maybe they’ll hang us, or maybe they’ll stand us in front of a firing squad. But Juliette, we can’t kill a man in cold blood without paying serious consequences.”
“What are you saying? We can’t possibly walk up and shoot him in cold blood. That would be unforgivably rude! The polite thing would be to warn him first and explain why we have to kill him.”
Zoe blinked. On the other hand, maybe Juliette hadn’t changed as much as she had thought. “He’s going to say, ‘No, I won’t let you arrest me,’ and then you’re going to say, ‘Please stand right there because we’re going to kill you, and by the way we’re doing it because you’re trying to murder our friends.’”
“That’s the gist of it. But I’d better warn you. I’m too angry to be completely correct and polite. I can’t agree to shoot him in cold blood, but I do predict rude words will be spoken.”
“You know, on second thought it might be better if you stayed here with Clara while I take care of Horvath.”
“That wouldn’t be fair. I suggested this, and I should be arrested too if that’s how it ends.”
“It won’t be just an arrest. Do you feel strongly enough about killing Horvath that you’re willing to hang for it?”
They stared at each other across the tabletop.
Finally, Juliette frowned at her coffee cup. “None of us are going to have the future we want, Zoe. So what does it matter what happens to us?” She looked up. “I’ve thought about this. And I think it would be easier to hang than to live knowing I did nothing and let that crazy man kill two people I love. If we have to kill Horvath, then yes, I’m willing to pay the penalty. I believe Clara would do the same for us.”
“Yes, she would.” Zoe felt exactly as Juliette did. She turned her head to stare at the ice-block window. Had a shadow just crossed by? Juliette’s most compelling argument was that Horvath would act soon. In her bones, Zoe agreed. “We’ll have to find someone to sit with Clara.”
“I don’t think Mrs. Weber would mind.”
Zoe pushed up from the table. “You fetch Mrs. Weber while I load my rifle.” That son of a bitch was not going to kill Clara and Bear. She and Juliette would see that he didn’t.
“Excuse me, sir. Where might we find Mr. Horvath?” Juliette inquired pleasantly.
Horvath’s crony stood outside his tent, leaning on the handle of an ax. He looked the two women up and down, a smirk on his lips. “He’d be up yonder on the mountain,” he said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. “Working on the cabin he’s building hisself. What you want with him?”
“Thank you, sir.” Juliette nudged Zoe, and they walked down a snowpacked lane between rows and rows of tents.
Zoe was half disappointed that they wouldn’t pass Tom’s or Ben’s tents. Part of her wanted someone to talk them out of this. She had no idea if she really could kill a man. But maybe she didn’t have to. Maybe it would serve just to shoot Jake Horvath in the privates. Do enough damage to lay him low long enough for the Mounties to arrive and for the rest of them to continue on to Dawson. But the Mounties might not come, and then Horvath would eventually turn up in Dawson. He had publicly stated he would “finish the job.” Either he followed through or he’d be labeled a coward and he’d never hear the end of it.
“Can you tell that I’m carrying a rifle under my coat?” she asked Juliette, speaking out of the side of her mouth.
“Just don’t drop it, for heaven’s sake.” Juliette slid her a glance. “Are you nervous?”
“A little. I’ve never shot anything except a squirrel.”
“This should be easy, then. Horvath is bigger and more loathsome.”
“I think I see his cabin through the pines.” As they climbed a steep snowy path, more of Horvath’s place became visible. The walls were up, and a stone chimney chase, but no roof yet. Zoe heard sounds of a hammer and cursing, but no other voices. He was alone then. Good. “Let me do the talking.” Carefully, they picked their way up the boulder-strewn path. “Mr. Horvath? Mr. Jake Horvath!”
He came out of the cabin and walked a few steps toward them before he halted. “Well, lookee what we got here.”
Juliette drew herself up, angry enough that the frozen feather on her hat quivered. “We’ve come to arrest you for the dastardly deed of ambushing Mr. Bear Barrett and Miss Clara Klaus. Shame on you, Mr. Horvath!”
“I’ll do the talking,” Zoe snapped. Anticipating the worst, she looked around, then stepped behind a boulder that reached as high as her elbows. She could remove the rifle from her coat without being seen, and she could lean against the boulder to steady her aim.
“I know you two,” Horvath stated, squinting at them. “You’re the stupid skirt who walked out on the thin ice.” His gaze swung to Zoe. “And you’re the bitch who broke my nose.”
“Juliette, fall back a couple of steps and get behind that big rock.” She had the rifle out now, hidden from sight behind the boulder. “Mr. Horvath, this will go easier for everyone if you’ll return with us to your tent. We intend to place you under house arrest until the Canadian Mounties arrive.”
First he looked flabbergasted and then amused. “Now, why would I agree to let you two doxies arrest me?”
“Partly for your own protection,” Zoe called. “You have to know that when Bear is strong enough he’ll come gunning for you. He isn’t going to let you burn down his cabin and shoot his lady without repercussions.”
“I got reasons for what I done,” Horvath snarled. He tightened his grip around the hammer in his hand. “That son of a bitch cheated me, and he’s going to die for it.”
